hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
PCAOB Enforcement Transparency Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-610
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2017-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Administrative remedies
Banking and financial institutions regulation
Corporate finance and management
Public participation and lobbying

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: 

PCAOB Enforcement Transparency Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to make Public Company Accounting Oversight Board disciplinary proceedings open to the public unless the board, on its own motion or after considering the motion of a party, orders otherwise.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S1780)
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-611
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2017-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Child care and development
Child safety and welfare
Congressional oversight
Crimes against women
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Domestic violence and child abuse
Family services
Government information and archives
Health care coverage and access
Homelessness and emergency shelter
Housing and community development funding
Mental health
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: 

Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to modify definitions relating to homeless individuals and homeless children or youth as used by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to verify eligibility for HUD homeless assistance programs to align them with the definitions of &quot;homeless&quot; used to verify eligibility for other federal assistance programs. (The amended definitions would increase access to federal homeless programs by homeless children, youth, and families.)
 
The community-wide homeless management information system shall be made publicly available on HUD's website.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S1780-1781)
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Udall Park Land Exchange Completion Act

Bill: 115-s-612
Sponsor: Sen. Flake, Jeff [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2017-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Arizona
Economic development
Land transfers

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: 

Udall Park Land Exchange Completion Act

 
This bill directs the Department of the Interior to convey, without consideration, to the city of Tucson, Arizona, the reversionary interest of the United States in and to an approximately 172.8-acre parcel of land owned by the city for the purpose of unencumbering the title to such land to enable its economic development.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-07-23
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 525.
action_date: 2018-07-23
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 115-306.
action_date: 2018-07-23
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 115-306.
action_date: 2018-05-17
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2018-02-07
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 115-502.
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Ratepayer Fairness Act

Bill: 115-s-613
Sponsor: Sen. Flake, Jeff [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2017-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Electric power generation and transmission
Public utilities and utility rates
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: 

Ratepayer Fairness Act 

 
This bill amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to require a state regulatory authority and a nonregulated electric utility, to the extent that they allow electric utility rates to include charges that subsidize customer-side technology, to consider whether that subsidy would:
 
 
result in benefits predominately enjoyed by only the users of the customer-side technology;
 
shift costs of a customer-side technology to electricity consumers who do not use it, particularly in cases in which disparate economic or resource conditions exist among the electricity consumers cross-subsidizing the customer-side technology;
 
negatively affect resource utilization, fuel diversity, grid reliability, or grid security;
 
give any unfair competitive advantage to market the customer-side technology, including an analysis of whether a state regulatory authority has uncovered fraudulent customer-side technology marketing practices; and
 
be necessary to fulfill an obligation to serve electric consumers. 
 
 
The bill sets deadlines within which the regulatory authority or electric utility must set a hearing date to consider and subsequently determine the subsidization of customer-side technology. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate
RPPA Commercial Recreation Concessions Pilot Program Act

Bill: 115-s-614
Sponsor: Sen. Flake, Jeff [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2017-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Land use and conservation
Outdoor recreation
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Public-private cooperation
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: 

RPPA Commercial Recreation Concessions Pilot Program Act

 
This bill amends the Recreation and Public Purposes Act to direct the Department of the Interior to establish a pilot program that authorizes commercial recreation concessions on land patented or leased under the Act.
 
Interior shall enter into at least 10 agreements with parties to whom such land has been patented or leased for the establishment of these concessions. 
 
A party to such an agreement may enter into agreements with third parties to establish such concessions. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-26
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 115-482.
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Higher Education Innovation Act

Bill: 115-s-615
Sponsor: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Introduced: 2017-03-13 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Education programs funding
Higher education
Performance measurement
Student aid and college costs
Student records
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: 

Higher Education Innovation Act
 
This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish an alternative authorization process for institutions of higher education (IHEs) and other education providers to participate in federal student aid programs.
 
The Department of Education must approve innovation authorizers to authorize IHEs or other education providers that: promote student success outcomes and cost-effectiveness, agree to outcome-based oversight and reporting requirements, meet performance metrics, and comply with other specified requirements. 
 
Authorization by an innovation authorizer is deemed recognized accreditation for purposes of participation in title IV federal student aid programs.
 
An IHE or education provider may be both accredited by a recognized accrediting agency and authorized by an innovation authorizer, if it meets the requirements of both. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2017-03-13
text: Introduced in Senate
Food Security is National Security Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-616
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2017-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Corporate finance and management
Department of Agriculture
Department of Health and Human Services
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Food supply, safety, and labeling
Foreign and international corporations
U.S. and foreign investments

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: 

Food Security is National Security Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the Defense Production Act of 1950 to: (1) require the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to consider the potential effects of a proposed or pending transaction on the security of the U.S. food and agriculture systems, including any effects on the availability of, access to, or safety and quality of food; and (2) include the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services as members of the committee.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Lawful Interstate Transportation of Firearms Act

Bill: 115-s-618
Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT]
Introduced: 2017-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Criminal procedure and sentencing
Firearms and explosives
Legal fees and court costs
Motor vehicles

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: 

Lawful Interstate Transportation of Firearms Act

This bill amends the federal criminal code to revise provisions related to the interstate transportation of firearms and ammunition. 
An individual may transport a firearm between two places (e.g., states) where it is legal to possess, carry, or transport the firearm. During transport, the firearm must be unloaded and secured or securely stored. 
Additionally, an individual may transport ammunition, or a detachable magazine or feeding device, between two places where it is legal to possess, carry, or transport the ammunition, magazine, or feeding device. During transport, the ammunition, magazine, or feeding device must not be loaded into a firearm and must be securely stored. 
This bill prohibits the arrest or detention of an individual for a state or local firearm or ammunition violation unless there is probable cause to believe the individual failed to comply with the provisions of this bill.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-619
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2017-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Education programs funding
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medical education
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: 

Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to include physical therapy within the definition of &quot;primary health services&quot; for purposes of the National Health Service Corps. The bill makes physical therapists eligible for repayment of their educational loans in order to ensure an adequate supply of physical therapists.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Community College to Career Fund Act

Bill: 115-s-620
Sponsor: Sen. Franken, Al [D-MN]
Introduced: 2017-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Adult education and literacy
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Employment and training programs
Higher education
Licensing and registrations
National Guard and reserves
Public-private cooperation
Unemployment
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: 

Community College to Career Fund Act

 
This bill amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to direct the Department of Labor to award competitive grants to eligible community colleges, four-year public institutions of higher education, tribal colleges or universities, public or private nonprofit two-year institutions of higher education in specified U.S. territories, or a consortium of any of them, in partnership with employers or an employer or industry partnership representing multiple employers, in order to develop, offer, improve, and provide educational or career training programs for workers.
 
The governor of the state in which at least one of these entities is located shall establish criteria for an educational or career training program leading to a recognized postsecondary credential for which an eligible entity submits a grant proposal.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Public Online Information Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-621
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2017-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Advisory bodies
Civil actions and liability
Freedom of information
Government information and archives
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Legal fees and court costs
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: 

Public Online Information Act of
 
2017

 
This bill establishes a Public Online Information Advisory Committee to: (1) coordinate the government's efforts to make information from all three branches of government available on the Internet, and (2) issue nonbinding guidelines on how the government should make public information available.
 
The government must make public records available on the Internet at no charge, except as imposed by federal law before this bill's enactment. The bill requires: (1) public records to be permanently available on the Internet; (2) current information technology to be applied to the formats and means through which records are made available; and (3) each agency to publish on the Internet a searchable, machine-processable list of all records it makes publicly available.
 
The bill delineates the roles of the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Electronic Government, and the chief information officers of independent regulatory agencies. It allows exceptions to the Internet publication requirement, including a process for an agency's request for an exception to be granted if: (1) there is a clear and convincing reason for the record to not be made available on the Internet, and (2) the harm caused by disclosure significantly outweighs the public's interest in having the record available on the Internet. 
 
Inspectors general must periodically review agency compliance. Private individuals or organizations may file a complaint in federal court if an agency denies a request to place public records on the Internet.
 
The bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) judicial and legislative agencies adopt or adapt the advisory committee's recommendations, and (2) the Government Publishing Office make all of its publications permanently available on the Internet in a multiplicity of formats.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Fair and Open Competition Act

Bill: 115-s-622
Sponsor: Sen. Flake, Jeff [R-AZ]
Introduced: 2017-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Labor-management relations
Public contracts and procurement

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: 

Fair and Open Competition Act

 
 This bill prohibits a federal executive agency that awards any construction contract after the enactment of this bill from requiring or prohibiting a contract bidder from entering into agreements with labor organizations (i.e., Project Labor Agreements [PLAs]) or otherwise discriminating against a bidder or contractor who signs, or refuses to sign, a PLA. 
 
Agencies that award grants, provide financial assistance, or enter into cooperative agreements for construction projects after the enactment of this bill must ensure that the bid specifications, project agreements, or other controlling documents for such projects do not contain any requirements or prohibitions relating to PLAs. 
 
An agency may exempt a particular project or grant from the prohibition of this bill if it determines that special circumstances exist requiring an exemption to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety or to serve the national security. 
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
READ Act

Bill: 115-s-623
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2017-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Adult education and literacy
Conflicts and wars
Congressional oversight
Elementary and secondary education
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Foreign aid and international relief
Multilateral development programs
School administration
Teaching, teachers, curricula
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
Women's education

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: 

Reinforcing Education Accountability in Development Act or the READ Act

 
This bill amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to state that it shall be U.S. policy to work with partner countries, other donors, multilateral institutions, the private sector, and nongovernmental and civil society organizations (including faith-based organizations) to promote basic education through programs that: (1) respond to the needs and capacities of developing countries to improve literacy and other basic skills; (2) strengthen educational systems, expand access to safe learning environments (including by breaking down barriers to basic education for women and girls), and support the engagement of parents in their children's education; (3) promote education as a foundation for economic growth; and (4) monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and quality of basic education programs in partner countries.
 
The President shall: (1) seek to improve the effectiveness of assistance by coordinating relevant executive branch efforts, (2) ensure that assistance is aligned with U.S. foreign policy and economic interests, and (3) submit to Congress by October 1, 2017, a comprehensive FY2018 through FY2022 strategy to promote basic education in partner countries.
 
The bill establishes within the U.S. Agency for International Development the position of Senior Coordinator of United States International Basic Education Assistance, who shall have primary responsibility for the oversight and coordination of U.S. government resources and activities relating to the promotion of international basic education. 
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to allow servicemembers to terminate their cable, satellite television, and Internet access service contracts while deployed.

Bill: 115-s-624
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced: 2017-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Contracts and agency
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Military personnel and dependents
Television and film

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: 
This bill amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to allow a service member to terminate a commercial mobile, telephone exchange, Internet access, or multichannel video programming service contract at any time after the date the service member receives military orders to relocate for at least 90 days to a location that does not support such service contract. (Currently, such provision applies to a cellular telephone service or telephone exchange service contract.) 
 
A service member shall return any provider-owned consumer premises equipment to the service provider not later than 10 days after the service is disconnected.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Foreign Agents Registration Modernization and Enforcement Act

Bill: 115-s-625
Sponsor: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Introduced: 2017-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies
Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Evidence and witnesses
Government studies and investigations
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Licensing and registrations
Marketing and advertising
News media and reporting
Public participation and lobbying
Television and film
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: 

Foreign Agents Registration Modernization and Enforcement Act

 
This bill amends the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (FARA) to provide that whenever the Department of Justice (DOJ) has reason to believe that a person or enterprise may be in possession or control of documentary material relevant to an investigation under FARA, the DOJ, before initiating a civil or criminal proceeding with respect to the production of such material, may serve a written demand upon the entity to produce the material for examination.
 
The bill includes social media communications under information that foreign agents must file with DOJ. Under certain circumstances, social media communications are exempted from the requirement for foreign agents to include a disclosure statement in informational materials. Informational materials disseminated by a foreign agent as part of an activity that would not require registration, need not be filed.
 
The FARA Registration Unit shall submit a semiannual report to Congress regarding the administration of FARA, including the number of investigations initiated based upon a perceived violation and the number of such investigations that were referred to DOJ for prosecution.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
CFPB-IG Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-626
Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Introduced: 2017-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Government studies and investigations

Summary:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: 

Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection-Inspector General Reform Act of 2017 or CFPB-IG Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to repeal the authority of the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to appoint the Inspector General of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
 
The CFPB Inspector General shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2017-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate