hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Dream Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1615
Sponsor: Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]
Introduced: 2017-07-20 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Citizenship and naturalization
Department of Homeland Security
Elementary and secondary education
Foreign labor
Government information and archives
Higher education
Immigration status and procedures
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Military personnel and dependents
Preschool education
State and local government operations
Student aid and college costs
User charges and fees
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-20
text: 

Dream Act of 2017

 
This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to cancel removal and grant lawful permanent resident status on a conditional basis to an alien who is inadmissible or deportable or is in temporary protected status who: (1) has been continuously physically present in the United States for four years preceding this bill's enactment; (2) was younger than 18 years of age on the initial date of U.S. entry; (3) is not inadmissible on criminal, security, terrorism, or other grounds; (4) has not participated in persecution; (5) has not been convicted of specified federal or state offenses; and (6) has fulfilled specified educational requirements.
 
DHS shall cancel the removal of, and adjust to the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence on a conditional basis, an alien who was granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status unless the alien has engaged in conduct that would make the alien ineligible for DACA. 
 
DHS may not: (1) grant conditional permanent resident status without the submission of biometric and background data, and completion of background and medical checks; and (2) disclose or use information provided in applications filed under this bill or in DACA requests for immigration enforcement purposes. 
 
The bill prescribes the conditions under which DHS: (1) may terminate a person's conditional permanent resident status, and (2) shall adjust a person's conditional status to permanent resident status.
 
The bill: (1) sets forth documentation requirements for establishing DACA eligibility, and (2) repeals the denial of an unlawful alien's eligibility for higher education benefits based on state residence. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2017-07-20
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 for purposes of the tax on private foundation excess business holdings to treat as outstanding any employee-owned stock purchased by a business enterprise pursuant to certain employee stock ownership retirement plans.

Bill: 115-s-1618
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2017-07-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Business investment and capital
Employee benefits and pensions
Sales and excise taxes
Securities
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-24
text: 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude certain purchases of employee-owned stock from being considered as outstanding voting stock for the purpose of the tax on excess business holdings of a private foundation in a business enterprise. 
 
The bill applies to any voting stock that is: (1) not readily tradable on an established securities market; (2) purchased by the business enterprise on or after January 1, 2005, from an employee stock ownership plan in which employees of the business enterprise participate, in connection with a distribution from the plan; and (3) held by the business enterprise as treasury stock, cancelled, or retired. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2017-07-24
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to extend the interest rate limitation on debt entered into during military service to debt incurred during military service to consolidate or refinance student loans incurred before military service.

Bill: 115-s-1619
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2017-07-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Higher education
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Military personnel and dependents
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-24
text: 

This bill amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to extend the 6% interest rate limitation on debt entered into during a servicemember's military service to any debt entered into to consolidate or refinance one or more student loans incurred before such service.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4137-4138)
action_date: 2017-07-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Taiwan Security Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1620
Sponsor: Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
Introduced: 2017-07-24 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Alaska
Arms control and nonproliferation
Asia
Defense spending
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Disaster relief and insurance
Foreign aid and international relief
Guam
Hawaii
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
International exchange and broadcasting
International organizations and cooperation
Military assistance, sales, and agreements
Military civil functions
Military facilities and property
Military operations and strategy
Military personnel and dependents
Military readiness
Nevada
North Korea
Nuclear weapons
Pacific Ocean
Sanctions
Taiwan
Trade restrictions
U.S. territories and protectorates

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-24
text: 

Taiwan Security Act of 2017

 
This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to carry out a program of exchanges of senior military officers and senior officials between the United States and Taiwan that are designed to improve military relations. 
 
Exchanges should focus on:
 
 
threat analysis;
 
military doctrine;
 
force planning;
 
logistical support;
 
intelligence collection and analysis;
 
operational tactics, techniques, and procedures; 
 
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; and 
 
civil-military relations. 
 
 
Such exchanges should be conducted in the United States and Taiwan. 
 
The United States shall: (1) conduct regular transfers of defense articles to Taiwan to support its efforts to develop and integrate asymmetric capabilities into its military forces, and (2) host senior officials of the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense for an annual strategic dialogue on arms sales to ensure the regular transfer of such articles. 
 
DOD shall invite Taiwan's military forces to participate in: (1) the 2018 Rim of the Pacific Exercise; and (2) one of the Red Flag military exercises at either Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, or Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. 
 
DOD shall: (1) reestablish regular ports of call by the U.S. Navy in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, or in other suitable ports on Taiwan; and (2) permit the United States Pacific Command to receive ports of call by Taiwan's navy in Hawaii, Guam, or other appropriate locations. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2017-07-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Beach Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1622
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2017-07-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Air quality
Aquatic ecology
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental health
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine pollution
Outdoor recreation
Seashores and lakeshores
Water quality

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-24
text: 

Beach Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to revise and reauthorize through FY2021 a grant program for monitoring, and notifying the public of, any pathogens in coastal recreation waters bordering public beaches.
 
The bill reauthorizes through FY2021 the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000.
 
The bill establishes requirements with respect to: (1) using rapid testing methods to detect unsafe levels of pathogens or pathogen indicators in such coastal recreation waters, and (2) notifying governmental agencies when pathogens exceed water quality standards. Those methods must provide testing results within four hours of receiving a sample. The applicable state or local government must communicate the presence of any pathogens within two hours of receipt of a water quality sample.
 
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must assess state and local compliance with coastal recreation water quality monitoring and notification legal requirements and grant conditions. The bill limits federal share of grants to non-compliant state or local governments. The Government Accountability Office must review the EPA's compliance assessments and corrective actions.
 
States with coastal recreation waters must adopt the most protective water quality criteria and standards practicable for pathogens.
 
The EPA must: (1) update the national list of beaches that are used by the public regardless of the presence of a lifeguard within 12 months and biennially thereafter (currently, periodically); (2) study the long-term impact of climate change on pathogenic contamination of coastal recreation waters; and (3) study the impacts of excess nutrients on coastal recreation waters.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2017-07-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Real Transparency in Airfares Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1623
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2017-07-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Aviation and airports
Civil actions and liability
Consumer affairs
Marketing and advertising
Small business
Transportation costs

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-24
text: 

Real Transparency in Airfares Act of 2017

 
This bill sets at $55,000, or $2,500 for an individual or small business, the maximum civil penalty assessed on a person for an unfair or deceptive practice relating to unfair methods of competition in air transportation, the sale of air transportation, or specified regulations relating to price advertising and opt-out requirements. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2017-07-24
text: Introduced in Senate
Protect Children, Farmers, and Farmworkers from Nerve Agent Pesticides Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1624
Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Tom [D-NM]
Introduced: 2017-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Child care and development
Child health
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental health
Environmental regulatory procedures
Food supply, safety, and labeling
Government studies and investigations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Licensing and registrations
Migrant, seasonal, agricultural labor
Neurological disorders
Pest management
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: 

Protect Children, Farmers, and Farmworkers from Nerve Agent Pesticides Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to prohibit from sale any food that contains the organophosphate pesticide, chlorpyrifos. 
 
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must offer a contract to the National Research Council to conduct an organophosphate pesticide risk assessment. 
 
If the EPA finds pesticide exposure that does not meet FFDCA standards or the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act standards, the EPA must take regulatory action not later than 90 days after becoming aware of the exposure.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4193-4194)
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill for the relief of Nury Chavarria.

Bill: 115-s-1625
Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2017-07-25 in the Senate
Subjects: Private Legislation

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: Provides for the relief of Nury Chavarria.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
Cabin Air Safety Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1626
Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2017-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Air quality
Aviation and airports
Census and government statistics
Department of Transportation
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Fires
First responders and emergency personnel
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Motor fuels
Transportation employees
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: 

Cabin Air Safety Act of 2017

 
This bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to prescribe regulations:
 
 
requiring flight attendants, pilots, aircraft maintenance technicians, and airport first responders to receive annual training on how to respond to incidents involving smoke or fumes on board aircraft, and the FAA must develop a standardized form for reporting incidents of smoke or fumes; 
 
requiring the FAA to conduct an investigation after a report is submitted about incidents of smoke or fumes on board aircraft; and 
 
requiring commercial air carriers to install and operate a carbon monoxide detector on each bleed air stream on the aircraft (bleed air is compressed air produced by gas turbines that is taken from the compressor stage and used for cabin pressurization and other purposes).



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to extend the authorization of the Highlands Conservation Act.

Bill: 115-s-1627
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2017-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Agricultural conservation and pollution
Connecticut
Department of Agriculture
Department of the Interior
Executive agency funding and structure
Forests, forestry, trees
Land use and conservation
New Jersey
New York State
Pennsylvania
Water quality
Watersheds
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: 
This bill amends the Highlands Conservation Act to reauthorize through FY2021: (1) land conservation partnership projects in the highlands regions of Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania; and (2) Forest Service and Department of Agriculture programs to assist states, units of local government, and private forest and farm landowners in the conservation of land and natural resources in that region. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1628
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2017-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education programs funding
Financial literacy
Higher education
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: 

Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2017

 
This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to expand lender disclosure requirements. 
 
A lender must provide a quarterly statement to a Federal Family Education Loan or Direct Loan borrower during a period when loan payments are not required. Such statement must include the current loan balance, original principal loan amount, interest rate, total interest paid, aggregate payments, the lender's or servicer's contact information, accumulated interest amount, and information about making payments while a student to offset interest accrual. It must also explain the option to pay accrued interest before it capitalizes and suggest a payment amount based on interest charged. 
 
Additionally, the legislation modifies loan counseling requirements for an institution of higher education (IHE) that participates in federal student aid programs. 
 
Currently, an IHE must provide one-time entrance counseling to a student who is a first-time federal student loan borrower. This bill requires an IHE to provide pre-loan counseling to a student borrower of a federal student loan at or prior to the first disbursement of each new loan. 
 
It revises and expands required elements of pre-loan counseling to include a borrower's estimated debt-to-income ratio at graduation, a statement to borrow the minimum necessary amount, a warning that high debt-to-income ratio makes repayment more difficult, options to reduce borrowing, and an explanation of the importance of on-time graduation. 
 
Prior to certifying a Federal Direct Loan disbursement to a student, an IHE must ensure that such student manually enters the exact dollar amount of the loan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
DEPSCoR Reauthorization Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1629
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2017-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: 

DEPSCoR Reauthorization Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 to rename the Defense Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research as the Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. It modifies program objectives and activities to increase the number of researchers capable of performing science and engineering research responsive to Department of Defense (DOD) needs and to provide assistance to science and engineering researchers at institutions of higher education through collaboration between DOD and such researchers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4194-4195)
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
Child Poverty Reduction Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1630
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2017-07-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Child safety and welfare
Congressional oversight
Department of Agriculture
Department of Education
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of Justice
Department of Labor
Employment and training programs
Executive agency funding and structure
Government information and archives
Intergovernmental relations
Policy sciences
Poverty and welfare assistance
Racial and ethnic relations
State and local government operations
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: 

Child Poverty Reduction Act of 2017

 
This bill establishes, within the Administration for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Interagency Working Group on Reducing Child Poverty. The primary goal of the working group shall be to develop a national plan for reducing to zero, within specified timeframes, the number of children living in poverty and extreme poverty in the United States. 
 
The national plan devised by the working group shall also include recommendations for: (1) understanding the root causes of child poverty, (2) improving access to anti-poverty programs, (3) eliminating disparate rates of child poverty based on specified demographic factors, (4) improving access to quality jobs, (5) connecting low-income children and families to education and job training, and (6) shifting the measures and policies of federal anti-poverty programs toward the goal of helping individuals and families achieve long-term economic stability.
 
The bill also specifies additional duties, membership, and reporting requirements for the working group.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2017-07-25
text: Introduced in Senate
Viewer and Listener Protection Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1632
Sponsor: Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
Introduced: 2017-07-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies
Government trust funds
Licensing and registrations
Television and film

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-26
text: 

Viewer and Listener Protection Act of 2017

 
This bill establishes the Viewer and Listener Protection Fund through FY2022 to reimburse costs incurred by: (1) a multichannel video programming distributor (e.g. cable provider) in order to continue to carry the signal of a broadcast television licensee under specified conditions, and (2) a broadcast television station or broadcast radio station during the ongoing reorganization of the broadcast television spectrum.
 
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is directed to modify the transition periods for broadcast television stations that are changing channels or broadcast frequencies as part of the reorganization to ensure their broadcasting is not stopped for a significant amount of time. The FCC shall also make an effort to preserve the coverage area and population served by a broadcast radio station that is impacted by the ongoing broadcast frequency reorganization.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2017-07-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Used Car Safety Recall Repair Act

Bill: 115-s-1634
Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2017-07-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Lease and rental services
Motor vehicles
Product safety and quality
Retail and wholesale trades
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-26
text: 

Used Car Safety Recall Repair Act

 
This bill prohibits a dealer from selling or leasing a used passenger motor vehicle until a defect of the motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment or noncompliance with a federal motor vehicle safety standard has been remedied, except if: (1) the recall information regarding the vehicle was not available at the time of sale or lease nor on the manufacturer's website, or (2) notification of such defect or noncompliance is required, but enforcement of an order to notify of and remedy the defect or noncompliance is set aside in a civil action on a motion for change of venue.
 
 
 
 
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2017-07-26
text: Introduced in Senate
Keeping Our Commitment to Overseas Veterans Act

Bill: 115-s-1635
Sponsor: Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2017-07-26 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Asia
Department of Veterans Affairs
Executive agency funding and structure
Philippines

Summary:
action_date: 2017-07-26
text: 

Keeping Our Commitment to Overseas Veterans Act

 
This bill extends authority through FY2018 for operation of the Department of Veterans Affairs regional office in Manila, the Republic of the Philippines.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-07-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2017-07-26
text: Introduced in Senate