hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Community Protection and Preparedness Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-2223
Sponsor: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4]
Introduced: 2017-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Accidents
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Congressional oversight
Department of Transportation
Emergency planning and evacuation
Firearms and explosives
Fires
First responders and emergency personnel
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Oil and gas
Pollution liability
Railroads
State and local government operations
Transportation employees
Transportation programs funding
Transportation safety and security
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: 

Community Protection and Preparedness Act of 2017

 
This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT), annually, to impose a $1,500 fee for each DOT-111 specification railroad tank car used to transport Class 3 flammable liquids during the previous fiscal year that did not meet DOT-117, DOT-117P, or DOT-117R specifications at the time it was used. Such fee shall be paid by each person who causes such liquids to be transported by such car in commerce and not by the railroad carrier that transports such liquids.
 
Collected fees shall be deposited into a Rail Account established within the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund and shall be available only for: 
 
 
 the payment of removal and remediation costs and other costs, expenses, claims, and damages related to an accident or incident involving the transportation of Class 3 flammable liquids by rail; and 
 
 DOT grants to states and Indian tribes to develop emergency plans and to train regional hazardous material emergency response teams and public employees responding to such an accident or incident. 
 
 
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration shall issue a final rule relating to the notice of proposed rulemaking issued on July 29, 2016, &quot;Hazardous Materials: Oil Spill Response Plans and Information Sharing for High-Hazard Flammable Trains.&quot;
 
Necessary amounts are authorized for the Federal Railroad Administration to hire at least two additional track safety specialists per region.
 
DOT shall:
 
 
assess the adequacy of railroad track inspections, training provided to railroad track inspectors and related personnel, railroad compliance with federal track safety regulations, and federal oversight of railroad track safety; and
 
evaluate the leading causes of track defects, particularly along train routes traversed by passengers and hazardous materials.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-05-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
action_date: 2017-05-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
Repeal of the Obamacare Bay State Boondoggle Act

Bill: 115-hr-2224
Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Adrian [R-NE-3]
Introduced: 2017-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health facilities and institutions
Health personnel
Hospital care
Medicare
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: 

Repeal of the Obamacare Bay State Boondoogle Act

 This bill requires that the Medicare hospital wage index floor for non-rural areas be calculated using state-specific, rather than national, budget neutrality. (The Medicare hospital wage index is used to calculate geographic adjustments to Medicare reimbursements.)

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-05-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act

Bill: 115-hr-2225
Sponsor: Rep. Stivers, Steve [R-OH-15]
Introduced: 2017-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Animal protection and human-animal relationships
Department of Veterans Affairs
Disability assistance
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Mammals
Mental health
Service animals
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: 

Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act

 
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a five-year pilot program to assess the effectiveness of addressing veterans' post-deployment mental health and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms through the therapeutic medium of training service dogs for veterans with disabilities. 
 
The VA shall: 
 
 
seek to enter into contracts with non-government entities that are certified in the training and handling of service dogs and that are located in close proximity to at least three but not more than five VA medical centers,
 
provide such entities access to a training area in a VA facility that would be appropriate for use in educating veterans with mental health conditions in service dog training and handling,
 
administer the program through the Center for Compassionate Innovation of the Veterans Health Administration in collaboration with the Recreation Therapy Service under the direction of a certified recreational therapist, and 
 
establish a director of therapeutic service dog training. 

 
Veterans may participate in the program in conjunction with the VA's compensated work therapy program. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-26
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
To direct the Joint Committee on the Library to obtain a statue or bust of Elie Wiesel for placement in the United States Capitol.

Bill: 115-hr-2230
Sponsor: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
Introduced: 2017-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Art, artists, authorship
Congressional tributes
Literature
U.S. Capitol
War crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: 
This bill requires the Joint Committee on the Library to enter into an agreement to obtain a statue or bust of Eli Wiesel.
 
The Joint Committee may authorize the Architect of the Capitol to enter into the agreement and related contracts.
 
The Joint Committee shall place the statue or bust in a suitable permanent location in the U.S. Capitol.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E565)
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
To establish a joint commission on North Korea, and for other purposes.

Bill: 115-hr-2231
Sponsor: Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]
Introduced: 2017-04-28 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Alliances
Arms control and nonproliferation
Asia
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
International organizations and cooperation
Military operations and strategy
North Korea
Nuclear weapons
Sanctions
United Nations

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: 
 This bill authorizes the Department of State to seek to establish a joint commission with countries in the Indo-Asia Pacific region to: 
 
 
support professional dialogues to coordinate the detection of North Korean violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions, develop responses, and enhance monitoring of nuclear weapons proliferation capabilities;
 
coordinate sub-cabinet level political discussions on contingency responses to such violations;
 
facilitate technical discussions among the Departments of State, Defense (DOD), Energy, and the Treasury, the Intelligence Community, and their counterparts in countries in the region on technical aspects of North Korea's nuclear program and accompanying U.S. sanctions;
 
coordinate information sharing among the intelligence services of the participating countries to identify immediate threats; and
 
create guidelines for coordinating multilateral direct action against shared threats. 
 
 
The bill declares that it is U.S. policy: (1) to continue to maintain robust and multifaceted diplomatic engagement in the region, to include promoting U.S. values and economic interests and a strong military posture; and (2) that diplomacy, development, and defense should be used to enhance U.S. national security, promote U.S. interests, reassure U.S. allies, deter aggression, and respond swiftly to crises. 
 
DOD may conduct routine and enhanced ports of call with key allies in the region.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-05-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
Promoting Equality and Accountability at the United Nations Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-2232
Sponsor: Rep. Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana [R-FL-27]
Introduced: 2017-04-28 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Arab-Israeli relations
Congressional oversight
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Federal officials
Foreign aid and international relief
Human rights
International organizations and cooperation
Israel
Middle East
Palestinians
Refugees, asylum, displaced persons
Religion
Sanctions
Terrorism
Trade restrictions
United Nations

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: 

Promoting Equality and Accountability at the United Nations Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to withhold U.S. contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and funding for the United Nations Human Rights Council or the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) unless the Department of State certifies to Congress that such agencies have no connections to terrorism, anti-American, anti-Israel, or anti-Semitic rhetoric, human trafficking, or abuses of human rights or religious freedoms.
 
The bill expresses the sense of Congress that responsibility for the Palestinian refugees should be fully transferred to the OHCHR.
 
The bill reaffirms that it is U.S. law to prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars for certain contributions regarding Palestinian status at the United Nations (U.N.). 
 
It shall be U.S. policy to: (1) repeal Resolution A/HRC/31/L.38, which requests the OHCHR to establish a database of entities involved with settlements, and (2) oppose recognition of a Palestinian state by any U.N. entity prior to the achievement of a final peace agreement negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians. 
 
The United States shall: (1) not make any U.S. government official available to serve as a representative to any U.N. agency that has granted full state membership to any organization that does not have the internationally recognized attributes of statehood; and (2) use it's influence to work toward the reduction of anti-Semitic language and anti-Israel resolutions in the U.N. and its agencies, programs, and funds. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
Recognizing Achievement in Classified School Employees Act

Bill: 115-hr-2234
Sponsor: Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]
Introduced: 2017-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Child safety and welfare
Educational facilities and institutions
Elementary and secondary education
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Higher education
Preschool education
School administration
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: 

Recognizing Achievement in Classified School Employees Act

 
This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to grant "Recognizing Inspiring School Employees" awards to classified public school employees, within certain occupational specialties, who provide exemplary service to students in prekindergarten through higher education.
 
ED must annually select an awardee, out of nominations received from states, from any of the following occupational specialties: (1) paraeducator services, (2) clerical and administrative services, (3) transportation services, (4) food and nutrition services, (5) custodial and maintenance services, (6) security services, (7) health and student services, (8) technical services, and (9) skilled trades.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
SAFE SEAT Act

Bill: 115-hr-2235
Sponsor: Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-27]
Introduced: 2017-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Aviation and airports
Consumer affairs
Department of Transportation
Transportation costs

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: 

Saving All Flyers from Ejection and Securing Everyone's Access to Travel Act or the SAFE SEAT Act

 
This bill directs the Department of Transportation to issue or revise regulations to ensure that:
 
 
a passenger, after boarding an aircraft for a flight, is not subjected to the use of force or involuntary removal unless directly necessary for safety or security;
 
air carriers resolve all overbooking issues prior to beginning boarding for a flight; and 
 
air carriers, before an individual is involuntarily denied boarding, make a compensation offer to any individual willing to voluntarily forgo boarding that is at least the maximum compensation amount required under federal regulations for passengers denied boarding voluntarily.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-05-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
Foster and Homeless Youth Food Security Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-2236
Sponsor: Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]
Introduced: 2017-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Adoption and foster care
Employment and training programs
Food assistance and relief
Higher education
Homelessness and emergency shelter
Poverty and welfare assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: 

Foster and Homeless Youth Food Security Act of 2017 

 
This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to modify certain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) eligibility requirements for foster care and homeless youth who are enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education. 
 
The bill applies to foster care individuals or homeless individuals who are over 17 and not over 26 years of age, and enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education. The bill exempts the individuals from: (1) certain eligibility disqualification rules that apply to students enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education, and (2) SNAP work requirements. 
 
If the individual is enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education that provides the individual with housing that lacks an individualized cooking facility, the bill also: (1) modifies the definition of &quot;food&quot; to permit SNAP benefits to be used for certain meals prepared and served by the institution, and (2) permits the individual to be treated as a separate household for the purpose of SNAP benefits. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-05-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
Social Security Disability Fairness Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-2237
Sponsor: Rep. Davis, Rodney [R-IL-13]
Introduced: 2017-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Disability assistance
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Social security and elderly assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: 

Social Security Disability Fairness Act of 2017 

 
This bill allows an individual diagnosed with a terminal illness to receive disability payments under the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program during the waiting period for such payments (which typically lasts five months). It also establishes a phased-in payment schedule for such payments. 
 
These provisions shall expire January 1, 2023. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-05-11
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Improvement Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-2238
Sponsor: Rep. Demings, Val Butler [D-FL-10]
Introduced: 2017-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Child care and development
Income tax credits
Inflation and prices

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: 

Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Improvement Act of 201

7

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax credit for employment-related expenses incurred for the care of a taxpayer's dependent, to: (1) increase to $126,000, the adjusted gross income threshold level above which such credit is incrementally reduced; (2) increase the dollar limit on the allowable amount of such credit; (3) allow an inflation adjustment to the adjusted gross income threshold and the maximum credit amounts, beginning after 2018; and (4) make such credit refundable. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
Breaking Addiction Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-2239
Sponsor: Rep. Fudge, Marcia L. [D-OH-11]
Introduced: 2017-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Hospital care
Medicaid
Mental health

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: 

Breaking Addiction Act of 2017

 
This bill allows state Medicaid programs to provide medical assistance for community-based, inpatient, substance-use-disorder treatment services furnished in facilities with 60 or fewer beds to individuals between 21 and 65 years of age.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-05-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
U.S.-Israel Joint Missile Defense Act

Bill: 115-hr-2240
Sponsor: Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]
Introduced: 2017-04-28 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Defense spending
Israel
Middle East
Military assistance, sales, and agreements
Military procurement, research, weapons development

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: 

U.S.-Israel Joint Missile Defense Act

 
This bill authorizes the Department of Defense to conduct a test of the Arrow 3 missile defense system, in conjunction with the government of Israel, to validate the system's capabilities and improve its performance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-05-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
Commuter Access Reform Act

Bill: 115-hr-2241
Sponsor: Rep. Holding, George [R-NC-2]
Introduced: 2017-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Commuting
Digital media
Employee benefits and pensions
Income tax exclusion
Transportation costs

Summary:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: 

Commuter Access Reform Act 

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat any qualified alternative commuter transportation service as a qualified transportation fringe benefit that is excluded from an employee's gross income when it is provided by an employer. 
 
A &quot;qualified alternative commuter transportation service&quot; is transportation in a commuter vehicle provided by a transportation network company if the service: (1) is designed to provide prearranged rides to passengers who consent to share the ride in whole or in part; and (2) is between the employee's residence, place of employment, or a mass transit facility, including any portion of the distance. 
 
A &quot;transportation network company&quot; is an entity that uses a digital network to connect riders to drivers affiliated with the entity to transport the rider using a vehicle owned, leased, or otherwise authorized for use by the driver to a point chosen by the rider. 
 
The benefit is subject to a limit on the aggregate amount of transportation fringe benefits for parking and a qualified alternative commuter transportation service that may be excluded from gross income. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-04-28
text: Introduced in House