hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Free File Permanence Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-3641
Sponsor: Rep. Roskam, Peter J. [R-IL-6]
Introduced: 2017-08-04 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Computer security and identity theft
Computers and information technology
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Intergovernmental relations
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Public-private cooperation
State and local government operations
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: 

Free File Permanence Act of 2017

 
This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to continue to operate the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Free File Program. 
 
The program must work with state government agencies to enhance and expand the use of the program, while continuing to:
 
 
 provide free commercial-type online individual income tax preparation and electronic filing services to the lowest 70% of taxpayers by income; 
 
 provide all taxpayers (regardless of income) with a basic, online electronic fillable forms utility; and 
 
 work with the private sector to provide the free tax preparation and electronic filing services.
 
 
Treasury must work with the private sector through the program to identify and implement innovative new program features to improve and simplify the taxpayer's experience with completing and filing individual income tax returns. 
 
The IRS and members of the tax software and electronic industry involved in the program must support and promote improvements within the program by mutually testing, piloting, and offering innovative solutions to:
 
 
simplify the tax system, 
 
reduce compliance and reporting burdens, 
 
increase tax return accuracy through financial data authentication, 
 
strengthen the tax system against fraud through cybersecurity collaboration, 
 
 avoid duplication, and
 
maximize the use of electronic technology.
 
 
The Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee must report annually to Congress regarding the program, including website statistics, cybersecurity standards, demographic information, marketing and education efforts, simplifications and innovations, and state and local participation. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Introduced in House
Children First Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-3643
Sponsor: Rep. Crowley, Joseph [D-NY-14]
Introduced: 2017-08-04 in the House
Policy area: Families
Subjects: Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
Appropriations
Child care and development
Child safety and welfare
Disability and paralysis
Government information and archives
Indian social and development programs
Poverty and welfare assistance
Preschool education
State and local government operations
U.S. territories and protectorates

Summary:
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: 

Children First Act of 2017

 
This bill provides additional funding for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make grants under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to provide child care for infants and toddlers under the age of four. Specifically, HHS must make grants to: (1) expand access to high-quality child care for infants and toddlers who do not receive child care funded through the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), (2) increase the quality of child care funded through CCDF, and (3) provide financial incentives to highly-qualified child care providers and their workforce. HHS may make grants to enable the provision of child care during nontraditional and unpredictable hours.
 
Under current law, an individual is exempted from TANF's mandatory work requirements if the individual is a single custodial parent caring for a child who is under 6 years of age. This bill expands the exemption to include a single custodial parent or other individual with custody caring for a child who is under 13 years of age.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 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: 2017-08-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 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: 2017-08-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Introduced in House
Drone Operator Safety Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-3644
Sponsor: Rep. Langevin, James R. [D-RI-2]
Introduced: 2017-08-04 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Aviation and airports
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: 

Drone Operator Safety Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime to knowingly or recklessly operate an unmanned aircraft that interferes with or disrupts an aircraft or airborne vehicle carrying at least one occupant in U.S. airspace.
 
It imposes criminal penalties&#8212;a fine, a prison term, or both&#8212;on a violator.
 
The prohibition includes the unauthorized operation of an unmanned aircraft within an airport's runway exclusion zone (i.e., defined area of controlled airspace around an active runway) unless the operation is the result of an unforeseeable circumstance (e.g., a malfunction).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Introduced in House
U.S. OUTDOOR Act

Bill: 115-hr-3645
Sponsor: Rep. Reichert, David G. [R-WA-8]
Introduced: 2017-08-04 in the House
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Outdoor recreation
Tariffs

Summary:
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: 

United States Optimal Use of Trade to Develop Outerwear and Outdoor Recreation Act or the U.S. OUTDOOR Act

 
 This bill amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to provide for the duty-free treatment of certain recreational performance outerwear.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Introduced in House
Water Quality Conservation Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-3646
Sponsor: Rep. Young, David [R-IA-3]
Introduced: 2017-08-04 in the House
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural conservation and pollution
Agricultural education
Agricultural practices and innovations
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Farmland
Government information and archives
Soil pollution
Water quality
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: 

Water Quality Conservation Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to authorize the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to carry out a precision conservation pilot program to provide grants to up to 10 states to assist producers with projects that: increase nutrient retention in soil, reduce soil erosion, reduce nutrient loss from soil, improve soil health, and improve water quality. 
 
States that receive grants under the program must use the funds only to: educate and recruit agricultural producers to participate in the program, provide technical and financial assistance to producers that elect to participate in the program, monitor and analyze the effectiveness of precision conservation plans, and encourage the use of precision agriculture technology to achieve conservation benefits.
 
States that receive grants must submit to USDA and producers reports regarding the effectiveness of the conservation plans and grants. USDA must use the data to establish and maintain a publicly available soil nutrient retention database.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry.
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Introduced in House
Vested Employee Pension Benefit Protection Act

Bill: 115-hr-3648
Sponsor: Rep. Luetkemeyer, Blaine [R-MO-3]
Introduced: 2017-08-11 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Building construction
Employee benefits and pensions
Income tax deferral

Summary:
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: 

Vested Employee Pension Benefit Protection Act
 
 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employees in the building and construction industry to make distributions from their tax-exempt multi-employer pension plan at age 55 if: (1) they are not separated from employment at the time of such distributions, (2) they were participants in such plan on or before April 30, 2013, and (3) the plan provides for payment of separate accrued benefits when the employee attains the plan's normal retirement age. 
 
The bill suspends payment of distributions for such building and construction industry employees if their multi-employer plan is in endangered or critical status.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 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: 2017-08-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 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: 2017-08-11
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: Introduced in House
Fair CRP Payments Act

Bill: 115-hr-3649
Sponsor: Rep. Noem, Kristi L. [R-SD-At Large]
Introduced: 2017-08-11 in the House
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural conservation and pollution
Farmland
Government studies and investigations

Summary:
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: 

Fair CRP Payments Act 

 
This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985, with respect to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), to require the Department of Agriculture to conduct surveys of rental rates on an annual basis, instead of the existing requirement to conduct the surveys at least once every other year. 
 
(The surveys are a factor used to determine CRP rental payments and include per acre estimates of county average market dryland and irrigated cash rental rates for cropland and pastureland in all counties or equivalent subdivisions within each state that have 20,000 acres or more of cropland and pastureland.) 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry.
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: Introduced in House
Lumbee Recognition Act

Bill: 115-hr-3650
Sponsor: Rep. Pittenger, Robert [R-NC-9]
Introduced: 2017-08-11 in the House
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Federal-Indian relations
Gambling
Indian lands and resources rights
North Carolina

Summary:
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: 

Lumbee Recognition Act

 
This bill amends the Act of June 7, 1956, to extend federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and make its members eligible for the services and benefits provided to members of federally recognized tribes. 
 
Members of the tribe residing in Robeson, Cumberland, Hoke, and Scotland Counties in North Carolina are deemed to be within the delivery area for such services.
 
The Department of Health and Human Services must develop, in consultation with the tribe, a determination of needs to provide the services for which members of the tribe are eligible.
 
The Department of the Interior may take land into trust for the tribe.
 
The tribe may not conduct gaming activities.
 
North Carolina must exercise jurisdiction over all criminal offenses committed, and all civil actions that arise, on North Carolina lands owned by, or held in trust for, the Lumbee Tribe or any dependent Indian community of the tribe unless jurisdiction is transferred to the United States pursuant to an agreement between the tribe and the state.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-26
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2017-08-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs.
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: Introduced in House
To require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a feasibility study on renovating or replacing the Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center with a new or updated facility.

Bill: 115-hr-3651
Sponsor: Del. Radewagen, Aumua Amata Coleman [R-AS-At Large]
Introduced: 2017-08-11 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: American Samoa
Congressional oversight
Government studies and investigations
Health facilities and institutions
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Medical education
Medical research
Military medicine
U.S. territories and protectorates
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: 
This bill directs the Government Accountability Office to evaluate and report on the feasibility and costs of renovating or replacing the Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center, which is in American Samoa. The report must include specified information, including: (1) the cost to equip the facility to meet the care standards of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Health and Human Services; (2) the feasibility of making the center a teaching hospital; and (3) the ability to include a tropical disease research center at the facility.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-08-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2017-08-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs.
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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: 2017-08-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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: 2017-08-11
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: Introduced in House
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make the work opportunity credit permanent.

Bill: 115-hr-3652
Sponsor: Rep. Reed, Tom [R-NY-23]
Introduced: 2017-08-11 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Income tax credits
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the termination date for the work opportunity tax credit, thus making such credit permanent. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-08-11
text: Introduced in House
MyRA Act

Bill: 115-hr-3653
Sponsor: Rep. Crowley, Joseph [D-NY-14]
Introduced: 2017-08-15 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions
Sales and excise taxes
Securities
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2017-08-15
text: 

Making Your Retirement Accessible Act or the MyRA Act

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish an employee retirement option known as a MyRA account. A MyRA account functions as a Roth Individual Retirement Account. An employee who elects to establish a MyRA account may contribute any portion of a tax refund or make automatic payroll contributions to the account. 
 
The funding of MyRA accounts is limited to retirement savings bonds issued by the Department of the Treasury with a specified interest rate and maturity date. 
 
The bill imposes a tax on any employer who fails to comply with the requirement for making direct deposits to a MyRA account of wages designated by an employee.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-08-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2017-08-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-08-15
text: Introduced in House
Special Counsel Independence Protection Act

Bill: 115-hr-3654
Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]
Introduced: 2017-08-15 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Department of Justice
Federal officials
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Judicial review and appeals
Supreme Court

Summary:
action_date: 2017-08-15
text: 

Special Counsel Independence Protection Act

 
This bill sets forth requirements and limitations with respect to the removal from office of a special counsel appointed by the Attorney General, or of another official appointed by the Attorney General who exercises a similar degree of independence from the Department of Justice (DOJ) chain of command. 
 
Specifically, a special counsel or other appointed individual may be removed only if: (1) the Attorney General files an action in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and files a contemporaneous notice of the action with Congress; and (2) the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issues an order finding misconduct, dereliction of duty, incapacity, conflict of interest, or other good cause, including violation of DOJ policies.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-03-22
text: Motion to Discharge Committee filed by Ms. Jackson Lee. Petition No: 115-9. (<a href="http://clerk.house.gov/115/lrc/pd/petitions/DisPet0009.xml">Discharge petition</a> text with signatures.)
action_date: 2017-08-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2017-08-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-08-15
text: Introduced in House
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide certain burial benefits for spouses and children of veterans who are buried in tribal cemeteries, and for other purposes.

Bill: 115-hr-3657
Sponsor: Rep. Poliquin, Bruce [R-ME-2]
Introduced: 2017-08-18 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Cemeteries and funerals
Indian lands and resources rights
Monuments and memorials
Veterans' organizations and recognition

Summary:
action_date: 2017-08-18
text: 
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), upon request, to provide headstones and markers for the unmarked graves of spouses (including surviving spouses) and children (including unmarried adult children at the VA's discretion) of veterans who are buried in tribally-owned cemeteries. 

action_date: 2017-11-06
text: 
 (Sec. 1) This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), upon request, to provide headstones and markers for the unmarked graves of spouses (including surviving spouses) and children (including unmarried adult children at the VA's discretion) of veterans who are buried in a tribally-owned veterans cemetery or
 
on tribal land owned by or held in trust by a tribal organization. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-11-07
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2017-11-06
text: The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2017-11-06
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2017-11-06
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H8508)
action_date: 2017-11-06
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H8508)
action_date: 2017-11-06
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3657.
action_date: 2017-11-06
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8508-8509)
action_date: 2017-11-06
text: Mr. Roe (TN) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2017-11-06
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 285.
action_date: 2017-11-06
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 115-388.
action_date: 2017-11-06
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 115-388.
action_date: 2017-10-12
text: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2017-10-12
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2017-09-13
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2017-08-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
action_date: 2017-08-18
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2017-08-18
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-08-18
text: Introduced in House
Honoring Real Patriots Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-3658
Sponsor: Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
Introduced: 2017-08-18 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Conflicts and wars
Congressional oversight
Military facilities and property
Military history
Military personnel and dependents
Monuments and memorials
Racial and ethnic relations
U.S. history

Summary:
action_date: 2017-08-18
text: 

Honoring Real Patriots Act of 2017

 
This bill states that it is the policy of the United States that no military installation or other property under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense (DOD) shall be or remain named after any individual who took up arms against the United States during the American Civil War or any individual or entity that supported such efforts.
 
 Not later than one year after the enactment of this bill, DOD shall change the name of each military installation and other property under its jurisdiction that is named after any individual who took up arms against the United States during the American Civil War or is named after any individual or entity that supported such efforts.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-10-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Readiness.
action_date: 2017-08-18
text: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2017-08-18
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-08-18
text: Introduced in House
Fair Accounting for Condominium Construction Act

Bill: 115-hr-3659
Sponsor: Rep. Curbelo, Carlos [R-FL-26]
Introduced: 2017-08-18 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Contracts and agency
Housing industry and standards
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2017-08-18
text: 

Fair Accounting for Condominium Construction Act 

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt certain residential construction contracts from the requirement to use the percentage of completion method of accounting. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-08-18
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2017-08-18
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-08-18
text: Introduced in House