hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Relief for America's Small Farmers Act

Bill: 116-s-3602
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2020-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural prices, subsidies, credit
Government lending and loan guarantees
Income tax exclusion

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: 

Relief for America's Small Farmers Act

 
This bill provides loan forgiveness of up to $250,000 for certain borrowers who are actively engaged in farming, have an average annual adjusted gross income of $300,000 or less over the previous five years, and have certain Department of Agriculture farm loans. 
 
The loan forgiveness is subject to the condition that the applicable borrower must continue to be actively engaged in farming for at least two years after receiving such forgiveness. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
SLITHER Act

Bill: 116-s-3603
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2020-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: 

Suppressing Looming Invasive Threats Harming Everglades Restoration Act or the SLITHER Act

 
This bill requires the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force to develop a priority list for controlling or reducing the impact of invasive species in the area.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Transparency and Oversight of COVID–19 Small Business Assistance Act

Bill: 116-s-3604
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2020-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Appropriations
Business expenses
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Congressional oversight
Disaster relief and insurance
Economic performance and conditions
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government studies and investigations
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Military personnel and dependents
Minority and disadvantaged businesses
Rural conditions and development
Small business
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs
Wages and earnings
Women in business

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: 

Transparency and Oversight of COVID-19 Small Business Assistance Act

 
This bill requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to report specified data on economic relief programs implemented in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
 
Specifically, the SBA must 
 
 
daily report the total number and dollar amount of loans or grants approved and disbursed under programs such as the paycheck protection program and the emergency grants program;
 
daily report the amount of remaining authority and funds appropriated for such programs and an estimate of the date on which such funds will be depleted;
 
weekly report the number and dollar amount of certain program loans and loan payments disaggregated by specified metrics such as geography, demographics, loan sizes, industry, and lender type;
 
report on the number of employees expected to be retained by borrowers of certain loans as a result of economic relief programs;
 
report its plans to carry out specified relief programs and identify and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse in such programs;
 
request certain information such as demographic and job information when a borrower applies for loan forgiveness; and
 
make each required report publicly available and take all necessary steps to protect sensitive personally identifiable information.
 
 
The Government Accountability Office must report specified information, including (1) the effectiveness of certain programs in reaching underserved businesses, (2) a review of the reports required to be published under this bill, and (3) the impact of certain relief programs on jobs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Food Bank Access to Farm Fresh Produce Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-3605
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2020-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: 

Food Bank Access to Farm Fresh Produce Act of 2020

 
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture to provide specialty crop block grants to each of the 20 states that have produced the highest quantity of specialty crops during the most recent three-year period to fund certain state food banks and food access networks.
 
The grants may only be used to (1) procure and distribute specialty crops; (2) purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire vehicles, including refrigerated vehicles, or other equipment to carry out activities related to procurement and distribution of specialty crops; (3) pay for the cost of additional personnel; (4) pay for travel relating to procurement of specialty crops; and (5) pay for preparation, storage, and transportation of specialty crops, including delivery to end-consumers.
 
Each grant provided to a state shall be not less than $100 million.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Health Force and Resilience Force Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-3606
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2020-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Bankruptcy
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Child health
Community life and organization
Congressional oversight
Consumer credit
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Homeland Security
Disaster relief and insurance
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Employee hiring
Employment and training programs
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Federal-Indian relations
Food assistance and relief
Foreign labor
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health care coverage and access
Health information and medical records
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Health technology, devices, supplies
Immigration status and procedures
Immunology and vaccination
Indian social and development programs
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Intergovernmental relations
Medical education
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Mental health
Minority health
National and community service
Natural disasters
Nursing
Nutrition and diet
Peace Corps
Performance measurement
Sexually transmitted diseases
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
State and local finance
State and local government operations
Unemployment
Urban and suburban affairs and development
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Wages and earnings
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: 

Health Force and Resilience Force Act of 2020

 
This bill establishes and expands programs to bring on individuals to perform public health functions, such as contact tracing and vaccine administration, to respond to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency and meet other public health needs after that emergency ends. 
 
The bill provides funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish a Health Force to recruit and train individuals for roles in public health and health care. The funds are designated as an emergency requirement, which exempts the funds from discretionary spending limits and other budget enforcement rules. Among other activities, the CDC must award grants to, or enter into contracts with, states and other jurisdictions to hire and deploy Health Force personnel. 
 
The Federal Emergency Management Agency must hire and train additional individuals for its Cadre of On-Call Response/Recovery Employees. These employees may be detailed to certain federal agencies or to state, local, or tribal governments to support efforts with respect to COVID-19 and other disasters and emergencies.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Coronavirus Relief Fund Flexibility for State and Local Government Act

Bill: 116-s-3608
Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]
Introduced: 2020-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Federal-Indian relations
Infectious and parasitic diseases
State and local finance
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: 

Coronavirus Relief Fund Flexibility for State and Local Government Act

 
This bill gives states, Native American tribes, and municipalities more flexibility in the use of funds provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
 
Specifically, the bill permits states, tribes, and municipalities to use such funds for operating expenses not related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Such funds shall remain available until expended.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
American Healthshare Plans Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-3610
Sponsor: Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY]
Introduced: 2020-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: 

American Healthshare Plans Act of 2020

 
 This bill permits entities such as self-employed companies and membership organizations to form healthshare pools to offer large group health insurance plans as a single employer. (In general, large group health plans cover employees of an employer that has 51 or more employees; in some states, large groups are defined as 101 employees or more.) Subject to specified nondiscrimination rules related to preexisting conditions and health status, healthshare pools must offer plans to all members or employees of the pool on an equal basis.
 
 Healthshare pools are not considered joint employers for the purpose of other federal labor or employment laws.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
ReWIND Act

Bill: 116-s-3611
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2020-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Banking and financial institutions regulation
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Coal
Corporate finance and management
Credit and credit markets
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Energy revenues and royalties
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Financial services and investments
Government lending and loan guarantees
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Military procurement, research, weapons development
Mining
Oil and gas
Public contracts and procurement
Public participation and lobbying
Strategic materials and reserves

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: 

Resources for Workforce Investments, Not Drilling Act or the ReWIND Act

 
This bill limits the financial assistance that fossil fuel companies may receive from programs that provide relief to businesses affected by the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak, the Department of Interior's authority with respect to fossil fuels, the types and amount of oil that may be placed in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), and the issuance or modification of rules until the COVID-19 national emergency terminates.
 
Specifically, it prohibits fossil fuel businesses from receiving financial assistance, loans, and loan guarantees under specified provisions of the Defense Production Act of 1950 and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or the CARES Act. Further, certain financial institutions (e.g., banks) that receive funding under the CARES Act may not operate or invest in such businesses for two years.
 
In addition, Interior may not (1) conduct lease sales for oil or natural gas; (2) issue leases for oil, natural gas, or coal; (3) modify regulations related to fossil fuel; or (4) reduce or eliminate royalty rates for fossil fuel leases on federal lands and in federal waters.
 
The bill decreases the storage cap on the SPR and declares that privately-owned oil may not be stored in the SPR.
 
Finally, the bill suspends the issuance of new rules until the national emergency terminates unless the rules are specifically required to respond to, or recover from, COVID-19. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Small Business Expense Protection Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-3612
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2020-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Business expenses
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Government lending and loan guarantees
Income tax deductions
Income tax exclusion
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: 

Small Business Expense Protection Act of 2020

 
This bill amends the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to provide that tax deductions for ordinary business expenses and other tax incidents shall not be affected by the exclusion from gross income of amounts related to loan forgiveness received in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to strengthen existing benefits for certain descendants of veterans exposed to herbicide agents, and for other purposes.

Bill: 116-s-3613
Sponsor: Sen. Braun, Mike [R-IN]
Introduced: 2020-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Asia
Birth defects
Conflicts and wars
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Neurological disorders
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' medical care
Veterans' pensions and compensation
Vietnam
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: 
This bill makes modifications to Department of Veterans Affairs benefits available to certain descendants of veterans who were exposed to herbicide agents, including descendants born with spina bifida or other birth defects.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
FEED Act

Bill: 116-s-3614
Sponsor: Sen. Harris, Kamala D. [D-CA]
Introduced: 2020-05-05 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Disaster relief and insurance
Emergency planning and evacuation
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Food assistance and relief
Food supply, safety, and labeling
Public contracts and procurement
Public-private cooperation
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: 

FEMA Empowering Essential Deliveries Act or the FEED Act

 
This bill authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to approve state, local, and Indian tribal government plans to partner with small and mid-size restaurants and nonprofit organizations to provide nutritious meals to individuals in need.
 
Specifically, during the period following the President's emergency declaration of March 13, 2020, and under any subsequent major disaster declaration that supersedes it, FEMA may approve plans from state, local, and Indian tribal governments that (1) establish contracts with small and mid-sized restaurants and nonprofits, including faith-based organizations and soup kitchens, to prepare healthy meals for people in need; and (2) provide for partnerships with nonprofit organizations to purchase directly from food producers and farmers.
 
FEMA shall waive federal matching requirements under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act during such period.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2020-05-05
text: Introduced in Senate
Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Extension Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-3615
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2020-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Health care coverage and access
Hospital care
Medicare
Prescription drugs
Rural conditions and development

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: 

Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Extension Act of 2020

 
This bill extends for five years the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program, through which Medicare pays certain rural hospitals on the basis of reasonable incurred costs rather than under the standard prospective payment system.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the inclusion of certain emblems on headstones and markers furnished for veterans by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Bill: 116-s-3616
Sponsor: Sen. Braun, Mike [R-IN]
Introduced: 2020-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Cemeteries and funerals
Monuments and memorials
Veterans' organizations and recognition

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: 
This bill provides statutory authority for the inclusion of certain emblems on headstones or markers furnished for veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Such headstones or markers may include an emblem from a list established by the Department of Defense and the VA (e.g., skill or combat badges), an emblem of belief, or no emblem.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to require payment of hazardous duty pay for members of the Armed Forces performing duty in response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019, and for other purposes.

Bill: 116-s-3617
Sponsor: Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]
Introduced: 2020-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Health personnel
Income tax exclusion
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Military civil functions
Military medicine
Military personnel and dependents
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: 
This bill requires the Department of Defense to pay hazardous duty pay during 2020 to active-duty regular or reserve servicemembers for duty related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
 
Such pay shall be
 
 
not less than $150 a month, 
 
retroactively applied, 
 
provided in addition to any other pay and allowances to which the member is entitled, and 
 
excluded as gross income for purposes of federal income taxation. 



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt distilled spirits plants from denaturing requirements with respect to hand sanitizer produced to help combat COVID-19.

Bill: 116-s-3618
Sponsor: Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY]
Introduced: 2020-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Alcoholic beverages
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Cosmetics and personal care
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Health technology, devices, supplies
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Sales and excise taxes

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: 
This bill modifies the excise tax on distilled spirits to exempt distilled spirits plants from requirements relating to the denaturing of such spirits with respect to hand sanitizers used to eliminate the corornavirus (i.e., the virus that causes COVID-19). 
Denaturing
 is the process of making distilled spirits unfit for consumption. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Strengthening Unemployment Insurance for Coronavirus Impacted Workers and Students Act

Bill: 116-s-3619
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2020-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Poverty and welfare assistance
Railroads
State and local government operations
Temporary and part-time employment
Transportation employees
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: 

Strengthening Unemployment Insurance for Coronavirus Impacted Workers and Students Act

 
 This bill expands eligibility for pandemic unemployment assistance to include individuals with no recent attachment to the workforce (e.g., students), extends the availability of federal pandemic unemployment compensation, and provides federal pandemic unemployment compensation to individuals working reduced hours.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2291)
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to establish a Housing Assistance Fund at the Department of the Treasury.

Bill: 116-s-3620
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2020-05-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
American Samoa
Appropriations
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Government information and archives
Guam
Housing and community development funding
Housing finance and home ownership
Indian social and development programs
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Northern Mariana Islands
Property tax
Public utilities and utility rates
State and local finance
Telecommunication rates and fees
U.S. territories and protectorates
Unemployment
Virgin Islands

Summary:
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: 
This bill provides funds for assistance to homeowners to prevent mortgage defaults, foreclosures, and displacements of individuals and families experiencing financial hardship after January 21, 2020. The Department of the Treasury must disburse the funds to state housing finance agencies and Indian tribes for the provision of such assistance. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2291-2292)
action_date: 2020-05-06
text: Introduced in Senate