hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Department of Veterans Affairs Therapeutic Medical Physicist Pay Cap Relief Act

Bill: 116-s-3203
Sponsor: Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
Introduced: 2020-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Allied health services
Department of Veterans Affairs
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health personnel
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: 

Department of Veterans Affairs Therapeutic Medical Physicist Pay Cap Relief Act

 
This bill provides statutory authority for the requirements for appointment, the qualifications, and the pay scale for therapeutic medical physicists of the Department of Veterans Affairs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S279)
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
FEMA Climate Change Preparedness Act

Bill: 116-s-3204
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2020-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Air quality
Atmospheric science and weather
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Congressional oversight
Department of Homeland Security
Disaster relief and insurance
Emergency planning and evacuation
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Natural disasters
Poverty and welfare assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: 

FEMA Climate Change Preparedness Act

 
This bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to (1) revise its 2018-2022 Strategic Plan to ensure that the plan explicitly mentions climate change and addresses the implications of climate change on homeland security and near- and long-term national disaster risk; and (2) ensure that future strategic plans do likewise.
 
The Department of Homeland Security must establish, as a subcommittee of the National Advisory Council, the Climate Change Subcommittee, which shall advise FEMA on how to best incorporate climate change, including risk assessments and strategies for adaptation and mitigation, into and throughout FEMA's policies, plans, programs, and operations.
 
FEMA must publish as a report, submit to specified congressional committees, and make available to Congress and the public, a comprehensive assessment of climate change risks and preparedness.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
SECURE Small Business Act

Bill: 116-s-3205
Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Introduced: 2020-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Business education
Computer security and identity theft
Congressional oversight
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: 

Strengthening and Enhancing Cybersecurity Usage to Reach Every Small Business Act or the SECURE Small Business Act

 
This bill requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to help small businesses purchase cybersecurity products and services.
 
Specifically, the SBA must establish a website that provides a marketplace for facilitating agreements under which small businesses may cooperatively purchase cybersecurity products and services. Such website shall be free to use for small businesses and cybersecurity vendors. The SBA must also take steps to educate small businesses about the types of cybersecurity products and services that are specific to each industry sector and provide outreach to encourage use of the cooperative marketplace.
 
The Government Accountability Office must study and report on potential improvements to existing federal initiatives that train small businesses on how to avoid cybersecurity threats. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Accessible Voting Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-3206
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2020-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Age discrimination
Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
Disability and health-based discrimination
Election Assistance Commission
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Federal-Indian relations
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Intergovernmental relations
State and local finance
State and local government operations
Voting rights

Summary:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: 

Accessible Voting Act of 2020

 
This bill increases voting accessibility for individuals with disabilities and older individuals, including by establishing an office of accessibility within the Election Assistance Commission, requiring states to expand access to absentee registration procedures and no-excuse mail-in absentee voting in federal elections, and permanently reauthorizing and expanding a grant program for increasing accessibility to polling places.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Cybersecurity State Coordinator Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-3207
Sponsor: Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
Introduced: 2020-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Computer security and identity theft
Congressional oversight
Department of Homeland Security
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Government information and archives
Intergovernmental relations
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: 

Cybersecurity State Coordinator Act of 2020

 
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to appoint a Cybersecurity State Coordinator in each state, whose duties shall include (1) advising on developing and maintaining secure and resilient infrastructure, (2) serving as the principal federal cybersecurity risk advisor, and (3) facilitating the sharing of cyberthreat information between federal and nonfederal entities.

action_date: 2020-06-01
text: 

Cybersecurity State Coordinator Act of 2020

 
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to appoint a Cybersecurity State Coordinator in each state, whose duties shall include (1) advising on developing and maintaining secure and resilient infrastructure, (2) serving as a federal cybersecurity risk advisor, and (3) facilitating the sharing of cyberthreat information between federal and nonfederal entities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-06-01
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 458.
action_date: 2020-06-01
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 116-227.
action_date: 2020-06-01
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 116-227.
action_date: 2020-03-11
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Regulatory Accountability Act

Bill: 116-s-3208
Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Introduced: 2020-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Competition and antitrust
Competitiveness, trade promotion, trade deficits
Consumer affairs
Economic performance and conditions
Government information and archives
Inflation and prices
Judicial review and appeals
Public participation and lobbying

Summary:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: 

Regulatory Accountability Act 

 
This bill expands and provides statutory authority for notice-and-comment rulemaking procedures to require federal agencies to consider (1) whether a rulemaking is required by statute or is within the discretion of the agency, (2) whether existing laws or rules could be amended or rescinded to address the problem, and (3) reasonable alternatives to a new rule.
 
For proposed major or high-impact rules that have a specified significant economic impact or adverse effect on the public health or safety, an agency must
 
 
publish notice of such rulemaking to invite interested parties to propose alternatives and ideas to accomplish the agency's objectives; 
 
allow persons interested in high-impact or certain major rules to petition for a public hearing with oral presentation, cross-examination, and the burden of proof on the proponent of the rule; 
 
adopt the rule that maximizes net benefits within the scope of the statutory provision authorizing the rule, unless the agency explains the costs and benefits that justify adopting an alternative rule and such rule is approved by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA); and 
 
publish a framework and metrics for measuring the ongoing effectiveness of the rule. 

 
Agencies must notify OIRA with certain information about a proposed rulemaking, including specified discussion and preliminary explanations concerning a major or high-impact rule. Further, OIRA must establish certain rulemaking guidelines.
 
Additionally, the bill (1) revises the scope of judicial review of agency actions, and (2) establishes requirements for agencies issuing guidance.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Campus Fire Safety Education Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-3209
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2020-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Disability and paralysis
Education programs funding
Educational facilities and institutions
Emergency planning and evacuation
Fires
Higher education

Summary:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: 

Campus Fire Safety Education Act of 

2020

 
 This bill directs the Department of Education to award grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs), or consortia of such IHEs that are in collaborative partnerships with nonprofit organizations or public safety departments, for (1) initiating, expanding, or improving fire-safety education programs; and (2) increasing fire-safety awareness among enrolled students.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Improving Mental Health Care for Veterans Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-3210
Sponsor: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]
Introduced: 2020-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Drug therapy
Government studies and investigations
Medical research
Mental health
Military medicine
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: 

Improving Mental Health Care for Veterans Act of 2020

 
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to complete the development of a clinical practice guideline or guidelines for the treatment of serious mental illness. Under the bill, such guidelines must address the treatment of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and persistent mood disorder (including bipolar disorder I and II).
 
The VA must establish the Serious Mental Illness Work Group with the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services to develop such clinical practice guideline or guidelines.
 
Finally, the VA must complete an assessment of the 
2016 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Major Depressive Disorders
 to determine if an update is necessary.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Clean Water Allotment Modernization Act

Bill: 116-s-3211
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2020-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Government lending and loan guarantees
State and local finance
U.S. territories and protectorates
Water quality
Water resources funding

Summary:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: 

Clean Water Allotment Modernization Act

 
This bill modifies the allotment formula that determines water treatment works grants for states and territories. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Public Housing Emergency Response Act

Bill: 116-s-3212
Sponsor: Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
Introduced: 2020-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Government trust funds
Housing and community development funding
Low- and moderate-income housing
Public housing
Residential rehabilitation and home repair

Summary:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: 

Public Housing Emergency Response Act

 
This bill authorizes additional assistance from the Public Housing Capital Fund to public housing agencies for the development, financing, and modernization of public housing developments and for management improvements. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Bank Merger Review Modernization Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-3213
Sponsor: Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
Introduced: 2020-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Bank accounts, deposits, capital
Banking and financial institutions regulation
Business records
Civil actions and liability
Community life and organization
Competition and antitrust
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Consumer credit
Corporate finance and management
Economic performance and conditions
Financial crises and stabilization
Financial services and investments
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Legal fees and court costs
Performance measurement
Public participation and lobbying
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: 

Bank Merger Review Modernization Act of 2019 

 
This bill establishes additional requirements for bank mergers and acquisitions, including by requiring 
 
 
approval from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for certain mergers involving a provider of consumer financial products, 
 
financial regulators to determine that the public benefits of any merger outweigh the costs, 
 
specified community reinvestment ratings, and
 
institutions to meet certain financial stability standards and stress testing. 
 
 
Financial regulators must assess the competitive effects a merger will have on the market for certain financial products. 
 
Applicants for a bank merger must disclose specified communications regarding the proposed merger. 
 
The bill provides citizens with standing to file a civil action to review a merger approval. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
MATCH Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-3214
Sponsor: Sen. Romney, Mitt [R-UT]
Introduced: 2020-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Disaster relief and insurance
Floods and storm protection
Natural disasters
State and local government operations
Water quality
Watersheds

Summary:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: 

Making Access To Cleanup Happen Act of 2020 or the
 
MATCH Act of 2020

 
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to (1) identify a list of emergency watershed protection measures the cost of which may be incurred by a state, local government, or Indian tribe prior to entering into an agreement with USDA under the Emergency Watershed Protection Program; and (2) develop procedures, including appropriate deadlines, to be implemented at the state level, through which such entities may request and incur the cost for additional emergency watershed protection measures.
 
USDA must consider any applicable pre-agreement costs incurred by a state, local government, or Indian tribe for undertaking emergency watershed protection measures as meeting part of its contribution towards the project costs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Accountable Capitalism Act

Bill: 116-s-3215
Sponsor: Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
Introduced: 2020-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Business ethics
Civil actions and liability
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Department of Commerce
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Political advertising
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
State and local government operations
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: 

Accountable Capitalism Act

 
This bill places specific obligations on certain large business entities in the United States.
 
 Specifically, the bill requires such entities to obtain a charter, and it imposes duties and limitations on such entities, including (1) imposing a duty to create a general public benefit as articulated in its charter, (2) requiring a director to balance the pecuniary interests of shareholders with the interests of persons materially affected by the entity, (3) restricting when officers and directors may sell certain securities related to the entity, and (4) requiring shareholder and director approval of the entity's political expenditures.
 
The bill also establishes the Office of United States Corporations, which shall have various duties such as reviewing and granting charters for large entities. Further, the bill requires the Securities and Exchange Commission to issue rules governing director elections at U.S. corporations, stipulating that no less than two-fifths of the directors shall be elected by employees.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-3216
Sponsor: Sen. Blunt, Roy [R-MO]
Introduced: 2020-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cancer
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health care quality
Health promotion and preventive care
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: 

Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis Act of 2020

 
This bill prohibits private health insurance plans from imposing higher cost-sharing requirements on breast cancer diagnostic examinations than initial breast cancer screening examinations. Diagnostic examinations are generally required after an initial screening detects an abnormality and typically require additional mammogram images (e.g., x-rays).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
National Heritage Area Act

Bill: 116-s-3217
Sponsor: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2020-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Government studies and investigations
Historic sites and heritage areas

Summary:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: 

National Heritage Area Act

 
This bill requires a standard for the designation of National Heritage Areas.
 
The bill establishes a National Heritage Area System through which the Department of the Interior may furnish technical and financial assistance to local coordinating entities to support the establishment, development, and continuity of the National Heritage Areas.
 
Such system shall be composed of
 
 
each existing National Heritage Area, National Historic District, National Heritage Corridor, National Heritage Canalway, Cultural Heritage Corridor, and National Heritage Partnership designated by Congress; and 
 
each National Heritage Area designated by Congress after enactment of this bill, unless the law designating the area exempts that area from the system by specific reference to this bill. 
 
 
Under the system, Interior shall
 
 
review and approve management plans for heritage areas, and 
 
submit to Congress reports on the activities conducted with respect to such areas. 
 
 
Interior may carry out or review a study that assesses the suitability and feasibility of each proposed heritage area. Interior must review and certify whether a study conducted by others determines an area meets specified requirements, including that it has natural, historic, and cultural resources that represent distinctive aspects of the heritage of the United States. 
 
The bill declares that a heritage area may be designated only by an Act of Congress.
 
Management plans must be developed for heritage areas designated under this bill.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2020-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Protecting Community Television Act

Bill: 116-s-3218
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2020-01-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies
Television and film
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2020-01-21
text: 

Protecting Community Television Act

 
This bill revises the definition of a franchise fee that is paid by a cable operator or cable subscriber to encompass only a tax, fee, or other monetary assessment that is imposed by a franchising authority or other governmental entity.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-01-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2020-01-21
text: Introduced in Senate
Respect Graduate Student Workers Act

Bill: 116-s-3219
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2020-01-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Higher education
Labor-management relations
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
Temporary and part-time employment

Summary:
action_date: 2020-01-21
text: 

Respect Graduate Student Workers Act

 
 This bill prohibits the National Labor Relations Board from promulgating or enforcing any rule that excludes student workers at private universities from the definition of 
employee
 under federal labor laws. (Under current law, students paid for services provided at universities in connection with such students' studies are considered employees.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-01-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2020-01-21
text: Introduced in Senate