hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act

Bill: 116-s-827
Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Introduced: 2019-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Federal-Indian relations
Fishes
Forests, forestry, trees
Freedom of information
Government information and archives
Historical and cultural resources
Idaho
Indian lands and resources rights
Montana
Oregon
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Roads and highways
Washington State
Water quality
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection
Wyoming

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: 

Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act

 
This bill designates specified National Forest System lands, National Park System lands, and public lands in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming as wilderness and as components or additions to existing components of the National Wilderness Preservation System. 
 
 The bill also designates specified federal lands as biological connecting corridors and as special corridor management areas. 
 
The bill designates segments of specified rivers and creeks in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. 
 
 The bill designates specified areas as wildland recovery areas. The Department of Agriculture shall develop a wildland recovery plan for each recovery area. 
 
 A specified panel of independent scientists shall study roadless lands greater than 1,000 acres that are within the National Forest System in the Wild Rockies bioregion in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, or Wyoming, but not designated as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, for their role in maintaining biological diversity in the Northern Rockies and as part of the overall forest reserve system. Any new or existing road construction or reconstruction or timber harvest is prohibited in those lands after the evaluation. Oil or gas leasing, mining, or other development that impairs the natural and roadless qualities of the land is also prohibited.
 
 The Department of the Interior may apply the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act in carrying out this bill. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Atlantic Seismic Airgun Protection Act

Bill: 116-s-828
Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2019-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Atlantic Ocean
Earth sciences
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Florida
Mammals
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Oil and gas
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: 

Atlantic Seismic Airgun Protection Act

 
This bill prohibits conducting geological or geophysical activities in support of oil, gas, or methane hydrate exploration and development on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf. Geological and geophysical activities for oil and gas exploration generally include deep penetration seismic airgun surveys, electromagnetic surveys, deep stratigraphic and shallow test drilling, and various remote-sensing methods.
 
The geological and geophysical activities are described in a final programmatic environmental impact statement by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management titled &quot;Atlantic OCS Proposed Geological and Geophysical Activities, Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic Planning Areas.&quot;


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Removing Barriers to Person- and Family-Centered Care Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-829
Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Introduced: 2019-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Aging
Cancer
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Digestive and metabolic diseases
Government information and archives
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health care quality
Home and outpatient care
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medicaid
Medicare
Neurological disorders
Nursing

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: 

Removing Barriers to Person- and Family-Centered Care Act of 2019

 
This bill establishes a program through which entities may implement alternative payment models for providing care to individuals who (1) are enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, or both; (2) have advanced chronic conditions (e.g., late-stage cancer); and (3) have demonstrated cognitive impairment or functional limitations.
 
Specifically, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must award cooperative agreements to specified organizations to provide person- and family-centered care for such individuals, particularly through collaboratives with providers and community-based organizations. Participants may receive waivers from certain coverage requirements (e.g., Medicare hospice, skilled nursing facility, and home health services requirements) to implement program initiatives and must report data using identified quality measures.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Classroom to Careers Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-830
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2019-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education programs funding
Employment and training programs
Higher education
Student aid and college costs
Temporary and part-time employment

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: 

Classroom to Careers Act of 2019

 
This bill permits institutions of higher education to enter into private-sector employment agreements with the Department of Education in order to receive certain federal work-study grants for full-time employment of students, with restrictions. Currently, such agreements are limited to part-time employment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to reissue final rules relating to listing the gray wolf in the Western Great Lakes and Wyoming under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Bill: 116-s-831
Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI]
Introduced: 2019-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of the Interior
Endangered and threatened species
Judicial review and appeals
Mammals
Michigan
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: 
This bill addresses the removal of federal protections for the gray wolf (
Canis lupus
). 
 
Specifically, the Department of the Interior must reinstate a rule that removed the gray wolf in the Western Great Lakes region from the endangered and threatened species list. The bill exempts the reinstated rule from judicial review.
 
 In addition, it exempts from judicial review a reinstated rule that removes the gray wolf in Wyoming from the list.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Pension Accountability Act

Bill: 116-s-833
Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Introduced: 2019-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: 

Pension Accountability Act
 
 
This bill revises the rules for voting on the suspension of pension benefits under multiemployer plans in critical and declining status. The bill changes the voting procedure for suspending plan benefits to provide that a suspension shall go into effect unless a majority of plan participants and beneficiaries who cast a vote (currently, a majority of all plan participants and beneficiaries) reject the suspension. 
 
The bill also eliminates the authority of the Department of the Treasury, in the case of systemically important plans, to override a vote of plan participants to reject a suspension. A plan is systemically important if projected financial assistance to the plan will exceed $1 billion if suspensions are not implemented. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Comprehensive TB Elimination Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-834
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2019-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Child health
Congressional oversight
Drug therapy
Government studies and investigations
Health facilities and institutions
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Medical research
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Research administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: 

Comprehensive TB Elimination Act of 

2019

 
This bill reauthorizes for FY2020-FY2025 and revises the tuberculosis (TB) prevention and treatment grant program administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Health Resources and Services Administration may also award grants to state and local governments and federally qualified health centers for TB prevention and treatment efforts. 
 
Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must report on national TB prevention and treatment efforts. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Newborn Care Improvement Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-835
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2019-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Child health
Congressional oversight
Veterans' medical care
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: 

Newborn Care Improvement Act of 2019

 
This bill increases from 7 to 14 the number of days that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may furnish health care services, including post-delivery care, to the newborn child of a woman veteran who delivered the child in a VA facility or another facility pursuant to a VA contract for such services. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to clarify the retirement income account rules relating to church-controlled organizations.

Bill: 116-s-836
Sponsor: Sen. Roberts, Pat [R-KS]
Introduced: 2019-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions
Income tax deferral
Religion
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: 
This bill modifies the tax rules for retirement accounts maintained by church-controlled organizations. The bill specifies that a retirement income account provided by a church or a convention or association of churches may cover (1) a duly ordained, commissioned, or licensed minister of a church in the exercise of his ministry, regardless of the source of his compensation; (2) an employee of a tax-exempt organization, whether a civil law corporation or otherwise, that is controlled by or associated with a church or a convention or association of churches; and (3) certain employees who have been separated from service with a church, a convention or association of churches, or an organization described above.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Savings for Ser­vice­mem­bers Act

Bill: 116-s-837
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2019-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Income tax deductions
Military personnel and dependents
National Guard and reserves
Transportation costs

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: 

Savings for Servicemembers Act 

 
This bill reduces from 100 miles to 50 miles the distance away from home required for a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces to be eligible for the above-the-line tax deduction for travel expenses. (Above-the-line tax deductions are subtracted from gross income to arrive at adjusted gross income.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to protect integrity, fairness, and objectivity in decisions regarding access to classified information, and for other purposes.

Bill: 116-s-838
Sponsor: Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
Introduced: 2019-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Executive agency funding and structure
Freedom of information
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
Lawyers and legal services
Right of privacy

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: 
This bill directs each executive agency to establish an appeals process for persons whose eligibility for access to classified information has been denied or revoked.
 
Each agency shall establish an independent panel to hear such appeals, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) shall establish a panel to review agency appeal decisions.
 
To a person whose access to classified information has been denied or revoked, the relevant agency shall provide a written explanation of the basis of the decision. The agency shall provide such a person a copy of the documents that formed the basis of the decision upon request. 
 
The bill establishes various requirements for agency appeals, including (1) an opportunity for the person to be represented by counsel at the person's own expense; (2) the ability to review classified information that is essential to the case; and (3) the opportunity to provide evidence, including calling and cross-examining witnesses.
 
The agency panel may take various corrective actions, including compensation for lost wages or benefits due to an improper denial or revocation of access to classified information. The review panel shall explain its decisions in writing, and the decision shall be publicly available.
 
Such agency appeal decisions may be appealed to the review panel established by the ODNI, which may vacate and remand incorrect decisions back to the agency panel. The Director of National Intelligence may overturn an ODNI panel decision. Decisions by the director or by the ODNI panel shall be explained in writing and be publicly available. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Select Committee on Intelligence.
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
JOBS Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-839
Sponsor: Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
Introduced: 2019-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Employee hiring
Employment and training programs
Higher education
Licensing and registrations
Performance measurement
Student aid and college costs
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: 
 
Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students Act of 2019 or the JOBS Act of 2019
 
 
This bill expands student eligibility for Pell Grants by establishing the Job Training Federal Pell Grant program.
 
Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Education to award a job training Pell Grant to a student who does not have a degree; attends an institution of higher education (IHE); is enrolled in a career and technical education program at an IHE that provides 150 to 600 clock hours of instructional time over a period of 8 to 15 weeks and provides training aligned with high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors (i.e., job training programs); and meets all other eligibility requirements for a Pell Grant.
 
It also specifies that any period during which a student receives a job training Pell Grant counts toward that student's Pell Grant eligibility period.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S1905)
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Healthy Families Act

Bill: 116-s-840
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2019-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Assault and harassment offenses
Civil actions and liability
Congressional agencies
Congressional officers and employees
Congressional oversight
Department of Labor
Domestic violence and child abuse
Employee leave
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government liability
Government studies and investigations
Library of Congress
Marriage and family status
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Merit Systems Protection Board
Sex offenses
Small business
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: 

Healthy Families Act

 
This bill provides for paid and unpaid sick leave for employees to meet their own medical needs and those of their families. 
 
It requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide their employees with at least one hour of earned paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 56 hours of paid sick leave in a year. An employer with fewer than 15 employees may also provide the same amount of paid sick leave, but may opt out of such requirement, in which case such employer must provide its employees at least 56 hours of unpaid leave in a year. An employee may use sick leave for absences (1) resulting from a physical or mental illness, injury or medical condition; (2) resulting from obtaining professional medical diagnosis or care, or preventive medical care; (3) to care for a child, parent, spouse, a domestic partner, or other blood or close relative; and (4) resulting from domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. 
 
The bill makes it unlawful for any employer to interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of an employee's right to accrue sick leave as provided by this bill. An employee may take legal action to enforce the right to sick leave granted by this bill and the Department of Labor must investigate complaints of violations of the requirements of this bill.
 
 Labor is authorized to conduct a public awareness campaign to educate and inform the public of the requirements for paid sick leave provided by this bill.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Relocation Expense Parity Act

Bill: 116-s-841
Sponsor: Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
Introduced: 2019-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
State and local taxation
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Transportation costs

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: 

Relocation Expense Parity Act

 
This bill authorizes an agency to reimburse federal, state, and local income taxes incurred by an individual for travel, transportation, or relocation expenses. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Improving Broadband Mapping Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-842
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2019-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: 

Improving Broadband Mapping Act of 2019

 
This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission to establish a process that uses broadband coverage data reported by consumers and government entities to verify coverage data reported by wireless carriers.
 
In addition, the FCC must consider (1) including a mechanism to incorporate such data; and (2) implementing other measures, such as an evidence-based challenge process, to verify reported coverage data.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Partner with Korea Act

Bill: 116-s-843
Sponsor: Sen. Isakson, Johnny [R-GA]
Introduced: 2019-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Asia
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Foreign labor
South Korea
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: 

Partner with Korea Act
 
 
This bill creates an E-4 treaty trader visa category for up to 15,000 nationals of South Korea each fiscal year who are coming to the United States solely to perform specialty occupation services, subject to various requirements. The 15,000 limit shall only apply to principal aliens and not the spouses or children of such aliens.
 
A specialty occupation is one that requires the theoretical and practical application of highly specialized knowledge and a bachelor's degree or higher.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate
Short on Competition Act

Bill: 116-s-844
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2019-03-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
Prescription drugs
Trade restrictions

Summary:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: 

Short on Competition Act

 
This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide temporary authorization to import certain prescription drugs facing shortages or in a marginally competitive drug market. 
 
 Specifically, the FDA shall authorize importation of an eligible drug that is lifesaving, life-sustaining, or intended to treat or prevent a debilitating condition. To be eligible, a drug must (1) be facing a shortage, (2) require a prescription, (3) have received market authorization in certain foreign countries, and (4) have the same active ingredient as the drug for which there is a shortage in the United States. The drug's manufacturer must also seek FDA approval for the drug as a generic drug.
 
The import authorization shall be for three years or until the shortage no longer applies, whichever occurs first. Importation shall begin within 60 days of the FDA receiving an application that meets all of the applicable requirements. The FDA may deny importation of a drug for reasons related to safety or effectiveness.
 
Drugs in marginally competitive markets must be treated as being in a shortage for the purposes of this bill and for the purposes of expedited inspections and review. A drug is in a marginally competitive market if (1) there are fewer than five holders of approved applications for commercially available brand-name or generic versions of the drug, (2) the drug has been approved for at least 10 years, and (3) the patents on the drug's active ingredients have expired.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2019-03-14
text: Introduced in Senate