hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act

Bill: 116-s-2804
Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Introduced: 2019-11-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Cemeteries and funerals
Congressional oversight
Hunting and fishing
Land transfers
Mining
Nevada
Water use and supply
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-06
text: 

Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act

 
This bill designates specified federal land in Nevada as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System and directs the Department of the Interior to conduct sales or exchanges of eligible lands in Pershing County, Nevada, identified as the Checkerboard Lands Resolution Area.
 
Interior and the county shall jointly select which parcels of eligible land shall be offered for sale or exchange.
 
Within one year, Interior shall offer to exchange all of the eligible land for private land. 
 
Interior shall seek to enter into agreements with one or more owners of private land that is adjacent to the eligible land for the exchange of the private land for the eligible land, if the exchange would consolidate federal land ownership and facilitate improved federal land management. 
 
In acquiring private land, Interior must give priority to the acquisition of private land in higher-value natural resource areas in the county. 
 
Interior shall offer to convey, for fair market value, the remaining U.S. right, title, and interest in land within the Checkerboard Land Resolution Area that is encumbered by mining claims, millsites, or tunnel sites to entities with an interest in the land.
 
The bill prescribes requirements for the disposition of proceeds from the sales of lands. 
 
Interior shall convey to the county, without consideration, Unionville Cemetery. 
 
The bill releases specified wilderness study areas from further review for designation as wilderness. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-11-18
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 116-382.
action_date: 2019-11-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2019-11-06
text: Introduced in Senate
TOD Advancement Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2805
Sponsor: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
Introduced: 2019-11-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Economic development
Government lending and loan guarantees
Railroads
Transportation programs funding

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-06
text: 

TOD Advancement Act of 2019

 
This bill revises and extends until December 4, 2021, the Railroad Rehabilitation Improvement and Financing program.
 
Specifically, the bill revises the eligible purposes under the program to include financing economic development and infrastructure that (1) incorporates private investment of greater than 20% of total project costs; (2) is physically connected to, or within a half mile walking distance from, a passenger rail station or multimodal station that includes rail service; (3) will commence construction within 90 days after the loan or loan guarantee is obligated for the project; and (4) demonstrates the ability to generate new financial assistance for the relevant passenger rail station or service.

action_date: 2020-08-12
text: 

TOD Advancement Act of 2019

 
This bill revises and extends until December 4, 2021, the Railroad Rehabilitation Improvement and Financing program.
 
Specifically, the bill revises program purposes to include financing economic development and infrastructure that (1) incorporates private investment of greater than 20% of total project costs; (2) is physically connected to, or within one half mile walking distance from, a passenger rail station or minimodal station that includes rail services; (3) will commerce construction within 90 days after the loan or loan guarantee is obligated for the project; and (4) demonstrates the ability to generate new financial assistance for the relevant passenger rail station or service.
 
The bill requires the Department of Transportation to periodically report to Congress on the number of applications for loans and loan guarantees under the program. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-08-12
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 516.
action_date: 2020-08-12
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Wicker with amendments. With written report No. 116-255.
action_date: 2020-08-12
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Wicker with amendments. With written report No. 116-255.
action_date: 2019-11-13
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
action_date: 2019-11-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2019-11-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Department of Veterans Affairs Work Study Expansion Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2806
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2019-11-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional operations and organization
Military personnel and dependents
Student aid and college costs
Temporary and part-time employment
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Veterans' pensions and compensation
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-06
text: 

Department of Veterans Affairs Work Study Expansion Act of 2019

 
This bill expands the list of work-study activities that qualify for payment of work-study allowances under Department of Veterans Affairs rehabilitation, training, and education programs. 
 
Under the bill, the following activities carried out at the offices of Members of Congress qualify as work-study activities:
 
 
the distribution of information to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their dependents concerning benefits and services; and
 
the preparation and processing of documents, including those used to file veterans benefits claims.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-11-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2019-11-06
text: Introduced in Senate
Hospice Care Improvement Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2807
Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Introduced: 2019-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Consumer affairs
Employment and training programs
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health care quality
Health facilities and institutions
Health information and medical records
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Licensing and registrations
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medicare
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: 

Hospice Care Improvement Act of 2019

 
This bill establishes survey requirements for, and enforcement mechanisms against, certified hospice programs under Medicare.
 
Specifically, certified programs must undergo periodic surveys by a state, local, or approved accreditation agency, as specified; the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must provide joint training for surveyors and programs, and must publish information relating to survey results on the Hospice Compare website. Surveyors must provide programs with educational materials to help them correct any found deficiencies. If the CMS finds that a program does not meet applicable standards, the CMS may impose intermediate sanctions, including suspended Medicare payments, temporary management, and additional training; such programs must also undergo more frequent surveys until they are found to be in compliance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Act of June 18, 1934, to reaffirm the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust for Indian Tribes, and for other purposes.

Bill: 116-s-2808
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2019-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Federal-Indian relations
Indian lands and resources rights
Land transfers

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: 
This bill applies the Indian Reorganization Act to all federally recognized Indian tribes, regardless of when a tribe became recognized. The amendments made by this bill are retroactively effective as if included in the Indian Reorganization Act. This effectively overrules the Supreme Court's decision in 
Carcieri v. Salazar, 
which held that the Department of the Interior could not take land into trust for a specified tribe because that tribe had not been under federal jurisdiction when the Indian Reorganization Act was enacted.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Millionaires Surtax Act

Bill: 116-s-2809
Sponsor: Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
Introduced: 2019-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Income tax rates
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: 

Millionaires Surtax Act

 
This bill imposes an additional 10% tax on individual taxpayers whose adjusted gross income exceeds $2 million. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans Hearing Benefits Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2810
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
Introduced: 2019-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Disability assistance
Health technology, devices, supplies
Hearing, speech, and vision care
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: 

Veterans Hearing Benefits Act of 2019

 
This bill provides a presumption of service-connection for hearing-related issues in certain veterans for purposes of wartime disability compensation. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific conditions diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded.
 
Per the bill, certain veterans with diagnosed hearing loss, tinnitus, or both shall be presumed to have incurred or aggravated such conditions during active military, naval, or air service.
 
This bill applies to veterans who (1) served in combat, or (2) were assigned to a military occupational specialty that likely exposed them to a sufficiently high level of acoustic trauma.
 
The bill also requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to adjust the schedule of rating disabilities to establish a minimum disability rating for a veteran who requires a hearing aid because of a service-connected disability.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-11-20
text: Star Print ordered on the bill.
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Strengthening Disaster Assistance for Student Veterans Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2811
Sponsor: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]
Introduced: 2019-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Higher education
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: 

Strengthening Disaster Assistance for Student Veterans Act of 2019

 
This bill extends the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to continue to pay educational assistance and subsistence allowances during periods when educational institutions are temporarily closed due to an emergency situation or executive order. Under the bill, the VA may only continue to pay educational assistance and subsistence allowances for up to eight weeks (currently four weeks) after the date of the temporary closure of the educational institution.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicare Patient Empowerment Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2812
Sponsor: Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY]
Introduced: 2019-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Contracts and agency
Federal preemption
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health personnel
Medicare
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: 

Medicare Patient Empowerment Act of 

2019

 
This bill allows any Medicare beneficiary to enter into a contract with an eligible professional, regardless of whether the professional is a participating or non-participating physician or practitioner, for any item or service covered by Medicare. 
 
Such beneficiaries may submit a claim for Medicare payment in the amount that would otherwise apply, except that, where the professional is considered to be non-participating, payment shall be paid as if the professional were participating. An eligible professional is a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified registered nurse anesthetist, certified nurse-midwife, clinical social worker, clinical psychologist, registered dietitian or nutrition professional, physical or occupational therapist, qualified speech-language pathologist, or qualified audiologist.
 
A Medicare beneficiary must agree in writing in such a contract to (1) pay the eligible professional for a Medicare-covered item or service; and (2) submit, in lieu of the eligible professional, a claim for Medicare payment. However, a beneficiary may negotiate, as a term of the contract, for the eligible professional to file such claims on the beneficiary's behalf.
 
The bill preempts state laws from limiting the amount of charges for physician and practitioner services for which Medicare payment is made.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
CBP Hiring and Retention Innovation Act

Bill: 116-s-2813
Sponsor: Sen. Sinema, Kyrsten [D-AZ]
Introduced: 2019-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Border security and unlawful immigration
Congressional oversight
Customs enforcement
Department of Homeland Security
Employee hiring
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
International Affairs
Law enforcement officers

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: 

CBP Hiring and Retention Innovation Act

 
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to take certain actions to improve hiring and retention of U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel.
 
Specifically, DHS must (1) establish a council to develop initiatives for improving hiring and retention efforts; and (2) implement pilot programs, based on council initiatives and other relevant information, at least annually over the course of a five-year period. DHS must implement programs that focus on ports of entry or other duty stations, as well as U.S. Border Patrol duty locations, with severe workforce shortages, critical hiring needs, or retention challenges.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Patents for Humanity Program Improvement Act

Bill: 116-s-2814
Sponsor: Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]
Introduced: 2019-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Foreign aid and international relief
Intellectual property

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: 

Patents for Humanity Program Improvement Act

 
This bill authorizes the holder of an acceleration certificate awarded under the Patents for Humanity program to transfer the certificate to another party. 
 
(The Patents for Humanity program recognizes patent owners, applicants, and licensees that use their inventions to meet humanitarian challenges. The winners each receive a certificate which can be used to accelerate certain U.S. Patent and Trademark Office proceedings, such as a patent application.)
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
National Purple Heart Honor Mission Commemorative Coin Act

Bill: 116-s-2815
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2019-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Conflicts and wars
Currency
Military personnel and dependents
Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers
New York State
Veterans' organizations and recognition

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: 

National Purple Heart Honor Mission Commemorative Coin Act

 
This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar clad coins emblematic of the mission of the National Purple Heart Honor Mission. 
 
The bill limits the issuance of such coins to the one-year period beginning on January 1, 2022.
 
The bill prescribes surcharges for coin sales, which shall be paid to the National Purple Heart Honor Mission, Inc., to support the mission of such organization, including capital improvements to the National Purple Heart Honor Mission facilities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Broadband Parity Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2816
Sponsor: Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]
Introduced: 2019-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Economic development
Educational technology and distance education
Employment and training programs
Health technology, devices, supplies
Housing and community development funding
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Libraries and archives
Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers
Public housing
Public utilities and utility rates
Rural conditions and development
Telecommunication rates and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: 

Broadband Parity Act of 2019

 
This bill prohibits an agency from providing assistance to a broadband internet access service through a federal broadband support program unless the service to be assisted meets or exceeds (or will meet or exceed when deployed) minimum download and upload speeds established by the Federal Communications Commission.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
End Price Gouging for Insulin Act

Bill: 116-s-2817
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2019-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Asia
Australia
Canada
Department of Health and Human Services
Europe
Executive agency funding and structure
France
Germany
Health care costs and insurance
Health programs administration and funding
Indian social and development programs
Inflation and prices
Italy
Japan
Medicaid
Medical research
Medicare
Netherlands
North America
Prescription drugs
Research administration and funding
Research and development
Retail and wholesale trades
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: 

End Price Gouging for Insulin Act

 
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to set a maximum price for insulin products for individuals and enrollees of federal health programs. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S6479-6480)
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
FLARE Act

Bill: 116-s-2818
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2019-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Congressional oversight
Department of the Interior
Energy efficiency and conservation
Energy revenues and royalties
Government studies and investigations
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Oil and gas

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: 

Fuel Loss Abatement and Royalty Enhancement Act or the
 
FLARE Act

 
This bill requires the Department of the Interior to (1) ban the venting and flaring of gas in oil and gas production operations on federal land onshore and offshore in the United States, with specified exceptions; and (2) promote the capture and beneficial use or reinjection of gas in such operations.
 
The bill also requires oil and gas companies to pay royalties on gas that is vented or flared pursuant to this bill. 
 
The Government Accountability Office must assess such venting and flaring and estimate the volume of gas vented or flared in such operations each year.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
Lifetime Learning Credit Enhancement Act

Bill: 116-s-2819
Sponsor: Sen. Roberts, Pat [R-KS]
Introduced: 2019-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Higher education
Income tax credits
Income tax deductions
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: 

Lifetime Learning Credit Enhancement Act

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the lifetime learning tax credit, to increase the taxpayer income ceiling for purposes of the phaseout of such credit. Under current law, the phaseout of the credit begins for a taxpayer with a modified adjusted gross income over $40,000 ($80,000 for joint returns). This bill doubles those amounts.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
SONG Act

Bill: 116-s-2820
Sponsor: Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
Introduced: 2019-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Aviation and airports
Department of Transportation
Sports and recreation facilities
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: 

Stadiums Operating under New Guidance Act or the
 
SONG Act

 
This bill revises the authority of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue temporary flight restrictions for sporting events.
 
The bill requires the FAA to revise the meaning of &quot;sporting&quot; to include all major events held in stadiums, including concerts.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate
ACE Veterans Act

Bill: 116-s-2821
Sponsor: Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
Introduced: 2019-11-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Family planning and birth control
Health care coverage and access
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: 

Access to Contraception Expansion for Veterans Act or the ACE Veterans Act

 
This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to authorize veterans to fill prescriptions for a year's supply of contraceptive pills, transdermal patches, or vaginal rings.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2019-11-07
text: Introduced in Senate