hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
To amend the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children Act to extend the deadline for a report by the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children, and for other purposes.

Bill: 116-hr-8469
Sponsor: Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]
Introduced: 2020-09-30 in the House
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Child safety and welfare
Congressional oversight
Government studies and investigations
Indian social and development programs

Summary:
action_date: 2020-09-30
text: 
This bill extends the deadline, from three years to five years, for the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children to submit its report to the President and Congress. The commission was established to conduct a comprehensive study of federal, state, local, and tribal programs that serve Native children and to develop plans for federal policy related to Native children.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-09-30
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2020-09-30
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-09-30
text: Introduced in House
Set Sail Safely Act

Bill: 116-hr-8471
Sponsor: Resident Commissioner González-Colón, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large]
Introduced: 2020-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Executive agency funding and structure
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Marine and inland water transportation
Public-private cooperation
Transportation employees
Transportation safety and security
Travel and tourism
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: 

Set Sail Safely Act

 
This bill establishes a Maritime Task Force to address the health and safety of passengers, crew, and associated workers, logistical issues relating to the continuation of maritime travel, and the resumption of cruise operations in United States waters during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency.
 
The task force must consist of members from several federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Department of Transportation. It must work together with input from private sector stakeholders to develop a plan about policies and procedures that need to be adopted for the safe resumption of the cruise line industry during and after the COVID-19 public health emergency.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-10-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
Family First Medisave Empowerment Act

Bill: 116-hr-8473
Sponsor: Rep. Gonzalez, Anthony [R-OH-16]
Introduced: 2020-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Aging
Bank accounts, deposits, capital
Congressional oversight
Disability and paralysis
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Health care costs and insurance
Income tax deductions
Income tax exclusion
Intergovernmental relations
Life, casualty, property insurance
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Marriage and family status
Separation, divorce, custody, support
State and local government operations
Veterans' medical care
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: 

Family First Medisave Empowerment Act

 
This bill creates tax-exempt Medisave accounts to pay the qualified medical expenses of account beneficiaries. The bill defines 
qualified medical expenses 
as the medical expenses of the taxpayer and the taxpayer's spouse and dependents that are not covered by insurance. The bill excludes amounts paid from a Medisave account from the gross income of an account beneficiary for income tax purposes. 
 
The bill also allows a partially refundable tax credit, limited to $1,000 for all taxable years, for contributions to Medisave accounts made by certain low-income taxpayers before the end of the first year after the enactment of this bill. 
 
The bill provides grants for providing fair and impartial information to consumers about Medisave accounts and facilitating enrollment in such accounts. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
TEACH Act

Bill: 116-hr-8475
Sponsor: Rep. Bera, Ami [D-CA-7]
Introduced: 2020-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Elementary and secondary education
Income tax deductions
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: 

Tools to Educate All Children at Home Act or the TEACH Act

 
This bill revises and temporarily increases the tax deduction for the expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers. Specifically, the deduction amount is increased from $250 to $1,000 in 2020 and 2021. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
TIKES Act

Bill: 116-hr-8476
Sponsor: Rep. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE-At Large]
Introduced: 2020-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child care and development
Child health
Congressional oversight
Government studies and investigations
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health technology, devices, supplies
Intergovernmental relations
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Licensing and registrations
Medicaid
Poverty and welfare assistance
Preschool education
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: 

Telehealth Improvement for Kids' Essential Services Act or the TIKES Act

 
This bill requires several agencies to promote and evaluate the use of telehealth under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). 
 
Specifically, the bill requires (1) the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to issue guidance to states on ways to increase access to telehealth; (2) the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to study the impact of telehealth on health care access, utilization, costs, and outcomes; and (3) the Government Accountability Office to evaluate federal interagency collaboration with respect to the provision of telehealth services to individuals under the age of 18.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
American Jobs First Act of 2020

Bill: 116-hr-8477
Sponsor: Rep. Brooks, Mo [R-AL-5]
Introduced: 2020-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Civil actions and liability
Department of Labor
Employment and training programs
Foreign labor
Government information and archives
Higher education
Judicial review and appeals
Labor-management relations
Unemployment
Visas and passports
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: 

American Jobs First Act of 2020

 
This bill imposes additional requirements related to the H-1B (specialty profession) nonimmigrant visas and repeals various immigration-related programs. 
 
The bill repeals the diversity visa program, which makes immigrant visas available to aliens from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. The bill also eliminates a program that provides temporary employment authorization to an F-1 student visa holder during or after the completion of the student's studies, unless Congress expressly authorizes such a program.
 
The bill's provisions relating to the H-1B program include
 
 
requiring an H-1B employee to receive a wage that is at least the wage of the U.S. citizen or permanent resident who had the same job in the two years before the H-1B application was filed, where currently an H-1B worker may be paid the prevailing wage for the occupational classification in the area of employment;
 
prohibiting an employer from hiring an H-1B employee if the employer has involuntarily separated without cause an employee in a substantially similar occupation in the two years before filing the H-1B application or will do so in the two years after the filing; 
 
prohibiting an employer from hiring an H-1B employee if there had been a strike or lockout related to salary or benefits in the two years before filing the H-1B application; 
 
increasing the maximum penalties for violating certain H-1B requirements; and
 
prohibiting in some instances the use of nondisclosure agreements to prevent an employee from disclosing an employer's possible misuse of the H-1B program.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
Online Accessibility Act

Bill: 116-hr-8478
Sponsor: Rep. Budd, Ted [R-NC-13]
Introduced: 2020-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Access Board
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Civil actions and liability
Consumer affairs
Disability and health-based discrimination
Disability and paralysis
Government studies and investigations
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: 

Online Accessibility Act

 
This bill sets forth requirements for consumer-facing websites and mobile applications owned or operated by a private entity and guidance regarding standards for website accessibility by the disabled.
 
Specifically, the bill prohibits the exclusion of an individual, by reason of disability, from participation in or being denied the full and equal benefits of the services of such a website or application or from being subjected to discrimination by a private owner or operator of such a website or application.
 
Such a website or application shall be considered compliant if it is in substantial compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 Level A and Level AA standard established by the Accessibility Guidelines Working Group. A noncompliant entity shall provide an alternative, equivalent means of access by individuals with disabilities. The Access Board must publish related standards.
 
The bill sets forth provisions regarding administrative remedies and reporting of violations and enforcement by the Department of Justice and through private rights of action.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
Essential Medicines Strategic Stockpile Act of 2020

Bill: 116-hr-8479
Sponsor: Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1]
Introduced: 2020-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Business records
Congressional oversight
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health care coverage and access
Health programs administration and funding
Health technology, devices, supplies
Prescription drugs
Public contracts and procurement
Public-private cooperation
Strategic materials and reserves

Summary:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: 

Essential Medicines Strategic Stockpile Act of 2020

 
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create a pilot program with private entities to test the effectiveness of acquiring, maintaining, managing, and distributing a stockpile of generic drugs at risk of shortage.
 
Specifically, HHS must enter into contracts of up to three years for entities to create a six-month stockpile of up to 50 types of such drugs.
 
The bill establishes various program requirements, including annual evaluations by the Government Accountability Office.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
Visit America Act

Bill: 116-hr-8480
Sponsor: Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1]
Introduced: 2020-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Advisory bodies
Aviation and airports
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Competitiveness, trade promotion, trade deficits
Congressional oversight
Department of Commerce
Disaster relief and insurance
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Immigration status and procedures
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Labor market
Natural disasters
Public-private cooperation
Travel and tourism
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: 

Visit America Act

 
This bill implements measures to support the U.S. travel and tourism industry and to address the declining percentage of international visitors to the United States.
 
Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Commerce to develop a 10-year travel and tourism strategy with the goal of achieving, by 2028, 116 million annual international visitors to the United States and $445 billion in travel exports.
 
 The bill also establishes the role of Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism, whose responsibilities shall include (1) setting an annual goal for the number of international visitors to the United States, (2) providing support for improved visitor visa processing, and (3) promoting travel exports abroad.
 
Further, the assistant secretary must develop and implement a COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic recovery strategy to assist the recovery of the U.S. travel and tourism industry from travel restrictions necessitated by the pandemic.
 
The bill also provides statutory authority for the United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, which shall aid the assistant secretary in developing and implementing the COVID-19 pandemic recovery strategy.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
Appointments Clause Enforcement Act of 2020

Bill: 116-hr-8481
Sponsor: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
Introduced: 2020-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Federal officials
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents

Summary:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: 

Appointments Clause Enforcement Act of 2020

 
This bill makes a series of changes with respect to the appointment, tenure, and qualifications of acting officials of executive agencies. Among other changes, the bill reduces the tenure of acting officials, requires specific designation of first assistant positions, and creates a private right of action for harm caused by improper acting officials.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
American Food Workers Protection Act

Bill: 116-hr-8482
Sponsor: Rep. Crawford, Eric A. "Rick" [R-AR-1]
Introduced: 2020-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Food industry and services
Health technology, devices, supplies
Immunology and vaccination
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Intergovernmental relations
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Migrant, seasonal, agricultural labor
State and local government operations
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: 

American Food Workers Protection Act 

 
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to support state and local jurisdictions in providing (1) priority COVID-19 testing for essential critical food and agriculture workers; (2) priority access to personal protective equipment, sanitizers, face coverings, and other health-related or protective supplies necessary to safely perform essential critical infrastructure work; and (3) assurance that the federal agency responsible for the distribution of a vaccine for COVID-19 in the United States will prioritize essential critical food and agriculture workers for inoculation with the vaccine. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
Ensuring Survivors Benefits during COVID–19 Act of 2020

Bill: 116-hr-8484
Sponsor: Rep. Davidson, Warren [R-OH-8]
Introduced: 2020-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Disability and paralysis
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Health information and medical records
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Veterans' medical care
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: 

Ensuring Survivors Benefits during COVID-19 Act of 2020

 
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to get a medical opinion to determine if a service-connected disability was the principal or contributory cause of death in situations where the death certificate of a veteran with a service-connected disability who has filed a claim for dependency and indemnity compensation (1) identifies COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) as the principal or contributory cause of death, and (2) does not clearly identify the service-connected disability as the principal or contributory cause of death.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
Health and Fitness Recovery Act of 2020

Bill: 116-hr-8485
Sponsor: Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
Introduced: 2020-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Appropriations
Business expenses
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Economic performance and conditions
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government trust funds
Income tax exclusion
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Minority and disadvantaged businesses
Physical fitness and lifestyle
Small business
Sports and recreation facilities
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Wages and earnings
Women in business

Summary:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: 

Health and Fitness Recovery Act of 2020 

 
This bill establishes through December 31, 2020, and provides funding for the Health Club Recovery Fund, from which the Department of the Treasury shall make grants to eligible health and fitness facilities to provide relief during the COVID-19 (i.e.,coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. 
 
For the grant program's initial period, Treasury must (1) prioritize awarding grants to entities serving marginalized and underrepresented communities, and (2) only award grants to eligible health and fitness facilities with annual revenues of less than $1.5 million. Further, an entity that received a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 may not apply for or use grant amounts for the same expenses for which it received the paycheck protection loan. Allowable uses for grant amounts include payroll costs, mortgage or rent payments, utilities, and maintenance expenses.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
Student Empowerment and Financial Literacy Act

Bill: 116-hr-8486
Sponsor: Rep. Gallagher, Mike [R-WI-8]
Introduced: 2020-10-01 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Financial literacy
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: 

Student Empowerment and Financial Literacy Act

 
This bill directs the Department of Education to award competitive grants to eligible entities to promote financial literacy in elementary and secondary schools. An eligible entity is an entity with demonstrated expertise in the development of strategies that are designed to improve understanding of personal finance topics (e.g., bank and credit union accounts, student loans, debt management, and saving) among elementary and secondary school students.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Introduced in House