hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Defense and Enhancement Act

Bill: 116-s-4175
Sponsor: Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
Foreign and international corporations
Genetics
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health care coverage and access
Health technology, devices, supplies
Industrial policy and productivity
Manufacturing
Prescription drugs
Public contracts and procurement
Retail and wholesale trades
Strategic materials and reserves
U.S. and foreign investments
World health

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Defense and Enhancement Act 

 
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to enter into contracts with U.S. entities to manufacture certain critical drugs within the United States and otherwise addresses drug manufacturing.
 
HHS must periodically report to Congress a list of drugs that are critical to public health or national security. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority within HHS must enter into contracts for qualified U.S. entities to manufacture in the United States the drugs on this list (and ingredients for such drugs). The contracts must impose certain conditions, such as those requiring the manufacturing entity to (1) develop and maintain a redundancy risk management and continuity of business plan, and (2) commit to selling the drugs and ingredients manufactured under the contract at reasonable prices.
 
Beginning in FY2024, certain federal agencies (including the Department of Defense and the Bureau of Prisons) must, in procuring drugs on the HHS critical drugs list, give priority to high-quality drugs that are manufactured in the United States. 
 
This bill also requires the Federal Trade Commission to submit annually to Congress a report on foreign investment in the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. The report must address, among other topics, the effect of the industry's reliance on foreign manufacturing.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand eligibility for home loans from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to certain members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.

Bill: 116-s-4176
Sponsor: Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Government lending and loan guarantees
Housing finance and home ownership
Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 
This bill expands eligibility to certain veterans for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) housing loan benefits, including the VA loan guaranty program. Specifically, the bill expands who is eligible for VA housing loan benefits by revising the definition of 
veteran 
to include an individual who performed service on active duty or full-time National Guard duty for a period of not less than 90 cumulative days (that includes 30 consecutive days). 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Emergency Housing Assistance for Older Adults Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-4177
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Housing and Community Development
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Health promotion and preventive care
Health technology, devices, supplies
Housing and community development funding
Housing for the elderly and disabled
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Low- and moderate-income housing
Minority employment
Performance measurement
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Emergency Housing Assistance for Older Adults Act of 2020

 
This bill authorizes additional assistance for supportive housing for the elderly.
 
Among other things, the bill authorizes additional rental assistance for low-income elderly persons and additional grants to certain federally assisted housing projects to provide service coordinators to prevent, prepare for, or respond to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide for a credit against employment taxes for certain workplace safety expenses, and for other purposes.

Bill: 116-s-4178
Sponsor: Sen. Sinema, Kyrsten [D-AZ]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Appropriations
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Disability assistance
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Employment taxes
Government trust funds
Health technology, devices, supplies
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Social security and elderly assistance
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 
This bill allows employers with not more than 2,000 full-time employees and certain tax-exempt organizations a payroll tax credit for 50% of their expenses for equipment, services, and training for preventing the transmission of the coronovirus (i.e., the virus that causes COVID-19). The bill limits the amount of such expenses that may be taken into account for purposes of calculating the credit and the period of applicability from February 1, 2020, and beginning before January 1, 2022. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Plasma Donation Awareness Act

Bill: 116-s-4179
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Blood and blood diseases
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Health promotion and preventive care
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Organ and tissue donation and transplantation

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Plasma Donation Awareness Act

 
This bill includes plasma donation within the scope of a public awareness campaign by the Department of Health and Human Services concerning the importance of the blood supply and the need for blood donations during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Protecting Benefits for Retirees Act

Bill: 116-s-4180
Sponsor: Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Disability assistance
Inflation and prices
Social security and elderly assistance
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Protecting Benefits for Retirees Act

 
This bill specifies that the national average wage index used in calculations related to Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) benefit programs must be at least as high as the wage index used in the previous year. Specifically, for any year in which the average wage index declines, the calculations must use the index that applied during the previous year. 
 
Under current law, the wage index adjusts the value of an individual's actual earnings to account for changes in average wages over time across a range of OASDI programs, such as when determining benefit amounts for retired workers and certain income thresholds that apply to recipients of Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. Using an average wage index that is lower than in previous years reduces the benefit amounts and relevant income thresholds. For example, under current law, if the average wage index in 2020 is lower than it was in 2019, an individual who turns 60 (the age at which past earnings are indexed) in 2020 would receive reduced retirement benefits compared to a similar individual who turned 60 in 2019.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Library Stabilization Fund Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-4181
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Adult education and literacy
Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
American Samoa
Appropriations
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Caribbean area
Community life and organization
Computers and information technology
Digital media
Economic development
Economic performance and conditions
Education programs funding
Educational technology and distance education
Elementary and secondary education
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Employment and training programs
Financial literacy
Government trust funds
Guam
Health information and medical records
Higher education
Indian social and development programs
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Libraries and archives
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Northern Mariana Islands
Palau
State and local government operations
U.S. territories and protectorates
Virgin Islands

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Library Stabilization Fund Act of 2020

 
This bill establishes and provides funds for a Library Stabilization Fund to assist libraries with responding to and recovering from the coronavirus (i.e., the virus that causes COVID-19) pandemic.
 
Specifically, the bill directs the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to allocate funding to states, Indian tribes, and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians. From these allocated funds, the IMLS must also make emergency library relief grants to state library administrative agencies with approved five-year plans, Indian tribes, and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians.
 
Additionally, the IMLS must allocate funding to carry out activities that strengthen the ability of libraries to provide services to communities affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The IMLS may enter into arrangements (e.g., grants and contracts) and other forms of assistance with libraries, library consortia and associations, and institutions of higher education to carry out these activities. 
 
Funds allocated by the bill may be used to provide support to libraries, such as by supporting general operations; paying staff; purchasing cleaning supplies; training library staff on the safe handling of library materials; providing access to computers and other technology; purchasing digital resources; expanding resources related to early education and literacy, distance learning, and workforce development training; and ensuring access to community services and activities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4227)
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Emergency Support for Nursing Homes and Elder Justice Reform Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-4182
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Aging
Appropriations
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Crime victims
Disability and health-based discrimination
Disability assistance
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Government information and archives
Health care quality
Health facilities and institutions
Health information and medical records
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Health technology, devices, supplies
Indian social and development programs
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Licensing and registrations
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medicaid
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Medicare
Neurological disorders
Nursing
Personnel records
Photography and imaging
Prescription drugs
Racial and ethnic relations
Right of privacy
Sound recording
State and local courts
State and local government operations
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Emergency Support for Nursing Homes and Elder Justice Reform Act of 2020

 
This bill establishes a series of requirements relating to the quality of care provided in nursing and long-term care facilities, specifically with respect to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) and elder abuse, and also modifies and extends several elder justice programs and initiatives.
 
Among other things, the bill (1) requires a portion of any funds received through COVID-19 appropriations to be used for personal protective equipment and testing in Medicare skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), Medicaid nursing facilities (NFs), and long-term care facilities, including assisted living facilities, and for specialized strike teams to address outbreaks in SNFs and NFs; (2) requires SNFs, NFs, and long-term care facilities to report COVID-19 cases and deaths, as well as unrelated deaths, from January 1, 2020, onwards and on a continual daily basis; and (3) requires a specified portion of COVID-19 appropriations to be directed to state and tribal agencies responsible for adult protective services.
 
Additionally, the bill reauthorizes through FY2023 (1) grants to support state long-term care ombudsman programs, (2) elder abuse forensic centers, and (3) grants to support state adult protective services. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Judicial Ads Act

Bill: 116-s-4183
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Corporate finance and management
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Foreign and international corporations
Government information and archives
Judges
Political advertising
Political parties and affiliation
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Judicial Ads Act

 
This bill establishes requirements for federal judicial nomination communications (i.e., advertisements).
 
First, the bill requires a covered organization (e.g., corporation, labor organization, or political committee) that spends more than $50,000 in a calendar year on federal judicial nomination communications to file a statement with the Federal Election Commission. Further, the bill outlines the timing requirements for the statement and its required contents, including the disclosure of certain donors.
 
Next, the bill requires federal judicial nomination communications to contain disclaimers that identify the person who funded the communication.
 
Finally, it prohibits foreign nationals and foreign-influenced corporations from funding a federal judicial nomination communication. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Assisted Living Facility Coronavirus Reporting Act

Bill: 116-s-4184
Sponsor: Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Congressional oversight
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health facilities and institutions
Health information and medical records
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Health technology, devices, supplies
Hospital care
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medicaid
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Nursing
State and local government operations
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Assisted Living Facility Coronavirus Reporting Act

 
This bill temporarily imposes reporting requirements related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) cases in assisted living facilities on states as a condition of receiving certain federal COVID-19 relief funding.
 
Specifically, states must report each week on suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19 in assisted living facilities to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with the data disaggregated by race and other demographic characteristics. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services must publish the information provided by states. 
 
States must also require assisted living facilities to notify federal, state, and local health agencies and facility residents, their representatives, and their families within one calendar day of any confirmed cases of COVID-19 or the onset of new respiratory symptoms at a particular facility. 
 
In addition, subject to some limitations, the bill applies federal COVID-19 reporting requirements for nursing facilities and skilled nursing facilities to assisted living facilities and requires the Government Accountability Office to evaluate the use of required reporting by nursing homes to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19 in such facilities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
End Surprise Medical Bills for Air Ambulances Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-4185
Sponsor: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration
Aviation and airports
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Insurance industry and regulation
Transportation costs

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

End Surprise Medical Bills for Air Ambulances Act of 2020

 
 This bill establishes an independent dispute resolution process for health insurances costs related to out-of-network air ambulance services. Specifically, this process requires health insurance plans (1) to pay the billed amount to the out-of-network air ambulance provider within 30 days of receipt of a bill for such services, or (2) to notify the provider and the patient who received service that the bill is being disputed and that the patient is not responsible for the disputed amount. 
 
 The plan and the provider then must agree to an amount to be paid within 90 days, or they must enter into a dispute resolution process with an Independent Dispute Resolution Entity selected at random from the list of such qualified entities established by the Department of Health and Human Services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Driving for Opportunity Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-4186
Sponsor: Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Government information and archives
Law enforcement administration and funding
Licensing and registrations
Motor vehicles
Roads and highways
State and local government operations
Transportation programs funding
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Driving for Opportunity Act of 2020

 
This bill authorizes the Department of Justice to make grants to states that do not suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew a driver's license of an individual based on such individual's failure to pay a civil or criminal fine or fee. 
 
Grants shall be awarded to (1) cover the costs incurred by a state to reinstate driver's licenses previously suspended for unpaid fines and fees; (2) maximize the number of individuals with suspended driver's licenses eligible to have driving privileges reinstated or regained; (3) provide assistance to individuals living in areas where public transportation options are limited; and (4) ease the burden on states where the state or local law that permitted the suspension or revocation of, or refusal to renew, driver's licenses or the registration of a motor vehicle based on the failure to pay civil or criminal fines or fees was in effect during the three year period ending on the date on which a state applies for or receives a grant under this bill.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Intercity Passenger Rail Trust Fund Act

Bill: 116-s-4187
Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Government corporations and government-sponsored enterprises
Government trust funds
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)
Railroads
Transportation programs funding
Urban and suburban affairs and development

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Intercity Passenger Rail Trust Fund Act 

 
This bill establishes in the Treasury an Intercity Passenger Rail Trust Fund designed to ensure a safe, sustainable, convenient transportation option for the people of the United States. Amounts in the fund may be used by the Department of Transportation to award grants to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) for activities associated with the Northeast Corridor and the National Network (Amtrak's state-supported and long-distance service lines).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2020-07-27
text: Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2020-07-27
text: Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate