hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Water for Tomorrow Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-4188
Sponsor: Sen. Harris, Kamala D. [D-CA]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Water for Tomorrow Act of 2020

 
This bill provides assistance for water resources development and ecosystem protection and restoration projects in western states.
 
Specifically, among other things, the bill requires the Department of the Interior to provide assistance to water supply projects that would contribute to a safe, adequate water supply for domestic, agricultural, environmental, municipal, or industrial use. Interior must also award grants to help disadvantaged communities with populations of 60,000 or less meet specified drinking water standards or address a significant decline in quantity or quality of drinking water. Further, the bill reauthorizes through FY2026 the rural water supply program, reauthorizes through FY2025 the cooperative watershed management program, permanently reauthorizes certain water management improvement grants, and modifies provisions related to funding for water recycling and reuse projects.
 
Additionally, the bill requires Interior to award grants for habitat restoration projects that improve watershed health to entities with water or power delivery authority. Interior may also enter into agreements to fund aquatic ecosystem restoration and protection projects if they are likely to improve the quality of the environment by improving fish passage. Further, the bill requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to develop, and update every three years, a plan to sustain the survival of critically important fisheries within western states during future periods of extended drought.
 
The bill also requires Interior to incorporate information from emerging technologies for snowpack measurement when determining water supply allocations and to study the projected impact of climate change on the safety of Bureau of Reclamation dams. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-22
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 116-375.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Water for Conservation and Farming Act

Bill: 116-s-4189
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Agricultural conservation and pollution
Agricultural prices, subsidies, credit
Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Aquatic ecology
Birds
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Congressional oversight
Dams and canals
Ecology
Farmland
Fishes
Government trust funds
Hunting and fishing
Lakes and rivers
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Outdoor recreation
Water resources funding
Water storage
Water use and supply
Watersheds
Wetlands
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Water for Conservation and Farming Act

 
This bill establishes a funding source for certain water resources development projects in western states. The bill also establishes new water resources development programs, as well as reauthorizes and expands existing ones.
 
Specifically, the bill establishes a Bureau of Reclamation Infrastructure Fund to fund water-related programs, including water reclamation and reuse projects, dam safety projects, and the WaterSMART program (which provides assistance to eligible government entities to increase water supply). Each year from FY2031-FY2061, the Department of the Interior must deposit $300 million of revenues into this fund that would otherwise be deposited into the Reclamation Fund (which currently funds irrigation works in western states).
 
The bill also reauthorizes through FY2025 the WaterSMART program and expands the program, including by expanding the types of entities eligible for assistance.
 
In addition, the bill reauthorizes through FY2024 the Cooperative Watershed Management Program (which provides assistance to watershed groups to address water management needs) and expands the program to include projects that generate environmental benefits.
 
The bill also establishes new programs directed at western states to
 
 
provide assistance to agricultural producers to create and maintain waterbird and shorebird habitats,
 
award grants to eligible government entities and nonprofit conservation organizations for habitat restoration projects that improve watershed health,
 
and provide assistance to eligible government entities and nonprofit organizations for aquatic ecosystem and restoration projects. 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-22
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 116-375.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4227)
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Saline Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Program Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-4190
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Air quality
Aquatic ecology
Birds
California
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Congressional oversight
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Government studies and investigations
Hydrology and hydrography
Idaho
Lakes and rivers
Nevada
Oregon
Water quality
Water use and supply
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection
Wyoming

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Saline Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Program Act of 2020

 
This bill requires the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to establish a Saline Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Assessment and Monitoring Program. Under the program, the USGS must assess, monitor, and conserve saline lake ecosystems in the Great Basin as well as the wildlife that depend on those ecosystems.


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
United States Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Review Act

Bill: 116-s-4191
Sponsor: Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Genetics
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health technology, devices, supplies
Industrial policy and productivity
Manufacturing
Prescription drugs
Retail and wholesale trades
U.S. and foreign investments

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

United States Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Review Act

 
This bill requires the Federal Trade Commission to submit annually to Congress a report on foreign investment in the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. The report shall 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 Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Retirement Savings Lost and Found Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-4192
Sponsor: Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Retirement Savings Lost and Found Act
 
of 2020

 
This bill requires the Department of the Treasury and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to create an online Retirement Savings Lost and Found (RSLF) to assist individuals in locating certain employer-sponsored retirement accounts. The RSLF must provide plan participants or beneficiaries only with the ability to view contact information for the administrator of a plan that is sufficient to locate the plan. 
 
The bill sets forth additional reporting and notification requirements for retirement plans. 
 
Treasury and the SSA must take precautions to (1) safeguard the privacy and security of participants' plan information, and (2) permit plan participants to opt out of inclusion in the RSLF.
 
The bill also revises provisions that permit mandatory distributions of the balances of small retirement accounts using a rollover into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). The bill modifies the investment options available for the distributions and increases the maximum account balance that may be subject to such a distribution. 
 
A plan must transfer unclaimed mandatory distributions that are $1,000 or less to the RSLF or to an IRA established by Treasury. The RSLF must invest funds received in Treasury securities and distribute the balance upon receiving an application from a plan participant or beneficiary. 


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
1619 Act

Bill: 116-s-4193
Sponsor: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Government information and archives
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers
Racial and ethnic relations
Teaching, teachers, curricula
U.S. history

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

1619 Act

 
This bill expands the National Museum of African American History and Culture's educational programming.
 
Specifically, the bill requires the museum to develop and nationally disseminate accurate, relevant, and accessible resources to promote understanding of notable events in African American history. It also authorizes various African American history education program activities to engage prospective and current teachers and educational leaders.
 
Additionally, the museum must maintain on its website a special section designated for African American history education resources. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
National Institute of Manufacturing Act

Bill: 116-s-4194
Sponsor: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Advisory bodies
Competitiveness, trade promotion, trade deficits
Congressional oversight
Department of Commerce
Employment and training programs
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Higher education
Industrial facilities
Industrial policy and productivity
Manufacturing
Public contracts and procurement
Research and development
Small business
Student aid and college costs
Technology assessment
U.S. and foreign investments

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

National Institute of Manufacturing Act

 
This bill establishes the National Institute of Manufacturing to serve as the central hub for federal manufacturing programs, and it directs the institute to coordinate such programs across agencies through a national strategic plan for manufacturing.
 
The institute shall, among other things, (1) convene key stakeholders to develop a national strategic plan for manufacturing in the United States that identifies the needs and priorities of the U.S. manufacturing sector; (2) support and incentivize manufacturing-focused research, collaboration, and education; and (3) be the primary federal entity for all decisions related to manufacturing.
 
Overseen by a Chief Manufacturing Officer, the institute shall be composed of various directorates (e.g., a Directorate for Technology Development and a Directorate for Trade), and the functions of specified federal manufacturing programs and offices shall be transferred to the institute and its directorates.
 
The bill also permanently reauthorizes the U.S. Manufacturing Council of the International Trade Administration as the National Manufacturing Council, and it tasks the council with (1) ensuring regular communication between the federal government and the U.S. manufacturing sector, (2) advising the institute's Chief Manufacturing Officer on government policies and programs that affect U.S. manufacturing, and (3) ensuring the U.S. remains the leading destination for investment in manufacturing throughout the world.
 
Lastly, the bill requires the Chief Manufacturing Officer to establish the 
manufacturing.gov hub
, a section of the Department of Commerce's website that shall serve as the primary point for information relating to every federal manufacturing program. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
PROTECT Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-4195
Sponsor: Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Providing Resources for Ongoing Training and Education in Cyber Technologies Act of 2020 or the PROTECT Act of 2020

 
This bill provides statutory authority for the Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Unnecessary Agency Regulations Reduction Act

Bill: 116-s-4196
Sponsor: Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Congressional oversight
Economic performance and conditions
Government studies and investigations
House of Representatives
Legislative rules and procedure
Senate

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Unnecessary Agency Regulations Reduction Act

 
This bill requires the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs to annually report a list of major rules (i.e., rules with a significant economic impact, cost to consumers, or adverse effects on competition) that it recommends should be modified, consolidated, or repealed because they are outdated, duplicative, or incur excessive compliance costs. Congress must review the list to determine, and recommend by joint resolution, any such rules to modify, consolidate, or repeal.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to extend the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Program of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.

Bill: 116-s-4197
Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Civil actions and liability
Criminal justice information and records
Department of Homeland Security
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Homeland security
Industrial facilities
Performance measurement
Personnel records
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 
This bill extends the Department of Homeland Security's Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Program through July 25, 2027.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Affordable Coronavirus Testing Act

Bill: 116-s-4198
Sponsor: Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Blood and blood diseases
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Child health
Congressional oversight
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Employee benefits and pensions
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Immunology and vaccination
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Medicaid
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Medicare
Military medicine
Public contracts and procurement
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Affordable Coronavirus Testing Act

 
This bill requires health insurance plans to cover through 2021 without cost sharing COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) serology testing, which looks for the presence of antibodies made in response to an infection. This coverage requirement also applies to federal health care programs including Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, veterans and military personnel health benefits, and federal employee health benefits.
 
Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to reimburse, through the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund, health care providers for the cost of providing diagnosis and treatment for COVID-19 to individuals without health insurance.


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
Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-4199
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Advisory bodies
Appropriations
Congressional oversight
Department of Health and Human Services
Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
Drug therapy
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Genetics
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health care quality
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Health technology, devices, supplies
Home and outpatient care
Hospital care
Indian social and development programs
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Inflation and prices
Intergovernmental relations
Manufacturing
Medicaid
Medical ethics
Medicare
Minority health
Poverty and welfare assistance
Prescription drugs
Public contracts and procurement
Public participation and lobbying
Retail and wholesale trades
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 

2020

 
This bill alters several programs and requirements relating to the prices of prescription drugs under Medicare and Medicaid. 
 
Among other things, the bill
 
 
requires drug manufacturers to issue rebates to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for certain drugs covered under Medicare for which the average manufacturer price increases faster than inflation; 
 
requires drug manufacturers to issue rebates to the CMS for discarded amounts of certain single-dose drugs covered under Medicare, based on information reported by providers;
 
reduces the annual out-of-pocket spending threshold, and eliminates beneficiary cost-sharing above this threshold, under the Medicare prescription drug benefit;
 
requires the CMS to publish certain information, as reported by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), relating to drug discounts and rebates, and payments between PBMs, health plans, and pharmacies;
 
requires pass-through pricing models, and prohibits spread-pricing, for payment arrangements with PBMs under Medicaid; and
 
increases the maximum rebate payable by drug manufacturers under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4228)
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to direct the Federal Communications Commission to take certain actions to accelerate the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction, and for other purposes.

Bill: 116-s-4201
Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 
This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take specified actions to expedite the provision of broadband internet access service in unserved rural areas.
 
Specifically, the FCC must modify the framework for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction, which aims to facilitate the provision of broadband service to areas that are wholly unserved. Among other requirements, the FCC (1) must accept long-form applications prior to such auction from applicants that are willing to commit to a specified schedule for deploying broadband internet access service, and (2) shall not require applicants to be designated as eligible telecommunications carriers in order to receive Rural Digital Opportunity Fund support.
 
In addition, the bill establishes a deadline of October 1, 2020, for the FCC to create broadband maps that depict the extent of availability of broadband service in the United States and the areas that remain unserved. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate
Expanding SNAP Options Act of 2020

Bill: 116-s-4202
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2020-07-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Food assistance and relief
Food industry and services
Government information and archives
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Poverty and welfare assistance
Retail and wholesale trades
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: 

Expanding SNAP Options Act of 2020

 
This bill revises the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) to make the online redemption of benefits, including the acceptance of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards, more widely available by requiring the implementation of online SNAP purchasing in every state and providing funding for an online redemption portal and a technical assistance center. 
 
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must award on a competitive basis one or more contracts to develop an EBT Online Redemption Portal to (1) allow program participants to use online or mobile electronic benefits transactions to purchase program foods from, and make online payments to, authorized program retailers under SNAP; and (2) facilitate food purchase delivery for program participants using such electronic benefits transactions. 
 
The Food and Nutrition Service of USDA must award competitive grants or enter into cooperative agreements with nonprofit entities to establish a SNAP Online Purchasing Technical Assistance Center to provide state agencies, authorized program retailers, and program participants information on and technical assistance with accepting SNAP benefits through online transactions and use of the portal. In providing technical assistance, the center must give priority to entities that are small and limited-resource retailers. 
 
The bill provides funding for both the online redemption portal and the technical assistance center. 
 
USDA must maintain on its website a publicly available listing, organized and searchable by region, locality, and state, of all approved retail food stores accepting benefits from recipients of SNAP, including through online transactions.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text: CR S4228-4229)
action_date: 2020-07-02
text: Introduced in Senate