hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Redistricting Reform Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2226
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2019-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Census and government statistics
Civil actions and liability
Congressional districts and representation
Congressional oversight
Election Assistance Commission
Evidence and witnesses
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal district courts
Foreign language and bilingual programs
Government information and archives
Judicial review and appeals
Performance measurement
Political parties and affiliation
Public contracts and procurement
Public participation and lobbying
State and local finance
State and local government operations
Voting rights

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 

Redistricting Reform Act of 2019

 
This bill requires that congressional redistricting be conducted in accordance with a plan developed by (1) a state-established independent commission; or (2) if such a commission fails to enact a plan, a three-judge panel from a U.S. District Court.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
MORE Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2227
Sponsor: Sen. Harris, Kamala D. [D-CA]
Introduced: 2019-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Adult education and literacy
Business records
Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Department of Justice
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Employment and training programs
Executive agency funding and structure
Government trust funds
Immigration status and procedures
Judicial review and appeals
Juvenile crime and gang violence
Lawyers and legal services
Licensing and registrations
Minority and disadvantaged businesses
Retail and wholesale trades
Sales and excise taxes
Small business
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Women in business

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 

Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2019 or the MORE Act of 2019

 
This bill decriminalizes marijuana.
 
Specifically, it removes marijuana from the list of scheduled substances under the Controlled Substances Act and eliminates criminal penalties for an individual who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana.
 
The bill also makes other changes, including the following:
 
 
replaces statutory references to 
marijuana
 and 
marihuana
 with 
cannabis
, 
 
requires the Bureau of Labor Statistics to regularly publish demographic data on cannabis business owners and employees, 
 
establishes a trust fund to support various programs and services for individuals and businesses in communities impacted by the war on drugs, 
 
imposes a 5% tax on cannabis products and requires revenues to be deposited into the trust fund, 
 
makes Small Business Administration loans and services available to entities that are cannabis-related legitimate businesses or service providers, 
 
prohibits the denial of federal public benefits to a person on the basis of certain cannabis-related conduct or convictions, 
 
prohibits the denial of benefits and protections under immigration laws on the basis of a cannabis-related event (e.g., conduct or a conviction), and 
 
establishes a process to expunge convictions and conduct sentencing review hearings related to federal cannabis offenses. 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to posthumously advance Lieutenant Colonel Richard E. Cole, United States Air Force, to colonel on the retired list.

Bill: 116-s-2228
Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Introduced: 2019-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Military personnel and dependents

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 
This bill posthumously advances Lieutenant Colonel Richard E. Cole, U.S. Air Force (retired), to the rank of colonel on the retired list of the Air Force.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Stop Online Booking Scams Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2229
Sponsor: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]
Introduced: 2019-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Consumer affairs
Consumer credit
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Government information and archives
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Marketing and advertising
State and local government operations
Travel and tourism

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 

Stop Online Booking Scams Act of 2019

 
 This bill prohibits third-party hotel-booking websites from marketing, or selling reservations for, a hotel room if the booking site states or implies that it is affiliated with the hotel owner or operator when it is not.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Child Care Flex Spending Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2230
Sponsor: Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
Introduced: 2019-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Adult day care
Child care and development
Employee benefits and pensions
Income tax exclusion
Inflation and prices
Tax treatment of families

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 

Child Care Flex Spending Act of 2019

 
This bill increases the amount that employees may exclude from their gross income for employer-provided dependent care assistance. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
American Opportunity Accounts Act

Bill: 116-s-2231
Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2019-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Advisory bodies
Bank accounts, deposits, capital
Capital gains tax
Congressional oversight
Department of the Treasury
Executive agency funding and structure
Financial literacy
Financial services and investments
Government trust funds
Health care costs and insurance
Higher education
Housing finance and home ownership
Income tax exclusion
Income tax rates
Inflation and prices
Student aid and college costs
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Tax treatment of families
Transfer and inheritance taxes
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 

American Opportunity Accounts Act 

 
This bill requires federally funded and managed savings accounts (American Opportunity Accounts) to be established for American children who are under the age of 18. The bill also increases and modifies (1) estate and gift taxes, and (2) capital gains taxes. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Campaign Finance Transparency Act

Bill: 116-s-2232
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2019-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Administrative remedies
Advisory bodies
Civil actions and liability
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
Federal officials
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Inflation and prices
Judicial review and appeals
Political advertising
Political parties and affiliation

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 

Campaign Finance Transparency Act 

 
This bill revises the composition of the Federal Election Commission by reducing the number of members from six to five with no more than two members allowed to be affiliated with the same party. As under current law, members are appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The bill requires the President convene a blue ribbon panel to recommend individuals for appointment as a member of the commission. The bill provides for the appointment of a chair and for powers of the chair and the commission. 
 
The bill also revises provisions related to the enforcement of election law violations, audits of political committees, conversion of campaign funds, and other matters.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to nullify the effect of the recent executive order that requires Federal agencies to share citizenship data.

Bill: 116-s-2233
Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Introduced: 2019-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Census and government statistics
Citizenship and naturalization
Congressional oversight
Government information and archives
Immigration
Immigration status and procedures
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 
This bill nullifies a July 11, 2019, executive order (1) directing all federal agencies to share citizenship information with the Department of Commerce, (2) establishing an interagency working group to improve Commerce's access to citizenship-related records in other agencies, and (3) directing Commerce to strengthen efforts to obtain citizenship-related records from states.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
National Defense Cybersecurity Consortia Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2234
Sponsor: Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD]
Introduced: 2019-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Computer security and identity theft
Department of Defense
Higher education
Public-private cooperation

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 

National Defense Cybersecurity Consortia Act of 2019

 
This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish one or more consortia, comprising certain universities, to advise and assist on matters relating to cybersecurity. DOD must establish procedures for organizations within DOD to access such expertise.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Student Loan Debt Relief Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2235
Sponsor: Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
Introduced: 2019-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Bankruptcy
Congressional oversight
Consumer credit
Debt collection
Emergency medical services and trauma care
First responders and emergency personnel
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Higher education
Income tax exclusion
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Law enforcement officers
Lawyers and legal services
Military personnel and dependents
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 

Student Loan Debt Relief Act of 2019

 
This bill establishes programs to cancel certain student loan debt and refinance student loans.
 
First, the bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to automatically discharge (i.e., repay or cancel) up to $50,000 of outstanding student loan debt for each qualified borrower. Borrowers with an adjusted gross income of $100,000 or less, based on the most recent tax year, may receive the maximum loan cancellation. Borrowers with an adjusted gross income above $100,000 may receive partial loan cancellation. Members of Congress are not eligible to receive loan cancellation.
 
Further, the bill outlines the method of loan discharge, and excludes loan cancellation from taxable income. It also requires ED to automatically place each federal student loan borrower in administrative forbearance for the one-year period in which ED carries out the cancellation of student loans. During this period, payments are not due, interest does not accrue, and ED may not pursue debt collection activities (e.g., wage garnishments).
 
Next, the bill requires ED to carry out student loan refinancing programs for those student loans that exist after the loan cancellation period. Specifically, it directs ED to automatically refinance federal student loans at the lower interest rates offered to new federal borrowers in the 2016-2017 school year. It also allows borrowers to convert their private student loans to federal student loans, thereby allowing such borrowers to qualify for loan cancellation.
 
It also makes student loans dischargeable in bankruptcy proceedings.
 
Finally, the bill specifies notification requirements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Environmental Justice Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2236
Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2019-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Air quality
Civil actions and liability
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Disaster relief and insurance
Due process and equal protection
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental health
Environmental regulatory procedures
Executive Office of the President
Executive agency funding and structure
Food supply, safety, and labeling
Government information and archives
Indian lands and resources rights
Infrastructure development
Land use and conservation
Licensing and registrations
Medical research
Mining
Minority health
Performance measurement
Poverty and welfare assistance
Public participation and lobbying
Racial and ethnic relations
Research administration and funding
Soil pollution
Solid waste and recycling
Water quality

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 

Environmental Justice Act of 2019 

 
This bill requires agencies to address and mitigate the disproportionate impact of environmental and human health hazards on communities of color, indigenous communities, and low-income communities resulting from agencies' programs and policies. The bill also requires agencies to address cumulative impacts of pollution in permitting decisions and expands the types of legal actions available to individuals regarding charges of federal discriminatory practices. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Monopolization Deterrence Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2237
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2019-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Competition and antitrust
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 

Monopolization Deterrence Act of 2019

 
 This bill establishes civil penalties for violations of the prohibition on monopolistic conduct under the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890. (Monopolistic conduct includes exclusionary practices by businesses with monopoly power, such as self-preferencing or refusal to deal with a competitor, among other conduct.) 
 
 The bill further provides authority for the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to bring claims in federal court to recover these civil penalties. DOJ and the FTC must issue joint guidelines for determining the amount of the civil penalty to seek for such claims.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
SAFE Act

Bill: 116-s-2238
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2019-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Adult education and literacy
Advisory bodies
Buy American requirements
Computer security and identity theft
Congressional elections
Congressional oversight
Disability and paralysis
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Foreign language and bilingual programs
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Hearing, speech, and vision care
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Manufacturing
Public contracts and procurement
Research administration and funding
Research and development
Right of privacy
State and local government operations
Technology assessment
Telephone and wireless communication
Voting rights

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 

Securing America's Federal Elections Act or the SAFE Act

 
This bill addresses election security through grant programs and requirements for voting systems and paper ballots.
 
The bill establishes requirements for voting systems, including that systems (1) use individual, durable, voter-verified paper ballots; (2) make a voter's marked ballot available for inspection and verification by the voter before the vote is cast; (3) ensure that individuals with disabilities are given an equivalent opportunity to vote, including with privacy and independence, in a manner that produces a voter-verified paper ballot; (4) be manufactured in the United States; and (5) meet specified cybersecurity requirements, including the prohibition of the connection of a voting system to the internet. 
 
The National Science Foundation must award grants to study, test, and develop accessible voter-verified paper ballot voting and best practices to enhance the accessibility of such voting for individuals with disabilities, for voters whose primary language is not English, and for voters with difficulties in literacy.
 
The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) must award grants to states to replace certain voting systems, carry out voting system security improvements, acquire accessible ballot-marking devices for voters with disabilities, and design and print ballots. 
 
States must carry out postelection risk-limiting audits for all federal elections, funded by the EAC.
 
 The EAC must (1) establish mandatory cybersecurity requirements for systems used in federal elections, and (2) provide for the testing and certification of voting system hardware and software. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to codify an Executive order preparing the United States for the impacts of climate change, and for other purposes.

Bill: 116-s-2239
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2019-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Advisory bodies
Air quality
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 
This bill provides statutory authority for Executive Order 13653, which set forth strategies to enhance climate preparedness and resilience. It also established an interagency Council on Climate Preparedness and Resilience as well a State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy Act

Bill: 116-s-2240
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2019-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Advisory bodies
Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Digital media
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
News media and reporting
School administration
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 

Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy Act

 
This bill directs the Department of Education to award grants to state and local educational agencies to promote media literacy and digital citizenship. 
 

Media literacy
 includes the ability to access relevant information, analyze media content, evaluate the accuracy of information, and make educated decisions about products and services, education, health, and wellness based on information obtained from media and digital sources.
 

Digital citizenship
 includes the ability to safely, responsibly, and ethically use communication technologies and to participate in the political, economic, social, and cultural aspects of life related to technology and the digital world. 
 
A state educational agency must use grant funds to carry out one or more specified activities, specifically (1) creating and supporting a media literacy advisory council, (2) assisting local educational agencies in the development of instruction in media literacy, (3) assisting local agencies in developing means of evaluating student learning in media literacy, and (4) assisting local agencies in developing or providing professional development for teachers that relates to media literacy.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Native American Seeds Protection Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2241
Sponsor: Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
Introduced: 2019-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Agricultural marketing and promotion
Agricultural practices and innovations
Agricultural research
Federal-Indian relations
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government studies and investigations
Horticulture and plants
Indian lands and resources rights
Marketing and advertising
Right of privacy

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 

Native American Seeds Protection Act of 2019

 
This bill requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study on the protection of Native American seeds and traditional foods.
 
Under the bill, sensitive tribal information gathered by the study shall be exempt from public disclosure requirements and shall be kept confidential by the GAO.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate
Foreign Influence Reporting in Elections Act

Bill: 116-s-2242
Sponsor: Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
Introduced: 2019-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents

Summary:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: 

Foreign Influence Reporting in Elections Act

 
This bill requires all presidential campaign officials to report any contacts (i.e., offers of contributions or services) by foreign nationals.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2019-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate