hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
GIFTs in Higher Education Act

Bill: 117-s-2593
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2021-08-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Asia
Caribbean area
Charitable contributions
China
Congressional oversight
Contracts and agency
Cuba
Education programs funding
Europe
Government information and archives
Higher education
Iran
Latin America
Middle East
North Korea
Research and development
Russia
School administration
Syria
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Venezuela

Summary:
action_date: 2021-08-03
text: 

Greater Insight into Foreign Transactions in Higher Education Act of 2021 or the GIFTs in Higher Education Act

 
This bill revises certain disclosure requirements for institutions of higher education (IHEs).
 
Under current law, an IHE must disclose to the Department of Education (ED) a gift or contract from a foreign source that is valued at $250,000 or more, considered alone or in combination with all other gifts from or contracts with that foreign source. This bill extends the disclosure requirement to include faculty, professional staff, and all staff engaged in research and development at the IHE.
 
Further, an IHE (including faculty and staff) must disclose to ED a gift or contract from a designated foreign adversary source that is valued at $50,000 or more, considered alone or in combination with all other gifts from or contracts with that foreign adversary source within a calendar year. The IHE must, within 30 days of receipt of the gift or contract, file a disclosure report with ED.
 
ED must, within 30 days of submission, publish online these disclosure reports.
 
Next, the bill requires each federal agency to ensure that no federal funds are distributed to an IHE that knowingly or willfully violates these disclosure requirements.
 
The bill also prohibits an IHE that knowingly or willfully violates these disclosure requirements from receiving federal education funds, with an exception for federal student-aid program funding.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-08-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-08-03
text: Introduced in Senate
Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-2594
Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2021-08-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Allergies
Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Consumer affairs
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Food supply, safety, and labeling
Fruit and vegetables
Grain
Health promotion and preventive care
Nutrition and diet
Retail and wholesale trades

Summary:
action_date: 2021-08-03
text: 

Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2021

 
This bill imposes additional labeling requirements for food and addresses related issues.
 
A food intended for human consumption must include on its principal display panel a summary of nutritional information using a system that (1) clearly distinguishes between products of greater or lesser nutritional value; and (2) uses standardized symbols to provide warning about products that are high in certain substances, such as trans fats. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must promulgate regulations establishing the requirements for such a system.
 
Labels that use certain terms, such as 
whole wheat
, 
fruit
, or 
vegetable
, must include additional information, such as the amount or quantity of that item in the food. 
 
The FDA must promulgate certain regulations relating to the use of the terms 
natural
 or 
healthy
 on food labels. The bill also imposes labeling requirements for certain foods that contain added coloring, added flavoring, phosphorus, caffeine, gluten, allulose, polydextrose, sugar alcohols, or isolated fibers. 
 
The FDA may, by regulation, deem a food ingredient to be a major food allergen. 
 
The FDA must also impose certain restrictions on the types of beverages that may be identified as infant formula or formula. 
 
The FDA must require food manufacturers to submit all information on the label of a food offered for sale in package form and update such submissions as necessary. The information must be made available in a public database on the FDA's website.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-08-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-08-03
text: Introduced in Senate
Drug Shortages Prevention and Quality Improvement Act

Bill: 117-s-2595
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2021-08-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Health

Summary:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: 

Drug Shortages Prevention and Quality Improvement Act

 
This bill addresses shortages of essential drugs and related issues. (Generally, an essential drug is one that is life-supporting, life-sustaining, or intended to treat or prevent a debilitating condition.)
 
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may require a manufacturer of an essential drug to (1) submit data, or conduct studies to gather data, to determine the longest supported expiration date of a drug; or (2) make labeling changes regarding a drug's expiration period based on data provided under this bill or otherwise available to the FDA. 
 
The bill establishes civil monetary penalties for a manufacturer that (1) refuses such a request to provide data or modify a drug label's expiration information, or (2) fails to meet certain requirements to provide to the FDA timely information about essential drug shortages.
 
The Government Accountability Office must conduct a study examining the process by which prescription drug manufacturers provide shelf life data to the FDA. 
 
The FDA must establish a pilot program to assess the facilities and processes of participating manufacturers of prescription sterile injectable drugs that have been deemed essential under a specified executive order. The assessment shall cover topics including supply chain management, manufacturing strategy and operations, and workforce management. 
 
Furthermore, the FDA must provide grants to certain nonprofit entities and institutions of higher education that agree to participate in the above pilot program. The grant funds must be used to upgrade the recipient's drug manufacturing facilities to utilize advanced manufacturing capabilities. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Leveraging Opportunities for Americans Now Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-2596
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2021-08-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Education

Summary:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: 

Leveraging Opportunities for Americans Now Act of 2021 or the LOAN Act of 

2021

 
This bill revises interest rates and repayment plans for federal student loans.
 
Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to set the interest rate on federal student loans made on or after July 1, 2022, at 0% and replace the interest with a one-time financing fee.
 
Further, the bill permits ED to credit or refund borrowers who pay the balance of their loan earlier than required by their repayment plan with the amount of the financing fee.
 
In addition, the bill establishes an income-dependent education assistance repayment plan as the default repayment plan for federal student loans. A borrower may select either this new plan or a 10-year fixed repayment plan.
 
ED must calculate annual repayment amounts and provide annual statements to borrowers. 
 
The Department of the Treasury must transmit tax information to ED as necessary to determine a borrower's repayment obligations and financing fee adjustments.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Healthy Dog Importation Act

Bill: 117-s-2597
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2021-08-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: 

Healthy Dog Importation Act 

 
This bill imposes requirements on the importation of live dogs.
 
Specifically, the bill prohibits the importation of a live dog into the United States unless the Department of Agriculture (USDA) determines the dog (1) is in good health, (2) has received all necessary vaccinations and demonstrated negative test results as evidenced by a certificate from a licensed veterinarian, and (3) is officially identified by a permanent method approved by USDA. Additionally, dogs entering the United States for transfer must be at least six months of age and accompanied by a USDA permit. 
Transfer
 is defined as a change of ownership or control of an imported dog to another person, including by sale, adoption, exchange, or donation.
 
USDA must provide an exception to any requirements under the bill for dogs that are transferred for (1) research purposes; (2) veterinary treatment under certain conditions, including appropriate quarantining; or (3) lawful importation into the state of Hawaii if the dog is not transported out of Hawaii for transfer at less than six months of age. 
 
USDA also has enforcement authority under the bill.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Introduced in Senate
FRESH START Through Bankruptcy Act

Bill: 117-s-2598
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2021-08-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector

Summary:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: 

Fostering Responsible Education Starts with Helping Students Through Accountability, Relief, and Taxpayer Protection Through Bankruptcy Act of 2021 or the FRESH START Through Bankruptcy Act 

 
This bill revises the treatment of student loans in bankruptcy. 
 
The bill makes federal student loan debt dischargeable in a bankruptcy proceeding ten years after the first loan payment is due, in addition to being dischargeable at any time in cases of undue hardship, as under current law. 
 
Further, institutions of higher education that have at least one-third of their students receiving federal student loans must partially repay a student loan to the Department of Education if that loan is later discharged in bankruptcy. The amount the institution must repay is dependent on the institution's average rates of student loan default and repayment. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Refund to Rainy Day Savings Act

Bill: 117-s-2600
Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2021-08-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: 

Refund to Rainy Day Savings Act

 
This bill directs the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to establish and implement the Refund to Rainy Day Savings program (i.e., a program to provide for unexpected expenses) to allow taxpayers to deposit 20% of their income tax refunds into the savings program. The bill sets forth rules for investments in and disbursement from the savings program. 
 
The bill also reauthorizes the Assets for Independence Act for FY2021-FY2025. The IRS may make grants to qualified entities to conduct AFI innovation projects. 
 
The bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a three-year matched savings account pilot program to encourage savings by participants in the savings program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Strengthening Financial Security Through Short-Term Savings Accounts Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-2601
Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2021-08-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Bank accounts, deposits, capital
Congressional oversight
Department of the Treasury
Employee benefits and pensions
Federal preemption
Government studies and investigations
State and local government operations
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: 

Strengthening Financial Security Through Short-Term Savings Accounts Act of 2021

 
This bill allows employers to enroll employees in short-term savings accounts that are funded using automatic contributions deducted from participating employees' wages. 
 
For each pay period, the employer must transfer to the account an amount equal to the percentage of the employee's compensation or a fixed amount, as determined by the employer. 
 
Employees may elect to adjust, stop, or pause their contributions. The balance in an account may not exceed $10,000 (adjusted annually for inflation) and must be made readily available to the employee at any time.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Retirement Security Flexibility Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-2602
Sponsor: Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN]
Introduced: 2021-08-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: 

Retirement Security Flexibility Act of 20

21

 
This bill modifies the nondiscrimination requirements that apply to certain employer-sponsored 401(k) retirement plans that include automatic contribution arrangements. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Commission on Retirement Security Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-2603
Sponsor: Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN]
Introduced: 2021-08-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: 

Commission on Retirement Security Act of 20

21

 
This bill establishes within the executive branch the Commission on Retirement Security to (1) conduct a comprehensive study of the state of retirement security, and (2) submit to Congress recommendations on how to improve or replace existing private retirement programs. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Countering the Chinese Government and Communist Party's Political Influence Operations Act

Bill: 117-s-2606
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2021-08-04 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: 

Countering the Chinese Government and Communist Party's Political Influence Operations Act

 
This bill directs the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security to devise a long-term strategy to counter the Chinese government's political influence operations. 
 
The strategy must seek to counter the ruling Chinese Communist Party's campaigns to corrupt democratic countries and undermine democratic institutions, both in the United States and elsewhere. It must also seek to increase awareness of such campaigns and help other countries develop the capacity to counter them. 
 
The strategy must also ensure that Chinese nationals living in the United States, as well as Chinese Americans and members of the Uyghur, Mongolian, Korean, Taiwanese, and Tibetan diaspora, are protected against malign political influence operations, such as surveillance and intimidation.
 
The State Department must annually report to Congress about Chinese government efforts to exert influence in the United States and in U.S. partner countries, and suggestions for countering such efforts. The report shall address issues including attempts to (1) influence government institutions and officials, (2) undermine democratic institutions and freedom of speech, and (3) suppress public information.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Survivors’ Bill of Rights in the States Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-2608
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2021-08-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: 

Survivors' Bill of Rights in the States Act of 2021

 
This bill directs the Department of Justice to make grants to states that provide certain legal rights to survivors of sexual assault. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Facilitating Innovative Nuclear Diagnostics Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-2609
Sponsor: Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
Introduced: 2021-08-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health care costs and insurance
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Medicare
Radiation

Summary:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: 

Facilitating Innovative Nuclear Diagnostics Act of 2021

 
This bill establishes separate payment requirements for diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals under the Medicare prospective payment system for hospital outpatient department services. The bill's requirements apply to diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals that have an average daily cost of $500 or more in 2022 and as adjusted based on a specified fee schedule factor in each year thereafter.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to designate high priority corridors on the National Highway System, and for other purposes.

Bill: 117-s-2611
Sponsor: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]
Introduced: 2021-08-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: 
This bill expands and designates high priority corridors on the National Highway System.
 
Specifically, the bill
 
 
designates the Central Louisiana Corridor, the Central Mississippi Corridor, the Middle Alabama Corridor, and the Middle Georgia Corridor as high priority corridors on the system; and
 
expands Interstate Route I-14 within the Central Texas Corridor, the Central Louisiana Corridor, the Central Mississippi Corridor, the Middle Alabama Corridor, and the Middle Georgia Corridor.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-2612
Sponsor: Sen. Lujan, Ben Ray [D-NM]
Introduced: 2021-08-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Contracts and agency
Health care coverage and access
Health personnel
Home and outpatient care
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medicare

Summary:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: 

Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act of 

2021

 
This bill allows a physical therapist to receive payment under Medicare for services provided to the physical therapist's patients by another physical therapist through a qualifying temporary arrangement, regardless of the geographic area or population served. Currently, physical therapists may only receive payment with respect to such arrangements for services provided in medically underserved, rural, or health professional shortage areas.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Insular Area Climate Change Act

Bill: 117-s-2613
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2021-08-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Advisory bodies
Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
American Samoa
Aquatic ecology
Atmospheric science and weather
Caribbean area
Chemical and biological weapons
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Department of Energy
Disaster relief and insurance
Economic development
Electric power generation and transmission
Energy efficiency and conservation
Energy prices
Energy revenues and royalties
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental health
Environmental technology
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Florida
Geography and mapping
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government studies and investigations
Guam
Hawaii
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Infrastructure development
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Natural disasters
Northern Mariana Islands
Nuclear weapons
Oceania
Palau
Puerto Rico
Radioactive wastes and releases
Research administration and funding
Rural conditions and development
Solid waste and recycling
State and local finance
State and local government operations
Technology assessment
U.S. territories and protectorates
Virgin Islands
Water quality
Water use and supply
Wetlands
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: 

Insular Area Climate Change Act

 
This bill provides support through programs and financial assistance for climate change planning, mitigation, adaptation, and resilience in U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), the Freely Associated States (Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Palau), and other specified areas.
 
For example, the bill requires the Technical Assistance Program of the Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs to provide technical assistance for climate change planning, mitigation, adaptation, and resilience to the territories and Freely Associated States.
 
It also establishes an Insular Area National Program Office within the Environmental Protection Agency to build and strengthen infrastructure to withstand natural disasters, expand renewable energy and energy efficiency, and provide technical assistance in the territories and Freely Associated States.
 
Additionally, the bill establishes several grant programs to assess and reduce the impacts of climate change, expand renewable energy and energy efficiency, or expand sustainable infrastructure to withstand natural disasters in the territories and Freely Associated States.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2021-08-04
text: Introduced in Senate