hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Senior Corps Distance Volunteering Act

Bill: 117-s-235
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2021-02-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Aging
Appropriations
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Congressional oversight
Corporation for National and Community Service
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Executive agency funding and structure
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
National and community service
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: 

Senior Corps Distance Volunteering Act

 
This bill directs the Corporation for National and Community Service to establish an online service platform to connect volunteers in the National Senior Service Corps with service projects, and enable the volunteers to carry out distance volunteering on an online network. 
 
The corporation shall provide outreach services to promote the platform, including outreach to institutions of higher education, the Department of Veterans Affairs for mentorship projects, and state and local governments for community engagement projects.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Tracking COVID–19 Variants Act

Bill: 117-s-236
Sponsor: Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
Introduced: 2021-02-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Department of Health and Human Services
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Food assistance and relief
Genetics
Government information and archives
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Housing supply and affordability
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Intergovernmental relations
Medical research
Mental health
Minority health
Public-private cooperation
Racial and ethnic relations
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: 

Tracking COVID-19 Variants Act

 
This bill expands viral genomic sequencing, disease surveillance, and other public health research activities.
 
Specifically, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must issue guidance on the sequencing of the virus that causes COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Additionally, the CDC must establish a program to strengthen genomic sequencing, analytics, and disease surveillance activities. As part of this program, the CDC must provide grants and technical assistance to health departments to build their capacity to carry out such activities.
 
Furthermore, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) must carry out a demonstration program to expand an existing program that links different federal data sets for statistical public health research, including research on food insecurity, housing instability, and other social determinants of health. In particular, the program must support linkages with the National Death Index, a database of death records maintained by the NCHS.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Introduced in Senate
COVID–19 Diaper Assistance Act

Bill: 117-s-237
Sponsor: Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
Introduced: 2021-02-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Appropriations
Child health
Family services
Government information and archives
Health technology, devices, supplies
Poverty and welfare assistance
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: 

COVID-19 Diaper Assistance Act

 
This bill provides additional funding for FY2021 for the Social Services Block Grant to provide diapers, wipes, and other diapering supplies to families in need. This grant is a flexible funding stream used by states and territories to support a wide range of social services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Introduced in Senate
College Athlete Economic Freedom Act

Bill: 117-s-238
Sponsor: Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
Introduced: 2021-02-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Sports and Recreation
Subjects: Athletes
Civil actions and liability
Competition and antitrust
Contracts and agency
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Federal preemption
Government information and archives
Higher education
Lawyers and legal services
Legal fees and court costs
Licensing and registrations
Marketing and advertising
Photography and imaging
School athletics
State and local government operations
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: 

College Athlete Economic Freedom Act

 
This bill establishes name, image, likeness (NIL) and athletic reputation rights for college athletes.
 
Specifically, the bill
 
 
establishes a federal right for college athletes to market the use of their NIL or athletic reputation by prohibiting colleges and intercollegiate athletic associations from setting or enforcing rules that restrict this right or coordinating to limit how athletes can use their NIL; 
 
prohibits colleges or such athletic associations from regulating athlete representation; 
 
authorizes grants for analyzing NIL and athletic reputation monetization; 
 
provides for enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission and through a private cause of action against violators; and 
 
preempts more restrictive state laws relating to college athletes' NIL and athletic reputation rights. 



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Introduced in Senate
American Values Act

Bill: 117-s-239
Sponsor: Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID]
Introduced: 2021-02-04 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Abortion
Family planning and birth control
Foreign aid and international relief
Medical research
Peace Corps
Public participation and lobbying
Research administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: 

American Values Act

 
This bill expands and makes permanent certain restrictions that prohibit the use of U.S. foreign assistance to pay for the performance or promotion of abortion services overseas.
 
Current law generally prohibits the use of foreign assistance for abortions through language included in appropriations bills. This bill specifically prohibits the use of any funds under the Foreign Assistance Act for (1) abortions or involuntary sterilization as methods of family planning, or (2) biomedical research that relates to these practices as methods of family planning. In addition, the bill makes permanent prohibitions on the use of such funds to (1) lobby for or against abortion, or (2) fund any organization or program that supports or participates in coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization. The bill also makes permanent a prohibition on the use of funds made available to the Peace Corps to pay for abortions.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Supporting Children with Disabilities During COVID–19 Act

Bill: 117-s-240
Sponsor: Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
Introduced: 2021-02-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Appropriations
Congressional oversight
Disability assistance
Education programs funding
Educational technology and distance education
Elementary and secondary education
Government information and archives
Preschool education
Special education
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: 

Supporting Children with Disabilities During COVID-19 Act

 
This bill provides FY2021 supplemental appropriations for grants to assist states in providing special education and related services to children with disabilities and for specified early childhood education programs for children with disabilities.
 
Additionally, the bill specifies reporting requirements related to the use of these funds. It also requires the Department of Education to publish on its website, and the Department of Health and Human Services to release, certain expenditure reports related to these funds.
 
The amounts provided by the bill are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (PAYGO) and the Senate PAYGO rule.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Introduced in Senate
ARTICLE ONE Act

Bill: 117-s-241
Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
Introduced: 2021-02-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Appropriations
Congressional oversight
Executive agency funding and structure
Government information and archives
Legislative rules and procedure
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
Public contracts and procurement
War and emergency powers

Summary:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: 

Assuring that Robust, Thorough, and Informed Congressional Leadership is Exercised Over National Emergencies Act or the ARTICLE ONE Act

 
This bill terminates a declaration of national emergency made by the President after 30 days unless Congress votes to extend the declaration. (Currently, Congress can cancel an emergency declaration only by passing a resolution that can withstand a presidential veto.)
 
The bill establishes procedures for congressional review of declarations of national emergencies.
 
The President shall (1) transmit specified information to Congress with any proclamation declaring or renewing a national emergency, including a description of the circumstances necessitating the declaration or renewal of a national emergency declaration and its estimated duration; and (2) report periodically on the status of the emergency.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Layoff Prevention Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-242
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2021-02-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: State and local government operations
Temporary and part-time employment
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: 

Layoff Prevention Act of 2021 

 
This bill extends temporary funding to reimburse states for making short-time compensation (STC) payments under existing or new STC programs for weeks of unemployment ending on or before five years and six months after enactment of this bill. (STC, also known as work sharing, is a program that provides prorated unemployment compensation to workers whose hours have been reduced in lieu of a layoff.) Under current law, this reimbursement is available for weeks of unemployment ending on or before September 6, 2021. 
 
 The bill also extends funding to support STC payments by states that do not have STC programs under state law through 2 years and 13 weeks after enactment of this bill. Under current law, this assistance applies to weeks of unemployment ending on or before September 6, 2021.
 
Finally, the bill increases funding to the Department of Labor for awarding grants to states to (1) implement, or improve administration of, STC programs; or (2) promote, and enroll employers in, STC programs. In addition, the bill modifies the formula used to allocate such grants. Labor may not award a grant with respect to an application submitted after December 31, 2026. Such changes are retroactive to March 27, 2020.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S477)
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Legacy IRA Act

Bill: 117-s-243
Sponsor: Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND]
Introduced: 2021-02-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Charitable contributions
Employee benefits and pensions
Income tax exclusion
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: 

Legacy IRA Act 

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the tax exclusion for distributions from individual retirement accounts (IRAs) for charitable purposes. 
 
The bill increases from $100,000 to $400,000 the annual limit on the aggregate amount of distributions for charitable purposes that may be excluded from the gross income of a taxpayer. 
 
The bill permits tax-free distributions from IRAs to a split-interest entity for four years after the enactment of this bill. A split-interest entity is exclusively funded by charitable distributions and includes: a charitable remainder annuity trust, a charitable remainder unitrust, or a charitable gift annuity. A charitable gift annuity must commence fixed payments of at least 5% no later than one year from the date of funding. 
 
A distribution to a split-interest entity may only be treated as a qualified charitable distribution if: (1) no person holds an income interest in the entity other than the individual for whose benefit the account is maintained, the spouse of such individual, or both; and (2) the income interest in the entity is nonassignable. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Eric Garner Excessive Force Prevention Act

Bill: 117-s-244
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2021-02-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Assault and harassment offenses
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Constitution and constitutional amendments
Crime victims
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Detention of persons
Due process and equal protection
Law enforcement administration and funding
Law enforcement officers
Racial and ethnic relations

Summary:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: 

Eric Garner Excessive Force Prevention Act

 
This bill modifies the criminal civil rights statute that prohibits deprivation of rights under color of law.
 
Current law prohibits the deprivation of federally protected rights, privileges, or immunities by a government official (including a law enforcement officer). It also prohibits the application of different punishments, pains, or penalties based on an individual's alien status, color, or race.
 
This bill specifies that the application of any pressure to the throat or windpipe, the use of maneuvers that restrict blood or oxygen flow to the brain, or the use of carotid artery restraints which may prevent or hinder breathing or reduce intake of air is a deprivation of a right, privilege, or immunity and is a punishment, pain, or penalty.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Introduced in Senate
SAME Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-245
Sponsor: Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
Introduced: 2021-02-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Medicaid
State and local finance

Summary:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: 

States Achieve Medicaid Expansion Act of 2021 or the SAME Act of 2021

 
This bill provides an enhanced federal matching rate to every state that expands Medicaid coverage for individuals who are newly eligible under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, regardless of when such expansion takes place. 
 
Under current law, the enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) is equivalent to 100% in 2014 through 2016, 95% in 2017, 94% in 2018, 93% in 2019, and 90% thereafter. The bill retains this enhanced FMAP, but bases it on a term of years rather than on specific dates.
 
The bill applies retroactively.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Introduced in Senate
FAAN Act

Bill: 117-s-246
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2021-02-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Educational facilities and institutions
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Health care coverage and access
Health facilities and institutions
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Health technology, devices, supplies
Higher education
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Medical education
Medical research
Minority education
Minority employment
Nursing
Rural conditions and development
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: 

Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act or the FAAN Act

 
This bill authorizes the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to award grants to nursing schools to increase capacity to respond to public health emergencies and pandemics and otherwise enhance nursing education programs.
 
In awarding these grants, HRSA shall prioritize historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions, schools that are located in medically underserved communities, and schools in areas with shortages of health professionals.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Introduced in Senate
Working Families Flexibility Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-247
Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
Introduced: 2021-02-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Department of Labor
Employee leave
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Government studies and investigations
Labor standards
Labor-management relations
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: 

Working Families Flexibility Act of 2021

 
This bill revises requirements for the receipt of compensatory time off for private sector employees. 
 
Specifically, the bill authorizes private employers to provide compensatory time off to their employees at a rate of one and one-half hours for each hour of employment for which overtime compensation otherwise is required; employees may accrue a maximum of 160 hours of compensatory time.
 
Employers are prohibited from interfering with an employee's right to or not request compensatory time off in lieu of payment of overtime compensation or from requiring an employee to use such compensatory time, and must give their employees 30-days notice before discontinuing a compensatory time policy.
 
Employers are liable to employees for damages from violations of these requirements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Introduced in Senate
FAMILY Act

Bill: 117-s-248
Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2021-02-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Adult day care
Advisory bodies
Child care and development
Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Disability assistance
Employee benefits and pensions
Employee leave
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Employment taxes
Executive agency funding and structure
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Railroads
Social Security Administration
Social security and elderly assistance
Transportation employees
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: 

Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act
 
or the FAMILY Act

 
This bill entitles every employee to a family and medical leave insurance (FMLI) monthly benefit payment of two-thirds of the employee's regular pay, limited to a maximum of $4,000, for not more than 60 days of qualified caregiving. The bill establishes the Office of Paid Family and Medical Leave within the Social Security Administration to administer the FMLI program.
 
An FMLI benefit payment must be coordinated with any periodic benefits received under a state or local temporary disability insurance or family leave program.
 
The bill imposes a tax on employers, employees, and self-employed individuals to fund FMLI benefits. It also establishes the Federal Family and Medical Leave Insurance Trust Fund to hold tax revenues.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Introduced in Senate
United States-Cuba Trade Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-249
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2021-02-04 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Agricultural trade
Caribbean area
Congressional oversight
Cuba
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign aid and international relief
Government liability
Human rights
Income tax credits
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
Latin America
Normal trade relations, most-favored-nation treatment
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
Sanctions
Taxation of foreign income
Trade restrictions
Travel and tourism
War and emergency powers

Summary:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: 

United States-Cuba Trade Act of 2021
 
 
This bill repeals the trade embargo on Cuba and other provisions restricting trade and travel to Cuba. 
 
Specifically, the bill (1) removes restrictions on certain transactions related to trademarks used in connection with a confiscated business or asset, (2) extends nondiscriminatory trade treatment to Cuban products, and (3) prohibits and rescinds limits on remittances to Cuba. 

The bill authorizes common carriers to provide telecommunications services between the United States and Cuba. In addition, travel by U.S. citizens and residents to Cuba may not be regulated or prohibited if such travel would be lawful in the United States. 
 
The President shall take all necessary steps to engage with Cuba to (1) negotiate settlements relating to claims that Cuba had taken the property of U.S. nationals, and (2) secure the protection of internationally recognized human rights. The President may, with respect to Cuba, impose new export controls and exercise powers related to declared national emergencies.
 
The President must submit a specified determination about a foreign country to Congress prior to denying an income tax credit for taxes paid to the foreign country.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-02-04
text: Introduced in Senate