hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Child Poverty Reduction Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-643
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2021-03-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: American Samoa
Caribbean area
Census and government statistics
Child safety and welfare
Congressional oversight
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Guam
Inflation and prices
Northern Mariana Islands
Poverty and welfare assistance
Puerto Rico
Racial and ethnic relations
State and local government operations
U.S. territories and protectorates
Virgin Islands

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: 

Child Poverty Reduction Act of 2021

 
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Census Bureau to take certain actions with respect to poverty measures and data related to child poverty. It also requires the National Academy of Sciences to report annually on child poverty and study other issues, such as policies to reduce intergenerational poverty.
 
Specifically, HHS must enter into an agreement with the Census Bureau to annually report an anchored supplemental poverty measure for individuals under the age of 18 and must otherwise collaborate with the bureau to, for example, correct income data to account for underreporting.
 
Currently, the Census Bureau uses the official poverty measure (based on cash resources) and the supplemental poverty measure (based on both cash and certain noncash resources, such as nutrition assistance program benefits) to measure poverty. Anchoring the supplemental poverty measure fixes the poverty threshold at a given point in time and then adjusts it for inflation.
 
HHS must publish resources on its website related to child poverty, and the Census Bureau must release certain economic and survey data at the same time it releases a specific report related to income, poverty, and health insurance coverage in the United States.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-644
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2021-03-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Department of Health and Human Services
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Health care coverage and access
Health facilities and institutions
Home and outpatient care
Hospital care
Medicare
Rural conditions and development
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: 

Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act of 

2021

 
This bill allows additional hospitals to qualify as critical access hospitals (CAHs) that receive special payment under Medicare.
 
Currently, in order to qualify as a CAH under Medicare, a hospital must either (1) be located more than 35 miles (or 15 miles in mountainous regions or areas with only secondary roads) from another hospital, or (2) have been certified prior to January 1, 2006, by the state as a necessary provider of services in the area. 
 
The bill allows a hospital to also qualify if the hospital is a small, rural hospital that (1) serves a health professional shortage area, or a high number of low-income individuals or Medicare or Medicaid beneficiaries; (2) has experienced financial losses for two consecutive years; and (3) attests to having a strategic plan to address financial solvency.
 
In addition, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation must test a new delivery and payment model for rural hospitals that promotes financially sustainable access to care and must establish a corresponding transition process for CAHs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text: CR S1426)
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Methane Emissions Reduction Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-645
Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Introduced: 2021-03-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Air quality
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental technology
Government information and archives
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Oil and gas
User charges and fees
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: 

Methane Emissions Reduction Act of 2021

 
This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to estimate annual methane emissions from each oil and natural gas producing basin and levy a fee for such emissions on each company that produces, gathers, processes, or transmits oil or natural gas. The fees must be used to provide grants through the National Coastal Resilience Fund of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Stabilize Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-646
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2021-03-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health
Government information and archives
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Intergovernmental relations
Medicaid
Performance measurement
Poverty and welfare assistance
State and local finance

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: 

Stabilize Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Act
 
of 

2021

 
This bill requires the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and state Medicaid programs to provide 12-month continuous enrollment for eligible individuals. 
 
The bill also establishes bonus payments for states that implement certain Medicaid enrollment and retention policies for specified categories of individuals (e.g., children), such as aligning income eligibility standards with those of other insurance affordability programs. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Introduced in Senate
MORE USDA Grants Act

Bill: 117-s-647
Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Introduced: 2021-03-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Business investment and capital
Economic development
Education programs funding
Educational technology and distance education
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government lending and loan guarantees
Health technology, devices, supplies
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Rural conditions and development
State and local finance
State and local government operations
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: 

More Opportunities for Rural Economies from USDA Grants Act or the
 
MORE USDA Grants Act 

 
This bill revises the process for awarding grants under certain programs of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to high-density public land counties and any units of tribal and local governments within such counties. A high-density public land county is a county that has a population of not more than 100,000 people and in which more than 50% of the land is owned or managed by the federal government.
 
Any requirement for local matching funds under a qualifying grant program must be reduced by 50% with respect to such jurisdictions.
 
On request, USDA must provide additional technical assistance to such jurisdictions before and during the annual application period for each qualifying grant program.
 
USDA must also prioritize grant applications from such jurisdictions that have not received support under the qualifying grant program during the 10-year period preceding the date of the application.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Technical Correction to the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-648
Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Introduced: 2021-03-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Federal-Indian relations
Government trust funds
Idaho
Indian claims
Indian lands and resources rights
Interest, dividends, interest rates
Nevada
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: 

Technical Correction to the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act of 

2021

 
This bill authorizes deposit of specified interest payments into the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes Water Rights Development Fund and the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes Operation and Maintenance Fund. These funds were established under the water rights settlement agreement for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation.

action_date: 2022-03-15
text: 

Technical Correction to the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act of 

2021

 
This bill authorizes deposit of specified interest payments into the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes Water Rights Development Fund. This fund was established in 2009 under the water rights settlement agreement for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2022-03-15
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 306.
action_date: 2022-03-15
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Schatz with an amendment. With written report No. 117-93.
action_date: 2022-03-15
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Schatz with an amendment. With written report No. 117-93.
action_date: 2021-11-17
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2021-10-06
text: Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 117-138.
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Introduced in Senate
MORE DOT Grants Act

Bill: 117-s-649
Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Introduced: 2021-03-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Aviation and airports
Infrastructure development
Intergovernmental relations
Land use and conservation
Public transit
Railroads
Roads and highways
Rural conditions and development
State and local finance
Transportation programs funding
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: 

More Opportunities for Rural Economies from DOT Grants Act or the
 
MORE DOT Grants Act 

 
This bill revises the process for awarding grants under certain programs of the Department of Transportation (DOT) to high-density public land counties and any units of tribal and local governments within such counties. A
 high-density public land county
 is a county that has a population of not more than 100,000 people and in which more than 50% of the land is owned or managed by the federal government.
 
Any requirement for local matching funds under a qualifying grant program must be reduced by 50% with respect to such jurisdictions.
 
On request, DOT must provide additional technical assistance to such jurisdictions during the annual application period for each qualifying grant program.
 
DOT must also prioritize grant applications from such jurisdictions that have not received support under the qualifying grant program during the 10-year period preceding the date of the application.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Introduced in Senate
American Dream Employment Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-650
Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Introduced: 2021-03-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Border security and unlawful immigration
Congressional officers and employees
Foreign labor
Immigration status and procedures

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: 

American Dream Employment Act of 2021

 
This bill permits the compensation of congressional employees who hold a current employment authorization document that was issued pursuant to a grant of (1) deferred action, including under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program; (2) deferred enforced departure; or (3) temporary protected status. (Generally, these programs and statuses allow eligible aliens to remain and work in the United States.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Introduced in Senate
STAT Act

Bill: 117-s-651
Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Introduced: 2021-03-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Advisory bodies
Computer security and identity theft
Congressional oversight
Department of Transportation
Employment and training programs
Executive agency funding and structure
Government information and archives
Hybrid, electric, and advanced technology vehicles
Motor vehicles
Public-private cooperation
Regional and metropolitan planning
Roads and highways
Rural conditions and development
Transportation programs funding
Urban and suburban affairs and development
Vocational and technical education

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: 

Smart Transportation Advancement and Transition Act or the
 
STAT Act

 
This bill revises and permanently reauthorizes the Intelligent Transportation Systems Advisory Committee of the Department of Transportation (DOT).
 
DOT, in coordination with the advisory committee, must report on its efforts to engage local communities, metropolitan planning organizations, regional transportation commissions, and multi-jurisdictional groups, including in rural areas, on advancing data and intelligent transportation systems technologies and other smart cities solutions. 
 
Additionally, DOT must create, publish, and maintain a resource guide that is designed to assist states and local communities in developing and implementing intelligent transportation technology or smart community transportation programs. DOT and the advisory committee must issue a revised community resource guide at least once every three years.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Moving and Fostering Innovation to Revolutionize Smarter Transportation Act

Bill: 117-s-652
Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Introduced: 2021-03-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Congressional oversight
Electric power generation and transmission
Energy efficiency and conservation
Government studies and investigations
Hybrid, electric, and advanced technology vehicles
Infrastructure development
Motor vehicles
Pedestrians and bicycling
Public transit
Public-private cooperation
Railroads
Right of privacy
Roads and highways
Transportation costs
Transportation programs funding
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: 

Moving and Fostering Innovation to Revolutionize Smarter Transportation Act or the
 
Moving FIRST Act

 
This bill authorizes through FY2026 the Department of Transportation to award Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation grants to communities of varying sizes to promote technological innovation (e.g., autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, and roadway electrification) in transportation systems.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2021-03-09
text: Introduced in Senate
COMP Act

Bill: 117-s-653
Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Introduced: 2021-03-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Employee benefits and pensions
Health care costs and insurance
Medicare
State and local finance
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: 

Coordination Of Medicare Payments and Workers' Compensation Act or the COMP Act

 
This bill alters provisions relating to Medicare secondary payer rules with respect to workers' compensation settlement arrangements. Among other things, the bill provides that a Medicare set-aside fulfills secondary payer obligations if the set-aside is included in the arrangement and meets certain other criteria.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Reauthorization Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-654
Sponsor: Sen. Burr, Richard [R-NC]
Introduced: 2021-03-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Forests, forestry, trees
Historic sites and heritage areas
North Carolina
Parks, recreation areas, trails

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: 

Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Reauthorization Act of 2021

 
This bill extends through FY2036 the authority of the Department of the Interior to provide assistance for the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area in North Carolina and removes the limitation on the total amount that may be appropriated for the heritage area.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-10-06
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held.
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Ending Natural Gas Companies' Seizure of Land for Export Profits Act

Bill: 117-s-655
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2021-03-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Federal district courts
Intergovernmental relations
Jurisdiction and venue
Land transfers
Land use and conservation
Oil and gas
Pipelines
Property rights
State and local government operations
Trade restrictions

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: 

Ending Natural Gas Companies' Seizure of Land for Export Profits Act 

 
This bill restricts the use of eminent domain to take private or state land for the construction of a natural gas pipeline.
 
Specifically, the bill prohibits the U.S. districts courts from having jurisdiction to condemn property in which a state owns any interest. Further, the bill prohibits the use of eminent domain to take private property for the construction of a pipeline that will export liquefied natural gas to a foreign country. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: Introduced in Senate
Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-656
Sponsor: Sen. Scott, Tim [R-SC]
Introduced: 2021-03-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Adoption and foster care
Child safety and welfare
Civil actions and liability
Poverty and welfare assistance
Religion

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: 

Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2021

 
This bill generally prohibits the federal government, states, tribal nations, or localities from discriminating or taking adverse action against a child welfare provider that declines to provide services due to the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. However, government entities may still take adverse action against a provider that declines to provide adoption or foster care services based on race, color, or national origin.
 
The Department of Health and Human Services must withhold a portion of federal funding for family services and child welfare activities from a government entity that discriminates against a child welfare provider in violation of this bill. Child welfare providers may also sue the government entity for such discrimination. A prevailing provider may recover reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
 
Furthermore, government entities that accept certain federal funding for family services and child welfare activities must waive sovereign immunity as a defense to lawsuits brought under this bill. (In many cases, sovereign immunity shields states, territories, tribal nations, and some localities against private suits.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to modify the presumption of service connection for veterans who were exposed to herbicide agents while serving in the Armed Forces in Thailand during the Vietnam era, and for other purposes.

Bill: 117-s-657
Sponsor: Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR]
Introduced: 2021-03-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Asia
Conflicts and wars
Disability assistance
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Thailand
Veterans' medical care
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: 
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that, if it creates a presumption of service-connection between the occurrence of a disease and exposure to an herbicide agent while serving in the Armed Forces between January 9, 1962, and June 30, 1976, at a military base in Thailand, such presumption must also apply to exposure at any military base in Thailand, regardless of where on the base the veteran was located or what military job specialty the veteran performed.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-04-28
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: Introduced in Senate
DRIVE Safe Act

Bill: 117-s-659
Sponsor: Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN]
Introduced: 2021-03-10 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Accidents
Business records
Employment and training programs
Motor carriers
Motor vehicles
Personnel records
Transportation employees
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: 

Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy Act or the DRIVE Safe Act

 
This bill directs the Department of Transportation to promulgate regulations to implement an apprenticeship program for licensed commercial motor vehicle drivers under the age of 21. 
 
Under the program, an apprentice must complete two probationary periods that total 400 hours of on-duty time, of which at least 240 hours must be driving time in a commercial motor vehicle. Additionally, the apprentice must be accompanied in the cab of the commercial motor vehicle by an experienced driver.
 
Further, the bill requires all commercial motor vehicles used in the program for training to be equipped with safety technology such as active braking collision mitigation systems and video event capturing systems.
 
An employer shall not knowingly allow, require, permit, or authorize a driver under the age of 21 to operate a commercial motor vehicle unless the driver is participating in, or has completed, an apprenticeship program that meets the requirements set forth in this bill.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2021-03-10
text: Introduced in Senate