hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Bivens Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-3343
Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Introduced: 2021-12-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: 

Bivens Act of 

2021

 
This bill provides individuals with a statutory right to sue and recover damages from federal officials for violations of their constitutional rights. 
 
Currently, individuals have a statutory right to bring such suits against state or local officials (e.g., law enforcement), commonly known as Section 1983 suits or Bivens actions. Although the statute does not explicitly authorize such suits against federal officials, the Supreme Court has found this right to be inferred from the Constitution in certain situations (e.g., Fourth Amendment violations committed by federal law enforcement officers).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Protecting the American Taxpayer and Medicare Act

Bill: 117-s-3344
Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]
Introduced: 2021-12-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Budget deficits and national debt
Budget process
Cancer
Congressional oversight
Department of Health and Human Services
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health care quality
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Medicare
Radiation

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: 

Protecting the American Taxpayer and Medicare Act

 
This bill makes several budgetary and technical changes, particularly in relation to Medicare. 
 
Specifically, the bill continues to exempt Medicare from sequestration until March 31, 2022. (Sequestration is a process of automatic, usually across-the-board spending reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals.)
 
Additionally, the bill (1) temporarily extends other provisions under Medicare, including a payment increase under the physician fee schedule; and (2) requires any debits recorded for FY2022 on the statutory pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) scorecards to be deducted from the scorecards for 2022 and added to the scorecards for 2023.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Protecting Ballot Measures from Foreign Influence Act

Bill: 117-s-3345
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2021-12-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: 

Protecting Ballot Measures from Foreign Influence Act

 
This bill prohibits contributions or donations by foreign nationals in connection with state or local ballot initiatives or referenda.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: Introduced in Senate
High Rise Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-3346
Sponsor: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Introduced: 2021-12-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: 

High Rise Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act of 2021

 
This bill classifies any automatic fire sprinkler system retrofit property as 15-year property for purposes of accelerated depreciation.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Masih Alinejad HUNT Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-3347
Sponsor: Sen. Toomey, Patrick [R-PA]
Introduced: 2021-12-08 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: 

Masih Alinejad Harassment and Unlawful Targeting Act of 2021 or the Masih Alinejad HUNT Act of 2021

 
This bill imposes sanctions on foreign persons (i.e., individuals or entities) that are acting on behalf of Iran's government and involved in the harassment of certain individuals, such as human rights activists.
 
The Department of State must periodically report to Congress the identities of foreign persons acting on behalf of Iran's government that are knowingly responsible for or complicit in the surveillance, harassment, imprisonment, or killing of citizens of Iran or the United States who seek to (1) expose corruption or illegal activity by Iranian government officials; (2) obtain, defend, or promote internationally recognized human rights; or (3) obtain, defend, or promote the rights and well-being of women, religious and ethnic minorities, and the LGBTQ community in Iran. The report must include foreign persons involved in such actions that occur inside or outside Iran. 
 
The President must impose property-blocking sanctions on persons identified in the report, as well as visa-blocking sanctions on the identified individuals. 
 
The Department of the Treasury must submit to Congress a report identifying any foreign financial institution that knowingly conducts a significant transaction with a person sanctioned under this bill. Treasury may prohibit the opening, or prohibit or impose strict conditions on the maintaining of a U.S. correspondent account or a payable-through account by such a financial institution.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Freedom's Way National Heritage Area Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-3348
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2021-12-08 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: 

Freedom's Way National Heritage Area Act of 2021

 
This bill extends through FY2036 the authority of the Department of the Interior to provide financial assistance for the Freedom's Way National Heritage Area in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. 
 
The bill removes the limit on the total amount that may be appropriated for the heritage area. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2021-12-08
text: Introduced in Senate
Streamlining EIDL Act

Bill: 117-s-3349
Sponsor: Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID]
Introduced: 2021-12-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Business expenses
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Computer security and identity theft
Congressional oversight
Crime victims
Disaster relief and insurance
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Government studies and investigations
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Small business
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: 

Streamlining EIDL Act

 
This bill requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide status updates on, review, and approve or disapprove Economic Injury Disaster Loans within certain time frames. It also requires the SBA to report on its efforts to address fraud under the program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Helping Foster and Homeless Youth Achieve Act

Bill: 117-s-3350
Sponsor: Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]
Introduced: 2021-12-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Education

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: 

Helping Foster and Homeless Youth Achieve Act

 
This bill requires an institution of higher education, as a condition of receiving certain federal funding, to waive application fees for homeless children and youth and certain foster care youth.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Coastal Fellowships Act

Bill: 117-s-3351
Sponsor: Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2021-12-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: 

Coastal Fellowships Act

 
This bill provides statutory authority for the Coastal Management Fellowship and Digital Coast Fellowship of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
 
The bill also provides direct hire authority for fellows who complete the fellowships to facilitate their transition into the federal workforce.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Introduced in Senate
FAIR Fees Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-3352
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2021-12-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Aviation and airports
Department of Transportation
Transportation costs

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: 

Forbidding Airlines from Imposing Ridiculous Fees Act of 2021 or the
 
FAIR Fees Act
 
of 2021

 
This bill directs the Department of Transportation to prescribe regulations (1) prohibiting an air carrier from imposing specified fees relating to a flight in passenger air transportation that are unreasonable or disproportional to the costs it incurs, and (2) establishing standards for assessing whether such fees are reasonable and proportional to those costs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Domestic Energy Crisis Relief Act

Bill: 117-s-3353
Sponsor: Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS]
Introduced: 2021-12-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Air quality
Buy American requirements
Canada
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Commodities markets
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Congressional oversight
Employee hiring
Energy prices
Energy revenues and royalties
Europe
Germany
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government studies and investigations
Gulf of Mexico
International law and treaties
International organizations and cooperation
Land use and conservation
Licensing and registrations
Manufacturing
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Mining
Montana
Oil and gas
Pipelines
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
Russia
Sanctions
Securities
State and local finance

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: 

Domestic Energy Crisis Relief Act

 
This bill sets forth provisions to increase the development of energy, including by (1) directing the Department of the Interior to conduct certain lease sales of federal lands and waters for the development of oil and gas, (2) authorizing the TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, (3) limiting delays on federal oil and gas leases; and (4) increasing the amount of revenue generated from oil and gas leases that is shared with certain states and coastal communities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to delay the implementation of a rule relating to the importation of sheep and goats and products derived from sheep and goats, and for other purposes.

Bill: 117-s-3354
Sponsor: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
Introduced: 2021-12-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Agricultural marketing and promotion
Agricultural trade
Animal and plant health
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Competitiveness, trade promotion, trade deficits
Congressional oversight
Department of Agriculture
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Government studies and investigations
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Livestock
Meat
Trade restrictions
Veterinary medicine and animal diseases

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: 
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to submit a report on the potential costs and benefits of its proposed rule governing the importation of live sheep, goats, other ruminants, and products derived from sheep and goats. It also bars USDA from finalizing, implementing, administering, or enforcing the rule until one year after the date that USDA submits the report. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Introduced in Senate
DEEP Act

Bill: 117-s-3355
Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
Introduced: 2021-12-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: 

Dredging to Ensure the Empowerment of Ports Act or the DEEP Act

 
This bill replaces the existing permitting process under the Clean Water Act for projects that involve the dredging of ports or their navigation channels within navigable waters with a new process under a nationwide permit. In addition, the bill repeals the Foreign Dredge Act of 1906.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act

Bill: 117-s-3356
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2021-12-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Education

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: 

Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act

 
This bill directs the Department of Education to award formula grants to state educational agencies and, through them, subgrants to local educational agencies to increase access to school-based, mental-health-services providers at high-need public elementary and secondary schools.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Humane Cosmetics Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-3357
Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2021-12-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Animal protection and human-animal relationships
Business records
Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Consumer affairs
Cosmetics and personal care
Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
Federal preemption
Government information and archives
Marketing and advertising
Product development and innovation
Product safety and quality
Research administration and funding
Retail and wholesale trades
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: 

Humane Cosmetics Act of 2021

 
This bill generally prohibits animal testing in the evaluation of cosmetic products, and it prohibits the sale or transport of cosmetics developed using animal testing, subject to civil penalties. These prohibitions begin one year after enactment.
 
The bill specifies exceptions to these prohibitions, including if such animal testing (1) is conducted outside the United States to comply with a foreign regulatory authority; (2) is pursuant to a specified finding that there are no nonanimal alternatives to test the safety of a potentially dangerous cosmetic product or ingredient; (3) is of a product or ingredient for a drug or device subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); or (4) is required for a noncosmetic purpose pursuant to a state, federal, or foreign regulatory authority.
 
Further, no animal-testing evidence may be used to establish the safety of a cosmetic product or ingredient that is regulated by the FDA after the effective date of this bill, subject to limited exceptions.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to authorize the use of the rotunda of the Capitol for the lying in state of the remains of the last Medal of Honor recipient of World War II, in order to honor the Greatest Generation and the more than 16,000,000 men and women who served in the Armed Forces of the United States from 1941 to 1945.

Bill: 117-s-3358
Sponsor: Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV]
Introduced: 2021-12-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Congress

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: 
This bill authorizes Hershel Woodrow Williams, who is the last surviving recipient of the Medal of Honor for acts performed during World War II, to lie in state in the Capitol rotunda upon his death.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Introduced in Senate
CREATE Graduates Act

Bill: 117-s-3359
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2021-12-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Education

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: 

Correctly Recognizing Educational Achievements To Empower Graduates Act or the CREATE Graduates Act

 
This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to take specified actions to increase postsecondary degree attainment.
 
Specifically, the bill requires ED to provide grants to states to support institutions of higher education in awarding associate degrees to students who have accumulated enough credits.
 
Additionally, the bill allows the release of a transfer student's educational records from an institution of postsecondary education where a student earned credit for coursework to an institution of postsecondary education where the student was previously enrolled in order to apply the student's coursework and credits toward completion of a recognized postsecondary credential, such as an associate's degree. In particular, the bill allows ED to provide funding to an institution of postsecondary education that releases a student's records of postsecondary coursework and credits without the consent of the student or the student's parents if the student provides written consent prior to receiving the credential.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Introduced in Senate
EDUCATORS for America Act

Bill: 117-s-3360
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2021-12-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Government information and archives
Higher education
Indian social and development programs
Minority education
Minority employment
Preschool education
Rural conditions and development
Science and engineering education
Special education
State and local government operations
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: 

EDUCATORS for America Act

 
This bill provides resources to support the recruitment, retention, and preparation of educators. These resources include, among others, expanding the Teacher Quality Partnership program to include training and professional development opportunities for principals and other school leaders, updating the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence program to support underrepresented candidates in educator preparation programs, and revising the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grant program to raise the maximum amount for TEACH grants.
 
The bill also directs the Department of Education to carry out a program to provide loan credits to eligible educator borrowers enrolled in income-contingent or income-based repayment plans.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S9096)
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Protecting Community Television Act

Bill: 117-s-3361
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2021-12-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: 

Protecting Community Television Act

 
This bill revises the definition of a franchise fee that is paid by a cable operator or cable subscriber to encompass only a tax, fee, or other monetary assessment that is imposed by a franchising authority or other governmental entity.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Improving Coordination for Healthy Moms Act

Bill: 117-s-3362
Sponsor: Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA]
Introduced: 2021-12-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Health

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: 

Improving Coordination for Healthy Moms Act

 
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to implement a coordinated approach for monitoring and sharing information about its maternal health efforts. The bill also tasks the Healthy People Maternal, Infant, and Child Health Workgroup and the Maternal Health Working Group with providing recommendations for establishing the approach.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 135 West Wisconsin Street in Russell, Kansas, as the "Robert J. Dole Memorial Post Office Building".

Bill: 117-s-3363
Sponsor: Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
Introduced: 2021-12-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Congressional tributes
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Kansas
Postal service

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 135 West Wisconsin Street in Russell, Kansas, as the "Robert J. Dole Memorial Post Office Building."

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Impact Act

Bill: 117-s-3364
Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]
Introduced: 2021-12-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Health

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: 

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Impact Act

 
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to contract with the National Academy of Sciences for a study on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) transmission in schools and day cares. In particular, the study must evaluate the impact of RSV on the economy, including through parents' absences from work.
 
RSV is a common respiratory virus that typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms although it may be more serious for infants, older adults, and other vulnerable populations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Introduced in Senate
Incentivizing the Expansion of U.S. Ports Act

Bill: 117-s-3365
Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
Introduced: 2021-12-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: 

Incentivizing the Expansion of U.S. Ports Act

 
This bill allows the operation of foreign-built dredge vessels in the United States. (Current law generally requires that such vessels be domestically built and owned.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2021-12-09
text: Introduced in Senate