hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 17 East Main Street in Herington, Kansas, as the "Captain Emil J. Kapaun Post Office Building".

Bill: 117-s-824
Sponsor: Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
Introduced: 2021-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Congressional tributes
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Kansas
Postal service

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 17 East Main Street in Herington, Kansas, as the "Captain Emil J. Kapaun Post Office Building."

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Southern Maryland National Heritage Area Act

Bill: 117-s-825
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2021-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Government studies and investigations
Historic sites and heritage areas
Historical and cultural resources
Maryland
Parks, recreation areas, trails

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: 

Southern Maryland National Heritage Area Act

 
This bill establishes the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area in Maryland.
 
 The heritage area shall include portions of St. Mary's, Calvert, Charles, and Prince George's Counties in Maryland, with the specific boundaries to be established by the Department of the Interior, based on the feasibility study for the heritage area.
 
The Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland shall serve as the local coordinating entity for the heritage area.
 
The council shall submit a management plan 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: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Medicare Patient Empowerment Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-826
Sponsor: Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY]
Introduced: 2021-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Contracts and agency
Federal preemption
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health personnel
Medicare
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: 

Medicare Patient Empowerment Act of 

2021

 
This bill allows any Medicare beneficiary to enter into a contract with an eligible professional, regardless of whether the professional is a participating or non-participating physician or practitioner, for any item or service covered by Medicare. 
 
Such beneficiaries may submit a claim for Medicare payment in the amount that would otherwise apply, except that, where the professional is considered to be non-participating, payment shall be paid as if the professional were participating. An eligible professional is a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified registered nurse anesthetist, certified nurse-midwife, clinical social worker, clinical psychologist, registered dietitian or nutrition professional, physical or occupational therapist, qualified speech-language pathologist, or qualified audiologist.
 
A Medicare beneficiary must agree in writing in such a contract to (1) pay the eligible professional for a Medicare-covered item or service; and (2) submit, in lieu of the eligible professional, a claim for Medicare payment. However, a beneficiary may negotiate, as a term of the contract, for the eligible professional to file such claims on the beneficiary's behalf.
 
The bill preempts state laws from limiting the amount of charges for physician and practitioner services for which Medicare payment is made.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate
School Reopening and Spending Transparency Act

Bill: 117-s-827
Sponsor: Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]
Introduced: 2021-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Education programs funding
Educational facilities and institutions
Elementary and secondary education
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Government information and archives
Infectious and parasitic diseases
State and local government operations
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: 

School Reopening and Spending Transparency Act

 
This bill requires the Department of Education to establish and update monthly a public website to track state expenditures of certain COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) education relief funds. States must report on the operating status of their public elementary and secondary schools during the 2020-2021 school year for inclusion on the website. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-828
Sponsor: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
Introduced: 2021-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health care coverage and access
Health facilities and institutions
Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care
Medicare
Mental health
Rural conditions and development

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: 

Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 

2021

 
This bill provides for coverage of marriage and family therapist services and mental health counselor services under Medicare. It also excludes such services from the skilled nursing facility prospective payment system, and authorizes marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors to develop discharge plans for post-hospital services. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate
TRICARE Fairness for National Guard and Reserve Retirees Act

Bill: 117-s-829
Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Introduced: 2021-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Military medicine
Military personnel and dependents
National Guard and reserves

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: 

TRICARE Fairness for National Guard and Reserve Retirees Act

 
This bill aligns eligibility for TRICARE health coverage with the age at which personnel of the Retired Reserve (former National Guard and Reserve members) begin receiving retired pay. Specifically, personnel of the Retired Reserve who are not yet age 60 but are receiving their retirement pay may purchase TRICARE health coverage for retired military personnel, rather than the presently allowed TRICARE Retired Reserve.
 
 Under current law, Reserve Component personnel may retire below age 60, but not below 50, based on active duty performance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate
National Children’s Museum Act

Bill: 117-s-830
Sponsor: Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
Introduced: 2021-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Business records
Congressional oversight
District of Columbia
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers
Public-private cooperation
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: 

National Children's Museum Act

 
This bill requires the General Services Administration (GSA) to cover the rent of the National Children's Museum for the duration of the museum's current building lease, including renewals. The GSA must use specified funds for such expenses.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate
EB–5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-831
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2021-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Business investment and capital
Business records
Congressional oversight
Department of Homeland Security
Drug trafficking and controlled substances
Economic development
Employee hiring
Espionage and treason
Evidence and witnesses
Executive agency funding and structure
Family relationships
Financial services and investments
Foreign labor
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Human rights
Human trafficking
Immigration status and procedures
Intellectual property
Securities
Smuggling and trafficking
Terrorism
U.S. and foreign investments
User charges and fees
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: 

EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2021 

 
This bill reauthorizes the EB-5 Regional Center program through FY2026 and makes various changes to the program, such as imposing various oversight requirements. (EB-5 visas provide permanent resident status to qualified alien investors. A regional center allows EB-5 aliens to pool investments to meet various investment and job creation requirements.)
 
Oversight-related provisions include requiring each center to (1) notify the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of proposed changes to the center's structure, (2) maintain certain records and make such records available to DHS for audits, (3) obtain approval for each particular investment offering, and (4) annually report to DHS. 
 
The bill prohibits certain individuals and entities from involvement in a center, such as (1) a person who had committed a violation involving fraud in the previous 10 years, (2) a non-U.S. national not admitted for permanent residence, or (3) a foreign government official. 
 
DHS shall deny petitions, such as a petition to certify a regional center or to classify an alien as an alien investor, if approval would threaten U.S. national interest. 
 
The bill provides various enforcement authority to DHS and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, including the ability to permanently bar an individual from participating in the regional center program.
 
The bill establishes the EB-5 Integrity Fund to fund program enforcement activities.
 
The bill contains various provisions related to EB-5 petitions, such as a provision authorizing DHS to extend an alien's conditional permanent residence status. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate
GREEN Building Jobs Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-832
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2021-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Building construction
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Electric power generation and transmission
Energy efficiency and conservation
Environmental health
Floods and storm protection
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health facilities and institutions
Hybrid, electric, and advanced technology vehicles
Lighting, heating, cooling
Military medicine
Performance measurement
Public contracts and procurement
Solid waste and recycling
State and local government operations
Veterans' medical care
Water quality
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: 

GSA Resilient, Energy Efficient, and Net-Zero Building Jobs Act of 2021 or the GREEN Building Jobs Act of 2021

 
This bill establishes additional energy-efficiency requirements and programs for federal buildings, with a particular focus on reducing energy and water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by FY2030 through partnerships with the private sector.
 
Specifically, the bill requires the General Services Administration (GSA) to reduce the following for its facilities by FY2030: 
 
 
average building energy intensity (by at least 25%, relative to FY2018); 
 
average potable water consumption intensity (by 54%, relative to FY2007); 
 
industrial, landscaping, and agricultural water consumption (by 20%, relative to FY2018); and
 
specified categories of greenhouse gas emissions (by at least 40%, relative to FY2018).
 
 
 The GSA must also implement retrofit projects that reduce the energy consumption of its facilities by at least 35%. Additionally, the GSA must develop plans that ensure that at least 50% of certain facilities offer zero-emission vehicle charging or fueling by December 31, 2030. 
 
The bill directs the GSA to work with the private sector through partnerships and financing opportunities in order to implement the bill's requirements.
 
The bill also makes several other changes relating to federal building standards and related authorities, including (1) requiring lessors (i.e., property owners) to disclose data on the utility consumption of leased spaces; (2) requiring the GSA to assess and mitigate area flood risks, based on climate science; and (3) authorizing long-term contracts for federal purchases of renewable energy.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-833
Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2021-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health care costs and insurance
Inflation and prices
Medicare
Prescription drugs
Public contracts and procurement

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: 

Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act of 

2021

 
This bill allows the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to negotiate drug prices under the Medicare prescription drug benefit and to institute a price structure for the reimbursement of drugs covered under the benefit.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-834
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2021-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Government studies and investigations
Health care coverage and access
Health personnel
Hospital care
Medical education
Medicare
Minority employment
Minority health
Rural conditions and development

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: 

Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 

2021

 
This bill increases the number of residency positions eligible for graduate medical education payments under Medicare for qualifying hospitals, including hospitals in rural areas and health professional shortage areas.
 
Current law provides for an increase of up to 200 positions per fiscal year beginning in FY2023, with a total increase of 1,000 positions; each hospital may receive up to 25 additional positions. The bill provides for an additional increase of 2,000 positions per fiscal year from FY2023-FY2029; during this period, each hospital may receive up to 75 additional positions in total under the bill and current law. 
 
The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on strategies to increase the diversity of the health professional workforce, including with respect to representation from rural, low-income, and minority communities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Connecting Communities Post Disasters Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-835
Sponsor: Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
Introduced: 2021-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Disaster relief and insurance
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental regulatory procedures
Historic sites and heritage areas
Licensing and registrations
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: 

Connecting Communities Post Disasters Act of 2021
 
 
This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission to exempt projects that replace or make improvements to communications facilities following a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency from certain environmental or historic preservation review requirements.
 
Specifically, the bill exempts such projects from any requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement. Such projects are also exempt from considerations about the effect they will have on any historic property.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Timely Mental Health for Foster Youth Act

Bill: 117-s-836
Sponsor: Sen. Blunt, Roy [R-MO]
Introduced: 2021-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Adoption and foster care
Child health
Child safety and welfare
Congressional oversight
Government information and archives
Health information and medical records
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Mental health

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: 

Timely Mental Health for Foster Youth Act

 
 This bill requires an initial mental health screening within 30 days after a child enters foster care. In the case of a child for whom a mental health issue is identified in such initial screening, a comprehensive assessment of the child's mental health must be completed within 60 days after the child's entry into foster care.
 
 The Department of Health and Human Services must provide technical assistance for states to implement this requirement and collect data and report on the number of screenings completed.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to provide relief to public transportation agencies with projects in the Full Funding Grant Agreement stage of the Capital Investment Grants Program.

Bill: 117-s-837
Sponsor: Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
Introduced: 2021-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Public transit
Transportation programs funding

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: 
This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT), at the request of a project sponsor, to provide an additional 30% of total projects costs for any project in the full funding grant agreement stage of the fixed guideway capital investment grant program.
 
DOT must allow a project sponsor to defer payment of the non-federal share for projects that receive additionally funding in accordance with the bill. Additionally, the federal share payable of the costs of a project that receives additional funding may not exceed 80%.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Federal Firefighter Flexibility and Fairness Act

Bill: 117-s-838
Sponsor: Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
Introduced: 2021-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Fires
First responders and emergency personnel
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: 

Federal Firefighter Flexibility and Fairness Act

 
 This bill provides that any hours worked by a firefighter under a qualified trade-of-time arrangement shall be disregarded for purposes of determining eligibility for, or the amount of, any overtime pay. The bill defines 
qualified trade-of-time arrangement
 as an arrangement under which two firefighters who are employed by the same agency agree, solely at their option and with the approval of their employing agency, to substitute for one another during scheduled work hours in the performance of work in the same capacity.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate
College Transparency Act

Bill: 117-s-839
Sponsor: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]
Introduced: 2021-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Advisory bodies
Census and government statistics
Government information and archives
Higher education
Labor market
Student aid and college costs
Student records
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: 

College Transparency Act

 
This bill requires the National Center for Education Statistics to establish a secure and privacy-protected data system that contains information about postsecondary students.
 
Specifically, the data system must
 
 
 evaluate student enrollment patterns, progression, completion, and postcollegiate outcomes, and higher education costs and financial aid;
 
provide complete and customizable information for students and families making decisions about postsecondary education; 
 
reduce the requirements for reporting by institutions of higher education; and 
 
periodically match with other federal systems of data. 
 
 
The bill also establishes a postsecondary student data system advisory committee.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate
Litigation Funding Transparency Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-840
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2021-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Judicial procedure and administration
Lawyers and legal services
Legal fees and court costs

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: 

Litigation Funding Transparency Act of 2021

 
This bill requires lawyers for plaintiffs in certain lawsuits to provide the court and other parties in the lawsuit with any agreement that entitles an outside business (i.e., a business that is not a party, class member, or counsel in the lawsuit) to receive payment contingent on the lawsuit's outcome. The lawyers for the plaintiffs shall also provide the identity of the outside business.
 
Specifically, these requirements shall apply to any class action or multi-district litigation (i.e. related civil cases pending in different districts that are consolidated for pretrial proceedings).
 
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate