hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Election Mail Act

Bill: 118-hr-2987
Sponsor: Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]
Introduced: 2023-04-27 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
action_date: 2023-04-27
text: 

Election Mail Act

 
This bill addresses the delivery and processing of election mail for federal elections, including by establishing certain standards for mail-in ballots. 
 
Specifically, the bill requires the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to
 
 
ensure (to the maximum extent practicable) same-day processing of mail-in ballots,
 
postmark each ballot,
 
carry election mail (e.g., voter registration applications and mail-in ballots) as first-class mail that is free of postage, 
 
appoint an election mail coordinator at each area office and district office, and
 
consult annually with Indian tribes regarding barriers to voting for eligible voters living on Indian lands.
 
 
The bill prohibits the USPS, within 120 days of a federal election, from making any operational change that would restrict the prompt and reliable delivery of election mail. 
 
Each state and jurisdiction must provide with each mail-in ballot a return envelope with an intelligent mail barcode. This requirement does not apply to a state or jurisdiction that uses an alternative system that enables voters to track the ballot through the mail. 
 
The bill requires election officials to count mail-in ballots that are postmarked by election day and arrive within seven days after the election.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-04-27
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-04-27
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-04-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-04-27
text: Introduced in House
TEACH Act of 2023

Bill: 118-hr-2991
Sponsor: Rep. Ogles, Andrew [R-TN-5]
Introduced: 2023-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Education

Summary:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: 

Teachers Empowered Against Classroom Harm Act of 2023 or the TEACH Act of 2023

 
This bill addresses school safety and security, including by expanding access to firearms for certain individuals and providing grants for defensive training programs.
 
Current law prohibits the use of federal elementary and secondary education funds to provide any person with a dangerous weapon or training in the use of a dangerous weapon. The bill removes this prohibition.
 
Next, the bill broadens the authority for certain individuals to carry firearms in a school zone. Specifically, the bill exempts individuals authorized by state law to carry firearms from the federal prohibition on possessing a firearm in a school zone.
 
Further, the bill prohibits the Department of Education (ED) from disbursing or obligating funds for states, local governments, or eligible entities (e.g., local educational agencies or private schools) that restrict (in excess of federal law) the possession of firearms within school zones.
 
Additionally, the bill directs ED to obligate certain reserved funds (i.e., funds reserved for technical assistance and capacity building) for a grant program. In particular, ED must award grants to enable eligible entities (e.g., local educational agencies or private schools) to participate in defensive training programs designed to protect schools from armed intruders. ED must fully obligate these funds for awarding grants and failure to do so shall result in a hiring freeze for ED.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H2092)
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
EDUCATORS for America Act

Bill: 118-hr-2992
Sponsor: Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]
Introduced: 2023-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Education

Summary:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: 

EDUCATORS for America Act

 
This bill provides resources to support the recruitment, retention, and preparation of educators. 
 
Specifically, the bill expands the Teacher Quality Partnership program to include training and professional development opportunities for principals and other school leaders.
 
Additionally, the bill updates the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence program to support underrepresented candidates in educator preparation programs. 
 
The bill establishes an education careers opportunity program to provide individuals from underrepresented backgrounds with education and training to become educators.
 
Further, the bill revises the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grant program to raise the maximum amount for TEACH grants.
 
The bill also expands loan forgiveness for educators by revising the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program, including by
 
 
renaming the program as the Educator Loan Forgiveness Programs,
 
making additional loan types eligible for benefits under the program (e.g., parent PLUS loans), and 
 
expanding program eligibility to early childhood educators and program directors serving in early childhood education programs and school leaders serving in public high-need schools.
 
 
Next, the bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to (1) make monthly student loan payments on behalf of the educator during qualifying service (i.e., employment as a full-time qualifying educator in a high-need school or an early childhood education program), and (2) provide complete loan forgiveness after five years of qualifying service.
 
ED must also 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: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
Returning Home Act

Bill: 118-hr-2994
Sponsor: Rep. Barragan, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]
Introduced: 2023-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
National Mesonet Authorization Act

Bill: 118-hr-2995
Sponsor: Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5]
Introduced: 2023-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: 

National Mesonet Authorization Act

 
This bill provides statutory authority for the National Mesonet Program of the National Weather Service (NWS). 
 
The program shall obtain observations from observing platforms in all geographic environments to improve understanding of and forecast capabilities for atmospheric events, with a prioritization on leveraging available commercial, academic, and other nonfederal weather data to enhance coordination across the private, public, and academic sectors of the U.S. weather enterprise.
 
The program must carry out specified activities, including improving environmental observations used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the NWS to support baseline forecasts and warnings that protect the nation's citizens, businesses, military, and government agencies and enable such individuals and entities to operate in safe, efficient, and orderly manners.
 
NOAA shall ensure the program has an active advisory committee of subject matter experts to identify, implement, procure, and track data needed to supplement the program, and recommend improvements, expansions, and acquisitions of available data.
 
The advisory committee shall establish partnerships with one or more institutions of higher education to identify, evaluate, and recommend potential partnerships, regional or subregional consortia, and collaborative methods that would expand the number of participants and volume of data in the program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
Safe Leave for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Act

Bill: 118-hr-2996
Sponsor: Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5]
Introduced: 2023-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Accountability, and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Accountability, and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Accountability, and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
Protecting America’s Workers Act

Bill: 118-hr-2998
Sponsor: Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2]
Introduced: 2023-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: 

Protecting America's Workers Act

 
This bill expands the coverage of requirements governing workplace safety and health to include protection for federal, state, and local government employees. However, the bill does not cover working conditions otherwise covered by federal requirements for mine safety and health.
 
The bill revises requirements governing worker protection, including by
 
 
expanding protections for whistle-blowers, such as protections for employees who refuse to perform work because they reasonably believe the work would result in serious injury or illness and for employees who aid inspections;
 
directing employers to furnish a hazard-free place of employment to all individuals performing work, not just employees;
 
directing employers to report work-related deaths or certain injuries, illnesses, or hospitalizations; 
 
requiring the Department of Labor to investigate fatalities or significant incidents in the workplace; 
 
establishing rights for victims, or representatives of victims, with respect to inspections or investigations of work-related bodily injuries or deaths; 
 
setting the permitted period for employers to correct serious, willful, or repeated violations while citations for the violations are being contested;
 
increasing civil and criminal penalties for certain violations;
 
expanding enforcement requirements relating to state occupational safety and health plans;
 
expanding requirements for workplace health hazard evaluations by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; and
 
requiring Labor to provide training programs concerning employee rights and employer responsibilities.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
Assistance for Local Heroes During Train Crises Act

Bill: 118-hr-2999
Sponsor: Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17]
Introduced: 2023-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: 

Assistance for Local Heroes During Train Crises Act

 
This bill establishes a Hazardous Train Event Emergency Reimbursement Fund for state and local emergency response groups.
 
Specifically, upon a declaration by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) that a hazardous train event has occurred, the FRA must immediately award at least $250,000 from the emergency fund to one or more eligible groups (e.g., law enforcement agencies and fire departments). Additional amounts may be awarded, but may not exceed $3 million per hazardous train event. The FRA may declare a hazardous train event has occurred following a derailment or crash involving a train carrying hazardous materials, hazardous waste, or other materials that pose a threat to public health, safety, and the environment. 
 
Costs associated with a response to a hazardous train event that are eligible for reimbursement include (1) replacing damaged or contaminated equipment; (2) overtime pay for firefighters, law enforcement officers, or other emergency responders; and (3) retroactively covering these types of incurred costs after the event date.
 
The FRA must also (1) establish annual fees for shippers and carriers of hazardous materials by rail that have total annual collections of at least $10 million, and (2) deposit the fees into the reimbursement fund.
 
Further, the Department of Transportation must issue regulations requiring railroads that transport hazardous materials by train to provide county and local emergency response groups with (1) advanced warning of the train's load and timing, and (2) real-time location information on the train when it enters and exits the community's service area.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-05-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
Tax-Free Pell Grant Act

Bill: 118-hr-3000
Sponsor: Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37]
Introduced: 2023-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: 

Tax-Free Pell Grant Act

 This bill excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, any amount received as a federal Pell Grant. It also expands the definition of 
qualified tuition and related expenses
 under the American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning tax credit to include computer or peripheral equipment (up to a maximum of $1,000), child and dependent care expenses, and course materials.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
Embrace Fossil Fuel Recruitment Act

Bill: 118-hr-3001
Sponsor: Rep. Donalds, Byron [R-FL-19]
Introduced: 2023-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Education

Summary:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: 

Embrace Fossil Fuel Recruitment Act

 
This bill requires local educational agencies (LEAs) and institutions of higher education (IHEs) that receive federal education funds to provide the same recruiter access to students for employers in the fossil fuel sector as provided to employers in other energy resource sectors. LEAs and IHEs that violate this requirement are subject to Department of Education enforcement actions, such as withholding of payments to an LEA or termination of an IHE's participation in federal student aid programs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
Rebuilding Rural Roads Act

Bill: 118-hr-3002
Sponsor: Rep. Finstad, Brad [R-MN-1]
Introduced: 2023-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: 

Rebuilding Rural Roads Act

This bill modifies the definition of rural area that is used for the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program. For the purposes of the program, the bill defines
 rural area
 as an area outside an urbanized area that has a population of over 20,000. (Current law requires a rural area to be outside of an urbanized area with a population of over 200,000.)

The grant program supports projects that improve and expand the surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas to increase connectivity, improve the safety and reliability of the movement of people and freight, generate regional economic growth, and improve quality of life. Eligible applicants for the grant program include states, regional transportation planning organizations, local governments, and tribal governments. 
 

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-05-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
action_date: 2023-05-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
Bipartisan Restoring Faith in Government Act

Bill: 118-hr-3003
Sponsor: Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
Introduced: 2023-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: Family relationships
Financial services and investments
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Members of Congress
Securities

Summary:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: 

Bipartisan Restoring Faith in Government Act

 
This bill prohibits Members of Congress (and their spouses and dependents) from purchasing or selling certain investments, such as individual stocks and related financial instruments that are not diversified investment funds, U.S. Treasury securities, or other specified holdings.
 
Members must divest prohibited investments within 90 days by selling them or placing them in a qualified blind trust. The bill also restricts communications between trustees and beneficiaries related to investments held in qualified blind trusts.
 
Members must certify their compliance with the supervising ethics office, which must make the certificates publicly available online.
 
Violations are subject to specified civil penalties. Additionally, losses stemming from a transaction involving a prohibited investment that violates the provisions of the bill may not be deducted from income taxes.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
ACCESS Act

Bill: 118-hr-3004
Sponsor: Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7]
Introduced: 2023-04-28 in the House
Policy area: Taxation
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Department of Health and Human Services
Federal preemption
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Income tax credits
Medicaid
Poverty and welfare assistance
Prescription drugs
Public contracts and procurement
State and local government operations
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Summary:
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: 

Affordable Care Coverage Expansion and Support for States Act or the ACCESS Act

 
This bill temporarily expands the health insurance premium tax credit. It also establishes a Federal Medicaid Program for states that have not yet expanded Medicaid to certain populations.
 
Currently, in order to qualify for the health insurance premium tax credit, an individual must, among other criteria, have an annual household income of at least 100% and up to 400% of the federal poverty level and not be eligible for minimum essential coverage, such as affordable coverage through an employer. 
 
The bill removes the income limitations, and it allows individuals with income of up to 138% of the federal poverty level and who are eligible for employer-provided health insurance or small employer health reimbursement arrangements to qualify for the tax credit. The bill's changes apply for tax years 2024-2026.
 
The bill also establishes and provides funds for a Federal Medicaid Program beginning in 2027 to provide coverage to the Medicaid expansion population in states that have not expanded Medicaid pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. (The act allows states to extend Medicaid coverage to all adults under the age of 65 with incomes of up to 138% of the federal poverty level.)
 
The program must offer at least the same benchmark coverage as under Medicaid. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must contract with Medicaid managed care organizations or other third-party plan administrators to administer the program.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2024-12-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2023-05-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-04-28
text: Introduced in House