hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Understanding the True Cost of College Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-528
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2023-02-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Education

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: 

Understanding the True Cost of College Act of 2023

 
This bill requires standardized financial aid terminology and offer forms. 
 
Specifically, the Department of Education (ED) must develop standard terminology and a format for financial aid offer forms based on recommendations from representatives of certain groups, including students, veterans, and institutions of higher education (IHEs). 
 
The consumer-friendly form must include specified details and disclosures, including the estimated cost of attendance, the net price that a student or family is estimated to pay, and the terms and conditions of financial aid. 
 
In addition, ED must (1) test the form with representatives of students, students' families, IHEs, secondary school and postsecondary counselors, and nonprofit consumer groups; and (2) use the results to develop the final form. 
 
Each IHE that participates in federal student-aid programs must (1) use the standard form when offering financial aid to students, and (2) use the standard terminology and definitions developed by ED for all communications related to financial aid offers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Eric’s Law

Bill: 118-s-529
Sponsor: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]
Introduced: 2023-02-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Criminal procedure and sentencing
Judicial procedure and administration

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: 

Eric's Law

 
This bill modifies procedures with respect to capital sentencing hearings.
 
If a jury at a capital sentencing hearing does not reach a unanimous recommendation on the defendant's sentence and there is a motion by the attorney for the government, the court must order a new special sentencing hearing and impanel a new jury. If the new jury at the special sentencing hearing does not reach a unanimous recommendation on the defendant's sentence, then the court is prohibited from imposing a death sentence.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-530
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2023-02-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Education

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: 

Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 

2023

 
This bill expands lender disclosure requirements and revises loan counseling requirements.
 
First, the bill requires a lender to provide a quarterly statement to a Federal Family Education Loan or Direct Loan borrower during a period when loan payments are not required. The statement must include specified information on the loan and interest amounts and explain the option to pay accrued interest while in deferment or forbearance. 
 
In addition, the bill requires an institution of higher education (IHE) that participates in federal student-aid programs to provide pre-loan counseling to a student borrower of a federal student loan upon or prior to the first disbursement of each new loan. Currently, an IHE must provide one-time entrance counseling to a student who is a first-time federal student loan borrower. 
 
The bill also revises and expands required elements of pre-loan counseling to include an estimate of the borrower's monthly payment amount compared to the borrower's estimated monthly income after taxes and other expenses, a statement to borrow the minimum necessary amount, a warning that a high debt-to-income ratio makes repayment more difficult, options to reduce borrowing, and an explanation of the importance of on-time graduation. 
 
Prior to certifying a Federal Direct Loan disbursement to a student, an IHE must ensure that the student manually enters the exact dollar amount of the loan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Net Price Calculator Improvement Act

Bill: 118-s-531
Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
Introduced: 2023-02-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Education

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: 

Net Price Calculator Improvement Act

 
This bill establishes requirements concerning the information that must be provided to prospective students about the cost of attendance at an institution of higher education (IHE). Specifically, the bill establishes the minimum requirements for the net price calculator that an IHE must include on its website. An IHE's net price is the average yearly price actually charged to first-time, full-time undergraduate students receiving student aid at the IHE after deducting such aid.
 
The bill also authorizes the Department of Education to develop a universal net price calculator that enables users to answer one set of questions and receive net prices for several IHEs and compare those prices.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Introduced in Senate
National Right-to-Work Act

Bill: 118-s-532
Sponsor: Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY]
Introduced: 2023-02-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Labor-management relations
Railroads
Transportation employees

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: 

National Right-to-Work Act 

 
This bill repeals those provisions of the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act that permit employers to make an agreement with a labor union to require employees to join such union as a condition of employment. 
 
Currently, at least 27 states have enacted laws prohibiting employers from compelling employees to become members of a union as a condition of employment.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 17.
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act

Bill: 118-s-533
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2023-02-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: 

Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act

 
This bill addresses employment standards for people with disabilities. 
 
The bill directs the Department of Labor to award grants to states and certain eligible entities to assist them in transforming their business and program models to support people with disabilities by 
 
 
providing competitive integrated employment, 
 
assisting such individuals in finding and retaining work in such employment,
 
providing integrated employment and integrated community participation and wraparound services for such individuals, and
 
ensuring that such services comply with federal regulations for individuals receiving home and community-based services. 
 
 
The bill also prohibits the issuance of new special certificates that allow payment of subminimum wages to people with disabilities and phases out existing certificates over a five-year period. 
 
The bill directs Labor's Office of Disability Employment to award grants to provide technical assistance and other strategic support to employers transitioning from special certificates to competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities. 
 
Labor must contract with a nonprofit entity to conduct an evaluation of the impact of these transitions. 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Buffalo Tract Protection Act

Bill: 118-s-534
Sponsor: Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
Introduced: 2023-02-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Land transfers
Mining
New Mexico

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: 

Buffalo Tract Protection Act

 
This bill withdraws specified Bureau of Land Management lands in Placitas, New Mexico, from (1) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (2) disposition under the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.
 
Any conveyance of the surface estate of such federal land shall require a reservation of the mineral estate to the United States.

action_date: 2023-07-19
text: 

Buffalo Tract Protection Act

 
This bill withdraws specified Bureau of Land Management lands in Placitas, New Mexico, from (1) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and (2) disposition under the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.
 
Any conveyance of the surface estate of such federal land requires a reservation of the mineral estate to the United States.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-07-19
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 137.
action_date: 2023-07-19
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Manchin without amendment. With written report No. 118-63.
action_date: 2023-07-19
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Manchin without amendment. With written report No. 118-63.
action_date: 2023-05-17
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Bureau of Land Management Mineral Spacing Act

Bill: 118-s-535
Sponsor: Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]
Introduced: 2023-02-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Indian lands and resources rights
Land use and conservation
Licensing and registrations
Mining
Oil and gas
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: 

Bureau of Land Management Mineral Spacing Act

 
This bill expedites the permitting process for oil and gas drilling on federal land.
 
Specifically, the bill bans the Department of the Interior from requiring a permit to drill for an oil and gas lease under the Mineral Leasing Act for an action occurring within an oil and gas drilling or spacing unit if (1) less than 50% of the minerals within the unit are minerals owned by the federal government, and (2) the federal government does not own or lease the surface estate within the area directly impacted by the action. However, this ban does not apply to certain tribal land.
 
In addition, the bill requires state drilling applicants to notify Interior if their permit or plan would impact or extract federally owned oil or gas. Holders of oil or gas leases must notify Interior when they submit a state permit application to drill.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-07-11
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 125.
action_date: 2023-07-11
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Manchin without amendment. With written report No. 118-53.
action_date: 2023-07-11
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Manchin without amendment. With written report No. 118-53.
action_date: 2023-05-17
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to authorize the confiscation of assets of the Russian Federation and the use of such assets to offset costs to the United States of assistance to Ukraine.

Bill: 118-s-536
Sponsor: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]
Introduced: 2023-02-27 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: 
This bill requires the President to seize Russian government funds that are subject to U.S. jurisdiction. The confiscated funds must be deposited in the Treasury to offset the costs of FY2023 emergency supplemental appropriations that were provided for assistance in Ukraine.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Introduced in Senate
FOCA Act

Bill: 118-s-537
Sponsor: Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN]
Introduced: 2023-02-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Building construction
Labor-management relations
Public contracts and procurement

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: 

Fair and Open Competition Act 

or the FOCA Act

 
This bill prohibits federal construction contracts or controlling documents for federally supported construction projects from requiring or prohibiting project labor agreements. Such documents also may not discriminate against or give preference to a bidder or contractor who signs or refuses to sign a project labor agreement.
 
An agency may exempt a project from this prohibition to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety or to serve the national security.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Introduced in Senate
FORCE Act

Bill: 118-s-538
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2023-02-27 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: 

Fighting Oppression until the Reign of Castro Ends Act or the FORCE Act

 
This bill imposes various prohibitions and requirements related to Cuba.
 
Specifically, the bill prohibits removing Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism until the President determines that a transition government in Cuba is in power.
 
Furthermore, persons (individuals or entities) subject to U.S. jurisdiction may not engage in certain direct financial transactions with an entity under the control of or acting on behalf of the Cuban military, intelligence, or security services or personnel. Specifically, such a transaction is prohibited if it would disproportionately benefit the Cuban military, intelligence, or security services or personnel at the expense of the Cuban people or private enterprise in Cuba. 
 
The Department of State must publish and annually update a list of the Cuban entities that are subject to these transaction restrictions. 
 
The prohibition on financial transactions shall terminate 90 days after the President certifies that Cuba's government has (1) taken the steps necessary to begin transparent, free, and fair elections; and (2) met the requirements to allow for the termination of U.S. economic embargo on Cuba. 
 
The bill also requires the State Department to notify Congress of any U.S. engagement with Cuba no later than 14 days after such engagement.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2023-02-27
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans Member Business Loan Act

Bill: 118-s-539
Sponsor: Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK]
Introduced: 2023-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: 

Veterans Member Business Loan Act

 
This bill excludes from credit union aggregate loan limitations member business loans made to veterans. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Protect the West Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-540
Sponsor: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Introduced: 2023-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: 

Protect the West Act of 2023

 
This bill establishes and provides funding for the Restoration and Resilience Grant Program and the Restoration and Resilience Partnership Program.
 
Specifically, the bill establishes in the Treasury an Outdoor and Watershed Restoration Fund to provide funding for such programs.
 
The bill establishes a Restoration Fund Advisory Council to provide recommendations to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) respecting the disbursement of amounts from the fund for the grant program, priority setting for landscapes, and evaluation and monitoring for restoration and resilience project success.
 
The grant program shall provide grants or pay-for-performance contracts to eligible entities (e.g., a state agency, a unit of local government, or a tribal government) for
 
 
increasing the capacity for planning, coordinating, and monitoring restoration and resilience projects on nonfederal land and providing support for collaboration and monitoring on federal land; and
 
supporting, on nonfederal land, restoration and resilience projects, efforts to improve wildfire resistive construction and reduce risks within the home ignition zone, and projects to expand equitable outdoor access.
 
 
Under the Restoration and Resilience Partnership Program, USDA shall carry out restoration and resilience projects that reduce wildfire potential, improve community resilience in the wildland-urban interface, or restore wildlife habitat.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
Independent and Objective Oversight of Ukrainian Assistance Act

Bill: 118-s-541
Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]
Introduced: 2023-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: 

Independent and Objective Oversight of Ukrainian Assistance Act

 
The bill establishes the Office of the Special Inspector General for Ukrainian Military, Economic, and Humanitarian Aid. 
 
The office's duties shall include (1) conducting and coordinating audits and investigations of the handing of funds made available for aid to Ukraine, and (2) monitoring and reviewing contracts and activities involving those funds. 
 
The Special Inspector General shall report directly to, and be under the general supervision of, the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense. 
 
Federal agencies may not prevent the office from carrying out any audit or investigation related to aid to Ukraine. However, the office is not authorized to audit or investigate the intelligence community.
 
The office shall terminate 180 days after the date on which there is less than $250 million in unexpended amounts that were made available for the reconstruction of Ukraine. 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
CCU Parity Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-542
Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Introduced: 2023-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: 
 
CCU Parity Act of 2023 

 This bill increases the tax credit for carbon capture and use to match incentives for carbon capture and sequestration for both direct air capture and the power and industrial sectors.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
CCM–CARE Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-543
Sponsor: Sen. Lujan, Ben Ray [D-NM]
Introduced: 2023-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
Drug therapy
Health care quality
Health facilities and institutions
Health information and medical records
Health promotion and preventive care
Medical research
Neurological disorders
Research administration and funding

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: 

Cerebral Cavernous Malformations Clinical Awareness, Research, and Education Act of 2023 or the CCM-CARE Act
 
of 2023

This bill requires the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other agencies to expand and coordinate their efforts to research cerebral cavernous malformation. (Cerebral cavernous malformation is a condition in which blood vessels in the brain and spinal cord become enlarged, which can lead to seizures, paralysis, hearing or vision loss, and bleeding in the brain.)

The NIH must (1) award grants for medical, clinical, and pharmacological research; (2) award grants to support a network of clinical research centers intended to develop a cure for the condition; and (3) convene a Cerebral Cavernous Malformations Research Consortium to develop programs for clinicians, scientists, and patients.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must award grants to research entities for collecting and reporting data about cerebral cavernous malformation.

The Food and Drug Administration must accelerate the clinical trial process for cerebral cavernous malformation by supporting (1) appropriate laboratory indicators of the condition, (2) the qualification of clinical outcome measures related to quality of life, (3) investigational drug applications, and (4) expedited peer-review pathways. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to amend the Federal Credit Union Act to provide a sunset for certain ways in which credit unions may be Agent members of the National Credit Union Administration Central Liquidity Facility.

Bill: 118-s-544
Sponsor: Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
Introduced: 2023-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector

Summary:
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: 
This bill temporarily grants the National Credit Union Administration Board discretion in determining the amount of capital stock in the National Credit Union Administration Central Liquidity Facility is required for a corporate credit union to become an agent member of the facility. The facility serves as a liquidity lender to member credit unions.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S533)
action_date: 2023-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate