hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Financial Compensation for CFPB Whistleblowers Act

Bill: 118-s-1124
Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Introduced: 2023-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: 

Financial Compensation for CFPB Whistleblowers Act 

 
This bill requires the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to provide awards to whistleblowers who report information resulting in monetary sanctions. 
 
Whistleblowers claiming an award are permitted to have legal representation. Anonymous whistleblowers claiming an award are required to have legal representation and must disclose their identity to the bureau. The bureau may not disclose an anonymous whistleblower's identity except in limited circumstances, including to other government agencies in the course of an investigation.
 
The protections in this bill may not be waived by any employment agreement, including by a predispute arbitration agreement.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate
EHR Program RESET Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-1125
Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Introduced: 2023-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government studies and investigations
Health facilities and institutions
Health information and medical records
Performance measurement
Public contracts and procurement
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: 

Electronic Health Record Program Restructure, Enhance, Strengthen, and Empower Technology Act of 2023 or the EHR Program RESET Act of 2023

 
This bill establishes within the Veterans Health Administration a program to modernize the electronic health record and other relevant health information technology systems of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The bill also establishes the Electronic Health Record and Health Information Technology Modernization Program Management Office and a position of Deputy Chief Information Officer for Electronic Health Record and Health Information Technology to implement the program.
 
The VA must exceed or meet certain standards at its facilities that are using the Oracle Cerner product before it may initiate new deployments of the product.
 
The bill requires additional information to be included in the quarterly updates on the Electronic Health Record Modernization Program, such as data on retention, morale, and turnover at sites using the new electronic health record.
 
Within 275 days after the enactment of this bill, the VA must terminate all of its contracts with Oracle Cerner for training and change management related to electronic health record modernization and cease to issue task orders for such activities from Oracle Cerner or its subcontractors.
 
The VA must designate one senior official (GS-15 or higher) as the lead negotiator on all current and future contracts relating to the new electronic health record.
 
The Chief Acquisition Officer of the VA must contract with an entity to independently verify and validate the modernization efforts of certain VA programs (e.g., the Electronic Health Record Modernization Program).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-07-12
text: Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 118-217.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Guardianship Grant Flexibility Act

Bill: 118-s-1126
Sponsor: Sen. Braun, Mike [R-IN]
Introduced: 2023-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: 

Guardianship Grant Flexibility Act

 
This bill allows recipients of demonstration grants for preventing and detecting elder abuse to use the grants for state court programs that use clinics supervised by a licensed attorney to recruit and train law students to represent individuals in guardianship cases and serve as guardians ad litem. (Guardians ad litem are court-appointed representatives for individuals who are unable to represent their own interests, typically because they are minors or declared legally incompetent.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate
CALM Modernization Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-1127
Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Introduced: 2023-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: 

Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Modernization Act of 2023 or the CALM Modernization Act of 2023

 
This bill applies certain requirements for moderating the volume of commercials to video streaming services that are supported by advertisements (e.g., Hulu). It also modifies enforcement of those requirements.
 
Current law requires commercials transmitted via broadcast, cable, and satellite television to have the same average volume as the underlying programming. Under this bill, the Federal Communications Commission must apply through rulemaking similar requirements to ad-supported video streaming services.
 
The bill also modifies enforcement of requirements for moderating the volume of commercials. The commission currently uses a complaint-driven enforcement process. Under this bill, the commission must treat violations of the requirements as violations of the Communications Act of 1934. Additionally, the bill makes rebuttable a presumption that deems a broadcast television station, cable operator, or other multichannel video programming distributor in compliance with the requirements if it appropriately installs and uses certain equipment and software to moderate the volume of commercials.
 
The Government Accountability Office must report on the effectiveness of the requirements, and the commission's enforcement of them, in moderating the volume of commercials.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Ensuring Access to Generic Medications Act

Bill: 118-s-1128
Sponsor: Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
Introduced: 2023-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: 

Ensuring Access to Generic Medications Act

 
This bill authorizes an applicant seeking Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for a generic drug (or biosimilar product) to sue to correct or delete patent information provided by the maker of the reference drug (or reference biological product). 
 
Typically, a generic drug is a lower-cost version of a reference drug that gets introduced after the patents covering a reference drug have expired. When the maker of the reference drug first applies for FDA approval to sell the drug, the maker must provide various information to the FDA about the patents that it believes cover the drug, including in the form of 
use codes
 that describe any methods of using the drug that the reference drug maker believes are covered by a patent. 
 
Use code information is publicly available and is intended to help inform generic drug makers about the patents that may be covering the reference drug. The FDA has stated that overbroad or ambiguous use codes may delay approval of generic drugs.
 
Under this bill, an applicant seeking FDA approval for a generic drug may sue for an order requiring the applicable reference drug maker to correct or delete use code information that is overly broad or inaccurate, such as a use code that does not correspond to a patent claiming an FDA-approved method of using the reference drug. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate
No Relief for Allies of Dictators Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-1129
Sponsor: Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]
Introduced: 2023-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: 

No Relief for Allies of Dictators Act of 2023

 
This bill requires the Department of State to deny or revoke visas for certain individuals associated with the Hugo Chavez or Nicolas Maduro regimes of Venezuela, the Fidel or Raul Castro regime of Cuba, the Daniel Ortega regime or Sandinista party of Nicaragua, or the Evo Morales regime of Bolivia. 
 
Specifically, the State Department must deny or revoke the visas of certain foreign persons associated with these regimes (for example, current and former officials) if they (1) have participated in human rights violations or activities to undermine democracy in one of these four countries, or (2) are described in certain laws or executive orders related to activities such as narcotics trafficking and corrupt practices. The spouse and children of such an individual are also subject to visa denial and revocation under this bill.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Health Care PRICE Transparency Act

Bill: 118-s-1130
Sponsor: Sen. Braun, Mike [R-IN]
Introduced: 2023-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Consumer affairs
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Hospital care
Prescription drugs

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: 

Health Care Prices Revealed and Information to Consumers Explained Transparency Act or the Health Care PRICE Transparency Act

 
 This bill provides statutory authority for requirements for hospitals and health insurance plans to disclose certain information about the costs for items and services.
 
 Specifically, hospitals must publish in their list of standard charges certain rates negotiated with insurers, discounts for cash payments, and billing codes. Further, hospitals generally must publish the standard charges for the services provided by the hospital that may be scheduled in advance.
 
 Additionally, insurance plans must publish the in-network and out-of-network charges for covered items and services and the negotiated prices for covered prescription drugs. Plans must provide a tool for consumers to search for this cost information. Consumers also may request additional information about the costs of specific items or services under their plans.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Drug Price Transparency Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-1131
Sponsor: Sen. Braun, Mike [R-IN]
Introduced: 2023-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Health

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: 

Drug Price Transparency Act of 202

3

 
This bill provides statutory authority for the limitation on which type of prescription drug rebates are exempt from federal anti-kickback laws.
 
 Specifically, a rebate from a drug manufacturer to a health insurer or pharmacy benefit manager is exempt only if the rebate (1) is disclosed to the consumer at the point of sale, or (2) is a flat fee paid for pharmacy benefit management services.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate
ADAPT 2.0 Act

Bill: 118-s-1132
Sponsor: Sen. Braun, Mike [R-IN]
Introduced: 2023-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Health

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: 

Accelerated Drug Approval for Prescription Therapies 2.0 Act or the ADAPT 2.0 Act

 
This bill allows applicants seeking Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to market a new drug to rely on investigations conducted in certain other countries and addresses related issues.
 
If an applicant seeks market approval for a new drug with an application that relies on at least one investigation that the applicant did not conduct and did not obtain approval to use, the applicant may rely on an investigation that was conducted in certain foreign countries if the drug in question has already been approved in that country. The investigation must have been conducted in Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the European Union, a country in the European Economic Area, or another country that the FDA has found to meet certain requirements. 
 
The FDA must make a decision on such an application within 90 days of the application's filing. If the FDA does not take certain actions within that period, the application shall be considered approved. The FDA may require the applicant to conduct postapproval studies of the drug and to submit copies of all promotional materials. 
 
The bill also establishes an advisory committee to provide the FDA with recommendations as to each application that relies on a foreign investigation. The FDA must make available on its public website each decision on such an application, including the rationale for the decision and the advisory committee's recommendations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate
340B Accountability Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-1133
Sponsor: Sen. Braun, Mike [R-IN]
Introduced: 2023-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Health

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: 

340B Accountability Act of 202

3

 
This bill requires participants in the 340B drug pricing program to allow the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) to audit their records to determine how they use the net income from the discounted drug prices under the program. Participants also must retain records and reports as necessary for HRSA to perform the audits.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Creating Efficiency in Foreign Facility Inspections Act

Bill: 118-s-1134
Sponsor: Sen. Braun, Mike [R-IN]
Introduced: 2023-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Health

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: 

Creating Efficiency in Foreign Facility Inspections Act

 
This bill prohibits, with some exceptions, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from providing notification in advance of a planned inspection of an establishment located outside of the United States that is engaged in drug manufacturing, processing, packing, or holding.
 
Specifically, the FDA may not provide such an establishment advance notification of a planned inspection unless (1) advance notification is required by the laws of the country where the establishment is located; (2) providing advance notification is needed to protect the public health; or (3) the inspection in question is a preapproval, prelicensure, or for-cause inspection. If the FDA must provide advance notification, it must minimize the time between the notification and the inspection. 
 
If an establishment is located in a country that, on or after the date this bill is enacted, enacts a law requiring advance notification of inspections, the drug manufacturer must agree to waive the right to enforce the requirement, to the extent expressly permitted by the law.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Ally’s Act

Bill: 118-s-1135
Sponsor: Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV]
Introduced: 2023-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Health

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: 

Ally's Act
 

 This bill requires private health insurance plans to cover certain hearing devices and systems (e.g., bone-anchored auditory implants) and related items and services. The financial requirements and treatment limitations applicable to such coverage may be no more restrictive than the requirements and limitations for other medical and surgical benefits covered under the plan. Further, a plan may not deny or limit coverage based on the plan's review of the medical necessity of such items or services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Not One More Inch or Acre Act

Bill: 118-s-1136
Sponsor: Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
Introduced: 2023-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Asia
China
Civil actions and liability
Farmland
Government information and archives
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
U.S. and foreign investments

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: 

Not One More Inch or Acre Act

 
This bill requires the President to take actions as necessary to prohibit certain individuals and entities associated with China from purchasing real estate located in the United States and to mandate the sale of such property in certain circumstances.
 
The individuals and entities prohibited from purchasing U.S. real estate include (1) Chinese citizens, (2) entities acting on behalf of the Chinese government or the Chinese Communist Party, and (3) foreign individuals or entities acting on behalf of a Chinese citizen. Entities subject to this prohibition are generally those 
 
Additionally, if the President determines that the ownership of U.S. real estate by these individuals and entities poses a national security risk, the President must take actions as necessary to require the sale of the property.
 
The bill also modifies an existing civil penalty for failing to satisfy a reporting requirement relating to a foreign individual or entity that acquires or transfers an interest in U.S. agricultural land. Under this bill, the civil penalty for failing to report the required information to the Department of Agriculture must be at least 10% of the fair market value of the relevant interest in agricultural land.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2024-01-18
text: Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Hearings held.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate
DHS Suicide Prevention and Resiliency for Law Enforcement Act

Bill: 118-s-1137
Sponsor: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]
Introduced: 2023-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Advisory bodies
Congressional oversight
Department of Homeland Security
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Health information and medical records
Health promotion and preventive care
Law enforcement officers
Mental health
Performance measurement

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: 

DHS Suicide Prevention and Resiliency for Law Enforcement Act

 
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Program and establishes additional requirements for related existing programs.
 
Among other activities, the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Program shall
 
 
conduct data collection and research on mental health, suicides, and attempted suicides of DHS law enforcement officers and agents;
 
evaluate current mental health and resiliency programs within DHS components;
 
promote education and training related to mental health, resilience, suicide prevention, stigma, and mental health resources;
 
establish a Peer-to-Peer Support Program Advisory Council; and
 
assist DHS components in developing a program to provide suicide prevention and resiliency support and training for families of DHS law enforcement officers and agents and for surviving families of officers and agents who have been lost to suicide.
 
 
The bill requires DHS components to prioritize and improve their mental health and wellness programs.
 
The DHS Workplace Health and Wellness Program must assess the effectiveness of DHS law enforcement health and wellness programs. Each DHS component must report to the program incidents of suicide involving law enforcement officers or agents. The bill sets forth confidentiality limitations on the publication and collection of personally identifiable information.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-10-03
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 218.
action_date: 2023-10-03
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 118-102.
action_date: 2023-10-03
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 118-102.
action_date: 2023-05-17
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Fossil Free Finance Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-1138
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2023-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: 

Fossil Free Finance Act of 2023 

 
This bill requires large bank holding companies to set forth plans to reduce and ultimately eliminate the financing of activities that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation. Specifically, the bill prohibits the financing of (1) new or expanded fossil fuel projects 60 days after enactment, (2) thermal coal by 2025, and (3) all fossil fuel projects by 2030. 
 
Further, the Financial Stability Oversight Council must consider the activities of certain bank holding companies and nonbank financial companies that contribute to emissions as part of the prudential supervision process. 
 
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System must report on financed emissions in the financial system, the estimated emissions to meet science-based emissions targets, and recommendations for addressing regulatory gaps in reducing such emissions that cannot be addressed by the board.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate
Lower Drug Costs for Families Act

Bill: 118-s-1139
Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Introduced: 2023-03-30 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Government information and archives
Health care costs and insurance
Medicare
Prescription drugs

Summary:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: 

Lower Drug Costs for Families Act

 
This bill applies certain Medicare prescription drug rebate requirements to prescription drugs that are available under private health insurance.
 
Current law requires drug manufacturers to issue rebates to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for brand-name drugs without generic equivalents under Medicare that (1) cost $100 or more per year per individual, and (2) for which prices increase faster than inflation. Manufacturers that fail to comply are subject to civil penalties.
 
The bill applies these requirements to prescription drugs that are available in the commercial market under private health insurance. It also indexes rebate calculations to drug prices in 2016 (as opposed to 2021).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Introduced in Senate