hyperdemocracy/usc-billstatus huggingface dataset:
Lumbee Fairness Act

Bill: 119-s-107
Sponsor: Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Federal-Indian relations
Indian lands and resources rights
North Carolina

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: 

Lumbee Fairness Act

 
This bill extends federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and makes its members eligible for the services and benefits provided to members of federally recognized tribes. 
 
Members of the tribe residing in Robeson, Cumberland, Hoke, and Scotland Counties in North Carolina are deemed to be within the delivery area for such services.
 
The Department of the Interior and the Department of Health and Human Services must develop, in consultation with the tribe, a determination of needs to provide the services for which members of the tribe are eligible.
 
Interior may take land into trust for the benefit of the tribe.
 
Finally, North Carolina must exercise jurisdiction over all criminal offenses committed, and all civil actions that arise, on North Carolina lands owned by, or held in trust for, the Lumbee Tribe or any dependent Indian community of the tribe unless jurisdiction is transferred to the United States pursuant to an agreement between the tribe and the state.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Protecting Higher Education from the Chinese Communist Party Act of 2025

Bill: 119-s-108
Sponsor: Sen. Schmitt, Eric [R-MO]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: 

Protecting Higher Education from the Chinese Communist Party Act of 2025

This bill prohibits certain members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and their families from receiving an F (academic student) or J (exchange visitor) visa.

Specifically, this prohibition shall apply to any CCP member who has served in any position in the CCP since this bill's enactment. The prohibition shall also apply to a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandchild, niece, or nephew of such an individual.

These prohibitions do not apply if an individual must be admitted for compliance with the United Nations headquarters agreement or other international obligations. 

The President may waive these prohibitions by certifying to Congress that the waiver is in the U.S. national interest.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Offshore Energy Security Act of 2025

Bill: 119-s-109
Sponsor: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Energy

Summary:

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Veterans Member Business Loan Act

Bill: 119-s-110
Sponsor: Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-16
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: 2025-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Red Snapper Act of 2025

Bill: 119-s-111
Sponsor: Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Atlantic Coast (U.S.)
Atlantic Ocean
Department of Commerce
Fishes
Government studies and investigations
Gulf of Mexico
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: 

Red Snapper Act of 2025

This bill prohibits the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from restricting certain fishing activities in the South Atlantic until data from the South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count study is integrated into the next South Atlantic red snapper Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) stock assessment. 

The bill provides that NOAA may not issue an interim rule, final rule, or Secretarial Amendment establishing an area closure or a bottom fishing closure for specified species until (1) the study is complete; and (2) the study data is integrated into the first South Atlantic red snapper SEDAR stock assessment that is carried out after the bill's enactment. The limitation applies to fishing for species managed under the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region, including red snapper, grouper, and porgy.

(Closures generally restrict recreational and commercial fishing to prevent overfishing and for other conservation purposes.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Make the Migrant Protection Protocols Mandatory Act of 2025

Bill: 119-s-112
Sponsor: Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: 

Make the Migrant Protection Protocols Mandatory Act of 2025

This bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to remove certain non-U.S. nationals (
aliens
 under federal law) from the United States while such an individual's application for admission is pending.

Specifically, if such an individual arrived by land from a foreign country bordering the United States and the individual is not clearly and beyond a doubt entitled to admission into the United States, DOJ must return that individual to that bordering foreign country while the individual's application for admission is pending. (Currently, DOJ may choose to detain such an individual or return the individual to the bordering foreign country while the application for admission is pending.)


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Promoting New Bank Formation Act of 2025

Bill: 119-s-113
Sponsor: Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: 

Promoting New Bank Formation Act of 2025

This bill eliminates and reduces certain requirements applicable to new financial institutions, certain rural community banks, and federal savings associations.

Under the bill, federal banking agencies must issue rules allowing new financial institutions to meet capital requirements within three years. During this period, a financial institution may request to deviate from an approved business plan and the appropriate agency has 30 days to approve or deny the request.

In addition, the community bank leverage ratio—a way of evaluating debt levels—is reduced for new rural community banks. Specifically, new rural community banks must have a ratio of 8%, with a three-year phase-in of the rate. After this period, the ratio rises to its current level of 9%. 

Finally, the bill removes certain restrictions to allow federal savings associations to invest in, sell, or otherwise deal in agricultural loans.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
CLEAR Act of 2025

Bill: 119-s-114
Sponsor: Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: 

Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal Act of 2025 or the CLEAR Act of 2025

This bill establishes requirements and programs related to the detention of individuals unlawfully present in the United States and facing removal, including the role of state and local governments in this process.

The bill provides that state and local governments have the authority to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration laws, including by apprehending individuals and transferring them to federal custody. Jurisdictions that prohibit such cooperation are barred from receiving certain federal funding.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must within 48 hours of a request by a state or local authority take custody of an individual unlawfully present in the United States. The bill also establishes requirements for state or local detention and provides for reimbursement for reasonable expenses. The Government Accountability Office must also audit such reimbursements.

DHS must also construct 20 additional detention facilities in the United States for individuals facing removal.

The bill also (1) extends certain federal immunity from liability to state and local law enforcement officers, (2) provides immunity to state or local law enforcement agencies from certain money damages, and (3) requires states to participate in programs to expedite the removal of individuals subject to removal who are serving criminal sentences.

The bill also establishes a grant program, provides for the development of state and local law enforcement training materials, and requires state and local governments to provide information about certain detained individuals.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
GATE CRASHERS Act

Bill: 119-s-115
Sponsor: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Crimes against property
Criminal procedure and sentencing
Military facilities and property

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: 

Guarding and Administering Trespass Enforcement, Controlling Restricted Areas, and Stopping High-risk Encroachment Recidivism and Sabotage Act or the GATE CRASHERS Act

This bill establishes a new federal criminal offense for going onto Department of Defense property that is closed or restricted without authorization.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
A bill to rename the medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Dallas, Texas, as the "Eddie Bernice Johnson VA Medical Center".

Bill: 119-s-116
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional tributes
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Health facilities and institutions
Texas
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: 
This bill designates the medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Dallas, Texas, as the Eddie Bernice Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center or the Eddie Bernice Johnson VA Medical Center.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
AMERICANS Act

Bill: 119-s-117
Sponsor: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Immunology and vaccination
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Military personnel and dependents

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: 

Allowing Military Exemptions, Recognizing Individual Concerns About New Shots Act of 2025 or the AMERICANS Act

This bill prohibits the Department of Defense (DOD) from issuing any COVID-19 vaccine mandate as a replacement for the rescinded vaccine mandate of August 24, 2021, unless the mandate is expressly authorized by Congress. The bill also provides that DOD must establish an application process for remedies for members of the Armed Forces who were discharged or subject to adverse action under the rescinded mandate.

Any administrative discharge of a member on the sole basis of a failure to receive a COVID-19 vaccine must be categorized as an honorable discharge, and DOD is prohibited from taking any adverse action against such a member for that reason.

DOD must try to retain unvaccinated members and provide such members with professional development, promotion and leadership opportunities, and consideration equal to that of their peers.

Additionally, DOD may only consider the COVID-19 vaccination status of members in making certain decisions (e.g., deployments in countries where it is the law) and must establish a process to provide exemptions to certain members for such decisions.

Members who were separated from the Armed Forces for refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine are not required to repay any bonuses and must be reimbursed if they repaid any portion of a bonus prior to this bill's enactment.

This bill applies to all members of the Armed Forces, regardless of whether they sought an accommodation to any DOD COVID-19 vaccination policy.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Inaugural Committee Transparency Act of 2025

Bill: 119-s-118
Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Charitable contributions
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: 

Inaugural Committee Transparency Act of 2025

This bill requires the presidential inaugural committee to disclose to the Federal Election Commission, by 90 days after the presidential inaugural ceremony, any disbursement made in an amount equal to or greater than $200 and the purpose of each disbursement. The committee must also disclose the name and address of the person to whom the disbursement was made, the date of the disbursement, and the total amount and purpose of the disbursement.

The bill prohibits (1) an inaugural committee from soliciting or receiving a donation from a foreign national, in addition to the current ban on a committee accepting such a donation; (2) a person from making a donation to an inaugural committee in the name of another; (3) a foreign national from making a donation or making a promise to make a donation to such a committee; or (4) converting a donation to an inaugural committee to personal use.

The committee must disburse any remaining donated funds not later than 90 days after the inaugural ceremony to tax-exempt charitable organizations, but may request an extension of such 90-day period.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
No Retaining Every Gun In a System That Restricts Your Rights Act

Bill: 119-s-119
Sponsor: Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Firearms and explosives
Government information and archives

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: 

No Retaining Every Gun In a System That Restricts Your Rights Act

This bill modifies the retention requirements for firearm transaction records of federal firearms licensees (FFLs) that go out of business.

Current law generally requires FFLs that go out of business to deliver their firearm transaction records to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

This bill removes the requirement for FFLs that go out of business to deliver their firearm transaction records to the ATF. Further, the bill requires the ATF to destroy all out-of-business records it has collected from FFLs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Disaster Housing Reform for American Families Act

Bill: 119-s-120
Sponsor: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: 

Disaster Housing Reform for American Families Act

This bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish a five-year pilot program under the Individuals and Households Program (IHP) through which FEMA contracts to provide factory-built housing to serve disaster survivors until the disaster declaration terminates and then be utilized for affordable housing. It also authorizes FEMA to provide IHP grants for closing costs associated with obtaining certain mortgages. 

Specifically, FEMA must enter into a contract with a producer or seller of manufactured or modular homes to construct such housing as a type of temporary housing assistance under IHP. The bill requires the housing to meet specified criteria, including that it must be available within 90 days (unless extended to 120 days) after the disaster declaration, have no more than four units, and provide a minimum level of protection from natural hazards. The housing must conform to various specified standards, but the bill authorizes the Department of Housing and Urban Development to waive any such requirement for construction under the pilot program.

Also, the bill requires FEMA to establish guidelines for transferring the housing to an affordable housing program after the termination of the relevant disaster declaration. However, the bill also authorizes it to become permanent housing after the declaration terminates.

In addition, the bill authorizes FEMA to provide IHP grants to disaster-impacted individuals or households purchasing residential property for closing costs associated with obtaining a mortgage from a federal program providing affordable financing options.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Recover Fraudulent COVID Funds Act

Bill: 119-s-121
Sponsor: Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Civil actions and liability
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Infectious and parasitic diseases

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: 

Recover Fraudulent COVID Funds Act

This bill extends the statute of limitations (i.e., time limit for bringing a legal action) to 10 years for criminal and civil violations involving specified COVID-19 pandemic relief programs, such as violations involving fraudulent activity. Under current law, the statute of limitations is generally five years for violations concerning these pandemic-era programs. The Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program currently have 10-year statutes of limitations relating to program fraud.



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Qualified Immunity Act of 2025

Bill: 119-s-122
Sponsor: Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Constitution and constitutional amendments
Due process and equal protection
Government liability
Law enforcement officers

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: 

Qualified Immunity Act of 2025

This bill provides statutory authority for qualified immunity for law enforcement officers in civil cases involving constitutional violations.

Current law provides a statutory civil cause of action against state and local government actors (e.g., law enforcement officers) for violations of constitutional rights, also known as Section 1983 lawsuits. The Supreme Court has also found an implied cause of action against federal law enforcement officers in certain situations (e.g., Fourth Amendment violations), also known as 
Bivens
 lawsuits. However, under the judicial doctrine of qualified immunity, government officials performing discretionary duties are generally shielded from civil liability, unless their actions violate clearly established rights of which a reasonable person would have known.

The bill provides statutory authority for these principles with respect to law enforcement officers. Specifically, under the bill, law enforcement officers are entitled to qualified immunity if (1) at the time of the alleged violation, the constitutional right at issue was not clearly established or the state of the law was not sufficiently clear that any reasonable officer would have known that the conduct was unconstitutional; or (2) a court has held that the specific conduct at issue is constitutional.

The bill applies to federal, state, and local law enforcement officers. It also specifies that law enforcement agencies and local governments may not be held liable if their officers are entitled to qualified immunity.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate
Handgun Permit to Purchase Act

Bill: 119-s-123
Sponsor: Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
Introduced: 2025-01-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Criminal justice information and records
Firearms and explosives
Law enforcement administration and funding
Licensing and registrations

Summary:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: 

Handgun Permit to Purchase Act

 
This bill authorizes a grant program for states, local governments, and Indian tribes to implement and evaluate handgun purchaser licensing requirements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2025-01-16
text: Introduced in Senate