jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Bill 110-S-3223 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Commerce

Small Business Energy Emergency Relief Act of 2008 - Amends the Small Business Act to authorize the Small Business Administration to make disaster loans to assist small businesses that have suffered or are likely to suffer substantial economic injury as the result of a significant increase in the price of heating fuel occurring on or after October 1, 2007. Prohibits such loan from being made if the total amount outstanding and committed to the borrower would exceed $1.5 million, unless the borrower is a major source of employment in its surrounding area. Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to make loans to farm operations that qualify as a small business and that have or are likely to suffer substantial economic injury on or after October 1, 2007, as the result of a significant increase in energy costs in connection with an energy emergency declared by the President or the Secretary.
Bill 110-S-3322 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Taxation

Midwestern Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide tax benefits to individuals affected by presidentially-declared natural disasters (i.e., severe storms, tornadoes, or flooding) in the states of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wisconsin on or after May 20, 2008, and before August 1, 2008 (Midwestern disaster area).Makes specified provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, which currently apply only to residents of the Gulf Opportunity Zone and the Hurricane Katrina disaster area, applicable to the Midwestern disaster area, including: (1) tax-exempt bond financing, the low-income housing tax credit, accelerated depreciation and increased expensing of business assets, an increase in the rehabilitation tax credit, extended carryback of net operating losses, and investment in tax credit bonds; (2) increased tax deductions for tuition and related educational expenses; (3) expensing of environmental remediation costs and demolition and cleanup costs; (4) tax incentives for employer-provided housing; (5) tax-free withdrawals from retirement accounts and recontributions for home purchases; (6) employer tax credits for retention of employees; (7) suspension of limitations on tax deductions for charitable contributions and personal casualty losses; (8) mortgage revenue bonds for owner-occupied residences; (9) tax exemptions for cancellation of indebtedness; and (10) nonrecognition of gain for homes and businesses destroyed in a disaster. Allows taxpayers in the Midwestern disaster area who claimed a tax deduction for a casualty loss to a principal residence and later received a grant under any federal or state program for reimbursement of such loss to file an amended tax return, without incurring tax penalties.Extends through 2009 the additional tax exemption for housing displaced individuals in the Midwestern disaster area. Excludes from gross income, through December 31, 2008, reimbursements to volunteers in the Midwestern disaster area for the use of a personal vehicle for charitable work. Increases the standard mileage rate for the charitable use of personal vehicles.Extends through 2009 the enhanced tax deduction for charitable contributions of food inventories and of book inventories to public schools. Requires tax-exempt charitable organizations to provide the Secretary of the Treasury with specified information, on an annual basis, relating to their disaster relief activities.
Bill 110-S-3352 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Education

Amends the Higher Education Extension Act of 2005 to extend the programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965 through August 15, 2008.
Bill 110-S-3353 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Education

Rural Fuel for School Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Education to award triennial grants to rural local educational agencies (LEAs) in amounts equal to between 10% to 50% of each grantee's annual total transportation costs for the previous fiscal year. Makes rural LEAs eligible for such grants if they experience: (1) an increase in annual fuel costs of at least 20% for the fiscal year; (2) an increase in contract transportation costs of at least 20% for the fiscal year; or (3) extreme hardship, as certified by the Secretary, in providing transportation to elementary and secondary students due to increased fuel prices. Terminates the Secretary's authority to make such grants on December 31, 2013.
Bill 110-S-3364 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Education

Increased Student Achievement Through Increased Student Support Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive, renewable, five-year grants to partnerships between low-income local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools offering graduate programs in school counseling, social work, or psychology to increase the number of program graduates employed by low-income LEAs. Defines "low-income LEAs" as those that: (1) serve students at least 20% of which are from low-income families; (2) have ratios of school counselors, social workers, and psychologists to students that fall at least 10% below specified target ratios; and (3) have been identified as needing improvement or corrective action or include at least one school identified as needing improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Allows the use of grant funds to: (1) provide program graduate students with field training at partnership LEA schools; (2) contribute to program graduates' salaries at such schools for up to three years after they graduate; (3) increase the number of school counselors, social workers, and psychologists per student in such schools; (4) enhance the capacity of partnership graduate schools to train such professionals; (5) develop course work designed to facilitate such graduates' service to low-income LEAs and at-risk students; and (6) provide tuition credits to such graduate students and student loan forgiveness to program graduates employed as school counselors, social workers, or psychologists by low-income LEAs for at least five years. Directs the Secretary to establish a program providing student loan forgiveness to non-participants in this Act's grant program who have been employed for at least five years as school counselors, social workers, or psychologists by low-income LEAs. Requires the Secretary to identify a formula for future use in designating regions as eligible for benefit programs because of having a shortage of such school personnel.
Bill 110-S-3369 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Immigration

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to allow a surviving spouse of a U.S. citizen who was married for less than two years at the time of the citizen's death who proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the marriage was entered into in good faith and not for the purpose of obtaining an immigration benefit to self-petition (within the required two years) for continued immediate relative status. (Applies such provision to applications and petitions pending on or after the date of enactment of this Act.) Extends the petition filing deadline for two years after the date of the enactment of this Act if: (1) the alien's U.S. citizen spouse died before the date of the enactment of this Act; (2) the alien and the citizen spouse were married for less than two years at the time of the citizen spouse's death; and (3) the alien has not remarried.
Bill 110-S-3386 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Armed forces and national security

Limitations on Interrogation Techniques Act of 2008 - Prohibits any individual in the custody or control of personnel of an element of the intelligence community or contractor or subcontractor thereof, regardless of nationality or physical location, from being subject to the following interrogation techniques: (1) forcing the individual to be naked, perform sexual acts, or pose in a sexual manner; (2) placing hoods or sacks over the head of the individual or using duct tape over the eyes; (3) applying beatings, electrical shock, burns, or similar forms of physical pain; (4) using the technique known as waterboarding; (5) using military working dogs; (6) inducing hypothermia or heat injury; (7) conducting mock executions; or (8) depriving the individual of adequate food, water, or medical care.
Bill 110-S-3391 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Congress

United States Capitol Police Administrative Technical Corrections Act of 2008 - Makes technical amendments to the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2001 with respect to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the Capitol Police. Requires the CAO to report to and serve at the pleasure of the Chief of the Capitol Police. Repeals the CAO's authority over the personnel of the Capitol Police Office of Administration.Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2003 to authorize the Chief of Police to discipline and suspend Capitol Police employees with or without pay.Establishes a General Counsel to the Chief of Police and the U.S. Capitol Police.Prohibits lump sum payments to terminated U.S. Capitol Police officers or employees for unused compensatory time.
Bill 110-S-3427 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Taxation

Costal [sic] Homeowners Assistance Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow tax credits for: (1) 25% of the qualified hurricane mitigation property expenditures incurred by a homeowner in a federally declared hurricane disaster area or in a county located in a state which borders the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico, up to $5,000; and (2) 50% of the increases in homeowner insurance premiums in such disaster areas, up to $5,000. Includes within the definition of "qualified hurricane mitigation property expenditures" expenditures to improve the strength of a roof deck attachment, create a secondary water barrier, improve the durability of a roof covering, or protect exterior doors and garages.
Bill 110-S-3436 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management

Flood Insurance Refund Adjustment Act - Instructs the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to modify certain regulations governing premium refunds so that a standard flood insurance policyholder, whose property has been determined not to be in a special flood hazard area as a result of a specified flood map revision, has one year to submit a policy adjustment claim for a policy cancellation and refund. Declares such adjustment claims inapplicable to flood claims that have been paid or are pending.
Bill 110-S-3488 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Taxation

Incentive to Serve Tax Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers a business tax credit for 25% of wages paid to employees while such employees are performing certain services (e.g., services advancing the improvement of education, health care access, energy conservation, economic opportunities for economically disadvantaged individuals, and disaster preparedness and response) for charitable organizations and community agencies. Limits the amount of wages eligible for such credit to $100,000 per employee.
Bill 110-S-3647 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management

Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of the Army for levee and flood protection repairs, restoration, and improvements, critical coastal restoration projects, the dredging of affected waterways, and the beneficial use of dredged material in Louisiana. Requires the Secretary to provide such funds to the state of Louisiana on the later of: (1) a date that is 90 days after the governor of Louisiana submits a plan describing how the funds will be used; or (2) October 1, 2008.
Bill 110-S-3703 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management

Local Disaster Contracting Fairness Act of 2008 - Prohibits the head of an executive agency from entering into an agreement for debris removal or demolition services in connection with natural disaster reconstruction efforts unless the agreement specifies that: (1) all of the work under the contract will be performed by the prime contractor or one or more subcontractors at one tier under the contract; (2) any work performed under the contract by subcontractors will be performed by local subcontractors, except to the extent that local subcontractors are not available to perform any such work; (3) the prime contractor will act as the project manager or construction manager for the contract; and (4) the prime contractor has primary responsibility for managing all work under the contract and is to be paid a certain percentage of the overall value of the contract as sole compensation for assuming the risk associated with such responsibility. Requires the agency head, in entering into an agreement for debris removal or demolition services in connection with natural disaster reconstruction efforts, to give preference in the source selection process to each offeror who certifies that any work that is to be performed under the contract by subcontractors will be performed by local subcontractors.
Bill 110-S-1890 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management

Flood Insurance Choice Act of 2007 - Amends the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 to permit an individual homeowner not to purchase property flood insurance, even for property in a special flood hazard area, if he or she submits certain written certifications to the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the state, community, or local official responsible for zoning and building codes. Declares that such homeowner shall not be required to comply with certain base flood elevation requirements. Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, with respect to land use controls, financial assistance and mitigation assistance, to shield from penalties for non-compliance those areas that have complied with its requirements but where individuals have opted out pursuant to this Act. Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to deny assistance for individuals who have opted-out of the flood insurance program.
Bill 111-HR-62 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management

Hurricane Katrina Disaster Inquiry Commission Act of 2009 - Directs the President to establish an independent nonpartisan Commission within the executive branch to discover and assess the circumstances relating to the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina on or between Friday, August 26, 2005, and Tuesday, August 30, 2005. Directs the Commission to: (1) chronicle the trajectory of Hurricane Katrina, including the timetable and locations of its path, and the responses made by the federal, state, and local governments; (2) estimate the loss of life, physical and structural damage, and displacement of residents; (3) recommend corrective actions; and (4) prepare a report to Congress, the President, and the public.
Bill 111-HR-83 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Finance and financial sector

Homeowners Insurance Protection Act of 2009 - Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to establish the National Commission on Catastrophe Preparation and Protection to advise the Secretary regarding estimated loss costs associated with contracts for reinsurance coverage.Authorizes the Secretary to make homeowners protection coverage available through contracts for reinsurance coverage. Restricts purchase of such coverage to eligible state programs. Prescribes criteria for state eligibility.Requires each contract for reinsurance coverage to provide insurance coverage against residential property losses to homes, including condominium and cooperative ownership, and the contents of apartment buildings. Cites covered perils.Prescribes a minimum level of retained losses and maximum federal liability.Authorizes any insurer who participates in an eligible state program to establish a Catastrophe Capital Reserve Fund to hold funds on the Secretary's behalf to offset reinsurance claims.Establishes the Consumer Hurricane, Earthquake, Loss Protection (HELP) Fund to: (1) make payments to covered purchasers under contracts for reinsurance coverage for eligible losses; and (2) pay for Commission operating costs and reinsurance program administrative expenses.Directs the Comptroller General to study the national flood insurance program and hurricane-related flooding.
Bill 111-HR-121 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management

Smarter Funding for All of America's Homeland Security Act of 2007 [sic] - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a State and Regional First Responder Grant Program under which the Secretary may make grants to states and eligible regional entities on the basis of the threat to a state or region's population and critical infrastructure, as determined by the Under Secretary for Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, to evaluate and prioritize grant applications, considering factors such as threats to the population, specific economic sectors, major communications nodes and transportation systems, specific elements of the food supply, the water and energy supplies, civic infrastructure and emergency response capabilities, and specific structures of symbolic national importance. Bars the use of grant funds to supplant state or local funds that would otherwise be available for homeland security or first responder projects. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish the Advisory Council on First Responders, which shall report to the Secretary through the head of the Office of State and Local Government Coordination; and (2) revise the Homeland Security Advisory System to require that any designation of a threat level or other warning be accompanied by a designation of the geographic regions and economic sectors to which it applies. Directs the Under Secretary for Science and Technology to conduct a study of whether there is a need to assign additional bands of frequencies of electromagnetic spectrum to assist first responders.
Bill 111-HR-431 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management

Emergency Fueling Station Designation Act of 2009 - Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish a program to address the shortage of fuel along hurricane evacuation routes by providing funds to eligible states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia) to assist in the purchase and installation of transfer switches and generators at designated emergency fueling stations. Requires states applying for funds to provide: (1) identification of hurricane zones and evacuation routes; (2) the estimated number of designated and adjacent emergency fueling stations determined to be necessary by such state using population figures along hurricane evacuation routes as a guide in selecting stations; and (3) specified assurances, including that a fueling station will not be selected as a designated emergency fueling station unless it has not less than 10 fueling positions and is located within one mile of a hurricane evacuation route.Directs the Administrator to make available to an eligible state that applies for funds 50% of the cost for the purchase and installation of transfer switches and generators for designated emergency fueling stations, and 30% of that cost of adjacent emergency fueling stations, selected by the state.
Bill 111-HR-652 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management

Skilled Trades Second Responders Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to establish a national program for the training, certification, registration, tracking, and integration of skilled construction workers to assist first responders in responding to disasters, including natural and manmade disasters and terrorist attacks. Requires the Director to coordinate and consult with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), other relevant agencies, and private organizations, including construction industry contractors, joint labor-management training funds, and building trade unions, that are experienced in providing rescue and recovery assistance to first responders and in the cleanup, demolition, rehabilitation, and reconstruction of disaster sites after recovery operations.
Bill 111-HR-706 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management

National Urban Search and Rescue Response System Act of 2009 - Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to: (1) continue to administer the National Urban Search and Rescue Response System; (2) provide for a national network of standardized search and rescue resources; (3) designate task forces to participate in the System and determine criteria for participation; and (4) enter into an agreement with the required sponsoring agency of each task force regarding participation. Sets forth provisions regarding the composition of task forces and reimbursement. Authorizes the Administrator to appoint a System member for a period of federal service to participate in sponsored or sanctioned exercises, pre-incident staging, major disaster and emergency response activities, and training events. Entitles a member who suffers personal injury, illness, disability, or death while acting in the scope of such appointment to be treated as an employee who sustained the injury in the performance of duty. Sets forth provisions regarding election of benefits, liability, employment and re-employment rights, and licenses and permits. Directs the Administrator to: (1) establish and maintain an advisory committee; (2) enter into an annual preparedness cooperative agreement with each agency; and (3) enter into response cooperative agreements under which the Administrator agrees to reimburse agencies for emergency response costs.
Bill 111-HR-941 — Domestic Commerce / Disaster Relief
Subject: Emergency management

Low-Income Rate Payer Disaster Recovery Act of 2009 - Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize the President to make contributions to the owner or operator of a private or investor-owned electric utility company serving low-income households for facilities damaged or destroyed by a major disaster only if the costs of repairing, restoring, reconstructing, or replacing such facilities exceed 10% of the facilities' total transmission and distribution rate base minus: (1) accumulated depreciation on the date of the disaster in the case of a single major disaster; or (2) accumulated depreciation on the date of the first major disaster in the case of an aggregation of major disasters during the preceding 12 months. Sets forth application deadlines.Prohibits the total amount of contributions made to an owner or operator from exceeding $50 million in any 12-month period. Authorizes the President, for any major disaster occurring after enactment of this Act, to waive the limit upon determining that the event is of an extraordinary nature. Requires the President to approve or disapprove applications within 30 days after receipt.Allows an owner or operator who determines that the public welfare would not best be served by repairing, restoring, reconstructing, or replacing a facility to elect to receive, in lieu of the cost-based contribution, 75% of the funding that would have been available.