jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2012-02-08 00:00:00

Enhancing Exports Through Entrepreneurship Act of 2012 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide a small business export expansion credit of 25% of export expansion expenses. Amends the Small Business Act to direct the Office of International Trade (Office) to compile and update annually, for small businesses and their partner entities, a document that contains: (1) the tariff schedules of all foreign countries; and (2) for each of the 50 foreign countries to which the highest total value of U.S. goods and services are exported, specified information on the demand for goods and services in that country. Requires the Office to identify and advertise programs and services to small businesses, including federal programs and services, that facilitate the matching of foreign customers to small businesses. Amends the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to increase, from 20% to 30% of the aggregate annual loan authority available to the Export-Import Bank, the amount to be used to finance small business exports. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to increase the proportion and percentage of projects and assistance financed for small businesses by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. Provides limitations on duties under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule that apply to certain goods and services imported into the United States for use by small businesses in their regular operations.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2012-02-08 00:00:00

Small Business Opportunity Act of 2012 - Amends the Small Business Act to replace the position of breakout procurement representative within the Small Business Administration (SBA) with the position of procurement center representative. Requires such representatives to, among other things, review any acquisition plan with respect to a procurement requirement, and make recommendations regarding procurement method determinations and acquisition plans. Removes the requirement that such representatives review restrictions on competition, instead requiring them to review barriers to small business participation in federal contracting, as well as any bundled or consolidated solicitation or contract. Requires such representatives to: (1) have electronic access to any acquisition plan developed or in development with respect to a procurement activity, (2) be an advocate for the maximum practicable utilization of small businesses in federal contracting, and (3) be notified of and included in all applicable acquisition planning processes. Directs the Defense Acquisition University and the Federal Acquisition Institute to each provide a course on contracting requirements under the Small Business Act. Requires each federal department or agency having contracting authority to: (1) enumerate opportunities for participation by small businesses during all acquisition planning processes and in all acquisition plans, and (2) invite the participation of the appropriate Director of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and procurement representative in such planning processes and provide Director and representative access to all acquisition plans in development.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2012-02-08 00:00:00

Building Better Business Partnerships Act of 2012 - Amends the Small Business Act to authorize the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish a mentor-protege program for all small businesses. (Under current law, the SBA mentor-protege program is limited to small businesses participating in the section 8(a) guaranteed loan program.) Prohibits a federal department or agency from carrying out a mentor-protege program for small businesses unless the head of such department or agency submits a program plan to the Administrator and the Administrator approves it. Requires the Administrator to approve or disapprove a plan based on whether the proposed program: (1) will assist proteges to compete for federal prime contracts and subcontracts, and (2) complies with program regulations as issued by the Administrator under this Act.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2012-02-08 00:00:00

Small Business Protection Act of 2012 - Amends the Small Business Act to authorize the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), when establishing small business size standards, to establish or approve a single standard for a grouping of four-digit North American Industrial Classification codes only if the Administrator makes publicly available, no later than the date on which it is established or approved, a justification that such standard is appropriate for each individual industry classification in the grouping. Requires the Administrator, in conducting rulemaking to revise, modify, or establish size standards, to consider and address: (1) the industry for which the new standard is proposed, (2) the competitive environment for that industry, (3) the approach used to develop the proposed standard, and (4) the anticipated effect of the proposed rulemaking on the industry.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2012-02-17 00:00:00

Contractor Opportunity Protection Act of 2012 - Amends the Small Business Act to consolidate Small Business Administration (SBA) provisions relating to contract bundling (the consolidation of two or more procurement requirements into a solicitation for a single prime contract that is unlikely, because of its size or complexity, to be suitable for award to a small business). Requires the Procurement Activity (Activity) of a federal department or agency (agency), at least 45 days prior to the issuance of a solicitation, to provide to that Activity's procurement center representative a copy of the proposed procurement together with, among other things, the number of small businesses that could be excluded from bidding if the contract is a bundled contract. Requires the SBA Administrator, in the case of a previously bundled contract that is to be recompeted as a bundled contract, to determine, among other things, the amount of savings and benefits achieved under the bundling. Requires a procurement center representative who believes that a procurement as proposed will render small business prime contract participation unlikely to recommend to the Activity alternative procurement methods to increase small business contracting opportunities. Requires the head of an agency, before proceeding with an acquisition strategy that could lead to a bundling of contract requirements, to conduct market research to determine whether bundling is necessary and justified. Allows a small business, in the case of a bundled contract, to submit an offer that provides for the use of a team of subcontractors for contract performance. Directs the Administrator to develop and maintain a database of information on each bundled contract awarded by an agency and each small business displaced as a prime contractor as a result of such award. Requires annual reports from the Administrator to the congressional small business committees on federal contract bundling, including cost savings and impact on small businesses. Requires: (1) each federal agency to include in each solicitation for any multiple award contract above certain thresholds a provision soliciting bids from any responsible source, including small businesses and teams or joint ventures of small businesses; and (2) the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to establish and publish a government-wide policy regarding contract bundling.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2012-03-01 00:00:00

Small Business Procurement Improvement Act of 2012 - Amends the Small Business Act to require (under current law, permit) federal agencies involved in procurement, to the maximum extent practicable, to include small businesses in multiple award contracts. Requires such agencies to make full use of the contract set-aside programs of the Small Business Administration (SBA). Directs the SBA Administrator, in consultation with the Administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) and any agency that obtains 5% of its procurement requirements through a multiple award contract, to carry out a program to increase small business participation in such contracts. Requires the President to annually establish government-wide goals for the total value of all task and delivery orders placed against multiple award contracts, blanket purchase agreements, and basic ordering agreements awarded to small businesses, small businesses owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone small businesses, small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and small businesses owned and controlled by women. Requires each federal contract for the purchase of goods and services with an anticipated value greater than $2,500 but not greater than $200,000 (under current law, $100,000) to be reserved exclusively for small businesses (with an exception). Directs the Administrator to issue regulations concerning General Services Administration (GSA) oversight of task or delivery orders placed against multiple award contracts. Requires: (1) inclusion of the Administrator on the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council, and (2) the OFPP Administrator to have the deciding vote in case of a tie vote among Council membership.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2012-03-01 00:00:00

Early Stage Small Business Contracting Act of 2012 - Amends the Small Business Act to direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish and carry out a program to provide increased access to federal contract opportunities for early stage small businesses (no more than 15 employees and average annual receipts of no more than $1 million). Requires the Administrator to identify appropriate federal procurement contracts for award under the program. Allows a contracting officer to award: (1) a sole source contract under the program if an entity is determined to be a responsible contractor and the officer does not reasonably expect that two or more early stage businesses will submit offers, and (2) contracts on the basis of competition restricted to early stage businesses if the officer reasonably expects that at least two early stage businesses will submit offers and that the award can be made at a fair market price. Requires all program contract awards to be counted toward goals for small business participation in federal procurement contracts.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2012-03-05 00:00:00

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow a permanent 100% exclusion from gross income of gain from the sale or exchange of qualified small business stock held for more than 5 years, (2) eliminate such tax exclusion as an item of tax preference for alternative minimum tax (AMT) purposes, and (3) repeal the 28% capital gains tax rate on qualified small business stock.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2012-03-19 00:00:00

Women's Procurement Program Improvement Act of 2012 - Amends the Small Business Act with respect to the procurement program for women-owned small businesses (providing a federal procurement contracting preference to such businesses) to remove current contract award price limits. Allow a contracting officer to award a sole source contract to any economically disadvantaged women-owned small business if: (1) the small business is determined to be responsible and the contracting officer does not expect two or more of such businesses to submit offers; (2) the anticipated contract price will not exceed $6.5 million in the case of a manufacturing contract, or $4 million in the case of all other contracts; and (3) the contract can be made at a fair and reasonable price. Provides identical contracting authority for women-owned small businesses in substantially underrepresented industries.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2012-03-20 00:00:00

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow a permanent 100% exclusion from gross income of gain from the sale or exchange of qualified small business stock held for more than 5 years, (2) eliminate such tax exclusion as an item of tax preference for alternative minimum tax (AMT) purposes, and (3) repeal the 28% capital gains tax rate on qualified small business stock.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2012-04-17 00:00:00

Small Business Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act of 2012 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow businesses with average annual gross receipts of not more than $50,000 that prevail in an administrative or court proceeding involving the determination, collection, or refund of tax, interest, or penalty to recover their costs incurred in such proceedings; (2) increase the amount of civil damages against Internal Revenue Service (IRS) officers or employees for reckless, intentional, or negligent disregard of internal revenue laws and extend from two to five years the period for bringing a claim for damages; (3) increase the penalties against federal officers or employees for unlawful acts in connection with internal revenue laws and for unauthorized disclosures or inspections of tax returns; and (4) allow a taxpayer whose interest abatement claim does not exceed $50,000 to elect to bring a small tax case petition in U.S. Tax Court. Prohibits ex parte communications between officers in the IRS Office of Appeals and other IRS employees with respect to matters pending before such officers and employees. Authorizes new alternative dispute resolution procedures for taxpayer disputes with the IRS. Extends to three years: (1) the period in which taxpayer property that has been wrongfully levied upon may be returned, and (2) the period for bringing suit against the United States for a wrongful tax levy. Authorizes the waiver of the fee for establishing an installment agreement for payment of tax for certain low-income taxpayers who agree to make electronic debit payments. Allows a taxpayer seeking review of a claim for innocent spouse relief or of a collection case in U.S. Tax Court a 60-day suspension of the period for filing a petition for such review when the U.S. Bankruptcy Court has issued an automatic stay in a bankruptcy case involving the taxpayer's claim. Allows de novo review in U.S. Tax Court of any determination by the IRS with respect to a claim for equitable innocent spouse relief. Prohibits the IRS Office of Appeals from considering or deciding any new issue in an internal appeal that is not within the scope of the initial determination made in a taxpayer's case.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2012-04-25 00:00:00

Small Business Tax Simplification Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt certain small business taxpayers from the requirements of using the accrual method of accounting and of using inventories. Allows such taxpayers to use a cash method of accounting if they meet the gross receipts test and are not engaged in farming as a corporation. Increases the amount of the gross receipts test to $10 million (currently, $5 million) and permits an annual inflation adjustment of that amount.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2012-05-10 00:00:00

Veterans Jobs Act of 2012 - Authorizes the Secretary of Labor, in carrying out the Transition Assistance Program, to establish a two-year pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of using community business leaders as mentors to facilitate the transition of members of the Armed Forces being separated from active duty and their spouses. Requires the Secretary, if carrying out such program, to report findings to the congressional defense and veterans committees.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2012-05-18 00:00:00

Small Business Fairness Act of 2012 - Amends the Small Business Act to permit a contract between a federal agency and a small business teaming arrangement entity to be deemed awarded for purposes of the small business procurement and services contracting goals established by the head of that agency if the obligations of such entity are performed by a qualified HUBZone (historically underutilized business zone) small business or a small business owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, or women. Defines "teaming arrangement entity" as a prime contractor under a contractor team arrangement as defined under specified provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, as in effect on October 1, 2009.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2012-05-18 00:00:00

Disaster Savings and Resilient Construction Act of 2012 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a business-related tax credit for the cost of constructing commercial and residential buildings that comply with resilient construction requirements in a federally-declared major disaster area. Defines "resilient construction requirements" as requirements that ensure that such buildings: (1) can resist hazards brought on by a major disaster and can continue to provide their primary functions after a major disaster, (2) can reduce the magnitude or duration of a disruptive event, and (3) have the absorptive capacity, adaptive capacity, and recoverability to withstand a potentially disruptive event. Terminates such credit for any any property for which a certificate of occupancy is issued after December 31, 2015.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2012-05-18 00:00:00

Increasing Small Business Lending Act of 2012 - Amends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to extend small business loan fee reductions and eliminations and small business loan guarantees under such Act to one year after the enactment of this Act.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2012-06-05 00:00:00

Startup Act 2.0 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to adjust to conditional permanent resident status up to 50,000 aliens who have earned a master's or doctorate degree in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics field (STEM field) and permit such an alien to remain in the United States: (1) for up to one year after the expiration of the alien's student visa, if the alien is searching for STEM field employment; and (2) indefinitely if the alien remains actively engaged in a STEM field. Removes a STEM alien's conditional status after five years of maintaining eligibility during the entire five-year period. Authorizes the Secretary to issue conditional immigrant visas to up to 75,000 qualified alien entrepreneurs. Removes such conditional basis after four years of maintaining qualified entrepreneur status. Eliminates the per-country numerical limitation for employment-based visas. Increases the per country numerical limitation for family based immigrants from 7% to 15% of the total number of family-sponsored visas. Amends the Chinese Student Protection Act of 1992 to eliminate the provision requiring the reduction of annual People's Republic of China immigrant visas to offset status adjustments under such Act. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) provide a permanent full tax exclusion on gain from the sale or exchange of qualified small business stock held for more than five years, (2) repeal the minimum tax preference and the 28% capital gains rate on such stock, and (3) provide a limited tax credit for certain startup small businesses. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to use certain federal agency extramural budget funds to award grants to institutions of higher education for initiatives to improve commercialization and transfer of technology. Requires the head of any federal or independent regulatory agency, before issuing a notice of rulemaking in connection with the issuance of a proposed major rule, to complete a review that, among other things, analyzes the problem that the rule intends to address, and identifies and analyzes the rule's expected impact on state, local, and tribal governments, as well as on the ability of new businesses to form and expand. Requires a cost-benefit analysis before rule issuance. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to regularly compile: (1) information from each of the states and the District of Columbia on laws that affect the formation and growth of new businesses, and (2) quantitative and qualitative information on U.S. businesses that are not more than one year old.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Labor and employment
Date: 2012-06-20 00:00:00

Workforce Infrastructure for Skilled Employees Investment Act or WISE Investment Act - Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to authorize the Secretary of Labor to award competitive grants to local boards, community colleges, and postsecondary vocational institutions to promote local economic growth and eliminate gaps between the workforce skills available and the workforce skills needed with respect to small businesses in local areas or regions.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Small Businesses
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2012-06-29 00:00:00

Small Business Contracting Opportunities Expansion Act of 2012 - Amends the Small Business Act to raise from 23% to 26% the governmentwide prime contract award goal for participation by small business concerns and make the governmentwide subcontract participation award goal 40% for such businesses. Increases percentage goals for awards to qualified HUBZone [historically underutilized business zone] small businesses and small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Requires such latter procurement goals, as well as goals for small businesses owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans and by women (collectively, the targeted groups), as established annually by the head of each federal agency participating in federal procurement contracts, to: (1) be at least the average percentage of participation that occurred over the last three fiscal years, (2) be in the same format as the goals established by the President, (3) address both prime contract and subcontract awards, and (4) meet or exceed the government-wide goals for each small business category. Requires each agency head to: (1) consult with the Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator in establishing agency goals, and (2) develop a plan for achieving agency goals. Prohibits the carrying out or establishing of any SBA pilot program if the Administrator does not issue a required annual report which compiles and analyzes each agency's performance with respect to procurement contract participation by small businesses. Requires the Comptroller General to study, and report to Congress on: (1) improving internal processes of federal procurement contracting agencies and increasing outreach to those groups that make up the small business categories, (2) legislative actions to improve participation in contracting by such groups, and (3) the feasibility of creating a governmentwide contract participation goal for small businesses owned and controlled by veterans. Increases, as of FY2017, the governmentwide small business participation goal as well as the goals for targeted groups.