jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-03-26 00:00:00

Save Our Water Act

This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) to suspend during droughts the application of the ESA to water releases from water storage facilities by federal and state agencies in a navigable river basin.

The bill prohibits a state from enforcing ESA requirements in an area of the state in which a suspension applies, but does not affect the authority of a state to carry out and enforce its own laws.

The bill does not prohibit any release of water from a water storage facility under the ESA if a relevant authority certifies that such release will not cause harm to the economy and no water conservation measures will be required to be taken by any water users as a result of such release.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-04-14 00:00:00

Sage-Grouse and Mule Deer Habitat Conservation and Restoration Act of 2015

This bill provides a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) for a vegetation management project by the Bureau of Land Management or the Forest Service involving removal or treatment of any Pinyon or Juniper tree to conserve or restore the habitat of the greater sage-grouse or mule deer.

Under NEPA a categorical exclusion is a category of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and which have been found to have no such effect in procedures adopted by a federal agency in implementing environmental regulations. Therefore, neither an Environmental Assessment nor an Environmental Impact Statement is required.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Animals
Date: 2015-04-23 00:00:00

Pacific Northwest Gray Wolf Management Act of 2015 

This bill prohibits any wolf species, subspecies, or population segment of Canis lupus in Washington, Oregon, and Utah (covered states) from being treated under any status of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, including as an endangered species, a threatened species, an essential experimental population, or a nonessential experimental population.

The covered states shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the management of wolves within their borders.

A covered state may not provide protections to wolves that are greater than the protections that would be provided under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-04-23 00:00:00

Sage-Grouse Protection and Conservation Act

This bill addresses the management of the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) and the Gunnison sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus) in California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

If the Department of Agriculture (USDA) or the Department of the Interior receives, or has already received, from one of those states a statewide conservation and management plan for the protection and recovery of those sage-grouse species, the appropriate department must take steps during the next six years to: (1) allow for appropriate monitoring and collection of data, and (2) assess the state plan's success.

The appropriate department must: (1) share data with states and assist them in developing and implementing plans; (2) require states that opt to have plans in lieu of federal endangered species plans to monitor and report on relevant data, including population trends; (3) use statewide plans as the basis for all relevant determinations under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; and (4) stay any land use planning activities relating to federal management of sage-grouse species on public land or National Forest System land within those states that have plans.

The appropriate department may extend the provisions of the bill for six more years with the consent of the relevant state.

Interior must fully implement for at least six years Secretarial Order 3336 to prevent and suppress rangeland fire and restore sagebrush landscapes impacted by fire across the Western United States.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2015-04-23 00:00:00

Refuge From Cruel Trapping Act

 Amends the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to prohibit the use or possession of body-gripping traps in the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Imposes on persons who possess or use such traps in the System: (1) for a first offense, a civil fine of up to $500 for each body-gripping trap possessed or used; and (2) for subsequent offenses, a civil fine of up to $1,000 for each body-gripping trap possessed or used, imprisonment for up to 180 days, or both such a civil fine and imprisonment.

Makes any body-gripping traps that are possessed or used in violation of this Act, and any wildlife captured by the use of such traps, including the pelts and raw fur, subject to civil forfeiture.

Requires persons found to be in violation of such prohibition to pay all associated court costs.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-04-29 00:00:00

Common Sense in Species Protection Act of 2015

This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to require the Department of the Interior or the Department of Commerce to exclude an area from designation as a critical habitat to conserve an endangered or threatened species if the benefits of exclusion outweigh the benefits of including the area, unless the failure to designate the area as critical habitat will result in the extinction of the species.

At the time a proposed rule to designate a critical habitat is published, the appropriate department must make available for public comment a draft analysis that: (1) examines the incremental and cumulative economic effects of all actions to protect the species and its habitat upon each state and locality that is affected by the proposed designation; (2) includes consideration of economic effects on possible uses of land and property values, employment, revenues available for state and local governments, and the provision of water, power, or other public services; and (3) assesses those effects on a quantitative and qualitative basis.

The bill applies to any designation of critical habitat on or after August 28, 2013.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-04-29 00:00:00

Endangered Species Litigation Reasonableness Act 

This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to replace the current standard for awarding court costs, including attorney fees, in citizen suits with the federal judicial code standard for awarding costs to a prevailing party.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-04-30 00:00:00

Listing Reform Act

This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to allow the Department of the Interior or the Department of Commerce, as appropriate, to prioritize the consideration of petitions to list a species as endangered or threatened other than in the order in which the petitions are received. The appropriate department may not give general priority to petitions to add species to the list of endangered or threatened species over petitions to remove a species from the list.

The deadline for the appropriate department to decide on whether or not a petition to list or remove a species should be granted is changed from within 12 months to as expeditiously as possible.

The appropriate department is given the authority to preclude the listing of a species as threatened due to the likelihood of significant, cumulative economic effects that would result from such listing or from the likely resulting designation of critical habitat of the species. Once a petition is precluded due to those economic effects, the appropriate department may not reconsider that finding unless the department: (1) determines there is endangerment of extinction of the species; or (2) receives a new petition to add the species to the list that includes an analyses concluding that alternative actions are possible other than those resulting in significant, cumulative economic effects.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-05-05 00:00:00

Transparency for Lethal Control Act 

This bill requires the Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to report annually to Congress on the animals killed under the Wildlife Services program or by a state or local entity acting in cooperation with or on behalf of the program. The report must be made publicly available on the Internet and must include: the number of animals killed, species names, methods used to kill the animals, and reasons for killing the animals.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Animals
Date: 2015-05-12 00:00:00

Wildlife Veterinarians Employment and Training Act or the Wildlife VET Act 

This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to award grants to wildlife or veterinary institutions to create additional clinical and research positions for wildlife and zoological veterinarians. Preference must be given to institutions that will create positions in areas of need, including wildlife disease research and training, disease surveillance, ecology and wildlife population management, and conservation and management of the health of endangered, threatened, and sensitive species.

Interior must establish: (1) the Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary Workforce Loan Repayment Program to pay educational loans of eligible individuals for a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine or a graduate degree in veterinary medicine, and (2) the Wildlife and Zoological Veterinary Workforce Scholarship Program to award students enrolled in an accredited school or college of veterinary medicine scholarships. Those loans may be repaid and the awards may be given only if the recipient of the loan or the award agrees to serve for at least four consecutive years at a wildlife or veterinary institution as a wildlife or zoological veterinarian.

Interior must also: (1) establish a pilot program to award grants to accredited schools and colleges of veterinary medicine to develop or improve new or existing curricula that specialize in wildlife or zoological veterinary medicine, and (2) award grants to eligible wildlife or veterinary institutions to establish or expand training programs that will enhance the ability of a trainee to practice as a wildlife or zoological veterinarian. Those training programs may include externship, internship, fellowship, or residency programs.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2015-05-12 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on November 16, 2015. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Billy Frank Jr. Tell Your Story Act

(Sec. 2) This bill redesignates the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge in Washington state as the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.

(Sec. 3) The bill establishes, as a unit of the National Park System, the Medicine Creek Treaty National Memorial within the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge to commemorate the location of the signing of the Medicine Creek Treaty of 1854 between the U.S. government and leaders of the Muckleshoot, Nisqually, Puyallup, and Squaxin Island Indian Tribes.

The Department of the Interior must: (1) establish the boundaries of the Medicine Creek Treaty National Memorial and to provide for its administration and interpretation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and (2) coordinate with representatives of the Muckleshoot, Nisqually, Puyallup, and Squaxin Island Indian Tribes in providing for that interpretation.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Animals
Date: 2015-05-14 00:00:00

This bill amends the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to delay by 10 years until 2026 the date after which interest from the wildlife conservation and restoration fund is available for apportionment.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-05-15 00:00:00

State, Tribal, and Local Species Transparency and Recovery Act

This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to require the Department of the Interior or the Department of Commerce, as appropriate, to provide to affected states all data that is used as the basis of a determination on whether a species is an endangered species or a threatened species before making a determination.

The appropriate Department must use data submitted by a state, tribal, or county government in making such a determination.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Animals
Date: 2015-05-18 00:00:00

Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council Advisory Committee Act 

This bill amends the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act to establish the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council Advisory Committee to advise the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture on wildlife and habitat conservation, hunting, and recreational shooting.

The Advisory Committee must advise the departments on policies or programs related to:

 implementing Executive Order No. 13443: Facilitation of Hunting Heritage and Wildlife Conservation; conserving and restoring wetlands, agricultural lands, grasslands, forest, and rangeland habitats; promoting opportunities for and access to hunting and shooting sports on federal lands; recruiting and retaining new hunters and shooters; increasing public awareness of the importance of wildlife conservation and the benefits of recreational hunting and shooting; and encouraging coordination among the public, the hunting and shooting sports community, wildlife conservation groups, states, tribes, and the federal government. The bill also specifies requirements for membership, meetings, pay and expenses, administrative support, and annual reports to Congress. The Advisory Committee is exempt from the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

The bill abolishes the existing Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council, effective on the date of the first meeting of the Advisory Committee established by this bill.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Animals
Date: 2015-06-09 00:00:00

Rare Cats and Canids Act of 2015

This bill establishes a Rare Cats and Canids Conservation Fund as a separate account within the Multinational Species Conservation Fund. The Department of the Interior must use amounts in the fund to provide assistance for the conservation of rare felids and rare canids. Grant amounts may not be used for captive breeding unless it is a part of an accredited reintroduction or restoration program.

Rare felids or rare canids are any population in the family Felidae (cats) or Canidae (dogs), respectively, that are listed in the Red List of Threatened Species Maintained by the World Conservation Union as near-threatened, vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered, excluding any population native to the United States or Canada. Tigers are not considered to be rare felids.

 Interior may convene an advisory group of individuals representing organizations actively involved in the conservation of felids and canids.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-06-11 00:00:00

Accountable Recovery Act 

This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to direct the Department of the Interior or the Department of Commerce as appropriate to make recovery plans for the conservation and survival of a species publicly available at the time of a determination that the species is endangered or threatened. The plans must incorporate objective numerical recovery goals for removal of species from the endangered and threatened species list.

The appropriate department is given 30 days to deny a petition stating that the numerical recovery goal has been achieved for a species. If the department has not acted on a petition at the end of that period, the species is removed from the endangered and threatened species list.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Animals
Date: 2015-06-23 00:00:00

Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2015

This bill amends the Animal Welfare Act to revise the list of permissible sources of dogs and cats used by research facilities to include dogs and cats obtained: (1) from a licensed dealer, (2) from a publicly owned and operated pound or shelter that meets specified requirements, (3) by donation from a person who bred and raised the dog or cat or owned it for not less than one year, or (4) from a research facility licensed by the Department of Agriculture. The requirements pertaining to sources apply to dogs and cats obtained through sales, donations, or offers. Monetary penalties are established for violations.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Animals
Date: 2015-06-23 00:00:00

Humane Cosmetics Act

This bill prohibits testing cosmetics on animals, effective on the date that is one year after enactment of this Act. No cosmetic may be sold or transported if the final product or any component was developed or manufactured using animal testing after such date, effective three years after enactment of this Act.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-06-25 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on April 12, 2016. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

National Bison Legacy Act

(Sec. 3) This bill adopts the North American bison as the national mammal of the United States.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-06-25 00:00:00

Mexican Wolf Transparency and Accountability Act

This bill nullifies: (1) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's determination to list the Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) as an endangered subspecies under the Endangered Species Act of 1973; and (2) the rule entitled, "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revision to the Regulations for the Nonessential Experimental Population of the Mexican Wolf."
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Animals
Date: 2015-06-25 00:00:00

Captive Primate Safety Act

This bill amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to prohibit importing, exporting, transporting, selling, receiving, acquiring, or purchasing in interstate or foreign commerce any live animal of a non-human primate species.

The bill also limits any licensed or registered person from allowing direct contact between any member of the public and a live bear, tiger, lion, jaguar, cougar, African leopard, snow leopard, ape, gibbon, siamang, monkey, or loris.

The Lacey Act prohibition applies to state-licensed wildlife rehabilitators.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-07-07 00:00:00

Justice Attributed to Wounded Sharks Act or the JAWS Act

Prohibits federal assistance to a country that does not prohibit: (1) shark finning in its territorial waters; and (2) the importation, sale, or possession, of shark fins obtained by shark finning.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Animals
Date: 2015-07-07 00:00:00

The bill revises and reauthorizes the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act through FY2020. The cap on the amount that the Department of the Interior may expend from the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund on administrative expenses is increased from 3% to 4%.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Animals
Date: 2015-07-21 00:00:00

Enforcement Transparency Act of 2015

This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to issue and publish on its website guidelines relating to the calculation of civil fines for violating provisions of the Animal Welfare Act regarding the transportation, sale, and handling of certain animals. USDA must update the guidelines on a quarterly basis, provide notice on its website prior to making the updates, and publish the updates in the Federal Register.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2015-07-22 00:00:00

Endangered Species Recovery Transparency Act

This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to require the Department of the Interior to make available online a searchable database detailing federal expenditures for civil actions brought under the Act containing claims that are based on the actions of Interior, the Forest Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Bonneville Power Administration, the Western Area Power Administration, the Southwestern Power Administration, or the Southeastern Power Administration. Interior must submit an annual report to Congress including this information.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2015-07-22 00:00:00

Wild Horse Oversight Act

 Amends the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act to direct the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, upon request, to allow a state or an Indian tribe to assume all management and protection functions under the Act with regard to wild free-roaming horses and burros on land within the boundaries of the state or the tribe.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2015-07-23 00:00:00

Sportsmen's Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Enhancement Act

This bill reauthorizes several programs supporting the conservation of wildlife habitat.

The bill amends the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act by extending until July 25, 2022, the Department of the Interior's authority to sell certain public land and use the proceeds from those sales for acquiring land located within or adjacent to federal lands. When prioritizing the acquisition of inholdings (private land that is surrounded by public land) and nonfederal lands with exceptional resources, Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) must consider the extent to which an acquisition of land would increase the public availability of resources for, and the public's access to, hunting, fishing, and other recreational activities. The bill also removes from the scope of the Act land that is eligible for sale under specified public land laws.

The bill reauthorizes through FY2020 the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Act.

The bill reauthorizes through FY2020 and revises the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act and the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act.

Interior and USDA must ensure that specified amounts from the Land and Water Conservation Fund are made available each year for securing public access to federal land for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes through land transactions.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Animals
Date: 2015-07-23 00:00:00

Animal Emergency Planning Act of 2015

This bill amends the Animal Welfare Act to require research facilities, dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carriers (covered persons) to develop, document, and follow a contingency plan to provide for the humane handling, treatment, transportation, housing, and care of their animals in the event of an emergency or disaster.

The plan must:

 identify situations that the covered person might experience that would trigger the need to implement the measures identified in the plan; outline tasks to be carried out in response to emergencies or disasters; establish a chain of command and identify the individuals responsible for fulfilling the tasks; and address how response and recovery will be handled in terms of materials, resources, and training needed. Covered persons must review their plan at least annually, train personnel in their roles and responsibilities as outlined in the plan, and provide training when the plan changes.

The bill does not preempt state law that provides equal or greater protection for animals.