jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-01-12 00:00:00

United States-Cuba Normalization Act of 2015 Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to repeal the embargo on trade with Cuba. Prohibits the exercise by the President with respect to Cuba of certain authorities conferred by the Trading With the Enemy Act and exercised on July 1, 1977, as a result of a specified national emergency. Makes ineffective any prohibition on exports to Cuba under the Export Administration Act of 1979. Authorizes the President to impose export controls with respect to Cuba and exercise certain authorities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act only on account of an unusual and extraordinary threat to U.S. national security that did not exist before enactment of this Act. Repeals: (1) the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992, (2) the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996, (3) the prohibition under the Food Security Act of 1985 against allocation of the annual sugar quota to any country unless its officials verify that it does not import for reexport to the United States any sugar produced in Cuba, and (4) the prohibition under the Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 on transactions or payments respecting certain U.S. intellectual property. Amends the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism subject to agricultural and medical export restrictions. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to terminate the denial of the foreign tax credit with respect to Cuba. Authorizes common carriers to install and repair telecommunications equipment and facilities in Cuba, and otherwise provide telecommunications services between the United States and Cuba. Prohibits regulation or banning of travel to and from Cuba by U.S. citizens or residents, or of any transactions incident to travel. Directs the U.S. Postal Service to provide direct mail service to and from Cuba. Urges the President to take all necessary steps to conduct negotiations with the government of Cuba to: (1) settle claims of U.S. nationals against Cuba for the taking of property, and (2) secure protection of internationally recognized human rights. Extends nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations) to the products of Cuba. Prohibits the Secretary of the Treasury from limiting the amount of remittances to Cuba that may be made by any person subject to U.S. jurisdiction. Rescinds any determination by the Secretary of State that Cuba has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-01-12 00:00:00

Defend Israel by Defunding Palestinian Foreign Aid Act of 2015

This bill prohibits any amounts from being obligated or expended to provide assistance, loan guarantees, or debt relief to the Palestinian Authority (PA), or any affiliated governing entity, until the PA withdraws its request to join the International Criminal Court.
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-01-14 00:00:00

Defend Israel by Defunding Palestinian Foreign Aid Act of 2015

This bill prohibits any amounts from being obligated or expended to provide assistance, loan guarantees, or debt relief to the Palestinian Authority (PA), or any affiliated governing entity, until the PA withdraws its request to join the International Criminal Court.
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-01-16 00:00:00

Free Trade With Cuba Act Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to repeal the embargo on trade with Cuba. Prohibits the exercise by the President with respect to Cuba of certain authorities conferred by the Trading With the Enemy Act and exercised on July 1, 1977, as a result of a specified national emergency. Makes ineffective any prohibition on exports to Cuba under the Export Administration Act of 1979. Authorizes the President to impose export controls with respect to Cuba and exercise certain authorities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act only on account of an unusual and extraordinary threat to U.S. national security that did not exist before enactment of this Act. Repeals: (1) the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992, (2) the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996, (3) the prohibition under the Food Security Act of 1985 against allocation of the annual sugar quota to any country unless its officials verify that it does not import for reexport to the United States any sugar produced in Cuba, and (4) the prohibition under the Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 on transactions or payments respecting certain U.S. intellectual property. Amends the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism subject to agricultural and medical export restrictions. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to terminate the denial of foreign tax credit with respect to Cuba. Authorizes common carriers to install and repair telecommunications equipment and facilities in Cuba, and otherwise provide telecommunications services between the United States and Cuba. Prohibits regulation or banning of travel to and from Cuba by U.S. citizens or residents, or of any transactions incident to travel. Directs the U.S. Postal Service to provide direct mail service to and from Cuba. Urges the President to take all necessary steps to conduct negotiations with the Government of Cuba to: (1) settle claims of U.S. nationals against Cuba for the taking of property, and (2) secure protection of internationally recognized human rights.
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-01-27 00:00:00

Stop Wasting Taxpayer Money on Cuba Broadcasting Act

Repeals the Radio Broadcasting to Cuba Act and the Television Broadcasting to Cuba Act (thus eliminating Voice of America: Radio/Television Marti broadcasts to Cuba).
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-02-02 00:00:00

Export Freedom to Cuba Act of 2015

Prohibits the President from regulating or prohibiting travel to or from Cuba by U.S. citizens or legal residents, or any of the transactions ordinarily incident to such travel, if such travel would be lawful in the United States, relating to: (1) accompanied personal baggage; (2) payment of living expenses and the acquisition of personal-use goods or services; (3) travel arrangements; (4) nonscheduled air, sea, or land voyage transactions (such provision does not permit the carriage of articles other than accompanied baggage into Cuba or the United States); and (5) normal banking transactions.

 States that such restrictions on authority shall not apply if: (1) the United States is at war with Cuba, or armed hostilities between the two countries are in progress; or (2) there is imminent danger to the public health or the physical safety of U.S. travelers.
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: Foreign trade and international finance
Date: 2015-02-02 00:00:00

Promoting American Agricultural and Medical Exports to Cuba Act of 2015

 Prohibits the President from restricting direct transfers from a Cuban depository institution to a U.S. depository institution in payment for a product authorized for sale under the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000.

Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to provide information and technical assistance to U.S. agricultural producers, cooperative organizations, or state agencies to promote U.S. agricultural exports products to Cuba.

Authorizes the issuance of temporary entry visas to Cuban nationals to facilitate purchase of U.S. agricultural products.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 to repeal the prohibition on enforcement of rights to certain U.S. intellectual properties and such properties' transfer.

Prohibits the regulation or prohibition of travel to or from Cuba by U.S. citizens or legal residents, or any of the transactions ordinarily incident to such travel if such travel would be lawful in the United States.

Directs the President to rescind all regulations in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act that regulate or prohibit such travel or transactions.

 Includes in such transactions: (1) accompanied personal baggage; (2) payment of living expenses and the acquisition of personal-use goods or services; (3) travel arrangements; (4) nonscheduled air, sea, or land voyage transactions, (such provision does not permit the carriage of articles other than accompanied baggage into Cuba or the United States); and (5) normal banking transactions.

States that such provision shall not apply in time of war or armed hostilities between the United States and Cuba, or of imminent danger to the public health or the physical safety of U.S. citizens or legal residents.

Amends the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 to repeal the requirement for onsite verification of certain medical exports to Cuba.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the airport ticket tax for transportation between the United States and Cuba by $1, and (2) establish in the Treasury the Agricultural Export Promotion Trust Fund.
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-02-02 00:00:00

Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act of 2015

This bill states that:

 the President may not prohibit or otherwise regulate travel to or from Cuba by U.S. citizens or legal residents, or any of the transactions incident to such travel, including banking transactions; any regulation in effect on the date of enactment of this Act prohibiting or otherwise regulating such travel or transactions incident to such travel shall cease to have any force or effective; but the prohibitions and requirements of this Act shall not apply if the United States is at war with Cuba, armed hostilities between the two countries are in progress, or there is imminent danger to the public health or the physical safety of U.S. travelers.
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-02-04 00:00:00

Cuba Reconciliation Act

Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to repeal the embargo placed upon all trade with Cuba.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to declare the denial of foreign tax credit inapplicable to Cuba.Permits: (1) installation and maintenance of telecommunications equipment and facilities in Cuba, including telecommunications services between the United States and Cuba; and (2) travel to and from Cuba by U.S. citizens or residents. Requires the U.S. Postal Service to provide direct mail service to and from Cuba.
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-02-04 00:00:00

Baseball Diplomacy Act

 Waives certain foreign assistance and trade and travel prohibitions against Cuba under specified federal law regarding Cuban nationals who: (1) enter the United States on a visa to play organized professional baseball, and (2) return to Cuba with their baseball earnings. States that such visa shall be valid only for the duration of the season and need not be renewed as long as the player remains with the same team.

Prohibits the President from denying visas to such nationals based upon authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act to restrict any entry of aliens or class of aliens that would be detrimental to U.S. interests.

Declares that this Act shall not be affected by the economic embargo requirements against Cuba under the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996.
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-02-10 00:00:00

United States-Israel Trade and Commercial Enhancement Act

This bill states that among the principal U.S. trade negotiating objectives for trade agreements with foreign countries regarding commercial partnerships are to:

 discourage actions by potential trading partners that discourage commercial activity solely between the United States and Israel; discourage politically motivated actions to boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel and to seek the elimination of politically motivated non-tariff barriers on Israeli commerce; and seek the elimination of state-sponsored unsanctioned foreign boycotts against Israel or compliance with the Arab League Boycott of Israel. The President is directed to report annually to Congress on politically motivated acts of boycott, divestment from, and sanctions against Israel.

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is amended to require a foreign issuer traded on the U.S. stock market to disclose in its quarterly or annual report:

 whether the issuer has discriminated against doing business with Israel in the last calendar year; whether the issuer has been advised by a foreign government or a non-member state of the United Nations (U.N.) to discriminate against doing business with Israel, entities owned or controlled by Israel, or entities operating in Israel or Israeli-controlled territory; and any instances where the issuer has learned that a person, foreign government, or a non-member state of the U.N. is boycotting the issuer, divesting itself of an ownership interest in the issuer, or placing sanctions on the issuer because of the issuer's relationship with Israel. No U.S. court may recognize or enforce any judgment by a foreign court against a U.S. person carrying out business operations in Israel or in any territory controlled by Israel, and on which is based a determination by the foreign court that the location in Israel, or in any territory controlled by Israel, of the facilities at which the business operations are carried out is sufficient to constitute a violation of law.
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-02-27 00:00:00

Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act

Amends the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 to direct the Secretary of State to report to Congress on conditions in Hong Kong that are of U.S. interest by March 31, 2015, and annually thereafter for 10 years or until the Secretary certifies that Hong Kong has held free and fair elections for 2 consecutive Chief Executive and 2 consecutive Legislative Council periods.

 Directs the Secretary to certify to Congress annually whether Hong Kong is sufficiently autonomous to justify separate treatment different from that accorded to China in any new laws, agreements, treaties, or arrangements entered into between the United States and Hong Kong.

Authorizes the President to waive this certification requirement if: (1) waiver is in the U.S. national interest, and (2) Congress is given a justification of the waiver on or before the date it takes effect.
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-03-03 00:00:00

Montenegro Border Integrity Act

This bill prohibits, subject to a waiver in the national interest, any funds available to the Department of Defense, the Department of State, or any other federal department or agency from being provided to the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina until the Secretary of Defense certifies to Congress that the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina has agreed to and is in compliance with the state borders established by the Conference on Yugoslavia Arbitration Commission on January 11, 1992.
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-03-19 00:00:00

International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace Authorization Act of 2015

 Urges the President to make every effort, in conjunction with the government of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and the international community to establish an International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace.

Authorizes appropriations for U.S. contributions to the Fund.
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-03-19 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on April 13, 2016. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Protect and Preserve International Cultural Property Act

(Sec. 2) This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the President should establish an interagency coordinating committee to coordinate and advance executive branch efforts to protect and preserve international cultural property at risk from political instability, armed conflict, or natural or other disasters.

(Sec. 3) The President shall apply specified import restrictions with respect to any archaeological or ethnological material of Syria:

 within 90 days; without regard to whether Syria is a state party to the convention on the means of prohibiting and preventing the illicit import, export, and transfer of ownership of cultural property (adopted by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization); and notwithstanding the requirement that an emergency condition applies. The President shall at least once a year determine whether at least one of the following conditions is met: (1) Syria is incapable of fulfilling the requirements to request an agreement pursuant to the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act, and (2) it would be against the U.S. national interest to enter into such an agreement.

The President may waive such import restrictions for specified cultural property if the President certifies to Congress that: (1) the foreign owner or custodian of the specified cultural property has requested that the property be temporarily located in the United States for protection purposes, (2) the property shall be returned upon request to the foreign owner or custodian, and (3) the grant of a waiver will not contribute to illegal trafficking in cultural property or financing of criminal or terrorist activities.

Any archaeological or ethnological material that enters the United States pursuant to a waiver shall have immunity from seizure under P.L. 89-259 (which provides immunity from seizure for cultural items imported for temporary exhibition.)

(Sec. 4) The President shall report annually to Congress on executive branch efforts to protect and preserve international cultural property.
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-04-16 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

(Sec. 1) This bill directs the President to: (1) develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and at other related activities, and (2) instruct INTERPOL Washington to request observer status for Taiwan in INTERPOL and urge INTERPOL members to support Taiwan's observer status and participation.

 The President shall report to Congress regarding the U.S. strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in INTERPOL and at other related meetings, activities, and mechanisms.
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-04-28 00:00:00

United States-Mexico Economic Partnership Act

This bill authorizes the President to expand U.S.-Mexico academic exchange programs at the secondary, post-secondary, and post-graduate levels.

It is the sense of Congress that such programs should reflect the goals of the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Initiative and should seek to double the number of students studying in each other's country within five years.

Priority should be given to strengthening ties between communities and academic institutions in those portions of the United States and Mexico that are within 100 kilometers of the international boundary between those countries (covered region).

The President is authorized to establish programs to support cooperation, training, and mentoring of entrepreneurs in the covered region.

It is the sense of Congress that such programs should seek to provide not less than 100 grants of not more than $25,000 each for program participants.

The President is authorized to promote U.S.-Mexico energy infrastructure coordination and cooperation through programs to support vocational-level education, internships, and exchanges between the two countries, particularly in the region in which the Eagle Ford Shale is located and in proximity to the covered region.

It is the sense of Congress that such programs should seek to provide education, internships, and exchanges for at least 1,000 program participants.
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-04-30 00:00:00

Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2015 

 This bill prohibits U.S. nonhumanitarian assistance to the government of Vietnam in excess of FY2014 amounts unless the President certifies to Congress that the government of Vietnam has made substantial progress respecting political, civil, media, Internet, and religious freedoms, minority rights, access to U.S. refugee programs, and actions to end trafficking in persons and the release of religious and political prisoners.

The President may waive such requirements:

 if increased U.S. nonhumanitarian assistance would promote the purposes of this Act or is otherwise in the U.S. national interest, with respect to all U.S. nonhumanitarian assistance to Vietnam, or to one or more programs or projects. It is the sense of Congress that:

 it shall be U.S. policy that further easing of the prohibition on the sale of lethal military equipment to Vietnam shall require Vietnam to take additional and sustained steps to advance human rights protections; the United States should take measures to overcome the jamming of Radio Free Asia by Vietnam and that the Broadcasting Board of Governors should not cut staffing, funding, or broadcast hours for the Vietnamese language services of the Voice of America and Radio Free Asia; U.S.-Vietnam educational and cultural exchange programs should promote freedom and democracy in Vietnam; Vietnam should be designated as a country of particular concern for religious freedom; and Vietnam does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance.
Topic: International Affairs — Specific Country
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-05-20 00:00:00

Cuba Normalization Accountability Act of 2015

This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should not pursue efforts to ease restrictions on travel to or trade with Cuba, or otherwise normalize relations with Cuba further, until: (1) the President submits to Congress the plan for resolving confiscated property claims, (2) all property taken by the Cuban government from U.S. nationals on or after January 1, 1959, has been returned or full compensation for that property has been provided to them, and (3) the government of Cuba provides secure protection for the internationally recognized human rights of the people of Cuba.

The President may not take any action to ease restrictions on travel to or trade with Cuba under the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, the Export Administration Regulations, or any other regulations relating to the economic embargo of Cuba before submitting to Congress the plan for resolving outstanding claims for confiscated property to ensure that:

 all property taken by the government of Cuba from U.S. nationals on or after January 1, 1959, has been returned to them; or full compensation for such property has been provided to them. The President shall include in the plan an assessment of the effect of planned actions to ease the restrictions on claims relating to confiscated property considered by the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States before the date of the enactment of this Act.