jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-07-24 00:00:00

Post-9/11 Veterans' Job Training Act of 2009 - Amends requirements for the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program to entitle an eligible veteran of the Armed Forces (including eligible dependents) pursuing a full-time educational program of apprenticeship or other on-job training to a monthly benefit payment equal to: (1) 75% of the monthly benefit payment otherwise payable to such individual for each of the first six months of the program; (2) 55% of such payment for each of the second six months of the program; and (3) 35% of such payment for each of the months following the first 12 months of the program. Reduces the payment an individual receives in any month in which the individual fails to complete 120 hours of training under the program of education. Entitles an eligible veteran of the Armed Forces receiving such monthly benefit to receive also a monthly housing stipend equal to the basic allowance for housing payable for an Armed Forces member with dependents in pay grade E-5 residing in the military housing area that encompasses the ZIP code area in which the individual resides. Requires an individual's entitlement for each monthly benefit payment to be charged at the rate of: (1) 75% of a month for each of the first six months of the program; (2) 55% of a month for each of the second six months of the program; and (3) 35% of a month for each of the months following the first 12 months of the program.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-07-28 00:00:00

Troops' Soft Landing, Employment, and Rural Transportation Act - Requires that a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces who was deployed for more than 179 days for a contingency operation or a homeland defense mission be: (1) retained on active duty in the Armed Forces for 90 days after the end of the member's demobilization from a deployment; (2) allowed to use accrued leave; and (3) paid specified pay and allowances. Allows a member to be released from such retention if the member requests release after the first 15 days of the retention. Directs the Secretary of the military department concerned to provide each member so retained (and, as practicable, appropriate family members) reintegration counseling and services. Amends Internal Revenue Code work opportunity tax credit provisions, with regard to unemployed veterans living in counties where the unemployment is over a specified national threshold, to increase the credit from 40% to 50% and the maximum first-year wages which may be taken into account from $6,000 to $10,000. Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a competitive grant program to assist veterans in rural areas to travel to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-07-28 00:00:00

Honor Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program to provide scholarships for the pursuit of a graduate or postgraduate degree in behavioral health sciences to veterans who performed active-duty service in a theater of combat or during a contingency operation overseas. Requires the veteran, following completion of the degree requirements, to serve for an agreed-upon period with either the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or Department of Defense (DOD) furnishing mental health services to veterans or to members of the Armed Forces (members). Directs the Secretary of Defense to carry out a program to employ and train former members who performed service described above as DOD psychiatric technicians and nurses providing mental health counseling and related services to members deployed to a combat zone. Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, upon request, to provide: (1) referral and related assistance to former members not otherwise authorized for counseling through the VA; and (2) readjustment counseling and mental health services to former members through Vet Centers. Requires the suicide of a former member with a medical history of a combat-related mental health condition, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or traumatic brain injury (TBI) that occurs within a two-year period after separation or retirement to be treated as a death in the line of active duty for purposes of eligibility for active-duty survivors' benefits provided through the VA. Requires the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs, jointly and annually, to: (1) review and assess their respective programs for the reintegration of members and veterans into civilian life following their retirement, discharge, or release; and (2) report review and assessment results to Congress.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2009-07-29 00:00:00

Bring Assistance to Heroes Act of 2009 - Extends the first-time homebuyer credit (credit) through December 1, 2010, for certain military personnel stationed outside the United States. Excludes credit-recipient military personnel from: (1) the increased tax credit recapture provision; and (2) accelerated credit recapture regarding disposition of a principal residence if such member receives extended duty orders after the residence's purchase and before the date that such recapture would apply.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-07-30 00:00:00

Supporting Military Families Act of 2009 - Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to revise its requirements for exigency leave with respect to employees belonging to the family of members of the Armed Forces, particularly the requirement that an employee's spouse, son, daughter, or parent be on active duty in the Armed Forces in support of a contingency operation. Repeals the condition "in support of a contingency operation," and requires only that the Armed Forces member be on duty during deployment to a foreign country. Entitles to coverage by the Act an eligible employee who is a family member caring for a veteran undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy for a serious injury or illness who was a member of the Armed Forces (or of the National Guard or Reserves) at any time during the five-year period preceding the date on which the veteran undergoes that treatment, recuperation, or therapy. Defines a veteran's serious injury or illness of a veteran to be one: (1) incurred by the veteran as an Armed Forces member in the line of duty while on active duty in the Armed Forces, or which existed before the beginning of the member's active duty but was aggravated by service in line of duty on active duty in the Armed Forces; and (2) that manifested itself before or after the Armed Forces member became a veteran. Amends federal civil service law to entitle civilian federal employees to the same leave allowance with respect to family members who are: (1) members of the Armed Forces in deployment to a foreign country; or (2) ill or injured veterans for whom they are caring.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-07-30 00:00:00

Severely Injured Veterans Benefit Improvement Act of 2009 - Increases rates of the following veterans' benefits: (1) wartime disability compensation for veterans in need of regular aid and attendance or higher levels of care; and (2) the non-service-connected disability pension for veterans of a period of war whose disability is rated permanent and total and who are permanently housebound. Makes disabled veterans with severe burn injuries eligible for automobile and adaptive equipment assistance. Makes veterans who suffer traumatic brain injury eligible for wartime disability compensation. Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to increase the rate of the special pension for persons entered on Medal of Honor rolls. Extends to September 30, 2021, provisions concerning the treatment of pension amounts of Medicaid-covered veterans who are receiving nursing facility services.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-07-30 00:00:00

Supporting Uniformed Personnel by Providing Oversight and Relevant Treatment for Substance Use Disorders Act or SUPPORT for Substance Use Disorders Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense to conduct a comprehensive review of Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities for the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and management of, and research on, substance use disorders among members of the Armed Forces. Requires the Secretary to submit to the congressional defense and appropriations committees a plan for the improvement and enhancement of such programs and activities for members and their dependent family members, which shall include mechanisms to ensure the availability of appropriate treatment for such disorders and facilitate their prevention and reduction. Requires the plan to include instructions on: (1) the prevention of such disorders; (2) the appropriate training of health care professionals in the treatment of such disorders; (3) services for the dependents of members with such disorders; and (4) the dissemination of disorder prevention materials. Directs the Secretary to study such disorders in members and establish within DOD a Center of Excellence in the Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitigation, Treatment, and Management of Substance Use Disorders.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-07-31 00:00:00

Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to automatically enroll in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical system certain veterans who served on active duty in combat operations during a period of war after the Persian Gulf War or in combat against a hostile force during a period of hostilities after November 11, 1998. Gives such veterans the option of declining enrollment.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-07-31 00:00:00

Ensuring Military Readiness Through Stability and Predictability Deployment Policy Act - Prohibits any unit of the regular Armed Forces from being deployed for Operations Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom unless the period between the most recent previous deployment and a subsequent deployment is equal to or longer than the period of the most recent previous deployment. Expresses the sense of Congress that the optimal minimum period between such deployments should be equal to or longer than twice the period of the most recent previous deployment. Prohibits any unit of the reserves from being deployed for such Operations unless the period between the most recent previous deployment and a subsequent deployment is at least three times longer than the period of the most recent previous deployment. Expresses the sense of Congress that units of the reserves should not be mobilized continuously for more than one year, and that the optimal minimum period between such deployments should be five years. Provides exceptions from deployment requirements. Authorizes the President or chief of staff of the military department concerned to waive such requirements under certain circumstances.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-07-31 00:00:00

Veterans Pensions Protection Act - Excludes monetary veterans' benefits paid to a veteran from a state or municipality from consideration as income for purposes of pension benefits paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-07-31 00:00:00

Thomas G. Schubert Agent Orange Fairness Act - Presumes to be service-connected, and therefore compensable through veterans' disability compensation, cancers of any tissues through the opening of the gastrointestinal tract to the end, becoming manifest to a degree of disability of 10% or more.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-07-31 00:00:00

Increases the monthly rates of the educational assistance allowance payable on behalf of veterans' survivors and dependents.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-07-31 00:00:00

Veterans Hardship Outreach for Priority Eights (HOPE) Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide grants and other assistance to states for the purpose of providing outreach to veterans who may be able to apply for a change in priority under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) patient enrollment system due to hardship. Requires priority for such grants and assistance be given to states with: (1) veteran populations of at least 500,000; and (2) unemployment rates exceeding the national average unemployment rate. Sets a limit on the amount of such grants and assistance provided to any one state in any fiscal year.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-09-09 00:00:00

National Cemeteries Expansion Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), in selecting a location for the establishment of a new national cemetery, to give priority to a location where at least 110,000 veterans reside within a 75-mile radius. Requires the Secretary, in conducting an annual performance measure of the percentage of veterans served by a cemetery, to: (1) use census tracts, rather than counties, to test and identify potential cemetery locations and to determine the percentage of veterans served; (2) use methods to avoid the double counting of veterans in overlapping service areas; and (3) count veterans who reside in counties bisected by a service area using a proportional overlay method.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2009-09-22 00:00:00

Hiring Heroes Tax Incentive Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers a tax credit for up to 15% of the first $10,000 of wages paid to a Ready Reserve-National Guard employee or a recently-separated veteran (i.e., honorably discharged within the past five years). Terminates such credit after 2012.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-09-30 00:00:00

Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include on the main page of the Internet website of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) a hyperlink with a drop-down menu titled "Veterans Employment" that includes a direct hyperlink to the VetSuccess Internet website, USA Jobs Internet website, Job Central website, and any other appropriate employment Internet websites, especially those that focus on jobs for veterans. Requires the purchase of advertising in national media outlets to promote awareness of the VetSuccess Internet website to veterans. Provides for outreach to veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom to inform them of the VetSuccess Internet website.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Date: 2009-10-01 00:00:00

Seniors and Veterans Economic Stimulus Act of 2009 - Amends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to extend through the first three months of 2010 the Secretary of the Treasury's authority to make a payment of $250 to each eligible individual age 18 or over who, during the three-month period immediately preceding enactment of such Act (for purposes of payments made for calendar year 2009), or the three-month period beginning with December 2009 (for purposes of payments made for calendar year 2010), was entitled to Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, railroad retirement benefits, or veterans disability compensation or pension benefits. Repeals the limitation to one payment only to an individual regardless of whether the individual is entitled to, or eligible for, more than one benefit or cash payment. Entitles such individual to a payment in each of calendar years 2009 and 2010. Rescinds from the unobligated balance of the discretionary appropriations made available by division A of such Act the amount determined by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to be required to offset the increase in spending resulting from this Act.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-10-01 00:00:00

Prohibits any funds from being obligated or expended to increase the number of U.S. Armed Forces serving in Afghanistan on the date of enactment of this Act.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2009-10-01 00:00:00

Armed Forces Tax Relief Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from employment taxes combat zone compensation of members of the Armed Forces which is excludable from gross income. Appropriates amounts to cover Social Security trust fund deficits resulting from such tax exemption.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2009-10-01 00:00:00

Strengthening America's Military Families Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow spouses of members of the Armed Forces to exclude from their gross income an amount equal to that amount which such members are able to exclude as combat zone compensation.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-10-06 00:00:00

Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration Act of 2009 - Establishes in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) a Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration, headed by the Under Secretary for Veterans Economic Opportunity, to administer VA programs of economic opportunity assistance to veterans and their dependents and survivors. Requires the Administration to administer the following VA programs: (1) vocational rehabilitation and employment; (2) educational assistance; (3) veterans' housing loan and related programs; (4) veterans' entrepreneurship; and (5) homeless veterans. Establishes as an interagency committee the Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Labor-Small Business Administration Joint Executive Committee on Economic Opportunity to recommend to the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs and Labor and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) strategic direction for the joint coordination and sharing of efforts to promote and administer veterans economic opportunity programs for education and training, vocational rehabilitation, employment, small business, and homelessness, and to oversee implementation of those efforts.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2009-10-08 00:00:00

Service Members' Homebuyer Tax Credit Extension Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the first-time homebuyer tax credit and related provisions through November 30, 2009, for members of the uniformed services, members of the Foreign Service of the United States, and employees of the intelligence community serving on official extended duty outside the United States for at least 180 days in 2009.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-10-08 00:00:00

Honors as a veteran any person entitled to retired pay for nonregular (reserve) service or, but for age, would be so entitled. Provides that such person shall not be entitled to any benefit by reason of such recognition.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-10-13 00:00:00

Makes the rate of per diem payments provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to organizations assisting homeless veterans the greater of: (1) the daily cost of care, as adjusted by other sources of income received by the organization; or (2) $60 per bed provided by the organization. Directs the Secretary to ensure that 25% of the funds available for such payments are made available to organizations that: (1) meet each, some, or at least one of the transitional and supportive services criteria prescribed by the Secretary; and (2) furnish services to homeless individuals, of which less than 75% are veterans. Provides a higher priority in the making of such per diem payments for organizations that meet all or most of the transitional and supportive services criteria.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-10-15 00:00:00

Transparency for America's Heroes Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make available on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) website redacted records and documents (but not personal identifying information) created by the VA as part of a medical quality-assurance program. Requires the Secretary to ensure that any such records or documents created during the two-year period before the enactment of this Act are also made available in the same manner.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-10-21 00:00:00

Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a pilot program for assessing the effectiveness of addressing post-deployment mental health and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms through a therapeutic medium of assistance dog training and handling for veterans with disabilities. Requires the pilot program to be carried out at: (1) at least three and not more than five VA medical centers over a five-year period; and (2) centers that provide a training area for educating veterans with mental health conditions in the art and science of assistance dog training and handling. Directs the Secretary, in hiring instructors under the program, to give a preference to veterans who have successfully graduated from PTSD or other residential treatment programs and received certification in assistance dog training. Requires the Secretary to report annually to Congress during the duration of the program.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-10-21 00:00:00

Providing Military Honors for our Nation's Heroes Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to reimburse a member of a veterans' service organization or other organization approved by the Secretary for transportation and other appropriate expenses incurred in connection with the voluntary provision of a funeral honors detail at the funeral of a veteran, including when requested by a funeral home.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2009-10-22 00:00:00

Families of Disabled Veterans Work Opportunity Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a work opportunity tax credit for wages paid to a certified family member of a veteran with a service-connected disability who is unable to work.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-10-26 00:00:00

Armed Forces Breast Cancer Research Act - Directs the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs to jointly conduct a study on the incidence of breast cancer among members of the Armed Forces and veterans and report study results to Congress.
Topic: Defense — Personnel Issues
Subject: Education
Date: 2009-10-28 00:00:00

Servicemember Student Loan Interest Relief Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty in hostile areas to benefit from the provision barring the accrual of interest on their student loans under the Federal Direct Loan program regardless of the date their loan was first disbursed. (Currently, their loan must be disbursed on or after October 1, 2008, to qualify for such treatment.) Eliminates the restriction of such benefit on direct consolidation loans to that portion of the loan which is used to repay direct loans.