jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Date: 2008-02-06 00:00:00

Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008, or S.A.F.E. Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 - Encourages the states to establish a Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry for the residential mortgage industry through the Conference of State Bank Supervisors and the American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators. Sets forth procedures, requirements (including education and testing), and standards for mandatory registration and state licensing of mortgage loan originators. Requires the federal banking agencies jointly, through the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, to develop and maintain a system for registering depository institiution employees as registered loan originators with the Registry. Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to establish and maintain a backup licensing and registration system for loan originators operating in a state that either: (1) does not, after a certain period of time, have a licensing and registering system for loan originators that meets the requirements of this Act; or (2) does not participate in the Registry. Requires the HUD Secretary also to establish and maintain a backup licensing, supervisory, and tracking system for loan originators if the Registry is failing to meet the requirements and purposes of this Act. Declares that this Act does not preempt state law which provides greater protection to consumers than is provided under this Act. Directs the HUD Secretary to study and report to Congress on the root causes of default and foreclosure of home loans.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Date: 2008-03-12 00:00:00

Credit Card Reform Act of 2008 - Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to permit a consumer reporting agency to furnish a consumer report in connection with any credit or insurance transaction that is not initiated by the consumer only if the report indicates that the consumer is age 21 or older. Allows 18-year olds to elect to have their name and address included in any agency list. Amends the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit a credit card issuer from changing the terms of a credit card under an open end consumer credit plan: (1) before the scheduled contract expiration or renewal date; and (2) until the issuer has published all contract changes in any mandatory disclosures. Establishes a cardholder right to repay all existing balances on a terminated or expired credit card account under the terms of the account in effect before the termination or expiration. Imposes limits upon increases of interest rates and finance charges on a credit card account before its scheduled renewal date. Permits an increase in the annual percentage rate (APR) as a penalty only for specific, material contract violations of a consumer directly related to the account that are specified in the contract as grounds for an increase. Bans retroactive rate increases.Prohibits a credit card issuer from imposing adverse consequences for late payment if the cardholder's payment is postmarked or initiated by electronic funds transfer on or before the required postmark date. Requires a credit card issuer to verify, when the account is opened or the credit limit increased, that the consumer will be able to make the scheduled payments, based on a consideration of current and expected income, current obligations, and employment status. Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to redefine "firm offer of credit or insurance" to require the offer to specify all material terms, including APR, fees, and the applicable amount of credit or credit limit.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Housing and community development
Date: 2008-04-01 00:00:00

Protecting America's Homeowners Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through January 1, 2011, the temporary exclusion from gross income of the discharge of an indebtedness for a qualified principal residence.Declares invalid, throughout a specified moratorium period, the terms of any home mortgage loan that requires a consumer to pay a prepayment penalty for paying all or part of the outstanding principal before its contractual due date.Directs the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (NRC) to continue to award to counseling intermediaries and State Housing Finance Agencies certain funds previously designated for mortgage foreclosure mitigation activities in states and areas with high rates of mortgage foreclosures or defaults.Appropriates additional funds for FY2008 for: (1) NRC foreclosure mitigation activities; and (2) state and local governmental redevelopment of abandoned and foreclosed homes.Sets forth across-the-board 0.25 percent rescissions in non-defense, non-homeland-security discretionary spending for FY2009.Amends the Truth In Lending Act to require additional creditor disclosures concerning mortgage loans.Requires the annual percentage rate (APR) applicable to credit secured by an interest in real property to include settlement costs. Amends the Federal National Mortgage Association Charter Act and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Association Charter Act to provide that securities issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Association (Freddie Mac) are not exempt from registration requirements under the Securities Act of 1933 (thus requiring registration of such securities).Sets a limit upon aggregate annual registration fees paid by specified entities that do not include a registered investment company.Establishes in the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) a Financial Counseling and Foreclosure Prevention Fund to provide assistance to the NRC to make grants to certain federally approved counseling intermediaries for mortgage foreclosure mitigation assistance to states and areas with high rates of defaults and foreclosures.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Housing and community development
Date: 2008-04-02 00:00:00

Mortgage Enhancement and Modification Act of 2008 - Establishes a standard for loan modifications or workout plans for pools of certain residential mortgage loans. States that a servicer of such pooled loans owes a duty to the securitization vehicle to maximize, or not negatively affect, the recovery of total proceeds from such loans for the benefit of all investors and holders of beneficial interests in the pooled loans, in the aggregate, and not to any individual party or group of parties. Deems the loan servicer to be acting on behalf of the securitization vehicle in the best interest of all such investors and holders if the servicer: (1) makes reasonable, documented efforts to implement a modification or workout plan for a loan in or facing payment default; or (2) engages in other loss mitigation efforts, if the former efforts fail or the plan would be infeasible, in the reasonable belief that such efforts will maximize the net present value to be realized over that which would be realized through foreclosure. Declares, furthermore, that a servicer shall be deemed to be acting on behalf of the securitization vehicle in the best interest of all investors and beneficial interest holders if the servicer makes efforts to: (1) contact proactively borrowers approaching a calendar date in which a predetermined or contractually established rate of interest shall increase or fluctuate in accordance with specified indicators or within a predetermined range; and (2) determine the borrower's ability to make payments following a reset of interest rates, whether the borrower is in danger of default or disclosure, and whether a loan modification or other mitigation effort is appropriate. Declares that, absent specific contractual provisions to the contrary, a servicer acting in a manner consistent with such duty shall not be liable to specified persons for entering into a qualified loan modification or workout plan for loss mitigation purposes.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Housing and community development
Date: 2008-04-17 00:00:00

Foreclosure Rescue Fraud Act of 2008 - Prohibits a foreclosure consultant from: (1) receiving compensation from a homeowner for services performed regarding residential real property until such consultant has fully performed each service contracted for; (2) holding power of attorney from any homeowner, except to inspect documents; (3) receiving consideration from a third party in connection with services rendered to a homeowner by such third party with respect to the foreclosure, unless such consideration is fully disclosed in writing before such services are rendered; (4) accepting any wage assignment, lien, or other security to secure compensation for services rendered regarding foreclosure of the residential real property; or (5) acquiring any interest in the residence of a homeowner with whom the consultant has contracted. Sets forth contract requirements. Permits a homeowner to cancel such contract without penalty or obligation. Declares void and unenforceable: (1) any waiver by a homeowner of the protections provided in this Act; and (2) any contract that does not comply with this Act. Requires a loan servicer to notify a homeowner of the dangers of fraudulent activities associated with foreclosure if the servicer finds that the homeowner has failed to make two consecutive payments on a residential mortgage loan and such loan is at risk of foreclosure. Subjects any foreclosure consultant who fails to comply with this Act to liability for actual and punitive damages and attorneys' fees. Empowers the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the states to enforce this Act.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Housing and community development
Date: 2008-04-23 00:00:00

Encouraging Mortgage Modifications Act of 2008 - Amends the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 to set forth duties of mortgage servicers regarding certain loan modifications or workout plans that affect pooled qualified residential mortgages. Specifies among such duties the duty to: (1) determine if the net present value of the payments on the modified loan is likely to be greater than the anticipated net recovery that would result from foreclosure to all investors and parties having a direct or indirect interest in the pooled loans or securitization vehicle; and (2) act in the best interests of all such investors and parties, if the servicer agrees to or implements a qualified loan modification or workout plan for a qualified residential mortgage, or takes other reasonable loss mitigation actions, including accepting partial payments or short sale of the property, if such efforts are unsuccessful or infeasible. Shields from liability a servicer who enters into a qualified loan modification or workout plan if the servicer acts in a manner consistent with such duties.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Date: 2008-05-06 00:00:00

Credit and Debit Card Receipt Clarification Act of 2008 - Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to declare that any person who printed an expiration date on any receipt provided to a consumer cardholder at a point of sale (POS) or transaction between December 4, 2004, and the enactment of this Act, but otherwise complied with FCRA requirements for such receipt, shall not be in willful noncompliance by reason of printing such expiration date on it.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Housing and community development
Date: 2008-05-19 00:00:00

Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2008 - States that any immediate successor in interest to residential property in foreclosure assumes such interest subject to: (1) giving the existing bona fide tenant at least 90-day notice to vacate; and (2) specified rights of such tenant to occupy the premises until the end of the remaining term of the lease. Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to require a housing assistance payment contract to provide that in the case of an owner who is an immediate successor in interest pursuant to foreclosure: (1) during the initial term of the lease vacating the property prior to sale shall not constitute other good cause for termination of the lease; but (2) in subsequent lease terms, vacating the property prior to sale may constitute good cause if the property is unmarketable while occupied, or if such owner will occupy the unit as a primary residence. Authorizes a housing assistance payment contract entered into by the public housing agency and the owner of a dwelling unit to provide that the immediate successor in interest to property in foreclosure in which a housing assistance recipient resides, assumes such interest subject to the lease between the prior owner and the tenant, and subject to the housing assistance payments contract between the prior owner and the public housing agency for the occupied unit.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2008-06-05 00:00:00

Credit Card Fair Fee Act of 2008 - Authorizes providers of a single covered electronic payment system (e.g., Visa or Mastercharge credit cards) and any merchants to jointly negotiate and agree upon the fees and terms for access to such a system. Defines covered electronic payment system as any system that has been used for at least 20% of the combined dollar value of credit and debit card payments processed in the most recent year. Grants limited antitrust immunity to such providers and merchants, as well as to those providers who jointly determine among themselves the proportionate division of paid access fees.Sets forth procedures to determine fees and terms for access to a covered electronic payment system. Creates a panel of three full-time Electronic Payment System Judges, appointed by the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice and the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, to determine the schedule of fees and terms for two-year periods. Outlines procedures for correcting overpayments, underpayments, and late payments as determined by the Judges. Subjects any determination of such Judges to judicial review.Authorizes providers and merchants to engage in voluntarily negotiated access agreements. Declares that such an executed agreement shall supersede any fees or terms established by the Judges.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Date: 2008-07-17 00:00:00

Protecting Consumers from Unreasonable Credit Rates Act of 2008 - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit a creditor from making an extension of credit to a consumer with respect to which the annual percentage credit rate (APR) exceeds 36%. Includes within such APR all charges payable directly or indirectly incident to, ancillary to, or as a condition of the extension of credit. States that any payment in violation of this Act is null, void, and unenforceable. Prescribes civil and criminal penalties for violations of this Act. Empowers states' Attorneys General to enforce it.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2008-07-22 00:00:00

Extends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) demonstration projects on the guaranteeing of veterans' adjustable rate and hybrid adjustable rate mortgage loans in a manner similar to which the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development insures such mortgages under the National Housing Act.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2008-09-24 00:00:00

Volunteer Pilot Act - Exempts certain small passenger or cargo charitable flights with standard airworthiness certificates, provided certain conditions are met, from: (1) the requirement to obtain an air carrier or commercial operator certificate; and (2) drug and alcohol testing requirements.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Date: 2008-09-25 00:00:00

New York/New Jersey High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Expansion Act of 2008 - Designates the counties of Clinton, Franklin, Jefferson, and St. Lawrence in the state of New York as high-intensity drug trafficking areas and incorporates such counties into the New York/New Jersey high-intensity drug trafficking area program administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Date: 2008-09-26 00:00:00

Consumer Credit Safety Commission Act of 2008 - Establishes the Consumer Credit Safety Commission to promulgate consumer credit safety rules that: (1) ban abusive, fraudulent, unfair, deceptive, predatory, anticompetitive, or otherwise anti-consumer practices or product features for creditors; (2) place restrictions on consumer credit practices or product features to reduce the likelihood that they may be provided in a manner inconsistent with this Act; and (3) establish requirements for clear and adequate information appropriate to advance the objectives of this Act. Directs the Commission to: (1) establish and maintain a best practices guide for providers of consumer credit; (2) conduct, or award grants or contracts for, continuing studies and investigations of consumer credit industry practices; (3) help consumer credit providers to develop consumer credit safety standards or guidelines; and (4) establish and operate a consumer credit customer hotline to register complaints and receive information on how to combat anti-consumer credit. Directs the Commission to establish a program to promote federal-state cooperation to implement this Act. Sets forth civil and criminal penalties for acts prohibited by this Act.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2008-10-01 00:00:00

Implementing the Controlled Unclassified Information Framework Act of 2008 - Establishes within the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) a Controlled Unclassified Information Office, headed by a Director, who shall be appointed by and report directly to the Archivist of the United States.Directs the Archivist, acting through the Director, to : (1) develop and publicly issue the controlled unclassified information framework (a set of policies and procedures governing the designation, marking, safeguarding, and dissemination of controlled unclassified information that originates in a federal agency) and controlled unclassified information implementation guidance; (2) establish safeguarding and dissemination controls; (3) establish standards for the designation of controlled unclassified information; (4) establish, approve, and maintain safeguarding standards and dissemination instructions for controlled unclassified information; and (5) establish a process that addresses enforcement mechanisms and penalties for improper handling of controlled unclassified information.Establishes a Controlled Unclassified Information Council as a subcommittee of the Information Sharing Council.Requires a federal agency to make available to members of the public all unclassified information that may be released under the Freedom of Information Act.Provides that the right of Congress to obtain access to and to release unclassified information shall remain unimpeded.Requires: (1) the Archivist to report to Congress annually on the implementation of the framework; and (2) the Inspectors General of each agency that is a member of the Information Sharing Council, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to audit agency compliance with this Act and report to specified congressional committees and to the Archivist.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2008-11-19 00:00:00

Alaska Timber Industry Fairness Act - Establishes a two-year grant program for retooling projects that are designed to facilitate the economic adjustment of specified timber entities by allowing them to: (1) improve or alter their business and practices to become more competitive within the timber industry; or (2) shift to a type of business that is not related to the timber industry. Authorizes the Assistant Secretary for Economic Development of the Department of Commerce to provide grants under such program to any entity that operated in the timber industry in Alaska on January 1, 2008, that operated in Alaska for not less than 10 years, and that can demonstrate that it has been harmed by federal laws or regulations relating to the timber industry, including the United States Forest Service's policies and land management plans completed pursuant to National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.Sets forth provisions concerning eligible uses of grant funding.Treats a grant recipient as a small business concern owned or controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (as that term is defined in the Small Business Act) for three years after the grant was approved.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Date: 2008-11-19 00:00:00

FBI Priorities Act of 2008 - Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2013 to fund 1,000 additional Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) field agents to investigate financial crimes.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Housing and community development
Date: 2008-12-11 00:00:00

Home Retention and Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to establish the right of an eligible deferred-foreclosure consumer, defendable in court, to defer initiation of a foreclosure or related action, including a foreclosure sale, brought by any creditor, servicer, or holder of an eligible deferred-foreclosure mortgage, during a specified deferment period. Declares invalid any foreclosure action or proceeding regarding a deferred-foreclosure mortgage if the creditor or servicer fails to notify the consumer: (1) at least 30 days before instituting the action or proceeding; and (2) at least once during each subsequent 30-day period until the foreclosure becomes final. Prescribes procedures governing: (1) initiating foreclosure deferment; (2) payment notices during the deferment period; and (3) the manner of consumer payment during the deferment period. Amortizes over the life of the mortgage the difference between the amount of monthly payment due under the eligible deferred-foreclosure mortgage and the deferment payment amount. Prohibits a creditor or servicer from imposing any late fee or other fee or charge during the deferment period. Requires the creditor or servicer to provide the consumer with separate, written notification, distinct from all other correspondence, regarding: (1) any interest rate increase with respect to a sub-prime mortgage; (2) any minimum monthly payment increase with respect to a negative amortization mortgage; (3) clear and conspicuous disclosure of the good faith estimate of the monthly payment applicable after the adjustment or reset date; and (4) a list of alternatives available to consumers prior to the date of adjustment or increase. Authorizes appropriations for the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation to implement foreclosure mitigation activities.
Topic: Domestic Commerce — Consumer Finance
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2007-02-12 00:00:00

Passenger Vehicle Loss Disclosure Act - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to require all insurers and self-insurers of passenger motor vehicles to disclose to the public, in a commercially reasonable, electronically accessible manner, for each passenger motor vehicle declared or determined to be a total loss: (1) the vehicle identification number and odometer reading; (2) the date of and primary reason for the total loss determination; and (3) whether the airbags deployed.