jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2012-05-21 00:00:00

Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Reauthorization Act of 2012 - Amends the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act of 2010 to require such stamp to be: (1) made available to the public for an additional four years; and (2) offered in a a choice of five versions depicting an African or Asian elephant, a rhinoceros, a tiger, a marine turtle, and a great ape.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2012-07-23 00:00:00

Billfish Conservation Act of 2012 - Prohibits any person from offering billfish or billfish products for sale, selling them, or having custody, control, or possession of them for purposes of offering them for sale or selling them. Treats a violation of this Act as an act prohibited by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Subjects a person to a maximum civil penalty of $100,000 for each violation, with each day of a continuing violation constituting a separate offense. Exempts the state of Hawaii and the Pacific Insular Area, except that billfish may be sold under such exemption only in the United States and the Pacific Insular Area. Defines "billfish" as any of the following: (1) blue marlin, (2) striped marlin, (3) black marlin, (4) sailfish, (5) shortbill spearfish, (6) white marlin, (7) roundscale spearfish, (8) Mediterranean spearfish, or (9) longbill spearfish. Excludes swordfish from such definition.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2012-07-24 00:00:00

Billfish Conservation Act of 2012- Prohibits any person from offering billfish or billfish products for sale, selling them, or having custody, control, or possession of them for purposes of offering them for sale or selling them. Treats a violation of this Act as an act prohibited by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Subjects a person to a maximum civil penalty of $100,000 for each violation, with each day of a continuing violation constituting a separate offense. Exempts from such prohibition billfish: (1) caught by U.S. vessels and landed in the state of Hawaii or the Pacific Insular Area (PIA), or (2) landed by foreign vessels in the PIA if the foreign caught billfish is exported to markets outside the United States or retained within the PIA for local consumption. Defines "billfish" as any of the following: (1) blue marlin, (2) striped marlin, (3) black marlin, (4) sailfish, (5) shortbill spearfish, (6) white marlin, (7) roundscale spearfish, (8) Mediterranean spearfish, or (9) longbill spearfish. Excludes swordfish from such definition.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2012-07-26 00:00:00

Corolla Wild Horses Protection Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement with the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, Currituck County, and the state of North Carolina to provide for the management of free-roaming wild horses in and around the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge. Requires that such agreement: (1) allow a herd of no more than 130 free-roaming wild horses in and around the Refuge; (2) provide for cost-effective management of such horses; and (3) provide for the introduction of a small number of free-roaming wild horses from the herd at Cape Lookout National Seashore as is necessary to maintain the genetic viability of the herd in and around the Refuge; and (4) specify that the Corolla Wild Horse Fund shall pay certain costs associated with the health, maintenance, removal, and placement of such horses. Bars the Secretary from excluding free-roaming wild horses from any part of the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge unless: (1) it is found that the presence of such horses on a part of the Refuge threatens the survival of an endangered species for which such land is designated as critical habitat, (2) such finding is based on a peer-reviewed scientific assessment, and (3) a period of public notice and comment is provided on such finding. Prohibits the removal of any horse from the Seashore for introduction at the Refuge, except with the approval of the Foundation for Shackleford Horses Inc. and consistent with the memorandum of understanding between the National Park Service (NPS) and the Foundation and the management plan for the Shackleford Banks Horse Herd. Prohibits anything in this Act from creating liability of the United States for any damages caused by the free-roaming wild horses to any person or property.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2012-08-02 00:00:00

Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to require the Secretary of the Interior, within 30 days after being served with a complaint in an action alleging a failure to perform an act or duty related to an endangered species or threatened species determination, to publish the complaint. Prohibits the failure of the Secretary to meet such deadline from being the basis for such an action. Sets forth requirements concerning the intervention in such actions by affected parties and referral to a mediation program. Authorizes the court, in issuing any final order in such an action, to award litigation costs to any party. Prohibits the court from: (1) awarding litigation costs in any proposed covered settlement, (2) granting a motion that is based on a proposed covered settlement or other consent decree that includes payment for litigation costs, (3) approving a proposed covered settlement unless each state and county in which the Secretary believes a species occurs approves it, or (4) granting a motion that is based on a proposed covered settlement unless such settlement is approved by each such state and county. Requires the courts to ensure that such a settlement is approved by each such state and county. Requires the Secretary to provide notice of a proposed covered settlement to each such state and county. Authorizes a court to approve such a settlement or grant such a motion if, within 45 days of notification, a: (1) state or county fails to respond, and (2) each state or county that responds approves the covered settlement, or (3) all of the states and counties fail to respond.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Animals
Date: 2012-09-13 00:00:00

Big Cats and Public Safety Protection Act - Amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to prohibit any person from importing, exporting, transporting, selling, receiving, acquiring, purchasing, breeding, possessing, or owning any prohibited wildlife species (current law prohibits importing, exporting, transporting, selling, receiving, acquiring, or purchasing such a species in interstate or foreign commerce). Includes among exemptions to such prohibition the: (1) breeding of such species by authorized persons; and (2) transportation, possession, or ownership of such species by authorized persons. Defines "breeding" as facilitating the reproduction of prohibited wildlife species (any live species of lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, or cougar or any hybrid of such species) for commercial use. Removes from the list of persons authorized to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, breed, possess, own, or purchase such species a person that is licensed or registered, and inspected, by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) or any other federal agency with respect to such species. Includes in such list: (1) a zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums; (2) a wildlife sanctuary that cares for such species, is a tax exempt corporation, does not commercially trade in or propagate such species, does not allow direct contact between the public and animals, and does not allow the transport and display of such species off-site; and (3) a person that is in possession of animals of such species that were born before the date of this Act's enactment and that are registered with APHIS within six months after such regulations are promulgated. Establishes civil and criminal penalties and forfeiture requirements for violations of this Act.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2013-01-03 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the House reported version is repeated here.)

Corolla Wild Horses Protection Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to enter into an agreement with the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, Currituck County, and the state of North Carolina to provide for the management of free-roaming wild horses in and around the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge.

 Requires that such agreement: (1) allow a herd of no more than 130 free-roaming wild horses in and around the Refuge; (2) provide for cost-effective management of such horses; and (3) provide for the introduction of a small number of free-roaming wild horses from the herd at Cape Lookout National Seashore as is necessary to maintain the genetic viability of the herd in and around the Refuge; and (4) specify that the Corolla Wild Horse Fund shall pay certain costs associated with the health, maintenance, removal, and placement of such horses.

Prohibits the removal of any horse from the Seashore for introduction at the Refuge, except with the approval of the Foundation for Shackleford Horses Inc. and consistent with the memorandum of understanding between the National Park Service and the Foundation and the management plan for the Shackleford Banks Horse Herd.

Prohibits anything in this Act from being construed as creating liability of the United States for any damages caused by the free-roaming wild horses to any person or property located inside or outside the boundaries of the Refuge.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2013-01-03 00:00:00

Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act - Declares the policy of the United States concerning protection and preservation of the wilderness ecosystem of the Arctic coastal plain.

 Designates specified lands within Alaska in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) as wilderness and components of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2013-01-15 00:00:00

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2013 - Reauthorizes and revises the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act.

 Increases the number of directors appointed by the Secretary of the Interior to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Board of Directors. Makes uniform the experience required of each such appointee. Requires the Foundation to have an Executive Director who is appointed by the Board and is knowledgeable and experienced in matters relating to fish and wildlife conservation.

Gives the Foundation the power to receive and administer restitution and community service payments, amounts for mitigation of impacts to natural resources, and other amounts arising from legal, regulatory, or administrative proceedings, as long as the funds are used for the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, plants, and other natural resources.

Repeals provisions authorizing the Foundation to establish a national whale conservation endowment fund.

Authorizes the Foundation to: (1) assess and collect fees for the management of amounts received from federal agencies; and (2) use such federal funds for matching contributions made by private persons, state and local agencies, and other entities (current law requires such use).

Authorizes the Foundation to perform functions that the National Park Foundation is authorized to conduct, unless exclusive authority is given to the National Park Foundation.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2013-02-12 00:00:00

Ensuring Affordable Energy Act - Prohibits any funds appropriated or otherwise available for the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from being used to implement or enforce: (1) a cap-and-trade program; or (2) any statutory or regulatory requirement pertaining to emissions of one or more greenhouse gases from stationary sources that is issued or becomes applicable or effective after the date of enactment of this Act.

Defines: (1) "cap-and-trade program" as any regulatory program established after the date of enactment of this Act that provides for the sale, auction, or other distribution of a limited amount of allowances that permit the emission of one or more greenhouse gases; and (2) "greenhouse gas" to include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, or any other designated anthropogenic gas.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2013-02-13 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

National Wildlife Refuge Review Act of 2013 - Amends the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from establishing any new national wildlife refuges, except as expressly authorized by a law enacted after January 3, 2013.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Environmental protection
Date: 2013-02-14 00:00:00

Upper Mississippi Conservation and River Protection Act of 2013 or the Upper Mississippi CARP Act - Directs the Chief of Engineers to study the feasibility of: (1) temporarily closing the lock at the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam (located on Mississippi River mile 853.9 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) to manage the threat of Asian carp traveling up the Mississippi River in Minnesota, and (2) implementing control measures at such lock and Lock and Dam 1 (located on Mississippi River mile 847.8 in Minneapolis, Minnesota), including permanently closing the locks, modifying lock operations, or using an alternative technology barrier, to manage such threat. Requires the Chief to assess the potential impacts, including environmental and economic impacts: (1) of temporary closure of such lock and of continuing to operate it, and (2) of implementing each of such control measures and of not implementing such measures.

Authorizes the Chief to close such lock upon determining that closure is justified based on the assessment of potential impacts. Requires the Chief to close such lock upon determining that a live adult Asian carp has been captured above Lock and Dam 2 (located on Mississippi River mile 815.2 upstream of Hastings, Minnesota) or that a juvenile Asian carp has been captured above Lock and Dam 4 (located on Mississippi River mile 752.8 in Alma, Wisconsin). Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, upon determining that an Asian carp has been captured at such a location, to transmit to the Chief a petition for closure of such lock. Allows the Chief to reopen the lock upon determining that adequate measures are in place to manage the threat.

Directs the Council on Environmental Quality to incorporate the Upper Mississippi River and tributaries, the Minnesota River, and the St. Croix River into the Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework of the Council.

 Expresses the sense of Congress that federal agencies researching Asian carp control technologies should partner with state and local shareholders, giving priority to collaborative partnerships in which such shareholders contribute to the cost of the research.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2013-02-14 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act of 2013 - Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in consultation with the Chesapeake Executive Council, the chief executive of each Chesapeake Bay state, and the Chesapeake Bay Commission, to submit to Congress a financial report containing: (1) an interagency crosscut budget for restoration activities that protect, conserve, or restore living resources, habitat, water resources, or water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed; (2) an accounting of funds received and obligated by all federal agencies for restoration activities; (3) an accounting from each state of all funds received and obligated from a federal agency for restoration activities; and (4) a description of each of the proposed federal and state restoration activities. Requires such report to describe only federal or state restoration activities that have funding amounts of at least $100,000 or $50,000, respectively.

Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop and update biennially an adaptive management plan for restoration activities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed that includes: (1) a definition of specific and measurable objectives to improve water quality, habitat, and fisheries; (2) a process for stakeholder participation; (3) monitoring, modeling, experimentation, and other research and evaluation practices; (4) a process for modification of restoration activities that have not attained or will not attain such objectives; and (5) a process for prioritizing restoration activities and programs to which adaptive management shall be applied. Requires the Administrator to: (1) report annually to Congress on implementation of such plan, and (2) include such plan in the Annual Action Plan and Annual Progress Report.

Requires appointment of an Independent Evaluator for the Chesapeake Bay watershed, who shall review and report to Congress biennially on restoration activities and the use of adaptive management in such activities, from among nominees submitted by the Chesapeake Executive Council.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Water resources development
Date: 2013-02-15 00:00:00

Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act of 2013 - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) establish the Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Program to provide grants to owners or operators of water systems for programs or projects to increase the resiliency or adaptability of the systems to any ongoing or forecasted changes to the hydrologic conditions of a U.S. region, and (2) give priority to owners or operators of water systems that are at the greatest and most immediate risk of facing significant negative impacts due to changing hydrologic conditions.

Requires the Administrator to ensure that the list of grant applications funded includes a substantial number that propose to utilize innovative approaches that meet at least one of these goals: (1) promote more efficient water use, water conservation, water reuse, or recycling; (2) use decentralized, low-impact development technologies and nonstructural approaches, including practices that use, enhance, or mimic the natural hydrological cycle or protect natural flows; (3) reduce stormwater runoff or flooding by protecting or enhancing natural ecosystem functions; (4) modify, upgrade, enhance, or replace existing water system infrastructure in response to changing hydrologic conditions; (5) improve water quality or quantity for agricultural and municipal uses, including through salinity reduction; and (6) provide multiple benefits, including to water supply enhancement or demand reduction, water quality protection or improvement, increased flood protection, and ecosystem protection or improvement.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Water resources development
Date: 2013-02-26 00:00:00

Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2013 - Amends the Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2000 to authorize specified additional projects, including projects for water conservation and improvement in Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy, Hudspeth, and El Paso counties, Texas.

Permits each project that the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, conducts or participates in to include: (1) the replacement of irrigation canals and lateral canals with buried pipelines; (2) the impervious lining of irrigation canals and lateral canals; (3) the installation of water level, flow measurement, pump control, and telemetry systems; (4) the renovation and replacement of pumping plants; and (5) other activities that will result in water conservation or an improved water supply.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2013-02-28 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Sikes Act Reauthorization Act of 2013 - Reauthorizes title I of the Sikes Act (conservation programs on military installations) for FY2015-FY2019.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Date: 2013-03-07 00:00:00

Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area Act - Establishes the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area within Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Solano, and Yolo Counties in California.

 States that the purpose of the Conservation Area is the conservation, protection, and enhancement of the ecological, scenic, wildlife, recreational, cultural, historical, natural, educational, and scientific resources of the lands included in the Area for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.

Continues to provide historical and adequate access to private inholdings in the Conservation Area.

Allows only those uses of the Conservation Area that would further the purposes for which it is established.

Requires a comprehensive plan for the protection and management of the federal lands included within the Conservation Area. Requires such plan to: (1) assess the impacts of climate change, (2) include a comprehensive weed management strategy, and (3) include a plan to address the public safety and environmental clean-up issues associated with illegal marijuana production.

Permits grazing in the Conservation Area: (1) to continue, if established before this Act's enactment; (2) if not established before enactment, only to the extent that it is consistent with the purposes of the conservation area; or (3) through issuing annual targeted permits for the control of noxious weeds, fire suppression, or to provide other ecological benefits.

Establishes the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area Advisory Council to advise with respect to the preparation and implementation of the management plan. Requires the appointment of one Council member to represent Native American Tribes.
Topic: Environment — Species & Forest
Subject: Animals
Date: 2013-03-13 00:00:00

Joint Ventures for Bird Habitat Conservation Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct, through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a Joint Ventures Program to develop a framework for the approval and establishment of Joint Ventures that: (1) provide financial and technical assistance to support regional migratory bird conservation partnerships, (2) develop and implement plans for the protection and enhancement of migratory bird populations, (3) complement and support activities by the Secretary and the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to fulfill obligations under specified migratory bird and conservation Acts, and (4) support other specified goals and objectives.

 Authorizes the Director to enter into agreements with eligible partners to establish Joint Ventures to: (1) promote sustainable migratory bird populations and fish and wildlife, (2) encourage stakeholder and government partnerships, and (3) establish science-based migratory bird conservation plans and promote broader landscape-level conservation of fish and wildlife habitat. Specifies that eligible partners include: (1) federal and state agencies; (2) affected regional, local, and tribal governments, private landowners, land managers, and other private stakeholders; (3) certain nongovernmental organizations; and (4) other relevant stakeholders.

 Authorizes the Director to award Joint Venture financial assistance grants.