lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-03-05 00:00:00

Veterans Employment and Training Service Longitudinal Study Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Labor to enter into a contract with a non-governmental entity to conduct a longitudinal study of a statistically valid sample of each of the following groups of individuals over a period of at least five years: (1) veterans who have received intensive job counseling, training, and placement services; (2) veterans who did not receive intensive services but who otherwise received services; and (3) veterans who did not seek or receive services.

Requires the study to include the collection of specified information for each individual who participates in the study, including: (1) the average number of months served on active duty, (2) the distribution of disability ratings, (3) unemployment benefits received, (4) the average number of months employed and average individual and household annual income, (5) employment status, (6) whether the individual believes that any service received helped the individual to become employed, (7) use of educational assistance, (8) participation in a vocational rehabilitation program, (9) conditions of discharge or release from the Armed Forces, and (10) demographic information.

Directs the Secretary to submit annual reports on the outcomes of the study that include any information the Secretary determines is necessary to determine long-term outcomes of the individuals in such groups.

Amends the Social Security Act to grant the Secretary access to new hire information reported by employers.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-03-11 00:00:00

Quicker Veterans Benefits Delivery Act - Requires (current law authorizes) the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to accept, for purposes of establishing a claim for veterans disability benefits, a report of a medical examination administered by a private physician without requiring confirmation by a Veterans Health Administration physician if the report is sufficiently complete. Defines "sufficiently complete" as competent, credible, probative, and containing such information as required to make a decision on the claim for which the report is provided.

Requires the Secretary to submit: (1) a report on the progress of the VA's Acceptable Clinical Evidence initiative in reducing the necessity for in-person disability examinations, and (2) an annual report for each VA regional office regarding claims for which private medical evidence was determined to be unacceptable.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-03-11 00:00:00

Appropriate Care for Disabled Veterans Act - Repeals the termination date of (thus, reinstates) the requirement for an annual report from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) on the Secretary's compliance, by facility and by service-network, with requirements for managing the provision of hospital care and medical services furnished to veterans with service-connected disabilities.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-03-13 00:00:00

Authorizes the President to award the Medal of Honor posthumously to Lance Corporal Jordan C. Haerter and Corporal Jonathan Yale of the Marine Corps for acts of valor during Operation Iraqi Freedom on April 22, 2008, for which they were originally awarded the Navy Cross.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-03-13 00:00:00

Disabled Veterans Jobs Opportunity Act - Entitles a veteran who has a service-connected disability or combination of service-connected disabilities rated as not less than 70% disabling by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) and who receives a passing grade in an examination for entrance into the federal competitive service to 15 additional points above his or her earned rating.

Requires a hiring agency to notify individuals who received a passing grade on an entrance examination in 2014 before the enactment of this Act to determine whether they are eligible for such additional points.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-03-18 00:00:00

Amends the Department of Defense Survivor Benefits Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 (also known as the Honoring the Families of Fallen Soldiers Act) to appropriate funds for fiscal years after FY2014 during any period of lapsed appropriations for the payment of death gratuities and related benefits for survivors of deceased servicemembers.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-03-21 00:00:00

Protecting Business Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2014 - Extends subcontracting limitations that apply to certain small businesses awarded contracts under various Small Business Administration (SBA) programs (requirements under the Small Business Act limit the amount that such small businesses may expend on subcontractors) to small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans with or without service-connected disabilities who are awarded contracts of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Requires, for purposes of applying such subcontracting limitations to veterans with small businesses awarded such VA contracts, that: (1) small businesses owned and controlled by veterans be treated in the same manner as small businesses owned and controlled by veterans with service-connected disabilities, and (2) "similarly situated entity" be defined as a subcontractor for a small business owned and controlled by a veteran with or without a service-connected disability (contract amounts expended by small businesses on subcontractors that are similarly situated entities are not considered toward subcontracting limits).

Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, upon awarding such a contract, to obtain a certification from the offeror that specifies the performance requirements and acknowledges that the certification is subject to criminal laws concerning false or fraudulent statements or representations. Subjects small businesses to fines, imprisonment, or both for not acting in good faith.

Requires the VA's Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization and the VA's Chief Acquisition Officer to: (1) establish a process to monitor compliance with this Act, and (2) refer violations to the VA Inspector General. Directs the Inspector General to submit annual reports to Congress regarding such violations.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-03-27 00:00:00

Veteran Families Fairness Act - Provides for the payment of certain accrued veterans' benefits to the estate of a deceased veteran upon the veteran's death if the veteran has no living spouse, children, or dependent parents.

Allows the estate of a veteran who dies while his or her claim for accrued veterans' benefits is pending to file a request to be substituted as the claimant.

Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to process the claim of a substituted claimant: (1) by recognizing the original filing date of the claim, and (2) without penalty to the priority of the claim.

Directs the Secretary to notify the estates of veterans who died before this Act's enactment of their eligibility to apply for the deceased veteran's accrued benefits or apply to act as a substituted claimant. Gives estates one year after the date they received such notification to make such an application.

Requires the Secretary to reimburse a successful veterans' benefits claimant for the medical costs that: (1) were charged to the claimant while the claim was pending, and (2) would have been reimbursed or provided by the VA if the treatment occurred after the claim was approved. Directs the Secretary to recommend to each claimant, when they file a claim, to retain documentation regarding such costs.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-03-27 00:00:00

Military Sexual Trauma Claims Administration Reform and Eligibility Act - Establishes a presumption, for the purpose of determining a veteran's eligibility for disability compensation, that a veteran's mental health condition was incurred in or aggravated by military sexual trauma if the veteran so certifies, despite a lack of evidence that such condition or trauma occurred during such service. Makes that presumption rebuttable.

Defines "military sexual trauma" as psychological trauma that, in the judgment of a mental health professional, resulted from a physical assault or battery of a sexual nature or sexual harassment that occurred while the veteran was serving on active duty or active duty for training in the Armed Forces.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-04-01 00:00:00

Department of Veterans Affairs Information Security Protection Act - Requires the Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Information and Technology to submit to the congressional veterans committees (under current law, only to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs) quarterly reports on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) compliance with federally-required information security improvements. Directs the Assistant Secretary to submit to such committees: (1) quarterly, a plan of action to address critical known VA information security vulnerabilities; and (2) annually, a plan for identifying and replacing VA operating systems that are out-of-date or unsupported. Requires the Assistant Secretary to ensure that any software or Internet applications used on VA operating systems are secure from vulnerabilities that could affect the confidentiality of sensitive personal information on veterans.

Directs the Secretary to report, quarterly, to such committees on any incidents of failure to comply with established information security policies, any actions taken in response to such incidents, and certain related information. Requires the Secretary to submit a strategic plan for improving VA information security and to update such plan at least every two years.

Requires VA contractors with access to sensitive personal information to provide protective measures to safeguard from possible information security threats any information provided by the VA that will be resident on, or transiting through, information systems controlled by that contractor.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-04-01 00:00:00

Honor Guardsmen and Reservists Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make available for purchase a memorial headstone or marker for the marked or unmarked grave of: (1) an individual who performed inactive duty training or active duty for training as a member of a reserve component, but did not serve on active duty and is not otherwise ineligible for a memorial headstone or marker on account of the nature of the individual's separation from the Armed Forces or other cause; or (2) such an individual whose remains are unavailable.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-04-01 00:00:00

Work for Warriors Act of 2014 - Directs the Chief of the National Guard to carry out a pilot program, to be known as the Work for Warriors Program, to enhance Department of Defense (DOD) efforts to provide job placement assistance and related employment services to members of the reserve components. Requires each participating state to provide at least 30% in matching funds. Requires the Program to follow a direct employment program model, with one-on-one job placement and follow-up services to such individuals.

Requires the Chief to: (1) develop outcome measures to evaluate the success of the Program in each state, and (2) report to the congressional defense committees on Program results.

Grants the Chief authority to carry out the Program during FY2015-FY2018, with an authorized extension for up to two additional years.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-04-02 00:00:00

Veterans Information Security Improvement Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) carry out certain information security activities, (2) ensure that officials and staff of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) possess specified qualifications in such areas, and (3) coordinate the staffing of related information technology and security offices.

Requires the Secretary to ensure that: (1) the Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology, the head of the Office of Information Security (OIS), and relevant field staff possess certain levels of information technology education, certifications, and experience; (2) Office of Information and Technology (OIT) staff are assigned to the OIS; and (3) subordinate OIT offices maintain appropriate information security functions.

Directs the Secretary to ensure that subordinate OIT offices maintain functions to: (1) integrate the VA's security architecture into the VA's overall enterprise architecture strategy, (2) restrict the development of new data warehouses and data marts holding sensitive personal information of veterans, and (3) reduce the number of data marts holding such personal information.

Defines: (1) "data mart" as a subset of a data warehouse that contains information for a specific entity of an organization rather than the entire organization, and (2) "data warehouse" as a collection of data designed to support management decision making that contains a wide variety of data presenting a coherent picture of business conditions for an entire organization at a single point in time and whose development includes systems to extract data from operating systems plus installation of a warehouse database system that provides managers flexible access to the data.

Requires the Secretary to safeguard VA network infrastructure, computers, and servers.

Directs the Secretary to protect the confidentiality of sensitive personal information of veterans by: (1) providing upgrades or phaseouts of outdated or unsupported operating systems to protect against harmful viruses and malicious software, and (2) securing VA web applications and the Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (commonly referred to as the "Vista system," which allows for an integrated inpatient and outpatient electronic health record for patients and provides administrative tools to VA employees).

Directs the Secretary to submit certifications to Congress regarding the VA's compliance with information security requirements, including actions required by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Requires the Secretary to submit monthly reports to Congress regarding security vulnerabilities discovered after performing regular scans of VA computers and servers.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-04-02 00:00:00

Biological Implant Tracking and Veteran Safety Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) adopt the unique device identification system developed for medical devices by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or implement a comparable standard identification system, for identifying biological implants intended for use in medical procedures conducted in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities; (2) implement a compatible system for tracking the implants from donor to implantation; and (3) implement inventory controls compatible with such tracking system so that all patients who have received, in a VA medical facility, a biological implant subject to a recall by the FDA can be notified of the recall.

 Authorizes the Secretary to procure biological implants only from vendors that meet specified conditions, including that the vendor uses the standard identification system, consents to periodic VA inspections and audits, is registered with the FDA, and maintains national accreditation specific to biological implants. Requires the Secretary to: (1) procure such implants under General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedules, (2) accommodate reasonable vendor requests to undertake specified outreach efforts to educate VA medical professionals about the use and efficacy of implants that are listed on such Schedules, and (3) procure biological implants that are unavailable for procurement under such Schedules using competitive procedures in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

Makes any VA procurement employee found responsible for a biological implant procurement transaction with intent to avoid, or with reckless disregard of, the requirements of this Act ineligible to hold a certificate of appointment as a contracting officer or to serve as the representative of an ordering officer, contracting officer, or purchase card holder.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-04-04 00:00:00

Lawrence J. Hackett Jr. Vietnam Veterans Agent Orange Fairness Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a task force to assess and make recommendations about the care and compensation that should be provided to veterans who have been exposed to Agent Orange, their spouses, and multiple generations of their offspring.

Requires the task force to make recommendations: (1) to establish the Agent Orange Illness Compensation Program to provide an exposed veteran or eligible survivor a lump sum payment for the veteran's injury, illness, or death; (2) for the establishment of a national outreach and education campaign to communicate information about Agent Orange exposures and health conditions to veterans who are affected by incidents of toxic exposures and their families; (3) for compensation and health care for individuals with Spina Bifida, birth defects, or other illnesses who are the children or descendants of members of the Armed Forces who served in Vietnam or in or near the demilitarized zone in Korea during certain time periods determined by the task force; and (4) for the establishment of a unified policy to deal with the consequences of exposure to hazardous materials in the military.

Terminates the task force not later than two years after its establishment.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-04-08 00:00:00

Veterans' Job Corps Act - Authorizes the President to establish and operate a Veterans' Job Corps to employ veterans and veterans' widows or widowers who are otherwise unemployed in the construction, maintenance, and carrying on of public works in connection with: (1) the forestation of U.S. or state lands; (2) the prevention of forest fires, floods, and soil erosion; (3) public safety; (4) plant pest and disease control; and (5) the construction, maintenance, or repair of paths, trails, and fire-lanes in National Park System units and other public lands.

Directs the President to employ individuals in the Corps in the following order of preference: (1) unemployed veterans, and (2) widows or widowers who are eligible for unemployment compensation immediately before employment in the Corps.

Authorizes the President to provide individuals employed in the Corps with housing, necessary subsistence, clothing, medical attendance and hospitalization, a cash allowance, and transportation to and from the places of employment.

Prohibits the employment in the Corps of an individual convicted of a felony or a veteran who was discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-04-10 00:00:00

Dignified Interment of Our Veterans Act of 2014 - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct a study on matters relating to the identification, claiming, and interring of unclaimed remains of veterans, including: (1) estimating the number of unclaimed remains; (2) assessing the effectiveness of VA procedures for claiming and interring unclaimed remains of veterans; (3) assessing state and local laws that affect the ability of the Secretary to identify, claim, and inter such remains; and (4) recommending appropriate legislative or administrative action.

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Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-05-08 00:00:00

Express Appeals Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) carry out a five-year pilot program to provide the option of an alternative appeals process to determine appeals of claims for disability compensation more quickly, and (2) inform claimants about such program.

Authorizes a claimant to elect to file an express appeal by filing with the Secretary: (1) a notice of disagreement, (2) all evidence that the claimant believes is needed for the appeal, (3) a statement of the argument in support of the claim, and (4) the claimant's written election to have the appeal determined under the pilot program. Requires the Secretary to transfer jurisdiction over an express appeal directly to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.

Requires a claimant to make such election: (1) at any time during the traditional appeal process if the claimant has filed a traditional appeal before the pilot program commences, or (2) by 90 days after the Secretary provides notice of the determination of the claim if the claimant has not filed a traditional appeal.

Directs the Secretary to inform a claimant who seeks to change a traditional appeal to an express appeal about whether any time will be saved. Allows a claimant who elects to file an express appeal to elect to revert to a traditional appeal at any time.

Requires the Board of Veterans' Appeals to: (1) maintain express appeals on a separate docket, (2) hear express appeals in the order received, and (3) decide not more than one express appeal for each four traditional appeals decided.

Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) the effects of new evidence submitted or additional information needed after an express appeal is filed, and (2) a prohibition against the Board providing hearings for express appeals.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-05-09 00:00:00

Manufacturing Jobs for Veterans Act - Directs the Secretary of Labor, as part of the Veteran's Workforce Investment Program, to carry out a five-year pilot program (to be known as the Veterans Manufacturing Employment Program) to award competitive grants to three states for the establishment and administration of a State Manufacturing Employment Program to make grants to manufacturing employers and labor-management organizations that provide training, on-job training, apprenticeships, and certification classes to eligible veterans.
Topic: Defense — Other
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-05-20 00:00:00

Gold Star Families Equality Act - Requires a lapel button to be designed to identify widows, parents, and next of kin of members of the Armed Forces who die, under circumstances not already prescribed for under existing eligibility standards for a gold star lapel button, while serving on active duty or while assigned to a reserve component in a drill status.

Makes such next of kin button available retroactively to survivors of members of the Armed Forces who have died since September 10, 2001.

Directs the Secretary of each military department and the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to provide for the issuance of a Gold Star Installation Access Card to family members with gold or next of kin buttons to expedite their ability to gain unescorted access to military installations for the purpose of obtaining on-base services and benefits.

Requires regulations to be prescribed to permit parents (including stepparents, parents though adoption, or foster parents who stood in loco parentis) with such buttons to use commissary stores and other military retail facilities on the same basis as surviving spouses or children.