lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-02-04 00:00:00

Government Employee Accountability Act

Sets forth guidelines for placing career employees of the Senior Executive Service (SES) on investigative leave. Defines "investigative leave" as a temporary absence without duty for disciplinary reasons, of a period not greater than 90 days.

Authorizes a federal agency to: (1) place an SES employee on investigative leave, without loss of pay and without charge to annual or sick leave, only for misconduct, neglect of duty, malfeasance, or misappropriation of funds; (2) place such employee on leave without pay if such employee's conduct is flagrant and such employee intentionally engaged in such conduct; or (3) remove such employee if such employee acted in a manner that endangers the interest of the agency mission and the removal is deemed necessary or advisable in the interests of the United States.

Requires an agency head to periodically review the investigation into the conduct of an SES employee placed on investigative leave and take certain actions with respect to such employee at the end of a period of investigative leave, including removal, suspension without pay, or reinstatement to duty. Grants an employee placed on investigative leave certain rights, including: (1) advance written notice of, and the right to answer, charges; (2) the right to be represented by an attorney; and (3) the right to appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board.

Includes misappropriation of funds as a ground in suspending or reinstating an SES employee or placing such employee in another civil service position.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-02-05 00:00:00

Federal Employee Pension Fairness Act of 2015

Repeals provisions requiring federal employees, including foreign service employees, who began service after 2012 to pay an increased contribution (4.4%) for funding their annuities under the Federal Employees Retirement System.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) treat certain foreign corporations managed and controlled primarily in the United States as domestic corporations for U.S. tax purposes; and (2) revise rules for the taxation of inverted corporations (i.e., U.S. corporations that acquire foreign companies to reincorporate in a foreign jurisdiction with lower income tax rates than the United States).
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Social welfare
Date: 2015-02-13 00:00:00

Social Security Fairness Act of 2015

 Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to repeal the government pension offset requirement applicable to and reducing husband's and wife's insurance benefits, widow's and widower's insurance benefits, and divorced mother's and divorced father's insurance benefits with respect to federal, state, or local government employees who receive a government pension and did not pay Social Security taxes during their years of government service, and so did not earn entitlement to Social Security benefits for those years.

Repeals also the windfall elimination requirement with respect to computation of an individual's primary insurance amount under which OASDI retirement or disability benefits are reduced if the individual receives a federal, state, or local government pension, did not pay Social Security taxes during the years of government service, and so did not earn entitlement to Social Security benefits for those years.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-02-24 00:00:00

Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2015

Provides that: (1) specified diseases, including heart disease, lung disease, and specified cancers of federal employees employed in fire protection activities for a minimum of 5 years shall be presumed to be proximately caused by such employment if the employee is diagnosed with the disease within 10 years of the last active date of employment in fire protection activities; (2) the disability or death of such an employee due to such a disease shall be presumed to result from personal injury sustained while in the performance of duty; and (3) such presumption may be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence. Allows such presumption for fire protection employees who contract any uncommon infectious disease, including but not limited to tuberculosis, hepatitis A, B, or C, or the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), regardless of the length of employment of such employee.

Defines an "employee in fire protection activities" as a firefighter, paramedic, emergency medical technician, rescue worker, ambulance personnel, or hazardous material worker, who: (1) is trained in fire suppression; (2) has the legal authority and responsibility to engage in fire suppression; (3) is engaged in the prevention, control, and extinguishment of fires or response to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk; and (4) performs such activities as a primary responsibility of his or her job.

Directs the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to examine the implementation of this Act and appropriate scientific and medical data related to the health risks associated with firefighting and to report to Congress on: (1) an analysis of the injury claims made under this Act, (2) an analysis of the available research related to the health risks associated with firefighting, and (3) recommendations for any administrative or legislative actions necessary to ensure that those diseases most associated with firefighting are included in the presumption created by this Act.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-02-24 00:00:00

Trust Returned to the United States Taxpayer Act or the TRUST Act

Denies retirement benefits under the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees Retirement System to a Member of Congress who is convicted of any crime committed after the enactment of this Act that is a felony under federal or state law (currently, limited to specified felonies under federal law).
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-02-26 00:00:00

Promoting Accountability in Decisions for Progress Act or the PAID for Progress Act

Reduces by 8.7% the rate of basic pay for the President, Members of Congress, and any federal employee occupying a position within the federal government or a covered enterprise (defined as the Federal National Mortgage Association, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, or any federally-chartered affiliate thereof) for which the annual rate of basic pay exceeds $100,000.

Requires such basic pay rates to be adjusted by the rate of the percent change in real median household income of the United States as published by the Bureau of the Census.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-03-02 00:00:00

Postal Employee Appeal Rights Amendments Act

Extends federal employee protections against adverse personnel actions, including the right to appeal such actions to the Merit Systems Protection Board, to any officer or employee of the U.S. Postal Service who is not represented by a bargaining representative and is in a supervisory, professional, technical, clerical, administrative, or managerial position covered by the Executive and Administrative Schedule.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-03-03 00:00:00

Government Employee Pension Reform Act of 2015 

This bill revises the definition of "average pay" for purposes of federal employee pensions under the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees Retirement System to mean the largest annual rate resulting from averaging rates of base pay over any five (currently, three) consecutive years of creditable service. This change will take effect on January 1, 2017.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-03-04 00:00:00

CFPB Pay Fairness Act of 2015

 Amends the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, with respect to compensation of employees of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), to require the CFPB Director to set and adjust the rates of basic pay for CFPB employees in accordance with the General Schedule for federal employees. (Currently, the Director is merely authorized to do so.)

Repeals the requirement that the Director at all times provide compensation (including benefits) to each class of employees at least comparable to the compensation and benefits then being provided by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for the corresponding class of Federal Reserve employees. Repeals also the requirement that all such employees be compensated (including benefits) on terms and conditions consistent with specified terms and conditions of the Federal Reserve Act.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-03-06 00:00:00

Prohibits the use of funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the official travel expenses of a Member of Congress for airline accommodations which are not coach-class accommodations.

 Prohibits similarly use for the long-term leasing of a vehicle of any funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the operations of a House of Congress, including the official and representational expenses of a Member or the expenses of a congressional committee or leadership office.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Labor and employment
Date: 2015-03-18 00:00:00

Amends the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 to treat field emergency medical service practitioners in the same manner as firefighters or law enforcement officers for purposes of exempting state employers from otherwise prohibited age discrimination practices.

Allows an employer that is a state, political subdivision, and interstate agency to fail or refuse to hire, or to discharge, any such practitioner because of the individual's age if the employer provides the practitioner an annual opportunity to demonstrate physical and mental fitness by passing a job performance test identified by the Department of Health and Human Services in order to continue employment.

Defines "field emergency medical service practitioner" as an employee, the duties of whose position are primarily to perform work directly connected with the responsibility of administration of specialized pre-hospital emergency care for victims of acute illnesses or injury, including an employee engaged in such activity who is transferred to a supervisory or administrative position.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-03-23 00:00:00

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

Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act

(Sec. 2) Makes an employee of specified land management agencies in the Department of the Interior serving under a time-limited, including a temporary, appointment in the competitive service eligible to compete for a permanent appointment in any land management agency or any other agency if: (1) the original appointment was competitive, (2) the employee has served under one or more time-limited appointments totaling more than 24 months without a break of two or more years, and (3) the employee's performance has been at an acceptable level.

Requires the Office of Personnel Management or other examining agency, in determining the eligibility of a time-limited employee to be examined for or appointed in the competitive service, to waive requirements as to age, unless the requirement is essential to the performance of the duties of the position.

Provides that an individual appointed under the provisions of this Act becomes a career-conditional employee and acquires competitive status upon appointment.

Deems a former employee of a land management agency who served under a time-limited appointment and who otherwise meets applicable requirements to be a time-limited employee for purposes of this Act if: (1) such employee applies for a position covered by this Act within two years after the most recent date of separation, and (2) such employee's most recent separation was for reasons other than misconduct or performance.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-03-23 00:00:00

Safeguarding America's Congressional Oversight Act or the SACO Act

Terminates from employment any federal employee who: (1) refuses to answer questions in a congressional hearing after being granted immunity; (2) in a congressional hearing, refuses to answer questions specifically, directly, and narrowly relating to his or her official duties, without being required to waive immunity with respect to the use of answers or the fruits thereof in a criminal prosecution; or (3) is found, by three-fourths of the congressional body to which testimony is given, to have willfully or knowingly given false testimony in a congressional hearing.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-03-24 00:00:00

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

Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) Makes any individual who has a seriously delinquent tax debt ineligible for federal employment or to continue serving as a federal employee. Defines "seriously delinquent tax debt" as a  federal tax liability assessed by the Internal Revenue Service and collectible by levy or court proceeding, except a tax debt: (1) that is being paid in a timely manner under an approved installment payment agreement or an offer-in-compromise, (2) for which a collection due process hearing has been requested or pending, (3) for which a continuous levy has been issued or agreed to by an applicant for employment, or (4) with respect to which such a levy is released because it has been determined to be an economic hardship to the taxpayer.

Requires each federal agency to: (1) ensure that applicants for employment certify that they do not have a seriously delinquent tax debt, (2) review public records to determine if a notice of lien has been filed against an employee or applicant, and (3) restrict access to and use of information obtained under this Act.

Authorizes an agency, if a tax lien against a federal employee or applicant for federal employment is discovered in a public record, to: (1) request such employee or applicant to execute and submit a form authorizing the Department of the Treasury to disclose to an agency head information describing whether the employee or applicant has a seriously delinquent tax debt, has willfully failed to file a required tax return, or has understated tax liability, and (2) request that Treasury disclose information authorized to be disclosed.

Authorizes the head of an agency to take personnel actions against an agency employee who willfully failed to file a required tax return or willfully understated federal tax liability.

Requires the Office of Personnel Management to: (1) promulgate regulations to carry out this Act that provide federal employees and applicants for employment with all due process rights and that allow, in a situation involving financial hardship, an employee with a seriously delinquent tax debt to continue employment; and (2) report to Congress annually on the number of exemptions granted for financial hardship. Grants federal employees or applicants for federal employment 180 days to demonstrate that their tax debts are exempt from classification as a seriously delinquent tax debt under this Act.

(Sec. 3) Makes this Act effective nine months after its enactment date.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-03-24 00:00:00

Members of Congress Tax Accountability Act of 2015

Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to require Members of Congress to include in their annual financial disclosure reports the amount of any delinquent tax liability owed to the United States or any state or local government entity.

Requires the appropriate congressional ethics committee to open an inquiry immediately into the tax delinquency of that Member to determine: (1) his or her total delinquent tax liability and reason for such delinquency, (2) whether the Member has a plan to eliminate it, and (3) whether it has reflected poorly on Congress.

Requires such Member to arrange with the Secretary of the Senate or the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives, as appropriate, and the Internal Revenue Service to have an appropriate amount of his or her salary designated to pay the taxes owed to the United States within a reasonable time period.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-03-24 00:00:00

Amends the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 to eliminate automatic pay adjustments for Members of Congress.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-03-26 00:00:00

Federal Employee Accountability Act of 2015

Repeals provisions: (1) authorizing a federal employee representing an exclusive representative in the negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement official time for such purpose during the time such employee otherwise would be in a duty status; and (2) requiring the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine whether any employee participating for, or on behalf of, a labor organization in any phase of proceedings before it shall be authorized official time for that purpose.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Economics and public finance
Date: 2015-03-26 00:00:00

White House Accountability Act of 2015

Rescinds the unobligated balance of funds made available for FY2015 for salaries and expenses of the White House.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-03-26 00:00:00

LEO Fair Retirement Act of 2015

 Provides that for purposes of computing the annuity of a federal law enforcement employee under the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees Retirement System, the law enforcement availability pay and administratively uncontrollable overtime pay earned by such employee in excess of limitations imposed on such pay shall be included in the average pay of such employee.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2015-03-26 00:00:00

Federal Transit Modernization Act of 2015

Repeals requirements that condition certain financial assistance for public transportation projects upon employee protective arrangements approved by the Secretary of Labor.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-04-14 00:00:00

Presidential Allowance Modernization Act of 2016

(Sec. 2) This bill revises provisions relating to presidential pensions to allow former Presidents a lifetime annual annuity of $200,000 and an additional annual monetary allowance of $200,000, each adjusted annually for cost-of-living increases as provided by the Social Security Act. It reduces the annual monetary allowance by the amount that a former President's adjusted gross income in a taxable year exceeds $400,000. 

The bill prohibits the monetary allowance from being less than the amount that the General Services Administration and the U.S. Secret Service determine is needed to pay the increased cost of doing business that is attributable to the security needs of the former President.

The annuity and allowance shall not be payable for any period during which a former President holds an appointive or elective position in or under the federal government that pays more than a nominal rate.

The bill increases from $20,000 to $100,000 the annual annuity of a surviving spouse of a former President.

(Sec. 3) Nothing in this bill shall be construed to affect: (1) a law relating to the security or protection of a former President or a family member of a former President, or (2) funding to carry out such security or protection.

(Sec. 4) The bill applies to an individual who is a former President or the widow of a former President as of the date of enactment.

(Sec. 5) For a former President receiving a monetary allowance before the enactment of this bill, the reduction of the monetary allowance for adjusted gross income required by this bill applies, except to the extent that it would prevent the former President from being able to pay the cost of a lease or other contract that is in effect on the day before enactment of this bill and under which the former President makes payments using the monetary allowance.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-04-16 00:00:00

Federal Protective Service Parity Act of 2015

Includes Federal Protective Service (FPS) law enforcement officers within the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees Retirement System. Defines "Federal Protective Service law enforcement officer" as an FPS employee who holds a position within specified General Schedule job series and is authorized to carry firearms and empowered to make arrests related to the protection of buildings, grounds, and property owned by the federal government and persons on the property.

Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to determine and fix the maximum age limit for an original appointment to a position as an FPS officer. Establishes a minimum annuity amount for individuals serving as FPS officers on the effective date of this Act.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-04-23 00:00:00

Hold Congress Accountable Act

 Requires a reduction in the annual rate of pay of a Member of Congress during a government shutdown equal to the product of 1 day's worth of pay under such annual rate and the number of 24-hour periods during which the government shutdown is in effect. Makes such reduction applicable to days occurring after the date of the general election for federal office held in November 2016.

Requires any amount of pay of a Member of Congress in the 114th Congress that is reduced due to a government shutdown to be held in escrow until the last day of the 114th Congress and released for payment to Members at that time.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-04-27 00:00:00

Government Spending Accountability Act of 2015 or the GSA Act of 2015

 Requires each federal agency to post on its public website detailed information on employee presentations at conferences, including: (1) the prepared text of any verbal presentation; and (2) any visual, digital, video, or audio materials presented, including photographs, slides, and audio-visual recordings.

Limits to $500,000 the amount that any agency may spend to support a single conference. Allows an agency head to waive such limitation for a specific conference after making a determination that a higher expenditure is justified as the most cost-effective option to achieve a compelling purpose.

Prohibits an agency from paying the travel expenses for more than 50 employees stationed in the United States to attend any international conference, unless the Secretary of State determines that attendance of more than 50 employees is in the national interest, or the agency head determines that the attendance of such employees is critical to the agency's mission.

Requires each agency to post on its public website quarterly reports on each conference costing more than $10,000 for which the agency paid travel expenses during the preceding three months.

Limits agency travel expenses for FY2016-FY2020 to 70% of the aggregate amount of such expenses for FY2010. Requires the Office of Management and Budget to establish guidelines for determining what expenses constitute travel expenses for purposes of the ceiling imposed on such expenses. Exempts from such limitation military travel expenses.