lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2013-11-07 00:00:00

Read the Bills Act - Requires any bill or resolution introduced in either chamber of Congress to contain a provision citing the specific powers granted to Congress in the Constitution to enact the proposed measure, including all of its provisions.

Requires any measure introduced in either chamber, intended to amend or modify the effect of, or which would have such an effect, any current provision of law, including its expiration date, to set forth: (1) the current version of the entire section of the current law that the measure proposes to amend, verbatim; (2) the amendments being proposed by the measure; and (3) the section of law as it would read as modified by such amendments. Excludes measures which would strike the text of an entire section of a law.

Prohibits the Clerk of the House of Representatives or the Secretary of the Senate from accepting legislation if it is noncompliant with these requirements.

Applies such requirements to any legislation presented for consideration on the floor of either chamber.

Prohibits any noncompliant measure from being submitted for a vote on final passage.

Prohibits either chamber or Congress jointly from waiving or modifying these requirements.

Bars a vote on final passage of a measure (except private bills) from occurring in either chamber, unless: (1) the full text of the measure is published at least seven days before the vote on an official website of each chamber, (2) public notice of the specific calendar week during which the vote is scheduled to take place is posted on the respective website within six days before the Monday of such week, and (3) there is a reading of its full text verbatim by the Clerk or the Secretary to the respective chamber.

Requires a Member of Congress, before voting in favor of final passage of any measure (except a private bill) to sign an affidavit, executed under penalty of perjury, that the Member either: (1) was present throughout the entire reading of each such measure, and listened attentively to such reading in its entirety; or (2) before such vote, read attentively each such measure in its entirety.

Prohibits either chamber or Congress jointly from waiving or modifying this requirement.

Declares that an Act of Congress noncompliant with this Act shall have no force or effect. Bars any legal, equitable, regulatory, civil, or criminal action from being brought under such Act.

Grants the following aggrieved individuals the right to bring an action against the United States to seek appropriate relief, including an injunction against the enforcement of any law, the passage of which did not conform to this Act: (1) persons aggrieved by an action of any executive officer or employee, (2) Members of Congress, and (3) persons individually aggrieved by the failure of his or her Senator or Member of the House of Representatives to fulfill their obligation under this Act.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Economics and public finance
Date: 2013-12-17 00:00:00

Jobs Score Act of 2013 - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to require a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis of any public bill or resolution reported from a congressional committee (except each chamber's Committee on Appropriations) to estimate the number of jobs which would be created, sustained, or lost in carrying out such measure in the fiscal year in which it is to become effective and in each of the four ensuing fiscal years, together with the basis for each such estimate.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-02-27 00:00:00

Constitutional Check and Balance Act - Authorizes any Member of Congress who casts a recorded vote on final passage of a version of a bill or joint resolution enacting a provision into law to bring an action for declaratory or injunctive relief in an appropriate U.S. district court to compel an executive branch official to enforce the provision, if the President or any other executive branch official issues a memorandum or other written statement directing the official to not enforce it.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2014-03-12 00:00:00

Executive Needs to Faithfully Observe and Respect Congressional Enactments of the Law Act of 2014 or the ENFORCE the Law Act of 2014 - Authorizes either chamber of Congress, upon adoption of a resolution declaring that the President or any officer or employee of the United States has established or implemented a policy, practice, or procedure to refrain from enforcing, applying, following, or administering any federal statute, rule, regulation, program, policy, or other law in violation of the constitutional requirement that the President faithfully execute the laws of the United States, to bring a civil action for a declaratory judgment to that effect.

Grants jurisdiction to a three-judge panel of a U.S. district court to hear such civil action and provides for an expedited direct appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2014-12-16 00:00:00

War Powers Against Non-State Actors Act of 2014 - Amends the War Powers Resolution to declare that the authority to use U.S. Armed Forces against non-state actors would terminate 60 days after submission of a specified presidential report explaining that use, unless: (1) the President's actions are based on a law providing for the use of military force against a non-state actor; or (2) the President notifies Congress that continued use of military force is necessary because the non-state actor poses a continuing and imminent threat to the United States or U.S. persons, and Congress does not enact a joint resolution of disapproval under expedited procedures.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-01-06 00:00:00

Congressional Accountability Pay Act

 Amends the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 to revise the method of adjusting the annual rate of pay of Members of Congress.

Requires a decrease in the rate of pay for each Member by a specified percentage if outlays for any fiscal year are greater than outlays for the preceding fiscal year.

Amends the Federal Salary Act of 1967 to require that recommendations by the Citizens' Commission on Public Service and Compensation conform with this Act, except those for the salaries of the Chief Justice of the United States, judges of U.S. district courts, and judges of the U.S. Court of International Trade.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-01-09 00:00:00

Prohibiting Taxpayer-Funded Monuments to Members of Congress Act

Prohibits any real property under the jurisdiction of the federal government or constructed using federal funds from being named after, or otherwise officially identified by the name of, any Member of Congress.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-01-22 00:00:00

Constitutional Check and Balance Act

 Authorizes any Member of Congress who casts a recorded vote on final passage of a version of a bill or joint resolution enacting a provision into law to bring an action for declaratory or injunctive relief in an appropriate U.S. district court to compel an executive branch official to enforce the provision, if the President or any other executive branch official issues a memorandum or other written statement directing the official to not enforce it.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-01-22 00:00:00

Congress is Not a Career Act

 Redefines "Member of Congress" under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) with respect to the exclusion from the meaning of "Member" of any Member of the House of Representatives, including a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to Congress, who opts out of FERS, but only if he or she served as a Member before the enactment of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2004. Repeals the requirement of service before enactment of such Act. Allows Members to opt out of FERS benefits regardless of when they have been elected.

Amends the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) Agency Contributions requirements to permit a Member of Congress to elect irrevocably, by written notice to the official by whom such Member is paid, not to receive TSP contributions.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-01-27 00:00:00

War Powers Reform Act

Amends the War Powers Resolution to direct the President in every possible instance to submit to Congress before introducing U.S. Armed Forces into hostilities or situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated a written report setting forth the estimated scope and duration of the hostilities or involvement.

Directs the President, in the absence of a declaration of war or a specific statutory authorization (currently, only in the absence of a declaration of war), to submit a written report to Congress within 48 hours when the Armed Forces are introduced into hostilities or foreign nations under specified circumstances and requires that such report include the circumstances necessitating the introduction, the constitutional and legislative authority under which such introduction took place, and the estimated scope and duration of the hostilities or involvement.

Repeals an existing framework under which the President is required to terminate, within 60 days, subject to a possible 30-day extension, any use of Armed Forces with respect to which the President has submitted (or is required to submit) a report concerning the introduction of Armed Forces into hostilities in the absence of a declaration of war, unless: (1) Congress declares war or enacts specific authorization, (2) extends the 60-day period, or (3) is physically unable to meet as a result of an armed attack upon the United States. Strikes provisions concerning congressional action to remove Armed Forces engaged in hostilities without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization.

Replaces such framework with a process that prohibits funds available for the Armed Forces from being obligated or expended for introducing the Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated, in the absence of: (1) a declaration of war; (2) specific statutory authorization; or (3) a national emergency created by an attack or imminent threat of attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or the Armed Forces.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-02-24 00:00:00

Ensuring Trust and Honorability in Congressional Standards Act of 2015 or the ETHICS Act of 2015

Requires the Committee on Ethics of the House of Representatives to conduct ongoing ethics training and awareness programs for Members, officers, and employees of the House.

Requires a Member, officer, or employee who serves in or is employed by the House, during each session of Congress, to complete a Committee program by the last day of the session, except that:

 an individual who did not serve or who was not employed in the previous session of Congress, or whose service or employment begins after the first day of the session, must complete the program within 60 days after that service or employment begins; and during the session in which this Act is enacted into law, each Member, officer, and employee must complete the program by the last day of the session or 60 days after the enactment of this Act, whichever occurs earlier.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2015-02-25 00:00:00

Presidential Library Donation Reform Act of 2016

 (Sec. 2) This bill requires each presidential library fundraising organization to submit quarterly reports to the National Archives and Records Administration (National Archives) on every contributor who gave the organization a contribution or contributions (whether monetary or in-kind) totaling $200 or more for the quarterly period.

 The Archivist of the United States shall publish such information on the website of the National Archives within 30 days after each quarterly filing.

 It shall be unlawful for contributors or fundraising organizations knowingly and willfully to submit false information or omit material information. Prescribes criminal penalties for violation of this prohibition.

(Sec. 3) No additional funds are authorized to carry out this Act's requirements. Such requirements shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-03-04 00:00:00

Stop Hiding Congressional Farm Subsidies Act 

This bill amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to require the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to publicly disclose crop insurance premium subsidies paid on behalf of Members of Congress and their immediate families, Cabinet Secretaries and their immediate families, or entities of which any of these individuals is a majority shareholder.

 USDA must publicly disclose for private insurance providers: (1) underwriting gains earned through participation in the federal crop insurance program; and (2) amounts paid for administrative and operating expenses, any federal portion of indemnities and reinsurance, and any other purpose.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Date: 2015-03-16 00:00:00

Amends the federal criminal code to provide for a fine, up to six months' imprisonment, or both, for: (1) knowingly transferring for money or property a ticket to a presidential inaugural ceremony (a public inaugural ceremony at which the President elect or Vice President elect take the oath or affirmation of office), except for a transfer that occurs after the date on which the ceremony for which the ticket was issued takes place; (2) knowingly, falsely, and with intent to defraud, making, forging, counterfeiting, or altering a ticket to such ceremony; or (3) with intent to defraud, entering or attempting to enter such a ceremony with a ticket, knowing that ticket to have been falsely made, forged, counterfeited, or altered.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-04-16 00:00:00

Ending Special Mail Privileges for Congress Act

 Amends federal postal law to repeal franking privileges for mail transmitted by Members of Congress and congressional officials. Requires the mail to be transmitted as congressional mail.

Replaces requirements and procedures for the use of franked mail with those for congressional mail.

Repeals franked mailing privileges for survivors of Members of Congress.

Requires a former President and his or her surviving spouse to send nonpolitical mail within the United States and its territories and possessions as congressional mail instead of franked mail.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-04-30 00:00:00

Social Security Administration Accountability Act of 2015

 Amends title VII (Administration) of the Social Security Act to require the Commissioner of Social Security to submit an annual budget estimate of the Social Security Administration (SSA) (instead of a budget) directly to Congress and the President (instead of first to the President, who would submit it to Congress).

Revises requirements for the general contents of the SSA budget, requiring inclusion of the number of cases pending at each hearing office and the average processing time.

Prohibits the Commissioner from closing or consolidating SSA field or hearing offices, or otherwise limiting public access to one, until 180 days after submitting to specified congressional committees a detailed report outlining and justifying the process for selecting field offices to be closed, consolidated, or otherwise have limited access.

Prohibits the Commissioner from closing an SSA field or hearing office, consolidating two or more such offices, or otherwise imposing any new limitation on public access to any such office unless the Commissioner follows certain administrative procedures.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-05-01 00:00:00

Coach-Only Airfare for Capitol Hill Act of 2015

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

Makes an exception to this prohibition for an individual if the use would be permitted for an employee of an agency subject to specified federal regulations for temporary duty travel allowances.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2015-05-01 00:00:00

Eliminate Special Treatment for Congress Act

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the $3,000 limitation on the tax deduction allowed to Members of Congress for ordinary and necessary business expenses.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-06-18 00:00:00

Requires the Joint Committee on the Library to: (1) accept from the District of Columbia the donation of a statue depicting Pierre L'Enfant, subject to appropriate terms and conditions; and (2) place the statue in a suitable permanent location in the U.S.Capitol.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2015-06-25 00:00:00

Build a Better VA Act

This bill prohibits funds from being appropriated for any fiscal year for a major medical facility lease unless the House and Senate Veterans Committees adopt resolutions approving the lease.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-07-21 00:00:00

Constituent Services Disclosure Act of 2015

This bill amends the House of Representatives Administrative Reform Technical Corrections Act to prohibit the availability of 20% of the Members' Representational Allowance to a Member's office unless it provides certain free assistance with respect to:

 passports; individual federal income tax returns; 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status applications; benefits under titles XVIII (Medicare), II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance), and XVI (Supplemental Security Income) of the Social Security Act; student loans; and veterans' benefits or other laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Each Member's office must make publicly available in print or on its congressional website all the constituent services it provides.

It is the sense of Congress that private companies that provide the same or similar assistance to individuals as described in the House of Representatives Administrative Reform Technical Corrections Act (as amended by this Act) should disclose that such assistance could be provided free by the office of a Member of the House of Representatives.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2015-07-23 00:00:00

This bill prohibits action involving any measure of statutory sanctions relief by the United States unless the Senate provides its advice and consent to ratification of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) under article II, section 2 of the U.S. Constitution.

(The JCPA is the agreement signed at Vienna July 14, 2015, by Iran, China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and all related implementing materials and agreements.)
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-07-28 00:00:00

Congressional Intern Protection Act of 2015

This bill amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to extend its rights and protections from workplace harassment and discrimination to current or former interns, or applicants for internships in the legislative branch, who perform uncompensated voluntary service for an employing office to earn credit awarded by an educational institution or to learn a trade or occupation.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-07-29 00:00:00

Earmark Elimination Act of 2015

Makes it out of order in the House of Representatives to consider a bill, joint resolution, or any other measure that includes a congressional earmark or limited tax or tariff benefit.

Makes a conforming amendment to Rule XXI (Restrictions on Certain Bills) of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-09-16 00:00:00

Congress Leads by Example Act of 2015

This bill amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA) to grant the Office of Compliance (OOC) subpoena authority under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) for inspections and investigations in offices covered by the CAA (Congressional offices and committees, the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services, the Capitol Police, the Congressional Budget Office, the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, the Office of the Attending Physician, and the OOC) and in the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Library of Congress (LOC).

CAA-covered offices, the GAO, and the LOC are subject to OSH Act recordkeeping requirements and may not: (1) retaliate against employees for requesting OOC action or for instituting or testifying in any proceeding that arises from the application of the OSH Act to that office, (2) fire an employee because the employee's earnings have been garnished for any one debt, or (3) discriminate against an employee for being a debtor or bankrupt.

Whistle-blower protections are extended to employees of CAA-covered offices, the GAO, and the LOC.

CAA-covered offices must: (1) retain records necessary to administer certain rights and protections of employees under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938; and (2) post conspicuously all notices describing employee rights and protections under federal law.

This bill amends the federal judicial code to extend protections for jurors' employment to CAA-covered offices, the GAO, the Government Publishing Office, and the LOC.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-09-18 00:00:00

Unnecessary Government Printing Reform Act of 2015

This bill requires the Government Publishing Office (GPO) to make any document of the House of Representatives or Senate available only in an electronic format accessible through the Internet, and prohibits printing or distribution of a printed copy.

 Upon the request of any person to whom GPO would have been required to provide a printed copy before this requirement, GPO may print and distribute it for the person's use, except that:

 the number of printed copies may not exceed the number GPO would have provided had this requirement not been in effect; and GPO may print and distribute copies to the person only upon payment of printing and distributing costs. Any Member of Congress office shall be exempt from these requirements.

Members and committees providing documents in electronic format are deemed to have met requirements of House and Senate rules and regulations with respect to distribution of printed copies of any document (including bills or resolutions).