lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Economics and public finance
Date: 2011-04-08 00:00:00

Stop Government Shutdowns Act - Appropriates amounts for continuing federal projects and activities at the current rate for operations and under the authority and conditions provided in the applicable appropriation Act or Acts that provided funds for them for the previous fiscal year if, as a result of a failure to enact a regular or continuing appropriation Act or joint resolution, there is a lapse in appropriations for such projects or activities. Makes appropriations, funds, and authority granted in this Act available until the earliest of: (1) the enactment into law of an appropriation for the project or activity concerned, (2) the enactment into law of the applicable appropriation Act for such fiscal year without any provision for such project or activity, or (3) the last day of the fiscal year for which such appropriations and funds are made available or such authority is granted for such project or activity. Prohibits appropriations or funds made available or authority granted pursuant to this Act from being used to initiate or resume any project or activity for which appropriations, funds, or other authority were not available during the previous fiscal year. Authorizes the use of appropriations or funds made available or authority granted without regard to specified time limitations for submission and approval of apportionments requirements; but declares that nothing in this Act may be construed to waive any other provision of law governing the apportionment of funds. Prescribes requirements for: (1) denial of high rates for operation or complete distribution of appropriations in the lapsed-appropriations period, (2) the most limited funding action for continuation of projects and activities, and (3) apportionment of funds for civilian personnel compensation and benefits as necessary to avoid furloughs. Prohibits any decrease in the pay for members of the Armed Forces during a lapsed-appropriations period. Requires expenditures made pursuant to this Act to be charged to the applicable appropriation, fund, or authorization whenever an appropriations bill is subsequently enacted into law. Continues at a specified maintenance rate, through the date on which appropriations for such programs under this Act expires, certain activities with respect to entitlements and other mandatory payments whose budget authority was provided in previous appropriations Acts, as well as for activities under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2011-05-03 00:00:00

Nuclear Disaster Preparedness Act - Directs the President to issue guidance on the federal response to any nuclear disaster that: (1) may be caused by a natural catastrophe, an accident, or a terrorist or other attack; (2) occurs initially at a nuclear power plant; and (3) disperses radiation off the reactor site and into the surrounding area. Requires such guidance to: (1) designate the federal agency responsible for: coordinating the government's efforts in response to a nuclear disaster (coordinating agency), including making a formal declaration that a nuclear disaster exists, and to identify the circumstances under which such declaration will occur; (2) designate the agency responsible for recommending the evacuation of an area surrounding a nuclear power plant in response to such a disaster and to identify the circumstances under which such recommendation will be made; (3) designate the agency responsible for conducting such evacuation; (4) designate the agency responsible for recommending that evacuees may return following a nuclear disaster and to identify the circumstances under which such recommendation will be made; and (5) designate the agency responsible for conducting cleanup of a nuclear disaster and to identify what cleanup standards will apply.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2011-05-23 00:00:00

Authorizes the Librarian of Congress to dispose of surplus or obsolete personal property of the Library of Congress by interagency transfer, donation, sale, trade-in, or other appropriate method. Requires proceeds from such disposition to be: (1) credited to the funds available for the Library's operations; and (2) made available to acquire the same or similar property during the fiscal year in which the amounts are received, including the following fiscal year.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2011-05-25 00:00:00

Government Litigation Savings Act - (Sec. 2) Revises provisions of the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA) and the federal judicial code relating to the fees and other expenses of parties in agency proceedings and court cases against the federal government. Restricts awards of fees and other expenses under EAJA to prevailing parties with a direct and personal interest in an adjudication, including because of medical costs, property damage, denial of benefits, an unpaid disbursement, and other expenses of adjudication, or because of a policy interest. Requires (currently, authorizes) the reduction or denial of an award if the party during the course of the proceedings engaged in conduct which unduly or unreasonably (currently, unduly and unreasonably) protracted the final resolution of the matter in controversy. Increases to $200 per hour the cap on attorney fees awarded under EAJA and eliminates the cost-of-living and special factor considerations for allowing an increase in the hourly rate for such fees. Eliminates the net worth exemption for determining eligibility for fees and expenses under EAJA for tax-exempt organizations and cooperative associations under the Agricultural Marketing Act. Expands the reporting requirements of the Chairman of the Administrative Conference of the United States to require the Chairman to report on fees and expenses awarded pursuant to a settlement agreement and to create and maintain online a searchable database containing detailed information with respect to each award of fees and other expenses under EAJA. (Sec. 3) Requires the Comptroller General (GAO) to: (1) audit the implementation of EAJA for the years 1995 through the end of the calendar year in which this Act is enacted, (2) complete such audit not later that one year after the end of the calendar year in which this Act is enacted, and (3) report to Congress on the results of such audit.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2011-06-22 00:00:00

Post-deployment Strategy Act of 2011 - Amends the War Powers Resolution to direct the President to include a post-deployment strategy in the required report to Congress when introducing U.S. Armed Forces into hostilities and certain other situations without a declaration of war. Defines "post-deployment strategy" as a clear action plan that: (1) articulates U.S. interests, (2) defines and lays out a strategy for achieving policy objectives, and (3) includes a withdrawal plan based on such objectives.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2011-06-22 00:00:00

Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to submit quarterly to the congressional veterans committees an accounting of the costs of each conference, meeting, or other similar forum sponsored or co-sponsored by the VA that is: (1) attended by at least 50 individuals, including at least 1 VA employee; and (3) estimated to cost the VA at least $20,000. Deems the submission of information by the Secretary to the veterans committees in response to a request by the chairman or ranking member of such committee or one of its subcommittees as: (1) a covered federal disclosure to a House of Congress; and (2) a permitted disclosure under regulations promulgated under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, including a permitted disclosure for oversight activities authorized by law. Directs the Secretary of Labor to establish and maintain a website for the public disclosure of information concerning the employment by federal contractors of: (1) disabled veterans, (2) veterans who served on active duty during a war or in a campaign for which a campaign badge has been authorized, (3) veterans who participated in a military operation for which a service medal was awarded, and (4) recently separated veterans.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2011-07-26 00:00:00

Stop Pay for Members Act - Prohibits the liquidation of the obligation to pay basic pay of Members of Congress, if the U.S. public debt reaches the public debt limit, until: (1) all other obligations of the U.S. government then due have been liquidated; or (2) if earlier, the ability of the U.S. Treasury to liquidate the such obligations in timely manner is restored, whether by an increase in the public debt limit or otherwise. Declares that each Member of Congress consents and agrees that payment of basic pay in accordance with this Act shall constitute a full and complete discharge and acquittance of all claims and demands for service as such a Member during the period covered by the payment.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2011-09-02 00:00:00

Joint Select Committee on Job Creation Act of 2011 - Establishes the Joint Select Committee on Job Creation, whose goal shall be to restore the nation's workforce to full employment over FY2012 and FY2013. Requires the joint committee to provide recommendations and legislative language that will significantly improve the short-term and long-term employment levels in the United States. Prescribes legislative procedures for consideration in both chambers of the Joint Committee's recommendations.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2011-09-02 00:00:00

Job Creation and Economic Growth Act - Amends the Budget Control Act of 2011 to redesignate the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction as the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, Job Creation, and Economic Growth. Adds as a goal of the joint committee spurring economic growth and restoring the nation's workforce to full employment over the period of FY2012 and FY2013. Revises the duties of the joint committee to require it to make recommendations that will significantly improve U.S. short-term and long-term employment levels and spur economic growth. Requires the joint committee, by November 23, 2011, to vote on: (1) a report containing joint committee findings, conclusions, and recommendations with respect to economic growth and job creation and Congressional Budget Office (CBO) costs estimates of proposed job creation legislation; and (2) proposed legislative language to carry out such recommendations. Prescribes procedures for expedited congressional consideration of proposed joint committee job creation legislative language.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2011-09-02 00:00:00

Job Creation and Economic Growth Act - Amends the Budget Control Act of 2011 to redesignate the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction as the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, Job Creation, and Economic Growth. Adds as a goal of the joint committee spurring economic growth and restoring the nation's workforce to full employment over the period of FY2012 and FY2013. Revises the duties of the joint committee to require it to make recommendations that will significantly improve U.S. short-term and long-term employment levels and spur economic growth. Requires the joint committee, by November 23, 2011, to vote on proposed legislative language to carry out joint committee recommendations with respect to job creation measures, including a statement of job creation achieved by such legislation. Increases the number of members of the joint committee from 12 to 16. Directs the joint committee to appoint some of its members to a special subcommittee to make recommendations on measures to spur economic growth and restore the nation's workforce to full employment over the period of FY2012 and FY2013. Prescribes procedures for expedited congressional consideration of proposed joint committee job creation legislative language.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2011-09-29 00:00:00

Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2011 - Amends the Presidential Records Act to require the Archivist of the United States, upon determining to make available any presidential record not previously made available publicly, to: (1) promptly provide written notice of such determination to the former President during whose term of office the record was created and to the incumbent President, and (2) make the notice available to the public.  Requires a presidential record to be made available to the public 60 days after the Archivist gives notice, except any record with respect to which the Archivist receives notification from a former or incumbent President of a claim of constitutionally based privilege against disclosure.  Prohibits the Archivist from making a record that is subject to a privilege claim asserted by the incumbent President publicly available unless: (1) the incumbent President withdraws the claim; or (2) the Archivist is otherwise directed to do so by a final court order that is not subject to appeal. Prohibits the Archivist from making available any original presidential records to anyone claiming access to them as a designated representative of a President or former President if that individual has been convicted of a crime relating to the review, removal, or destruction of the Archives' records.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2011-10-06 00:00:00

Reclaiming Oversight of Executive Branch Spending Act - Prohibits a federal agency from awarding a contract, grant, or loan in excess of $100 million for a fiscal year to a private entity unless such agency requests and Congress grants approval of such contract, grant, or loan by enactment of a joint resolution.  Requires Congress to consider such a joint resolution of approval not later than 30 days after the submission of a request, under expedited procedures.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Commerce
Date: 2011-10-06 00:00:00

American Innovation in Manufacturing Act - Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to prohibit the Secretary of Commerce, for each of FY2012-FY2013, from: (1) providing a Hollings Manufacturing Extension Center under the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program with more than 50% of the costs incurred by the Center under the Program, and (2) requiring a Center's cost share to exceed 50%. Directs the Secretary to report to Congress on such cost share requirements, including: (1) a discussion of various cost share structures, and (2) a recommendation on how best to structure the cost-share requirement after FY2013 to provide for long-term sustainability of the Program.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2011-11-04 00:00:00

Southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Care Improvement Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to report to Congress on the feasibility and advisability of establishing a polytrauma rehabilitation center or polytrauma network site of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in Fort Bayard, New Mexico.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Economics and public finance
Date: 2011-11-30 00:00:00

Expedited Legislative Line-Item Veto and Rescissions Act of 2012 - Amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (CBICA) to authorize the President to propose the rescission (line item veto) of all or any dollar amount of funding provided by any enacted bill or joint resolution. Sets forth requirements for the President's transmittal to Congress of a special message regarding the proposed rescission. Authorizes the President, except for his deferral of budget authority provided in CBICA, to withhold such rescinded funding temporarily from obligation, but only once per proposed rescission. Dedicates the rescinded funds solely to deficit reduction or increase of a surplus. Provides for adjustment of: (1) committee allocations resulting from such rescission, and (2) applicable limits under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) revised downward by the amount of such rescissions. Sets forth procedures for expedited congressional consideration of a proposed rescission. Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to require the House Committee on the Budget, whenever an approval bill passes the House of Representatives, to reduce the applicable committee allocations immediately by the total amount of reductions in budget authority and in outlays resulting from such approval. Terminates on December 15, 2015, the amendments made by this Act, with restoration of the provisions of part B of CBICA as in effect immediately before the enactment of this Act.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Economics and public finance
Date: 2011-12-07 00:00:00

Legally Binding Budget Act of 2011 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (CBA) to require joint budget resolutions signed by the President instead of the concurrent resolutions now required (which do not have to be signed by the President). (Sec. 4) Prohibits the consideration of budget-related legislation before the joint budget resolution becomes law. Makes a conforming amendment to the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974. (Sec. 5) Permits revisions of joint budget resolutions already enacted. Authorizes the chairs of the congressional budget committees to adjust budgetary levels and allocations as needed for enforcement of budget resolutions. (Sec. 6) Makes it out of order in both chambers to consider any joint budget resolution, amendment, or conference report that contains certain matter prohibited by the CBA, particularly inclusion in the surplus or deficit totals of any outlays and revenue totals of the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program under title II of the Social Security Act. (Sec. 7) Considers the aggregates, allocations, and any other matters that pertain solely to Congress specified in a joint budget resolution as enforceable upon enactment, or 15 days following presentment to the President, whichever occurs earlier. (Thus creates automatic congressional enforcement of a joint budget resolution.) (Sec. 9) Makes conforming amendments to: (1) the Rules of the House of Representatives, and (2) the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act).
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Economics and public finance
Date: 2011-12-07 00:00:00

Review Every Dollar Act of 2011 - Makes it out of order in both chambers to consider any bill, joint resolution, or other measure that: (1) reauthorizes any federal program for more than seven fiscal years, or (2) establishes a new federal program that exceeds such period. Requires each standing congressional committee with legislative jurisdiction over any direct spending program by July 31 during the second session of each Congress to apply specified criteria to determine whether any such program should be modified, terminated, or reauthorized. Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to require each of the chairs of the congressional budget committees to maintain a deficit reduction discretionary account and a deficit reduction direct spending account. Prescribes procedures for the crediting to such accounts of the amounts of either discretionary or direct spending deficit reduction in any amendment to a bill that reduces the appropriate budget authority. Requires any measure or Act that transfers funds from the general fund of the Treasury to the Highway Trust Fund to be counted as new budget authority and outlays equal to the amount of the transfer in the fiscal year in which it occurs. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to eliminate the authorization of appropriations and the appropriation of additional Pell Grant funds after FY2012 that were to be used to increase the maximum Pell Grant amount. Maintains the amount of a Pell Grant at $5,500 for academic years 2013-2014 through 2017-2018, minus the expected family contribution. Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) with respect to adjustments to discretionary spending limits for the budget year and each outyear to reflect changes in concepts. Defines changing a program from direct spending to discretionary spending or from discretionary spending to direct spending as such a change of concept, if it does not cause a net increase in new budget authority or outlays for FY2012-FY2021. Prohibits from taking effect, except according to a specified procedure, any rule made to carry out a direct spending program that would require new budget authority of at least $100 million for the fiscal year it takes effect or for any of the nine ensuing fiscal years. Limits exceptions to this prohibition to rules necessary: (1) because of an imminent threat to health or safety or other emergency, for the enforcement of criminal laws, or for national security; or (2) to implement an international trade agreement. Requires also for such an exception that the new budget authority to carry it out is provided by law. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to: (1) review proposed rules requiring new budget authority before their effective dates, and (2) take specified administrative steps to prevent further agency action pertaining to such rulemaking.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Congress
Date: 2011-12-16 00:00:00

Earmark Elimination Act of 2011 - 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: Crime and law enforcement
Date: 2011-12-20 00:00:00

Amends the federal criminal code to increase from one year to two years after leaving office the period during which former Members of the House of Representatives may not engage in certain lobbying activities.
Topic: Government Operations — Branch Relations
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2012-01-13 00:00:00

Executive Appointments Reform Act - Eliminates exceptions to the prohibition against payment for services to an individual appointed to a federal position requiring confirmation by the U.S. Senate (advice and consent) during a recess of the Senate. Prohibits any federal officer or employee serving in a position that requires Senate confirmation from providing voluntary or gratuitous services. Amends the National Labor Relations Act to provide that a quorum required by the National Labor Relations Board to conduct its business shall not include any member of such Board who has not been confirmed by the Senate. Amends the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to: (1) provide that no rule, order, or other administrative action of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection shall be considered final if the Director of the Bureau was appointed during a recess of the Senate and the position of Director was vacant while the Senate was in session, until the Director has been confirmed by the Senate; (2) prohibit payment for services to any person appointed to the Bureau during a recess of the Senate to fill a vacancy in the Bureau requiring Senate confirmation, if the vacancy existed while the Senate was in session, until such appointee is confirmed by the Senate; and (3) prohibit an employee or officer of the Bureau serving in a position that requires Senate confirmation from providing voluntary or gratuitous services.