lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2008-07-15 00:00:00

Thrift Savings Plan Enhancement Act of 2008 - Revises requirements for participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) to require the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board to provide regulations for automatic enrollment of new participants to make contributions at the default percentage of basic pay. Allows a default investment in an alternative fund or funds (in lieu of the Government Securities Investment Fund (G Fund)), as the Board may designate in regulations, if an election has not been made with respect to any TSP sums available for investment. Requires the Board to include in the TSP, by regulation, a qualified Roth contribution progam (under which an employee may elect to make designated Roth contributions in lieu of elective deferrals under the retirement plan). Authorizes the Board to permit the addition of self-directed investment options under the TSP if it determines that such an addition would be in the best interests of participants. Limits such investment options to: (1) low-cost, passively-managed index funds that offer diversification benefits; and (2) other appropriate retirement investment vehicles for participants. Deems a participant, in the case of a default investment in the G Fund or an alternative fund, to have: (1) elected to invest in such fund; and (2) executed the acknowledgement of risk otherwise required.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2008-07-16 00:00:00

Non-Foreign Area Retirement Equity Assurance Act of 2008 or the Non-Foreign AREA Act of 2008 - Revises federal employee locality-based comparability payments provisions to include U.S. territories and possessions, including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, within a pay locality. Revises the calculation of allowances based on living costs and conditions of environment for pay of employees stationed outside the continental United States or in Alaska to apply it only to areas designated as of December 31, 2008. Provides a formula for adjustment of such rate using a transition schedule for calendar years 2009-2011. Requires adjustment of special rates of pay in such areas in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) or by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for VA personnel. Allows a temporarily raised limitation on the amount of special rates during the transition period.Expresses the sense of Congress that application of this Act to an employee should not result in a decrease in take home pay.Defines as covered employees for purposes of this Act those who are or will be eligible for a cost-of-living allowance (COLA).Allows an employee subject to this Act's transition schedule and who retires from service during the period from January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2011, to elect to have the COLA paid during that period considered as basic pay for purposes of annuity computation.Provides procedures for employees to make an irrevocable election to be covered by this Act.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2008-07-17 00:00:00

Requires disregard of any hours worked by a firefighter under a qualified trade-of-time arrangement for purposes of any determination relating to federal eligibility for or the amount of any overtime pay.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2008-07-22 00:00:00

Healthy Air for Federal Workers Act - Prohibits the smoking of tobacco products in any area outside of any federal executive, legislative, or judicial building which is within 25 feet of any of the building's entrances, exits, windows that open, or ventilation intakes that serve an enclosed area of the building where smoking is prohibited. Excludes the smoking of tobacco products which occurs solely for purposes of research on smoking conducted by an agency. Requires the Administrator of General Services, in conjunction with agency heads, regarding executive branch buildings, and the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, regarding judicial branch buildings, to inform all employees and visitors to such buildings about the smoke-free policy, educate employees about the dangers of exposure to secondhand smoke, and undertake necessary related activities.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2008-07-31 00:00:00

Administrative Law Judges Retirement Act of 2008 - Sets forth separate provisions governing Government and employee contributions, annuity eligibility requirements (ten years of service and age 60), early retirement, and annuity computation (2.5% and 1.7%, respectively, of average pay for each year of service) for administrative law judges under the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees' Retirement System.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Labor and employment
Date: 2008-07-31 00:00:00

National Commission on State Workers' Compensation Laws Act of 2008 - Establishes the National Commission on State Workers' Compensation Laws. Requires the Commission to: (1) review the findings and recommendations of the previous National Commission on State Workmen's Compensation Laws; and (2) study and evaluate state workers' compensation laws to determine their adequacy and whether additional remedies should be available to ensure the payment of benefits and medical care.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2008-08-01 00:00:00

Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2008 or the No FEAR Act of 2008 - Amends the Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002, or No FEAR Act of 2002, to require a federal agency, after receiving a final finding of discrimination, to arrange with the Department of the Treasury for a two-year payment schedule for reimbursing the Judgment Fund for its payment to a federal employee, former federal employee, or applicant for federal employment who has prevailed in an anti-discrimination or whistle blower protection complaint. Requires a federal agency to: (1) give written notification of the rights and protections available to federal employees to any employee of a contractor receiving more than half of its annual gross revenues from federal contracts; and (2) notify its employees annually by email or voice mail of the agency's Internet site. Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report annually to specified congressional and executive entities on the total costs incurred during the fiscal year associated with processing and litigating cases involving prohibited personnel practices. Requires each federal agency to establish performance goals reflective of its efforts to implement such Act. Specifies the No FEAR Institute as a source of training and counseling for federal employees regarding their rights and remedies under antidiscrimination, retaliation, and harassment, as well as whistleblower protection laws. Prescribes disciplinary action an agency must take against a culpable official in: (1) a case in which the official's discriminatory or retaliatory acts have contributed to a loss of life or limb or any other substantial diminishment of an employee's mental or physical health; or (2) other cases of discrimination. Prescribes monetary penalties for each week an agency failed to take action against employees who falsify evidence in a proceeding under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Requires the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and any agency that becomes aware of a criminal violation to refer the matter to the Department of Justice for prosecution when agency officials are found liable for intimidating or harassing employees that testify before Congress. Directs the Comptroller General to ensure that a No FEAR Oversight Office is created within GAO. Sets the liability limits for federal workplace discrimination cases under Title VII at $300,000 per each claim or alleged violation.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Date: 2008-09-11 00:00:00

Payments System Protection Act of 2008 - Prohibits the Secretary of the Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) from proposing, prescribing, or implementing any regulation against funding unlawful Internet gambling, including proposed regulations published in the Federal Register on October 4, 2007, except to the extent such regulation: (1) pertains to unlawful Internet sports gambling; or (2) is developed on the record jointly by the Secretary and the Board, after opportunity for an agency hearing with an administrative law judge (or similar official), complete with a definition of "unlawful Internet gambling," and after conducting a full economic impact study of the proposed regulations under the Regulatory Flexibility Act. Requires the Secretary and the Board jointly to prescribe interim final regulations governing unlawful Internet sports gambling. Defines "unlawful Internet sports gambling" as bets or wagers placed over the Internet on a lottery, sweepstakes, or other betting, gambling, or wagering scheme based, directly or indirectly on competitive games in which athletes participate (excluding parimutuel animal racing or jai-alai games), or on performances of such athletes in such games. Declares ineffective any regulations to implement certain policies and procedures governing restricted transactions unless such regulations: (1) require the Secretary to compile and maintain a list of unlawful Internet sports gambling businesses; and (2) do not require any person to block or refuse to honor any transaction, or prohibit the acceptance of any product or service of such person, other than in connection with a business on a specified list maintained by the Secretary.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2008-09-18 00:00:00

Healthcare Enhancement for Local Public Servants Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend eligibility for tax-free distributions from governmental employee benefit plans for health and long-term care insurance to any retired state or local public employee (currently, limited to retired public safety officers); (2) provide for a tax deduction of such distributions rather than an exclusion from gross income; (3) allow nonitemizing taxpayers to claim such tax deduction; and (4) allow an annual inflation adjustment to the $3,000 distribution limit beginning after 2009.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2008-10-03 00:00:00

Provides that the pay used to compute monthly compensation based on the death of a federal employee who died from personal injury sustained in the line of duty as a public safety officer, or any survivor annuity under such circumstances, shall be determined based on the pay grade or level which is one grade higher than would otherwise apply.Entitles anyone who is eligible for such monthly compensation or annuity as the survivor of a public safety officer who died on or after January 1, 1974, to: (1) have such compensation or annuity recomputed upon application submitted within 12 months after enactment of this Act; and (2) a lump-sum payment for the period between January 1, 1974, and the date as of which regular monthly compensation or survivor annuity payments are adjusted to reflect the recomputation.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2008-12-09 00:00:00

Requires government contributions for health benefits for an individual who first becomes an annuitant by reason of retirement from employment with the United States Postal Service on or after July 1, 1971, or for a survivor of such an individual or of an individual who died on or after that date while employed by the Postal Service, to be paid first from the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund up to the amount contained in the Fund, with any remaining amount paid by the Postal Service (current law requires such contributions to be paid by the Postal Service through September 30, 2016).
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2007-01-04 00:00:00

Executive Branch Family Leave Act - Entitles a federal employee of the executive branch to paid leave of: (1) eight weeks for giving birth; (2) at least five days for a father for the birth of a child; (3) at least five days for adopting a child; and (4) eight hours during any 12-month period to accompany a child to medical or school appointments.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Law
Date: 2007-01-09 00:00:00

Preserving United States Attorney Independence Act of 2007 - Amends the federal judicial code to: (1) allow a person appointed as U.S. attorney to serve until the qualification of a U.S. attorney for such district appointed by the President, or the expiration of 120 days after appointment by the Attorney General, whichever is earlier; and (2) provide that, if an appointment so expires, the district court for such district may appoint a U.S. attorney to serve until the vacancy is filled.Applies this Act to any person serving as a U.S. attorney on the day before the enactment of this Act who was appointed by the Attorney General under current law.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Congress
Date: 2007-01-10 00:00:00

Amends the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 to eliminate automatic pay adjustments for Members of Congress.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2007-02-01 00:00:00

Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) suicide among veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious problem; and (2) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should take into consideration the special needs of veterans suffering from PTSD in developing and implementing the program required under this Act. Directs the Secretary to develop and implement a comprehensive program for reducing the incidence of suicide among veterans. Requires the program to include: (1) a national mental health campaign to increase mental health awareness in the veteran community; (2) mandatory training on suicide and suicide prevention for appropriate Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees and contractor personnel; (3) family education and peer support counseling; (4) veterans' health assessments, counseling, and treatment programs; (5) suicide prevention counselors; (6) research on suicide prevention; (7) treatment programs for veterans suffering from substance abuse; (8) 24-hour veterans' mental health care availability; and (9) a toll-free hotline. Requires a report from the Secretary to Congress on VA programs and activities to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Housing and community development
Date: 2007-02-15 00:00:00

Amends the the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to provide direct and guaranteed loans, loan guarantees, and grants to complete the construction and rehabilitation of rural critical access hospitals.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Social welfare
Date: 2007-02-16 00:00:00

LIHEAP Emergency Reform Act - Amends the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 to authorize the Governor of a state to apply to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for: (1) certification of an energy emergency in that state; and (2) an allotment of certain appropriated amounts. Directs the Secretary to adopt prescribed procedures for equitable consideration of such applications.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2007-03-14 00:00:00

Senate Family Leave Act - Amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA) to entitle a covered legislative branch employee, other than an employee of the House of Representatives, and in accordance with the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA), to paid leave of: (1) eight weeks for giving birth; (2) at least five days for a father (or partner) for the birth of a child; (3) at least five days for adopting a child or taking it into foster care; and (4) eight hours during any 12-month period to accompany a child to medical or school appointments. Applies such leave separately for each child of the employee. Extends certain FMLA employment and benefits protections to such an employee. Prescribes a remedy for any violation of such protections. Applies the paid leave requirements of this Act to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Library of Congress, and each of their employees who has met certain length of employment requirements.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2007-03-20 00:00:00

Rhode Island Federal Worker Fairness Act of 2007 - States that the wage schedules and rates applicable to prevailing rate employees in the Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, wage area shall be the same as the wage schedules and rates applicable to prevailing rate employees in the Boston, Massachusetts, wage area.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2007-03-22 00:00:00

Federal Supervisor Training Act of 2007 - Revises provisions relating to specific training programs for federal agency supervisors. Requires the head of each federal agency to establish: (1) a program to provide interactive instructor-based training to supervisors on developing and discussing relevant goals and objectives with the employee, communicating and discussing progress on performance goals and objectives and conducting performance appraisals, mentoring and motivating employees and improving employee performance and productivity, effectively managing employees with unacceptable performance, and addressing reports of a hostile work environment, reprisal, or harassment; (2) a program to provide training to supervisors on prohibited personnel practices and processes to enforce employee rights; and (3) a program under which experienced supervisors mentor new supervisors. Requires: (1) supervisors to complete such programs every three years; and (2) regulations prescribed by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to include measures by which to assess the effectiveness of agency supervisor training programs. Requires the Director to issue guidance to federal agencies on competencies supervisors are expected to meet in order to effectively manage, and be accountable for managing, the performance of employees. Requires each agency to: (1) develop competencies to assess the performance of each supervisor and, in developing such competencies, to consider such guidance developed by the Director and any other qualifications or factors determined by the agency; (2) assess the overall capacity of the supervisors in the agency to meet such guidance; (3) develop and implement a supervisor training program to strengthen issues identified during such assessment; and (4) measure the effectiveness of that program in improving supervisor competence. Instructs each agency, every year or on any basis requested by the Director, to submit a report to OPM on the progress of such agency in implementing the requirements specified above, including measures used to assess program effectiveness.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2007-03-29 00:00:00

Federal Workforce Performance Appraisal and Management Improvement Act of 2007 - Revises provisions relating to the establishment of performance appraisal systems by certain federal agencies. Requires agencies to establish one or more new performance appraisal systems to promote high performance. Revises provisions relating to the responsibilities of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for the development of performance appraisal systems. Revises provisions relating to specific mandatory training programs for supervisors. Revises provisions relating to federal employee pay rates and systems with respect to employees whose performance rating is below the fully successful level to, among other things, prohibit a pay increase for such employees.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2007-03-29 00:00:00

Senior Professional Performance Act of 2008 - Amends provisions relating to locality-based comparability payments for federal employees to exempt senior-level (SL) and scientific and professional personnel (ST) employees from limitations on total basic and comparability pay established at level III of the Executive Schedule. Increases the rate of basic pay for certain senior-level positions to level III. Permits a further increase to level II for agencies with a performance appraisal system that has been certified as making meaningful distinctions based on relative performance. Protects employees who are transferred to an agency subject to existing pay limitations from pay reductions. Provides that appointments to positions classified above GS-15 may be made on approval of the appointee's qualifications by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on the basis of qualification standards developed by the agency involved in accordance with criteria prescribed by the Director. Makes the amendments to senior-level pay provisions effective 180 days after enactment. Prohibits a reduction in the rate of basic pay for certain senior-level positions as a result of amendments made by this Act. Limits an agency's certification of performance appraisal systems to 24 months, with an additional extension of up to six months by the Director. Allows extensions of certifications scheduled to expire at the end of 2008 or 2009.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2007-04-12 00:00:00

Makes a U.S. citizen employed by the Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission eligible to obtain federal health insurance.
Topic: Government Operations — Employees
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2007-05-03 00:00:00

Veterans' Justice Assurance Act of 2007 - Repeals, for judges appointed after the enactment of this Act, the 15-year term limit for members of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Court). Increases the annual salary for the Court's chief judge. Eliminates the 180-day per-year limit on service of retired Court judges who voluntarily return to such service. Requires recalled judges to receive the pay of current judges only during the period of recall, less the amount of any applicable annuity. Prohibits recall service in excess of five years for judges who are recalled involuntarily. Requires the chief judge to establish guidelines for determining whether recall-eligible judges should be recalled on either a voluntary or involuntary basis. Removes the $30 annual limit on practice and registration fees for those admitted to practice before the Court. Requires an annual report from the chief judge to the congressional veterans' committees summarizing the Court's workload. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Court should be provided with appropriate office space, without undue disruption, inconvenience, or cost. Requires a report from the Administrator of General Services to the veterans' committees on the feasibility of leasing additional space for the Court, and using the entire building in which the Court is now housed as a Veterans Courthouse and Justice Center.