zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Guaranteeing Real Accountability in Federal Transactions Act - Requires a government contractor that has reasonable grounds to believe it has violated a criminal law or received a significant overpayment in connection with the award or performance of a covered contract to notify the Office of Inspector General of the awarding executive agency within 14 days of becoming aware of the violation or overpayment. Provides for debarment or suspension for knowingly failing to notify.Defines a "covered contract" as one for more than $1 million. Requires reported violations and overpayments to be listed on the searchable website established and maintained under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006.Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to report to Congress annually on such violations and overpayments.Prohibits covered contractors from prohibiting or restricting persons from engaging in actions for which a protection against reprisal is provided under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949. Makes provisions of a covered contract or a contract between a covered contractor and an employee performing work under such contract that limit or restrain an individual from engaging in such actions invalid and void.

Date: 2008-04-24
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Internet Skill Game Licensing and Control Act of 2008 - Prescribes license requirements for the operation of an Internet skill game facility in interstate or foreign commerce. Shields persons from liability for engaging in investment banking, payments processing, or financial activities with a licensee if such activities comply with specified law. Sets forth prohibitions and limitations of licenses in states and upon Indian lands where permitted bets or wagers are prohibited. Cites conditions under which a state or Indian tribe may establish requirements governing an Internet skill game facility.Prohibits a licensee, as a condition of its license, from facilitating a bet or wager in connection with a sporting event or contest of a sporting league. Subjects violations of this Act to specified criminal penalties.

Date: 2008-09-26
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Authorizes a contract for renewable energy public utility services for an executive agency to be made for up to 30 years (a contract for public utility services is limited to 10 years).

Date: 2009-01-06
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2009 - Prohibits any person who has a seriously delinquent tax debt from obtaining a federal government contract or grant. Requires federal agency heads to require prospective recipients of a contract or grant in excess of an amount equal to the simplified acquisition threshold to: (1) certify that they do not have such a debt; and (2) authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to disclose information describing whether they have such a debt. Defines "seriously delinquent tax debt" and an outstanding tax debt for which a notice of lien has been filed in public records.

Date: 2009-01-15
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Government Neutrality in Contracting Act - Directs the head of any federal agency that awards or obligates funds for any construction contract, or that awards grants, provides financial assistance, or enters into cooperative agreements for construction projects, to ensure that bid specifications, project agreements, or other controlling documents do not: (1) require or prohibit a bidder, offeror, contractor, or subcontractor from entering into, or adhering to, agreements with a labor organization, with respect to that construction project or another related construction project; or (2) otherwise discriminate against such a party because it did or did not become a signatory or otherwise adhere to such an agreement. Allows exemptions to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety or to serve national security. Allows additional exemptions for certain projects. Directs the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement this Act with respect to the applicable federal contracts.

Date: 2009-02-11
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Enacts title 41 of the United States Code into positive law to be entitled "Public Contracts." Makes technical and conforming amendments. Increases the micro-purchase threshold for executive agency procurement purposes to $3,000 (currently, $2,500).

Date: 2009-02-23
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Contractor Accountability Act - Requires the head of each federal agency to report to Congress annually on each covered contract or order awarded or issued by the agency during the year. Requires the report to contain: (1) a certification that the agency has exercised oversight over each contract or order sufficient to ensure that each contractor is fulfilling the obligations specified; and (2) a list of the names of each contractor found to not be fulfilling its obligations. Requires each report to be publicly available on the agency's website. Requires the Comptroller General to report to Congress on agency compliance.

Date: 2009-03-05
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Green Acquisition Act - Authorizes the Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) to provide for the use by state or local governments of federal supply schedules for environmentally preferable "green" commodities and services.

Date: 2009-03-26
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
False Claims Act Correction Act of 2009 - (Sec. 2) Amends the False Claims Act to revise requirements and procedures governing civil actions for false claims brought by private persons (qui tam actions).Repeals the requirement that a false or fraudulent claim for payment must be presented directly to a federal employee or member of the Armed Forces (thus tying liability for such claims directly to federal money and property, regardless to whom the claim is presented ).(Sec. 3) Revises requirements for alternate remedies affecting qui tam actions and related qui tam plaintiff awards.Allows dismissal of a private action based upon prior public disclosures only upon timely motion to dismiss by the Attorney General.Revises the prohibition of retaliatory action against whistleblowers to include materially hindering the person in obtaining new employment or other business opportunities.Requires the government to pay from the proceeds of an action for financial losses suffered by administrative beneficiaries (thus permitting actions for fraud instituted against nontaxpayer funds under federal trust and administration). (Sec. 4) Extends from six years to eight years the statute of limitations for bringing a civil action. Requires the government, if it elects to intervene and proceed with an action, to file its own complaint, or amend the complaint of a person who brought a civil action, but in any event to relate the pleading back to the filing date of the original qui tam complaint to the extent that such claim arises out of the same set of facts.Declares that a person bringing a private qui tam action shall not be required to identify specific claims that result from an alleged course of misconduct if: (1) the facts alleged in the complaint, if ultimately proven true, would provide a reasonable indication that one or more false claims are likely to have occurred; and (2) the allegations in the pleading provide adequate notice of the specific nature of the alleged misconduct to permit the government effectively to investigate and defendants fairly to defend such allegations.Declares void any contracts, agreements, or private terms or conditions of employment that limit or circumvent the rights of a person to bring a qui tam action.(Sec. 5) Declares further that no court-ordered seal on a qui tam action shall prevent the government or the person bringing the action from serving the complaint or related documents upon state or local law enforcement authorities.(Sec. 6) Modifies procedures for civil investigative demands.Cites circumstances in which the government may move to dismiss a qui tam action by a federal employee (who has, in effect, not exhausted administrative procedures for addressing the allegations in the false claim complaint).

Date: 2009-03-30
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Law
Patriot Corporations of America Act of 2009 - Grants after 2009 a preference to Patriot corporations in the evaluation of bids or proposals for federal contracts. Defines " Patriot corporation" as a corporation which: (1) produces at least 90% of its goods and services in the United States; (2) does not pay its its management-level employees at a rate more than 10,000% of the compensation of its lowest paid employee; (3) conducts at least 50% of its research and development in the United States; (4) contributes at least 5% of its payroll to a portable pension fund for its employees; (5) pays at least 70% of its employees' health insurance costs; (6) maintains a policy of neutrality in employee organizing drives; (7) provides full differential salary and insurance benefits for all National Guard and Reserve employees who are called to active duty; and (8) has not violated federal regulations, including regulations relating to the environment, workplace safety, labor relations, and consumer protections. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) reduce the income tax rate for Patriot corporations; (2) reclassify foreign corporations created or organized to avoid federal taxation as domestic corporations for income tax purposes; and (3) increase, for the period between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2010, the income tax rate for individual taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes of $500,000 or more ($1 million or more for joint returns).

Date: 2009-04-02
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Commerce
Construction Quality Assurance Act of 2009 - Requires each solicitation by an executive agency for the procurement of construction in excess of $1 million to require each bidder to submit the name, business location, and nature of work of each subcontractor with whom such bidder will subcontract for work in excess of $100,000. Deems to be non-responsive, and prohibits consideration of, any bidder that fails to list such subcontractors. Prohibits a contractor from substituting another subcontractor for a listed subcontractor, permitting any subcontract to be voluntarily assigned or transferred, or subcontracting work for which the contractor listed itself, without the contracting officer's consent. Sets forth: (1) examples of good cause and procedures required for substitution requests; and (2) penalties for violations of such prohibitions, including suspension or debarment from federal contracts for multiple violations. Requires revisions to the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement this Act.

Date: 2009-07-31
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Small Business Fair Competition Act - Allows an incumbent contractor to recompete for a proposed contract in the case of a government solicitation for bids or proposals for goods or services that are substantially the same as under a current contract, provided the contractor currently performing the contract represents in good faith that it is a small business. Permits such representation to be made if the incumbent contractor: (1) meets the definition of a small business concern applicable to the solicitation and has not been determined by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to be other than a small business; or (2) was a small business when the current contract was awarded, is no longer a small business at the time of the solicitation, and will revert to being a small business if not awarded the proposed contract. Allows the government to qualify a contract being awarded to the incumbent contractor as a small business set-aside for the duration of the contract. Requires the Federal Acquisition Regulation to be revised to implement this Act.

Date: 2009-09-14
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Commerce
Against Corporations Organizing to Rip-off the Nation Act or the ACORN Act - Prohibits the federal government from awarding contracts, grants, or other agreements to, providing any other federal funds to, or engaging in activities that promote, any corporation or company that has been found guilty of a felony criminal violation under federal or state law, that had its state corporate charter terminated due to its failure to comply with federal or state lobbying disclosure requirements, or that employs or otherwise retains a director, officer, or executive of the corporation or company who has been found guilty of a felony in relation to the individual's conduct for that company, during the five-year period following such conviction or charter termination. Prohibits such a corporation or director, officer, or executive, during such period, from: (1) contributing funds to a candidate for federal office, federal political action committee, or federal or state political party; or (2) using more than $1 million in any calendar year to lobby Congress or federal employees. Includes Pfizer, Pharmacia & Upjohn Company Inc., and any Pfizer related affiliate as covered companies for purposes of this Act. Requires the Federal Acquisition Regulation to be revised to carry out the provisions of this Act relating to contracts. Authorizes the President to waive a prohibition under this Act in the national interest.

Date: 2009-09-30
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Inspector General Authority Improvement Act of 2009 - Amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to authorize each Inspector General of an establishment to issue a subpoena to require any former employee of the establishment, any former employee of a contractor (or subcontractor) of the establishment, or any former contractor (or subcontractor) of the establishment to provide testimony by deposition that relates to matters occurring in connection with that individual's employment or status. Requires an Inspector General, at least seven days before issuing a subpoena, to notify the Attorney General about the subpoena and the nature of the testimony sought. Prohibits the Inspector General from issuing the subpoena if the Attorney General objects within such seven days. Requires the Attorney General, if he or she objects, to find in writing within 30 days after receiving such notice that the testimony: (1) is likely to endanger U.S. national security, to interfere with a federal or state criminal investigation or prosecution, or to interfere with civil litigation to which the United States is, or is likely to be, a party; or (2) otherwise is not authorized by this Act.

Date: 2009-10-20
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Subcontractor Fairness Act of 2009 - Amends the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 to require any offeror responding to an executive agency's solicitation for competitive proposals for the procurement of property or services in an amount greater than $550,000 or for construction in an amount greater than $1 million to enter into an agreement that provides that each subcontract to be awarded in the performance of the contract. shall: (1) become a valid subcontract if the offeror is awarded the prime contract; and (2) include the identity of the subcontractor, the scope of work to be performed under the subcontract, and the dollar amount of the subcontract. Requires a copy of each subcontracting agreement to be included in any competitive proposal submitted. Establishes the same requirements for defense contracts.

Date: 2009-11-19
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Summitville Procurement Protection Act - Requires: (1) federal contractors and subcontractors to comply with procurement reporting requirements and transparency standards; and (2) federal contractors to submit to the agency that awarded the contract a report regarding all subcontracts awarded in the performance of the contract.Defines "procurement reporting requirements and transparency standards" to mean: (1) requirements to publicize proposed contracting opportunities, to select a contractor based on full and open competition, to report information on which the bidder or offeror received the contract award, and to disclose certain information to unsuccessful bidders or offerors; and (2) the ability to access a copy of the contract of the winning bidder or offeror.

Date: 2010-04-27
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Federal Contracting Oversight and Reform Act of 2010 - Amends the Clean Contracting Act of 2008 to: (1) require the Administrator of General Services (GSA) to ensure that the information in the database of information regarding the integrity and performance of persons awarded federal contracts and grants is available to any Member of Congress (currently, limited to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the committees having jurisdiction); and (2) expand the scope of the database, including doubling the period of coverage. Prohibits funds appropriated or otherwise made available by any Act from being used for any federal contract for the procurement of property or services in excess of: (1) the simplified acquisition threshold unless the contractor has first made the certifications set forth in the Federal Acquisition Regulation regarding debarment, suspension, proposed debarment, and other responsibility matters; and (2) $500,000 unless the contractor certifies that he or she has submitted to the Administrator specified required information and that such information is current as of the date of the certification, or that the contractor has cumulative active federal contracts and grants valued at less than $10 million. Requires the Inspector General of each federal agency to periodically: (1) conduct an inspection or review of required contract files to determine if the agency is providing appropriate consideration of the information included in the database; and (2) report to Congress on the results of the inspection or review. Requires the Comptroller General to annually report on the extent to which suspended or debarred contractors on the Excluded Parties List System are identified as having received contracts on USAspending.gov or were granted waivers from suspension or debarment. Requires: (1) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to report to Congress a plan for integrating and consolidating specified existing contracting information databases into a single searchable and linked network; and (2) the Inspector General of GSA to conduct a study on the use of identifying numbers for federal contractors.

Date: 2010-07-13
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Prohibits an executive agency from: (1) entering into a contract for the procurement of goods or services with any person or entity unless that person or entity has certified that the person or entity, and each of its officers, employees, and agents, have not violated the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, or any comparable law of other countries; or (2) allowing any contractor awarded a contract by the agency to enter into a subcontract (at any tier) with any person or entity that has not made such certification.

Date: 2010-07-22
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
American Job Builders Tax Reform Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase from $10 million to $40 million the gross receipts threshold for determining whether a small contractor may adopt an accounting method for reporting income from a construction contract other than the percentage of completion method; (2) allow an annual inflation adjustment to such increased $40 million threshold amount, beginning after 2009; and (3) exempt construction contracts from alternative minimum tax rules for reporting income from long-term contracts under the percentage of completion accounting method.

Date: 2010-08-10
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Taxation
Jobs Through Procurement Act - Amends the Buy American Act to make provisions requiring that only unmanufactured materials produced in, or articles manufactured in, the United States be procured for public use applicable to contracts and subcontracts for the procurement of commercial items. Requires each Department of Defense (DOD) contract for the procurement of services and each DOD subcontract that has a value exceeding $100,000 to contain a clause ensuring the contractor's or subcontractor's compliance with provisions, popularly known as the Berry Amendment, that prohibit the use of DOD funds to procure food, clothing, and certain other materials not produced in the United States. Requires that the Federal Acquisition Regulation be revised to require each federal contract for the procurement of services and each federal subcontract that has a value exceeding $100,000 to contain a clause ensuring the contractor's or subcontractor's compliance with the Buy American Act. Directs the Secretary of Defense to ensure that members of the acquisition workforce and contractors receive training on compliance with the Berry Amendment and the Buy American Act. Requires any offeror or contractor that is required to comply with such Amendment or Act to certify compliance and submit specified information regarding the manufacturer or producer to the contracting officer. Amends the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 to require agency heads to ensure that: (1) each bid or proposal submitted for a covered contract (a contract for a total amount in excess of the micro-purchase threshold of $2,500) includes a list of each subcontractor and production facility to be used in the performance of the contract, a certification that each such facility complies with specified core labor standards or that the contractor has disclosed noncompliance with such standards and submitted a corrective plan, and, if the product is to be manufactured or produced by a third party, a certification that the bidder will purchase the product under terms that support manufacturing or production that is consistent with such standards; and (2) each covered contract complies with such requirements. Requires an agency head to: (1) refer any allegation of a violation of such requirements to the agency's Inspector General and, in cases involving practices that are not consistent with core labor standards, to the Attorney General and Secretary of Labor; and (2) impose remedies for violations, including contract termination, suspension of performance, debarment, or inclusion on the List of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement and Nonprocurement Programs. Establishes a Procurement Advisory Board to oversee implementation and enforcement of this section.

Date: 2010-09-29
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Complete the Networx Telecommunications Transition Act - Requires federal agencies, to the maximum extent practicable, to acquire all telecommunications services under the Networx contracts of the General Services Administration (GSA). Precludes the GSA Administrator, to the maximum extent practicable, from accepting any offer for an FTS2001 (Federal Technology Service 2001) contract unless the services are at a price that is equal to or less than the price of comparable services under the Networx contacts.

Date: 2010-09-29
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Holocaust Accountability and Corporate Responsibility Act of 2010 - Prescribes a certification requirement for certain entities that apply to a state or local government agency for a contract for a federally-funded high-speed rail project. Defines such an entity as a corporation, affiliate, or other entity that controls, is controlled by, or is a member of a partnership or a consortium with, an entity that certifies it had direct involvement in the ownership or operation of the trains on which individuals were deported to extermination camps, death camps, or any facility used to transit individuals to extermination or death camps, between January 1, 1942, and December 31, 1944. Requires such an entity to certify to such agency: (1) whether or not it had any such direct involvement; and (2) if so, to disclose whether it has records, taken property, or made restitution to the victims or their families in connection with such deportations. Prohibits the award of any contract for a high-speed rail project to any entity certifying direct involvement in such deportations that has failed to make restitution to such victims or their families.

Date: 2010-09-29
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Transportation and public works
Government Neutrality in Contracting Act - Directs the head of any federal agency that awards or obligates funds for any construction contract, or that awards grants, provides financial assistance, or enters into cooperative agreements for construction projects, to ensure that bid specifications, project agreements, or other controlling documents do not: (1) require or prohibit a bidder, offeror, contractor, or subcontractor from entering into, or adhering to, agreements with a labor organization, with respect to that construction project or another related construction project; or (2) otherwise discriminate against such a party because it did or did not become a signatory or otherwise adhere to such an agreement. Allows exemptions to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety or to serve national security. Allows additional exemptions for certain projects. Directs the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement this Act with respect to the applicable federal contracts.

Date: 2009-01-06
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2009 - Prohibits any person who has a seriously delinquent tax debt from obtaining a federal government contract or grant. Requires federal agency heads to require prospective contractors or grantees to: (1) certify that they do not have such a debt; and (2) authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to disclose information describing whether such contractors or grantees have such a debt. Defines "seriously delinquent tax debt" and an outstanding tax debt for which a notice of lien has been filed in public records.

Date: 2009-01-15
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Enhanced Oversight of State and Local Economic Recovery Act - Amends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to require federal agencies receiving funds under such Act, subject to guidance from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to reasonably adjust applicable limits on administrative expenditures for federal awards to help award recipients defray costs of data collection, auditing, contract and grant planning and management, and investigations of waste, fraud, and abuse required under such Act. Authorizes state and local governments receiving funds to set aside up to .5% of such funds, in addition to any funds already allocated to administrative expenditures, to conduct planning and oversight to prevent and detect waste, fraud, and abuse. Authorizes the Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) to provide for the use by state and local governments of GSA federal supply schedules for goods or services that are funded by such Act. Makes participation by a firm that sells to a state or local government through such schedule voluntary. Requires the Administrator, for authorized nonfederal users of federal supply schedules, to: (1) review the existing ordering guidance and, as necessary, prescribe additional guidance to ensure proper usage and to maximize task and delivery order competition; (2) make available the online electronic Request for Quote/Request for Proposal system; and (3) make available, free of charge, training related to proper schedule usage, including online training courses. Requires the OMB Director to issue guidance to ensure accurate and consistent reporting of "jobs created" and "jobs retained" as those terms are used in such Act. Amends the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 to require OMB to ensure that the federal awards website established under such Act: (1) clearly differentiates between projects funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and other federal awards; and (2) provides users with the ability to perform searches for information in the website relating only to amounts funded by ARRA. Requires the website Recovery.gov (established under ARRA) to prominently display a link to the federal awards website on its front page.

Date: 2009-05-18
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Livestock Marketing Fairness Act - Amends the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921 to prohibit a livestock sale forward contract (with an exception for specified cooperatives) that: (1) does not contain a firm base price that may be equated to a fixed dollar amount on the contract day; (2) is not offered for open public bid; (3) is based on a formula price; or (4) provides for the sale of more that 40 cattle, 30 swine, or other livestock in a quantity as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture. Defines: (1) "firm base price" as a transaction using an external source reference price; (2) "formula price" as any price term that establishes a base from which a purchase price is calculated on the basis of a price that will not be determined or reported until a date after the forward price is established (with specified exclusions); and (3) "forward contract" as a livestock purchase contract that provides for livestock delivery to a packer at a date that is more than seven days after the date on which the contract is entered into, without regard to whether the contract is for a specified lot of livestock or a specified number of livestock over a certain period of time.

Date: 2009-05-20
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Reduce Iranian Cyber-Suppression Act - Prohibits the heads of executive agencies from entering into or renewing contracts for the procurement of goods or services from a person that exports sensitive technology (technology that restricts the free flow of information) to Iran. Authorizes the President to waive such requirement if: (1) it is in the national interest of the United States; and (2) the President reports to Congress the reasons for such determination.

Date: 2009-07-20
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Protect Taxpayers From ACORN Act - Prohibits any federal contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or other form of agreement from being awarded to, any federal funds in any other form from being provided to, or any federal employee or contractor from promoting, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) and any ACORN-related affiliate.Requires the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to carry out provisions of this Act relating to contracts.

Date: 2009-09-17
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA) to prohibit any entity in receipt of financial assistance under the Trouble Asset Relief Program (TARP) (or any other program enacted by the Secretary under EESA authorities) from providing any direct or indirect assistance to, funding, promoting, or in any way contributing to the activities of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) or an ACORN-related affiliate. Exempts from this prohibition any entity that has repaid all outstanding amounts of TARP or related financial assistance.

Date: 2009-09-24
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Economics and public finance
Lieutenant Colonel Dominic "Rocky" Baragona Justice for American Heroes Harmed by Contractors Act - Directs the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to: (1) permit the debarment or suspension of U.S. government contractors for evading service of process in civil or criminal proceedings brought against them by a U.S. citizen or national in connection with an obligation under the terms of a government contract or for failing to appear in federal court in such proceedings; and (2) require such contractors performing federal contracts of $5 million or more outside the United States to consent to personal jurisdiction over them in any future civil action brought by the United States alleging wrongdoing associated with contract performance and in any future civil action alleging a rape or sexual assault of or serious bodily injury to a member of the Armed Forces, a federal civilian employee, or an employee of a company performing work for the United States who is a U.S. citizen or national. Requires the contractor to: (1) consent to personal jurisdiction in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for a covered civil action in which the events giving rise to the cause of action occurred outside the United States and where personal jurisdiction cannot be established in another federal court; and (2) designate an agent located in the United States for service of process in any covered civil action if the covered contract was awarded to a contractor that does not maintain an office in the United States. Requires: (1) a covered civil action to be analyzed in accordance with U.S. law; and (2) the substantive law of the state (including the District of Columbia) in which the covered civil action is brought to be the law applicable to a covered civil action if the substantive law otherwise applicable to the covered civil action would be the law of the location where the events giving rise to the cause of action occurred and if the location is designated as a hazardous duty zone by the Secretary of Defense (DOD). Provides that nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit: (1) the ability of a contractor to assert any settled right under the U.S. Constitution; and (2) any other jurisdictional basis for a civil action against or criminal prosecution of a contractor.

Date: 2009-11-17
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Level Playing Field Contracting Act of 2010 - Directs the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to prohibit an executive agency from entering into a covered consolidated civilian contract valued in excess of $2 million unless the agency's senior procurement official determines that the contract's consolidation is necessary and justified under specified criteria. Defines such a consolidated contract as: (1) a multiple award contract; or (2) a contract for property or services that combines discrete procurement requirements from existing contracts, adds new procurement requirements to an existing contract, or includes two or more procurement or acquisition requirements and that does not include any consolidated acquisition, procurement, or contracting plan of the Department of Defense (DOD). Requires the Secretary of Defense to modify the DOD Supplement to FAR to prohibit an agency from entering into a covered consolidated Defense contract (a similarly defined DOD contract) valued in excess of $7.5 million unless the agency's senior procurement official determines that the contract's consolidation is necessary and justified under specified criteria or is appropriate in the face of exigent circumstances and national security. Directs the Council to amend FAR to require: (1) an agency to use a numeric grading or other quantitative methodology to evaluate bid proposals for each contract that is awarded through full and open competitive procedures and to disclose the methodology in the bid solicitation documents for the contract; and (2) agencies to encourage prospective contractors to utilize contracting assistance resources that are offered in their communities. Directs: (1) the Administrator of General Services (GSA) to report, annually, on efforts to enforce the local workforce subcontracting requirements included in GSA contracts; (2) each agency to report on the strength and sufficiency of its acquisition workforce; and (3) the Comptroller General to conduct studies of the effects of changes in the definition of and size standards for a "small business concern," the degree to which GSA, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have entered into contracts since January 1, 2004, with contractors that have previous experience performing federal contracts, and the size and experience of contractors awarded contracts by such entities. Amends the Small Business Act to require the Administrator of Small Business (SBA) and the GSA Administrator to jointly establish an outreach program to: (1) communicate with small businesses regarding government contracting opportunities; and (2) inform small businesses about opportunities to learn about the government contracting process.

Date: 2010-03-10
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Federal Contracting Oversight and Reform Act of 2010 - Amends the Clean Contracting Act of 2008 to: (1) require the Administrator of General Services (GSA) to ensure that the information in the database of information regarding the integrity and performance of persons awarded federal contracts and grants is available to any Member of Congress (currently, limited to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the committees having jurisdiction); and (2) expand the scope of the database, including doubling the period of coverage. Prohibits funds appropriated or otherwise made available by any Act from being used for any federal contract for the procurement of property or services in excess of: (1) the simplified acquisition threshold unless the contractor has first made the certifications set forth in the Federal Acquisition Regulation regarding debarment, suspension, proposed debarment, and other responsibility matters; and (2) $500,000 unless the contractor certifies that he or she has submitted to the Administrator specified required information and that such information is current as of the date of the certification, or that the contractor has cumulative active federal contracts and grants valued at less than $10 million. Requires the Inspector General of each federal agency to periodically: (1) conduct an inspection or review of required contract files to determine if the agency is providing appropriate consideration of the information included in the database; and (2) report to Congress on the results of the inspection or review. Requires the Comptroller General to annually report on the extent to which suspended or debarred contractors on the Excluded Parties List System are identified as having received contracts on USAspending.gov or were granted waivers from suspension or debarment. Requires: (1) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to report to Congress a plan for integrating and consolidating specified existing contracting information databases into a single searchable and linked network; and (2) the Inspector General of GSA to conduct a study on the use of identifying numbers for federal contractors.

Date: 2010-05-06
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
China Fair Trade Act of 2010 - Amends the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 to provide that certain exceptions and waivers to the prohibition on the procurement of the products of a country that is not a party to the Agreement on Government Procurement shall not apply with respect to the procurements of products or services of the People's Republic of China. Amends the Buy American Act to declare that certain exceptions to the Act requiring only U.S. materials be used for public use shall not apply to the procurement of Chinese made products until China becomes a party to the Agreement. Declares that certain exceptions to Buy American requirements shall not apply to the procurement of Chinese products by the Department of Defense (DOD) until China becomes a party to such Agreement. Amends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to declare that certain exceptions to Buy American requirements under such Act shall not apply to the procurement of Chinese steel and products until China becomes a party to the Agreement. Requires the Secretary of Commerce to report to Congress on the productive capacity of the major industrial sectors in China. Directs the Secretary of Energy to report to Congress on: (1) Chinese policies and the subsidies China provides in the development and exportation of renewable energy products and technologies; and (2) the impact such policies and subsidies have on U.S. manufacturers of such products and technologies.

Date: 2010-06-17
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Foreign trade and international finance
Government Neutrality in Contracting Act - Directs the head of any federal agency that awards or obligates funds for any construction contract, or that awards grants, provides financial assistance, or enters into cooperative agreements for construction projects, to ensure that bid specifications, project agreements, or other controlling documents do not: (1) require or prohibit a bidder, offeror, contractor, or subcontractor from entering into, or adhering to, agreements with a labor organization, with respect to that construction project or another related construction project; or (2) otherwise discriminate against or give preference to such a party because it did or did not become a signatory or otherwise adhere to such an agreement. Allows exemptions to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety or to serve national security. Allows additional exemptions for certain projects. Directs the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement this Act with respect to the applicable federal contracts.

Date: 2011-02-16
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2011- Prohibits any person who has a seriously delinquent tax debt from obtaining a federal government contract or grant. Requires federal agency heads to require prospective recipients of a contract or grant in excess of an amount equal to the simplified acquisition threshold to: (1) certify that they do not have such a debt; and (2) authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to disclose information describing whether they have such a debt. Defines "seriously delinquent tax debt" and an outstanding tax debt for which a notice of lien has been filed in public records.

Date: 2011-02-28
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Bereaved Consumer's Bill of Rights Act of 2011 - Directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to prescribe rules prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the provision of funeral goods or services.  Includes among such rules: (1) a requirement that price information be disclosed clearly and conspicuously; (2) a prohibition on misrepresentations or conditioning the provision of goods or services upon the purchase of other goods or services from the provider; (3) a requirement that any presale disclosures and contracts are written clearly, stating the merchandise, services, and prices and disclosing any penalties for canceling or transferring a contract; (4) a requirement that cemeteries provide to consumers all written rules and regulations of the cemetery and all material terms and conditions of purchase; and (5) a requirement that cemeteries retain all records in existence on the date of enactment of this Act and accurately record and retain records of interments, inurnments, or entombments. Applies such rules to states or political subdivisions and tax-exempt organizations.  Excludes cemeteries organized, operated, managed, and owned by a  religious organization and that are not affiliated with a for-profit provider offering funeral goods and services for sale to the public.Gives standing to states to bring a civil action for violations of this Act.

Date: 2011-03-03
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Commerce
Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Improvement Act of 2011 - Amends the Energy Employees Occupational Compensation Program Act of 2000 to replace the current requirements for occupational illness compensation to the survivors of a Department of Energy (DOE) contractor employee. Requires payment to a survivor of the compensation the deceased contractor employee would otherwise have been paid, if the employee dies after applying for the compensation but before receiving it. Requires payment of the compensation, if no survivors exist, to a claimant's surviving family members. Requires a survivor eligible for contractor employee compensation under this Act as well as survivor compensation under the regular compensation schedule for survivors to elect one or the other. Prohibits any payment to a survivor of both kinds of compensation.

Date: 2011-03-10
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Labor and employment
Patriot Corporations of America Act of 2011- Grants after 2011 a preference to Patriot corporations in the evaluation of bids or proposals for federal contracts. Defines "Patriot corporation" as a corporation which: (1) produces at least 90% of its goods and services in the United States; (2) does not pay its its management-level employees at a rate more than 10,000% of the compensation of its lowest paid employee; (3) conducts at least 50% of its research and development in the United States; (4) contributes at least 5% of its payroll to a portable pension fund for its employees; (5) pays at least 70% of its employees' health insurance costs; (6) maintains a policy of neutrality in employee organizing drives; (7) provides full differential salary and insurance benefits for all National Guard and Reserve employees who are called to active duty; and (8) has not violated federal regulations, including regulations relating to the environment, workplace safety, labor relations, and consumer protections. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) reduce the income tax rate for Patriot corporations; (2) reclassify foreign corporations created or organized to avoid federal taxation as domestic corporations for income tax purposes; and (3) increase, for the period between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2012, the income tax rate for individual taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes of $500,000 or more ($1 million or more for joint returns).

Date: 2011-03-17
Topic: Government Operations (Procurement & Contractors)
Subject: Commerce