zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Building and Upgrading Infrastructure for Long-Term Development - Establishes the American Infrastructure Financing Authority (AIFA) as a wholly-owned government corporation, headed by a Chief Executive Officer and managed by a Board of Directors, which shall provide direct loans and loan guarantees to facilitate transportation, water, or energy infrastructure projects. Requires infrastructure projects assisted under this Act to have costs that are reasonably anticipated to equal or exceed $100 million ($25 million for rural infrastructure projects). Sets forth special requirements for infrastructure projects in rural areas. Establishes an Office of Rural Assistance to provide technical assistance in the development and financing of rural infrastructure projects. Establishes an Office of Special Inspector General to conduct, supervise, and coordinate audits and investigations of the business activities of AIFA. Prohibits financial assistance from AIFA for any private project for which no public benefit is created. Sets forth terms for loans or loan guarantees for infrastructure projects and for the repayment of such loans. Requires an annual independent audit of AIFA finances. Requires the Chief Executive Officer of AIFA to: (1) establish fees with respect to loans and loan guarantees that are sufficient to cover AIFA's administrative costs, and (2) take actions to make AIFA a self-sustaining entity, with administrative and federal credit subsidy costs fully funded by fees and risk premiums on loans and loan guarantees. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2012 the exemption from alternative minimum tax (AMT) for tax-exempt private activity bonds.

Date: 2011-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Economics and public finance
Amends the Commodity Exchange Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to exempt from specified margin requirements: (1) swaps in which one of the counterparties is neither a swap dealer nor a major swap participant, (2) certain investment funds, (3) specified regulated entities, and (4) a commodity pool. Exempts from such margin requirements, also, any swaps or security-based swaps entered into before the date on which final rules are required to be promulgated or published under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or the Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act of 2010, respectively.

Date: 2011-05-11
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Municipal Bond Market Support Act of 2011 - Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions relating to the small issuer exemption from interest expense allocation rules for financial institutions to: (1) permanently increase from $10 million to $30 million the annual limit on the amount of tax-exempt obligations that a small issuer may issue, and (2) allow an inflation adjustment to such increased limit amount after 2011.

Date: 2011-05-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Taxation
End Excessive Oil Speculation Now Act of 2011 - Directs the Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to establish speculative position limits: (1) in any registered trading entity on or through which crude oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, or heating oil futures or swaps are traded that are equal to the position accountability levels or position limits established by the New York Mercantile Exchange (Exchange); and (2) that are equal to the position accountability levels or position limits established by such Exchange upon the aggregate number or amount of positions in contracts based upon the same underlying commodity that may be held by any person (including any group or class of traders) for each month across specified contracts, transactions, and swap contracts. Directs the Chairman to: (1) establish margin requirements of 12% for speculative swaps and futures trading in crude oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, and heating oil; (2) require each bank holding company, investment bank, hedge fund, or swaps dealer trading energy futures or swaps for its own benefit, or on behalf of, or as counterparty to, an index fund, exchange traded fund, or other noncommercial participant, to register with the CFTC as a noncommercial participant and be subject to position limits and margin requirements under this Act. Exempts bona-fide hedge trading from such position limits and margin requirements. Expresses the sense of Congress that, if finalized, the proposed position limits for derivatives that the CFTC included in a specified notice of proposed rulemaking do not fulfill the requirements of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to diminish, eliminate, or prevent excessive speculation.

Date: 2011-06-15
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
National Domestic Preparedness Consortium Enhancement Act of 2011 - Requires the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium to include the SUNY (State University of New York) National Center for Security and Preparedness.

Date: 2011-06-27
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Emergency management
Maintaining Agency Direction on Financial Fraud Act - Prohibits any interpretive guidance issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) which relates to "Commission Guidance Regarding Disclosure Related to Climate Change" from taking effect with respect to any person on or after February 2, 2010. Prohibits the SEC from issuing interpretive guidance: (1) with respect to disclosures related to climate change after this Act's effective date; and (2) that would establish any requirements with respect to the content of or format for any disclosures related to climate change voluntarily submitted by any entity to the SEC after such date. Prohibits the SEC from initiating any civil or administrative action or proceeding pertaining to disclosures related to climate change after this Act's enactment and terminates any such actions or proceedings that are pending. Prohibits this Act from being construed to: (1) prohibit the SEC from issuing interpretive guidance with respect to disclosures related to non-anthropogenic or natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods; or (2) terminate an administrative action or proceeding pertaining to such disclosures.

Date: 2011-07-20
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Small Company Capital Formation Act of 2011 - Amends the Securities Act of 1933 to direct the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to exempt from its regulation a class of securities for which the aggregate offering amount of all securities offered and sold within the prior 12-month period in reliance on such exemption is between $5 million and $50 million, subject to specified terms and conditions. Limits such an exemption to equity securities, debt securities, and debt securities convertible or exchangeable to equity interests, including any guarantees of such securities. Authorizes the SEC to: (1) require an issuer of such exempted class of securities to make periodic disclosures available to investors regarding the issuer, its business operations, its financial condition, and its use of investor funds; and (2) provide for the suspension and termination of such a requirement with respect to that issuer. Requires the SEC to: (1) review and increase biennially such offering amount limitation, as appropriate; and (2) report to certain congressional committees on its reasons for not increasing the amount if it determines not to do so. Treats as a covered security with respect to a transaction exempt from registration requirements pursuant to a rule or regulation adopted under this Act any such security offered or sold: (1) on a national securities exchange, or (2) to a qualified purchaser. Directs the Comptroller General to study the impact of state laws regulating securities offerings (Blue Sky laws) on offerings made under Regulation A (which specifies the terms and conditions of exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933).

Date: 2011-09-12
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Financial Regulatory Responsibility Act of 2011- Prohibits a federal financial regulatory agency from issuing notices of proposed or final rulemakings unless specified analyses have been included in them. Prohibits an agency from publishing a notice of final rulemaking if it determines that the quantified costs are greater than the quantified benefits. Requires an agency to make available on its public website sufficient information about the data, methodologies, and assumptions underlying its analyses so that its analytical results are capable of being substantially reproduced. Requires the chief economist of an agency, within five years after publication in the Federal Register of a notice of final rulemaking, to report to certain congressional committees on the economic impact of the subject regulation, including its direct and indirect costs and benefits. Requires each federal agency to develop, report to certain congressional committees, and post on its public website a plan to modify, streamline, expand, or repeal existing regulations so as to make the agency's regulatory program more effective or less burdensome in achieving its regulatory objectives. Authorizes judicial review for a person adversely affected or aggrieved by a regulation. Establishes the Chief Economists Council to report to certain congressional committees on activities of the financial regulatory agencies. Requires the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to report separately to certain congressional committees their plans for subjecting to the requirements of this Act the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, and registered national securities associations on the one hand, and registered futures associations on the other.

Date: 2011-09-22
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Democratizing Access to Capital Act of 2011 - Amends the Securities Act of 1933 to exempt from its prohibitions against use of interstate commerce and the mails for sale (or delivery after sale) of unregistered securities, including unregistered security-based swaps, any transactions involving the issuance of securities through a crowdfunding intermediary, whether or not the transaction involves a public offering, for which: (1) the aggregate annual amount raised through the issue of the securities during any 12-month period by an incorporated entity formed under state law is $1 million or less, and (2) individual investments in the securities are limited to a maximum aggregate annual amount of $1,000. (Crowdfunding is a method of capital formation where groups of people pool money, typically composed of very small individual contributions, and often via internet platforms, to invest in a company or otherwise support an effort by others to accomplish a specific goal.) Sets forth criteria for the crowdfunding exemption. Amends the Securities Act of 1934 to exclude: (1) persons holding crowdfunded securities under this Act from application of the 500-to-750 shareholder "held of record" criterion for a class of equity security subject to mandatory registration, and (2) crowdfunding intermediaries from regulation under such Act as "brokers" or "dealers." Amends the Securities Act of 1933 to preempt state law with respect to regulation of crowdfunded securities. Subjects crowdfunding intermediaries, however, to state authority to investigate and bring enforcement actions with respect to fraud, deceit, or unlawful conduct in connection with securities or securities transactions. Limits authority to impose fees on crowdfunded securities to: (1) the securities commission of the issuer's state of organization, or (2) any state in which purchasers of 50% or greater of the aggregate amount of the issue are residents.

Date: 2011-11-02
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Private Company Flexibility and Growth Act - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to change the thresholds for total assets and for class of equity security holders of record which trigger the requirement for a securities issuer to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Increases the total assets threshold from $1 million to $10 million, and the class of equity security holders of record threshold from 500-750 to 2,000 persons. Declares that, with respect to such registration requirement, the definition of "held of record" does not include securities held by persons who received them pursuant to an employee compensation plan in transactions exempted from specified registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 (exempt transactions). (Thus exempts securities held such persons from registration requirements.) Directs the SEC to: (1) revise the definition of "held of record" in accordance with this Act, and (2) adopt safe harbor provisions issuers can follow to determine whether holders of securities have received securities pursuant to an employee compensation plan in an exempt transaction. Requires termination of the registration of a class of security of a bank or bank holding company, and subjects to automatic suspension the related duty to file supplementary and periodic information with the SEC, if the number of holders of record of such class of security is reduced to less than 1,200 persons. Excludes from the identity of municipal advisor (subject to registration requirements) any person appointed to or volunteering on a board, commission, committee, or similar function of a municipal entity. Exempts also from registration requirements any banks, including agencies or branches of a foreign bank.

Date: 2011-11-08
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Access to Capital for Job Creators Act -Amends the Securities Act of 1933 to exempt from proscriptions governing interstate commerce and the mails those transactions by an issuer that do not involve a public offering, whether or not such transactions involve general solicitation or general advertising. Directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to revise rules governing an exemption from public offering requirements for limited offers and sales without regard to the dollar amount of the offering (Regulation D), so as to provide that a specified prohibition against general solicitation or general advertising does not apply to offers and sales of securities made pursuant to Regulation D if all purchasers of the securities are accredited investors. Amends such revised rules to require that the issuer take reasonable steps to verify that purchasers of the securities are accredited investors, using such methods as are determined by the SEC.

Date: 2011-11-09
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Commodity Exchange Act to direct both the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to prohibit purchase or sale of either securities, security-based swaps, or commodities for future delivery or swap by a person in possession of material nonpublic information regarding pending or prospective legislative action if the information was obtained: (1) knowingly from a Member or employee of Congress, (2) by reason of being a Member or employee of Congress, or (3) from other federal employees and derived from their federal employment. Makes it an element of the prohibited activity, also, that the Member or employee of Congress or the federal employee acted with the intent to assist another person, directly or indirectly, to use the information to buy or sell the securities of such publicly traded company based on such information. Amends the Standing Rules of the Senate to prohibit a Member, officer, or employee of the Senate from disclosing material nonpublic information relating to any pending or prospective legislative action relating to any publicly-traded company or to any commodity if such person acts with intent to assist another person, directly or indirectly, to use the information to buy or sell the securities of that publicly traded company based on such information. Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to require formal disclosure of certain securities and commodities futures transactions to either the Clerk of the House of Representatives or the Secretary of the Senate. Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to subject to its registration, reporting, and disclosure requirements, as well as requirements for identification of clients and covered legislative and executive officials, all political intelligence activities, contacts, firms, and consultants. Requires the Comptroller General to include political intelligence activities, contacts, firms, and consultants in its annual compliance audits and reports.

Date: 2011-11-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 regarding registration of securities to modify the registration threshold for an issuer that is either a bank or a bank holding company as well as for an issuer that is neither a bank nor a bank holding company. Raises from $1 million to $10 million the threshold for total assets of an issuer that requires registration of a certain class of equity security. Divides the holding threshold that requires registration of such a class of equity security, however, into: (1) 2,000 holders of record if the issuer is a bank or a bank holding company, and (2) 500 holders of record if the issuer is neither. Requires termination of a security registration in the case of a bank or a bank holding company if the number of holders of record of the class of security is reduced to less than 1,200. Directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to promulgate implementing regulations.

Date: 2011-12-05
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Capital Raising Online While Deterring Fraud and Unethical Non-Disclosure Act of 2011 or CROWDFUND Act - Amends the Securities Act of 1933 (SA) to prescribe conditions under which transactions of $1 million or less involving the offer or sale of securities by an issuer through a broker or funding portal are exempt from certain registration requirements and prohibitions relating to interstate commerce and the mails (crowdfunding exemption). (Crowdfunding is a method of capital formation by which groups of people pool money, typically composed of very small individual contributions, and often via Internet platforms, to invest in a company or otherwise support an effort by others to accomplish a specific goal.) Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (SEA) to define "funding portal" as any person engaged in the business of effecting securities transactions for the account of others, solely pursuant to the crowdfunding exemption under this Act, that does not: (1) offer investment advice or recommendations; (2) solicit purchases, sales, or offers to buy the securities offered or displayed on its website or portal; (3) compensate employees, agents, or other third parties for such solicitation or based on the sale of securities displayed or references on its website or portal; (4) hold, manage, possess, or otherwise handle investor funds or securities; or (5) engage in other activities determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Amends the SA to set forth qualification requirements for such crowdfunding exemption, including those for intermediaries and issuers. Sets forth restrictions on sales of such exempt securities. Amends the SEA to authorize the SEC to exempt crowdfunding investors from certain shareholder caps under the Securities Act of 1933. Requires the SEC to exempt funding portals from certain registration requirements, provided that they remain subject to examination by the SEC and a national securities association. Directs the SEC to review periodically the effects of this Act upon investor protection.

Date: 2011-12-08
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Capital Raising Online While Deterring Fraud and Unethical Non-Disclosure Act of 2011 or CROWDFUND Act - Amends the Securities Act of 1933 (SA) to prescribe conditions under which transactions of $1 million or less involving the offer or sale of securities by an issuer through a broker or funding portal are exempt from certain registration requirements and prohibitions relating to interstate commerce and the mails (crowdfunding exemption). (Crowdfunding is a method of capital formation by which groups of people pool money, typically composed of very small individual contributions, and often via Internet platforms, to invest in a company or otherwise support an effort by others to accomplish a specific goal.) Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (SEA) to define "funding portal" as any person engaged in the business of effecting securities transactions for the account of others, solely pursuant to the crowdfunding exemption under this Act, that does not: (1) offer investment advice or recommendations; (2) solicit purchases, sales, or offers to buy the securities offered or displayed on its website or portal; (3) compensate employees, agents, or other persons for such solicitation or based on the sale of securities displayed or references on its website or portal; (4) hold, manage, possess, or otherwise handle investor funds or securities; or (5) engage in other activities determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Amends the SA to set forth qualification requirements for such crowdfunding exemption, including those for intermediaries and issuers. Sets forth restrictions on sales of such exempt securities. Amends the SEA to authorize the SEC to exempt crowdfunding investors from certain shareholder caps under the Securities Act of 1933. Requires the SEC to exempt funding portals from certain registration requirements, provided that they remain subject to examination by the SEC and a national securities association. Prohibits a state or its political subdivision from enforcing any law or administrative action against a registered funding portal with respect to its business as such. Exempts from such prohibition the examination and enforcement of any law or administrative action of a state in which the principal place of business of a registered funding portal is located, if the law or administrative action is not in addition to or different from SEC requirements for registered funding portals.

Date: 2012-03-13
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Rural America Preservation Act of 2012 - Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to cap maximum annual crop year direct and indirect payments to an individual or a legal entity for: (1) covered commodities, at $125,000 (maximum of $75,000 in marketing loan gains and loan deficiency payments and $50,000 for other payments); and (2) peanuts, at $125,000 (maximum of $75,000 in marketing loan gains and loan deficiency payments and $50,000 for other payments). Provides that an eligible person and spouse in a single farming operation may jointly receive up to twice such amount. Revises provisions respecting limitation of benefits to active farmers. Makes foreign individuals and foreign entities ineligible for agricultural program benefits.

Date: 2012-03-21
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Instructs the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to use its authority (including emergency powers) to: (1) to curb immediately the role of excessive speculation in any contract market within its jurisdiction and control that is serving as a platform for the trading of energy futures or swaps; and (2) eliminate excessive speculation, price distortion, sudden or unreasonable fluctuations, unwarranted changes in prices, or other unlawful activity that is causing major market disturbances that prevent the market from accurately reflecting the forces of supply and demand for energy commodities.

Date: 2012-03-21
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Amends the Commodity Exchange Act with respect to excessive speculation in a commodity under contracts of sale to direct the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to establish limits on the aggregate number or amount of positions in contracts for petroleum or related products that may be held by any person, or any group or class of traders, for each month across specified contracts so that: (1) the short position for traditional bona fide hedgers in the aggregate is not less than 50% percent; and (2) the long position for such hedgers in the aggregate is not less than 50% percent.

Date: 2012-03-27
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
SEC Regulatory Accountability Act - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), before promulgating a regulation or issuing any order, to: (1) identify the nature and significance of the problem that the proposed regulation is designed to address in order to assess whether any new regulation is warranted; (2) use the Office of the Chief Economist to assess the costs and benefits of the intended regulation and adopt it only on a determination that its benefits justify the costs; (3) ensure that any regulation is accessible, consistent, written in plain language, and easy to understand; and (4) measure and seek to improve the actual results of regulatory requirements. Directs the SEC to review its regulations and orders periodically to determine their efficacy and whether to modify or repeal them.

Date: 2012-04-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Outsourcing Accountability Act of 2012 - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require registered securities issuers to disclose annually to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and to shareholders: (1) the total number of employees domiciled in the United States and employed by the issuer or any consolidated subsidiary of it; (2) the total number of such employees domiciled in any country other than the United States and employed by the issuer or any consolidated subsidiary, listed by number in each country; and (3) the percentage increase or decrease in such numbers required to be disclosed from the previous reporting year. Exempts from such requirements an issuer that is an emerging growth company.

Date: 2012-07-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Amends the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) to exempt, from the rules of prudential regulators for swap dealers and major swap participants with respect to initial and variation margin requirements for swaps not cleared by a registered derivatives clearing organization, those swaps in which one of the counterparties: (1) is eligible for an exception from clearing requirements for certain significant price discovery agreements, contracts, or transactions in a commodity exempt from regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); or (2) satisfies specified criteria governing treatment of affiliates in connection with clearing requirements. Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, regarding registration and regulation of security-based swap dealers and major security-based swap participants, to exempt from initial and variation margin requirements for swaps not cleared by a registered derivatives clearing organization a security-based swap in which one of the counterparties: (1) qualifies for a specified exception from clearing requirements, or (2) satisfies certain criteria governing the treatment of affiliates. Requires that the amendments to CEA made by this Act be implemented: (1) without regard to federal information policy requirements or the notice and comment requirements of federal administrative procedure; and (2) through promulgation of an interim final rule, pursuant to which public comment will be sought before a final rule is issued. Limits the disregard of such federal information policy and notice and comment requirements solely to changes to rules and regulations, or proposed rule and regulations, that are limited to, and directly a consequence of, the amendments to CEA made by this Act.

Date: 2012-08-01
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Next Steps for Credit Availability Act - Amends the Investment Company Act of 1940 to allow a business development company (BDC) to own or acquire securities or other interests in the business of a registered investment adviser or adviser to an investment company.

Reduces from 200% to 150% the asset coverage requirements applicable to BDCs. Allows a BDC to issue stock.

Directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to revise various rules under the Securities Act of 1933 and to revise forms as necessary to allow a BDC to use security offering rules available to other issuers that are required to file security issuance reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Date: 2013-01-03
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Business Risk Mitigation and Price Stabilization Act of 2013 - Amends the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) to exempt, from the rules of prudential regulators for swap dealers and major swap participants with respect to initial and variation margin requirements for swaps not cleared by a registered derivatives clearing organization, those swaps in which one of the counterparties: (1) is eligible for an exception from clearing requirements because it is not a financial entity, uses swaps to hedge or mitigate commercial risk, and notifies the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) how it meets financial obligations associated with entering into non-cleared swaps; (2) is eligible for a public interest exemption from swap clearing requirements for certain cooperative entities; or (3) satisfies specified criteria governing treatment of affiliates in connection with clearing requirements.

Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, regarding registration and regulation of security-based swap dealers and major security-based swap participants, to exempt from initial and variation margin requirements for swaps not cleared by a registered derivatives clearing organization a security-based swap in which one of the counterparties: (1) qualifies for a specified exception from clearing requirements, or (2) satisfies certain criteria governing the treatment of affiliates.

 Requires that the amendments to CEA made by this Act be implemented: (1) without regard to federal information policy requirements or the notice and comment requirements of federal administrative procedure; and (2) through promulgation of an interim final rule, pursuant to which public comment will be sought before a final rule is issued. Limits the disregard of such federal information policy and notice and comment requirements solely to changes to rules and regulations, or proposed rule and regulations, that are limited to, and directly a consequence of, the amendments to CEA made by this Act.

Date: 2013-02-13
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Amends the Securities Act of 1933 to set October 31, 2013, as the deadline for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to add a class of domestic securities to those already exempted from regulation under that Act in accordance with specified terms and conditions, including that: (1) the aggregate offering amount of all securities offered and sold within the prior 12-month period in reliance on the new exemption shall not exceed $50 million, (2) the securities may be offered and sold publicly, and (3) they shall not be restricted securities under federal securities laws and regulations.

Date: 2013-02-14
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 Swap Data Repository and Clearinghouse Indemnification Correction Act of 2013 - Amends the Commodity Exchange Act, with respect to derivatives clearing organizations and swap data repositories, to repeal the prerequisite that, before the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) may share information with specified regulatory agencies, such agencies must agree to indemnify the CFTC for expenses arising from litigation relating to information so provided.

Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to repeal similarly the prerequisite that, before a security-based swap data repository may share information with specified regulatory entities, such entities must agree to indemnify both such repository and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for expenses arising from litigation relating to information so provided.

Date: 2013-02-15
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Security in Bonding Act of 2014 - Amends the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 with respect to any Small Business Administration (SBA) guarantee or agreement to indemnify a surety under the Small Business Investment Program against loss from a breach of the terms of a bid bond, payment bond, performance bond, or ancillary bonds, by a principal on any total work order or contract amount at the time of bond execution that does not exceed $6.5 million, as adjusted for inflation.

Increases from 70% to 90% of the loss incurred and paid by a surety authorized to issue bonds (subject to SBA guarantee) the SBA's maximum obligation to pay the surety under the guarantee or agreement to indemnify.

Date: 2013-02-15
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Outsourcing Accountability Act of 2013 - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require registered securities issuers to disclose annually to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and to shareholders: (1) the total number of employees domiciled in the United States and listed by number in each state (including those of consolidated subsidiaries); (2) the total number of such employees physically working in and domiciled in any country other than the United States, listed by number in each country; and (3) the percentage increase or decrease in such numbers from the previous reporting year.

Exempts from such requirements: (1) certain new public companies, and (2) issuers with total annual gross revenues of less than $1 billion during the most recently completed fiscal year.

Date: 2013-02-15
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Improving Security for Investors and Providing Closure Act of 2013 or Improving SIPC Act of 2013 - Amends the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970 with respect to any action in a U.S. district court by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) in the event that SIPC refuses to commit funds or otherwise act for the protection of customers of any SIPC member (debtor broker or dealer).

Authorizes SIPC, at the time the SEC action initiates such action, to allow all customers of the debtor broker or dealer to elect to receive a one-time payment from the SIPC Fund.

Prescribes procedures for such customer election. Limits the amount paid to a customer under such election to the lesser of: (1) the customer's net equity claim against the debtor, and (2) a $500,000 cap on one-time payments.

Subrogates SIPC to all rights of the customer receiving a one-time payment against the debtor once the customer recovers an amount equal to the customer's net equity claim against the debtor.

Treats a certificate of deposit (CD) purchased by a person through an account with the debtor as cash deposited and held by the debtor in an amount equal to the amount the person paid for the CD, less any amounts paid to such person on the CD.

Permits a person prevented from making an election under this Act because SIPC does not identify such person as a customer of the debtor to challenge that determination in federal district court.

Date: 2013-02-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Wall Street Trading and Speculators Tax Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a .03% excise tax on the purchase of a security if: (1) such purchase occurs or is cleared on a trading facility located in the United States, or (2) the purchaser or seller is a U.S. person.

Defines "security" to include: (1) stocks, partnership interests, notes, bonds, debentures, or other evidences of indebtedness; (2) interests in a derivative financial instrument (i.e., any option, forward contract, futures contract, or any similar financial instrument) and (3) any notional principal contract.

Exempts from such tax: (1) initial issues of securities; (2) any note, bond, debenture, or other evidence of indebtedness which is traded on a trading facility located in the United States and has a fixed maturity of not more than 100 days; and (3) securities traded pursuant to certain lending arrangements. Makes such tax applicable to transactions by controlled foreign corporations and payable by its U.S. shareholders.

Allows an offset against such tax for contributions to certain tax-favored accounts, including tax-exempt retirement plans, Archer medical savings accounts, health savings accounts, and qualified tuition plans and Coverdell education savings accounts.

Date: 2013-02-28
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Taxation
Amends the Commodity Exchange Act to revise the requirement that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), before promulgating a regulation or issuing an order, consider the costs and benefits of the action. Requires the CFTC, through the Office of the Chief Economist, to: (1) assess the costs and benefits, both qualitative and quantitative, of an intended regulation; and (2) propose or adopt a regulation only on a reasoned determination that the benefits justify the costs.

Lists additional mandatory considerations for the CFTC to evaluate in making a reasoned determination of the costs and the benefits, including the impact on market liquidity in the futures and swaps markets, as well as alternatives to direct regulation.

Date: 2013-03-06
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
SEC Regulatory Accountability Act - (Sec. 2) Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Act) to direct the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), before issuing a regulation under the securities laws, to: (1) identify the nature and source of the problem that the proposed regulation is designed to address in order to assess whether any new regulation is warranted; (2) use the SEC Chief Economist to assess the costs and benefits of the intended regulation and adopt it only upon a reasoned determination that its benefits justify the costs; (3) identify and assess the available alternatives that were considered; and (4) ensure that any regulation is accessible, consistent, written in plain language, and easy to understand.

Requires the SEC to: (1) consider whether the rulemaking will promote efficiency, competition, and capital formation; (2) consider the impact of the regulation upon investor choice, market liquidity, and small business; (3) explain in its final rule the nature of comments received concerning the proposed rule or rule change; and (4) respond to those comments, explaining any changes made in response and the reasons that it did not incorporate industry group concerns regarding potential costs or benefits.

Requires the SEC to: (1) review periodically its existing regulations to determine if they are outmoded, ineffective, insufficient, or excessively burdensome; and (2) modify, streamline, expand, or repeal them.

Requires the SEC, whenever it adopts or amends a major rule, to state in its adopting release: (1) the purposes and intended consequences of the regulation, (2) the post-implementation quantitative and qualitative metrics to measure the economic impact of the regulation and the extent to which it has accomplished the stated purposes, (3) the assessment plan that will be used under the supervision of the Chief Economist to assess whether the regulation has achieved those purposes, and (4) any foreseeable unintended or negative consequences.

 Requires the assessment plan to: (1) consider the costs, benefits, and intended and unintended consequences of the regulation; (2) specify the data to be collected, the methods for its collection and analysis, and an assessment completion date; and (3) analyze jobs added or lost as a result of the regulation, differentiating between public and private sector jobs.

Waives notice and comment requirements for the data collection if the SEC has published its assessment plan for notice and comment at least 30 days before adoption of a final regulation or amendment.

 (Sec. 3) Expresses the sense of Congress that the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board should also follow the requirements set forth by this Act.

(Sec. 4) Prohibits a rule adopted by either the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board or any registered national securities association from taking effect unless the SEC determines that, in adopting such rule, such entities have complied with the requirements of this Act.

Date: 2013-03-12
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act - Amends the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 to exempt private equity fund investment advisers from its registration and reporting requirements, provided that each private equity fund has not borrowed and does not have outstanding a principal amount exceeding twice its invested capital commitments.

Directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to promulgate final rules that: (1) require such investment advisers to maintain records the SEC determines necessary, taking into account fund size, governance, investment strategy, and risk; and (2) define the term "private equity fund" for purposes of this Act.

Date: 2013-03-13
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Corporate Propaganda Sunshine Act - Directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to revise certain regulations to require issuers to include in specified periodic reports any expenditures totaling $1,000 or more that were made for the purpose of influencing public opinion on any matter other than the promotion of the issuer's products or services. Requires such disclosures to include the date, amount, and purpose of the expenditure and to identify (by name, address, and phone number) the person to whom it was made.

Date: 2013-03-13
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House as amended, Part I, on June 10, 2013. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Swap Jurisdiction Certainty Act - Directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to issue jointly rules governing the application of swaps requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Commodity Exchange Act, relating to cross-border swaps and security-based swaps transactions involving U.S. persons or non-U.S. persons.

Requires such rules to be identical (except to the extent necessary to accommodate differences in other underlying statutory requirements), and to address: (1) the nature of the connections to the United States that require a non-U.S. person to register as a swap dealer, major swap participant, security-based swap dealer, or security-based swap participant under each Commission's respective Acts and related regulations; (2) the extent to which U.S. swaps requirements shall apply to the swap and security-based swap activities of non-U.S. persons, U.S. persons, and their branches, agencies, subsidiaries, and affiliates outside the United States; and (3) the circumstances under which a non-U.S. person in compliance with the regulatory requirements of a foreign jurisdiction shall be exempt from U.S. swaps requirements.

Directs the Commissions to exempt from U.S. swaps requirements any non-U.S. person in compliance with the swaps regulatory requirements of a country or administrative region having one of the nine largest combined swap and security-based swap markets by notional amount in the calendar year preceding issuance of such rules (unless the Commissions jointly determine that such requirements are not broadly equivalent to U.S. swaps requirements).

Requires the Commissions to report to Congress if they determine jointly that the regulatory requirements of such foreign jurisdictions are not broadly equivalent to U.S. swaps requirements.

Date: 2013-03-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Inclusive Prosperity Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) impose an excise tax on the transfer of ownership in certain securities (covered transaction), including any share of stock in a corporation, any partnership or beneficial interest in a partnership or trust, any note, bond, debenture, or other evidence of indebtedness (excluding tax-exempt municipal bonds), or derivative financial instruments; (2) impose a penalty on taxpayers who fail to include a covered transaction on their tax return or information statement; and (3) allow an individual taxpayer whose modified adjusted gross income does not exceed $50,000 ($75,000 for married taxpayers filing joint returns) a tax credit for the amount of tax paid on covered transactions.

Date: 2013-04-16
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Taxation
Focusing the SEC on Its Mission Act - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to prohibit the Securities and Exchange Commission from requiring the disclosure by an issuer of any political expenditure.

Date: 2013-04-18
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Investment Adviser Examination Improvement Act of 2013 - Declares the sense of Congress that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) should increase the number and frequency of examinations of investment advisers.

Amends the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 to direct the SEC to collect an annual fee from investment advisers subject to SEC inspection or examination to defray the cost of such inspections and examinations. Exempts certain state-regulated investment advisers from the requirement to pay an annual fee.

Prescribes a fee calculation formula. Requires the SEC to make the formula publicly available on its website along with the factors used to reach the fee determination.

Requires the Comptroller General to audit biennially the use of such fees, SEC reviews of the fee formula, and any adjustments to it.

Makes such fees available to the SEC, without further appropriation or fiscal year limitation, to pay costs associated with inspecting and examining investment advisers.

Date: 2013-04-18
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Securities & Commodities)
Subject: Finance and financial sector