zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
America Innovates Act of 2012 - Establishes in the executive branch an independent agency called the American Innovation Bank. Directs the Bank to award competitive grants and loans to institutions of higher education, nonprofit research institutions, individual investigators, and private companies to develop new science and engineering discoveries into new companies, products, or jobs. Amends the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2010 to require the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award competitive grants to: (1) Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship program-funded institutions of higher education to support students who perform their graduate research in an industry setting, and (2) institutions of higher education to develop professional science masters programs. Prescribes certain training requirements for students who receive funding under an NSF graduate research fellowship, a National Institutes of Health (NIH) national research service award, or any federal program that provides funding to train graduate students for careers in scientific research and development.

Date: 2012-04-25
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Science, technology, communications
Early-Stage Business Investment and Incubation Act of 2011 - Directs the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development to establish an early-stage business investment and incubation grant program (program) to support the development of early-stage businesses engaged primarily in the research, development, manufacturing, production, or marketing of specified technologies, aerospace, communications, or transportation. Limits individual grants to $5 million. Requires each grant recipient under the program to: (1) designate an individual as the grant fund manager; (2) establish a grant investment committee; and (3) assign to each assisted business a grant collaborator. Directs the Assistant Secretary to monitor and evaluate program effectiveness.

Date: 2011-04-06
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Commerce
Help Entrepreneurs Create American Jobs Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make the increase (from $5,000 to $10,000) in the tax deduction for the start-up expenditures of an active trade or business permanent (currently, limited to taxable years beginning in 2010).

Date: 2013-04-18
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Taxation
Support Our Startups Act of 2013 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an increased tax deduction for business start-up expenditures in 2013 and 2014

Date: 2013-04-24
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Taxation
Innocent Sellers Fairness Act - Exempts a lawful seller from liability for personal injury, monetary loss, or damage to property arising out of an accident or transaction involving a seller's products, unless the claimant proves one or more of the following activities by the seller:

 the seller was the manufacturer or participated in the design or installation of the product; the seller altered, modified, or expressly warranted the product in a manner not authorized by the manufacturer; the seller had actual knowledge of the defect in the product as a result of a recall from the manufacturer or governmental entity authorized to make such recall or actual inspection at the time the seller sold the product to the claimant; the seller had actual knowledge of the defect in the product at the time the seller supplied the product; the seller intentionally altered or modified a product warranty, warning, or instruction from the manufacturer in a way not authorized by the manufacturer; or the seller knowingly made a false representation about an aspect of the product not authorized by the manufacturer. Limits the seller's liability to the personal injury, monetary loss, or damage to property directly caused by such activity where a claimant proves one or more of such activities was negligent.

Date: 2013-07-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Law
Taking Account of Bureaucrats' Spending Act of 2016 or the TABS Act of 2016

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to eliminate provisions that fund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) using transfers from the earnings of the Federal Reserve System. The transfers under current law permit the CFPB to be funded outside of the annual appropriations process, and this bill brings the CFPB into the regular process.

Date: 2015-03-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
This bill amends the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to repeal Title I (Financial Stability) and Title II (Orderly Liquidation Authority).

The bill revives or restores the provisions of law amended or repealed by such titles as if the titles had not been enacted.

Date: 2015-04-29
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on October 6, 2015. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

(Sec. 2) This bill extends the authority of the Department of Commerce to conduct the quarterly financial report program through September 30, 2030, under which Commerce collects and publishes quarterly financial statistics of business operations, organization, practices, management, and relation to other businesses, including data on sales, expenses, assets, liabilities, and other measures of financial condition.

(Sec. 3) Commerce must conduct and report to specified congressional committees on a review of the data security procedures of the Bureau of the Census. Such report shall:

 identify all Bureau information systems that contain sensitive information; describe any actions carried out by Commerce or the Bureau to secure sensitive information since the data breaches of Office of Personnel Management systems were announced in 2015; identify any known data breaches of Bureau information systems that contain sensitive information; and identify whether the Bureau stores any information that, if combined with other information, would comprise classified information.

Date: 2015-07-20
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Commerce
This bill amends the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 to increase from $18.75 billion to $23.5 billion the FY2015 funding available to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for general business loans authorized under section 7(a) of the Small Business Act.

 The bill prohibits the SBA from guaranteeing a loan on and after October 1, 2015, if:

 the lender determines that the borrower is unable to obtain credit elsewhere solely because the lender's liquidity depends upon the guaranteed portion of the loan being sold on the secondary market, or the sole purpose for requesting the guarantee is to allow the lender to exceed its legal lending limit. The bill also requires the SBA to submit quarterly reports to Congress regarding the loan programs carried out under this section.

Date: 2015-07-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Commerce
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to specify rules for applying the deduction for income from domestic production activities to contract manufacturing or production arrangements.

In a contract manufacturing or production arrangement, a person contracts with one or more unrelated persons for the manufacture, production, growth, or extraction of an item of qualifying production property (tangible personal property, computer software, and sound recordings) or film. The qualifying production property must be manufactured, produced, grown, or extracted in whole or significant part within the United States.

In an arrangement in which any person makes a substantial contribution through the activities of its employees within the United States to the manufacture, production, growth, or extraction of qualifying production property: (1) the person shall be treated as engaging in the activity, and (2) the domestic production gross receipts of the person shall include the gross receipts received under the arrangement for the activities.

The Internal Revenue Service must prescribe regulations that include specified factors for determining a substantial contribution.

A person with an economic risk of loss of more than 50% of the direct material costs necessary to the manufacture, production, growth, or extraction of the qualifying production is deemed to make a substantial contribution.

The parties to an arrangement may agree in writing to: (1) make only one person eligible for the deduction, or (2) apply the rules retroactively to tax years in which only one person claimed the deduction.

Date: 2016-03-16
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Taxation
Small Financial Institution Advisory Committees Act of 2016

This bill establishes within the Department of the Treasury:

 the Community Bank Advisory Committee to advise Treasury about its efforts regarding legislation and regulation that affect financial institutions, federal departments and agencies that regulate or insure financial institutions, and securities markets, as these efforts relate to community banks; and the Credit Union Advisory Committee to advise Treasury about such efforts as they relate to credit unions.

Date: 2016-04-14
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Start Taking Action on Lingering Liabilities Act or the STALL Act

This bill amends the Federal Trade Commission Act to require certain Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigations involving civil investigative demands to terminate six months after the FTC sends a verifiable written communication to notify the subject of the investigation. The bill also provides an exception that allows such an investigation to continue beyond that six-month period if, before the period expires, the FTC: (1) sends an additional verifiable written communication, or (2) votes to extend the investigation.

Date: 2016-04-28
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Commerce
Solidifying Habitual and Institutional Explanations of Liability and Defenses Act or the SHIELD Act

This bill amends the Federal Trade Commission Act to prohibit guidelines or general statements of policy issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from: (1) conferring rights upon any person, state, or locality; or (2) binding the FTC or any person, state, or locality to a recommended approach.

In enforcement actions, the FTC must prove a violation of a law enforced by the FTC. The FTC's enforcement actions or consent orders may not be based solely on allegations that acts or practices are inconsistent with guidelines or general policy statements unless the acts or practices violate FTC-enforced law.

Compliance with guidelines or general statements of policy may be used as evidence of compliance with a law under which the guidelines or statements were issued.

Date: 2016-04-28
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Commerce
Revealing Economic Conclusions for Suggestions Act or the RECS Act

This bill amends the Federal Trade Commission Act to prohibit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from submitting legislative or regulatory recommendations without an economic analysis by the FTC's Bureau of Economics sufficient to demonstrate that: (1) the FTC has identified a problem it determines should be addressed, including the rationale for the FTC's determination that private markets or public institutions could not adequately address the issue; and (2) the recommendation is based on a reasoned determination that its benefits outweigh its costs.

Date: 2016-04-29
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Commerce
Make America Competitive Act of 2016

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow corporations to elect a 10% tax rate on their taxable income if such corporations: (1) offer their full-time employees group health insurance coverage, (2) offer such employees a defined contribution pension plan, (3) provide their employees with regular pay increases, and (4) make additional social security contributions for employees who do not have a defined benefit pension plan. Such corporations may also elect to repatriate their current and accumulated foreign earnings at a 5% tax rate.

The bill amends title II (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to increase the primary insurance amount (the retirement benefit a social security recipient would receive if benefits are taken at normal retirement age) of employees for whom additional social security contributions are made under this bill.

Date: 2016-04-29
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Taxation
Solidifying Habitual and Institutional Explanations of Liability and Defenses Act of 2016 or the SHIELD Act of 2016

This bill amends the Federal Trade Commission Act to prohibit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines or general statements of policy related either to unfair methods of competition, or to unfair or deceptive acts or practices, in or affecting commerce from: (1) conferring rights upon any person, state, or locality; or (2) binding the FTC or any person, state, or locality to a recommended approach.

In enforcement actions, the FTC must prove a violation of a law enforced by the FTC. The FTC's enforcement actions or consent orders may not be based solely on allegations that acts or practices are inconsistent with guidelines or general policy statements unless the acts or practices violate FTC-enforced law.

Compliance with guidelines or general statements of policy may be used as evidence of compliance with a law under which the guidelines or statements were issued.

Date: 2016-05-24
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Commerce
Enhancing Treasury's Anti-Terror Tools Act 

(Sec. 2) This bill instructs the Department of the Treasury to report to Congress on the employment by U.S. embassies of full-time and temporary Treasury attaches and their role in advancing U.S. anti-terrorism financing interests, including concerning:

 how Treasury's interests relating to anti-terror finance, money laundering, and related illicit finance issues are handled at other embassies; issues identified by Treasury attaches concerning anti-terror finance, money laundering, and related illicit finance; recommendations to improve coordination between Treasury and foreign financial ministries of efforts to block the financing of terror, money laundering, and related illicit finance; and whether Treasury's interests relating to anti-terror finance, money laundering, or related illicit finance issues are thought to be underrepresented in some embassies or regions. (Sec. 3) The bill revises Treasury's authority to issue an order imposing recordkeeping and reporting requirements upon financial institutions and nonfinancial trade or business groups in certain geographic areas regarding transactions for the payment, receipt, or transfer of U.S. coins or currency (or other monetary instruments as Treasury may describe). Such an order may include all funds, not just U.S. coins or currency, involved in such transactions.

(Sec. 4) Treasury shall study:

 the advisability and implications of transforming the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence into a stand-alone bureau of Treasury, the potential efficacy of requiring banking regulators to establish a pilot technical assistance program for depository institutions and credit unions that furnish account services to money services businesses serving individuals in Somalia and whether it could improve the ability of Americans to legitimately send funds through transparent and easily monitored channels, and the potential impact of allowing money services businesses to share their state examinations with depository institutions and credit unions. (Sec. 6) The bill expresses the sense of Congress that Treasury should work with finance ministry counterparts worldwide to spur the development of entities similar to its Office of Intelligence and Analysis to integrate the intelligence community with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing efforts.

Date: 2016-06-28
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Middle Class Dependent Care Fairness Act of 2016

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate the mandatory reduction in the rate of the tax credit for household and dependent care services for taxpayers whose adjusted gross incomes exceed $15,000.

Date: 2016-09-22
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Taxation
Quarterly Financial Reporting Reauthorization Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill extends through FY2030 the authority of the Department of Commerce to conduct the quarterly financial report program under which it collects and publishes quarterly financial statistics of business operations, organization, practices, management, and relation to other businesses, including data on sales, expenses, assets, liabilities, and other measures of financial condition.

(Sec. 3) Commerce shall review and report to Congress on the data security procedures of the Bureau of the Census, including those implemented since the data breach of systems of the Office of Personnel Management that occurred during FY2015.

Date: 2015-07-27
Topic: Domestic Commerce (General)
Subject: Commerce
Technology Retraining and Investment Now Act for the 21st Century - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for 50 percent of the information and communications technology education and training program expenses of individuals and employees, up to $4,000 in a taxable year. Increases the allowable amount of such credit to $5,000 for expenses for a program operated: (1) in an empowerment zone, enterprise community, or renewal community; (2) in a school district in which at least 50 percent of the students are eligible for free or reduced-cost lunches; (3) in an federally-declared disaster area; (4) in certain rural areas receiving federal assistance; (5) in an Indian tribal jurisdiction; (6) by an employer with 200 or fewer employees during a specified period; or (7) for a disabled individual. Defines "information technology education and training program expenses" to include: (1) course work; (2) certification testing; (3) apprenticeship programs registered by the Department of Labor; and (4) other expenses essential to assessing skill acquisition. Redefines "eligible educational institution" to include a commercial information and communications technology training provider. Establishes an Information Technology Training Certification Advisory Board to develop: (1) guidelines for computer science, information technology, and related college courses; and (2) a list of the information technology training and certifications that qualify for the tax credit established by this Act.

Date: 2007-01-05
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Taxation
Investment in Quality School Leadership Act - Establishes a program of grants to consortia for professional development of superintendents, principals, and prospective superintendents and principals. Directs the Secretary of Education to award such competitive grants to consortia to establish programs that serve a state or region and provide superintendents, principals, and prospective superintendents and principals, particularly those serving, or intending to serve, in high-poverty, low-performing school districts and schools, with ongoing, intensive professional development opportunities to improve their capacity to serve as effective leaders and successfully implement standards-based reforms. Requires a consortium, to be eligible to apply for such a grant, to include at least: (1) one local educational agency (LEA) serving a high concentration of children living in poverty; (2) one institution of higher education; and (3) one organization that does not usually provide educational services, but has the necessary expertise to provide professional development to school administrators. Allows such consortia also to include: (1) one or more additional LEAs; (2) state educational agencies; (3) for-profit organizations with expertise; and (4) public or private nonprofit organizations with expertise. Gives priority for awards to those consortia in which the participating LEA serves the highest concentration of children living in poverty. Sets forth required program activities and additional uses of grant funds. Requires grantees to provide 50 percent of the project's annual costs, in cash or in kind. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) waive such matching requirement for applicants that serve low-income areas; and (2) reserve certain funds for technical assistance, evaluation, dissemination of information on effective programs, activities to encourage the spread and adoption of successful leadership development centers, and other national activities that support the programs.

Date: 2007-02-16
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Teachers of English Language Learners Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow a tax credit for full-time teachers in limited English proficient schools; and (2) a tax deduction for tuition and fees for courses required for certification to teach English to elementary or secondary school students who are limited English proficient, as defined by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

Date: 2007-03-07
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Taxation
One-stop Student Financial Aid Information Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to display a link to the federal student financial aid website of the Department of Education in a prominent place on the homepage of the Department's website. Authorizes the Secretary to use administrative funds available for the Department's operations and expenses to promote the availability of the financial aid website.Requires the Secretary to collect and provide parents and students with easy access via the federal student financial aid website to detailed information concerning student financial aid options provided by other federal departments and agencies. Requires such other departments and agencies to respond promptly to the Secretary's requests for student financial aid information.

Date: 2007-03-14
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success Act or the A PLUS Act - Allows each state to submit to the Secretary of Education a declaration of intent, applicable for up to five years, permitting it to receive federal funds on a consolidated basis that would otherwise be directed toward specific programs furthering the stated purpose of title I (Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Requires each declaration to be formulated by a combination of specified State Authorizing Officials or by referendum, and list the programs for which consolidated funding is requested. Allows states to use such funds for any educational purpose permitted by state law, but requires states to make certain assurances that they will use fiscal control and fund accounting procedures, abide by federal civil rights laws, and advance educational opportunities for the disadvantaged. Allows states to amend their declarations. Requires each declaration state to: (1) inform the public of its student achievement assessment system and annually report on student progress toward the state's proficiency standards, disaggregating performance data by specified student groups; and (2) keep aggregate spending on elementary and secondary education at no less than 90% of such spending for the school year coinciding with this Act's enactment. Limits administrative expenses. Requires consolidated funds to be distributed in a manner that allows for the equitable, as determined by each state, participation of private schools.

Date: 2007-03-15
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Need-Based Educational Aid Act of 2008 - Amends the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 to extend, through September 30, 2015, the antitrust exemption that allows institutions of higher education that admit all students on a need-blind basis to enter into agreements, or attempt to enter into agreements, among themselves regarding the administration of need-based financial aid.

Date: 2007-03-29
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Investing for Tomorrow's Schools Act of 2007 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to enter into cooperative agreements with states for the establishment of state infrastructure banks and multistate infrastructure banks for making loans to local educational agencies and public libraries for building or repairing public elementary or secondary schools and public library facilities. Grants congressional consent to states for interstate compacts to establish multistate infrastructure banks. Directs the Secretary to make grants to such banks to provide initial capital for such loans. Requires states to contribute from nonfederal sources at least 25% of the amount of each federal capitalization grant made to the state and contributed to the bank. Lists types of projects eligible for such bank loans. Directs the Secretary to establish Healthy, High Performance School Guidelines for the construction and renovation of schools, education facilities, and libraries relating to energy efficiency, renewable energy, water use, building materials, indoor environmental quality, and other appropriate matters. Requires any local educational agency or public library using a loan under this Act to fund a new construction or renovation project to ensure that the project conforms, to the maximum extent practicable, to such Healthy, High Performance School Guidelines.

Date: 2007-06-05
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Preparing Excellent Teachers Act of 2007 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to make competitive, three-year, matching grants to high-need local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish and support teacher residency programs under which residents engage in rigorous master's level coursework at a college or university with which the LEA has an agreement while undertaking a guided teaching apprenticeship alongside a mentor teacher. Requires mentor teachers to have at least five years of teaching experience at a school in the high-need LEA and a master's degree in education or teaching. Requires program participants to attain full state teaching certification prior to completing the program and accept placement for at least five academic years thereafter in a school chosen by the high-need LEA.

Date: 2007-06-07
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Lifelong Learning Accounts Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) establish tax-exempt lifelong learning accounts to pay for certain higher education expenses and allow a tax deduction for cash contributions to such accounts; and (2) allow employers, employees, and self-employed individuals tax credits for contributions to such accounts.Requires the Comptroller General to study the effectiveness of such accounts and the tax credits provided by this Act.

Date: 2007-06-28
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Taxation
Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to: (1) award grants to encourage the establishment and operation of Teachers Institutes; and (2) provide technical assistance, either directly or through the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute, to assist local educational agencies (LEAs) and institutions of higher education (IHEs) in establishing and operating Teachers Institutes. Sets forth selection criteria, including consideration of the extent to which the proposed Institute will serve a community or communities that have a significant low-income population.Defines a Teachers Institute as a partnership or joint venture between one or more IHEs and one or more LEAs with significant low-income populations that is established to improve the quality of teaching and learning through collaborative seminars.

Date: 2007-07-27
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
American Flag Display Protection Act - Prohibits an elementary school, secondary school, or institution of higher education from receiving federal funds by grant or contract if the school has a policy or practice preventing students from respectfully displaying or wearing a representation of the U.S. flag in a manner at least equal in quality and scope to their right to respectfully display or wear any other representation.

Date: 2007-09-25
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Educational Immunity Act of 2005 [sic] - Absolves from civil liability in federal court any educator or school administrator in a public or private pre-K-12 school for any act or omission in the course and scope of employment, except for liability under a contract or for criminal conduct.

Date: 2007-12-19
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Total Learning Curriculum Implementation Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award up to 20 competitive grants to states and local educational agencies to implement the Total Learning curriculum in classrooms for children in kindergarten through age nine. Defines the "Total Learning curriculum" as a multi-sensory, arts-infused curriculum in an enhanced learning environment featuring small classes, an extended day, extensive professional development, and family support services.

Date: 2008-09-26
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Lifelong Learning Accounts Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) establish a tax-exempt lifelong learning account for the payment of certain employee higher education and training expenses; (2) allow individuals a nonrefundable tax credit for contributions to such accounts; and (3) allow employers a business-related tax credit for contributions to such accounts. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to study and report to Congress on such accounts and the tax credits enacted by this Act.

Date: 2007-01-04
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Taxation
Improving No Child Left Behind Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to alter requirements for adequate yearly progress (AYP) assessments of student groups by: (1) lowering, from 95% to 90%, the minimum percentage of students in each group in a school that must take such assessments; (2) allowing the fractional counting of students who are in more than one group, for each such group; (3) allowing states to treat as proficient or advanced specified scores on alternate assessments for disabled students and those not proficient in English; and (4) allowing states to use alternative methods of defining AYP. Revises criteria for local educational agency identification of schools needing improvement. Declares that only those meet such criteria that fail AYP standards, for two consecutive school years (as under current law), in the same subject for the same group of students. Revises eligibility criteria for school transfers after a school is identified as needing improvement. Declares that only failing students in the failing group, instead of all students in such a school, may transfer. Allows such schools to provide students with supplemental services rather than transfers during that school year.

Date: 2007-01-22
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Investing for Tomorrow's Schools Act of 2007 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to enter into cooperative agreements with states under which: (1) they establish state and multistate infrastructure banks for education; and (2) the Secretary awards grants to states for initial capital to make loans through such banks to local educational agencies and public libraries for construction, reconstruction, or renovation of public elementary or secondary schools and public library facilities. Grants congressional consent to states for interstate compacts to establish multistate infrastructure banks. Requires states to contribute from nonfederal sources at least 25% of the amount of each federal grant for an infrastructure bank. Lists types of projects eligible for such bank loans. Directs the Secretary to establish Healthy, High Performance School Guidelines for the construction and renovation of schools, educational facilities, and libraries relating to energy efficiency, renewable energy, water use, building materials, indoor environmental quality, and other appropriate matters. Requires any local educational agency or public library using a loan under this Act to fund a new construction or renovation project to ensure that the project conforms, to the maximum extent practicable, to such Healthy, High Performance School Guidelines.

Date: 2007-06-05
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
No Child Left Behind Enhancement Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to alter requirements for adequate yearly progress (AYP) assessments of student groups by: (1) lowering, from 95% to 90%, the minimum percentage of students in each group in a school that must take such assessments; (2) allowing the fractional counting of students who are in more than one group, for each such group; (3) allowing states to treat as proficient or advanced specified scores on alternate assessments for disabled students and those not proficient in English; and (4) allowing states to use alternative methods of defining AYP. Revises criteria for local educational agency (LEA) identification of schools needing improvement. Declares that only those meet such criteria that fail AYP standards, for two consecutive school years (as under current law), in the same subject for the same group of students. Revises eligibility criteria for school transfers after a school is identified as needing improvement. Declares that only failing students in the failing group, instead of all students in such a school, may transfer. Allows such schools to provide students with supplemental services rather than transfers during that school year. Requires states to develop procedures allowing LEAs to register complaints concerning approved supplemental service providers or those seeking the state's approval. Considers new middle or secondary school special education teachers to be highly qualified if, in addition to having a bachelor degree and high competence in their subject area, they have obtained a state special education certificate qualifying them to teach in the state.

Date: 2007-08-01
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Higher Education Sustainability Act of 2007 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to make grants to establish sustainability programs at institutions of higher education (IHEs). Directs the Secretary to contract with an IHE, nonprofit organization, or consortium of such institutions for administration of the grant program. Requires such programs to develop and implement: (1) sustainability practices, including in the areas of energy management, green building, waste management, purchasing, transportation, and toxics management; and (2) other aspects of sustainability that integrate campus operations with multidisciplinary educational programs and are applicable to the private and government sectors. Directs the Secretary to convene a summit of higher education experts, federal representatives, and business and industry leaders to encourage cooperative efforts to enhance sustainability programs at IHEs and apply such programs to the community and workplace.

Date: 2007-12-11
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Time for Innovation Matters in Education Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive matching grants to states to enable them to award competitive subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or partnerships between LEAs and other public or nonprofit entities to plan and implement expanded learning time initiatives at high-need schools that they serve. Requires such initiatives to: (1) increase the total number of school hours each year at participant schools by at least 30%, compared to the school hours per year that are standard for comparable schools in their school district; and (2) expand learning time for all students in all grade levels in such schools, except in high schools where expanded learning time must apply to at least one entire grade level. Directs states to give subgrant priority to LEAs that serve a high percentage of students from low-income families and partnerships that include a community-based organization, institution of higher education, community learning center, or entity carrying out an after-school program. Permits the Secretary to: (1) award planning and implementation grants directly to a partnership that serves more than one area in more than one state; and (2) provide technical assistance to grantees and subgrantees in developing and implementing expanded learning time initiatives. Requires: (1) grantees to establish measures for assessing the success of their expanded learning time initiatives; and (2) the Secretary to contract with an independent organization with expertise in school improvement, program evaluation, and measurement to evaluate this Act's program and provide technical assistance to grantees and subgrantees in collecting data and evaluating their programs.

Date: 2008-08-01
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Best Buddies Empowerment for People with Intellectual Disabilities Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to, or enter into agreements with, Best Buddies (a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people with intellectual disabilities mesh with mainstream society) to promote the expansion of its programs.

Date: 2008-11-19
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
American Opportunity Tax Credit Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a refundable tax credit for higher education expenses up to $4,000.

Date: 2009-01-06
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Taxation
Directs the Secretary of Education to allot funds to states for distribution to local educational agencies (LEAs) to recruit, hire, and train 100,000 new classroom paraprofessionals in order to improve educational achievement for children. Requires that 80% of a state's allotment be allocated to LEAs on the basis of relative numbers of children from families with incomes below the poverty line residing in their school districts, and that the remainder be allocated on the basis of relative enrollments.

Date: 2009-01-06
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
School Building Enhancement Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to provide grants to: (1) states and local educational agencies (LEAs) for providing intensive technical assistance for, and assisting the implementation of, the EnergySmart Schools Program of the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Energy Star for K-12 School Districts program of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); (2) LEAs that become partners through such Energy Star program; and (3) states for use in the development, in partnership with DOE, of state-level school energy efficiency quality plans. Requires the Secretary to give priority to projects to provide assistance to school districts with a demonstrated need for energy efficiency improvement.

Date: 2009-01-15
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Troops to Teachers Improvement Act of 2009 - Amends the Troops-to-Teachers program of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (which provides veterans with teacher certification stipends in exchange for three years of service in a high-need local educational agency (LEA) or public charter school) to make any LEA that is receiving school improvement funds eligible to participate in such program.

Date: 2009-03-04
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Learning Opportunities With Creation of Open Source Textbooks (LOW COST) Act of 2009 - Requires each federal agency that expends more than $10 million in a fiscal year on scientific education and outreach to use at least 2% of such funds for collaboration on the development and implementation of open source materials as an educational outreach effort. Directs such agencies, under the joint guidance of the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Secretary of Energy (DOE), to collaborate with each other or with any federally supported laboratory or university-based research program to develop, implement, and establish procedures for checking the veracity, accuracy, and educational effectiveness of open source materials that: (1) contain a comprehensive set of textbooks or other educational materials covering topics in college-level physics, chemistry, or math; (2) such agencies post on a Federal Open Source Material Website, which shall be available to the public without charge; (3) are updated prior to each academic year with the latest research and information ; and (4) are free of copyright violations. Requires the Director and the Secretary to award joint grants to eligible entities to: (1) develop and implement such open source materials; and (2) evaluate and report to the Director and Secretary on the materials produced.

Date: 2009-03-12
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Science, technology, communications
Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Tax Relief Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income for income tax purposes AmeriCorps educational awards awarded under the National and Community Service Act of 1990.

Date: 2009-03-18
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Taxation
The Educational Opportunity and Equity Commission Act of 2009 - Establishes the Educational Opportunity and Equity Commission, composed of the Secretary of Education and 14 individuals appointed by the Secretary who are educational stakeholders or have relevant experience or knowledge. Tasks the Commission with conducting a study and reporting to Congress on ways to enable all students to achieve their academic potential, with particular emphasis on: (1) ensuring that schools receive adequate resources; (2) developing methods for assessing students' educational needs; and (3) creating innovative strategies for state and local educational agencies to follow to enable students to achieve their academic potential, and to enable such agencies to participate in school funding reform efforts that result in educational equity. Directs the Commission to conduct outreach programs with communities throughout the nation to engage them in a public dialogue on how to ensure that their schools enable all students to achieve their academic potential.

Date: 2009-03-26
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Temporary Recession Aid for Schools and Taxpayers Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to award three-year grants to local governments for elementary and secondary education programs within their jurisdiction if they experience at least a 15% decrease in property tax revenues from FY2008 to FY2009 or from FY2009 to FY2010. Allows local governments to apply for two separate grants if they experience at least a 15% decrease in property tax revenues in each of such time periods. Gives priority to local governments that experience the largest decreases in property tax revenues relative to their tax base and whose decrease is attributable to the permanent or temporary shutdown or closure of a large employer or several small employers.

Date: 2009-04-21
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
No Child Left Inside Act of 2009 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states, as a prerequisite to receiving implementation grants, to develop environmental literacy plans, approved by the Secretary of Education, for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 that include environmental education standards and teacher training. Directs the Secretary to award Environmental Education Professional Development Grants to states and, through them, competitive subgrants to partnerships that include an LEA and, permissibly, institutions of higher education (IHE), other educational entities, or federal, state, regional, or local natural resource or environmental agencies, for activities involving, among other things, teacher training and the development of more rigorous environmental education curricula that advance the teaching of interdisciplinary courses. Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive matching grants to partnerships that include an LEA and, permissibly, IHEs, other educational entities, federal, state, regional, or local natural resource or environmental agencies, or park and recreation departments, for activities to improve and support environmental education that include: (1) advancing content and achievement standards; (2) developing or disseminating innovations or model programs; and (3) research.

Date: 2009-04-22
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
School Choice for Foster Kids Act - Amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act to authorize states to use funds provided under the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence program to provide vouchers to foster children of all ages to cover their elementary and secondary private school tuition and public school transportation costs.

Date: 2009-04-23
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
National Park Educational Partnership Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to establish the National Park Ranger School Partnerships program authorizing the Secretary of Education to award competitive, three-year grants to schools and local educational agencies (LEAs) to enter into partnerships with the National Park Service (NPS) to provide kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) students with educational programs and K-12 teachers with professional development emphasizing science, the environment, natural resources, mathematics, civics, and history. Makes education service agencies eligible for grants to carry out such educational programs and professional development activities. Deems schools and LEAs to be eligible for such a grant only if they: (1) have, are capable of, or will develop certain connections to the NPS; (2) have been identified as needing improvement under title I of the ESEA; and (3) serve a significant percentage of low-income students. Permits: (1) the NPS to participate in the Mathematics and Science Partnerships program that provides training to teachers of such subjects under title II of the ESEA; and (2) educational service agencies, including federal agencies that serve as educational service providers, to partner with LEAs under such title's Teaching American History Grant Program.

Date: 2009-04-23
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to educational organizations to carry out proposed or existing Holocaust education programs. Prohibits such grants from being used to supplant nonfederal funds the grantees would otherwise have used for Holocaust education programs.

Date: 2009-04-23
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education
Enhancing Education through Tax Relief Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent: (1) the tax deduction for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers; (2) the expanded tax deduction for charitable contributions of book inventories to public schools; (3) the expanded tax deduction for charitable contributions of computer technology or equipment to schools, charities, and public libraries; (4) the tax credit for holders of qualified zone academy bonds; and (5) the tax deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses.

Date: 2009-05-04
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Taxation
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2011 the tax deduction for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers.

Date: 2009-05-07
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Taxation
Schoolchildren's Health Protection Act - Amends the General Education Provisions Act to prohibit the provision of federal education funding to state or local educational agencies that provide postcoital emergency contraception or prescriptions for such contraception on the premises of elementary or secondary schools.

Date: 2009-05-18
Topic: Education (General)
Subject: Education