zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Sanctity of Human Life Act - Declares that: (1) the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human and is the person's paramount and most fundamental right; (2) each human life begins with fertilization, cloning, or its functional equivalent, at which time every human has all legal and constitutional attributes and privileges of personhood; and (3) Congress, each state, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories have the authority to protect all human lives.

Date: 2009-01-07
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Civil rights and liberties, minority issues
Securing Our Borders and Our Data Act of 2009 - Sets forth rules for the search or seizure at a U.S. border of digital electronic devices or digital storage media. Prohibits a search of the digital contents of such devices or media unless such search is based on: (1) a reasonable suspicion regarding the owner of such devices or media; and (2) an independent constitutional authority to make a seizure (other than the authority for border searches). Requires officers at U.S. borders to receive appropriate training to make searches of digital devices or media to minimize the possibility of irreparable damage to such devices or media. Allows the owners of such devices and media to request that searches be conducted out of public view. Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) make rules regarding border searches of digital devices and storage media, including rules to protect the integrity of digital data, for the retrieval of seized devices or media by owners, and for sharing such data with other governmental agencies; and (2) publish such rules on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) website. Requires the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to conduct an annual study of searches and seizures of digital devices and storage media at U.S. borders and report to Congress on such study.

Date: 2009-01-07
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Law
Consumer Cellphone Number Distribution Protection Act of 2009 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose a fine and/or prison term of up to six months for knowingly disclosing a wireless subscriber's unlisted cell phone number to another, for gain, without the express permission of such subscriber.

Date: 2009-01-09
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Service from providing any federal family planning assistance to an entity unless the entity certifies that, during the period of such assistance, the entity will not perform, and will not provide any funds to any other entity that performs, an abortion. Excludes an abortion where: (1) the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or an act of incest against a minor; or (2) a physician certifies that the woman suffered from a physical disorder, injury, or illness that would place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion is performed, including a condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy. Excludes hospitals from such requirement so long as the hospital does not provide funds to any non-hospital entity that performs an abortion.Requires the Secretary to annually provide Congress: (1) information on grantees who performed abortions under the exceptions; and (2) a list of entities to which grant funds are made available.

Date: 2009-01-21
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Health
Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit transporting a minor child across a state line to obtain an abortion (deems such transporting to be a de facto abridgment of the right of a parent under any law in the minors state of residence that requires parental involvement in the minors abortion decision). Makes an exception for an abortion necessary to safe the life of the minor. Makes it an affirmative defense to a prosecution or civil action under this Act that a defendant: (1) reasonably believed that before the minor obtained the abortion, the required parental consent or notification or judicial authorization took place; or (2) was presented with documentation showing that a court waived parental notification requirements or authorized the minor's abortion.Defines "abortion" as the termination of a pregnancy with an intention other than to increase the probability of a live birth, preserve the life or health of the child after live birth, remove a dead unborn child who died as the result of a spontaneous abortion, accidental trauma, or a criminal assault on the pregnant female or her unborn child. Imposes a fine and/or prison term of up to one year on a physician who performs or induces an abortion on an out-of-state minor in violation of parental notification requirements. Requires such physician to give 24-hour actual or constructive notice to a parent of the minor seeking an abortion, subject to certain exceptions.

Date: 2009-01-22
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Requires the President to submit to the congressional foreign relations committees a report that identifies and includes a brief description of every federal program that authorizes or requires the gathering of information on individuals in the United States, established whether in whole or in part pursuant to the "all necessary and appropriate force" clause contained in the Authorization for Use of Military Force.

Date: 2009-01-22
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: International affairs
Free Flow of Information Act of 2009 - Prohibits a federal entity (an entity or employee of the judicial or executive branch or an administrative agency of the federal government), in any matter arising under federal law, from compelling a covered person to testify or produce any document related to information obtained or created as part of engaging in journalism unless a court makes specified determinations by a preponderance of the evidence, including determinations that: (1) alternative sources have been exhausted; (2) the testimony or document sought is critical to the investigation, prosecution, or defense of a crime or the successful completion of a noncriminal matter; (3) disclosure of an information source's identity is necessary to prevent an act of terrorism, harm to national security, imminent death, significant bodily harm or to identify a person who has disclosed a trade secret, individually identifiable health information, or certain nonpublic personal information; and (4) the public interest in compelling disclosure of the information or document involved outweighs the public interest in gathering or disseminating news or information. Allows a court, in making the last of those determinations, to consider the extent of any harm to national security. Defines "covered person" as a person who regularly gathers, photographs, records, writes, edits, reports, or publishes information concerning matters of public interest for dissemination to the public for a substantial portion of the person's livelihood or substantial financial gain, including a supervisor, employer, parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of such a person. Excludes from that definition foreign powers and their agents and certain terrorist organizations and individuals. Requires the content of compelled testimony or documents to be limited and narrowly tailored. Prohibits this Act from being construed as applying to civil defamation, slander, or libel claims or defenses under state law. Exempts certain criminal or tortious conduct. Applies this Act to communications service providers with regard to testimony or any record, information, or other communication that relates to a business transaction between such providers and covered persons. Sets forth notice requirements. Permits a court to delay notice to a covered person upon determining that such notice would pose a substantial threat to the integrity of a criminal investigation.

Date: 2009-02-11
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Law
Requires any claim of the United States to certain property relating to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, his family, or staff to be treated as having been waived and relinquished on the day before any person makes a gift of such property to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Describes such property as any part of the collection of documents, papers, and memorabilia relating to Roosevelt or any member of his family or staff that was in the possession of Grace Tully and retained by her at the time of her death.Specifies that the date of such gift is any date after the physical delivery of the property to NARA as specified by the donor.

Date: 2009-03-12
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2009 - Amends federal personnel law relating to whistleblower protections to expand the concept of protected disclosure to include lawful disclosures without restriction to time, place, form, motive, context, forum, or prior disclosure, including a disclosure made in the ordinary course of an employee's duties. Defines evidentiary standards applicable to whistleblower disclosures. Includes as a prohibited personnel practice against whistleblowers the implementation or enforcement of any nondisclosure policy, form, or agreement, a suspension or revocation of a security clearance, and an investigation of a whistleblower. Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a study of security clearance revocations of federal employees at a select sample of executive branch agencies and report to Congress on such study. Provides for expedited review of Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) decisions interpreting whistleblower protections in U.S. district court. Grants authority to MSPB to determine whether whistleblower security clearances were properly suspended or revoked. Expands whistleblower protection to employees or former employees of a national security agency. Prohibits reprisals against such employees, including revocations of their security clearances, for making disclosures. Extends whistleblower protections to contractors, employees of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and individuals who disclose censorship related to federal research or technical information.

Date: 2009-03-12
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act to eliminate the requirement that states collect Social Security numbers from applicants for recreational licenses.

Date: 2009-04-02
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Social welfare
Taxpayer Conscience Protection Act of 2009 - Directs each state that makes a Medicaid payment from federal funds during the fiscal year for any items or services furnished by an abortion provider to: (1) report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on all such payments; and (2) publish the report on a public Internet website of the state. Requires an annual report to specified congressional committees on such reports, which shall also be published on a public Internet website of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Date: 2009-04-21
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Health
Parental Notification and Intervention Act of 2009 - Prohibits any person or organization from performing, permitting facilities to be used to perform, or assisting in the performance of an abortion on an unemancipated minor unless: (1) written notification is provided to the parents of the minor informing the parents that an abortion has been requested, unless there is clear and convincing evidence of physical abuse of the minor by the parent; (2) there is compliance with a 96-hour waiting period after notice has been received by the parents; and (3) there is compliance with the judicial intervention process. Prescribes penalties of not more than a $1 million fine and/or imprisonment for not more than 10 years for violating such prohibition. Exempts a physician without principal responsibility for making the decision to perform the abortion if the physician determines that: (1) a medical emergency exists due to a grave, physical disorder or disease that would cause the minor's death if an abortion is not performed; (2) parental notification is not possible as a result of the emergency; and (3) certifications regarding compliance with such rules and the reasons upon which such determinations are based have been entered in the minor's medical records. Requires parental notification through certified mail or personal delivery. Authorizes a notified parent to bring an action in federal court which shall enjoin the abortion: (1) until the court's judgment is final; or (2) permanently unless the court determines that granting such relief would be unlawful.

Date: 2009-04-23
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Civil rights and liberties, minority issues
Wireless Prepaid Access Device Enforcement Act of 2009 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose criminal penalties on anyone who knowingly: (1) purchases and/or handles one or more wireless prepaid access devices to modify, remove, avoid, or overwrite installed software that causes such devices to operate as a wireless prepaid access device on a wireless network; or (2) engages in the unauthorized resale or redistribution outside of the United States of any wireless prepaid access devices that are sold to be used on a wireless network within the United States.

Date: 2009-05-14
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Detainee Photographic Records Protection Act of 2009 - Requires the Secretary of Defense to: (1) certify any photograph taken between September 11, 2001, and January 22, 2009, that relates to the treatment of individuals engaged, captured, or detained after September 11, 2001, by the U.S. Armed Forces in operations outside of the United States if the Secretary determines that disclosure of such photograph would endanger U.S. citizens or members of the Armed Forces or U.S. government employees deployed outside the United States; and (2) submit timely notice of such certification to Congress. Authorizes the Secretary to submit a renewal of a certification at any time. Provides that a certification or a renewal shall expire after three years. Exempts such a certified photograph from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), but does not preclude voluntary disclosure. OPEN FOIA Act of 2009 - Amends FOIA to require statutory exemptions to its disclosure requirements to specifically cite its provision that authorizes such exemptions.

Date: 2009-06-24
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Photo Identification Security Act - Restricts the forms of individual identification that may be accepted by the federal government or by financial institutions to the following: (1) a Social Security card accompanied by a photo identification card issued by the federal or a state government; (2) a driver's license or identification card issued by a state that is in compliance with the REAL ID Act of 2005; (3) a passport issued by the United States or a foreign government; and (4) a photo identification card issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security (acting through the Director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services).

Date: 2009-07-10
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Social Security Number Privacy and Identity Theft Prevention Act of 2009 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) specify restrictions on the sale and display to the general public of Social Security account numbers (SSNs) by governmental entities; (2) prohibit the display of SSNs (or any derivatives) on checks issued for payment by such entities; (3) prohibit governmental entity display of SSNs (or any derivatives) on employee identification cards or tags (IDs); (4) prohibit access to the SSNs of other individuals by prisoners employed by governmental entities; (5) prohibit the selling, purchasing, or displaying of SSNs (with certain exceptions) to the general public, or the acquisition or use of any individual's SSN to locate or identify such individual with the intent to physically injure or harm him or her, or to use the individual's ID for any illegal purpose by any person; (6) provide for uniform standards for truncation of an SSN; and (7) establish new criminal penalties for the misuse of SSNs. Amends SSA title XI to provide for the imposition of civil monetary penalties for specified offenses involving SSNs or Social Security cards. Establishes: (1) new criminal penalties upon Social Security Administration employees who knowingly and fraudulently issue Social Security cards or SSNs; and (2) enhanced penalties in cases of terrorism, drug trafficking, crimes of violence, or prior offenses. Amends SSA title XI with respect to regulatory and enforcement authority with respect to misuse of SSNs. Directs the Commissioner of Social Security to enter into an arrangement with the National Research Council to study and report to the Commissioner and Congress on: (1) the extent of the use of SSNs as a primary means of authenticating identity or for verification in commercial transactions; and (2) the feasibility of a prohibition on such use. Requires the study also to examine possible alternatives to SSNs for such uses.

Date: 2009-07-23
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Social welfare
REAL ID Repeal and Identification Security Enhancement Act of 2009 - Repeals title II of the Real ID Act of 2005. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) establish by regulation minimum standards for acceptance of state-issued driver's licenses and personal identification cards by federal agencies; (2) establish a negotiated rulemaking process before publishing such standards; and (3) award grants to states to assist them in conforming to such standards. Prohibits federal agencies from accepting state-issued driver's licenses and personal identification cards after specified deadlines unless such identification conforms to the minimum standards promulgated under this Act.

Date: 2009-07-31
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Transportation and public works
Eliminate Privacy Notice Confusion Act - Amends the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to exempt from its annual privacy policy notice requirement any financial institution which: (1) provides nonpublic personal information only in accordance with specified requirements; and (2) has not changed its policies and practices with regard to disclosing nonpublic personal information from those disclosed in the most recent disclosure sent to consumers.

Date: 2009-07-31
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Medicare Card Security Act of 2009 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to direct the Commissioner of Social Security and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to ensure that Social Security numbers are not displayed on Medicare cards.

Date: 2009-09-25
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Social welfare
Congressional Research Service Electronic Accessibility Act of 2009 - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate, working jointly with the Director of the Congressional Research Service (CRS), to establish and maintain a centralized, searchable, electronic database consisting of: (1) CRS Issue Briefs, Reports, and Authorization of Appropriations Products and Appropriations Products; and (2) an index of such information. Exempts: (1) any information determined to be confidential by the CRS Director or the head of the agency that provided it to CRS; and (2) any document that is the product of a confidential research request made by a House or Senate Member, officer, employee, or office. Authorizes the Clerk and the Secretary, on the basis of information provided by the Director, to: (1) remove from the database information about a CRS employee or material that may infringe the copyright of a protected work; and (2) make any changes that the Director determines are necessary to ensure that information in the database is accurate and current. Requires each official public website of a Member or committee of Congress to permit public use to obtain the information contained in such database to the same extent congressional users may obtain such information through the CRS website. Provides that this Act does not require the Director to respond to any public inquiry with respect to information in the database.

Date: 2009-10-08
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Congress
Judicious Use of Surveillance Tools In Counterterrorism Efforts Act of 2009 or the JUSTICE Act - Revises requirements for the issuance of and public reporting on national security letters and for judicial review of requirements for nondisclosure of the receipt of a national security letter. Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to revise requirements for obtaining orders for business records in counterterrorism investigations. Amends the federal criminal code to reduce from 30 to 7 days the period for notifying the target of a criminal investigation of the issuance of a search warrant. Prohibits the use of evidence in judicial and administrative proceedings if notice of a search warrant is delayed. Amends FISA to: (1) impose limits on roving electronic surveillance and the use of pen registers and trap and trace devices (devices for recording incoming and outgoing telephone numbers); (2) repeal provisions granting retroactive immunity to telecommunication providers for illegal disclosure of subscriber records; (3) prohibit the warrantless collection of certain communications of U.S. citizens known to reside in the United States; and (5) revise certain reporting and evidentiary requirements. Permits the recipient of a subpoena, order, or warrant issued under FISA to bring a challenge in either the district in which the subpoena, order, or warrant was issued or the district in which it was served. Amends the federal criminal code to: (1) redefine "domestic terrorism" as involving acts dangerous to human life that constitute a federal crime of terrorism; and (2) revise the crime of providing material support or resources to foreign terrorism organizations to require knowledge or intent that such support or resources will be used to carry out terrorist activity.

Date: 2009-11-03
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Brucella Abortus Removal Act of 2009 - Prohibits either the list of biological agents and toxins that have the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety established under the Public Health Service Act or the list of biological agents and toxins that have the potential to pose a severe threat to animal or plant health or to animal or plant products established under the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002 from including brucella abortus.

Date: 2009-12-07
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Health
Open and Transparent Smithsonian Act of 2009 - Makes the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act, federal law relating to open meetings of federal agencies, and the Federal Advisory Committee Act applicable to the Smithsonian Institution. Makes this Act applicable to: (1) all actions taken by the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution or any other officer or employee of the Smithsonian Institution before, on, or after the enactment date of this Act; (2) any record created before, on, or after that date; and (3) any meeting held before, on, or after that date.

Date: 2010-03-04
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Faster FOIA Act of 2010 - Establishes a 16-member Commission on Freedom of Information Act Processing Delays to conduct a study concerning methods to reduce delays in processing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests submitted to federal agencies.

Date: 2010-04-20
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Cyber Privacy Act - Requires any Internet website that makes available to the public personal information of individuals to: (1) provide, in a clear and conspicuous location on the Internet website, a means for individuals whose personal information it contains to request the removal of such information; and (2) promptly remove the personal information of any individual who requests its removal. Treats a violation of this Act as an unfair and deceptive act or practice in violation of the Federal Trade Commission Act regarding unfair or deceptive acts or practices.

Date: 2010-04-22
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Science, technology, communications
Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to prohibit federal funds from being to used to cover any part of the costs of any health plan that includes coverage of abortion services. (Currently, federal funds cannot be used for abortion services and plans receiving federal funds must keep federal funds segregated from any funds for abortion services.) Requires any qualified health benefit plan offered through an Exchange that includes coverage for abortions to also offer a qualified health benefit plan through the Exchange that is identical in every respect except that it does not cover abortions.

Date: 2010-04-22
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Health
Fairness and Accuracy in Employment Background Checks Act of 2010 - Requires the Attorney General to: (1) establish and enforce procedures to ensure the prompt release of accurate federal criminal background records and information exchanged for employment-related purposes; and (2) report to Congress on the exchange of records or information for employment-related purposes under this Act and on all federal statutes, regulations, and policies providing employment restrictions and disqualifications based on criminal records.

Date: 2010-05-13
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Title X Family Planning Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit federal family planning funds from being awarded to any grantees who perform abortions or whose subgrantees perform abortions, except where a woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness that would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion is performed. (Current law prohibits such funds from being used in programs where abortion is a method of family planning.) Excludes hospitals from such provisions as long as the hospital does not subgrant to a non-hospital entity that performs abortions. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to submit to Congress a list of grantees who perform abortions, regardless of how such abortions are funded. Makes such a grantee ineligible for family planning funds for subsequent fiscal years unless the grantee certifies that neither the grantee nor any subgrantee performs abortions that are not explicitly permitted under this Act.

Date: 2009-01-06
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Health
Abortion Non-Discrimination Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to include a health care entity's refusal to provide coverage of, or pay for, induced abortions among the bases for which the federal government or any state or local government that receives federal financial assistance may not discriminate against such an entity. Expands the definition of "health care entity" to include a hospital, a provider sponsored organization, a health maintenance organization, a health insurance plan, and any other kind of health care facility, organization, or plan.

Date: 2009-01-06
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Health
Pregnant Women Health and Safety Act - Subjects any physician who knowingly performs an abortion in violation of this Act to fines and/or imprisonment. Requires a physician who performs an abortion to: (1) have admitting privileges at a local hospital; and (2) notify the patient of the location of the hospital where the patient can receive follow-up care by the physician if complications arise. Provides for an exception for an abortion that is necessary to save the life of a mother whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself. Prohibits a woman upon whom an abortion is performed from being prosecuted for conspiracy to violate this Act. Requires each abortion clinic that receives federal funds or assistance to: (1) be licensed by the state; and (2) be in compliance with the requirements for ambulatory surgery centers under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, except for the requirement of a certificate of public need. Allows a state board of health to waive the application of certain structural requirements for licensing purposes.

Date: 2009-01-06
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Health
Pregnant Women Support Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to increase public awareness of resources available to pregnant women to carry their pregnancy to term and new parents. Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the Secretary to make grants for the purchase of ultrasound equipment for examinations of pregnant women. Prohibits a health insurance issuer offering individual coverage from imposing a preexisting condition exclusion or a waiting period or otherwise discriminating against a woman on the basis that she is pregnant. Provides for continuation coverage for newborns. Amends title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance Program) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act to allow states to extend health care coverage to an unborn child. Requires health facilities that perform abortions to obtain informed consent from a pregnant woman seeking an abortion. Provides for the collection and dissemination of information on Down syndrome and other prenatally diagnosed conditions. Directs the Secretary to provide for: (1) higher education pregnant and parenting student services offices; and (2) programs to work with pregnant or parenting teens to complete high school. Authorizes grants for services to pregnant women who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking. Requires states to require a pregnancy determination for homicide victims. Requires the Secretary to provide for comprehensive and supportive services for pregnant women, mothers, and children. Authorizes appropriations to carry out the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (WIC program). Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to increase the eligibility threshold for food stamps. Authorizes appropriations to carry out the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990. Authorizes grants to provide to eligible mothers education on the health needs of their infants through visits to their homes by registered nurses. Authorizes grants for collecting and reporting abortion surveillance data.

Date: 2009-01-15
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Health
State Secrets Protection Act - Amends the federal judicial code to: (1) require a federal court to determine which filings, motions, and affidavits (or portions) submitted under this Act shall be submitted ex parte; (2) allow a federal court to order a party to provide a redacted, unclassified, or summary substitute of a filing, motion, or affidavit to other parties; and (3) require a federal court to make decisions under this Act, taking into consideration the interests of justice and national security. Requires any hearing under this Act to be conducted in camera. Prohibits an in camera hearing, however, based on the assertion of the state secrets privilege, if the court determines that the hearing relates only to a question of law and does not present a risk of revealing state secrets. Allows a federal court to conduct hearings (or portions) ex parte if the court determines, following in camera review of the evidence, that the interests of justice and national security cannot adequately be protected through attorney security clearances, protective orders, sealed opinions or orders, and special masters. Authorizes a court, if the United States fails to provide an attorney or guardian ad litem with necessary security clearance in a reasonable period of time, to review in camera and ex parte the reasons for denying or delaying the clearance, in order to ensure that the United States is not withholding a security clearance from a particular attorney or class of attorneys for any reason other than protection of national security. Authorizes the United States to intervene in any civil action in order to protect information that may be subject to the state secrets privilege. Declares, however, that the state secrets privilege shall not constitute grounds for dismissal of a case or claim. Prescribes procedures for: (1) determining whether evidence is protected from disclosure by the state secrets privilege; and (2) when evidence protected by the state secrets privilege is necessary for adjudication of a claim or counterclaim. Requires the court to give substantial weight to an assertion by the United States relating to why public disclosure of an item of evidence would be reasonably likely to cause significant harm to the national defense or foreign relations of the United States. Grants courts of appeal jurisdiction of an appeal by any party from any interlocutory decision or order of a U.S. district court. Requires the Attorney General within 30 days to report in writing to Congress on any case in which the United States asserts the state secrets privilege. Applies this Act to civil cases pending on or after the enactment of this Act.

Date: 2009-02-11
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Law
m-SPAM Act of 2009 - Amends the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 to exclude a message from the definition of "mobile service commercial message" (MSCM) if the message's purpose is to: (1) facilitate or confirm a commercial transaction; (2) provide warranty, recall, safety, or security information about a product or service used by the recipient; (3) provide certain information to message recipients who have an ongoing commercial relationship with the sender; (4) provide information relating to the recipient's benefit plan or employment; or (5) deliver goods or services to which the recipient is entitled. Amends that Act and the Communications Act of 1934 to exempt from a prohibition on sending unwanted MSCMs: (1) the sending of short messaging service (SMS) messages from one wireless device to another or from a mobile service provider to its subscribers at no charge; and (2) the sending of MSCMs by a mobile service provider to its subscribers at no charge (unless a subscriber has opted out). Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to revise the do-not-call registry provisions of the Telemarketing Sales Rule to: (1) consider commercial mobile service messaging practices that are costly or a nuisance to consumers; and (2) explicitly prohibit, as an abusive telemarketing act or practice, the sending of any MSCM to a telephone number that is both assigned to a commercial mobile service and listed on the do-not-call registry. Exempts such messages sent by a commercial mobile service provider to its subscribers at no charge.

Date: 2009-04-02
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Science, technology, communications
Requires review by the Supreme Court of appeals of interlocutory or final judgments, decrees, or court orders challenging the legality or constitutionality of: (1) the President's Surveillance Program (Terrorist Surveillance Program); (2) certain statutory defenses for the protection of persons assisting the federal government with information, or access to it, including communication contents, communications records, or other information relating to a customer or communication; and (3) any intelligence activity involving communications that was authorized by the President during a specified period. Requires the Supreme Court to advance on the docket any such appeal and expedite it to the greatest extent possible.

Date: 2009-04-23
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Law
Medicaid Accountability through Transparency Act of 2009 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to implement a program under which the Secretary shall make available through the public Internet website of the Department of Health and Human Services non-aggregated, de-identified information on individuals collected under the Medicaid Statistical Information System (MSIS). Requires reduction of Medicaid payments to states which have not provided for electronic transmission of claims data in the format specified by the Secretary and consistent with the MSIS (including detailed individual enrollee encounter data and other information that the Secretary may find necessary). Directs the Secretary to report to specified congressional committees on the feasibility, potential costs, and potential benefits of making publicly available through an Internet-based program de-identified payment and patient encounter information for items and services furnished under title XXI (Children's Health Insurance Program) (CHIP, formerly known as SCHIP) of the Social Security Act which would not otherwise be included in the information collected under the MSIS.

Date: 2009-05-05
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Health
Provides that certain federal information policy provisions shall not apply to the collection of information during any investigation, audit, inspection, evaluation, or other review conducted by: (1) any federal office of Inspector General; (2) the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency; or (3) the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board.

Date: 2009-05-05
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Detainee Photographic Records Protection Act of 2009 - Requires the Secretary of Defense to: (1) certify any photograph taken between September 11, 2001, and January 22, 2009, that relates to the treatment of individuals engaged, captured, or detained after September 11, 2001, by the U.S. Armed Forces in operations outside of the United States if the Secretary determines that disclosure of such photograph would endanger U.S. citizens or members of the Armed Forces or U.S. government employees deployed outside the United States; and (2) submit timely notice of such certification to Congress. Authorizes the Secretary to submit a renewal of a certification at any time. Provides that a certification or a renewal shall expire after three years. Exempts such a certified photograph from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), but does not preclude voluntary disclosure. OPEN FOIA Act of 2009 - Amends FOIA to require statutory exemptions to its disclosure requirements to specifically cite its provision that authorizes such exemptions.

Date: 2009-06-17
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Safeguarding Social Security Numbers Act of 2009 - Directs the Commissioner of Social Security to issue uniform standards for the method for truncation of Social Security account numbers in order to facilitate their protection from use in fraud or identity theft. Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit the display of Social Security account numbers to the general public on the Internet by state and local governments, except in compliance with such truncation standards. Directs the Attorney General to award grants to state and local governments to come into compliance with such prohibition or the exception to it.

Date: 2009-08-06
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Judicious Use of Surveillance Tools In Counterterrorism Efforts Act of 2009 or the JUSTICE Act - Revises requirements for the issuance of and public reporting on national security letters and for judicial review of requirements for nondisclosure of the receipt of a national security letter. Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to revise requirements for obtaining orders for business records in counterterrorism investigations. Amends the federal criminal code to reduce from 30 to 7 days the period for notifying the target of a criminal investigation of the issuance of a search warrant. Prohibits the use of evidence in judicial and administrative proceedings if notice of a search warrant is delayed. Amends FISA to: (1) impose limits on roving electronic surveillance and the use of pen registers and trap and trace devices (devices for recording incoming and outgoing telephone numbers); (2) repeal provisions granting retroactive immunity to telecommunication providers for illegal disclosure of subscriber records; (3) prohibit the warrantless collection of certain communications of U.S. citizens known to reside in the United States; and (5) revise certain reporting and evidentiary requirements. Permits the recipient of a subpoena, order, or warrant issued under FISA to bring a challenge in either the district in which the subpoena, order, or warrant was issued or the district in which it was served. Amends the federal criminal code to: (1) redefine "domestic terrorism" as involving acts dangerous to human life that constitute a federal crime of terrorism; and (2) revise the crime of providing material support or resources to foreign terrorism organizations to require knowledge or intent that such support or resources will be used to carry out terrorist activity.

Date: 2009-09-17
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Faster FOIA Act of 2010 - Establishes the Commission on Freedom of Information Act Processing Delays to conduct a study to: (1) identify methods that will help reduce delays in processing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests submitted to federal agencies; (2) ensure the efficient and equitable administration of FOIA throughout the federal government; (3) examine whether the system for charging fees for such requests and granting waivers of such fees needs to be reformed; (4) determine why the government's use of FOIA exemptions increased during FY2009, whether the increase contributed to delays, what efforts were made by federal agencies to comply with President Obama's January 21, 2009 Presidential Memorandum on Freedom of Information Act Requests, and whether those efforts were successful; and (5) make recommendations on how the use of exemptions may be limited. Directs the Commission to report to Congress and the President on the results of the study not later than one year after enactment of this Act.

Date: 2010-03-15
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Excluding Abortion Coverage from Health Reform Act - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to prohibit federal funds from being to used to cover any part of the costs of any health plan that includes coverage of abortion services. (Currently, federal funds cannot be used for abortion services and plans receiving federal funds must keep federal funds segregated from any funds for abortion services.) Requires any qualified health benefit plan offered through an Exchange that includes coverage for abortions to also offer a qualified health benefit plan through the Exchange that is identical in every respect except that it does not cover abortions.

Date: 2010-08-05
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Health
Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2010 - Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to promulgate regulations requiring each covered entity (proprietorships, partnerships, estates, trusts, cooperatives, and nonprofit and for-profit corporations) engaged in interstate commerce owning or possessing data containing personal information to establish specified security policies and procedures to treat and protect such information. Requires the regulations to include methods for disposing of both electronic and nonelectronic data. Requires information brokers to submit their security policies to the FTC in conjunction with a notification of a security breach notification or on FTC request. Authorizes the FTC to conduct information security practices audits of brokers or require brokers to conduct independent audits. Requires information brokers to: (1) establish procedures to verify the accuracy of information that identifies individuals; (2) provide to individuals whose personal information it maintains a means to review it; (3) place a conspicuous notice on the Internet instructing individuals how to request access to such information; and (4) correct inaccurate information. Directs the FTC to require information brokers to establish measures which facilitate the auditing or retracing of access to, or transmissions of, any data containing personal information. Makes it unlawful for information brokers to obtain or disclose personal information by false pretenses (pretexting). Requires a covered entity to notify the FTC and affected individuals of information security breaches. Sets forth requirements concerning such notification, including method of notification requirements and timeliness requirements. Allows an exemption from notification requirements if the covered entity determines that there is no reasonable risk of identity theft, fraud, or other unlawful conduct. Preempts state information security laws.

Date: 2010-08-05
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Commerce
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Social Security Number Protection Act of 2010 - Prohibits federal, state, or local agencies from: (1) displaying the Social Security account number of any individual, or any derivative of such number, on any check issued for any payment by the agency; or (2) employing, or entering into a contract for the use or employment of, prisoners in any capacity that would allow them access to the Social Security account numbers of other individuals.

Date: 2010-09-15
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Social welfare
Security Screening Confidential Data Privacy Act - Amends the federal criminal code to impose a fine and/or prison term of up to one year on any individual who: (1) photographs or otherwise records an image produced using advanced imaging technology during the screening of an individual at an airport or upon entry into any building owned or operated by the federal government without express authorization pursuant to a federal law or regulation; or (2) distributes such image to any individual who is not authorized pursuant to a federal law or regulation to receive it.  Exempts: (1) individuals who record or distribute an image soley to be used in a criminal investigation or prosecution; and (2) journalists who publish an image in good faith that the image was not recorded or distributed in violation of such prohibition.

Date: 2010-12-16
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Sanctity of Human Life Act - Declares that: (1) the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human and is the person's paramount and most fundamental right; (2) each human life begins with fertilization, cloning, or its functional equivalent, at which time every human has all legal and constitutional attributes and privileges of personhood; and (3) Congress, each state, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories have the authority to protect all human lives.

Date: 2011-01-07
Topic: Civil Rights (Right to Privacy)
Subject: Civil rights and liberties, minority issues