zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2009 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) to revise requirements for the audit capacity of voting systems, particularly those for a permanent paper record. Requires the voting system to require the use of an individual, durable, voter-verified paper ballot of the voter's vote that shall be marked and made available for inspection by the voter before the voter's vote is cast and counted, and which shall be counted by hand or read by an optical scanner or other counting device. Requires the voting system to provide the voter with an opportunity to correct any system-made error in the voter-verified paper ballot before it is permanently preserved. Requires each paper ballot used to be: (1) suitable for a manual audit; and (2) counted by hand in any recount or audit conducted with respect to any federal election. Sets forth a special rule for treatment of disputes when paper ballots have been shown to be compromised. Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to make grants to eligible entities to study, test, and develop accessible ballot voting, verification, and casting mechanisms and devices and best practices to enhance the accessibility of paper ballot voting and verification mechanisms for individuals with disabilities, for voters whose primary language is not English, and for voters with difficulties in literacy. Specifies additional voting system requirements and prohibitions. Requires the NSF Director to make grants to eligible entities to conduct research on the development of election-dedicated voting system software. Makes available additional funding to enable states to meet the costs of the requirements imposed by this Act. Provides for complaints to the Attorney General by persons aggrieved by violations of HAVA. Requires each state to administer audits of federal election results, without advance notice to the precincts selected, consisting of random hand counts of the voter-verified paper ballots. Makes an exception from this requirement for elections in which the winning candidate had no opponent or received 80% or more of the vote total. Prescribes requirements for determination of the number of ballots counted under the audit. Prescribes the process for administering audits. Requires the Election Auditor of a state, as soon as practicable after the completion of an audit, to submit the results to the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for publication. Prohibits certification of the results of any election until completion of audits. Provides for payments to states for the costs of conducting audits. Exempts from this Act any election for which a recount under state law will commence before certification of the election results. Repeals the EAC's exemption from certain federal government contracting requirements.

Date: 2009-06-16
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal provisions providing for the use of funds from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund for presidential nominating conventions.

Date: 2009-06-23
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Taxation
Military Voters' Equal Access to Voter Registration Act of 2009 - Amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require designating direct each Secretary of a military department to designate an office on each Armed Forces installation to ensure that certain individuals are provided the opportunity to register to vote in federal elections, update voter registrations, and request absentee ballots under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. Designates as those individuals those who are: (1) members of the Armed Forces and are undergoing a permanent change of duty station, deploying overseas for at least 6 months, returning from an overseas deployment of at least 6 months, or requests assistance related to voter registration; and (2) are dependents of members of the Armed Forces, request assistance, and are at least 18 years old. Considers an office so designated to be a voter registration agency for all purposes of the Act. Requires informing Armed Forces members and their dependents of the assistance available under this Act.

Date: 2009-07-21
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
State Ethics Law Protection Act of 2010 - Considers a state transportation department not to have violated federal contract requirements for the construction of a federal-aid highway project solely because the state in which such department is located, or a local government within that state, has in effect a law or order that limits the amount of money an individual or entity doing business with a state or local agency with respect to such a project may contribute to a political party, campaign, or elected official (pay to play).

Date: 2009-07-30
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Transportation and public works
Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit a state or local election official from accepting a challenge to an individual's eligibility to register to vote in an election for federal office in a jurisdition or to vote in an election for federal office in a jurisdiction if the challenge is not based on good cause. Declares that a challenge is not based on good cause if it is based on residence in property subject to foreclosure proceedings or in an area damaged by hurricane or other major disaster.

Date: 2009-07-31
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Provisional Ballot Fairness in Counting Act of 2009 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to revise requirements for the treatment of provisional ballots in federal elections. Prohibits any election recount until all provisional votes have been counted. Requires the chief state election official, in determining whether to count a provisional vote, to review not only official registered voter lists but also any information an individual voter submitted during the registration process. Requires a provisional ballot in a federal election to be treated as a voter registration application if it is rejected on the ground that the individual is not registered to vote in the election.

Date: 2009-09-10
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Restoring Confidence Through Smarter Campaigns Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to limit expenditures by candidates for the House of Representatives to $500,000 during the election cycle ($250,000 for a primary election and $250,000 for a general election). Sets at $250,000 the maximum amount of expenditures which may be made for a runoff election ($125,000 for a primary runoff election and $125,000 for a general runoff election). Excludes from such limits expenditures for legal services. Provides for indexing such amounts for inflation.

Date: 2009-09-15
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Transparency and Executive Accountability Act - Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to require individuals subject to financial disclosure filing requirements by virtue of an appointment to a position in the Executive Office of the President to file required reports with the Director of the Office of Government Ethics (curently, with the ethics official of the individual's employing agency).

Date: 2009-09-22
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Ethics in Foreign Lobbying Act of 2009 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit contributions and expenditures in federal elections by multicandidate political committees or separate segregated funds sponsored by foreign-controlled corporations and associations (at least 50% owned by a non-U.S. citizen or foreign national). Sets forth ownership and operating fund reporting requirements. Prohibits a foreign national from participating in the decision-making process of any person's election-related activities (such as those of a corporation, labor organization, or political committee). Establishes within the Federal Election Commission a clearinghouse of existing public information regarding the political activities of foreign principals and agents of foreign principals. Amends the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended, to: (1) revise foreign agents' supplemental reporting requirements; and (2) provide civil penalties for specified reporting violations.

Date: 2009-10-20
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Makes any person or entity that received compensation for campaign-related work during the 2008 election cycle ineligible to receive, either directly or indirectly, any funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). Requires such person or entity to return the ARRA funds, with interest, to the Secretary of the Treasury to be deposited into the General Fund for deficit reduction only.

Date: 2009-12-16
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Business Should Mind Its Own Business Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose on corporations a 500% excise tax on the total amount of their campaign contributions and electioneering communications on behalf of a candidate for federal office. Denies such corporations a tax deduction for payment of such taxes.

Date: 2010-01-13
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Taxation
Applies the antitrust laws to a political committee under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 which is established and administered by a separate segregated fund of a corporation. Prohibits any such political committee for multiple legal entities in the same business.

Date: 2010-01-13
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
End Political Kickbacks Act of 2009 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit: (1) for-profit recipients of federal funds from making contributions to any political party, committee, or candidate for public office, or to any person for any political purpose or use; and (2) any person knowingly to solicit such a contribution from any such entity, or for the entity to solicit such a contribution from its employees. Limits to $1,000, indexed for inflation, the amount of contributions any employee of a for-profit recipient of federal funds may make during any calendar year.

Date: 2010-01-13
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Responsible Online Voter Empowerment Act of 2010 - Directs the Election Assistance Commission to reimburse each eligible state for the costs incurred in establishing, if it so chooses, an online voter registration program meeting specified requirements.

Date: 2010-01-13
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Federal None of the Above Act of 2010 - Requires in each election for federal office for inclusion on the ballot after the names of all candidates a separate line for "None of the Above." Requires a new election within 30 days if "None of the Above" receives the most votes.

Date: 2010-01-21
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
National Advisory Voter Initiative Act of 2010 - Grants the people, subject to specified voting qualifications, the right to: (1) propose any law which the Congress has authority to pass; and (2) propose the repeal of any provision of law passed by Congress which has become law. Outlines the procedure for the people to exercise such right through petition and state vote. Provides that, if a law or repeal proposed under this Act receives a majority of the votes cast in 3/5 of the several states, the proposed law or repeal shall be introduced in the House of Representatives by the Speaker of the House and in the Senate by the President pro tempore on the first day of the first session of Congress following the vote.

Date: 2010-01-21
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
America is for Americans Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to apply the ban on contributions and expenditures by foreign nationals in connection with a federal, state, or local election to domestic corporations in which one or more foreign principals directly or indirectly has an ownership interest.

Date: 2010-01-26
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Pick Your Poison Act of 2010 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit corporations from making any expenditure, or making any disbursement for an electioneering communication, if they employ or retain a registered lobbyist under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.

Date: 2010-01-26
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Prohibiting Foreign Influence in American Elections Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to apply the ban on contributions and expenditures by foreign nations in connection with a federal, state, or local election to domestic corporations with respect to which: (1) one or more foreign principals serves on the board of directors; (2) one or more foreign principals directly or indirectly has an ownership interest; or (3) one or more foreign principals directly or indirectly holds debt or other obligations. Applies the ban to domestic corporations that are subsidiaries of foreign corporations.

Date: 2010-01-26
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Save Our Democracy from Foreign Influence Act of 2010 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to apply the ban on contributions and expenditures by foreign nationals in connection with a federal, state, or local election to domestic corporations whose shareholders include one or more foreign principals.

Date: 2010-01-26
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require certain campaign-related radio and television communications paid for by a corporation or labor organization to include a statement identifying the chief executive officer of the corporation or the president of the labor organization.

Date: 2010-01-27
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Prevent Foreign Influence in our Elections Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to apply the ban on contributions and expenditures by foreign nationals in connection with a federal, state, or local election to domestic corporations (subsidiaries) with respect to which the percentage of outstanding shares controlled directly or indirectly by foreign principals is equal to or greater than 50%.

Date: 2010-01-27
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
No Taxpayer Money for Corporate Campaigns Act of 2010 - Prohibits: (1) the use of federal funds received by any entity, other than a natural person, to advocate the election or defeat of a political candidate or to engage in any lobbying activity; or (2) the donation of such funds to any other entity for such purposes.

Date: 2010-01-27
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Stand By Your Ad Act of 2010 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require certain campaign-related communications which are paid for by certain tax-exempt organizations or political organizations to include a statement naming their five largest donors. Requires organizations to include information on their largest donors in reports on independent expenditures and electioneering communications.

Date: 2010-02-03
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require tax-exempt business leagues, chambers of commerce, real estate boards, boards of trade, or professional football leagues to disclose in their annual tax returns the total contributions (including membership dues) received by them during the year and the name and address of, and amount contributed by, each contributor. Exempts organizations whose annual gross receipts do not exceed $25 million.

Date: 2010-02-04
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Taxation
Corporate Politics Transparency Act - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require that quarterly and annual reports of an issuer, any proxy solicitation or consent or authorization in respect of any security, and the issuer's registration statement disclose total independent expenditures in support of or in opposition to any candidate for federal, state, or local public office made by the issuer during the preceding six-year period. Requires such disclosures to include: (1) the name and political party affiliation of each candidate in support of whom or in opposition to whom an independent expenditure was made; (2) the amount of each such expenditure; (3) the public office that such candidate was or is seeking; (4) the relevant state, city, or district; and (5) a statement of the issuer's interest in and reason for making such expenditure.

Date: 2010-02-22
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Robocall Privacy Act of 2010 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose a fine on any individual who knowingly makes or causes to be made a political robocall during a specified period prior to a general, special, run-off, or primary election, to any person between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. or to the same telephone number more than twice on the same day. Exempts calls in which there is a disclosure at the beginning of the call of the name of the sponsor or originator of the call and that the call is a recorded message. Defines "political robocall" as any outbound telephone call which plays a recorded message that promotes, supports, attacks, or opposes a candidate for federal office and in which a person is not available to speak with the person answering the call.

Date: 2010-02-22
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Fairness in Corporate Campaign Spending Act of 2010 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit a corporation from making any independent expenditure or disbursing funds for any electioneering communication without obtaining the prior approval of a majority of its shareholders. Subjects officers and directors of a corporation to personal liability for civil money penalties for violating this prohibition. Exempts from this prohibition any corporation whose aggregate disbursements for electioneering communications during a year: (1) are less than $8,000, if the corporation has fewer than 100 full-time-equivalent (FTE) employees; or (2) are less than $20,000, if the corporation has more than 100 FTE employees. Declares that nothing in this Act shall affect political disbursements by a separate segregated fund established by a corporation.

Date: 2010-02-22
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Leadership PAC Limitation Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit the conversion of leadership PAC funds to personal use.

Date: 2010-03-02
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to reduce from $2,000 to $1,000 the maximum amount of contributions that any person may make to any candidate with respect to election for federal office. Requires adjustment to such amount (indexing) for inflation after 2012.

Date: 2010-03-03
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Stand By Every Ad Act of 2010 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require the identification of funding and authorizing sources in communications expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate (as under current law) or which consist of the functional equivalent of express advocacy. Prescribes special rules for express advocacy radio and television communications which are not authorized by a candidate, an authorized political committee of a candidate, or its agents. Requires individual disclosure statements about the head of the entity paying for the communication and about any other person that disbursed funds to the entity to finance the communication. Requires disclosure of such identifying information within audio and video communications made through the Internet or e-mail. Applies such disclosure requirements to prerecorded telephone calls.

Date: 2010-03-03
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Redistricting Transparency Act of 2010 - Requires states to carry out congressional redistricting in accordance with a process under which members of the public are informed of redistricting proposals via the Internet and have the opportunity to participate in the development of such proposals prior to their adoption. Requires each state redistricting entity to establish and maintain a public Internet site meeting specified requirements. Requires the state redistricting entity to: (1) solicit the input of members of the public in its work to develop initial congressional redistricting plans for the state; and (2) post the proposed final plan on the Internet site 10 days before its adoption, as well as 7 days after its adoption, together with a map, the reasons for adoption, dissenting opinions, and certain other information.

Date: 2010-03-23
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Congress
Online Disclosure for Access to Campaign Funds Act of 2010 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require the treasurer of each authorized political committee to establish a separate account for the committee consisting exclusively of contributions received by or on behalf of it, and to deposit each contribution into the account immediately upon receipt. Prohibits the use of amounts in such account to make disbursements by or on behalf of the committee, allowing their use only for transfers to other committee accounts of the committee. Requires the treasurer of an authorized committee to ensure that the balance of the account is equal to the total amounts deposited into it reduced by the total amount of all contributions deposited into it with respect to which the treasurer has identified the contributor on a publicly accessible Internet site of the committee.

Date: 2010-04-20
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal a provision (added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) that extends to corporations that are not tax-exempt the requirement to report payments of $600 or more.

Date: 2010-04-26
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Taxation
Poll Tape Transparency Act of 2010 - Amends the Help America Vote Act with respect to the requirements for each voting system used in a federal election. Requires the appropriate election official, upon the closing of the polls at each polling place, and under the observation of the certified tabulation observers admitted to the polling place, to: (1) announce the vote orally; (2) post a copy of the poll tape reflecting the totals from each voting machine in the polling place upon which votes were cast; (3) prepare and post a statement of the total number of individuals who appeared at the polling place to cast ballots; and (4) display by noon the following day, at a prominent public location, a copy of each poll tape and statement. Requires display of such information also on the official public websites of the applicable local election official and chief state election official. Specifies similar treatment of ballots cast at early voting sites, absentee ballots, and the daily count of provisional ballots.

Date: 2010-05-06
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Vote Tabulation Audit Act of 2010 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require states to meet specified standards for transparent and accurate tabulation of votes and aggregation of vote counts in federal elections, including standards for: (1) the treatment of ballots cast at early voting sites as well as absentee ballots and provisional ballots; and (2) mandatory hand recount in case of unresolved discrepancy. Requires the Election Assistance Commission to: (1) reimburse states to cover the costs of carrying out tabulations at certain polling places of votes cast on paper optical scan ballots; and (2) adopt a model format for the posting of the tabulation of votes and aggregate vote counts.

Date: 2010-05-06
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Accountability in Corporate Political Activity Act of 2010 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit a corporation organized by authority of any law of Congress from engaging in any campaign-related activity if the corporation has been subject to: (1) any federal criminal penalty; (2) a civil money penalty under this Act; or (3) a civil money penalty under any other federal law in an amount equal to or greater than $1 million.

Date: 2010-05-26
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to prohibit anyone from performing lobbying activities on behalf of a client which is a country whose government the Secretary of State has determined has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.

Date: 2010-06-28
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Lobbying Disclosure Enhancement Act - Directs the Attorney General to establish the Lobbying Disclosure Act Enforcement Task Force, which shall: (1) have primary responsibility for investigating and prosecuting each case referred to the Attorney General involving a lobbyist or lobbying firm that has been notified that it may be in noncompliance with the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 and that has failed to provide an appropriate response within 60 days; and (2) collect and disseminate information regarding enforcement of such Act. Authorizes appropriations. Amends such Act to: (1) provide for referral of cases to the Attorney General (current law provides for referrals to the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia); and (2) require the Attorney General's enforcement report to specified congressional committees to include the name of the individual lobbyists or lobbying firms involved in each case. Authorizes the Attorney General to make recommendations to Congress regarding: (1) the enforcement of and compliance with such Act; and (2) the need for resources available for the enhanced enforcement of such Act.

Date: 2010-07-15
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Let My Absentee Ballot Count Act of 2010 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require state and local election officials, in designing the absentee ballot used in an election for federal office, to consult with the U.S. Postal Service so that the ballot is designed in a manner which minimizes the amount of postage required for the voter to return the ballot. Requires a state to design each such absentee ballot in a manner which includes an envelope or other covering so that the contents of the ballot are not visible during transmission. Requires the state or local election official responsible for the receipt of voted absentee ballots to implement procedures to track and confirm their receipt, and to make the tracking information available to the voter before election day, by means of online access using the Internet site of the official's office. States that, if an individual eligible to vote is informed before election day that the individual's absentee ballot will not be counted, and the individual casts a ballot at the polling place on election day, then: (1) the vote cast on the absentee ballot shall not be counted; (2) the ballot cast at the polling place shall be treated as a regular ballot and not as a provisional ballot, and shall be counted; and (3) the individual shall not be considered to be in violation of any law which prohibits an individual from casting more than one vote in any election. Prohibits a state from refusing to accept an absentee ballot in a federal election solely on the grounds that the ballot is not notarized or signed by a witness.

Date: 2010-07-20
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to require the expedited delivery of all marked absentee ballots from overseas uniformed services voters for regularly scheduled general elections for federal office to the appropriate election officials on or before the last Friday preceding the date of the regularly scheduled general election for federal office, except that in the case of an election occurring prior to the regularly scheduled general election for federal office held in November 2012, such delivery shall be on or before the seventh day preceding such election.

Date: 2010-07-30
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Presidential Funding Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to public financing of presidential election campaigns, to: (1) quadruple (from 1:1 to 4:1) the matching rate for contributions to primary election candidates or their authorized committees for contributions not exceeding $200 (currently, $250); (2) eliminate primary and general election spending limits on participating candidates; (3) increase the eligibility threshold for receiving matching payments from $5,000 to $25,000 in contributions from residents of each of at least 20 states; (4) limit the maximum campaign contribution by individuals to $1,000 for primaries (currently, $2,400); (5) allow an inflation adjustment for periods after 2012 for contribution limitations and matching payment amounts; (6) prohibit contributions raised by lobbyists or political action committees from qualifying for matching fund payments; (7) require candidates who accept public financing in primary elections to accept such financing in general elections; (8) change the starting date for payment of matching funds to primary candidates from January 1 of the election year to 6 months before the first presidential primary or caucus; (9) allow an equal payment to eligible candidates in a presidential election of $50 million with additional matching funds according to a specified formula; and (10) increase from $3 to $10 ($6 to $20 for joint returns) the tax checkoff for the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to: (1) increase to $50 million the limit on coordinated spending by a national party and its presidential candidate; (2) prohibit political parties from spending unregulated funds (soft money) on their national conventions; (3) prohibit an authorized committee of a candidate from establishing a joint fundraising committee with a political committee other than the candidate's authorized committee; and (4) require presidential campaign committees to disclose information about bundled campaign contributions (i.e., a series of contributions exceeding specified threshold amounts)

Date: 2010-07-30
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Sex Offender Notification of International Travel Act - Amends the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act to require sex offenders required to register under such Act to notify their residential jurisdictions of their intent to travel from the United States to another country, regardless of the duration of the travel. Requires the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), to develop an international travel notification form to obtain information about sex offenders traveling outside the United States, including each such offender's name, address, social security number, email addresses, citizenship, passport or passport card number, and travel itinerary and the purpose of the trip. Establishes: (1) a Cyber Crimes Center (CCC) in the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of DHS to address criminal acts crossing U.S. borders through cyberspace; and (2) the Child Exploitation Investigations Center within the CCC to coordinate all agency child exploitation initiatives relating to child exploitation, child trafficking, and forced child labor. Authorizes the CCC to create and advance public awareness campaigns to further its mission. Directs the Attorney General, in consultation with the DHS Secretary, to conduct research and development activities for the prevention and investigation of child exploitation crimes. Amends the federal criminal code to extend the authority to issue administrative subpoenas in federal offenses involving the sexual exploitation or abuse of children to the DHS Secretary and the Postmaster General.

Date: 2010-09-29
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Free Speech and Citizen Fairness Act of 2010 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to repeal the annual aggregate limit on the amount of contributions by individuals in a federal election campaign to: (1) candidates and their authorized committees; and (2) political committees which are not political committees of national political parties. Repeals the limitations on the amount of coordinated or independent expenditures in a federal election campaign by national or state political parties. Exempts from treatment as a contribution or an expenditure in a federal election campaign any uncompensated personal services related to Internet activities, or use of equipment or services for uncompensated Internet activities, engaged in by any individual, group of individuals, or corporation wholly owned by one or more individuals that: (1) engages primarily in Internet activities; and (2) does not derive a substantial portion of its revenue from sources other than income from its Internet activities. States that "Internet activity" includes: (1) sending or forwarding electronic messages; (2) providing a hyperlink or other direct access to another person's website; (3) blogging; (4) creating, maintaining, or hosting a website; (5) paying a nominal fee for the use of another person's website; and (6) any other form of communication distributed over the Internet. Extends the general media exemption from treatment as an expenditure to any Internet or electronic publication (including a blog).

Date: 2010-09-29
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Voter Integrity Act - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit a grant under the Act to any state that does not certify that its laws prohibit an alien from voting in local or state elections.

Date: 2010-12-02
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit any authorized committee of a candidate or any other political committee established, maintained, or controlled by a candidate or person who holds a federal office from employing the spouse or any immediate family member of such candidate or federal office holder. Amends the federal criminal code to subject to specified criminal and civil penalties any spouse of a Member of Congress who: (1) was not a registered lobbyist at least one year before the Member's election to Congress; but (2) knowingly lobbies any Member of Congress on behalf of a client for compensation; or (3) is associated with any such lobbying activity by his or her employer.

Date: 2009-01-06
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Troubled Asset Relief Program Transparency Reporting Act - Prohibits the use by a recipient or its subsidiary of Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 for lobbying expenditures or political contributions. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury, through enhanced internal reporting and oversight requirements, to develop and publish corporate governance principles and ethical guidelines for such recipients, including specified restrictions. Sets forth recipient reporting and certifying requirements governing such TARP funds. Requires the Secretary to make such reports and certifications publicly available online and free of charge. Subjects persons to civil fines for violating such prohibition on the use of TARP funds or failing to file the required report or certification. Bars recipients from future TARP funds for noncompliance with such guidelines unless the Secretary determines that reasonable steps have been taken to bring their actions into compliance with and to prevent future violations of this Act.

Date: 2009-01-06
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Weekend Voting Act - Amends the Revised Statutes with respect to the time of election to establish the first Saturday and Sunday after the first Friday in November, in every even numbered year, as the days for the election, in each state and territory, of Delegates to, or Members of, Congress. Amends federal law with respect to presidential elections and vacancies to establish the first Saturday and Sunday after the first Friday in November, in every fourth year, as the days for the election of the President and Vice President of the United States. Amends such federal laws to establish the same polling place hours in the United States for both congressional and presidential elections, namely from 10:00 a.m. EST on Saturday till 6:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, with polls allowed to close between the hours of 10:00 p.m. local time on Saturday and 6:00 a.m. local time on Sunday as provided by the law of the state in which the polling place is located.

Date: 2009-01-06
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Fair Elections Revenue Act of 2009 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose an excise tax on payments made pursuant to a U.S. government contract to any person which is not a state or local government or a foreign nation and has contracts with the U.S. government in excess of $10 million. Sets the rate of such tax at 0.50% of amounts paid under any such contract and limits the aggregate annual amount of tax imposed each year to not more than $500,000. Expresses the sense of the Senate that the tax revenues raised by this Act be used for the financing of a Fair Elections Fund and the public financing of Senate elections.

Date: 2009-03-31
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Taxation
Fair Elections Now Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) with respect to: (1) eligibility and qualifying contribution requirements and benefits of fair elections financing of Senate election campaigns; (2) establishment of a Fair Elections Fund; (3) eligibility for Fund allocations; (4) contribution and expenditure requirements; (5) a public debate requirement; (6) certification of whether or not a federal election candidate is a participating candidate; (7) benefits for participating candidates; (8) matching payments for qualified small dollar contributions; (9) political advertising vouchers; (10) establishment of a Fair Elections Oversight Board; (11) civil penalties for violation of contribution and expenditure requirements; (12) prohibition of joint fundraising committees with any political committee other than a candidate's authorized committee; and (13) a specified limitation on coordinated expenditures by political party committees with participating candidates. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to: (1) prohibit the preemption of the use of a broadcasting station by a legally qualified Senate candidate who has purchased and paid for such use; (2) revise Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authority to revoke licenses for broadcasting stations who fail to provide access to Senate candidates; and (3) revise the formula for determining reduced broadcast rates for participating candidates in certain circumstances. Directs the FCC to initiate a rulemaking proceeding to establish a standardized form to be used by broadcasting stations to record and report the purchase of advertising time by or on behalf of a candidate for nomination for election, or for election, to federal elective office. Amends FECA to: (1) empower the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to petition the U.S. Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari to appeal a civil action; (2) require all designations, statements, and reports required to be filed under FECA to be filed directly with the FEC, and in computer-accessible electronic form; and (3) reduce from 48 to 24 hours after their receipt the deadline for the FEC to make designations, statements, reports, or notifications available to the public in the FEC office and on the Internet.

Date: 2009-03-31
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Military Voting Protection Act of 2009 - Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to direct the Secretary of Defense (the presidential designee) to establish procedures for: (1) collecting marked absentee ballots of absent overseas uniformed services voters in regularly scheduled general elections for federal office; and (2) delivering such ballots to the appropriate state election officials. Requires the designee to: (1) ensure that such ballots are delivered prior to the time established for the closing of the polls on the date of the election; (2) carry out delivery requirements by utilizing the express mail delivery services of the U.S. Postal Service, which shall include a mechanism for ballot tracking; (3) inform individuals who are anticipated to be absent overseas uniformed services voters in such an election of the procedures for collection and delivery of marked absentee ballots established pursuant to this Act; and (4) take steps to ensure that such voters are able to cast their votes in a private and independent manner, and that vote contents remain private while in the designee's possession or control.

Date: 2009-05-12
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Robocall Privacy Act of 2009 - Makes it unlawful for a person during specified periods before a federal primary or general election to make certain prerecorded political telephone calls with respect to a candidate for federal office without immediate disclosure of the recorded nature of the calls, the identity of the caller, and the appearance of the caller's telephone number on the recipient's caller identification service.

Date: 2009-05-19
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Voter Fraud Prevention Act - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prescribe standards for paid distribution of voter registration application forms and registration requirements for organizations. Prohibits any individual from distributing, for compensation, a voter registration application form for federal elections in a state if the individual: (1) has been convicted of a felony under any state or federal law; (2) does not sign and print legibly the individual's name on the form; (3) does not provide identifying information to the proper election official; or (4) does not certify, under penalty of perjury, that he or she has not received financial compensation based on the number of voter registration application forms submitted by the individual to an election official upon completion by the applicant, and that the information provided by the individual is accurate to the best of the individual's knowledge. Excepts from this prohibition the distribution of a voter registration application form by an individual who is not compensated directly or indirectly for it. Imposes criminal penalties upon: (1) individuals not meeting such standards; and (2) anyone who employs such an individual knowingly, or who should reasonably be expected to know the individual is ineligible.

Date: 2009-05-20
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Indian Reservation Bank Branch Act of 2009 - Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the Revised Statutes of the United States to set forth conditions under which Indian tribes may permit branching of banks on Indian reservations. Permits approval of a state bank application to establish and operate a de novo branch within the boundaries of one or more Indian reservations (regardless of whether the Indian reservations are located within the state bank's home state), if the host reservation enacts a law meeting specified requirements. Exempts such a state bank from certain requirements and conditions governing an application for an interstate merger transaction. Prohibits specified state nonmember banks that establish or operate a branch on Indian reservations, except in certain circumstances, from establishing additional branches outside of such reservations in any state in which the Indian reservation is located. Amends the Revised Statutes of the United States to authorize the Comptroller of the Currency to approve an application of a national bank to establish and operate a de novo branch within the boundaries of an Indian reservation, subject to the same requirements, conditions, and prohibitions of this Act with regard to state banks.

Date: 2009-06-22
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Fair and Representative Presidential Primaries Act of 2009 - Divides the United States into six regions of specified states to provide for: (1) interregional primary elections and caucuses, according to a certain order; and (2) selection of delegates to political party presidential and vice presidential national nominating conventions.

Date: 2009-07-09
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to require each state to ensure that absentee ballots are sent to absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters not later than 45 days before the state's deadline for receiving absentee ballots in order to be counted in a federal election.

Date: 2009-07-10
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Executive Accountability Act of 2009 - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit the President, Vice President, or any officer or employee of the executive branch from knowingly and willfully misleading Congress for the purpose of gaining Congress's support for the use of force by the Armed Forces of the United States by: (1) falsifying, concealing, or covering up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact; (2) making any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation; or (3) making or using any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry. Makes such offense punishable by a fine and up to 10 years' imprisonment. Suspends the running of any statute of limitations applicable to such offense until the end of the term of the President in office at the time the offense is committed. Requires a referral to the Attorney General of any resolution passed by either house of Congress finding that a violation of this Act has occurred.

Date: 2009-07-28
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement