United States · United States Congress · 26 February 1979
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the President should express disapproval to the Soviet Union concerning the nondelivery of mail to persons in the Soviet Union; and (2) U.S. Postal Service representatives should bring such violations to the attention of the Congress of the Universal Postal Union.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 1979
Federal Protective Service Act of 1979 - Directs the General Services Administration to establish the Federal Protective Service for the protection of property under the jurisdiction of the Administration. Provides for the pay, training, and retirement of the members of such Service.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 1979
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide payment for certain clinical psychologists' services under the supplemental medical insurance program.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 1979
Congressional Award Program Act - Establishes the Congressional Award Program in the United States and its territories to recognize and promote youth leadership and excellence in the areas of expedition fitness, personal creative development, and public service. Creates a Congressional Award Board with a Director to supervise such program. Authorizes the appointment of State award directors under this Act. Exempts the Board, its property, and its income from present and future Federal, State, and local taxation, with specified exceptions. Creates three Congressional Award Medals to be awarded under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 1979
Emergency Medical Services Amendments of 1979 - Amends title XII of the Public Health Service Act (Emergency Medical Services Systems) to make certain revisions with respect to the grant procedure for the establishment, initial operation, and improvement of emergency medical services systems. Extends the authorization of appropriations through fiscal year 1982 for assistance for emergency medical services systems. Authorizes the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to make grants to hospitals with special expertise in burn injuries to assist in providing fellowships for burn treatment training.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 1979
Anti-Arson Act of 1979 - Establishes an Interagency Committee on Arson Control to coordinate Federal anti-arson programs and to provide assistance to State and local governments for the prevention, detection and control of arson. Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the awarding of grants to States and localities for: (1) programs designed to prevent and detect crimes involving arson; and (2) the development of education and training for State and local prosecutors with respect to the crime of arson. Requires the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to: (1) classify arson as a major crime in the Uniform Crime Reports; and (2) develop a special investigation program for the crime of arson. Directs the Administrator of the National Fire Prevention and Control Administration to: (1) conduct a research program for the development of techniques and equipment for use by State and local fire fighting and law enforcement personnel for arson prediction, prevention, and control; (2) establish anti-arson educational and training programs for State and local government; (3) develop materials for community awareness programs; and (4) provide information relative to the prevention, prediction, occurrence, and control of arson. Amends the Urban Property Protection and Reinsurance Act of 1968 to provide that fair access to insurance requirements plans shall require policies to be issued only after insurers obtain information from a prospective policyholder with respect to arson.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 1979
Amends the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950 to allow Federal civil defense funds to be used by State and local civil defense agencies for natural disaster, civil disturbance, and manmade catastrophe relief. Authorizes the Administrator of the Federal Civil Defense Administration to make financial contributions to States to cover 100 percent of the costs of procuring, constructing, leasing, and renovating civil defense materials and facilities. Establishes a formula for allocating such contributions to the various States. Extends the emergency authority of the President contained in such Act until September 30, 1980.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 1979
Directs any organization or agency within the Department of Defense to make any excess property available to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) before making such property available to any other organization outside the Department. Amends the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950 to authorize the Director of the FEMA to loan any property obtained from any Federal agency to State and local governments for civil defense purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 1979
Sports Antitrust Reform Act of 1979 - Applies the antitrust laws to any organized professional sport, including baseball. Prohibits any exclusive territorial right to conduct or exhibit professional football, baseball, basketball, hockey, or soccer games except in a team's home territory if such territory has fewer than 2,000,000 residents.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 1979
Amends title II (Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to provide that the automatic cost-of-living increases in benefits be made on a semiannual basis (rather than only on an annual basis as at present).
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 1979
Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to remove the $75 limit on the excess shelter expense deduction in the computation of household income for households composed entirely of persons who are age 65 or older, or who receive supplemental security income benefits under title XVI of the Social Security Act.
United States · United States Congress · 13 February 1979
Authorizes appropriations for the use by the Phelps-Stokes Fund for the acquisition of a monument to Doctor Ralph J. Bunche and its erection in United Nations Plaza Park in New York City.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 1979
Water Resources Planning Act Amendments of 1979 - Amends the Water Resources Planning Act of 1965 to provide that such Act will not diminish (instead of change) the authority of any Federal agency or official. Changes the composition of the Water Resources Council. Provides for a Chairman to be appointed by the President. Requires the Council to report annually to the President and Congress. Authorizes the Council to provide technical assistance to Federal, State, and local agencies to assist them in implementing principles, standards, and procedures established by the Council. Limits the technical review by the Council. Provides for congressional review of the Council implementation of specified provisions. Makes the Council Chairman responsible for the appointment of a staff director. Establishes a State Water Advisory Council to provide for broad national representation in the area of water management, which will meet periodically with the Water Resources Council. Provides for the appointment and supervision of the river basin commission chairmen by the Council Chairman (instead of the President). Establishes a Federal program to assist States in water management activities and the development and use of water and related land resources. Conditions such assistance on the State designating an agency to develop a State water management program which meets specified standards. Requires the State's application for assistance to set forth a specific work plan for developing, implementing, or modifying the State program. Sets forth the formula and standards for making allocations to the States. Requires those States receiving assistance to submit annual reports to the Council.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 1979
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide payment for optometric and medical vision care under the supplementary medical insurance program.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 1979
Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to postpone for two years the increases in the minimum wage scheduled to take effect in 1980 and 1981. Permits employers, without prior certification by the Secretary of Labor, to pay 85 percent of the minimum wage: (1) to a youth under age 19, for a 180 day period; and (2) to full-time students, with proof of enrollment at an institute of higher education, for part-time work up to 20 hours per week or full-time work during vacation periods. Directs the Secretary to insure against specified violations of requirements for such special minimum wages for youth and students. Makes employers liable for unpaid wages and overtime compensation for such violations. Retains the present formula, the 45 percent of the minimum wage maximum tip credit, for determining the amount of wages which an employer is deemed to have paid to a tipped employee.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 1979
Taxpayer Relief Amendments to Panama Treaty Legislation - Specifies that all expenses incurred implementing the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977 shall be treated as an expense of the Panama Canal Commission. Prohibits payments to Panama out of U.S. Treasury revenues. Requires the Panama Canal Company to pay its cash assets to the U.S. Treasury to be applied against its debt. Directs the Commission to continue repaying its debt to the United States. Amends the Panama Canal Code to require the Commission to pay: (1) all canal operating revenues to the U.S. Treasury; and (2) the payments required under the Treaty to Panama only with express congressional authorization. Directs the General Accounting Office to monitor all costs incurred by the Commission and report annually to Congress on the differences in costs to the U.S. taxpayer. Prohibits unless expressly authorized by Congress: (1) the use of U.S. funds to implement the Treaty; (2) the transfer of U.S. property in the Canal Zone to Panama; and (3) the cessation of the Panama Canal Company and the Canal Zone Government.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1979
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit taxpayers who do not itemize income tax deductions to claim a deduction from gross income for charitable contributions.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1979
Amends title XVI (Supplemental Security Income for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled) of the Social Security Act to provide that an individual may work without being considered as having engaged in substantial gainful activity, and thus forfeiting disability status, if such individual's earnings are at a rate that does not exceed the amount specified by this Act. Excludes from an individual's income, for purposes of determining eligibility for benefits under such title, an amount equal to the expenses which such individual incurs in earning income.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1979
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to authorize payment for specified services performed by chiropractors, including x-rays and for physical examinations, and for related routine laboratory tests.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 1979
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend to permanently and totally disabled individuals the one time $100,000 exclusion of gain from the sale of a principal residence.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 1979
Small Business Tax Relief Act of 1979 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to limit recognition on the gain from the sale or exchange of an unincorporated trade or business prior to the time that the taxpayer attains age 55 by providing that such gain shall be recognized only to the extent that it exceeds the cost of reinvesting in replacement property for another small business venture. Provides for the taxation of such gain, after age 55, as ordinary income according to the ten year averaging rules applicable to lump sum distributions from employee benefit plans. Increases the additional first year depreciation allowance for small businesses. Permits a taxpayer election to amortize over a 36 month period expenses for depreciable property which is acquired to put a small business in compliance with Federal regulations and which does not have any economic usefulness for the business. Exempts domestic international sales corporations (DISC) which have adjusted taxable income of $1,000,000 or less from the limitations on deferral of base period export gross receipts which are applicable to larger corporations. Permits businesses with gross receipts of less than $1,000,000 to elect the cash method of accounting in reporting income. Allows a refund to employers of their proportionate share of excess social security payments made on behalf of employees who were employed by two or more employers during the taxable year. Permits an income tax credit of $5 for each form or document which a small business is required to file pursuant to Federal law.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1979
Public Safety Officers Memorial Scholarship Act - Authorizes the Commissioner of Education to award undergraduate scholarships to dependent children of public safety officers, including fire fighters, killed in the course of their official duties. Establishes guidelines for such scholarship awards.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1979
Requires that whoever uses a firearm during the commission of a felony over which a Federal court has original and exclusive jurisdiction, or whoever carries a firearm during the commission of such felony if an element of such felony is the use or threat of violence, shall, in addition to the punishment provided for the commission of such crime, be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than five nor more than ten years. Requires in the care of a second or subsequent conviction the imposition of a term of imprisonment of not less than ten years, or to life imprisonment. Stipulates that the execution or imposition of any term of imprisonment under this Act: (1) may not be suspended; (2) may not run concurrently; and (3) may not include probation.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 1979
Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to provide for the acceptance by pharmacies of food stamps in exchange for food or food supplements prescribed for cancer patients.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 1979
Entitles veterans meeting specified service requirements to 54 instead of 45 months of educational assistance. Eliminates the time limitation within which educational assistance must be used. Restores unused educational assistance benefits to veterans of World War II, the Korean conflict, or the Vietnam era.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 1979
Amends the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 to provide that a declaration of a state of emergency is effective as of the date on which the emergency or major disaster commenced.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1979
Small Business Impact Statement Act of 1979 - Directs the head of each Federal agency to prepare a small business impact statement in connection with each rule made by such agency unless the agency head, with the approval of the Office of Advocacy of the Small Business Administration, determines that such rule will not have a substantial effect on a significant number of small businesses. Sets forth information which must be present in each small business impact statement. Prescribes steps which each agency head must follow in preparing any small business impact statement, including publication of the statement in the Federal Register. Requires each agency head to prepare, publish, and submit to Congress a small business impact statement for any rule having a substantial effect on small businesses which took effect after December 31, 1973. Directs each agency head to minimize the paperwork burden on small businesses in carrying out this Act. Empowers either House of Congress to disapprove any proposed rule which requires a small business impact statement.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1979
Small Business Development Center Act of 1979 - Authorizes the Small Business Administration to make grants to universities to assist them in developing centers to provide small businesses with a broad range of advice, information, and assistance. Limits the amount of such grant to no more than 75 percent of the cost of eligible activities in the operation or development of the center, except for grants to regional centers assisting State centers in research or other high cost activities. Establishes a Small Business Management and Technical Assistance Division within the Small Business Administration to administer the Small Business Development Center program through a Deputy Associate Administrator. Establishes a Small Business Development Center Advisory Board composed of 14 members to advise and confer with the Deputy Associate Administrator for Management and Technical Assistance. Authorizes the Administration to make grants to universities, organizations, and business concerns to support research to solve problems which affect small business concerns.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 1979
Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to budget funds for certain specified purposes to assist the Civil Air Patrol. Authorizes appropriations for such purpose. Authorizes the Secretary of the Air Force to give, sell, or lend to the Civil Air Patrol excess property acquired by the Air Force under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 1979
Removes the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the United States and the Federal district courts over any case arising out of any State statute, ordinance, rule or regulation, which relates to voluntary prayers in public schools and public buildings.
United States · United States Congress · 18 January 1979
Amends the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950 to authorize the use of Federal civil defense funds by local civil defense agencies for natural disaster or civil disturbance relief. Increases the Federal contribution for travel expenses and per diem allowances for students in civil defense training programs and increases the Federal financial contribution to States for civil defense personnel and administrative expenses. Extends the emergency authority of the President contained in such Act until September 30, 1980. Increases the authorization for appropriations under such Act for travel expenses, for personal equipment for State and local workers, and personnel and administrative expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 18 January 1979
Authorizes the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to provide, through demonstration projects, payments to individuals who are receiving, or are eligible to receive, benefits with respect to post-hospital extended care services under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act or intermediate care facility services or skilled nursing facility services under title XIX (Medicaid) of such Act, who do not require 24-hour nursing care or supervision, and who desire to establish noninstitutional living arrangement which will meet their medical and other needs. Requires payments received to be used to finance appropriate noninstitutional living arrangements which meet the medical and other needs of the individual. Provides that such payments shall not be includable in gross income under the Internal Revenue Code. Requires the Secretary to design demonstration projects for the purpose of determining: (1) the feasibility of transferring inpatients of skilled nursing and intermediate care facilities to noninstitutional living arrangements; (2) the types and percentage of such inpatients who could live effectively in a noninstitutional living arrangement; and (3) the types and percentages of such inpatients who would benefit economically and qualitatively from transferring to a noninstitutional living arrangement. Directs that funds for such payments be made from the Federal Hospital Insurance Fund established under the Social Security Act and from funds appropriated for Medicaid.
United States · United States Congress · 18 January 1979
Sound Recording Performance Rights Amendment - Amends the copyright law to give the owner of a sound recording copyright the exclusive right to perform or authorize the performance of the copyrighted work publicly. Exempts specified educational, religious, literary, and governmental performances of sound recordings from copyright infringements. Limits further the exclusive right of the owner of copyrights in sound recordings of specified kinds of works to the right to perform publicly all or any part of the actual sounds fixed in such recordings. Stipulates that the exclusive right to perform publicly, by means of a phonorecord, a copyrighted literary, musical, or dramatic work, and to perform publicly a copyrighted sound recording are separate and independent rights under this Act. Subjects the exclusive performance right in a sound recording to compulsory licensing if phonorecords of such recording have been distributed to the public under the authority of the copyright owner. Sets forth the requirements for obtaining such license. Establishes the royalty rates or payments for broadcast stations based on gross receipts of advertising sponsors, and gives the compulsory licensee the option of computing such royalty fees on either a prorated or blanket basis. Directs that royalty fees shall be deposited by the Register of Copyrights in the United States Treasury and invested by the Secretary of the Treasury in interest-bearing United States securities. Establishes the procedure for the distribution of royalties to persons claiming entitlement to compulsory license fees. Exempts certain broadcast stations and transmitters which publicly perform a copyrighted sound recording from liability for infringement and compulsory licensing requirements if the gross receipts of such stations are less than specified amounts. Stipulates that if an owner of a copyright authorizes the public distribution of material objects that reproduce such copyrighted sounds but do not include any accompanying motion picture, a compulsory licensee shall be freed from further liability for infringement for the public performance of such sounds. Directs the Copyright Royalty Tribunal to retain the services of one or more private, nongovernmental entities to monitor and value sound recording performances, distribute royalty funds to recipients, and perform other functions deemed necessary.
United States · United States Congress · 18 January 1979
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide payment for: (1) dentures under the supplementary medical insurance program; and (2) inpatient hospital services in connection with the provision of any service provided by a dentist if hospitalization is required in connection with the provision of such services.
United States · United States Congress · 18 January 1979
Wildlife on Federal Lands Trapping Act of 1979 - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to issue such regulations relating to trapping as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. Prohibits the Secretary from approving any type of trap unless such trap utilizes the most humane capture method available for the species concerned, and minimizes the probability of capturing species for which such trap was not intended. Directs the Secretary to undertake a research program to develop such types of traps. Establishes an advisory commission to make recommendations to the Secretary with respect to traps designed or intended for use. Prohibits the Secretary from permitting trapping on Federal lands where such trapping may reduce any species below specified levels. Sets forth a procedure for the application and issuance of trapping permits. Requires the attachment of a shipping certificate to any package containing the fur, hide, skin, horn, or feathers of any mammal or bird captured by any trap within any State or the District of Columbia if such package is transported in interstate or foreign commerce. Establishes criminal penalties for: (1) engaging in trapping without a permit issued pursuant to this Act; (2) violating any condition of such permit; (3) violating any regulation of the Secretary relating to trapping; (4) selling or transporting in interstate commerce an unapproved trap; (5) falsifying the shipping certificate; or (6) conveying any package under this Act without affixing the shipping certificate or affixing a false certificate. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements with States with respect to the imposition of trapping regulations consistent with those prescribed under this Act. Authorizes such appropriations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt taxpayers from the payment of interest or a penalty on tax deficiencies attributable to erroneous advice obtained in writing from an Internal Revenue Service Officer or employee acting in an official capacity.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Repeals the requirement, under the Social Security Amendments of 1977, that the amount of monthly benefits payable to a spouse or surviving spouse under title II (Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act be reduced by the amount such spouse or surviving spouse receives in monthly payments from a Federal or State pension fund.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an individual age 62 or over an exclusion from gross income of up to $3,000 of interest income that would otherwise be includible. Reduces the amount of the exclusion by one-half of the amount by which the individual's adjusted gross income exceeds $5,500.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the individual income tax credit for the elderly and to eliminate the adjusted gross income limitation on such credit.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Requires, upon application by the insured, waiver of the payment of premiums for National Service Life Insurance during any time after which the insured has attained the age of 70 and has paid premiums on the insurance for not less than 25 years.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to exclude the value of a family's residence in calculating family contribution for purposes of basic educational opportunity grant eligibility.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of religion, unless the employer can demonstrate that accommodation of an employee's religious practices is not possible without severe pecuniary or other material loss.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Establishes an office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Equal Opportunity within the Department of Defense to develop and supervise policies and programs to eliminate discrimination, to promote affirmative action, and to insure equal opportunity and treatment within the Department of Defense and within the work forces of contractors for the Department. Transfers specified functions of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs and of the Commander, Defense Contract Supply Agency, which relate to equal employment opportunity, to the new Assistant Secretary.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Amends titles XI, part A (General Provisions) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to increase the dollar limitations on Medicaid payments to Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands, and to eliminate the 50 percent limitation on the Federal medical assistance percentage applicable to the Medicaid programs of such territories and to raise such limitation to the same level as that in the States.
![Official portrait of Del. Evans, Melvin H. [R-VI-At Large]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/e000254_200.jpg)