United States · United States Congress · 12 May 1983
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for services necessary to determine the refractive state and visual function of an individual with a severe visual disability.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 1983
Medicare Vision Act of 1983 - Provides coverage under part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act for: (1) eye examinations for the purpose of prescribing, fitting, or changing eyeglasses; (2) procedures performed to determine the refractive state of the eyes; and (3) services performed by a doctor of optometry. Permits payment for services under part B for services performed by an optometrist, or services performed by another doctor which could be performed by an optometrist, only if payment is made on the basis of an assignment.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 1983
Permits the Secretary of Defense to provide air transportation to annual national meetings within the continental United States sponsored by the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia to the next of kin of persons missing in action in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam era, or reported dead without repatriation of the remains.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 1983
Authorizes the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to reimburse eligible veterans for reasonable charges for chiropractic services. Directs the Administrator to establish a schedule of reasonable charges. Requires the Administrator to make annual reports to the Veterans Affairs Committees for four years concerning the use and reimbursement of chiropractic services.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 1983
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the President should seek a consensus at the Williamsburg Summit, aimed at: (1) reducing disparities in certain financial rates and economic policies among summit countries; and (2) arranging a meeting of summit country finance ministers with the Secretary of the Treasury, to achieve an alignment between the interest rates and major currencies. Urges the President to arrange, in conjunction with the Williamsburg Summit, bilateral discussions with the Prime Minister of Japan to bring about further realignment of the yen and dollar exchange rates.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 1983
Establishes the Special Joint Committee on Arrangements to provide for the congressional commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Harry S. Truman. Declares it the duty of such committee to: (1) arrange a joint meeting of the Congress in commemoration of such anniversary; (2) plan proceedings for such joint meeting; and (3) coordinate activities with the Truman Centennial Committee. Enumerates the powers of such joint committee. Provides that the expenses of such joint committee may not exceed a specified amount and shall be paid from the contingent fund of the House of Representatives.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 1983
Amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to prohibit a pesticide's registration without certain third-party data showing that such pesticide will not cause unreasonable adverse environmental effects. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to assign at least ten full-time investigators to carry out the National Laboratory Audit Program within the Office of Pesticide Programs.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 1983
Territorial Development Fund Act of 1983 - Authorizes appropriations for FY 1984 for private sector project development costs associated with the Territorial Development Fund for Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Prohibits the use of such funds until specified requirements are satisfied.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 1983
Preferred Provider Health Care Act of 1983 - Prohibits any State insurance law or regulation from preventing one or more group health plan payors from: (1) establishing alternate payment rates for health care providers, and offering such rates to plan beneficiaries; or (2) limiting payments to services secured by a group health plan for beneficiaries from health care providers charging alternative rates. States that such alternate payment rates shall not constitute a violation of any State law prohibiting payment discrimination among beneficiaries of the same class.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 1983
Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to prohibit the furnishing of assistance under such Act to establish or enhance the capacity of any foreign country to produce a commodity for export if: (1) the commodity is in surplus or is likely to be in surplus on the world market at the time the resulting productive capacity is expected to become operative; and (2) such assistance will cause substantial injury to U.S. producers of the same, similar, or competing commodity (surplus competing commodities). Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. executive directors of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, International Development Association, International Monetary Fund, International Finance Corporation, Inter-American Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, and the African Development Bank to oppose assistance by these institutions (using any funds made available under U.S. law) to establish or enhance the capacity of any country to produce surplus competing commodities. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to report to Congress on all applications for assistance which have been filed with the aforementioned institutions at 30-day intervals beginning 30 days after the enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 1983
Amends the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to prohibit the Bank from extending credit to establish or enhance the capacity of any country other than the United States to produce a commodity for export if: (1) such commodity is or is likely to be surplus on the world market; and (2) the resulting productive capacity will substantially injure U.S. producers of the same, similar, or competing commodity.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 1983
Establishes an Insular Areas Commission on Federal Laws to survey the Federal laws and recommend to Congress: (1) which laws that apply to Guam, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa should be made inapplicable to them and which should continue to apply; and (2) which laws that do not apply to such territories should be made applicable to them. Sets forth the composition of the Commission. Requires the Commission to transmit its final report to the President and to Congress not later than four years after the date on which appropriations are first made under this Act. Authorizes appropriations. Terminates the Commission 15 days after submission of its final report.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 1983
Home Ownership Incentive Act of 1983 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an income tax deduction for contributions of cash, stocks, bond, or other securities tradeable on an established exchange to a tax-exempt trust account established for the exclusive purpose of purchasing the taxpayer's first principal residence. Limits the maximum annual deduction to $1,000 with a maximum lifetime deduction of $10,000. Excludes distributions from such account from gross income if they are used exclusively for the purchase of a first principal residence. Imposes a ten percent surtax on distributions from an individual housing account which are not used for the purchase of a principal residence. Requires the trustee of an individual housing account to report on the maintenance of the account. Imposes a penalty for failure to file required reports.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 1983
Amends the National Historic Preservation Act to authorize appropriations for the National Museum for the Building Arts in Washington, D.C., for FY 1984 through 1987 in order to keep it operating during the time the museum building is being renovated. Changes the name of the museum from the National Museum for the Building Arts to the National Building Museum.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 1983
Water Resources Research Act of 1983 - Authorizes the establishment, subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, of one water resources research and technology institute in each State at certain colleges or universities. States that each such institute shall: (1) have responsibility for planning, conducting, and/or arranging for competent research in relation to water resources; and (2) cooperate with other colleges and universities in the State to develop a statewide program designed to resolve State and regional water and related land problems. Requires the Secretary to make grants to each institute to be matched at specified rates by non-Federal dollars. Requires each institute, prior to the receipt of funds each fiscal year, to submit to the Secretary a water research program. Requires the Secretary to establish procedures for a detailed evaluation of each institute to determine whether such institute warrants continued Federal support. Provides for such evaluations within two years of establishment and for reevaluations at intervals not to exceed four years. Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary to carry out this section for FY 1984 through 1988. Permits the Secretary to make additional grants (on a dollar-for-dollar matching basis) to other qualified institutions and agencies of local or State government for research concerning any aspect of a water-related problem which the Secretary may deem to be in the national interest. States the application requirements for such grants. Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary to carry out this section for FY 1984 through 1988. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to certain organizations for technology development concerning any aspect of water-related technology which the Secretary may deem to be of State, regional, or national importance. Authorizes the Secretary to establish any condition for the matching of funds for such grants in the best interest of the Nation considering the technology needs for water resources. States the requirements for applications for grants under this section. Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary for carrying out this section for FY 1984 through 1988. Repeals the Water Research and Development Act of 1978. Requires that rules and regulations established under such Act shall remain in effect until superseded by new rules and regulations promulgated under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 1983
Veterans' Programs Improvement Act of 1983 - Title I:Definition of Vietnam Era - Redefines the Vietnam Era to include the period July 8, 1959, through May 7, 1975, for veterans who served in the Republic of South Vietnam during that period. Title II: Women Veterans - Makes women veterans eligible for outpatient treatment at private facilities for medical conditions relating to gender. Title III: Veterans Administration Health-Care Programs - Extends through FY 1985 a Vietnam era veteran's eligibility for readjustment counseling. Makes the Preventive Health-Care Services Pilot Program a permanent program. Title IV: Veterans Administration Health-Care Personnel - Permits the Administrator to appoint licensed practical or vocational nurses for physical therapists, and certified or registered respiratory therapists for the medical care of veterans. Requires such personnel to have such medical, scientific, or technical qualifications as the Administrator shall prescribe. Sets forth the period of appointments and the probationary period for such personnel. Establishes wage scales and other terms and conditions of employment. Requires the Administrator and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to submit a joint report to the Veterans' Affairs Committees concerning the conversion of selected health care occupations to title 38 (Veterans), U.S. Code. Title V: Status and Role of Administrator of Veterans Affairs - Expresses the sense of Congress that the Administrator should be made a fully participating member of the Cabinet. Title VI: Health Hazards Studies and Report - Directs the Administrator to provide for an epidemiological study of the long-term adverse health effects of exposure to ionizing radiation from the detonation of a nuclear device, either in connection with a test or with the American occupation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, following World War II. Directs the Administrator to conduct a comprehensive review of scientific analysis of the literature covering studies relating to such effects. Directs the President and the Administrator to make several reports to the appropriate committees of Congress concerning the steps taken and the results of the literature review. Requires, after two years, an annual report from the Administrator to the appropriate committees concerning the epidemiological study. Directs the Administrator, within 90 days of submitting such report, to set forth in the Federal Register what action he proposes to take concerning Veterans Administration programs in response to such report. Directs the Administrator to report to Congress within 180 days of enactment on alternative approaches to providing benefits to veterans and the natural children of veterans who were exposed during service to either such radiation or to dioxins (Agent Orange) used in Vietnam. Title VII: Technical Amendments - Makes various technical amendments.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 1983
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the rights and protections afforded tenants of public housing should not be reduced; (2) the percentage of such tenants monthly adjusted income required to be contributed toward rent should be reduced from 30 to 25; (3) a moratorium on the sale, demolition, or other disposal of public housing should be established immediately; (4) the utility costs of public housing tenants should not be increased; and (5) the amount of Federal assistance provided for the operation of public housing should be increased.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 1983
Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (also known as the Clean Water Act) to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, at the request of the Governor of a State affected by the interstate management plan developed under the Chesapeake Bay program, to make a grant to implement management mechanisms in the plan if the State has, within one year after the date of enactment of this Act, approved and committed to implement all or substantially all aspects of the plan. Limits such grants to 55 percent of the plan implementation costs in any year and requires State expenditure of non-Federal funds to cover at least 45 percent of such costs during such fiscal year. Directs the Administrator to continue the Chesapeake Bay program for: (1) assessing the relationship between point and nonpoint source pollution and the impact of such pollution on water quality; and (2) research on the impact of pollutant loadings, particularly nutrients, on bay fisheries resources (with special attention to be given to the striped bass). Directs the Administrator to immediately begin to: (1) assess the principal factors having an adverse effect on the environmental quality of Narragansett Bay, as perceived by both scientists and users; and (2) direct and coordinate, subsequent to a review of presently ongoing research, research and abatement programs that will most efficiently address those factors. Directs the Administrator to: (1) analyze all environmental sampling data presently being collected on Narragansett Bay and undertake methods of improving such data collection; (2) establish a continuing capacity for collecting, storing, analyzing, and disseminating such data; (3) institute a sampling program where present programs are deficient; and (4) determine what units of government have management responsibility for the environmental quality of the bay and how such responsibility can be structured to improve coordination among units of government, research and educational institutions, and concerned groups and individuals. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1983 through 1987 to carry out Chesapeake and Narragansett Bays programs.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 1983
Appropriates FY 1984 funds for Centers for Disease Control epidemiological and medical research on acquired immune disorders and related opportunistic infections.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 1983
Appropriates FY 1984 funds for National Institutes of Health scientific and medical research on acquired immune disorders and related opportunistic infections.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit married couples to elect a spousal individual retirement account without regard to whether the nonworking spouse has any earned income.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 1983
Correctional Facilities Act of 1983 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act to authorize the Attorney General to make grants to State and local governments to construct, expand, repair, renovate, or modernize correctional facilities. Provides a distribution formula based on State population, criminal population, and corrections expenditures. Allows States to utilize the grants to fund 75 percent of their corrections construction expenditures. Provides grants for demonstration projects. Authorizes appropriations. Amends the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 to authorize the Administrator of General Services to transfer or convey to State and local governments surplus property that the Attorney General recommends to be suitable for correctional facility use.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 1983
Product Liability Act of 1983 - Sets forth uniform national standards for products liability cases. Preempts inconsistent Federal and State laws. Permits actions under this Act to be brought in State court or Federal court if the United States is a party or diversity jurisdiction exists. Prohibits recovery for other than commercial loss or damage to the product itself, except as otherwise provided in this Act. Sets forth basic standards of responsibility for manufacturers and product sellers other than manufacturers including wholesalers, distributors, retailers, lessors, packagers, and repairers. Establishes rules relating to proof in products liability cases with respect to Federal Government standards and contract specifications. Prohibits admission of postmanufacturing improvements except for the purpose of impeaching a witness for the product seller who denies the feasibility of such improvements. Allows a manufacturer to introduce certain precautionary measures. Provides that all product liability actions shall be governed by the principles of comparative responsibility. Specifies the manner in which damages are to be apportioned. Provides that comparative damages apply only to compensatory damages. Requires the reduction of any damage award by the amount of workers' compensation benefits which are paid. Makes a product seller who acted with flagrant indifference to consumer safety, where the act was an extreme departure from accepted practice, liable for punitive damages. Establishes a two-year statute of limitations and a ten-year statute of repose.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 1983
Amends the Social Security Amendments of 1983 to make the decrease in the amount of Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance benefits payable to a spouse, surviving spouse, or mother which is required to offset any Federal or State pension received applicable to all individuals receiving such pensions for months after June 1983. (Under current law, the pension offset is applicable with respect to OASDI benefits payable to individuals who initially become eligible for such pensions after June 1983.)
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that the standard mileage rate used in computing the charitable deduction for expenses incurred in the operation of a motor vehicle shall be the same as the standard mileage rate established by the Secretary of the Treasury for the business-related deduction.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 1983
Amends the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) to extend medical benefits to a former spouse who was married at least 20 years to a member with at least 20 years of service when a minimum of ten years rather than 20 years of such marriage and service coincide. Repeals the requirements that the former spouse be unmarried and have no medical coverage under an employee-sponsored health plan. Grants medical benefits to a former spouse who has a disease or disability attributable to the nature or location of a member's or former member's military service. Limits the health care available to such former spouses to that necessary for the treatment of such a disease or disability. Applies this Act to all eligible former spouses, regardless of the date of divorce.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 1983
Makes FY 1983 supplemental appropriations to the Health Resources Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services for preventive health services for the unemployed.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an income tax credit for individuals who perform voluntary services for certain public service organizations. Limits such credit to $750 for a taxable year. Requires an individual to perform at least 50 hours of volunteer service for one or more qualified public service organizations in order to quality for such credit.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat certain volunteer service as gainful employment for purposes of the income tax credit for expenses for households and dependent care services necessary for gainful employment.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from the definition of "compensation" jury service fees received by a spouse, for purposes of the retirement savings deduction for individuals with nonworking spouses.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 1983
Dedicates the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in California to Phillip Burton. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to inform the public of the contributions of Phillip Burton through the use of signs, maps, and interpretive programs and to establish an appropriate memorial to him within the recreation area. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 1983
Civil Rights Amendments Act of 1983 - Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of affectional or sexual orientation. Provides that this Act shall not be construed to permit a finding of discrimination based on statistical differences or the fashioning of any remedy requiring a quota.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 1983
Proclaims Nelson Mandela an honorary citizen of the United States and requests the President to take steps to secure his unconditional release from prison in South Africa.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 1983
Proclaims Winnie Mandela an honorary citizen of the United States and requests the President to seek from South Africa a revocation of her banishment to Brandfort, South Africa.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 1983
Amends the Small Business Act to specify the maximum interest rate on disaster loans made by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to homeowners or small businesses for disasters commencing on or after October 1, 1982. Provides that such loans, subject to reductions in insurance payments received by a loan applicant, shall cover 100 percent of the loss suffered. Limits such loans to $500,000 per disaster, unless a loan applicant is a major source of employment in the disaster area, in which case such limitation may be waived at the discretion of the Administrator of the SBA. Requires the interest rate for such loans to be the rate that is in effect when the disaster commenced. Prohibits the SBA, subject to reductions for insurance payments received by a loan applicant, from reducing the amount of such loans for homeowners to less than $100,000 for loss of real property or $20,000 for personal property. Provides that upon presentation by a loan applicant of proof of loss, damage or injury, the SBA will cancel a portion of the principal of any loan used to cover damage to real property that is occupied as a primary residence or personal property contained therein resulting from a disaster commencing on or after October 1, 1982. Specifies the portion of the loan principal to be cancelled for certain loan amounts. Authorizes funds to the SBA for FY 1984 for direct loans to small businesses for facility rehabilitation and for disaster relief. Extends for one year the prohibition on disaster loan assistance by the SBA to agricultural enterprises.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 1983
Amends part A (General Provisions) of title XI of the Social Security Act to authorize any State having an approved plan under part A (Aid to Families With Dependent Children) of title IV of the Act to conduct one or more pilot projects to demonstrate the use of integrated service delivery systems for human services. Requires a State desiring to conduct a project to submit an application to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Directs the Secretary to approve not less than four nor more than eight of the proposed projects. Directs the Secretary to pay to a State which has an approved project: (1) 90 percent of the first year's costs; (2) 80 percent of the second year's costs; and (3) 70 percent of the third year's costs. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 1983
Amends the Federal Reserve Act to direct the President in selecting the members of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to appoint one member each to represent the respective interests of small businesses and agriculture.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 1983
Military Command Reorganization Act of 1983 - States that the National Command Authorities consist of the President and the Secretary of Defense. Establishes a military chain of command running from the President to the Secretary of Defense, to the Chief of Staff of the National Command Authorities to the commanders of the unified and specified combatant commands. Abolishes the joint Chiefs of Staff and the Chairman thereof. Reconstitutes such staff as the Joint Military Staff of the National Command Authorities under the Chief of Staff of the National Command Authorities. Creates the position of Chief of Staff of the National Command Authorities (Chief) to be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate to serve as the principal military adviser to the President, the National Security Council, and the Secretary of Defense. Sets forth the duties of the Chief, including; (1) preparing strategic and logistic plans; (2) formulating training policies; and (3) reviewing material and personnel requirements of the armed forces. Establishes two Deputy Chiefs of Staff to be selected by the Chief from the officers of the regular components of the armed forces. Directs the Chief to designate one such Deputy to serve as Acting Chief as specified. Establishes a Joint Military Staff under the Chief. Sets forth the composition of such staff which is to include members from all the armed forces. Sets forth the terms of assignment on such Staff. Requires that such Staff be independently organized and operated. Establishes in the Department of Defense a National Military Council to advise the Secretary and President on matters pertaining to national security policy. Sets forth the terms of membership on such Council. Directs the President to designate a Chairman to administer such Council and to represent him at all National Security Council meetings.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 1983
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to study and report to specified congressional committees on the advisability of replacing only the Federal individual income tax or replacing both the Federal individual income tax and the Federal corporate income tax with a simplified income tax on gross income.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 1983
Balanced Monetary Policy Act of 1983 - Amends the Federal Reserve Act to require the Board of Governors and the Federal Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve System to establish yearly targets for money and total credit aggregates and for real interest rates consistent with historic levels. Requires the Board and the Federal Open Market Committee to take necessary actions to assure that such targets are achieved, on average, on an annual basis. Requires a written report to specified Congressional committees if such targets cannot or should not be achieved because of unfavorable economic conditions. Requires the Board of Governors to transmit specified information to Congress biannually. Requires the Board to announce publicly changes in objectives and plans at the time those changes are determined. Requires the President to state for the System's record the administration's position on each vote on monetary policy taken by the Board and by the Federal Open Market Committee.