United States · United States Congress · 18 January 1973
Highway Safety Act - Authorizes appropriations to specified highway safety programs and highway safety research and development programs. Authorizes the appropriation of $150,000,000 for fiscal 1974 and $225,000,000 for fiscal 1975 for the elimination of hazards of railway-highway crossings. Authorizes the appropriation of $225,000,000 for fiscal 1974 and $450,000,000 for fiscal 1975 for bridge construction and replacement. Establishes special pavement marking programs and appropriates $125,000,000 for both fiscal 1974 and 1975 to be available until expended to carry out such programs. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to carry out safety research on the following subjects: (1) the relationship between the consumption and use of drugs and their effect upon highway safety and drivers of motor vehicles; and (2) driver behavior research. Authorizes to be appropriated for each of the fiscal years 1974 and 1975 the sum of $100,000,000 to eliminate or reduce the hazards at specific locations or sections of highways which have high accident experiences or high accident potentials, such study to be conducted by the Federal Highway Administration. Provides that two-thirds of such funds authorized and expended in any fiscal year shall be appropriated out of the Highway Trust Fund. Requires each State to report to the Secretary not later than September 30, 1974, and every September 30 of each year thereafter, on the progress being made to implement projects for high-hazard locations and the effectiveness of such improvements. Directs the Secretary to conduct a full and complete investigation of the use of the mass media and other techniques for informing the public of means and methods for reducing the number and severity of highway accidents. Directs the Secretary to conduct an investigation of ways and means for encouraging greater citizen participation and involvement in the traffic enforcement process. Directs the Secretary to make a study of the feasibility of establishing a National Center for Statistical Analysis of Highway Operations designed to acquire, store, and retrieve highway accident data and standardize the information and procedures for reporting accidents on a nationwide basis. Requires the Secretary to report to the Congress his findings and recommendations not later than January 1, 1975. Authorizes the Secretary to make a full and complete investigation and study of pedestrian safety and report his findings and recommendations to the Congress no later than January 31, 1975. Provides that no State shall receive less than one-half of one percent of all funds authorized to be appropriated for highway safety. Allows the Secretary to make incentive grants to states which have attained above average results in carrying out safety programs.
United States · United States Congress · 18 January 1973
Health Care Insurance Act - Provides, under the Social Security Act, for medical, dental, and hospital care through a system of voluntary health insurance financed in whole for low-income groups through issuance of certificates, and in part for all other persons through allowance of tax credits. Adds to the Social Security Act a new title entitled Federal Financing of Voluntary Health Insurance. Provides that, for the purpose of providing assistance on behalf of the individuals and their dependents whose income and resources are insufficient to meet the costs of necessary medical, dental, and hospital services, there is established a program of hospital, dental, and medical benefits for any eligible beneficiary and his dependents through the issuance of health insurance certificates, in full payment of allowable premium on a qualified health care insurance policy of his choice. Asserts that health insurance certificiates of entitlement will be redeemable by the carrier by payment from the Federal Health Insurance Redemption Fund. Includes as eligible beneficiaries under this title any husband and wife both under age 65 and living together and any unmarried person under age 65 who is not a dependent beneficiary. Defines a dependent beneficiary as any child of an eligible beneficiary receiving more than 50 percent of his support from the eligible beneficiary, which child is under 21, or if a student, under age 23. Provides that every individual who is an eligible beneficiary whose income results in no individual income tax liability during his base year, whose dependent beneficiaries have no such liability for their taxable years which end during his base year, and who is not eligible to receive military medical care, shall be eligible to receive a health insurance certificate of entitlement. Asserts that such certificates shall be applicable in full payment of allowable premiums for a qualified health care insurance policy or plan. Requires that such policy or plan shall provide protection for the eligible beneficiary and his dependent beneficiaries for a 12-month period beginning during his benefit year against the expenses of health care, including catastrophic expenses of illness. Allows tax credits for health care insurance. Asserts that every individual who is an eligible beneficiary who has not elected, where eligible, to receive benefits under the provisions for fully-paid health care insurance for the low-income group and who is not eligible to receive military medical care, shall be allowed at his election a credit against his income tax liability for his taxable year which ends during his base year; or a health insurance certificate of entitlement acceptable by a qualified carrier in payment toward a premium, under a qualified health care insurance policy. Specifies the amount of the tax credit or the value to be assigned to the health insurance certificate on the basis of allowable premiums. Provides that a health insurance certificate of entitlement means a certificate issued by the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare upon application to him by an eligible beneficiary to apply toward payment of premium on a qualified health care insurance policy or plan. Specifies that a qualified health care insurance policy or plan shall be a contractual agreement specifying benefits under a program offered by a qualified carrier which has been registered by a State Agency and which provides basic institutional and medical coverage and catastrophic expense coverage. Declares that each such qualified health care insurance policy or plan shall be noncancellable and guaranteed renewable so long as the carrier continues to offer to the public one or more qualified health care insurance policies or plans, shall provide protection against the expense of health care without regard to any pre-existing conditions, and shall provide for payment under this title of usual and customary charges for services covered under the policy or plan. Stipulates what costs shall be included under basic coverage and under catastrophic expense coverage. Establishes deductibles for each of the two types of coverage. Creates a Health Insurance Advisory Board which shall consist of eleven persons including the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service. Directs that the remaining members, not otherwise in the employ of the Government, shall be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointment in the competitive service. Asserts that the Secretary of HEW shall serve as Chairman. Provides that the members shall be selected from persons who are specifically qualified to serve on such Board by virtue of their education, training, or experience. Provides that the Health Insurance Advisory Board shall perform such functions as: (1) prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes and provisions of this Act; (2) establish minimum Federal standards for the use of State insurance departments in determining whether an insurance company and plan are qualified under this Act; (3) in consultation with carriers, providers of services, and consumers, plan and develop programs whose purposes are to provide for maintaining the quality of medical care; and (4) review the effectiveness of the tax credit program and file an annual report. Grants the States the power to decide which carriers are qualified. Forbids any Federal officer or employee to exercise any supervision or control over the practice of medicine or dentistry or the manner in which medical or dental services are provided, or over the selection, tenure, or compensation of any officer or employee or any institution, agency, or person providing health services; or to exercise any supervision or control over the administration or operation of any such institution, agency, or person. Creates in the Treasury a trust fund to be known as the Federal Health Insurance Redemption Fund to consist in part of an amount equal to the aggregate amount of premiums paid under this title through the redemption of health insurance certificates.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1973
Allows a tax deduction under the Internal Revenue Code of not more than $750 for ordinary and necessary expenses paid during the taxable year for the repair or improvement of property used by the taxpayer as his principal residence. Permits any person who is the owner of rental housing and who rehabilitates or restores such housing to deduct the cost of such restoration, with respect to the amortization of the adjusted basis of such housing as so restored, based on a period of 60 months. Entitles any person who acquires rehabilitated or restored rental housing from a taxpayer who elected the amortization deduction and who did not discontinue the amortization deduction, to a deduction with respect to the adjusted basis of such facility based on the remaining amount of the 60 month period taken by the person who rehabilitated the house. Provides procedures for the election and termination of the amortization deduction and defines the terms used in this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 1973
Permits the President to restrict travel by citizens and nationals of the United States to, in, or through any country or area whose military forces are engaged in armed conflict with the military forces of the United States. Provides that travel to such restricted country or area by any person may be authorized by the President when he deems such travel to be in the national interest. Makes it unlawful for any citizen or national of the United States to willfully and without authorization to travel to such restricted country or area.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 1973
Increases the authorization under the Federal-Aid Highway Act for the construction of bridges on Federal dams to $23,161,000 (presently $16,761,000). Provides that funds appropriated under this authorigation shall be used in connection with the reconstruction of a bridge across Chicamauga Dam on the Tennessee River. (Amends 23 U.S.C. 320(d))
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1973
Requires the Federal Communications Commission to prescribe regulations: (1) establishing the telephone number 911 as the number for emergency telephone calls made anywhere in the United States, (2) requiring every telephone company to establish a system for connecting any emergency telephone call made using such number to an appropriate agency, and (3) defining the term 'emergency telephone call'. Makes it unlawful for any person to willfully make any telephone call using the number 911 if he knows that such telephone call is not an emergency telephone call.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1973
Provides, under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, that where violations are corrected within the prescribed abatement period no penalty shall be assessed. (Amends 29 U.S.C. 659, 660, 666)
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1973
Requires the Secretary of Labor, under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, to recognize the difference in hazards to employees between the heavy construction industry and the light residential construction industry in promulgating health and safety standards. (Amends 29 U.S.C. 655)
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1973
Provides that the recommendations of the President transmitted to the Congress under the Federal Salary Act of 1967 (relating to salaries of members of Congress and certain members of the executive and judicial branches of the Federal government) shall become effective at the beginning of the first pay period which begins after the first period of thirty calendar days of continuous session following the transmittal of such recommendations, unless there has been enacted into law a statute which establishes rates of pay other than those proposed by all or part of such recommendations, or unless between the date of transmittal and the end of the thirty day period either House adopts a resolution disapproving all or part of such recommendations. Provides that if the Committee, to which a resolution has been referred disapproving the recommendations of the President. Provides that the House has not reported the resolution after ten calendar days, it is in order to discharge the committee from further consideration of the resolution. Directs that such motion to discharge may be made only by an individual favoring the resolution and debate thereon is limited to not more than one hour divided equally between those favoring and those opposing the resolution. Directs that the motion to discharge may not be renewed, nor may another motion to discharge the committee be made with respect to any other resolution concerning the same recommendations. Specifies that when the committee has reported, or has been discharged from the further consideration of such resolution, it is in order to proceed to the consideration of the resolution. Stipulates that such motion is not debatable and may not be amended. Limits debate on the resolution to not more than two hours to be divided equally between those favoring and those opposing the resolution. Provides that motions to postpone, motions to proceed to the consideration of other business and appeals from the decisions of the chair shall be decided without debate. Authorizes any part of the recommendations of the President, in accordance with express provisions of such recommendations, to be made operative on a date later than a date on which such recommendations otherwise are to take effect. (Amends 2 U.S.C. 359)
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1973
Constitutional Amendment - Provides that no public school student shall, because of his race, creed, or color, be assigned to or required to attend a particular school. Grants Congress the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.