United States · United States Congress · 24 February 1978
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose an additional excise tax on cigarettes to be paid into a Cigarette Tax Trust Fund in the Treasury and disbursed to States which do not impose more than a three-cent special tax on a pack of cigarettes.
United States · United States Congress · 24 February 1978
Amends Title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to permit payment for eye care, eyeglasses, hearing aids and related examinations, dental care and dentures under the supplementary medical insurance program. Increases the government contribution to the Federal Supplementary Insurance Trust Fund by twice the amount of premiums that are presently paid into the Fund each month, while decreasing the portion of the Fund comprised fo premiums from one-half to one-third. Excludes from the coverage of the supplementary medical insurance program expenses relating to referrals of individuals by a doctor of optometry for the diagnosis or detection of eye diseases.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1978
Social Security Refinancing Act - Amends Title II (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) and XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, and the Internal Revenue Code to finance the payment of disability insurance benefits and hospital insurance benefits through general tax revenues, rather than through employment and self-employment tax revenues. Reduces employment and self-employment tax rates below the rates established by the Social Security Financing Amendments of 1977.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1978
Graduated Income Tax Rate Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide graduated income tax rates for corporations ranging from a 14 percent rate on the first $25,000 in income to a 48 percent rate on income in excess of $100,000,000.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1978
Requires the separate enactment of legislation, in the Senate or the House of Representatives, which appropriates funds for any agency for employee salaries.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1978
Merit Selection for United States Attorneys Act - Revises the method for selection of United States Attorneys to establish a United States Attorney Selection Commission for each judicial district. Provides for appointment of commission members by the appropriate State chief executive. Directs a Commission to select and forward to the President and Attorney General a list of four to eight candidates within 90 days of the expiration of the incumbent's term. Requires the President to nominate a commission candidate or to request another list. Limits U. S. attorneys to two four year terms. Restricts the power of the President to unilaterally remove a U.S. attorney.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 1978
SS Life Act - Directs the Secretary of the Navy to transfer to LIFE International for 15 years the hospital ship U.S.S. Sanctuary (AH-17) to furnish health care to developing nations. Renames such ship the "SS LIFE". Authorizes the appropriation of $6,000,000 for fiscal year 1979 for modification of such ship and for maintenance and operation $494,000 for fiscal year 1979, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1980, $4,000,000 for fiscal year 1981, $3,000,000 for fiscal year 1982, $2,000,000 for fiscal year 1983, and $1,000,000 for fiscal year 1984.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 1978
Condemns the recent poisoning of Israeli oranges. Declares it the sense of the House of Representatives that the President direct the United States delegations to the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament and the United Nations Special Session on Disarmament to urge that the poisoning incident be placed high on the agenda of these organizations. Declares it the sense of the House of Representatives that the President direct the United States delegation to the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament to recommit itself to efforts to negotiate an effective prohibition of chemical weapons.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 1978
Amends the Federal Power Act to require the Federal Power Commission to hold an evidentiary hearing before approving public utility rate increases due to fuel adjustment clauses. Requires a showing that the clause effectively provides incentives for the economical purchase and use of fuel. Requires further that the clause is necessary to enable the utility to pay for the added fuel costs which are by nature short-term fluctuations and therefore not capable of determination in proceedings before such costs are incurred. Sets a one-year limit on approved fuel adjustment clauses and requires an evidentiary hearing before their renewal. Requires the Commission to examine and, if appropriate, to audit the practices of public utilities using fuel adjustment clauses. Requires relevant utilities to supply information as the Commission may require and makes such information available to the public. Grants to any purchaser of electric energy produced for resale and subject to a fuel adjustment clause, the right to examine the records of the relevant utility to insure compliance with applicable schedules and Commission rules. Requires the Commission, after affording the opportunity for an evidentiary hearing, to order the cessation or modification of any practice which does not constitute the most economical purchase and use of fuel. Amends the National Gas Act to impose similar restrictions on rate increases of natural gas companies pursuant to automatic adjustment clauses. Prohibits State regulated utilities from making rate increases pursuant to an automatic adjustment clause unless such clause has been determined to effectively provide incentives for the economical purchase and use of the fuel involved. Requires further that such clauses be necessary to enable the utility to pay for short-term fluctuations in fuel costs that are not susceptible to determination in proceedings held prior to such costs being incurred. Limits automatic adjustment clauses to one-year in duration, and requires an evidentiary hearing before their renewal. Requires the reviewing authority to examine and, if appropriate, to audit the practices of utilities with respect to fuel adjustment clauses. Requires that utilities supply such relevant information as is required by the State regulatory body and makes such information available to the public. Sets procedures for the certification of State regulatory bodies with respect to this Act. Requires the Commission to enforce the Act in the absence of State certification and upon the request of any State regulated utility. Amends the Federal Power Act to expand the scope of businesses forbidden from having interlocking directorates without Commission approval. Makes such approval no defense to actions under specified provisions of the Clayton Act. Amends the Natural Gas Act to expand the scope of natural gas companies forbidden from having interlocking directorates without Commission approval. Makes such approval no defense to actions under specified provisions of the Clayton Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 1978
Expresses the sense of the House that the national motto, "In God We Trust," shall continue to be engraved and printed on the currency of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 1978
Directs that United States attorneys be appointed and subject to removal by the Attorney General rather than the President. Eliminates set terms for United States attorneys.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 1978
Amends the Agricultural Act of 1970 to require export sales reports on any contract entered into by a foreign subsidiary or affiliate of an exporter obliged to make such reports on its own contracts, when the subsidiary's or affiliate's contract involves the exportation from the United States of a substantial quantity of specified agricultural commodities.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 1978
Authorizes air carriers holding a certificate to engage in foreign air transportation to carry domestic traffic between points in the United States on flights operated in foreign air transportation. Stipulates that such authority shall be limited to one round trip flight per day in each city-pair market unless otherwise authorized by the Civil Aeronautics Board.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 1978
Graduated Income Tax Rate Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide graduated income tax rates for corporations ranging from a 14 percent rate on the first $25,000 in income to a 48 percent rate on income in excess of $100,000,000.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 1978
Federal Disclosure and Accountability Act - Prohibits any Federal employee from coercing any individual for the purpose of interfering with the right of such individual to disclose any illegal or otherwise improper Government action to the Review Board on Improper Government Actions, established by this Act and from taking any adverse personnel action against such individual who is a Federal employee in retaliation for such disclosure. Requires the Board to investigate any such disclosure and, in the event further investigation or action is warranted, to notify the person, the head of the agency in which such person is employed, and, if appropriate, the Attorney General and/or the Comptroller General.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 1978
Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs Memorial Act - Authorizes the Commissioner of Education to provide financial assistance to assist in the development of the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Authorizes up to $5,000,000 to be appropriated for such purpose.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 1978
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exclude from admission into, and provides for the deportation from, the United States of any alien who engaged or assisted in, or incited or directed others to engage in, the persecution of others on the basis of religion, race, or national origin under the direction of the Nazi government of Germany between March 23, 1933, and May 8, 1945.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 1978
Prohibits commerce in contraband cigarettes. Defines "contraband cigarettes" as a quantity of more than 20,000 cigarettes, bearing no evidence of payment of applicable State cigarette taxes, which are in the possession of any person other than (1) a person licensed by the State where the cigarettes are found or by the Internal Revenue Service, (2) a common or contract carrier, or (3) a government agent in the performance of duties. Subjects dealers in cigarettes to such reporting requirements as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 1978
Amends the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Act of 1968 to establish a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship in Social and Political Thought at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars at the Smithsonian Institution. Establishes the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Trust Fund in the Treasury.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1978
Amends the Administrative Procedure Act to require Federal agencies to prepare and publish in the Federal Register an economic impact analysis of all proposed and final rules subject to the provisions of the Act.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1978
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow small business investment companies electing to be taxed as regulated investment companies, and having a tax deficiency as a result of a judicial judgment or administrative settlement concerning certain capital gains or dividend deductions to satisfy such deficiencies by paying out dividends within 90 days after the judgment or settlement.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1978
Expresses the insistence of the House of Representatives that the Government of the Republic of Korea cooperate with a certain investigation of the House of Representatives Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. Declares that failure of the Government to cooperate with such investigation will have a negative impact on relations between the United States and the Republic of Korea, including assistance for the latter country.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1978
Product Liability Insurance Tax Equity Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to qualify trusts established for the payment of product liability claims as tax exempt organizations. Allows taxpayers a business income tax deduction for contributions to such trusts only to the extent they exceed the reasonable costs of product liability insurance for the deducting taxpayer.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1978
Constitutional Amendment - Provides that the District of Columbia be treated as a State for purposes of representation in the Congress, election of the President and Vice President, and Article V of the Constitution of the United States. Repeals the provisions of the twenty-third amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 1978
Confers jurisdiction upon Federal district courts to enforce a State child custody order against a parent who, in violation of such order, took the child to another State.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1978
Imposes import quotas on beef and veal products entering the United States, a trade zone thereof, an insular possession thereof, or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Sets forth the formula for establishment of such quota quantities by the Secretary of Agriculture.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1978
State Civil Rights Committees Act - Requires the Commission on Civil Rights to establish advisory committees within each State under the Civil Rights Act of 1957 (previously the establishment of such committees was authorized but not required). Defines the term "States" to mean the 50 States, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 1978
Legislative Oversight Act - Title I: Requirements for Authorization Bills - Requires all legislation considered by either House of Congress which authorizes new budget authority or increased tax expenditures to include a statement of objectives of the program to be authorized or established and a requirement that the agencies administering the program report annually to Congress to assist it in determining whether such program should be amended. Requires such agency reports to list the costs and accomplishments of each program. Title II: Requirements for Reports Accompanying Authorization Bills - Requires committee reports accompanying such legislation to identify expected economic and social costs and benefits of new programs authorized or established by such legislation, potentially duplicative programs, and previous efforts to accomplish the objectives of the program being considered. Requires reports to contain, if the legislation continues an existing program, authorization, or tax expenditure, an assessment of the degree to which such program or tax expenditure has met previously stated objectives. Requires the Comptroller General to publish and periodically update a descriptive catalog of interrelated Federal activities which compares program costs and accomplishments and describes program interrelationships, including the extent to which programs are duplicative. Title III: Presidential Budget Recommendations - Requires the President's budget to describe the relationship between the President's recommended program budgets and the program accomplishments reported by Federal agencies under this Act. Title IV: Authorization Time Limit; Certain Obligations not Impaired - Prohibits congressional consideration of any legislation which authorizes new budget authority or provides new or increased tax expenditures, or new spending authority for a period exceeding five years. Exempts from this prohibition national debt service and payments to individuals from Federal trust funds to which such individuals have contributed. Title V: Miscellaneous Provisions; Effective Date - Recognizes the authority of either House to amend this Act. Sets the effective date of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 1977
Agricultural Trade Expansion Act - Amends the Food for Peace Act of 1966 to permit the Commodity Credit Corporation to finance export sales of agricultural commodities on credit terms in excess of three years, but not more than ten years. Exempts such sales from the requirement that exports be transported on privately owned United States - flag commercial vessels.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 1977
Veterans' Educational Equity Act - Provides for payment of a supplemental tuition allowance to each qualified veteran upon application to the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs. Extends the delimiting period for completing a veteran's education program for up to two years if at the close of the ordinary ten-year delimiting period the veteran is enrolled in a program.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 1977
Prohibits any Member of Congress from using official congressional stationery for mass mailings for any purpose other than official congressional business. Establishes a penalty for violation of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 1977
Requests the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to hasten the assembly of data and expedite the reviews and consideration precedent to the introduction of sodium valproate for the treatment of epilepsy in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 7 December 1977
Directs the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs in regard to the eligibility for educational benefits of a veteran or other person enrolled in a farm cooperative program, to prescribe for the agricultural employment requirement standards of relevance to the courses taken which allow such veteran or person to work: (1) in establishments engaged in the processing, distribution, or sale of agricultural products; (2) less than full-time; and (3) regardless of whether such employment is expected to be the principal source of income of the veteran or person so employed.
United States · United States Congress · 7 December 1977
Federal Election Campaign Reform Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to (1) permit designated committees to make expenditures for Presidential candidates, (2) exempt from a candidate's contribution limits payments for certain media advertisements by other candidates which advocate election of such candidate, and (3) direct the Federal Election Commission to establish uniform recordkeeping and reporting procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 1977
Amends the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from contracting through the Bureau of Reclamation, or otherwise, for water supply for irrigation purposes unless the intent of the Secretary contract is published in newspapers of general circulation in the region which may be affected by such contract and interested persons are given an opportunity to present their views at a public hearing on the matter.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 1977
Directs the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs in regard to the eligibility for educational benefits of a veteran or other person enrolled in a farm cooperative program, to prescribe for the agricultural employment requirement standards of relevance to the courses taken which allow such veteran or person to work: (1) in establishments engaged in the processing, distribution, or sale of agricultural products; (2) less than full-time; and (3) regardless of whether such employment is expected to be the principal source of income of the veteran or person so employed.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 1977
Declares it the sense of the House of Representatives that the people of Egypt and Israel be congratulated and encourages the states of the Middle East to begin direct negotiations for peace in the Middle East.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 1977
Declares it to be the sense of Congress that the national health planning guidelines should include sufficient flexibility to allow a health systems agency to recognize special characteristics in rural areas and, on the basis of those special characteristics, to establish a health systems plan that varies from the national guidelines, in order to provide necessary health care services to rural residents.
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 1977
Declares it to be the sense of Congress that the national health planning guidelines should include sufficient flexibility to allow a health systems agency to recognize special characteristics in rural areas and, on the basis of those special characteristics, to establish a health systems plan that varies from the national guidelines, in order to provide necessary health care services to rural residents.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 1977
Declares it the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare should not include in the National Guidelines for Health Planning any guidelines which would directly or indirectly cause the closing of any small, rural hospital which is the only hospital providing primary care services to a local community.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 1977
Declares it the sense of Congress that the National Health Planning Guidelines should include sufficient flexibility to allow a Health Systems Agency, if it can demonstrate that its area has special characteristics, to establish a goal or standard that is different than the national goal or standard, therefore assuring that needed rural hospital services will continue.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 1977
Imposes import quotas on beef and veal products entering the United States, a trade zone thereof, an insular possession thereof, or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Sets forth the formula for establishment of such quota quantities by the Secretary of Agriculture.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 1977
Amends the Housing Act of 1949 to not consider specified housing benefits available to veterans in determining eligibility of veterans for housing financing from sources other than the Farmers Home Administration.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 1977
Mobile Teachers' Retirement Assistance Act - Establishes a Federal-State program to permit teachers to perform out-of- State educational service without loss of retirement benefits for such service. Entitles a qualified State retirement system, which credits a teacher for out-of-State service to Federal aid of 50 percent of the total cost to the system of such out-of-State credit. Specifies the requirements which a State retirement system must meet in order to qualify for Federal aid under this program. Limits the amount of the Federal aid to a State retirement system to an amount providing not more than ten years of out-of-State service credit. Directs the Commissioner of Education to make a grant to each qualified State retirement system of an amount equal to two percent of such system's Federal aid received under this Act for the costs of administration.
United States · United States Congress · 29 November 1977
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) remove the adjusted gross income limitation on the credit for the elderly; (2) increase the amount of the credit; and (3) provide an annual cost-of-living adjustment for the credit.
![Official portrait of Rep. Bedell, Berkley W. [D-IA-6]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b000298_200.jpg)