United States · United States Congress · 14 May 1997
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an individual income tax deduction for contributions to a savings account established to pay the educational expenses (tuition, supplies, meals, and lodging) of the taxpayer's child or certain other relatives at an institution of higher education or a vocational school. Limits the deduction to $2,000 annually (adjusted for inflation) for each account. Disallows the deduction for contributions to an account maintained for any individual aged 19 or older. Requires any account balance to be distributed after the beneficiary attains age 30. Imposes penalties for excess contributions or prohibited transactions associated with an account. Provides for an from annual contribution limitations for distributions from education savings accounts into individual retirement accounts. Excludes from gross income distributions from individual retirement accounts into education savings accounts.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 1997
Lewis and Clark Expedition Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue one-dollar and half-dollar coins emblematic of the expedition of Lewis and Clark. Allocates surcharges from coin sales between the National Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council and the National Park Service for activities associated with the bicentennial commemoration of the expedition.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 1997
Military Recruit Training Policy Restoration Act of 1997 - Directs the Secretaries of the military departments concerned to require that basic training (or its equivalent) at the company level and below (at the group level and below, with respect to the Air Force) be conducted through separate units for male and female recruits. Allows only male officers to command and serve as drill instructors in a male training unit, and only female officers to command and serve as drill instructors in a female training unit.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 1997
Constitutional Amendment - Declares that: (1) to secure the people's right to acknowledge God according to the dictates of conscience, the people's right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, or traditions on public property, including schools, shall not be infringed; and (2) the Government shall not require any person to join in prayer or other religious activity, initiate or designate school prayers, discriminate against religion, or deny equal access to a benefit on account of religion.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 1997
Expresses support for: (1) the work of the National Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council and all the Federal, State, and local entities and other interested groups that are preparing bicentennial activities to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Expedition; and (2) the events to be held in observance of the Expedition at Council Bluff near present-day Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, at St. Louis, Missouri, and at Bismarck, North Dakota, and many other cities during such observance. Calls upon the President, the Secretary of the Interior, the Director of the National Park Service, American Indian tribes, other public officials, and U.S. citizens to support, promote, and participate in the many bicentennial activities being planned to commemorate the Expedition.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 1997
Expansion of Portability and Health Insurance Coverage Act of 1997 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to establish rules governing health plans sponsored by certain associations, including requirements for: (1) certification; (2) sponsors and boards of trustees, and treatment of franchised networks and collectively bargained plans; (3) participation and coverage of employers and individuals and of previously uninsured employees; (4) plan documents, contribution rates, and benefit options; (5) maintenance of reserves, excess-stop loss insurance, and solvency indemnification for plans providing health benefits in addition to health insurance coverage; (6) application and related matters, and notice for voluntary termination; (7) corrective actions and mandatory termination; and (8) special rules for church plans. Revises requirements for the treatment of: (1) single employer arrangements; and (2) certain collectively bargained arrangements. Adds requirements relating to association health plans, with respect to: (1) enforcement; and (2) State responsibilities and cooperation between Federal and State authorities.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 1997
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Recognition of the Millennium Society Title II: Commemorative Postage Stamps Millennium Society Act of 1997 - Title I: Recognition of the Millennium Society - Recognizes the Millennium Society (a nonprofit U.S. corporation chartered and organized under the laws of the State of Illinois on November 21, 1983) and any other organization that is organized and operated by the corporation exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. (Sec. 105) Sets forth the goals and purposes of the Society, which include: (1) establishing national goals for commemoration and celebration of the millennium in the United States and U.S. participation in such international events; (2) exercising exclusive jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to U.S. participation in commemorations or celebrations of the millennium; (3) coordinating activities and holding forums and symposiums to promote educational and cross-cultural exchange; and (4) establishing, endowing, and administering the Millennium Scholars Program providing for a university level exchange for women and men from all world regions to better prepare young leaders for greater achievements in the next millennium. (Sec. 114) Grants the Society the sole and exclusive right to the use of specified symbols, emblems, trademarks, and names in carrying out its functions. Allows persons who lawfully used such a symbol or slogan before the enactment of this Act to continue such lawful use for the same purpose and for the same goods or services. Title II: Commemorative Postage Stamps - Urges the Postal Service to cooperate with the Society in: (1) issuance of appropriate first day of issuance postage stamps commemorating the end of the second millennium and the advent of the third; and (2) production of a philatelic numismatic combination as a unique item to be made available to the public for such commemoration.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 1997
Amends the Tariff Act of 1930, with respect to the imposition of countervailing duties, to treat as noncountervailable subsidies any pricing practices or tenure arrangements for the sale of softwood timber grown on publicly owned lands, as well as log export restrictions.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 1997
Television Improvement Act of 1997 - Exempts from Federal antitrust laws any discussions, reviews, or agreements (action) entered into among persons in the television industry to develop and disseminate voluntary guidelines governing television broadcast material. Makes such exemption inapplicable to action which: (1) results in a boycott of any person; or (2) concerns the purchase or sale of advertising.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 1997
Directs the Attorney General to establish a program to identify certain deportable aliens awaiting arraignment in specified local prisons, including all facilities in Ventura and Orange Counties, California.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 1997
Hunger Has a Cure Act of 1997 - Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to provide for an annual price-indexed standard deduction adjustment (as of FY 2001). (Sec. 3) Revises maximum excess shelter deduction amounts and authorizes such amounts through FY 2001 (currently permanent). (Sec. 4) Provides for an annual price-indexed vehicle allowance adjustment. (Sec. 5) Revises work requirement provisions. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to reserve specified amounts for FY 1998 through 2002 employment and training programs. (Sec. 6) Amends the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 to make legal immigrants who became disabled after U.S. entry and certain elderly and under-18 years of age legal immigrants eligible for the food stamp program (program). Extends program eligibility for refugees and asylees from five years to seven years. Repeals specified program attribution of (alien) sponsor income provisions. (Sec. 7) Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) specified funds under the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 should be appropriated to provide FY 1998 short-term emergency food assistance; and (2) FY 1997 and 1998 appropriations for the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (WIC) should meet case load demands. (Sec. 9) Amends the National School Lunch Act to: (1) increase lunch and supper reimbursement rates for the summer food service program for children; and (2) increase the number of meals and-or supplements available under the child and adult food care program. (Sec. 10) Amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to direct the Secretary to carry out school breakfast and summer feeding program outreach activities. Obligates specified Treasury funds for State start-up and expansion costs.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 1997
Prisoners Frivolous Lawsuit Prevention Act of 1997 - Amends rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to provide that by presenting to the court a pleading, written motion, or other paper, an attorney or unrepresented party is certifying (among other things and subject to specified limitations) that the allegations and other factual contentions have evidentiary support, are made in a case involving a party other than a prisoner, and, if specifically so identified, are likely to have evidentiary support after a reasonable opportunity for further investigation or discovery. Directs the court, upon determining in a case involving a party who is a prisoner that provisions regarding improper representations to the court have been violated, to impose an appropriate sanction upon the attorneys, law firms, or parties responsible for the violation. Specifies that a sanction imposed for a violation of this rule shall not be limited to what is sufficient to deter repetition of such conduct or comparable conduct by others similarly situated in a case involving a party who is a prisoner.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 1997
Extends congressional gratitude to Leslie Townes (Bob) Hope for his accomplishments and service on behalf of U.S. military service members. Confers upon Mr. Hope the status of an honorary veteran of the U.S. armed forces.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 1997
African Growth and Opportunity Act - Declares the support of the Congress for the economic self-reliance of Sub-Saharan African countries committed to economic and political reform, market incentives and private sector growth, eradication of poverty, and the importance of women to economic growth and development. (Sec. 4) Makes a sub-Saharan African country eligible to participate in programs, projects, or activities, or receive assistance or other benefits under this Act for a fiscal year only if the President determines, according to specified evidence, that it has established, or is making continual progress toward establishing, a market-based economy. Directs the President to monitor and review eligible sub-Saharan countries that are in need of making continual progress in meeting one or more of this Act's requirements. Makes ineligible to participate in programs or receive assistance or other benefits under this Act any countries that have not made progress in meeting such requirements. (Sec. 5) Expresses the sense of the Congress that sustained economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa depends upon the development of a receptive environment for trade and investment through the continued support by the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID) of programs that help to create this environment. Sets forth declarations of policy with respect to assistance provided to sub-Saharan Africa through the Development Fund for Africa and the African Development Foundation. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide: (1) additional program authorities to include assistance to promote democratization and strengthen conflict resolution; and (2) increased program flexibility through presidential waivers of certain requirements (except those for certain child survival activities). (Sec. 6) Directs the President to convene annual high-level meetings between U.S. Government officials and officials of the governments of sub-Saharan African countries to foster close economic ties between them. Directs the president to establish a United States-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 7) Directs the President to develop a plan meeting certain requirements to enter into one or more trade agreements with certain eligible sub-Saharan African countries to establish a United States-Sub-Saharan Africa Free Trade Area. (Sec. 8) Expresses the sense of the Congress that reform of trade policies in sub-Saharan Africa that removes structural impediments to trade, consistent with the World Trade Organization (WTO), can lay the groundwork for sustained growth there in both textile and apparel exports. Directs the United States, pursuant to the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, to eliminate the existing quotas on textile and apparel exports to the United States from Kenya and Mauritius, provided they adopt a visa system to guard against the unlawful transshipment of such goods. Directs the President to: (1) continue the existing no quota policy for sub-Saharan African countries; and (2) report to the Congress on the growth in textiles and apparel exports to the United States from such countries in order to protect U.S. consumers, workers, and textile manufacturers from economic injury on account of the no quota policy. (Sec. 9) Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to authorize the President to provide duty-free treatment for any non-import-sensitive article that is the growth, product, or manufacture of an eligible sub-Saharan African beneficiary developing country. Waives the competitive need limitation with respect to eligible countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Extends duty-free treatment to sub- Saharan African beneficiary developing countries through May 31, 2007. (Sec. 10) Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) specified international financial institutions and their programs are vital to the economic growth and development of sub-Saharan African countries; (2) the executive branch should extinguish concessional debt owed to the United States by the poorest sub-Saharan countries; and (3) the Congress supports the efforts of the executive branch to secure agreement from such institutions to maximize debt reduction for such countries as part of the multilateral initiative known as the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Supports and encourages the implementation of specified initiatives through AID and the Trade Development Agency, including: (1) the formation of American-African business partnerships; (2) technical assistance to promote trade reforms; (3) agricultural market liberalization; (4) trade promotion; and (5) trade in services. (Sec. 11) Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) should exercise its authorities to initiate two or more equity funds in support of projects in sub-Saharan African countries, particularly projects that expand opportunities for women entrepreneurs and employment for the poor. (Sec. 12) Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to revise the composition of the Board of Directors of OPIC to require at least one of the eight presidentially-appointed Directors to have extensive private sector experience in sub-Saharan Africa. Directs the Board to increase financial assistance in sub-Saharan Africa. Amends the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to make similar changes with respect to the Export-Import Bank of the United States. (Sec. 13) Directs the President to establish the position of Assistant United States Trade Representative within the Office of the United States Trade Representative to focus on trade issues relating to sub-Saharan Africa.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 1997
Intercity Passenger Rail Trust Fund Act of 1997 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish in the Treasury the Intercity Passenger Rail Trust Fund to finance qualified expenses of: (1) the National Railroad Passenger Corporation; and (2) non-Amtrak States.
United States · United States Congress · 23 April 1997
Cancels the Space Station project. Requires the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to submit to the Congress: (1) within one month after enactment of this Act, a report itemizing the funding required for carrying out the cancellation of the Space Station project; and (2) within one year after enactment, a report detailing all Federal expenditures relating to the Space Station from October 1982 through the final cancellation of the program. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 1997
Amends the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to extend the authority of the Export-Import Bank of the United States through FY 2001. Reauthorizes the Bank's tied aid credit program. Extends, through FY 2001, the Bank's authority to extend credit for the sale to a foreign country of nonlethal defense articles or services the primary end use of which will be for civilian purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 1997
Veterans Medicare Reimbursement Demonstration Act of 1997 - Directs the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) to jointly carry out a demonstration project, during the three-year period beginning on January 1, 1998, under which the HHS Secretary provides the VA with reimbursement from the Medicare program (title XVIII of the Social Security Act) for health-care services provided to targeted Medicare-eligible veterans in or through selected VA facilities. Provides for: (1) the waiver of certain Medicare requirements in order to carry out the project; and (2) selection of participating VA facilities (requires the VA Secretary to designate up to three geographic service areas from which such facilities are to be selected and to establish a selection plan). Requires at least one facility selected to be in the same catchment area as a military medical facility which was closed pursuant to a defense base closure law. Requires project participation to be voluntary. Directs the VA Secretary to establish requirements for participating veterans. Requires project reimbursement at a rate equal to 95 percent of amounts that would otherwise be payable under the Medicare program if the facility were not a Federal facility, were participating in the project, and imposed charges for such services. Requires reimbursement payments periodically from Medicare trust funds, with an annual Medicare payment limit of $50 million. Requires reductions in such payments when the amount of actual VA medical expenditures for targeted veterans is less than the amount of the maintenance of effort level (as defined under this Act) for such fiscal year. Directs the Secretaries to compare the expenditures made under the project to the expenditures that would have been made for such veterans if the project had not been conducted, and to take appropriate steps if the expenditures under the Medicare program increased as a result of the project. Requires annual audits by the Comptroller General. Requires: (1) an independent entity to undertake an ongoing project evaluation and report results to the Secretaries and appropriate congressional committees; and (2) a report from the Secretaries to the Congress on possible project extension and expansion. Directs the Secretaries to submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the feasibility and advisability of establishing a new demonstration project to reimburse the VA Secretary for health care services furnished to targeted Medicare-eligible veterans enrolled in managed health care plans established by such Secretary.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 1997
Open Competition and Fairness Act of 1997 - Amends the National Labor Relations Act to prohibit discrimination against any bidder on a prime contract for a federally funded project on the basis of a requirement that such person enter into or adhere to a collective bargaining agreement or any similar agreement as a condition of performing work on such contract.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 1997
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Statement of Congressional Purpose Title II: Binding Budget Law Title III: Enforcement of Budget Discipline Subtitle A: Supermajority Required to Break Budget Law Subtitle B: Line Item Reduction Subtitle C: "Blank Check" Appropriations Prohibited Subtitle D: "Pay-as-You-Go" Requirement for New Spending Subtitle E: "Lock-Box" for Savings From Spending Reductions Title IV: Sustaining Mechanism Title V: Protection of Social Security Title VI: Technical Amendments to Federal Law to Carry Out This Act Title VII: Definitions and Rules of Interpretation Budget Process Reform Act - Title I: Statement of Congressional Purpose - Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Federal budget process should focus the attention of policymakers and the public on the aggregate impact of Federal spending on the economy, and on the tradeoffs that must be made among priorities in order to control overall spending levels. Declares that the budget process should contain safeguards against delay and inaction, so that temporary shut-downs of the Government may be avoided. Title II: Binding Budget Law - Requires the Congress to enact a binding budget law, in the form of a joint resolution, by April 15 of the calendar year before that in which the fiscal period commences. (Sec. 202) Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (CBA) to make it out of order in the House of Representatives or the Senate to consider any spending bill affecting spending in a major functional category unless and until a joint resolution on the budget is enacted. Allows waiver of such prohibition if such bill is required to be approved by a two-thirds majority vote in the House and the Senate. (Sec. 203) Prohibits baseline budgeting. Requires objective year-to-year comparisons under budget law, with the starting point for both presidential and congressional budgets the levels of budget outlays for the current fiscal year. (Sec. 204) Amends the CBA to require a budget law to include a major functional category ("rainy day fund") for natural disasters, subject to specified conditions. (Sec. 205) Amends Federal law to require the President to submit: (1) a budget, by the first Monday in February of each year before that in which a fiscal period commences, setting forth on a single page specific budget ceilings in each major functional category; and (2) a detailed budget, on or before the 15th day after a joint resolution on the budget is enacted. Title III: Enforcement of Budget Discipline - Subtitle A: Supermajority Required to Break Budget Law - Amends CBA to require the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to provide the appropriate House of Congress (or any committee, subcommittee, or conference) an estimate of the costs in each major functional category of each spending bill likely to result in costs of over $10 million, before being voted on by the Senate or the House, or any committee, subcommittee, or conference committee. (Sec. 301) Requires a two-thirds affirmative vote in the House or the Senate (or any committee, subcommittee, or conference committee) to consider over-budget spending bills. (Sec. 302) Requires a two-thirds affirmative vote in the House or the Senate, or both, to waive any provision of this Act. Subtitle B: Limited Enhanced Rescission Authority - Amends the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to authorize the President to exercise line-item reduction authority if the Congress, by two-thirds vote, exceeds the budget ceilings in the binding budget law or an automatic continuing resolution for a fiscal period. Declares that such authority shall permit the reduction of over-budget spending in a major functional category to the level established in the binding budget law or automatic continuing resolution. Subtitle C: "Blank Check" Appropriations Prohibited - Declares the intent of the Congress to end open-ended, "blank check" appropriations which typically authorize spending "such sums as may be necessary." (Sec. 306) Amends CBA to require fixed-dollar appropriations for every account except Social Security and interest on the debt. Prohibits open-ended appropriations. (Sec. 307) Requires executive agencies to adjust expenditures, including program eligibility requirements and benefit levels, to ensure that appropriations for entitlement programs are not exceeded. (Sec. 308) Restricts budget authority and entitlement authority to one fiscal period. Subtitle D: "Pay As You Go" Requirement for New Spending - Amends CBA to prohibit the Congress from considering any legislation which exceeds the budget ceiling unless it offsets such increased spending with an equal amount of reductions in spending in the same functional category. Requires a two-thirds affirmative vote in the House or in the Senate to waive such prohibition. (Sec. 309) Sets forth special rules in the case of legislation that exceeds a budget ceiling for the natural disaster functional category. Repeals an exemption in the House from pay-as-you-go rules. Subtitle E: "Lock-Box" for Savings From Spending Reductions - Amends CBA to: (1) establish "lock-box" procedures to ensure that budget savings from House and Senate amendments to appropriations bills result in actual spending cuts; (2) require CBO reports on such procedures; and (3) mandate reduction of spending allocations to House and Senate committees and subcommittees to meet "lock-box" levels. Title IV: Sustaining Mechanism - Makes appropriations to provide for an automatic continuing resolution if for any account an appropriation for a fiscal period does not become law before the beginning of such period. (Sec. 402) Provides for contingency regulations for automatic continuing resolutions. Grants each State the option of receiving an aggregate amount for the fiscal period for social safety net programs equal to the allocation to the State for such programs in the preceding fiscal period. (Sec. 403) Restricts consideration of legislation providing budget or spending authority to only that reported by the Committees on Appropriations. Makes such restriction inapplicable in the case of social security benefits. Title V: Protection of Social Security - Provides that nothing in this Act shall be construed to require or permit reductions in otherwise payable Social Security benefits. (Sec. 502) Amends Federal law to provide that no reduction in benefits under title II of the Social Security Act (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) shall be made as a consequence of this Act. Title VI: Technical Amendments to Federal Law to Carry Out This Act - Makes various technical and conforming amendments. Title VII: Definitions and Rules of Interpretation - Sets forth definitions for specified terms. Changes the definition of budget authority to exclude offsetting receipts and collections as negative budget authority.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 1997
Declares that the House of Representatives: (1) endorses the efforts of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to upgrade the currency for security reasons; and (2) strongly encourages the Secretary of the Treasury and the Bureau to incorporate cost-effective, tactile features into the design changes, thereby including the blind and visually impaired community in independent currency usage.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 1997
Extends sympathies to the families of the persons killed or wounded in the March 30, 1997, terrorist grenade attack outside the Cambodia National Assembly. Condemns the attack as an act of terrorism detrimental to peace and the development of democracy in Cambodia. Calls upon: (1) the U.S. Government to offer to the Cambodia Government all appropriate assistance in identifying and prosecuting those responsible for the attack; (2) the Cambodia Government to accept the assistance and to expeditiously identify and prosecute such individuals; and (3) all Cambodian political parties to renounce and condemn all forms of political violence.
United States · United States Congress · 16 April 1997
Amends the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) to allow certain eligible covered beneficiaries to enroll in any health benefits plan under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHB) offering medical and dental care comparable to that offered under CHAMPUS. Includes as an eligible covered beneficiary any member or former member of the armed forces, and any dependent of such member, who: (1) is not guaranteed access under CHAMPUS or TRICARE Standard (a Department of Defense managed care program) to health and dental care comparable to the highest level provided under the FEHB; (2) is eligible to enroll in the TRICARE Program but is not so enrolled because of geographical inaccessibility, enrollment limitations, or any other reason; or (3) is entitled to hospital insurance benefits under Part A of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act. States that any such beneficiary shall not be required to satisfy any FEHB eligibility criteria as a condition for enrollment. Provides for: (1) enrollment contributions; (2) participation management by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM); and (3) annual reports from the Secretary of Defense and the OPM Director concerning the provision of such care. Requires the health and dental care benefits provided under CHAMPUS and TRICARE Standard, as well as the rates prescribed for the reimbursement of providers under such programs, to be comparable to the highest level of benefits provided under the FEHB. Requires the Secretary to begin offering the health benefits option of this Act no later than November 1, 1997.
United States · United States Congress · 16 April 1997
State and Local Government Interstate Waste Control Act of 1997 - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to prohibit a landfill or incinerator from receiving out-of-State municipal solid waste for disposal or incineration unless the waste is received pursuant to a new (entered into on or after enactment of this Act) or existing host community agreement or an exemption from this prohibition (which may be limited by the State, as provided in this Act). Requires owners or operators to make specified information regarding the landfill or incinerator (facility) available prior to seeking authorization from an affected local government to receive such waste pursuant to a new host community agreement. Sets forth other formal requirements for the authorization process, including those for notification of the State, contiguous local governments, and contiguous Indian tribes. Requires, for an exemption, that the owner or operator provide either information establishing that: (1) the owner or operator of the facility received before enactment of this Act a State permit specifically authorizing acceptance of the waste; or (2) the facility received shipments of such waste during 1993, and such information is in such documented form as would result in criminal penalties under State law in case of false or misleading information. Authorizes States to establish limits on the amount of out-of-State waste received annually for disposal at each facility pursuant to an exemption for documented shipments (under clause (2), above) and affected local governments to limit the amount received at a particular facility pursuant to such an exemption. Sets the limitation amount for any facility that began receiving documented out-of-State waste before enactment of this Act at the amount received during 1993 (zero if no such waste was received at the facility during that year). Authorizes States that imported more than 750,000 tons of such waste in 1993, in lieu of this freeze, to establish limits for calendar years after 1997 that are percentages of the waste received during 1993, beginning with 85 percent in 1998 and declining to 50 percent after 2000. Allows any comprehensive solid waste management plan approved under Federal or State law and any implementation of such plan through the State permitting process to take into account local regional needs for solid waste disposal capacity. Allows an affected local government to determine that there is no need for a new landfill or incinerator or major modification at an existing facility under its jurisdiction, but prohibits a plan from expressly prohibiting importation of solid waste from out of State. Allows States to require that a permit issued for a new landfill or incinerator or an expansion include an annual limitation of not less than 20 percent on the total quantity of out-of-State municipal solid waste relative to the total waste received by the facility. Requires any such limitation to be uniformly applied and prohibits discrimination (absent agreement otherwise) against shipments of out-of-State waste on the basis of State of origin. Declares that prohibitions, limitations, and the planning and permitting processes under, and laws and regulations implementing, this Act shall not be considered to impose an undue burden on or to otherwise impair, restrain, or discriminate against interstate commerce. Requires owners or operators of facilities to annually report to Governors of the States in which the facilities are located the amount of out-of-State waste received during the preceding year.
United States · United States Congress · 16 April 1997
Calls for the resignation of President Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire. Urges the U.S. Government to: (1) unequivocally call on Mobutu to immediately leave Zaire and withdraw from all political activity; and (2) play a leading role in the international effort in supporting the creation of a broad-based transitional government of national unity composed of all democratic forces in Zaire. Calls for the United States to: (1) continue to distance itself and its foreign policy from Mobutu and his government; and (2) work with interested African and European nations to oppose the presence in Zaire of foreign government and mercenary forces, to halt the flow of arms into the country, and to encourage the warring parties to negotiate a cease-fire leading to a lasting peace. Supports the creation in Zaire of the enabling environment necessary to conduct democratic, multi-party elections at the earliest feasible time, as well as the necessary conditions to establish the rule of law, respect for human rights, and the effective provision of humanitarian assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 1997
Amends Federal tort claims provisions to repeal the exception from coverage for any claim arising in a foreign country. Authorizes a Federal officer or employee to bring an action against the United States which is based on the gross negligence of another U.S. officer or employee.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 1997
American Family Privacy Act of 1997 - Prohibits a Federal officer or employee from making available a social security account statement (or information contained in such a statement), a personal earnings and benefits estimate statement (or information contained in such a statement), a tax return, or tax return information of an individual: (1) through the Internet; or (2) without the individual's written consent, to a member of the public. Establishes the Commission on Privacy of Government Records to investigate: (1) the protection and privacy afforded by the Federal Government to the tax information (including any tax return and tax return information), social security information (including any social security account statement and personal earnings and benefits estimate statement), and other personal and confidential information with respect to individuals contained in Government records and documents; and (2) procedures and mechanisms through which an individual may be provided access to such information with respect to the individual without jeopardizing the individual's privacy.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 1997
Expedited Rescissions Act of 1997 - Amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to provide for the expedited consideration of certain proposed rescissions of budget authority.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 1997
Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1997 - Revises the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to instruct the Secretary of Energy (the Secretary) to: (1) develop and operate a repository for the permanent geologic disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste; (2) accept spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste by no later than January 31, 2000; (3) provide for the transportation of such wastes; and (4) pursue expeditiously the development of each component of the integrated management system. Requires intermodal transfer (rail-to-heavy-haul-truck) of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste pending direct rail access to the interim storage facility site. Sets a deadline for the Secretary to develop the capability to commence rail to truck intermodal transfer at Caliente, Nevada. Provides for heavy-haul transportation route and truck transportation. Requires the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Caliente and Lincoln County, Nevada, to provide advice to the Commission regarding intermodal transfer and to facilitate on-site representation. Subjects the Secretary's movement of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste by heavy-haul transport route to the exclusive regulatory purview of the Secretary of Transportation and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Prescribes transportation planning, package certification, technical assistance, interim storage facility, permanent disposal, land withdrawal, and private storage facility requirements to ensure that the Secretary is able to accept spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste by January 31, 2000, and transport it to mainline transportation facilities. Instructs the Secretary to: (1) offer Nye County, Nevada an opportunity to designate an on-site oversight representative; and (2) offer to enter into separate benefits agreements with Lincoln and Nye Counties concerning the integrated management system. Requires the Secretary to make certain initial land conveyances to Nye County. Authorizes the Secretary to contract with any person holding title to or generating or holding title to spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste of domestic origin for the acceptance of title, and possession, transportation, interim storage, and disposal. Requires the Secretary to determine the level of an annual fee for electricity generated and sold by each civilian nuclear power reactor. Permits the Secretary to make expenditures from the Nuclear Waste Fund in the event of a shortfall. Delineates budget priorities in the event of such shortfall. Requires the NRC to suspend the license of any licensee who fails or refuses to pay the currently required one-time fee on spent nuclear fuel, or high-level radioactive waste derived from it, and used to generate electricity in a civilian nuclear power reactor before April 7, 1983. Provides that payment of the one-time fee relieves the responsible party from further financial obligation to the Federal Government for its long-term storage or permanent disposal. Authorizes the NRC to require prior agreement with the Secretary for spent fuel and waste disposal as a precondition to the issuance or renewal of a license. Continues the Nuclear Waste Fund and the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management. Directs the Secretary to: (1) issue a final rule establishing the appropriate portion of the costs of managing spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste allocable to the interim storage or permanent disposal of spent nuclear fuel, high-level radioactive waste from atomic energy defense activities, and spent nuclear fuel from foreign research reactors; and (2) advise the Congress annually of the amount of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel from atomic energy defense activities requiring management in the integrated spent nuclear fuel management system. Grants the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and this Act preeminence in the event of a conflict or duplication of laws. Precludes this Act from being construed as: (1) constituting either an express or implied Federal reservation of water rights for any purpose arising under it; (2) authorizing the Federal use of eminent domain to acquire water rights; or (3) limiting the exercise of water rights as provided under Nevada State laws. Grants the U.S. courts of appeals original and exclusive jurisdiction over civil actions under this Act. Prescribes guidelines for NRC licensing hearings. Prohibits the Secretary from conducting site-specific activities for a second repository unless the Congress has specifically authorized and appropriated funds for them. Requires the NRC to promulgate regulatory guidelines for: (1) financial assurances for low-level radioactive waste site closures; and (2) training and qualification of civilian nuclear powerplant personnel. Delineates an acceptance schedule for contract holders' spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. Prohibits: (1) subseabed or ocean water disposal of spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste; and (2) any obligation of funds for any such related activity. Continues the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary to take necessary action to improve the management of the civilian radioactive waste management program to ensure that it is operated to the maximum extent like a private business. Directs the Secretary to employ, on an on-going basis, integrated performance modeling regarding site characterization.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 1997
Riegle-Neal Clarification Act of 1997 - Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to declare that: (1) the laws of a host State (including laws on community reinvestment, consumer protection, fair lending, and establishment of intrastate branches) shall apply to any branch in the host State of an out-of-State State bank to the same extent as such laws apply to a branch in the host State of an out-of- State national bank; and (2) an insured State bank that establishes a branch in a host State may conduct any activity permissible under the laws of its home State if such activity is permissible for a bank chartered by the host State, or for a branch in the host State of an out-of-State national bank.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 1997
Social Security On-line Privacy Protection Act of 1996 (sic) - Prohibits an interactive computer service from disclosing to a third party an individual's social security account number or related personally identifiable information without the individual's prior informed written consent. Defines interactive computer service as one providing computer access to multiple users via modem or other means of telecommunication to the Internet or any other on-line network. Requires such service to permit an individual to revoke any consent at any time, upon which revocation such service shall cease disclosing such number or information to a third party. Gives the Federal Trade Commission enforcement authority under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 1997
Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Research Act of 1997 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to mandate a program for the conduct and support of research and training regarding Parkinson's disease. Directs the Director of the National Institutes of Health to provide for coordination of the program among all the national research institutes conducting Parkinson's research. Requires coordination to include the convening of a research planning conference at least once every two years. Provides for each such conference to prepare and submit to certain congressional committees a report concerning the conference. Requires Core Center Grants to encourage the development of innovative multidisciplinary research and provide training concerning Parkinson's, designating each grant recipient as a Morris K. Udall Center for Research on Parkinson's Disease. Establishes a grant program to support investigators with a proven record of excellence and innovation in Parkinson's research and who demonstrate potential for significant breakthroughs in the understanding of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of Parkinson's. Limits the availability of grants for a period not to exceed five years. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 1997
Post Office Relocation Act of 1997 - Modifies Federal postal provisions to require a 60-day notice before the renovation, relocation, closing, or consolidation (currently, the closing or consolidation) of a post office. Requires such notice to be: (1) hand delivered or delivered by mail; and (2) published in one or more newspapers of general circulation within the zip codes served by such post office. Sets forth provisions which: (1) allow any person served by the post office to offer an alternative renovation, relocation, consolidation, or closing proposal within such 60-day period; and (2) require the Postal Service to conduct a hearing to allow the individual to present oral or written testimony. Revises the factors to be considered in deciding whether or not to renovate, relocate, close, or consolidate a post office to include: (1) the extent to which the post office is part of a core downtown business area; (2) the sentiment of the community; (3) whether postal officials negotiated with persons served; (4) whether management of the post office contributed to a desire to relocate; and (5) the adequacy of the existing post office. Requires the Postal Service to follow a community's public participation procedures to address the renovation, relocation, closing, or consolidation of buildings in the community if participation requirements of such procedures are more stringent than those provided in this Act. Requires the Postal Service, in making a determination to renovate, relocate, close, or consolidate any post office, to comply with any zoning, planning, or land use regulations or building codes applicable to State or local public entities, including the zoning authority of the local jurisdiction. Includes within the Postal Service policy with respect to planning and building new postal facilities that the Service consider the effect a new facility may have on the community.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 1997
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Equalization of Medicare Reimbursement Rates to Health Maintenance Organizations and Competitive Medical Plans Title II: Expansion of Grant Authority to Include Technical Assistance for Rural Health Networks Title III: Medicare Rural Primary Care Hospital Program Title IV: Incentives for Health Professionals to Practice in Rural Areas Subtitle A: National Health Service Corps Subtitle B: Primary Care Services Furnished in Shortage Areas Title V: Classification as Rural Referral Centers; Geographic Reclassification for Disproportionate Share Payment Adjustment Title VI: Medicare Payment Methodologies Title VII: Antitrust Title VIII: Financing Rural Health Improvement Act of 1997 - Expresses the sense of the Congress that this Act reflects the dedication of the late U.S. Representative Bill Emerson to ensuring health care access for all rural Americans. Title I: Equalization of Medicare Reimbursement Rates to Health Maintenance Organizations and Competitive Medical Plans - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to revise provisions for payments to health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and competitive medical plans (CMPs) for the stated purpose of equalizing Medicare reimbursement rates to HMOs and CMPs. (Sec. 102) Expresses the sense of the Congress that HMOs or CMPs in rural areas receiving additional payments as a result of this title should allocate those payments to provide increased health care services to Medicare beneficiaries or to pay for health care service infrastructure needs. Title II: Expansion of Grant Authority to Include Technical Assistance for Rural Health Networks - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide technical assistance, directly or through grants or contracts, for the planning, development, and operation of any program or service carried out pursuant to a rural health network under that Act. Title III: Medicare Rural Primary Care Hospital Program - Replaces the Essential Access Community Hospital Program (EACH) under Medicare with the Medicare Rural Primary Care Hospital Program while continuing payment to designated EACHs, rural primary care hospitals, and certain other medical assistance facilities operated as limited service rural hospitals under a specified demonstration program. Permits agreements between rural primary care hospitals and the Secretary for the use of up to 25 beds for extended care services. Bases payment for inpatient and outpatient rural primary care hospital services on the reasonable costs of the hospital in providing such services. Lengthens from 72 to 96 hours the maximum period of permitted inpatient stay at a rural primary care hospital. Title IV: Incentives for Health Professionals to Practice in Rural Areas - Subtitle A: National Health Service Corps - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude qualified National Health Service Corps scholarship payments and loan repayments from gross income. (Sec. 402) Requires the HHS Secretary to report to the Congress on the study being conducted on the criteria for designation of health professional shortage areas and medically underserved areas under the Public Health Service Act. (Sec. 403) Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary to give special priority to applications by community rural health networks for the assignment of Corps personnel for providing health services in or to a health professional shortage area. Subtitle B: Primary Care Services Furnished in Shortage Areas - Amends SSA title XVIII to provide for an increase in the amount of additional Medicare payments for primary care services (currently, physicians' services) furnished in rural shortage areas, and for services that are furnished by a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or nurse midwife that would be physicians' services if furnished by a physician. Extends such payment for former shortage areas. Requires carriers to report on services provided. Title V: Classification of Rural Referral Centers; Geographic Reclassification for Disproportionate Share Payment Adjustment - Amends SSA title XVIII to prohibit denial of a rural referral center's request for reclassification on the basis of comparability of wages. Provides for the continuing treatment of previously designated rural referral centers. (Sec. 502) Permits Medicare hospital geographic reclassification for purposes of disproportionate share payment adjustments. Title VI: Medicare Payment Methodologies - Directs the HHS Secretary to implement a methodology based on a specified proposal for making payments under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) for telemedicine services. Title VII: Antitrust - Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) physician and hospital networks in rural areas are working to develop alternative means of providing accessible, affordable, and quality health care services to Americans living and working in rural areas; and (2) the Federal Trade Commission, in conjunction with the Justice Department, should, when implementing antitrust guidelines with respect to physician and hospital networks in rural areas, give special consideration to and provide appropriate relief for such networks. Title VIII: Financing - Extends certain Medicare secondary payer requirements with respect to end stage renal disease.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 1997
Captive Exotic Animal Protection Act of 1997- Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit and set penalties for knowingly transferring, transporting, or possessing a confined exotic animal for purposes of allowing the killing or injuring of that animal for entertainment or the collection of a trophy.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 1997
Calls for the United States to maintain 100,000 military personnel in the Asia and Pacific region until major security and political conflicts are resolved.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 1997
Expresses the sense of the Congress that it recognizes: (1) the concern of the railroad industry that the current spousal annuity system is inadequate; and (2) that a process of dialogue must take place among all parties of the railroad community including rail labor, management, and retiree organizations before railroad annuity legislation can be enacted. Urges all parties to find a way to fund an amendment that would improve the survivor benefits component to the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 1997
Microcredit for Self-Reliance Act of 1997 - Authorizes the President to provide through U.S. and indigenous nongovernmental organizations and credit institutions credit and other assistance for microenterprises in developing countries. Sets forth assistance eligibility criteria. Authorizes funds allocations. Directs the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, in order to maximize the sustainable development impact of such assistance, to establish a monitoring system that sets certain performance goals for it. Authorizes appropriations for the U.S. contribution to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) only to provide grants to nongovernmental organizations and other private community-based microenterprise institutions serving the poor, especially women. Directs the President to urge other IFAD donor nations to contribute to the microenterprise and microfinance activities of the Fund. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the Microstart Program established by the United Nations Development Program represents an important new initiative; and (2) the President should instruct the U.S. representative to the United Nations to use the U.S. vote to support the Program.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 1997
Provides that amounts recovered or collected with respect to the cost of furnishing care or services at a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center shall be credited to amounts currently available for the furnishing of care and services at that center.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 1997
Historic Homeownership Assistance Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for 20 percent of the qualified rehabilitation expenditures made by a taxpayer with respect to a certified historic home which has been substantially rehabilitated and which is owned by the taxpayer and used as his or her principal residence. Allows the credit for such expenditures to be taken by a purchaser of the rehabilitated home. Permits, in lieu of the credit, a historic rehabilitation mortgage credit certificate, which shall be transferred to a lender in exchange for a reduction in the rate of interest on the loan secured by the building.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 1997
Merchant Mariners Fairness Act of 1997 - Provides that certain qualified service of a member of the U.S. merchant marine, including a vessel crewmember of the U.S. Army or Naval Transport Service, during World War II constituted active military service for purposes of eligibility for various veterans' benefits under the GI Bill Improvement Act of 1977. Requires the Secretary of Defense to issue an honorable discharge under such Act to each merchant marine member whose qualified service warrants such a discharge. Prohibits the payment of any retroactive benefits under this Act. Mandates a processing fee for any benefit application of a member possessing such qualified service.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 1997
Amends the Webb-Kenyon Act and the Liquor Law Repeal and Enforcement Act to allow any State, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory or possession to bring an action in U.S. district court to enjoin the shipment or transportation of liquor in violation of such Act, or to enforce their laws with respect to such transportation.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 1997
Common Cents Stock Pricing Act of 1997 - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to instruct the Securities and Exchange Commission to require quotations in dollars and cents (decimals) for equity securities transactions and prescribe an implementation schedule.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 1997
Pharmacy Compounding Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to make specified provisions of that Act inapplicable to a drug or device that is compounded by a licensed pharmacist, licensed physician, or other licensed practitioner authorized by State law to prescribe drugs or devices. Declares null and void a proposed rule concerning exceptions to good manufacturing practices for makers of positron emission tomography drug products and a guideline on the manufacture of such products. Prohibits another proposed regulation or guideline on those matters.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 1997
Domestic Violence Legal Services Eligibility Act - Amends the Legal Services Corporation Act to require the Legal Services Corporation, in establishing income levels to determine if a client who is the victim of domestic violence is eligible for assistance, to prescribe that only that client's income will be considered in making such determination.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 1997
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) any bilateral or international agreement that imposes certain performance, testing, and deployment limits on U.S. missile defense systems would not be in the national security interests of the United States; (2) no additional international agreements are required to deploy such systems; and (3) the Congress will not be receptive to any agreement that serves to reduce the potential of U.S. theater missile defense systems to defend the U.S. armed forces abroad or the armed forces or population of allies of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1997
Amateur Radio Volunteer Services Act of 1997 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to provide that an individual licensee in the amateur radio service who provides volunteer services to the Federal Communications Commission shall be deemed to be a Federal employee only for purposes of Federal tort claims procedure (the adjudication of claims against Federal employees for damages or injuries caused by the employee while acting within the scope of employment).
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1997
Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to guarantee veterans loans for adjustable rate mortgages in a manner similar to the manner in which the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development insures adjustable rate mortgages under provisions of the National Housing Act.
![Official portrait of Rep. Bereuter, Doug [R-NE-1]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b000403_200.jpg)