Rep. Bethune, Ed [R-AR-2]

An amendment to require depository institutions which have refinanced, extended, or made secure or in other way altered loans because of the increased U.S. quota to the IMF to return to the Treasury that part of the rate of return on the loan that is above the rate of return the institution would have made on a loan of the same principle to a corporate borrower in the U.S. with a AAA rating. The amendment states that high rates were charged for the loans because of risk, that the increase payment to the IMF by the U.S. reduces the risk; thus the excess profit should return to the Treasury.

United States · United States Congress

An amendment to stipulate that no procurement funds may be used for binary chemical munitions, including advanced procurement of long lead components or for the establishment of a production base for such munitions. The amendment accordingly lowers Army ammunition procurement funds from $2,220,000,000 to $2,165,000,000, lowers Navy procurement funds from $5,339,500,000 to $5,319,000,000, and lowers Air Force procurement funds from $8,441,700,000 to $8,421,000,000.

United States · United States Congress

An amendment to transfer from the Secretary of the Interior to the Secretary of Agriculture a Fish Research and Experimentation Program. The program is to carry on research to develop methods for commercial production of fish on flooded rice acreage in rotation with rice field crops.

United States · United States Congress

An amendment to the Gonzalez substitute amendment to the Wylie amendment. The amendment prohibits aid in districts where it is determined that the aid will reduce the degree of forebearance or result in an increase in foreclosures.

United States · United States Congress

An amendment to add a new section that restricts eligibility for financial assistance. The amendment requires that the Secretary, after consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, determine that extension of assistance will not tend to restrict availability of credit, or increase the cost of credit to borrowers not receiving the benefit of federal credit assistance programs, prior to granting financial assistance under the act. This restriction is not to apply to loans made or extended at the special interest rate as provided in this act unless the Administration determines it shall apply and does so under established regulations.

United States · United States Congress

An amendment to require that not later than 180 days after the enactment of the act a report be submitted to Congress on the effectiveness using the military in drug related cases.

United States · United States Congress

A substitute amendment to the Zablocki amendment. The amendment adds to the funds reduction for procurement funds for army ammunition a prohibition on procurement of binary chemical munitions and related production facilities, equipment, and precursor chemicals. The amendment specifically prohibits use of funds in this way through reprogramming authority.

United States · United States Congress

An amendment to the Zablocki amendment to add language that specifically prohibits funds for military procurement from being expended on binary chemical munitions and their production facilities.

United States · United States Congress

A substitute amendment to the Zablocki amendment. The amendment reduces the bill's funding for Army ammunition procurement from 2,272,500,000 dollars to 2,157,900,000 dollars. It also prohibits use of the binary chemical munitions and production facilities, equipment or precursor chemicals for such munitions.

United States · United States Congress

A substitute amendment. The amendment raises the bill's variable interest formula for REA direct loans; requires REA to pay back both the principal and the interest on CBO's in annual installments; caps the revolving fund loan program at its current level; eliminates the current requirement that REA provide at least 70 percent of the capital needs of rural coops and phone companies; and sets the hardship loan level at half the variable interest rate. It requires REA to begin paying back to the Treasury the 7.9 billion dollars made available to the revolving fund in 1973. It eliminates provisions that allow refinancing of CBO's and guaranteed loans, and deletes requirements that REA give up its first claim of assets in case of default.

United States · United States Congress

An amendment to the Moorhead amendment to prohibit rate increases to consumers that exceed 20 percent.

United States · United States Congress

Fair and Simple Tax Act of 1984

United States · United States Congress · 10 August 1984

Fair and Simple Tax Act of 1984 - Title I: Reduction of Individual and Corporate Tax Rates - Subtitle A: Reduction of Rates - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise individual tax rates. Imposes a tax rate of 25 percent on the taxable income of every individual. Imposes a tax rate of 15 percent on corporate income which does not exceed $50,000 and a tax rate of 30 percent on corporate income exceeding $50,000. Subtitle B: Increase in Amount of Personal Exemption and Zero Bracket Amount - Increases the amount of the personal exemption to $2,000. Increases the zero bracket amount to $2,700 for single taxpayers and $3,500 for a joint return or surviving spouse. Provides for an annual adjustment in the personal exemption and the zero bracket amount by a cost-of-living adjustment based on the Consumer Price Index. Repeals the exemption for dependents who are students over the age of 18. Subtitle C: Employment Income Exclusion Established - Allows an individual taxpayer to exclude 20 percent of the amount received during the taxable year by such individual as employment income. Provides that the exclusion shall be phased out when the individual's wages and salaries exceed the Federal Insurance Compensation Act's maximum wage base for the calendar year. Excludes all of an individual's employment income where the employment income for the taxable year is $10,000 or less ($15,000 or less in the case of a joint return). Provides for an annual adjustment in the employment income exclusion by a cost-of-living adjustment based on the Consumer Price Index. Subtitle D: Repeals Related to Reduction in Rates - Repeals provisions relating to: (1) tax tables for individuals; (2) special averaging rules for lump-sum distributions; (3) accumulated corporate surplus; (4) personal holding companies; (5) income averaging; and (6) graduated corporate tax rates. Applies the trust throwback rules only to amounts distributed from a foreign trust. Title II: Base Broadening - Subtitle A: Credits - Repeals the following income tax credits: (1) the credit for household and dependent care services; (2) the credit for the elderly and the permanently and totally disabled; (3) the residential energy credit; (4) the credit for contributions to candidates for public office; (5) the credit for clinical testing expenses for certain drugs; (6) the credit for producing fuel from nonconventional sources; (7) the credit for increasing research activities; (8) the credit for work incentive expenses; (9) the credit for alcohol used as fuel; (10) the employee stock ownership credit; (11) the general tax credit; (12) the investment credit for depreciable property; and (13) the credit for employment of certain new employees. Subtitle B: Exclusions - Repeals the tax exclusion for: (1) compensation for injuries or sickness; (2) dividends received by individuals; (3) amounts received under qualified group legal service plans; (4) qualified transportation furnished by employer; (5) dividend reinvestment in public utilities; and (6) payments to encourage exploration, development, and mining for defense purposes. Reduces the maximum amount of the earned income credit from $5,000 to $4,000. Provides for an annual adjustment in the earned income credit by a cost-of-living adjustment based on the Consumer Price Index. Treats as taxable income: (1) unemployment compensation; (2) the annual increase in the cash surrender value of life insurance policies; and (3) interest on industrial development bonds and mortgage subsidy bonds. Provides that the transfer of a corporation's stock in satisfaction of indebtedness will be treated as having satisfied the indebtedness with money equal to the fair market value of the stock. Provides a limited exclusion from income for scholarships and fellowships. Amends the Merchant Marine Act to repeal the tax exemption for deposits into, and withdrawals from, a capital construction fund. Excludes the first $7,000 ($10,500 for a joint return) of Social Security benefits from gross income. Provides that no more than one-half of Social Security benefits may be includible in taxable income. Subtitle C: Deductions - Repeals the tax deductions for: (1) casualty and theft losses; (2) unused business credits; and (3) two-earner married couples. Repeals the deduction for State and local income taxes. Raises the floor on the deduction for medical and dental expenses from five to ten percent. Repeals the deduction for consumer interest. Subtitle D: Adjustment to Basis; Changes in Certain Special Capital Gains Treatment Provisions - Allows an inflation adjustment, based on the gross national product deflator, to the adjusted basis of capital assets which have been held for more than one year at the time of sale or exchange solely for the purpose of determining gain or loss on such assets. Excludes from such treatment: (1) creditor's interest; (2) options; (3) net lease property in the case of the lessor; (4) preferred stock with fixed dividends; and (5) stock in small business corporations and certain foreign corporations. Allows the Secretary of the Treasury to disallow all or part of an adjustment where there was a transfer to increase the inflation adjustment or depreciation allowance. Reduces the alternative tax rate for corporations from 28 to 20 percent. Repeals the deduction for individuals for capital gains. Phases out the limitation on the deduction of capital losses by individuals over a ten-year period, with full deductibility of such losses after 1994. Provides that capital loss deductions shall be treated as tax preference items subject to the minimum tax. Permits the carryover of the excess of capital losses over gross income by individuals. Makes applicable only to corporations the rules for capital gains and losses relating to: (1) the sale of land with unharvested crop; (2) the disposal of coal or domestic iron ore; (3) gain or loss in the case of timber, coal, or domestic iron ore; (4) distribution of property; (5) collapsible partnerships; (6) property used in the trade or business and involuntary conversions; (7) the sale or exchange of patents; (8) amortization in excess of depreciation; (9) gain from the sale of depreciable property between certain related taxpayers; (10) gain from dispositions of certain depreciable property; (11) gain on foreign investment company stock; (12) the election by foreign investment companies to distribute income currently; (13) gain from certain sales or exchanges of stock in certain foreign corporations; (14) gain from certain sales or exchanges of patents, etc., to foreign corporations; (15) gain from disposition of certain depreciable realty; (16) gain from disposition of farm land; (17) gain from disposition of interest in oil, gas, or geothermal property; and (18) gain from disposition of property acquired with certain cost-sharing payments. Provides a transition period of ten-years, beginning on January 1, 1985, in which a taxpayer may elect to not apply the inflation adjustment to the basis of capital assets for purposes of determining capital gain or loss. Provides that when such election is made, 25 percent of any gain from the sale or disposition of such asset shall be excludible from gross income and 25 percent of any loss shall not be deductible. Title III: Capital Cost Recovery - Subtitle A: Simplified Cost Recovery System for Depletable Property - Allows individuals and corporations a depletion deduction for qualified depletable property equal to an applicable percentage determined by the cost recovery tables for cost recovery property. Requires that qualified depletable property be assigned to one class of recovery property. Uses the anticipated productive life of such depletable property (rather than the present class life as provided under current law) for making the assignment. Assigns oil, gas wells or wells drilled for any geothermal deposit to the class of three year property. Provides that these rules shall not deny any deduction allowable for loss sustained by reason of the abandonment of a nonproductive well or mine. Subtitle B: Other Changes - Repeals the income tax deductions for: (1) research and experimental expenditures; (2) soil and water conservation expenditures; (3) depreciation or amortization of improvements made by a lessee on a lessor's property; (4) expenditures by farmers for clearing land; (5) amortization of reforestation expenditures; (6) start-up expenditures; (7) intangible drilling and development costs in the case of oil and gas wells and geothermal wells; (8) percentage depletion; (9) development expenditures; and (10) deduction and recapture of certain mining exploration expenditures. Allows a ten-year period for the amortization of construction period interest and taxes. Allows a deduction for circulation expenses for a newspaper, magazine, or other periodical ratably over a five-year period. Excludes amounts chargeable to a capital account from such treatment. Title IV: Miscellaneous Provisions - Subtitle A: Foreign Income - Repeals the domestic international sales corporations (DISC) provisions for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1984. Subtitle B: Other Miscellaneous Provisions - Requires farmers to compute their taxable income using the accrual method of accounting with the capitalization of preproduction expenses. Exempts taxpayers who do not have gross receipts of $1,000,000. Requires farming syndicates to use the accrual method of accounting without regard to gross receipts. Requires the recognition of the gain or loss on distributions of property by corporations. Eliminates the special bad debt reserves of financial institutions. Reduces the percentage by which Social Security benefits must be reduced for income earned above certain amounts. Repeals the earnings reduction test for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1989. Title V: Effective Dates - Sets forth the effective dates of the provisions of this Act.

Federal Election Campaign Act Amendments of 1984

United States · United States Congress · 9 August 1984

Federal Election Campaign Act Amendments of 1984 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require labor organizations to report to the Federal Election Commission expenditures for: (1) communications to their membership regarding the election of clearly identified candidates; (2) voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives directed towards their members; and (3) contributions to a segregated fund for political purposes.

A joint resolution to designate the week of September 23, 1984, as "National Historically Black Colleges Week".

United States · United States Congress · 8 August 1984

Designates the week of September 23, 1984, as National Historically Black Colleges Week.

A bill to repeal the changes made by the Tax Reform Act of 1984 with respect to the tax treatment of debt instruments issued for property.

United States · United States Congress · 25 July 1984

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal rules relating to the determination of the issue price of certain debt instruments issued for property. Amends the Tax Reform Act of 1984 to repeal the revisions made to rules for the imputation of interest on certain deferred payments. Provides that the Internal Revenue Code shall be applied and administered as if such revisions had not been enacted.

A joint resolution to designate the month of November 1984 as "National Hospice Month".

United States · United States Congress · 29 June 1984

Designates November 1984 as National Hospice Month.

A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of the Congress that the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics should provide the signatories of the Helsinki Final Act with specific information as to the whereabouts, health, and legal status of Andrei Sakharov and Yelena Bonner.

United States · United States Congress · 28 June 1984

Expresses the sense of the Congress that in light of the Helsinki Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and other specified human rights agreements, the Soviet Union should: (1) provide the signatories of the Helsinki Final Act with information on the whereabouts, health, and legal status of Andrei Sakharov and Yelena Bonner; (2) void all charges against Yelena Bonner and issue her an exit visa in order to obtain medical care outside of the Soviet Union; and (3) allow them to live in the country of their choice. Urges the President to: (1) protest the Soviet Government's continued refusal to provide such information and to issue Yelena Bonner an exits visa; and (2) call upon all other signatory nations of the Helsinki Final Act to join in such protests.

A joint resolution to designate December 12, 1984 as "National Tumor Registrar Recognition Day".

United States · United States Congress · 27 June 1984

Designates December 12, 1984, as National Tumor Registrar Recognition Day.

A joint resolution to designate the week of October 14, 1984, through October 21, 1984, as "National Housing Week".

United States · United States Congress · 26 June 1984

Designates the week of October 14 through October 21, 1984, as National Housing Week.

Public School Civil Rights Act of 1984

United States · United States Congress · 21 June 1984

Public School Civil Rights Act of 1984 - Eliminates inferior Federal court jurisdiction to issue any order requiring the assignment or transportation of students to public schools on the basis of race, color, or national origin. Permits individuals and school boards to seek relief from court orders made prior to this Act unless the court makes certain findings, including: (1) that the acts giving rise to the order intentionally and specifically caused the segregation; (2) that no other remedy would work; and (3) that the benefits of the order outweigh its economic, social, and educational costs. Lists remedies which remain available for unconstitutional segregation.

Synthetic Fuels Reform and Budget Reduction Act

United States · United States Congress · 19 June 1984

Synthetic Fuels Reform and Budget Reduction Act - Provides that, except as provided below, all funds in the Energy Security Reserve shall be deposited in the Treasury and shall not be available for obligation with respect to synthetic fuels projects. Sets aside $500,000,000 of the funds in the Reserve to be made available to the Secretary of Energy to carry out a five-year program for the advanced research and development of coal utilization technologies. Provides that $2,500,000,000 which shall be available for obligations by the United States Synthetic Fuels Corporation in accordance with this Act and with the Energy Security Act, plus the funds necessary to meet obligations with respect to binding commitments entered into before enactment of this Act and still in effect, shall be retained in the Reserve. Requires the Corporation to submit for congressional approval a proposed comprehensive strategy to achieve the national synthetic production goal established under the United States Synthetic Fuels Corporation Act of 1980. Requires that such strategy be submitted within a specified time period. Requires that such strategy include a financial or investment prospectus justifying the proposed obligation of amounts retained in the Reserve for synthetic fuels projects. Permits such obligations only after the proposed strategy has been approved by joint resolution. Amends the United States Synthetic Fuels Corporation Act of 1980 to provide that the Administrative Procedure Act, the Freedom of Information Act, the Government in the Sunshine Act, and Federal law relating to disclosure of confidential information shall apply to the Corporation as if it were a Federal agency. Requires the Board of Directors of the Corporation to fix the compensation of Corporation officers and other employee categories in accordance with the Executive Schedule and the General Schedule. (Under current law, the Board must take the Executive and General Schedules into consideration in fixing such compensation.) Requires the Board of Directors, the Secretary of Energy, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to agree on a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a program for monitoring and accumulating data with respect to the technical performance, environmental and socioeconomic impacts, and economic viability of projects funded by the Corporation. Provides that contracts for financial assistance shall require the financial assistance recipient to develop a plan ensuring full cooperation with such program. Changes the date on which the Corporation shall terminate from September 30, 1997, to June 30, 1987. Provides that the liquidation of the Corporation and the winding up of its affairs shall be transferred to the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Energy, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency jointly in accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding agreed to by them if the Board of Directors of the Corporation has not completed the termination of the Corporation's affairs and its liquidation by the termination date. (Under current law, such duties are to be transferred to the Secretary of the Treasury only.)

A joint resolution to designate the week beginning September 2, 1984 as "Youth of America Week".

United States · United States Congress · 19 June 1984

Designates the week beginning September 2, 1984, as Youth of America Week.

A joint resolution designating the week beginning February 17, 1985, as a time to recognize volunteers who give their time to become Big Brothers and Big Sisters to youths in need of adult companionship.

United States · United States Congress · 18 June 1984

Designates the week beginning February 17, 1985, as a time to recognize the contributions of volunteers who give their time to become Big Brothers and Big Sisters to youths in need of adult companionship.

A bill to amend the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to prohibit the consideration of the age of housing in determining area eligibility and project selection under the urban development action grant program.

United States · United States Congress · 14 June 1984

Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to prohibit the consideration of the age of housing in determining area eligibility and project selection under the urban development action grant program.