United States · United States Congress · 2 February 1993
Declaration of Official Language Act of 1993 - Declares English to be the official language of the U.S. Government. States that English is the preferred language of communication among U.S. citizens. Requires the Government of the United States to promote and support the use of English for communications among U.S. citizens. Requires communications by officers and employees of the Government with U.S. citizens to be in English. Directs the Immigration and Naturalization Service to establish: (1) an English language proficiency standard for all applicants for U.S. citizenship; and (2) a written and oral examination to test for the achievement of such standard by such applicants. Repeals the Bilingual Education Act (title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965). Amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to repeal bilingual election requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 1993
Amends Federal law to prohibit any State from imposing an income tax on the pension income of any individual who is not a resident or domiciliary of that State.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 1993
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Sexual Violence Subtitle A: Penalties and Remedies Subtitle B: Rules of Evidence, Practice, and Procedure Subtitle C: Safe Campuses Subtitle D: Assistance to States and Localities Title II: Domestic Violence, Stalking, and Offenses Against the Family Title III: National Task Force on Violence Against Women Sexual Assault Prevention Act of 1993 - Title I: Sexual Violence - Subtitle A: Penalties and Remedies - Amends the Federal criminal code to provide for: (1) pretrial detention in sex offense cases; and (2) the death penalty for murders committed by sex offenders. Increases penalties for: (1) recidivist sex offenders; and (2) sex offenses against victims under age 16. Amends: (1) the Victims' Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 to require a governmental department or agency to pay for up to two tests for a sexual assault victim in the 12 months following the assault and a counseling session; (2) the Controlled Substances Act to provide for increased penalties for distribution of a controlled substance to a woman while she is pregnant; and (3) the Federal criminal code to authorize the restitution of victims of sex offenses. Establishes a civil remedy for victims of sexual violence. Subtitle B: Rules of Evidence, Practice, and Procedure - Amends the Federal Rules of Evidence to allow evidence of similar offenses in criminal or civil sexual assault and child molestation cases. Revises Federal Rule of Evidence 412 (rape victim shield law). Adds a Federal Rule of Evidence that, in a criminal case in which a person is accused of a sex offense, evidence is not admissible to show that the alleged victim invited or provoked the commission of the offense. Enacts rules to be known as the Rules of Professional Conduct for Lawyers in Federal Practice. Subtitle C: Safe Campuses - Requires the Attorney General to provide for a national baseline study on campus sexual assault. Subtitle D: Assistance to States and Localities - Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to support projects and programs relating to sexual violence. Title II: Domestic Violence, Stalking, and Offenses Against the Family - Amends the Federal criminal code to establish penalties for interstate travel to commit spouse abuse or to violate a protective order. Establishes penalties (including restitution) for noncompliance with child support obligations in interstate cases. Provides for full faith and credit of protective orders among the States. Directs the Attorney General to: (1) prepare a report on the status of battered women's syndrome as a medical and psychological condition and on its effect in criminal trials; (2) conduct a study of the means by which abusive spouses may obtain information concerning the addresses or locations of estranged or former spouses; and (3) complete a study of problems of recordkeeping of criminal complaints involving domestic violence. Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to support projects and programs relating to domestic violence and other criminal and unlawful acts that particularly affect women. Title III: National Task Force on Violence Against Women - Establishes the National Task Force on Violence Against Women to develop a uniform Federal, State, and local law enforcement strategy aimed at protecting women against violent crimes, punishing persons who commit such crimes, and enhancing the rights of the victims.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 1993
Requires all executive orders, Department of Defense directives, and regulations of the military departments concerning the appointment, enlistment, induction, and retention of homosexuals in the armed forces, as in effect on January 1, 1993, to remain in effect unless specifically changed by law.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1993
National Commemorative Events Advisory Act - Establishes the President's Advisory Commission on National Commemorative Events to: (1) establish criteria for recommending to the President that a proposed commemorative event be approved or disapproved; (2) review proposals for national commemorative events submitted in accordance with procedures published by the Commission; and (3) issue recommendations to the President concerning each proposal reviewed.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1993
Private Property Protection Act of 1993 - Prohibits any regulation issued by an executive agency after enactment of this Act from becoming effective until the issuing agency is certified by the Attorney General to be in compliance with Executive Order 12360 or similar procedures to assess the potential for the taking of private property in the course of Federal regulatory activity, with the goal of minimizing such takings where possible. Provides for limited judicial review of an action taken pursuant to this Act. Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to study and report to the Congress on the effect this Act will have on the farm economy and agricultural production.
United States · United States Congress · 21 January 1993
Investment Tax Incentive Act of 1993 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow the depreciation deduction to be computed based on a neutral recovery basis for property placed in service after December 31, 1992. Repeals the special depreciation rules applicable under the adjusted current earnings provisions of the minimum tax.
United States · United States Congress · 21 January 1993
Prisoner-of-War Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to issue a specified number of one-dollar coins emblematic of the experience of American prisoners of war. Requires that all sales of such coins include a surcharge of $5 per coin. Requires specified proceeds from such surcharges to be paid to the: (1) Secretary of the Interior for construction of the Andersonville Prisoner-of-War Museum in Andersonville, Georgia; (2) endowment fund established by this Act for the maintenance of such Museum; and (3) Secretary of Veterans Affairs to maintain national cemeteries.
United States · United States Congress · 21 January 1993
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should: (1) negotiate a new base rights agreement with the Government of Panama to allow the permanent stationing of U.S. military forces in Panama beyond 1999 and to ensure that the United States will be able to act independently to maintain the security and operation of the Panama Canal; and (2) consult with the Congress throughout such negotiations.
United States · United States Congress · 21 January 1993
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) expert testimony concerning the nature and effect of domestic violence should be admissible when offered in a State court by a defendant in a criminal case to assist the trier of fact in understanding the defendant in a domestic relationship in which abuse has occurred; (2) a witness should be qualified and permitted to testify as an expert witness in the form of an opinion; and (3) a domestic relationship about which such expert testimony should be admissible includes relationships between present or former spouses, cohabitants, and partners or between persons who are or have been in a dating courtship or intimate relationship.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1993
Political Broadcasting Access Act of 1993 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require each licensee for a broadcasting station to make available annually free broadcast time for political advertising. Provides standards for time allotment, including total time to be allotted, the length of each unit of such free time, and the hours of the day and the time of the year in which such free time must be allowed. Requires national political parties meeting certain minimum qualifying standards to be treated equally for purposes of such allotment. Provides that nothing in this Act shall restrict a candidate's or party's right to purchase other broadcast time on such station. Requires a cable operator to make available annually free cable time for political advertising under similar requirements. Prohibits the renewal of a franchise of any cable operator that fails to comply with such requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the personal exemption for a dependent child who has not attained age 18 from $2,000 to $3,500. Provides for rounding inflation adjustments to tax tables to the nearest multiple of $10 (currently rounded to the next lowest multiple of $50).
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
Taxpayer Debt Buy-Down Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow every individual with adjusted income tax liability to designate on their tax returns that a portion of such liability (not to exceed ten percent) be used to reduce the public debt. Establishes a Public Debt Reduction Trust Fund for the deposit of designated amounts. Makes amounts in such Trust Fund available only to pay at maturity, or to redeem or buy before maturity, any obligation of the Federal Government included in the public debt. Prohibits the reissuance of any obligation which is paid, redeemed, or bought with amounts from the Trust Fund. Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) to provide for the sequestration of amounts designated to the Trust Fund. Specifies accounts exempt from such sequestration. Includes aggregated amounts designated to the Trust Fund and amounts sequestered to reduce the public debt in sequestration preview and final reports.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
Securities Private Enforcement Reform Act - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to declare that a defendant may be liable jointly and severally for damages in an implied private action only if the trier of fact specifically determines that the defendant knowingly engaged in securities fraud. Sets forth a liability allocation scheme to determine the percentage of responsibility among the defendants if the trier of fact finds that the defendant did not engage in knowing securities fraud. Prescribes guidelines for the award of reasonable fees and expenses incurred by the prevailing party in any implied private action. Declares that in any implied right of action that is certified as a plaintiff class action: (1) the share that is awarded to the representative plaintiff shall be calculated in the same manner as the share awarded to all other members of the plaintiff class; (2) a party may not be represented by any attorney who owns or has a beneficial interest in the securities that are the subject of the litigation, or who is obligated to pay remuneration to a third party for assistance in obtaining the representation of any party to the action; and (3) funds disgorged as a result of Securities and Exchange Commission action shall not be distributed as payment for attorneys' fees or expenses incurred by private parties seeking distribution of the disgorged funds. Sets a statute of limitations on private rights of action under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
Congressional Accountability Act - Makes applicable to the Congress the following Federal laws to the extent they relate to the terms and conditions of employment, the health and safety of employees, and the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees: (1) Social Security Act; (2) National Labor Relations Act; (3) Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938; (4) Civil Rights Act of 1964; (5) Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; (6) Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970; (7) title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; (8) Rehabilitation Act of 1973; (9) Privacy Act of 1974; (10) Age Discrimination Act of 1975; (11) Ethics in Government Act of 1978; and (12) Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Makes applicable to the Congress the Freedom of Information Act and specified provisions of Federal law relating to the independent counsel.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
Older Americans' Freedom to Work Act of 1993 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to remove the limitation on the amount of outside income which beneficiaries who have attained retirement age may earn without incurring a reduction in benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
Garnishment Equalization Act of 1993 - Provides for the treatment of Federal pay in the same manner as non-Federal pay with respect to garnishment. Allows administrative costs to be included in such garnishment.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
Federal Mandate Relief Act of 1993 - Provides that any requirement under a Federal statute or regulation that a State or local government conduct an activity (including a requirement that a government meet national standards in providing a service) shall apply to the government only if all funds necessary to pay the direct costs incurred by the government in conducting the activity are provided by the Federal Government.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Improved Access to Affordable Health Care Coverage Subtitle A: Increased Affordability and Availability for Employees Subtitle B: Improved Small Employer Purchasing Power of Affordable Health Insurance Subtitle C: Health Deduction Fairness Subtitle D: Improved Access to Community Health Services Subtitle E: Improved Access to Rural Health Services Title II: Health Care Cost Containment and Quality Enhancement Subtitle A: Medical Malpractice Liability Reform Subtitle B: Administrative Cost Savings Subtitle C: Medical Savings Accounts (Medisave) Subtitle D: Medicaid Program Flexibility Subtitle E: Limitations on Physician Self-Referrals Subtitle F: Removing Restrictions on Managed Care Subtitle G: Medicare Payment Changes Subtitle H: Limitation of Antitrust Recovery for Certain Hospital Joint Ventures Subtitle I: Encouraging Enforcement Activities of Medical Self-Regulatory Entities Action Now Health Care Reform Act of 1993 - Title I: Improved Access to Affordable Health Care Coverage - (Sec. 102) Preempts inconsistent State laws. (Sec. 103) Requires small employer health insurance carriers to offer a MedAccess basic plan (providing only benefits for essential preventive and medical services and having an actuarial value not over 60 percent of a MedAccess standard plan) and a MedAccess standard plan (providing benefits typical of the small employer market). Amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to tax the failure of a carrier or plan to comply with related standards. Mandates: (1) acceptance of every small employer and full-time employee; or (2) in States that so provide, allocation of risk. (Sec. 104) Regulates pre-existing condition requirements, premiums, rating practices disclosure, minimum participation requirements, and renewability. (Sec. 108) Mandates development of models for reinsurance or allocation of risk mechanisms. Requires State (or Federal) establishment of at least one mechanism in each State. Amends the IRC to impose a tax in any such Federal reinsurance State. (Sec. 110) Establishes the Office of Private Health Care Coverage and a related advisory committee. (Sec. 111) Authorizes research and demonstration projects on the impact of these provisions on the availability of affordable small employer coverage. Requires: (1) methods for measuring the relative health risks of eligible individuals; and (2) a model for equitably distributing health risks among small employer carriers. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 121) Preempts State laws: (1) requiring the offering of health plans providing certain services; and (2) prohibiting employer groups from purchasing health insurance. (Sec. 131) Amends the IRC to increase and make permanent deductions for the health insurance costs of self-employed individuals. (Sec. 141) Amends the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) to provide for grants to: (1) migrant and community health centers and to entities providing health services for the homeless to promote primary health services for underserved individuals; and (2) increase access to outpatient primary services in certain geographic areas. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 171) Changes the heading of title XII (Trauma Care) of the PHSA to "Emergency Medical Services" and makes similar changes to references within the title. (Sec. 172) Authorizes grants to States for State offices of emergency medical services. (Sec. 173) Requires projects under existing provisions to include demonstrations on telecommunications between rural medical facilities and other medical facilities with useful expertise or equipment. (Sec. 174) Authorizes appropriations to carry out specified provisions of title XII. (Sec. 181) Mandates grants to States for rural air medical transport systems. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 191) Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to extend special payments for the inpatient services of small, rural Medicare-dependent hospitals. Title II: Health Care Cost Containment and Quality Enhancement - (Sec. 211) Reforms medical malpractice regarding: (1) a statute of limitations; (2) use of alternative dispute resolution systems (ADRs), including for claims against the United States; (3) settlement offers and conferences; (4) noneconomic and punitive damages; (5) periodic payment for future damages; (6) mandatory offsets for collateral source payments; (7) contingent attorney's fees; (8) several and joint liability; (9) findings of negligence; (10) practice guidelines sanctioned as affirmative defenses; (11) the standard of proof regarding certain labor and delivery circumstances; (12) supersedure of certain State laws; and (13) establishment and certification of State ADRs. (Sec. 241) Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to authorize appropriations for sanctioning guidelines as affirmative defenses. Mandates: (1) research and demonstrations on the use of data on malpractice actions; and (2) development of a standard reporting form for State ADRs in transmitting information on disputes resolved. (Sec. 242) Authorizes State professional disciplinary agencies to make agreements with professional societies to allow the societies to: (1) participate in licensing; and (2) review malpractice allegations or other information on the practice patterns of a practitioner. (Sec. 243) Requires each health professional and provider to participate in a risk management program. (Sec. 244) Mandates grants: (1) for basic research on malpractice prevention and compensation and outcomes research; (2) to States to improve licensing and discipline; and (3) for public education on appropriate health care use and realistic expectations, public education on the resources and role of licensing and disciplinary boards, and development of faculty training and curricula regarding quality assurance, risk management, and medical injury protection. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 245) Mandates a study on factors preventing or discouraging physicians from volunteering in medically underserved areas. (Sec. 251) Regulates: (1) data elements, uniform claims forms, and uniform electronic transmission of data elements; (2) provider claims submission; and (3) hospital and non-hospital electronic medical data. (Sec. 262) Requires hospitals, in order to participate in Medicare, to maintain and electronically transmit clinical data on patients in a set of electronic comprehensive data elements. (Sec. 263) Provides for electronic transmission of data elements to Federal agencies. (Sec. 264) Prohibits plans from requiring that a provider provide any data element not in the set or transmit any data element in a manner inconsistent with standards. (Sec. 265) Establishes an advisory commission. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 271) Provides for a comparative health care value program in each State. Authorizes grants and appropriations. (Sec. 273) Requires each Federal agency concerned with health insurance or care to develop comparative value information. (Sec. 274) Mandates model systems for the gathering and analysis of data on health care cost, quality, and outcome. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 281) Provides for standards regarding Medicare and Medicaid identification cards. Establishes a Medicare and Medicaid system to provide information on primary payors. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 282) Nullifies any State law requiring that medical or health insurance records be maintained in written rather than electronic form. (Sec. 283) Provides for standards regarding: (1) beneficiary and provider identification numbers; and (2) coordination of benefits. (Sec. 285) Mandates grants to demonstrate the application of comprehensive information systems in continuously monitoring patient care and improving patient care. Authorizes appropriations from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund. Authorizes grants for: (1) communication links between plan and provider information systems; (2) regional or community-based clinical information systems; and (3) developing and testing, for physicians and non-hospital entities, the definition of a comprehensive data set and the specification and presentation of individual data elements. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 291) Amends the IRC to exclude from an employee's gross income any amount contributed by the employer to a trust created exclusively to pay an individual's medical expenses (medical savings account). Sets contribution limits. Subjects the employee to taxation as owner of the account. (Sec. 301) Amends Medicaid provisions to modify contracting requirements for coordinated care services. (Sec. 311) Amends Medicare provisions to extend physician self-referral limitations to all payors and certain additional services. Revises exceptions. (Sec. 314) Mandates a study to estimate the changes in aggregate costs that will result from the amendments made by these provisions. (Sec. 321) Preempts managed care restrictions under State law. Mandates a study of managed care benefits and cost effectiveness. (Sec. 331) Amends Medicare provisions to revise the method for determining prospective payment updates to hospitals. (Sec. 332) Lowers the limitation amount and suspends certain annual adjustments regarding clinical diagnostic laboratory tests. (Sec. 343) Limits antitrust recovery to actual damages if certain requirements are met, including the filing and publication of information regarding hospital joint ventures. (Sec. 345) Establishes the Interagency Committee on Competition, Antitrust Policy, and Health Care. (Sec. 351) Prohibits, subject to exception, damages and other recovery under the Clayton Act or similar State laws from a medical self-regulatory entity engaging in standard setting or enforcement activities designed to promote the quality of health care and not conducted for financial gain.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
Language of Government Act of 1993 - Declares English to be the official language of the U.S. Government. States that the Government has an affirmative obligation to preserve and enhance the role of English as the official language. Requires the Government to conduct its official business in English. Prohibits anyone from being denied Government services because they communicate in English.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
Life Imprisonment for Egregious Recidivists Act of 1993 - Amends the Federal criminal code to require the court, in the case of a conviction for a Federal violent felony, to sentence the defendant to life imprisonment if the defendant has previously been convicted of two other violent felonies. Specifies that this provision shall not be construed to prevent the imposition of the death penalty.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
Drug Testing Quality Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish a program for the certification of laboratories for the performance of toxicological urinalysis for drug testing programs. Requires the program to conform to specified mandatory guidelines. Mandates regulations to ensure the integrity of drug testing programs. Sets forth specimen collection procedures. Prohibits: (1) performing urinalysis for drug testing without certification; and (2) subject to exception, testing for a drug or drug class not listed in certain provisions. Provides for criminal penalties, administrative remedies, injunctions, and certain civil actions. Requires fees for certification and recertification to cover costs.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide employers with a 50 percent tax credit for English language education expenses incurred on behalf of employees working in the United States or its possessions. Prohibits the deduction of such expenses if such credit is taken.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
Repeals specified portions of the Unemployment Compensation Amendments of 1992 (Public Law 102-318) which: (1) provide for optional trustee-to-trustee transfers of eligible rollover distributions; and (2) impose a withholding tax on distributions not so transferred. Requires the Internal Revenue Code to be applied and administered as if such provisions (and the amendments made by such provisions) had not been enacted.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
Constitutional Amendment - Requires the Congress, prior to each fiscal year, to adopt a statement in which total Federal outlays do not exceed total receipts, unless a three-fifths vote of both Houses authorizes a specific excess. Limits the rate of increase in receipts in the statement to that of the increase in national income in the previous calendar year, unless law is enacted solely to approve specific additional receipts. Directs the President to submit a balanced budget. Authorizes waiver of these provisions in time of war. Sets a permanent limit on the amount of Federal public debt, prohibiting any increase unless legislation enacted by a three-fifths majority of both Houses become law.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
Constitutional Amendment - Declares that nothing in the Constitution shall prohibit the inclusion of voluntary prayer in any public school program or activity. Provides that neither the United States nor any State shall prescribe the content of any such prayer.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to contract with a private entity for the random mandatory testing of House Members for the illegal use of controlled substances. Outlines the procedures for conducting such drug testing, which include providing the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct the results of such tests. Directs the Committee to take action under House rules in the case of positive test results.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
Declares that the Congress opposes any attempt to lower the estate tax exemption or raise the effective rate of taxes on estates because such measures contradict the fundamental goal of the United States Government of encouraging long-term private saving through which productive investment that promotes economic growth can be realized.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1993
Recognizes the benefits of cultural diversity and the contributions that many languages have made to American society. Encourages citizens whose native language is other than English to maintain fluency in their language and heritage, to pass it down from generation to generation, and to learn English as well. Commends efforts to maintain one language common to all people in addition to preserving and maintaining the many languages and cultures existing in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 2 October 1992
Taxpayer Debt Buy-Down Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individuals with adjusted income tax liability to designate on their tax returns that a portion of such liability (not to exceed ten percent) be used to reduce the public debt. Establishes a Public Debt Reduction Trust Fund for the deposit of designated amounts. Makes amounts in such Trust Fund available only to pay at maturity, or to redeem or buy before maturity, any obligation of the Federal Government included in the public debt. Prohibits the reissuance of any obligation which is paid, redeemed, or bought with amounts from the Trust Fund. Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) to provide for the sequestration of amounts designated to the Trust Fund. Specifies accounts exempt from such sequestration. Includes aggregated amounts designated to the Trust Fund and amounts sequestered to reduce the public debt in sequestration preview and final reports.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 1992
Family Leave Tax Credit Act of 1992 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an employer an income tax credit for 20 percent of qualified employee compensation with respect to an employee who is on family leave. Defines family leave as leave in connection with the birth of a child, the placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care, the care of a child, spouse, or parent with a serious health condition, or the treatment of a serious health condition which makes the employee unable to perform the functions of his or her position. Limits such credit to employers with 500 or fewer employees, the amount of qualified compensation, and the maximum period for the use of such leave.
United States · United States Congress · 12 August 1992
Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain portions of roads within the boundaries of the Shenandoah National Park to the Commonwealth of Virginia subject to the following conditions: (1) such conveyance shall be limited to the roads as they exist on the enactment of this Act; and (2) if any road conveyed under this Act is no longer used as a public roadway, all rights, title, and interest in it shall revert to the United States.
![Official portrait of Rep. Bliley, Tom [R-VA-7]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b000556_200.jpg)