United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income a corporate stock distribution to a stockholder based upon the reinvestment of stock dividends in the corporation by such stockholder pursuant to his election to participate in a qualified dividend reinvestment plan, as defined in this Act. Limits the amount of such exclusion to $1,500 per year. Establishes a rebuttable presumption that a distribution made by a corporation which purchases its common stock within one year of such distribution shall not be deemed a distribution pursuant to a qualified dividend reinvestment plan.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Prohibits rules promulgated by any Federal agency (except an emergency rule which must become immediately effective to prevent serious injury or the substantial frustration of legislative policies or intent) from becoming effective until such proposed rules have been submitted to Congress and a 60-day period has lapsed thereafter. Prevents such rules from becoming effective if disapproved by either House of Congress within such 60-day period. Permits disapproval of emergency rules. Prohibits the submission to Congress of any rule identical to one which has been disapproved unless submitted pursuant to new legislative authority which has been enacted affecting agency's powers with respect to the subject matter of such rule. Renders agency rules dealing with emergency or routine matters or which will have an insignificant impact effective without publication of advance notice of proposed rulemaking proceedings in the Federal Register as is currently required. Renders any rule granting an exemption to another rule or which is exempt from public notice and comment requirements effective immediately.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Regulatory Agency Abolition Act - Abolishes each Federal regulatory agency three years after enactment of this Act unless prior to such date the President and Congress study the effectiveness of such agencies and Congress thereafter adopts a resolution disapproving such abolition. Provides that each regulatory agency established after the date of enactment of this Act shall be abolished three years from the date on which it was first empowered unless the President and Congress take the steps outlined above. Directs the President to submit to Congress a plan for the orderly transfer of duties essential to the public health, safety, or welfare from an abolished agency to the President or to a successor agency. Provides that all orders, rules, certificates, judicial proceedings and licenses made effective by agencies abolished by this Act shall continue in effect until repealed or superceded by the President.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an individual age 62 or over an exclusion from gross income of up to $3,000 of interest income that would otherwise be includible. Reduces the amount of the exclusion by one-half of the amount by which the individual's adjusted gross income exceeds $5,500.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individuals an income tax credit for specified medical expenses (including insurance) paid for themselves, their spouses, and dependents. Limits such credit to 50 percent of the amount by which such medical expenses exceed ten, but are less than 20, percent of the individuals adjusted gross income. Allows a full credit for amounts by which such medical expenses exceed 20 percent of adjusted gross income. Repeals the current income tax deduction for medical and dental expenses. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, to draft regulations to prevent fraudulent claims under this Act and to provide for timely payments of refunds to individuals claiming a credit under the provisions of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Congressional Oversight and Regulatory Responsibility Act of 1979 - Requires a copy of each proposed rule of a Federal agency to be sent to Congress. States that such rule, other than an emergency rule, shall not become effective if it is disapproved within 60 days by either House of Congress. Establishes, as a joint committee of Congress, the Joint Committee on Agency Rules. Makes it the responsibility of such committee to study agency rules promulgated on or after the effective date of this Act, and to report a resolution to Congress if such committee determines such a rule should be disapproved. Sets forth the membership and administrative procedure of such committee. Requires the Administrative Conference of the United States to study Congressional review of agency rulemaking under this Act, and to report its findings to Congress before October 1, 1983. Requires Federal agencies: (1) to give interested persons at least 60 days to participate in rulemaking procedures; and (2) at the request of any such person, to hold a public hearing on a proposed rule. Makes this Act effective at the beginning of the second session of the 96th Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require an annual cost-of-living adjustment, based on the Consumer Price Index, to the individual income tax rates and the personal exemption.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt government chartered air museums operated exclusively for the care or use of antique, custom-built, racing, military or other special types of aircraft from the excise taxes on special fuels and the use of civil aircraft.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Grants a Federal charter to the Gold Star Wives of America. Declares that the purpose of such corporation is to aid widows and children of persons who died in the service of their country.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Title I: Authorizations and Miscellaneous Amendments - Amends the Small Business Act to authorize appropriations for specified programs and expenses of the Small Business Administration. States that all appropriations, whether specifically or generally authorized, shall remain available until expended. Authorizes the Administration to make disaster loans available to small business concerns affected by a shortage of energy-producing resources caused by a strike, boycott, or embargo unless such strike, boycott or embargo is directly against such small business concern. Makes specified low-interest disaster loans available until October 1, 1982. Amends the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to repeal the authority of the Administration to invest sums from the revolving fund for surety bond guarantees in Treasury bonds, obligations, and other guaranteed debt securities. Authorizes such investments from the revolving fund for qualified contract guarantees. Transfers specified provisions of the Act which established an Office of Advocacy within the Small Business Administration to the Small Business Act. Title II: Small Business Development Centers - Authorizes the Small Business Administration to make grants to States, State agencies, regional entities, State-chartered development credit corporations, and institutions of higher learning to assist in establishing Small Business Development Centers. Requires such grants to be matched in equal amounts by funds from non-Federal sources. Establishes additional restrictions on such grants for fiscal years 1979 through 1982. States that Small Business Development Centers shall have a full-time staff, business and technology analysts, information and professional specialists, and access to laboratory and engineering facilities. Requires such Centers to provide small businesses with business and technology counseling, information on government regulations, library services, and comprehensive studies and surveys. Directs federally funded laboratories and innovation centers to cooperate with the Small Business Development Centers. Requires the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to appoint a Deputy Associate Administrator for Management and Technical Assistance to administer the Small Business Development Center program. Establishes a National Small Business Development Center Advisory Board consisting of nine civilian members. Sets forth provisions governing the appointment of members, a Chairman, meetings, and compensation of the Board. Directs the Small Business Administration to conduct an evaluation of the Development Center program and to submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress within three years. Title III: White House Conference on Small Business - White House Conference on Small Business Act - Directs the President to convene a White House Conference on Small Business by June 30, 1980, to identify the problems of small business concerns and to make recommendations for executive and legislative action. Requires the Conference to submit a report to the President and the Congress within one year of the date it convenes. Requires the Small Business Administration to report to the Congress within three years on the status and implementation of the findings and recommendations of the Conference. Authorizes appropriations for the expenses of the Conference.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit an individual income tax credit for qualified energy conservation expenditures with respect to a home which is owned by the taxpayer and is used by an individual other than the taxpayer as his principal residence.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to permit the National Committee of American Airmen Rescued by General Mihailovich to construct a monument to General Mihailovich on Federal public land within the District of Columbia or its environs.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Prohibits the Secretary of the Treasury from implementing a proposed revenue procedure entitled, "Proposed Revenue Procedure on Private Tax-Exempt Schools," or any other guidelines for determining whether private schools have forfeited their tax-exempt status through the adoption of racially discriminatory policies, during the period beginning with the enactment of this Act and ending on December 31, 1980.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit the Internal Revenue Service from terminating the tax-exempt status of an educational institution for reasons of racial discrimination unless such organization has been adjudicated as racially discriminatory by a State or Federal court.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Legislative Oversight Act of 1979 - Title I: Requirements for Authorization Bills - Requires all legislation considered by either House of Congress which authorizes new budget authority or increased tax expenditures to include a statement of objectives of the program to be authorized or established and a requirement that the agencies administering the program report annually to Congress to assist it in determining whether such program should be amended. Requires such agency reports to list the costs and accomplishments of each program. Title II: Requirements for Reports Accompanying Authorization Bills - Requires committee reports accompanying such legislation to identify expected economic and social costs and benefits of new programs authorized or established by such legislation, potentially duplicative programs, and previous efforts to accomplish the objectives of the program being considered. Requires reports to contain an assessment of the degree to which an existing program, authorization, or tax expenditure has met previously stated objectives. Requires the Comptroller General to publish and periodically update a descriptive catalog of interrelated Federal activities which compares program costs and accomplishments and describes program interrelationships, including the extent to which programs are duplicative. Title III: Presidential Budget Recommendations - Requires the President's budget to describe the relationship between the President's recommended program budgets and the program accomplishments reported by Federal agencies under this Act. Title IV: Authorization Time Limit; Certain Obligations Not Impaired - Prohibits congressional consideration of any legislation which authorizes new budget authority or provides new or increased tax expenditures, or new spending authority for a period exceeding five years. Exempts from this prohibition national debt service and payments to individuals from Federal trust funds to which such individuals have contributed. Title V: Miscellaneous Provisions; Effective Date - Recognizes the authority of either House to amend this Act. Sets the effective date of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Food and Drug Reform Act of 1978 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to eliminate the testing of new drugs and new animal drugs for effectiveness. Requires a label on such a drug stating that it has not been tested or reviewed for efficacy by the Federal Government. Reduces the reporting requirements on applications for new drugs and new animal drugs to require only a summary, not a full report, on each investigation, and to prohibit any required submission of such a report within four years of the date of submission of the application. Requires the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, prior to issuing, amending or repealing any regulation under such Act, to issue a comprehensive economic impact statement addressing specified questions. Requires semiannual reports to Congress on the status of each new drug and new animal drug application which has not been approved or disapproved 30 days before such submission. Establishes drug advisory committees which shall promptly review an application and submit recommendations to the Secretary within 90 days. Grants applicants the right to a mandatory review within 30 days after receiving an adverse recommendation. Requires the Secretary to publish the clinical and preclinical summaries of new drugs and new animal drugs whose applications are approved. Exempts small businesses from the requirement of preclinical test reports on drugs used solely in investigational research, if such research will be conducted by experts from a public or other nonprofit school of medicine, dentistry, or veterinary medicine. Requires Congressional review of the administration of such Act by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in 1982 and every six years thereafter. Directs the Secretary to establish within the Department an office to provide compliance assistance to small manufacturers of new drugs and new animal drugs.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Two-Step Budget Process Act 1978 - Title I: Amendments to the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 - Amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to require that the contents of the first concurrent resolution of the budget be separated into two titles. States that the first title shall contain: (1) the level of total budget outlays and total new budget authority; (2) the amount of any surplus or deficit; (3) the recommended level of Federal revenues; and (4) the appropriate level of the public debt. Requires the second title to contain the levels of new budget authority and estimates of budget outlays for each of the major functional categories. Prescribes a two-step process for the consideration of amendments to such budget resolution by which amendments to the first title must be considered and disposed of prior to the consideration of amendments to the second title. Title II: Miscellaneous Provisions - States that such amendments are enacted as an exercise of Congressional rulemaking power.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the carryover basis provisions enacted by the Tax Reform Act of 1976 which provide that beneficiaries receiving property from a decedent's estate will retain the decedent's basis in the property. Restores prior law which "stepped up" or "stepped down" the property's basis to its market value at the time of death without imposing tax consequences on the appreciation or depreciation the property underwent while held by the decedent.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits compelling a student to attend a public school other than the one nearest his residence which is located within the school district in which the student resides and which provides the course of study pursued by such student. Grants Congress the power to enforce by appropriate legislation the provisions of this amendment, and to insure equal educational opportunities for all students wherever located.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Constitutional Amendment - States that Congress shall make no appropriations for any fiscal year which exceed the total revenues of the United States for such year. Prohibits spending by, or on behalf of, the United States which exceeds the total revenue for that year. Suspends such requirements when Congress declares war or national emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits any Member of Congress sentenced during any Congress for conviction of a felony from continuing to serve as a Member of such Congress after the date of sentencing.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Constitutional Amendment - Provides that total appropriations shall not exceed estimated revenues. Authorizes the suspension of such prohibition in time of war or national emergency. Prohibits any increase in the national debt as it exists on the date this article is ratified. Sets forth a schedule for repayment of the national debt.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits total Federal expenditures from exceeding total receipts. Authorizes suspension of such prohibition for a congressional term in time of war or national emergency upon the concurrence of three-fourths of the Members of both Houses of Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Constitutional Amendment - Provides that total appropriations shall not exceed estimated revenues. Authorizes the suspension of such prohibition in time of war or national emergency. Prohibits any increase in the national debt as it exists on the date this article is ratified. Sets forth a schedule for repayment of the national debt.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1979
Establishes the Claude Pepper Senior Citizen Congressional Intern program which authorizes each Member of Congress to hire each year one senior citizen intern to serve within the District of Columbia for one of two two-week periods. Specifies that such intern shall be compensated at a rate not to exceed $300 per week.
United States · United States Congress · 14 October 1978
American Tax Reduction Act - States as the purposes of this Act: (1) the reduction of the public debt; (2) the imposition of limits on Federal spending; (3) the inducement of Members of Congress to eliminate unneeded Federal programs; (4) the reduction of individual income taxes; (5) tax relief for homeowners; and (6) the indexation of tax rates to reflect inflation of income. Title I: Individual Income Tax Rate Reductions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce individual and estate and trust income tax rates for 1979, 1980, and 1981 and to make a permanent reduction in such rates for years after 1981. Title II: Provisions Relating to Capital Gains - Reduces the alternative tax on capital gains to 15 percent of the net capital gain. Eliminates capital gains as an item of tax preference for purposes of the minimum and maximum tax. Allows a taxpayer to elect to offset against taxable income all capital losses not in excess of taxable income. Permits a one year carryover of losses in excess of taxable income. Permits a one-time exclusion from gross income of $100,000 of the gain from the sale or exchange of a principal residence. Title III: Provisions Relating to Indexing for Inflation - Requires inflation adjustments to income brackets for purposes of the individual income tax, the normal tax on corporate income, and the surtax exemption. Requires a similar adjustment to capital assets for purposes of determining gain or loss and for estates and gifts in determining the tax at the time of transfer. Title IV: Reduction in Federal Spending - Limits Federal spending to 18 percent of the gross national product by 1983. Prohibits the consideration of any bill in Congress which would cause the spending limit to be exceeded. Title V: Reduction of the Public Debt - Requires the application of two percent of the annual Federal budget to the retirement of the Federal deficit.
United States · United States Congress · 13 October 1978
Provides that, in accordance with the separation of powers under the Constitution, the President should not unilaterally take any action abrogating or affecting the validity of any of the security treaties comprising the post-World War II complex of treaties, including mutual defense treaties, without the full and explicit approval of the Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 1978
Constitutional Amendment - Provides that Members of the House of Representatives shall serve for terms of four years and that such Members may not serve more than three consecutive terms.
United States · United States Congress · 4 October 1978
Constitutional Amendment - Provides that total expenditures shall not exceed total revenues for any fiscal year. Authorizes the suspension of such prohibition in time of war or by a vote of two-thirds of the members of the Senate and the House. Directs the amount of any annual deficit be considered an expenditure of the United States in the following fiscal year. Permits the Congress to apportion any annual deficit over the four following fiscal years, or to include such deficit in the gross Federal debt. Directs the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to reduce the public debt of the United States through open-market operations.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 1978
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States, while seeking to improve relations with the People's Republic of China, shall continue to maintain full diplomatic relations with the Republic of China and shall not alter its Mutual Defense Treaty with such country.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 1978
Sunset Program Reauthorization and Evaluation Act - Title I: Reauthorization of New Budget Authority - Requires Government programs to be evaluated pursuant to a specified schedule to determine whether each such program should be continued, terminated, or altered (reauthorization review). Prohibits the authorization of new budget authority for a period of more than ten years. Prohibits the authorization of new budget authority for any program for which there has not been conducted a reauthorization review. Requires the Director of the Congressional Budget Office, in consulation with the Comptroller General and the Director of the Congressional Research Service, to compile a list of programs subject to a reauthorization date for which new budget authority was not authorized. Title II: Program Inventory - Requires the Comptroller General to compile an inventory of Federal programs including a description of such programs covering specified topics. Title III: Program Review and Evaluation - Requires each House of Congress to select from the programs scheduled for reauthorization review in any given year a number of programs for comprehensive reauthorization review. Requires the President and each congressional committee to recommend such programs. Title IV: Citizens' Commission on the Organization and Operation of Government - Establishes an independent Citizen's Commission on the Organization and Operation of Government to study the organization and operation of Federal agencies and to recommend ways to improve the efficiency and operations of such agencies. Requires the Commission to submit its final report by July 1, 1983, and terminates the Commission 90 days after the submission of such report. Title V: Miscellaneous - Requires the Comptroller General to furnish Congress with the results of prior audits and reviews of programs being reviewed under this Act. Requires all agencies which are exempt from reauthorization review to submit a status report to Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 8 August 1978
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Environmental Protection Agency, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Federal courts should expedite all remaining administrative and judicial proceedings with respect to the Seabrook Nuclear Station project (New Hampshire), and that all licensing and permitting procedures for the construction and operation of nuclear generating stations should be reviewed and modified to improve the efficiency of such procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 1978
Sugar Stabilization Act - Title I: International Sugar Agreement - Authorizes the President to limit the entry, or withdrawal from warehouse, for consumption in the United States, of sugar from any country not a member of the International Sugar Organization, and otherwise to regulate foreign trade in sugar to implement the International Sugar Agreement. Establishes civil penalties for the violation of such regulations. Requires the President to submit to Congress an annual report on the Agreement. Title II: Domestic Sugar Program - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to determine, during the July preceding the commencement of each (October 1 to September 30) sugar supply year, the amount of sugar needed to meet the requirements of consumers in the United States. Sets the price of 16 cents per pound of sugar, raw value, delivered to New York (including freight and the applicable tariff and fees) as the price objective for the sugar supply year 1978. Establishes formulae for determining the price objectives for succeeding sugar supply years. Authorizes the Secretary: (1) to establish, and to adjust, a quota for the entry of sugar from foreign countries; and (2) to impose an import fee in order to attain the established price objective. Prohibits filling of the established quota by direct-consumption sugar, except in specified circumstances. Permits the Secretary to suspend such quota and fees under specified circumstances. Authorizes the Secretary to impose a quota on the entry of sugar-containing products. Prohibits: (1) the entry of sugar, liquid sugar, or sugar-containing products after the import quotas have been filled; (2) the importation of certain sugar or liquid sugar into the Virgin Islands in excess of 100 pounds annually; and (3) the exportation of certain sugar from the United States. Regulates the exportation of sugar. Sets forth items to which the sugar quota shall not apply. Title III: General Provisions - Requires every producer of sugar beets and sugarcane for sugar to pay a specified minimum wage to each person employed on the farm in the production, cultivation, and harvesting of such crops. Establishes a civil cause of action against any producer who fails to pay minimum wages, allowing the employees affected to collect the amount of unpaid wages, plus an equal amount as liquidated damages. Prohibits a producer from discharging or discriminating against any employee who has participated in any way in an investigation or proceeding against the producer under this title. Prohibits a producer from charging farm employees any amount in excess of the reasonable cost of furnishing goods or services customarily furnished to employees engaged in the production. Directs the Secretary to issue regulations to assure that producers furnish workmen's compensation insurance to such employees. Requires persons engaged in the manufacture, marketing, transport, or industrial use of sugar to furnish the Secretary with specified information. Prohibits investment in sugar by officials engaged in the administration of this Act, and establishes penalties for the violation of such prohibition. Authorizes the President to suspend the operation of Title II of this Act in a national emergency. Authorizes the Secretary: (1) to conduct surveys and investigations to carry out this Act; and (2) to announce a daily spot price for raw sugar in specified circumstances. Terminates the authority of the Secretary under this Act on September 30, 1983.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 1978
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt taxpayers from the payment of interest or a penalty on tax deficiencies attributable to erroneous advice obtained in writing from an Internal Revenue Service Officer or employee acting in an official capacity.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 1978
Spending Limitation and Tax Reduction Act - Title I: Spending Limitation - Places limits on increases in Congressional spending for fiscal years 1980, 1981, and 1982. Title II: Tax Reduction - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce individual, estate and trust, and corporate income tax rates in 1979 and 1980, and to establish a permanent reduction in such rates for 1981 and succeeding years. Increases the surtax exemption for corporations to $100,000.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 1978
Constitutional Amendment - Directs Congress to assure that the total outlays of the Government during any fiscal year (except for repayment of debt) do not exceed 33 1/3 percent of the average national income for the three prior calendar years.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 1978
Directs the Secretary of Defense to rescind that portion of the Department of Defense directive which permits deserters from military service to receive in absentia discharges.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 1978
Anti-Inflation Tax Relief Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for annual cost-of-living adjustments to the individual income tax rates, personal exemption amounts, withholding tax amounts and the minimum amounts of income which necessitate filing a return.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 1978
Endangered Species Act Amendments - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to establish an Endangered Species Committee. Directs the Committee to review applications submitted by Federal agencies regarding proposed agency actions to determine whether an exemption from the requirement of the Act that Federal agencies take no actions which would jeopardize endangered species or their critical habitats should be granted. Stipulates that such an exemption may be granted only after a public hearing and finding that the benefits of the agency action outweigh the benefits of alternative courses of action consistent with preserving the species or its critical habitat. States that no final determination of the Committee regarding such an exemption shall be considered a major Federal action under the National Environmental Policy Act. Provides for judicial review of any Committee action with regard to an exemption.
![Official portrait of Rep. Burgener, Clair W. [R-CA-43]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b001080_200.jpg)