Rep. Capps, Walter [D-CA-22]

An amendment to direct the USIA, wherever practical, to consider individuals who are active in the preservation of Tibet's culture, language, and religion when granting scholar-ships under the Educational and Cultural Exchange program

United States · United States Congress

To authorize the President to award a gold medal on behalf of the Congress honoring Wilma G. Rudolph in recognition of her enduring contributions to humanity and women's athletics in the United States and the world.

United States · United States Congress · 23 October 1997

Authorizes the President to award, on behalf of the Congress, a gold medal honoring Wilma G. Rudolph in recognition of her outstanding and enduring contributions to humanity and women's athletics in the United States and the world. Declares the medals to be national medals. Authorizes funding for the cost of the medals, and requires deposit of sale proceeds in the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1366) amending the Federal Elections Campaign Act of 1971 to reform the financing of campaigns for election for Federal office, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 6 October 1997

Sets forth the rule (modified open) for the consideration of H.R. 1366 (campaign financing).

Religious Liberty and Charitable Donation Protection Act of 1998

United States · United States Congress · 2 October 1997

Religious Liberty and Charitable Donation Protection Act of 1997 - Amends Federal bankruptcy law with respect to avoidance by the trustee in bankruptcy of fraudulent transfers and obligations to cite circumstances under which a transfer of a charitable contribution to a qualified religious or charitable unit shall not be considered to be fraudulent. Prohibits the trustee from avoiding such charitable contributions when acting as lien creditors and successor to certain creditor and purchasers. Excludes from "disposable income," for purposes of bankruptcy plan confirmation, up to 15 percent of the gross income of the debtor when it is expended for such charitable contributions. Prohibits the bankruptcy court, when it determines whether to dismiss a case, from taking into consideration whether a debtor makes charitable contributions to any qualified religious or charitable entity.

Border Security and Enforcement Act of 1997

United States · United States Congress · 30 September 1997

Border Security and Enforcement Act of 1997 - Establishes in the Department of Justice (DOJ) the Office of Enforcement and Border Affairs, to be headed by a Director. Transfers from the Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to the Director all functions, personnel, infrastructure, and funding of the following programs: (1) the Border Patrol program; (2) the detention and deportation program; (3) the intelligence program; (4) the investigations program; and (5) the inspections program. Transfers DOJ personnel and assets, liabilities, contracts, property, records, and INS funds in connection with such functions to the Office, for allocation by the Director. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) continuation of proceedings and suits and nonabatement of actions in connection with transferred functions; and (2) delegation and assignment and authority of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget regarding functions transferred.

Expressing concern for the continued deterioration of human rights in Afghanistan and emphasizing the need for a peaceful political settlement in that country.

United States · United States Congress · 23 September 1997

Condemns the violations of international humanitarian law by the Taliban coalition in Afghanistan, the reported cases of stoning, public executions, and street beatings, and the Taliban's targeted discrimination against women and girls. Urges the Taliban and all other parties in Afghanistan to cease providing safe haven to suspected terrorists or permitting Afghan territory to be used for terrorist training. Affirms the need for peace negotiations and expresses hope that the Afghan parties will agree to a cease-fire. Urges the President to: (1) continue to monitor the human rights situation in Afghanistan; (2) call for adherence to international humanitarian law by all Afghan factions; (3) call for an end to the systematic discrimination and harassment of women and girls in Afghanistan; (4) encourage efforts to procure a durable peace in Afghanistan and support the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan led by Lakhdar Brahimi to assist in brokering a peaceful resolution to years of conflict; (5) call upon the Government of Pakistan to use its influence with the Taliban to cease human rights violations, end provision of safe haven to terrorists and terrorist training camps, and reverse discriminatory policies against women and girls; (6) call upon all nations to cease providing financial assistance, arms, and other kinds of support to the militaries or political organizations of any factions that abuse human rights in Afghanistan; and (7) support efforts by non-Taliban organizations in Afghanistan and moderate Taliban organizations and individuals to establish a cessation of hostilities and a transitional multiparty government leading to freedom, respect for human rights, and free and fair elections.

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Senate should act swiftly and expeditiously to give its advice and consent to ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

United States · United States Congress · 23 September 1997

Calls upon the Senate to act swiftly and expeditiously to give its advice and consent to ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

To repeal the provision in the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 relating to the termination of certain exceptions from rules relating to exempt organizations which provide commercial-type insurance.

United States · United States Congress · 23 September 1997

Amends the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 to repeal specified provisions which provide for the tax treatment of certain tax-exempt organizations which provide commercial-type insurance.

Expressing support for the goals of National Mammography Day.

United States · United States Congress · 18 September 1997

Supports National Mammography Day and urges all American women to take an active role in the fight against breast cancer by all means available to them. Calls for recognition of the role played by community organizations and health care providers in promoting awareness of the importance of regular mammograms and in helping to expand the availability of low-cost mammograms.

Landmine Elimination Act of 1997

United States · United States Congress · 11 September 1997

Landmine Elimination Act of 1997 - Prohibits Federal agencies from funding any new deployments of anti-personnel landmines as of January 1, 2000. Directs the Secretary of Defense to report to the Congress on actions and proposals to substitute for new deployments of such landmines on the Korean Peninsula. Authorizes the President to delay implementation of the funding proscription with respect to the Korean Peninsula if he certifies annually to the Congress that new deployments of anti-personnel landmines on such Peninsula would be indispensable to the defense of the Republic of Korea.

Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to limit admission of ex-Members of the House of Representatives to the House floor and rooms leading thereto in certain instances where personal or pecuniary interests are involved.

United States · United States Congress · 11 September 1997

Amends rule XXXII (admission to the floor) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to exclude ex-Members of the House from admission to the Hall of the House and rooms leading thereto if they have a direct personal or pecuniary interest in any measure or matter under consideration in any committee or subcommittee, unless that measure or matter contains any provision that affects such individuals solely because they belong to the class of ex-Members.

Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the burning of Smyrna and honoring the memory of its civilian victims, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 9 September 1997

Joins the Hellenic and the Armenian American communities in honoring the memory of the victims of Smyrna in 1922 and the millions of Orthodox Christians who perished in the genocidal campaign in Asia Minor from 1894 to 1923. Calls for: (1) the United States to encourage the Republic of Turkey to take all appropriate steps to acknowledge these crimes against humanity and commemorate the victims at Smyrna; and (2) the restoration and preservation of an accurate history of such events so that such atrocities may never be repeated.

Expressing the sense of the Congress that former Secretary General of the United Nations Kurt Waldheim should not receive a retirement allowance from the United Nations.

United States · United States Congress · 4 September 1997

Calls upon the President to instruct the Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations (UN) to act to amend the 1998-99 Regular Program Budget of the UN to eliminate funding of Kurt Waldheim's retirement allowance and to act to deny him a retirement allowance in all future UN budgets.

Expressing the condolences of the House of Representatives on the tragic death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

United States · United States Congress · 4 September 1997

Expresses the condolences of the House of Representatives on the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Secret Tobacco Giveaway Repeal Act

United States · United States Congress · 3 September 1997

Secret Tobacco Giveaway Repeal Act - Amends the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, as amended by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, to repeal the provision crediting the increase in excise taxes on certain tobacco products against payments made pursuant to specified tobacco industry settlement legislation.

To amend section 304 of the Tariff Act of 1930 to require the marking of frozen produce with the country of origin on the front panel of the package for retail sale.

United States · United States Congress · 31 July 1997

Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to require imported frozen produce to be marked with the country of origin on the front panel of the package for retail sale.

Recognizing suicide as a national problem, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 31 July 1997

Declares that the House of Representatives recognizes suicide as a national problem and declares suicide prevention a national priority, acknowledges that no single prevention program will be appropriate for all populations or communities, and encourages certain initiatives, including the development (and the promotion of accessibility and affordability) of mental health services to enable all persons at risk for suicide to obtain services without fear of stigma.

To amend trade laws and related provisions to clarify the designation of normal trade relations.

United States · United States Congress · 31 July 1997

Amends specified Federal trade laws to replace the term "most-favored-nation" status or treatment with the term "normal trade relations."

Authorizing the use of the rotunda of the Capitol to allow members of Congress to greet and receive His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew.

United States · United States Congress · 30 July 1997

Authorizes use of the rotunda of the Capitol on October 21, 1997, for a ceremony to allow Members of Congress to greet and receive His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew, the 270th Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

Veterans Sexual Trauma Treatment Act

United States · United States Congress · 24 July 1997

Veterans Sexual Trauma Treatment Act - Makes permanent a program to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide counseling to veterans to overcome psychological trauma which resulted from a physical assault or battery of a sexual nature, or from sexual harassment, which occurred during active miliary service (under current law the program authorizing such counseling expires in 1998). Allows such program to include appropriate treatment. Requires a Department of Veterans Affairs mental health professional (currently, the Secretary) to determine when such counseling and treatment is necessary. Requires the dissemination of information concerning the availability of such services to affected veterans. Includes as eligible for such care and services certain current and former reserve personnel. Directs the Secretary to: (1) complete the design and updating of public service announcements and other appropriate means of communication concerning the availability of such services and to submit to the congressional veterans' committees examples of such communications; and (2) report to such committees on program implementation. Requires the Secretary and the Secretary of Defense to report jointly to the congressional veterans' and defense committees describing their collaborative efforts to ensure that military personnel are informed upon their separation from service about sexual trauma counseling and treatment programs available through the Department.

To authorize the President to award a gold medal on behalf of the Congress to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in recognition of his outstanding and enduring contributions toward religious understanding and peace, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 24 July 1997

Authorizes the President to present a gold medal to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in recognition of his outstanding and enduring contributions to religious understanding and peace. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike duplicate medals in bronze. Authorizes appropriations from the Numismatic Public Enterprise Fund, where sales proceeds shall be deposited.

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 1998

United States · United States Congress · 17 July 1997

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Soft Money and Contributions and Expenditures of Political Parties Title II: Indexing Contribution Limits Title III: Expanding Disclosure of Campaign Finance Information Title IV: Effective Date Bipartisan Campaign Integrity Act of 1997 - Title I: Soft Money and Contributions and Expenditures of Political Parties - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to ban the use of certain soft money by national political parties, specified entities, and Federal candidates. Prohibits transfers of non-Federal funds between State parties unless the funds are subject to the Act. (Sec. 102) Increases the aggregate annual limit on contributions made by individuals to political parties. (Sec. 103) Repeals the limitations on the amount of coordinated expenditures that may be made by political parties. Title II: Indexing Contribution Limits - Sets forth provisions for the indexing of contribution limits. Title III: Expanding Disclosure of Campaign Finance Information - Requires the disclosure of certain radio and television communications. (Sec. 302) Revises FECA filing requirements for reports to mandate: (1) the monthly filing of reports by principal campaign committees and other political committees (other than a candidate's authorized committees); and (2) electronic filing for certain reports. (Sec. 304) Waives the "best efforts" exception with respect to information regarding the occupation or the name of employers of certain individual contributors. Title IV: Effective Date - Sets forth the effective date.

Equity in Prescription Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act of 1997

United States · United States Congress · 16 July 1997

Equity in Prescription Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act of 1997 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Public Health Service Act to prohibit a group health plan, and a health insurance issuer providing group coverage, from: (1) excluding or restricting benefits for prescription contraceptive drugs, devices, and outpatient services if the plan provides benefits for other outpatient prescription drugs, devices, or outpatient services; (2) denying eligibility based on use or potential use of such items or services; (3) providing monetary payments or rebates to a covered individual to encourage acceptance of less than the minimum protections available; (4) penalizing, reducing, or limiting a professional's reimbursement because the professional prescribed such drugs or devices or provided such services; or (5) providing incentives to a professional to induce the professional to withhold drugs, devices, or services. Amends the Public Health Service Act to apply those prohibitions to coverage offered in the individual market.

International Tobacco Responsibility Act of 1997

United States · United States Congress · 10 July 1997

International Tobacco Responsibility Act of 1997 - Makes it unlawful to export to a foreign country cigarettes or smokeless tobacco products manufactured, imported, or packaged for distribution in the United States, unless in the country's primary language: (1) the package bears one of the specified warnings; and (2) the advertising bears one of the specified warnings. Authorizes the President to waive such prohibition if the importing country has similar or more stringent labeling or advertising requirements. Sets forth penalties. Prohibits the use of funds to: (1) affect restrictions imposed by foreign countries with respect to the sale of tobacco products; or (2) promote the export of such products in such country. Requires any interagency committee established to assist the United States Trade Representative in performing certain functions to include Department of Health and Human Services representatives with respect to any case involving specified tobacco products. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should urge the United Nations to create a UN Conference to address the use of tobacco worldwide and to implement regulations to decrease its use.