Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 383 (102nd)open
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 1992
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States should continue negotiations with the Government of Canada and State, provincial, and local governments in the urbanized Cascadia corridor along Interstate 5/Highway 99 from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Eugene, Oregon, to establish a Cascadia Corridor Commission to: (1) act as a forum to coordinate consideration of regional issues in the Cascadia area; (2) develop a strategy for environmentally sound economic development in the region; and (3) submit a plan, developed by the Commission and incorporating such strategy to the Congress, the Canadian Parliament, the legislature of British Columbia, and the State legislatures of Oregon and Washington.
Bill· HRH.R. 6134 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 1992
Endangered Species Act Reform Amendments of 1992 - Title I: Ensuring the Integrity of the Listing, Critical Habitat Designation, and Consultation Processes - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (the Act) with respect to improved data collection and analysis, peer review, equal access to judicial review, recognition of State, local, and international activities, priority for species preservation, critical habitat designation, and consultation processes. Title II: Providing Significance to the Recovery Planning Process - Amends the Act with respect to ensuring the preparation and use of timely, comprehensive, and effective recovery plans. Requires either the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Commerce, as program responsibilities are vested, to report biennially to specified congressional committees on the status of: (1) efforts to develop and implement recovery plans for listed endangered and threatened species; and (2) all species for which such plans have been developed. Title III: Ensuring that the Compliance Procedures and Standards for Private Landowners and Other non-Federal Persons Are Not More Burdensome, Time-Consuming, or Costly than Those Applicable to Federal Agencies - Amends the Act to: (1) make consultation procedures for Federal agencies available to private landowners and other non-Federal agencies available to private landowners and other non-Federal individuals and entities; (2) include permit or license applicants in consultations concerning Federal agency actions; (3) authorize the issuance of general permits for private and other non-Federal activities which have minimal effect on species listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973; (4) facilitate the application for, and processing and issuance of, conservation plans for endangered or threatened species; (5) define the "take prohibition" for application in accordance with the intent of the Congress and in a manner providing more precise guidance to all parties wishing to avoid its violation and possible sanctions; (6) establish special limitations on application of take prohibitions; (7) provide for exemptions from the Act for non-Federal individuals and entities and remove payment requirements associated with obtaining such an exemption; and (8) give non-Federal property owners the option of purchase of their property by, or receipt of compensation for diminished value of their property from, the Federal Government when it requires that the property be managed to protect endangered or threatened species. Title IV: Species Enhancement - Amends the Act to authorize the Secretary to: (1) enter into cooperative management agreements for governing the administration and management of areas identified as habitats for listed species; (2) provide grants to private property owners for preserving the habitat of threatened or endangered species; and (3) permit activities otherwise prohibited when such actions are carried out by certain organizations for the sole purpose of promoting species conservation and population enhancement. Provides for guidance for the release of experimental populations. Title V: Reauthorization and Other Amendments - Makes technical amendments regarding application of Endangered Species Act prohibitions to threatened species and citizens suits. Reauthorizes the Endangered Species Act of 1973 at increased levels.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 378 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 1992
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States should continue negotiations with the Government of Canada and State, provincial, and local governments in the urbanized Cascadia corridor along Interstate 5/Highway 99 from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Eugene, Oregon, to establish a Cascadia Corridor Commission to: (1) act as a forum to coordinate consideration of regional issues in the Cascadia area; (2) develop a strategy for environmentally sound economic development in the region; and (3) submit a plan incorporating such strategy to the Congress, the Canadian Parliament, the legislature of British Columbia, and the State legislatures of Oregon and Washington.
Bill· HRH.R. 6077 (102nd)open
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1992
Declares that the United States should continue negotiations with the Canadian Government and State, provincial, and local governments in the urbanized Cascadia corridor along Interstate 5/Highway 99 from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Eugene, Oregon, to establish a commission to: (1) act as a forum to coordinate consideration of regional issues in the Cascadia area; (2) develop a strategy for environmentally sound economic development in such region; and (3) submit a plan incorporating such strategy to the Congress, the Canadian Parliament, and the legislatures of British Columbia, Oregon, and Washington. Provides for cost-sharing among the Federal, State, and local participants. Authorizes appropriations.
Bill· HRH.R. 6040 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 1992
Authorizes the United States to participate in the Cascadia Corridor Commission to be established as a bilateral advisory commission in coordination with the Canadian Government and State, provincial, and local governments in the Cascadia region along Interstate 5/Highway 99 from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Eugene, Oregon. Authorizes the Commission to: (1) establish a forum to coordinate consideration of regional issues in the Cascadia region; and (2) develop a strategy for environmentally sound economic development in such region and submit such plan to the Congress, the Canadian Parliament, the legislature of British Columbia, and the State legislatures of Oregon and Washington. Requires the strategy to consider environmental management, urban development, transportation, communications, and education. Authorizes appropriations.
Bill· HRH.R. 6002 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 1992
Amends the Social Security Amendments of 1983 to treat as paid by a common paymaster for purposes of social security taxes any health professionals who: (1) are faculty members at a dental school; and (2) operate an intramural dental faculty practice plan at such school.
Bill· HRH.R. 6003 (102nd)referred
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.
Law· HJRESH.J.Res. 546 (102nd)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 12 August 1992
Designates February 4, 1993, and February 3, 1994, as National Women and Girls in Sports Day.
Bill· HRH.R. 5800 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 10 August 1992
Pension Funding Improvement Act of 1992 - Title I: Amendments to Pension Plan Funding Requirements - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to revise minimum funding standards for pension plans. Revises the additional funding requirements for pension plans that are not multiemployer plans to provide for an underfunding reduction requirement and solvency maintenance requirement. Title II: Required Security for Certain Plan Amendments - Amends IRC and ERISA to increase required funding percentages and required security under provisions for pension plan termination insurance. Applies such required funding and security provisions to multiemployer plans, as well as to other pension plans. Applies specified criminal penalties to violations of such requirements. Title III: Miscellaneous Provisions - Requires the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to submit separate reports to the Congress setting forth alternative increases in premiums that would be required for the assets of the single-employer program (established under ERISA provisions for pension plan termination insurance) to equal or exceed such program's current and expected liabilities by 2002. Amends ERISA to require inclusion in annual PBGC reports of actuarial evaluations of pension benefit guaranty funds for the next five, ten, twenty, and thirty years. (Currently, inclusion of such evaluations for the next five years only is required.) Requires such evaluations to set forth alternative premium schedules to assure that PBGC assets equal or exceed its liabilities during such periods. Authorizes the CBO to transmit a separate report analyzing and commenting upon the actuarial evaluation (and premium schedules) prepared by the PBGC, for any fiscal year the CBO deems appropriate. Authorizes the PBGC to require certain plan sponsors or members of a sponsor's controlled group to provide it with records, documents, or other information necessary to determine liabilities and assets of plans covered by ERISA plan termination insurance provisions, or the financial condition of sponsors or members of sponsors' controlled groups maintaining such plans. Applies such information requirements to a plan if: (1) its underfunding exceeds $10,000,000; (2) it has more than 2,000 participants; or (3) it has been granted minimum funding waivers in excess of $1,000,000. Treats all plans maintained by the same sponsor (or any member of such sponsor's controlled group) as one plan for purposes of such information requirements.
Bill· HRH.R. 5786 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 August 1992
Commission on Retirement Income Policy Act of 1992 - Establishes the Commission on Retirement Income Policy. Directs the Commission to study and report to the Congress on: (1) trends in retirement savings in the United States; (2) existing Federal incentives and programs to encourage and protect such savings; and (3) new Federal incentives and programs needed for such purpose. Requires the Commission to address specified issues and to include in its recommendation measures addressing specified needs of future retirees. Terminates the Commission within 90 days after submission of such report. Authorizes appropriations.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 538 (102nd)passed
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 1992
Commends: (1) the many heroic individuals who acted at great risk to save Jews from death during the Holocaust; and (2) the Jewish Foundation for Christian Rescuers for its work in recognizing, honoring, and encouraging the people of the world to show the altruism and moral courage of such heroic individuals.
Bill· HRH.R. 5745 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 1992
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.
Bill· HJRESH.J.Res. 532 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 1992
Designates October 1992 as Polish-American Heritage Month.
Bill· HRH.R. 5645 (102nd)open
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1992
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to declare that unrelated trade or business does not include the activity of soliciting and receiving qualified sponsorship payments (payments received by tax-exempt organizations from corporations and other sponsors in connection with certain athletic and other public events) for purposes of the tax on unrelated business income of charitable, etc., organizations. Excludes royalties received by certain tax-exempt olympic organizations for the 1996 Olympics as income from an unrelated trade or business. Includes income received by a tax-exempt organization (other than a tax-exempt credit union) from exchanging or leasing its membership list or its identifying symbol for use in connection with credit or debit cards as income derived from an unrelated trade or business.
Bill· HRH.R. 5581 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 1992
Education Savings Act of 1992 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an individual income tax deduction for up to $2,000 annually of contributions to a savings account established to pay the educational expenses (tuition, supplies, meals, and lodging) of any individual under age 24 at an institution of higher education or a vocational school. Requires any account to be treated as an individual retirement account after the beneficiary attains age 25. Excludes from gross income any account distributions that are used to pay educational expenses of the eligible beneficiary. Exempts an account from taxation (except for the tax on unrelated business income of a charitable organization) unless a contributor or the beneficiary engages in specified prohibited transactions in connection with it. Imposes a ten percent surtax on distributions not used for educational purposes. Requires the account trustee to report to the Secretary of the Treasury and to the account's beneficiary concerning the account. Imposes a penalty for failure to report. Allows taxpayers who do not otherwise itemize deductions to deduct for contributions to an education savings account. Excludes employer contributions to education savings accounts from social security and unemployment taxes. Imposes penalty taxes in connection with excess contributions or prohibited transactions associated with an account. Directs the Secretary of Education to make matching contributions (equal to a percentage formula) to eligible institutions for amounts paid from education savings accounts. Repeals the income limitations on the exclusion for savings bonds used to pay higher education expenses where the proceeds exceed such expenses.
Bill· HRH.R. 5559 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 July 1992
Information Services Fair Competition Act of 1992 - Amends the Communication Act of 1934 to make it unlawful for any common carrier or its affiliate engaged in the provision of information services to include in its charges for telephone exchange service any operating expenses, costs, depreciation charges, or other expenses determined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to be properly associated with the provision of information services by such carrier or affiliate. Directs the FCC to adopt regulations to ensure that these provisions are not evaded by carriers subject to this Act. Directs a common carrier or its affiliate engaged in the provision of information services to meet requirements such as: (1) book maintenance in a specified manner; (2) interconnection to its network that is equal in price, quality, and type to the interconnection that the carrier provides to itself or to its affiliate; (3) information concerning the network interface specifications that allows such information service provider to connect to that carrier's network; (4) public disclosure of the specifications for any new or changed type of network interface for information services that the carrier or its affiliate provides or may provide; and (5) response, on a nondiscriminatory basis, to a bona fide request for a new type of basic service necessary to support an information service within 120 days after receipt of such request, and offer such service on an unbundled basis if it is technically feasible and if the marketing and economic demand forecast support such offering. Authorizes the FCC, upon application of a carrier which shows that it is technically unable to meet one or more of the requirements mentioned above, to grant a waiver to such carrier only if the public interest would be served thereby. Requires the FCC to adopt regulations that specify the form and manner in which the network disclosure information shall be made by common carriers. Requires common carriers, subject to this Act, to comply with any relevant regulations already in effect until such regulations are adopted and published in the Federal Register. Prescribes guidelines for the release of network disclosure information. Makes it unlawful for a common carrier or its affiliate to use, in connection with the provision of such carrier's information services, customer proprietary network information that the carrier has collected in the course of providing telephone exchange service unavailable to unaffiliated providers of information services unless prior consent of the customer has been obtained or in cases where the FCC has determined that the use of disclosure of such information serves the public interest. Prohibits: (1) any common carrier or affiliate from engaging in the provision of a burglar alarm service until ten years after the enactment of this Act unless such service was provided to a customer by the carrier or affiliate on July 1, 1992; and (2) a Federal agency or State from regulating the rates, terms, or conditions for the provision of information services. Authorizes the FCC to impose any remedy, without limitation, to ensure that the costs of providing information services are not borne by subscribers to telephone exchange service.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 344 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 July 1992
Denounces the sexual misconduct that occurred at the annual Navy Tailhook Association symposium in September 1991. Calls on the Secretary of Defense to ensure that the ongoing Department of Defense investigation of such misconduct is full and uncompromising. Urges the Secretary of the Navy to recommend and initiate full disciplinary procedures against any culpable individuals. Recognizes the importance of equality of opportunity for women and men in the armed forces to achieving mutual respect between the sexes. Urges the Secretary of Defense to make available to female military personnel the same opportunities available to male personnel, to the extent consistent with the protection and security of the United States.
Bill· HRH.R. 5542 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 July 1992
Regulatory Accountability Act of 1992 - Sets forth specific requirements Federal agencies must adhere to in taking any regulatory action. Provides an exemption from certain requirements for regulatory actions for which the President publishes in the Federal Register a statement of waiver that: (1) outlines the reasons for waiving such requirements because of emergency need for such specific regulatory action; and (2) includes a timetable for satisfying remaining requirements as early as possible. Requires the President to provide for independent evaluation of the regulatory process and the effect of regulations on different areas of the economy. Provides funding for such evaluation.
Law· HJRESH.J.Res. 520 (102nd)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 1992
Designates October 1992 as Country Music Month.
Law· HRH.R. 5419 (102nd)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 1992
International Dolphin Conservation Act of 1992 - Amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to authorize entering into international agreements establishing a global moratorium, for at least five years, prohibiting harvesting tuna using purse seine nets deployed on or to encircle dolphins or other marine mammals. Allows moratorium termination with respect to the United States before the year 2000 only if the Secretary of Commerce so recommends and the Congress approves. Specifies elements to be contained in such agreements, including requirements for: (1) research regarding tuna fishing methods; (2) review of research proposals by a competent regional organization; (3) the conduct of research by dedicated vessels, approved and observed by a component regional organization; (4) specified limits on the number of research sets and the total annual dolphin mortality; (5) establishment by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission of a panel to report on limit compliance and an Advisory Board to guide research; (6) fair funding mechanisms for the research; (7) use of the proceeds from harvested tuna for the research; and (8) limiting use of U.S. funds to research on fishing methods not involving setting nets on dolphins. Requires review of all research proposals by the Marine Mammal Commission. Requires the Secretary, in certain circumstances, to recommend to the Congress whether the moratorium should be terminated. Prohibits a ban on the importation of yellowfin tuna or yellowfin tuna products from a country which implements the moratorium and meets other requirements. Mandates such a ban regarding countries which do not implement the moratorium and the other requirements. Mandates, a specified period after the tuna ban, a ban on the importation of all fish and fish products, except shrimp and shrimp products, from a country that still fails to implement all the requirements. Imposes additional restrictions on the general permit issued to the American Tunaboat Association, including: (1) limiting total dolphin mortalities; (2) prohibiting deploying purse seine nets on or encircling dolphin schools including certain types of dolphin; and (3) terminating the permit on a specified date. Declares that an international agreement under this Act shall not supersede any provisions of the Act requiring a permit. Makes unlawful certain acts, including: (1) selling, purchasing, or transporting in the United States any tuna or tuna product that is not dolphin safe; (2) purposefully setting a purse seine net on or to encircle any marine mammal; or (3) prohibiting, resisting, or interfering with inspections. Imposes civil and criminal penalties and subjects vessels, cargo, and fish to forfeiture for violations. Defines dolphin safe to mean: (1) not harvested using driftnets; and (2) depending on where harvested, either dolphin safe under specified provisions of the Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act or certified as not harvested using purse seine nets set on or encircling dolphins. Authorizes appropriations to carry out provisions mandating inclusion in the agreements of research programs. Amends the Tuna Conventions Act of 1950 to require that, of the U.S. representatives on the International Commission for the Scientific Investigation of Tuna and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, at least one be chosen from a national conservation, environmental, or animal welfare nongovernmental organization. Requires that the members of a related advisory committee be selected, in addition to other sources, from such an organization. Amends the South Pacific Tuna Act of 1988 to authorize appropriations to carry out a specified Treaty on Fisheries Between the Governments of Certain Pacific Island States and the Government of the United States of America and to carry out the Act.
Bill· HRH.R. 5384 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 1992
Amends the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, before assessing a civil penalty against any certificate-holding airmen and air carriers, to: (1) advise them of the charges or reasons relied upon for the Administrator's proposed action; and (2) provide them with an opportunity to answer such charges and be heard as to why the civil penalty should not be assessed. Authorizes such individuals to appeal such a penalty to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Provides for the judicial review of a NTSB order. Authorizes the NTSB to change an Administrator's order amending, modifying, or reversing a certificate to an order assessing a civil penalty.
Bill· HRH.R. 5325 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 1992
Action Now Health Care Reform Act of 1992 - Title I: Improved Access to Affordable Health Care Coverage - Subtitle A: Increased Affordability and Availability for Employees - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to request the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (the NAIC) to develop model regulations requiring each carrier that makes available in a State any small employer health benefit plan to make available to each small employer in the State a MedAccess basic plan and a MedAccess standard. Directs the Secretary to develop such regulations, if the NAIC does not. Defines MedAccess plan as a health benefits plan that: (1) provides benefits typical of the benefits offered in the small employer health coverage market or provides only benefits for essential preventive and medical services and has an average actuarial value not exceeding 60 percent of the average actuarial value of the typical benefits offered in the small employer health coverage market; (2) accepts every small employer in the State applying for coverage and accepts for enrollment every eligible individual (defined as an individual who is a full-time employee and, if family coverage is offered, covers the employee's spouse and dependents under age 19 or under age 25 for students); and (3) meets consumer protection standards established by this Act relating to limitation of pre-existing condition clauses, continuity of coverage, renewability, and premium limitations. Prohibits the imposition, by a carrier, of a limitation of benefits based on the fact a condition pre-existed the effectiveness of the policy if: (1) the condition relates to a condition not diagnosed within three months before coverage under the plan; (2) the limitation extends beyond six months after coverage under the plan; (3) the limitation applies to an individual who, as of date of birth, was covered under the plan; and (4) the limitation relates to pregnancy. Requires continuous coverage. Prohibits cancellation of a plan or denial of coverage unless there is: (1) nonpayment of premiums; (2) fraud; (3) noncompliance with plan provisions; (4) failure to maintain the required number of enrollees; (5) misuse of a provider network provision; or (6) a cessation by the carrier of the provision of any plan in a State. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose an excise tax which shall be paid by the carrier on the failure of a carrier or an employer health benefit plan to comply with the provisions of the Act. Directs the Secretary to request the NAIC to develop models for reinsurance or allocation of risk mechanisms for individuals and small employers who are enrolled under a small employer health benefit plan that meets the consumer protection standards and for whom a carrier is at risk of incurring high costs under the plan. Requires each State to establish and fund one or more reinsurance or allocation or allocation of risk mechanisms that are consistent with a model. Directs the Secretary to develop models, if the NAIC does not. Permits a State, in order to insure the financial solvency of the mechanism, to impose charges on any entity providing employee-related health benefits, so long as such charges do not discriminate with respect to entities that would not be subject to such charges. Directs the Secretary to establish a reinsurance or allocation of risk mechanism, if a State does not. Imposes an excise tax which shall be paid by the carrier on the providing of any health benefit plan which covers any employee in a Federal reinsurance State. Permits either a State or the Secretary (in a Federal reinsurance State) to require each employer health benefit plan to: (1) be registered; and (2) provide such information as is necessary for the reinsurance or allocation of risk mechanisms. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish an Office of Private Health Coverage to be headed by a Director appointed by the Secretary; and (2) provide for the appointment of an advisory committee to advise the Director. Permits the Director to research the impact of this subtitle and conduct related demonstration projects. Requires the Director to develop: (1) methods of measuring, in terms of the expected costs of providing benefits under small employer health benefit plans and, in particular, MedAccess plans, the relative health risks of eligible individuals; and (2) a model for equitably distributing health risks among carriers in the small employer health care coverage market. Authorizes appropriations for the purposes of this paragraph. Subtitle B: Improved Small Employer Purchasing Power of Affordable Health Insurance - Preempts from insurance mandates a qualified small employer purchasing group, if the group consists of employers with not more than 100 employees, the group consists of not fewer than 100 employers, and the health benefit plans with respect to the employer members are in compliance with applicable State laws relating to health benefit plans. Subtitle C: Health Deduction Fairness - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent and increase from 25 to 100 percent the health insurance tax deduction for the self-employed. Subtitle D: Improved Access to Community Health Services - Directs the Secretary to provide for a program of grants to migrant and community health centers receiving grants or contracts under provisions of the Public Health Service Act in order to promote the provision of primary health care services for underserved individuals. Authorizes appropriations. Amends the Public Health Service Act to deem as an employee of the Public Health Service, for purposes of civil actions against commissioned officers or employees, any officer, employee, or contractor who is a physician or other licensed health care practitioner while performing functions for an entity receiving Federal funds under provisions of the Public Health Service Act. Requires an entity, in order to receive a grant under such provisions, to implement certain policies to assure against malpractice. Requires: (1) the Attorney General to estimate the amount of all claims expected, during each year, to arise against such an entity from acts of officers or employees; (2) the Secretary to withhold from grants to such entities the amount estimated; and (3) the withheld amount to be transferred to the Treasury to pay judgments against the United States arising from such claims. Directs the Secretary to make grants to public and nonprofit private entities to carry out demonstration projects for the purpose of increasing access to outpatient primary health services in geographic areas with a: (1) population of not more than 500,000 individuals; (2) shortage of personal health services; and (3) significant number of low-income or underinsured individuals. Sets forth requirements for receiving such grants. Authorizes appropriations. Subtitle E: Improved Access to Rural Health Services - Retitles title XII of the Public Health Service Act "Emergency Medical Services" (formerly, "Trauma Care") and directs the Secretary to establish the Office of Emergency Medical Services which shall, with respect to emergency medical services (including trauma care): (1) conduct research; (2) sponsor workshops; (3) assist States; and (4) coordinate activities. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to States for the purposes of improving the availability and quality of emergency medical services through the operation of State offices of emergency medical services. Sets forth matching fund requirements. Provides for demonstration projects to establish telecommunications between rural medical facilities and other medical facilities that have equipment that can be utilized through telecommunications. Authorizes appropriations for purposes of the programs of this paragraph. Directs the Secretary to make grants to States to assist in the creation or enhancement of air medical transport systems that provide victims of medical emergencies in rural areas access to treatments for the injuries or other conditions arising from such emergencies. Sets forth requirements for grant applications. Authorizes appropriations. Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to extend for one year special treatment rules for Medicare-dependent small rural hospitals. Title II: Health Care Cost Containment and Quality Enhancement - Subtitle A: Medical Malpractice Liability Reform - Prohibits bringing a medical malpractice claim: (1) more than two years after the alleged injury should reasonably have been discovered and in no event more than four years after the alleged injury occurred; and (2) in any State court unless there has been an initial resolution through a certified alternative dispute resolution system (ADR). Requires the use of ADR in a Federal medical malpractice liability claim. Requires a pre-trial settlement conference in any medical malpractice liability action. Sets limits on: (1) noneconomic damages; (2) punitive damages; and (3) attorney's fees. Requires offsets for damages paid by a collateral source. Requires liability in a medical malpractice action to be several and not joint. Provides a complete defense to any allegation of negligence in a medical malpractice liability action to any defendant who followed the appropriate practice guideline. Prohibits finding a defendant guilty in a medical malpractice liability action relating to services provided during labor or delivery of a baby if the defendant did not previously treat the plaintiff during the pregnancy, unless the malpractice is proven by clear and convincing evidence. Directs the Secretary to determine whether a States' ADR meets ADR system requirements established by this Act. Establishes such requirements. Amends title XI (General Provisions and Professional Standards Review) of the Social Security Act to earmark funds for sanctioning practice guidelines for purposes of an affirmative defense in medical malpractice liability actions. Permits a State agency responsible for the conduct of disciplinary actions for a type of health care practitioner to enter into agreements with State or county professional societies for such type of health care practitioner to permit such societies to participate in the licensing of such health care practitioner and to review health care malpractice allegations. Requires each State to require each health care professional and provider to participate in a risk management program to prevent and provide early warning of practices which may result in injuries to patients or which otherwise endanger patient safety. Directs the Secretary to make grants for the conduct of basic research in the prevention of and compensation for injuries resulting from health care professional or health care provider malpractice, and research of the outcomes of health care procedures. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary to study the factors discouraging physicians from volunteering to provide health care services in medically underserved areas. Subtitle B: Administrative Cost Savings - Directs the Secretary to adopt standards relating to each of the following: (1) data elements for use in claims processing under health benefits plans; (2) uniform claim forms; and (3) uniform electronic transmission of the data elements. Authorizes the Secretary to require providers to submit claims to health benefit plans in accordance with such standards. Provides for periodic review of the standards. States that the term "health benefit plan," in this subtitle, includes the Medicare and Medicaid programs (titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act). Requires the Secretary to promulgate standards for hospitals concerning electronic medical data. Permits the Secretary to promulgate standards concerning electronic medical data for providers that are not hospitals. Requires hospitals, in order to participate in Medicare, to: (1) maintain clinical data in a set of comprehensive data elements in electronic form on all patients; and (2) upon the Secretary's request, transmit electronically the data set and any data from such set. Provides for electronic transmission to Federal agencies. Prohibits a health benefit plan, if standards with respect to data elements are promulgated with respect to a class of provider, from requiring for the purpose of utilization review or as a condition of providing benefits under the plan that a provider in the class: (1) provide any data element not in the set of comprehensive data elements; or (2) transmit or present any such data element in a manner inconsistent with applicable standards. Directs the Secretary to establish an advisory commission of hospital executive and data base managers, physicians, health services researchers, and technical experts in the collection and use of data and operation of data systems. Authorizes appropriations for such commission. Requires the Secretary, in order to assure the availability of comparative value information to purchasers of health care in each State, to determine whether each State is developing and implementing a health care value information program that meets stated criteria. Permits grants to a State for the development of its health care value information program. Authorizes appropriations for such grants. Requires the head of each Federal agency with responsibility for the provision of health insurance or health care services to individuals to promptly develop health care value information relating to each program that such head administers. Directs the Secretary to develop model systems to facilitate: (1) the gathering of data on health care cost, quality, and outcome; and (2) analyzing such data to permit the valid comparison of such data. Authorizes appropriations for the development of such model systems. Directs the Secretary to adopt standards relating to the design and use of magnetized Medicare identification cards for the purpose of assisting health care providers in determining eligibility and billing. Authorizes appropriations. Nullifies any State law requiring that medical or health insurance records be maintained in written rather than electronic form. Requires each health benefit plan: (1) for each of its beneficiaries that has a social security number, to use that number as an identification number for claims processing; and (2) for each provider that has a unique identifier for Medicare purposes, to use that identifier for claims processing. Requires the Secretary to determine whether problems relating to the rules for determining liability when benefits are payable under two or more plans or the availability of information among such plans causes significant administrative problems, and if so, directs the Secretary to promulgate standards concerning liability and the transfer of information among plans. Directs the Secretary to provide grants to qualified entities to demonstrate the application of comprehensive information systems in continuously monitoring patient care and in improving patient care. Authorizes appropriations from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund. Subtitle C: Medical Savings Accounts (Medisave) - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from the gross income of an employee any amount contributed by the employer to a medical savings account pursuant to a qualified medical savings account plan. Sets contribution limits. Defines a "medical savings account" as a trust created exclusively for purpose of paying an individual's medical expenses. Permits expenses from such account only to the extent such amounts are not compensated for by insurance. Subjects the employee to taxation as owner of the account. Subtitle D: Medicaid Program Flexibility - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to modify Medicaid contracting requirements for coordinated care services. Authorizes the Secretary to waive specified Medicaid requirements with respect to nursing facilities located in a State if the State provides assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that the waiver of such requirements will not adversely affect the quality of life of the residents in such facilities. Subtitle E: Limitations on Physician Self-Referrals - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to extend physician self-referral limitations to all payors as well as to certain additional services. Revises exceptions. Requires the Secretary to conduct a study in order to estimate the changes in aggregate costs for designated health services, under the Medicare program and other health plans, which will result from the implementation of the amendments made by this subtitle. Subtitle F: Removing Restrictions on Managed Care - Preempts managed care restrictions under State law. Requires the Comptroller General to conduct a study of the benefits and cost effectiveness of the use of managed care in the delivery of health services. Subtitle G: Medicare Payment Changes - Amends the Medicare program to make revisions in the methodology for determining updates to Medicare hospital payments. Provides for a reduction in Medicare payment for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests. Subtitle H: Modification of the Operation of the Antitrust Laws to Hospitals - Permits two or more hospitals, without violating the antitrust laws, to share expensive medical services or high technology equipment. Directs the Secretary to grant waivers to exempt hospitals from the antitrust laws in order to carry out agreements permitting such sharing. Sets forth reporting requirements. Subtitle I: Encouraging Enforcement Activities of Medical Self-Regulatory Entities - Prohibits damages, interest on damages, costs, or attorney's fees from being recovered under the Clayton Act or any similar State law from any medical self-regulatory entity as a result of engaging in standard setting or enforcement activities designed to promote the quality of health care provided to patients.
Bill· HRH.R. 5308 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 1992
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit the activity of soliciting and receiving qualified sponsorship payments (payments received by tax-exempt organizations from corporations and other sponsors in connection with athletic and other public events) from being treated as a separate trade or business for purposes of the tax on unrelated business income of charitable, etc., organizations. Makes such prohibition applicable to sponsorship payments received before January 1, 1996, with respect any public event occurring before January 1, 1995. Requires the Secretary to report to specified congressional committees on such tax treatment of sponsorship payments.
Law· HJRESH.J.Res. 500 (102nd)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 1992
Designates March 1993 as Irish-American Heritage Month.
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![Official portrait of Rep. Chandler, Rod D. [R-WA-8]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c000293_200.jpg)