United States · United States Congress · 7 June 1990
Enterprise Zone Jobs-Creation Act of 1990 - Title I: Designation of Enterprise Zones - Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (Secretary) to designate enterprise zones for purposes of providing tax and regulatory relief and improving local services. Limits choices to areas nominated by States and local governments. Limits the total number of areas that may be designated, and the time period of the designation. Authorizes the Secretary to designate a zone only if the area meets certain locational, demographic, unemployment, and poverty criteria. Requires nominating local governments, as a condition of the Secretary's designation, to agree in writing to follow a course of action that may include reducing tax rates, improving local services, simplifying or streamlining regulation of business, and providing job training to area residents. Describes areas to which the Secretary must give preference in selecting areas for designation. Requires the Secretary to report to the Congress every four years on the effects of such enterprise zones' designation in accomplishing the purposes of this Act. Title II: Federal Income Tax Incentives - Allows a nonrefundable income tax credit to enterprise zone employees for five percent of any wages earned as do not exceed a specified amount. Phases out such credit. Provides for the nonrecognition of capital gain on the sale of enterprise zone property. Allows a taxpayer a deduction on the aggregate amount paid for the purchase of enterprise stock on its original issue by a qualified issuer. Requires any gain from the disposition of the stock to be treated as ordinary income. Title III: Regulatory Flexibility - Amends Federal law to revise the definition of "small entity" for purposes of the analysis of regulatory functions to include qualified business, government, and nonprofit enterprises operating within enterprise zones. Authorizes Federal agencies, upon request by a designating government, to waive or modify rules and regulations pertaining to the implementation of projects or activities within an enterprise zone. Requires agencies to approve the request if the resulting benefits of job creation, community development, or economic revitalization outweigh the public interest in retaining the rule unchanged. Disallows waiver or modification of a rule that would directly violate a statutory requirement or present a danger to the public health and safety. Title IV: Establishment of Foreign-Trade Zones in Enterprise Zones - Requires the Foreign-Trade Zone Board to consider on a priority basis and to expedite the processing of applications for the establishment of foreign-trade zones within enterprise zones. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to give priority to, and expedite applications for, the establishment of ports of entry necessary to establish such zones. Title V: Repeal of Title VII of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1987 - Repeals Title VII (enterprise zone development) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1987.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 1990
Amtrak Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 1990 - Amends the Rail Passenger Service Act to authorize appropriations through FY 1992 for the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak). Limits the liability for certain rail accidents occurring in the District of Columbia to no more than the limits of coverage maintained by a publicly funded commuter transportation authority established under Virginia law to indemnify Amtrak or any railroad over which the authority conducts its operations. Authorizes the use of proceeds from the sale of railroad lines that were acquired and rehabilitated with funds under the Rail Safety and Service Improvement Act of 1982 for similar purposes with respect to railroad lines connected with such a line for the purpose of continued rail service on them. Requires Amtrak to cooperate with the efforts of the Washington State Department of Transportation in designing a study of the feasibility of reestablishing rail service between Seattle, Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia. Directs Amtrak to study and report to the Congress on the revenue and cost implications of separating the California Zephyr-Desert Wind-Pioneer train into two service routes serving a southern and a control route through Iowa. Prohibits the compensation of any rail or motor carrier employee who works in more than one State from being subject to State income taxes in any State but the State in which the employee resides. Amends the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act to treat Amtrak as a publicly funded rail carrier with respect to its contribution toward employees' unemployment compensation benefits. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to study and report to the Congress on the potential need among Class II and Class III railroads for Federal guarantees of obligations for funding rehabilitation and improvement of facilities and equipment, acquisition of new railroad facilities, or refinancing of existing debt.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 1990
Urges the President to instruct the Attorney General to appoint an independent counsel to investigate the involvement of Government officials in the savings and loan scandal.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 1990
1992 Olympic Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to issue 1992 Olympic Games commemorative five-dollar gold coins and one-dollar silver coins. Prescribes guidelines for the sale and pricing of such coins and directs the Secretary to ensure that their issuance will not result in any net cost to the United States. Mandates that surcharges be paid to the U.S. Olympic Committee.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1990
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Reorganization Act of 1990 - Divides the current U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit into the following two circuits: (1) the Ninth Circuit, composed of the States of Arizona, California, Nevada, Hawaii, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands, consisting of 19 judges, and holding regular sessions in San Francisco and Los Angeles; and (2) the Twelfth Circuit, composed of the States of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington, consisting of nine judges, and holding regular sessions in Portland and Seattle.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 1990
Abandoned Baby Adoption Act of 1990 - Amends part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act to require States to place abandoned babies with preadoptive parents within 30 days of obtaining custody of such babies and to find new preadoptive parents for such babies if the initial preadoptive parents do not petition the courts of the State within 90 days of receiving such babies for an expedited hearing to become their permanent adoptive parents. Treats such babies as children with special needs, thus qualifying their adoptive parents for adoption assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 1990
Amends the Internal Revenue code to permit individuals who do not itemize deductions a direct deduction from gross income of charitable deductions in excess of $100.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 1990
Declares that the Congress acknowledges and appreciates the commitment, devotion, and sacrifices of present and former military families. Designates November 19, 1990, as National Military Families Recognition Day.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 1990
Judicial Taxation Prohibition Act - Amends the Federal judicial code to deny to inferior Federal courts jurisdiction to issue any remedy, order, writ, or other judicial decree requiring the Federal Government or any State or local government to impose any new tax or to increase any existing tax or tax rate.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 1990
Amends Federal law to eliminate the six-month limitation on temporary employment of civilian and military retirees by the Bureau of Census for the 1990 decennial census without offsets to their retirement pay or benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 1990
Foreign Investment Analysis Act of 1990 - Amends the International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act to direct the President to report to the Congress regarding the status of integrated business data acquired by the Bureau of Economic Analysis from the Bureau of the Census with respect to the range and scope of foreign business ownership interests in the United States. (Presently the two organizations may not share such data with one another.) Amends Federal census law to direct the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau of the Census to exchange and use data regarding foreign business ownership in the United States ("statistical establishment list information"). Sets forth confidentiality guidelines for such a data exchange and establishes criminal penalties for violations of such guidelines.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 1990
Prohibits the shipment in interstate or foreign commerce of steel jaw leghold traps and of articles of fur derived from animals trapped in such traps. Prescribes criminal penalties for violations of this Act. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to reward nongovernment informers for information leading to a conviction under this Act. Empowers enforcement officials to detain, search, and seize suspected merchandise or documents and to make arrests with and without warrants. Subjects seized merchandise to forfeiture.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 1990
Authorizes and requests the President to designate May 26, 1990, to commemorate the bicentennial of "An Act for the government of the territory of the United States, south of the river Ohio" (from which Tennessee was formed).
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 1990
Medicare Malpractice Dispute Resolution Act of 1990 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to subject Medicare beneficiaries' Medicare malpractice claims to binding arbitration. Requires the establishment in each State of a Medicare arbitration system which meets specified structural and procedural requirements, including the requirement that each claim be decided by a three-person panel selected by both parties to the dispute. Allows such parties to appeal to the appropriate State court to vacate such panel's decision. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to appoint an advisory committee to assist in developing procedures for arbitration panels and in regulating Medical Services Dispute Resolution Organizations responsible for administering the arbitration system in a State. Provides Medicare beneficiaries and applicants with a clear explanation of the binding arbitration system.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 1990
Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to provide that the definition of "owner or operator" (for purposes of liability) does not include: (1) a designated lending institution which acquires control of a facility pursuant to the terms of a security interest held by the person in such facility or in connection with a lease subject to Federal or State banking authorities; (2) a corporate fiduciary which operates or has legal title to a facility pursuant to the terms of an estate or trust; (3) an individual or institution that serves as an indenture trustee and acquires control of a facility as the result of default on a financing document between the trustee and the issuing entity; and (4) an individual fiduciary who has legal title to a facility for purposes of administering an estate or trust.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 1990
Medicare Physician Regulation Relief Amendments of 1990 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require carriers and peer review organizations to release the medical review screen or the associated screening parameter to a physician before notifying such physician that payment for his or her service has been denied. Permits Medicare reimbursement of a patient's regular physician for services provided to such patient by another physician who occasionally covers for the regular physician. Requires Medicare carriers to provide physicians, upon request and without charge, with carrier-generated information which physicians need to submit a payment claim or respond to a carrier inquiry. Allows a medical society or other professional organization representing physicians to represent a group or class of physicians in Medicare payment determinations, reconsiderations, or appeals. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to appoint, based on nominations submitted by national medical organizations representing physicians, a Practicing Physicians Advisory Council with which the Secretary must consult concerning changes in the Medicare program and proposed changes in regulations and carrier operation policies.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 1990
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to exempt divorced spouses who have received spouse's benefits for the 12 months preceding their divorce from the two-year waiting period for divorced spouse's benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 1990
Nonprofit Organizations Tax-Exempt Bond Reform Act of 1990 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for the tax treatment of bonds of certain nonprofit tax-exempt organizations, including private nonprofit educational institutions and hospitals, in a manner similar to governmental bonds.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 1990
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the provisions permitting small issues of tax-exempt bonds to finance manufacturing facilities and farm property.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 1990
Tourism Policy and Export Promotion Act of 1990 - Declares it to be the national goal to increase U.S. export earnings from U.S. tourism and transportation services with an eye toward: (1) the elimination of the travel and tourism export deficit of the United States and the U.S trade deficit; and (2) the achievement of a travel and tourism export surplus. Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to require the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to identify foreign trade barriers to U.S. travel and tourism. Requires the USTR to submit the National Trade Estimate to the President and the Senate Committees on Finance and Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Amends the International Trade Act of 1961 to require each annual tourism trade development plan to focus on those countries in which tourism trade development has the greatest potential for increasing travel and tourism export revenues. Declares that the Congress finds that increased efforts directed at the promotion of rural tourism will contribute to the economic development of rural America. Establishes the Rural Tourism Foundation. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 1990
Amends the Tax Reform Act of 1986 to provide for the deductibility of State and local income and sales taxes to the extent such taxes exceed one percent of adjusted gross income.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 1990
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the excise tax on cigarettes. Allows a credit against such tax or refund to a cigarette manufacturer or importer of a portion of State and local sales taxes on their retail sale. Provides a tax deduction for health insurance costs to employees whose employer does not offer subsidized health insurance.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 1990
Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require that any television with at least a 13-inch screen which is manufactured, or imported for use, in the United States be equipped with built-in decoder circuitry designed to display closed-captioned TV transmissions. Prohibits shipping in interstate commerce, manufacturing, assembling, or importing any such television except pursuant to rules by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Requires such rules to provide performance and display standards for such built-in decoder circuitry. Requires the FCC, within five years, to evaluate compatibility issues and advancement in TV technology and take any action it deems necessary to amend such rules as to ensure that such decoder chip circuitry is capable of continuing service to closed-caption consumers regardless of new broadcast technologies.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 1990
Home Dialysis Equity Act of 1990 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover erythropoietin for home dialysis patients competent to use such drug without supervision.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 1990
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income the value of any subsidy provided by a public utility to a customer for the purchase or installation of energy or water conservation measures.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 1990
Requires the Commissioner of Customs to submit to specified congressional committees a report containing estimates of the: (1) number of violations of the U.S. trade, customs, and illegal drug control laws during the fiscal year; and (2) incidence of such violations among the U.S. ports of entry and customs regions. Requires the Commissioner to prepare a list of those laws for which the Customs Service has enforcement responsibility. Requires the Commissioner to develop a nationally uniform enforcement strategy for dealing with such violations. Makes confidential the contents of such report.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 1990
Consumer Credit Protection Amendments of 1990 - Title I: Fair Credit Reporting Amendments - Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to place additional restrictions on the permissible purposes of consumer reports. Adds dwelling rental applications and check cashing privilege applications to the list of permissible uses. Prohibits, subject to exception, a consumer reporting agency (CRA) from furnishing certain reports in connection with any credit or business transaction which is not initiated by the consumer. Prohibits a CRA from reporting Chapter 13 bankruptcy information that is more than seven years old and other bankruptcy information that is more than ten years old. (Current law prohibits reporting any bankruptcy information, including Chapter 13, that is more than ten years old.) Provides for graduated periods of obsolescence for information relating to overdue payments. Repeals exemptions to obsolete information reporting prohibitions relating to credit, life insurance, or employment involving amounts over specified sums. Prohibits a CRA from prohibiting any report user from disclosing the contents of a report to the consumer. Requires a CRA to maintain certain records regarding: (1) accuracy assurance procedures; and (2) the certified purpose for which any information relating to any consumer is requested by any person. Requires any CRA, on request of any person, to disclose specified information about itself. Requires that: (1) certain disclosures by a CRA to a consumer required by current law be in writing; (2) all information in the consumer's file (currently, the nature and substance of all information) be disclosed to the consumer; (3) certain information be disclosed to the consumer regarding identification of any person who had access to any information in the consumer's file; and (4) any disclosure by a CRA to any consumer under specified provisions include a summary of all the consumer's rights and remedies under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Requires that such a summary be included in disclosures relating to: (1) investigative consumer reports; and (2) reports focusing on public record information for employment purposes. Requires reinvestigations in case of disputed accuracy to be completed within a reasonable time, not to exceed 30 days. (Current law requires completion within a reasonable time.) Requires CRAs to keep certain records regarding reinvestigation procedures. Sets forth requirements regarding: (1) notice upon a determination that a dispute is frivolous or irrelevant; (2) notice upon completion of a reinvestigation; and (3) reinvestigations which cannot be completed in 30 days. Eliminates the option for a CRA to include in a report a codification or summary of a consumer's statement regarding disputed accuracy rather than the statement itself. Requires that a CRA: (1) notify of a consumer dispute any person designated by the consumer who has received a non-employment report within the last year (currently, within the last six months); and (2) disclose to the consumer the recipients of any such report within the last year (currently, within the last six months). Sets a dollar limit on charges which may be imposed by a CRA for certain disclosures and makes other changes regarding when charges may be made. Requires a CRA which furnishes a consumer report for employment purposes to notify the consumer of the specific source of the information. Revises the duties of users of consumer reports, including requiring the user to provide: (1) the name and address of the three largest CRAs; and (2) the written summary of the consumer's rights and remedies prepared under specified provisions. Makes any person who furnishes information to any CRA (as well as CRAs and users of reports) civilly liable for willful noncompliance and for negligent noncompliance with the Act. Makes all functions and powers of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTCA) available to the FTC to enforce compliance. (Current law links enforcement to specified provisions of the FTCA.) Makes persons who furnish information to CRAs subject to certain administrative enforcement provisions, as enforced by bodies other than the FTC. Requires any person who regularly furnishes information to a CRA to give notice of such fact in writing to the consumer before providing information about the consumer to the CRA. Requires any person, when that person, in the course of conducting business, furnishes information about any consumer to a CRA, to follow reasonable procedures to assure the accuracy of the information. Title II: Credit Repair Organizations - Credit Repair Organizations Act - Amends the Consumer Credit Protection Act to prohibit any credit repair organization (any person who provides a service for the purpose of improving a consumer's credit record) from: (1) charging or receiving any money prior to the completion of its services (unless it has obtained a $50,000 surety bond); (2) charging or receiving money solely for the referral of a customer to a retailer if the credit which may be extended to the buyer is upon substantially the same terms as those available to the general public; (3) advising any client to make an untrue or misleading statement; or (4) using any untrue or misleading statement. Requires the organization to provide the consumer with a written disclosure statement which includes a description of: (1) the consumer's rights; (2) the services to be provided by the organization; and (3) the total amount the consumer will be charged. Sets forth contract requirements and the rights of the consumer with regard to cancellation of such contract. Subjects any organization which fails to comply with any provision of this Act to Federal civil liability. Provides for the administrative enforcement of this Act by the Federal Trade Commission, as provided in the Federal Trade Commission Act.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 1990
Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1989 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require that any television with at least a 13-inch screen which is manufactured, or imported for use, in the United States be equipped with built-in decoder circuitry designed to display closed-captioned TV transmissions. Prohibits shipping in interstate commerce, manufacturing, assembling, or importing any such television except pursuant to rules by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Requires such rules to provide performance and display standards for such built-in decoder circuitry. Requires the FCC, within five years, to evaluate compatibility issues and advancements in TV technology and take any action it deems necessary to amend such rules to ensure that such decoder chip circuitry is capable of continuing service to closed-caption consumers regardless of new broadcast technologies.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 1990
Health and Long-Term Care Security Act of 1990 - Title I: Treatment of Long-Term Health Care - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow medical deductions for long-term health care expenses. Requires that for the purpose of determining the income tax liability of life insurance companies insurance contracts which provide long-term health care be treated in the same way as noncancellable accident or health insurance contracts. Title II: Employer Funding of Medical Benefits - Allows employers to establish and maintain a separate health benefits account under a defined benefit plan for the payment of medical benefits of retired employees and their spouses and dependents. Allows a deduction for employer contributions to such account. Requires employers to maintain a funded reserve account for the payment of qualified medical benefits. Imposes an excise tax on assets allocated to retiree health benefits accounts that are not used to provide benefits. Title III: Transfer of Excess Pension Assets - Allows one transfer per year of excess pension assets to retiree health accounts.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 1990
Medicare Screening Benefit Improvement Act of 1990 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover screening mammographies for women age 35 and older at a frequency which varies on the basis of a woman's age and risk of developing breast cancer. Covers colon-rectal screening examinations for individuals age 50 and older at a frequency which varies on the basis of the screening procedure used. Finances such coverage by increasing the Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) premium.
![Official portrait of Rep. Chandler, Rod D. [R-WA-8]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c000293_200.jpg)