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United States · Official source
2,821 records where Rep. Clinger, William F., Jr. [R-PA-5] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 1985
Amends rule XV of the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit the House from passing or adopting any bill or joint resolution making appropriations or providing revenue except by a rollcall vote.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 1985
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to disallow an income tax deduction for any tobacco and tobacco product sale promotion expenses. Defines "tobacco and tobacco products" as any small cigarette, large cigarette, cigar, or smokeless tobacco product, including snuff and chewing tobacco.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 1985
Designates October 8, 1986, as National Fire Fighters Day.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 1985
Designates the first Friday of May of each year, commencing with May 2, 1986, as National Teachers Appreciation Day.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 1985
Calls upon the President to direct the Agency for International Development to work in a global effort to provide universal access to childhood immunization by 1990 by: (1) assisting in the delivery, distribution, and use of vaccines; and (2) performing and supporting research and development activities that will be targeted at developing new vaccines and at modifying existing vaccines to make them more appropriate for use in developing countries. Declares that the President should appeal to the public to provide the necessary resources to achieve universal access to childhood immunization by 1990. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to increase the authorization of appropriations for FY 1987 for the Child Survival Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 1985
Designates September 17, 1987, as Constitution Day. Requires such day to be treated as a legal public holiday.
United States · United States Congress · 21 November 1985
Designates the week of June 1 to June 8, 1986, as National Theatre Week.
United States · United States Congress · 20 November 1985
Designates May 25, 1986, as Hands Across America Day. Authorizes and requests the President to commend: (1) United Support of Artists for Africa for their Hands Across America project; and (2) the American people for their commitment to helping people help themselves.
United States · United States Congress · 19 November 1985
Small Contribution Tax Credit Reform Act of 1985 - Amends the the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the income tax credit for contributions to presidential, state, and local candidates, political action committees, and newsletter fund contributions. Allows an income tax credit for congressional candidate contributions. Limits the amount of such credit to $100 for a taxable year ($200 in the case of a joint return).
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 1985
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to permit certain rural hospitals located within 75 miles of an urban area to request increased payments for inpatient hospital services so that the portion of such services paid for by Medicare approximates the portion covered for hospitals in the nearest urban area. Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to require hospitals making a request for increased payments to submit an audit of its costs. Entitles the hospital to an evidentiary hearing before an appeals board if the Secretary disapproves the hospital's request. Requires the Secretary to appoint an appeals board composed of specified members of the health care community. Specifies the board's powers and duties of review. Sets deadlines for the publication of, comment on, and finalization of regulations implementing this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 1985
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individual taxpayers to elect to file income tax returns on the last day of the individual's birth month, if the birthday is in the months of May, June, July, August, September, October, November, or December. Provides special rules for individuals who make such an election and who make estimated income tax payments.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 1985
Criminals' Accountability Act of 1985 - Amends Federal bankruptcy provisions to make nondischargeable any debt arising from a judgment or consent decree requiring a debtor to make restitution as a result of the commission of a crime.
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 1985
Designates September 19, 1986, as National P.O.W./M.I.A. Recognition Day.
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 1985
Authorizes and requests the President to designate April 20 through April 26, 1986, as National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 1985
Directs the Secretary of Commerce to adjust census figures as necessary so that illegal aliens shall not be counted for purposes of the apportionment of Representatives in the Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 6 November 1985
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to issue public debt obligations to the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund, Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund, Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund, Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund, Railroad Retirement Account, Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, and Department of Defense Military Retirement Fund identical to the terms of public debt obligations which: (1) were redeemed on or after September 1, 1985, and on or before the date of the enactment of this Act; and (2) would not have been redeemed had the public debt limit been raised pursuant to a specified resolution of the House of Representatives. Directs the Secretary to pay to the funds the interest which would have accrued to the funds but for such non-investments, redemptions, and disinvestments. Authorizes the Secretary to disinvest such funds when necessary to prevent a shortfall in amounts available for benefit payments or to avoid violating the public debt limit, but, in the latter case, only if the Congress approves the Secretary's request for disinvestment within a specified period. Characterizes the required joint resolution of approval as an exercise of the constitutional rulemaking power of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Details the Congressional procedure to be followed upon the Secretary's submittal of a disinvestment request. Requires the Secretary, upon the extension of the public debt limit, to: (1) issue public debt obligations with terms identical to those redeemed in connection with such disinvestment; and (2) pay the interest which would otherwise have accrued to such funds.
United States · United States Congress · 6 November 1985
Designates the week of January 26 to February 1, 1986, as Truck and Bus Safety Week.
United States · United States Congress · 31 October 1985
Designates October 31, 1986, as National Child Identification and Safety Information Day.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 1985
Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide that funds made available for family planning programs may only be used for programs: (1) in which there is not any element of coercion of individuals to practice family planning or to accept any particular method of contraception; (2) which include an accurate description of the effectiveness and risks of all major methods of family planning; and (3) which include an agreement to provide either other family planning methods if requested or referral to programs offering other methods as appropriate.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 1985
Authorizes and requests the President to designate June 2 through June 8, 1986, as National Fishing Week.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 1985
Authorizes and requests the President to designate the month of December 1985 as Made in America Month.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 1985
Amends part A (Hospital Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise the method of determining the inpatient hospital deductible, extended care services coinsurance amount, and monthly premium. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose an additional excise tax on cigarettes. Deposits revenues raised by the additional tax into the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 1985
Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to deposit in Government trust funds amounts equal to interest lost to such trust funds through disinvestment of Federal or federally-insured obligations by the Secretary during FY 1986 for the purpose of avoiding any violation of the public debt limit.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 1985
Reaffirms congressional support for the Medicare Program and for the right of all Medicare beneficiaries to receive accurate and timely information regarding their benefits. Urges the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) convene a group of program participants to draft a simple statement of the rights and responsibilities of Medicare patients; and (2) transmit copies of the statement to all Members of Congress and hospitals and physicians participating in the program; and (3) urge participating hospitals to distribute copies of the statement to Medicare beneficiaries upon their hospitalization and to their families upon request.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 1985
Revises the restriction on the use of a Government passenger carrier (passenger motor vehicle, aircraft, boat, ship, or other similar means of transportation) to transport officers or employees between their residences and places of employment. Lists the officers and employees of executive agencies for whom such transportation may be provided. Authorizes such transportation for: (1) certain persons under the protection of the U.S. Secret Service; (2) certain Foreign Service officers; and (3) any officer or employee for whom it is determined that unusual circumstances present a clear and present danger, that an emergency exists, or that compelling operational considerations make such transportation essential to the conduct of official business. Requires that the House Committee on Government Operations and the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs be promptly notified of certain authorizations for home-to-work transportation. Makes technical and conforming amendments.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 1985
Joint Chiefs of Staff Reorganization Act of 1985 - Revises Federal provisions concerning the composition and function of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to define the Chairman of JCS as the principal military advisor to the President, the National Security Council, and the Secretary of Defense. Authorizes a member of JCS other than the Chairman to offer, to the Secretary of Defense and then to the President, a separate opinion in disagreement with that of the Chairman concerning military advice given. Directs that the Chairman of JCS shall supervise the commanders of the combatant commands and act as their spokesman. Extends the term of the Chairman of JCS from two to four years. Establishes the position of Deputy Chairman of JCS. Prohibits the Deputy Chairman and the Chairman from being a member of the same military branch, unless the Secretary of Defense waives such prohibition for a limited period. Sets the term of the Deputy Chairman at four years. Requires the Deputy Chairman to perform such duties as delegated by the Chairman with the approval of the Secretary of Defense. Directs the Deputy Chairman to act as Chairman if the latter position is vacated for any reason. Directs the Deputy Chairman to act as director of the Joint Staff, which performs such duties as the Chairman prescribes. Eliminates any maximum number of officers on the Joint Staff. Provides that the four-year term of a member of the Joint Staff may be extended with the approval of the Secretary of Defense. Directs the Secretary to ensure that the Joint Staff is independently organized and operated in order to provide for the unified strategic direction of the combatant forces and their operation and integration into an efficient team of land, naval, and air forces. Requires the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to submit an evaluation to the President of any person for appointment to a grade above major general or rear admiral. Requires such evaluation to consider the performance of that officer as a member of the Joint Staff and in other assignments involving joint military experiences. Requires such evaluation to be submitted to the President at the same time as the submission of the recommendation for the appointment. Directs the Chairman or the Deputy Chairman of JCS to attend all meetings of the National Security Council and participate fully in its deliberations. Directs the Secretary of Defense, no later than six months after the enactment of this Act, to report to the Congress on plans for further changes in the administration of the military high commands of each of the armed forces. Outlines proposals to be developed in such report.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 1985
National Commission on Classified Information and Security Clearance Procedures - Establishes the National Commission on Classified Information and Security Clearance Procedures to investigate: (1) standards and procedures used by Federal authorities to issue security clearances and classify information; (2) procedures used to ensure that persons with a security clearance continue to meet required standards; (3) the extent to which current standards and procedures cause the classification of more information than required by national security; and (4) the dangers to national security by the growth in the number of persons holding security clearances. Directs the Commission to recommend to each branch of the Federal Government uniform standards and procedures for issuing security clearances, classifying documents, and ensuring that a security clearance continues to meet required standards. Makes provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act inapplicable to the Commission. Requires the Commission to make a final report to the President, the Congress, and the Supreme Court not later than one year after appropriations are first made for the Commission. Allows the restriction of public access to Commission documents. Terminates the Commission 30 days after submission of the final report.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 1985
Designates July 2, 1986, as National Literacy Day.
United States · United States Congress · 23 October 1985
Designates the week beginning on May 11, 1986, as National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Week.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 1985
Indian Economic Development Act of 1985 - Title I: Designation of Indian Enterprise Zones - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for the designation of Indian enterprise zones by the Secretary of the Interior for purposes of extending the tax incentives and regulatory flexibility measures provided by this Act. Provides that tribal governments shall nominate areas for such designation. Limits the designation of Indian enterprise zones to 30 nominated areas over a 36-month period (one-third of which must be in areas with a population of less than 1,000). Limits the period during which such designation shall remain in effect. Provides that the Secretary may designate such zones only if: (1) the area is within the jurisdiction of the tribal government; (2) the boundary of the area is continuous; (3) the area is determined to be Indian lands by the Secretary; and (4) the area meets specified unemployment and poverty requirements. Requires nominating tribal governments, as a condition of the Secretary's designation, to agree in writing to follow a course of action which may include reducing tax rates, improving local services, simplifying or streamlining regulation of business, receiving commitments of private entities to assist employees and residents of the area, or actions for the partial limitation of tribal sovereign immunity for purposes of recourse in contract and other civil disputes within the zone. Terminates the authority of the Secretary to designate such Indian enterprise zones on July 1, 1986, or 36 months after the publication of regulations pertaining to such zones, whichever is later. Describes areas to which preference shall be given in deciding to designate Indian enterprise zones. Requires the Secretary to prepare and submit to the Congress every four years a report on the effects of such Indian enterprise zones' designation. Requires that any tax reduction effected by a tribal commitment under the terms of this Act shall be disregarded for purposes of determining the eligibility of a tribe for Federal assistance or benefits. Specifies that a designation of an Indian enterprise zone shall not give displaced persons from such an area any rights or benefits under the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquired Policies Act of 1970. Exempts Indian enterprise zones from certain requirements relating to Federal environmental policy. Title II: Federal Income Tax Incentives - Subtitle A: Credits for Employers - Allows employers located in Indian enterprise zones a nonrefundable income tax credit for increased employment expenditures and employment of the disadvantaged. Allows a three-year carryback and a 15-year carryover of such credit. Sets the amount of such credit at ten percent of the increase in payroll (taking into account $17,500 in wages per year per employee) plus a specified percentage of wages paid to certain disadvantaged workers for the first seven years of the Indian enterprise zone designation. Phases out such credit in the last three years of the enterprise zone designation. Disallows a deduction for the portion of wages taken into account for such credit. Subtitle B: Credits for Investment in Tangible Property in Indian Enterprise Zones - Allows businesses an additional investment tax credit for investment in certain tangible property located in Indian enterprise zones. Limits such credit to five percent for zone personal property, ten percent for new zone construction property, and 20 percent for zone infrastructure investment. Phases out such credit in the last three years of the enterprise zone designation. Requires the recapture of such credit upon early disposition of the property. Subtitle C: Reduction in Capital Gain Tax Rates - Eliminates the capital gains tax on property of corporations acquired after the enterprise zone designation and used in a zone business. Permits property to remain qualified for purposes of the revised capital gains treatment after a designation of an enterprise zone has terminated. Exempts gain from the sale or exchange of property used in a business in an enterprise zone from the computation of the minimum tax. Allows noncorporate taxpayers to deduct from gross income 100 percent of any net capital gain from qualified enterprise zone property. Subtitle D: Rules Relating to Industrial Development Bonds - Provides that limitations on the cost recovery deductions for property financed with tax-exempt industrial development bonds shall not apply to Indian enterprise zone property. Provides that the termination of the small issue exemption shall not apply to industrial development bonds the proceeds of which are used to finance facilities in such enterprise zones. Title III: Regulatory Flexibility - Revises the definition of "small entity" for purposes of the analysis of regulatory functions to include qualified businesses (as defined in Title II of this Act) and tribal governments and nonprofit enterprises operating within Indian enterprise zones. Authorizes Federal agencies, upon request by a designating tribal government, to waive or modify rules and regulations which pertain to the carrying out of projects or activities within an enterprise zone. Requires agencies to approve such request if the resulting benefits of job creation, community development, or economic revitalization outweigh the public interest in continuation of the rule changed. Disallows waiver or modification if a rule would directly violate a statutory requirement (including the Davis-Bacon Act and Fair Labor Standards Act) or which would present a danger to the public health and safety. Provides that no waiver or modification of a rule shall remain in effect for a longer period than the period for which the Indian enterprise zone designation is in effect. Title IV: Establishment of Foreign - Trade Zones in Indian Enterprise Zones - Requires the Foreign Trade Zone Board to consider on a priority basis and expedite the processing of applications for the establishment of foreign-trade zones within Indian 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. States that, to the maximum extent practicable, foreign-trade zones should be established within Indian enterprise zones. Title V: Partial Waiver of Tribal Sovereign Immunity - Authorizes the Secretary to approve plans, pursuant to a tribal economic development plan, which include provisions for the partial waiver of sovereign immunity, including provisions for binding arbitration of contract and other civil disputes between tribal entities and non-tribal businesses or entities. Specifies that such a partial waiver of sovereign immunity shall not encumber nor diminish the trust assets of the tribe.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 1985
Designates 1986 as the Year of the Flag.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 1985
Designates January 1986 as United States Savings Bonds Month.
United States · United States Congress · 11 October 1985
Hostage-Taking Act of 1985 - Amends the Federal criminal code to establish criteria for the imposition of the death penalty for hostage taking. Requires the government, when seeking the death penalty, to serve notice upon the defendant a reasonable time before trial or acceptance of a plea of guilty that it intends to seek the death penalty and the aggravating factors upon which it will rely. Requires a separate sentencing hearing before a jury, or the court upon motion by the defendant, when the defendant is found guilty or pleads guilty to such an offense. Provides that no presentence report shall be prepared in such cases. Allows the defendant and the Government to present any information relevant to sentencing, without regard to the rules of evidence, but permits evidence to be excluded where its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of issues, or misleading of the jury. Specifies mitigating and aggravating factors which may be established at such hearings. Requires that mitigating factors presented by the defendant be established by a preponderance of the information and aggravating factors presented by the Government beyond a reasonable doubt. Includes as threshold aggravating factors that the defendant: (1) intentionally killed the victim; (2) intentionally inflicted serious bodily injury which resulted in the death of the victim; (3) intentionally participated in an act which he reasonably should have known would create grave risk of death to a person and the victim did die as a direct result of such act; or (4) attempted to kill the President of the United States. Includes among the mitigating factors that the defendant was less than 18 years old at the time of the crime. Conditions imposition of the death penalty on a unanimous finding by the jury that: (1) some aggravating factors exist in addition to a threshold factor; and (2) the aggravating factors sufficiently outweigh any mitigating factor found to exist. Directs the court to impose the death penalty upon a finding that such sentence is justified. Requires the court to instruct the jury not to consider the race, color, national origin, creed, or sex of the defendant in its consideration of the death sentence. Establishes procedures for appeal from a death sentence. Requires the court of appeals, upon consideration of the record and the information and procedures of the sentencing hearing, to affirm the decision if: (1) the sentence was not imposed under influence of passion, prejudice, or arbitrariness; and (2) the information supports the finding of the existence of aggravating factors or the absence of mitigating factors. Requires the court to provide a written explanation of its determination. States that the sentence of death shall not be carried out upon a pregnant woman.
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 1985
States that a person shall be considered an American national if such person completes 15 years of lawful continuous residence in the United States or American Samoa, and one of his or her parents was a national of the United States and a resident of the United States or American Samoa at the time of that person's birth.
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 1985
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the President should initiate, in cooperation with our Western allies, the negotiation of a multinational agreement to establish an allied strategy to respond to international terrorism, procedures to provide and to disseminate intelligence information relating to such terrorism, and a multinational unit to resolve terrorist incidents; and (2) the United States should adopt as a national policy the termination of U.S. foreign assistance to nations that assist or fail to prosecute international terrorists.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 1985
Amends the copyright law to prohibit a copyright holder from conveying the right to publicly perform an audiovisual work on non-network commercial television without simultaneously conveying the right to perform in synchronization any copyrighted music which accompanies such work.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 1985
Trade Partnership Act - Title I: International Trade - Directs the President to establish the Commission on Trade which shall: (1) evaluate existing U.S. trade laws and policies; (2) develop recommendations on monetary and fiscal policies for the United States and its chief trading partners; (3) evaluate the export financing practices of major trading partners and of international agencies; and (4) review existing trade agreements to assess their effect on U.S. long-term trading interests. Requires the Commission to report its findings and recommendations to the President and to the Congress. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should evaluate such findings and recommendations and take into account the results of an international monetary conference to determine the propriety of convening a summit conference on international trade in order to develop changes in international trade and monetary practices. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should call for an international monetary conference to develop: (1) options for reforming institutional mechanisms in order to decrease the disparity among, and to prevent dramatic fluctuations in the value of, the currencies of the major economic powers; and (2) means for reducing interest rates, promoting national and world economic growth, assuring price stability, and promoting higher levels of international trade. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should initiate multilateral trade negotiations under the auspices of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in order to: (1) resolve the issues not resolved in earlier negotiations; (2) develop multilateral disciplines in those areas where trade problems have emerged or are becoming more acute; (3) focus on improving the dispute settlement mechanisms of the GATT; (4) place a high priority on bringing developing countries into full participation in the international trading community; (5) ensure that all developed countries share equally the responsibility for advancing the economies of developing countries; and (6) increase efforts to bring countries now outside the GATT under accepted multilateral disciplines governing trade. Directs the President to begin negotiations immediately if Canada requests the negotiation of a trade agreement that provides for the elimination or reduction of any duty imposed by the United States. Directs the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to review the bilateral relationships between the United States and its major trading partners in order to determine those countries that offer the most potential for the establishment of free trade areas with the United States. Sets forth factors to be considered in making such review. Authorizes the President, during the year following enactment of this Act, to negotiate with Japan on a trade agreement under which the United States will permit the exportation to Japan of Alaskan petroleum and natural gas in return for substantial concessions by Japan regarding the importation into Japan of agricultural products, wood products, and other kinds of export products that are important to the United States. Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to transfer to the USTR specified functions relating to import relief that are currently performed by the President. Directs the President to review the USTR's determination on whether to provide import relief and what form such relief should take. Requires the President to complete such review within 15 days of receiving the USTR's determination. Directs the President to notify the Congress of the President's decision and of the USTR's determination. Directs the USTR to take action to implement the import relief which the USTR decided to provide if the President concurs in the USTR's decision. Directs the USTR to take action to implement the President's decision on import relief if it differs from the USTR's decision and no joint resolution disapproving the President's decision is enacted. Directs the USTR to order the implementation of the import relief recommended by the International Trade Commission if the decision of the President differs from the decision of the USTR and a joint resolution disapproving the President's decision is enacted. Authorizes interim relief after a petition for import relief is filed if the USTR determines that: (1) it is likely that the article is being imported in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof to the competing domestic industry; and (2) the absence of such interim relief would result in irreparable harm to the domestic industry. Authorizes emergency relief from imports of perishable products (other than perishable products from a beneficiary country under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act) after a petition for such relief is filed if the USTR, after consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, decides that: (1) there is a reasonable indication that the perishable product is being imported in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury, or threat thereof, to the competing domestic industry; and (2) emergency action is warranted. Directs the USTR, upon deciding to grant interim relief or emergency relief, to: (1) determine the method and extent of such relief; (2) notify the President of such decision; and (3) unless the President decides within 15 days that such relief is not in the national economic interest, order the Commissioner of Customs to impose such relief. Declares that such relief may consist of tariff increases or import limitations. Provides for the termination of such relief. Directs the USTR to order the Commissioner of Customs to implement actions necessary to enforce U.S. rights under any trade agreement if: (1) the President and the USTR agree on the appropriate action; or (2) the President differs with the USTR on the appropriate action but a joint resolution disapproving such action is not enacted. Reduces the number of days from 21 to 15 between the President's receipt of the USTR's recommendation of appropriate action and the President's decision on what action is appropriate. Requires the President to determine during such 15 day period if: (1) the President concurs in the USTR's recommendation; or (2) it is in the national economic interest not to take any action or to take action different from the action determined by the USTR. Requires the President to notify the Congress of such decision. Provides that if 90 days after the Congress receives notice of such decision no joint resolution is enacted disapproving it then such decision shall take effect. Reduces the amount of time the USTR may take to make a recommendation on a petition for enforcement of U.S. trade rights. Sets forth the actions the USTR may recommend to the President based on such petition. Directs the USTR to include in the annual report to the Congress on foreign barriers to market access an analysis and assessment of the overall reciprocity accorded U.S. products, services, and investment by each of the major trading partners of the United States and the impact on major U.S. product sectors of the failure to provide reciprocity. Requires specified congressional committees, within 90 days of receiving such report, after consultation with the USTR and conducting public hearings, to issue a joint report on: (1) the priorities for negotiations regarding reducing or eliminating trade barriers; and (2) the committees' recommendations on actions to enforce U.S. trade rights. Directs the Secretary of Labor to pay to private firms 80 percent of the cost of providing job training if the training is certified as trade readjustment training and if the trainees are not charged for the training. Extends the job training, job search, and job relocation allowance provisions of the trade adjustment assistance programs through October 1, 1987. Amends the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to set a one year deadline for the President to take action on the advice of the Secretary of Commerce on imports that are suspected of impairing national security. Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to reduce the time limit for decisions by the International Trade Commission on allegations of unfair practices in import trade from one year (18 months in more complicated cases) to eight months (ten months in more complicated cases). Declares that the USTR should expedite the issuance of notices requesting the negotiation of periodic adjustments to the bilateral limitations on shipments of textiles and apparel contained in the Multi-Fiber Arrangement. Directs the Commissioner of Customs to: (1) increase the number of inspectors, import specialists, and customs patrol officers in the Customs Service by at least 800; (2) implement the Automated Commercial System at all ports of entry; and (3) implement a program for detecting, investigating, and prosecuting patent and copyright infringement cases. Requires the Commissioner to report quarterly to specified congressional committees on the operation and effect of the patent and copyright infringement program. Imposes a penalty for multiple customs law offenders who import or attempt to import merchandise during the three years following the date of the third of the offenders' convictions. Title II: Protection of Patents and Transfer of Technology - Part A: Protection of Patents - Amends the patent laws to make it an infringement of patent to use, sell, or import into the United States without authority a product produced by a patented process. Places the burden of proof upon the party asserting that a product was not produced with the patented process in an infringement action where the court finds a substantial likelihood that the product was so produced and the claimant has exhausted all means of discovery. Part B: Transfer of Technology - Federal Laboratory Technology Utilization Act of 1985 - Authorizes Federal agencies to permit their laboratories to enter into cooperative research and development arrangements with other Federal, State, and local agencies, universities, industrial organizations, or other persons including licensees of inventions owned by the Federal agency or general partners of research and development limited partnerships. Permits such laboratories to exchange funds, services, and property with collaborators, grant such collaborators patent licenses or assignments, waive Federal ownership of inventions made by a collaborator, and negotiate licensing agreements for federally owned inventions. Sets forth a formula for the distribution of royalties or other income received by such laboratories from the licensing of cooperatively produced inventions to Federal agency employee inventors, the laboratories themselves, and the Treasury. Requires affected Federal agencies to report annually to the appropriate congressional committees on the income from and distribution of royalties. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to provide procedures, training, and advice to Federal laboratories on recognizing the commercial potential of new technologies and inventions. Requires the Secretary to report biannually to the President and the Congress on Federal agency participation in this program. Makes it the policy of the Government to encourage the commercialization of inventions by Federal or former Federal employees made by them during their Federal employment and exempts such efforts from otherwise applicable violations. Permits such an employee to retain title to an invention (subject to retention by the Government of a nonexclusive license) unless the agency intends to file a patent application itself in order to promote commercialization. Sets forth other permissible conditions on such an inventor's title. Part C: Protection of Proprietary Information - Exempts commercial and financial information that is proprietary or sensitive from the sunshine provisions applied to Federal agencies if the proprietor is notified of the request for release of the information and given 60 days to present arguments on why the information should be exempt. Title III: Export Promotion - Amends the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 to increase, from five percent to ten percent, the percentage of shares that: (1) a bank holding company may hold in an export trading company; and (2) an Edge Act corporation may hold in an export trading company from five to ten percent. Increases the amount of credit that a bank owning stock in a bank holding company with investments in an export trading company may extend to an export trading company. Amends the Export Trading Company Act of 1982 to direct the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank to try to insure that a "significant share" (currently a "major share") of any loan guarantees ultimately serves to promote exports from small, medium-size, and minority businesses or agricultural concerns. Requires the Board to report to the Congress on implementation of such requirement within one year of its effective date. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to develop a program consisting of mixed credit financing for exports to compensate for the effects of subsidized financing by U.S. trading partners. Declares that the Export-Import Bank should expand its promotion programs for small- and medium-sized banks. Amends the Federal Reserve Act to give Edge Act corporations the same discount and borrowing privileges as Federal Reserve banks. Repeals the limitation on bank investments in Edge Act corporations. Directs the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to require periodic reports from every corporation of the total amount of capital stocks and paid up surplus of the corporation, the name of any stockholder who holds more than ten percent of the shares of the stock of such corporation, and the share holdings of such stockholder. Directs the U.S. Executive Director of each of the multilateral development banks to promote procurement opportunities relating to the assistance provided by such banks in recipient countries for U.S. firms. Sets forth actions the Executive Directors should take with respect to such opportunities. Declares that the Secretary of Commerce should continue to assign one foreign commercial service officer to the office of the U.S. Executive Director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to assign such an officer on a part-time basis to each of the offices of the U.S. Executive Director of the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the African Development Bank. Requires the U.S. Ambassadors to those countries that are important trading partners of the United States to report annually to the President and to the Congress on their efforts to help U.S. industries in expanding export sales to, and improving their market positions in, such countries. Authorizes the seven Bell operating companies, effective September 1, 1986, to manufacture telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment in the United States if specified conditions are met. Title IV: Foreign Corrupt Practices - Business Accounting and Foreign Trade Simplification Act - Changes the name of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA) to the Business Practices and Records Act. Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require securities issuers to maintain an internal accounting system that provides reasonable assurance that specified accountability and accuracy goals are met. Prohibits imposing criminal liability for failing to maintain such an accounting system. Prohibits imposing civil injunctive relief with respect to: (1) an issuer who fails to maintain the required accounting system if the issuer tried in good faith to meet the requirements; or (2) any person other than an issuer in connection with an issuer's failure to comply with such requirements, unless such person knowingly caused the issuer to fail to comply. Prohibits anyone from knowingly circumventing such an accounting system for a purpose inconsistent with the accountability and accuracy goals of such system. Requires only good faith efforts at ensuring compliance by issuers who hold 50 percent or less of the equity of domestic or foreign firms. Transfers from the Securities and Exchange Commission to the Department of Justice jurisdiction to enforce the bribery prohibitions of the FCPA with respect to issuers. Revises the prohibition against domestic concerns using any means of interstate commerce to further payments to obtain business with a foreign official. States that such a payment made "directly or indirectly" to a foreign official is illegal. Prohibits such payments that are made to: (1) influence a foreign official's act or induce such an official to violate a legal duty; or (2) induce a foreign official to affect a foreign government's act. Prohibits domestic concerns from using interstate commerce to direct or authorize an agent to further such a payment to a foreign official. Exempts from such prohibitions: (1) payments to foreign officials to expedite or to secure the performance of routine governmental action; (2) payments to such officials that are lawful under the foreign country's laws; (3) payments which constitute tokens of regard or esteem; (4) expenditures associated with selling, purchasing, or demonstrating goods; or (5) ordinary expenditures associated with performing a contract with a foreign government. Revises the fines and criminal penalties for violations of such Act. Empowers the Attorney General to undertake all civil investigations necessary to enforce the Act. Prohibits prosecution of a domestic concern or specified agents of such concern for violating the Federal mail or wire fraud provisions by making a payment to a foreign official if the prosecution is based on the theory that the official, by receiving the payment, violated a duty to or defrauded the foreign government or the citizens of a foreign country. Authorizes the Attorney General to issue guidelines specifying: (1) permissible conduct associated with common types of export sales arrangements; and (2) precautionary procedures which would create a rebuttable presumption of compliance. Provides for the establishment of a Business Practices and Records Act Review Procedure to answer specific inquiries concerning enforcement of such Act. Requires the Attorney General to issue opinions regarding compliance. Makes such opinions final and binding on all parties if the opinion states that the conduct does not involve a violation. Directs the Attorney General to protect the confidentiality of materials submitted in the review procedure. Requires annual reports to the Congress by: (1) the Attorney General concerning actions taken pursuant to such Act; and (2) the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission concerning the reporting requirements. Title V: Related Tax Provisions - High Technology Research and Scientific Education Act of 1985 - Part A: The Credit for Increasing Research Activities - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax credit for research and development (R&D) expenditures. Modifies the definition of qualified research for purposes of the R&D credit to narrow the category of eligible activities for which the credit is allowable. Provides that in-house and contract research expenses paid or incurred by a regular corporation (not an S corporation, a personal holding company, or a service corporation) will constitute qualified research expenses for R&D credit purposes if the corporation undertakes the research with the intention to use the result thereof in the active conduct of a present or future trade or business. Provides that in the case of research being conducted in partnership form, research expenses will constitute qualified research expenses if they are incurred by the partnership in carrying on a trade or business as applied at the partnership level, and the credit is apportioned among the partners in accordance with general partnership rules. Provides exceptions to this general rule where: (1) there is a joint venture enterprise of regular corporations; or (2) not all of the members of the joint venture are regular corporations, but each member's own trade or business would satisfy the trade or business test with respect to the partnership's research expenditures. Provides that for these two exceptions the research expenses will flow through to the partners, with the trade or business test being applied at the partner level. Part B: Promotion of University Research and Scientific Investigation - Establishes a new income tax credit equal to 20 percent of that portion of a corporation's payments to universities (and other qualified non-profit tax-exempt organizations for basic research) which exceeds a fixed, historical "minimum university basic research" floor. Defines the "minimum university basic research" floor as one percent of the annual average of the corporate taxpayer's combined qualified in-house research expenses, contract research expenses, and university basic research payments for the base period composed of the period from 1981 through 1983. Provides that the amounts of research expenses which fall below the floor shall remain eligible for the present R&D credit and are included in the corporation's base period for purposes of calculating the present R&D credit. Treats the amounts which exceed the "minimum university basic research" floor as ineligible for the present R&D credit and excludes such amounts from the corporate taxpayer's base year research expenses for purposes of calculating the corporation's R&D credit under present law. Provides that a corporation's payments to universities for basic research that is eligible for the new tax credit shall be reduced to the extent that the corporation's general (i.e., not designated for research purposes) charitable giving to all universities falls below historical levels (the annual average of undesignated payments for three of the immediately preceding four years as selected by the taxpayer). Makes additions to the list of organizations to which corporate payments for basic research may be made and be eligible for the tax credit. Allows a corporation an income tax deduction for contributions of scientific or technical property to an institution of higher education. Defines scientific property to mean tangible personal property (including computer software) used in a trade or business, which is donated for the direct education of students or faculty, for research and experimentation, or for research training in the United States in mathematics, the physical, biological, or chemical sciences, engineering, or advanced computer sciences. Sets forth a formula for determining the amount of the allowable deduction for contributions of scientific property. Provides for an income tax exclusion for the scholarships, fellowship grants, student loan forgiveness, or stipends of a graduate student in mathematics, engineering, computer science, or the physical or biological sciences. Provides that such tax exclusion is not forfeited merely because the student is required, as a condition of the scholarship or fellowship, to perform future service in teaching or research.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 1985
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to eliminate the second concurrent resolution on the budget and thus provide for annual adoption of a single concurrent resolution on the budget (budget resolution). Sets forth maximum Federal budget deficit amounts for each of fiscal years 1986 through 1991 providing for the incremental reduction of the deficit to zero by 1991. Requires Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) revenues and expenditures to be included in the calculation of such deficit amounts. Prohibits either House of Congress from considering or adopting a budget resolution or a revision thereof providing for budget outlays exceeding revenues by more than the prescribed maximum deficit amount. Requires the Congress to complete action on any reconciliation bill or resolution to: (1) an original budget resolution by June 15 of each year; or (2) a revised budget resolution within 30 days after the revision is adopted. Provides that no amendment that would increase specific budget outlays or reduce specific revenues set forth in a budget resolution or reconciliation bill shall be in order in the House or the Senate, unless such amendment provides for offsetting adjustments in other outlays and revenues to ensure that the deficit set forth in the budget resolution is not increased or exceeded. Requires each Senate and House committee to report its subdivisions of allocated budget outlays and new budget authority within ten days of session after the budget resolution is agreed to. Makes it out of order for the House or the Senate, after the Congress has completed action on the budget resolution for a fiscal year, to consider legislation that, if enacted, would: (1) provide for or require budget outlays or new budget authority in excess of the appropriate committee allocation reported in connection with such resolution, unless legislation is favorably reported by the Committee on Appropriations of the House involved with a certification that the appropriate committee will take actions necessary to assure that enactment of such legislation will not result in a deficit exceeding the maximum deficit amount applicable; or (2) provide for new budget authority or spending authority or reduce revenues so that the resulting deficit would exceed the level set forth in such budget resolution or the applicable maximum deficit amount. Permits a congressional committee to report alterations to its reported allocations of budget outlays and authority, provided that such alterations are consistent with any actions taken by its House on legislation within its jurisdiction. Requires the conference report on any legislation providing new budget authority or new or increased tax expenditures to disclose the information required to be disclosed in committee reports on such legislation. Requires the Federal budget transmitted to the Congress by the President each year, and revisions thereof, to set forth levels of outlays and revenues resulting in a deficit not in excess of the applicable maximum deficit amount. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Director of the Congressional Budget Office: (1) to estimate the levels of total revenues and budget levels for each fiscal year; (2) to estimate the rate of real economic growth during that year; (3) to determine whether the deficit for such year will exceed the applicable maximum deficit amount and whether such excess is statistically significant; and (4) to submit a report to the President and the Congress specifying the amount of any excess, whether it is statistically significant, the estimated rate of real economic growth for that year, and the percentages by which automatic spending increases (excluding increases in OASDI benefits) and relatively controllable expenditures shall be reduced during such year in order to eliminate such excess. Requires the President, upon receiving such a report which identifies a statistically significant excesss, to issue an order which eliminates one-half of such excess by suspending or uniformly reducing (not below zero) automatic spending increases under Federal law for such year, and which eliminates the other half by sequestering amounts of budget authority, obligation limitations, and loan limitations, and by adjusting Federal payments, to the extent necessary to reduce each relatively controllable expenditure by a uniform percentage. Directs the President to send a message to both Houses of Congress identifying: (1) the total amount and the percentage by which automatic spending increases are to be reduced; (2) the amount of budget authority, obligation limitations, and loan limitations to be sequestered and payments to be adjusted for all, and each, relatively controllable expenditure; and (3) the account, department, establishment, project, or function affected by such revision of expenditures. Prohibits such an order from eliminating any Federal program, project, or activity. Directs the President to issue such order: (1) within 14 days after receiving such report if the estimate for real economic growth for the fiscal year is zero or greater; or (2) within 30 days if the estimate for real economic growth is less than zero. Authorizes the President, during such 30-day period, to submit to the Congress a joint resolution to: (1) reduce the deficit to an amount not exceeding the applicable maximum deficit amount; or (2) suspend the requirements of this Act for such fiscal year. Permits the President's message to the Congress to include alternative ways to reduce the deficit to an amount not exceeding the maximum deficit amount. Permits the Committee on the Budget of the House or the Senate, within ten days after the President has issued such an order, to report a joint resolution superseding such order. Makes it out of order for the House or the Senate to consider or agree to any such resolution which, if enacted, would cause the fiscal year deficit to exceed the deficit set forth in the budget resolution most recently agreed to, or the applicable maximum deficit amount. Sets forth House and Senate procedures for consideration of such a resolution. Amends the Social Security Act to provide that OASDI revenues and expenditures shall be excluded from the Federal budget transmitted by the President to the Congress and from the congressional budget, and shall be exempt from general budget limitations imposed on Federal expenditures and net lending. Prohibits any law enacted after enactment of this Act from providing for payments between the Treasury and the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund or the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund. Changes the date by which the President must submit to the Congress a supplemental summary of the budget for a fiscal year from July 16 to September 16. Waives specified provisions of this Act in any fiscal year for which a declaration of war has been enacted.
United States · United States Congress · 3 October 1985
Directs the President to designate February 16, 1986, as Lithuanian Independence Day.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1985
Social Security Budget and Administrative Reorganization Act of 1985 - Title I: Establishment of the Social Security Administration - Amends title VII (Administration) of the Social Security Act to establish as an independent executive agency a Social Security Administration, headed by a Social Security Board. Provides that it shall be the duty of the Administration to administer the programs established by titles II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) and XVI (Supplemental Security Income) of the Social Security Act. Requires the Board to study and make recommendations as to the most effective methods of providing economic security through social insurance and as to legislation and matters of administrative policy. Establishes in the Administration: (1) a Commissioner of Social Security; (2) a Deputy Commissioner of Social Security; (3) a General Counsel; (4) an Inspector General; and (5) an Office of the Beneficiary Ombudsman, to be headed by a Beneficiary Ombudsman who shall represent the interests of beneficiaries under the Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance program and the Supplemental Security Income Program within the Administration. Requires the annual report of the Board to include a description of the activities of the Beneficiary Ombudsman. Requires the Board to make annual budgetary recommendations relating to the Administration. Requires that appropriations requests by the Administration for staffing and personnel be based upon a comprehensive workforce plan as established by the Board. Provides for the apportionment of administrative costs. Requires the annual report of the Board to include a section reflecting the use of budget authority provided to the Administration. Requires that authority for automated data processing procurement and facilities construction be provided in the form of contract authority covering the total cost of such acquisitions. Makes amounts needed for the liquidation of contract authority so provided available from the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund to the extent that such amounts are not needed to meet current obligations for benefit payments. Requires the Board and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to implement demonstration projects relating to personnel matters. Directs the Board and the Administrator of General Services to implement such projects relating to delegations from the Administrator. Specifies the authorities which are to be delegated to the Board from the Administrator and the Director. Requires the Comptroller General to report to specified congressional committees concerning such projects, including an evaluation of the Board's readiness to assume full and permanent authority. Requires the Board to cause a seal of office to be made and judicial notice taken thereof. Provides for the transfer to the Administration of all functions carried out by the Secretary of Health and Human Services with respect to the programs and activities to be carried out by the Administration under this Act. Abolishes the position of Commissioner of Social Security in the Department of Health and Human Services. Sets forth effective date and transitional rule provisions. Title II: Conforming Amendments and Rules of Construction - Requires the Secretary and the Board to report to Congress within 120 days after the beginning of each regular session on their administration under this Act. Requires the Secretary to study and make recommendations on the most effective methods of providing economic security and on the administrative policy for the programs which he or she administers. Directs the Board to appoint, quadrennially, an Advisory Council on the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program and an Advisory Council on Health and Supplementary Medical Insurance to review the relation of the trust funds supporting the Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance program and the Medicare program and the long-term commitments of those programs. Requires each council to submit a report to the Board for transmittal to the Congress and the Board of Trustees of each Trust Fund. Sets forth the effective dates of this title. Title III: Budgetary Treatment of Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program - Provides for off-budget treatment of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund beginning with FY 1987.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1985
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to deem an individual receiving inpatient hospital services under Medicare to be discharged and the services furnished to be post-hospital extended care services for up to 30 days, if: (1) a physician has determined that the individual is imminently terminally ill and that a discharge would be a hardship for both the individual and the individual's family; (2) there has been a determination that continued Medicare payment for inpatient hospital services may not be made; and (3) the individual elects and the hospital consents to have the provisions of this Act apply.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 1985
National Security and Trade Act - Amends the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to provide that if the President does not act upon the recommendations of the Secretary of Commerce relating to imports that threaten national security within 90 days of receiving those recommendations, the Secretary's recommendation shall be deemed to be adopted by the President and shall have the full force and effect of law. Declares that if a petition was filed with the Secretary of Commerce before March 15, 1983, and if the Secretary submitted recommendations to the President before March 15, 1984, and the President did not act on those recommendations by September 15, 1985, the recommendations of the Secretary are deemed to be adopted by the President and have the full force and effect of law unless, by the date of enactment of this Act, the United States has negotiated an import limitation agreement with any country whose exports to the United States exceed 30 percent of the total value of imports of such items.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 1985
Designates November 11, 1985, as George S. Patton Day.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 1985
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the current Government of Guatemala is to be commended for its perseverance and determination to return to civilian rule.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 1985
Narcotics Control Trade Act - Directs the President to designate a country an uncooperative drug source nation if during any fiscal year beginning after September 30, 1985, such country: (1) was a source of any illicit narcotic and psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances that is significantly affecting the United States; and (2) did not cooperate with the United States in preventing such drugs and substances from affecting the United States by taking specified actions. Directs the President to report to the Congress the name of each such country. Denies the products of each such country most-favored-nation treatment until the President notifies the Congress that such country has made significant progress and will continue to make progress in remedying those policies on which an uncooperative drug source nation designation was based.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 1985
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that employee benefits should not be taxed.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 1985
Covert Agent Disclosure Federal Pension Forfeiture Act - Requires the forfeiture of Federal employee retirement benefits upon conviction of the felony of the unauthorized disclosure of the identity of a covert agent.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 1985
Contract Savings Act of 1985 - Amends the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act to require the procurement of property and services from the private sector when the costs are lower than those of providing such property and services by the Federal Government. Requires the Administrator of General Services to prescribe regulations for such cost comparisons. Makes greater reliance on private sector sources a part of Federal procurement policy.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 1985
Establishes the Disability Advisory Council (the Council), whose members shall be appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to conduct studies and make recommendations regarding the medical and vocational aspects of disability under titles II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) and XVI (Supplemental Security Income) of the Social Security Act. Provides that in addition to the above duties of the Council, the Secretary shall appoint a special panel to conduct studies with respect to the so-called "notch problem" for determining primary insurance amounts under title II of the Act. Requires the special panel to report its findings and recommendations to the Council. Requires the Council to report to the Secretary, and such report to be sent to the Congress and to the Board of Trustees of the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund. Terminates the Council following submission of its report.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 1985
Amends the Powerplant and Industrial Fuel Use Act of 1978 to require each Federal agency to: (1) identify which of its electric powerplants and major fuel-burning installations could result in substantial savings if converted to coal; and (2) submit an annual plan for the conversion to coal of such powerplants and installations to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; and (3) update the survey every five years. Directs the Secretary of Energy to establish guidelines for: (1) annual plans regarding energy conversion; and (2) Federal agency use in surveying possible powerplant energy conversions to coal.