United States · United States Congress · 19 May 2000
Water Pollution Program Improvement Act of 2000 - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to make arrangements with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to conduct a study on the: (1) scientific basis underlying the development and implementation of total maximum daily loads for pollutants in waters for which effluent limitations under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act are not stringent enough to implement applicable water quality standards; (2) costs of implementing measures to comply with such loads; and (3) availability of alternative programs or mechanisms to reduce the discharge of pollutants from point sources and nonpoint source pollution to achieve water quality standards. Requires the NAS to report on the study to the Administrator and specified congressional committees. Provides for Federal, State, and private sector comments on such report. Authorizes appropriations. Requires the Administrator, before making a final determination with respect to the Proposed Revisions to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program and Federal Antidegradation Policy and the Proposed Revisions to the Water Quality Planning and Management Regulations Concerning Total Maximum Daily Loads of August 1999, to: (1) review the NAS report and incorporate recommendations into the proposed revisions; and (2) publish in the Federal Register and receive public comment on incorporated recommendations and those that weren't incorporated, with an explanation why they were not incorporated. Bars the Administrator from making such final determination until the conclusion of the public notice and comment period. Prohibits the Administrator, for purposes of ensuring that States continue to have exclusive authority to regulate nonpoint sources of pollution, from: (1) taking any action to affect any definition of, or distinction made between, point and nonpoint sources of pollution contained in an EPA rule in effect on June 1, 2000; and (2) requiring approval of any measures set forth by a State to control nonpoint sources of pollution pursuant to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, except as authorized under specified provisions regarding nonpoint source management programs.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2000
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Adjustment Act - Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to prescribe a formula for periodic adjustments to the maximum amount of deposit insurance coverage ($100,000), including an inflation adjustment.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2000
Volunteer Organization Safety Act of 2000 - Prohibits the Government from requiring a State requesting a criminal history check on a volunteer worker to supply the worker's fingerprints until the Director of the Office of Management and Budget determines that: (1) automated fingerprint checks are universally available for volunteer organizations in that State; and (2) a reasonable reduction has occurred in the cost of the check and the length of time required to complete it. (Sec. 3) Expresses the sense of Congress that, to be effective, a background check must be fast, accurate, cost-effective, and performed on everyone having regular contact with young people in a youth service organization.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2000
Law Enforcement Quality Procurement Act - Prohibits: (1) the use of Federal funds to give or withhold a preference to a marketer or vendor of firearms or ammunition based on whether the manufacturer or vendor is a party to a covered agreement (an agreement requiring a person engaged in a business licensed under Federal firearms provisions to abide by a designated code of conduct, operating practice, or product design respecting importing, manufacturing, or dealing in firearms or ammunition); or (2) the provision of Federal funds to a State or local entity that gives or withholds such a preference or that receives firearms or ammunition purchased for that State or local entity subject to such a preference.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2000
Date Certain Tax Code Replacement Act - Prohibits the imposition of any tax by the Internal Revenue Code: (1) for any taxable year beginning after December 31, 2004; and (2) in the case of any tax not imposed on the basis of a taxable year, on any taxable event or for any period after December 31, 2004. Excepts the: (1) tax on self-employment income (chapter 2 of the Code); (2) Federal Insurance Contributions Act (chapter 21 of the Code); and (3) Railroad Retirement Tax Act (chapter 22 of the Code). Establishes the National Commission on Tax Reform and Simplification to review: (1) the present structure and provisions of the Code; (2) whether the tax systems of other countries could provide more efficient and fair methods of funding government revenue requirements; (3) whether the income tax should be replaced with a tax imposed in a different manner or on a different base; and (4) whether the Code can be simplified, absent wholesale restructuring or replacement. Requires a Commission report to Congress on review results, with recommendations for Code reform and simplification. Terminates the Commission 90 days after such report. Authorizes appropriations (with interim funding). Declares that any new Federal tax system should be approved by Congress in its final form before July 4, 2004.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2000
Constitutional Amendment - Requires any legislative measure changing the internal revenue laws to require the concurrence of two-thirds of the Members of each House voting and present, unless the legislative measure is determined not to increase the internal revenue by more than a de minimis amount. States that for the purposes of determining any increase in the internal revenue, there shall be excluded any increase resulting from the lowering of an effective rate of any tax. Permits Congress to waive such requirements when: (1) a declaration of war is in effect; or (2) the United States is engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and serious threat to national security and is so declared by an adopted joint resolution. Prohibits any increase in the internal revenue enacted under such a waiver from being effective for longer than two years.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2000
Military Retiree Health Care Options Act - Title I: Enrollment of Retirees in TRICARE Prime and Medicare Reimbursement - States that the Secretary of Defense (Secretary) may not prohibit the enrollment of Medicare-eligible military retirees in the managed care option of the TRICARE program (a Department of Defense (DOD) managed health care program) solely on account of age or entitlement to hospital insurance benefits under part A of Title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act. (Sec. 103) Requires the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS Secretary) to jointly establish a program (subvention program) that, beginning October 1, 2000, provides DOD with reimbursement from the Medicare program for health care services provided to Medicare-eligible retirees and certain military dependents: (1) through the TRICARE program to increase the number of retirees able to enroll in the TRICARE managed care option; and (2) in a military medical treatment facility. Requires program enrollment to be voluntary. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) waive enrollment fees; (2) modify existing TRICARE program contracts to incorporate enrollment provisions; and (3) establish cost-sharing requirements for enrollees. (Sec. 104) Provides for the determination of DOD reimbursement amounts for individuals enrolled in Medicare part A and individuals not enrolled in Medicare part B. (Sec. 105) Requires the Secretary to maintain current DOD health-care efforts for Medicare-eligible retirees in order to avoid imposing added costs to the Medicare program. Requires specified estimates of prior efforts and future targets with respect to DOD health care provided under the subvention program. Directs the Comptroller General to determine and report to the two Secretaries and Congress annually on the extent, if any, to which costs of the Secretary under the TRICARE program and the HHS Secretary under the Medicare program have increased as a result of the subvention program. Requires the Secretaries to take necessary action to offset any added costs. (Sec. 106) Requires the Secretary to reimburse subvention program participants for any late enrollment penalties imposed under the Medicare part B program. (Sec. 107) Provides that, in the case of a Medicare-eligible uniformed services retiree who seeks to enroll in a Medicare supplemental policy, the issuer of such policy may not: (1) deny the issuance or effectiveness of such policy; or (2) discriminate in the policy's price. Makes eligible for: (1) the subvention program an individual who was eligible to enroll under Medicare part B and who did not enroll in the Medicare program during his or her initial enrollment period; and (2) the Medicare supplemental program an individual who was eligible to enroll under Medicare part B. Title II: FEHBP Option for Retirees - Revises provisions concerning a demonstration project which includes certain covered military retirees and their beneficiaries within the Federal Employees Health Benefits program (FEHBP) to: (1) make such program permanent (currently terminates December 31, 2002); (2) remove certain reporting requirements; and (3) remove provisions concerning the application of Medigap protections to demonstration project enrollees. (Sec. 202) Requires the health and dental care benefits provided under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) and TRICARE Standard to be the same as those provided for the highest level of benefits under the service benefit plan of the FEHBP. Title III: Other Matters - Directs the Secretary to: (1) expand and make permanent the DOD demonstration project for providing pharmaceuticals by mail to permit Medicare-eligible uniformed services retirees and certain military dependents to participate in such project. Prohibits fees for project participation. (Sec. 302) Directs the Secretary to issue to covered beneficiaries under the TRICARE program an enrollment card for nationwide TRICARE program participation.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2000
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from self-employment net income certain conservation reserve program payments. Amends the Social Security Act to exclude such payments from the definition of "net earnings from self-employment."
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2000
Expresses the sense of Congress, with respect to a proposed regulation on ergonomics by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), that: (1) Congress should support Federal regulations based solely on sound science and fact; (2) public comments should play a vital role in shaping OSHA's proposed regulation on ergonomics; and (3) adequate time must be provided for the public to review thoroughly a regulation of the magnitude and length of such proposed regulation on ergonomics.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2000
Medicaid DSH Preservation Act of 2000 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, with respect to provisions regarding adjustments in payments for inpatient hospital services furnished by disproportionate share hospitals (DSH), to require allotments for FY 2001 (currently, FY 2003) and succeeding fiscal years to DSH to be equal to the allotment for the State for the preceding fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2000
Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2000 - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit any physician from knowingly performing a partial-birth abortion in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, unless it is necessary to save the mother's life that is endangered by a physical disorder, illness, or injury. Prescribes penalties. Defines a "partial birth abortion" as an abortion in which the person performing the abortion deliberately and intentionally: (1) vaginally delivers some portion of an intact living fetus until the fetus is partially outside the body of the mother, for the purpose of performing an overt act that the person knows will kill the fetus while the fetus is partially outside the mother's body; and (2) performs the overt act that kills the fetus while the intact living fetus is partially outside the mother's body. Authorizes the father, if married to the mother at the time of the abortion, and the maternal grandparents of the fetus, if the mother is under 18 years of age, to obtain specified relief in a civil action, unless the pregnancy resulted from the plaintiff's criminal conduct or the plaintiff consented to the abortion. Authorizes a defendant accused of an offense under this Act to seek a hearing before the State Medical Board on whether the physician's conduct was necessary to save the life of the mother. Prohibits the prosecution of a woman upon whom a partial-birth abortion is performed for conspiracy to violate this Act or under provisions regarding punishment as a principal or an accessory or for concealment of a felony.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2000
Emergency Commodity Distribution Act of 2000 - Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to revise provisions relating to the level of commodity purchases under the school lunch program. Requires a specified portion of such program assistance to be in the form of commodity assistance. Prohibits the Secretary of Agriculture from using commodities provided under the authority of any other Act to meet such program requirement for the school year.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2000
Timber and Agriculture Environmental Fairness Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from requiring a national pollutant discharge elimination system permit for discharges composed entirely of agricultural stormwater discharges or for discharges from silviculture operations. Excludes discharges of stormwater runoff from silvicultural operations from the definition of "point source."
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2000
Installment Tax Correction Act of 2000 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (as amended by the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999) to repeal revisions to the Code (made by the Act) which repealed the use of the installment method of accounting for accrual method taxpayers and modified the pledge rules of installment obligations.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2000
Authorizes presentation of a gold medal on behalf of Congress to former President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy Reagan. Authorizes specified sums to be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund for medal costs. Mandates that sale proceeds from duplicate bronze medals be deposited into such Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2000
Hospital Preservation and Equity Act of 2000 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA), as amended by the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999 with regard to the one year sole community hospital payment increase, to reset the applicable percentage increase for FY 2001 and each subsequent fiscal year to the market basket percentage increase for hospitals in all areas for purposes of updating payments to prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals for inpatient hospital services.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2000
American Hospital Preservation Act of 2000 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA), as amended by the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999 with regard to provisions on the one year sole community hospital payment increase, to reset the applicable percentage increase for FY 2001 and each subsequent fiscal year to the market basket percentage increase for hospitals in all areas for purposes of updating payments to prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals for inpatient hospital services.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2000
Religious Broadcasting Freedom Act - Prohibits the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from establishing, expanding, or otherwise modifying requirements relating to the service obligations of noncommercial educational television stations except by means of Federal agency rulemaking procedures. Terminates the additional guidance contained in the FCC's memorandum opinion and order in WQED Pittsburgh (FCC 99-393), except as such guidance is prescribed in accordance with the above rulemaking procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 1999
Radio Broadcasting Preservation Act of 1999 - Prohibits the Federal Communications Commission from prescribing any rules authorizing the operation of new, low power FM radio stations, or establishing a low power radio service, as currently proposed. Terminates previously prescribed rules which would violate such prohibition and voids licenses issued pursuant to such rules.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 1999
State's and Parental Rights Improvement Act of 2000 - Prohibits, notwithstanding any other provision of law, considering a State to have violated any term or condition of any Federal health care grant-in-aid program by requiring the consent or notification of a parent or guardian regarding dispensing a prescription drug or device (or any class of drugs or devices specified by the State) to a minor.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 1999
Water Regulation Improvement Act of 1999 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to require permits for discharges from municipal storm sewers to: (1) recognize the responsibility of governmental entities to carry out specified control measures to reduce the discharge of pollutants; and (2) absolve local governmental entities of liability in cases where such an entity relies on a co-permittee or another governmental entity to comply with any requirement to implement a control measure in which the co-permittee or other entity assumes responsibility but fails to implement the measure. Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, for certain stormwater discharges for which permits are not required, from requiring a local governmental entity to obtain a permit for any stormwater discharge associated with an above-ground vegetated drainage ditch or a drainage way owned or operated in connection with a road or street under its jurisdiction. Provides that such discharges and those regulated as being associated with industrial activity or with significant violation of a water quality standard or significant contributions of pollutants shall not include stormwater discharges associated with: (1) a construction activity that disturbs no more than five acres of land; or (2) a routine maintenance activity associated with a road, street, or vegetated road ditch or drainage way.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 1999
Internet Tax Elimination Act - Amends the Internet Tax Freedom Act to make permanent the prohibition on State and local taxation of Internet access and electronic commerce. Includes within such prohibition sales or use tax on electronic commerce-purchased domestic or foreign goods. Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should seek a global consensus supporting a permanent ban on electronic commerce tariffs.
United States · United States Congress · 2 November 1999
Duty to Assist Veterans Act of 1999 - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, with respect to any veterans' benefits claim filed on or after July 14, 1999, to assist such claimant in developing information pertinent to a decision on the claim, including by informing the claimant of any medical or lay evidence needed and by providing a medical examination to determine the current disability of the veteran concerned.
United States · United States Congress · 19 October 1999
Express the sense of Congress that: (1) prayers and invocations at public school sporting events are constitutional under the First Amendment; and (2) the Supreme Court should uphold the constitutionality of such practices.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1999
Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to provide that if the United States initiates a retaliation list (list of products of a foreign country that has failed to comply with the report of the panel or Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO)), or the United States Trade Representative (USTR) takes specified trade action against the goods of a foreign country because of its failure to implement the recommendation made pursuant to a dispute settlement proceeding under the WTO, the USTR shall periodically revise the list or action to affect the other goods of the country. Declares that the USTR is not required to revise the retaliation list or the action with respect to a country, if: (1) the USTR determines that implementation of the recommendation by the country is imminent; or (2) the USTR together with the petitioner involved in the initial unfair trade investigation (or if no petition was filed, the affected U.S. industry) agree that it is unnecessary to revise the retaliation list.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1999
Forest Service Financial Accountability Restoration Act of 1999 - Places specified limits on Forest Service appropriations until the earlier of the following: (1) the Service is no longer an agency at high risk of waste, fraud, and mismanagement due to accounting and financial reporting weaknesses; or (2) the end of the fifth fiscal year subject to such limitations. Enumerates the criteria under which the Comptroller General shall certify to Congress that the Service is no longer at high risk Sets forth Service backlog reduction requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 1999
Urges the President to: (1) seek a global consensus supporting a permanent international ban on tariffs on electronic commerce, including a ban on special, multiple, and discriminatory taxation of electronic commerce and the Internet; (2) instruct the U.S. delegation to the November 1999 World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial meeting in Seattle, Washington, to seek to make permanent the moratorium on tariffs on electronic transmissions adopted by the WTO in May 1998; (3) seek adoption by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development of an international ban on special, multiple, and discriminatory taxation of electronic commerce and the Internet; and (4) oppose any proposal by any country, the United Nations, or any other multilateral organization to establish a "bit tax" on electronic transmissions.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 1999
Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act - Amends Federal employee provisions to include the following as an employee, for purposes of authorized enrollment under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program: (1) a member of the armed forces who began service before June 7, 1956, and retired after a minimum of 20 years of such service or by reason of a service-connected disability; and (2) the surviving widow or widower of such member. Directs the Secretary of Defense to enter into an agreement with the Office of Personnel Management to provide FEHB coverage to the following eligible beneficiaries: (1) a member or former member entitled to military retired or retainer pay who is also entitled to hospital insurance benefits under part A of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act; (2) an unremarried former spouse who was married to a member for at least 20 years, during which such member performed at least 20 years of retirement-creditable military service; (3) a dependent of a deceased qualifying member or former member; (4) a dependent of a living member or former member who is entitled to Medicare hospital insurance benefits; and (5) a family member of such member. Repeals a provision prohibiting coverage under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services for persons entitled to hospital insurance benefits under part A of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Act.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 1999
Minimum Wage State Flexibility Act of 1999 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to allow a State to preempt the Federal minimum wage if the State: (1) sets a minimum wage rate of at least $5.15 per hour (the current Federal minimum wage); and (2) applies that rate to as many workers in the State as would otherwise be covered by the Federal minimum wage rate. Authorizes the State Governor to suspend for up to one year State minimum wage rates which exceed $5.15 per hour for all or part of the State if: (1) the State cannot achieve work participation rates or other responsibilities under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996; (2) all or part of the State has experienced an increased rate of unemployment; or (3) the State experienced an economic slowdown as measured by the gross State product.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 1999
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the U.S. Government should: (1) request that the new Government of Panama, under the leadership of President Mireya Moscoso, nullify the lease agreements for the Balboa and the Cristobal port facilities on each end of the Panama Canal and initiate a new bidding process that is both transparent and fair; (2) request that the new Government of Panama investigate charges of corruption related to the granting of the Panama Canal port leases by the previous Balladares administration; and (3) negotiate security arrangements with the Government of Panama that will protect the canal and ensure the territorial integrity of the Republic of Panama.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 1999
Separation of Powers Restoration Act - Repeals the War Powers Resolution. Terminates after 90 days all powers and authorities of the President and any other Federal officer or employee or executive agency from a declaration of national emergency. States that, to the extend that any Act of Congress grants to the President or any other executive officer or employee the power to declare a national emergency, such power is divested to Congress alone. Directs the President to include with each presidential order a statement of the specific statutory or constitutional authority for such action. States, with exceptions, that a presidential order neither constitutes nor has the force of law and is limited in application and effect to the executive branch. Authorizes both Houses of Congress, a Senator or Representative, certain State and local officials, and certain aggrieved persons to bring an action to challenge the validity of any presidential order which exceeds the power granted to the President by the relevant authorizing statute or the Constitution.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 1999
Certified Development Company Program Improvements Act of 1999 - Amends provisions of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 relating to the certified development company (CDC) program (a program providing loans to State or local development companies for assisting small businesses) to: (1) include within program goals the expansion of women-owned business development; (2) increase to $1 million the authorized amount of a loan from the development company to an identifiable small business; (3) terminate on or after October 1, 2003, the authority of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to charge a fee for such loans; (4) repeal the certified lenders program; and (5) provide for the sale of certain defaulted loans under the CDC program, requiring prior notice of the sale of such a loan to any CDC which has a contingent liability for such loan. Authorizes the SBA to delegate to any qualified State or local development company the authority to foreclose and liquidate defaulted loans that are guaranteed with the proceeds of debentures guaranteed by the SBA. Outlines delegation eligibility requirements and the scope of such delegation authority (all necessary liquidation and foreclosure as well as required litigation). Requires each eligible development company, before carrying out such liquidation and foreclosure, to submit a proposed liquidation plan to the SBA for approval. Provides administrative procedures with respect to the submission and approval of such plan. Authorizes the SBA to suspend or revoke any delegation authority granted for failure to comply with delegation requirements. Requires an annual report from the SBA to the congressional small business committees on the results of the delegation of authority under this section. Terminates on the effective date of final regulations implementing this section the current loan liquidation pilot program.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 1999
Amends the Small Business Act to authorize the Small Business Administration (SBA) to guarantee a general business loan made by a bank or other financial institution to a small business in the amount of: (1) 75 percent of the outstanding balance of such loan, if such balance exceeds $150,000 (currently $100,000); and (2) 80 percent of the outstanding balance of less than $150,000 (also currently $100,000). Prohibits any such loan from being made to a borrower if the total amount outstanding and committed to the borrower from the business loan and SBA investment funds would exceed $1 million (currently $750,000). Makes current provisions requiring the payment of accrued interest on defaulted guaranteed loans inapplicable to loans made on or after October 1, 1999. Requires a borrower who prepays any loan guaranteed by the SBA to remit to the SBA a subsidy recoupment (calculated under this Act) if: (1) the loan is for a period of less than 15 years; (2) the prepayment is voluntary; (3) the amount of prepayment in any calendar year is more than 25 percent of the outstanding loan balance; and (4) the prepayment is made within the first three years after disbursement of the loan proceeds. Revises loan guarantee fee amounts. Authorizes lenders participating in an SBA program to retain no more than 25 percent of such fee with respect to any loan not exceeding $150,000. Authorizes a borrower to permanently lease to one or more tenants not more than 20 percent of any property constructed using guaranteed loan proceeds, as long as the borrower permanently occupies and uses not less than 60 percent of the total business space in the property.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1999
Realistic Tests for Realistic Threats National Security Act of 1999 - Requires the Director of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization of the Department of Defense to: (1) conduct, no later than September 30, 2001, at least one intercept test of the Navy Theater-Wide defense system and the Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system against target missiles with velocities of not less than the maximum velocity of the Taepo Dong I missile of North Korea; (2) take immediate steps to modify plans for managing the development of such systems to meet such deadline. Urges the Director, in order to improve the likelihood that the tests are successful, to review changes in the configuration of the systems to: (1) increase the speed of their interceptor missiles to well in excess of three kilometers-per-second; and (2) allow such missiles to receive and use targeting data provided by a variety of external sensors.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Strengthening the Farm Safety Net Title II: Improving Program Efficiencies Title III: Administration Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 1999 - Title I: Strengthening the Farm Safety Net - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to revise the crop insurance premium schedule for additional coverage, including elimination of the separate coverage-based premium criteria. Requires plans to disclose premium amounts paid by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. (Sec. 102) Establishes a premium schedule for other insurance plans based upon a percentage of the total premium used to define loss ratio and certain dollar amounts to be paid by the Corporation. (Sec. 103) States that if the Corporation uses actual production history to determine insurable yields for a commodity, a producer may elect to exclude certain years of production history depending upon whether the producer has a ten or five year consecutive production history. (Sec. 104) Directs the Corporation to periodically review crop insurance plan rating methodologies. (Sec. 105) Repeals authority for the cost of production risk protection and the assigned yield for new producer pilot programs. Authorizes the Corporation to offer pilot programs: (1) on a regional, State, or national basis; and (2) on a three-year, renewable, basis. Provides for the expedited consideration of certain limited-scope pilot programs. Directs the Corporation to conduct one or more livestock (cattle, sheep, swine, goats, poultry) pilot programs, including the use of futures and options contracts and insurance plans. Sets forth specified fiscal year expenditure caps. Authorizes the use of Corporation insurance fund amounts for such programs. (Sec. 106) Authorizes the Corporation to provide a cost of production price election under a production cost-based insurance plan. (Sec. 107) Authorizes the Corporation to provide performance-based discounts to producers of a commodity with good insurance or production experience relative to other producers in the same area. (Sec. 108) Directs the Corporation to offer an alternative risk protection coverage that indemnifies on an area yield and loss basis and provides, on a uniform national basis, a higher combination of yield and price protection. (Sec. 109) Authorizes cooperatives and other nonprofit trade associations to pay catastrophic insurance fees. (Sec. 110) Provides, with respect to prevented planting coverage, that: (1) a producer may elect out of coverage, with a corresponding premium reduction; (2) the Corporation shall offer an equal percentage of coverage for each commodity; and (3) substitute commodity planting shall be permitted, under specified conditions. (Sec. 112) Amends the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to authorize noninsured crop disaster assistance to producers in certain declared disaster areas. (Sec. 113) Makes noninsured crop disaster assistance available only to persons with adjusted gross incomes of two million dollars or less. Title II: Improving Program Efficiencies - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to prohibit issuance of more than one insurance policy on the same acreage during a crop year unless such coverage is limited to catastrophic risk protection insurance, with an exception for areas with customary double-cropping practices. (Sec. 202) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to improve program compliance and integrity through development of plans to: (1) reconcile producer information received by the Corporation and the Farm Service Agency (FSA); and (2) use FSA field infrastructure to identify and eliminate waste and fraud. Provides for related Corporation consultation with State FSA committees. (Sec. 203) Authorizes the Corporation to impose specified fines and program disqualifications upon an agent, producer, loss adjuster, insurance provider, or other person for willful and intentional false information provided with respect to an insurance plan or policy. (Sec. 204) Provides for protection of confidential information, including application of specified (confidentiality) penalties under the Food Security Act of 1985. Title III: Administration - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to revise the composition of the Corporation Board of Directors. (Sec. 302) Directs the Corporation to reimburse applicants for research, development, and maintenance costs for insurance policies that are approved and offered for producer sale. (Sec. 303) Directs the Corporation to contract with qualified parties to research and develop insurance policies for underserved commodities, including specialty crops Prohibits the Corporation from conducting its own policy research and development. (Sec. 304) Provides specified funding for research and development on specialty crops and under-served communities and authorizes appropriations for reimbursement for research development and maintenance costs. (Sec. 305) Authorizes an approved insurance provider, university, or trade association or cooperative, or other person to submit a policy or plan for Board approval. States that if the Board does not approve or disapprove an application within 120 days it shall be deemed approved. (Sec. 306) Directs the Corporation to contract for rating insurance plans.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1999
Federal Prison Industries Competition in Contracting Act of 1999 - Amends the Federal criminal code to replace provisions regarding the purchase of prison-made products by Federal departments with provisions establishing a Government-wide procurement policy relating to purchases from Federal Prison Industries (FPI). Provides that: (1) when a procurement activity of a Federal department or agency has a requirement for a specific product or service (product) that is authorized to be offered for sale by FPI and is listed in a catalog of FPI products, such activity shall solicit an offer from FPI if the purchase is expected to be in excess of the micro-purchase threshold; and (2) a contract award for such product or service shall be made using competitive procedures, except where FPI cannot expect to receive the contract award on a competitive basis and that award is necessary to maintain work opportunities to prevent circumstances expected to significantly endanger penal or correctional facility administration. Requires a contract to be awarded to FPI if the contracting officer determines that: (1) the prison-made product will meet the requirements of the procurement activity; (2) timely performance can be reasonably expected; and (3) the contract price does not exceed a current market price. Sets forth provisions regarding determinations by the Attorney General, competitive offers from FPI, performance by FPI, finality of the contracting officer's decision, reporting of purchases, and publication, maintenance, and revision of the catalog. (Sec. 3) Modifies provisions regarding: (1) FPI administration to require that a decision to authorize FPI to offer a new specific product or to expand the production of an existing product be made by its board of directors, in conformance with specified requirements; and (2) an analysis of the probable impact of a proposed expansion of inmate-work activities by FPI on private sector firms and their non-inmate workers whenever FPI proposes to authorize the sale of a new specific product or service or to expand production of a current product or service. Requires such analysis to identify and consider specified factors, such as whether: (1) the specific product is an import-sensitive product; and (2) authorizing the production of the new product or performance of a new service will provide inmates with the maximum opportunity to acquire knowledge and skill in trades and occupations that will provide them with a means of earning a livelihood upon release. Prohibits the board of directors from approving a proposal for inmates to provide a service in which an inmate worker has access to: (1) personal or financial information about individual private citizens, including information relating to such person's real property, however described, without giving prior notice to such persons; or (2) data that is classified, or that will become classified after being merged with other data. Sets forth public comment requirements. Requires that the board of directors: (1) solicit comments on the required analysis from trade associations representing vendors and labor unions representing private sector workers who could reasonably be expected to be affected by approval of the proposal; and (2) be provided copies of all comments received on the expansion proposal. Authorizes the Chief Operating Officer of FPI, based on the comments received on the initial expansion proposal, to provide the board a revised expansion proposal. Makes such revised proposal subject to public comment requirements of this Act if it provides for expansion of inmate work opportunities in an industry different from that initially proposed. (Sec. 4) Prohibits FPI from offering products or services as a subcontractor or supplier to a private for-profit business concern, notwithstanding that the product or service being furnished by such concern will ultimately be supplied to the U.S. Government, the government of the District of Columbia, an agency of a State government or any political subdivision thereof, or an eligible not-for-profit organization. (Sec. 5) Amends the Federal criminal code to require that wages earned by an inmate worker of FPI be paid in the name of such worker, and that deductions aggregating to not more than 80 percent of gross wages be taken from the wages due for: (1) applicable taxes; (2) payment of fines and restitution pursuant to court order; (3) payment of additional restitution for victims of the inmate's crimes (at a rate not less than ten percent of gross wages); (4) allocations for support of the inmate's family pursuant to statute, court order, or agreement with the inmate; (5) allocations to a fund in the inmate's name to facilitate such inmate's assimilation into society, payable at the conclusion of incarceration; and (6) such other deductions as may be specified by the Director of the Bureau of Prisons. (Sec. 6) Amends the code to require that not less than 20 percent of the gross profits of the corporation at the end of each fiscal year be allocated to fund vocational training for inmates without regard to the type of work activities to which they are assigned. (Sec. 7) Revises requirements for reporting by the board to Congress to: (1) include additional information within its annual reports, such as certain analyses of sales and purchases and of the inmate workforce, and data concerning employment obtained by released inmates; and (2) require that copies of such reports be made available to the public at a price not exceeding the cost of printing. (Sec. 9) Sets forth provisions regarding revisions to the Government-wide Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement this Act, including requirements of public participation.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
Small Business Franchise Property Recovery Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish certain franchise operations as 15-year property under the accelerated cost recovery system.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the people of the United States should review their own conduct, take all reasonable steps to use freedom of speech to build up and not destroy, advance public morality, restrain the growth of illegal sexual speech and activity, and create an environment in which children will learn to do good and oppose evil; (2) the President, Congress, and the States should review their laws, executive orders, and policies to determine and effectuate what may be done to end the use of individuals and their images as sexual objects or tools; and (3) the President and the Attorney General should vigorously enforce Federal obscenity laws and aggressively pursue violations of laws involving the interstate movement of individuals for illegal sexual purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the Internal Revenue Service, as we know it, must be abolished, and the Internal Revenue Code must be replaced with a new, simple, and fair tax system that reduces taxes and applies a single, low rate to all Americans; and (2) the President should submit to Congress a comprehensive proposal to reform the Internal Revenue Code by April 1, 2000.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 1999
Amends the Agricultural Market Transition Act to extend authority to receive full or part payment of production flexibility contracts at times specified by the producer.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 1999
Private Property Rights Implementation Act of 1999 - Amends the Federal judicial code to provide that whenever a district court exercises jurisdiction under civil rights provisions in an action in which the operative facts concern the uses of real property, it shall not abstain from exercising or relinquish its jurisdiction to a State court in an action in which no claim of a violation of a State law, right, or privilege is alleged, if a parallel proceeding in State court arising out of the same operative facts as the district court proceeding is not pending. Specifies that: (1) if the district court has jurisdiction over such an action in which the operative facts concern the uses of real property and which cannot be decided without resolution of an unsettled question of State law, it may certify the State law question to the highest appellate court of that State; and (2) after the State appellate court resolves the question certified to it, the district court shall proceed with resolving the merits. Prohibits the district court from certifying a question of State law unless such question will significantly affect the merits of the injured party's Federal claim and such question is patently unclear. Declares that any claim or action brought under provisions regarding civil actions for deprivation of rights to redress the deprivation of a property right or privilege secured by the Constitution shall be ripe for adjudication by the district courts upon a final decision rendered by any person acting under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage of any State or territory of the United States that causes actual and concrete injury to the party seeking redress. Sets forth provisions regarding what constitutes a "final decision." Specifies that: (1) the party seeking redress shall not be required to apply for an appeal or waiver if no such appeal or waiver is available, if it cannot provide the relief requested, or if the application or re-application would be futile; and (2) a final decision shall not require the party seeking redress to exhaust judicial remedies provided by any State or territory of the United States. (Sec. 3) Declares that any claim brought under provisions regarding the United States as a defendant, or under provisions regarding jurisdiction of the Court of Federal Claims, that is founded upon a property right or privilege secured by the Constitution but allegedly infringed or taken by the United States, shall be ripe for adjudication upon a final decision rendered by the United States that causes actual and concrete injury to the party seeking redress. (Sec. 5) Requires a Federal agency, whenever it takes action limiting the use of private property that may be affected by the amendments made by this Act, to give notice to the owners of that property explaining their rights and the procedures for obtaining any compensation that may be due to them under such amendments.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Small Business Lawsuit Abuse Protection Title II: Product Seller Fair Treatment Small Business Liability Reform Act of 1999 - Title I: Small Business Lawsuit Abuse Protection - Allows punitive damages to be awarded against a small business only if the claimant establishes by clear and convincing evidence that conduct carried out by the defendant through willful misconduct or with a conscious, flagrant indifference to the rights or safety of others was the proximate cause of the harm that is the subject of the action. Limits such punitive damages to the lesser of two times the amount awarded for economic and noneconomic losses, or $250,000. (Sec. 104) States that, in any civil action against a small business: (1) each defendant shall be liable only for the amount of noneconomic loss allocated to that defendant in direct proportion to the percentage of responsibility of that defendant for the harm caused to the plaintiff; and (2) the court shall render a separate judgment against each defendant describing such percentage of responsibility. (Sec. 105) Excepts from such liability limitations any misconduct of a defendant: (1) that constitutes a crime of violence, international terrorism, or a hate crime; (2) that results in liability for damages under specified provisions of the Oil Pollution Control Act of 1990 or the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980; (3) that involves a sexual offense or violation of a Federal or State civil rights law; or (4) caused by being under the influence of intoxicating alcohol or a drug. (Sec. 106) Preempts inconsistent State law. Title II: Product Seller Fair Treatment - States that this title governs any product liability action brought in any Federal or State court. Excludes from this title actions for commercial loss, negligent entrustment, negligence per se concerning firearms and ammunition, and actions brought under a dram-shop or third-party liability arising out of the sale or provision of alcohol to an intoxicated person or a minor. (Sec. 204) Mandates that, in any product liability action covered by this Act, a product seller other than a manufacturer shall be liable to a claimant only if such claimant establishes that: (1) the product that caused the harm was sold, rented, or leased by the seller, the seller failed to exercise reasonable care with respect to the product, and such failure was the proximate cause of harm to the plaintiff; (2) the seller made an express warranty applicable to such product, the product failed to conform to the warranty, and such failure caused the harm to the plaintiff; or (3) the product seller engaged in intentional wrongdoing (as determined under applicable State law), and such wrongdoing caused the harm to the plaintiff. States that a seller shall not be considered to have failed to exercise reasonable care with respect to a product based upon a failure to inspect if: (1) there was no reasonable opportunity to inspect; or (2) such inspection would not have revealed the aspect of the product that allegedly caused the claimant's harm. Allows a seller to be liable as a manufacturer if: (1) the manufacturer is not subject to appropriate service of process; or (2) the court determines that the claimant is or would be unable to enforce a judgment against the manufacturer. Provides limited liability for persons engaged in the business of renting or leasing a product.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 1999
Safety Net Preservation Act of 1999 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to establish a new prospective payment system for federally-qualified health centers and rural health clinics.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 1999
History of the House Awareness and Preservation Act - Directs the Librarian of Congress to: (1) prepare a new and complete written history of the U.S. House of Representatives; (2) in preparing the history, consult, commission, or engage the services or participation of eminent historians and Members or former Members of the House; (3) arrange for the printing of the history and the dissemination of excerpts of the history over the Internet; (4) make the history available for sale to the public; and (5) make available, free of charge, a limited number of copies to each Member of the House of Representatives and to the Senate. Sets forth guidelines for the history. Authorizes the Librarian to solicit and accept private funding for the publication, marketing, and public distribution of the history. Directs the Librarian to accept for deposit, preserve, maintain, and make accessible, an oral history of the House as told by its Members and former Members, compiled and updated (on a voluntary or contract basis) by the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress or other outside organization. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) orientation programs for freshman Members of the House should contain a seminar on the history of the House; and (2) the Speaker of the House should conduct a series of forums on the topic of such history.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 1999
Pain Relief Promotion Act of 1999 - Title I: Use of Controlled Substances Consistent With the Controlled Substances Act - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to provide that for purposes of such Act, alleviating pain or discomfort in the usual course of professional practice is a legitimate medical purpose for the dispensing, distributing, or administering of a controlled substance consistent with public health and safety even if the use of such a substance may increase the risk of death. Declares that nothing in this Act authorizes intentionally dispensing or administering a controlled substance for purposes of causing death or assisting another person in causing death. Prohibits the Attorney General, in determining whether a controlled substance manufacturer, distributor, or dispenser registration is consistent with the public interest under the Act, from giving force and effect to State law permitting assisted suicide or euthanasia. Authorizes certain educational and research programs carried out by the Attorney General under the Act to include educational and training programs for local, State, and Federal personnel on the necessary and legitimate use of controlled substances in pain management and palliative care and means by which investigation and enforcement actions by law enforcement personnel may accommodate such use. Title II: Promoting Palliative Care - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Administrator of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research to carry out a program to: (1) develop and advance scientific understanding of palliative care; and (2) collect and disseminate protocols and evidence-based practices regarding such care, with priority given to pain management for terminally ill patients, and make such information publicly available. Defines "palliative care" as the active total care of patients whose prognosis is limited due to progressive, far-advanced disease. Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to award grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts to health professions schools, hospices, and other entities for programs to provide education and training to health care professionals in palliative care. Sets forth requirements for grant applicants. Provides for the evaluation of such programs to determine their effect on knowledge and practice regarding palliative care. Makes funds available for such grants and contracts.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 1999
Small Business Superfund Fairness Act - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to absolve a small business concern of liability for response costs at a National Priority List facility under provisions governing arrangement for treatment, disposal, or transport, or acceptance for transport, of hazardous substances to the extent that the materials concerned consist of municipal solid waste or other materials that do not or would not contribute significantly to the cost of the response action. Defines a "small business concern" as an entity that on average over the previous three years has no more than 100 full-time employees. Makes this Act retroactively applicable to actions brought before its enactment in which there was no final judgment. Requires the President, as promptly as possible, to offer to reach a final administrative or judicial settlement with potentially responsible parties who are small businesses demonstrating an inability to pay response costs.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 1999
Arctic Coastal Plain Domestic Energy Security Act of 1999 - Declares that: (1) it is the policy of the United States to permit exploration, development, production and transportation of oil and gas resources in a designated area of the Coastal Plain Study Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; (2) such exploration, development, production and transportation should proceed with dispatch; and (3) such activities should be conducted in a manner consistent with the protection of the Coastal Plain's fish and wildlife resources and environment and the needs of the area's subsistence users. (Sec. 4) Instructs the Secretary of the Interior to establish and implement a competitive oil and gas leasing program that will: (1) result in an environmentally sound program; (2) not result in significant adverse effects upon fish and wildlife; and (3) ensure the receipt of fair market value by the public for the mineral resources to be leased. Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 to repeal the prohibition against production of oil and gas from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and any leasing or development leading to such production. States that Congress determines that the Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing program and activities authorized by this Act are compatible with the purposes for which the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was established, and that no further findings or decisions are required to implement this determination. States this Act is the sole authority for Coastal Plain leasing, and that such Plain is considered "Federal land" for purposes of the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) designate a maximum total of Coastal Plain acreage as "Special Areas" and close them to leasing if the Secretary determines that these Areas require special management and regulatory protection; (2) permit leasing in those Special Areas by setting lease terms that limit or condition surface use and occupancy by lessees but permit the use of horizontal drilling technology from sites on leases located outside the designated Special Areas. Declares that this Act constitutes the Secretary's sole authority to close Coastal Plain lands to oil and gas leasing and to exploration, development, and production. (Sec. 6) States that lands may be leased to any person qualified to obtain a lease for oil and gas deposits under the Mineral Leasing Act. Requires the Secretary to prescribe lease procedures. (Sec. 7) Authorizes the Secretary to grant to the highest responsible qualified bidder by sealed competitive cash bonus bid any Coastal Plain lands upon payment of such bonus and a royalty which shall not be less than a certain amount. Prescribes lease terms and conditions. (Sec. 10) Directs the Secretary to grant rights-of-way and easements across the Coastal Plain for oil and gas transportation.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 1999
Small Business, Family Farms, and Constitutional Protection Act - Prohibits the use of Federal funds to propose or issue rules, regulations, decrees, or orders or for programs to implement the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change before the date on which the Senate gives its advice and consent to Protocol ratification. Provides that no Federal agency has authority to promulgate regulations to limit carbon dioxide emissions unless a law is enacted after this Act's enactment that specifically grants such authority. Prohibits the use of Federal funds to advocate, develop, or implement a program providing regulatory credits for early voluntary greenhouse gas emission reductions before the date on which the Senate gives its advice and consent to Protocol ratification.
![Official portrait of Rep. Combest, Larry [R-TX-19]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c000653_200.jpg)