United States · United States Congress · 29 July 1983
Abolishes the page system of the House of Representatives at the end of the 98th Congress. States that page system functions shall be provided in a manner prescribed by the Committee on House Administration.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to charitable contribution deductions from a decedent's gross estate, to extend through December 31, 1983, the period during which governing instruments may be amended to meet the requirements for a gift of a split interest to charity. Amends the Revenue Act of 1978 to provide that under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, similar rules shall apply to the income tax and gift tax charitable deduction.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 1983
Establishes the Kamehameha National Monument in Hawaii. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to provide facilities to commemorate the historical significance of the monument. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1983
First Time Homebuyer Assistance Act of 1983 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an income tax credit to first time homebuyers for interest on home mortgages in specified circumstances where State or local governments elect to participate in a mortgage credit program rather than issue mortgage subsidy bonds. Sets forth requirements for a State or local government to participate in such a mortgage credit program.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an income tax deduction for lodging costs incurred while undergoing medical treatment away from home. Requires that the medical care be provided by a physician in a licensed hospital or in a nationally or regionally recognized medical care facility and that there be no significant element of personal pleasure, recreation, or vacation in the travel away from home.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow the rollover of certain partial distributions from employee benefit plans into individual retirement plans if: (1) the distribution is equal to at least 50 percent of the employee's balance; (2) the distribution is not one of a series of periodic payments; and (3) the employee elects such treatment. Denies ten year averaging and capital gains treatment for any subsequent distributions if such a rollover is made. Makes eligible for such a rollover any partial distributions paid to a spouse of an employee after the employee's death. Revises related parties rules to require that a payor of expenses and interest be placed on the cash method of accounting for purposes of deducting business expenses and interest owed to a related party cash-basis taxpayer. Extends present rules relating to such payments by Subchapter S corporations to such payments by partnerships. Allows an income tax deduction, as an ordinary loss, of losses incurred on the disposition of preferred stock of a domestic small business corporation. (Present law limits such treatment to losses incurred on the disposition of common stock in such a corporation.) Makes technical corrections to reinstate provisions enacted by the Highway Revenue Act of 1982 concerning tax-exempt interest income of mutual funds.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 1983
Child Support Enforcement Act of 1983 - Amends part D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity) of title IV of the Social Security Act to state that the purpose of part D is to assure that all children in the United States who are in need of assistance in securing financial support from their parents will receive such assistance regardless of the economic status of their parents and that parents will prevent their children from becoming a burden on taxpayers by fulfilling to the best of their ability their financial obligations on behalf of their children. Revises provisions relating to incentive payments under part D. Provides that incentives will be computed and paid quarterly beginning in FY 1986. Provides generally that as the amount of support collected increases, the incentive payment will increase. Repeals the present incentive system as of October 1, 1985, but assures a State of receiving at least 80 percent in FY 1986, 60 percent in FY 1987, and 40 in FY 1988, of what the State would have received under the repealed incentive system. Provides for the collection of past-due support from Federal tax refunds in non-Aid to Families With Dependent Children (part A of title IV) cases. (Currently, this is done for AFDC cases.) Requires a State under part D to implement procedures providing for: (1) the withholding of child support from wages if a support order has been entered by a State; (2) quasi-judicial or administrative procedures for entering child support orders which have the same force and effect as orders entered by a court; (3) the collection of past-due support from State tax refunds; (4) placing liens on real property for amounts of past-due support; (5) the sharing of information regarding amounts of past-due support owed by absent parents with consumer credit bureau organizations; and (6) seeking employment-related health care or health insurance from the absent parent for children for whom the State is seeking financial support when such care or insurance would be available at a reasonable cost and such care or insurance could not be provided by the custodial parent. Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to States to assist in the development or improvement of clearinghouses and other information management systems to aid in the enforcement of support by facilitating the collection and exchange, both within a State or locality and among States and localities, of child support information. Authorizes appropriations for such purpose for FY 1984 through FY 1989. Requires that there be filed annually with the Secretary, the designee of the Secretary, data showing the number of cases by State filed on behalf of children seeking support in which all support owed was fully paid in each of the preceding 12 months, the number of such cases in which at least 80 percent of the support owed was paid in each of the preceding 12 months, the number of such cases in which less than half the support owed was paid, and the number of such cases in which no support was paid. Amends title III (Grants to States for Unemployment Compensation Administration) of the Act to require the reporting (at least quarterly) of the name, address, and wages paid to each individual with respect to whom an unemployment contribution has been made. Requires a State unemployment compensation agency to disclose to any State or local child support enforcement agency and to any State agency administering a State AFDC plan any information it has regarding an individual's: (1) wages; (2) unemployment compensation; (3) address; and (4) employment opportunities. Makes conforming amendments to sections of the Internal Revenue Code, Wagner-Peyser Act, and Unemployment Compensation Amendments of 1976.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 1983
Child Support Enforcement Amendments of 1983 - Amends part D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity) of title IV of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make payments, in addition to those already provided under part D, to any State whose part D program is found to be exemplary in the amount of collections made, the cost efficiency with which the program is operated, or the magnitude of the costs to other assistance programs that could reasonably have been expected to occur but for the operation and the effective performance of the State's program. Repeals the present provisions for incentive payments to States and localities. Reduces Federal funding to States under part D. Eliminates funding for the planning, design, development, installation, or enhancement of an automatic data processing and information retrieval system under part D. Revises provisions of part D relating to the distribution of the amounts collected as child support by a State. Provides: (1) that amounts collected by a State under part D as support for families receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children (part A of title IV of the Social Security Act) shall be paid to the family, to the extent that such amounts exceed the amount of AFDC paid to the family but do not exceed the amount of required court ordered support; (2) that amounts in excess of those required to be paid to the family shall be retained by the State to the extent they do not exceed the total amount of AFDC previously paid to the family; and (3) that any balance shall be paid to the family. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to States to assist in the development or improvement of clearinghouses and other information management systems to aid in the enforcement of support by facilitating the collection and exchange, both within a State and among States, of child support information. Authorizes appropriations for such purpose. Requires charging an application fee of at least $25 for child support or paternity determination services furnished under part D to individuals not otherwise eligible. Provides that the cost of providing collection services may range from three to ten percent of the amount collected. Requires a State under part D to implement procedures providing for: (1) the withholding of child support from wages if a support order has been entered by a State; (2) quasi-judicial or administrative procedures for entering child support orders which have the same force and effect as orders entered by a court; (3) the collection of past-due support from State tax refunds; and (4) placing liens on real property for amounts of past-due support. Requires a designee of the State to conduct a review of each State's part D program at least once every three years in order to determine the program's effectiveness and compliance with part D requirements. Requires a State which is receiving funds under part A of title IV to have in effect a plan under part D and operate a child support program in substantial compliance (currently, in conformity) with the part D plan. Provides for reduced Federal funding under part A for any State whose part D program is not in compliance. Eliminates the requirement that before a State agency can request information from the Secretary the agency must have determined that the absent parent cannot be located through procedures under the control of the agency. Makes provisions of part A (General Provisions) of title XI of the Social Security Act relating to demonstration project authority applicable to part D. Makes modifications in the timing and content of the Secretary's annual part D report to Congress. Requires child support collected by a State on behalf of a child for whom a public agency is making foster care payments under part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act to be paid to the public agency responsible for supervising placement of the child, to the extent that the amounts collected exceed the monthly foster care maintenance payments but not the monthly amount required by a court to be paid on behalf of the child or agreed to by both parents of such child. Requires a State plan under part E to provide that all steps will be taken to secure an assignment to the State of any rights to support on behalf of each child receiving part E foster care maintenance payments.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 1983
Permanent Tax Treatment of Fringe Benefits Act of 1983 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income any fringe benefit which qualifies as a: (1) no-additional-cost service; (2) qualified employee discount; (3) working condition fringe; or (4) de minimis fringe. Provides definitions and sets forth special rules for such tax exclusion. Limits the income tax deduction for operating on-premises employee recreational facilities. Allows an employer to elect to include the cost of such recreational facilities in employee income in lieu of the disallowance of such income tax deduction. Excludes from gross income reductions in tuition provided by an employer to employees.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 1983
Authorizes the Eleventh Airborne Division Association to erect a memorial on public grounds in the District of Columbia in honor and in commemoration of the men of the Angels of Liberation. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to select a suitable site on public grounds in the District of Columbia or environs upon which such memorial may be erected.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 1983
Patent Term Restoration Act of 1983 - Amends the patent laws to extend the terms of patents which encompass specified products or a method for using a product, any of which are subject to certain nonpatent regulatory review periods. Sets forth the terms and conditions of such extension, including a seven year limitation. Directs the Commissioner of Patents to issue to the owner of record of a patent a certificate of extension stating the fact and length of the extension and identifying the product and the use and the claim to which such extension is applicable. Makes such certificate a part of the original patent. Limits the application of such patent term extension to patents for products subject to regulation under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the Public Health Service Act, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, and the Act of March 4, 1913 (relating to virus, serum, toxin, and analogous products).
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 1983
Tax Law Simplification and Improvement Act of 1983 - Title I: Revision and Simplification of Estimated Income Tax for Individuals - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise provisions dealing with the quarterly payment of estimated tax by individuals. Establishes the amount of the penalty for underpayment of estimated tax at the amount of the underpayment for the period of underpayment, plus interest on such amount. Revises the schedule for the payment of estimated tax installments. Specifies that the amount of the required annual estimated tax payment shall be the lesser of 80 percent of the current tax shown on the taxpayer's return or 100 percent of the preceding year's tax liability. Permits lower estimated tax payments if the taxpayer can show that the installment payments made over the year were adequate for each quarter based on an annualized income concept. Exempts a taxpayer from an estimated tax penalty: (1) where the tax liability is less than $500; (2) where there is no tax liability for the preceding taxable year; or (3) where there is reasonable cause for the underpayment. Exempts a taxpayer from a penalty for underpayment of estimated tax for the fourth quarter if such taxpayer files on or before January 31 of the following taxable year a return and pays any tax liability in full (March 1 for farmers and fishermen). Permits farmers and fishermen to make only one annual estimated tax payment on January 15 of each year. Lowers the percentage of the required estimated tax payment for such farmers and fishermen to 66-2/3 percent of the tax shown on their returns. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe regulations to carry out the provisions of this title. Repeals provisions of the Internal Revenue Code dealing with the declaration of estimated tax by individuals, the time for filing declarations of estimated tax, and installment payments of estimated income tax by individuals. Provides that the amendments made by this title shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 1983. Title II: Domestic Relations - Domestic Relations Tax Reform Act of 1983 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for the nonrecognition of gain from the transfer of property to a spouse or to a former spouse, if such transfer is incident to a divorce. Treats such transfer as a gift for purposes of determining the spouse's basis in such property (same basis as transferor spouse). Requires that any transfer of property under this provision occur within one year after the marriage ceases or be related to the cessation of the marriage. Redefines "alimony or separate maintenance payments" for purposes of determining whether such amounts should be included in gross income. Eliminates requirements that alimony payments must be made on account of a marital obligation imposed under local law and that such payments be made on a periodic basis. Requires that alimony payments be made in cash to a spouse under a divorce or separation agreement. Specifies that the divorce or separation agreement may indicate whether a payment to a spouse is alimony. Prohibits the characterization of a payment to a spouse as alimony if it is made for a transfer of property by the payee spouse or if both spouses are members of the same household at the time of payment. Prohibits payments of alimony to the estate of a deceased spouse. Characterizes a payment to a spouse as alimony if such payment is one of a series of cash payments where it is reasonable to expect that 50 percent of such payments will be made more than one year after the date of the first payment. Requires a spouse paying alimony to furnish the Internal Revenue Service with the taxpayer identification number of the spouse receiving alimony payments. Imposes a $50 fine for each failure to provide such information. Allocates the personal tax exemption for a dependent child of divorced parents to the parent having custody unless such custodial parent signs a written declaration that he or she will not claim the child as a dependent. Requires that such written declaration be attached to the income tax return of the noncustodial parent claiming the tax exemption. Treats a child of divorced parents as the dependent child of either parent for purposes of the medical expense deduction. Applies these tax rules to taxable years beginning after 1983. Permits a noncustodial parent to continue to claim a tax exemption for a dependent child in cases where such parent entered into an agreement with the custodial parent prior to January 1, 1984 which allocated the exemption to the noncustodial parent, and the noncustodial parent contributes at least $600 to the child's support for the year. Revises requirements relating to the exemption from liability of spouses who have no knowledge of substantial understatements of tax liability of their spouses with respect to jointly reported items of income and community property. Allows an estate tax deduction for transfers of property in settlement of marital or property rights not subject to the gift tax. Title III: Revision of At-Risk Rules for the Investment Tax Credit - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the at-risk rules on the investment tax credit. Reduces the credit base of property eligible for investment tax credit treatment by the amount of nonqualified nonrecourse financing with respect to such property. Defines "nonqualified nonrecourse financing" (financing in which the taxpayer is protected against loss) as any nonrecourse financing which is not qualified commercial financing. Defines "qualified commercial financing" as any financing with respect to property if: (1) such property is not acquired from a related party (family, controlled corporations etc.); (2) the amount of the nonrecourse financing does not exceed 80 percent of the credit base of the property; and (3) such financing is obtained from certain business lenders or from any Federal, State, or local government. Sets forth special rules for the treatment of S corporation shareholders and partners with respect to the at-risk rules. Provides rules for the treatment of subsequent increases and decreases in nonqualified nonrecourse financing with respect to investment tax credit property. Title IV: Estate Tax Provisions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide a permanent rule for the reformation of charitable split interest instruments for purposes of meeting the requirement for the tax deduction for gifts of split interests to charity. Requires that the charitable and noncharitable interests in the split interest trust generally remain the same before and after the reformation. Treats the premature death of an income beneficiary of a charitable remainder trust as the equivalent of a reformation. Permits the executor of an estate to elect an alternate date for valuing estate property only if such election will result in a decrease of the value of the gross estate and the amount of estate tax liability. Permits the executor to elect an alternate valuation date on a late filed return. Title V: Foreign Tax Provisions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to define "resident alien" for U.S. tax purposes. Treats any individual as a resident alien if such individual: (1) is a lawful permanent resident of the United States at any time during the calendar year; (2) has an application for an immigrant visa pending at any time during the year and is physically present in the United States during at least 60 days; or (3) is present in the United States for a substantial period of time (at least 183 days during a three year period weighted toward the present year - "substantial presence test"). Exempts an individual from the application of the substantial presence test if such individual is present in the United States for fewer than 183 days and establishes that he has a closer connection with a foreign country than with the United States. Treats foreign government-related individuals, teachers or trainees, or students as nonresident aliens even if they meet the substantial presence test criteria. Authorizes the Secretary to require aliens who claim exemption from the substantial presence test to file statements explaining the basis for their exemption. Prohibits a married couple, both of whom are nonresident aliens, from using community property laws to split the U.S. earned income of one spouse for purposes of computing U.S. tax liability. Eliminates rules which attribute ownership of foreign personal holding company stock held by a nonresident alien to the alien's U.S. blood relatives. Treats stock of a foreign personal holding company owned by a partnership, estate, or trust which is not a U.S. shareholder, or a foreign corporation as being owned proportionately by its partners, beneficiaries, or shareholders, for purposes of the foreign personal holding company rules. Provides that shareholders of controlled foreign corporations will not be subject to taxation at ordinary income rates on previously taxed distributions from such corporations with respect to accumulated earnings and profits of such corporations. Prohibits the crediting of foreign taxes of a controlled foreign corporation that another U.S. taxpayer has already credited. Provides that earnings and profits accumulated by a foreign corporation while controlled by U.S. shareholders are subject to ordinary income treatment whether its owners controlled it directly or indirectly. Coordinates the taxation of foreign corporations in cases where there is a conflict between the application of the foreign personal holding company rules and the controlled foreign corporation rules of the Internal Revenue Code. Treats a foreign corporation as a domestic corporation, for income tax purposes, where the foreign corporation and its domestic counterpart are stapled entities. Defines "stapled entities" as any group of two or more entities if more than 50 percent in value of the beneficial ownership in each of such entities consist of stapled interest. Provides rules for determining controlled corporation status and stock ownership of stapled entities, and whether a stapled entity is a real estate investment trust or a regulated investment company. Title VI: Miscellaneous Treasury Administrative Provisions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the submission of reports on domestic international sales corporations and possessions corporations on a biennial basis. Requires the submission of the international boycott report every four years. Revises requirements for determining which taxpayers will be included in the high income taxpayer report. Repeals the $1,000,000 limitation on the working capital fund in the Department of the Treasury. Increases the limitation on the real property redemption revolving fund to $10,000,000 (such fund is used by the Internal Revenue Service in exercising redemption rights upon sale of property on which the IRS has a lien). Authorizes the Secretary to accept gifts and bequests of property for purposes of facilitating the work of the Department of the Treasury. Repeals provisions which require the placing of strip stamps over the neck and cap of distilled spirits containers. Extends the period of court review of IRS jeopardy assessments in cases where the IRS has not been properly notified of court proceedings. Title VII: Tax Court Provisions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit taxpayers to be represented in Tax Court by certified public accountants or enrolled agents (authorized to practice before the Internal Revenue Service) in tax disputes involving $5,000 or less. Increases the maximum annuities receivable by dependent survivors of deceased Tax Court judges from $900 per year per family to $4,644 per year per family. Specifies types of cases which the chief judge of the Tax Court may assign to commissioners, subject to review and final decision by a Tax Court judge. Renames commissioners of the Tax Court as special judges. Empowers the Tax Court to take action necessary to prevent the disclosure of trade secrets and other confidential information. Title VIII: Simplification of Income Tax Credits - Tax Credit Simplification Act of 1983 - Revises provisions of the Internal Revenue Code relating to income tax credits. Groups all credits into nonrefundable personal credits (allowable first against tax liability), foreign tax credit, orphan drug credit and fuel production credit, nonrefundable credits, and business related credits. Combines business credits and the investment tax credit into one general business credit. Establishes the general business credit at 100 percent of the first $25,000 of tax liability and 85 percent of the remaining tax liability. Permits a three year carryback and a 15 year carryforward of unused business credits. Title IX: Repeal of Certain Obsolete Provisions - Repeals provisions of the Internal Revenue Code relating to qualified bond purchase plans and retirement bonds with respect to bonds issued after December 31, 1983. Repeals rules relating to gains from the disposition of property used in farming where farm losses offset nonfarm income.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to grant tax-exempt status to foreign pension trusts which invest in the United States. Requires that such pension trusts: (1) be maintained primarily to provide retirement benefits to employees who are primarily nonresident alien individuals; (2) have assets which are segregated from the assets of the employer maintaining the trust pursuant to the laws of the foreign country in which the trust is maintained; and (3) be maintained in a foreign country which grants preferential tax treatment to such pension trusts. Provides that such exemption shall not apply to any income or gain derived by such trusts for any interest in land used in farming. Authorizes the President to withdraw such tax-exempt status from such trusts if the country in which the trust is maintained in a country which does not grant preferential tax treatment to U.S. pension trusts investing in that country.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 1983
Work Opportunities and Renewed Competition Act of 1983 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a taxpayer to elect to treat an excess investment tax credit as a reinvestment tax credit. Requires a taxpayer to forfeit any investment tax credit carryover if the taxpayer elects to take a reinvestment tax credit. Sets the amount of such reinvestment tax credit at 85 percent of the taxpayer's qualified investment in reinvestment credit property. Terminates such credit after 1984. Makes such reinvestment tax credit refundable. Requires the recapture of the reinvestment tax credit under specified circumstances. Sets forth rules relating to such recapture.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 1983
Expresses the sense of the Congress that further expansion of cargo preference requirements, either for commercial or other trade, should not be imposed.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 1983
National Child Support Enforcement Act - Amends part D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity) of title IV of the Social Security Act to require that in order for any State to be eligible for payments pursuant to title IV or title XIX (Medicaid) of the Act, to have enacted and implemented a State law providing for the collection of child support through a mandatory wage withholding system satisfying the requirements of this Act. Requires a State system to: (1) apply in every case where child support has been ordered by a court or administrative process of the State; (2) provide for withholding from wages per pay period of child support payments due, plus any past-due support (to a maximum of 25 percent of gross pay); (3) require that any charges or fees imposed covering the costs of collection be paid by the individual from whom the amounts were collected; (4) utilize the services and facilities available under part D to locate individuals owing support, administer the withholding process, and distribute amounts withheld; and (5) include such other provisions as the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines necessary and appropriate.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the income tax deduction allowed for maintaining exchange students as members of the taxpayer's household to $100 per month up to a maximum of $1,000 per year.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 1983
Dairy Adjustment and Stabilization Act of 1983 - Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949, as amended by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1982, to eliminate the 50-cent milk producer assessment provisions. Reduces minimum milk price support levels to $11.60.
United States · United States Congress · 2 June 1983
Expresses the sense of the Congress that it supports the reduction of child mortality and morbidity throughout the world. Urges the President to promote and undertake activities to further the objectives of the child health revolution. Directs appropriate Government agencies to support UNICEF and other specified international agencies and public and private organizations in fostering the child health revolution.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 1983
Foreign Tax Credit Conformity Act of 1983 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a taxpayer to recapture domestic losses in subsequent years in which it has domestic income by recharacterizing the subsequent domestic income as foreign source income, to the extent domestic losses have served to reduce the foreign tax credit available to the taxpayer. Extends the carryover period for excess foreign tax credits from five years to 15 years. Revises ordering rule provisions for foreign tax credits arising after 1981.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 1983
ERISA Simplification Act of 1983 - Title I: Amendments to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 - Subtitle A: Amendments to Definitions - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to authorize the Secretary of labor to exempt by regulation any severance pay or supplemental income arrangement from provisions applicable to welfare plans and to provide alternative methods of compliance with any such provision. Conforms the definitions of "party in interest" and "governmental plan" with the Internal Revenue Code. Revises the definitions of "normal retirement age" and "relative." Subtitle B: Amendments to Reporting and Disclosure Provisions - Eliminates requirements regarding the filing of a plan description with the Secretary of Labor. Requires qualified public accountants and actuaries to rely on the correctness of actuarial or accounting matters certified by an enrolled actuary or with respect to which a qualified public accountant has expressed an opinion for purposes of the preparation of annual reports. Eliminates certain automatic filing requirements. Revises requirements regarding simplified annual reports for pension plans with less than 100 active participants and not more than 200 participants. Exempts from reporting and disclosure requirements welfare plans providing exclusively apprenticeship and other training benefits. Eliminates the requirement of a summary annual report. Limits to $10 the fee for obtaining a plan's lastest annual report. Revises requirements regarding the disclosure to a participant or beneficiary of benefit rights and account information. Directs administrators to issue reports to certain plan participants who have separated from service stating the nature, amount, and form of the deferred vested benefit to which they are entitled. Requires employers to maintain records regarding each employee sufficient to determine the benefits due to the employee. Requires, rather than allows, the Secretary to prescribe an alternative method of compliance with reporting requirements under certain circumstances. Specifies circumstances in which the administrator of a multiemployer plan may use an alternative method of information distribution. Revises requirements of notice to interested parties before issuance of determination letters. Requires the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, to conduct a study of the means by which the reporting of information pursuant to ERISA may be approved. Specifies matters to be analyzed by such study. Subtitle C: Amendments to Participation and Vesting Provisions - Permits the determination of pension plan eligibility on a plan year basis. Specifies that the notification and election requirement triggered by a change in vesting schedules shall be applicable only to employees who would be adversely affected by the change. Makes 125 days of service in any maritime industry equivalent to 1,000 hours of service for purposes of satisfying benefit accrual requirements. Requires a plan offering an optional benefit form, in order not to be treated as having altered a participant's accrued benefit by reason of a change in actuarial assumptions, to set forth such assumptions in a separate document. Requires plans in which a majority of employees are seasonal employees to use 500 hours, rather than 1000 hours, for purposes of defining a year of service. Revises joint and survivor annuity requirements. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe methods of measuring services based upon the elasped time of an employee's service. Subtitle D: Amendments for Funding Provisions - Makes certain revisions with respect to funding, including a requirement that changes in funding method or plan year need be approved only when made more than once in a three-year period, and a requirement that a funding method take into account future benefit changes. Subtitle E: Amendments to Fiduciary Responsibility Provisions - Permits the return to an employer of an overpayment of withdrawal liability: (1) in the case of a multiemployer plan; and (2) in the case of a multiemployer plan maintained pursuant to collective bargaining agreements where it is determined that a contribution was made by a mistake of fact or law. Requires the definition of "qualifying employer real property" for purposes of the limitation on the acquisition and holding of real property by a plan. Provides for allocation of prohibited transaction enforcement responsibilities. Conforms certain provisions regarding transactions by parties in interest with provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. Extends the prohibited transaction exemption procedure to owner-employees. Subtitle F: Amendments to Administration and Enforcement Provisions - Creates a civil cause of action for collection by a fiduciary of a multiemployer plan of delinquent employer contributions, subject to a six-year statute of limitations (three years after the date of actual knowledge of the cause of action). Makes available to the Department of Labor for purposes of administering ERISA any amounts which become available through the public request of information. Revises the composition of the Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans to require that one of the employer members be a representative of employers maintaining small plans. Directs the Secretary of Labor to publish at least annually reports showing the number of plans and participants; amounts of assets, income, and expenses; and certain other information categorized by plan size and type. Deems as preempted by ERISA certain provisions of State law: (1) regarding benefits provided by an insurance policy issued to an employee benefit plan; and (2) which treat a participant's interest in a plan as a security or similar right. Deems as not preempted by ERISA certain provisions of State law: (1) which require an insurance policy issued to a plan to permit a participant to convert or continue protection after the termination of the insurance coverage under the plan; and (2) which prohibit such an insurance policy from classifying health care services as ineligible for coverage solely because the provider is licensed as a provider of services other than those rendered by a medical doctor. Allows the assignment of pension plan benefits pursuant to a specific State or foreign decree of divorce, annulment, legal separation, or family support or a court order relating marital property rights. Prescribes notification and administrative requirements with respect to any such assignment. Subtitle G: Clarifying and Technical Amendments - Makes certain technical changes and corrections. Title II: Amendments to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 - Subtitle A: Amendments Related to Title Amendments - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make conforming changes in accordance with the provisions of title I of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow income tax deductions for contributions to private foundations on the same basis as contributions to public charities (deductible up to 50 percent of the taxpayer's adjusted gross income). Redefines "lineal descendants" to include only children and grandchildren, for purposes of private foundation penalty tax rules dealing with substantial contributors. Provides that private foundation gifts to public charities do not forfeit their tax deductibility due to the disqualification of the charity's tax exemption if: (1) the gift is made before the Secretary of the Treasury publishes a notice of disqualification or before the foundation receives actual notice of disqualification; (2) and the foundation was not responsible for or aware of the charity's change in status. Exempts a private foundation from expenditure responsibility requirements if such foundation and all related foundations contribute no more than $15,000 in grants during a taxable year. Permits the Secretary to abate first tier penalty taxes on private foundations if it is determined that a violation of private foundation rules was due to a good faith error or omission and was corrected within the statutory correction period.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the 30 percent tax on the income of nonresident alien individuals and foreign corporations any interest received from certain portfolio debt investments. Makes such exemptions inapplicable upon a determination by the Secretary of the Treasury that the exchange of information between the United States and a foreign country is inadequate to prevent income tax evasion. Excludes from the gross estate of a nonresident alien for purposes of the estate tax, any interest eligible for the income tax exemption under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 1983
Increases the temporary public debt limit by $989,000,000,000 (currently, $890,200,000,000) until September 30, 1983. Increases the limit on long-term government bonds to not more than $150,000,000,000 (currently, $110,000,000,000).
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit any State, or political subdivision thereof, which imposes an income tax on a corporation from taking into account income of any foreign corporation which is also a member of an affiliated group to which the domestic corporation belongs, unless such amount is subject to Federal income tax. Prohibits any State, or political subdivision thereof, from taxing or otherwise taking into account: (1) the amount of the deduction for dividends paid by a corporation which has elected the Puerto Rico and possession tax credit for the taxable year; or (2) a certain percentage (determined according to specified formulae) of any dividend received from a domestic corporation which is not treated as income from sources within the United States (or a dividend received by a corporation from a foreign corporation). Provides that nothing in this Act shall subject any dividend, other income item, or portion thereof to taxation if such taxation is otherwise prohibited by any law, or rule of law, of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the excise tax on sales of heavy trucks and trailers piggyback trailers or semi trailers designed for use principally in connection with trailer-on-flatcar service by rail.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 1983
Church Audit Procedures Act of 1983 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to restrict the Secretary of the Treasury from investigating or auditing churches unless the Secretary possesses evidence causing him to believe that a church: (1) is carrying on an unrelated trade or business; or (2) should not be granted tax-exempt status. Restricts the Secretary from beginning any investigation unless he has first provided the church with written notice that an investigation is being commenced. Sets forth the requirements of such notice. Requires that the Secretary must first approve an application by the regional counsel of the internal revenue region for examination of church records and religious activities before beginning any such examination. Requires the Secretary, prior to the approval of any such application, to offer in writing an opportunity for a conference to discuss facts, evidence, and issues relevant to the investigation. Requires the Secretary to notify the church in writing of the approval of the application for examination at least 15 days prior to the commencement of such examination. Limits the examination of religious activities to that necessary to determine whether an organization is a church or convention or association of churches. Limits the examination of church records to that necessary to determine the amount of tax imposed. Allows an organization which claims that the Secretary has violated the provisions of this Act to bring a civil action for injunctive relief against the Secretary. Reduces the statute of limitations for collection after assessment of tax to three years in the case of any organization which is a church or convention or association of churches.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 1983
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that regulations relating to title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (concerning sex discrimination in education) should not be amended or altered in any manner which will lessen the comprehensive coverage of such statute in eliminating gender discrimination throughout the American educational system.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 1983
Ocean Freight Competition Act of 1983 - Amends the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, to exclude federally financed agricultural commodities from the requirement that cargoes procured, furnished, or financed by the United States be transported on privately owned U.S.-flag commercial vessels and vessels of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit any State, or political subdivision thereof, which imposes an income tax on a corporation from taking into account income of any foreign corporation which is also a member of an affiliated group to which the domestic corporation belongs, unless such amount is subject to Federal income tax. Prohibits any State, or political subdivision thereof, from taxing or otherwise taking into account: (1) the amount of the deduction for dividends paid by a corporation which has elected the Puerto Rico and possession tax credit for the taxable year; or (2) a certain percentage (determined according to specified formulae) of any dividend received from a domestic corporation which is not treated as income from sources within the United States (or a dividend received by a corporation from a foreign corporation). Provides that nothing in this Act shall subject any dividend, other income item, or portion thereof to taxation if such taxation is otherwise prohibited by any law, or rule of law, of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to set forth transitional rules for estate and gift tax treatment of qualified disclaimers of property interests transferred before November 15, 1958.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for a business expense income tax deduction for additions to a reserve established for the cost incurred by a regulated public utility in decommissioning (retiring) a nuclear powerplant. Limits the deduction to the amount which the regulatory body having ratemaking jurisdiction over the utility permits as addition to a reserve and which is included in its cost of service for ratemaking purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 1983
Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act - Title I: Duty-Free Treatment - Authorizes the President to proclaim duty-free treatment for all eligible articles from Caribbean countries that the President designates as beneficiary countries. Requires the President to notify Congress before making such a designation. Prohibits the President from terminating such a designation unless both Houses of Congress are notified 60 days before the termination. Requires the President to consider only specified countries and territories as beneficiary countries. Prohibits the President from designating a country as a beneficiary country: (1) if it is a Communist country; (2) if it has nationalized or seized control, or effectively nationalized or seized control, of U.S. property, unless the President determines that a good faith effort is being made to compensate for such seizure; (3) if it fails to act in good faith in recognizing as binding or in enforcing arbitral awards in favor of U.S. citizens or corporations; (4) if it grants preferential treatment to the products of a developed country other than the United States which may have a significant adverse effect on U.S. commerce, unless the President reports to Congress that certain assurances have been made; (5) if it has a government-owned entity engaged in broadcasting copyrighted material belonging to U.S. copyright owners without their express consent; or (6) unless an extradition treaty exists between the United States and such country. Permits the President to designate as a beneficiary country a Communist country, an expropriating country, or a country that fails to act in good faith with respect to an arbitral award if the President determines and reports to Congress that such designation will be in the national interest. Lists factors the President should consider in determining whether to grant beneficiary designation. Amends the Tariff Schedules of the United States to grant to imports from U.S. insular possessions, subject to specified provisions of this Act, duty treatment no less favorable than the treatment afforded such imports from a beneficiary country. Directs the President to withdraw or suspend a country's beneficiary designation, if the President determines that changed circumstances in such country would prohibit such designation under the guidelines in this title. Requires duty-free treatment to apply to any article imported from a beneficiary country, unless otherwise excluded from eligibility, if: (1) the article is imported directly from such country into U.S. customs territory; and (2) the sum of specified costs of the article is not less than 35 percent of its appraised value at the time of its entry. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe regulations governing articles eligible for such duty-free treatment, including the requirement that such articles must be wholly the product of a beneficiary country or must be a new or different article of commerce which has been produced in the beneficiary country. Prohibits this duty-free treatment from applying to: (1) textile and apparel articles which are subject to tariff agreements; (2) certain footwear, handbags, luggage, flat goods, work gloves, and leather wearing apparel; (3) tuna prepared or preserved in airtight containers; or (4) petroleum or certain petroleum products. Directs the President to suspend duty-free treatment of sugar and beef products that are the products of a beneficiary country if: (1) the beneficiary country, within 90 days of its designation as a beneficiary country, does not submit a Stable Food Production Plan to the President for evaluation; (2) the President determines that the Plan of a beneficiary country does not meet specified criteria; or (3) as a result of the monitoring of the operation of the Plan, the President determines that a beneficiary country is not making a good faith effort to implement its Plan, or that the Plan, although being implemented, is not achieving its purposes. Requires the President, before suspending such duty-free treatment, to offer to consult with the country to formulate appropriate remedial action. Requires the President, biennially, to monitor the operation of the Plans implemented by beneficiary countries and to report to Congress. Sets forth the manner of governing the importation and duty-free treatment of certain sugars, sirups, and molasses. Authorizes the President to suspend the duty-free treatment provided by this title and to proclaim a duty for an eligible article if such action is taken pursuant to certain import relief or national security provisions. Requires the International Trade Commission (ITC), in any report on a petition for import relief under the Trade Act of 1974, to state how its findings and recommendations apply to any duty-free article imported from beneficiary countries. Authorizes the President to reduce or end the application of import relief measures which apply to articles imported from beneficiary countries earlier than otherwise scheduled. Requires the suspension of duty-free treatment provided by this title to be treated as an increase in duty for purposes of the import relief section of the Trade Act of 1974. Prohibits such a suspension of duty-free treatment unless the ITC finds that the harm caused by the imports results from its duty-free treatment by this title. Authorizes the filing of petitions for import relief with the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary), as well as with the ITC, for injury from imports of perishable products from beneficiary countries. Directs the Secretary to recommend the granting or denying of such petition within 14 days of its filing. Requires the President to take emergency action or to publish a notice of determination not to take emergency action within seven days of receiving the Secretary's recommendation. Sets forth the limits on the duration of the emergency action. Defines perishable products to include certain live plants, certain fresh or chilled vegetables, fresh mushrooms, fresh fruit, and fresh cut flowers. Exempts from proclamations under this title certain fees imposed pursuant to the Agricultural Adjustment Act. Provides for duty-free treatment of articles imported directly from Puerto Rico and the U.S. insular possessions, so long as foreign materials do not account for more than 70 percent of the total value of the articles (or more than 50 percent of the total value with respect to articles excluded from duty-free treatment under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act). Amends the Tariff Schedules of the United States to increase to five liters (currently, four liters) the amount of duty-free liquor that may be brought into the United States. Provides that not more than four liters, of such five liter limit, may have been produced outside American Samoa, Guam, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Authorizes the President to withdraw duty-free treatment on rum if the amount of excise taxes on rum that is paid into the treasuries of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands falls below the amount that would have been paid if the rum had been produced in Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. Amends the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 to repeal the provision for protecting U.S. possessions against revenue losses caused by concessions granted by the United States in the Tokyo Round of the Multilateral Trade Negotiations. Prohibits any action under this title from affecting a tariff imposed by Puerto Rico on coffee imported into Puerto Rico. Exempts from specified sections of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act certain discharges from sources in the U.S. Virgin Islands which are attributable to the manufacture of rum. Requires the ITC to report to Congress and the President on the economic impact of this Act on U.S. industries and consumers during: (1) the two year period beginning with the enactment of this Act; and (2) each year afterwards, until duty-free treatment under this title is terminated. Sets forth assessments that the ITC shall make and factors to be considered in making those assessments. Directs the Secretary of State to prepare a study regarding the feasibility of establishing a Caribbean Trade Institute in New York City. Sets forth factors to be assessed in the study. Terminates duty-free treatment to beneficiary countries under this title after FY 1995. Title II: Tax Provisions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require excise taxes on rum imported into the United States to be paid to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to negotiate and conclude an agreement for the exchange of information with any beneficiary country. Requires such exchange to consist of such information as may be necessary to carry out and enforce the tax laws of both the United States and the beneficiary country. Provides that such agreements shall be treated as income conventions for purposes of disclosures of tax return information. Allows a tax deduction for attending a convention held in a beneficiary country, if such beneficiary country has a tax information agreement in effect with the United States.