United States · United States Congress · 15 March 1990
Congratulates: (1) the people of Lithuania on their recent multiparty elections; (2) the new Government on its decision to restore Lithuanian independence; and (3) the new Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania. Urges the Soviet Government to enter into negotiations with the new Lithuanian Government on an equal basis and to refrain from acts of political and economic intimidation against Lithuania. Urges the President to: (1) strengthen and seek ways to demonstrate his commitment to an independent and democratic Lithuania; (2) take steps toward normalizing diplomatic relations with the Lithuanian Government; (3) seek effective political support among our allies as Lithuania attempts to negotiate credits in Western markets; and (4) seek ways to make appropriate technical assistance available to the Lithuanian people.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 1990
Expresses the sense of the Congress that telephone directories for use in the eastern United States should include information relating to survival techniques in natural disasters including hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 1990
Consumer Credit Protection Amendments of 1990 - Title I: Fair Credit Reporting Amendments - Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to place additional restrictions on the permissible purposes of consumer reports. Adds dwelling rental applications and check cashing privilege applications to the list of permissible uses. Prohibits, subject to exception, a consumer reporting agency (CRA) from furnishing certain reports in connection with any credit or business transaction which is not initiated by the consumer. Prohibits a CRA from reporting Chapter 13 bankruptcy information that is more than seven years old and other bankruptcy information that is more than ten years old. (Current law prohibits reporting any bankruptcy information, including Chapter 13, that is more than ten years old.) Provides for graduated periods of obsolescence for information relating to overdue payments. Repeals exemptions to obsolete information reporting prohibitions relating to credit, life insurance, or employment involving amounts over specified sums. Prohibits a CRA from prohibiting any report user from disclosing the contents of a report to the consumer. Requires a CRA to maintain certain records regarding: (1) accuracy assurance procedures; and (2) the certified purpose for which any information relating to any consumer is requested by any person. Requires any CRA, on request of any person, to disclose specified information about itself. Requires that: (1) certain disclosures by a CRA to a consumer required by current law be in writing; (2) all information in the consumer's file (currently, the nature and substance of all information) be disclosed to the consumer; (3) certain information be disclosed to the consumer regarding identification of any person who had access to any information in the consumer's file; and (4) any disclosure by a CRA to any consumer under specified provisions include a summary of all the consumer's rights and remedies under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Requires that such a summary be included in disclosures relating to: (1) investigative consumer reports; and (2) reports focusing on public record information for employment purposes. Requires reinvestigations in case of disputed accuracy to be completed within a reasonable time, not to exceed 30 days. (Current law requires completion within a reasonable time.) Requires CRAs to keep certain records regarding reinvestigation procedures. Sets forth requirements regarding: (1) notice upon a determination that a dispute is frivolous or irrelevant; (2) notice upon completion of a reinvestigation; and (3) reinvestigations which cannot be completed in 30 days. Eliminates the option for a CRA to include in a report a codification or summary of a consumer's statement regarding disputed accuracy rather than the statement itself. Requires that a CRA: (1) notify of a consumer dispute any person designated by the consumer who has received a non-employment report within the last year (currently, within the last six months); and (2) disclose to the consumer the recipients of any such report within the last year (currently, within the last six months). Sets a dollar limit on charges which may be imposed by a CRA for certain disclosures and makes other changes regarding when charges may be made. Requires a CRA which furnishes a consumer report for employment purposes to notify the consumer of the specific source of the information. Revises the duties of users of consumer reports, including requiring the user to provide: (1) the name and address of the three largest CRAs; and (2) the written summary of the consumer's rights and remedies prepared under specified provisions. Makes any person who furnishes information to any CRA (as well as CRAs and users of reports) civilly liable for willful noncompliance and for negligent noncompliance with the Act. Makes all functions and powers of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTCA) available to the FTC to enforce compliance. (Current law links enforcement to specified provisions of the FTCA.) Makes persons who furnish information to CRAs subject to certain administrative enforcement provisions, as enforced by bodies other than the FTC. Requires any person who regularly furnishes information to a CRA to give notice of such fact in writing to the consumer before providing information about the consumer to the CRA. Requires any person, when that person, in the course of conducting business, furnishes information about any consumer to a CRA, to follow reasonable procedures to assure the accuracy of the information. Title II: Credit Repair Organizations - Credit Repair Organizations Act - Amends the Consumer Credit Protection Act to prohibit any credit repair organization (any person who provides a service for the purpose of improving a consumer's credit record) from: (1) charging or receiving any money prior to the completion of its services (unless it has obtained a $50,000 surety bond); (2) charging or receiving money solely for the referral of a customer to a retailer if the credit which may be extended to the buyer is upon substantially the same terms as those available to the general public; (3) advising any client to make an untrue or misleading statement; or (4) using any untrue or misleading statement. Requires the organization to provide the consumer with a written disclosure statement which includes a description of: (1) the consumer's rights; (2) the services to be provided by the organization; and (3) the total amount the consumer will be charged. Sets forth contract requirements and the rights of the consumer with regard to cancellation of such contract. Subjects any organization which fails to comply with any provision of this Act to Federal civil liability. Provides for the administrative enforcement of this Act by the Federal Trade Commission, as provided in the Federal Trade Commission Act.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 1990
Urges the President and the United States Trade Representative: (1) not to include civil air transport services under the General Agreement on Trade in Services that is being negotiated under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; nor (2) to require future negotiations to include such services under such Agreement.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 1990
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the 25th anniversary of the enactment of the Older Americans Act of 1965 and its successful implementation should be recognized; (2) contributions at all levels of the aging network should be acknowledged and commended; and (3) support for the Act and its primary goal should be reaffirmed.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 1990
Global Elementary Education Act of 1990 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to make matching grants to States, through their State educational agencies, for foreign language institutes for professional development and retraining of elementary and secondary school teachers for elementary school teaching of foreign languages and cultures, geography, and international studies. Requires such institutes to allow teachers from other fields to retrain as foreign language teachers. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to institutions of higher education to develop innovative and model program in preservice elementary teacher education in the areas of foreign language and culture, geography, and international studies. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary to make competitive grants to State and local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, nonprofit international exchange organizations, nonprofit educational associations, or consortia thereof, for reciprocal elementary teacher exchange programs. Requires that preference be given to nontraditional language study sites and to programs providing exchanges for teachers who have never been abroad. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary to assign to the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education responsibility for: (1) coordinating development and dissemination of foreign language and culture instructional material; and (2) expanding use of technology in teaching foreign languages and culture in elementary school. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary to prescribe regulations under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 1990
Provides for the payment of temporary lodging expenses for visiting family members of military personnel who are hospitalized due to serious illness or injury sustained in the line of duty.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 1990
Designates the week of June 24 through June 30, 1990, as National Sheriffs' Week in honor of the 50th anniversary of the National Sheriffs' Association.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 1990
Amends Federal law to require the President to include in the annual budget a statement of projected revenues obtained from the anticipated sale, lease, and transfer of Government assets and the estimated price at which the assets would be sold in the private sector.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 1990
Job Corps for Homeless Families Act of 1990 - Amends the Job Training Partnership Act to direct the Secretary of Labor to provide services and facilities to eligible homeless individuals and their families at existing or special Job Corps centers.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1990
Benjamin Franklin Memorial Fire Service Bill of Rights Act - Title I: Minting of Benjamin Franklin National Memorial Commemorative Coin - Benjamin Franklin National Memorial Commemorative Coin Act - Provides for the sale of Benjamin Franklin commemorative coins at a surcharge of which 25 percent shall be paid to the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial and the remainder be distributed in specified percentages to the National Fire Center and Museum Account, the National Hero Scholarship Account, the Firefighter Tuition Assistance Account, the Hazardous Materials Response Computer Account, the Research and Education Account, and the Burn Research Grant Account of the Firefighter Assistance Trust Fund (Fund). Prohibits the issuance of such coins from resulting in any net cost to the Federal government. Title II: Fire Service Bill of Rights - Fire Service Bill of Rights Act - Amends the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 to establish a fire service bill of rights. Establishes the National Fire Center and Museum in the District of Columbia to provide information about the fire service and safety to the public and fire services. Establishes a National Hero Scholarship to fund the higher education of a child, spouse, or dependent parent of a deceased firefighter. Establishes a scholarship providing tuition assistance to firefighters for higher education in fire safety or protection. Authorizes the Administrator of the United States Fire Administration to use amounts in the Research and Education Account of the Fund to fund other specified programs under the Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 and the provision of information concerning surplus Federal property and infectious diseases pursuant to this Act. Establishes the Firefighter Assistance Trust Fund. Places the National Academy for Fire Prevention and Control within the United States Fire Administration. Directs the Administrator to provide States with funds from the Hazardous Materials Response Computer Account of the fund for distribution to local fire services that wish to purchase computer equipment. Directs the Administrator to make a grant from the Burn Research Grant Account of the Fund to one national firefighter's burn foundation dedicated to reducing burn injuries. Requires the Administrator to prepare and make available to fire services, upon request, a manual describing Federal procedures for disposing of surplus property and highlighting how fire services could obtain such property. Directs the Administrator to distribute to such marshals information on the infectious diseases to which firefighters are particularly vulnerable. Permits the Administrator, in certain circumstances, to award to a domestic firm a contract that, under the use of competitive procedures, would be awarded to a foreign firm.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1990
Calls for the retention of sanctions against South Africa under the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act until all conditions for the termination of sanctions are fulfilled and a democratic political process is established.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 1990
Federal Victim's Service and Protection Act of 1990 - Title I: Federal Victim's Services and Protections Compliance - Directs the Attorney General to: (1) establish an evaluation system for law enforcement officers which rates such officers on their compliance with specified laws protecting victims of crimes; and (2) use such evaluation system to create standards governing services to victims and witnesses in Federal cases and to serve as a model to States and localities. Requires the Office for Victims of Crime to report periodically to the public, the Congress, and the President on victim protections and on compliance with this Act. Title II: The Federal Child Victim's Bill of Rights - Amends the Federal criminal code to require the court, at the earliest possible stage, to determine whether the appointment of a guardian ad litem for a child who is an alleged victim or witness in a criminal proceeding would be in the best interests of the child and if so, to appoint such guardian. Sets forth provisions with respect to the qualifications, duties and powers, and immunity of such guardian. Grants a child testifying at a criminal proceeding the right to be accompanied by an adult. Authorizes the court to order that a child's testimony be taken by closed-circuit television (TV) if it finds that the child is unable to testify in open court because of: (1) the child's persistent refusal to testify despite judicial requests to do so; (2) the child's total inability to communicate about the offense because of extreme fear, failure of memory, or other similar reasons; or (3) the substantial likelihood that the child will suffer substantial emotional trauma from so testifying. Specifies that the prosecuting attorney and the defense attorney shall be present in the room with the child and the child shall be subject to direct and cross-examination. Requires that: (1) the child's testimony be transmitted by closed-circuit TV into the courtroom; (2) the defendant be provided with the means of private, contemporaneous communication with his attorney during the testimony; and (3) the closed-circuit TV transmission relay the defendant's image into the room in which the child is testifying, and the child's testimony into the room in which the defendant is viewing the proceeding. Sets forth provisions with respect to videotaped depositions of child victims and child witnesses. Authorizes the court to permit the child to use anatomical dolls, puppets, drawings, or any other demonstrative device it deems appropriate to assist a child in testifying. Sets forth requirements with respect to competency examinations for child witnesses. Prohibits: (1) the release to the public of the name, or other identifying information about the child victim or child witness except as authorized by the court; and (2) the name and any identifying information from appearing in any public record. Grants the child victim or witness the same right to submit victim impact statements prior to sentencing as prescribed for an adult victim. Directs that child victims or witnesses be assisted by their court appointed guardian ad litem in preparing victim impact statements. Authorizes the court, in any proceeding where a child is called to give testimony, to designate the case as being of special public importance and to expedite the action. Requires the court to ensure a speedy trial and, in deciding whether or not to grant a continuance, to take into account the child's age and the potential adverse impact the delay may have on the child's well-being. Creates a hearsay exception for an out-of-court statement related to sexual abuse, physical abuse, or sexual exploitation of that or another child if the court finds that: (1) the statement possesses particularized guarantees of trustworthiness; (2) the proponent of the statement has given sufficient notice to adverse parties of the intent to introduce the statement; and (3) there is corroborative evidence of the statement or the truth of the statement. Encourages the use of multidisciplinary teams designed to assist child victims or child witnesses. Delineates the role of such teams. Specifies that there shall be no statute of limitations for the prosecution of any child physical abuse, sexual abuse, or sexual exploitation offense. Requires physicians, social workers, teachers, and specified other individuals who, while involved in any such capacities on Federal land or in a federally operated (or contracted) facility, have reason to suspect that a child is an abused or neglected child to immediately report to the appropriate authorities. Grants civil and criminal immunity to individuals who, acting in good faith, make such a report or otherwise provide information or assistance with a report investigation, or legal intervention. Makes failure to report a misdemeanor. Makes spousal privileges and the privileged nature of any communications between physician (or psychotherapist, psychologist, social worker, and any other health care provider) and patient inapplicable in any criminal proceeding after a report of child abuse, neglect, or sexual exploitation. Title III: Child Care Worker Employee Background Check - Requires: (1) each Federal agency and facility that hires, or contracts for hire, individuals involved with the provision of services to children under age 18 to assure that all existing and newly-hired employees undergo a criminal history background check; and (2) all existing staff to receive such checks within six months and prohibits the hiring of additional staff without a check having been initiated. Sets forth procedures with respect to the conduct of such background checks. Specifies that: (1) any conviction for a sex crime, an offense involving a child victim, or a drug offense shall be grounds for denying employment or for dismissal of an employee engaged in specified child care services; (2) an incident in which an individual has been charged, but where the charge has not yet been disposed of, shall permit the employee's suspension from any job-related contact with children until the case is resolved; and (3) convictions of other crimes may be considered if they bear on an individual's fitness to have responsibility for the safety and well-being of children. Sets forth requirements with respect to questions to be asked in employment applications, criminal history records checks, and access to (and the right to challenge the accuracy of) the criminal history report.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 1990
Harvest of Peace Resolution - Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States should establish as a primary foreign and domestic policy objective the achievement of common security by: (1) negotiating agreements with the Soviet Union and urging other nations to reduce military forces and spending with the goal of halving worldwide military spending by the year 2000; (2) reducing military assistance and arms sales to developing nations; (3) encouraging the peaceful settlement of conflicts; (4) providing increased assistance to developing nations to overcome hunger and poverty, reduce debt burdens, promote human rights, ensure sustainable development, and protect the environment; (5) increasing support domestically for programs that address human needs; (6) helping defense industries and their employees convert to productive nondefense work; and (7) reducing the Federal deficit.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1990
Amends the National Labor Relations Act to make it an unfair labor practice for an employer to offer or grant: (1) permanent replacement employee status during a labor dispute; or (2) any employment preference to an individual who worked or indicated a willingness to work during a labor dispute over an employee who exercised specified rights during such dispute.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1990
Medicaid Hospice Amendments of 1990 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to require States to provide Medicaid coverage of hospice care.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 1990
Provides for all Federal civilian and military retirees to receive the full cost-of-living adjustment in annuities payable under Federal retirement systems for FY 1991. (Includes benefits payable under the Civil Service Retirement and Disability System, military retirement and survivor benefit programs, the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System, the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and railroad retirement programs.)
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 1990
Urges the President to seek the consent of the Senate to the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted by the United Nations on November 20, 1989.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 1990
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the current inquiries into the activities of the British West Midlands Crime Squad must be extended to cover the period of the Birmingham bombings of November 21, 1974; (2) the British Prime Minister should call upon the British Home Secretary to reopen the case of the Birmingham Six (those convicted for the bombings); (3) the convictions of such individuals should be quashed; and (4) the President should raise with the British Prime Minister concern for the basic human rights violations and miscarriage of justice arising from the continued incarceration of such individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 1990
Energy and Environmental Security Act of 1990 - Title I: Extension and Modification of Tax Incentives for Ethanol - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend excise tax reductions for specified alcohol fuel mixtures for nine years. Directs the U.S. Comptroller General to study the options for reimbursing the Highway Trust Fund for the reduction in its receipts due to such reductions. Extends a tax credit for alcohol fuels to December 31, 2002. Prohibits carryovers of such credits after 2004. Extends such credits to alcohol used to produce ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE). Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to extend: (1) the tariff treatment for ethanol to ETBE; and (2) the effective period of the temporary duty on ethanol to December 31, 2002. Title II: Oxygenated Fuels and Aromatic Compounds - Amends the Clean Air Act to prohibit, during October to March of each year, the introduction into commerce in any carbon monoxide nonattainment area of gasoline with an oxygen content of less than 3.1 percent. Provides for the exchange of oxygen credits between sellers of fuels with an oxygen content higher than required and other sellers of fuels to offset the use of fuels with a lower content than required. Prohibits such exchanges between sellers in different nonattainment areas. Requires retailers of oxygenated fuels to label fuel dispensing systems with a notice that the fuel is oxygenated and will reduce carbon monoxide emissions. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to develop environmental profiles for each of the aromatic compounds in gasoline and to take action to limit the use of such compounds in accordance with the profiles. Title III: Development and Use of Ethanol - Requires the Secretary of Energy to: (1) give funding priority to ethanol development projects that have high potential for immediate benefits; and (2) establish a program to promote the development and use of ethanol in motor fuel.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1990
Commercial Technology Export Act of 1990 - Amends the Export Administration Act of 1979 to provide specific guidelines for the export of nonmilitary items to Warsaw Pact countries, in light of Soviet troop withdrawals from Afghanistan, Glasnost, and Perestroika. Requires publication of decisions on requests for general exceptions to the International Control List of the Coordinating Committee in order to assure equal access for U.S. exporters to controlled-country markets.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 1990
Extends the otherwise-applicable ten-year delimiting period for the use of veterans' educational assistance in the case of Vietnam veterans who received special pay while performing active service in Vietnam by one day for each day in which such veteran performed such service.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 1990
Congressional Commitment to Long-Term Care Concurrent Resolution - Expresses the sense of the Congress that payments to long-term care providers under titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act be sufficient to maintain the highest quality of patient care in nursing homes.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1990
Depository Institution Money Laundering Amendments of 1990 - Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, the Federal Credit Union Act, and other Federal law to: (1) revoke the national charter and attendant privileges of depository institutions convicted of money laundering or cash transaction reporting offenses; and (2) terminate the insured status of any State depository institution or credit union convicted of such offenses.
United States · United States Congress · 21 November 1989
Amends Federal law to authorize and request the President to designate May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month annually, beginning in 1990. (Current law designates a seven-day period beginning on May 4, 1979).
United States · United States Congress · 21 November 1989
Expedited Consideration of Proposed Rescissions Act of 1990 - Amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to require a special message, in the case of budget authority proposed to be rescinded or reserved, to include language amending the law authorizing such programs to allow them to continue to function at the proposed new level of budget authority. Allows the President to transmit to both Houses of the Congress, for expedited consideration, one or more special messages proposing to rescind all or part of any item of budget authority provided in an appropriation bill. Requires that such special message be transmitted not later than three days after the President approves the appropriation bill and be accompanied by a draft bill or joint resolution that would, if enacted, rescind the budget authority proposed to be rescinded. Sets forth House and Senate procedures for the expedited consideration of such a proposal.