United States · United States Congress · 19 January 1981
Family Enterprise Estate and Gift Tax Equity Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the unified credit against the estate and gift taxes from $47,000 to $155,800 by specified annual increments through 1985. Increases from $175,000 to $500,000, by specified annual increments through 1985, the minimum gross estate requirement for filing of a return. Repeals the existing limitations on the marital deduction for gift and estate taxes. Increases from $3,000 to $6,000 the annual gift tax exclusion. Qualifies estates of decedents who were disabled or retired for the special valuation of certain farms based on use if such decedents materially participated in the operation of the farm for five out of eight years preceding the year in which they became disabled or eligible for disability benefits, under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act. Permits the spouse of a decedent to use such valuation if the spouse has managed the farm or business for ten years preceding the decedent's death or takes over active management upon the decedent's death. Qualifies the owner of a woodland for the special use valuation if the owner or a member of the owner's family actively managed the property for ten years prior to the owner's death. Reduces from 15 to ten years the length of time a qualified property must be held and put to a qualified use following the decedent's death before it can be disposed of without incurring a recapture of estate tax benefits. Permits active management rather than material participation as a test for qualification of the estate for spouses, children under 21, students, and disabled individuals who receive property from a decedent who qualified for special use valuation. Repeals the $500,000 limitation on the reduction of the value of qualified real property permitted by the special use valuation. Allows the like kind exchange of property without loss of special use valuation eligibility. Allows valuation based on net crop share rentals as an alternative method of valuing farms. Repeals the requirement that an heir elect special treatment for involuntary conversions of qualified real property, thus making such treatment automatic upon such conversion. States that gifts made within three years of a decedent's death shall be valued as of the time of transfer rather than as of the date of death. Authorizes an individual to elect to pay a gift tax rather than use the unified tax credit. Modifies the alternate extension of time for payment of the estate tax where the estate consists largely of an interest in a closely held business to: (1) allow an installment payment election if the value of the interest in the closely held business is either 35 percent of the value of the gross estate or 50 percent of the taxable estate; (2) increase to 50 percent the value of an interest disposed of which will accelerate the payment of tax; and (3) permit payment, but with a penalty, of an installment within six months after the due date. Allows a disclaimer of an interest in property for estate tax purposes in specified circumstances where such disclaimer does not result in the passing of the interest concerned under the applicable State law.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 1981
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to allow preference visas to be given to an alien who: (1) requests such treatment; (2) was born after 1950 in Korea, Vietnam, Laos, or Thailand; (3) was fathered by an American serviceman; and (4) provides a guarantee of financial support. Stipulates that such guarantee must: (1) be signed by a citizen or lawful permanent resident who is at least 21 years old; and (2) provide that such signing sponsor will provide necessary financial support for five years. Allows the Attorney General to enforce such guarantee against the sponsor in a civil suit unless such sponsor dies or is adjudicated bankrupt.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 1981
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to remove the limitation on the amount of outside income which an individual may earn while receiving benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 1981
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to eliminate the five-month period which is presently a prerequisite of eligibility for disability insurance benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that the standard mileage rate used in computing the charitable deduction for expenses incurred in the operation of a motor vehicle shall be the same as the standard mileage rate for the business related deduction.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit taxpayers who do not itemize income tax deductions to claim a deduction from gross income for charitable contributions.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1981
Hobbs Act Amendment of 1981 - Amends the Hobbs Act to establish penalties for obstructing, affecting, or interfering with commerce by willfully injuring, damaging, burning, or destroying to the value of $2,000 or more any real or personal property of any person at or near any place where work or business of an employer or owner is carried on or where such employer or owner transports, stores, or maintains property for business or other purposes. States that such violation, as well as the offense of interfering with commerce by extortion, shall not be nullified or mitigated even if committed in the course of a legitimate labor dispute.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1981
Anti-Inflation Tax Act of 1981 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require annual cost of living adjustments, based on the Consumer Price Index, to individual income tax rates, the personal tax exemption, withholding requirements, and minimum income tax return amounts.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow married individuals filing jointly an income tax deduction from gross income equal to ten percent of the earned income of the lower income spouse (or of one spouse if both incomes are the same). Limits the amount of such deduction to $2,000 for the taxable year. Denies such deduction if one spouse has earned income amounting to less than 20 percent of the combined income of both spouses.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1981
Amends the Omnibus Crime Control Act of 1970 to revise and increase the mandatory penalties for using or carrying a firearm during commission of a Federal felony. Defines such offense as using a firearm to commit a felony over which the district courts have exclusive jurisdiction or carrying a firearm during such a felony involving violence. Deletes the requirement that the firearm be carried "illegally." Increases the additional penalty imposed for such offense from one to ten years' imprisonment to five to ten years' imprisonment for a first offender and from two to 25 years to ten years to life imprisonment for a second or subsequent offender. Extends to first offenders the directions, currently applicable only to second offenders, that the court not suspend any sentence or grant probation and that the additional sentence not run concurrently with any term of imprisonment imposed for the offense itself. Makes a first offender ineligible for parole for five years and a second or subsequent offender ineligible for ten years. Expresses the sense of Congress that the executive prosecute vigorously such offenses.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a deduction for cash and other personal property contributions to a savings account created or organized exclusively for the purpose of paying the educational expenses of the taxpayer or the taxpayer's child. Limits the amount of such deduction to $1,000 per year, adjusted for inflation. Limits eligibility for such deduction to the taxpayer or the taxpayer's dependent child unless such child has attained age 21 or has attended an institution of higher education as a full-time student for more than four weeks in the year of his twenty-first birthday. Excludes distributions from such an account from the gross income of the payee so long as such distributions are used to defray the beneficiary's tuition, fees, books and supplies, and reasonable living expenses. Specifies sanctions for the use of account funds for other than such educational purposes. Treats qualified distributions as income to the beneficiary for the taxable year in which the beneficiary attains age 25, and for each of the following nine years, in successive apportionments equal to ten percent of the total amount of such distributions. Allows a deduction for cash and other personal property contributions to a savings account created or organized for the benefit of the taxpayer (or the taxpayer and spouse if married) for the exclusive purpose of purchasing such individual's first residence. Limits the maximum annual deduction to $1,500 ($3,000 in the case of married individuals filing jointly), with a maximum lifetime deduction of $15,000 ($30,000 in the case of married individuals filing jointly). Provides for annual inflation adjustment of such amounts. Excludes distributions from such account from gross income so long as they are used exclusively for the purchase of a first residence. Provides for recapture of such distribution upon a subsequent sale of such first residence if another house is not purchased with the proceeds. Requires reduction of the $100,000 exclusion from gross income of proceeds from the sale of a principal residence by a taxpayer 55 years of age or older if such residence had been purchased with distributions from a tax-exempt housing savings account. Limits the amount of such reduction to the amount of any such distribution excluded from gross income.
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1981
Establishes in the House of Representatives a Select Committee on Narcotics Abuse and Control to review problems of narcotics abuse, including enforcement, international trafficking, organized crime, and the criminal justice system with respect to narcotics law violations.
United States · United States Congress · 4 December 1980
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the Congress would consider military action by the Soviet Union against Poland a serious breach of international peace; (2) in the event of such action, the President, in conjunction with the leaders of Japan, Australia, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies, should immediately discontinue all credit lines and severely curtail trade and economic relations with the Soviet Union.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 1980
Amends the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 to direct the Attorney General to use the proceeds from dispositions of forfeited property to purchase evidence and other information in connection with investigations of violations under such Act.
United States · United States Congress · 20 August 1980
Expresses the sense of the Congress that aliens who engage in unlawful or disorderly activities in the United States should be promptly deported in accordance with provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
United States · United States Congress · 20 August 1980
Declares that the people of Poland should be allowed to settle their own affairs, including the formation of independent trade unions and the right to strike, without foreign interference.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 1980
Directs the printing as a House document of a collection of statements made in tribute to the late Mamie Doud Eisenhower. Authorizes the additional printing of copies for use by the House at a cost not to exceed $1,200.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1980
Entitles each U.S. citizen held hostage in Iran to specified payments based on the length of time such citizen is held hostage or a specified amount if the hostage is injured or dies as a result of the captivity. Requires the President to make such payments from the blocked Iranian assets within 60 days after captivity has ended. Directs the President to continue to prohibit transactions in a specified portion of the Iranian assets until such payments are made.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1980
Directs the President to furnish the House of Representatives with information concerning White House and Justice Department actions with regard to Billy Carter's involvement with Libya.
United States · United States Congress · 2 July 1980
Tax Rate Reduction Act of 1980 - Title I: Individual Tax Rates - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce individual income tax rates for calendar years 1981 through 1985, and permanently thereafter. Title II: Inflation Adjustments for Taxable Years Beginning After 1985 - Requires annual cost of living adjustments to income levels in each income tax bracket, beginning in calendar year 1985. Requires similar cost of living adjustments to the $1,000 personal tax exemption. Increases the minimum income levels at which a taxpayer is required to file an income tax return by providing that such levels shall be equal to the taxpayer's income tax exemption and zero bracket amount, adjusted for inflation.
United States · United States Congress · 2 July 1980
Expresses the sense of the Congress that U.S. foreign policy should reflect a national strategy of peace through strength with specified principles and goals.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 1980
Tax Reduction - Job Creation Act - Title I: Individual Tax Rates - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce income tax rates for each category of individual taxpayers. Title II: Incentives for New Plant and Equipment - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the method for determining useful lives of business assets for purposes of computing allowable depreciation deductions. Replaces the asset depreciation range (ADR) method with a schedule of capital cost recovery periods for three classes of business property. Establishes capital cost recovery periods for the following classes of business property: (1) buildings and their structural components, ten years; (2) tangible property, five years; and (3) automobiles, taxis, and light-duty trucks (up to $100,000), three years. Allows a ten percent investment tax credit for buildings and tangible property, and a six percent credit for automobiles, taxis, and light duty trucks. Requires the recapture of depreciation amounts and investment tax credit amounts applicable to assets which are sold or otherwise disposed of prior to the expiration of the capital cost recovery period. Permits taxpayers to deduct less than the full allowance for capital cost recovery in any taxable year. Permits a carryover to succeeding taxable years of any unused depreciation amounts. Disqualifies capital cost recovery property from the allowance for first year depreciation. Treats amounts claimed as the capital cost recovery of noncorporate lessors as an item of tax preference for purposes of the minimum tax. Adopts as an accounting practice the "half year convention" under which investments eligible for capital cost recovery treatment or the investment tax credit which are made at any time during the taxable year are deemed to be made in the middle of such year.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 1980
Trade Procedures Simplification Act of 1980 - Requires the Attorney General, in consultation with other Federal agency heads, to determine whether: (1) U.S. business conduct and arrangements in various countries to expand exports conflict with basic antitrust principles; and (2) a more liberal enforcement policy for overseas activities would impede implementation of the antitrust laws. Directs the Attorney General to identify conduct and arrangements associated with particular types of export sales which the Attorney General determines would not warrant prosecution under the antitrust laws. Sets forth the procedures for describing such permissible conduct and disclosing such descriptions. Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to intervene in such suits and to provide legal assistance to exporters. Prohibits prosecution under the antitrust laws of exporters who: (1) have notified the Attorney General of their intention to engage in such designated permissible conduct; or (2) receive an approval, or no objection, from the Attorney General concerning proposed transactions. Requires the Attorney General and the Secretary of Commerce to report to Congress concerning implementation of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 1980
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that neither the Secretary of Transportation nor the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall take any actions which would reduce public air service into Washington National Airport.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 1980
Extends the congratulations of the Congress to the Order of the Sons of Italy in America for their 75th anniversary. Proclaims Sunday, June 22, 1980, as "National Italian-American Day."
United States · United States Congress · 29 May 1980
Extends the congratulations of the House of Representatives to members of the 1980 handicapped Olympic team and recognizes specified organizations for their efforts in producing the second winter Olympics for the physically handicapped.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 1980
Authorizes and requests the President to designate the seven-day period beginning October 5, 1980, as "National Port Week." Directs the Secretary of Commerce to report annually to Congress on the conditions of U.S. public ports.
United States · United States Congress · 16 April 1980
Directs the President to utilize the forum of the Venice Economic Summit to urge the development of an International Code of Business Conduct. Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should negotiate and report to Congress concerning agreements to establish standards of ethical and equitable conduct of international business and mechanisms to resolve problems. Requires the Joint Economic Committee to report to Congress concerning its recommendations regarding such negotiations.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 1980
Proclaims October 19, 1981, a national day of celebration as the two hundredth anniversary of the victory of General George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 1980
Declares that it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the Committee on Ways and Means should study, and consider legislation to achieve the goals of recent proposals by certain prominent economists to control inflation by providing tax benefits to employers who moderate price increases for their products and employees who moderate wage demands.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 1980
Expresses the sense of the Congress that U.S. foreign policy should reflect a national strategy of peace through strength with specified principles and goals.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1980
Amends the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to prohibit the President from taking action, pursuant to the President's authority to adjust the imports of articles which threaten national security, to impose import fees on petroleum and petroleum products imported into the United States without specific authorization from Congress, effective March 1, 1980.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1980
Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to reduce the value of the allotment received by a household containing members who have available to them meals provided under the national school lunch program.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 1980
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow the residential energy credit for energy conservation expenditures with respect to residences substantially completed after April 19, 1977, if such expenditures are for energy conservation items which are not required by Federal, State, or local housing standards.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 1980
Small Business Motor Fuel Marketer Preservation Act of 1980 - Amends the Small Business Act to authorize the Small Business Administration (SBA) to make loans to small businesses acquiring gas stations from a refiner. Makes it unlawful for a refiner, other than an independent or small refiner, to operate a gas station in the United States. Requires a refiner, in disposing of any interest in such a station, to offer a right of first refusal to the dealer at such station. Sets forth the requirements for such an offer. Makes it unlawful for a refiner to: (1) exceed specified annual sales limitations in any State (requires the Federal Trade Commission to determine specified limitation formulas); and (2) sell motor fuel at any time at any point of transfer at different prices (except for price differentials which reflect manufacturing, sale, or delivery differences). Stipulates that a refiner shall: (1) be in violation of this Act if such refiner withholds available motor fuel from a purchaser and then resells such fuel at a lower price to refiner-operated stations; and (2) not be prevented from charging a uniform surcharge in connection with a sale of motor fuel as consideration for the purchaser's use of a refiner's trademark or other such identifying symbol. Makes it unlawful for any person to interfere in any way with the purchasing, selling, or storing of motor fuel by a dealer. Makes it unlawful for any dealer at a station displaying a trademark or identifying symbol of a particular refiner to sell motor fuel not refined by such refiner without providing notice to purchasers. Requires each refiner within three months of enactment to provide to the Federal Trade Commission information regarding the number of: (1) gallons of motor fuel sold, consigned, or distributed in each State during the preceding year; (2) gallons of motor fuel sold to its stations in each State during the preceding year; and (3) barrels of crude oil produced and refined during the preceding year. Requires persons owning 50 or more motor fuel stations in the United States to report specified information to the Commission. Sets forth fines for violation of this Act. Permits civil actions to be brought against violators of the requirements of the Act.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 1980
Small Business Development Act of 1980 - Title I: Small Business Innovation - Amends the Small Business Act to require the head of each Federal agency which obligates over $100,000,000 for research and development in a fiscal year to: (1) expend at least one percent of the amount spent on research and development during the next year for a small business innovation program; (2) solicit research and development proposals from small businesses during the next year; and (3) promote the use of small businesses to conduct research and development. Requires the head of each Federal agency to increase the amount of funds obligated for the conduct of research and development by small businesses by one percent each year until the amount obligated to small businesses in a fiscal year equals at least ten percent of the total amount obligated by such agency for research and development. States that it is an objective of this Act to amend existing patent procedures in order to promote the marketing of inventions developed under federally supported research and development projects by nonprofit organizations and small business firms. Permits any such organization or firm to elect, within a reasonable amount of time, to retain title to such inventions. Permits Federal agencies which have supported such projects to retain title to inventions through their funding agreements in specified circumstances, including when necessary to conduct foreign intelligence or counterintelligence activities. Requires review of agency determinations that such circumstances exist by the Comptroller General and the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration. Directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress on the implementation of this Act by Federal agencies. Enumerates provisions which must be included in funding agreements between a Federal agency and a small business firm or nonprofit organization, including provisions: (1) to insure the rights of the Federal Government under this Act; (2) to provide that the agency shall have a nonexclusive, nontransferable, irrevocable and paid-up license to use the invention; (3) to prohibit a nonprofit organization from assigning rights to the invention without the approval of the Federal agency; (4) to prohibit such an organization, other than small business firms, from granting exclusive rights from the earlier of five years from the first commercial use of the invention or eight years from the date of invention; and (5) to require such organizations to use their royalties and earnings to support scientific research or education. Provides that the first commercial use with respect to a product of the invention shall not end the exclusive period to different subsequent products covered by the invention. Requires the head of a Federal agency to approve provisions of a funding agreement which require the licensing to third parties of inventions owned by the contractor. Sets forth terms and conditions under which such approval may be granted. Authorizes a Federal agency to transfer or assign its rights, acquired from an agency employee as coinventor, to an inventor electing to acquire title to an invention. Empowers any Federal agency to require inventors or their assignees to grant licenses in order to: (1) achieve practical applications of the invention in its field of uses; (2) alleviate health or safety needs; (3) meet requirements for public use specified by Federal regulations; or (4) achieve participation by United States industry in the manufacturing of an invention. Entitles the government to 15 percent of all net income in excess of $70,000 gross income received by a contractor after a patent application is filed on a subject invention. Provides that if a contractor receives a gross income of $1,000,000, the government shall be entitled to a share of the excess of $1,000,000 that shall be negotiated but not to exceed five percent of such excess. Limits the government share of any excesses to its contributions under the funding agreement. Requires the Director of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy to revise the government entitlements in light of changes to the Consumer Price Index or other indices at least every three years. Declares such government entitlements applicable to subject inventions upon which United States patents are granted and in effect. Restricts the assignment and licensing of rights by patent holders to foreign-owned or controlled firms unless such persons agree that any products embodying the subject invention or produced through the use of the subject invention will be manufactured substantially in the United States where commercially feasible. Authorizes Federal agencies to withhold information on inventions from public disclosure. Specifies the authority of Federal agencies with respect to obtaining patents, granting licenses, and transferring custody of patents. Authorizes the Administrator of General Services to promulgate regulations specifying the terms upon which any federally-owned invention may be licensed. Sets forth the procedure whereby Federal agencies may grant exclusive or partially exclusive licenses in any invention covered by a federally-owned domestic patent or patent application. Prohibits licensing which lessens competition. Directs that business firms be given preference in exclusive or partially exclusive licensing. Enumerates provisions which must be contained in any grant of a license by a Federal agency. Declares that this Act shall take precedence over any other Act in the disposition of inventions. Title II: Depreciation Acceleration; Repeal of Used Property Limitation in Investment Tax Credit; Corporate Income Tax Rate Reductions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the method for determining useful lives of business assets for purposes of computing allowable depreciation deductions. Replaces the asset depreciation range (ADR) method with a schedule of capital cost recovery periods for three classes of business property. Establishes capital cost recovery periods for the following classes of business property: (1) buildings and their structural components, ten years; (2) tangible property, five years; and (3) automobiles, taxis, and light-duty trucks (up to $100,000), three years. Allows a ten percent investment tax credit for buildings and tangible property, and a six percent credit for automobiles, taxis, and light duty trucks. Requires the recapture of depreciation amounts and investment tax credit amounts applicable to assets which are sold or otherwise disposed of prior to the expiration of the capital cost recovery period. Permits a taxpayer to deduct less than the full allowance for capital cost recovery in any taxable year. Permits a carryover to succeeding taxable years of any unused depreciation amounts. Disqualifies capital cost recovery property from the allowance for first year depreciation. Treats amounts claimed as the capital cost recovery of noncorporate lessors as an item of tax preference for purposes of the minimum tax. Adopts as an accounting practice the "half year convention" under which investments eligible for capital cost recovery treatment or the investment tax credit which are made at any time during the taxable year are deemed to be made in the middle of such year. Repeals the $100,000 limitation on the amount of used property which is eligible for an investment tax credit. Reduces the tax rates applicable to corporate income. Repeal the carryover basis provisions enacted by the Tax Reform Act of 1976 which provide that beneficiaries receiving property from a decedent's estate will retain the decedent's basis in the property. Restores prior law which "stepped up" or "stepped down" the property"s basis to its market value at the time of death without imposing tax consequences on the appreciation or depreciation the property underwent while held by the decedent. Title III: Tax Incentives for Small Business Capital Formation - Provides for the nonrecognition of gain on the sale or exchange of an equity interest in a small business which is reinvested in another small business within two years. Defines a "small business" as any business entity in which the aggregate equity interests do not exceed $25,000,000. Allows a tax credit for proceeds received from small business debentures which have a fixed maturity and grant no conversion or voting rights. Limits the amount of such credit to $5,000 ($10,000 in the case of a joint return). Disallows such credit if the issuing small business has $1,000,000 of such debentures outstanding or has a class of securities subject to regulation of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Treats amounts paid on such debentures which represent a share of the issuer's earnings as long-term capital gain. Treats losses on such debentures as an ordinary loss. Requires distributions on such debentures, which represent either interest or a share of earnings, to be treated as interest. Title IV: Small Business Equal Access to Justice - Amends title II of the Small Business Act (Study of Small Business) to direct the Office of Advocacy within the Small Business Administration to assist the Attorney General, Federal agencies, and the Chairman of the Administrative Conference of the United States to facilitate relief afforded to small businesses under such Act. Requires the Chief Counsel for Advocacy to submit biennial reports to the President and Congress on awards made to small businesses under such Act. Excludes from the definition of "party" for purposes of this title: (1) an individual whose net worth exceeds $1,000,000; and (2) any partnership, corporation, association, organization, or sole owner of an unincorporated business whose net worth exceeds $5,000,000, but includes an agricultural cooperative, as defined in the Agricultural Marketing Act, regardless of its net worth. Entitles a prevailing party (other than the United States) to be awarded fees and other expenses, including attorney fees, which were incurred by such party in: (1) an administrative adjudication (excluding ratemaking and license application hearings, but including such actions as suspension or modification of a license); or (2) in any civil action, other than a tort, brought by or against the United States, unless the agency conducting such adjudication, or the court having jurisdiction of such action, finds that the position of the agency or the United States was substantially justified or that special circumstances make an award unjust. Allows the agency or the court to reduce any such award to the extent that the prevailing party unduly and unreasonably protracted the final resolution of the matter in controversy. Stipulates that such awards in administrative adjudication shall be paid by the particular agency over which the party prevails, but prohibits authorization of appropriations to such agency for the specific purpose of such payments. Authorizes a party dissatisfied with such award in an administrative adjudication to petition for leave to appeal the decision in an appropriate Federal court. Authorizes a court to award reasonable attorney fees to the prevailing party in any civil action brought by or against the United States or any agency, including the Post Office, or official of the United States acting in an official capacity, where the court may award such fees in such suits involving private parties (thus applying to Government litigation the common law and statutory exceptions to the "American rule" which requires parties to be responsible for their own attorney fees). Directs the Administrative Conference and the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to report annually on the amount of fees and expenses awarded during the preceding fiscal year in such agency adjudications and civil actions. Makes this title applicable to any civil action pending on, or commencing after, the date of enactment, except for civil tax actions, which shall be subject to this title six months after enactment. Directs the Office of the Chairman of the Administrative Conference and Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to provide to the Small Business Office of Advocacy the information required to be collected in this title. Title V: Small Business Regulatory Flexibility - Amends the Small Business Act to require each Federal agency to publish semiannually an agenda of those rules which may be proposed during the upcoming six-month period affecting a substantial number of small businesses and small organizations. Permits Federal agencies to modify the definition of "small business", if appropriate, after notice and opportunity for hearing. Defines "small organizations" to include unincorporated businesses, sheltered workshops enterprises which are not dominant in their fields, and such other groups and enterprises as each Federal agency shall establish by rule, not in conflict with the definition of "small business." Requires each published agenda to be transmitted to the office of Advocacy of the Small Business Administration for comments. Directs each Federal agency to endeavor to provide notice of each agenda to affected small enterprises by means other than publication in the Federal Register. Directs each Federal agency to publish a written analysis prior to the issuance of any proposed rule affecting a substantial number of small businesses and organizations which considers: (1) the effect of such rule on small enterprises and competition; (2) whether an exemption could be provided such small enterprises; (3) whether lesser compliance standards could be adopted for small enterprises; and (4) the expected nature of reporting recordkeeping requirements necessitated by such rule. Requires each Federal agency to issue a rule containing an exemption or differing compliance standard for such small business concerns and organizations if it is lawful, desirable, and feasible to do so. States that such small enterprises shall be given an opportunity to participate in agency rulemaking, which substantially affects such enterprises, unless otherwise provided. Requires each agency to review its existing rules and prepare an analysis for purposes of eliminating or modifying those rules which are most burdensome to small businesses and organizations. Permits any agency to perform the analyses required by this title in conjunction with any other analysis required by law. Declares that such other analysis shall not in itself satisfy the requirements of this title. Title VI: Sunset Provisions - Requires the Congressional Budget Office in conjunction with the congressional committees having jurisdiction over each Government program, within one year after enactment of this Act, to set forth a timely review of all Government programs. Terminates any program which has not been reviewed within three years after enactment of this Act unless both Houses of Congress vote to continue such programs pending completion of a review. Requires that each review: (1) identify the need for the program; (2) identify conflicting or duplicative programs; (3) assess the program's effectiveness and cost; and (4) assess the impact of the program on the national economy.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 1980
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the first concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 1981 reported by the Committee on the Budget shall limit budget outlays to 21 percent of the gross national product.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 1980
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that illegal aliens should be excluded from the total population of States as determined in the decennial census for the purpose of apportioning Representatives in Congress among the States.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1980
Amends the Federal criminal code to specify prohibited activities with respect to the administration or use of a polygraph examination on behalf of an employer engaged in business affecting interstate commerce. Forbids any such examination from including inquiries into: (1) any event occurring more than seven years before the examination date; (2) any information or belief relating to any matter involving religion, race, politics, or labor organizations; and (3) any matter relating to sexual behavior, unless such behavior is related to job performance. Prohibits a person from administering any such polygraph examination unless the individual taking the test: (1) is given a verbatim statement of each question to be asked; (2) consents in writing to participating in the examination; (3) is informed that no Federal law requires such participation; and (4) is provided an opportunity to explain any reaction indicating emotional stress occurring during the examination. Prohibits a person administering such an examination from: (1) refusing to provide the individual with a copy of any report or recommendation prepared for the employer on whose behalf the examination was administered; (2) disclosing the test results to anyone except the individual or employer or in certain types of investigations; and (3) intentionally preparing any misleading, biased, or falsified report or recommendation in connection with such examination.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 1980
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an income tax deduction to business enterprises engaged in the manufacture, importation, distribution, lease, or sale of products for which such businesses may incur product liability for contributions to their product liability loss reserve accounts and for amounts paid to captive insurers (wholly or partially-owned by such businesses) for product liability insurance. Requires that such businesses demonstrate difficulty in obtaining product liability insurance at reasonable rates. Disallows any deductions for product liability losses which do not exceed the sum of the total trust funds in the taxpayer's account at the beginning of the taxable year plus the amount of deductible payments made by the taxpayer to the account during such year. Imposes penalties for the improper use of product liability reserve funds.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 1980
Amends the Clean Air Act to repeal the requirement that State implementation plans for meeting the national primary ambient air quality standard provide for periodic inspection and testing of motor vehicles, unless the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency establishes separate inspection and testing of each new motor vehicle before the vehicle is sold by the manufacturer.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 1980
Expresses appreciation to Canada for: (1) its historic close relations and cooperation with the United States in conducting foreign policy; (2) its support for U.S. efforts to obtain the safe release of the hostages in Iran; and (3) its efforts to protect and arrange the safe departure of certain U.S. citizens from Iran.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 1980
Intelligence Reform Act of 1980 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to define "special activity" to mean activity conducted abroad to further official United States programs and policies which is planned and executed so that the role of the Government is not apparent or acknowledged publicly, but excluding diplomatic activity and the collection of intelligence or related support functions. Prohibits the expenditure of funds by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for a special activity unless: (1) the President finds that the activity is important to the national security and reports such activity to the congressional select intelligence committees (current law requires such reporting to the "appropriate" congressional committees); or (2) the National Security Council (NSC) determines that the activity does not involve substantial resources or risks and falls within a category of special activities which (A) have been found by the President to be important to the national security, and (B) have been reported to the congressional select intelligence committees. Amends the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 to exempt information in files maintained by an intelligence agency or component of the Government from the provisions of any law requiring publication or disclosure, if such files have been specifically designated by the Director of Central Intelligence to be concerned with: (1) scientific or technical systems for the collection of foreign intelligence; (2) special activities and foreign intelligence operations; (3) investigations to determine the suitability of potential foreign intelligence sources; and (4) intelligence liaison arrangements with foreign governments. Requires requests by U.S. citizens and permanent resident aliens for information concerning themselves to be processed in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. Amends the National Security Act of 1947 to add a new title V, "Protection of Certain National Security Information." Establishes a maximum criminal penalty of ten years' imprisonment and/or a $50,000 fine for anyone who, having had authorized access to classified information, intentionally discloses to any individual not authorized to receive classified information any information that identifies an individual as an employee of an intelligence agency or as an agent, informant, or source of assistance to an intelligence agency, where the actor knows or has reason to know that the information so identifies such individual and that the United States is taking affirmative measures to conceal such individual's intelligence relationship to the U.S. Establishes a maximum criminal penalty of one year imprisonment and/or a $5,000 fine for anyone who with intent to impair the foreign intelligence activities of the U.S. discloses such information with such knowledge. Makes it a defense to such crimes that before the commission of the offense the United States had publicly acknowledged or revealed the intelligence relationship of the individual to the United States Stipulates that it shall not be an offense to transmit such information directly to the congressional intelligence committees. Defines "intelligence agency" for the purposes of such offenses to mean the CIA, any intelligence component of the Department of Defense, and any foreign intelligence component of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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