United States · United States Congress · 2 June 1981
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the week commencing on June 7, 1981, should be designated as "National Italian-American Heritage Week."
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow certain individuals to compute the amount of the income tax deduction for retirement savings on the basis of the earned income of their spouses, without regard to any community property laws.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 1981
Expresses the sense of the Congress that Syria should cease and desist off-limits placement of surface-to-air missiles and firing at Israeli patrol jets.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 1981
Sales Representatives Protection Act - Title I: Contracts Between Sales Representatives and Principals - Requires a principal who enters into a contract with a sales representative for the solicitation of orders for merchandise of the principal to furnish specified information to the representative, including monthly commission statements. Enumerates items to be included in any written contract between a principal and sales representative in order to conform with this Act. Title II: Indemnification - Exempts principals who have entered into a written contract in conformity with title I from the indemnification requirements of this title. Requires any principal to indemnify a sales representative in accordance with this title if such principal: (1) without good cause terminates a representative's assignment or reduces the geographical territory assigned to a representative; (2) reduces the rate of commission paid to a representative; or (3) reduces the number of accounts assigned within a geographical territory. Sets forth a formula for the indemnification of such representatives. Title III: Miscellaneous - Permits actions to be brought in Federal district court to enforce the rights or liabilities of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income interest earned on certificates of deposit issued by banks, certain savings institutions, or credit unions. Requires such certificates to be issued between June 30, 1981 and July 31, 1982, to have a one year maturity, and to bear interest at a rate not greater than 70 percent of the average yield of U.S. Treasury bills. Limits the amount of such exclusion to $1,000 ($2,000 for joint returns).
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 1981
Declares the sense of the Congress that the President shall take steps to: (1) call upon the Soviet Union to permit the resurrection of the Ukrainian Orthodox and Catholic Churches; (2) contact the officials of the Soviet Union to secure freedom of worship in the Ukraine and (3) bring to the attention of national and international religious councils Soviet violations of basic human rights.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 1981
Malt Beverage Interbrand Competition Act - Declares that no antitrust law shall prohibit the importer, brewer, or trademark licensee of a trademarked malt beverage from entering into an agreement granting a wholesale distributor the exclusive right to sell such beverage within any defined geographic area within a State, or limiting such distributor to the sale of such beverage for ultimate resale to consumers in that area, when such beverage has substantial competition from other malt beverages in that area. Declares that this Act shall not affect any provision of State law.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 1981
Coastal Barrier Resources Act - Declares the findings and intentions of Congress in regard to the fish, wildlife, and other natural resources associated with the coastal barriers along the Atlantic and gulf coasts of the United States. Establishes the Coastal Barrier Resources System (System) which shall consist of specified undeveloped coastal barriers on the Atlantic and gulf coasts. Requires that certain coastal barrier maps shall be available for public inspection through the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to provide copies of such maps to the chief executive officer of: (1) each State and political subdivision in which a System unit is located; and (2) each affected Federal agency. Directs the Secretary to make necessary modifications to such maps and to notify specified Congressional committees of same. Limits, to specified projects, Federal expenditures on or financial assistance for purposes within the System. Lists those projects eligible for financial assistance. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to certify annually to Congress that the Federal agencies concerned have complied with the provisions of this Act. Sets forth the contents of reports to be filed by the Secretary with specified Congressional committees. Authorizes appropriations to the Department of the Interior for fiscal years 1982 through 1986 for the purposes of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 1981
Expresses the disapproval of Congress of the proposed sale to Saudi Arabia of five airborne warning and control aircraft (AWACS) and conformal fuel tanks and air-to-air missiles for F-15 aircraft.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 1981
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States should increase the power of the transmitters and improve the quality and quantity of foreign language programs of the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, and Radio Liberty; and (2) research should be undertaken to speed progress in the area of international mass communication media.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 1981
Authorizes supplemental appropriations for the Board for International Broadcasting for fiscal year 1981 for specified projects of RFE/RL, Incorporated (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty).
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 1981
PATH Crisis Prevention Act of 1981 - Sets forth the findings of Congress in regard to the commuter rail service provided by the Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation (PATH) to the States of New Jersey and New York. Authorizes the President, in the case of a labor dispute between PATH and its employees not resolved under the procedures of the Railway Labor Act, to direct each party to submit a final offer to the National Mediation Board. Directs the Board, if no settlement is reached within a specified period, to refer the dispute to the emergency board created to investigate and report on such dispute under such Act. Specifies that such emergency board shall, within 30 days, select one of such final offers for settlement of the dispute. Requires that a hearing be held prior to such selection so that each party may be heard. Sets forth factors to be considered by the board in making its determination. Prohibits the board from altering the final offer that it selects. Declares the selection of such final offer to be conclusive unless found to be arbitrary and capricious by an appropriate district court. Imposes penalties on PATH officers or employees who fail to comply with the provisions of this Act. Permits any person adversely affected by such noncompliance to bring an injunctive action in the appropriate district court.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 1981
Directs the President to award a special gold medal to Fred Waring. Stipulates that funds may not be appropriated under this Act for any period before October 1, 1981.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 1981
Proclaims Raoul Wallenberg an honorary citizen of the United States. Requests the President to ascertain his whereabouts from the Soviet Union and to secure his freedom.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 1981
Expresses the sense of Congress that the President and the Secretary of Defense should make every effort to remove waste and inefficiency from Department of Defense programs and that the expenditure of appropriated funds for national defense purposes should be closely monitored.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1981
State and Local Government Financing Reform Act of 1981 - Excludes from the Federal law limiting and restricting the corporate powers of national banking associations to deal in and underwrite investment securities, specified dealings in and underwriting of all other nongeneral obligations issued or guaranteed by or on behalf of a State or any political subdivision thereof (except special assessment obligations and industrial revenue bonds) which are at the time eligible for purchase by a national bank for its own account, subject to specified limitations. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to submit an annual report to the Congress showing the extent to which the business of underwriting and dealing in State and local obligations is being carried on by commercial banks as compared with other banking institutions with a view to determining the effect of the provisions of this Act on the institutional distribution of such business.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1981
Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide, through demonstration projects payments to eligible individuals who do not require 24-hour nursing care and who desire to establish a medical, noninstitutional living arrangement: (1) post-hospital extended care services under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act; or (2) intermediate care facility services or skilled nursing facility services under title XIX (Medicaid) of such Act. Requires payments received to be used to finance appropriate medical, noninstitutional living arrangements. Provides that such payments shall not be includable in gross income under the Internal Revenue Code. Requires the Secretary to design the demonstration projects to determine: (1) the feasibility of transferring inpatients of skilled nursing and intermediate care facilities to noninstitutional living arrangements; (2) the types and percentage of such inpatients who could live effectively in a noninstitutional living arrangement; and (3) the types and percentages of such inpatients who would benefit economically and qualitatively from a noninstitutional living arrangement. Directs that funds for such payments be made from the Federal Hospital Insurance Fund established under the Social Security Act and from funds appropriated for Medicaid.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1981
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should: (1) express to the Soviet Union the United States' deep concern about the Soviet Union's depriving the Vashchenko and Chmykhalov families of religious freedom and refusing them permission to emigrate; (2) ensure that such families may reside in the U.S. embassy in Moscow until the Soviet Union authorizes their emigration; and (3) ensure provision of assistance for such families during their residence in the embassy.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend tax-exempt status to veterans' organizations at least 75 percent of whose membership consists of past or present members of the armed forces of the United States (combat or noncombat veterans) and whose remaining membership consists substantially of cadets or spouses, widows, or widowers of armed forces personnel or cadets.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 1981
Amends the highway safety programs uniform standards to include: (1) comprehensive alcohol-traffic safety programs; and (2) penalties to deter motorists from driving while under the influence of alcohol.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 1981
Nuclear Powerplant Property Damage Insurance Act of 1981 - Establishes the National Nuclear Property Insurance Corporation. Sets forth the membership and powers of the Corporation. Exempts the Corporation and its assets, except for its real property and tangible personal property other than cash and securities, from Federal, State, and local taxation. Establishes in the Treasury a Nuclear Property Insurance Fund to be used by the Corporation. Authorizes the Corporation to request investments of excess moneys in the Fund and to issue obligations to cover specified costs. Authorizes the Corporation to provide insurance to licensees of nuclear powerplants to supplement insurance available from private sources. Requires that the Corporation pay for cleanup and rehabilitation costs associated with onsite property damage following any nuclear incident or damage to an insured powerplant to the extent such costs exceed the greater of two specified amounts. Sets a ceiling on such insurance payments. Prohibits the issuance of an operating license by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for a nuclear powerplant unless the licensee is insured by the Corporation. Permits the Corporation to require proof of loss or damage before paying any insurance claim. Directs the Corporation to prescribe insurance premium rates and coverage schedules to provide sufficient revenue to the Fund. Sets a minimum aggregate amount of premiums to be paid by all licensees insured under this Act. Requires the Corporation to maintain an actuarially sound reserve comprised of such premiums in the Fund. Requires insured licensees to pay additional assessments if the Corporation becomes obligated under any insurance agreement for any claim in excess of the amount in the Fund. Establishes a Federal interagency task force to: (1) foster and expedite effective communications among the Federal agencies involved with Three Mile Island Unit 2; and (2) insure preparation of a contingency plan to protect public health and safety and maintain service continuity if the General Public Utilities Corporation cannot carry out its responsibilities in connection with Three Mile Island Unit 2. Directs the Corporation to reimburse the General Public Utilities Corporation from the Fund for 75 percent of the uninsured costs incurred by such Corporation after enactment of this Act for cleanup associated with onsite property damage at Three Mile Island Unit 2 if: (1) there is a joint Pennsylvania-New Jersey Utility Commission plan to insure service continuity and economic stability for the General Public Utilities Corporation; and (2) the General Public Utilities Corporation agrees to pay a premium surcharge to recover 50 percent of the Corporation's costs. Authorizes the Secretary of Energy to: (1) provide technical assistance to the NRC to expedite licensing and regulatory procedures for the cleanup and repair of Three Mile Island facilities; (2) provide technical and planning assistance to the joint Pennsylvania-New Jersey Utility Commission plan; and (3) arrange with the General Public Utilities Corporation to use data valuable in understanding and enhancing nuclear reactor safety. Subrogates the Corporation to all rights and claims of an insured licensee against a third party for costs for which the Corporation provides insurance coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individual taxpayers who maintain a household which includes a dependent who has attained age 65 an income tax credit for the expenses of maintaining such household. Requires that such household constitute the principal residence of the aged dependent for more than three quarters of the taxable year. Limits the amount of the credit to $1,000 for each aged dependent. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to report to the Congress on the administrative problems and revenue cost of the credit enacted by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 1981
Food Stamp Reform Act of 1981 - Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to make individuals 19 years of age or over, with countable income and participating in the food stamp program as a member of an eligible household, liable for any benefits received in excess of an exempt amount. Sets forth the method of determining such amount and such liability. Requires the liability to be paid as if it were a personal income tax imposed by the Internal Revenue Code. Directs State agencies administering the food stamp program to notify such individuals before February 1 of each calendar year of the amount of coupons allotted to them and to notify the Secretary of the Treasury before March 1 of such amounts and the names and addresses of such individuals. Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to transfer sufficient appropriated funds to the Secretary of the Treasury to provide for the collection of assessed funds to the Secretary of the Treasury to provide for the collection of assessed liabilities. Provides for the distribution of such collected amounts to State administrative agencies. Makes technical and conforming amendments to the Food Stamp Act of 1977 and the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 consistent with provisions of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 1981
Federal Lending Oversight and Control Act - Declares that the purpose of this Act is to provide a statutory basis for controlling loans and loan guarantees under Federal credit programs through the congressional budget process. Title I: Reports Regarding Federal Credit Activity - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury, not later than February 1 and August 1 of each year, in consultation with the Council of Economic Advisors, to transmit a report to both Houses of Congress regarding Federal credit activity during the previous six month period. Requires each such report to examine the relationship between Federal credit activity during the previous six-month period and: (1) the condition of the economy; (2) the availability and cost of credit in the private sector; and (3) the exercise of monetary and fiscal policy by the Federal Government. Amends the Federal Reserve Act to direct the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, in their biannual reports to Congress concerning recent developments affecting economic trends in the Nation, to examine the effects of Federal credit activity on the availability and cost of credit in the private sector and on the exercise of monetary policy by the Board and the Federal Open Market Committee. Amends the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 to require the President, in his annual budget statement to the Congress, to include all essential facts regarding direct lending by the Government and guarantees by the Government of the repayment of indebtedness incurred by another person or government. Title II: Changes in Congressional Budget Procedures - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to require the first concurrent resolution on the budget for each fiscal year to set forth the appropriate level of total gross obligations for the principal amount of direct loans and the appropriate level of total commitments to guarantee loans and to allocate such totals among the major functional categories of the budget. Directs each standing committee of the House and Senate to submit its estimates of direct loan obligations and loan guarantee commitments provided for in legislation under its jurisdiction by March 15 of each year for consideration of the Budget Committee in formulating the budget resolution. Directs the House and Senate Banking Committees to submit recommendations to the Budget Committees for the aggregate levels of direct loans and loan guarantees in each fiscal year. Requires the joint explanatory statement accompanying a conference report on the concurrent resolution on the budget to include an estimate allocation of the total levels of direct loan obligations and loan guarantee commitments among the committees of the House and Senate. Directs the Committees on Appropriations to provide such an allocation among their subcommittees as soon as practicable after a budget resolution has been agreed to. Requires the House Committee on Appropriations, before reporting any regular appropriations bills, to submit a summary report to the House comparing the credit authority contained in such bills to the levels agreed to in the budget resolution. Requires any report accompanying legislation conferring new budget authority or increasing tax expenditures to include information on direct loan obligations and loan guarantee commitments. Establishes a deadline for the completion of action on legislation providing credit authority. Requires the second concurrent resolution on the budget in any fiscal year and the reconciliation process to take into account Federal obligations and commitments on loans and loan guarantees. Declares out of order any measure brought up for consideration in either House which would increase the level of loan obligations and guarantee commitments agreed to in the budget process. Requires any authority to guarantee the payment of any indebtedness to be contingent on provisions in appropriation Acts. Title III: Amendments to House Rules - Amends rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives to require each standing committee (other than the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on the Budget) to review and make appropriate recommendations with respect to the consistency and uniformity of the different definitions, default provisions, policies, interest rates, and other terms and conditions relating to direct loan, loan insurance, and loan guarantee activities included in any laws of which the subject matter is within the jurisdiction of that committee. Title IV: Construction and Effective Dates - Sets forth the effective dates of the titles of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 1981
Coal Utilization Incentives Act of 1981 - Title I: Amendments to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit the amortization of coal utilization property, based on a 36- month period. Defines "coal utilization property" as tangible, depreciable property which is: (1) a boiler or burner, the primary fuel for which will be coal; or (2) pollution control equipment required for such boiler or burner; or (3) coal cleaning equipment. Allows an investment tax credit to public utilities for coal utilization property. Qualifies coal utilization property for the full investment tax credit allowed for pollution control facilities with a useful life of not less than five years. Excludes from gross income the interest income on industrial development bonds issued to provide financing of powerplant coal utilization capital expenditures. Title II: Coal Conversions Under the Clean Air Act - Amends the Clean Air Act to exclude as a modification a stationary source which voluntarily converts to coal (thereby excluding the source from new source performance standards).
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 1981
Committee Improvement Amendments of 1981 - Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to require each standing committee, not later than 60 days after the Congress convenes, to submit an oversight agenda to the Committee on Government Operations. Directs such committee to hold hearings at which the chairman and ranking minority member of each standing committee shall testify on the oversight accomplishments of the preceding Congress and the proposed oversight agenda for the new Congress. Requires the Committee on Government Operations, not later than 90 days after the Congress convenes, to report to the House an oversight agenda resolution which incorporates such agendas of all standing committees, and additional recommendations of the committee. Directs the House to complete action on such resolution not later than 90 days after the Congress convenes, to report to the House an oversight agenda resolution which incorporates such agendas of all standing committees, and additional recommendations of the committee. Directs the House to complete action on such resolution not later than 180 days after the Congress convenes. Directs the Speaker of the House to initially refer each bill, resolution, or other matter to one committee of principal jurisdiction. Eliminates the authority of the Speaker to refer any such matter to two or more committees for concurrent consideration. Requires the membership of each committee, select committee, and conference committee (and each subcommittee, task force, or subunit thereof) to reflect the ratio of majority to minority Members. Provides that such ratio be reflected for standing committees at the beginning of each Congress, and for select and conference committees at the time of appointment. Prohibits any standing committee to establish more than six subcommittees, and any Member to serve at any one time on more than four subcommittees. Defines subcommittee as any subunit of a standing committee established for a period of more than six months. Prohibits the vote by any member of any committee or subcommittee to be cast by proxy. Provides that a majority of members of each committee or subcommittee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business. Prohibits the House to consider any primary expense resolution until the Committee on House Administration has reported and the House has adopted a resolution establishing committee staff personnel ceilings for that year. Requires such committee to specify in any primary or supplemental expense resolution the number of staff positions authorized therein. Authorizes the House to consider any supplemental expense resolution in excess of such ceiling by a vote of two-thirds of the Members present.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 1981
Limits the aggregate amount of all expense resolution authorization levels for the committees of the House of Representatives for the first session of the 97th Congress to no more than 90 percent of the aggregate expenditure levels of such committees for the second session of the 96th Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 1981
Entitles nonprofit service clubs to the reduced postage rates for third-class mail currently in effect for the mail matter of qualified nonprofit organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 1981
Amends the Communications Act of 1934, with respect to the assignment of VHF commercial television broadcasting station licenses, to direct the Federal Communications Commission to give priority to any State which does not have at least one such station.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 1981
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to increase to $24,000 in 1981 the amount of outside earnings which a beneficiary age 65 or over may have without a reduction of benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 1981
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include within the categories of deportable aliens an alien convicted of a crime of moral turpitude at any time after entry, regardless of whether imprisoned or not. States that such provision shall apply only to crimes committed after January 1, 1979. Reduces from six months to one month the period in which: (1) the Attorney General must effectuate a final order of deportation; (2) an alien so ordered must leave the United States or be in violation of law; and (3) a petition for judicial review of a deportation order must be filed.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 1981
Amends title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) of the Social Security Act to exclude the income and resources of parents from their child's income and resources, for the purpose of determining the child's eligibility for SSI benefits, if such child: (1) is disabled; (2) regularly requires special care which is primarily or customarily available only in hospitals; (3) spent at least four weeks receiving such care in a hospital for which payment was made under the Medicaid program (title XIX of the Act); and (4) has left the hospital, is living at home with his or her parents, and is receiving such care at home as an alternative to further hospitalization, but the parents cannot realistically meet the costs of such care without SSI benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 1981
Amends the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to require Congress, within 45 days after the President notifies Congress of his intention to rescind appropriated budget authority, to pass a resolution disapproving such rescission in order to make such budget authority available for obligation.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for a cost of living adjustment in the taxpayer's basis for purposes of determining gain or loss in the sale of a principal residence. Specifies that certain improvements to a principal residence shall be treated as a separate principal residence for the purpose of determining the taxpayer's basis in such improvements.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 1981
Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to require Members to provide specific information on House votes in their postal patron newsletters in order for such newsletters to be frankable. Directs that such information: (1) describe at least four recorded votes taken during the eight-month period preceding the mailing of the newsletter; (2) describe the question on which the vote was taken; and (3) give the result of the voting and whether the Member voted yea or nay. Stipulates that such requirement does not apply to usual congressional questionnaires or notices of a Member's itinerary.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 1981
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) Israel's security in the 1980's will reflect the military balance of power and continued U.S. assistance; (2) support of Israel will entail support of the United States; (3) the United States should build up its strength to contain Soviet influence in the Middle East; and (4) such actions will be viewed as reaffirming U.S. security agreements with Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 24 February 1981
Amends the Communications Act of 1934, with respect to the assignment of VHF commercial television broadcasting station licenses, to direct the Federal Communications Commission to give priority to any State which does not have at least one such station.
United States · United States Congress · 24 February 1981
Amends the Federal criminal code to establish penalties for taking or attempting to take by force and violence or intimidation a controlled substance from a pharmacy. Increases the penalties if any person's life is endangered by use of a dangerous weapon or if any person is assaulted or killed during commission of such offense. Directs the Federal Bureau of Investigation to include pharmacy robbery data in its annual Uniform Crime Reports. Directs the Attorney General to report to Congress on the enforcement of this Act within 120 days of enactment and biannually for the subsequent three-year period.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 1981
Exempts nonprofit veterans' organizations and nonprofit fraternal organizations from the requirement that nondramatic literary or musical performance royalties be paid to copyright holders.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 1981
Expresses the sense of the Congress that legislation providing for withholding of Federal income tax from dividends and interest should not be enacted.