United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2000
Helping to Improve Technology Education and Achievement Act of 2000 - Title I: Provisions Relating to Employment-Based Immigration - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make employment-based visas available on a quarterly basis without regard to per-country limitations if unused visas are available. (Sec. 102) Directs the Secretary of Labor to take into account Internet recruiting in determining whether an employer has undertaken required efforts to recruit U.S. workers. (Sec. 103) Directs the Attorney General and the Secretary to establish an Internet-based system that will permit tracking of benefit filings required under such Act. Directs the Attorney General to conduct an on-line filing feasibility study. Directs the Attorney General and the Secretaries of Labor and Commerce to jointly establish a related Technology Advisory Committee. Title II: Provisions Relating to H-1B Nonimmigrants - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to increase available nonimmigrant H-1B specialty occupation visas for FY 2001 through 2003, with specified visa reservations for: (1) aliens with master's or higher degrees; and (2) institutions of higher education and other research organizations. Makes additional visas available for FY 1999 under specified conditions. (Sec. 202) Requires employers to file W-2 forms for H-1B employees. (Sec. 203) Provides one-year extensions of authorized H-1B stay pending specified status adjudications. Title III: Collection and Use of H-1B Nonimmigrant Fees - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to increase H-1B petition fees. (Sec. 302) Obligates specified amounts from the H-1B Nonimmigrant Petitioner Account for: (1) student loan forgiveness; (2) upward bound; and (3) regional skills training alliances. Eliminates obligations for job training. Decreases obligations for low-income scholarships. Amends the Higher Education Act to establish an educational loan forgiveness program for mathematics and science teachers. Amends the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 to direct the Secretary of Commerce to provide matching grants to: (1) eligible entities for job skills training in specific industries; and (2) States for consortia planning assistance. (Sec. 306) Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to increase certain H-1B administrative fees.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2000
Designates cyberterrorism as an emerging threat to the national security of the United States and the nation's electronic infrastructure. Calls for: (1) a partnership between the Federal Government and private industry in combating the cyber menace; (2) a revised legal framework for the prosecution of hackers and cyberterrorists; and (3) a new interagency study to be conducted by the Departments of Commerce and Defense, the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to assess the threat posed by cyberterrorists.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2000
Expresses that it is the sense of Congress that: (1) members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries should immediately increase crude oil production; (2) nations that act to restrict the supply of crude oil do serious damage to their relations with the United States; (3) continued diplomatic efforts by the United States are necessary to convince all major crude oil exporting countries that current price levels are unsustainable and will cause widespread economic harm; (4) the United States will note actions by these countries to restrict or expand the production of crude oil when considering possible non-humanitarian assistance or trade benefits; (5) the President should review administrative policies that may put an undue burden on domestic crude oil producers and should consider rescinding unnecessary regulations that interfere with the ability of the U.S. energy industry to meet a greater percentage of U.S. energy needs; and (6) Congress and the President should work together to develop policies that will reduce U.S. dependence on foreign energy sources.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2000
Postmasters Fairness and Rights Act - Amends Federal law to prescribe guidelines within which the Postal Service shall propose changes in pay policies, schedules, and fringe benefit programs affecting postmasters which are to be in effect during the period covered by a collective bargaining agreement between the Postal Service and certain recognized bargaining representatives. Grants certain qualified postmasters' organizations the right to participate in program planning and development pertaining to pay policies, schedules, and fringe benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2000
Includes as a service-connected and therefore compensable injury under veterans' disability compensation provisions a stroke or heart attack incurred while performing inactive duty training.
United States · United States Congress · 29 February 2000
Medicaid Safety Net Hospital Preservation Act of 2000 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, with respect to adjustments in payments for inpatient hospital services furnished by disproportionate share (DSH) hospitals, to require DSH allotments for FY 2002 to be equal to the State allotment for FY 2000. Sets the DSH allotment for FY 2001 and for FY 2002 at the FY 2000 level.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2000
2002 Winter Olympic Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue five dollar gold coins and one dollar silver coins emblematic of the participation of American athletes in the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Mandates that coin design be selected by the Secretary after consultation with: (1) the Commission of Fine Arts; (2) the United States Olympic Committee; and (3) Olympic Properties of the United States-Salt Lake 2002 (created and owned by the Salt Lake Organizing Committee). States that all surcharges from the coin sales ($35 for a $5 coin and $10 for a $1 coin) shall be distributed by the Secretary to: (1) Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the Olympic Winter Games of 2002; and (2) the United States Olympic Committee.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2000
Directs the Secretary of Defense to expand and make permanent a demonstration project which allows individuals eligible for medical care and services under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) to obtain pharmaceuticals by mail in order to permit individuals who are entitled to hospital insurance benefits under part A of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act and who are members or former members of the armed forces, dependents of certain former members, or dependents of members who died while on active duty for a period of more than 30 days to participate in the project. Requires the Secretary to modify each managed health care program which includes a managed care network of community retail pharmacies in order to supply pharmaceuticals to the above individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2000
Medicaid DSH Preservation Act of 2000 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, with respect to provisions regarding adjustments in payments for inpatient hospital services furnished by disproportionate share hospitals (DSH), to require allotments for FY 2001 (currently, FY 2003) and succeeding fiscal years to DSH to be equal to the allotment for the State for the preceding fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2000
Congressional Oversight and Audit of Agency Rulemaking Actions Act - Establishes a pilot project under which the Comptroller General may review a published economically significant proposed or interim rule at the request of a committee of either House of Congress with jurisdiction over the subject matter of the rule. Defines "economically significant rule" to mean any proposed, final, or interim rule: (1) that may have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more or adversely affect in a material way the economy, a sector of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the environment, public health or safety, or State, local, or tribal governments, small businesses, or communities; or (2) for which an agency has prepared an initial or final regulatory flexibility analysis. Requires that an independent audit and assessment of such a rule by the Comptroller General shall consist of: (1) an analysis of the agency's and the public's assessment of the potential benefits and costs of the rule and of alternative approaches that could achieve the agency's objectives in a more cost effective manner; (2) an analysis and assessment of any impact statement or report prepared by the agency as part of the rulemaking, including any assessment of impacts on State and local governments; and (3) a list of all analyses, groups, entities, and sources consulted in developing the analyses and assessments described above. Grants the Comptroller General discretion to develop procedures for determining the priority and number of requests for review. Requires each agency, upon request of the Comptroller General, to provide any available or existing records, information, or data upon which the agency relied in developing such a rule. Requires the Comptroller General to transmit an independent audit containing the prescribed assessments and analyses on a final rule, together with a summary of the differences between the proposed and final rule, within 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. Authorizes appropriations. Provides for the pilot project established under this Act to continue for a five-year period if specified appropriations are provided. Requires the Comptroller General to report to Congress on such project's effectiveness and on whether it should be authorized permanently.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 2000
Campaign Integrity Act of 2000 - Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions regarding tax-exempt organizations to expand the definition of "political organization" to require such an organization, in order to be defined as such, to file an annual statement certifying compliance with reporting requirements under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) added by this Act. Excepts from such filing requirement: (1) organizations which exist for the exclusive purpose of influencing the appointment of any individual to a State, local, or Federal public office or office in a political organization; (2) a group of persons (other than a separate segregated fund established under FECA) which accepts contributions or makes expenditures during a calendar year of less than $5,000; or (3) political committees as defined under FECA. Prohibits an organization from being treated as one described under (1) above if it makes payments for certain communications which mention a clearly identified candidate for election for Federal office or contain the likeness of such candidate during an election cycle. Amends FECA to provide that, for purposes of Internal Revenue Code provisions regarding tax-exempt political organizations, a political organization is in compliance if it files with the Federal Election Commission: (1) a statement of organization no later than ten days after receiving or spending an aggregate amount equal to or greater than $5,000 during the year for an exempt function described under the Code; and (2) reports of its receipts and disbursements at the same time and in the same manner as reports are filed by political committees under existing FECA requirements. Describes contents of such statement and report.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2000
Authorizes the President, on behalf of Congress, to present a gold medal to Charles M. Schulz, in recognition of his lasting artistic contributions to the Nation and the world. Authorizes a specified amount to be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund to pay for the costs of such medals. Mandates that sales proceeds from duplicate bronze medals be deposited into such Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2000
Rural Local Broadcast Signal Act - Amends the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to authorize the Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service to make loan guarantees (through a specified date) to providers of multichannel video services, including direct broadcast satellite licensees, to improve access to local television broadcasting to all households desiring such service in unserved and underserved rural areas. Requires loan guarantee approval by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Sets forth satellite carrier loan guarantee qualifications. Authorizes appropriations. Sets forth conditions under which a borrower shall be obliged to carry local broadcast signals without charge.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2000
Timber and Agriculture Environmental Fairness Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from requiring a national pollutant discharge elimination system permit for discharges composed entirely of agricultural stormwater discharges or for discharges from silviculture operations. Excludes discharges of stormwater runoff from silvicultural operations from the definition of "point source."
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2000
Installment Tax Correction Act of 2000 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (as amended by the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999) to repeal revisions to the Code (made by the Act) which repealed the use of the installment method of accounting for accrual method taxpayers and modified the pledge rules of installment obligations.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2000
Authorizes presentation of a gold medal on behalf of Congress to former President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy Reagan. Authorizes specified sums to be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund for medal costs. Mandates that sale proceeds from duplicate bronze medals be deposited into such Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2000
Hospital Preservation and Equity Act of 2000 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA), as amended by the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999 with regard to the one year sole community hospital payment increase, to reset the applicable percentage increase for FY 2001 and each subsequent fiscal year to the market basket percentage increase for hospitals in all areas for purposes of updating payments to prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals for inpatient hospital services.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2000
Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act - Includes as an employee, for purposes of Federal provisions authorizing enrollment under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program: (1) a member of the armed forces who began service before June 7, 1956, and retired after a minimum of 20 years of such service or by reason of a service-connected disability; and (2) the surviving widow or widower of such member. Directs the Secretary of Defense to enter into an agreement with the Office of Personnel Management to provide FEHB coverage to the following eligible beneficiaries: (1) a member or former member entitled to military retired or retainer pay; (2) an unremarried former spouse who was married to a member for at least 20 years, during which such member performed at least 20 years of retirement-creditable military service; (3) a dependent of a deceased qualifying member or former member; (4) a dependent of a living member or former member; and (5) a family member of such member. Repeals a provision prohibiting coverage under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services for persons entitled to hospital insurance benefits under part A of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Act.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2000
Recognizes the 50th anniversary of the Korean War, and expresses the gratitude of the American people for the service of members of the armed forces during such War.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2000
Religious Broadcasting Freedom Act - Prohibits the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from establishing, expanding, or otherwise modifying requirements relating to the service obligations of noncommercial educational television stations except by means of Federal agency rulemaking procedures. Terminates the additional guidance contained in the FCC's memorandum opinion and order in WQED Pittsburgh (FCC 99-393), except as such guidance is prescribed in accordance with the above rulemaking procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 1999
Give a Kid a Chance Omnibus Mental Health Services Act of 1999 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to support, either directly or through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements with public entities, programs to promote mental health among all children and their families and to provide early intervention services to ameliorate identified mental health problems in children and adolescents. Requires an equitable distribution of grant funds, including Native American communities. Outlines program priorities. Requires non-Federal matching funds of $2 for every $3 of Federal funding. Limits grant duration to five years. Requires the Secretary to ensure that entities receiving funds carry out a project evaluation which includes the effectiveness of program strategies in strengthening families with young children. Requires local educational agencies receiving such grants to ensure that schools receiving such funds maintain a certain ratio of students per counselor, nurse, psychologist, and social worker. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2000 through 2002.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 1999
States' Rights and Second and Tenth Amendment Restoration Act of 1999 - Amends the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, 1997 to repeal a specified provision (commonly referred to as the Lautenberg amendment) establishing a gun ban for individuals convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 1999
Radio Broadcasting Preservation Act of 1999 - Prohibits the Federal Communications Commission from prescribing any rules authorizing the operation of new, low power FM radio stations, or establishing a low power radio service, as currently proposed. Terminates previously prescribed rules which would violate such prohibition and voids licenses issued pursuant to such rules.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 1999
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the President should immediately transmit to Congress a report containing: (1) the President's certification as to whether the U.S. Government has ever requested the Government of Russia to provide information on the specific sites in the United States at which either the Russian or Soviet Government placed weapons or military equipment for use in a possible conflict with the United States; and (2) depending on such certification, either a full accounting of why such a request has not been made or detailed information on when and to whom each such request was transmitted and what information was provided by Russia in response. Calls for the President to provide to Congress a report describing in detail the President's plan to find and remove any military equipment or bombs (such as those identified in the so-called Mitrokhin files) that have been placed by the Russian or Soviet Government on U.S. territory.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 1999
Authorizes the American Battle Monuments Commission to place within the Vietnam Veterans Memorial a plaque to honor those Vietnam veterans who died after service in the Vietnam War, but as a direct result of such service, and whose names are not otherwise eligible for placement on the Memorial wall.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 1999
Law Enforcement Officers Due Process Act of 1999 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to require at least five percent of the drug control program funds provided to a State to be reserved for distribution to law enforcement agencies to establish an administrative process which requires that a law enforcement agency that investigates a law enforcement officer for matters which could lead to disciplinary action (including dismissal, demotion, suspension, or transfer) provide recourse for such officer that includes access to the administrative process prior to the imposition of disciplinary action, as well as the right to a hearing, representation, and the confronting of witnesses. Authorizes the immediate suspension of an officer: (1) whose continued presence is considered a substantial and immediate threat to the welfare of such agency or the public; (2) who refuses to obey a direct order issued to conform with the agency's written and disseminated rules and regulations; or (3) who is accused of committing an illegal act. Exempts from this Act an employing agency that has in effect an established system, board, or procedure which meets or exceeds such minimum standards.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 1999
Small Business Franchise Act of 1999 - Prohibits any person, in connection with the advertising, offering, sale, or promotion of any franchise, from: (1) employing a device, scheme, or artifice to defraud; (2) engaging in an act, practice, course of business, or pattern of conduct which operates or is intended to operate as a fraud upon any prospective franchisee; (3) obtaining property, or assisting others in so doing, by negligently making an untrue statement of a material fact or failing to state a material fact; or (4) making any claim or representation which is inconsistent with or contradicts a disclosure document. Requires the franchisor to provide a written statement specifying whether the franchise agreement contains a right of renewal. (Sec. 4) Prohibits any franchisor or subfranchisor, in connection with the performance, enforcement, renewal, or termination of any franchise agreement, from: (1) engaging in an act, practice, course of business, or pattern of conduct which operates as a fraud upon any person; (2) hindering, prohibiting, or penalizing the free association of franchisees for any lawful purpose, including the formation of or participation in any trade association made up of franchisees; or (3) discriminating against a franchisee by imposing requirements not imposed on other similarly situated franchisees or otherwise retaliating against any franchisee for membership or participation in a franchisee association. Prohibits a franchisor from: (1) terminating a franchise agreement prior to its expiration without good cause; or (2) prohibiting a franchisee from engaging in any business at any location after the expiration of a franchise agreement. (Sec. 5) Sets forth provisions concerning: (1) minimum standards of conduct (good faith, due care, and limited fiduciary duty) for each party to a franchise agreement; (2) a prohibition against requiring the inclusion of a franchise agreement term or condition which violates this Act or relieves a person from a duty or liability under this Act; (3) a prohibition against a waiver from compliance with this Act; and (4) authorized legal actions by State attorneys general on behalf of State residents for alleged violations. (Sec. 8) Authorizes a franchisee to assign a franchise interest to a transferee, provided such transferee satisfies reasonable qualifications applied by the franchisor in determining whether or not a current franchisee is eligible for renewal. Provides transfer conditions, including 30 days' prior written notice. Outlines events which shall not be considered transfers, such as successor management by a surviving heir or incorporation. (Sec. 9) Prohibits a franchisor from transferring a franchise interest unless: (1) the franchisor provides 30 days prior notice to all franchisees of such intent; (2) the notice is accompanied by a complete description of the business and financial terms of the proposed transfer; and (3) upon such transfer, the transferee entity has the appropriate business experience and financial means to perform all of the franchisor's obligations. (Sec. 10) Prohibits a franchisor from prohibiting a franchisee from obtaining equipment, fixtures, supplies, goods, or services (goods or services) used in the establishment or operation of the franchised business from sources of the franchisee's choosing, with the exception that such goods or services must meet reasonable quality standards promulgated or enforced by the franchisor. Requires the franchisor to: (1) provide and continuously update a list of approved vendors for such goods or services; and (2) report at least annually revenues and profits received from the sale of such goods or services to its franchisees. (Sec. 11) Prohibits a franchisor from placing one or more new outlets of a franchised business within unreasonable proximity to an existing franchise, with an exception. (Sec. 12) Sets forth provisions concerning: (1) legal actions brought by persons injured or damaged by violations; and (2) the right to arbitration, mediation, or other nonjudicial resolution in lieu of a legal action (with a statute of limitations).
United States · United States Congress · 9 November 1999
Peanut Labeling Act of 1999 - Requires retailers of peanuts or peanut products produced or imported into the United States to inform final point of sale consumers of such products' country of origin, unless: (1) waived by the Secretary of Agriculture because of the difficulty of determining product origin; or (2) the products are already labeled by the packer, importer, or other person. Authorizes civil penalties for violations of such requirement.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 1999
Veterans' Right to Know Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) provide information concerning eligibility for Department benefits and health care services and application requirements when a veteran or his or her dependent first applies for any such benefit; and (2) prepare an annual plan for the conduct of outreach activities to provide such veterans and dependents with such information.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 1999
Declares that a specified final rule relating to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network and the equitable and medically effective allocation of organs for transplantation shall have no force or legal effect. Prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from implementing or exercising additional regulatory authority regarding the Network, as well as regulatory authority under specified provisions of the Social Security Act (SSA) (relating to general SSA regulations, disclosure of information, organ procurement, and general Medicare regulations), before the enactment of amendments to reauthorize and revise provisions of the Public Health Service Act relating to organ transplants.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 1999
National Center for Social Work Research Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish the National Center for Social Work Research as an agency of the National Institutes of Health. Authorizes the Center to establish research traineeships and fellowships, provide stipends and allowances, and make grants. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish an advisory council for the Center.
United States · United States Congress · 2 November 1999
Duty to Assist Veterans Act of 1999 - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, with respect to any veterans' benefits claim filed on or after July 14, 1999, to assist such claimant in developing information pertinent to a decision on the claim, including by informing the claimant of any medical or lay evidence needed and by providing a medical examination to determine the current disability of the veteran concerned.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 1999
Amends Federal law to require the Secretary of the Treasury to reduce the face amount of publicly-held obligations issued under public debt provisions and of those whose principal and interest are guaranteed by the U.S. Government (except guaranteed obligations held by the Secretary) by an amount not to exceed the amount of the social security trust funds surplus in the preceding fiscal year. Defines a "publicly-held obligation" as one subject to the public debt limit, except any obligation issued directly to certain Federal trust funds or Government accounts. Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm- Rudman-Hollings Act) to require, in any fiscal year when such obligations are reduced by an amount less than the amount of such surplus, the shortfall to be included in the calculation of the sequestration required to offset the deficit increase.
United States · United States Congress · 20 October 1999
Unsolicited Electronic Mail Act of 1999 - Authorizes any person, on his or her own behalf or on behalf of his or her children, to file with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) a statement that he or she desires to receive no unsolicited commercial electronic mail (e-mail), unsolicited pandering (erotically arousing or sexually provocative) e-mail, or both. Directs the FCC to: (1) maintain and keep a current list of such filers; and (2) make such list available to any person, upon reasonable terms and conditions, including a service charge for such list. Prohibits any person from initiating the transmission of any unsolicited commercial or pandering e-mail to an individual whose name and e-mail address has been on such list for more than 30 days. Prohibits any other use of such list. Prohibits any person from sending an unsolicited commercial or pandering e-mail message unless the message contains a conspicuous reply e-mail address to which a recipient may send notice of a desire not to receive further messages. Subjects to an FCC order to discontinue any person who transmits such a message after such an objection. Directs the FCC, upon request, to include in such an order the names and e-mail addresses of any children of an objecting recipient. Provides a private right of action, or an action by the FCC, against an e-mail initiator who violates the above requirements. Authorizes an interactive computer service provider to establish and enforce policies that are nondiscriminatory on the basis of content regarding unsolicited commercial e-mail. Authorizes such provider to decline to transmit such messages to subscribers without compensation from the sender. Requires a provider to notify the violator of such policy in writing and request compliance. Makes subject to the same FCC order as above a violator who sends such messages after provider notification. Provides a private right of action by a provider, or an action by the FCC, upon an e-mail initiator who violates such requirements. Requires the FCC to report to Congress on the effectiveness and enforcement of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 19 October 1999
Know Your Caller Act of 1999 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to make it unlawful for any person making a telephone solicitation to interfere with or circumvent a caller identification service from accessing or providing the call recipient with identifying information about the call. Directs the Federal Communications Commission to prescribe regulations implementing such prohibition. Provides a cause of action for a person or entity, or a State attorney general on behalf of its residents, for violations of such prohibition or regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 18 October 1999
Amends Federal rail transportation law to prohibit a railroad carrier (including its officers and agents) from requiring a train employee who has been on duty or available for it for any portion of each of seven consecutive days to go on duty or be available for it until at least 72 consecutive hours have passed after the employee is released from duty or availability.
United States · United States Congress · 14 October 1999
Wage and Employment Growth Act of 1999 - Title I: Amendments to Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to increase the Federal minimum wage (currently, $5.15 per hour) to: (1) $5.48 an hour during the year beginning on April 1, 2000; (2) $5.81 an hour during the year beginning on April 1, 2001; and (3) $6.15 an hour during the year beginning on April 1, 2002. (Sec. 101) Repeals the exclusion from (thus includes in) the meaning of regular rate of remuneration any sums paid as gifts, or in the nature of gifts made at Christmas time or on other special occasions (bonuses). (Sec. 102) Exempts from minimum wage and overtime requirements: (1) certain network or database analysts, designers, and developers, including any whose primary duty is the management or training of employees performing specified duties related to computer systems or software design, or development; (2) certain sales employees with specialized or technical product or service knowledge and a detailed understanding of customer needs, who earn at least one-and-a-half times the minimum wage, plus commissions, and meet other specified requirements; and (3) licensed funeral directors and embalmers. Title II: Small Business Provisions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (the Code) to increase a self-employed individual's deduction for the health insurance costs of self and family to 100 percent. Denies such deduction only for any month the individual actually participates in an employer-subsidized health plan (currently, for any month the individual is eligible to participate). (Sec. 202) Increases to $30,000 the aggregate cost taken into account for the option to expense certain depreciable business assets of small businesses. (Sec. 203) Increases from 50 percent to: (1) 55 percent in 2001 and after 2001 to 60 percent the deduction for meal and entertainment expenses for small businesses; and (2) 80 percent the deduction of business meal expenses for individuals subject to Federal limitations on hours of service. (Sec. 205) Repeals specified occupational taxes relating to distilled spirits, wine, and beer. Revises the record-keeping requirements for wholesale and retail liquor dealers. Makes it unlawful for any liquor dealer (except one selling beer exclusively) to purchase distilled spirits from any person but a wholesale liquor dealer (excluding a wholesale dealer exclusively in beer) subject to specified record-keeping requirements. Title III: Pension Provisions - Subtitle A: Expanding Coverage - Increases limits on benefits and contributions under qualified pension plans. (Sec. 302) Amends the Code and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) with regard to the tax on prohibited transactions, and in particular certain transactions involving trusts which are part of an owner-employee plan, and which are not exempted from the tax. Limits the meaning of owner-employee, with respect to any non-exempt loan of any part of the corpus or income of a plan to an owner-employee or family member (subchapter S owner, partner, or sole proprietor), to: (1) a participant or beneficiary of an individual retirement plan; or (2) an employer or association of employees which establishes such a plan. (Sec. 303) Modifies top-heavy rules. Redefines certain key employees to: (1) eliminate the ten employees each of whom earns over $30,000 per year and owns the largest interests in the employer; and (2) include an officer of the employer earning more than $150,000 per year. Provides that employer matching contributions shall be taken into account for minimum contribution requirements. Declares that aggregate distributions during the last year (or, for in-service distributions, during the past five years) shall be taken into account when determining: (1) the present value of the cumulated accrued benefit for any employee; or (2) the amount of any employee's account. Excludes from the meaning of top-heavy plan any plan which consists solely of: (1) a cash or deferred arrangement using certain alternative methods of meeting nondiscrimination requirements; and (2) matching contributions which meet certain requirements of a specified additional alternative method of satisfying nondiscrimination tests. Exempts from the minimum benefit requirement, and determination of any employee's years of service with an employer, any service with an employer occurring during a plan year when the plan benefits no current or former employee (frozen plan). Declares that, with respect to top-heavy plans, determination of constructive stock ownership by a five-percent owner shall disregard family attribution requirements. (Sec. 304) Exempts elective deferrals of employer contributions not includable in an employee's gross income from specified limitations on an employer's deductions for such contributions to an employees' trust or annuity plan and compensation under a deferred payment plan. (Sec. 305) Repeals coordination requirements for deferred compensation plans of State and local governments and tax-exempt organizations. (Sec. 306) Eliminates the user fee for requests to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for determination letters with respect to the qualified status of any pension plan maintained solely by one or more eligible employers or any trust which is a part of the plan. (Sec. 307) Subjects participant's compensation to specified limits on deductions for employer contributions. (Sec. 308) Establishes an option to treat employee elective deferrals as qualified plus contributions (which shall not, however, be excludable from gross income). (Sec. 309) Amends ERISA to set the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) insurance premium rate at $5 for each individual plan participant in the case of a new single-employer plan maintained by a small employer. (Sec. 310) Provides for reductions of additional PBGC premiums for new and small plans. Subtitle B: Enhancing Fairness for Women - Amends the Code to allow eligible participants age 50 or over to make additional elective deferrals (catch-up contributions) in any plan year according to a schedule of percentage increments (from ten percent to 50 percent) between 2001 and 2005 and thereafter. (Sec. 322) Increases from 25 percent to 100 percent of compensation (up to $30,000) the maximum allowable annual addition to a participant's plan account. (Sec. 323) Provides for faster vesting of certain employer matching contributions. (Sec. 324) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury (Secretary) to simplify and finalize the regulations relating to specified minimum distribution requirements, and modify them to: (1) reflect current life expectancy; and (2) revise the required distribution methods so that, under reasonable assumptions, the amount of the required minimum distribution does not decrease over a participant's life expectancy. (Sec. 325) Amends the Code to provide for distribution or payment (division of benefits) from an eligible deferred compensation plan upon divorce. (Sec. 326) Directs the Secretary to revise the hardship distribution regulations to provide that six months is the period an employee is prohibited from making elective and employee contributions in order for a distribution to be deemed necessary to satisfy financial need (safe harbor relief for hardship withdrawals from cash or deferred arrangements). Subtitle C: Increasing Portability for Participants - Amends the Code to provide for rollovers among various specified kinds of plans. Revises the requirements for tax-exempt rollovers of individual retirement accounts (IRAs) into eligible (workplace) retirement plans. (Sec. 333) Exempts from certain limitations on the amount of a tax-exempt rollover from an exempt trust: (1) any portion of a distribution transferred in a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer to a qualified trust in a defined contribution plan, which is also separately accounted for; and (2) any portion transferred to an eligible retirement plan. (Sec. 334) Provides a hardship exception to the requirement that a tax-exempt rollover be made within 60 days after distribution. (Sec. 335) Amends the Code and ERISA to revise the treatment of a plan as failing to meet minimum vesting standards if a participant's accrued benefit is decreased by amendment of the plan. Declares that a defined contribution plan shall not be treated as failing to meet such requirements merely because the transferee plan does not provide some or all of the forms of distribution previously available under another defined contribution plan in specified circumstances. (Sec. 336) Revises certain restrictions on distributions from qualified cash or deferred arrangements. Eliminates a corporation's disposition of assets or of an interest in a subsidiary as events for which lump-sum distributions are covered (while retaining termination of a plan as a covered event). Changes separation from service to severance from employment as a threshold event for the covered distribution of amounts from a qualified cash or deferred arrangement. (Sec. 337) Excludes from gross income any amount transferred to a defined benefit governmental plan in a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer if it is for: (1) purchase of a permissive service credit; or (2) a repayment of cash-outs to which certain limitations on contributions do not apply. (Sec. 338) Amends the Code and ERISA with respect to restrictions on certain mandatory distributions to allow employers to disregard rollover contributions when determining the present value of nonforfeitable accrued benefits for cash-out purposes. (Sec. 339) Amends the Code, with respect to deferred compensation plans of State and local governments and tax-exempt organizations, to repeal certain additional minimum distribution requirements. Revises requirements for inclusion of deferred compensation in a participant's gross income to limit the taxable year: (1) to the taxable year in which the compensation or income is paid to the participant in the case of a State or local government; and (2) to the taxable year in which the compensation or income is paid or otherwise made available to the participant or other beneficiary in the case of a tax-exempt organization. Subtitle D: Strengthening Pension Security and Enforcement - Amends the Code and ERISA, with respect to the full-funding limitation, to repeal the 155 percent of current liability funding limit in the case of plan years beginning in 1999 or 2000. Sets the applicable percentage of current liability at 160 percent in 2001, 165 percent in 2002, 170 percent in 2003, and nothing afterwards. (Sec. 342) Revises the special rule for an employer's maximum deductible contribution to change the minimum amount, for plans with more than 100 participants, from the unfunded current liability to the unfunded termination liability. Excludes from termination liability, for plans with under 100 participants, any liability attributable to benefit increases for highly compensated employees resulting from a plan amendment made or effective within the last two years before the termination date. (Sec. 343) Amends ERISA with respect to transfer to the PBGC of a missing participant's benefits upon termination of a single-employer plan. Requires the PBGC to prescribe for ipmultiemployer plans missing participant benefit transfer rules similar to those for single-employer plans. Authorizes the plan administrator of a pension plan not otherwise subject to ERISA to elect to transfer to the PBGC a missing participant's benefits upon plan termination. (Sec. 344) Revises the requirements for periodic pension benefits statements. (Sec. 345) Changes from mandatory to discretionary the Secretary of Labor's authority to assess civil penalties against fiduciaries or other persons. Changes the penalty amount from 20 percent of the applicable recovery amount to any amount up to 20 percent of the applicable recovery amount. Revises the meaning of applicable recovery amount. Makes a person jointly and severally liable for the penalty to the same extent that such person is jointly and severally liable for the applicable recovery amount on which the penalty is based. Conditions the assessment of any penalty upon notice to the person and the opportunity for a hearing on the violation and the applicable recovery amount. (Sec. 346) Amends the Code with respect to the excise tax on nondeductible contributions to a qualified employer plan. Allows an employer, in determining the amount of nondeductible contributions, to elect not to take into account any contributions to a defined benefit plan except to the extent they exceed the full-funding limitation. (Sec. 347) Establishes an excise tax (of $100 per applicable individual per day) on a defined benefit plan for failing to give notice to participants of any plan amendment providing for a significant reduction in the rate of future benefit accrual. (Sec. 348) Amends the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 with respect to certain limitations on investment in employer securities and employer real property by cash or deferred arrangements. Exempts from such limitations any elective deferral invested in assets consisting of qualifying employer securities, qualifying employer real property, or both, if such assets were acquired before January 1, 1999. (Sec. 350) Amends ERISA to require the convening of a National Summit on Retirement Income Savings at the White House in September 2009. Authorizes the Secretary of Labor to enter into a cooperative agreement with the American Savings Education Council with respect to the planning and operation of such Summit. Revises and adds to the list of required participants in the Summit. Repeals the limitation of additional Summit participants to 200. Provides for presidential appointment of over 100 participants, according to specified rules. Grants the Secretary of Labor reception and representation authority limited specifically to Summit events. (Sec. 351) Directs the Secretary of Labor to develop model language for: (1) the spousal consent required to waive the qualified joint and survivor annuity benefit or qualified preretirement survivor annuity benefit; and (2) a qualified domestic relations order with regard to alternate payees. (Sec. 352) Bars the Secretary of Labor, in certain circumstances (except when the Secretary files a complaint before final court approval of a settlement), from litigating class action or derivative action claims already resolved by a court-approved settlement agreement. Subtitle E: Reducing Regulatory Burdens - Amends the Code and ERISA, with respect to annual valuation of a plan's liability, to require actual valuation only once every three years of a plan whose assets are at least 125 percent of its current liability. Permits use of prior year valuations for any two consecutive plan years, so long as an actual valuation takes place in the third year. (Sec. 362) Amends the Code to allow the reinvestment in qualifying employer securities of any employee stock ownership plan dividend paid by a C corporation, without loss of the corporation's deduction from gross income. (Sec. 363) Amend the Tax Reform Act of 1986 to repeal the transition rule relating to certain highly compensated employees. (Sec. 364) Directs the Secretary to modify Treasury Regulations to provide that employees of tax-exempt organizations who are eligible to make contributions under a salary reduction agreement may be treated as excludable from a 401 (k) plan or 401 (m) plan if: (1) no such employee is eligible to participate in such 401(k) plan or 401(m) plan; and (2) 95 percent of other employees are eligible to participate in such a plan. (Sec. 365) Amends the Code to make a fringe benefit exclusion from gross income of any qualified retirement planning services provided to an employee and his spouse by an employer maintaining a qualified employer plan. (Sec. 366) Directs the Secretary to modify the annual return filing requirements for one-participant retirement plans (covering only the employer and spouse where the employer owns the entire business, or only one or more partners and spouses in a business partnership) to ensure that any plans with assets of $250,000 or less as of the close of the plan year need not file a return for that year. (Sec. 367) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to continue to update and improve the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (or any successor program), giving special attention to certain tasks. (Sec. 368) Amends ERISA, with respect to limitations on the guarantee of single-employer plan benefits, to rename a "substantial owner" a "majority owner," who owns either the entire interest in an unincorporated trade or business, or: (1) 50 percent or more (currently more than ten percent) of either the capital interest or the profits interest in a partnership; or (2) 50 percent or more (currently more than ten percent) in value of either the voting stock of a corporation or all its stock. Revises the formula for the amount of benefits guaranteed for a majority owner of a plan which is in effect for less than 60 months when the plan terminates. Prescribes priorities for the allocation of assets to benefits when the assets available for the initial allocation are insufficient to satisfy in full the accrued benefits of all the individuals derived from their contributions. (Sec. 369) Amends the Code to repeal the restriction to situations where vouchers are not available of the exclusion from gross income of cash reimbursements as a qualified transportation fringe. (Sec. 370) Repeals the Secretary is mandate, with respect to the nondiscrimination test for matching contributions and employee contributions, to prescribe regulations to prevent the multiple use of the alternative limitation for any highly compensated employee. (Sec. 371) Directs the Secretary to provide that a plan shall be deemed to satisfy nondiscrimination requirements if it satisfies the facts and circumstances test as in effect before January 1, 1994, but only if: (1) it satisfies conditions prescribed by the Secretary to appropriately limit the availability of such test; and (2) it is submitted to the Secretary for a determination of whether it satisfies such test. Revises minimum coverage requirements to allow a plan that otherwise fails to meet such requirements to constitute a qualified plan if it meets certain requirements that were in effect immediately before enactment of the Tax Reform Act of 1986. (Such requirements stated that the plan must at least benefit employees qualifying under a classification set up by the employer and found by the Secretary not to be discriminatory in favor of employees who are officers, shareholders, or highly compensated.) Directs the Secretary to modify certain existing regulations with respect to employers operating separate lines of business to expand the ability of a pension plan to demonstrate compliance with the line of business requirements based upon the facts and circumstances surrounding the design and operation of the plan, even though the plan is unable to satisfy the mechanical tests currently used to determine compliance. (Sec. 372) Amends the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 to extend to international organizations the moratorium on application of certain nondiscrimination rules applicable to State and local governmental plans. (Sec. 373) Increases from 90 to 180 days certain notice and consent periods regarding distributions. Directs the Secretary to modify certain consent regulations to provide that the description of a participant's right, if any, to defer receipt of a distribution shall also describe the consequences of failing to defer such receipt. (Sec. 374) Amends ERISA to revise the requirement that a plan administrator furnish an annual report to each participant to permit the administrator to furnish such reports only upon each participant's request. (Sec. 375) Revises the definition of excess benefit plan. (Sec. 376) Directs the Secretary of Labor to modify a certain regulation to provide that, except in the case of employment, after commencement of benefit payments, with a former employer, any required benefit suspension notice: (1) may be included in the summary plan description rather than in a separate notice; and (2) need not include a copy of the relevant plan provisions. (Sec. 377) Declares that, for purposes of determining the status under State insurance law of a church plan that is a welfare plan, such church plan (and any trust under it) shall be deemed a single-employer plan that: (1) reimburses costs from general church assets; (2) purchases insurance coverage with general church assets; or (3) both. Defines the term "reimbursing costs from general church assets" to mean engaging in a practice that does not have the effect of transferring or spreading risk. Subtitle F: Plan Amendments - Presribes application requirements for plan or contract amendments. Title IV: Extension of Work Opportunity Credit and Welfare-to-Work Credit - Amends the Code to extend from June 30, 1999, through December 31, 2001, the employer's work opportunity credit and welfare-to-work credit. (Sec. 401) Revises the exclusion from the work opportunity credit of wages paid to an employer's nonqualifying rehires to repeal the restriction of such exclusion to individuals previously employed by the employer at any time during which the individual was not a member of a targeted group (thus extending such exclusion to any individuals previously employed by the employer, regardless of whether they were or were not members of a targeted group.) Title V: Estate Tax Relief - Subtitle A: Reductions of Estate and Gift Tax Rates - Amends the Code to repeal the two highest estate tax brackets and replace them with a top bracket of "Over $2,500,000", for which the estate tax rate shall be $1,025,800, plus 50% of the excess over $2,500,000. Repeals the phase out of graduated rates and the unified credit. Requires additional reductions in estate and gift tax rates of one percent for calendar year 2003 and two percent for calendar year 2004 and thereafter. Subtitle B: Unified Credit Replaced With Unified Exemption Amount - Repeals the unified credits against the estate and gift taxes, and replaces them with a unified exemption amount, determined by specified formulae involving amounts ranging from $675,000 in calendar 2001 up to $1 million in calendar 2006 and thereafter. Grants a $60,000 exemption to the estate of a nonresident, non-U.S. citizen, with specified variations for residents of U.S. possessions. Subtitle C: Modifications of Generation-skipping Transfer Tax - Declares that, if any individual makes an indirect skip during such individual's lifetime, any unused portion of such individual's generation-skipping transfer (GST) exemption shall be allocated to the property transferred to the extent necessary to make the inclusion ratio for such property zero. Requires allocation to the property transferred of the entire unused portion if the amount of the indirect skip exceeds such unused portion. (Sec. 522) Declares that, if a trust is severed in a qualified severance, the trusts resulting from such severance shall be treated as separate trusts thereafter. (Sec. 523) Revises valuation rules for gifts for which a gift tax return was filed or deemed allocation made. Provides that, if an allocation of the GST exemption to any transfers of property is deemed to have been made at the close of an estate tax inclusion period, the value of the property shall be its value at such time. (Sec. 524) Directs the Secretary to prescribe circumstances and procedures under which extensions of time will be granted to make an allocation of GST exemption or an election not to apply specified allocation requirements to certain lifetime direct skips, indirect skips, or transfers to a particular trust. Subtitle D: Conservation Easements - Redefines land subject to a qualified conservation easement to mean land, on the decedent's date of death, located in or within: (1) 50 miles (currently, 25 miles) of a metropolitan area; (2) 50 miles (currently, 25 miles) of a national park or wilderness area.; or (3) 25 miles (currently, ten miles) of an Urban National Forest. Title VI: Tax Relief for Distressed Communities and Industries - Subtitle A: American Community Renewal Act of 1999 - American Community Renewal Act of 1999 - Title I: Designation of and Tax Incentives for Renewal Communities - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to designate (upon local or State nomination) up to 15 renewal communities, of which at least three shall be in rural areas. (Sec. 602) Requires for nomination purposes that: (1) the area be experiencing high rates of poverty and unemployment and general distress; and (2) State and local governments enter into written contracts with community organizations to promote specified economic growth and employment activities. Excludes from gross income capital gains on the sale or exchange of a qualified community asset (stock, business property, or partnership interest) held for more than five years. Allows a specified deduction for amounts paid into a family development account on behalf of an individual or another qualified individual who is a renewal community resident. Excludes from gross income account distributions used for qualified family development expenses (postsecondary education, first-home purchase, business capitalization, medical, and rollovers). Provides a penalty (with exceptions) in addition to inclusion as gross income for nonqualifying distributions. Authorizes: (1) designation of earned income tax credit payments for family development account deposit; (2) a commercial building revitalization tax deduction; (3) increased first year expensing for renewal community businesses; (4) extension of environmental remediation cost expensing and the work opportunity credit for renewal communities; and (5) similar tax treatment of renewal communities and enterprise zones for specified youth residence requirements. (Sec. 605) Permits a deduction for contributions to a family development account whether or not a taxpayer itemizes. Makes conforming amendments to provisions respecting: (1) tax on excess contributions and prohibited transactions; (2) trust and annuity information; (3) tax exemption applications; and (4) the commercial revitalization credit. Subtitle B: Timber Incentives - Amends the Code, with respect to the deductible amortization of reforestation expenditures, to increase the limitation on the aggregate amount of amortizable basis acquired during the taxable year from $10,000 to $25,000 (and from $5,000 to $12,5000 in the case of a separate return by a married individual) but suspends the application of such limitation between December 31, 1999 and January 1, 2004. Title VII: Real Estate Provisions - Subtitle A: Improvements in Low-Income Housing Credit - Amends the Code, with respect to the low-income housing credit, to revise the formula for the State housing credit ceiling. Replaces the set multiplicand of $1.25 (to be multiplied by the State population) with a graduated applicable multiplicand rising from $1.35 for calendar year 2000 to $1.75 for calendar year 2004 and thereafter, and a maximum product of $2 million. Provides for cost-of-living adjustments to the State ceiling. (Sec. 702) Revises the housing priority selection criteria a housing credit agency must use to develop a qualified plan for allocating housing credit dollar amounts among projects. Requires such criteria to include: (1) whether the project would use exisitng housing as part of a community revitalization plan; (2) tenant populations of individuals with children; and (3) projects intended for eventual tenant ownership. Drops from such criteria participation of local tax-exempt organizations. Requires a qualified allocation plan to: (1) give preference in making allocations to projects located in qualified census tracts whose development contributes to a concerted community revitalization plan; and (2) provide a procedure for agency monitoring for noncompliance with habitability standards through regular site visits. (Sec. 703) Requires housing credit agencies to: (1) provide for a comprehensive market study (by a disinterested party, at the developer's expense) of the housing needs of low-income individuals in the area to be served by the project before the credit allocation is made; and (2) make public a written explanation for any allocation of a housing credit dollar amount not made in accordance with the agency's established priorities and selection criteria. (Sec. 704) Revises special rules for the determination of the adjusted basis of buildings eligible for the low-income housing credit. Requires adjusted basis to include property used throughout the taxable year in providing any community service facility designed to serve primarily individuals (even if they are not tenants) whose income is 60 percent or less of area median income. Declares that assistance under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 shall be disregarded in determining whether a building is federally subsidized for purposes of the low-income housing credit. (Sec. 705) Revises the definition of a qualified building (placed in service not later than the second calendar year following a housing credit dollar amount allocation) with respect to which the amount of a low-income housing credit may exceed the credit amount allocated to the building. Sets an alternative date for valuation of the taxpayer's actual basis in the project of which the building is a part (where the actual basis is more than ten percent of the taxpayer's reasonably expected basis). Allows the valuation of the actual basis to be as of the later of the date which is six months after the date that the allocation was made or (as currently) the close of the calendar year in which the allocation is made. Revises the formula for determination of the amount of State housing credit ceiling returned in a calendar year to include the dollar amount previously allocated to a project which fails to meet the ten percent test on a date after the close of the calendar year in which the allocation was made. Revises special rules for the increased basis of a building located in certain high cost areas to redefine a qualified census tract to include, as an alternative to existing criteria, a tract with a poverty rate of at least 25 percent. (Sec. 706) Revises the formula for determining unused housing credit carryovers allocated among certain States. Subtitle B: Provisions Relating to Real Estate Investment Trusts - Amends the Code with respect the real estate investment trusts (REITs). Modifies the asset diversification test for a REIT to disregard in calculating the permissible 25 percent of total assets represented by securities any straight debt meeting specified requirements. (Sec. 712) Excludes from impermissible tenant service income (thus including as rents from real property meeting the requirements of a REIT) any amount received or accrued by the REIT for services furnished or rendered, or management or operation provided, through a taxable REIT subsidiary. Sets forth a special rule including in rents from real property, if specified rental and lodging facility requirements are met, any amounts paid to a REIT by a taxable REIT subsidiary. (Sec. 713) Defines taxable REIT subsidiary. (Sec. 714) Disqualifies for the corporate deduction for interest on indebtedness any interest paid or accrued (directly or indirectly) by a taxable REIT subsidiary to the REIT (earnings stripping). (Sec. 715) Imposes on a REIT a tax equal to 100 percent of redetermined rents, redetermined deductions, and excess interest. (Sec. 721) Sets forth a special foreclosure rule for health care properties acquired by a REIT as the result of the termination of a lease of such property (other than a termination by reason of a default, or the imminence of a default, on the lease). Requires disregard of income derived or received by a REIT from an independent contractor to the extent it is attributable to: (1) any lease of property in effect on the date the REIT acquired the qualified health care property; or (2) any lease of property entered into after such date if a lease of such property from the trust was in effect on such date, and under the terms of the new lease, the REIT receives a substantially similar or lesser benefit in comparison to the first kind of lease. (Sec. 731) Reduces from 95 percent to 90 percent of REIT income and of the excess of the net income from foreclosure property over the tax on foreclosure property specified components of the formula for determination of the amount of dividend deductions which help establish the taxability of REIT income. Reduces from 95 percent to 90 percent of REIT gross income a specified component of the formula for determining the amount of tax imposed on a REIT for failure to meet certain requirements. (Sec. 741) Requires that only persons who own, directly or indirectly, more than five percent of a certain class of stock regularly traded on an established securities market be taken into account as owning any of the stock of such class for purposes of the 35-percent ownership rule determining whether a person is (under 35-percent ownership) or is not (over 35-percent ownership) an independent contractor for purposes of determining rents from real property, and of the special rules for foreclosure property, with respect to REIT taxation. (Sec. 751) Declares that any distribution by a regulated investment company (RIC) made in order to comply with certain tax requirements shall be treated as made from the earliest earnings and profits accumulated in any taxable year to which certain other requirements did not apply (non-RIC year) rather than the most recently accumulated earnings and profits. Subtitle C: Private Activity Bond Volume Cap - Provides for an accelerated phase-in of specified increases in the volume cap on private activity bonds. Subtitle D: Exclusion From Gross Income for Certain Forgiven Mortgage Obligations - Excludes from gross income the discharge of qualified residential indebtedness, that is, the excess (if any) of the outstanding principal amount of such indebtedness (immediately before discharge), over the sum of any sales proceeds and any other outstanding principal indebtedness secured by such property. Title VIII: Miscellaneous Provisions - Amends the Code with respect to the credit for expenditures to provide access to disabled individuals to include in such credit 50 percent of so much of the eligible bus access expenditures for the taxable year with respect to each eligible bus as exceed $250 but do not exceed $30,250. (Sec. 802) Excludes from an employee's gross income as a scholarship up to $2,000 per taxable year of certain educational benefits provided by an employer to the employee's child. (Sec. 803) Allows a tax credit for 20 percent (up to $20,000) of the qualified wages paid or incurred to each qualified employee during the calendar year (ending with or within the taxable year) by each qualified U.S. independent film and television production.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 1999
Directs the Secretary of the Army to issue a combat artillery medal to each person who, while a member of the Army artillery branch, participated in combat after April 5, 1917.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 1999
Smaller Schools, Stronger Communities Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to authorize the Secretary of Education to provide flexible challenge grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to implement and administer plans to create smaller schools. (Sets forth such Smaller Schools program as a new part L of title X, Programs of National Significance, of ESEA.) Requires the Secretary, in awarding such grants, to: (1) consider the number of students served and the number, location, and size of the schools; (2) assure an equitable distribution of assistance among urban and rural areas of the Nation and of a State; and (3) give priority to LEAs that establish a target number of not more than 600 students for attendance at (or in a self-operating academic unit within) each high school, and not more than 400 for each elementary school or middle school. Allows use of grant funds for: (1) hiring additional staff; (2) planning, feasibility studies, and architectural fees to design or remodel school facilities; and (3) other reasonable expenses. Prohibits use of grant funds to cover costs directly associated with the renovation of existing facilities or the purchase or construction of new facilities. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 1999
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the Federal Government has a responsibility to continue to increase diabetes research funding, endeavor to raise awareness of the importance of the early detection and proper treatment, and consider ways to improve access to, and the quality of, health care services for diagnosing and treating diabetes; (2) all Americans should take an active role in fighting diabetes by using all the means available; and (3) national and community organizations and health care providers should endeavor to promote awareness of diabetes and its complications, and encourage early detection.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 1999
Russian Economic Restoration and Justice Act of 1999 - Amends the Bretton Woods Agreements Act to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to use the U.S. vote to urge the IMF to: (1) not provide any assistance to the Russian Federation government until there is in effect a Russian federal law that implements specified economic reforms; and (2) provide assistance to the Russian Federation only to aid in implementation of such reforms. Establishes a Russian-American financial oversight commission to monitor the use of Western resources in Russia. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) there should be established joint United States-Russian business, economics, and agricultural education programs in which Russian Federation students on completion of their studies in the United States be required to return to the Russian Federation and work for the federal or regional government in Russia; and (2) the United States and the government of the Russian Federation should create a program which would link successful U.S. business leaders with their Russian Federation counterparts so that Russian Federation companies will be better able to access a pool of resources and knowledge to assist them in their transition to successfully competing in a market-based economy. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. Executive Director at the IMF to use the U.S. vote to urge the IMF to create a commission, composed of prominent international financial experts, to draw up recommendations for reforming the IMF, with a view to achieving more transparency in the structures of the IMF and increasing the effectiveness of its programs while decreasing financial risk. Establishes a pilot housing loan program (to be administered through a nonprofit corporation) in which the average Russian citizen may attain affordable home ownership.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1999
Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to require imported frozen produce to be marked with the country of origin on the front panel of the package for retail sale.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 1999
Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act - Amends Federal employee provisions to include the following as an employee, for purposes of authorized enrollment under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program: (1) a member of the armed forces who began service before June 7, 1956, and retired after a minimum of 20 years of such service or by reason of a service-connected disability; and (2) the surviving widow or widower of such member. Directs the Secretary of Defense to enter into an agreement with the Office of Personnel Management to provide FEHB coverage to the following eligible beneficiaries: (1) a member or former member entitled to military retired or retainer pay who is also entitled to hospital insurance benefits under part A of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act; (2) an unremarried former spouse who was married to a member for at least 20 years, during which such member performed at least 20 years of retirement-creditable military service; (3) a dependent of a deceased qualifying member or former member; (4) a dependent of a living member or former member who is entitled to Medicare hospital insurance benefits; and (5) a family member of such member. Repeals a provision prohibiting coverage under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services for persons entitled to hospital insurance benefits under part A of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Act.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 1999
Amends the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 to authorize specified funds for grants to Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University in Huntsville, Alabama.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow businesses a limited reclamation credit of 20 percent of the basis of each qualified reclamation property placed in service during the taxable year. Defines qualified reclamation property as, among other things, qualified recycling property or qualified remanufacturing property.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 1999
Calls upon the President: (1) not to participate in any international negotiation in which antidumping or antisubsidy rules are part of the negotiating agenda; (2) to refrain from submitting for congressional approval agreements that require changes to the current antidumping and countervailing duty laws and enforcement policies of the United States; and (3) to enforce the antidumping and countervailing duty laws vigorously in all pending and future cases.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 1999
Medicare Vision Rehabilitation Coverage Act of 1999 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of vision rehabilitation services under the Medicare program.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 1999
Authorizes the President, on behalf of the Congress, to present congressional gold medals to astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, in recognition of their monumental and unprecedented feat of space exploration, as well as their achievements in the advancement of science and promotion of the space program. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates. Requires receipts from such sales to be deposited in the U.S. Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Market Loss Assistance for Contract Commodities Title II: Market Loss Assistance for Soybeans and Other Oilseeds Title III: Removal of Trade Sanctions Title IV: Temporary Removal of Limit on Loan Deficiency Payments and Marketing Loan Gains Title V: Upland Cotton Price Competitiveness Title VI: Market Loss Assistance for Livestock and Dairy Producers Title VII: Emergency Concessional Sales and Donations Title VIII: Conservation Reserve Title IX: Early Availability of AMTA Payments Title X: Crop Insurance Farm and Ranch Emergency Assistance Act of 1999 - Designates amounts made available by this Act as an emergency requirement pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Deficit Control Act of 1985. Title I: Market Loss Assistance for Contract Commodities - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to use specified amounts for 1999 contract commodity market loss assistance to producers under a production flexibility contract. Makes such assistance available in proportion to amounts received under a producer's flexibility contract. Title II: Market Loss Assistance For Soybeans and Other Oilseeds - Directs the Secretary to use specified amounts of Commodity Credit Corporation funds for 1999 market loss assistance to soybean and oilseed producers. Considers such assistance as payments for purposes of production flexibility contract limits. Title III: Removal of Trade Sanctions - Directs the Comptroller General to examine and report on specified aspects of trade sanctions. (Sec. 302) Prohibits the President from imposing unilateral agricultural or medical sanctions against a foreign government, with an exception for national security reasons. (Sec. 303) Directs the Secretary to make annual reports with respect to foreign sanctions and their effect on U.S. agricultural commodities. (Sec. 304) Directs the Secretary to expand agricultural export assistance to offset sanction-affected market losses. Title IV: Temporary Removal of Limit on Loan Deficiency Payments and Marketing Loan Gains - Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to remove limits on marketing loan gains and loan deficiency payments for crop years 1999 and 2000. Title V: Upland Cotton Price Competitiveness - Amends the Agricultural Market Transition Act to: (1) reduce specified eligibility criteria with respect to upland cotton special marketing assistance; (2) make agricultural commodities pledged to the Corporation as loan collateral eligible for marketing certificate redemption; (3) eliminate related expenditure caps; and (4) revise special import quota provisions. Title VI: Market Loss Assistance for Livestock and Dairy Producers - Directs the Secretary to use specified Corporation funds to assist livestock and dairy producers. Title VII: Emergency Concessional Sales and Donations - Directs the Secretary to use specified Corporation funds for an emergency agricultural export concessional sales and donations program. Limits the amount of such funds available to assist fruit and vegetable producers. Title VIII: Conservation Reserve - Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary should enroll the fully authorized acreage in the conservation reserve program. Title IX: Early Availability of AMTA Payments - Amends the Agricultural Market Transition Act to authorize advance payments in full through FY 2002 under the production flexibility contract program. Title X: Crop Insurance - Directs the Secretary to use specified Corporation funds to assist producers in purchasing additional crop insurance for crop year 2000.
![Official portrait of Rep. Cramer, Robert E. (Bud), Jr. [D-AL-5]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c000868_200.jpg)