United States · United States Congress · 8 January 1987
Authorizes the President, on behalf of the Congress, to present a gold medal to Andrew Wyeth in recognition of his contributions to American art and culture. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to sell bronze duplicates of the medal.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 1987
Promotion of Democracy in Ethiopia Act of 1987 - Declares U.S. policy: (1) regarding human rights and opportunities; (2) condemning the resettlement program and human rights abuses in Ethiopia; (3) calling for human and civil rights and for free elections in Ethiopia; and (4) supporting democratic resistance forces in Ethiopia. Requires such sanctions imposed by this Act against Ethiopia to terminate if the President certifies to the Congress that Ethiopia: (1) respects the human rights of its people; (2) has granted basic civil rights to its people; (3) has terminated and dismantled its resettlement program; (4) has freed all political prisoners; (5) has established a legal system that assures the participation of all its people; and (6) has held or scheduled free and fair elections. Directs the President to report to the Congress every six months on the progress Ethiopia has made in meeting such conditions. Prohibits coffee imports from Ethiopia. Prohibits any U.S. national: (1) from making a loan or extending credit to Ethiopia or to any organization owned or controlled by Ethiopia; and (2) from making any new investment in Ethiopia. Exempts from such prohibitions loans and investments made before enactment of this Act. Prohibits Ethiopia from receiving nondiscriminatory (most-favored-nation) trade treatment. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. Executive Director to each of the relevant international financial institutions to oppose furnishing aid to Ethiopia. Provides for enforcement of this Act. Imposes penalties for violations of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 1987
Sunset/Sunrise Review Act of 1987 - Title I: Reauthorization of Government Programs - Sets forth a ten-year schedule for reauthorization of all Federal programs according to budget function and subfunction as set forth in the Budget of the United States Government for FY 1987. Sets forth the procedure in the House of Representatives and the Senate for the consideration of any bill, resolution, or amendment which authorizes new budget authority. States that it is not in order for either House to consider any legislation which authorizes the enactment of new budget authority for a program for a period of more than ten years, for an indefinite period, or for any fiscal year beginning after the next reauthorization date applicable to such program. Provides that before the Congress can appropriate funds for any program, after its first reauthorization date, there must be a specific authorization in law to support the appropriation. Requires the committees of the Senate and House of Representatives to schedule and conduct a sunset review of programs to be reauthorized. Requires that the report accompanying such reauthorizations contain specified information and be completed during the Congress in which the program is scheduled for reauthorization. Exempts from the requirements of this Act specified programs such as interest on Federal debts, health care services, general retirement and disability payments, litigation activities which have as their objectives the protection and implementation of civil rights guaranteed by the Constitution, and specified retirement pay and benefits. Allows the reauthorization schedule set forth in this Act to be changed by concurrent resolution of the two Houses of Congress and sets forth the procedure for such change. Requires all legislation and other matters related to changes in the dates for programs under this Act to be referred to the committee with legislative jurisdiction over any program affected by the proposal and, sequentially, to the Committee on Rules in the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Rules and Administration in the Senate. Requires such committees to report any concurrent resolution or bill referred to it by a committee of legislative jurisdiction within 30 days, with a statement on each of its recommendations. Makes provisions for any proposed change which has been reported by a committee before July 1, 1988. Title II: Program Inventory - Directs the Comptroller General and the Director of the Congressional Budget Office, in cooperation with the Director of the Congressional Research Service, to prepare an inventory of Federal programs. Declares that the purpose of such program inventory is to advise and assist the Congress in carrying out reauthorization and reexamination requirements and to link such reauthorization and review process with the budget process. Requires the Comptroller General to submit a draft program inventory to the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and the House Committee on Rules not later than January 1, 1988. Sets forth the contents of the inventory program, including the type of authorization provided for such programs' new budget authority and the manner in which related program areas may be grouped for evaluation and review. Requires the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and the House Committee on Rules to notify each legislative committee of programs classified within its jurisdiction. Authorizes such committees to propose revisions. Requires, by April 1, 1988, the transmission of such revisions to the Comptroller General for inclusion in a final program inventory. Requires the Congressional Budget Office and the Congressional Research Service to review the draft program inventory and suggest revisions by March 1, 1988. Requires the Comptroller General to report a revised, final program inventory to the House and the Senate by May 1, 1988. Requires that the program inventory be revised at the end of each session of the Congress, and that such revisions be reported to each House. Requires that periodic reports tabulate the progress of congressional action on bills and resolutions authorizing budget authority for programs in the inventory. Requires the Comptroller General and the Director of the Congressional Budget Office to submit periodic reports to the Congress on the adequacy of the functional and subfunctional categories for grouping programs of like missions or objectives. Title III: Program Reexamination - Requires each committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives to reexamine selected programs or groups of programs over which it has jurisdiction. Sets forth procedures for such review, and criteria for selection of program areas for evaluation. Directs each committee to consult with the appropriate committees of either the House of Representatives or the Senate in order to achieve coordination of program reevaluation. Directs each Committee to inform itself of the related activities of or assistance available from the General Accounting Office, the Congressional Budget Office, the Congressional Research Service, the Office of Technology Assessment, and other appropriate instrumentalities in the executive and judicial branches. Requires each committee to deliver a report on the reexamination to the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House at the date specified in the funding resolution first reported by such committee in 1989 and thereafter for the first session of each Congress. Allows two or more committees which have legislative jurisdiction over the same programs or portions of the same programs to examine such programs jointly and submit a joint report. Stipulates that such report: (1) contain the findings, recommendations, and justifications of the program; and (2) include specified information including, but not limited to, an assessment of the cost-effectiveness of the program and an identification of any trends, developments, and emerging conditions which are likely to affect the nature and extent of the problems or needs which the program is intended to address. Requires each executive department or agency which is responsible for a program selected for reexamination to submit a report to the Office of Management and Budget and to the appropriate committees of the Congress on its findings, recommendations, and justifications of specified aspects of the program. Title IV: Miscellaneous - Permits the committees of Congress to obtain from agencies estimates or requests for appropriations, or requests for increases in an item of any such estimate or request, and recommendations as to how the revenue needs of the Government should be met. Sets forth administrative procedures and requirements. Directs the President, with the cooperation of the head of each appropriate agency, to submit to the Congress a Regulatory Duplication and Conflicts Report for all programs scheduled for reauthorization in the next Congress. Requires that each such report identify duplicative or conflicting rules and regulations promulgated by executive departments, independent agencies, and State and local governments and contain recommendations which address such conflicts or duplications. Directs the chairmen of the House and Senate committees having jurisdiction over a program scheduled for reauthorization during a Congress to introduce a sunset extension resolution constituting a reauthorization within 15 days of the beginning of the second session of that Congress. Makes it the duty of the Committees on Governmental Affairs and on Rules and Administration of the Senate and the Committees on Government Operations and Rules of the House to review the operation of the procedures established by this Act and to submit a report every five years beginning December 31, 1994. Authorizes appropriations through FY 1998.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 1987
Amends the Tax Reform Act of 1984 to provide a transitional rule allowing a spouse to be relieved of liability for tax or penalties due to an understatement of tax which is attributable to disallowed deductions of the other spouse.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 1987
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an income tax deduction for interest paid or incurred on a qualified educational loan. Defines "qualified educational loan" as any indebtedness incurred to pay the educational expenses of the taxpayer or the taxpayer's spouse or dependent. (Present law requires that such a loan be secured by an interest in real property.)
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 1987
Home Employment Enterprise Act - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to permit individuals to engage in industrial homework (including sewing, knitting, jewelry, or craftmaking) or perform any service in or about their place of residence as employees of any employer covered by such Act if the employer complies with minimum wage and maximum hours requirements under such Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 1987
Mail Management Improvement Act - Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with the Administrator of General Services, within 90 days of enactment of this Act, to issue a directive which requires each agency to: (1) evaluate mail operations to eliminate practices resulting in excessive mailing costs; (2) designate an official with the responsibility for the development and implementation of mail management programs; (3) establish mail management objectives and responsibilities; and (4) develop and submit to the Director a mail management plan in accordance with provisions of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 1987
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that specified minimum tax and accounting rules applicable to installment obligations shall not apply to obligations arising from sales of property by nondealers.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 1987
Amends House Resolution 12, 100th Congress, agreed to January 7, 1987, to prohibit Members of the Select Committee to Investigate Covert Arms Transactions with Iran from voting by proxy.
United States · United States Congress · 8 January 1987
Amends rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives to require each standing committee to review, on a continuing basis and when considering public bills or resolutions, those portions of the President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control (Grace Commission report) pertaining to such committee's jurisdiction. Amends rule XI to require each committee report on a public bill or resolution to contain: (1) an identification of each recommendation of the Survey to be implemented and the resulting estimated program cost savings or revenue enhancement; and (2) a statement setting forth the disposition of each recommendation pertaining to such bill or resolution.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Prohibits the President from relinquishing or transferring to any country any land, U.S. territory, exclusive economic zone, fishery conservation zone, or any U.S. claim to such areas unless provided for in a treaty between the United States and such country. Declares that a boundary between the United States and any other country may be established only by treaty.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Amends the Federal criminal code to establish criteria for the imposition of the death penalty for treason and espionage. Requires the Government, for an offense punishable by death, to serve notice upon the defendant a reasonable time before trial or acceptance of a plea that it intends to seek the death penalty, as well as notice of the aggravating factors upon which it will rely. Requires a separate sentencing hearing before a jury or the court (upon motion by the defendant) when the defendant is found guilty or pleads guilty to an offense punishable by death. Provides that no presentence report shall be prepared in such cases. Allows the defendant and the Government to present any information relevant to sentencing, without regard to the rules of evidence, but permits information to be excluded where its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading of the jury. Specifies mitigating factors which the defendant must establish by a preponderance of the information and aggravating factors which the Government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Sets forth special aggravating factors with respect to the crimes of treason and espionage. Includes among the mitigating factors that the defendant was less than 18 years old at the time of the crime. Conditions imposition of the death penalty on a unanimous finding by the jury that: (1) some aggravating factor exists in addition to a threshold factor; and (2) the aggravating factor sufficiently outweighs any mitigating factor found to exist. Directs the court to impose the death penalty upon a finding that such sentence is justified. Requires the court to instruct the jury not to consider the race, color, national origin, creed, or sex of the defendant in its consideration of the death sentence. Limits the circumstances under which the offense of delivering defense information to aid foreign governments is punishable by death. Establishes procedures for appeal from a death sentence. Requires the court of appeals, upon considering the record and the information and procedures of the sentencing hearing, and any special finding, to affirm the decision if: (1) the sentence was not imposed under influence of passion, prejudice, or arbitrariness; and (2) the information supports the finding of aggravating factors or the absence of mitigating factors. Requires the court to provide a written explanation of its determination.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Infrastructure Protection Act of 1987 - Prohibits the receipts and disbursements of the Highway Trust Fund (for both the Federal aid highway program and the Mass Transit Account), the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, and the Inland Waterways Trust Fund which are allocable to the transportation-related operations of such Funds from being included in either the Federal budget as submitted by the President, or in the congressional budget. Exempts such Trust Funds from any general statutory budget limitation.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to conduct a full inventory of U.S. gold reserves and analyze the sufficiency of security measures for such reserves. Requires the General Accounting Office to review and transmit such inventory to the Congress. Amends the Gold Reserve Act of 1934 to require congressional authorization to sell gold bullion. Amends the Trading With the Enemy Act to repeal the President's authority to regulate transactions in gold or silver coin or bullion during the time of war. Amends the Federal Reserve Act to repeal the Secretary's authority to require the exchange of gold coins, bullion, and certificates for other U.S. currency if necessary to protect the U.S. currency system. Directs the Secretary to redeem in gold all Federal Reserve and U.S. notes. Authorizes the Secretary to issue gold certificates for redeeming such notes and gold coins in denominations by weight.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Repeals the Davis-Bacon Act (an Act which requires that the locally prevailing wage rate be paid to various classes of laborers and mechanics working under federally-financed or federally-assisted contracts for construction, alteration, and repair of public buildings or public works).
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Amends the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act to eliminate all provisions authorizing union security agreements (agreements which require union membership as a condition of employment).
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Congressional Approval of Agency Rules Act of 1987 - Declares that a Federal agency rule shall not become final unless the rule and a statement of its economic impact are submitted to and approved by the Congress. Permits certain emergency rules to become effective for 60 days upon promulgation. Directs each agency to submit to the Congress an economic impact statement on each of its existing final rules.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Antitrust Law Labor Amendments of 1985 - Amends the Clayton Act and the Norris-La Guardia Act to eliminate limitations on the application of the Sherman Act to labor organizations and their activities. Amends the Sherman Act to declare illegal any agreement between a labor organization and an employer under which the employer calls for a boycott of any product. Sets forth penalties to be imposed against any person who enters or attempts to enter such a contract.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Eliminates Federal court jurisdiction to hear or review State actions or laws related to compulsory attendance at public schools on the basis of a student's race, color, creed, or sex.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Establishes National Tax Liberation Day as a legal public holiday. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to set such day, which represents the day on which the average taxpayer stops working for the Government's benefit and begins working for his or her own benefit, as the deadline for filing Federal income tax returns.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Redesignates the legal public holidays of the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., as January 15, Washington's Birthday as February 22, Memorial Day as May 30, Columbus Day as October 12, and Veterans Day as November 11.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Voluntary School Prayer Act of 1987 - Eliminates Supreme Court and Federal district court jurisdiction to review or hear any case arising out of State law relating to voluntary prayer in public buildings and schools.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Eliminates Supreme Court and Federal district court jurisdiction to review or hear any case arising out of State law or any Act interpreting a State statute relating to abortion.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Homestead Act of 1987 - Establishes a program for the Secretary of the Interior to convey public lands for residence purposes to U.S. citizens 21 years of age or older. Limits an individual conveyance to 160 acres. Directs the Secretary to convey title to such lands after three years of permanent residence.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Limits U.S. contributions to the budget of the United Nations and affiliated agencies to an amount which bears the same ratio to the total U.N. budget as the U.S. population bears to the total population of U.N. member nations.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Prohibits any Federal agency or employee from inspecting or acquiring medical or dental records of patients whose medical or dental care was not provided directly by the Federal Government or under a program receiving Federal assistance, unless the patient has authorized the disclosure. Establishes criminal penalties for violators and authorizes aggrieved persons to seek injunctive relief.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Truth in Government Accounting Act of 1987 - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to prepare and make public annual consolidated financial statements for the United States based on accrual accounting procedures. Directs the Secretary to publish such statements each year on a date not later than the date the President submits the Federal budget to the Congress. Directs the Secretary to notify the public of the availability of such statements, including placing notice on all tax forms. Requires the Comptroller General to audit the consolidated financial statements each fiscal year. Requires the President to include in each budget a summary of how the use of accrual accounting procedures would affect the estimated Federal expenditures, appropriations, and receipts. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to prepare all of the budgets submitted to the President according to both accrual accounting procedures and the cash basis accounting method.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code to provide for the voluntary participation of a church or religious organization (to cover their employees) in the OASDI program.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to provide that benefit payments shall not be subject to Federal, State, or local taxation.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce the alternative tax on capital gains realized by a corporation from 34 percent to ten percent of net capital gains. Provides for cost-of-living adjustments to such rate. Eliminates the holding period requirement for capital assets.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Crane Tithe Tax Act of 1987 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal: (1) the corporate income tax; (2) the corporate minimum tax; (3) the tax on unrelated business income of tax-exempt organizations; (4) the tax on accumulated earnings of a corporation; (5) the personal holding company tax; (6) the alternative tax for certain mutual savings banks; (7) the tax on life insurance companies; (8) the tax on certain mutual insurance companies; (9) the tax on certain types of insurance companies; (10) the tax on regulated investment companies; (11) the tax on real estate investment trusts; and (12) the tax on income of foreign corporations connected with U.S. businesses. Revises the individual income tax to impose a ten percent tax on the earned income of an individual in excess of a $10,000 exemption amount. Provides for annual cost-of-living adjustments to such exemption amount. Defines "earned income" as: (1) wages, salaries, and other employee compensation; (2) the amount of net earnings from self-employment; and (3) the amount of dividends from a personal service corporation or which are otherwise directly or indirectly compensation for services. Exempts from earned income: (1) any amount received as a pension or annuity; and (2) tips. Provides for a general amnesty for any tax (or for penalties and interest with respect to such tax) for any taxable year ending on or before January 6, 1987. Repeals all specific exclusions from gross income, all deductions, and all income tax credits to the extent related to the computation of individual income tax liability. Repeals the estate and gift taxes.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow married individuals filing separate income tax returns to elect to be taxed at rates applicable to unmarried individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Directs the Comptroller General to conduct an annual audit of the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Advisory Council, the Federal Open Market Committee, and all Federal Reserve banks and their branches. Requires the Comptroller General, within six months after the end of each fiscal year, to report to the Congress on the results of such audit.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Trade Partnership Act - Title I: International Trade - Directs the President to establish the Commission on Trade which shall: (1) evaluate existing U.S. trade laws and policies; (2) develop recommendations on monetary and fiscal policies for the United States and its chief trading partners; (3) evaluate the export financing practices of major trading partners and of international agencies; and (4) review existing trade agreements to assess their effect on U.S. long-term trading interests. Requires the Commission to report its findings and recommendations to the President and to the Congress. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should evaluate such findings and recommendations and take into account the results of an international monetary conference to determine the propriety of convening a summit conference on international trade in order to develop changes in international trade and monetary practices. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should call for an international monetary conference to develop: (1) options for reforming institutional mechanisms in order to decrease the disparity among, and to prevent dramatic fluctuations in the value of, the currencies of the major economic powers; and (2) means for reducing interest rates, promoting national and world economic growth, assuring price stability, and promoting higher levels of international trade. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should initiate multilateral trade negotiations under the auspices of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in order to: (1) resolve the issues not resolved in earlier negotiations; (2) develop multilateral disciplines in those areas where trade problems have emerged or are becoming more acute; (3) focus on improving the dispute settlement mechanisms of the GATT; (4) place a high priority on bringing developing countries into full participation in the international trading community; (5) ensure that all developed countries share equally the responsibility for advancing the economies of developing countries; and (6) increase efforts to bring countries now outside the GATT under accepted multilateral disciplines governing trade. Directs the President to begin negotiations immediately if Canada requests the negotiation of a trade agreement that provides for the elimination or reduction of any duty imposed by the United States. Directs the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to review the bilateral relationships between the United States and its major trading partners in order to determine those countries that offer the most potential for the establishment of free trade areas with the United States. Sets forth factors to be considered in making such review. Authorizes the President, during the year following enactment of this Act, to negotiate with Japan on a trade agreement under which the United States will permit the exportation to Japan of Alaskan petroleum and natural gas in return for substantial concessions by Japan regarding the importation into Japan of agricultural products, wood products, and other kinds of export products that are important to the United States. Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to transfer to the USTR specified functions relating to import relief that are currently performed by the President. Directs the President to review the USTR's determination on whether to provide import relief and what form such relief should take. Requires the President to complete such review within 15 days of receiving the USTR's determination. Directs the President to notify the Congress of the President's decision and of the USTR's determination. Directs the USTR to take action to implement the import relief which the USTR decides to provide if the President concurs in the USTR's decision. Directs the USTR to take action to implement the President's decision on import relief if it differs from the USTR's decision and no joint resolution disapproving the President's decision is enacted. Directs the USTR to order the implementation of the import relief recommended by the International Trade Commission if the decision of the President differs from the decision of the USTR and a joint resolution disapproving the President's decision is enacted. Authorizes interim relief after a petition for import relief is filed if the USTR determines that: (1) it is likely that the article is being imported in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof to the competing domestic industry; and (2) the absence of such interim relief would result in irreparable harm to the domestic industry. Authorizes emergency relief from imports of perishable products (other than perishable products from a beneficiary country under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act) after a petition for such relief is filed if the USTR, after consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, decides that: (1) there is a reasonable indication that the perishable product is being imported in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury, or threat thereof, to the competing domestic industry; and (2) emergency action is warranted. Directs the USTR, upon deciding to grant interim relief or emergency relief, to: (1) determine the method and extent of such relief; (2) notify the President of such decision; and (3) unless the President decides within 15 days that such relief is not in the national economic interest, order the Commissioner of Customs to impose such relief. Declares that such relief may consist of tariff increases or import limitations. Provides for the termination of such relief. Directs the USTR to order the Commissioner of Customs to implement actions necessary to enforce U.S. rights under any trade agreement if: (1) the President and the USTR agree on the appropriate action; or (2) the President differs with the USTR on the appropriate action but a joint resolution disapproving such action is not enacted. Reduces from 21 to 15 the number of days between the President's receipt of the USTR's recommendation of appropriate action and the President's decision on what action is appropriate. Requires the President to determine during such 15-day period if: (1) the President concurs in the USTR's recommendation; or (2) it is in the national economic interest not to take any action or to take action different from the action determined by the USTR. Requires the President to notify the Congress of such decision. Provides that, if 90 days after the Congress receives notice of such decision no joint resolution is enacted disapproving it, then such decision shall take effect. Reduces the amount of time the USTR may take to make a recommendation on a petition for enforcement of U.S. trade rights. Sets forth the actions the USTR may recommend to the President based on such petition. Directs the USTR to include in the annual report to the Congress on foreign barriers to market access an analysis and assessment of the overall reciprocity accorded U.S. products, services, and investment by each of the major trading partners of the United States and the impact on major U.S. product sectors of the failure to provide reciprocity. Requires specified congressional committees, within 90 days of receiving such report, after consulting with the USTR and conducting public hearings, to issue a joint report on: (1) the priorities for negotiations regarding reducing or eliminating trade barriers; and (2) the committees' recommendations on actions to enforce U.S. trade rights. Directs the Secretary of Labor to pay to private firms 80 percent of the cost of providing job training if the training is certified as trade readjustment training and if the trainees are not charged for the training. Extends the job training, job search, and job relocation allowance provisions of the trade adjustment assistance programs through January 1, 1987. Amends the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to set a one year deadline for the President to take action on the advice of the Secretary of Commerce on imports that are suspected of impairing national security. Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to reduce the time limit for decisions by the International Trade Commission on allegations of unfair practices in import trade from one year (18 months in more complicated cases) to eight months (ten months in more complicated cases). Declares that the USTR should expedite the issuance of notices requesting the negotiation of periodic adjustments to the bilateral limitations on shipments of textiles and apparel contained in the Multi-Fiber Arrangement. Directs the Commissioner of Customs to: (1) increase the number of inspectors, import specialists, and customs patrol officers in the Customs Service by at least 800; (2) implement the Automated Commercial System at all ports of entry; and (3) implement a program for detecting, investigating, and prosecuting patent and copyright infringement cases. Requires the Commissioner to report quarterly to specified congressional committees on the operation and effect of the patent and copyright infringement program. Imposes a penalty for multiple customs law offenders who import or attempt to import merchandise during the three years following the date of the third of the offenders' convictions. Title II: Protection of Patents and Transfer of Technology - Part A: Protection of Patents - Amends the patent laws to make it an infringement of patent to use, sell, or import into the United States without authority a product produced by a patented process. Places the burden of proof upon the party asserting that a product was not produced with the patented process in an infringement action where the court finds a substantial likelihood that the product was so produced and the claimant has exhausted all means of discovery. Part B: Protection of Proprietary Information - Exempts commercial and financial information that is proprietary or sensitive from the sunshine provisions applied to Federal agencies if the proprietor is notified of the request for release of the information and given 60 days to present arguments on why the information should be exempt. Title III: Export Promotion - Amends the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 to increase, from five percent to ten percent, the percentage of shares that: (1) a bank holding company may hold in an export trading company; and (2) an Edge Act corporation may hold in an export trading company. Increases the amount of credit that a bank owning stock in a bank holding company with investments in an export trading company may extend to an export trading company. Amends the Export Trading Company Act of 1982 to direct the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank to try to insure that a "significant share" (currently a "major share") of any loan guarantees ultimately serves to promote exports from small, medium-size, and minority businesses or agricultural concerns. Requires the Board to report to the Congress on implementation of such requirement within one year of its effective date. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to develop a program consisting of mixed credit financing for exports to compensate for the effects of subsidized financing by U.S. trading partners. Declares that the Export-Import Bank should expand its promotion programs for small- and medium-sized banks. Amends the Federal Reserve Act to give Edge Act corporations the same discount and borrowing privileges as Federal Reserve banks. Repeals the limitation on bank investments in Edge Act corporations. Directs the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to require periodic reports from every corporation of the total amount of capital stocks and paid up surplus of the corporation, the name of any stockholder who holds more than ten percent of the shares of the stock of such corporation, and the share holdings of such stockholder. Directs the U.S. Executive Director of each of the multilateral development banks to promote procurement opportunities relating to the assistance provided by such banks in recipient countries for U.S. firms. Sets forth actions the Executive Directors should take with respect to such opportunities. Declares that the Secretary of Commerce should continue to assign one foreign commercial service officer to the office of the U.S. Executive Director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to assign such an officer on a part-time basis to each of the offices of the U.S. Executive Director of the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the African Development Bank. Requires the U.S. Ambassadors to those countries that are important trading partners of the United States to report annually to the President and to the Congress on their efforts to help U.S. industries in expanding export sales to, and improving their market positions in, such countries. Authorizes the seven Bell operating companies, effective September 1, 1987, to manufacture telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment in the United States if specified conditions are met. Title IV: Foreign Corrupt Practices - Business Accounting and Foreign Trade Simplification Act - Changes the name of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA) to the Business Practices and Records Act. Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require securities issuers to maintain an internal accounting system that provides reasonable assurance that specified accountability and accuracy goals are met. Prohibits imposing criminal liability for failing to maintain such an accounting system. Prohibits imposing civil injunctive relief with respect to: (1) an issuer who fails to maintain the required accounting system if the issuer tried in good faith to meet the requirements; or (2) any person other than an issuer in connection with an issuer's failure to comply with such requirements, unless such person knowingly caused the issuer to fail to comply. Prohibits anyone from knowingly circumventing such an accounting system for a purpose inconsistent with the accountability and accuracy goals of such system. Requires only good faith efforts at ensuring compliance by issuers who hold 50 percent or less of the equity of domestic or foreign firms. Transfers from the Securities and Exchange Commission to the Department of Justice jurisdiction to enforce the bribery prohibitions of the FCPA with respect to issuers. Revises the prohibition against domestic concerns using any means of interstate commerce to further payments to obtain business with a foreign official. States that such a payment made "directly or indirectly" to a foreign official is illegal. Prohibits such payments that are made to: (1) influence a foreign official's act or induce such an official to violate a legal duty; or (2) induce a foreign official to affect a foreign government's act. Prohibits domestic concerns from using interstate commerce to direct or authorize an agent to further such a payment to a foreign official. Exempts from such prohibitions: (1) payments to foreign officials to expedite or to secure the performance of routine governmental action; (2) payments to such officials that are lawful under the foreign country's laws; (3) payments which constitute tokens of regard or esteem; (4) expenditures associated with selling, purchasing, or demonstrating goods; or (5) ordinary expenditures associated with performing a contract with a foreign government. Revises the fines and criminal penalties for violations of such Act. Empowers the Attorney General to undertake all civil investigations necessary to enforce the Act. Prohibits prosecution of a domestic concern or specified agents of such concern for violating the Federal mail or wire fraud provisions by making a payment to a foreign official if the prosecution is based on the theory that the official, by receiving the payment, violated a duty to or defrauded the foreign government or the citizens of a foreign country. Authorizes the Attorney General to issue guidelines specifying: (1) permissible conduct associated with common types of export sales arrangements; and (2) precautionary procedures which would create a rebuttable presumption of compliance. Provides for the establishment of a Business Practices and Records Act Review Procedure to answer specific inquiries concerning enforcement of such Act. Requires the Attorney General to issue opinions regarding compliance. Makes such opinions final and binding on all parties if the opinion states that the conduct does not involve a violation. Directs the Attorney General to protect the confidentiality of materials submitted in the review procedure. Requires annual reports to the Congress by: (1) the Attorney General concerning actions taken pursuant to such Act; and (2) the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission concerning the reporting requirements. Title V: Related Tax Provisions - High Technology Research and Scientific Education Act of 1987 - Part A: Tax Credit for Increasing Research Activities - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax credit for research and development (R&D) expenditures. Modifies the definition of qualified research for purposes of the R&D credit to narrow the category of eligible activities for which the credit is allowable. Provides that in-house and contract research expenses paid or incurred by a regular corporation (not an S corporation, a personal holding company, or a service corporation) will constitute qualified research expenses for R&D credit purposes if the corporation undertakes the research with the intention to use the result thereof in the active conduct of a present or future trade or business. Provides that in the case of research being conducted in partnership form, research expenses will constitute qualified research expenses if they are incurred by the partnership in carrying on a trade or business as applied at the partnership level, and the credit is apportioned among the partners in accordance with general partnership rules. Provides exceptions to this general rule where: (1) there is a joint venture enterprise of regular corporations; or (2) not all of the members of the joint venture are regular corporations, but each member's own trade or business would satisfy the trade or business test with respect to the partnership's research expenditures. Provides that for these two exceptions the research expenses will flow through to the partners, with the trade or business test being applied at the partner level. Part B: Promotion of University Research and Scientific Investigation - Establishes a new income tax credit equal to 20 percent of that portion of a corporation's payments to universities (and other qualified non-profit tax-exempt organizations for basic research) which exceeds a fixed, historical "minimum university basic research" floor. Defines the "minimum university basic research" floor as one percent of the annual average of the corporate taxpayer's combined qualified in-house research expenses, contract research expenses, and university basic research payments for the base period composed of the period from 1981 through 1983. Provides that the amounts of research expenses which fall below the floor shall remain eligible for the present R&D credit and are included in the corporation's base period for purposes of calculating the present R&D credit. Treats the amounts which exceed the "minimum university basic research" floor as ineligible for the present R&D credit and excludes such amounts from the corporate taxpayer's base year research expenses for purposes of calculating the corporation's R&D credit under present law. Provides that a corporation's payments to universities for basic research that is eligible for the new tax credit shall be reduced to the extent that the corporation's general (i.e., not designated for research purposes) charitable giving to all universities falls below historical levels (the annual average of undesignated payments for three of the immediately preceding four years as selected by the taxpayer). Makes additions to the list of organizations to which corporate payments for basic research may be made and be eligible for the tax credit. Allows a corporation an income tax deduction for contributions of scientific or technical property to an institution of higher education. Defines scientific property to mean tangible personal property (including computer software) used in a trade or business, which is donated for the direct education of students or faculty, for research and experimentation, or for research training in the United States in mathematics, the physical, biological, or chemical sciences, engineering, or advanced computer sciences. Sets forth a formula for determining the amount of the allowable deduction for contributions of scientific property. Provides for an income tax exclusion for the scholarships, fellowship grants, student loan forgiveness, or stipends of a graduate student in mathematics, engineering, computer science, or the physical or biological sciences. Provides that such tax exclusion is not forfeited merely because the student is required, as a condition of the scholarship or fellowship, to perform future service in teaching or research.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Allows the President an item veto of appropriations bills. Requires the President, in signing such a bill, to designate the provisions disapproved and return the bill to the House in which it originated. Subjects such bills to the same proceeding as other bills disapproved by the President.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Biennial Budgeting Act of 1987 - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to revise the Federal and congressional budget process by: (1) establishing a two-year budgeting cycle beginning in the 101st Congress; and (2) providing for the separate consideration of authorizations, appropriations, the concurrent resolution on the budget, and the reconciliation bill or resolution. Requires each standing committee of the Congress to review the laws and programs under its jurisdiction in every odd-numbered year to determine whether such programs should be continued, curtailed, or eliminated and whether new legislation is necessary to comply with congressional intent.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that the value of transportation provided to any person on a noncommercially operated aircraft shall be considered "no-additional-cost service" and therefore excludible from gross income if: (1) such transportation is provided on a flight made in the ordinary course of the trade or business of the taxpayer owning or leasing such aircraft for use in such trade or business; (2) the flight on which the transportation is provided would have been made whether or not such person was transported on the flight; and (3) no substantial additional cost is incurred in providing such transportation to such person.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Declares that the United States: (1) condemns the seven years of Soviet aggression against the Afghan people; and (2) urges the conclusion of a negotiated political settlement based on the complete withdrawal of foreign troops, restoration of the independent status of Afghanistan, self-determination for the Afghan people, and the safe return of the Afghan refugees.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Establishes the Joint Committee on Intelligence. Declares that such committee has exclusive legislative jurisdiction with respect to any intelligence activity of the Federal Government and authorizations for appropriations for specified agencies and intelligence-related activities. Directs the joint committee to classify its information and records and to establish guidelines for their maintenance, use, and availability. Sets forth procedures for the disclosure of such information. Directs the joint committee to establish and carry out rules and procedures necessary to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of information. Makes conforming amendments to the National Security Act of 1947 and the Rules of the House of Representatives, including abolishing the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits any person from being elected to the House of Representatives more than three times, or from being elected or appointed to the Senate more than once. Establishes limitations for Members holding appointive office.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Constitutional Amendment - Allows the President an item veto of appropriations bills. Requires the President, in signing such a bill, to designate the provisions disapproved and return the bill to the House in which it originated. Subjects such bills to the same proceedings as other bills disapproved by the President.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that neither the President nor the Congress should impose any import fees on the importation of any crude oil or refined petroleum products.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Amends rule XV of the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit the House from passing or adopting any bill or joint resolution making appropriations or increasing revenues except by a rollcall vote.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1987
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Constitution provides that all citizens have the right to keep and bear arms and that such right supersedes the power and authority of any government.
![Official portrait of Rep. Crane, Philip M. [R-IL-8]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/c000873_200.jpg)