United States · United States Congress · 2 May 1991
Title I: Preconditions for the Receipt by China of Nondiscriminatory Treatment - Prohibits the President from recommending for a 12-month period in 1992 continuation of a waiver of human rights and emigration requirements for nondiscriminatory treatment (most-favored-nation treatment) for China under the Trade Act of 1974 unless a specified report is submitted to the Congress stating that China has accounted for and released prisoners who dissented in Tiananmen Square on June 3, 1989 and made progress in: (1) preventing gross violations of human rights (including in Tibet); (2) ending religious persecution and releasing members of religious groups who were detained for their religious beliefs; (3) removing restrictions there and in Tibet on freedom of the press and on broadcasts by Voice of America; (4) terminating harassment of Chinese citizens in the United States, including the return and renewal of passports confiscated for prodemocracy activities; (5) ensuring access of international human rights monitoring groups to prisoners; (6) ensuring freedom from torture and from inhumane prison conditions; (7) terminating prohibitions on peaceful assembly and demonstration imposed after June 3, 1989; and (8) adhering to the Joint Declaration on Hong Kong. Requires the President, if he recommends such extension, to include in a specified document to be submitted to the Congress a report on China's progress in implementing the above-mentioned measures.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 1991
Expedited Consideration of Proposed Rescissions Act of 1991 - Amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to require a special message, in the case of budget authority proposed to be rescinded or reserved, to include language amending the law authorizing such programs to allow them to continue to function at the proposed new level of budget authority. Allows the President to transmit to both Houses of the Congress, for expedited consideration, one or more special messages proposing to rescind all or part of any item of budget authority provided in an appropriation bill. Requires that such special message be transmitted not later than three days after the President approves the appropriation bill and be accompanied by a draft bill or joint resolution that would, if enacted, rescind the budget authority proposed to be rescinded. Sets forth House and Senate procedures for the expedited consideration of such a proposal.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 1991
Revere Beach Study Act of 1991 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to study and report to the President and the Congress on the feasibility of establishing Revere Beach, Massachusetts, as a unit of the National Park System. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 1991
Authorizes the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority to utilize facilities outside the State of Massachusetts to meet any technology or marketing backup requirements imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency or the State for residuals management. Provides that the Authority shall not be required to own any residuals management facilities so long as such facilities are under the Authority's control for the period of time required under the management program.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 1991
Amends the Internal Revenue Code and title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to revise the employment tax treatment of certain crew members on fishing vessels with a crew of ten or fewer individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 1991
Public Pension Parity Act of 1991 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from the gross income of an individual amounts received as a pension or annuity under a public retirement system to the extent they are not attributable to services covered under the social security system. Limits the tax exclusion based upon calculations relating to income tax treatment of social security benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 1991
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the Secretary of the Treasury to abate any interest attributable to erroneous advice of the Internal Revenue Service. Requires the Secretary to waive interest on underpayment, nonpayment, or extensions of time for payment, of tax to the extent that the imposition of such interest would be against equity and good conscience.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 1991
Designates September 20, 1991, as National POW/MIA recognition Day. Requires the display of the National League of Families POW/MIA flag: (1) at all national cemeteries and the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial on May 30, 1991 (Memorial Day), September 20, 1991 (National POW/MIA Recognition Day), and November 11, 1991 (Veteran's Day); and (2) on, or on the grounds of, the White House, and the buildings containing the primary offices of the Secretaries of State, Defense, and Veterans Affairs, and the Director of the Selective Service Commission on September 20, 1991 (National POW/MIA Recognition Day).
United States · United States Congress · 23 April 1991
Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to eliminate the coinsurance requirement and prohibit balance billing for screening mammography services.
United States · United States Congress · 23 April 1991
Nuclear Decommissioning Reserve Fund Act of 1991 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) decrease the rate of the tax imposed on the income of any Nuclear Decommissioning Reserve Fund; and (2) remove restrictions on permitted investments of Fund monies.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 1991
Grants an eight percent interim geographic pay adjustment as provided under the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990 to General Schedule employees who work in certain metropolitan areas in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Provides for an eight percent increase in the basic pay rate for prevailing rate employees working in the Narragansett Bay and Boston, Massachusetts, Wage Areas.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 1991
Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to make a technical correction with respect to the temporary duty suspension for clomiphene citrate.
United States · United States Congress · 16 April 1991
Design Innovation and Technology Act of 1991 - Amends the copyright law to provide for the protection of industrial designs of useful articles (including typefonts), except designs that are: (1) not original; (2) staple or commonplace; (3) different from commonplace or staple designs in insignificant ways; (4) determined solely by a utilitarian function; (5) embodied in a useful article that was made public by the designer or owner in the United States or a foreign country more than one year before the date of application for registration; (6) composed of three-dimensional features of shape and surface in wearing apparel; (7) a semiconductor chip product already protected under another provision; (8) embodying a process or idea or system; or (9) for motor vehicle glass. States that protection for a design shall be available for subject matter usually excluded if the design is a substantial revision, adaptation, or rearrangement of such subject matter. Sets the term of protection at ten years. Requires the design to be marked with a design notice when it is made public. States that omission of such notice shall not cause loss of protection or prevent recovery for infringement against any person who receives written notice of the protection. Grants the owner of a protected design the exclusive right to make, import, or distribute for sale or use in trade any useful article embodying such design. Specifies the criteria for determination of infringement of a protected design. Provides that protection of a design shall be lost if application for registration is not made within one year after the date on which the design is first made public. Provides procedures for application for the protection of a design through a certificate of registration. Sets fees for services relating to the administration of this Act. Specifies the ownership and transfer rights of designs subject to protection. Provides remedies for infringement of a registered design, including injunctive relief and damages. Allows judicial review of a final refusal of the Register of the Copyright Office to register a design. Prescribes penalties for fraudulent registration, false marking, and false representation of any design. Requires the Secretary of Treasury and the U.S. Postal Service to issue regulations for the enforcement of rights concerning importation of useful articles. Provides that this Act shall take effect one year after the date of enactment. States that no design made public prior to the effective date shall be protected.
United States · United States Congress · 16 April 1991
Social Security Public Pension Offset Amendments Act of 1991 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to reduce the proportion of monthly Federal or State pension benefits subtracted from monthly OASDI benefits payable to a spouse, surviving spouse, or parent as the total of such monthly benefits diminishes.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 1991
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to disallow a deduction for certain costs incurred in connection with any oil discharge or hazardous substance release. Provides an exception to such rule for any taxpayer who has a complete liability defense or qualifies for a liability limitation with respect to such discharge or release. Provides a limitation on the use of the net operating loss deduction to offset deductions disallowed by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 1991
Declares that the Congress acknowledges and appreciates the commitment, devotion, and sacrifices of present and former military families. Designates November 25, 1991, as National Military Families Recognition Day.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 1991
Declares that it is the sense of the Congress that: (1) colleges and universities should implement the Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics' (the Knight Foundation's) proposals for reforming the college athletics system; (2) the National Collegiate Athletic Association should consider the Foundation's proposals during its 1992 convention; and (3) Federal legislation should be enacted that protects the college athlete as a student and reforms the current college athletics system.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 1991
Directs the American Battle Monuments Commission to establish a memorial on Federal land in the District of Columbia or its environs to honor World War II veterans and to commemorate U.S. participation in that conflict. Directs the Commission to plan, design, construct, and oversee the operation of the memorial. Specifies that such design shall provide for accessibility by, and accommodations for, the physically handicapped. Establishes the World War II Memorial Advisory Board to: (1) promote the establishment of the memorial and encourage the donation of private funds for construction and maintenance; (2) assist and cooperate with the Commission in the selection of the site and design for the memorial; and (3) transmit annual reports on its activities to the Congress. Authorizes the Commission to solicit private contributions for such memorial. Establishes a fund in the Treasury which shall be made available to the Commission to carry out this Act. Authorizes Federal funding, in addition to such private funds, for: (1) site preparation, design, planning, and associated administrative costs for establishment of the memorial; and (2) construction, maintenance, and operation of the memorial. Authorizes assistance from specified Federal departments and agencies, including the Library of Congress. Authorizes the transfer of Federal property to the Commission. Authorizes the Commission to purchase suitable property within the District of Columbia for the establishment of such memorial. Urges the Government to encourage 50th anniversary commemorations of the U.S. role in World War II. Urges the Smithsonian Institution and other Federal museums to develop commemorative exhibitions to be shared with academic institutions.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 1991
World War II 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act - Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States should recognize the 50th anniversary of World War II by minting and issuing commemorative coins. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to issue and mint such coins in five dollar, one dollar, and half dollar denominations. Mandates that surcharges received from the sale of such coins be deposited in a coinage profit fund and allocated, upon separate congressional authorization, to the American Battle Monuments Commission to establish a World War II memorial. Directs the Secretary to report semiannually to the Congress regarding implementation of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 1991
Sewer and Water Fee Deductibility Act of 1991 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an income tax deduction for amounts imposed by a State or local government as fees for water or sewer services. Disallows a deduction, individual or corporate, for that portion of the interest expense which is allocable to tax-exempt interest.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 1991
Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to assure minimum payment adjustments for disproportionate share hospitals under the Medicaid program.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 1991
Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to reduce from one year to 30 days the deadline for submitting claims for services provided under such part.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 1991
Repeals a Federal provision prohibiting the payment of veterans' disability compensation to an incompetent veteran having no spouse, child, or dependent when such veteran's estate value exceeds $25,000, until such estate value is reduced to less than $10,000.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 1991
Declares that the President should award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Martha Raye in honor of her service in the form of entertainment and nursing care to members of the U.S. armed forces.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 1991
Horn of Africa Recovery and Food Security Act of 1991 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the President to provide assistance for civil strife relief and rehabilitation in the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan). Amends the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 to authorize the President to provide supplemental emergency food assistance for civilian victims of civil strife in the Horn of Africa. Permits the President to transfer funds from unobligated amounts in the economic support fund (ESF) and military assistance to carry out this Act. Makes available a percentage of assistance for management support activities of the Agency for International Development. Requires the President to consult with other nations, armed and unarmed parties in the Horn of Africa, and the United Nations Secretary General to bring about negotiated settlements of the wars in the region. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should: (1) direct the U.S. representative to the United Nations to take specified steps with respect to peace and the implementation of an arms embargo in the region; (2) play an active role in other fora in pressing for settlements to such wars; and (3) participate in regional and international peace consultations. Declares that development assistance in the Horn of Africa should be targeted to aid the poor. States that U.S. Government aid institutions should seek to: (1) build upon the capabilities and experiences of organizations active in local grassroots relief, rehabilitation, and development efforts; (2) consult with such organizations and incorporate their views into the policymaking process; and (3) support the expansion of their activities without compromising their private nature. Declares that current legislative provisions that restrict assistance to Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan should be retained until concrete steps toward peace, democracy, and human rights are achieved. States that development assistance should be: (1) targeted to the voluntary relocation and repatriation of displaced persons and refugees; and (2) carried out in coordination with strategies for debt relief of countries in the region and with efforts to establish an International Fund for Reconstruction of developing nations which settle civil wars. Prohibits assistance appropriated under this Act from being available for involuntary or forced resettlement of persons. Prohibits development assistance to Ethiopia, Somalia, or Sudan unless the President certifies that the government of the country has: (1) begun to implement peace or national reconciliation agreements; (2) demonstrated a commitment to human rights; (3) manifested a commitment to democracy and has held or scheduled free and fair elections; and (4) agreed to distribute development assistance without discrimination. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. executive directors of the multilateral development banks to oppose any loan or other funds, except to meet basic human needs, to or for Ethiopia, Somalia, or Sudan until the President makes such certification. Prohibits ESF assistance, grant military assistance, or international military education and training assistance to Ethiopia, Somalia, or Sudan unless the President certifies that the government of the country has: (1) begun to implement peace or national reconciliation agreements; (2) demonstrated a commitment to human rights; and (3) held or scheduled free and fair elections.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 1991
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to set forth requirements for hospitals to maintain tax-exempt status, including: (1) the provision of certain emergency medical care; (2) the acceptance of Medicaid and Medicare patients; and (3) the provision of community health centers and clinics in medically underserved areas.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 1991
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude State and local governmental plans from the limitation on benefits exceeding 100 percent of the participant's average compensation for the high three years. Provides that qualified governmental excess benefit arrangements shall not be taken into account in determining whether pension plans meet the limitations on benefits and contributions of qualified plans. Requires taxation of such benefits as if they were provided under a deferred compensation plan maintained by a corporation not exempt from tax which does not meet the requirements of qualified pension, profit-sharing, and stock bonus plans. Exempts disability income received as a pension, annuity, or similar allowance as a result of personal injuries or sickness from the reduced dollar limitation for defined benefit plans where the employee has less than ten years participation or the retirement benefit begins before the social security retirement age. Revises the special rule for State and local government plans which requires such limitation to equal the accrued benefit to allow the election of such rule to be revoked under certain circumstances.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 1991
Prohibits the shipment in interstate or foreign commerce of steel jaw leghold traps and of articles of fur derived from animals trapped in such traps. Prescribes criminal penalties for violations of this Act. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to reward nongovernment informers for information leading to a conviction under this Act. Empowers enforcement officials to detain, search, and seize suspected merchandise or documents and to make arrests with and without warrants. Subjects seized merchandise to forfeiture.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 1991
Calls on the President to instruct the Department of State to strongly request of Kuwait that contracts for the rebuilding of Kuwait be structured and compensated for in a manner that will encourage the maximum feasible usage of American workers, firms, and products. Encourages American firms to employ American workers at every level of the Kuwait reconstruction projects.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 1991
Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1991 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to make certain findings with regard to cable television programming, competition, and Government regulation. Prohibits a Federal agency or a State from regulating the rates for the provision of cable service, except as provided under this Act. Authorizes a cable television franchising authority to regulate such rates, but only as provided under this Act. Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish: (1) a formula to establish the maximum price of basic tier service; (2) a formula to establish the price for installation and lease of the minimum equipment necessary for subscribers to receive the basic service tier; (3) standards concerning the lease or purchase price of converter boxes and remote controls; (4) a formula to identify and allocate costs attributable to satisfying franchise requirements to support public, educational, and governmental channels, along with procedures for the cable operator to recover such costs; (5) additional standards and guidelines to implement regulations prescribed by the FCC; and (6) effective dates for compliance with such formulas, standards, and guidelines. Requires each cable operator to offer its subscribers a separately available basic service tier to which the minimum rates shall apply and to which subscription is required for access to all other tiers of service. Requires such basic service tier to include any public, educational, and governmental access programming required by the franchise of the cable system. States that such requirements shall not apply to a cable system with 12 or fewer usable activated channels that has 300 or fewer subscribers so long as such system does not delete carriage of any signal of a broadcast television station. Prohibits a cable operator from adding any video programming to the basic tier that is not a signal or programming required to be included in the basic tier package. Allows certain nonprofit television programming to be carried on such basic tier as long as the organization producing such programming is not required to pay Federal income taxes and does not carry advertising. States that basic tier provisions of this Act shall also not apply to a cable system entering a cable television rate regulation agreement before July 1, 1990, where such system was not subject to effective competition. Allows for the continued carriage of basic tier services in the case of a cable operator that offered subscribers a tier of programming as of January 1, 1990, consisting of signals and programming essentially permitted under this Act. Authorizes a cable operator already providing such programming to provide for a rate formula adjustment or a cable television programming retiering to comply with the requirements of this section. Directs the FCC to establish: (1) criteria for identifying rates for cable programming services that are unreasonable or abusive; (2) fair and expeditious procedures for the receipt, consideration, and resolution of complaints alleging that a rate for cable programming services violates the criteria established; and (3) the procedures to be used to reduce rates determined by the FCC to be unreasonable or abusive. Outlines factors to be considered in determining the reasonableness of such rates and limits complaints permitted concerning rates existing before the effective date of such regulations. Prohibits discrimination among customers of basic cable service. Requires the regulation and installation of equipment necessary for the provision of such services to the hearing-impaired. Directs the FCC to require cable systems to file certain financial information annually with the FCC and requires a report from the FCC to the Congress. Requires the FCC to establish standards, guidelines, and procedures to prevent evasion of rates, services, and other requirements of this section. Requires each cable operator to carry the signals of a specified number of qualified noncommercial television stations (QNTS), such number increasing with the number of usable activated channels offered by the cable system (ranging from one for a system with 12 or fewer activated channels to three for a system with more than 36 usable activated channels). Requires a cable system with 13 to 36 activated channels to carry at least one QNTS. Provides that duplication of affiliates of State public television networks is not required of a cable operator. Requires each cable operator to carry in its entirety the primary video and audio transmission of each QNTS carried on its system, as well as material necessary for the receipt of such programming by handicapped persons or for educational or language purposes. Outlines other signal carriage requirements required of a cable operator with regard to QNTS, including: (1) signal integrity; (2) channel assignments (requiring notice if a QNTS is repositioned by a cable operator); and (3) signal quality responsibilities of the QNTS. Prohibits a cable system from accepting monetary payments or other valuable consideration (except for signal quality costs) in exchange for the carriage of a QNTS. Exempts a cable operator from being required to carry a QNTS where the payment of copyright charges as a distant signal would be required of the cable operator. Requires a cable operator to identify upon request those signals carried in fulfillment of the above requirements. Outlines remedies available to a QLTS when it believes that a cable operator has failed to meet carriage requirements outlined in this Act, requiring the cable operator to be notified of the allegation, a response from the cable operator, and review of such complaint by the FCC. Requires cable operators that provided basic tier service to carry the signals of all qualified local television stations (QLTS) in accordance with the following provisions: (1) cable operators with more than 12 usable activated channels must carry a minimum number of QLTS (ranging from five QLTS for such operators with 13 to 20 usable activated channels to 25 percent of channel capacity for cable operators with more than 125 usable activated channels); (2) the cable operator must have complete discretion in selecting which QLTS signals shall be carried on its system, with specified exceptions, after such operator has met the minimum required number of QLTS for its amount of usable activated channels; (3) cable operators must carry in its entirety the primary video and audio transmission of each QLTS carried; (4) signals of a QLTS must be carried by the cable operator without material degradation; (5) duplicate QLTS need not be carried by a participating cable operator; (6) the channel position of a QLTS must be a current one or one mutually agreed upon by the participating cable operator and the QLTS, with a specified exception; (7) a participating cable operator shall identify upon request those signals carried in fulfillment of its requirements; and (8) a participating cable operator shall provide written notice to a QLTS that such channel is being repositioned or deleted. Prohibits a cable system from accepting or requesting monetary payment or other valuable consideration in exchange for the carriage of a signal of a QLTS under these provisions, except for certain administrative costs. Outlines remedies and procedures available to a QLTS when it believes that a cable system has failed to meet such requirements, requiring the cable operator to be notified of the allegation, to respond to such allegation, review by the FCC of such complaint, and remedial actions to be taken by the cable operator in a finding of noncompliance with such requirements. Defines a minimum viewership standard that must be achieved by a qualified local commercial television station in order to be required to be carried by the cable operator in accordance with this Act. Provides viewership standards requirements for new stations commencing operations and otherwise meeting requirements of a local commercial television station. States that the viewership standards requirements shall not apply with respect to carriage of a minority-owned or minority-oriented station that otherwise meets the requirements of a local television station. States that compliance with viewership standards requirements shall be demonstrated on the basis of an independent survey of non-cable homes. Abolishes rules requiring cable operators to provide, or provide information to subscribers on, input selector switches or comparable devices. Directs the FCC to establish standards by which cable operators may fulfill their customer service requirements. Requires such standards to govern cable system office hours and telephone availability, installations, outages and service calls, and communications (including bills and refunds) between the cable operator and the customer. Requires the FCC to determine: (1) whether equipment standards are necessary to permit the commercial availability of converter boxes and remote controls compatible with cable systems; and (2) the feasibility of including converter and addressability technology for cable systems and other multichannel video systems in television receivers shipped in interstate commerce or imported from any foreign country for sale or resale to the public. Directs the FCC to prescribe regulations which establish minimum technical standards relating to the facilities and equipment of cable systems suitable to ensure adequate technical operation and signal quality. Requires such standards to be periodically updated to reflect improvements in technology. Requires the FCC to prescribe regulations to prohibit any video programming vendor in which a multichannel video system operator has an attributable interest and that licenses video programming for national distribution from unreasonably refusing to deal with any multichannel video system operator with respect to the provision of video programming. Outlines provisions concerning, with respect to such video programming distributors: (1) affirmative defenses; (2) remedies for violations of prescribed regulations; (3) enforcement by the Commission; (4) termination of such regulations either nine years after enactment of this Act or an earlier date as determined by the FCC; (5) required reports; and (6) exemptions from such prescribed regulations. Requires the FCC to establish regulations governing program carriage agreements and related practices between cable operators and video programming vendors. Specifies prohibitions to be included in such regulations relating to discrimination, conflicting financial interests, exclusivity, and appropriate penalties. Provides that any person who encrypts (puts together as a coded commercial package) any satellite-delivered television programming shall: (1) make such programming available for private viewing by home satellite antenna users; (2) when making such program available through any other person for distribution through any medium, establish reasonable and nondiscriminatory criteria and requirements for the distribution of such programming to home satellite antenna users and establish terms and conditions for the wholesale distribution of such programming to distributors for cable television subscribers and distributors to home satellite antenna users (with specified exceptions). Provides remedies for violations of such requirements. Empowers the FCC to make such rules and regulations as necessary to ensure that satellite stations receiving signals in the megahertz band used for private viewing are not unduly restricted from being used for the reception of television programming services. Directs the FCC to initiate an inquiry and rulemaking proceeding to determine: (1) the technical feasibility of using smaller C-band home satellite dish receivers than are used today; (2) the extent to which existing FCC rules and regulations act as a barrier to the use of such smaller dishes; (3) the extent to which local zoning, construction, or other regulations have acted as a ban to the successful development of the C-band satellite television delivery service; and (4) the extent to which smaller dish sizes might overcome such local barriers. Directs the FCC to amend any of its own policies, rules, or regulations found to hinder the development and use of the smaller satellite dishes. Directs the FCC, after notice and opportunity for hearing, to prescribe revisions to standards and rules concerning equal employment opportunity under the Communication Act of 1934 in order to implement the amendments made by this Act. Requires such revisions to be designed to promote equality of employment opportunities for females and minorities within any corporation, partnership, joint-stock company, or trust engaged primarily in the management or operation of any cable system. Lists specified positions to which such equal opportunity requirements shall apply, ranging from corporate officers to unskilled laborers and service workers. Requires work groups within such cable entities with more than five full-time employees to file with the FCC an annual statistical report identifying by race, sex, and job title the number of employees in each category covered under the equal opportunity requirements. Outlines other report requirements and increases the fines for failure to use best efforts in meeting such equal opportunity requirements. Requires the FCC to report to the Congress on the effect and operation of procedures, regulations, policies, standards, and guidelines concerning equal employment opportunity in the broadcasting industry. Directs the FCC to prescribe rules and regulations concerning the disposition of cable installed by the cable operator within the premises of a subscriber after the subscriber terminates cable service. Prohibits a cable operator from selling a cable system for three years after its acquisition. Provides for the treatment of multiple transfers of systems. Provides exceptions to such regulation and allows the FCC to waive such requirement in the public interest. Limits to 120 days a franchising authority's power to disapprove the sale of a cable system by an operator who has held such system for three years. Directs the FCC to establish: (1) a formula for determining the maximum rates which a cable operator may establish for commercial use of its cable channels; (2) standards concerning the terms and conditions which may be established; and (3) standards concerning methods for collection and billing for commercial use of channel capacity made available for such purpose. Allows a cable operator required to designate channel capacity for commercial use to use any such channel capacity for the provision of programming from a qualified minority programming source, whether or not such source is affiliated with the cable operator. Limits to 33 percent of overall channel capacity the capacity permitted to be used by such source. Defines a qualified minority programming source as a source that devotes significantly all of its programming to coverage of minority viewpoints or to programming directed at members of minority groups and that is over 50 percent minority-owned. Prohibits any cable system in the United States from being owned or otherwise controlled by any alien, foreign representative, or foreign corporation or interest as defined in the Communications Act of 1934. Makes exceptions for current foreign or alien ownership and in certain cases where such a corporation already owns two or more systems and seeks to add another. Increases the civil and criminal penalties for the unauthorized reception of cable television service. Directs the FCC to conduct a review of, and make a report on, whether it is necessary or appropriate in the public interest to prohibit or constrain acts and practices that may unreasonably restrict diversity and competition in the market for video programming. Directs the FCC to initiate a rulemaking proceeding to impose public interest or other requirements on direct satellite systems providing video programming that are not regulated as a common carrier under the Communications Act of 1934. Directs the FCC to require, as a condition of initial authorization or renewal for a direct broadcast satellite service providing video programming, that the provider of such service reserve not less than four or more than seven percent of the channel capacity of such service exclusively for noncommercial public service uses. Establishes a study panel to report to the Congress recommendations on: (1) methods and strategies for promoting the development of programming for transmission over the public use channels; (2) methods and criteria for selecting programming for such channels that avoids conflicts of interest and the exercise of editorial control by the direct broadcast satellite service provider; and (3) existing and potential sources of funding for administrative and production costs for such public use programming. Directs the FCC to report to specified congressional committees concerning the effects of exclusive licensing arrangements for video programming on competition between classes of multichannel video system operators. Directs the FCC to study and report to the Congress on the status, direction, and future of the video marketplace in the United States, identifying the principal factors that are and will continue to influence the development of the video marketplace for the remainder of this century. Requires the FCC to initiate an inquiry and rulemaking to examine the feasibility of providing access to network and independent broadcasting station signals to persons who subscribe to direct broadcast satellite service and are unable to receive such signals over the air from a local licensee, or from a cable system. Requires the FCC to report to the Congress on whether, and under what conditions, low power television stations which provide local origination programming should be entitled to carriage on cable systems whose service area encompasses the service area to which a low power television station is licensed. Requires the FCC to provide an opportunity for public comment on such issue and to take into account certain factors for consideration in preparing its report.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 1991
Collision Damage Waiver Act - Prohibits rental car companies, in private passenger automobile rental agreements of 30 days or less, from: (1) holding any authorized driver liable for any damage, with specified exceptions; (2) requiring or requesting a security deposit for damage during the rental period or pending resolution of any dispute; or (3) offering or selling any collision damage waivers for any of the the specified exceptions or any applicable deductible. Subjects rental car companies to a penalty of from $500 to $1,000 for each violation of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 1991
Requests the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to publish, within one year, proposed amended regulations that specify the components of an adequate operator training program and certification system for operators of powered industrial trucks.
![Official portrait of Rep. Donnelly, Brian J. [D-MA-11]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/d000416_200.jpg)