United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2001
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the National Capital Planning Commission should adopt, and the President should implement, a plan that: (1) permanently returns Pennsylvania Avenue to the use of residents, commuters, and visitors to the nation's capital; and (2) protects the security of the people who live and work in the White House.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2001
Constitutional Land Acquisition Act - Amends the Land and Water Conservation Act of 1965 to provide protection to real property owners whose property is: (1) within the boundaries of a Federal unit as a consequence of the acquisition of lands for that unit with amounts made available under the Act; or (2) adjacent to Federal lands acquired with such amounts. Specifies property acquisition and congressional, State, and local government notification requirements. Prohibits the use of funds under the Act for property acquisition by condemnation. Prescribes conditions for the use of acquired property for other than public outdoor recreation purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2001
Amends rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives to make it out of order to include in any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report any provision which makes the taking effect of a decrease in Federal income taxes contingent upon another event or circumstance. Allows a point of order against such a provision at any time during pendency of that measure.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2001
Federal Prison Industries Competition in Contracting Act of 2001 - Amends the Federal criminal code to replace provisions regarding the purchase of prison-made products by Federal departments with provisions establishing a Government-wide procurement policy relating to purchases from Federal Prison Industries (FPI) which shall generally require the use of competitive procedures. Requires FPI to comply with Federal occupational, health, and safety standards regarding its industrial operations. Requires that an analysis of the probable impact of a proposed expansion of inmate-work activities by FPI on private sector firms and their non-inmate workers be made whenever FPI proposes to authorize the sale of a new specific product or service or to expand production of a current product or service. Provides for inmate wages and deductions. Amends the Federal judicial code regarding the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund to authorize payments to the Bureau of Prisons exclusively for the purpose of providing additional vocational and remedial educational training for inmates. Amends the Federal criminal code to require that not less than 20 percent of the gross profits of the corporation at the end of each fiscal year be allocated to fund vocational training for inmates. Requires the Director of the Bureau to afford to inmates opportunities to participate in programs and activities designed to help prepare such inmates to obtain employment upon release. Authorizes FPI to: (1) locate more than one workshop at a Federal correctional facility; and (2) operate a workshop outside of a correctional facility if all of participating inmates are minimum security inmates.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2001
Amends subtitle B of title XII of division A of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998 to repeal the use of millions of theoretical operations per second (MTOPS) as a measurement of computer speed with respect to the application of certain export controls on high performance computers.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2001
Amends the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) to eliminate the requirement that a covered military dependent obtain a nonavailability-of-health-care statement for the receipt of health care services related to pregnancy. Amends the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 to waive the requirement of such statement in the case of obstetrics and gynecological care related to the pregnancy of a covered beneficiary using TRICARE Extra (a Department of Defense managed health care program).
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2001
Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) to provide for a sequestration equal to the amount by which total outlays exceed 18 percent of the gross domestic product for any of FY 2002 through 2006.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2001
Small Business Franchise Property Recovery Act of 2001 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish certain franchise operations as 15-year property under the accelerated cost recovery system.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2001
Citizen Legislature and Political Freedom Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971(FECA) to terminate limitations on Federal election campaign contributions after 2002. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to terminate after December 31, 2001, the designation of income tax payments to the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. Terminates the Fund itself and the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account after December 31, 2002, and transfers any amounts remaining in the Fund to the general fund of the Treasury. Amends FECA, in the case of a political committee of a national political party, to require reports of all funds transferred to any political committee of a State or local political party, without regard to whether or not the funds are otherwise treated as contributions or expenditures under such Act (soft money). Requires any political committee of a State or local political party to file with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) a copy of any report on disbursements it is required under a State or local law, rule, or regulation to submit to the State or local government. Revises current deadlines for notification of contributions by a campaign committee. Declares that the "best efforts" exception to noncompliance with FECA shall not apply with respect to information regarding the identification of any contributor of more than $200 in the aggregate during a calendar year (thus requiring strict observance of reporting deadlines for all such contributions). Provides that, except with the separate, prior, written, voluntary authorization of each individual involved, it shall be unlawful for described labor organizations to collect from or to assess its members or nonmembers any dues, initiation fee, or other payment if any part of it will be used for political activity in which the labor organization is engaged. Changes the name of the FEC to the Federal Campaign Regulation Commission.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2001
Minimum Wage State Flexibility Act of 2001 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to allow a State to preempt the Federal minimum wage if the State: (1) sets a minimum wage rate or rates that are not less than $5.15 per hour; and (2) applies that rate or those rates to as many workers in the State as would otherwise be covered by the Federal minimum wage rate.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2001
Second Amendment Rights Protection Act of 2001 - Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to prohibit the use of appropriated funds for: (1) any system to implement the Act that does not require and result in the immediate destruction of all information submitted by or on behalf of any person who has been determined not to be prohibited from owning a firearm; and (2) the implementation or collection of any tax or fee by any Federal officer, agent, or employee, or by any State or local officer or agent acting on behalf of the United States, in connection with such implementation. Authorizes any person aggrieved by a violation of this Act to bring an action in Federal district court and, if successful, to receive damages, punitive damages, and such other remedies as the court may determine to be appropriate, including a reasonable attorney's fee.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2001
States' Rights and Second and Tenth Amendment Restoration Act of 2001 - Amends the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, 1997 to repeal a specified provision (commonly referred to as the Lautenberg amendment) establishing a gun ban for individuals convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2001
Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions concerning designated settlement funds to exempt from tax any designated settlement fund established for the principal purpose of resolving and satisfying present and future claims relating to asbestos. Sets forth special rules concerning asbestos liability losses.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2001
Military Personnel Recruitment and Retention Enhancement Act of 2001 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from the gross income of members of the Armed Forces any "qualified bonus." Defines the term "qualified bonus" to mean an enlistment, accession, reenlistment, retention, or other bonus paid to a member of the Armed Forces of the United States in exchange for the agreement of the member to accept a commission as an officer, extend an active service commitment as an officer, enlist, reenlist, or extend an enlistment as an enlisted member in an active or reserve component, or enter into a reserve affiliation agreement.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2001
Designates the U.S. Post Office building located at 3101 West Sunflower Avenue in Santa Ana, California, as the Hector G. Godinez Post Office Building.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2001
Military Overseas Voter Empowerment Act of 2001 - Amends the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940 to provide that, for purposes of voting for a Federal or State office, a person who is absent from a State in compliance with military or naval orders shall not, solely by reason of that absence be deemed to have: (1) lost a residence or domicile in that State, without regard to whether or not the person intends to return to that State; (2) acquired a residence or domicile in any other State; or (3) become a resident in or a resident of any other State. Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to provide for: (1) extension of registration and balloting rights for absent uniformed services voters to State and local elections; (2) treatment of applications and absentee ballots submitted by absent uniformed services voters; and (3) coverage of recently separated uniformed services voters as absent uniformed services voters. Directs the Secretary of Defense to carry out a demonstration project under which absent uniformed services voters are permitted to cast ballots in the regularly scheduled general election for Federal office for November 2002 through an electronic voting system.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2001
Fair Care for the Uninsured Act of 2001- Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an individual a tax credit in an amount equal to the amount paid for qualified health insurance, subject to stated limitations. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to make payments to the provider of an individual's qualified health insurance equal to such individual's qualified health insurance credit advance amount (the Secretary's estimate of the amount of credit allowable) with respect to such provider. Requires each health insurer, health maintenance organization, and health service organization to participate in a health insurance safety net which shall assure the availability of health insurance to uninsurable individuals. Funds such safety nets through assessments against such insurers and organizations. Permits such insurers and organizations to add the costs of such assessments to the costs of its insurance or coverage. Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow health benefits coverage through individual membership associations (IMAs). Sets forth IMA requirements, including that the IMA be an organization operated under the direction of an association and that IMA health benefits coverage only be provided through contracts with health insurance issuers. Requires IMAs to include a minimum of two health insurance coverage options.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2001
Education Savings and School Excellence Act of 2001 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to education individual retirement accounts (education IRAs) to: (1) increase maximum annual contribution limits to $2,000 per beneficiary; (2) permit tax-free expenditures for qualified elementary and secondary education expenses at a public, private, or religious school; (3) waive age limitations for contributions on behalf of a special needs beneficiary; (4) limit contribution reductions based on adjusted gross income to individual contributors (permits entity contributions regardless of income); (5) permit annual contributions to be made up to such year's tax filing date (not including extensions); (6) exempt excess contributions from the additional ten percent tax provided such contribution and interest earned are returned within six months after the end of the tax year for which the contribution was made; and (7) coordinate education IRA distributions with the HOPE and Lifetime Earning Credit qualified tuition programs. Collegiate Learning and Student Savings (CLASS) Act - Permits private higher educational institutions, in addition to currently permitted State institutions, to establish qualified tuition programs. Excludes from gross income such program distributions used for qualified higher education expenses. Provides that one rollover per year of amounts from one qualified tuition program to another for the benefit of the same beneficiary shall not be considered a distribution. Includes first cousins as family members for purposes of qualified tuition programs. Revises the definition of "qualified higher education expenses," including the exclusion of sport- or hobby-related courses unless taken as part of a degree program or to improve job skills. Makes the exclusion from gross income of employer provided educational assistance permanent. Repeals the current dollar limitation on the deduction for interest on educational loans provision and replace it with a limitation on such deduction based on modified adjusted gross income. Repeals the 60-month limitation period on the allowance of the interest deduction on such loans. Eliminates the two percent floor on miscellaneous itemized deductions for the qualified professional development expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers. Excludes from gross income certain amounts received under the National Health Corps Scholarship Program, the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship and Financial Assistance Program, the National Institutes of Health Undergraduate Scholarship Program, or similar State program.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2001
Motor Vehicle Franchise Contract Arbitration Fairness Act of 2001 - Provides that whenever a motor vehicle franchise contract provides for the use of arbitration to resolve a controversy arising out of or relating to the contract, arbitration may be used to settle the controversy only if both parties consent in writing after such controversy arises. Requires the arbitrator to provide the parties with a written explanation of the factual and legal basis for the award.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2001
Public Expression of Religion Act of 2001 - Amends provisions regarding civil actions for deprivation of rights to specify that where the deprivation consists of a violation of a prohibition in the Constitution against the establishment of religion, the remedy shall be limited to injunctive relief. Prohibits the award of attorney's fees with respect to such claims.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2001
Cuban Internal Opposition Assistance Act of 2001 - Instructs the President to: (1) use specified funds to implement assistance for victims of the most extreme political repression and to assist independent nongovernmental opposition organizations inside Cuba; (2) ensure that such funds reach their destination; and (3) authorize issuance of licenses to independent nongovernmental organizations to send monetary remittances to independent nongovernmental opposition organizations to implement specified activities under the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act of 1996.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2001
Law Enforcement Officers Due Process Act of 2001 - Authorizes the Attorney General to provide grants to law enforcement agencies (agencies) that: (1) have in effect an administrative process or an existing procedure that complies with officer rights requirements; or (2) certify that they will establish, within two years, an administrative process that complies with such requirements. Requires the administrative process to require that an agency that investigates an officer for matters which could reasonably lead to disciplinary action provide recourse for the officer that includes: (1) access to any existing administrative process established by the employing agency prior to disciplinary action; and (2) the right to a hearing before a fair and impartial board or hearing officer, to be represented by an attorney or other officer at such officer's expense, to confront any witness testifying against such officer, and to record all meetings. Permits the immediate suspension with pay of an officer: (1) whose continued presence on the job is considered to be a substantial and immediate threat; (2) who refuses to obey a direct order issued in conformance with the agency's written and disseminated rules and regulations; or (3) who is accused of committing an illegal act. Makes this Act inapplicable to an agency if the Attorney General determines that such agency has in effect an established civil service system, agency review board, grievance procedure, or personnel board which meets or exceeds the minimum standards set forth in this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2001
Justice for United States Prisoners of War Act of 2001 - Requires any Federal court in which an action is brought against a Japanese national by a member of the U.S. armed forces seeking compensation for mistreatment or failure to pay wages in connection with labor performed in Japan for such national as a prisoner of war during World War II to: (1) apply the applicable statute of limitations of the State in which the action is pending; and (2) not construe a specified provision of the Treaty of Peace With Japan as a waiver by the United States of such claims. States that it is U.S. policy to ensure that any war claims settlement terms between Japan and any other country that are more beneficial than terms extended to the United States under the above Treaty are extended to the United States with respect to claims under this Act. Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to secure information relating to chemical or biological tests conducted by Japan on members of the U.S. armed forces held as prisoners of war during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2001
No Taxation Without Representation Act of 2001 - States that notwithstanding any other provision of law, the community of American citizens who are residents of the District constituting the seat of government of the United States shall have full voting representation in the Congress. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide a tax exemption to District of Columbia residents for years during which such residents do not have full voting representation in the Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2001
Federal Lands Improvement Act of 2001- Directs the Secretary of the Interior to dispose of all public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that, as of the enactment date of this Act, have been identified for disposal under the Federal land use planning process under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. Requires the disposal of at least one- third of such lands before the end of the next three years, two-thirds before the end of the next five years, and all such lands within seven years. Prohibits the disposal of: (1) lands located in wilderness areas or wilderness study areas; and (2) parcels of land if the cost of disposal exceeds the amount that would be received for such parcels. Requires the disposal of such public lands in parcels of 160 acres or less. Requires one-third of the proceeds to be deposited in a separate account established by this Act, one-third to be paid to the county in which the lands are located, and one-third to be deposited in the Treasury's general fund and utilized for reducing the public debt. Requires the separate account to be available to the Secretary for paying, subject to specified limitations: (1) costs incurred by the BLM in arranging the disposals; (2) the cost of acquisition from a willing seller of environmentally sensitive land in States in which such public lands are located; (3) the cost of carrying out any necessary revision or amendment of a current BLM land use plan that relates to such public lands; (4) the cost of projects or programs to restore or protect wetlands, riparian areas, or cultural, historic, prehistoric, or paleontological resources on public lands, including petroglyphs; and (5) the cost of projects, programs, or land acquisition to stabilize or restore water quality for water located or used on public lands.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2001
Small Community Drinking Water Funding Act - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a Small Public Water System Assistance Program, including a program for Indian tribes, to assist small water systems in complying with national primary drinking water regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2001
Cosmetology Tax Fairness and Compliance Act of 2001 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the credit for the portion of social security taxes paid with respect to employee tips, to make such credit applicable to employers of cosmetologists. Establishes provisions concerning returns relating to cosmetology services employers and information to be provided to cosmetologists.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2001
Constitutional Amendment - Requires that any bill, resolution, or other legislative measure changing the internal revenue laws shall require for final adoption in each House the concurrence of two-thirds of the Members of that House voting and present, unless the bill is determined at the time of adoption, in a reasonable manner prescribed by law, not to increase the internal revenue by more than a de minimis amount. States that for purposes of determining any increase, there shall be excluded any increase resulting from the lowering of an effective rate of any tax. Requires journal entry of any vote. Permits the waiver of such requirement, for up to two years, if there is a declaration of war or if the United States is engaged in a military conflict which causes an imminent and serious threat to national security and is so declared by a joint resolution which becomes law.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2001
Railroad Retirement and Survivors' Improvement Act of 2001 - Amends the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 to increase benefits to railroad employees and their beneficiaries and to revise financing of the pension part (tier II) of the railroad retirement system. Establishes a Railroad Retirement Trust Fund and a Railroad Retirement Investment Trust to manage and invest Fund assets. Abolishes the Railroad Retirement Supplemental Annuity Account and provides for transfer of its funds to the Fund. Provides for transfer to the Fund of certain portions of the Railroad Retirement Account and of Social Security Equivalent Benefit account funds. Transfers to the disbursing agent from the Dual Benefits Payments Account the amount necessary to make dual benefit payments. Requires the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) to calculate the ratio of assets to benefits to determine annual tier II tax rates for employers, employee representatives, and employees. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt the Fund from taxation. Repeals a supplemental annuity tax that railroad employers pay to finance a benefit for long-time rail employees. Provides for adjustments to railroad employers, employee representatives, and employee tier II tax rates.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2001
Pacific Salmon Recovery Act - Requires the Secretary of Commerce, subject to appropriations, to provide financial assistance for salmon conservation and habitat restoration activities to: (1) Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California, and Idaho (qualified States); and (2) tribal governments in such States and Alaska Native villages or regional or village corporations that are involved in salmon management and recovery or conservation activities and have the organizational capability to maximize the benefits of assistance provided under this Act (qualified tribal governments). Allocates 85 percent of assistance per fiscal year equally among such States and 15 percent among qualified tribal governments. Requires qualified States, to receive assistance under this Act, to submit a Salmon Conservation and Salmon Habitat Restoration Plan to the Secretary. Directs qualified tribal governments, to receive such assistance, to enter into memoranda of understanding with the Secretary regarding use of the assistance. Requires funds allocated to qualified States to be used for local and regional projects. Permits the use of assistance outside the jurisdiction of the recipient if the assisted activity will provide conservation benefits to naturally produced salmon in streams of concern to the recipient. Requires States to match, in the aggregate, financial assistance provided under this Act. Directs States seeking assistance under this Act to establish citizens advisory committees or other similar fora for the public to participate in obtaining and using assistance under this Act. Requires qualified tribal governments to hold public meetings to receive recommendations on the use of such assistance. Includes: (1) Lahontan cutthroat trout and bull trout within the definition of "salmon" for purposes of applying this Act in Oregon; and (2) bull trout within such definition for purposes of applying this Act in Washington and Idaho. Amends the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000 to extend the authorization of appropriations for capitalizing the Northern and Southern Funds under the 1999 Pacific Salmon Treaty Agreement through FY 2004. Directs the President, for U.S. citizens who served as employees of the International Pacific Salmon and North Pacific Fisheries Commissions who worked in Canada during the course of such employment, to: (1) calculate the difference in amount between the valuation of the Commissions' annuity for each employee's payment in U.S. and Canadian currency for past and future annuity payments; and (2) compensate such employees for past and future benefits resulting from the exchange rate inequity.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2001
Forest Tax Relief Act - Terminates the Secretary of Agriculture's authority (through the Forest Service) to participate in the Recreational Fee Demonstration Program.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2001
Supports the open letter released by Chinese dissidents and families of political prisoners stating that the release of China's political prisoners would improve Beijing's stature in its bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games. Expresses the view that the International Olympic Committee should not award the 2008 Olympics to Beijing unless the Government of the People's Republic of China releases all political prisoners, ratifies the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), implements the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and observes internationally recognized human rights. Calls for the creation of an international Beijing Olympic Games Human Rights Campaign in the event that Beijing receives the Olympics to focus international pressure on China to grant amnesty to all political prisoners before the Olympics commence. Requests the President, during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Summit, to call for the release of all Chinese political prisoners and Chinese ratification of the ICCPR. Recommends that the Congressional-Executive Commission on the People's Republic of China devote significant resources to monitoring any violations of the rights of political dissidents and prisoners or other increased human rights abuses in preparation for and during the 2008 Olympic Games.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2001
National Right-to-Work Act - Amends the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act to repeal those provisions that permit employers, pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement that is a union security agreement, to require employees to join a union as a condition of employment (including provisions permitting railroad carriers to require, pursuant to such an agreement, payroll deduction of union dues or fees as a condition of employment).
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2001
Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to exempt from provisions requiring consultation and conferencing with the Secretary of the Interior any agency action that consists of: (1) reconstruction or repair of a Federal or non-Federal levee to address a critical, imminent threat to public health or safety or to address a catastrophic natural event; or (2) maintaining the structural integrity of such a levee. Provides that any activity by a Federal or non-Federal person that consists of such an action is not a taking of a species for purposes of the Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2001
Permits an individual or business located in a State experiencing a power emergency on any given day to operate any type of power generation available using any fuel available, to ensure the individual's or business' economic stability. Requires any person or State official, upon the request of either the Secretary of Energy or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, to share information regarding the available supply of or the projected demand for electricity. Prohibits emissions attributable to generation permitted solely because of such power emergency from being taken into account for purposes of determining the attainment or nonattainment status of an area under the Clean Air Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2001
Authorizes the printing as a House document of an updated version of House Document 101-238 (as revised by the Library of Congress) entitled "Women in Congress, 1917-1990."
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2001
Community Recognition Act of 2001 - Authorizes the chief elected official of a locality, in the event of the death of a present or former official of that locality, to proclaim that the national flag shall be flown at half staff.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2001
Economic Recovery and Growth Act of 2001 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to reducing or repealing, among other things: (1) tax rates for individuals; (2) alternative minimum tax; (3) capital gains; (4) estate and gift tax; (5) marriage penalty; (6) Federal communications excise tax; (7) taxes for farmers, ranchers, fishermen; and (8) occupational taxes relating to alcoholic beverages. Increases, extends, or expands tax benefits with respect to, among other things: (1) pensions and individual retirement accounts (IRAs); (2) child tax credit; (3) education IRAs and qualified tuition programs; (4) adoption expenses credit; (5) charitable contributions; (6) social security benefits; (7) expense treatment for small businesses; (8) self-employed health insurance cost deduction; and (9) research credit.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2001
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to classify qualified leasehold improvement property (defined as certain improvements made to an interior portion of nonresidential real property) as ten-year property for depreciation purposes under the Accelerated Cost Recovery System.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2001
Conduit Contribution Prevention Act of 2001 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to increase civil money and criminal penalties for knowing and willful violations of the prohibition against making or accepting contributions in the name of another. Sets both civil and criminal fines at not less than 300 percent of the amount involved in the violation and not more than the greater of $50,000 or 1,000 percent of such amount. Mandates a criminal fine or two years' imprisonment, or both. Limits criminal penalties to violations involving an amount aggregating $1,000 or more during a calendar year. Changes from discretionary to mandatory the authority of the Federal Election Commission to refer to the Attorney General any instance of probable cause that a violation of such prohibition has occurred. Revises the current ban on contributions by foreign nationals to encompass all disbursements by foreign nationals, including any disbursement to a political committee of a political party and any disbursement for an independent expenditure.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2001
Comprehensive Retirement Security and Pension Reform Act of 2001 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (the Code) with respect to pensions. (All the following are amendments to the Code, except where the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, ERISA, is mentioned.) Increases: (1) annual dollar Individual Retirement Account (IRA) contribution limits; and (2) benefit and contribution limits, with indexes for inflation. Revises requirements relating to: (1) plan loans for subchapter S owners, partners, and sole proprietors; and (2) specified top-heavy rules. Provides that elective deferrals shall not be taken into account for purposes of limits on certain plan contributions. Repeals specified coordination requirements for deferred compensation plans of State and local governments and tax-exempt organizations. Revises certain deduction limits for stock bonus and profit sharing trusts and for defined contribution plans. Provides for optional treatment of elective deferrals as after-tax contributions. Allows individuals age 50 or older to make additional contributions to an applicable employer plan (section 401(k) or similar plan). Sets forth requirements relating to equitable treatment for contributions of employees to defined contribution plans. Provides for faster vesting of certain employer matching contributions under the Code and ERISA. Revises: (1) minimum distribution rules; (2) requirements relating to tax treatment of division of section 457 plan benefits upon divorce; and (3) provisions for safe harbor relief for hardship withdrawals from 401(k) plans. Permits, under certain conditions, rollovers: (1) from and to various types of plans; (2) of IRAs into workplace retirement plans; and (3) of after-tax contributions in an exempt trust. Sets forth a hardship exception to the 60-day rule. Sets forth requirements for treatment of forms of distribution available under transferor and transferee plans under the Code and ERISA. Revises restrictions on distributions, including the same desk exception. Allows trustee-to-trustee transfers to purchase permissive service credit with respect to governmental defined benefit plans. Allows employers to disregard rollovers for purposes of cash-out amounts, under retirement plan provisions of the Code. Revises minimum distribution and inclusion requirements for section 457 plans. Repeals, for plan years beginning in 2004 and following years, the current liability full funding limit under the Code and ERISA. Revises maximum contribution deduction rules, and applies them to all defined benefit plans. Allows an employer, in determining the amount of nondeductible contributions for any taxable year, to elect not to take into account any contributions to a defined benefit plan except to the extent they exceed the full-funding limitation. Establishes an excise tax for the failure of a defined benefit plan or an individual account plan (except governmental, church, and other specified plans) subject to minimum funding standards to meet specified notice requirements, under the Code and ERISA, for plan amendments which significantly reduce benefit accruals. Makes certain compensation limitations for defined benefit plans inapplicable to governmental and multiemployer plans. Prohibits combining or aggregating a multiemployer plan with any other plan maintained by the employer for the purpose of applying such limitations. Amends the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 to protect the investment of employee contributions to 401(k) plans by providing that specified requirements apply to elective deferrals for plan years beginning after December 31, 1998. Requires that pension benefit statements be furnished annually (once every three years for defined benefit plans) or on request. Establishes an excise tax for certain prohibited allocations of stock in an S corporation ESOP. Revises Code and ERISA requirements relating to timing of plan valuations. Allows applicable dividends of ESOPs to be reinvested without loss of dividend deduction. Repeals a transition rule relating to certain highly compensated employees under the Tax Reform Act of 1986. Directs the Secretary to modify specified regulations with respect to certain plan participation by employees of tax-exempt entities. Treats the provision of certain retirement planning services by an employer for an employee as a de minimis fringe benefit to the extent it is not treated as a working condition fringe. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to provide simplified annual filing requirements for retirement plans with assets below a specified amount, if they cover: (1) one participant (an owner and spouse); or (2) fewer than 25 employees. Directs the Secretary to continue to update and improve the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System, or any successor program. Repeals a multiple use test. Allows certain alternative ways of satisfying nondiscrimination, coverage, and line of business rules. Exempts plans maintained by any governmental entity from certain nondiscrimination rules. Directs the Secretary to modify specified regulations relating to the notice and consent period regarding distributions. Revises ERISA provisions relating to: (1) annual report dissemination; (2) the National Summit on Retirement Savings; (3) missing participants; (4) Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) reduction of premiums for new plans of small employers and of additional premiums for new and small plans; (5) PBGC authority to pay interest on premium overpayment refunds; (6) substantial owner benefits in terminated plans; (7) civil penalties for breach of fiduciary responsibility; and (8) benefit suspension notices. Prescribes time requirements for plan amendments or annuity contract amendments.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2001
Death Tax Elimination Act - Repeals the estate tax, gift tax, and the tax on generation-skipping transfers, effective January 1, 2011. Provides for annual reductions of the tax until such date. Increases the unified estate and gift tax credit to $1.3 million. Repeals the estate and gift tax provisions applicable to family-owned businesses. Amends provisions concerning the special rules for allocation of the generation-skipping tax (GST) exemption to provide, as a general rule, that: (1) if any individual makes an indirect skip during such individual's lifetime, any unused portion of such individual's GST exemption shall be allocated to the property transferred to the extent necessary to make the inclusion ratio for such property zero; and (2) if the amount of the indirect skip exceeds such unused portion, the entire unused portion shall be allocated to the property transferred. Declares that, if a trust is severed in a qualified severance, the trusts resulting from such severance shall be treated as separate trusts thereafter. Revises valuation rules for gifts for which a gift tax return was filed or deemed allocation made. Provides that, if an allocation of the GST exemption to any transfers of property is deemed to have been made at the close of an estate tax inclusion period, the value of the property shall be its value at such time. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe circumstances and procedures under which extensions of time will be granted to make an allocation of GST exemption or an election not to apply specified allocation requirements to certain lifetime direct skips, indirect skips, or transfers to a particular trust. Increases the permissible number of partners or shareholders in a closely held business for purposes of eligibility for an extension of estate tax payments.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2001
Tax Fairness for Agricultural Employers Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase (from $20,000 to $50,000) the maximum amount of wages that a farmer can pay for agricultural labor without being subject to the Federal unemployment tax on that labor; and (2) provide for an annual inflation adjustment to such maximum amount of wages.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2001
Prohibits the Department of Education from: (1) using Federal funds to plan, develop, implement, or administer any national teacher test or certification; or (2) withholding funds from any State or local educational agency if such State or agency fails to adopt a specific method of teacher certification.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2001
Secure Access to Firearms Enhancement (SAFE) Act of 2001 - Amends the Federal criminal code to provide for reciprocity for the carrying of certain concealed firearms in different States by persons who are not prohibited by Federal law from possessing a firearm and who are: (1) carrying a valid State license or permit for carrying a concealed firearm; or (2) otherwise entitled to carry a concealed firearm in their State of residence.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2001
Declares Executive Order 13166, "Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency," to be null and void. Prohibits the use of funds for the promulgation or enforcement of an executive order that creates an entitlement to services provided in a language other than English.
![Official portrait of Rep. Doolittle, John T. [R-CA-4]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/d000429_200.jpg)