United States · United States Congress · 20 March 1978
Title I: Establishment of Park - Establishes, in the city of Lowell, Massachusetts, the Lowell National Historical Park. Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1979 for development of such Park. Title II: Role of the Secretary - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to submit a park management plan to Congress. Provides for consultation with the Lowell city manager, the Lowell National Historical Park Commission, established by this Act, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in developing such plan. Sets requirements for acquisition of specified properties for the Park. Directs the Secretary to provide technical assistance in preservation, restoration, and other use of park properties. Provides for agreements with park property owners for provision of exhibits and programs. Permits withholding of park management plan funds by the Secretary if the city of Lowell fails to meet specified criteria. Title III: Role of the Commission - Establishes within the Department of the Interior the Lowell National Historical Park Commission to administer the preservation zone. Requires the Commission to file park preservation plans with the Secretary. Directs the Secretary to publish notice of the approval of park preservation plans in the Federal Register. Directs the Commission to make loans, grants, and technical assistance for the preservation, restoration, or development of specified park property. Provides for the acquisition and disposition of property by the Commission. Enumerates the powers of the Commission, including the holding of hearings, and provides for the staff of the Commission.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1978
Solar Energy Transition Act - Directs each Federal agency to use and encourage the use of solar energy technologies. Requires each agency to review the programs, projects, and policies it is administering and assess the feasibility of alternative approaches utilizing solar energy technologies. Directs the Secretary of Energy to develop guidelines and otherwise assist the Federal agencies in the review required by this Act. Establishes the National Solar Energy Advisory Council to advise the Secretary in the performance of his duties under this Act. Directs the Secretary to report to the President and Congress annually starting April 20, 1980 on the progress of the Federal Government and the nation in converting to solar energy.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1978
Amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 to authorize the Commissioner of the Administration on Aging to make grants to assist older persons adversely affected by a major disaster or emergency declared by the President in accordance with the Disaster Relief Act of 1974.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1978
Small Business Government Contracting Reform Act - Simplifies Government contracting procedures with respect to small businesses. Establishes Government contract arbitration panels within the Small Business Administration to facilitate the resolution of disputes between any small business concern and any Federal agency having procurement authority. Directs Federal agencies to take the apparent low responsive bidder's small business concern subcontracting plan into account in determining the responsibility of such bidder for the award of such contract. Assigns an employee of the Small Business Administration to each Federal agency to monitor compliance with specified small business programs. Establishes the Small Business Procurement Advisory Committee.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 1978
Amends the Education of the Handicapped Act to: (1) change the formula for determining maximum State entitlement for the education of handicapped children under such Act; and (2) provide an alternative procedure for meeting the eligibility requirements for such entitlement in a State whose laws prohibit the general supervision required under such Act.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 1978
Expresses the condemnation by the Congress of the March 11, 1978, attack on Israel by the Palestine Liberation Organization, and the expressed intention of the PLO to continue such attacks and to disrupt the peace efforts between Israel and Egypt. Requests the President to make the disapproval of the Congress known to governments approving the PLO attack. Expresses Congressional approval of the peace efforts between Israel and Egypt. Urges other Middle East countries to join such efforts. Declares negotiation to be the best way to bring peace to the Middle East.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 1978
Solar Global Marketing Survey Act - Directs the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, to conduct a global market survey to determine which foreign countries might serve as markets for solar energy equipment manufactured in the United States. Requires such survey be computed by September 1, 1980. Limits the amount which may be authorized to carry out the provisions of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 1978
Solar Energy Bank Act - Creates a Government corporation to be known as the Solar Energy Development Bank to make long-term, low-interest loans to encourage the use of solar energy in commercial and residential dwellings. Establishes procedures governing the processing and approval of loan applications by the Bank. Prohibits conflicts of interest, on the part of officers or employees of the Bank. Prohibits the Bank or its employees from utilizing the Solar Bank to finance political activities. Imposes criminal penalties for the furnishing of false or misleading information by applicants for loans under this Act. Declares that the Solar Bank and its assets shall be exempt by Federal, State, and local taxation. Establishes a Solar Energy Fund in the Treasury of the United States to pay the expenses of the Bank. Authorizes the appropriation of $5,000,000,000 to the Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 1978
Title I: Small Business Act Amendments - Empowers the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to make loans to assist any small business concern in financing plant construction and equipment acquisition for the production, installation, or maintenance of solar energy equipment or other energy conservation equipment. Permits the Administration to make grants to non-profit organizations for the establishment of training seminars that teach small business concerns methods of design, installation, and maintenance of solar energy equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 1978
Foreign Mission Solar Energy Demonstration Act - Requires the Secretary of State to demonstrate solar energy and other renewable energy technologies by using such energy sources in Foreign Service buildings located abroad. Directs the Secretary to consult with the Secretary of Energy concerning the most viable techniques adaptable to the local resources and environmental conditions of the host country. Requires the Secretary of State to insure that projects under this Act are demonstrated to, and are available for inspection by, officials and other citizens of the host country. Directs the Secretary to give priority to projects in less developed countries.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 1978
Declares it the sense of Congress that the United States should encourage the United Nations to hold a World Alternate Energy Conference to consider alternate ways to meet the world's energy needs and to establish an International Alternate Energy Commission to encourage worldwide use of alternate energy sources.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 1978
Declares it the sense of Congress that coffee containers used for the retail distribution of coffee should be labeled with the percentage of coffee contained which was purchased from Uganda.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 1978
Drug Benefits for the Aged Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish: (1) a Drug Benefit Program for the Aged to pay for prescription drugs from participating pharmacies; (2) a Drug Benefits List; (3) a Drug Benefits Council to advise the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare on matters relating to this Act; and (4) penalties for abuses of the benefits program.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 1978
Visual Artists' Residual Rights Act - Establishes the National Commission on the Visual Arts. Requires the seller of a work of visual art, sold in interstate or foreign commerce, for $1,000 or more, to pay five percent of the sale price to the Commission. Requires such seller to file with the Commission a statement describing the work sold, and stating the amount of money and the fair market value of property taken in payment. Sets forth civil penalties for failure to make the payments or file the reports required by this Act. Entitles the artist of such work to certain payments by the Commission. Establishes in the Treasury a visual arts fund.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 1978
Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to make grants to health maintenance organizations for the construction of ambulatory services to be used by such organizations for the provision of health services to their members in medically underserved areas. Authorizes the Secretary to make loans for the same purpose to such organizations in areas which are not medically underserved. Amends Title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to set forth new regulations governing the payment of the cost of medical services incurred by a member of a health maintenance organization. Amends Title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to permit reimbursement to States for payments made to health maintenance organizations in cases where such payments would have previously been prohibited because of the eligibility of a significant percentage of the members of such an organization for medicare payments when it is determined that the health needs of the population affected are best served by such organization.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 1978
Authorizes the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to make grants for research and development of new methods of research, experimentation, and testing which minimize the use of and the pain inflicted upon, live animals. Authorizes appropriations to carry out the purposes of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 1978
Delays for six months the effective date of the increase in the hospital deductible for 1978 under the hospital insurance program of Title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 1978
Elephant Protection Act - Prohibits the import, export, possession, transport, or sale of any elephant product. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to administer this Act. Authorizes the Secretary to issue permits for acts herein prohibited for scientific purposes. Establishes civil and criminal penalties for violation of this Act. Establishes rewards for persons providing information regarding violations of this Act. Requires the Secretaries of the Interior, Treasury, and the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to enforce this Act, and to promulgate regulations for such enforcement. Permits citizens suits to enforce this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 1978
Amends Title XX (Grants to States for Services) of the Social Security Act to increase the ceiling imposed upon payments for services under such Title for the fiscal years 1979, 1980, 1981 and maintains the 1981 level for succeeding years.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1978
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exclude from admission into, and provides for the deportation from, the United States of any alien who engaged or assisted in, or incited or directed others to engage in, the persecution of others on the basis of religion, race, or national origin under the direction of the Nazi government of Germany between March 23, 1933, and May 8, 1945.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 1978
SS Life Act - Directs the Secretary of the Navy to transfer to LIFE International for 15 years the hospital ship U.S.S. Sanctuary (AH-17) to furnish health care to developing nations. Renames such ship the "SS LIFE". Authorizes the appropriation of $6,000,000 for fiscal year 1979 for modification of such ship and for maintenance and operation $494,000 for fiscal year 1979, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1980, $4,000,000 for fiscal year 1981, $3,000,000 for fiscal year 1982, $2,000,000 for fiscal year 1983, and $1,000,000 for fiscal year 1984.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 1978
Middle Income Student Assistance Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a $250 minimum basic educational opportunity grant for college students whose adjusted family income does not exceed $25,000. Sets forth new guidelines for determining the assets of independent students for purposes of eligibility for basic educational opportunity grants. Revises certain provisions regarding Federal payments to reduce student loan interest costs under such Act including raising the maximum allowable adjusted family income requirement to $40,000.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 1978
Amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 to direct the Commissioner on Aging to establish a special grant program to enable States to establish community long-term care initiatives designed to assess the needs of chronically ill or disabled older persons for services and to assist in the efficient operation of a comprehensive and coordinated system for the delivery of services to older persons. Authorizes the Commissioner to permit certain agencies to apply for, and if qualified, reserve grants to develop such community long-term care initiatives. Authorizes grants made under this Act to cover up to 90 percent of the cost of a program established pursuant to this Act. Permits adversely affected grant applicants to obtain judicial review. Establishes guidelines for each agency to follow in establishing programs. Requires each administering agency to submit an annual report to the Commissioner.
United States · United States Congress · 16 February 1978
Permits the Governor of any State with jurisdiction to establish a disaster area Recovery Planning Council to contract the performance of Council functions to any Federal agency, State agency, or private nonprofit organization receiving Federal funds, which has economic development functions.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 1978
Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to invalidate agreements preventing the broadcast of a professional sports game, by means of television, at the same time and in the same area in which the game is to be played if all tickets to such game have been sold 72 hours before gametime. Repeals this amendment effective February 1, 1981.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 1978
Title I: Establishment of Park - Establishes, in the city of Lowell, Massachusetts, the Lowell National Cultural Park, consisting of a preservation zone and an intensive use zone, to preserve sites and structures through implementation of the plan of the Lowell Historic Canal District Commission. Title II: Role of the Secretary - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to submit a park management plan to Congress. Provides for consultation with the Lowell city manager and the Lowell National Cultural Park Commission, established by this Act, in setting preservation, restoration, and use standards. Sets requirements for acquisition of property within the preservation zone. Directs the Secretary to provide technical assistance in preservation, restoration, and other use of park properties. Permits withholding of park management plan funds by the Secretary if the city of Lowell fails to meet specified criteria. Title III: Role of the Commission - Establishes within the Department of the Interior the Lowell National Cultural Park Commission to administer the preservation zone. Requires the Commission to submit management plans and an index of Federal Register and other potentially significant historic cultural or architectural properties. Directs the Commission to make loans, grants, and technical assistance for the preservation, restoration, or development of the park. Provides for the acquisition and disposition of property by the Commission. Enumerates the powers of the Commission, including the holding of hearings, and provides for the staff of the Commission.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 1978
Requires the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to install telecommunication devices to enable deaf persons and persons with speech impairments to engage in toll-free communications with Members of Congress. Authorizes appropriations to carry out this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 1978
Directs that United States attorneys be appointed and subject to removal by the Attorney General rather than the President. Eliminates set terms for United States attorneys.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 1978
Small Business Government Contracting Reform Act - Simplifies Government contracting procedures with respect to small businesses. Establishes Government contract arbitration panels within the Small Business Administration to facilitate the resolution of disputes between any small business concern and any Federal agency having procurement authority. Directs Federal agencies to take the apparent low responsive bidder's small business concern subcontracting plan into account in determining the responsibility of such bidder for the award of such contract. Assigns an employee of the Small Business Administration to each Federal agency to monitor compliance with specified small business programs. Establishes the Small Business Procurement Advisory Committee.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 1978
Amends Title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to authorize payment under the supplementary medical insurance program for foot care involving the cutting and removal of corns, warts, and calluses and the trimming of club nails.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 1978
Authorizes the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution to acquire the Museum of African Art. Establishes a Commission for the Museum of African Art to assist the Board in the operation and development of the Museum. Authorizes appropriations to carry out the purposes of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 1978
Amends Title II (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code to reduce tax rates below the level established by the Social Security Amendments of 1977 on employment income for both employers and employees and on self-employment income. Increases Federal contributions to the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund, the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund, and the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund established under Title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act by 50 percent. Increases the ceiling on the amount of income that is subject to social security taxation to $100,000 in 1979.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1978
Veterans' and Survivors' Pension Improvement Act - Title I: Amendments to Pension Program for Non-service-connected Disability or Death - Revises the list of specified catagories of payments excluded from the determination of annual income for benefit payment purposes. Requires persons applying for a non-service-connected disability pension to report the income and estate of each spouse and child on account of whom added pension is applied for or received. Sets increased flat pension and aid-and-attendance allowance rates, reduced by the amount of a veteran's annual income, and in specified instances, by the amount of a spouse's or child's income which is reasonably available to or for such veteran. Sets increased flat benefit rates, with similar reductions, for the surviving spouses and children of such veterans. Requires annual adjustments in such pension and benefit rates in conjunction with cost-of-living increases in Social Security benefits. Title II: Miscellaneous Provisions and Effective Dates - Sets the effective dates for provisions of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1978
Federal Disclosure and Accountability Act - Prohibits any Federal employee from coercing any individual for the purpose of interfering with the right of such individual to disclose any illegal or otherwise improper Government action to the Review Board on Improper Government Actions, established by this Act and from taking any adverse personnel action against such individual who is a Federal employee in retaliation for such disclosure. Requires the Board to investigate any such disclosure and, in the event further investigation or action is warranted, to notify the person, the head of the agency in which such person is employed, and, if appropriate, the Attorney General and/or the Comptroller General.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1978
Small Business Contracting Equity Act - Amends the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act to require the payment of interest on contract payments which are overdue under Federal contracts with small business.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1978
Constitutional Amendment - Provides that the District of Columbia be treated as a State for purposes of representation in the Congress, election of the President and Vice President, and Article V of the Constitution of the United States. Repeals the provisions of the twenty-third amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 1978
Establishes an 11-member Commission on the Humane Treatment of Animals to study the treatment of animals. Requires that the membership include zoologists, veterinarians, and representatives from humane societies. Requires the Commission to determine if animals are caused needless pain or suffering as a result of their treatment on farms and in laboratory experimentation. Requires Commission investigation into domestic pet growth rates and the effectiveness of existing laws regarding the treatment of animals. Excludes the study of the treatment of animals occurring in connection with the exercise of any religion. Directs the Commission to report its findings to the Congress and the Commission 60 days after it submits its final report. Authorizes appropriations of $750,000 per year to carry out the provisions of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1978
Corrections Construction and Program Development Act - Title I: Findings and Declaration of Purpose - States Congressional findings with regard to State and local corrections and declares the purpose of this Act to be to provide additional resources to State and local governments to upgrade correctional facilities and programs. Title II: Supplemental Grant Program under Part E of Crime Control Act - Authorizes the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration to make supplemental grants to States submitting approved applications for correctional facility grants under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1978
Authorizes the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to make grants for research and development of new methods of research, experimentation, and testing which minimize the use of and the pain inflicted upon, live animals. Authorizes appropriations to carry out the purposes of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 1977
Human Resources Development Act - Directs the President or his delegate to carry out, through grants to, or contracts with private and public nonprofit institutions, a program consisting of projects which either (1) involve labor-management cooperation for the improvement of productivity and quality of work life, innovation in a major feature of employment, increased worker participation in decisionmaking, or profit sharing or (2) are designed to establish the efficacy of policies and practices maintaining normal employment levels during periods of cyclical downturns in demand through reassignment of workers to training and other specified types of programs. Directs the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and the National Center for Productivity and Quality of Working Life to assist in carrying out such program.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 1977
Federal Reserve Board Selection Reform Act - Amends the Federal Reserve Act to allow the President to appoint an individual to serve on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors whom he intends to designate as chairman and who is from the same Federal Reserve district as a current member of such Board.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 1977
Veterans' Educational Equity Act - Provides for payment of a supplemental tuition allowance to each qualified veteran upon application to the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs. Extends the delimiting period for completing a veteran's education program for up to two years if at the close of the ordinary ten-year delimiting period the veteran is enrolled in a program.
![Official portrait of Rep. Drinan, Robert F. [D-MA-4]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/d000499_200.jpg)