United States · United States Congress · 16 November 1983
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should instruct the U.S. delegation to the United Nations to introduce before the U.N. General Assembly a resolution calling for the withdrawal of Syrian and Syrian-controlled forces from Lebanon in order to facilitate the return of peace to the country.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 1983
Condemns the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus for declaring itself an independent state of Cyprus and declares that such declaration should not be recognized by the United States and is inconsistent with U.S. policy.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 1983
Industrial Competitiveness Act - Title I: Council on Industrial Competitiveness - Establishes in the executive branch an independent agency to be known as the Council on Industrial Competitiveness. Sets forth the duties of the Council including the duty to: (1) collect and analyze information concerning current and future economic trends and market opportunities; (2) create forums where national leaders will identify national economic problems; (3) provide policy recommendations regarding specific issues concerning industrial strategies; and (4) evaluate existing government policies and business practices in terms of their competitive impact. Sets forth the membership and powers of the Council. Requires the Council to report to Congress and the President, within one year of enactment of this title, recommendations for changes in Federal policy necessary to implement effective industrial strategies. Requires the Council to report annually to the President, Congress, and the Bank for Industrial Competitiveness on the major industrial development priorities of the United States and the policies needed to meet such priorities. Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Bank for Industrial Competitiveness - Subtitle A: Bank for Industrial Competitiveness - Establishes the Bank for Industrial Competititveness which shall be an agency of the United States. Sets forth the powers of the Bank and the qualifications for members of the board of directors. Authorizes the Bank to provide financial assistance to: (1) businesses in mature or linkage industries which require revitalization and modernization in order to be competitive in a world market; and (2) businesses in emerging industries which require financial assistance to develop and market new products or technologies. Limits the amount of aid for each project to 30 percent of the funding necessary to carry out the project. Sets forth the requirements for applications for such assistance. Sets forth the terms and conditions for financial assistance from the Bank. Terminates the authority of the Bank to make loans, issue loan guarantees, and purchase capital stock of applicants ten years after the effective date of this title. Sets forth the amount of capital stock the Bank shall have. Authorizes the Bank to issue obligations to provide sufficient funds to carry out the Bank's purposes and to renew, refund or pay other obligations. Limits the amount of the Bank's outstanding obligations to five times the paid-in capital of the Bank. Prohibits any of the loans made, guaranteed, or committed to be guaranteed under this title from being eligible for purchase by, or commitment to purchase by, or sale or issuance to, any Federal agency or government-owned entity. Exempts obligations of the Bank from taxation. Authorizes the Bank to enter into appropriate agreements respecting obligations of the Bank. Sets forth provisions dealing with moneys of the Bank. Exempts from taxation all property of the Bank except for the Bank's real property. Authorizes the Bank to inspect all documents of an applicant relating to the applicant's financial affairs and to all facilities and properties of the applicant. Requires the Bank to submit an annual report to the President and Congress. Terminates the Bank 30 years after the effective date of this title. Subtitle B: Secondary Markets for Industrial Mortgages - Authorizes the Bank to purchase and to make commitments to purchase industrial mortgages from any qualified financial institution. Authorizes the Bank to set priorities regarding the types of industrial mortgages to be purchased. Sets forth conditions which such mortgages must meet. Prohibits an industrial mortgage from being purchased unless specified conditions are met. Authorizes the Bank to set aside mortgages held by it and to issue and sell securities based upon the set aside mortgages. Subtitle C: Investment in Public Industrial Development Banks - Authorizes the Bank to invest in the stock of public industrial development finance institutions established at the State, local, or regional levels. Requires that the Bank be given, in return for its investment, one or more seats on the Board of Directors of the public development bank in which it invests. Prohibits the Bank from contracting with institutions that offer no reasonable prospect of return. Sets forth conditions for participation by the Bank in public industrial development banks. Subtitle D: General Provisions - Authorizes appropriations beginning in FY 1985.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 1983
Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should return to Cuba those Cuban nationals from the 1980 Mariel boatlift who are excludable because of criminal activity.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 1983
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the United States congratulates Argentina on its successful conduct of democratic elections; and (2) commends the Argentine military in promoting the succession to power of the new civilian government of Argentina.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 1983
Missing Children's Assistance Act of 1983 - Amends the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 to require the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to establish and maintain a national toll-free telephone line for reporting information regarding the location of missing children. Directs the Administrator to establish a national resource center and clearinghouse to: (1) provide technical assistance to State and local governments and agencies in locating missing children; (2) coordinate public and private efforts to recover missing children; and (3) disseminate information on innovative missing childrens' programs, services, and legislation. Requires the Administrator to publish an annual summary of research on missing children and prepare a comprehensive plan for coordinating activities of all agencies and organizations responsible for missing children. Authorizes the Administrator, in consultation with the Advisory Board on Missing Children, to make grants for research or demonstration or service programs designed to: (1) educate parents and community agencies on ways to prevent the abduction of children; (2) assist in the recovery or tracking of missing children; (3) aid communities in collecting material to assist parents in the identification of their children; (4) demonstrate the psychological consequences of a child's abduction; and (5) collect data on investigative practices utilized by law enforcement agencies. Requires the Administrator to appoint an Advisory Board on Missing Children to assist the Administrator in coordinating programs and activities relating to missing children. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1984 through 1988.
United States · United States Congress · 2 November 1983
Retirement Equity Act of 1983 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Internal Revenue Code to lower from age 25 to age 21 the age limitation for minimum participation and vesting standards for pension plans. Prohibits certain defined benefit plans from requiring, as a condition for plan participation, that employees complete period of service extending beyond the earlier of age 25 or the vesting expectation date. Lowers from age 22 to age 18 the age limitation for the computation of periods of service. States that years of service may be disregarded when computing periods of service for participation or vesting purposes if breaks in service during such a period amounted to five or more one-year breaks. Treats breaks in service due to pregnancy, birth, or adoption of a child as completed hours of service according to a specified formula. Accords such treatment only in the year of the pregnancy, birth or adoption, and only to participants who would incur a one-year break in service without such treatment. Requires pension plans which provide life annuity benefits to pay such benefits in the form of a qualified joint and survivor annuity. Requires that each pension plan participant have the option of electing, waiving, or revoking the joint and survivor annuity form of benefit. Conditions the efficacy of such election upon: (1) the written consent of a participant's spouse; (2) a written acknowledgement by a participant's spouse of the effect of such election; and (3) an official witnessing of such spousal consent by a plan representative or notary public. Limits such consent to the signatory spouse. Requires pension plans to furnish participants with written explanations of the terms and rights of election regarding joint and survivor annuities. Prohibits joint and survivor annuity payments from being less than the actuarial equivalent of payments made if the annuitant had lived to the earliest date of retirement or had separated from service on the date of death. Requires the surviving spouse's consent for any distribution of nonforfeitable benefits exceeding $3,500. Requires such benefits to be paid according to the surviving spouse's written requests. States that plans subject to funding requirements must provide benefits payable in the form of an annuity. Exempts qualified domestic relations orders from the Act's proscriptions against alienation and assignment of pension plan benefits. Sets procedural guidelines for the payment of such benefits to an alternate payee under such orders. Prohibits alternative payees from receiving any portion of any increase in a participant's accrued benefits if such increases occur after payments to such payees have begun. Declares that alternate payees under domestic relations orders are not considered to be, by virtue of such orders, participants or beneficiaries under the pension plan. Increases from $1,750 to $3,500 the allowable mandatory distribution from a retirement plan. Requires notification to participants that certain benefits may be forfeitable if the participant dies before a certain date. Sets December 31, 1984 as the effective date of this Act for existing plans. Provides transitional dates and certain effective dates for plans maintained under collective bargaining agreements.
United States · United States Congress · 1 November 1983
Designates November 12, 1983, as Anti-Defamation League Day in honor of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Anti-Defamation League of the B'nai B'rith.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 1983
Commission on Civil Rights Resolution - Establishes within the legislative branch an eight member Commission on Civil Rights (Commission). Provides rules of procedure for Commission hearings. Requires the Commission to: (1) investigate allegations of citizens' being denied their right to vote by reason of their color, religion, sex, age, handicap or national origin; (2) study and collect information concerning discrimination or a denial of equal protection; (3) appraise Federal laws and policy with respect to discrimination and the denial of equal protection; and (4) serve as a national clearinghouse for such information. Prohibits the Commission from investigating any membership practice or internal operation of any fraternal organization, college or university fraternity or sorority, private club or religious organization. Prohibits the Commission from collecting or studying information with respect to abortion. Directs the Commission to appraise the laws and policies of the Federal Government with respect to denials of equal protection involving Americans who are members of eastern - and southern - European ethic groups.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 1983
States that the War Powers Resolution became operative on October 25, 1983, for purposes of determining the termination date for the presence of U.S. armed forces in Grenada.
United States · United States Congress · 25 October 1983
States that the Congress: (1) supports the initiatives taken by the Contadora group and the resulting agreement by Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua to the Document of Objectives which sets forth a framework for negotiating a peaceful settlement to the conflict in Central America; (2) encourages the United Nations and other international agencies to assist in bringing peace to the region; and (3) believes that the United States should provide support in reaching agreements which will ensure a peaceful solution to the Central American conflicts.
United States · United States Congress · 19 October 1983
Requires the Attorney General of the United States, the Federal Trade Commission, and all other appropriate Federal agencies and officials to enforce the antitrust laws, including the prohibition against vertical price restraints. Directs such officials and agencies to cease propounding arguments in court designed to weaken such prohibition, and to submit to Congress proposed legislation to make any desired changes in such prohibition.
United States · United States Congress · 18 October 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that tax-exempt interest on securities held by the taxpayer before the date of the enactment of the Social Security Amendments of 1983 shall not be taken into account in determining the amount of social security benefits subject to tax.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 1983
Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require drug labels to disclose active and inactive ingredients. (Under current law, generally only active ingredients are required to be disclosed.)
United States · United States Congress · 3 October 1983
States that Congress: (1) deplores the assassination of Benigno Aquino; and (2) expresses its condolences to his family and to all Filipinos. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) steps should be taken to achieve an independent investigation of the Aquino assassination and to bring to justice those responsible for his death; and (2) the President should not visit the Philippines until there has been an accounting of the assassination and until the President's security can be guaranteed. States that it should be U.S. policy to: (1) support fair elections to the National Assembly in May 1984; and (2) urge the Philippine Government to take steps to secure the full participation of the opposition parties in those elections, including the reconstitution of an impartial electoral commission and the restoration of freedom of the press. Urges the United States in conducting its relations with the Philippine Government to take into account the investigation and the fairness of the 1984 National Assembly elections.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce for calendar year 1984 the rates of aviation-related excise taxes on: (1) airline passengers; (2) seats, berths, etc.; (3) use of international travel facilities; (4) air cargo; (5) aviation fuel; and (6) gasoline. Continues such reduced rates for subsequent calendar years if the unobligated balance in the Airport and Airway Trust Fund is at least $2,300,000,000.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce for calendar years 1984 and 1985 the rates of aviation-related excise taxes on: (1) airline passengers; (2) seats, berths, etc.; (3) use of international travel facilities; (4) air cargo; (5) aviation fuel; and (6) gasoline.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 1983
Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to require that for purposes of printing in the Congressional Record, remarks of Members made on the floor or submitted for inclusion in the Record, including associated materials, shall be relevant to governmental matters. Exempts from such provision, remarks on the death of present or former Federal officials.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 1983
Amends the Drug Abuse Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Act to revise the authority of the Office of Drug Abuse Policy within the Office of the President. Allows the President to appoint the Vice President to be the Director. Requires Deputy Directors for Drug Abuse Prevention and for Drug Enforcement. Requires the Director to establish, plan, and coordinate Federal drug abuse functions. Directs the Director to make recommendations to the President and consult and assist State and local governments in order to implement such policies. Directs the Attorney General to notify the Director that a certain drug has a potential for abuse or should be transferred or removed from a schedule under the Controlled Substances Act. Requires the Director to submit an annual report to Congress on the activities conducted under this Act. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 1983
Land Remote Sensing Satellite Authorization Act of 1983 - Amends the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 to direct the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to plan and provide for the development, management, and operation of a civil land remote sensing satellite system using and advancing the developments in land remote sensing technology. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 1983
Declares that the President shall convene a domestic economic summit conference to address the economic situation created by projected large deficits. Requires that such conference convene within 45 days to develop and report to Congress a comprehensive plan to reduce the projected deficits in the United States budget.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 1983
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States should continue to: (1) give support to the efforts by the members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to secure a political resolution of the Kampuchean problem (and ensure the withdrawal of foreign forces and the restoration of Khmer self-determination); (2) urge other nations to support the ASEAN efforts in the United Nations; (3) urge other nations to cooperate with ASEAN in maintaining economic and diplomatic pressure on Vietnam to accept a peaceful settlement; (4) support international efforts through the United Nations Border Relief Operation to relieve the suffering of the Khmer refugees along the Thailand border; and (5) give humanitarian and political support to the non-Communist Khmer nationalist forces.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 1983
Prohibits the Secretary of Defense from transferring or consolidating a function, power, or duty of a military department on either a permanent or trial basis unless specifically authorized by law. Exempts transfers involving the reallocation of fewer than 200 personnel or $10,000,000 in any fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 1983
Multinational Force in Lebanon Resolution - Authorizes the President, for purposes of the War Powers Resolution, to continue the participation by U.S. armed forces in the Multinational Force in Lebanon, subject to specified conditions. States that such conditions will not preclude such protective measures as are necessary to ensure the safety of such Multinational Force in Lebanon. Requires the President to report to Congress, at least every six months, with respect to the situation in Lebanon. Requires specified information to be included in such reports. Declares the participation of the armed forces of other countries in the Multinational Force in Lebanon to be essential. States Congress' belief that U.S. policy should promote Israeli, Syrian, and Lebanese discussions aimed at the withdrawal of foreign troops from Lebanon and the establishment of conditions that will permit the Lebanese armed forces to carry out their responsibilities in the Beirut area. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States should discuss with members of the U.N. Security Council the establishment of a U.N. peacekeeping force to replace the Multinational Force in Lebanon. Requires an analysis of the implications of the response to such discussions to be included in the President's report to Congress. Provides that the continued participation of the U.S. armed forces in the Multinational Force in Lebanon shall be authorized for 18 months, unless the Congress extends it for a longer period. Requires such participation to terminate sooner upon the: (1) withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon, unless the President makes a specified certification to the Congress; or (2) assumption by the United Nations or Lebanon of the responsibilities of the Multinational Force in Lebanon; or (3) implementation of other effective security arrangements in the area. Provides that nothing in this resolution shall: (1) preclude the President from withdrawing U.S. armed forces participation in such Multinational Force in Lebanon if circumstances warrant it or Congress directs such a withdrawal; or (2) modify, limit, or supersede any provision of the War Powers Resolution or a specified part of the Lebanon Emergency Assistance Act of 1983 (relating to congressional authorization for the expansion in the number or role of U.S. armed forces in Lebanon).
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 1983
Korean Airlines Victims' Claims Act - Amends the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 to provide for the determination of the validity and amounts of outstanding claims against the Soviet Union for the loss of life and property of the 61 U.S. citizens who were onboard the Korean Air Lines airplane that was shot down on September 1, 1983. Directs the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission to receive and determine the validity and amounts of claims by survivors of the victims of the Korean Air Lines incident. Permits a claim to be considered only if the property right on which it is based was owned by U.S. nationals on the date of loss and only to the extent that the claim has been held by U.S. nationals continuously from the date that the loss occurred until the date of filing with the Commission. Directs the Commission to certify to each claimant the amount determined by the Commission to be the loss suffered by the claimant which is covered by this Act. Provides for consolidated awards if the claim, at the time of the award, is vested in persons other than the person by whom the original loss was sustained. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to establish in the Treasury the Claims Fund for the payment of unsatisfied claims of U.S. nationals against the Soviet Union. Directs the Commission to certify to the Secretary each award. Sets forth the manner of payment of the awards. Requires the Commission to complete its affairs in connection with settling claims within six months of the date for filing claims. Requires other departments to make available to the Commission certain records relating to the claims. Authorizes appropriations. Limits the percentage of an award that may be collected as a fee for services rendered on behalf of a claimant. Directs the Secretary of State to initiate negotiations to conclude an agreement with the Soviet Union which would provide for payment in full of all such awards.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 1983
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the transfer of ownership or management of any civil meteorological satellite system and associated ground system equipment to the private sector is not presently appropriate.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 1983
Amends the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act, 1930, to impress a trust on behalf of an unpaid seller or supplier on the inventories, commodities, or proceeds from the sale of such commodities held by a commission merchant, dealer, or broker. States that payment shall not be considered to have been made if the supplier, seller, or agent receives a payment instrument which is dishonored. Exempts cooperative association-member transactions from such provisions. States that an unpaid seller or supplier shall lose such trust benefits unless he or she: (1) gives written notice of intent to preserve such benefits to the commission dealer or agent; and (2) files such notice with the Secretary of Agriculture within specified times. Vests U.S. district courts with jurisdiction over actions to preserve a trust or to enforce a trust beneficiary's payment. Makes a failure to properly maintain a seller trust or violation of such Act.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 1983
Authorizes the Veterans Administration to furnish each veteran with a compensable service-connected disability such drugs and medicines as may be prescribed by any licensed physician for treatment of the service-connected disability.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 1983
States that the United States: (1) condemns the Soviet destruction of Korean Air Lines flight 7; (2) calls for an explanation from the Soviets; (3) extends its sympathies to the families who lost loved ones and supports their rights to obtain reparations from the Soviets; (4) calls on the Soviets to assist in the recovery of the remains of the victims; (5) calls for an international investigation by the International Civil Aviation Organization; (6) declares its intention to demand that the Soviets modify their air defense procedures to assure the safety of commercial airliners; (7) finds that this incident will make it difficult for the U.S. and other nations to accept the Soviets as responsible members of the international community; and (8) urges our allies and other nations to cooperate with specified demands on the Soviets.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 1983
Wine Equity Act of 1983 - Requires the President to direct the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to negotiate the harmonization of tariff and nontariff barriers on wine with each designated major trading country. Requires negotiations with designated major trading countries which do not export wine to the United States in order to eliminate all tariff and nontariff trade barriers of such countries to the importation of U.S. wine. Requires the President to impose tariff and nontariff trade barriers equal or substantially equivalent to the barriers applied by a designated major trading country if such country does not provide harmonization to U.S. produced-wine with 180 days of the country's designation as a designated major trading country. Provides for removing such U.S. tariff and nontariff barriers. Requires the USTR to report to specified congressional committees at the beginning and end of each negotiation. Requires the USTR to consult with such committees to identify further tariff and nontariff barriers to and potential markets for U.S. wine. Provides for assistance for the USTR from other Federal agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 1983
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States should not export nuclear reactor components for the nuclear power station at Tarapur, India, unless India provides stronger nuclear nonproliferation guarantees. Specifies what guarantees should be included.
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 1983
Interstate Compact - Grants congressional approval to the Southeast Interstate Compact on Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management, which provides for cooperation among the States of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia in the management of low-level radioactive waste on a continuing basis.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 1983
Urges the United States to support the Contadora initiative, calling for: (1) the cessation of arms shipments and the withdrawal of foreign military advisers from Central America; and (2) a guarantee that the territory of any Central American state will not be used as a base for aggression against any other such state. States that the United States should: (1) announce its willingness to pursue negotiations with Central American nations and to stop U.S. arms shipments; (2) offer technical assistance to the Contadora Group to verify any agreements; and (3) exert diplomatic efforts to persuade other involved governments to participate in the Contadora negotiations and to cease activities aimed at destablizing the existing Central American governments.
![Official portrait of Rep. Fascell, Dante B. [D-FL-19]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/f000041_200.jpg)