United States · United States Congress · 20 March 1986
Effective Schools and Even Start Act - Requires each State receiving an allotment under a certain provision of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act of 1981 after enactment of this Act to use a specified portion of such allotment to: (1) plan for, and review proposed changes in, effective schools programs; (2) implement and support effective schools programs; (3) obtain technical assistance and consultant services with respect to effective schools programs from qualified nonprofit educational organizations; (4) design, develop, and publish educational materials on effective schools programs; (5) develop and implement data collection and analysis systems concerning effective schools programs; (6) promote State and local educational agency awareness of effective schools information; (7) conduct evaluations of effective schools programs; and/or (8) otherwise identify and disseminate information concerning exemplary effective schools programs. Requires the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to provide assistance in order to inform State educational agencies of the requirements of this Act and to help such agencies comply with such requirements. Requires the Secretary to make grants from specified funds appropriated pursuant to the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act of 1981 and the Adult Education Act to provide a program of adult literacy training which includes involving parents and children together in an effort to enhance the likelihood of educational achievement. Sets forth the elements to be included in such program. Defines an eligible program participant as a parent or child (aged three to seven) from a family: (1) that includes a parent who is eligible for participation in an adult basic education program under the Adult Education Act; and (2) that resides with a child (aged three to seven) in a certain type of school attendance area. Declares that any agency that operates an adult basic education program and serves an area which has an especially high concentration of children from low-income families is eligible to apply for a grant under the Even Start program. Sets forth the requirements for a grant application. Requires that two-thirds of the applications selected for final review shall be from urban areas and one-third shall be from rural areas. Provides for the creation of a review panel to make the final selection of grant recipients. Requires any State educational agency required to use funds for an effective school program to amend its application under a specified section of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act of 1981 to reflect the activities to be conducted with such funds. Requires such a State educational agency and an Even Start program applicant who has been selected to receive funding to enter into a program agreement with the Secretary. Sets forth the information to be included in such agreements. Requires the Secretary to analyze the effective schools programs conducted pursuant to this Act and report to the Congress on such programs by September 30, 1989. Requires the Secretary to provide for annual evaluations of the effectiveness of Even Start programs in providing specified services. Requires the results of the evaluations to be submitted to the national diffusion network for possible dissemination.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 1986
Telephone Decency Act of 1986 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit any obscene or indecent telephone communication for commercial purposes to any person in the District of Columbia or in interstate or foreign communication. (Current law prohibits such communication to any person without his or her consent or to any person under 18 years of age.)
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 1986
Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act - Requires States to provide by law for elections for Federal office: (1) absentee registration and absentee voting for uniformed services voters and overseas voters; and (2) the use of alternative write-in absentee ballots by overseas voters. Directs the President to designate the head of an executive department to have primary responsibility for the administrative functions of this Act, including: (1) prescribing an official postcard form containing a voter registration and an absentee ballot application; (2) prescribing an alternative write-in ballot for overseas voters; (3) prescribing forms and designs for balloting materials; (4) distributing election materials; and (5) reporting to the Congress in even-numbered years on its effectiveness. Provides for the distribution of official postcards. Sets forth recommendations to the States in carrying out provisions of this Act. Authorizes the use of the alternative write-in ballots in lieu of absentee ballots under specified circumstances. Directs the Postmaster to expedite the transport of election materials and declares such materials free of postage.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 1986
Infrastructure Protection Act of 1986 - Prohibits the receipts and disbursements of the Highway Trust Fund (for both the Federal aid highway program and the Mass Transit Account), the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, and the Inland Waterways Trust Fund which are allocable to the transportation-related operations of such Funds from being included in either the Federal budget as submitted by the President, or in the congressional budget. Exempts such Trust Funds from any general statutory budget limitation.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 1986
Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act of 1986 - Amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate regulations for asbestos hazard abatement in the schools. Directs the Administrator to develop a model accreditation plan for States to give accreditation to individuals who inspect, manage, abate, and analyze asbestos problems. Makes the use of accredited personnel a condition for receiving financial assistance under the Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Act of 1984. Requires each State Governor to establish administrative procedures for the certification of school asbestos inspection and abatement programs and for asbestos management plans, all to be carried forward by the local educational agency. Requires warning labels on any asbestos still in routine maintenance areas of a school building. Makes any local educational agency which fails to comply with this Act liable for civil penalties, including injunctive action. Requires the Administrator or appropriate Governor to investigate citizen complaints Authorizes the Administrator or the appropriate State Governor to take necessary response measures where asbestos in a school building may be hazardous and adequate local measures have not been taken. Sets forth the relationship of pollution liability insurance risk retention groups to State law, including securities law. Establishes the Asbestos Trust Fund in the Treasury to carry out the Asbestos Hazards Abatement Assistance Program. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1987 through 1990.
United States · United States Congress · 19 February 1986
Terrorist Firearms Prevention Act of 1986 - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit the manufacture and importation of any firearm that is not readily detectable as a firearm by standard airport security equipment and readily identifiable as a firearm. Exempts specified firearms from such manufacturing prohibition.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 1986
Amends rule XV of the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit the House from passing or adopting any bill or joint resolution making or authorizing appropriations of at least $1,000,000,000, or increasing or decreasing revenues by at least $1,000,000,000, except by a rollcall vote.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 1985
Rural Satellite Dish Owners Protection Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit encryption of any satellite cable programming for private viewing beginning 30 days after enactment of this Act, unless: (1) the encryption complies with Federal Communications Commission standards; (2) decryption devices are available for lease or purchase by all interested persons within 60 days after request at a reasonable price relative to manufacturing and distribution costs; and (3) monthly subscription fees for such programming do not exceed fees assessed to cable subscribers within the same vicinity. Provides for the civil enforcement of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 1985
Amends rule XV of the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit the House from passing or adopting any bill or joint resolution making appropriations or providing revenue except by a rollcall vote.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 1985
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to disallow an income tax deduction for any tobacco and tobacco product sale promotion expenses. Defines "tobacco and tobacco products" as any small cigarette, large cigarette, cigar, or smokeless tobacco product, including snuff and chewing tobacco.
United States · United States Congress · 6 November 1985
Social Security Trust Fund Protection Act of 1985 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to issue public debt obligations to the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund, Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund, Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund, Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund, Railroad Retirement Account, Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, and Department of Defense Military Retirement Fund for such terms and at such interest rates as will ensure a projected annual interest income to such funds equivalent to the income which would have been earned by those funds from public debt obligations which: (1) were redeemed on or after September 1, 1985, and on or before the date of the enactment of this Act; and (2) would not have been redeemed had the public debt limit been raised pursuant to a specified resolution of the House of Representatives. Directs the Secretary to pay to the funds the interest which would have accrued to the funds but for such non-investments, redemptions, and disinvestments. Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to require the Managing Trustee of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance trust fund (OASDI trust funds) to submit an advance report to the Board of Trustees of such trust funds and to each House of the Congress of the effects on the OASDI trust funds of reaching the public debt limit. Authorizes the Managing Trustee to disinvest either trust fund only to the extent necessary to prevent a shortfall in amounts available for benefit payments. Restricts the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer specified tax revenues to the OASDI trust funds by requiring the Secretary to first determine that the balance in either trust fund would otherwise be insufficient to permit full payment of benefits for any month.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 1985
Declares that: (1) the people around the world desire a world free from the threat of war; (2) it is the hope of all citizens that the President and General Secretary Gorbachev will reach an arms control agreement which significantly cuts nuclear stockpiles and halts the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union; and (3) in order to express this hope, all citizens are invited to light candles from dusk to dawn on November 19 and 20, 1985, while the President and Gorbachev meet in summit.
United States · United States Congress · 31 October 1985
Fair Preference Act of 1985 - Amends the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 to provide that to be considered available and therefore qualified for cargo preference, a vessel must be: (1) less than 15 years of age or able to provide full commercial insurability; (2) available for loading within ten days of the specified loading date; (3) suitable, in terms of type, size, and ability to discharge cargo; and (4) able to be booked at a specified rate.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 1985
Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide that funds made available for family planning programs may only be used for programs: (1) in which there is not any element of coercion of individuals to practice family planning or to accept any particular method of contraception; (2) which include an accurate description of the effectiveness and risks of all major methods of family planning; and (3) which include an agreement to provide either other family planning methods if requested or referral to programs offering other methods as appropriate.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 1985
Designates 1986 as Save for the U.S.A. Year. Requests the President to initiate a nationwide campaign, to be known as the Buy Back America campaign, to encourage the people of the United States to buy U.S. savings bonds and certificates and thereby reduce borrowings from foreign sources. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to enhance the marketability of such bonds and certificates.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 1985
Fair Labor Standards Amendments of 1985 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to allow State, local, or interstate governmental agencies to provide compensatory time in lieu of overtime compensation. Requires that such compensatory time be one and one-half hours for each hour of employment for which overtime compensation is required. Allows such compensatory time only if it is a collective bargaining agreement, memorandum of understanding or other agreement or understanding entered into by the public agency and its employees or their recognized representatives before the work for which the compensatory time is to be provided. Limits the amount of such compensatory time which public employees may accrue to 180 hours, or 480 hours in the case of work which included a public safety activity, an emergency response activity, or a seasonal activity. Requires that public employees who have accrued such compensatory time and requested its use be permitted to use it within a reasonable period after making such request if its use does not unduly disrupt the operations of the public agency. Requires that, upon termination of employment, a public employee who has accrued such compensatory time be paid for unused compensatory time at a rate not less than the average rate received by such employee during the last three years of the employees' employment. Provides that, if a public agency had in effect on April 15, 1986, a pattern or practice of providing its employees compensatory time off in lieu of overtime compensation, that pattern or practice shall constitute an agreement or understanding which meets specified requirements. Provides that a collective bargaining agreement in effect on April 15, 1986, which permits overtime compensation in the form of compensatory time off at a rate of less than one and one-half hours for each hour of employment for which overtime compensation is required shall remain in effect until its expiration date unless otherwise modified, except that compensatory time shall be provided after April 14, 1986, at the one and one-half hour rate. Provides that States, local governments, and interstate governmental agencies shall not be liable for specified overtime and related paperwork violations which occur before April 15, 1986, with respect to employees who would not have been covered under the Secretary of Labor's special enforcement policy in effect on January 1, 1985. Permits States, local governments, or interstate governmental agencies to defer until August 1, 1986, the payment of overtime compensation for hours of employment after April 14, 1986. Adds provisions relating to special detail work for fire protection and law enforcement (including prison security) employees of State, local, or intergovernmental agencies. Provides that those hours on special detail work for a separate or independent employer shall be excluded by the public agency in the calculation of overtime compensation, if the employee agrees, solely at the employee's option, to perform such special detail work. Provides that an employee's hours of part-time employment with a public agency in a substantially different capacity from the employee's regular full-time employment with such agency shall be excluded from the calculation of overtime compensation, if such part-time employment is undertaken on an occasional and sporadic basis and solely at the employee's option. Directs the Secretary of Labor to issue, by March 15, 1986, regulations: (1) defining when employment is done on an occasional or sporadic basis; and (2) prescribing a standard for determining if employment is in a substantially different capacity than other employment. Permits employees of States, local governments, and interstate governmental agencies to volunteer to perform services for any other such agency, including one with which the employing agency has a mutual aid agreement. Adds provisions relating to substitution work by and for fire protection and law enforcement (including prison security) employees of State, local, and intergovernmental agencies. Provides that those hours of substitution during scheduled work hours for a fellow employee shall be excluded by the public agency in the calculation of the substituting employee's overtime compensation, if such employee agrees to perform such substitute work with the public agency's approval and solely at the employee's option. Provides that the employer may not be required to keep a record of the hours of such substitute work under certain overtime recordkeeping requirements. Revises the definition of "employee" to exclude any volunteer for a State, local, or interstate governmental agency who volunteers to perform such services without compensation or for a nominal fee, expenses, or reasonable benefits or for any combination of such fee, expenses, or benefits. Provides that employees of such agencies shall still be considered employees if they volunteer to perform the same type of service for those agencies for which they are employed. Directs the Secretary of Labor to issue, by March 15, 1986, regulations to define nominal fees and reasonable benefits. Provides that, if before April 15, 1986, a public agency's practice was to treat certain persons as volunteers then such persons shall be considered volunteers and not employees until April 15, 1986. Provides that no State, local government, or interstate governmental agency shall be liable for a violation of minimum wage requirements occurring before April 15, 1986, with respect to services performed for the public agency by any individual who performed such services as a volunteer. Revises the definition of "employee" to exclude from coverage under the Act State and local legislative employees who are not legislative library employees. Makes the amendments made by this Act effective on April 15, 1986, but authorizes the Secretary of Labor to promulgate before such date regulations to implement such amendments. Prohibits construing such amendments as affecting whether a State, local government, or interstate governmental agency is liable under penalty provisions of the Act for violations of minimum wage, overtime, or paperwork requirements occurring before April 15, 1986, with respect to any employee who would have been covered by by the Act under the Secretary of Labor's special enforcement policy in effect on January 1, 1985. Requires that a State, local government, or interstate governmental agency be held to have violated specified provisions if it discriminates or has discriminated against an employee with respect to wages or other terms or conditions of employment because on or after February 19, 1985, the employee asserted coverage under overtime provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 1985
Trade Partnership Act - Title I: International Trade - Directs the President to establish the Commission on Trade which shall: (1) evaluate existing U.S. trade laws and policies; (2) develop recommendations on monetary and fiscal policies for the United States and its chief trading partners; (3) evaluate the export financing practices of major trading partners and of international agencies; and (4) review existing trade agreements to assess their effect on U.S. long-term trading interests. Requires the Commission to report its findings and recommendations to the President and to the Congress. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should evaluate such findings and recommendations and take into account the results of an international monetary conference to determine the propriety of convening a summit conference on international trade in order to develop changes in international trade and monetary practices. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should call for an international monetary conference to develop: (1) options for reforming institutional mechanisms in order to decrease the disparity among, and to prevent dramatic fluctuations in the value of, the currencies of the major economic powers; and (2) means for reducing interest rates, promoting national and world economic growth, assuring price stability, and promoting higher levels of international trade. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should initiate multilateral trade negotiations under the auspices of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in order to: (1) resolve the issues not resolved in earlier negotiations; (2) develop multilateral disciplines in those areas where trade problems have emerged or are becoming more acute; (3) focus on improving the dispute settlement mechanisms of the GATT; (4) place a high priority on bringing developing countries into full participation in the international trading community; (5) ensure that all developed countries share equally the responsibility for advancing the economies of developing countries; and (6) increase efforts to bring countries now outside the GATT under accepted multilateral disciplines governing trade. Directs the President to begin negotiations immediately if Canada requests the negotiation of a trade agreement that provides for the elimination or reduction of any duty imposed by the United States. Directs the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to review the bilateral relationships between the United States and its major trading partners in order to determine those countries that offer the most potential for the establishment of free trade areas with the United States. Sets forth factors to be considered in making such review. Authorizes the President, during the year following enactment of this Act, to negotiate with Japan on a trade agreement under which the United States will permit the exportation to Japan of Alaskan petroleum and natural gas in return for substantial concessions by Japan regarding the importation into Japan of agricultural products, wood products, and other kinds of export products that are important to the United States. Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to transfer to the USTR specified functions relating to import relief that are currently performed by the President. Directs the President to review the USTR's determination on whether to provide import relief and what form such relief should take. Requires the President to complete such review within 15 days of receiving the USTR's determination. Directs the President to notify the Congress of the President's decision and of the USTR's determination. Directs the USTR to take action to implement the import relief which the USTR decided to provide if the President concurs in the USTR's decision. Directs the USTR to take action to implement the President's decision on import relief if it differs from the USTR's decision and no joint resolution disapproving the President's decision is enacted. Directs the USTR to order the implementation of the import relief recommended by the International Trade Commission if the decision of the President differs from the decision of the USTR and a joint resolution disapproving the President's decision is enacted. Authorizes interim relief after a petition for import relief is filed if the USTR determines that: (1) it is likely that the article is being imported in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof to the competing domestic industry; and (2) the absence of such interim relief would result in irreparable harm to the domestic industry. Authorizes emergency relief from imports of perishable products (other than perishable products from a beneficiary country under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act) after a petition for such relief is filed if the USTR, after consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, decides that: (1) there is a reasonable indication that the perishable product is being imported in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury, or threat thereof, to the competing domestic industry; and (2) emergency action is warranted. Directs the USTR, upon deciding to grant interim relief or emergency relief, to: (1) determine the method and extent of such relief; (2) notify the President of such decision; and (3) unless the President decides within 15 days that such relief is not in the national economic interest, order the Commissioner of Customs to impose such relief. Declares that such relief may consist of tariff increases or import limitations. Provides for the termination of such relief. Directs the USTR to order the Commissioner of Customs to implement actions necessary to enforce U.S. rights under any trade agreement if: (1) the President and the USTR agree on the appropriate action; or (2) the President differs with the USTR on the appropriate action but a joint resolution disapproving such action is not enacted. Reduces the number of days from 21 to 15 between the President's receipt of the USTR's recommendation of appropriate action and the President's decision on what action is appropriate. Requires the President to determine during such 15 day period if: (1) the President concurs in the USTR's recommendation; or (2) it is in the national economic interest not to take any action or to take action different from the action determined by the USTR. Requires the President to notify the Congress of such decision. Provides that if 90 days after the Congress receives notice of such decision no joint resolution is enacted disapproving it then such decision shall take effect. Reduces the amount of time the USTR may take to make a recommendation on a petition for enforcement of U.S. trade rights. Sets forth the actions the USTR may recommend to the President based on such petition. Directs the USTR to include in the annual report to the Congress on foreign barriers to market access an analysis and assessment of the overall reciprocity accorded U.S. products, services, and investment by each of the major trading partners of the United States and the impact on major U.S. product sectors of the failure to provide reciprocity. Requires specified congressional committees, within 90 days of receiving such report, after consultation with the USTR and conducting public hearings, to issue a joint report on: (1) the priorities for negotiations regarding reducing or eliminating trade barriers; and (2) the committees' recommendations on actions to enforce U.S. trade rights. Directs the Secretary of Labor to pay to private firms 80 percent of the cost of providing job training if the training is certified as trade readjustment training and if the trainees are not charged for the training. Extends the job training, job search, and job relocation allowance provisions of the trade adjustment assistance programs through October 1, 1987. Amends the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to set a one year deadline for the President to take action on the advice of the Secretary of Commerce on imports that are suspected of impairing national security. Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to reduce the time limit for decisions by the International Trade Commission on allegations of unfair practices in import trade from one year (18 months in more complicated cases) to eight months (ten months in more complicated cases). Declares that the USTR should expedite the issuance of notices requesting the negotiation of periodic adjustments to the bilateral limitations on shipments of textiles and apparel contained in the Multi-Fiber Arrangement. Directs the Commissioner of Customs to: (1) increase the number of inspectors, import specialists, and customs patrol officers in the Customs Service by at least 800; (2) implement the Automated Commercial System at all ports of entry; and (3) implement a program for detecting, investigating, and prosecuting patent and copyright infringement cases. Requires the Commissioner to report quarterly to specified congressional committees on the operation and effect of the patent and copyright infringement program. Imposes a penalty for multiple customs law offenders who import or attempt to import merchandise during the three years following the date of the third of the offenders' convictions. Title II: Protection of Patents and Transfer of Technology - Part A: Protection of Patents - Amends the patent laws to make it an infringement of patent to use, sell, or import into the United States without authority a product produced by a patented process. Places the burden of proof upon the party asserting that a product was not produced with the patented process in an infringement action where the court finds a substantial likelihood that the product was so produced and the claimant has exhausted all means of discovery. Part B: Transfer of Technology - Federal Laboratory Technology Utilization Act of 1985 - Authorizes Federal agencies to permit their laboratories to enter into cooperative research and development arrangements with other Federal, State, and local agencies, universities, industrial organizations, or other persons including licensees of inventions owned by the Federal agency or general partners of research and development limited partnerships. Permits such laboratories to exchange funds, services, and property with collaborators, grant such collaborators patent licenses or assignments, waive Federal ownership of inventions made by a collaborator, and negotiate licensing agreements for federally owned inventions. Sets forth a formula for the distribution of royalties or other income received by such laboratories from the licensing of cooperatively produced inventions to Federal agency employee inventors, the laboratories themselves, and the Treasury. Requires affected Federal agencies to report annually to the appropriate congressional committees on the income from and distribution of royalties. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to provide procedures, training, and advice to Federal laboratories on recognizing the commercial potential of new technologies and inventions. Requires the Secretary to report biannually to the President and the Congress on Federal agency participation in this program. Makes it the policy of the Government to encourage the commercialization of inventions by Federal or former Federal employees made by them during their Federal employment and exempts such efforts from otherwise applicable violations. Permits such an employee to retain title to an invention (subject to retention by the Government of a nonexclusive license) unless the agency intends to file a patent application itself in order to promote commercialization. Sets forth other permissible conditions on such an inventor's title. Part C: Protection of Proprietary Information - Exempts commercial and financial information that is proprietary or sensitive from the sunshine provisions applied to Federal agencies if the proprietor is notified of the request for release of the information and given 60 days to present arguments on why the information should be exempt. Title III: Export Promotion - Amends the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 to increase, from five percent to ten percent, the percentage of shares that: (1) a bank holding company may hold in an export trading company; and (2) an Edge Act corporation may hold in an export trading company from five to ten percent. Increases the amount of credit that a bank owning stock in a bank holding company with investments in an export trading company may extend to an export trading company. Amends the Export Trading Company Act of 1982 to direct the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank to try to insure that a "significant share" (currently a "major share") of any loan guarantees ultimately serves to promote exports from small, medium-size, and minority businesses or agricultural concerns. Requires the Board to report to the Congress on implementation of such requirement within one year of its effective date. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to develop a program consisting of mixed credit financing for exports to compensate for the effects of subsidized financing by U.S. trading partners. Declares that the Export-Import Bank should expand its promotion programs for small- and medium-sized banks. Amends the Federal Reserve Act to give Edge Act corporations the same discount and borrowing privileges as Federal Reserve banks. Repeals the limitation on bank investments in Edge Act corporations. Directs the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to require periodic reports from every corporation of the total amount of capital stocks and paid up surplus of the corporation, the name of any stockholder who holds more than ten percent of the shares of the stock of such corporation, and the share holdings of such stockholder. Directs the U.S. Executive Director of each of the multilateral development banks to promote procurement opportunities relating to the assistance provided by such banks in recipient countries for U.S. firms. Sets forth actions the Executive Directors should take with respect to such opportunities. Declares that the Secretary of Commerce should continue to assign one foreign commercial service officer to the office of the U.S. Executive Director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to assign such an officer on a part-time basis to each of the offices of the U.S. Executive Director of the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the African Development Bank. Requires the U.S. Ambassadors to those countries that are important trading partners of the United States to report annually to the President and to the Congress on their efforts to help U.S. industries in expanding export sales to, and improving their market positions in, such countries. Authorizes the seven Bell operating companies, effective September 1, 1986, to manufacture telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment in the United States if specified conditions are met. Title IV: Foreign Corrupt Practices - Business Accounting and Foreign Trade Simplification Act - Changes the name of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA) to the Business Practices and Records Act. Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require securities issuers to maintain an internal accounting system that provides reasonable assurance that specified accountability and accuracy goals are met. Prohibits imposing criminal liability for failing to maintain such an accounting system. Prohibits imposing civil injunctive relief with respect to: (1) an issuer who fails to maintain the required accounting system if the issuer tried in good faith to meet the requirements; or (2) any person other than an issuer in connection with an issuer's failure to comply with such requirements, unless such person knowingly caused the issuer to fail to comply. Prohibits anyone from knowingly circumventing such an accounting system for a purpose inconsistent with the accountability and accuracy goals of such system. Requires only good faith efforts at ensuring compliance by issuers who hold 50 percent or less of the equity of domestic or foreign firms. Transfers from the Securities and Exchange Commission to the Department of Justice jurisdiction to enforce the bribery prohibitions of the FCPA with respect to issuers. Revises the prohibition against domestic concerns using any means of interstate commerce to further payments to obtain business with a foreign official. States that such a payment made "directly or indirectly" to a foreign official is illegal. Prohibits such payments that are made to: (1) influence a foreign official's act or induce such an official to violate a legal duty; or (2) induce a foreign official to affect a foreign government's act. Prohibits domestic concerns from using interstate commerce to direct or authorize an agent to further such a payment to a foreign official. Exempts from such prohibitions: (1) payments to foreign officials to expedite or to secure the performance of routine governmental action; (2) payments to such officials that are lawful under the foreign country's laws; (3) payments which constitute tokens of regard or esteem; (4) expenditures associated with selling, purchasing, or demonstrating goods; or (5) ordinary expenditures associated with performing a contract with a foreign government. Revises the fines and criminal penalties for violations of such Act. Empowers the Attorney General to undertake all civil investigations necessary to enforce the Act. Prohibits prosecution of a domestic concern or specified agents of such concern for violating the Federal mail or wire fraud provisions by making a payment to a foreign official if the prosecution is based on the theory that the official, by receiving the payment, violated a duty to or defrauded the foreign government or the citizens of a foreign country. Authorizes the Attorney General to issue guidelines specifying: (1) permissible conduct associated with common types of export sales arrangements; and (2) precautionary procedures which would create a rebuttable presumption of compliance. Provides for the establishment of a Business Practices and Records Act Review Procedure to answer specific inquiries concerning enforcement of such Act. Requires the Attorney General to issue opinions regarding compliance. Makes such opinions final and binding on all parties if the opinion states that the conduct does not involve a violation. Directs the Attorney General to protect the confidentiality of materials submitted in the review procedure. Requires annual reports to the Congress by: (1) the Attorney General concerning actions taken pursuant to such Act; and (2) the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission concerning the reporting requirements. Title V: Related Tax Provisions - High Technology Research and Scientific Education Act of 1985 - Part A: The Credit for Increasing Research Activities - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax credit for research and development (R&D) expenditures. Modifies the definition of qualified research for purposes of the R&D credit to narrow the category of eligible activities for which the credit is allowable. Provides that in-house and contract research expenses paid or incurred by a regular corporation (not an S corporation, a personal holding company, or a service corporation) will constitute qualified research expenses for R&D credit purposes if the corporation undertakes the research with the intention to use the result thereof in the active conduct of a present or future trade or business. Provides that in the case of research being conducted in partnership form, research expenses will constitute qualified research expenses if they are incurred by the partnership in carrying on a trade or business as applied at the partnership level, and the credit is apportioned among the partners in accordance with general partnership rules. Provides exceptions to this general rule where: (1) there is a joint venture enterprise of regular corporations; or (2) not all of the members of the joint venture are regular corporations, but each member's own trade or business would satisfy the trade or business test with respect to the partnership's research expenditures. Provides that for these two exceptions the research expenses will flow through to the partners, with the trade or business test being applied at the partner level. Part B: Promotion of University Research and Scientific Investigation - Establishes a new income tax credit equal to 20 percent of that portion of a corporation's payments to universities (and other qualified non-profit tax-exempt organizations for basic research) which exceeds a fixed, historical "minimum university basic research" floor. Defines the "minimum university basic research" floor as one percent of the annual average of the corporate taxpayer's combined qualified in-house research expenses, contract research expenses, and university basic research payments for the base period composed of the period from 1981 through 1983. Provides that the amounts of research expenses which fall below the floor shall remain eligible for the present R&D credit and are included in the corporation's base period for purposes of calculating the present R&D credit. Treats the amounts which exceed the "minimum university basic research" floor as ineligible for the present R&D credit and excludes such amounts from the corporate taxpayer's base year research expenses for purposes of calculating the corporation's R&D credit under present law. Provides that a corporation's payments to universities for basic research that is eligible for the new tax credit shall be reduced to the extent that the corporation's general (i.e., not designated for research purposes) charitable giving to all universities falls below historical levels (the annual average of undesignated payments for three of the immediately preceding four years as selected by the taxpayer). Makes additions to the list of organizations to which corporate payments for basic research may be made and be eligible for the tax credit. Allows a corporation an income tax deduction for contributions of scientific or technical property to an institution of higher education. Defines scientific property to mean tangible personal property (including computer software) used in a trade or business, which is donated for the direct education of students or faculty, for research and experimentation, or for research training in the United States in mathematics, the physical, biological, or chemical sciences, engineering, or advanced computer sciences. Sets forth a formula for determining the amount of the allowable deduction for contributions of scientific property. Provides for an income tax exclusion for the scholarships, fellowship grants, student loan forgiveness, or stipends of a graduate student in mathematics, engineering, computer science, or the physical or biological sciences. Provides that such tax exclusion is not forfeited merely because the student is required, as a condition of the scholarship or fellowship, to perform future service in teaching or research.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 1985
Fair Export Financing Act of 1985 - Amends the Trade and Development Enhancement Act of 1983 to declare that one of the purposes of such Act is to establish a temporary tied aid credit program to combat the predatory concessional credit programs of foreign governments. Directs the President to negotiate limits on partially untied aid credit. Changes the U.S. negotiating objectives to include references to partially untied aid credits. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to establish within the Department of the Treasury a program of tied aid credits for U.S. exports. Requires the program to be carried out in cooperation with the Export-Import Bank or with private financial institutions or entities. (Currently the program is established within the Export-Import Bank and carried out in cooperation with the Agency for International Development (AID).) Sets forth financing methods that may be included in such program. Authorizes appropriations. Repeals the provision that established a tied aid credit program in AID. Requires the Secretary to seek the advice of the National Advisory Council on International Monetary and Financial Policies before approving financing under the tied aid credit program. Terminates the tied aid credit program on September 30, 1987. Limits judicial review of actions by the Chairman of the Export-Import Bank and by the Secretary. Changes the definition of "tied aid credit." Defines "partially untied aid credit." Deletes references to government-mixed credits and public-private cofinancing.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 1985
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to eliminate the second concurrent resolution on the budget and thus provide for annual adoption of a single concurrent resolution on the budget (budget resolution). Sets forth maximum Federal budget deficit amounts for each of fiscal years 1986 through 1991 providing for the incremental reduction of the deficit to zero by 1991. Requires Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) revenues and expenditures to be included in the calculation of such deficit amounts. Prohibits either House of Congress from considering or adopting a budget resolution or a revision thereof providing for budget outlays exceeding revenues by more than the prescribed maximum deficit amount. Requires the Congress to complete action on any reconciliation bill or resolution to: (1) an original budget resolution by June 15 of each year; or (2) a revised budget resolution within 30 days after the revision is adopted. Provides that no amendment that would increase specific budget outlays or reduce specific revenues set forth in a budget resolution or reconciliation bill shall be in order in the House or the Senate, unless such amendment provides for offsetting adjustments in other outlays and revenues to ensure that the deficit set forth in the budget resolution is not increased or exceeded. Requires each Senate and House committee to report its subdivisions of allocated budget outlays and new budget authority within ten days of session after the budget resolution is agreed to. Makes it out of order for the House or the Senate, after the Congress has completed action on the budget resolution for a fiscal year, to consider legislation that, if enacted, would: (1) provide for or require budget outlays or new budget authority in excess of the appropriate committee allocation reported in connection with such resolution, unless legislation is favorably reported by the Committee on Appropriations of the House involved with a certification that the appropriate committee will take actions necessary to assure that enactment of such legislation will not result in a deficit exceeding the maximum deficit amount applicable; or (2) provide for new budget authority or spending authority or reduce revenues so that the resulting deficit would exceed the level set forth in such budget resolution or the applicable maximum deficit amount. Permits a congressional committee to report alterations to its reported allocations of budget outlays and authority, provided that such alterations are consistent with any actions taken by its House on legislation within its jurisdiction. Requires the conference report on any legislation providing new budget authority or new or increased tax expenditures to disclose the information required to be disclosed in committee reports on such legislation. Requires the Federal budget transmitted to the Congress by the President each year, and revisions thereof, to set forth levels of outlays and revenues resulting in a deficit not in excess of the applicable maximum deficit amount. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Director of the Congressional Budget Office: (1) to estimate the levels of total revenues and budget levels for each fiscal year; (2) to estimate the rate of real economic growth during that year; (3) to determine whether the deficit for such year will exceed the applicable maximum deficit amount and whether such excess is statistically significant; and (4) to submit a report to the President and the Congress specifying the amount of any excess, whether it is statistically significant, the estimated rate of real economic growth for that year, and the percentages by which automatic spending increases (excluding increases in OASDI benefits) and relatively controllable expenditures shall be reduced during such year in order to eliminate such excess. Requires the President, upon receiving such a report which identifies a statistically significant excesss, to issue an order which eliminates one-half of such excess by suspending or uniformly reducing (not below zero) automatic spending increases under Federal law for such year, and which eliminates the other half by sequestering amounts of budget authority, obligation limitations, and loan limitations, and by adjusting Federal payments, to the extent necessary to reduce each relatively controllable expenditure by a uniform percentage. Directs the President to send a message to both Houses of Congress identifying: (1) the total amount and the percentage by which automatic spending increases are to be reduced; (2) the amount of budget authority, obligation limitations, and loan limitations to be sequestered and payments to be adjusted for all, and each, relatively controllable expenditure; and (3) the account, department, establishment, project, or function affected by such revision of expenditures. Prohibits such an order from eliminating any Federal program, project, or activity. Directs the President to issue such order: (1) within 14 days after receiving such report if the estimate for real economic growth for the fiscal year is zero or greater; or (2) within 30 days if the estimate for real economic growth is less than zero. Authorizes the President, during such 30-day period, to submit to the Congress a joint resolution to: (1) reduce the deficit to an amount not exceeding the applicable maximum deficit amount; or (2) suspend the requirements of this Act for such fiscal year. Permits the President's message to the Congress to include alternative ways to reduce the deficit to an amount not exceeding the maximum deficit amount. Permits the Committee on the Budget of the House or the Senate, within ten days after the President has issued such an order, to report a joint resolution superseding such order. Makes it out of order for the House or the Senate to consider or agree to any such resolution which, if enacted, would cause the fiscal year deficit to exceed the deficit set forth in the budget resolution most recently agreed to, or the applicable maximum deficit amount. Sets forth House and Senate procedures for consideration of such a resolution. Amends the Social Security Act to provide that OASDI revenues and expenditures shall be excluded from the Federal budget transmitted by the President to the Congress and from the congressional budget, and shall be exempt from general budget limitations imposed on Federal expenditures and net lending. Prohibits any law enacted after enactment of this Act from providing for payments between the Treasury and the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund or the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund. Changes the date by which the President must submit to the Congress a supplemental summary of the budget for a fiscal year from July 16 to September 16. Waives specified provisions of this Act in any fiscal year for which a declaration of war has been enacted.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 1985
Contract Savings Act of 1985 - Amends the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act to require the procurement of property and services from the private sector when the costs are lower than those of providing such property and services by the Federal Government. Requires the Administrator of General Services to prescribe regulations for such cost comparisons. Makes greater reliance on private sector sources a part of Federal procurement policy.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 1985
Establishes the Disability Advisory Council (the Council), whose members shall be appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to conduct studies and make recommendations regarding the medical and vocational aspects of disability under titles II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) and XVI (Supplemental Security Income) of the Social Security Act. Provides that in addition to the above duties of the Council, the Secretary shall appoint a special panel to conduct studies with respect to the so-called "notch problem" for determining primary insurance amounts under title II of the Act. Requires the special panel to report its findings and recommendations to the Council. Requires the Council to report to the Secretary, and such report to be sent to the Congress and to the Board of Trustees of the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund. Terminates the Council following submission of its report.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 1985
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to permit a State to exclude from coverage service performed by election officials or election workers if the remuneration paid for such service: (1) is less than $100 in a calendar year; or (2) is less than $100 in a calendar quarter.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 1985
Eliminates the requirement that individuals who are owner-employees with pension or profit-sharing plans (Keogh plans) must file a specified informational return (form 5500-c) in order to comply with certain provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe a simplified information return.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 1985
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish a base amount of $16,000 for purposes of determining the taxable amount of social security benefits in the case of married individuals filing separate income tax returns. (Present law sets such base amount at zero.)
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 1985
Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to exempt from overtime and minimum wage coverage under such Act, State, local, or interstate public agency employees. Provides that no State, local, or interstate public agency shall be liable under penalty provisions of such Act for violations of minimum wage or overtime requirements occurring before the date of enactment of this Act with respect to any employee of such public agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 1985
Prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from changing reimbursement levels or methodologies for home health services under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act prior to the later of: (1) October 1, 1986; or (2) any freeze period beginning after June 30, 1985, and before October 1, 1986.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 1985
Law Enforcement Officers Protection Act of 1985 - Amends the Federal criminal code to define "armor-piercing ammunition." Excludes from the definition: (1) shotgun shot composed in order to comply with Federal or State law; (2) frangible projectiles for target shooting; (3) ammunition containing frangible projectiles; and (4) any ammunition or projectiles which the Secretary of the Treasury determines are primarily intended for sporting purposes. Makes it unlawful for any person to manufacture or import armor-piercing ammunition. Allows: (1) the manufacture or importation of armor-piercing ammunition for the use of the United States or any State or local government; (2) manufacture for the sole purpose of exportation; or (3) manufacture or importation for the purposes of testing and experimentation authorized by the Secretary. Establishes a licensing fee of $1,000 per year for manufacturers and importers of armor piercing ammunition. Authorizes the Secretary to revoke a license from a dealer for violating this Act. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to promulgate regulations allowing for special marking on armor-piercing communication and packaging. Establishes an additional mandatory sentence for any person who during and in relation to the commission of a violent crime carries a firearm and is in possession of armor-piercing ammunition capable of being fired by such firearm.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 1985
Conrail Public Sale Act of 1985 - Title I: Amendments to the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 and the Northeast Rail Service Act of 1981 - Amends the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 to terminate the authority of the United States Railway Association (the Association) to purchase certain Conrail stock. Releases any Conrail director from liability for implementing in good faith the sale of the Federal interest in Conrail common stock . Directs the Secretary of Transportation to execute and deliver Purchase Agreements on behalf of the United States no later than ten days following the date of enactment of this Act. Prescribes guidelines for: (1) the sale of Conrail; (2) the cancellation of Conrail debt and preferred stock; (3) public interest covenants; and (4) accounting determinations. Makes Conrail responsible for funding all labor protection benefits after the closing date, and absolves the United States from any liability for such benefits after that date. Title II: Technical and Conforming Amendments and Repeals - Defines "Purchasers" to mean the investor group organized by Morgan Stanley and Company, Inc., to purchase the Federal interest in Conrail common stock as identified in the Shareholders Agreement. Defines "Shareholders' Agreement" as the agreement among the Purchasers, Conrail, and Morgan Stanley and Company, Inc. in the form filed with the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. Title III: Revenue Provisions - Provides guidelines for the tax treatment of Conrail after the closing date. Specifies the earnings and profits which Conrail shall be deemed to have accumulated as of the closing date. Closes the Conrail taxable year upon the closing date. Title IV: Miscellaneous Provisions - Retains the common carrier status of Conrail after the sale. Provides that purchase of Conrail stock shall not be the sole basis of a determination that a purchaser has become a common carrier by railroad under Federal law.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 1985
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to enter into an agreement with any physician owing a past-due obligation because of a breach of contract by the physician under the National Health Service Corps Scholarship program. Requires the agreement to provide that: (1) deductions will be made from amounts owed the physician under the Medicare or Medicaid (title XIX of the Act) program until the past-due obligation has been repaid; (2) Medicare payments for services provided by such physician shall only be made on the basis of an assignment; and (3) if the physician does not provide services for which payment may be made under Medicare or Medicaid or if the physician breaches any provision of the agreement then the Attorney General shall sue the physician to recover the amount owed and the physician shall be barred from Medicare and Medicaid participation until the obligation has been repaid. Prohibits barring a physician if such physician is the sole community physician. Requires a State's Medicaid program to make such deductions from amounts otherwise payable. Provides, under the Public Health Service Act, for the collection of such past-due amounts through Medicare and Medicaid deductions.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 1985
Home Employment Enterprise Act - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to permit individuals to engage in industrial homework (including sewing, knitting, jewelry, or craftmaking) or perform any service in or about their place of residence as employees of any employer covered by such Act if the employer complies with minimum wage and maximum hours requirements under such Act.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 1985
Relieves a named individual of liability to the United States for a specified sum representing overpayment to that individual resulting from administrative error. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to pay to that individual any sum withheld from, or paid by, that individual with respect to the overpayment.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 1985
Designates the period of October 1, 1985, through September 30, 1986, as the time to reflect on the achievements of the Peace Corps during its 25 years and on ways such programs might be used in the future. Authorizes and requests the President to proclaim this period as a time to honor Peace Corps volunteers and reaffirm the Nation's commitment to such programs.
![Official portrait of Rep. Fawell, Harris W. [R-IL-13]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/7663b8ba61b7443f47452bfc59ff1299_200.jpg)