United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1983
Establishes a Commission on More Effective Government to study and recommend ways of promoting economy, efficiency, and improved service within the executive branch of Government. Directs the Commission to recommend methods to improve the relationship between Federal, State, and local governments. Directs the Commission to submit a final report to the Congress ten days after the Ninety-eighth Congress convenes. Terminates the Commission 90 days after such date. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1983
Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to state that a food intended for human consumption shall be deemed misbranded unless it is labeled to show the amount of sodium and potassium it contains when in excess of a certain number of milligrams. Permits the Secretary of Health and Human Services to exempt a food from such requirement by requiring the information to be prominently displayed near its place of display or sale. Exempts from such labeling requirements any manufacturer of such foods whose total annual sales are less than a specified amount.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1983
Reduces from 50 to 30 percent the degree of service-connected disability a veteran must have to be eligible for non-service- connected outpatient care from the Veterans' Administration.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1983
Establishes the Sunday after the first Monday in November in 1984, 1986, 1988, and 1990 as election day for Representatives and Senators to the Congress. Requires electors of the President and Vice President for 1984 and 1988 to be appointed on the Sunday after the first Monday in November. Specifies the hours during which polling places shall be opened for such presidential elections. Requires the Federal Election Commission to report to Congress and the President on the amendments made by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1983
Constitutional Amendment - Declares that equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1983
States that the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START) between the United States and the Soviet Union should: (1) pursue a complete halt to the nuclear arms race; (2) decide when and how to achieve a mutual verifiable freeze on the testing, production, and further deployment of nuclear warheads, missiles, and other delivery systems; (3) give special attention to destabilizing weapons; (4) pursue reductions through numerical ceilings and other means; (5) preserve present limitations on nuclear weapons; and (6) incorporate ongoing negotiations in Geneva on land-based intermediate-range nuclear missiles into the START negotiations. Requires that every effort be made to reach common positions with the NATO allies.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1983
States that the United States and the Soviet Union should: (1) pursue a complete halt to the nuclear arms race; (2) decide when and how to achieve a mutual and verifiable freeze on the testing, production, and further deployment of nuclear warheads, missiles, and other delivery systems; (3) give special attention to destabilizing weapons; and (4) proceeding from this freeze, pursue major, mutual, and verifiable reductions in nuclear warheads, missiles, and other delivery systems.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1983
States that the President should, at the earliest possible date: (1) request Senate consent to ratification of the Threshold Test Ban and Peaceful Nuclear Explosion Treaties; and (2) resume trilateral test ban treaty negotiations.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1983
Establishes in the House of Representatives the Select Committee on Hunger to conduct a continuing comprehensive study of the problems of hunger and malnutrition.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1983
Establishes in the House of Representatives the Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families to conduct a comprehensive study and review of the problems of children, youth, and families.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1983
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Constitution does not preclude periods of stillness and silence in public schools to be used at the discretion of the individual for prayer or introspection; and (2) individual religious conscience should not be violated or compromised in the establishment of any such period.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 1982
Disapproves the governing international fishery agreement between the United States and the Republic of Korea transmitted by the President to Congress on August 11, 1982. Terminates the existing agreement between such countries.
United States · United States Congress · 16 December 1982
Amends the Bretton Woods Agreement Act to require the U.S. Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund to oppose any credit drawing on the Fund by any country which practices apartheid.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1982
Federal Employees Health Benefits Reform Act of 1982 - Increases the amount of the Government's contribution for an employee enrolled in a employee health benefits plan from 60 to 75 percent of the average subscription charge for such plan. Increases the maximum Government contribution for an enrollee from 75 to 100 percent of such subscription charge. Requires payment of a Government differential equal to five percent of the average subscription charge, in addition to the Government's contribution, for any enrollee who is over 65 years of age and not entitled to medicare benefits. Excludes such differential in determining the amount to be paid by the enrollee. Permits the following persons to elect to continue coverage under a Federal employees' health benefits plan for a specified period: (1) an employee who is involuntarily separated from the civil service due to a reduction in force; (2) the spouse of an enrollee whose marriage is dissolved by divorce or annulment, if the enrollee was enrolled for self and family; (3) an individual who elects to receive the lump-sum credit for civil service retirement benefits; and (4) an individual 22 years of age or older whose enrollment was based on such individual's being an unmarried child who was incapable of self-support because of a mental or physical disability which existed and did not terminate before the individual attained the age of 22. Requires such persons who elect to continue coverage to pay into the Employees Health Benefits Fund an amount equal to the sum of employee and agency contributions paid for the same level of benefits. Allows such a person to: (1) change to a lower level of benefits; (2) change coverage within 60 days after a change in family status; and (3) transfer enrollment to another plan under conditions prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Provides a temporary extension of coverage to allow persons who elected not to continue coverage or whose continued coverage is terminated to convert to a nongroup contract providing health benefits. Allows annuitants whose annuity is less than the amount required to be withheld for enrollment in a health benefits plan to pay the amount of any deficiency required for enrollment. Requires contracts for employee organization plans and comprehensive medical plans to require carriers to reinsure with other participants. Requires the service benefit plan and the indemnity benefit plan to provide, in addition to all currently authorized benefits: (1) nervous and mental disorder benefits; and (2) alcoholism and substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation benefits. Prohibits the OPM from entering into a contract for any service benefit, indemnity benefit, or employee organization plan which does not provide for 50 outpatient visits and 60 inpatient days of nervous and mental disorder benefits and two 28-day alcoholism treatment and rehabilitation benefits. Requires any limits on nervous and mental disorder benefits to be exceeded on a case by case basis only to the extent that a peer review mechanism determines such treatment to be necessary. Requires 80 percent of such excessive benefit claims to be paid from the balance of one percent of all contributions to the Employees Health Benefits Fund remaining after the expenses of administering provisions governing Federal employees health benefit plans are paid. Prohibits the OPM from entering into a contract with a carrier for any health benefits plan which does not provide 95 percent of the benefits that such plan or the most similar plan provided during the preceding year, unless the carrier and the OPM mutually agree to waive such requirement. Directs the OPM to: (1) provide a three week period during which enrollees in health benefits plans may change or cancel their enrollments before any contract term in which the rates or benefits of a plan will change, a new plan will be offered, or an existing plan will be terminated; and (2) make available to such enrollees information on such plans at least four weeks before such open enrollment period. Prohibits the OPM from entering into a contract for a health benefits plan which excludes anyone because of nonactive employee status. Eliminates the requirement that the group of physicians under a group-practice prepayment plan include physicians representing at least three major medical specialties.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1982
Renewable Energy Incentive Act of 1982 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend for five years from 1985 to 1990 the investment tax credit for: (1) solar, wind, or geothermal property; (2) ocean thermal property; (3) qualified hydroelectric generating property; and (4) biomass property. Increases the energy percentage for solar, wind or geothermal property and ocean thermal property from 15 percent to 30 percent for FY 1983 through December 31, 1987. Reduces such percentage to 15 percent thereafter. Increases the energy percentage for qualified hydroelectric generating property from 11 percent to 15 percent. Increases the energy percentage for biomass property from ten percent to 15 percent. Sets forth special rules for certain long-term projects and biomass property.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1982
Reaffirms the commitment of Congress to locating and repatriating Americans unaccounted for in Southeast Asia. Expresses congressional appreciation to the Lao Government for its expressed willingness to help. Supports the President's actions to locate and return missing Americans. Urges the President to respond to the indicated willingness of the Lao Government to cooperate in this effort.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1982
Declares that it should be U.S. policy to: (1) support the people of Afghanistan in their struggle to be free from foreign domination; (2) provide the Afghans, upon request, with material assistance; and (3) pursue a negotiated settlement of the war in Afghanistan based on the total withdrawal of Soviet troops and the recognition of the right of the Afghans to choose their own destiny.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 1982
Comprehensive Victim and Witness Protection and Assistance Act of 1982 - Amends rule 32 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure to require that presentence reports contain: (1) information concerning any harm or loss suffered by the victim; (2) information that may aid the court in sentencing; (3) a statement of the circumstances of the commission of the offense; and (4) any prior criminal record of the defendant. Amends the Federal criminal code to establish as offenses "tampering with a witness or an informant" and "retaliating against a witness or an informant." Authorizes the Attorney General to initiate civil proceedings to restrain any harassment of a victim or witness. Authorizes a sentencing court to order the defendant to make restitution. Requires the court to state for the record the reasons for not ordering restitution. Prescribes a procedure for the issuance of restitution orders. Directs the Attorney General to develop Federal guidelines for the fair treatment of crime victims and witnesses. Requires the Attorney General to consider certain objectives in preparing the guidelines, including: (1) ensuring that victims receive prompt social and medical services; (2) giving victims and witnesses notice of important criminal justice proceedings and scheduling changes; (3) arranging for the prosecution to obtain the nonbinding views of victims of serious crimes during such stages as plea bargaining and pretrial release; (4) encouraging employers to continue to pay victims and witnesses for work absences to assist investigations and prosecutions; (5) training law enforcement personnel in victim assistance; and (6) informing victims or witnesses on legal steps for protection from intimidation. Directs the Attorney General to recommend to Congress any laws that are necessary to ensure that no Federal felon derives any profit from the sale of his or her story until any victim of the offense receives restitution. Amends the Bail Reform Act of 1966 to require as a condition of pretrial release that the defendant not commit certain offenses.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 1982
Urges the President and the Secretary of Defense to comply with the National Cemeteries Act of 1973 and arrange for the burial of an unknown soldier from the Vietnam era at Arlington National Cemetery.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 1982
Amends the Small Business Act to authorize the Small Business Administration to make loans to small businesses in areas of economic dislocation resulting from: (1) drastic fluctuation in the value of the currency; and (2) adjustments in the regulation of the monetary system of a country contiguous to the United States. Requires that such economic dislocation be of such magnitude that without the benefit of the loans under this Act a significant number of otherwise financially sound small businesses in those areas would become insolvent or would be unable to return quickly to their former level of operation. Limits each loan to a maximum of $100,000. Prohibits the use of loan proceeds to reduce other loans. Permits the deferral of loan repayment for one year.
United States · United States Congress · 9 September 1982
Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1983 - Title I: Congressional Operations - Congressional Operations Appropriation Act, 1983 - Appropriates funds for FY 1983 for the operations of the House of Representatives for the following: (1) mileage of Members; (2) House leadership offices; (3) salaries for officers and employees; (4) professional and clerical employees of standing committees; (5) studies and investigations by the Committee on Appropriations and studies by the Committee on the Budget; (6) Members' clerk hire; (7) contingent expenses; and (8) salaries and expenses of special and select committees. Makes permanent certain provisions of a previously approved resolution relating to positions on the Capitol Police Force. Makes appropriations for the following joint items: (1) contingent expenses of the Senate for the Joint Economic Committee and the Joint Committee on Printing; (2) contingent expenses of the House for the Joint Committee on Taxation; (3) the Office of the Attending Physician; (4) the Capitol Police for general expenses and the Capitol Police Board; (5) the education of congressional pages; (6) official mail costs; (7) salaries and expenses of the Capitol Guide Service; and (8) the preparation of required statements of appropriations. Appropriates funds for the following congressional offices: (1) the Office of Technology Assessment for salaries and expenses; (2) the Congressional Budget Office for salaries and expenses; (3) the Architect of the Capitol for salaries, contingent expenses, the Capitol buildings and grounds, House office buildings, and the Capitol power plant; (4) the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress for salaries and expenses; and (5) the Government Printing Office for congressional printing and binding. Title II: Other Agencies - Appropriates funds for the following congressional agencies: (1) the Botanic Garden for salaries and expenses; (2) the Library of Congress for salaries and expenses, including the Copyright Office, Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Collection and Distribution of Library Materials (Special Foreign Currency Program), and furniture and furnishings; (3) the Architect of the Capitol for Library buildings and grounds and the Congressional Cemetery; (4) the Copyright Royalty Tribunal for salaries and expenses; (5) the Government Printing Office for certain printing and binding, the Office of Superintendent of Documents, and the Government Printing Office revolving fund; and (6) the General Accounting Office for salaries and expenses. Sets forth uses and limitations regarding funds appropriated to the Library of Congress. Title III: General Provisions - Prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act for general maintenance and care of private vehicles. Prohibits the obligation of such funds beyond the current fiscal year unless expressly so provided. Makes permanent law the rates of compensation and certain official expenses provided under this Act. Limits the expenditure of such appropriations for procurement contracts to those contracts that are a matter of public record and available for public inspection. Decreases the number of specified government publications for distribution to the Library of Congress. Transfers the authority for international exchange of government publications from the Library of Congress, to the Superintendent of Documents for distribution to foreign governments as indicated by the Library of Congress. Restricts the publications which may be distributed to foreign governments. Requires that the costs for such distribution be chargeable to the department issuing such publications. Prohibits the use of any appropriated funds for Senators' official office expense accounts to pay more than actual travel costs within the home State of the Senator. Limits the pay increase for legislative, executive, or judicial branch employees or District of Columbia government employees whose salaries are equal to or greater than level V of the Executive Schedule.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 1982
Amends the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1982 to repeal provisions requiring the rounding down of monthly installments of civil service annuities at commencement and after each cost of living adjustment.
United States · United States Congress · 18 August 1982
Federal Seed Act Amendments of 1982 - Amends the Federal Seed Act regarding lawn and turf seed mixture labelling and importation. Eliminates provisions regarding "fine" and "coarse" mixture labels, and adulterated and unfit seed.
United States · United States Congress · 18 August 1982
Establishes the Commission on Capital Markets to evaluate the regulation of financial intermediaries by the Federal and State governments and the functioning of such intermediaries in the accumulation and allocation of capital within the U.S. economy. Requires the Commission, not later than one year after its initial meeting, to submit to Congress a report on the results of its evaluation. Terminates the Commission 90 days after the submission of its final report to Congress. Authorizes appropriations as necessary to carry out this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 12 August 1982
Competitive Shipping and Shipbuilding Act of 1982 - Requires that, by 1983, five percent of all bulk cargoes imported into or exported from the United States by water be carried on U.S.-flag ships. Requires yearly one percent increases until the percentage carried on U.S.-flag ships reaches 20 percent. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to prepare annual estimates of current and projected costs of U.S.-flag bulk ship operation and shipbuilding. Requires anyone engaged in importing or exporting bulk commodities in U.S. foreign commerce whose business volume exceeds $1,000,000 annually to report to the Secretary of Commerce on the percentage of such person's exports and imports carried on U.S.-flag ships. Requires that such importer or exporter use U.S.-flag ships for the percentage of shipping required under this Act or be subject to specified penalties. Sets forth procedures for the investigation and prosecution of violations of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 12 August 1982
States that the United States and the Soviet Union should: (1) pursue a complete halt to the nuclear arms race; (2) decide when and how to achieve a mutual and verifiable freeze on the testing, production, and further deployment of nuclear warheads, missiles, and other delivery systems; (3) give special attention to destabilizing weapons; and (4) proceeding from this freeze, pursue major, mutual, and verifiable reductions in nuclear warheads, missiles, and other delivery systems.
United States · United States Congress · 11 August 1982
Missing Children Act - Authorizes the Attorney General to collect and exchange information which would assist in the identification of unidentified deceased individuals and the location of missing persons, including missing children.
United States · United States Congress · 11 August 1982
Prohibits any executive agency from obligating, during the last two calendar months of FY 1983, 1984, or 1985, more than 20 percent of its total controllable budgetary resources, as defined by this Act, for such fiscal year. Authorizes the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to waive such spending limitation upon determining that it would seriously disrupt an agency program or operation, if the Director reports on such waiver to Congress before the agency violates such limitation. Requires the head of each agency to submit a report to the President and the Congress not later than 90 days after the close of each such fiscal year describing the department's or agency's compliance with this Act. Permits the Director to apportion annual appropriations and set aside reserves in a manner consistent with the purposes and requirements of this Act. Exempts reserves established to comply with a spending limitation under this Act from reporting requirements of the Impoundment Control Act of 1974.
United States · United States Congress · 11 August 1982
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to prohibit the termination of an individual's disability benefits on the grounds that the individual's disability has ceased or did not exist, unless the Secretary of Health and Human Services finds that: (1) there has been a medical improvement in the individual's impairment such that the individual is no longer disabled under the disability standards in effect at the time of the original disability determination; or (2) the original disability determination was clearly erroneous under the disability standards in effect at the time it was made. Makes such requirement inapplicable in the case of an individual who has demonstrated an ability to engage in substantial gainful activity. Provides that subsequent reviews of a disability determination following an initial review for purposes of determining the continuing eligibility of beneficiaries who become entitled in October 1982 and thereafter shall be at the discretion of the State agency or the Secretary, as appropriate. Requires that such individuals be notified when subsequent reviews of disability determinations are scheduled. Limits the number of reviews of disability determinations for purposes of continuing eligibility which the Secretary may conduct for individuals who become entitled to disability benefits before October 1982, but authorizes the Secretary to review, at his or her discretion, selected cases to the extent that such review will be cost-effective and that adequate personnel and time are available for such review. Permits a disability insurance beneficiary who has been found to be no longer entitled to disability benefits to elect to have such benefits continued until the disability determination has been affirmed or overturned on appeal or until the time for such an appeal has expired. Provides that benefits paid pursuant to such an election shall be considered overpayments if the decision after a hearing affirms the determination that the individual involved is no longer entitled to benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 11 August 1982
Balanced Monetary Policy Act of 1982 - Amends the Federal Reserve Act to require the Board of Governors and the Federal Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve System to establish yearly targets for long-term interest rates, and for money and credit aggregates. Requires the Board and the Federal Open Market Committee to take necessary actions to assure that such targets are achieved, on average, on an annual basis. Requires a written report to specified Congressional committees if such targets cannot or should not be achieved because of unfavorable economic conditions. Requires the Board of Governors to transmit specified information to Congress biannually. Requires the Board to announce publicly changes in objectives and plans at the time those changes are determined. Requires the President to state for the System's record the administration's position on each vote on monetary policy taken by the Board and by the Federal Open Market Committee.
![Official portrait of Rep. Fazio, Vic [D-CA-3]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/f000053_200.jpg)