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United States · Official source
996 records where Rep. Ferraro, Geraldine A. [D-NY-9] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1984
Designates the week of April 23 through April 27, 1984, as National Student Leadership Week.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1984
Textile Fiber and Wool Products Identification Improvement Act - Amends the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act and the Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939 to require a textile fiber or wool product to be so labeled if it has been processed or manufactured in the United States. Requires the product, as well as the package in which it is contained, to be labeled as to country of origin. Requires catalog sales descriptions and other advertisements for textile and wool products to contain country of origin information. Requires that the identification label on imported textile fiber or wool products be affixed to the most conspicuous place on the inner side of the product. Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to exempt from the additional duty for failure to mark those articles exported to the country of origin.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1984
Pay Equity Resolution of 1984 - Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Justice should enforce the provisions of title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. States that the Office of Personnel Management should ensure the requirements made in the Pay Comparability Act of 1970 relating to equal pay for equal work within the Federal Government are met. States that Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs in the Department of Labor should ensure that government contractors and subcontractors comply with Executive Order Numbered 1111246 and do not engage in wage discrimination prohibited under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Declares that other Federal departments and agencies should take steps to determine whether wage discrimination exists in their work force or any of their programs.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 1984
Authorizes reduced postal rates during FY 1984 and 1985 for parcels of food, medicine, or clothing sent to Poland.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 1984
Designates the week beginning April 22, 1984, as National Dance Week.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1984
Federal Employee's Pay Equity Act of 1984 - Directs the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to study and report to the President and Congress on: (1) any Government practices of setting lower wage rates within the position classification system for jobs held predominantly by women than for jobs with comparable requirements held predominantly by men; (2) the discriminatory wage differentials resulting from such practices; and (3) appropriate measures for eliminating such practices and differentials, including the use of equitable job-evaluation techniques, along with a timetable for implementing such measures within two years. Requires such measures to be instituted according to such timetable. Requires OPM, beginning in 1986, to submit to the President and Congress an annual report on actions taken during the previous year and actions planned for the current year to carry out this Act. Directs each Federal agency responsible for submitting an equal employment opportunity plan under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include in each plan or update a review and identification of any discriminatory wage-setting practices and wage differentials with respect to its labor force and a plan to eliminate any such practices and differentials. Requires any agency which does not submit a plan or update within one year to amend its existing plan to include such information.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1984
Permits the Secretary of the Interior to acquire fee simple title to the McClintock House, Waterloo, New York, as part of the Women's Rights National Historical Park.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1984
States that the President should: (1) announce to the Soviet Union and other nuclear nations that the United States will suspend testing of nuclear weapons and challenge the Soviet Union to do the same; (2) express to the diplomatic community that U.S. policy is to cease testing such weapons and that such testing will be resumed if the Soviet Union proceeds with further underground testing of such weapons; (3) ensure that upon suspension of U.S. testing the United States will make use of existing technology and equipment to verify that nuclear explosions have ceased; and (4) initiate negotiations for a permanent U.S.-Soviet test ban treaty.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1984
Establishes in the House of Representatives the Congressional Child Care Center for the use of children of Members, officers, and employees of the House. States that the Committee on House Administration shall operate the Center. Directs the Chairman of such Committee to appoint a nonpartisan advisory board to make recommendations on management and operation of the Center, and to conduct semiannual reviews of such Center. Requires that operating expenses be recovered through child care fees. Establishes a revolving fund within the House contingent fund for the purpose of operating the Center.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 1983
Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act ("the Act") to provide for protection of aquifers which are the sole or principal source of drinking water for public water systems by establishing a program for protection of critical ground water recharge areas. Authorizes municipalities within a sole or principal source area to petition the Governor of the State to designate a part of such area as a "special protection area." Requires that the petition propose boundaries for the special protection area and make certain evaluations. Directs the Governor to approve or disapprove the petition, based on a consideration of specified criteria, within 180 days after receipt. Requires the Governor, upon approving the petition, to: (1) propose the boundaries of the special protection area; (2) designate or establish an entity to develop a comprehensive management plan; and (3) establish procedures for public participation in plan development, for plan review, approval, and adoption, and for assistance to municipalities and other public agencies for plan implementation. Directs the Governor to submit to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency approved petitions and summaries of actions taken with respect to petitions. Directs the Administrator, within 60 days after receipt, to approve or disapprove the petition on the basis of specified findings relating to the proposed boundaries and the planning entity's qualifications. Authorizes the Administrator, upon approving the petition, to make a 50 percent matching grant to the State for the costs of preparing the petition and developing the plan. Requires the plan to maintain the quality of the ground water recharged through the special protection area by maintenance, to the maximum extent possible, of the natural vegetative and hydrogeological conditions. Lists several requirements to be included in the plan. Directs the Governor to approve or disapprove the plan. Requires the Governor to submit an approved plan to the Administrator. Directs the Administrator, within 120 days after receipt, to approve the plan or to submit to the Governor the reasons for disapproving the plan. Allows the Governor to resubmit a plan. Authorizes the Administrator, upon approving the plan, to make a 50 percent matching grant to the State for the costs of implementing the plan. Prohibits such grant from exceeding $20,000,000. Authorizes appropriations: (1) for FY 1985 through 1987 for plan development; and (2) for FY 1986 through 1988 for matching grants for plan implementation. Allows a public water system which relies on a principal or sole source aquifer designated under specified provisions of the Act to bring an action in the appropriate U.S. district court against any person causing or contributing to the presence of any contaminant in such aquifer if such system is required to: (1) treat drinking water derived from the aquifer in order to comply with national drinking water regulations under the Act; or (2) obtain alternative water supplies. Authorizes the court to issue an order requiring such person to: (1) abate such contamination; and/or (2) reimburse all or part of the costs of compliance with national drinking water regulations and/or the costs of obtaining alternative drinking water supplies. Authorizes the court to award litigation costs to the prevailing party. Authorizes the Administrator (or any State with primary enforcement responsibility for public water systems under the Act) to issue an order requiring a person to provide adequate supplies of potable drinking water to the persons served by a public water system, if the Administrator (or such State) finds that: (1) such person has caused or contributed to the presence of any contaminant in any designated sole or principal source aquifer which supplies, or can reasonably be expected to supply, such public water system; and (2) the presence of such contaminant in such water system may adversely affect the health of persons unless such water is treated or alternative water supplies are provided. Permits any interested person to obtain judicial review of such an order issued by the Administrator (or the State) within 30 days after issuance of the order. Provides for civil penalties of not more than $5,000 per day of violation for violations of such orders.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 1983
High Technology Research and Scientific Education Act of 1983 - Title I - The Credit for Increasing Research Activities; ACRS for R&D Equipment - 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. Makes depreciation of research equipment eligible for the R&D credit. Eliminates the special three-year accelerated cost recovery system (ACRS) category for research equipment. Increases contract research expenses eligible for R&D credit purposes to 75 percent of the amount paid to others for research on the taxpayer's behalf. Provides that in-house and contract research expenses paid or incurred by a regular corporation will constitute qualified research expenses for R&D credit purposes. Provides that in the case of research being conducted in partnership form, the "in carrying on" test is applied at the partnership level, and the credit is apportioned among the partners in accordance with general partnership rules. Title II - Promotion of University Research and Scientific Education - Establishes a new income tax credit equal to 25 percent of payments to universities for basic research which exceed a fixed, maintenance-of-effort floor. Calculates the maintenance-of-effort floor as the greater of the annual average of university basic research payments over 1982-1983 or one percent of the average annual R&D budget over 1981-1983. Treats the portion of the university basic research payments which is not in excess of the maintenance-of-effort floor as contract research expenses eligible for purposes of computing the regular incremental R&D credit. Allows corporations an income tax deduction for contributions of scientific and technical property or services to an institution of higher education. Defines scientific property to mean computer software or other equipment used in a trade or business, which is donated for the direct education of students and faculty, for research and experimentation, or for research training in the United States in mathematics, the physical or biological sciences, engineering, or computer science. Sets forth a formula for determining the amount of the allowable deduction for contributions of scientific property or services. Limits the amount of such deduction to ten percent of taxable income computed without regard to specified deductions. 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. Specifies 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 · 18 November 1983
Prohibits providing Turkey with military assistance, military education and training assistance, arms sales credits, or arms sales guarantees until: (1) Turkey has withdrawn its recognition of the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus; (2) Turkey has taken all necessary steps to reverse the illegal declaration of an independent state in northern Cyprus; (3) negotiations for resolving the Cyprus conflict have resumed and significant progress has been made in settling the conflict; and (4) all Turkish military forces, in excess of those permitted by the 1959 Treaty of Alliance, are withdrawn from Cyprus.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 1983
Air Travel Compensation Act of 1983 - Amends the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to create a sole and exclusive right of action to recover commercial aviation accident compensation. Declares that the district courts of the United States shall have exclusive jurisdiction of actions brought under this Act. Entitles any person who recovers such compensation to recover reasonable costs, including expert witness and attorney fees. Requires domestic air carriers, airframe manufacturers, aircraft engine manufacturers, and air traffic control system suppliers to maintain financial protection as liability insurance for aircraft accidents. Requires the establishment of a Claims Payment Facility after an aircraft incident if: (1) the liability arising out of such incident exceeds the aggregate limit of liability; or (2) such incident is a terrorist aircraft incident. Finances such Facility by imposing a surcharge upon each passenger ticket and waybill for freight services after the occurrence of an incident.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 1983
Designates the second full week in March of each year as National Employ the Older Worker Week.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 1983
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 · 18 November 1983
Expresses the support of Congress with respect to the right of Soviet peace groups to freely express their views and to organize within the Soviet Union. Calls upon the Soviet Union to: (1) honor its obligations under the World Disarmament Campaign Resolution by allowing the flow of information on peace and disarmament; (2) cease its harassment of peace groups in its country; and (3) honor its obligations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Helsinki Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 1983
Directs the President to investigate and report to the Congress within 18 months concerning the living conditions and available assistance for El Salvadorans displaced inside and outside their country. Requires such investigation to report on the fate of El Salvadoran deportees. Requires the House and Senate Judiciary Committees to hold hearings within two years to consider appropriate U.S. steps to assure the personal safety and equitable distribution of assistance to such displaced El Salvadorans. Provides for a three-year moratorium on specified categories of El Salvadoran deportations.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 1983
Commission on the Ukraine Famine Act - Establishes a Commission to be known as the Commission on the Ukraine Famine which shall study the 1932-1933 Ukraine famine in order to: (1) expand the world's knowledge of the famine; and (2) provide the American public with a better understanding of the Soviet system. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 1983
Designates March 16 of each year as Freedom of Information Day.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 1983
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the American Broadcasting Company, the Department of State, and the U.S. Information Agency should work to have the television movie "The Day After" aired to the Soviet public.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 1983
Directs the Administrator of General Services to assign to the Secretary of the Interior for use as a public park or recreation area certain portions of the Montauk Air Force Station in East Hampton Township, Suffolk County, New York, that had previously been declared surplus Federal property. Requires the Secretary to convey the property within 30 days of such assignment to the town of East Hampton, New York, for public park or recreation uses.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 1983
Congressional Campaign Finance Reform Act of 1983 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a nonrefundable income tax credit for contributions to candidates for the office of U.S. Representative. Limits the amount of such credit to $100 for any one qualified candidate, and $200 for all qualified candidates. Requires that such contributions be verified in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary of the Treasury. Prohibits a candidate from misrepresenting his eligibility for office or the eligibility of a potential contributor for the tax credit. Requires the Secretary to report to the Congress on the use of such political tax credits not later than June 30 following each Federal election. Adds a new title to the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971: "Title V: Financing of General Election Campaigns for the House of Representatives." Sets forth requirements for the qualification of candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives to receive contributions eligible for the tax credit provided by this Act. Requires a candidate to certify to the Federal Election Commission that neither he nor his authorized committee will accept any contribution or make any campaign expenditure in excess of prescribed limits. Requires further that the candidate maintain a separate accounting of contributions which qualify for the income tax credit for political contributions provided by this Act and that the candidate provide any appropriate information to the Commission for purposes of auditing or examining campaign contributions. Requires the candidate to certify the receipt of a certain amount of threshold contributions. Limits to $20,000 the amount of personal funds (from the candidate or his immediate family) that a candidate may spend in an election. Waives spending limits for eligible candidates whose opponents have exceeded applicable expenditure limits or who have otherwise failed to meet the requirements of this Act. Requires independent expenditures in excess of $5,000 to be reported to the Commission and each candidate within specified time frames. Qualifies a candidate against whom more than $5,000 in independent expenditures have been made for premium postal rates. Requires the Commission to verify upon request the eligibility of a candidate under this Act to the Secretary. Requires the Commission to conduct an examination and audit of the campaign accounts of ten percent of the qualified candidates under this Act to determine compliance with the expenditure limitations and other requirements of this Act. Empowers the Commission to bring a civil suit in U.S. district court to enforce any requirement of this Act or recover any amounts resulting from an audit of campaign expenditures. Permits private citizens to file complaints with the Commission and initiate court actions. Authorizes appropriations. Includes within the definition of "contribution" for purposes of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 certain extensions of credit for advertising and broadcasting in excess of $1,000 for a period of more than 60 days. Limits to $90,000 (adjusted for inflation) in any calendar year the amount of contributions which candidates for U.S. Representative may accept from non-party multicandidate political committees. Specifies exceptions for candidates in general and special elections. Limits to $240,000 the expenditure amounts for such candidates. Permits candidates for the office of U.S. Representative to make expenditures independently of the campaign committee of his party in specified circumstances. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to provide candidates for the office of U.S. Representative with equal time in broadcast media to respond to the remarks of an opposing candidate.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 1983
Designates April 8 through 14, 1984, as Parkinson's Disease Awareness Week.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 1983
Designates March 1984 as National Eye Donor Month.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 1983
Designates the week beginning March 4, 1984, as Women's History Week.
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 · 16 November 1983
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the news media should voluntarily refrain from projecting election results before the polls close; and (2) the news media and industry, trade and professional organizations should voluntarily adopt guidelines to assure that exit interview data is not used to project election results before the polls close.
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 · 11 November 1983
Designates April 22, 1984, as Queen Isabella I Day.
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 · 8 November 1983
Child Support Enforcement Amendments of 1983 - Amends part D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity) of title IV of the Social Security Act to revise the purposes of such part to provide that assistance in obtaining support will be available under part D to all children (whether or not eligible for aid under the Aid to Families With Dependent Children program) for whom such assistance is requested. Requires a State, under part D, to have enacted laws establishing, embodying, or requiring the use of the following procedures to increase the effectiveness of its part D program: (1) procedures for the withholding from income of support amounts; (2) procedures assuring the State will improve the enforcement of support obligations; (3) procedures to collect support from a State tax refund; (4) procedures under which liens are imposed against real and personal property for amounts of past-due support owed by an absent parent; (5) procedures for establishing a child's paternity; (6) procedures requiring an individual to give security or post a bond to secure payment of past-due support if the individual is an absent parent who has demonstrated a pattern of not making payments; (7) procedures by which information regarding the amount of past-due support owed by an absent parent residing in the State will be made available to any consumer credit bureau organization upon the request of such organization, subject to certain conditions; and (8) procedures under which support payments will be made under part D through the State agency administering the State's income withholding system at the request of either parent, even though no arrearages are involved. Sets forth the procedures (referred to in clause one above) for the withholding from income of support payments. Provides that under such procedures: (1) amounts withheld must comply with the support order; (2) withholding must be initiated without application in the case of a child who is already receiving services under part D, and will be initiated with an application in the case of any other child; (3) withholding must be carried out in full compliance with all procedural due process requirements and must begin as soon as feasible; (4) withholding must be administered by a public agency (or a publicly accountable agency) designated by the State, and amounts withheld must be expeditiously distributed; (5) the State must provide advance notice to each individual who will have payments withheld and information as to how to contest the withholding; (6) State law must give priority to support collection over any other legal process against the same wages; (7) there will be withholding from all forms of income; (8) provisions must be made for terminating withholding; and (9) arrangements will be made with other States providing for reciprocal withholding. Requires, in addition, under such procedures that: (1) an employer withhold ordered payments (which shall include a fee to be paid to the employer) when provided with written notice; (2) an employer be held liable to the State for failure to withhold; and (3) a fine be imposed on any employer who refuses to employ or takes disciplinary action against any individual subject to wage withholding because of the existence of the withholding and additional obligations imposed on the employer. Requires a State's laws to require withholding whenever arrearages occur, even if an application for services under part D is not filed. Provides exemptions from the requirements of this paragraph, subject to the Secretary of Health and Human Services' continuing review, for States demonstrating that the enactment of any of this paragraph's requirements will not improve the State's support enforcement program. Authorizes a State to use the funds available under part D for automated management systems to facilitate the development and improvement of income withholding procedures. Requires a State, whenever a family for whom support payments have been collected and distributed under part D ceases to receive assistance under part A (Aid to Families With Dependent Children) of title IV, to: (1) continue collecting support for up to three months; and (2) continue collection and payment to the family (without requiring reapplication) at the end of the three-month period on the same basis as in the case of individuals not receiving assistance under part A. Repeals the current 12 percent incentive payment which is based on collections made on behalf of AFDC families. Provides, under the new incentive payment provisions, that the basis incentive payment will be four percent of the State's AFDC collections plus four percent of the State's non-AFDC collections. Provides that to the extent that AFDC or non-AFDC collections exceed the State's combined AFDC and non-AFDC administrative costs, higher incentives will be paid on a graduated scale of up to ten percent of AFDC and ten percent of non-AFDC collections. Provides that the amount of incentive payments to be made to a State for any fiscal year shall be estimated by the Secretary before the beginning of such year and that the Secretary shall make such payments for such year on a quarterly basis, with the payments being reduced or increased to compensate for any prior overpayments or underpayments. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants, in order to encourage and promote the development and use of more effective methods of enforcing support obligations under part D in cases where either the children on whose behalf the support is sought or their absent parents do not reside in the State where such cases are filed, to States proposing to undertake new or innovative methods of support collection in such cases. Authorizes appropriations for such grants. Requires: (1) review of a State's part D program at least once every three years; and (2) the operation by a State of a child support program (under part A) which is substantial compliance with the State's part D plan. Replaces current penalty provisions under part A with graduated penalties of two, three, and five percent in cases where a State's part D program does not meet applicable requirements. Amends part A (General Provisions) of title XI of the Social Security Act to require any demonstration project undertaken which assists in promoting the objectives of part D of title IV to: (1) be designed to improve the financial well-being of children, and prohibit modifications in the child support program which would have the effect of disadvantaging children in need of support; and (2) not result in increased costs to the Federal Government under part A of title IV. Provides, under part D, that amounts collected by a State as child support on behalf of a child for whom a public agency is making foster care maintenance payments under part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV: (1) shall be retained by the State to the extent necessary to reimburse it for foster care maintenance payments made; (2) shall be paid to the public agency responsible for supervising the placement of a child to the extent that amounts collected exceed foster care maintenance payments made with respect to the child but not amounts required by a court order to be paid on behalf of the child; and (3) shall be retained by the State if any portion of the amounts collected remains after making the payments required above, to the extent that such portion is necessary to reimburse the State for any foster care maintenance payments made for a child. Requires any balance to be paid to the State agency responsible for supervising child care placement. Requires a State, under part E, where appropriate, to take all steps to secure an assignment to the State of any rights to support on behalf of each child receiving foster care maintenance payments. Requires collection by a State of spousal support under part D. (Current law permits such collection.) Requires the Secretary's annual report under part D to include the payment status of all active child support cases in each State, with specific information concerning: (1) interstate cases; and (2) the number of cases in certain defined categories. Requires a State, under part D, to regularly publicize the availability of child support enforcement services, including a telephone number or address where further information can be obtained. Requires a State, as a condition of eligibility for Federal payments under part A or D of title IV, to establish a State Commission on Child Support to examine, investigate, and study the operation of the State's child support system so as to determine the extent to which the system has been successful in securing support and parental involvement for both AFDC and non-AFDC children. Requires a report from the Commission. Permits waivers of the requirement for a Commission in a State if the State already has its own commission, which is making satisfactory progress towards effective child support enforcement, or has in effect objective standards for child support obligations. Directs the Secretary to approve a request from the State of Wisconsin to waive any requirement of part A or D of title IV so as to permit modifications of such State's programs under parts A and D in order to enable such State to make an adequate test of its Child Support Initiative, provided certain conditions are met.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 1983
Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require a broadcast licensee to provide any person whose personal qualities are attacked during the presentation of views in a broadcast on a controversial issue of public importance with: (1) notification of the time, date, and identification of the broadcast; (2) a script or tape of the attack; and (3) an offer of a reasonable opportunity to respond over the licensee's facilities. Excludes from such requirement any attack: (1) on a foreign group or foreign public figure; (2) made by a legally qualified candidate for public office during the use of a broadcast station; (3) made by such a candidate on another such candidate; or (4) made on a bona fide news show. Requires any licensee which endorses or opposes any candidate in an editorial to transmit to the opposing candidates (in the case of an endorsing editorial) or to the candidate (in the case of an opposing editorial): (1) notification of the date and time of the editorial; (2) a script or tape of the editorial; and (3) an offer of a reasonable opportunity to respond over the licensee's facilities. Terminates the application of this Act on December 31, 1984. Suspends the personal attack rule and the political editorial rule of the Federal Communications Commission until after such date. Prohibits the Commission from repealing or modifying such rules after October 31, 1983, and before January 1, 1985. Voids any such action taken by the Commission after October 31, 1983, and before enactment of this Act. Allows the Commission to repeal or modify such rules beginning on January 1, 1985, provided that no repeal or modification shall become effective until 120 days of continuous session of Congress after it is published as final.
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 · 3 November 1983
Requires that local government emergency personnel (including police and firefighters) be notified at least 48 hours in advance of the shipment of high-level nuclear waste through local government jurisdictions.
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 · 2 November 1983
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Veterans Administration (VA) should develop a comprehensive policy for the study of post-traumatic stress disorder and establish a central office to advise VA personnel on setting up treatment programs.
United States · United States Congress · 1 November 1983
Amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 to direct the Commissioner of the Administration on Aging: (1) in making training and recruitment grants and contracts, to give special consideration to the recruitment and training of volunteers and persons employed in or preparing for employment in that part of the field of aging which relates to providing custodial and skilled care for older individuals who suffer from Alzheimer's disease and other neurological diseases; and (2) in making grants and contracts for demonstration projects to give special consideration for projects designed to meet the special needs of older individuals who suffer from Alzheimer's disease and other neurological diseases and projects designed to provide family respite services with respect to older individuals who suffer from Alzheimer's disease and other neurological diseases. Authorizes appropriations under such Act for FY 1985 for training, research, and discretionary projects and requires that a specified minimum amount be made available to carry out provisions relating to Alzheimer's disease and other neurological diseases.
United States · United States Congress · 1 November 1983
Amends veterans' hospitalization benefits to authorize the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to carry out a screening and treatment program for eligible veterans suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Permits the furnishing of hospital or nursing home care to afflicted veterans who are at least fifty years old.
United States · United States Congress · 1 November 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an income tax deduction for the home care expenses of individual taxpayers who maintain a household which includes a dependent of the taxpayer who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. Permits this deduction whether or not the taxpayer itemizes deductions.
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 · 31 October 1983
Designates the week beginning April 8, 1984, as National Hearing Impaired Awareness Week.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 1983
School Facilities Child Care Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to public agencies and private nonprofit organizations having the capacity to furnish school-age child care services in order to assist such agencies and organizations to establish and operate such services in public schools. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1985 through 1987. Sets forth information which must be included in applications by such agencies or organizations to the Secretary for such grants. Requires the Secretary, in approving the applications, to: (1) assure that there is an equitable distribution of approved applications; (2) give priority to applications from applicants in communities with the greatest need and a shortage of economic resources for such services; and (3) give consideration to applications from applicants who can illustrate an identifiable base of community support. Directs the Secretary to carry out a program of collecting data from recipients of assistance under this Act designed to provide a national needs assessment for child care services of school-age children in the United States. Requires the Secretary to report annually to specified congressional committees on activities under this Act together with a needs assessment of child care services for school-age children in each State. Requires the Secretary to operate a clearinghouse on school-age child care programs. Sets forth general administrative provisions with respect to carrying out this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 1983
Authorizes the President to present, on behalf of Congress, a gold medal to Lady Bird Johnson in recognition of her humanitarian efforts and contributions to the beautification of America. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to provide for the striking of such medal and bronze duplicates for sale to the public. Declares such medals to be national medals. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 20 October 1983
Congratulates Lech Walesa on winning the 1983 Nobel Peace Prize.
United States · United States Congress · 19 October 1983
Designates July 20, 1984, as National P.O.W./M.I.A. Recognition Day.
United States · United States Congress · 19 October 1983
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should appoint a special envoy to investigate and report on how the United States could assist Belfast, Dublin, London, and communities in Northern Ireland in arriving at a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Northern Ireland.
United States · United States Congress · 19 October 1983
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should appoint a special envoy to investigate and report on how the United States could assist Ireland, Great Britain, and communities in Northern Ireland in arriving at a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Northern Ireland.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 1983
Civil Liberties Act of 1983 - Title I: Recognition of Injustice and an Apology on Behalf of the Nation - States that the Congress accepts the findings of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians and recognizes that a grave injustice was done to both citizens and resident aliens of Japanese ancestry by the evacuation, relocation, and internment of civilians during World War II. Title II: United States Citizens of Japanese Ancestry and Resident Japanese Aliens - Requests the President to offer pardons of those convicted of violating laws during the internment period whose violation was based on a refusal to accept racially discriminatory treatment. Provides that Federal departments and agencies that review applications for restitution of positions, status, or entitlement lost during the internment period shall review such applications giving full consideration to the findings of the Commission. Establishes within the Treasury a Civil Liberties Public Education Fund. Authorizes appropriations for the Fund. Requires the Attorney General to pay $20,000 each from the Fund in compensation to surviving internees. Establishes a Board of Directors which shall be responsible for making disbursement from the Fund. Provides that disbursement from the Fund shall be used to: (1) sponsor research and public educational activities dealing with the internment; (2) fund studies of similar civil liberties abuses; (3) prepare and distribute hearings and findings of the Commission; and (4) promote the general welfare of the ethnic Japanese community in the United States. Title III: The Aleuts - Requires the Attorney General to identify, locate, and pay a sum of $5,000 each to surviving internees of Alaskan Aleut ancestry. Establishes within the Treasury the Aleutian Islands Education and Restoration Fund. Authorizes appropriations for the Fund. Provides for a Board of Directors to be responsible for making disbursements from the Fund. Authorizes disbursements for community and individual purposes that will be compensatory for the losses and injuries suffered as a result of the evacuation of the Aleuts. Directs the Army Corps of Engineers to rebuild and restore churches and buildings damaged or destroyed in the Aleutian Islands and clear away the military debris that remains there from the evacuation and relocation period. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey the island of Attu, Alaska, to the Aleut native corporation. Title IV: Miscellaneous Provisions - Provides that all documents, personal testimony, and other material collected by the Commission shall be deposited in the National Archives of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 1983
Amends title 11 (Bankruptcy) of the United States Code to make nondischargeable in a bankruptcy case any debts for a contribution to an employee benefit plan for the purpose of providing medical benefits to employees who because of age or disability terminate employment before the order for relief.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 1983
States that the United States, in negotiating an arms control agreement with the Soviet Union, should delay for six months the deployment of Pershing II and cruise missiles in Europe if the Soviet Union agrees to negotiate for specified mutual nondeployment and reductions of nuclear force missiles in Europe. Suggests that the United States and the Soviet Union should work with their respective allies to achieve a multilateral agreement on a reduction and a ban on nuclear weapon systems. Urges that the negotiations in Geneva on Soviet-American intermediate-range nuclear systems should be combined with the Strategic Arms Reduction negotiations with the objective of achieving a verifiable U.S.-Soviet freeze and reduction in the deployment of nuclear missiles and other delivery systems.