United States · United States Congress · 15 March 1989
Directs the Bureau of Labor Statistics to collect and report, on a monthly basis, data concerning the number of jobless workers, categorized according to national, State, and metropolitan statistical area rates.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 1989
Research and Experimental Credit Extension and Reform Act of 1989 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the income tax credit for qualified research expenditures by repealing the provisions that would terminate the credit for expenses incurred or paid after 1989. Revises the method for computing: (1) base period research expenses, adding a factor reflecting the gross national product growth rate; and (2) the tax credit, adding an alternative computation component. Applies the credit to in-house research expenses that the taxpayer pays or incurs for the principal purpose of using the research results in the active conduct of a future trade or business.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 1989
Amends the National Labor Relations Act to make it an unfair labor practice for an employer to hire, or threaten to hire, permanent replacement workers during the first ten weeks of any strike (or to enter into agreements for such purposes).
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 1989
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit an additional standard deduction of $600 for a taxpayer or spouse who is deaf or who is a paraplegic, a quadriplegic, a hemiplegic, or an amputee.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 1989
Eliminates post-1968 service in the National Guard as a prerequisite to civil service retirement credit for former National Guard technicians. Amends the National Guard Technicians Act of 1968 to eliminate post-1968 service as a prerequisite for National Guard technicians for receipt of credit in the determination of length of Federal civil service for purposes of leave, Federal employees' death and disability compensation, group life and health insurance, severance pay, tenure, and status. Sets forth rules for applying provisions of this Act to affected individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 1989
Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits any law varying the compensation of Members of Congress from taking effect until an election of Representatives has intervened and the terms for the Representatives have begun.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 1989
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the number of refugees admitted into the United States and the related resettlement program appropriations should be increased; and (2) the Department of Justice should reestablish the presumption that Jews and other religious minorities emigrating from the Soviet Union qualify for refugee admission status.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 1989
Expresses disapproval of the refusal of the U.S.S.R. to recognize the sovereignty of the Baltic Republics. Designates June 14, 1989, as Baltic Freedom Day. Authorizes and requests the President to call upon the Soviet Union, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Democratic Republic of Germany to renounce the acquisition or absorption of the Baltic Republics by the Soviet Union as a result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 1989
Designates September 15, 1989, as National POW/MIA Recognition Day. Recognizes the National League of Families POW/MIA flag as the official symbol of the United States' commitment to resolving the fates of Americans still prisoner or missing in action in Southeast Asia.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 1989
Illegal Dumping Prevention Act of 1989 - Amends the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 to authorize the seizure and forfeiture of vessels illegally dumping wastes into ocean waters.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 1989
Designates April 16, 1989, the 87th birthday of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, as Education Day, U.S.A. Calls on heads of state of the world to join the President of the United States in this tribute by signing scrolls of honor commemorating the 40th anniversary of Schneerson's leadership of the Lubavitch movement. Welcomes the cooperation of the Department of State in extending the good office of the U.S. missions to the Lubavitcher emissaries.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 1989
Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Expansion Act of 1989 - Amends the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (the Act) to repeal the termination date for duty-free treatment of beneficiary countries. Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to grant duty-free treatment to articles (not over $600 in value) acquired in a beneficiary country. Increases from $800 to $1200 the personal exemption from customs duties of articles acquired in the U.S. insular possessions and from other countries. Amends the Act to require the United States Trade Representative (USTR), upon request of a beneficiary country, to enter into a bilateral agreement with that country establishing guaranteed access levels for textile products assembled in such country from qualifying fabrics (fabrics formed and cut in the United States and certain fabrics of foreign manufacture which are cut in the United States). Makes such products eligible for duty-free treatment. Provides that textile products that are assembled in a beneficiary country from qualifying fabric and incorporate findings and trimmings of foreign origin are eligible for guaranteed access and duty-free treatment if such findings and trimmings do not exceed 25 percent of the cost of the components of the assembled product. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish an advisory committee to provide to the Secretary descriptions of those fabrics that the committee recommends to be included on the list of fabrics likely to be utilized in the manufacture of textile products in beneficiary countries which: (1) are not formed in the United States; or (2) are formed in the United States but are in critical shortage. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the USTR, when negotiating bilateral textile agreements, should seek to obtain greater fairness, transparency, and stability in the administration by foreign countries of their obligations under such agreements, especially in the allocation of export certifications between U.S. and foreign firms. Sets forth provisions concerning "general duty-free quotas" and "national duty-free quotas" with respect to specified articles imported from beneficiary countries. Provides that duty-free treatment provided under the Act shall not apply to: (1) textile and apparel articles; (2) certain leather articles; (3) canned tuna; (4) petroleum and petroleum products; and (5) watches and watch parts. Requires the President to submit a specified report to the Congress every three years. Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States with respect to the allocation of quotas on sugars imported from beneficiary countries. Prohibits the USTR, in allocating any limitation on such imports, from: (1) reducing the percentage allocation made to the Philippines; (2) making an allocation to the Republic of South Africa; and (3) allowing the aggregate of the amounts of the base quota allocations to Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) countries for any quota year beginning after December 31, 1988, to be less than 371,449 metric tons, raw value. Requires any allocation for any quota of imported sugar from specified foreign countries for any year to be reallocated on a pro-rata basis among the CBI countries receiving allocations for that year if such allocation is suspended or terminated due to a threat to U.S. national security or foreign policy. Authorizes the President to enter into trade agreements with foreign governments for the purpose of granting compensation if the United States takes specified action inconsistent with its international obligations (including the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade). Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to require the International Trade Commission, when making determinations as to material injury with respect to antidumping and countervailing duty cases, to assess cumulatively the volume and effect of imports from a country designated as a beneficiary country under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act with respect to imports of like products from beneficiary countries. Directs the Commissioner of Customs to implement a pilot preclearance program during FY 1990 and 1991 to assess the extent to which the availability of preclearance operations can assist in the development of tourism in the Caribbean Basin. Prohibits the commencement of such operations unless the Commissioner of Customs and the Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization make a specified joint certification. Requires the Commissioner to submit to the Congress a report regarding such program.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 1989
Price Fixing Prevention Act of 1989 - Provides that in any civil action alleging a contract, combination, or conspiracy to set, change, or maintain prices (other than a maximum price) under the Sherman Antitrust Act: (1) evidence that a person who sells a good or service to the claimant for resale received from a competitor a communication regarding price competition by the claimant and in response terminated the claimant as a buyer (or refused to supply such goods or services) shall be sufficient to raise the inference that such person and such competitor engaged in concerted action to set, change, or maintain prices in violation of such Act (in such case, a termination or refusal to supply is in response to a communication if such communication is a substantial contributing cause of such termination or refusal to supply); (2) the fact that the seller and the purchaser of a good or service entered into an agreement shall be sufficient to constitute a violation of such Act; and (3) an agreement between the seller and the purchaser to terminate another purchaser as a dealer or to refuse to supply such other purchaser because of that purchaser's pricing policies shall constitute a violation of such Act, whether or not a specific price level is agreed upon.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 1989
Lower Income Housing Fair Rent Act of 1988 - Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to exclude from the definition of income for purposes of rent and assistance payments all income earned by family members except the income of the two highest-earning family members.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 1989
Federal Council on Women Act - Establishes a Federal Council on Women to: (1) collect and evaluate information with respect to any problems that are particular to women in the United States; (2) review and evaluate Federal policy related to any such problems; (3) coordinate the activities of the Council with similar activities conducted by States, local governments, and concerned organizations; and (4) make recommendations. Directs the Council to report its findings and recommendations to the Congress. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 1989
Imposes a civil penalty upon any person who mails to any individual or group of individuals at their place of residence: (1) any unsolicited sexually oriented advertisement; or (2) any unsolicited obscene, lewd, lascivious, indecent, filthy, or vile article, matter, thing, device, or substance.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 1989
Administrative Law Judge Corps Act - Establishes, in Washington, D.C., an Administrative Law Judge Corps (the Corps) comprised of all current administrative law judges. States that the chief administrative law judge shall be the chief administrative officer of the Corps as well as its presiding judge. Specifies the qualifications for chief judge. States that such judge shall be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate. Directs the chief judge to submit annual reports to the President and the Congress. Establishes divisions (to number between four and ten) within the Corps, with each division headed by a division chief judge appointed by the chief administrative law judge, with the approval of the Council of the Administrative Law Judge Corps (the first division chief judge of each division shall be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate). Sets forth qualifications for division chief judges. Identifies initial divisions and their respective areas of jurisdiction. States that the Corps' policymaking body shall be the Council of the Corps (the Council), comprised of the chief judge and the division chief judges. Authorizes the Council to determine matters of general Corps policy, including: (1) issuance of regulations for Corps proceedings; (2) creation or abolition of divisions or regional offices; (3) contractual transactions; and (4) delegation of functions to division chief judges. Establishes a Judicial Nomination Commission to submit a list of qualified nominees for positions of chief judge and division chief judges. Prescribes a procedure for recommending appointments to the President. Directs the Corps to appoint new judges from a register maintained by the Office of Personnel Management. Confers jurisdiction upon members of the Corps to adjudicate cases under specified sections of the Administrative Procedure Act. Requires cases arising under such sections to be referred to the Corps. Directs the Council to issue regulations for assigning such cases. Provides guidelines for the removal and discipline of administrative law judges. Establishes a Complaints Resolution Board within the Corps to recommend action upon complaints against the official conduct of judges. Details the membership of such Board and the procedures to be followed. Declares Board proceedings and the contents of complaints to be privileged and confidential. Exempts documents and reports considered by the Board from the disclosure and publication requirements of the Freedom of Information Act. Exempts the Board from compliance with the public meeting requirements of specified Federal law. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 1989
Urban Homestead Act of 1989 - Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to make the tenant ownership program authority permanent. Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to provide financial assistance directly to resident management corporations for homeownership technical assistance. Expands resident management corporation authority to replace purchased public housing units.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 1989
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 1992 the period during which qualified mortgage bonds and mortgage credit certificates may be issued. (Under current law, authority for these programs is due to expire as of 1990.)
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 1989
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover services performed by a physician assistant regardless of the setting or geographical location in which such services are rendered.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 1989
Repeals provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that: (1) terminated the income tax exclusion of amounts paid under employee educational assistance programs as of tax year 1989; and (2) deny benefits in connection with graduate work. Limits graduate benefits to $1,500 per year.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 1989
Nursing Shortage and Nurse Reimbursement Incentive Act of 1989 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide direct Medicare reimbursement for nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist services, whether or not the practitioner or specialist is under the supervision of, or associated with, another health provider, if such services would otherwise be covered if furnished by a physician or as an incident to a physician's service. Provides payments for nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, and certified nurse midwife services under part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of the Medicare program on the basis of a fee schedule to be established by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Requires the Administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration to establish a toll-free telephone hotline for nursing payment inquiries under the Medicare program and, to the extent feasible, under the Medicaid program. Amends part B (Peer Review) of title XI of the Act to require peer review of nursing services. Directs the Secretary to: (1) contract for studies evaluating nursing costs, and gathering and disseminating data on obstacles nurses face in receiving direct reimbursement for their services; and (2) report the results of such studies to the Congress in January of 1992, 1993, and 1994. Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Act to require direct Medicaid reimbursement for certified nurse midwife, certified registered nurse anesthetist, nurse practitioner, and clinical nurse specialist services, whether or not such nurse is under the supervision of, or associated with, another health care provider, if such services would otherwise be covered if furnished by a physician or as an incident to a physician's services. Requires that such payments be equal to payments for such services under the Medicare program and not vary on the basis of the type of nurse involved.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 1989
Declares that, in celebration of Law Day U.S.A., May 1, 1989, special emphasis should be given by grateful people to all law enforcement personnel for their service in preserving domestic tranquility and guaranteeing rights under law.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 1989
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States and the Soviet Union should each issue a postage stamp recognizing the desire for peaceful relations. Urges the Postmaster General to seek to discuss the Soviet stamp with the appropriate Soviet authorities. Directs the Postmaster General to issue the U.S. stamp.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 1989
Excludes Agent Orange settlement payments from income or resources in determining eligibility for benefits under any Federal or federally assisted program.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 1989
Expresses the sense of the Congress that science, mathematics, and technology education should be a national priority (with emphasis on an educated citizenry, curriculum planning, teacher preparation, and service to traditionally underserved students, including those from inner cities and remote areas).
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1989
Hate Crime Statistics Act - Directs the Attorney General to include within the Uniform Crime Reports for calendar years 1991 through 1995 the incidence of criminal acts that manifest prejudice based on race, religion, homosexuality or heterosexuality, or ethnicity. States that nothing in this Act creates a right for an individual to bring an action complaining of discrimination based on homosexuality. Requires the Attorney General to publish an annual summary of the data acquired under this Act. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1989
RICO Reform Act of 1989 - Amends the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) to include additional predicate offenses within the definition of "racketeering activity," such as prostitution involving minors, computer fraud, and certain activity relating to terrorist acts abroad. Modifies civil remedies provisions of RICO to require U.S. district courts to find proof by a preponderance of the evidence before restraining violations. Authorizes: (1) specified governmental entities whose business or property is injured by conduct in violation of RICO to recover threefold the actual damages to such business or property, plus costs; (2) persons whose business or property is injured by such conduct to recover actual damages, plus costs (and punitive damages of up to twice the actual damages where the plaintiff proves by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant's actions were consciously malicious, or so egregious and deliberate that malice may be implied); (3) such persons to recover threefold the actual damages if any defendant has been convicted of specified Federal or State offenses; and (4) natural persons who suffer serious bodily injury by reason of specified crimes of violence to recover actual damages to such person's business or property, damages sustained by such individual as allowed under State law (excluding pain and suffering), and costs (and, upon proof by clear and convincing evidence that defendant's actions were malicious, up to twice the actual damages). (Current law allows recovery of threefold the damages, plus costs, for persons whose business or property is injured.) Sets forth: (1) statutes of limitation; and (2) procedures for considering affirmative defenses. Permits international service of process. (Current law restricts such service to specified judicial districts within the United States.) Provides for exclusive Federal jurisdiction to hear criminal or civil RICO proceedings. Authorizes recovery beyond actual damages to a person's business or property, where such person would not otherwise be eligible to recover costs under this Act, under specified conditions, including where the judge determines that a limitation of recovery would clearly be unjust.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1989
Amends the Federal judicial code to make funds from the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund available to assist the States in providing drug treatment programs and community- and school-based drug education programs. Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to add parallel provisions with respect to the Customs Forfeiture Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1989
Amends Federal law to extend the immediate retirement provisions applicable to Federal law enforcement officers to: (1) revenue officers for the Internal Revenue Service; (2) customs inspectors for the U.S. Customs Service; (3) customs canine enforcement officers for the U.S. Customs Service; and (4) inspectors for the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1989
Low Income Housing Preservation Act of 1989 - Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make grants to States to purchase and maintain eligible low-income housing. Authorizes FY 1989 through 1991 appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1989
Fair and Equitable Cargo Allocation Act of 1989 - Amends the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 to repeal a provision which requires the Secretary of Transportation to preserve, during calendar years 1986 through 1989, the percentage share, or the metric tonnage of bagged, processed, or fortified commodities, whichever is lower, experienced in 1984, of waterborne cargoes exported from Great Lakes ports under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1989
United States Coinage Reform Act of 1989 - Requires that one dollar coins be gold colored, be at least 90 percent copper, and be fabricated in the United States from natural deposits located in the United States. Redesigns the obverse side of the dollar coin to symbolize the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to place such coins into circulation within 18 months and to cease production of one dollar notes, except as required from time to time to satisfy the needs of collectors, within 18 months after the first of such coins are placed in circulation. Directs the Secretary to conduct a study and report to the Congress on the advisability of phasing out production of the one-cent and 50-cent coins and of rounding cash sales to the nearest five cents. Requires that the seigniorage from the production of such dollar coins be used to offset the reverse seigniorage resulting from the destruction of Susan B. Anthony dollar coins.