The world's political record
Person
![Official portrait of Rep. Gekas, George W. [R-PA-17]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/g000121_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
2,326 records where Rep. Gekas, George W. [R-PA-17] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 1986
Amends the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to prohibit the Export-Import Bank from guaranteeing, insuring, or extending credit in connection with any export of goods or services to Angola until the President certifies to the Congress that no Cuban military personnel or military personnel from any other controlled country remain in Angola.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 1986
Designates the week of March 9 through March 15, 1986, as National Employ the Older Worker Week.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 1986
Designates August 12, 1986, as National Neighborhood Crime Watch Day.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 1986
Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) to exempt cost-of-living increases in Federal retirement and disability programs from reduction under the President's sequestration order for FY 1986. Provides for reducing the outlays of each agency to offset the increased costs.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 1986
Designates the week beginning on April 20, 1986, as National Reading is Fun Week.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1986
Expresses disapproval of the refusal of the U.S.S.R. to recognize the sovereignty of the Baltic Republics. Designates the 14th day of June 1986 as Baltic Freedom Day. Authorizes and requests the President to submit the issue of Baltic self-determination to the United Nations.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 1985
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the President should continue to express to the Soviet Union U.S. opposition with respect to the harassment and arrests of Hebrew teachers and Jewish activists in the Soviet Union; and (2) the Soviet Union should comply with its commitments under specified international human rights agreements and cease its persecution of individuals on the basis of their Jewish faith.
United States · United States Congress · 18 December 1985
Rural Satellite Dish Owners Protection Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit encryption of any satellite cable programming for private viewing beginning 30 days after enactment of this Act, unless: (1) the encryption complies with Federal Communications Commission standards; (2) decryption devices are available for lease or purchase by all interested persons within 60 days after request at a reasonable price relative to manufacturing and distribution costs; and (3) monthly subscription fees for such programming do not exceed fees assessed to cable subscribers within the same vicinity. Provides for the civil enforcement of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 17 December 1985
Declares that civilian employees of the National Guard may not be required to wear military uniforms while performing civilian service.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 1985
Designates the first Friday of May of each year, commencing with May 2, 1986, as National Teachers Appreciation Day.
United States · United States Congress · 11 December 1985
Designates the month of May 1986 as Better Hearing and Speech Month.
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 1985
Designates the week of April 27 through May 3, 1986, as National Arts in the Schools Week.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 1985
Sentencing Reform Amendments Act of 1985 - Amends the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984 to extend to 30 months (currently 18 months) after October 12, 1984, the deadline for the submission of the initial set of sentencing guidelines by the United States Sentencing Commission.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 1985
Designates September 17, 1987, as Constitution Day. Requires such day to be treated as a legal public holiday.
United States · United States Congress · 21 November 1985
Designates the week of June 1 to June 8, 1986, as National Theatre Week.
United States · United States Congress · 20 November 1985
Truth in Import Advertising Act of 1985 - Makes it unlawful to distribute or cause to be distributed in commerce any consumer commodity unless it has a label listing the domestic content percentage of the commodity. Prohibits advertising any such commodity unless the advertising contains such label information. Sets forth the wording of such labels. Provides for enforcement of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 1985
Prohibits the President from relinquishing or transferring to any country any land, U.S. territory, exclusive economic zone, fishery conservation zone, or any U.S. claim to such areas unless provided for in a treaty between the United States and such country. Declares that a boundary between the United States and any other country may be established only by treaty.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 1985
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individual taxpayers to elect to file income tax returns on the last day of the individual's birth month, if the birthday is in the months of May, June, July, August, September, October, November, or December. Provides special rules for individuals who make such an election and who make estimated income tax payments.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 1985
Nonprofit Sports Liability Limitation Act - Limits the liability for civil damages resulting from any negligent act or omission of an uncompensated qualified staff member of a nonprofit sports program occurring during the performance of such staff member's duties. Limits the liability of the sponsor and operator of such a program for civil damages resulting from such an act or omission.
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 1985
Provides for free travel on military aircraft for any former member of the armed forces who has a service-connected disability rated total by the Veterans Administration.
United States · United States Congress · 6 November 1985
Designates the week of January 26 to February 1, 1986, as Truck and Bus Safety Week.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 1985
Amends the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure to require that the payment of fines or penalties imposed by a U.S. magistrate be made to the clerk of the court.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 1985
Designates the week of February 9 through February 15, 1986, as National Humanities Week, 1986.
United States · United States Congress · 1 November 1985
Designates 1986 as the Centennial Year of the Gasoline Powered Automobile.
United States · United States Congress · 31 October 1985
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the Postmaster General should issue a stamp, before October 1, 1986, commemorating the 100th Congress; and (2) the U.S. Postal Service should conduct a public competition for the design of the stamp.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 1985
Amends the Uniform Code of Military Justice to provide that no person may be sentenced to death by a court-martial unless all the members of the court-martial concur in such sentence. Allows a sentence of death only if the members of the court-martial find, beyond a reasonable doubt, one or more of the following aggravating factors: (1) that the offense was committed in the presence of the enemy; (2) that the accused intended to cause a grave risk of substantial damage to national security or a mission of the United States; (3) that the offense actually caused substantial damage to U.S. national security (whether intended or not); (4) that the accused knowingly created a grave risk of death to one or more persons in addition to the victim of the offense; (5) that the accused committed the offense with the intent to avoid hazardous duty; (6) that (for certain offenses) the offense was committed in a time of war and in engaged or occupied territory; (7) that (for certain offenses) the accused was serving a sentence of 30 years or more, was committing specified crimes or was fleeing after the commission of such crimes, was committing the offense for specified purposes, or that the victims of such crimes were specified high-ranking officials or public servants; (8) that (for certain offenses) the accused was the actual perpetrator of the killing; (9) that (for certain offenses) the victim was under age 12 or the accused maimed or attempted to kill such victim; (10) that a sentence of death is authorized for such offense; (11) that the accused has previously been convicted of an offense involving espionage or treason; or (12) that the offense involved such other factors as may be prescribed by the President. Outlines instructions to be given to members of the court-martial by the military judge in such a capital punishment case. Requires members of the court-martial to vote by secret ballot in closed session. Directs the president of the court-martial, if a sentence of death is adjudged, to announce which aggravating factor(s) was found by the members.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 1985
Designates July 2, 1986, as National Literacy Day.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 1985
Expresses the sense of the Senate that the United States: (1) should not sell advanced weapons to Jordan; (2) should ensure that Israel retains its qualitative military edge in the Middle East; and (3) should focus its efforts on bringing Jordan into direct peace negotiations with Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 23 October 1985
Designates the week beginning on May 11, 1986, as National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Week.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 1985
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should: (1) declare a national emergency with respect to acts of terrorism directed against U.S. citizens and property; (2) investigate and determine the extent of assets held in the United States by organizations responsible for such terrorism; and (3) prohibit transactions involving such assets in accordance with the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
United States · United States Congress · 11 October 1985
Hostage-Taking Act of 1985 - Amends the Federal criminal code to establish criteria for the imposition of the death penalty for hostage taking. Requires the government, when seeking the death penalty, to serve notice upon the defendant a reasonable time before trial or acceptance of a plea of guilty that it intends to seek the death penalty and the aggravating factors upon which it will rely. Requires a separate sentencing hearing before a jury, or the court upon motion by the defendant, when the defendant is found guilty or pleads guilty to such an offense. Provides that no presentence report shall be prepared in such cases. Allows the defendant and the Government to present any information relevant to sentencing, without regard to the rules of evidence, but permits evidence to be excluded where its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of issues, or misleading of the jury. Specifies mitigating and aggravating factors which may be established at such hearings. Requires that mitigating factors presented by the defendant be established by a preponderance of the information and aggravating factors presented by the Government beyond a reasonable doubt. Includes as threshold aggravating factors that the defendant: (1) intentionally killed the victim; (2) intentionally inflicted serious bodily injury which resulted in the death of the victim; (3) intentionally participated in an act which he reasonably should have known would create grave risk of death to a person and the victim did die as a direct result of such act; or (4) attempted to kill the President of the United States. Includes among the mitigating factors that the defendant was less than 18 years old at the time of the crime. Conditions imposition of the death penalty on a unanimous finding by the jury that: (1) some aggravating factors exist in addition to a threshold factor; and (2) the aggravating factors sufficiently outweigh any mitigating factor found to exist. Directs the court to impose the death penalty upon a finding that such sentence is justified. Requires the court to instruct the jury not to consider the race, color, national origin, creed, or sex of the defendant in its consideration of the death sentence. Establishes procedures for appeal from a death sentence. Requires the court of appeals, upon consideration of the record and the information and procedures of the sentencing hearing, to affirm the decision if: (1) the sentence was not imposed under influence of passion, prejudice, or arbitrariness; and (2) the information supports the finding of the existence of aggravating factors or the absence of mitigating factors. Requires the court to provide a written explanation of its determination. States that the sentence of death shall not be carried out upon a pregnant woman.
United States · United States Congress · 11 October 1985
1985 Act To Create the Death Penalty To Punish Terrorist Acts - Amends the Federal criminal code to provide for a penalty of death or life imprisonment for the crime of hostage taking if the death of an individual results from the commission or attempted commission of the offense of hostage taking. Makes it a criminal offense to commit or attempt to commit an act of terrorism within the United States or outside the jurisdiction of the United States against a United States person (as defined by this Act). Provides for a penalty of: (1) imprisonment for any term of years; or (2) death or life imprisonment if the death of an individual results from the commission or attempted commission of the offense. Defines an "act of terrorism" as an activity that: (1) involves a violent act or an act dangerous to human life that is a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State; or (2) appears to be intended to either intimidate a civilian population, influence the policy of a government or to affect the conduct of a government by assassination or kidnapping. Defines a "United States person" as: (1) a national of the United States; (2) a resident alien admitted to the United States; (3) any person within the United States; (4) any employee or contractor of the United States regardless of nationality; (5) any proprietorship, partnership, company, or association composed principally of nationals of the United States; or (6) a corporation organized under the laws of the United States. Sets forth rules for the venue of a trial for the offenses of: (1) kidnapping; (2) receiving of ransom money; (3) hostage taking; and (4) commission of terrorist acts. Requires the Government, in cases where the death penalty is sought for the offenses of hostage taking and acts of terrorism, to file with the court and serve upon the defendant notice that the Government will seek the death penalty in the event of a conviction. Requires such notice to set forth the aggravating factors which the Government will seek to prove as the basis for the death penalty. Requires the court to conduct a separate sentencing hearing to determine the sentence to be imposed in such cases where the Government has filed notice of intent to seek the death penalty and where the defendant has been convicted or has entered a guilty plea. Sets forth standards and procedures for such hearings. Provides that no presentence report shall be prepared in such cases. Allows information to be presented as to any matter relevant to the sentence including matters relating to any aggravating or mitigating factors. Specifies certain aggravating and mitigating factors which may be considered. Requires the jury (or the court if there is no jury) to return special findings identifying any mitigating and aggravating factors. Requires the jury by unanimous vote (or the court if there is no jury) to return a finding as to whether a sentence of death is justified. Requires the court to sentence the defendant to death, upon a finding that a sentence of death is justified. Requires a court to instruct the jury that in its consideration as to whether the death penalty is justified it shall not consider the race, color, national origin, creed, or sex of the defendant. Requires each juror to certify that such factors were not involved in reaching his or her individual decision. Allows the court to impose a sentence of life imprisonment without possibility of parole in such cases in which the death penalty is not sought or imposed. Allows for an appeal of a death sentence. Sets forth the standard of review for such appeals.
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 1985
States that a person shall be considered an American national if such person completes 15 years of lawful continuous residence in the United States or American Samoa, and one of his or her parents was a national of the United States and a resident of the United States or American Samoa at the time of that person's birth.
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 1985
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the President should initiate, in cooperation with our Western allies, the negotiation of a multinational agreement to establish an allied strategy to respond to international terrorism, procedures to provide and to disseminate intelligence information relating to such terrorism, and a multinational unit to resolve terrorist incidents; and (2) the United States should adopt as a national policy the termination of U.S. foreign assistance to nations that assist or fail to prosecute international terrorists.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 1985
Amends the copyright law to prohibit a copyright holder from conveying the right to publicly perform an audiovisual work on non-network commercial television without simultaneously conveying the right to perform in synchronization any copyrighted music which accompanies such work.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 1985
Trade Partnership Act - Title I: International Trade - Directs the President to establish the Commission on Trade which shall: (1) evaluate existing U.S. trade laws and policies; (2) develop recommendations on monetary and fiscal policies for the United States and its chief trading partners; (3) evaluate the export financing practices of major trading partners and of international agencies; and (4) review existing trade agreements to assess their effect on U.S. long-term trading interests. Requires the Commission to report its findings and recommendations to the President and to the Congress. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should evaluate such findings and recommendations and take into account the results of an international monetary conference to determine the propriety of convening a summit conference on international trade in order to develop changes in international trade and monetary practices. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should call for an international monetary conference to develop: (1) options for reforming institutional mechanisms in order to decrease the disparity among, and to prevent dramatic fluctuations in the value of, the currencies of the major economic powers; and (2) means for reducing interest rates, promoting national and world economic growth, assuring price stability, and promoting higher levels of international trade. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should initiate multilateral trade negotiations under the auspices of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in order to: (1) resolve the issues not resolved in earlier negotiations; (2) develop multilateral disciplines in those areas where trade problems have emerged or are becoming more acute; (3) focus on improving the dispute settlement mechanisms of the GATT; (4) place a high priority on bringing developing countries into full participation in the international trading community; (5) ensure that all developed countries share equally the responsibility for advancing the economies of developing countries; and (6) increase efforts to bring countries now outside the GATT under accepted multilateral disciplines governing trade. Directs the President to begin negotiations immediately if Canada requests the negotiation of a trade agreement that provides for the elimination or reduction of any duty imposed by the United States. Directs the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to review the bilateral relationships between the United States and its major trading partners in order to determine those countries that offer the most potential for the establishment of free trade areas with the United States. Sets forth factors to be considered in making such review. Authorizes the President, during the year following enactment of this Act, to negotiate with Japan on a trade agreement under which the United States will permit the exportation to Japan of Alaskan petroleum and natural gas in return for substantial concessions by Japan regarding the importation into Japan of agricultural products, wood products, and other kinds of export products that are important to the United States. Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to transfer to the USTR specified functions relating to import relief that are currently performed by the President. Directs the President to review the USTR's determination on whether to provide import relief and what form such relief should take. Requires the President to complete such review within 15 days of receiving the USTR's determination. Directs the President to notify the Congress of the President's decision and of the USTR's determination. Directs the USTR to take action to implement the import relief which the USTR decided to provide if the President concurs in the USTR's decision. Directs the USTR to take action to implement the President's decision on import relief if it differs from the USTR's decision and no joint resolution disapproving the President's decision is enacted. Directs the USTR to order the implementation of the import relief recommended by the International Trade Commission if the decision of the President differs from the decision of the USTR and a joint resolution disapproving the President's decision is enacted. Authorizes interim relief after a petition for import relief is filed if the USTR determines that: (1) it is likely that the article is being imported in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof to the competing domestic industry; and (2) the absence of such interim relief would result in irreparable harm to the domestic industry. Authorizes emergency relief from imports of perishable products (other than perishable products from a beneficiary country under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act) after a petition for such relief is filed if the USTR, after consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, decides that: (1) there is a reasonable indication that the perishable product is being imported in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury, or threat thereof, to the competing domestic industry; and (2) emergency action is warranted. Directs the USTR, upon deciding to grant interim relief or emergency relief, to: (1) determine the method and extent of such relief; (2) notify the President of such decision; and (3) unless the President decides within 15 days that such relief is not in the national economic interest, order the Commissioner of Customs to impose such relief. Declares that such relief may consist of tariff increases or import limitations. Provides for the termination of such relief. Directs the USTR to order the Commissioner of Customs to implement actions necessary to enforce U.S. rights under any trade agreement if: (1) the President and the USTR agree on the appropriate action; or (2) the President differs with the USTR on the appropriate action but a joint resolution disapproving such action is not enacted. Reduces the number of days from 21 to 15 between the President's receipt of the USTR's recommendation of appropriate action and the President's decision on what action is appropriate. Requires the President to determine during such 15 day period if: (1) the President concurs in the USTR's recommendation; or (2) it is in the national economic interest not to take any action or to take action different from the action determined by the USTR. Requires the President to notify the Congress of such decision. Provides that if 90 days after the Congress receives notice of such decision no joint resolution is enacted disapproving it then such decision shall take effect. Reduces the amount of time the USTR may take to make a recommendation on a petition for enforcement of U.S. trade rights. Sets forth the actions the USTR may recommend to the President based on such petition. Directs the USTR to include in the annual report to the Congress on foreign barriers to market access an analysis and assessment of the overall reciprocity accorded U.S. products, services, and investment by each of the major trading partners of the United States and the impact on major U.S. product sectors of the failure to provide reciprocity. Requires specified congressional committees, within 90 days of receiving such report, after consultation with the USTR and conducting public hearings, to issue a joint report on: (1) the priorities for negotiations regarding reducing or eliminating trade barriers; and (2) the committees' recommendations on actions to enforce U.S. trade rights. Directs the Secretary of Labor to pay to private firms 80 percent of the cost of providing job training if the training is certified as trade readjustment training and if the trainees are not charged for the training. Extends the job training, job search, and job relocation allowance provisions of the trade adjustment assistance programs through October 1, 1987. Amends the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to set a one year deadline for the President to take action on the advice of the Secretary of Commerce on imports that are suspected of impairing national security. Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to reduce the time limit for decisions by the International Trade Commission on allegations of unfair practices in import trade from one year (18 months in more complicated cases) to eight months (ten months in more complicated cases). Declares that the USTR should expedite the issuance of notices requesting the negotiation of periodic adjustments to the bilateral limitations on shipments of textiles and apparel contained in the Multi-Fiber Arrangement. Directs the Commissioner of Customs to: (1) increase the number of inspectors, import specialists, and customs patrol officers in the Customs Service by at least 800; (2) implement the Automated Commercial System at all ports of entry; and (3) implement a program for detecting, investigating, and prosecuting patent and copyright infringement cases. Requires the Commissioner to report quarterly to specified congressional committees on the operation and effect of the patent and copyright infringement program. Imposes a penalty for multiple customs law offenders who import or attempt to import merchandise during the three years following the date of the third of the offenders' convictions. Title II: Protection of Patents and Transfer of Technology - Part A: Protection of Patents - Amends the patent laws to make it an infringement of patent to use, sell, or import into the United States without authority a product produced by a patented process. Places the burden of proof upon the party asserting that a product was not produced with the patented process in an infringement action where the court finds a substantial likelihood that the product was so produced and the claimant has exhausted all means of discovery. Part B: Transfer of Technology - Federal Laboratory Technology Utilization Act of 1985 - Authorizes Federal agencies to permit their laboratories to enter into cooperative research and development arrangements with other Federal, State, and local agencies, universities, industrial organizations, or other persons including licensees of inventions owned by the Federal agency or general partners of research and development limited partnerships. Permits such laboratories to exchange funds, services, and property with collaborators, grant such collaborators patent licenses or assignments, waive Federal ownership of inventions made by a collaborator, and negotiate licensing agreements for federally owned inventions. Sets forth a formula for the distribution of royalties or other income received by such laboratories from the licensing of cooperatively produced inventions to Federal agency employee inventors, the laboratories themselves, and the Treasury. Requires affected Federal agencies to report annually to the appropriate congressional committees on the income from and distribution of royalties. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to provide procedures, training, and advice to Federal laboratories on recognizing the commercial potential of new technologies and inventions. Requires the Secretary to report biannually to the President and the Congress on Federal agency participation in this program. Makes it the policy of the Government to encourage the commercialization of inventions by Federal or former Federal employees made by them during their Federal employment and exempts such efforts from otherwise applicable violations. Permits such an employee to retain title to an invention (subject to retention by the Government of a nonexclusive license) unless the agency intends to file a patent application itself in order to promote commercialization. Sets forth other permissible conditions on such an inventor's title. Part C: Protection of Proprietary Information - Exempts commercial and financial information that is proprietary or sensitive from the sunshine provisions applied to Federal agencies if the proprietor is notified of the request for release of the information and given 60 days to present arguments on why the information should be exempt. Title III: Export Promotion - Amends the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 to increase, from five percent to ten percent, the percentage of shares that: (1) a bank holding company may hold in an export trading company; and (2) an Edge Act corporation may hold in an export trading company from five to ten percent. Increases the amount of credit that a bank owning stock in a bank holding company with investments in an export trading company may extend to an export trading company. Amends the Export Trading Company Act of 1982 to direct the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank to try to insure that a "significant share" (currently a "major share") of any loan guarantees ultimately serves to promote exports from small, medium-size, and minority businesses or agricultural concerns. Requires the Board to report to the Congress on implementation of such requirement within one year of its effective date. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to develop a program consisting of mixed credit financing for exports to compensate for the effects of subsidized financing by U.S. trading partners. Declares that the Export-Import Bank should expand its promotion programs for small- and medium-sized banks. Amends the Federal Reserve Act to give Edge Act corporations the same discount and borrowing privileges as Federal Reserve banks. Repeals the limitation on bank investments in Edge Act corporations. Directs the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to require periodic reports from every corporation of the total amount of capital stocks and paid up surplus of the corporation, the name of any stockholder who holds more than ten percent of the shares of the stock of such corporation, and the share holdings of such stockholder. Directs the U.S. Executive Director of each of the multilateral development banks to promote procurement opportunities relating to the assistance provided by such banks in recipient countries for U.S. firms. Sets forth actions the Executive Directors should take with respect to such opportunities. Declares that the Secretary of Commerce should continue to assign one foreign commercial service officer to the office of the U.S. Executive Director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to assign such an officer on a part-time basis to each of the offices of the U.S. Executive Director of the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the African Development Bank. Requires the U.S. Ambassadors to those countries that are important trading partners of the United States to report annually to the President and to the Congress on their efforts to help U.S. industries in expanding export sales to, and improving their market positions in, such countries. Authorizes the seven Bell operating companies, effective September 1, 1986, to manufacture telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment in the United States if specified conditions are met. Title IV: Foreign Corrupt Practices - Business Accounting and Foreign Trade Simplification Act - Changes the name of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA) to the Business Practices and Records Act. Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require securities issuers to maintain an internal accounting system that provides reasonable assurance that specified accountability and accuracy goals are met. Prohibits imposing criminal liability for failing to maintain such an accounting system. Prohibits imposing civil injunctive relief with respect to: (1) an issuer who fails to maintain the required accounting system if the issuer tried in good faith to meet the requirements; or (2) any person other than an issuer in connection with an issuer's failure to comply with such requirements, unless such person knowingly caused the issuer to fail to comply. Prohibits anyone from knowingly circumventing such an accounting system for a purpose inconsistent with the accountability and accuracy goals of such system. Requires only good faith efforts at ensuring compliance by issuers who hold 50 percent or less of the equity of domestic or foreign firms. Transfers from the Securities and Exchange Commission to the Department of Justice jurisdiction to enforce the bribery prohibitions of the FCPA with respect to issuers. Revises the prohibition against domestic concerns using any means of interstate commerce to further payments to obtain business with a foreign official. States that such a payment made "directly or indirectly" to a foreign official is illegal. Prohibits such payments that are made to: (1) influence a foreign official's act or induce such an official to violate a legal duty; or (2) induce a foreign official to affect a foreign government's act. Prohibits domestic concerns from using interstate commerce to direct or authorize an agent to further such a payment to a foreign official. Exempts from such prohibitions: (1) payments to foreign officials to expedite or to secure the performance of routine governmental action; (2) payments to such officials that are lawful under the foreign country's laws; (3) payments which constitute tokens of regard or esteem; (4) expenditures associated with selling, purchasing, or demonstrating goods; or (5) ordinary expenditures associated with performing a contract with a foreign government. Revises the fines and criminal penalties for violations of such Act. Empowers the Attorney General to undertake all civil investigations necessary to enforce the Act. Prohibits prosecution of a domestic concern or specified agents of such concern for violating the Federal mail or wire fraud provisions by making a payment to a foreign official if the prosecution is based on the theory that the official, by receiving the payment, violated a duty to or defrauded the foreign government or the citizens of a foreign country. Authorizes the Attorney General to issue guidelines specifying: (1) permissible conduct associated with common types of export sales arrangements; and (2) precautionary procedures which would create a rebuttable presumption of compliance. Provides for the establishment of a Business Practices and Records Act Review Procedure to answer specific inquiries concerning enforcement of such Act. Requires the Attorney General to issue opinions regarding compliance. Makes such opinions final and binding on all parties if the opinion states that the conduct does not involve a violation. Directs the Attorney General to protect the confidentiality of materials submitted in the review procedure. Requires annual reports to the Congress by: (1) the Attorney General concerning actions taken pursuant to such Act; and (2) the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission concerning the reporting requirements. Title V: Related Tax Provisions - High Technology Research and Scientific Education Act of 1985 - Part A: The Credit for Increasing Research Activities - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax credit for research and development (R&D) expenditures. Modifies the definition of qualified research for purposes of the R&D credit to narrow the category of eligible activities for which the credit is allowable. Provides that in-house and contract research expenses paid or incurred by a regular corporation (not an S corporation, a personal holding company, or a service corporation) will constitute qualified research expenses for R&D credit purposes if the corporation undertakes the research with the intention to use the result thereof in the active conduct of a present or future trade or business. Provides that in the case of research being conducted in partnership form, research expenses will constitute qualified research expenses if they are incurred by the partnership in carrying on a trade or business as applied at the partnership level, and the credit is apportioned among the partners in accordance with general partnership rules. Provides exceptions to this general rule where: (1) there is a joint venture enterprise of regular corporations; or (2) not all of the members of the joint venture are regular corporations, but each member's own trade or business would satisfy the trade or business test with respect to the partnership's research expenditures. Provides that for these two exceptions the research expenses will flow through to the partners, with the trade or business test being applied at the partner level. Part B: Promotion of University Research and Scientific Investigation - Establishes a new income tax credit equal to 20 percent of that portion of a corporation's payments to universities (and other qualified non-profit tax-exempt organizations for basic research) which exceeds a fixed, historical "minimum university basic research" floor. Defines the "minimum university basic research" floor as one percent of the annual average of the corporate taxpayer's combined qualified in-house research expenses, contract research expenses, and university basic research payments for the base period composed of the period from 1981 through 1983. Provides that the amounts of research expenses which fall below the floor shall remain eligible for the present R&D credit and are included in the corporation's base period for purposes of calculating the present R&D credit. Treats the amounts which exceed the "minimum university basic research" floor as ineligible for the present R&D credit and excludes such amounts from the corporate taxpayer's base year research expenses for purposes of calculating the corporation's R&D credit under present law. Provides that a corporation's payments to universities for basic research that is eligible for the new tax credit shall be reduced to the extent that the corporation's general (i.e., not designated for research purposes) charitable giving to all universities falls below historical levels (the annual average of undesignated payments for three of the immediately preceding four years as selected by the taxpayer). Makes additions to the list of organizations to which corporate payments for basic research may be made and be eligible for the tax credit. Allows a corporation an income tax deduction for contributions of scientific or technical property to an institution of higher education. Defines scientific property to mean tangible personal property (including computer software) used in a trade or business, which is donated for the direct education of students or faculty, for research and experimentation, or for research training in the United States in mathematics, the physical, biological, or chemical sciences, engineering, or advanced computer sciences. Sets forth a formula for determining the amount of the allowable deduction for contributions of scientific property. Provides for an income tax exclusion for the scholarships, fellowship grants, student loan forgiveness, or stipends of a graduate student in mathematics, engineering, computer science, or the physical or biological sciences. Provides that such tax exclusion is not forfeited merely because the student is required, as a condition of the scholarship or fellowship, to perform future service in teaching or research.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 1985
Bank Bribery Amendments Act of 1985 - Amends the Federal criminal code with respect to bribery. Provides that any person who gives or offers anything of value to an officer, director, employee, agent, or attorney of a financial institution with the intent to influence official action shall be fined not more than $5,000 (or three times the value of the bribe, whichever is greater) or imprisoned for not more than five years, or both. Provides that where the value of the thing offered or accepted does not exceed $100, the fine shall be not more than $1,000 and imprisonment shall be for not more than one year, or both. Prohibits any person from soliciting, accepting, or agreeing to accept anything of value for the above purposes. Applies the same penalties to such offenses. Defines "financial institution" as including federally insured banks, savings and loan institutions, credit unions, Federal home loan banks, Federal land banks, small business investment companies, bank holding companies, and savings and loan holding companies.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 1985
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to eliminate the second concurrent resolution on the budget and thus provide for annual adoption of a single concurrent resolution on the budget (budget resolution). Sets forth maximum Federal budget deficit amounts for each of fiscal years 1986 through 1991 providing for the incremental reduction of the deficit to zero by 1991. Requires Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) revenues and expenditures to be included in the calculation of such deficit amounts. Prohibits either House of Congress from considering or adopting a budget resolution or a revision thereof providing for budget outlays exceeding revenues by more than the prescribed maximum deficit amount. Requires the Congress to complete action on any reconciliation bill or resolution to: (1) an original budget resolution by June 15 of each year; or (2) a revised budget resolution within 30 days after the revision is adopted. Provides that no amendment that would increase specific budget outlays or reduce specific revenues set forth in a budget resolution or reconciliation bill shall be in order in the House or the Senate, unless such amendment provides for offsetting adjustments in other outlays and revenues to ensure that the deficit set forth in the budget resolution is not increased or exceeded. Requires each Senate and House committee to report its subdivisions of allocated budget outlays and new budget authority within ten days of session after the budget resolution is agreed to. Makes it out of order for the House or the Senate, after the Congress has completed action on the budget resolution for a fiscal year, to consider legislation that, if enacted, would: (1) provide for or require budget outlays or new budget authority in excess of the appropriate committee allocation reported in connection with such resolution, unless legislation is favorably reported by the Committee on Appropriations of the House involved with a certification that the appropriate committee will take actions necessary to assure that enactment of such legislation will not result in a deficit exceeding the maximum deficit amount applicable; or (2) provide for new budget authority or spending authority or reduce revenues so that the resulting deficit would exceed the level set forth in such budget resolution or the applicable maximum deficit amount. Permits a congressional committee to report alterations to its reported allocations of budget outlays and authority, provided that such alterations are consistent with any actions taken by its House on legislation within its jurisdiction. Requires the conference report on any legislation providing new budget authority or new or increased tax expenditures to disclose the information required to be disclosed in committee reports on such legislation. Requires the Federal budget transmitted to the Congress by the President each year, and revisions thereof, to set forth levels of outlays and revenues resulting in a deficit not in excess of the applicable maximum deficit amount. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Director of the Congressional Budget Office: (1) to estimate the levels of total revenues and budget levels for each fiscal year; (2) to estimate the rate of real economic growth during that year; (3) to determine whether the deficit for such year will exceed the applicable maximum deficit amount and whether such excess is statistically significant; and (4) to submit a report to the President and the Congress specifying the amount of any excess, whether it is statistically significant, the estimated rate of real economic growth for that year, and the percentages by which automatic spending increases (excluding increases in OASDI benefits) and relatively controllable expenditures shall be reduced during such year in order to eliminate such excess. Requires the President, upon receiving such a report which identifies a statistically significant excesss, to issue an order which eliminates one-half of such excess by suspending or uniformly reducing (not below zero) automatic spending increases under Federal law for such year, and which eliminates the other half by sequestering amounts of budget authority, obligation limitations, and loan limitations, and by adjusting Federal payments, to the extent necessary to reduce each relatively controllable expenditure by a uniform percentage. Directs the President to send a message to both Houses of Congress identifying: (1) the total amount and the percentage by which automatic spending increases are to be reduced; (2) the amount of budget authority, obligation limitations, and loan limitations to be sequestered and payments to be adjusted for all, and each, relatively controllable expenditure; and (3) the account, department, establishment, project, or function affected by such revision of expenditures. Prohibits such an order from eliminating any Federal program, project, or activity. Directs the President to issue such order: (1) within 14 days after receiving such report if the estimate for real economic growth for the fiscal year is zero or greater; or (2) within 30 days if the estimate for real economic growth is less than zero. Authorizes the President, during such 30-day period, to submit to the Congress a joint resolution to: (1) reduce the deficit to an amount not exceeding the applicable maximum deficit amount; or (2) suspend the requirements of this Act for such fiscal year. Permits the President's message to the Congress to include alternative ways to reduce the deficit to an amount not exceeding the maximum deficit amount. Permits the Committee on the Budget of the House or the Senate, within ten days after the President has issued such an order, to report a joint resolution superseding such order. Makes it out of order for the House or the Senate to consider or agree to any such resolution which, if enacted, would cause the fiscal year deficit to exceed the deficit set forth in the budget resolution most recently agreed to, or the applicable maximum deficit amount. Sets forth House and Senate procedures for consideration of such a resolution. Amends the Social Security Act to provide that OASDI revenues and expenditures shall be excluded from the Federal budget transmitted by the President to the Congress and from the congressional budget, and shall be exempt from general budget limitations imposed on Federal expenditures and net lending. Prohibits any law enacted after enactment of this Act from providing for payments between the Treasury and the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund or the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund. Changes the date by which the President must submit to the Congress a supplemental summary of the budget for a fiscal year from July 16 to September 16. Waives specified provisions of this Act in any fiscal year for which a declaration of war has been enacted.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1985
Authorizes appropriations for humanitarian assistance to the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1985
Amends the copyright law to make permanent the prohibition against importing certain English language books not manufactured in the United States and Canada, denying copyright protection to books imported in violation of this restriction (the manufacturing clause).
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 1985
Amends the Federal criminal code to establish criteria for the imposition of the death penalty for treason and espionage. Requires the Government, for an offense punishable by death, to serve notice upon the defendant a reasonable time before trial or acceptance of a plea that it intends to seek the death penalty, as well as notice of the aggravating factors upon which it will rely. Requires a separate sentencing hearing before a jury or the court upon motion by the defendant when the defendant is found guilty or pleads guilty to an offense punishable by death. Provides that no presentence report shall be prepared in such cases. Allows the defendant and the Government to present any information relevant to sentencing, without regard to the rules of evidence, but permits information to be excluded where its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading of the jury. Specifies mitigating factors which the defendant must establish by a preponderance of the information and aggravating factors which the Government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Sets forth special aggravating factors with respect to the crimes of treason and espionage. Includes among the mitigating factors that the defendant was less than 18 years old at the time of the crime. Conditions imposition of the death penalty on a unanimous finding by the jury that: (1) some aggravating factor exists in addition to a threshold factor; and (2) the aggravating factor sufficiently outweighs any mitigating factor found to exist. Directs the court to impose the death penalty upon a finding that such sentence is justified. Requires the court to instruct the jury not to consider the race, color, national origin, creed, or sex of the defendant in its consideration of the death sentence. Limits the circumstances under which the offense of delivering defense information to aid foreign governments is punishable by death. Establishes procedures for appeal from a death sentence. Requires the court of appeals, upon considering the record and the information and procedures of the sentencing hearing, and any special finding, to affirm the decision if: (1) the sentence was not imposed under influence of passion, prejudice, or arbitrariness; and (2) the information supports the finding of aggravating factors or the absence of mitigating factors. Requires the court to provide a written explanation of its determination.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 1985
Designates 1987 as the Year of Thanksgiving.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 1985
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that employee benefits should not be taxed.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 1985
Grand Jury Disclosure Amendments Act of 1985 - Amends the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure to permit the disclosure of grand jury materials to government attorneys and personnel for use in the performance of government duties for civil purposes without a court order. Permits personnel to whom disclosure of grand jury material has been made for criminal purposes to utilize that material to assist a government attorney in enforcing civil law matters. Allows the disclosure of grand jury matters otherwise prohibited when so directed by a court upon the showing of particularized need, preliminarily judicial proceedings. Allows the disclosure of grand jury matters, when permitted by a court at the request of a government attorney upon a showing that such matters may disclose a violation of State criminal law, to an appropriate official of a State or subdivision of a State for the purpose of enforcing such law.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 1985
Anti-Fraud Criminal Enforcement Act of 1985 - Authorizes the Defense Contract Audit Agency of the Department of Defense to administer oaths and request by subpoena the production of all documents, reports, records, and other materials made or maintained by any contractor receiving over $100,000 in any one year pursuant to a contract or subcontract. Sets forth criminal sanctions against anyone who attempts to influence, obstruct, or impair with the intent to deceive or defraud a Federal auditor in the performance of official duties in relation to a contractor receiving $100,000 from the United States in any one year period. Provides that the plant, employees, and books of a contractor or subcontractor furnishing goods, equipment, or services to an agency of the United States shall be subject at all times to inspection, interview, and audit by such agency. Allows the Attorney General to seek injunctive relief against any person believed to be engaged in a fraud or a conspiracy to defraud the United States. Authorizes a Federal court to require a defendant, upon conviction of a fraud or a conspiracy to defraud the United States, to pay the costs of investigation and prosecution. Disallows as costs in a Government contract any costs incurred in the defense of any criminal or civil fraud investigation or litigation brought by the United States against a contractor. Provides that within three years after the expiration of the five-year statute of limitations, a prosecution for fraud or breach of fiduciary obligation may be still brought against a Government contractor within one year after the facts relating to the offense became known to, or reasonably should have been known by, the Federal public servant responsible to act in such circumstances.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 1985
Designates November 24, 1985, as National Day of Fasting to Raise Funds to Combat Hunger.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 1985
Designates March 25, 1986, and each March 25 thereafter, as Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 1985
Peanut Price Support Amendments of 1985 - Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949 to authorize a price support program for the 1986 and succeeding peanut crops.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 1985
Law Enforcement Officers Protection Act of 1985 - Amends the Federal criminal code to define "armor-piercing ammunition." Excludes from the definition: (1) shotgun shot composed in order to comply with Federal or State law; (2) frangible projectiles for target shooting; (3) ammunition containing frangible projectiles; and (4) any ammunition or projectiles which the Secretary of the Treasury determines are primarily intended for sporting purposes. Makes it unlawful for any person to manufacture or import armor-piercing ammunition. Allows: (1) the manufacture or importation of armor-piercing ammunition for the use of the United States or any State or local government; (2) manufacture for the sole purpose of exportation; or (3) manufacture or importation for the purposes of testing and experimentation authorized by the Secretary. Establishes a licensing fee of $1,000 per year for manufacturers and importers of armor piercing ammunition. Authorizes the Secretary to revoke a license from a dealer for violating this Act. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to promulgate regulations allowing for special marking on armor-piercing communication and packaging. Establishes an additional mandatory sentence for any person who during and in relation to the commission of a violent crime carries a firearm and is in possession of armor-piercing ammunition capable of being fired by such firearm.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 1985
Urges the Postmaster General to issue a commemorative stamp in 1986 in honor of the 350th anniversary of the National Guard.