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United States · Official source
3,243 records where Rep. Gingrich, Newt [R-GA-6] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 1985
Designates the week of May 12 through May 18, 1985, as National Science Week.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 1985
Constitutional Amendment - Requires the Congress, prior to each fiscal year, to adopt a statement of receipts and outlays for that year in which total outlays are not greater than total receipts. Permits the Congress in such statement to provide for a specific excess of outlays over receipts by a three-fifths vote directed solely to that subject. Requires the President and the Congress to ensure that actual outlays do not exceed the outlays set forth in such statement. Prohibits total receipts for any fiscal year set forth in such statement from increasing by a rate greater than the rate of increase in national income in the last calendar year ending before such fiscal year, unless the Congress passes by a three-fifths vote a bill directed solely to approving specific additional receipts and such bill has become law. Permits the Congress to waive the provisions of this Act with respect to any fiscal year in which a declaration of war or national emergency is in effect. Declares that total receipts shall include all receipts of the United States, except those derived from borrowing and total outlays shall include all outlays of the United states except those for repayment of debt principal.
United States · United States Congress · 20 February 1985
Designates 1985 as the 75th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.
United States · United States Congress · 19 February 1985
Amends the Federal criminal code to impose the death penalty or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for murders committed by prisoners serving life sentences in Federal correctional institutions. Requires the Government, for any offense punishable by death, to serve notice upon the defendant a reasonable time before trial or acceptance of a guilty plea 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 with the approval of the Government, when the defendant is found guilty or pleads guilty to an offense punishable by death. Eliminates the requirement for a presentence report. 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 evidence and aggravating factors which the Government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Directs the jury or the court to consider all the information and return a special finding identifying any mitigating or aggravating factors. Conditions imposition of the death penalty on a unanimous finding by the jury (or finding by the court) that: (1) some threshold aggravating factor exists; and (2) the aggravating factors sufficiently outweigh any mitigating factor found to exist. Directs the court upon a finding that a sentence of death is justified to impose the death penalty. Requires the court, in any hearing before a grand jury under this Act, to instruct the jury in considering the death sentence to disregard the race, color, national origin, creed, or sex of the defendant. 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, 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 · 19 February 1985
Amends the Federal criminal code to establish procedures for the imposition of the death penalty for presidential assassination. 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. Conditions imposition of the death penalty on a unanimous finding by the jury (or finding by the court) that: (1) some aggravating factor exists; 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. Establishes procedures for appeal from the death sentence.
United States · United States Congress · 19 February 1985
Military Real Property Disposal Act of 1985 - Alters the criteria for triggering the notice requirements before a proposed closure or realignment of any military installation may take place. Repeals the current criterion regarding any closure and any realignment involving a reduction of more than 1,000 or more than 50 percent of the civilian personnel authorized at the installation in question. Establishes as a new criterion any closure or realignment which increases the rate of unemployment in the economic region in question by one percent or more. Requires the Secretary of Defense or the military department concerned to include a socio-economic impact statement in any justification to the Armed Services Committees concerning a closing or realignment. Reduces the waiting period following the justification from 60 to 30 days. Removes from the Federal courts jurisdiction to review the actions of Federal officers and employees with respect to such closures or realignments.
United States · United States Congress · 19 February 1985
Amends the Federal criminal code to provide that evidence obtained by a search or seizure shall not be excluded in a Federal proceeding if the seizure was undertaken in a reasonable, good faith belief in its conformity with the fourth amendment to the Constitution. Provides that evidence obtained in accordance with a warrant is prima facie evidence of good faith, absent intentional and material misrepresentation.
United States · United States Congress · 19 February 1985
Malt Beverage Interbrand Competition Act - Declares that no antitrust law shall prohibit the importer, brewer, or trademark licensee of a trademarked malt beverage, when such beverage has substantial competition from other malt beverages in an area, from: (1) entering into an agreement granting a wholesale distributor the exclusive right to sell such beverage within any defined geographic area within a State; or (2) limiting such distributor to the sale of such beverage for ultimate resale to consumers in such area. Declares that this Act shall not affect any provision of State law.
United States · United States Congress · 19 February 1985
Habeas Corpus Reform Act of 1985 - Amends the Federal criminal code to condition consideration of a habeas corpus claim by a State prisoner on a showing of actual prejudice resulting from the Federal right violated and that: (1) State action precluded assertion of the right; (2) the Federal right did not previously exist; or (3) the factual basis of the claim could not have been discovered by reasonable diligence. Establishes a one-year statute of limitations for habeas corpus actions brought by State prisoners. Vests authority to issue certificates for probable cause for appeal of habeas corpus orders exclusively in the courts of appeals. Permits denial on the merits of habeas corpus writs notwithstanding the failure to exhaust State remedies. Prohibits the granting of a habeas corpus writ with respect to any claim which has been fully and fairly adjudicated in State proceedings.
United States · United States Congress · 19 February 1985
Liberty Double-Eagle Bullion Coin Act - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue gold double-eagle coins. Sets forth specifications for and the design of such coins. Makes such coins legal tender. Permits the sale of such coins at a price equal to the cost of minting and issuing such coins plus a surcharge equal to the amount by which the fair market value of gold bullion held by the United States and used in the minting of the coins exceeds the statutory maximum value of any gold certificates outstanding against the bullion. Requires the revenue from such surcharges to be used to reduce the national debt. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 19 February 1985
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an income tax credit for contributions made by taxpayers to reduce the public debt. Sets the amount of such credit at 25 percent of the value of the contribution.
United States · United States Congress · 19 February 1985
Designates April 1985 as National School Library Month.
United States · United States Congress · 19 February 1985
Amends rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives to require each standing committee to review, on a continuing basis and when considering public bills or resolutions, those portions of the President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control (Grace Commission report) pertaining to such committee's jurisdiction. Amends rule XI to require each committee report on a public bill or resolution to contain: (1) an identification of each recommendation of the Survey to be implemented and the resulting estimated program cost savings or revenue enhancement; and (2) a statement setting forth the disposition of each recommendation pertaining to such bill or resolution.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 1985
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat as a tax-exempt employee fringe benefit any transportation provided by an airline to parents of its employees.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 1985
Proclaims March 20, 1985, as National Agriculture Day.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 1985
Designates the month of October 1985 as National Foster Grandparent Month.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 1985
Authorizes and requests the President to designate the week of May 12 through May 18, 1985, as Senior Center Week.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 1985
Declares that the House of Representatives deplores the denial of the rights of Hungarians and people of other nationalities in Transylvania by the Romanian Government. Requests the President and the Secretary of State to discuss the human rights of the Hungarians in Transylvania with the Government of Romania.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 1985
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the targeted jobs income tax credit from 1985 to 1990. Increases the amount of wages which may be taken into account for such credit from $6,000 to $10,000 per year. Revises the definition of "members of economically disadvantaged families" to increase from 70 percent to 80 percent of the Bureau of Labor Statistics' lower living standard the amount of income a family may have in order to qualify as a member of a targeted group.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 1985
Firearms Owners' Protection Act - Title I: Amendments to Title 18, United States Code - Amends the Gun Control Act of 1968 to redefine: (1) "manufacturer" to mean any person engaged in the "business of manufacturing" (instead of "manufacture" of) firearms or ammunition; and (2) "dealer" to exclude dealers in ammunition. Adds a new definition, "engaged in the business," with respect to manufacturers, dealers, and importers. Defines as a manufacturer, dealer, or importer of firearms a person who manufactures or deals in a regular course of trade or business with the principal objective of livelihood and profit. Excludes as dealers persons making occasional sales or repairs of firearms. Eliminates certain activities involving ammunition from the coverage of the current prohibitions. Allows for the sale or delivery of any firearm to a resident of a State other than a State in which the licensee's place of business is located if such sale or delivery complies with the laws of both States. Presumes a licensee to have actual knowledge of the published laws of the State. Requires such transfer to be face to face. Revises the current prohibition against certain classes of persons transporting a firearm or ammunition in interstate commerce to extend such prohibition to possession or receipt in commerce or affecting commerce of any firearm or ammunition. Includes as additional categories illegal aliens, dishonorably discharged members of the armed forces, and U.S. citizens who renounce their citizenship. Excludes ammunition dealers from the current licensing requirements. Declares that a licensed dealer's personal collection of firearms shall not be subject to recordkeeping requirements, under specific circumstances. Permits the Secretary of the Treasury to revoke a license only where the holder "willfully" violates a provision of the Act. Bars the Secretary from denying or revoking a license on the basis of violations which are alleged in criminal proceedings instituted against a licensee where such individual is not convicted of such charges. Allows the Government to voluntarily dismiss criminal charges prior to trial and still proceed with revocation. Imposes as a condition for the inspection or examination of records, documents, firearms, or ammunition that the Secretary has reasonable cause to believe that a violation has occurred and that evidence may be found on the premises. Requires a warrant to be issued for such search. Restricts the kind of firearms information obtained from licensees which the Secretary may make available to State or local governments. Establishes a limited recordkeeping requirement for firearms collectors. Establishes a "willful" scienter (knowledge) requirement with respect to general violations of the Act. Makes it a defense to a prosecution under this section that the conduct constituting the offense consisted of simple carelessness. Amends the forfeiture provision to subject to seizure any firearm or ammunition "involved in or used" in any violation of the Gun Control Act (instead of "involved in or used or intended to be used"). Directs the court to award attorney fees to the prevailing party (other than the United States) in a proceeding for the return of seized firearms or ammunition. Requires the court to award such fees in any other action upon a finding that the action was without foundation or was initiated in bad faith. Limits seizure to firearms individually identified as involved in the violation. Revises the current procedure allowing persons who have been convicted of a crime to apply to the Secretary for relief from the firearms prohibitions by allowing such a person to appeal a denial to the U.S. district court. Amends the rulemaking authority of the Secretary to provide that no regulation may require the transfer of records required under this Act to a facility owned, managed, or controlled by the United States or any State or the establishment of any system of registration of firearms, firearms owners, or firearms transactions. Requires a 90-day public comment period for proposed regulations (no period is currently specified). Prohibits the Secretary from prescribing regulations which require purchasers of black powder to complete affidavits or forms attesting to their exemption from certain provisions of the Federal criminal code. Declares any law or regulation promulgated by any State prohibiting the transfer of an unloaded and not readily accessible firearm or ammunition null and void. Title II: Amendments to Title VII of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 - Repeals title VII of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act (relating to the receipt, possession, or transportation of firearms by felons, veterans dishonorably discharged, mental incompetents, illegal aliens, and persons renouncing their United States citizenship).
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 1985
Designates November 1985 as American Liver Foundation National Liver Awareness Month.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 1985
Authorizes and requests the President to designate the week of June 16 through June 22, 1985, as National Safety in the Workplace Week.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 1985
Designates the month of October 1985 as National Down Syndrome Month.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1985
Establishes a presumption of service-connection for disability purposes for former prisoners of war suffering from the following conditions, manifest to a degree of ten percent or more after active service: (1) chronic liver disease; (2) organic residuals of hypothermia; (3) gastro-intestinal disorders; (4) arthritis; (5) cardiovascular conditions; (6) peripheral neuropathy; (7) immunological dysfunctions; or (8) chronic pulmonary disease. Decreases from six months to 30 days the amount of time a former prisoner of war must have been incarcerated to be eligible for outpatient dental services.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1985
Scout Commemorative Coins Act - Amends Federal law to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the United States of America half dollar coins commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Scouts of America. Limits the number of coins that may be minted and sets forth certain features of such coins. Directs the Secretary to sell the minted coins for a certain price or for a price equivalent to the average cost of minting and distributing such coins. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1985
Designates the week of November 11 through November 17, 1985, as National Reye's Syndrome Week.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1985
Authorizes and requests the President to designate the week of April 21 through April 27, 1985, as National Organ Donation Awareness Week.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1985
Designates the month of April 1985 as National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 1985
Establishes in the Treasury the Vietnam Humanitarian Remittances Fund. Authorizes any person who is subject to U.S. jurisdiction to transfer up to $300 during any 30-day period to an individual national of Vietnam if such person makes an equal payment to the Fund together with a written request for transfer of such payment to the designated Vietnamese national. Lists information that must be included in such request. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to issue notes to the designated individual and drawn on amounts held in the Fund and redeemable only by Vietnam in favor of the designated recipient. Prohibits such note from being redeemed unless it is accompanied by a declaration signed by the designated recipient and the appropriate officer of a financial institution of Vietnam which makes specified attestations. Imposes penalties for transfers of currency or of precious metal or stone to Vietnam except as provided in this Act. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should try to reach agreement with Vietnam: (1) to provide for random monitoring by inspectors in Vietnam of the procedures used by Vietnam in connection with the signing of declarations described in this Act; and (2) to establish time limits to expedite the transfer of funds in accordance with this Act. Directs the Secretary to submit a quarterly report to the Congress setting forth the findings of such inspection team. Terminates the Fund within three days of the receipt of any such report which indicates a pattern or practice of abuse of the procedures relating to the transfer of funds by Vietnam. Declares that currency or other cash items sent or attempted to be sent by a person subject to U.S. jurisdiction to a national of Vietnam shall be deemed to be property of a U.S. national for purposes of the provisions of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 dealing with claims against Vietnam.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 1985
Fair and Simple Tax Act of 1985 - Title I: Reduction of Individual and Corporate Tax Rates - Subtitle A: Reduction of Rates - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the tax rates for individuals, estates, and trusts. Imposes a tax rate of 24 percent on the taxable income of every individual, estate, and trust. Imposes a tax rate of 15 percent on corporate income which does not exceed $50,000, a tax rate of 25 percent on corporate income between $50,000 and $100,000 and a tax rate of 35 percent on corporate income exceeding $100,000. Subtitle B: Increase in Amount of Personal Exemption and Zero Bracket Amount - Increases the amount of the personal exemption to $2,000. Increases the "zero bracket amount" to $2,600 for single taxpayers and $3,300 for a joint return or surviving spouse. Provides for an annual adjustment in the "zero bracket amount" by a cost-of-living adjustment based on the Consumer Price Index. Subtitle C: Employment Income Exclusion Established - Allows an individual taxpayer to exclude 20 percent of the amount received during the taxable year by such individual as employment income. Provides that the exclusion is phased out when the individual's wages and salaries exceed the Federal Insurance Compensation Act's maximum wage base for the calendar year. Excludes all of an individual's employment income where the employment income for the taxable year is $10,000 or less ($15,000 or less in the case of a joint return). Subtitle D: Repeals Related to Reduction in Rates - Repeals provisions relating to: (1) tax tables for individuals; (2) special averaging rules for lump-sum distributions; (3) accumulated corporate surplus; (4) personal holding companies; (5) income averaging; and (6) graduated corporate tax rates. Applies the trust throwback rules only to amounts distributed from a foreign trust. Title II: Base Broadening - Subtitle A: Credits - Repeals the general tax credit, the investment tax credit, and provisions relating to: (1) the credit for household and dependent care services; (2) the credit for the elderly and the permanently and totally disabled; (3) the residential energy credit; (4) contributions to candidates for public office; (5) clinical testing expenses for certain drugs; (6) producing fuel from a nonconventional source; (7) increasing research activities; (8) the investment credit, the targeted jobs credit, the alcohol fuels credit, and the employee stock ownership credit; (9) alcohol used as fuel; (10) rules for determining the amount of employee stock ownership credit; (11) the general tax credit; (12) rules for determining credit for investment in certain depreciable property; and (13) the credit for employment of certain new employees. Subtitle B: Exclusions - Repeals the tax exclusion for: (1) compensation for injuries or sickness; (2) partial exclusion of dividends received by individuals; (3) amounts received under qualified group legal service plans; (4) qualified transportation furnished by the employer; (5) dividend reinvestment in public utilities; and (6) payments to encourage exploration, development, and mining for defense purposes. Reduces the maximum amount of the earned income credit from $5,000 to $4,000. Provides an inflation adjustment for the value of the earned income credit. Treats as taxable income: (1) unemployment compensation; (2) the annual increase in the cash surrender value of life insurance policies; and (3) interest on industrial development bonds and mortgage subsidy bonds. Provides that the transfer of a corporation's stock in satisfaction of indebtedness will be treated as having satisfied the indebtedness with money equal to the fair market value of the stock. Provides a limited exclusion from income for scholarships and fellowships. Amends the Merchant Marine Act to repeal the tax exemption for deposits into, and withdrawals from, a capital construction fund. Reduces the amount of social security benefits and railroad retirement benefits included in gross income from one-half to one-quarter of the amount. Subtitle C: Deductions - Repeals the tax deductions for: (1) the additional exemption for the elderly and the blind; (2) unused investment credits; and (3) two-earner married couples. Repeals the deductions for State and local income tax, sales, and personal property tax. Increases the floor in the deduction for medical and dental expenses from five to ten percent. Repeals the deduction for consumer interest. Subtitle D: Adjustment to Basis; Changes in Certain Special Capital Gains Treatment Provisions - Allows an inflation adjustment, based on the gross national product deflator, to the adjusted basis of capital assets which have been held for more than one year at the time of sale or exchange solely for the purpose of determining gain or loss on such assets. Excludes from such treatment: (1) creditor's interest; (2) options; (3) net lease property in the case of the lessor; (4) preferred stock with fixed dividends; and (5) stock in small business corporations and certain foreign corporations. Provides an exception to the exclusionary treatment of foreign corporation stock which is regularly traded on a national or regional stock exchange. Sets forth certain percentages to be applied in determining the adjusted basis for disposition of recovery property. Allows the Secretary of the Treasury to disallow all or part of an adjustment where there was a transfer to increase the inflation adjustment depreciation allowance. Reduces the alternative tax rate for corporations from 28 to 20 percent. Provides that the alternative tax on indexed assets shall be: (1) 15 percent of so much of the net capital gain as does not exceed $50,000; (2) 25 percent of so much of the net capital gain as exceeds $50,000 but not in excess of $100,000; and (3) 35 percent of so much of the net capital gain as exceeds $100,000. Excludes 40 percent of the net capital gain from income of an individual where: (1) the gain is derived from a non-indexed asset; or (2) the individual elected to disregard the indexed basis of indexed assets in determining the capital gain or loss for the year. Repeals the limitation on the deduction of capital losses by individuals. Permits the carryover of the excess of capital losses over gross income reduced by deductions by individuals. Title III: Capital Cost Recovery - Subtitle A: Neutral Cost Recovery System for Depreciable Property - Modifies the accelerated cost recovery system to establish the following classes of property: (1) 4-year property; (2) 6-year property; (3) 15-year property; (4) 20-year public utility property; (5) 25-year real property; (6) low income housing property; and (7) theme parks. Provides that the accelerated cost recovery deduction shall be determined by multiplying the applicable percentage of the unadjusted basis of the recovery property by the applicable inflation ratio. Treats research and experimental expenditures and intangible drilling or development costs of oil, gas, or geothermal wells as recovery property. Subtitle B: Other Changes - Repeals the income tax deductions for: (1) research and experimental expenditures; (2) soil and water conservation expenditures; (3) depreciation or amortization of improvements made by a lessee on a lessor's property; (4) expenditures by farmers for clearing land; (5) amortization of reforestation expenditures; (6) intangible drilling and development costs in the case of oil and gas wells and geothermal wells; (7) percentage depletion; (8) development expenditures; and (9) deduction and recapture of certain mining exploration expenditures. Allows a ten year period for the amortization of construction period interest and taxes. Allows a deduction for circulation expenses for a newspaper, magazine, or other periodical ratably over a five-year period. Excludes amounts chargeable to a capital account from such treatment. Repeals the depletion deduction for timber. Title IV: Miscellaneous Provisions - Subtitle A: Foreign Income - Repeals the domestic international sales corporations (DISC) provisions for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1985. Subtitle B: Other Miscellaneous Provisions - Requires farmers to compute their taxable income using the accrual method of accounting with the capitalization of preproduction expenses. Exempts taxpayers who do not have gross receipts of $1,000,000. Requires farming syndicates to use the accrual method of accounting without regard to gross receipts. Requires the recognition of the gain or loss on distributions of property by corporations. Eliminates the special bad debt reserves of financial institutions. Amends the Social Security Act to provide that benefits will be reduced by 25 cents rather than 50 cents for every dollar earned above a certain amount. Repeals the reduction for earnings for years after 1989. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to modify the withholding tables to reflect the broadening of the tax base made by the provisions of this Act. Title V: Effective Dates - Sets forth the effective dates for the provisions of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 1985
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the deduction for charitable contributions by taxpayers who do not itemize deductions.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 1985
Designates December 7, 1985, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 1985
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to revise the benefit levels of individuals becoming eligible for benefits in or after 1979 so that they are equal to the benefit levels of individuals who became eligible for benefits before 1979.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 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 · 24 January 1985
Congressional and Judicial Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1985 - Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to require that personnel actions affecting employees or applicants in the legislative and judicial branches of the Government be free from any discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, handicap, or age. Allows Members of Congress to take into consideration an individual's domicile and political affiliation. Establishes within the judicial branch an Employment Review Board. Provides that members of the board be appointed from the retired judges of the Supreme Court and Courts of Appeals. Authorizes an aggrieved individual to file a written complaint with the Board. Establishes procedures for the Board to investigate, settle, hear, and determine the claims alleged. Provides that if a violation is found an order for relief may compel the defendant to: (1) employ or reinstate such individual on such terms and conditions as may be appropriate; (2) pay compensatory damages; (3) pay punitive damages; and (4) pay fees and allowances of witnesses and reasonable attorneys' fees. Authorizes the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review, enjoin, set aside, suspend, modify, or enforce orders of the Board. Requires members of the Board to submit written reports to the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of the House of Representatives and the Senate Select Committee on Ethics describing complaints during the reporting period involved.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 1985
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for inflation adjustments to the income levels at which social security benefits and tier I railroad retirement benefits are subject to income tax.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 1985
Designates the week beginning May 5, 1985, as National Correctional Officers Week.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 1985
States that the Congress supports the President's commitment to arms control policies that provide for substantial reductions in strategic nuclear weapons and their delivery systems; the elimination of such weapons; and the development and deployment of nonnuclear defensive technologies that would ensure the safety of the United States and its allies and that would neutralize a terrorist nuclear missile attack. States that the Congress supports the President in the negotiation of new arms control agreements with the Soviet Union under which compliance is verifiable, which offset reductions in offensive weapons with sufficient defensive weapons, and which eliminate nuclear weapons from the arsenals of all nations.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 1985
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should: (1) ensure that U.S. officials carry out the pledge to resolve the issue of the Americans still missing and unaccounted for in Indochina; (2) work for the immediate release of any Americans still held captive and the return of the remains of those who died in Southeast Asia; and (3) make every effort to secure the further cooperation of Laos and Vietnam in resolving this issue.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 1985
Sexual Assault Act of 1985 - Amends the Federal criminal code to provide for a series of graded sexual offenses consisting of: aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and abusive sexual contact. Provides for an offense involving the sexual abuse of a minor or ward. Makes such offenses neutral as to gender. Repeals the chapter on rape. Makes conforming changes to the Public Health Service Act, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, the Mental Health Systems Act, the Federal Aviation Act, and the Federal Rules of Evidence.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 1985
Repeals the requirement added by the Tax Reform Act of 1984 relating to the maintenance of contemporaneous records with respect to: (1) business travel expenses, including automobile expenses; (2) business entertainment expenses; and (3) expenses for gifts.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 1985
Repeals the requirement added by the Tax Reform Act of 1984 relating to the maintenance of contemporaneous records with respect to: (1) business travel expenses, including automobile expenses; (2) business entertainment expenses; and (3) expenses for gifts.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 1985
Amends the Federal criminal code to provide a mandatory life sentence for any person who kidnaps an individual under the age of 18. Imposes the death penalty in any case where such a victim dies as the result of the kidnapping.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 1985
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to provide that disability insurance benefits for an individual having a terminal illness shall begin with the first month such individual has such illness.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 1985
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the deduction for charitable contributions by taxpayers who do not itemize deductions.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 1985
Designates the week beginning October 6, 1985, as National Children's Week.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 1985
Proclaims September 8 through September 14, 1985, as National Independent Retail Grocer Week.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 1985
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Federal Home Loan Bank Board should delay until June 30, 1985, the effective date of its proposed regulations regarding limitations on direct investment in real estate, service corporations, and equity securities by federally insured savings and loan associations. Directs the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs of the House of Representatives to examine alternatives to the proposed regulations which will ensure safety and sound investment activities.
United States · United States Congress · 21 January 1985
National Agricultural Soil Protection Act of 1985 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into long-term contracts with producers to convert highly erodible land from crop use to soil conservation use (including haying, grazing, and wild living resource conservation). Provides producers with: (1) cash or in kind payments of between 50 and 80 percent of conservation conversion costs, limited to an annual maximum per-acre amount equal to the county's average per-acre land value; and (2) five to ten percent bonuses for conservation conversions in specially designated areas. Permits advance and installment payments. Directs the Secretary to: (1) provide technical assistance; and (2) ensure that the amount of converted acreage in any county shall not cause adverse economic effects in such county. Makes any producer who breaches such a contract ineligible for other price support benefits for three years. Redesignates the existing position of Under Secretary of Agriculture for International Affairs and Commodity Programs as the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for International Affairs. Places the Foreign Agricultural Service and the Office of International Cooperation and Development under the direct supervision of such Assistant Secretary. Redesignates the existing position of Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment as the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Commodity Programs, Natural Resources, and Extension. Places the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, the Soil Conservation Service, the Forest Service, and the Extension Service under the direct supervision of such Under Secretary. Makes conforming amendments to the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 and other Federal laws.
United States · United States Congress · 21 January 1985
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide an additional ten percent investment tax credit (for a total of 20 percent) for expenditures for soil and water conservation property. Defines "soil and water conservation property" to mean irrigation property and that portion of the basis of qualified land which is attributable to conservation improvements made by the taxpayer. Requires that the qualified land be classified as highly erodible land. Provides that soil and water conservation property does not include that portion of the basis of property which is financed by any grant from the Government. Provides that the useful life of soil and water conservation property will be seven years. Provides that soil or water conservation property shall cease to qualify for the investment tax credit provided by this Act if the taxpayer discontinues the business of farming within five years after the date on which the property was placed in service. Provides that the amount of the tax deduction allowed under the accelerated cost recovery system for irrigation property qualified under this Act shall be determined according to a straight line method of depreciation.