United States · United States Congress · 16 May 1978
African Development Foundation Act - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to establish as a nonprofit corporation the African Development Foundation. Authorizes the Foundation to make grants, loans, and loan guarantees to any African private or public group, association, or other entity for: (1) the support of self-initiated community development efforts; (2) development research by Africans and the transfer of development resources, expertise, and knowledge within Africa; (3) procurement from other sources of such technical or other assistance in cases and manners deemed appropriate by African recipient entities; and (4) such other projects as the Foundation considers appropriate. Vests the management of the Foundation in a Board of Directors composed of seven members appointed by the President. Directs the establishment of a Council composed of individuals selected by the Board and including representatives from African grant recipients and other foreign nationals who are knowledgeable about development activities in Africa. Authorizes the appropriation of $25,000,000 to carry out this Act for the period covered by fiscal years 1978-80.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 1978
Amends Title XX (Grants to States for Services) of the Social Security Act to increase the ceiling imposed upon payments for services under such Title for the fiscal years 1979, 1980, 1981 and maintains the 1981 level for succeeding years.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 1978
Federal Reserve Membership Act - Amends the Federal Reserve Act to direct the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to prepare and publish a schedule of fees for its services and a set of pricing principles no later than July 1, 1979, and to put a fee schedule into effect no later than July 1, 1980. Directs the Board to pay interest on those reserves which member banks are required to maintain at a rate not in excess of the rate paid on United States Treasury bills with maturities of three months. Requires that the Board prepare a study on the feasibility and impact of permitting member banks to invest a percentage of their required reserves in United States Treasury securities.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 1978
Targeted Tax Relief Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow manufacturers planning property eligible for the investment tax credit in designated "labor surplus" areas to take double investment tax credits and depreciation deduction for the property. Doubles the allowable deduction for real property taxes on realty used in connection with this property.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 1978
Social Security Rights Act - Requires that procedures be established for the expedited replacement of undelivered benefit checks under title II (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act. Requires that decisions (and reconsiderations) on initial benefit claims be made within 90 days. Requires that payment of benefits on approved claims begin no later than the day regularly fixed for delivery of benefit checks in the second month following the month in which the claim was approved.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 1978
National Infant Screening Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to make grants and contracts to public and private entities to acquire the automated equipment, supplies, and personnel required to conduct multiple screening of blood specimens routinely collected from newborn infants for metabolic disorders. Requires the States to develop plans for the screening, diagnosis, and management of newborn infants for metabolic disorders. States that no entity shall be eligible for a grant under this Act unless it is in compliance with the applicable State plan.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 1978
Prohibits, after specified dates: (1) any licensee or permittee from manufacturing, importing, or otherwise placing or receiving in commerce any explosive, or (2) any person from placing or receiving in commerce any explosive sold as military surplus, unless such substance contains a material which permits identification of the manufacturer and date of manufacture after detonation and a material which permits detection of the substance prior to detonation.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 1978
Social Security Financing Amendments - Title I: Provisions to Improve the Financing of the Old Age-Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the rate of tax established by the Social Security Financing Amendments of 1977 on wages received by the employees and paid by employers, and on the earnings of the self employed, for the purposes of Title II (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act. Maintains at the level established by the Social Security Financing Amendments of 1977 the rate of tax on employment and self employment income for purposes of Title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act. Increases, to specified levels, the allocations of wages and self- employment income from the Treasury to the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund. Repeals the increases in the contribution and benefit base enacted by the Social Security Amendments of 1977. Establishes measures to maintain balances in the Federal Old-Age and Survivor Insurance Trust Fund, and the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund, sufficient to make the payments required of such funds by means of loans among such funds. Title II: Improvement of Long-Range Financing Through a Gradual Increase in Retirement Age - Increases, from 65 to 68 years, the retirement age at which an individual may receive old-age, wife's, husband's, widow's or widower's insurance benefits without a reduction because such individual became eligible for such benefits before reaching retirement age. Sets forth a schedule for such increase in steps to occur between December, 1999 and March, 2011. Title III: Working Spouse's Benefit and Elimination of Gender-Based Distinctions Under the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program - Establishes a "working spouse's benefit" under Title II. Provides that any individual who receives both old-age benefits or a disability insurance benefit and wife's, husband's, widow's, widower's, or mother's insurance benefits shall be entitled to such working spouse benefit. States that such benefit shall be a percentage of the smaller of the two benefits to which the recipient was entitled. Limits the receipt of such benefits to one member of a married couple when both members are eligible. Amends Title II to eliminate gender-based distinctions in awarding benefits under such Title. Equalizes treatment of fathers, husbands, divorced husbands, surviving divorced husbands, and widowers with the treatment of their female counterparts under the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program. Eliminates marriage or remarriage of a benefit recipient as a factor in terminating or reducing benefits. Title IV: Coverage of Federal Employees Under the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program - Amends Title II of the Social Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code to include Federal employees within the coverage of the Social Security system. Directs the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare in consultation with the Civil Service Commission to carry out a detailed study of how best to coordinate the benefits of the civil service retirement system and the benefits of the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance system, with the objective of developing for Federal employees a combined program of retirement, disability, and related benefits which will assure that such employers are no worse off, comparing their benefits under the combined program with the benefits they would receive under the Federal staff retirement systems at the time of their coverage under the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance system pursuant to the amendments made by this Act. Directs the Secretary to carry out a study of how best to coordinate the Medicare program and the program established by the Federal Employees Health Benefits Act, with the objective of developing for Federal employees a combined program of health insurance benefits to accompany the retirement and disability program developed by this Act. Title V: Liberalization and Eventual Repeal of Earnings Limitation for Individuals Age 65 and Over - Increases the minimum amount which an individual may earn before suffering a loss or reduction of benefits under the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program to $625 for each month of the taxable year ending after 1980 and before 1982. Removes the earning limitation for taxable years beginning after January 1, 1982.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 1978
New York City Financial Assistance Act - Title I: Emergency Assistance - Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to guarantee, under stated conditions, obligations of the City of New York or of its financing agent. Limits the total amount of guarantees that may be outstanding at any time to $2,000,000,000. Title II: Amendments to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 - Makes interest income received on any obligation guaranteed under Title I of this Act after the date of the enactment of this title taxable under the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 1978
Anti-Inflation Tax Reduction and Reform Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide cost-of-living adjustments for the individual income tax rates and withholding tables.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 1978
Public Playground Equipment Safety Act - Directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission to (1) carry out a study of the different types of surfacing materials used in playgrounds and determine the relationship between such materials and the occurrence of accidents and injuries at such facilities; and (2) promulgate advisory safety standards for playground equipment. Requires playground equipment in federally assisted playgrounds to comply with such safety standards.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 1978
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize any taxpayer to elect to have any portion of any overpayment of tax or any contribution in money which the taxpayer forwards with the return for such taxable year be available, as the taxpayer may designate on such return, for the National Endowment for the Arts or the National Endowment for the Humanities.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 1978
Authorizes a certain nonprofit corporation to have medals struck in commemoration of the XIII Olympic Winter Games to be held in Lake Placid, New York in 1980.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 1978
Declares it the sense of Congress that the President should direct the Amabassador to the United Nations to offer a resolution removing the observer of the Palestine Liberation Organization at the United Nations.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 1978
Telephone Privacy Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit unsolicited commercial telephone calls to a telephone subscriber who has notified the telephone company that he does not wish to receive such calls. Directs the Federal Communications Commission to prescribe regulations specifying the manner in which a telephone subscriber shall notify the telephone company that he does not wish to receive unsolicited calls. Prescribes criminal penalties for violations of this Act. Excludes from the definition of "unsolicited commercial telephone calls" calls made in response to an express request of the individual called or made in connection with an overdue debt or contractual obligation.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 1978
Wildlife on Federal Lands Trapping Act - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to issue such regulations, relating to trapping, as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. Prohibits the Secretary from approving any type of trap unless such trap utilizes the most humane capture method available for the species concerned, and minimizes the probability of capturing species for which such trap was not intended. Directs the Secretary to undertake a research program to develop such types of traps. Establishes an advisory commission to make recommendations to the Secretary with respect to traps designed or intended for use. Prohibits the Secretary from permitting trapping on Federal lands where such trapping may reduce any species below specified levels. Sets forth a procedure for the application and issuance of trapping permits. Requires the attachment of a shipping certificate to any package containing the fur, hide, skin, horn, or feathers of any mammal or bird captured by any trap within any State or the District of Columbia if such package is transported in interstate or foreign commerce. Establishes criminal penalties for: (1) engaging in trapping without a permit issued pursuant to this Act; (2) violating any condition of such permit; (3) violating any regulation of the Secretary relating to trapping; (4) selling or transporting in interstate commerce an unapproved trap; or (5) falsifying the shipping certificate. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements with States with respect to the imposition of trapping regulations consistent with those prescribed under this Act. Authorizes such appropriations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 1978
Civil Rights Amendments - Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination based on affectional or sexual preference in: (1) public accommodations; (2) public facilities; (3) public education; (4) federally assisted opportunities; (5) equal employment opportunities; (6) housing; and (7) educational programs receiving Federal assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 1978
Authorizes each Member of the House of Representatives, including the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico and the Delegates from Guam, the Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia, to hire for two week of each year two senior citizen interns to serve within the District of Columbia. Makes available to each Member for the purpose of hiring such interns an annual gross allowance of $600.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 1978
Amends Title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to extend medical assistance under such Title to individuals who are unable to care for their personal needs due to a physical or mental handicap which may result in death or which has lasted or may last continuously for at least one year.
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 1978
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that an individual's allowable charitable contributions shall be deducted when determining the individual's adjusted gross income, thereby allowing the deduction to individuals who do not itemize.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 1978
Requires that Federal employees be given compensatory time off to conform to religious requirements of abstention from work during certain periods of time.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 1978
Bilingual, Hearing, and Speech Impaired Court Interpreter Act - Establishes, through the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, programs to: (1) compile and make available lists of qualified interpreters for non-English speakers and hearing or speech impaired persons and; (2) provide the services of such interpreters free in criminal actions and civil actions initiated by the United States. Permits, and sets guidelines for, the use of Spanish in actions in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico and prohibits the disqualification of potential jurors in such court solely on the ground that they cannot speak English. Revises the Director's administrative duties and powers.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 1978
Amends part II of the Interstate Commerce Act (Motor Carriers) to exempt from the provisions of such part vehicles carrying up to 15 persons in a single day roundtrip for the purpose of commuting to and from work. Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to exempt from the minimum wage and maximum hours provisions of such Act individuals participating in a voluntary ride-sharing arrangement for the transportation of up to 15 persons in a single day roundtrip for the purpose of commuting to and from work.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1978
Rehabilitation Amendments - Amends the formula for allocating funds among the States for basic vocational rehabilitation services under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 1978
Bilingual Education Act Amendments - Revises the Bilingual Education Act to extend the general authorization for appropriations under such Act to 1981. Stipulates that grants for assistance to bilingual education programs will be available for fiscal years 1979, 1980, and 1981. Revises application requirements for such grants, including provisions regarding an evaluation plan and bilingual personnel recruitment. Provides special provisions for Puerto Rico regarding use and distribution of funds under such Act. Directs the Commissioner of Education to conduct a study of the need for compensatory English proficiency programs in Puerto Rico. Directs the Commissioner to make authorized payments directly to the applicants rather than to the Secretary of the Interior for specified programs of bilingual education for Indian children. Transfers specified evaluation responsibilities of the Secretary regarding such programs to the Commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Revises specified bilingual education training provisions under such Act to place particular emphasis on degree programs in bilingual education. Extends indefinitely the Commissioner of Education's authority to award fellowships for bilingual teacher training. Directs the Commissioner to undertake an ongoing study of the impact of such fellowships on the field of bilingual education. Revises the definition of "eligible applicant" for purposes of such training grants. Requires an individual receiving such assistance to work in a bilingual education related activity for a period equivalent to the period such assistance was received. Establishes within the Office of Education in place of the existing Office of Bilingual Education a Bureau of Bilingual Education to be headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Bilingual Education. Revises the composition of the National Advisory Council on Bilingual Education, including a requirement that at least two parents of children whose language proficiency is other than English be included in such Council. Extends authorizations for research and demonstration projects under such Act to fiscal year 1981. Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 1979-1983 for a grant program to local educational agencies and private nonprofit organizations eligible for Emergency School Aid assistance to meet the needs of minority children from an environment in which English is not the dominant language. Stipulates that such grants be designed to complement local programs carried out under the Emergency Aid Act. Provides for a program of grants for fiscal years 1982 and 1983 to States for bilingual education and for supplementary incentive grants to States providing State assistance to bilingual education programs. Provides guidelines for State applications for such bilingual education grants, including an annual State plan for distribution of such funds to local educational agencies giving priority to those programs that have been funded in previous years. Amends the Emergency School Aid Act to revise certain appropriation allocations and application requirements regarding: (1) educational television; (2) special projects; and (3) evaluations of specific projects assisted under such Act.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 1978
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to add Title V: Financing of General Election Campaigns for the House of Representatives - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to maintain in the Presidential Election Campaign Fund, the House of Representatives Election Campaign Account. Sets forth eligibility requirements to be met by candidates for election to the House of Representatives seeking payments from such Account. Limits expenditures from personal funds which may be made by candidates meeting such eligibility requirements. Entitles eligible candidates to specified matching payments. Limits to $150,000 the aggregate payments which may be made to all candidates in an election. Suspends certain expenditure limitations on eligible candidates if any candidate not eligible to receive payments pursuant to this Act makes expenditures or receives contributions in excess of specified amounts. Sets forth the procedure for requesting matching payments. Sets forth procedures to be followed by the Secretary of the Treasury in maintaining the House of Representatives Election Campaign Account. Directs the Federal Elections Commission to conduct examinations and audits of the campaign accounts of eligible candidates. Provides for the participation of the Commission in judicial proceedings arising under this Act. Authorizes appropriations necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 1978
Expresses the condemnation by the Congress of the March 11, 1978, attack on Israel by the Palestine Liberation Organization, and the expressed intention of the PLO to continue such attacks and to disrupt the peace efforts between Israel and Egypt. Requests the President to make the disapproval of the Congress known to governments approving the PLO attack. Expresses Congressional approval of the peace efforts between Israel and Egypt. Urges other Middle East countries to join such efforts. Declares negotiation to be the best way to bring peace to the Middle East.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 1978
Extends, from June 30, 1978, until June 30, 1981, the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury to make loans under the New York City Seasonal Financing Act.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 1978
National Credit Union Central Liquidity Facility Act - Establishes the National Credit Union Central Liquidity Facility to provide funds to meet the liquidity needs of credit unions. Vests management of the Facility in the National Credit Union Administration. Declares the initial capitalization of the Facility shall be by stock subscription consisting of shares having par value of $50 each. Entitles any member of the Facility to apply on a form prescribed by regulations for advances. Authorizes the Administration to deny or grant any application upon such terms as it may prescribe by regulations. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to lend the Facility up to $500,000,000 to enable it to meet the obligations arising under this Act. Directs the Administration to prepare and submit to the President and to the Congress annually a full report on the activities of the Facility for the previous year. Directs the Comptroller General to audit the Central Liquidity Facility.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 1978
Amends Title XX (Grants to States for Services) of the Social Security Act to increase the ceiling imposed upon payments for services under such Title for the fiscal years 1979, 1980, 1981 and maintains the 1981 level for succeeding years.
![Official portrait of Rep. Green, S. William [R-NY-15]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/g000417_200.jpg)