United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2000
Hospital Preservation and Equity Act of 2000 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA), as amended by the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999 with regard to the one year sole community hospital payment increase, to reset the applicable percentage increase for FY 2001 and each subsequent fiscal year to the market basket percentage increase for hospitals in all areas for purposes of updating payments to prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals for inpatient hospital services.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 2000
Social Security Right To Know Act - Amends the Social Security Act to require a certain annual report by the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors and Disability Insurance Trust Funds on the operation and status of such Funds to include information on: (1) the unfunded long-term projected liability of the social security system and any change in such amount from the preceding year as well as the deficit or surplus that the system will run in the last year of the long-term projection period, with any aggregate assets or liabilities held by the Trust Funds in that final projected year; and (2) the economic model and relevant data used to make such projections. Requires social security account statements to contain: (1) a comparison of the annual social security tax inflows to the amount paid in benefits annually and a statement whether the ratio will result in a cash flow deficit and what year such deficit will commence as well as the first year in which funds in the Trust Funds will cease to be sufficient to cover the deficit and the percentage of benefits due at that time that could be paid from annual tax inflows; and (2) an explanation of the average rate of return that a taxpayer can expect to receive on old- age insurance benefits as compared to the total amount of social security taxes a taxpayer expects to pay. Makes Social Security Administration Continuous Work History Sample data publicly available for statistical research purposes subject to certain limitations.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2000
Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act - Includes as an employee, for purposes of Federal provisions authorizing enrollment under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program: (1) a member of the armed forces who began service before June 7, 1956, and retired after a minimum of 20 years of such service or by reason of a service-connected disability; and (2) the surviving widow or widower of such member. Directs the Secretary of Defense to enter into an agreement with the Office of Personnel Management to provide FEHB coverage to the following eligible beneficiaries: (1) a member or former member entitled to military retired or retainer pay; (2) an unremarried former spouse who was married to a member for at least 20 years, during which such member performed at least 20 years of retirement-creditable military service; (3) a dependent of a deceased qualifying member or former member; (4) a dependent of a living member or former member; and (5) a family member of such member. Repeals a provision prohibiting coverage under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services for persons entitled to hospital insurance benefits under part A of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Act.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2000
Religious Broadcasting Freedom Act - Prohibits the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from establishing, expanding, or otherwise modifying requirements relating to the service obligations of noncommercial educational television stations except by means of Federal agency rulemaking procedures. Terminates the additional guidance contained in the FCC's memorandum opinion and order in WQED Pittsburgh (FCC 99-393), except as such guidance is prescribed in accordance with the above rulemaking procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2000
Home Workplace Preservation Act of 2000 - Amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to make the Act inapplicable to employment performed in a workplace which is located in the employee's residence.
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 1999
States' Rights and Second and Tenth Amendment Restoration Act of 1999 - Amends the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, 1997 to repeal a specified provision (commonly referred to as the Lautenberg amendment) establishing a gun ban for individuals convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 1999
Radio Broadcasting Preservation Act of 1999 - Prohibits the Federal Communications Commission from prescribing any rules authorizing the operation of new, low power FM radio stations, or establishing a low power radio service, as currently proposed. Terminates previously prescribed rules which would violate such prohibition and voids licenses issued pursuant to such rules.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 1999
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the President should immediately transmit to Congress a report containing: (1) the President's certification as to whether the U.S. Government has ever requested the Government of Russia to provide information on the specific sites in the United States at which either the Russian or Soviet Government placed weapons or military equipment for use in a possible conflict with the United States; and (2) depending on such certification, either a full accounting of why such a request has not been made or detailed information on when and to whom each such request was transmitted and what information was provided by Russia in response. Calls for the President to provide to Congress a report describing in detail the President's plan to find and remove any military equipment or bombs (such as those identified in the so-called Mitrokhin files) that have been placed by the Russian or Soviet Government on U.S. territory.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 1999
Authorizes the American Battle Monuments Commission to place within the Vietnam Veterans Memorial a plaque to honor those Vietnam veterans who died after service in the Vietnam War, but as a direct result of such service, and whose names are not otherwise eligible for placement on the Memorial wall.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 1999
Cabin User Fee Fairness Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to ensure that the basis and procedure for calculating cabin user fees on National Forest System lands shall reflect the probable value of the use and occupancy of a lot to the cabin owner. States that such value shall: (1) not be equivalent to the lot's rental fee; and (2) reflect regional economic influences, as determined by appraisal. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) appraisal requirements and right of second appraisals; (2) cabin user fees and annual adjustments; and (3) right of arbitration and judicial review. Authorizes appropriations for the arbitration program.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 1999
State's and Parental Rights Improvement Act of 2000 - Prohibits, notwithstanding any other provision of law, considering a State to have violated any term or condition of any Federal health care grant-in-aid program by requiring the consent or notification of a parent or guardian regarding dispensing a prescription drug or device (or any class of drugs or devices specified by the State) to a minor.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 1999
Drug Import Fairness Act of 1999 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services, with regard to a drug being imported or offered for import, from sending a notice to a person suggesting that importing the drug is, or appears to be, in violation of the FDCA unless: (1) the Secretary determines the drug is adulterated, misbranded, in violation of FDCA provisions relating to new drugs, the drug is forbidden or restricted in sale in the producing or exporting country, importation by any person other than the manufacturer violates reimportation provisions, or the importation otherwise violates Federal law; (2) the notice does not specify any provision described in the provisions of this act relating to those determinations that is not applicable to the drug's importation; and (3) the notice states the underlying reasons for the determination.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 1999
Social Security Number Confidentiality Act of 1999 - Amends Federal law, with respect to general authority to issue checks and other drafts, to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to take necessary action to ensure that Social Security account numbers (including derivatives of such numbers) are not visible on or through unopened mailings of Government checks or other drafts.
United States · United States Congress · 2 November 1999
Duty to Assist Veterans Act of 1999 - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, with respect to any veterans' benefits claim filed on or after July 14, 1999, to assist such claimant in developing information pertinent to a decision on the claim, including by informing the claimant of any medical or lay evidence needed and by providing a medical examination to determine the current disability of the veteran concerned.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 1999
Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to establish in the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) the position of Chief Agricultural Negotiator, who shall be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate. Requires the Chief to conduct trade negotiations and enforce trade agreements relating to U.S. agricultural products and services, as well as perform other functions as the USTR may direct.
United States · United States Congress · 20 October 1999
National Institutes of Health EPSCoR Program Act of 1999 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to revise the program for enhancing the competitiveness of entities conducting biomedical and behavioral research in obtaining funds from the National Research Institutes. Establishes a new experimental program to stimulate competitive research (EPSCoR) to enhance the research competitiveness of a non-Federal entity located in an EPSCoR State (as defined in this Act). Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 1999
Amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to require the appointment of the Chief of the Forest Service by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, from persons who have substantial experience and demonstrated competence in forest land management and natural resources conservation.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit: (1) annual carryover of up to $3000 of unused benefits under cafeteria plans or flexible spending or similar arrangements; and (2) in lieu of a carryover, such amount to be rolled over as nontaxable income when transferred to certain retirement plans, a medical savings account, an education individual retirement account, or health care reimbursement rollover account. Authorizes an annual cost-of-living adjustment to the $3000 limit. Exempts a health care reimbursement rollover account from Federal income tax unless such account ceases to be that type of account. Subjects such account to taxation on unrelated business income. Outlines account qualification requirements. Considers as nontaxable income any amounts paid out of such accounts when used exclusively for qualified medical expenses, while considering as taxable any amounts used otherwise. Excludes account funds from estate taxes. Considers the transfer of such an account to a designated beneficiary as if the beneficiary were the original account holder. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to require from an account trustee appropriate reports concerning account contributions, distributions, and related matters.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1999
Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to provide that if the United States initiates a retaliation list (list of products of a foreign country that has failed to comply with the report of the panel or Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO)), or the United States Trade Representative (USTR) takes specified trade action against the goods of a foreign country because of its failure to implement the recommendation made pursuant to a dispute settlement proceeding under the WTO, the USTR shall periodically revise the list or action to affect the other goods of the country. Declares that the USTR is not required to revise the retaliation list or the action with respect to a country, if: (1) the USTR determines that implementation of the recommendation by the country is imminent; or (2) the USTR together with the petitioner involved in the initial unfair trade investigation (or if no petition was filed, the affected U.S. industry) agree that it is unnecessary to revise the retaliation list.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 1999
Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project Facilities Conveyance Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, upon acceptance by the appropriate parties of required Federal obligations, to convey the respective portions of the Yellowstone Irrigation Project, the Intake Irrigation Project, and the Savage Unit (irrigation project) of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program to the Intake Irrigation District (Montana), the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Districts No. 1 (Montana) and 2 (North Dakota), and the Savage Irrigation District (Montana). Directs the Secretary and the Western Area Power Administration to continue to provide Pick-Sloan power to each such District as long as the Districts and the Yellowstone Project continue to operate under Pick-Sloan. Requires each such conveyance within 180 days after enactment of this Act, with a two-year deadline if changes in operations are intended. Provides related requirements regarding environmental matters and recreation management.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 1999
Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act - Amends Federal employee provisions to include the following as an employee, for purposes of authorized enrollment under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program: (1) a member of the armed forces who began service before June 7, 1956, and retired after a minimum of 20 years of such service or by reason of a service-connected disability; and (2) the surviving widow or widower of such member. Directs the Secretary of Defense to enter into an agreement with the Office of Personnel Management to provide FEHB coverage to the following eligible beneficiaries: (1) a member or former member entitled to military retired or retainer pay who is also entitled to hospital insurance benefits under part A of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act; (2) an unremarried former spouse who was married to a member for at least 20 years, during which such member performed at least 20 years of retirement-creditable military service; (3) a dependent of a deceased qualifying member or former member; (4) a dependent of a living member or former member who is entitled to Medicare hospital insurance benefits; and (5) a family member of such member. Repeals a provision prohibiting coverage under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services for persons entitled to hospital insurance benefits under part A of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Act.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 1999
Urges the Department of Education, States, and local educational agencies to work together to ensure that at least 95 percent of all funds appropriated for elementary and secondary education programs administered by the Department of Education is spent to improve the academic achievement of children in classrooms.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 1999
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the U.S. Government should: (1) request that the new Government of Panama, under the leadership of President Mireya Moscoso, nullify the lease agreements for the Balboa and the Cristobal port facilities on each end of the Panama Canal and initiate a new bidding process that is both transparent and fair; (2) request that the new Government of Panama investigate charges of corruption related to the granting of the Panama Canal port leases by the previous Balladares administration; and (3) negotiate security arrangements with the Government of Panama that will protect the canal and ensure the territorial integrity of the Republic of Panama.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 1999
Constitutional Amendment - Declares that, to secure the people's right to acknowledge God according to the dictates of conscience: (1) neither the United States nor any State shall establish any official religion; (2) the people's right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, or traditions on public property, including schools, shall not be infringed; and (3) neither the United States nor any State shall require any person to join in prayer or other religious activity, prescribe school prayers, discriminate against religion, or deny equal access to a benefit on account of religion.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 1999
Seniors' Health Care Freedom Act of 1999 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with regard to the use of private contracts by Medicare beneficiaries to eliminate the requirement that non-Medicare physicians and practitioners file affidavits pledging they will not file any Medicare claims for two years with respect to the Medicare beneficiaries with whom they contract.
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999
Shivwits Plateau National Conservation Area Establishment Act - Title I: Shivwits Plateau National Conservation Area - Establishes the Shivwits Plateau National Conservation Area in Arizona. (Sec. 103) Requires the administration of the conservation area to be exercised by the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Land Management. Prohibits the Secretary from using the National Park Service or the Fish and Wildlife Service to administer the Conservation Area or to include the area as a unit of the National Park System or the National Wildlife Refuge System, except by express congressional authorization. Requires the Secretary to prepare a management plan for administration and use of the conservation area. Establishes the Shivwits Plateau National Conservation Area Advisory Committee to advise on the preparation and implementation of the management plan. (Sec. 104) Provides that the designation of the conservation area shall not be construed to alter the existing authorized uses or rights to use Federal lands included in the area. Treats a land use as an existing land use if it was authorized as of January 1, 1999, was a historical or traditional use, or was a right of use as of such date. Permits hunting, trapping, and fishing on conservation area lands and waters. Authorizes grazing within the area to the same extent as was permitted during calendar year 1998. Guarantees grazing permit holders the right to create new improvements for grazing operations. Permits aircraft and helicopter overflights of lands and landings within the area to the same extent as was permitted during calendar year 1998. (Sec. 105) Describes procedures for the acquisition of State or private lands within the conservation area. (Sec. 106) Requires the Secretary to assess the oil, gas, coal, and other mineral potential on Federal lands in the conservation area in order to expand the data base with respect to the mineral potential of the lands. Subjects the mineral assessment program to review and approval by the Arizona State Department of Mines and Mineral Resources. Bars the Secretary from making, modifying, or extending any mineral withdrawal authorized by law within the conservation area after January 1, 1999, until the assessment, consultation with, and review by, the State are completed. Permits the removal of minerals from the conservation area after completion of such requirements. (Sec. 107) Requires the Secretary, subject to the availability of funds, to carry out ecological resources restoration projects within the conservation area. Prohibits such projects from adversely affecting grazing allotments for more than three years unless an extension has been agreed upon by the permittee. Requires the Secretary, to the extent that a project affects such an allotment, to provide alternative allotments within the same grazing district to affected permittees so that the total number of animal unit months is unaltered. Sets forth provisions regarding control of plant growth and road maintenance and improvement within the conservation area. (Sec. 110) Directs the Secretary to conduct a survey of the conservation area, noting all sites of archaeological, historical, or scientific interest. Makes survey results publicly available. (Sec. 111) Authorizes appropriations to carry out this title. Title II: Land Restoration and Conveyances - Requires the Secretary of the Interior, to the extent possible, to implement the recommendations contained in the April 1999 report of the Sonoran Institute regarding the Arizona Strip-Southern Utah Restoration Area. Authorizes the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior, as a demonstration project, to apply all or a part of the revenues received for timber and other resources removed from lands designated as such restoration area under stewardship end-result contracts as an offset against the costs of stewardship services. Requires the Secretaries to designate an independent scientific review panel to review and approve all projects under this section. Terminates the authority to conduct projects seven years after this Act's enactment date. (Sec. 202) Directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey, without consideration, all U.S. right, title, and interest in and to specified lands to Colorado City, Arizona, Fredonia, Arizona, Mohave County, Arizona, and the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians. (Sec. 203) Authorizes appropriations to carry out this title.
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Market Loss Assistance for Contract Commodities Title II: Market Loss Assistance for Soybeans and Other Oilseeds Title III: Removal of Trade Sanctions Title IV: Temporary Removal of Limit on Loan Deficiency Payments and Marketing Loan Gains Title V: Upland Cotton Price Competitiveness Title VI: Market Loss Assistance for Livestock and Dairy Producers Title VII: Emergency Concessional Sales and Donations Title VIII: Conservation Reserve Title IX: Early Availability of AMTA Payments Title X: Crop Insurance Farm and Ranch Emergency Assistance Act of 1999 - Designates amounts made available by this Act as an emergency requirement pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Deficit Control Act of 1985. Title I: Market Loss Assistance for Contract Commodities - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to use specified amounts for 1999 contract commodity market loss assistance to producers under a production flexibility contract. Makes such assistance available in proportion to amounts received under a producer's flexibility contract. Title II: Market Loss Assistance For Soybeans and Other Oilseeds - Directs the Secretary to use specified amounts of Commodity Credit Corporation funds for 1999 market loss assistance to soybean and oilseed producers. Considers such assistance as payments for purposes of production flexibility contract limits. Title III: Removal of Trade Sanctions - Directs the Comptroller General to examine and report on specified aspects of trade sanctions. (Sec. 302) Prohibits the President from imposing unilateral agricultural or medical sanctions against a foreign government, with an exception for national security reasons. (Sec. 303) Directs the Secretary to make annual reports with respect to foreign sanctions and their effect on U.S. agricultural commodities. (Sec. 304) Directs the Secretary to expand agricultural export assistance to offset sanction-affected market losses. Title IV: Temporary Removal of Limit on Loan Deficiency Payments and Marketing Loan Gains - Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to remove limits on marketing loan gains and loan deficiency payments for crop years 1999 and 2000. Title V: Upland Cotton Price Competitiveness - Amends the Agricultural Market Transition Act to: (1) reduce specified eligibility criteria with respect to upland cotton special marketing assistance; (2) make agricultural commodities pledged to the Corporation as loan collateral eligible for marketing certificate redemption; (3) eliminate related expenditure caps; and (4) revise special import quota provisions. Title VI: Market Loss Assistance for Livestock and Dairy Producers - Directs the Secretary to use specified Corporation funds to assist livestock and dairy producers. Title VII: Emergency Concessional Sales and Donations - Directs the Secretary to use specified Corporation funds for an emergency agricultural export concessional sales and donations program. Limits the amount of such funds available to assist fruit and vegetable producers. Title VIII: Conservation Reserve - Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary should enroll the fully authorized acreage in the conservation reserve program. Title IX: Early Availability of AMTA Payments - Amends the Agricultural Market Transition Act to authorize advance payments in full through FY 2002 under the production flexibility contract program. Title X: Crop Insurance - Directs the Secretary to use specified Corporation funds to assist producers in purchasing additional crop insurance for crop year 2000.
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999
Policyholder Disaster Protection Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for the creation of disaster protection funds by property and casualty insurance companies for the payment of policyholders' claims arising from certain catastrophic events.
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999
Rural Education Initiative Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to establish a new part J, Rural Education Initiative (REI), under title X Programs of National Significance. (Replaces the current part J, Urban and Rural Education Assistance and its provisions for demonstration grants for, and White House Conferences on, urban and rural education.) Makes an local educational agency (LEA) eligible for REI alternative use formula grants and competitive grants if: (1) the total number of students in average daily attendance at all of the schools served by the LEA is less than 600; and (2) all of the schools served by the LEA are located in a community with a Rural-Urban Continuum Code of 6, 7, 8, or 9, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture. Authorizes the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to waive such eligibility requirements for competitive grants. Provides, under the alternative use formula grant program, that an eligible LEA may use applicable funding that it is eligible to receive from the State educational agency (SEA) for a fiscal year, to support local or statewide education reform efforts intended to improve the achievement of elementary school and secondary school students and the quality of instruction provided for the students. Defines applicable funding as funds received under: (1) specified provisions of the Department of Education Appropriations Act, 1999; (2) ESEA title II (Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program); (3) ESEA title IV (Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities); and (4) ESEA title VI (Innovative Education Program Strategies). Requires each SEA receiving applicable funding to disburse it to LEAs for alternative uses at the same times it disburses it to LEAs that do not intend to use it for alternative uses for that fiscal year. Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive grants to eligible LEAs to support local or statewide education reform efforts intended to improve the achievement of elementary school and secondary school students and the quality of instruction provided for the students. Sets forth formulas for determining the amounts of such grants, based on numbers of children in average daily attendance at schools served by the LEAs, minus amounts received under applicable funding. Authorizes appropriations for the REI program. Sets forth accountability provisions. Requires LEAs that receive REI alternative use formula grants or competitive grants to administer tests to assess the academic achievement of students in their schools. Requires each SEA that receives applicable funding to: (1) determine, after the fifth year of an LEA's participation in either REI grant program, whether the LEA's students are performing better on such tests than after the first year of participation; (2) only permit LEAs that perform better to continue to participate for an additional five years; and (3) prohibit LEAs that did not perform better from participating for five years from the date of determination.
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999
Make College Affordable Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow the deduction of qualified higher education expenses and interest on qualified higher education loans. Sets forth a per student limitation, a per taxpayer limitation, and a limitation based on modified adjusted gross income.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 1999
Separation of Powers Restoration Act - Repeals the War Powers Resolution. Terminates after 90 days all powers and authorities of the President and any other Federal officer or employee or executive agency from a declaration of national emergency. States that, to the extend that any Act of Congress grants to the President or any other executive officer or employee the power to declare a national emergency, such power is divested to Congress alone. Directs the President to include with each presidential order a statement of the specific statutory or constitutional authority for such action. States, with exceptions, that a presidential order neither constitutes nor has the force of law and is limited in application and effect to the executive branch. Authorizes both Houses of Congress, a Senator or Representative, certain State and local officials, and certain aggrieved persons to bring an action to challenge the validity of any presidential order which exceeds the power granted to the President by the relevant authorizing statute or the Constitution.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 1999
Certified Development Company Program Improvements Act of 1999 - Amends provisions of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 relating to the certified development company (CDC) program (a program providing loans to State or local development companies for assisting small businesses) to: (1) include within program goals the expansion of women-owned business development; (2) increase to $1 million the authorized amount of a loan from the development company to an identifiable small business; (3) terminate on or after October 1, 2003, the authority of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to charge a fee for such loans; (4) repeal the certified lenders program; and (5) provide for the sale of certain defaulted loans under the CDC program, requiring prior notice of the sale of such a loan to any CDC which has a contingent liability for such loan. Authorizes the SBA to delegate to any qualified State or local development company the authority to foreclose and liquidate defaulted loans that are guaranteed with the proceeds of debentures guaranteed by the SBA. Outlines delegation eligibility requirements and the scope of such delegation authority (all necessary liquidation and foreclosure as well as required litigation). Requires each eligible development company, before carrying out such liquidation and foreclosure, to submit a proposed liquidation plan to the SBA for approval. Provides administrative procedures with respect to the submission and approval of such plan. Authorizes the SBA to suspend or revoke any delegation authority granted for failure to comply with delegation requirements. Requires an annual report from the SBA to the congressional small business committees on the results of the delegation of authority under this section. Terminates on the effective date of final regulations implementing this section the current loan liquidation pilot program.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 1999
Congressional Pay Accountability Act - Amends the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 to authorize a Member or Member-elect to Congress to decline an annual pay adjustment scheduled to take effect on or after January 1, 2001.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 1999
Amends the Small Business Act to authorize the Small Business Administration (SBA) to guarantee a general business loan made by a bank or other financial institution to a small business in the amount of: (1) 75 percent of the outstanding balance of such loan, if such balance exceeds $150,000 (currently $100,000); and (2) 80 percent of the outstanding balance of less than $150,000 (also currently $100,000). Prohibits any such loan from being made to a borrower if the total amount outstanding and committed to the borrower from the business loan and SBA investment funds would exceed $1 million (currently $750,000). Makes current provisions requiring the payment of accrued interest on defaulted guaranteed loans inapplicable to loans made on or after October 1, 1999. Requires a borrower who prepays any loan guaranteed by the SBA to remit to the SBA a subsidy recoupment (calculated under this Act) if: (1) the loan is for a period of less than 15 years; (2) the prepayment is voluntary; (3) the amount of prepayment in any calendar year is more than 25 percent of the outstanding loan balance; and (4) the prepayment is made within the first three years after disbursement of the loan proceeds. Revises loan guarantee fee amounts. Authorizes lenders participating in an SBA program to retain no more than 25 percent of such fee with respect to any loan not exceeding $150,000. Authorizes a borrower to permanently lease to one or more tenants not more than 20 percent of any property constructed using guaranteed loan proceeds, as long as the borrower permanently occupies and uses not less than 60 percent of the total business space in the property.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Strengthening the Farm Safety Net Title II: Improving Program Efficiencies Title III: Administration Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 1999 - Title I: Strengthening the Farm Safety Net - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to revise the crop insurance premium schedule for additional coverage, including elimination of the separate coverage-based premium criteria. Requires plans to disclose premium amounts paid by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. (Sec. 102) Establishes a premium schedule for other insurance plans based upon a percentage of the total premium used to define loss ratio and certain dollar amounts to be paid by the Corporation. (Sec. 103) States that if the Corporation uses actual production history to determine insurable yields for a commodity, a producer may elect to exclude certain years of production history depending upon whether the producer has a ten or five year consecutive production history. (Sec. 104) Directs the Corporation to periodically review crop insurance plan rating methodologies. (Sec. 105) Repeals authority for the cost of production risk protection and the assigned yield for new producer pilot programs. Authorizes the Corporation to offer pilot programs: (1) on a regional, State, or national basis; and (2) on a three-year, renewable, basis. Provides for the expedited consideration of certain limited-scope pilot programs. Directs the Corporation to conduct one or more livestock (cattle, sheep, swine, goats, poultry) pilot programs, including the use of futures and options contracts and insurance plans. Sets forth specified fiscal year expenditure caps. Authorizes the use of Corporation insurance fund amounts for such programs. (Sec. 106) Authorizes the Corporation to provide a cost of production price election under a production cost-based insurance plan. (Sec. 107) Authorizes the Corporation to provide performance-based discounts to producers of a commodity with good insurance or production experience relative to other producers in the same area. (Sec. 108) Directs the Corporation to offer an alternative risk protection coverage that indemnifies on an area yield and loss basis and provides, on a uniform national basis, a higher combination of yield and price protection. (Sec. 109) Authorizes cooperatives and other nonprofit trade associations to pay catastrophic insurance fees. (Sec. 110) Provides, with respect to prevented planting coverage, that: (1) a producer may elect out of coverage, with a corresponding premium reduction; (2) the Corporation shall offer an equal percentage of coverage for each commodity; and (3) substitute commodity planting shall be permitted, under specified conditions. (Sec. 112) Amends the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to authorize noninsured crop disaster assistance to producers in certain declared disaster areas. (Sec. 113) Makes noninsured crop disaster assistance available only to persons with adjusted gross incomes of two million dollars or less. Title II: Improving Program Efficiencies - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to prohibit issuance of more than one insurance policy on the same acreage during a crop year unless such coverage is limited to catastrophic risk protection insurance, with an exception for areas with customary double-cropping practices. (Sec. 202) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to improve program compliance and integrity through development of plans to: (1) reconcile producer information received by the Corporation and the Farm Service Agency (FSA); and (2) use FSA field infrastructure to identify and eliminate waste and fraud. Provides for related Corporation consultation with State FSA committees. (Sec. 203) Authorizes the Corporation to impose specified fines and program disqualifications upon an agent, producer, loss adjuster, insurance provider, or other person for willful and intentional false information provided with respect to an insurance plan or policy. (Sec. 204) Provides for protection of confidential information, including application of specified (confidentiality) penalties under the Food Security Act of 1985. Title III: Administration - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to revise the composition of the Corporation Board of Directors. (Sec. 302) Directs the Corporation to reimburse applicants for research, development, and maintenance costs for insurance policies that are approved and offered for producer sale. (Sec. 303) Directs the Corporation to contract with qualified parties to research and develop insurance policies for underserved commodities, including specialty crops Prohibits the Corporation from conducting its own policy research and development. (Sec. 304) Provides specified funding for research and development on specialty crops and under-served communities and authorizes appropriations for reimbursement for research development and maintenance costs. (Sec. 305) Authorizes an approved insurance provider, university, or trade association or cooperative, or other person to submit a policy or plan for Board approval. States that if the Board does not approve or disapprove an application within 120 days it shall be deemed approved. (Sec. 306) Directs the Corporation to contract for rating insurance plans.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 1999
Market Loss Assistance Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to provide partial market loss assistance to farm owners and producers eligible for 1999 production flexibility contract payments under the Agricultural Market Transition Act.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1999
Private Property Protection Act of 1999 - Requires the Federal Government to compensate a property owner whose use of that property has been limited by an agency action, pursuant to a specified regulatory law, that diminishes the fair market value of that property by 20 percent or more, for that diminution in value. Requires the Government to buy at fair market value any portion of a property whose value has been diminished by more than 50 percent. Declares that property with respect to which compensation has been paid under this Act shall not thereafter be used contrary to the limitation imposed by the agency action, unless: (1) the action is later rescinded or vitiated; and (2) the property owner refunds the amount of the compensation to the Treasury. Provides that if a use is a nuisance as defined by State law or local zoning ordinance, no compensation shall be made under this Act with respect to a limitation on that use. Prohibits compensation from being made under this Act with respect to: (1) an agency action the primary purpose of which is to prevent an identifiable hazard to public health and safety or damage to specific property other than the property whose use is limited; or (2) an agency action pursuant to the Federal navigational servitude, except as such servitude is applied by U.S. courts to wetlands. Sets forth the procedures by which a property owner may seek compensation under this Act. Requires any agency taking an action limiting private property use to give appropriate notice of rights and compensation procedures to the property owners. Declares that: (1) nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit any right to compensation under the Constitution or other Federal law; and (2) payment of compensation shall not confer on the Federal Government any rights other than the use limitation resulting from the agency action.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1999
Department of Defense Anthrax Vaccination Moratorium Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) a single protection measure such as the mandatory anthrax vaccine immunization program should not be implemented by the Department of Defense (DOD) without regard to its effect on morale, retention, recruiting, and budget; and (2) an insufficiently proven vaccine should not be advocated as a substitute for research, development, and production of truly effective vaccines and antibiotics, adequate protective equipment, and nonproliferation measures. Directs the Secretary of Defense to suspend implementation of the DOD anthrax vaccination program. Requires: (1) an independent study of the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine used; and (2) a report from the Director of the National Institutes of Health to specified congressional committees on study results. Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a study and comment to Congress on the vaccine program and the effect of the use of contractor-operated facilities for such program. Requires expedited consideration by the respective Boards for Correction of Military Records for current or former military personnel for remedies for adverse personnel actions that were the result of the vaccine program. States that if the Director determines that the vaccine used in the DOD program meets specified criteria, the Secretary may resume such program. Provides that if such program is resumed, the Secretary may use only newly produced vaccine for vaccinations after such resumption.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 1999
American Military Health Protection Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense to make the anthrax vaccination immunization program voluntary for all members of the armed forces until the Food and Drug Administration has approved a new anthrax vaccine for humans or a new, reduced course of shots for such vaccine.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 1999
Credit Cost Reduction Act of 1999 - Amends the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to: (1) exclude from the definition of "communication" any actions taken pursuant to Federal or State rules of civil procedure, or a nonjudicial foreclosure; and (2) permit collection activities and communications during the 30 days following initial notice to the consumer about a debt collection unless the consumer requests cessation of such activities. Extends to any series of class actions arising out of the same violations by the same debt collector the current limit on the total amount of the debt collector's liability for additional damages that can be awarded to a plaintiff in the case of a successful class action to enforce liability of a noncompliant debt collector. Disallows recovery to the consumer of attorney's fees accruing after the consumer's refusal of such debt collector's settlement offer, if the amount of the final judgment awarded to the consumer is less than such offer. Shields a debt collector from liability in the case of good faith compliance with Federal or State rules of civil procedure. Exempts from certain debt collection disclosure requirements those mortgage servicers for which delinquent debt collection is secondary to the servicing of federally related mortgage loans secured by a first lien. Requires such mortgage servicers to furnish the debtor with certain validation statements prior to debt acceleration.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1999
Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to increase the maximum amount of marketing loan gains and loan deficiency payments that an agricultural producer may receive for crop year 1999.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 1999
Financial Freedom Act of 1999 - Title I: Broad-Based Tax Relief - Subtitle A: 10-Percent Reduction in Individual Income Tax Rates - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to provide for the phase-in of a ten percent individual income tax rate. Subtitle B: Marriage Penalty Tax Relief - Phases-in a standard deduction on a joint (married) return equal to twice the deduction of a single (not married) return. (Sec. 112) Makes the modified adjusted gross income limitation applicable in determining the deduction for interest on educational loans on a joint return double the limit of a single return. (Sec. 113) Raises from $100,000 (currently applicable to any filing status) to $160,000 (in the case of a joint return) the adjusted gross income limit applicable to rollovers from regular IRAs to Roth IRAs. Subtitle C: Repeal of Alternative Minimum Tax on Individuals - Phases-in a repeal of the alternative minimum tax for individuals. Title II: Relief from Taxation on Savings and Investments - Excludes from gross income a limited amount of dividends and interest otherwise includible in gross income. (Sec. 202) Reduces the individual capital gains tax rate. (Sec. 203) Applies the capital gains tax rates to capital gains of designated settlement funds. (Sec. 204) Provides, with respect to exclusion of gain from the sale of a principal residence, for the suspension of the five-year ownership and use requirement during the time that a member (or spouse) of the uniformed services or Foreign Service is on qualified official extended duty (as defined by this Act). (Sec. 205) Treats certain dealer derivative financial instruments, hedging transactions, and supplies as ordinary assets. (Sec. 206) Revises provisions concerning the worthless securities of financial institutions. Title III: Incentives for Business Investment and Job Creation - Phases-in a corporate capital gains tax rate reduction. (Sec. 302) Phases- in a repeal of the alternative minimum tax on corporations. Repeals the 90 percent limitation on the utilization of the foreign tax credit. Title IV: Education Savings Incentives - Renames education individual retirement accounts education savings accounts. Increases to $2,000 the maximum annual contribution allowed to such accounts. Permits tax-free expenditures from such accounts for elementary and secondary education expenses required for attendance at a public, private, or religious school, or for homeschooling that meets State requirements. Waives certain age limitations in cases of children with special needs. Permits corporations to contribute to such accounts. (Sec. 402) Permits private educational institutions to maintain qualified tuition programs which are comparable to qualified State tuition programs. Excludes qualified distributions from such accounts from gross income. (Sec. 403) Excludes from gross income certain amounts received under the National Health Corps Scholarship Program, the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship and Financial Assistance Program, the National Institutes of Health Undergraduate Scholarship Program, or any similar State program. (Sec. 404) Increases the amount by which certain governmental bonds used to finance public school capital expenditures may be exempted from specified arbitrage bond provisions. (Sec. 405) Modifies arbitrage rebate rules applicable to public school construction bonds. (Sec. 406) Repeals the 60-month limitation period on the allowance of the interest deduction on loans for higher education expenses. Title V: Health Care Provisions - Phases-in a 100 percent deduction (for both itemizers and nonitemizers) for the health and long- term care insurance costs of individuals not participating in employer-subsidized health plans. (Sec. 502) Permits offering long-term care insurance under cafeteria plans and flexible spending arrangements. (Sec. 503) Revises medical savings accounts provisions to: (1) repeal the limitation on the number of accounts; (2) make all employers (currently limited to small employers) eligible to offer accounts; (3) increase contribution deduction amounts; (4) permit employer and employee contributions; (5) reduce high deductible health plan deductibles; and (6) permit accounts to be offered under cafeteria plans. (Sec. 504) Permits a taxpayer an additional exemption for certain elderly family members who need long-term care and who reside with the taxpayer. (Sec. 505) Expands the time frame for human clinical trials qualifying for the orphan drug credit. (Sec. 506) Adds to the list of taxable vaccines any conjugate vaccine of streptococcus pneumoniae. Title VI: Estate Tax Relief - Subtitle A: Estate, Gift, and Generation-Skipping Taxes; Repeal of Step Up in Basis At Death - Repeals the estate tax, gift tax, and the tax on generation-skipping transfers, effective January 1, 2009. (Sec. 602) Terminates, effective January 1, 2009, the current provisions providing for determining the basis of property the acquired from a decedent and sets forth new provisions for determining the basis of certain property acquired from a decedent dying after December 31, 2008. Subtitle B: Reductions of Estate and Gift Tax Rates Prior to Repeal - Sets forth additional estate and gift tax reductions applicable to the period prior to repeal. Subtitle C: Unified Credit Replaced Unified Exemption Amount - Replaces the unified credit with a unified exemption amount. Subtitle D: Modifications of Generation-Skipping Tax - Amends provisions concerning the special rules for allocation of the generation-skipping tax (GST) exemption to provide, as a general rule, that: (1) if any individual makes an indirect skip during such individual's lifetime, any unused portion of such individual's GST exemption shall be allocated to the property transferred to the extent necessary to make the inclusion ratio for such property zero; and (2) if the amount of the indirect skip exceeds such unused portion, the entire unused portion shall be allocated to the property transferred. Title VII: Tax Relief for Distressed Communities and Industries - Subtitle A: American Community Renewal Act of 1999 - Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to designate (upon local or State nomination) up to 20 renewal communities, of which at least four shall be in rural areas. Requires for nomination purposes that: (1) the area be experiencing high rates of poverty and unemployment and general distress; and (2) State and local governments enter into written contracts with community organizations to promote specified economic growth and employment activities. Excludes from gross income capital gains on the sale or exchange of a qualified community asset (stock, business property, or partnership interest) held for more than five years. Allows a specified deduction for amounts paid into a family development account on behalf of a renewal community resident. Excludes from gross income account distributions used for qualified family development expenses (postsecondary education, first-home purchase, business capitalization, medical, and rollovers). Provides a penalty (with exceptions) in addition to inclusion as gross income for nonqualifying distributions. Provides for designation of up to five qualifying renewal communities as matching demonstration areas eligible to receive family development account matching contributions. Authorizes: (1) designation of earned income tax credit payments for family development account deposit; (2) a commercial building revitalization tax deduction; (3) increased first year expensing for renewal community businesses; (4) extension of environmental remediation cost expensing and the work opportunity credit for renewal communities; and (5) similar tax treatment of renewal communities and enterprise zones for specified youth residence requirements. Permits a deduction for contributions to a family development account whether or not a taxpayer itemizes. (Sec. 705) Makes conforming amendments to provisions respecting: (1) tax on excess contributions and prohibited transactions; (2) trust and annuity information; (3) tax exemption applications; and (4) the commercial revitalization credit. (Sec. 706) Sets forth reporting requirements. Subtitle B: Farming Incentive - Disregards any option to accelerate the receipt of any payment under a production flexibility contract which is payable under the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act, in determining the taxable year for which such payment is properly includible in gross income for purposes of the IRC. Subtitle C: Oil and Gas Incentive - Permits a five-year net operating loss carryback for losses attributable to operating mineral interests of independent oil and gas producers. Subtitle D: Timber Incentive - Increases the maximum permitted amortization of reforestation expenditures. Subtitle E: Steel Industry Incentive - Increases, for steel companies, the credit allowed against the regular tax for prior year minimum tax liability. Title VIII: Relief for Small Businesses - Provides for the deduction of 100 Percent of the health insurance costs of self-employed individuals. (Sec. 802) Increases to $30,000 the amount which may be expensed as section 179 property. (Sec. 803) Makes the 6.2 percent Federal Unemployment Tax Act rate effective through calendar year 2004 (currently, 2007) and the 6.0 percent rate effective through calendar year 2005 (currently, 2008). (Sec. 804) Phases-in an 80 percent meal expenses deduction. Title IX: International Tax Relief - Permits, for interest allocation rule purposes, treating each electing worldwide affiliated group an affiliated group. (Sec. 902) Revises provisions concerning the of application of look-thru rules to dividends from noncontrolled section 902 corporations to provide, in general, that any dividend from a noncontrolled section 902 corporation with respect to the taxpayer shall be treated as income in a separate category in proportion to the ratio of: (1) the portion of earnings and profits attributable to income in such category; to (2) the total amount of earnings and profits. (Sec. 903) Excludes from the definition of "foreign base company oil related income" the pipeline transportation of oil or gas within such foreign country. (Sec. 904) Excludes from the definition of "foreign base company services income" income derived in connection with the performance of services which are related to the transmission of high voltage electricity. (Sec. 905) Defines overall domestic loss and sets forth provisions for determining taxable income for any taxpayer sustaining such a loss. (Sec. 906) Repeals the special rule for military property with respect to exempt foreign trade income. (Sec. 907) Exempts from taxation certain regulated investment company dividends received by nonresident aliens. Treats certain regulated investment company stock owned by nonresident noncitizens as non-U.S. property for estate tax purposes. (Sec. 908) Repeals section 907 (Special Rules In Case of Foreign Oil and Gas Income) of the IRC. (Sec. 909) Requires a study and a report on the feasibility of treating all countries in the European Union as one country under subpart F (Controlled Foreign Corporations) of part III (Income From Sources Without the United States) of subchapter N (Tax Based on Income From Sources Within or Without the United States) of chapter 1 (Normal Taxes and Surtaxes) of the IRC. (Sec. 910) Permits the President to determine that the continued denial of the foreign tax credit with respect to a foreign country is no longer in the national interests of the United States. (Sec. 911) Treats advance pricing agreements as confidential taxpayer information. (Sec. 912) Phases in an increase in the dollar limitation on the section 911 (Citizens or Residents of the United States Living Abroad) exclusion. Title X: Provisions Relating to Tax-Exempt Organizations - Exempts an organization from income tax if it is created by a State to provide property and casualty insurance coverage for property for which such coverage is otherwise unavailable. (Sec. 1002) Amends the Tax Reform Act of 1984 to revise the special arbitrage rule. (Sec. 1003) Amends the IRC to disallow a deduction for the transfer of a charitable contribution to or for the use of a State or charitable tax-exempt organization or trust if in connection with such transfer: (1) the organization directly or indirectly pays, or has previously paid, any premium on any personal benefit contract (life insurance, annuity, or endowment contract, also known as charitable split-dollar life insurance) with respect to the transferor; or (2) there is an understanding (side agreement) that any person will directly or indirectly pay any premium on such contract with respect to such transferor. Imposes on such organization an excise tax equal to the premiums paid by it on the personal benefit contract. Provides that certain persons shall not be treated as indirect beneficiaries: (1) in certain cases in which a charitable organization purchases an annuity contract to fund an obligation to pay a charitable gift annuity; or (2) solely by reason of being a noncharitable recipient of an annuity or unitrust amount paid by a charitable remainder trust that holds a life insurance, annuity or endowment contract. (Sec. 1004) Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a procedure for exemption from the self- dealing tax. (Sec. 1005) Revises provisions concerning: (1) declaratory judgments relating to tax-exempt organizations; and (2) the special rules for certain amounts of unrelated business taxable income received from controlled entities. Title XI: Real Estate Provisions - Subtitle A: Provisions Relating to Real Estate Investment Trusts - Part I: Treatment of Income and Services Provided by Taxable REIT Subsidiaries - Excludes taxable REIT subsidiaries (TRSs) from the five and ten percent asset tests. (Sec. 1102) Allows TRSs to provide non-customary tenant services. (Sec. 1103) Allows a REIT to establish a TRS (as defined). (Sec. 1104) Includes in the definition of "disqualified interest" (Sec. 163 of the IRC) any interest paid or accrued by a TRS to the REIT. (Sec. 1105) Imposes a 100 percent tax on any interest payments by a TRS to the REIT in excess of the commercially reasonable interest rate. Part II: Health Care REITs - Includes within the definition of the term "foreclosure property" any qualified health care property acquired by a REIT as the result of the termination of a lease of such property. Part III: Conformity With Regulated Investment Company Rules - Changes the distribution requirement from 95 percent to 90 percent. Part IV: Clarification of Exception From Impermissible Tenant Service Income - Provides, with respect to the definition of an independent contractor, that in the event that any class of stock of is regularly traded on an established securities market, only owners who own, directly or indirectly, more than five percent of such class of stock shall be taken into account as owning any of the stock of such class for purposes of applying the 35 percent limitation. Part V: Modification of Earnings and Profits Rules - Provides rules for determining whether a Regulated Investment Company (RIC) has earnings and profits form a non-RIC year. Part VI: Study Relating to Taxable REIT Subsidiaries - Directs the: (1) Commissioner of Internal Revenue shall conduct a study to determine how many taxable REIT subsidiaries are in existence and the aggregate amount of taxes paid by such subsidiaries; and (2) the Secretary of the Treasury to submit a report to Congress describing the results of such study. Subtitle B: Modification of At-Risk Rules for Publicly Traded Securities - Revises, with respect to real property, provisions concerning the treatment under the at-risk rules of publicly traded nonrecourse debt. Subtitle C: Treatment of Construction Allowances and Certain Contributions To Capital of Retailers - Amends provisions which exclude from the gross income of a lessee any amount received in cash by a lessee from a lessor under a short-term lease of retail space used for the purpose of such lessee's constructing or improving long-term real property for use in the lessee's business to makes such exclusion inapplicable under a short-term lease if the lessee is a qualified retail business. (Sec. 1172) Defines the term "contribution to the capital of the taxpayer" to include any amount of money or other property received by the taxpayer if: (1) the taxpayer has entered into an agreement to operate a qualified retail business at a particular location for at least 15 years; (2) immediately after the receipt of such money or other property, the taxpayer owns the land and the structure to be used by the taxpayer in carrying on a qualified retail business at such location, or the taxpayer uses such amount to acquire ownership of at least such land and structure; (3) such amount meets the requirements of the expenditure rule; and (4) the contributor of such amount does not hold a beneficial interest in any property located on the premises of such qualified retail business other than de minimis amounts of property associated with the operation of property adjacent to such premises. Defines the terms "expenditure rule" and "qualified retail business." Title XII: Provisions Relating to Pensions - Subtitle A: Expanding Coverage - Increases the $90,000 limit on defined benefit plans to $160,000. Changes the age from which such limit will be reduced from the social security retirement age to 62 and the age from which the limit will be increased from the social security retirement age to 65. Increases the $30,000 limit for defined benefit contribution plans to $40,000. Increases the $150,000 compensation limit to $200,000. Increases the elective deferral limit to $15,000. (Sec. 1202) Eliminates certain current rules concerning plan loans made to an owner-employee. (Sec. 1203) Revises the definition of a top-heavy plan and a key employee for purposes of the special rules for top-heavy plans. Takes into account: (1) matching contributions for minimum contribution requirements; and (2) distributions during the last year before the determination date. (Sec. 1204) Provides that elective deferral contributions are not subject to deduction limits. (Sec. 1205) Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to provide that, during the first five years of a new single-employer plan of a small employer (100 or fewer employees), the flat rate Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PGBC) premium will be five dollars per plan participant. Provides for a reduced additional PGBC variable premium for new and small employers. (Sec. 1207) Repeals specified coordination requirements under the Code for deferred compensation plans of State and local governments and tax-exempt organizations. (Sec. 1208) Eliminates user fee requirements for requests to the IRS concerning the status of pension plans. (Sec. 1209) Revises the definition of compensation, for purposes of the deduction rules, to include salary reduction amounts treated as a participant's compensation. (Sec. 1210) Provides for optional treatment of elective deferrals as plus contributions. Defines such contributions. (Sec. 1211) Phases-in an increase in the minimum annual benefit permitted under a defined benefit contribution plan. Subtitle B: Enhancing Fairness for Women - Allows additional salary reduction catch-up contributions for those approaching retirement under IRC requirements relating to: (1) elective deferrals; (2) simple retirement accounts; and (3) deferred compensation plans of State and local governments and tax-exempt organizations. (Sec. 1222) Sets forth requirements relating to equitable treatment for contributions of employees to defined contribution plans. Requires that certain contributions by church plans are not to be treated as exceeding a specified limit. (Sec. 1223) Provides for faster vesting of certain employer matching contributions. (Sec. 1224) Revises minimum distribution rules under the IRC. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) simplify and finalize the regulations relating to minimum distribution requirements; and (2) modify such regulations to reflect increases in life expectancy, and revise required distribution methods so that, under reasonable assumptions, the amount of the required minimum distribution does not decrease over a participant's life expectancy. Provides that, during the first year that such revised regulations are in effect, required distributions for future years may be redetermined, with the opportunity to choose a new designated beneficiary and to elect a new method of calculating life expectancy. (Sec. 1225) Revises requirements relating to tax treatment of division of section 457 plan benefits upon divorce. Subtitle C: Increasing Portability for Participants - Permits rollovers from and to various types of plans under the IRC. (Sec. 1232) Permits individual retirement plan (IRA) rollovers only if certain conditions are met. (Sec. 1233) Permits rollover of after-tax contributions in an exempt trust under specified conditions. (Sec. 1234) Sets forth a hardship exception to the 60-day rule. (Sec. 1235) Sets forth requirements for treatment of forms of distribution available under transferor and transferee plans, under the IRC. (Sec. 1236) Revises restrictions on distributions, including the same desk exception. (Sec. 1237) Authorizes trustee-to-trustee transfers to purchase permissive service credit with respect to governmental defined benefit plans. (Sec. 1238) Allows employers to disregard rollovers for purposes of cash-out amounts, under retirement plan provisions of the Code and ERISA. (Sec. 1239) Revises minimum distribution and inclusion requirements for section 457 plans. Subtitle D: Strengthening Pension Security and Enforcement - Amends the IRC to revise the percentage of current liability funding limit. (Sec. 1242) Revises maximum contribution deduction rules and applies them to all defined benefit plans under the IRC. (Sec. 1243) Amends ERISA to revise requirements relating to missing participants. Directs the PBGC to prescribe rules relating to missing participants for multiemployer plans covered by the PBGC that terminate. Allows the administrator of a plan not otherwise subject to such PBGC regulation to elect to transfer a missing participant's benefits to the PBGC upon termination of the plan, under specified conditions. (Sec. 1244) Amends the IRC to allow an employer, in determining the amount of nondeductible contributions for any taxable year, to elect not to take into account any contributions to a defined benefit plan except to the extent that they exceed the full-funding limitation. (Sec. 1245) Imposes an excise tax on a plan failing to provide required notice of a significant reduction in the rate of future benefit accrual. Subtitle E: Reducing Regulatory Burdens -Repeals a multiple use test. Directs the Secretary prescribe regulations permitting appropriate aggregation of plans and contributions. (Sec. 1252) Amends the Code and ERISA to revise requirements relating to timing of plan valuations. (Sec. 1253) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to modify regulations in order to expand the ability of a pension plan to demonstrate compliance with the nondiscrimination and line of business requirements. (Sec. 1254) Amends ERISA rules for substantial owners relating to plan terminations to revise: (1) the phase-in of the guarantee; and (2) the allocation of assets. (Sec. 1255) Amends IRC requirements for applicable dividends to allow dividends of employee stock ownership plans to be reinvested without loss of dividend deduction. (Sec. 1256) Revises the notice and consent period regarding distributions. Directs the Secretary to modify certain regulations to provide that the description of a participant's right, if any, to defer receipt of a distribution shall also describe the consequences of failing to defer such receipt. (Sec. 1257) Repeals a transition rule relating to certain highly compensated employees under the Tax Reform Act of 1986. (Sec. 1258) Directs the Secretary to modify certain regulations with respect to certain plan participation by employees of tax-exempt entities under the IRC. (Sec. 1259) Excludes qualified retirement planning services from gross income (as a fringe benefit). (Sec. 1260) Prescribes requirements for plan amendments or annuity contract amendments under the IRC. (Sec. 1261) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to issue model defined contribution and benefit plans that fit the needs of small businesses. (Sec. 1262) Directs the Secretary to provide for the filing of a simplified annual return in the case of a retirement plan covering less than 25 employees. (Sec. 1263) Directs the Secretary to continue to update and improve the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System. Title XIII: Miscellaneous Provisions - Subtitle A: Provisions Primarily Affecting Individuals - Provides that the exclusion of State or local government foster care payments from the gross income of foster care providers shall also apply to payments by qualifying placement agencies. (Sec. 1302) Excludes from an individual's gross income amounts received as reimbursement regarding the use of a passenger automobile for the benefit of a charitable organization. Relieves the organization of certain reporting requirements regarding the reimbursements. (Sec. 1303) Requires a W-2 to include employer Social Security taxes paid. Subtitle B: Provisions Primarily Affecting Businesses - Includes income from publicly traded partnerships as qualifying income of regulated investment companies. Excludes distributions from the source-based inclusion limitation applicable to other partnerships. (Sec. 1312) Applies specified passive activity provisions for publicly traded partnerships to regulated investment companies. (Sec. 1313) Makes certain large electric trucks, vans and buses eligible for the $50,000 deduction clean-fuel property deduction, but not the $4,000 electric vehicle credit. (Sec. 1314) Modifies the special rules concerning nuclear decommissioning costs. (Sec. 1315) Repeals certain provisions concerning the filing of consolidated returns by insurance companies. Subtitle C: Provisions Relating to Excise Taxes - Combines the Hazardous Substance Superfund and the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund (LUST) into the Environmental Remediation Trust Fund (established by this Act). (Sec. 1322) Repeals the: (1) LUST taxes on fuel used in trains; and (2) 4.3-cents- per-gallon General Fund excise tax on diesel fuel used by railroads and on fuels used by barges operating on designated inland waterways. (Sec. 1323) Repeals the excise tax on fishing tackle boxes. Subtitle D: Other Provisions - Amends IRC provisions concerning State private activity bond volume limits to repeal the adjustment for years after 1987. (Sec. 1332) Permits, in general, an electing Alaska Native Settlement Trust to exclude contributions, during the year of contribution, from the gross income of a beneficiary. Subtitle E: Tax Court Provisions - Authorizes the Tax Court to charge a filing fee of up to $60 in all cases commenced by petition. (Sec. 1342) Authorizes the Tax Court to make the $30 practice fee available to pro se taxpayers. (Sec. 1343) Permits the Tax Court to apply the doctrine of equitable recoupment to the same extent that it is available in civil tax cases. Title XIV: Extensions of Expiring Provisions - Extends, for five years, the: (1) research credit; (2) subpart F (Controlled Foreign Corporations) exemption for active income financing; (3) taxable income limit on percentage depletion for marginal oil and gas wells; and (4) work opportunity credit and the welfare-to-work credit. Title XV: Revenue Offsets - Amends provisions involving returns relating to the cancellation of indebtedness by certain entities to include within the definition of "applicable financial entity" any organization a significant trade or business of which is the lending of money. (Sec. 1502) Directs the Secretary to establish a program requiring the payment of user fees for requests to the IRS for ruling letters, opinion letters, determination letters, and other similar requests. Terminates fees October 1, 2007. (Sec. 1503) Modifies rules relating to the exemption of certain ten or more employer plans from welfare benefit fund provisions. (Sec. 1504) Increases the withholding rate for nonperiodic distributions from 10 to 15 percent. (Sec. 1505) Makes a controlled entity ineligible to be a REIT. Defines "controlled entity." (Sec. 1506) Treats a gain as an ordinary gain to the extent such gain exceeds the net underlying long-term capital gain where the taxpayer has gain from a constructive ownership transaction with respect to any financial position and such gain otherwise would be treated as a long-term capital gain. Provides that, to the extent such gain is treated as a long-term capital gain after the application of the previous sentence, the determination of the applicable capital gain rate (or rates) shall be determined on the basis of the respective rate (or rates) that would have been applicable to the net underlying long-term capital gain. Sets forth definitions and exceptions. (Sec. 1507) Prohibits transfers of excess pension assets to retiree health account made after September 30, 2009 (currently, after December 31, 2000), from being treated as qualified transfers. (Sec. 1508) Prohibits, in general, the use of the installment method of accounting for accrual method dispositions. Title XVI: Technical Corrections - Sets forth amendments concerning, among other things: (1) the Tax and Trade Relief Extension Act of 1998; (2) the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998; (3) the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997; (4) the treatment of worthless securities of affiliated corporations; (5) the IRA contribution amount of the lesser earning spouse; (6) modified endowment contracts; (7) lump-sum distributions; and (8) tentative carryback adjustments of losses from section 1256 contracts.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit a taxpayer who has a sincerely held religious belief under which the taxpayer is conscientiously opposed to obtaining an identifying number with respect to a qualified dependent to, in lieu of such number, include a statement containing specified information with his or her return.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
Fairness in Securities Transactions Act - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to reduce (from one three-hundredth of one percent to one five-hundredth of one percent) the transaction fees designed to recover the costs to the Government of securities markets oversight and enforcement. Provides that if insufficient fees are collected for the budget authority of the Securities and Exchange Commission as provided by an appropriations Act, such Act may provide for a fee increase, with all such increases deposited and credited as offsetting collections to the pertinent appropriations account. Requires that ten percent of all such fees be deposited and credited as offsetting collections to the pertinent appropriations account.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act of 1999 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to define "high speed data service" as a service capable of transmitting electronic information at a rate generally not less than 384 kilobits per second in at least one direction. Prohibits the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and each State, except as expressly provided in this Act, from regulating the rates, charges, terms or conditions for, or entry into the provision of, any high speed data service or Internet access service, or to regulate the facilities used in the provision of such service. Prohibits the FCC from requiring an incumbent (established) local exchange carrier to: (1) provide unbundled access to any network elements used in the provision of any high speed data service, other than those elements described in FCC regulations; or (2) offer for resale at wholesale rates any high speed data service. States that nothing in this Act shall: (1) limit or affect the authority of any State to regulate voice telephone exchange services; (2) affect the ability of the FCC to retain or modify the exemption from interstate access charges for enhanced service providers; or (3) prohibit the FCC from modifying the regulation concerning the number of networks subject to its unbundling requirement. Requires each incumbent local exchange carrier to provide: (1) Internet users with the ability to subscribe to and have access to any Internet service provider that interconnects with such carrier's high speed data service; (2) any Internet service provider with the right to acquire necessary facilities and services to facilitate such interconnection; and (3) any Internet service provider with the ability to collocate equipment in order to achieve such interconnection. Includes high speed data service or Internet access service within the definition of "incidental interLATA services" permitted for a Bell operating company (BOC). States that, until the date a BOC is authorized to offer interLATA services originating in an in-region State, such BOC offering any high speed data service or Internet access service may not, in such State, bill or collect for interLATA voice telecommunications service obtained by means of such high speed data or Internet access service provided by such company.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 1999 - Provides that: (1) whoever engages in conduct that violates specified provisions of the Federal criminal code, the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, or the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, or specified articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (conduct constituting certain Federal violent crimes), and thereby causes the death of, or bodily injury to, a child who is in utero, shall be guilty of a separate offense; and (2) the punishment for that separate offense shall be the same as that provided under Federal law for that conduct had that injury or death occurred to the unborn child's mother, except that the death penalty shall not be imposed. Bars prosecution under this Act for conduct relating to an abortion: (1) for which the consent of the pregnant woman has been obtained or for which such consent is implied by law in a medical emergency; (2) for conduct relating to any medical treatment of the pregnant woman or her unborn child; or (3) of any woman with respect to her unborn child.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
State Water Sovereignty Protection Act - Directs the United States, whenever it seeks to appropriate water or acquire a water right within a State, to be subject to all procedural and substantive laws of that State relating to its water rights and uses. Gives consent to join the United States in any State proceeding relating to the allocation or use of a water right. Subjects management and control of water within a State to the laws of such State. Delegates to the respective States the authority to regulate water. Allows the United States to exercise management and control of water within a State only in compliance with that State's laws. Subjects the United States to the imposition of costs and fees in a proceeding to the same extent as a private party.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 1999
County Schools Funding Revitalization Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to determine, for a specified eligibility period, State and county full payment amounts of National Forest System shared revenues for public education and other public services. (Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary to: (1) make Forest Service payments to eligible States for affected counties for public education and transportation; and (2) make Bureau of Land Management payments to eligible counties for public education, law enforcement, and other public services. (Sec. 7) Establishes the Forest Counties Payments Committee to develop long-term methods to ensure that State and counties in which Federal lands are situated receive adequate payments for public education and other public services. Terminates the Committee three years after enactment of this Act. (Sec. 8) Expresses the sense of the Congress: (1) in favor of the Committee's mandate to develop a long-term payment solution; and (2) that the regulatory or legislative solution should be completed within two years of the Committee's report. (Sec. 9) Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 1999
Amends the Agricultural Market Transition Act to extend authority to receive full or part payment of production flexibility contracts at times specified by the producer.
![Official portrait of Rep. Hill, Rick [R-MT-At Large]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/h000605_200.jpg)