United States · United States Congress · 24 March 1999
Border Improvement and Immigration Act of 1999 - Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 with respect to the automated entry-exit control system to exempt from required recordkeeping: (1) land border and seaport crossings; and (2) aliens for whom certain documentation requirements have been waived by the Attorney General or the Secretary of State. Requires airport implementation of such system by a specified date. Requires the Attorney General to report on the feasibility of implementing an automated entry-exit control system that would include land border and seaport arrivals and departures. Provides for increased numbers of full-time Immigration and Naturalization and Customs inspectors at U.S. land borders, with such inspectors to be equally assigned to the northern and southern borders.
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 1999
Internet Gun Trafficking Act of 1999 - Amends the Federal criminal code to make it unlawful for any person to operate an Internet website if the website's purpose is to offer firearms for sale or exchange, or to facilitate such sales or exchanges, unless the person: (1) is licensed with the Secretary of the Treasury as a firearm manufacturer, importer, or dealer; (2) notifies the Secretary of the Internet address of the website and any other required information; and (3) meets specific requirements with respect to firearms posted for sale or exchange that are not from such person's business inventory or personal collection and are to be transferred. Makes it unlawful for any person who is not a licensed firearm manufacturer, importer, or dealer to transfer a firearm pursuant to a listing of the firearm for sale or exchange on an Internet website to any person other than the website operator. Prescribes criminal penalties for willful violations of such prohibition.
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Continuing the Commitment of the Violence Against Women Act Subtitle A: Law Enforcement and Prosecution Grants to Combat Violence Against Women Subtitle B: National Domestic Violence Hotline Subtitle C: Battered Women's Shelters and Services Subtitle D: Community Initiatives Subtitle E: Education and Training for Judges and Court Personnel Subtitle F: Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies Subtitle G: Rural Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Enforcement Subtitle H. National Stalker and Domestic Violence Reduction Subtitle I: Federal Victims' Counselors Subtitle J: Education and Prevention Grants to Reduce Sexual Abuse of Runaway, Homeless, and Street Youth Subtitle K: Victims of Child Abuse Programs Title II: Sexual Assault Prevention Violence Against Women Act of 1999 - Title I: Continuing the Commitment of the Violence Against Women Act - Subtitle A: Law Enforcement and Prosecution Grants to Combat Violence Against Women - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (the Act) to authorize appropriations for grants to combat violent crimes against women. (Sec. 102) Revises grant allocation guidelines governing prosecution grants, victims' services and State court systems,. Expands grant purposes to include training that addresses sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking for State, local, and tribal judicial personnel, as well as training of sexual assault forensic nurse examiners, and supporting the development of sexual assault response teams. Directs the Attorney General to deny State grant applications that fail to provide documentation of collaborative efforts with other agencies or organizations. Redefines "victims' services" to include advocacy and assistance for victims seeking legal, social, and health care services. Includes as a prerequisite for Federal reimbursement of forensic medical exams of victims of sexual assault that the participating governmental entity notify all victims that such reimbursement is neither contingent upon the victim's report to law enforcement officials, nor upon the victim's cooperation in the prosecution of the assault. (Sec. 103) Directs the Attorney General to make grants to State domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions for purposes of coordinating with: (1) victim services activities; and (2) Federal, State, and local entities engaged in violence-against-women activities. Subtitle B: National Domestic Violence Hotline - Amends the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) to authorize increased appropriations for the national domestic violence hotline grant. Requires grantees to submit a grant evaluation report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the HHS Secretary) for publication and public comment as a prerequisite to a grant award or renewal. Subtitle C: Battered Women's Shelters and Services - Battered Women's Shelters and Services Act - Amends the FVPSA to authorize appropriations for State grants. Modifies guidelines governing: (1) allotment of appropriations; (2) grants for information and technical assistance centers; and (3) authorization of appropriations. (Sec. 123) Instructs the HHS Secretary to award grants for: (1) State domestic violence coalitions and local domestic violence programs providing shelter or related assistance, in order to develop model strategies to address domestic violence in underserved populations; (2) each State domestic violence coalition for an emergency assistance fund for domestic violence victims; (3) technical assistance and training for State and local domestic violence programs; and (4) private, nonprofit, tribal domestic violence coalitions with representatives from a majority of the programs for victims of domestic violence operating within Indian reservations, and programs whose primary focus is the populations of such Indian country. Subtitle D: Community Initiatives - Authorizes appropriations for demonstration grants for community initiatives. Subtitle E: Education and Training for Judges and Court Personnel - Amends the Equal Justice for Women in the Courts Act of 1994 to permit training grants for judges and court personnel to include: (1) child custody, visitation, and safety issues raised by domestic violence and child sexual assault; and (2) the extent to which addressing domestic violence and victim safety contributes to the efficient administration of justice. Authorizes appropriations. Subtitle F: Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies - Amends the Act to reauthorize appropriations to implement the functions of the Bureau of Justice Statistics. (Sec. 153) Mandates that at least five percent of appropriated funds be used for grants to Indian tribal governments to treat domestic violence as a serious violation of criminal law. Subtitle G: Rural Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Enforcement - Amends the Safe Homes for Women Act of 1994 to authorize appropriations for rural domestic violence and child abuse enforcement. Mandates that five percent of such funds be used for grants to Indian tribal governments. Subtitle H: National Stalker and Domestic Violence Reduction - Amends the Safe Homes for Women Act of 1994 to authorize appropriations for grants to enter stalking and domestic violence data into crime information databases. Subtitle I: Federal Victims' Counselors - Amends the Safe Streets for Women Act of 1994 to authorize appropriations for the United States Attorneys to appoint Victim-Witness counselors for the prosecution of domestic violence and sexual assault crimes. Subtitle J: Education and Prevention Grants to Reduce Sexual Abuse of Runaway, Homeless, and Street Youth - Amends the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act to authorize appropriations for street-based outreach and education to prevent sexual abuse and exploitation. Subtitle K: Victims of Child Abuse Programs - Amends the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 to authorize appropriations for: (1) the court-appointed special advocate program; and (2) child abuse training programs for judicial personnel and practitioners. (Sec. 195) Amends the Act to authorize appropriations for grants for closed-circuit televising of testimony of child abuse victims. Title II: Sexual Assault Prevention - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the use of certain State funds exclusively for rape prevention and education programs conducted by rape crisis centers and private nonprofit nongovernmental State and tribal sexual assault coalitions for specified programs. (Sec. 201) Instructs the HHS Secretary to establish a National Resource Center on Sexual Assault when appropriations reach a specified minimum level. Mandates that State grantors ensure that at least 25 percent of the funds are devoted to educational programs targeted for middle school, junior high, and high school aged students. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 1999
Enhancement of Trade, Security, and Human Rights Through Sanctions Reform Act - Declares that it is the purpose of this Act to establish an effective framework for consideration by the legislative and executive branches of unilateral economic sanctions in order to ensure coordination of U.S. policy with respect to trade, security, and human rights. (Sec. 3) Declares that it is U.S. policy to: (1) pursue U.S. interests through vigorous and effective diplomatic, political, commercial, charitable, educational, cultural, and strategic engagement with other countries, while recognizing that U.S. national security interests may sometimes require the imposition of economic sanctions on other countries; (2) foster multilateral cooperation on vital matters of U.S. foreign policy, including promoting human rights and democracy, combating international terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and international narcotics trafficking, and ensuring adequate environmental protection; (3) promote U.S. economic growth and job creation by expanding exports of goods, services, and agricultural commodities, and by encouraging investment that supports the sale abroad of U.S. products and services; (4) maintain the reputation of U.S. businesses and farmers as reliable suppliers to international customers of quality products and services; (5) avoid the use of restrictions on exports of agricultural commodities as a foreign policy weapon; and (6) oppose policies of other countries designed to discourage economic interaction with countries friendly to the United States or with any U.S. national, and to avoid use of such measures as instruments of U.S. foreign policy. States that when economic sanctions are necessary, it is U.S. policy to: (1) target them as narrowly as possible on those foreign governments, entities, and officials that are responsible for the conduct being targeted, thereby minimizing unnecessary or disproportionate harm to individuals who are not responsible for such conduct; and (2) to the extent feasible, avoid any adverse impact of economic sanctions on the humanitarian activities of the United States and foreign nongovernmental organizations in a country against which sanctions are imposed. (Sec. 5) Expresses the sense of Congress that any bill or joint resolution imposing or authorizing the imposition of a unilateral economic sanction by the executive branch, and considered by the House of Representatives or the Senate, should: (1) state the U.S. foreign policy or national security objective; (2) terminate after two years unless specifically reauthorized; (3) provide for contract sanctity; (4) provide presidential authority to adjust or waive the sanction in the national interest; (5) target the sanction as narrowly as possible against the parties responsible for the conduct being targeted (without restricting medicine, medical equipment, or food, disaster relief or refugee assistance, or other specified foreign assistance); and (6) provide for expanded export promotion programs if sanctions are likely to target an export market for American farmers. (Sec. 6) Sets forth a procedure for congressional consideration of any bill or joint resolution that imposes, or authorizes the imposition of, any unilateral economic sanction by the executive branch. Requires specified reports: (1) from the President assessing the likelihood that the proposed unilateral economic sanction will achieve its stated objective within a reasonable period of time, as well as the impact of the proposed unilateral economic sanction on U.S. foreign policy, national security, and humanitarian activities; and (2) from the Secretary of Agriculture assessing the extent to which any country or countries proposed or likely to be sanctioned are markets that accounted for more than three percent of all U.S. agricultural export sales in the preceding calendar year, as well as the likelihood that U.S. agricultural exports will be affected by the proposed sanction or by retaliation by any country proposed or likely to be sanctioned, and specific commodities which are most likely to be affected. Considers any bill or joint resolution that imposes any unilateral economic sanction to include a Federal private sector mandate for purposes of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995. Requires the Congressional Budget Office, in its report pursuant to such Act, to assess the likely short- and long-term costs of the proposed sanction to the U.S. economy. (Sec. 7) Requires the President to publish notice in the Federal Register at least 45 days in advance of the imposition of a unilateral economic sanction of his intention to implement such sanction. Authorizes the President to waive such notice in cases where the sanction involves freezing the assets of a foreign country or entity, if it is determined that U.S. national interest would be jeopardized. Requires any executive sanction to include an assessment of whether the sanction is likely to achieve a specific U.S. foreign policy or national security objective within a reasonable and specified period of time. Requires, before imposition of a unilateral economic sanction, that the President and the Secretary of Agriculture report to appropriate congressional committees the same assessments required in connection with any bill or joint resolution imposing or authorizing the imposition of a unilateral economic sanction by the executive branch. Requires the President to request a report by the U.S. International Trade Commission on the likely short- and long-term costs of the proposed sanction to the U.S. economy, including the potential impact on U.S. competitiveness. Provides, in the case of a national emergency, for allowing the President temporarily to waive most of the requirements for executive action in order to act immediately, generally requiring the waived requirements to be met within 60 days after imposition of the sanction (which shall terminate after 90 days if such requirements are not met). Establishes within the executive branch an interagency Sanctions Review Committee to coordinate U.S. policy regarding unilateral economic sanctions and provide appropriate recommendations to the President. (Sec. 8) Authorizes the President to waive any sanction or prohibition contained in specified sections of the Arms Export Control Act, the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, or the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 for periods of six months each if it is determined that it would advance the purposes of such Acts or the national security interests of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 1999
Morris K. Udall Wilderness Act of 1997(sic) - Designates specified lands in Alaska as wilderness and components of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 1999
Child Custody Protection Act - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit transporting an individual under age 18 across a State line to obtain an abortion and thereby abridging the right of a parent under a law in force in the State where the individual resides requiring parental involvement in a minor's abortion decision. Makes an exception if the abortion was necessary to save the life of the minor. Specifies that neither the minor transported nor her parent may be prosecuted or sued for a violation of this Act. Makes it an affirmative defense to a prosecution for, or to a civil action based on, such a violation that the defendant reasonably believed that before the individual obtained the abortion, the parental consent or notification or judicial authorization that would have been required had the abortion been performed in the State where the individual resides, took place. Authorizes any parent who suffers legal harm from a violation to obtain appropriate relief in a civil action. Defines "parent" to include a guardian, legal custodian, or person standing in loco parentis who has care and control of the minor, and with whom the minor regularly resides, who is designated by such law as a person to whom notification, or from whom consent, is required.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 1999
Veterans' Claims Adjudication Improvement Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a quality assurance program in the Veterans Benefits Administration, either through a single division or separate quality assurance entities. Requires: (1) the Under Secretary for Benefits to perform and oversee quality reviews of such division or entities; (2) an adequate number of quality assurance personnel within the Administration; and (3) an annual report from the Secretary to Congress on quality assurance activities.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 1999
Amends Federal civil service provisions relating to the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees Retirement System to expand the definition of "law enforcement officer" to include (and thus extend the applicability of such provisions to): (1) a revenue officer of the Internal Revenue Service; (2) a customs inspector of the U.S. Customs Service; (3) a customs canine enforcement officer of the U.S. Customs Service; (4) an Immigration and Naturalization Service inspector; (5) a Department of Defense police officer; (6) a Department of Defense Command Investigations Division detective; (7) a Bureau of Engraving and Printing officer; (8) a postal police officer; (9) a Secret Service special officer; (10) a Drug Enforcement Administration diversion investigator; (11) a U.S. Customs Operation Enforcement Officer; and (12) a U.S. Customs Detection System Specialist Airborne and Flight Engineer. Prohibits applying the amendments made by this Act with respect to any period of service preceding this Act's enactment unless the employee involved (or, if applicable, an appropriate survivor) pays into the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund an amount equal to the total additional amounts which should have been deducted and withheld from pay (in excess of amounts actually deducted and not refunded) if such amendments had then been if effect, with interest. Requires the appropriate agency, no later than 90 days after the date on which such payment is made by an individual, to pay into the Fund any additional amounts which should have been paid by that agency into such Fund, with interest, as if this Act's amendments had been in effect during the prior periods of service involved.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 1999
Poison Control Center Enhancement and Awareness Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide coordination and assistance to regional poison control centers for the establishment of a nationwide toll-free phone number to be used to access such centers. Authorizes appropriations. Mandates a national media campaign to educate the public about poison prevention and the availability of local poison control resources and to conduct advertising campaigns concerning the nationwide toll-free number. Authorizes appropriations. Mandates grants for certified regional poison control centers to achieve financial stability and to prevent, and provide treatment recommendations for, poisoning. Mandates other grant uses. Sets forth center certification requirements. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Expanded Availability of Health Care Services Title II: Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency and Related Provisions Subtitle A: Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Subtitle B: Elimination of Work Disincentives Subtitle C: Work Incentives, Planning, Assistance, and Outreach Title III: Demonstration Projects and Studies Title IV: Technical Amendments Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 - Title I: Expanded Availability of Health Care Services - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to provide for expanding State options under Medicaid for workers with disabilities, namely by creating State options to eliminate income, assets, and resource limitations for workers with disabilities who buy into Medicaid and to provide opportunity for employed individuals with a medically improved disability to make such a buy. Provides that Federal funds paid to a State for medical assistance provided to such individuals may not generally be used to supplant the level of State funds expended for a fiscal year for programs to enable working disabled individuals to work. (Sec. 102) Provides for certain continuation of Medicare coverage for working individuals with disabilities. (Sec. 103) Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) award grants to eligible States to support establishment of State infrastructures to support the working disabled as well as to enable State outreach campaigns on infrastructure existence; and (2) submit a recommendation to specified congressional committees on whether such grant program should be continued after FY 2010. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 104) Authorizes State demonstration projects for certain Medicaid coverage of up to a specified maximum number of workers with a potentially severe disability, coverage equal to that afforded under the State option provided for above for eliminating income, assets, and resource limitations for disabled workers buying into Medicaid. Makes necessary appropriations. Title II: Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency and Related Provisions - Subtitle A: Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency - Amends part A (General Provisions) of SSA title XI to direct the Commissioner to establish a Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program (TWSSP) under which a disabled beneficiary may use a TWSSP ticket issued by the Commissioner under a described system, designed to ensure quality assurance, to obtain employment, vocational rehabilitation services, or other support services, pursuant to an appropriate individual beneficiary work plan that meets specified requirements, at the Commission's expense, from a participating employment network, public or private, which: (1) meets specified qualifications and is under an agreement with the Commissioner who must select a program manager to assist in administering TWSSP; (2) is chosen by the beneficiary, and (3) is willing to accept assignment of the beneficiary's TWSSP ticket. Allows State agencies administering or supervising the administration of the State plan under title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to elect to participate as an employment network. Sets forth special requirements applicable to cross-referral to certain State agencies and requirements relating to provision of services. Describes employment network payment systems. Provides that during any period for which an individual is using a TWSSP ticket, the Commissioner and any applicable State agency may not initiate a continuing disability or similar review with regards to whether the individual is or is not disabled. Requires payments to employment networks to be made out of the social security trust funds in the case of ticketed SSA title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) disability beneficiaries who return to work, or from the appropriation made available for making Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments under SSA title XVI, in the case of SSI disability beneficiaries who return to work. Provides for allocation of other costs. (Sec. 202) Establishes within the Social Security Administration the Work Incentives Advisory Panel to advise the Commissioner with respect to TWSSP, and other Federal officials on related issues. Provides that the costs for carrying out this paragraph shall be paid from amounts available for the administration of SSA titles II and XVI, and shall be allocated among those amounts as appropriate. Subtitle B: Elimination of Work Disincentives - Amends SSA titles II and XVI to set forth a number of measures designed to eliminate work disincentives, namely prohibiting work activity as a basis for review of an individual's disability status and providing for expedited reinstatement of entitlement, or in the case of SSI, eligibility, to, respectively, OASDI and SSI disability benefits. Subtitle C: Work Incentives Planning, Assistance, and Outreach - Amends SSA title XI part A (General Provisions) to direct the Commissioner to establish a community-based work incentives outreach program for disabled beneficiaries that includes the provision of technical assistance to organizations and entities that are designed to encourage disabled beneficiaries to return to work. Provides that the costs of carrying out this subtitle shall be paid from amounts made available for administration of SSA titles II and XVI, and shall be allocated among such amounts as appropriate. (Sec. 222) Amends SSA title XI to authorize the Commissioner to make certain minimum payments in each State to the protection and advocacy system established under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act for the purpose of providing services to disabled beneficiaries, services which may include advocacy or other services that such a beneficiary may need to secure or regain gainful employment. Provides for funding similar to that in the paragraph above, although subject to certain limitation. Title III: Demonstration Projects and Studies - Amends SSA title II to provide for a permanent extension of disability insurance program demonstration project authority. Directs the Commissioner to develop and carry out experiments and demonstration projects, subject to specified guidelines which include the authority to waive compliance with benefits requirements, with regard to various alternative methods of treating the work activity of individuals entitled to OASDI disability benefits, altering other limitations and conditions applicable to such individuals, and implementing sliding scale benefit offsets. Authorizes the Commissioner to expand the scope of any such experiment or demonstration project to include any group of OASDI benefit applicants with impairments that reasonably may be presumed to be disabling for purposes of such demonstration project, and may limit any such demonstration project to any such group of applicants, subject to the terms of such demonstration project which shall define the extent of any such presumption. (Sec. 302) Directs the Commissioner to conduct certain demonstration projects designed to provide for specified reductions in disability insurance benefits based on earnings. Requires expenditures for such demonstration projects to come out of the social security and Medicare trust funds to the extent provided in advance in appropriation acts. (Sec. 303) Directs the Comptroller General to conduct and report to the Congress on various described studies and other specified related matters, but chiefly studies concerning existing disability-related employment incentives and coordination of the OASDI disability insurance program and the SSI program as they relate to individuals entering or leaving concurrent entitlement under such programs, as well as on a study concerning the impact of the substantial gainful activity limit on return to work. Title IV: Technical Amendments - Amends the Contract with America Advancement Act of 1996 with respect to: (1) final adjudication of denied claims by drug addicts and alcoholics for SSA title II disability benefits; and (2) the effective dates of certain requirements concerning representative payees and treatment referrals for such individuals. (Sec. 402) Amends SSA title II to: (1) provide for payments to State and local prisons for monthly reports on the identities of inmates whose OASDI benefits are determined by the Commissioner not to be payable as a result of such reports; (2) provide for a 50 percent reduction in such payments under SSA titles II and XVI in cases involving a comparable payment under the other title with respect to the same prisoner; (3) transfer from the OASDI trust funds any sums necessary to enable the Commissioner to make such payments; (4) eliminate the requirement that confinement stem only from a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year (thus denying OASDI benefits to individuals confined for any criminal offense); and (5) provide for continued denial of benefits to sex offenders remaining confined to public institutions upon completion of prison term. (Sec. 403) Provides for a two-year open season for members of the clergy who wish to revoke their exemption from social security coverage. (Sec. 404) Amends SSA title XI to make a miscellaneous technical amendment relating to cooperative research or development projects under SSA titles II and XVI. (Sec. 405) Amends SSA title XI to make miscellaneous technical amendments to provisions concerning the requirements of State income and eligibility verification systems, among other changes allowing a State to permit certain employers that make returns with respect to domestic service employment taxes on a calendar year basis to instead make such reports on an annual basis.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 1999
Medicare Medical Nutrition Therapy Act of 1999 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for Medicare coverage of medical nutrition therapy services of registered dietitians and nutrition professionals.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 1999
Newborn and Infant Hearing Screening and Intervention Act of 1999 - Mandates grants or cooperative agreements to: (1) develop statewide newborn and infant hearing screening, evaluation and intervention programs and systems; and (2) provide technical assistance to State agencies to complement an intramural program and to conduct applied research related to newborn and infant hearing screening, evaluation, and intervention programs and systems. Requires the National Institutes of Health to continue a program of research and development on the efficacy of new screening techniques and technology. Mandates Federal coordination and collaboration with State and local agencies, consumer groups, national medical, health, and education specialty organizations, deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals and their families, qualified professional personnel, and related commercial industries. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow as a deduction (subject to limitations) an amount equal to the qualified tuition and related expenses of an eligible postsecondary student paid by the taxpayer during the taxable year.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1999
Financial Contract Netting Improvement Act of 1999 - Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDIA) to redefine specified contracts, agreements, and transfers entered into with an insolvent insured depository institution before the appointment of a conservator or receiver for it. (Sec. 2) Declares that no person shall be stayed or prohibited from exercising any right to cause the acceleration of any qualified financial contract with an insured depository institution which arises upon the appointment of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver at any time after such appointment. (Sec. 3) Declares that no provision of law shall be construed as limiting the right or power of the FDIC, or authorizing any court or agency to limit or delay, in any manner, the FDIC's right or power to transfer, disaffirm, or repudiate any qualified financial contract of a failed institution. Prohibits enforcement of a walkaway clause in a qualified financial contract of a failed insured depository institution (a clause that either does not create a payment obligation of a party, or extinguishes it solely because of such party's status as a nondefaulting party). (Sec. 4) Revises guidelines governing transfers of qualified financial contracts of an insolvent institution to include: (1) transfers to a foreign bank or foreign financial institution (including its branch or agency) (but only when the contractual rights of the parties to such qualified financial contracts are enforceable substantially to the same extent as permitted under such Act); and (2) transfers of contracts subject to the rules of a clearing organization. Defines financial institution to include a broker or dealer, a depository institution, a futures commission merchant, or any other institution as determined by FDIC regulation. Suspends certain termination rights of counterparties to a qualified financial contract with an insolvent insured depository institution until after the receiver's appointment, or after receipt of notice that the contract has been transferred. Declares that none of the following institutions shall be considered a financial institution for which a conservator, receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, or other legal custodian has been appointed or which is otherwise the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding: (1) a bridge bank; or (2) an FDIC-organized depository institution for which a conservator is appointed either immediately upon organization, or at the time of a purchase and assumption transaction between such institution and the FDIC as receiver for a depository institution in default. (Sec. 5) Prescribes guidelines for: (1) the disaffirmance or repudiation of qualified financial contracts by the conservator or receiver for a failed depository institution; and (2) the treatment of a master agreement as a single agreement and a single qualified financial contract. (Sec. 7) Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 to make conforming amendments with respect to: (1) bilateral netting contracts; (2) security agreements; (3) clearing organization netting contracts; (4) contracts with uninsured national banks; and (5) contracts with uninsured Federal branches or agencies. (Sec. 8) Amends the Federal Bankruptcy Code to reflect the changes made by this Act and to: (1) deny an automatic stay to set-offs under certain swap agreements and netting agreements; and (2) restrict the avoidance power of the bankruptcy trustee regarding certain master netting agreement transfers to those transfers that are fraudulent in nature. Sets forth statutory guidelines for: (1) the termination or acceleration of designated contracts and agreements; and (2) commodity broker and stockbroker liquidation with respect to the priority of unsecured claims, or customer property or distributions. (Sec. 9) Amends the FDIA to authorize the FDIC to prescribe more detailed recordkeeping requirements for qualified financial contracts (including market valuations) by insured depository institutions. (Sec. 10) Exempts specified collateralization agreements from the contemporaneous execution requirement that renders invalid certain agreements against FDIC interests in certain asset acquisitions. (Sec. 11) Amends Federal bankruptcy law to specify the date for the measure of damages in connection with: (1) rejection by the bankruptcy trustee of designated contracts and agreements relating to executory contracts and unexpired leases; or (2) the liquidation, acceleration, or termination of such contracts and agreements. (Sec. 12 Amends the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1971 to provide that neither the filing of a protective decree by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation, nor any court protective order, shall operate as a stay of a creditor's contractual rights to liquidate, terminate, or accelerate designated contracts and agreements. Allows such application, order, or decree, however, to operate as a stay of foreclosure on securities collateral pledged by the debtor, whether or not with respect to one or more of such contracts, agreements, or securities sold by the debtor under a repurchase agreement. (Sec. 13) Declares that property of the bankrupt estate does not include any eligible asset (or its proceeds) to the extent that it was transferred by the debtor before commencement of the case to an eligible entity in connection with an asset-backed securitization (except to the extent that such asset, or its proceeds or value, may be recovered through avoidance by the bankruptcy trustee). (Sec. 14) Amends the FRA to increase the types of acceptances eligible to meet Federal Reserve collateral requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1999
Microenterprise for Self-Reliance Act of 1999 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to set forth congressional findings and policy, including that: (1) the development of microenterprise (including micro- and small enterprises) is a vital factor in the growth of developing countries and in the development of free, open, and equitable international economic systems; (2) it is in the best interest of the United States to assist the development of microenterprises and of enterprises of the poor in developing countries; and (3) the support of microenterprise can be served by programs that provide credit, savings, training, and technical assistance. (Sec. 4) Authorizes the President to provide grant and other assistance for programs to increase the availability of credit and other services to microenterprises (including small enterprises) lacking full access to capital, credit, and training through: (1) grants to microfinance institutions; (2) loans and guarantees to credit institutions; (3) training, technical assistance, and other support (including training programs for lenders and microentrepreneurs); and (3) policy and regulatory programs at the country level. Sets forth certain grant requirements and micro- and small enterprise assistance eligibility criteria. (Sec. 6) Directs the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID) to establish: (1) a monitoring system that provides, among other things, for performance goals for microenterprise development grant assistance; (2) eligibility criteria for determining which entities shall carry out activities receiving credit assistance; and (3) a U.S. Microfinance Loan Facility to prevent the bankruptcy of microfinance institutions caused by natural disasters, war or civil conflict, national financial crisis, or other short-term financial movements that threaten the long-term development of such institutions. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 7) Directs the President to report to the appropriate congressional committees on the most cost-effective methods for increasing the access of poor people to credit, other financial services, and related training. (Sec. 8) Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Administrator of AID and the Secretary of State should seek to support and strengthen the effectiveness of microfinance activities in United Nations (UN) agencies, such as the International Fund for Agricultural development (IFAD) and the UN Development Program (UNDP), which have provided key leadership in developing the microenterprise sector; and (2) the Secretary of the Treasury should instruct each U.S. Executive Director of the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to advocate the development of a coherent and coordinated strategy to support the microenterprise sector, including an increase of multilateral resource flows for building microenterprise retail and wholesale intermediaries.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1999
Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act - Authorizes the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to make grants on a competitive basis to a variety of fire departments for any of a number of specified purposes, including: (1) hiring additional firefighting personnel; (2) training them; (3) funding creation of rapid intervention teams to protect firefighting personnel at the scenes of fires and other emergencies; (4) certifying fire inspectors; (5) establishing wellness and fitness programs for firefighting personnel; (6) funding emergency medical services; (7) acquiring additional firefighting vehicles and equipment, including personal protective equipment required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; (8) modifying fire stations, fire training facilities, and other facilities; (9) enforcing fire codes; (10) funding fire prevention programs; and (11) educating the public about arson prevention and detection. Requires the FEMA Director to establish an office to set specific criteria for the selection of grant recipients and administer the grants. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1999
Children's Health Coverage Improvement Act of 1999 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to require group health plans to offer children-only coverage to dependents of participants under plans. Provides for continuation of coverage to add special rules for children-only coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1999
Protection of Children From On-Line Predators and Exploitation Act of 1999 - Authorizes appropriations to the Customs Service for FY 2000 to carry out the Child Pornography - Child Sexual Exploitation Program established by the Child Cybersmuggling Center of the Customs Service. Earmarks 3.75 percent of such appropriations to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for the Center's child pornography cyber tip line and for increased public awareness of the tip line. Amends the Federal criminal code to authorize Federal wiretapping for gathering evidence with respect to offenses relating to travel with intent to engage in sexual acts with juveniles.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1999
Historic Homeownership Assistance Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for 20 percent of the qualified rehabilitation expenditures made by a taxpayer with respect to a qualified historic home which has been substantially rehabilitated and which is owned by the taxpayer and used as his or her principal residence. Allows the credit for such expenditures to be taken by a purchaser of the rehabilitated home. Permits, in lieu of the credit, a historic rehabilitation mortgage credit certificate, which may be transferred to a lender in exchange for a reduction in the rate of interest on the loan secured by the building.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Funding for Child Care Title II: Dependent Care Tax Credit Reform Title III: Grants to Business Consortia Subtitle A: Grant Program Subtitle B: General Provisions Title IV: After School Program Subtitle A: 21st Century Community Learning Centers Subtitle B: After School Snacks Title V: Model States Early Learning Program Title VI: Child Care Worker Incentives Title VII: Research and Demonstration Program Title VIII: Miscellaneous Subtitle A: Child and Adult Food Program Subtitle B: Mortgage Insurance for Child Care and Development Facilities Subtitle C: Sense of the Congress Affordable Child Care, Education, Security, and Safety Act - Title I: Funding for Child Care - Amends the Social Security Act (SSA) to make appropriations for FY 2000 through 2004 for child care subsidy funding under the title IV part A program of Block Grants to States for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). (Sec. 101) Reserves specified portions of such funds for payments to Indian tribes and for quality assurance and quality improvement activities relating to programs under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (CCDBGA). Provides for allotment of funds among the States and territories according to a specified formula, or for matching payments based on certain portions of their expenditures for specified purposes authorized under CCDBGA. Requires targeting of at least 70 percent of such subsidy for child care assistance funds to working non-welfare families, who are not TANF recipients under a State or territory program. Title II: Dependent Care Tax Credit Reform - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the dependent care tax credit and to provide an equivalent benefit where one parent stays at home to provide child care for child under age one. (Sec. 202) Allows a business-related tax credit for employer expenses for employer-provided child care assistance. (Sec. 203) Allows the dependent care credit against the alternative minimum tax. Title III: Grants to Business Consortia - Subtitle A: Grant Program - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make grants to States to provide grants to eligible entities to improve access to affordable, local, quality child care services. (Sec. 301) Makes eligible for such a grant a consortium that: (1) has not received a grant under this title; and (2) consists of representatives from at least five businesses (or a nonprofit organization that represents at least five businesses), each of which, to the maximum extent practicable, is located in the same geographic region. Requires States to give priority, in providing such grants, to eligible entities that consist of a majority of representatives from small businesses. Sets a maximum limit on the amount of any such grant provided to an eligible entity for any fiscal year. (Sec. 302) Sets forth requirements for grant applications, use of funds, and matching funds. Subtitle B: General Provisions - Authorizes appropriations for such child care services grants to business consortia. Title IV: After School Program - Subtitle A: 21st Century Community Learning Centers - Amends the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Act to require that discretionary grants be awarded to local educational agencies (LEAs) for supporting certain programs of public elementary schools or secondary schools, including middle schools, that serve communities with substantial needs for expanded learning opportunities for children and youth. (Sec. 401) Increases the maximum duration of such a grant from three to five years. (Sec. 402) Requires the LEA to demonstrate that it will provide specified portions of the annual costs of project activities from sources other than such grant funds. (Sec. 403) Requires the use of grant funds to establish or expand community learning centers that provide activities that offer expanded learning opportunities for children and youth in the community (such as activities conducted before or after school), and which may include any of the currently authorized activities. (Sec. 405) Extends through FY 2004 the authorization of appropriations for such Act. Authorizes continuation awards of FY 1998 grants. Subtitle B: After School Snacks - Amends the National School Lunch Act to provide for participation by certain additional institutions under the child and adult care food program. Allows such institutions to claim reimbursements for meal supplements which they serve without charge to children in afterschool care. (Sec. 411) Revises eligibility requirements for meal supplements for children in afterschool care. Title V: Model States Early Learning Program - Amends SSA title IV part A (TANF) to make appropriations for FY 2000 through 2004 for model States early learning programs. Provides for allotment of funds among the States, territories, and Indian tribes according to a specified formula, or for matching payments based on portions of their expenditures for an early learning program under CCDBGA. (Sec. 501) Amends CCDBGA to establish the Model States Early Learning Program. Sets forth program requirements for State participation and plans, allowable activities, and annual reports. Title VI: Child Care Worker Incentives - Child Care Worker Incentive Act of 1999 - Amends CCDBGA to establish a national child care provider scholarship program. (Sec. 602) Sets forth eligibility criteria for scholarship applicants, including: (1) demonstrated commitment to a child care career; (2) cost sharing by the applicant and employer; and (3) the employer's agreement to provide increased financial incentives to the employee upon completion of the education or training. Includes such program under requirements for State plans, allotments, payments, and annual reports. Authorizes appropriations. Title VII: Research and Demonstration Program - Amends CCDBGA to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), directly or through grants, contracts, or other arrangements, to carry out research, demonstration projects, and other activities relating to child care, including activities designed to improve the quality and increase the availability of child care. (Sec. 701) Includes among allowable activities under such research and demonstrations program: (1) research on child care needs of low-income families, on good policies and practices, and on retention of child care provider staff; (2) demonstrations of technology-based education and training; (3) demonstration projects for new methods; (4) a National Center on Child Care Statistics; and (5) a hotline to locate local child care resources, and child care consumer education activities. Authorizes appropriations. Title VIII: Miscellaneous - Subtitle A: Child and Adult Food Program - Amends the National School Lunch Act to increase reimbursement rates for family or group day care homes under the child and adult care food program. Subtitle B: Mortgage Insurance for Child Care and Development Facilities - Children's Development Commission Act - Amends the National Housing Act to authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to insure mortgages for: (1) new or rehabilitated child care and development facilities, including mortgage insurance for fire safety equipment loans; and (2) purchase or refinance of existing child care and development facilities. (Sec. 855) Establishes the Children's Development Commission which shall: (1) issue facility standards and compliance certifications; and (2) make loans not in excess of $50,000 for facility rehabilitation or renovation. Directs the Commission to report to the Congress on: (1) a plan for establishing an independent foundation to support research on child care and development facilities, fund pilot programs to test innovative methods for improving child care, and assist persons interested in mortgage insurance and other Commission assistance; and (2) a study of capital needs of center-based child care in low-income communities. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 856) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to study the availability of child care facility secondary mortgage markets. Subtitle C: Sense of the Congress - Expresses the sense of the Congress that funds should be appropriated under the amendments made by this Act to the maximum extent authorized and consistently with achieving a balanced Federal budget.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1999
Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage Extension Act of 1999 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to eliminate the time limitation on Medicare benefits for immunosuppressive drugs.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1999
Fire Safe Cigarette Act of 1999 - Directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission to promulgate a fire safety standard for cigarettes, including a prohibition on stockpiling cigarettes to which such standard will not apply. Prohibits the manufacture or import of cigarettes not in compliance with such standard. Authorizes a person adversely affected by such standard to file a petition for judicial review within a specified time period.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1999
American Asian Justice Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include certain children born in the Philippines or Japan to U.S. fathers among those children given preferential immigration treatment.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 1999
Medicare Outpatient Prescription Drug Coverage Act of 1999 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to, among other things: (1) provide for coverage of certain outpatient prescription drugs; (2) outline payment rules, which include use of a standard claims form developed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services for use in requesting payment, and related requirements for drugs, including rules governing deductible amounts, providing for treatment of certain cost-based prepaid organizations under Medicare part C (Medicare+Choice), and prescribing an electronic claims system to be established by the Secretary; (3) establish an enforcement mechanism governing participating pharmacies dispensing covered outpatient prescription drugs, providing for civil money penalties in appropriate cases; (4) prohibit payment from being made under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) for any expense incurred for a covered outpatient drug dispensed in excess of a certain quantity, generally 30 days; and (5) direct the Director of the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment (sic) to provide for appointment of a Prescription Drug Payment Review Commission to report annually to Congress on drug payment determinations under this Act. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Expanding Coverage Title II: Enhancing Fairness for Women and Children Title III: Increasing Portability for Participants Title IV: Strengthening Pension Security and Enforcement Title V: Reducing Regulatory Burdens Comprehensive Retirement Security and Pension Reform Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (the Code) and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) with respect to pensions. Title I: Expanding Coverage - Restores the amounts of certain limitations formerly in effect under the Code for: (1) defined benefit plans; (2) defined contribution plans; (3) qualified trusts; (4) elective deferrals; (5) deferred compensation plans of State and local governments and tax-exempt organizations; (6) simple retirement accounts; and (7) cost-of-living adjustments. (Sec. 102) Amends the Code and ERISA to revise requirements relating to plan loans for subchapter S owners, partners, and sole proprietors. (Sec. 103) Allows employers to elect salary reduction only arrangements under Code requirements for simple plans. (Sec. 104) Revises specified top-heavy rules. Repeals family aggregation rules. Revises the definition of key employee. Provides that, at the election of the employer, any employee elective contribution to a plan shall not be taken into account for purposes of determining: (1) whether a plan is a top-heavy plan (or whether any aggregation group which includes such plan is a top-heavy group); or (2) compensation. Requires that employer matching contributions be taken into account for purposes of minimum contribution requirements. Revises requirements for qualifications. Provides for distributions during the last year before a determination date is taken into account. Excludes from the definition of top-heavy plan: (1) cash or deferred arrangements using alternative methods of meeting nondiscrimination requirements; and (2) defined contribution plans using alternative methods of meeting nondiscrimination requirements. Provides that elective deferrals will not be taken into account for purposes of a special rule where the maximum contribution is less than three percent. (Sec. 105) Provides that qualified staffing firms are to be considered employers for purposes of: (1) specified employment taxes; and (2) providing employee benefits. Provides for coverage of leased employees in employment benefit plans by: (1) applying to leased employees certain requirements concerning cash or deferred arrangements, matching contributions, and employee contributions; and (2) setting forth special rules for the leasing organization's plan. Revises safe harbor plan requirements. (Sec. 106) Provides that elective deferrals shall not be taken into account for purposes of limits on certain plan contributions. (Sec. 107) Amends ERISA to provide for a phase-in of an additional premium for new plans to pay to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). (Sec. 108) Repeals specified coordination requirements under the Code for deferred compensation plans of State and local governments and tax-exempt organizations. (Sec. 109) Eliminates user fee requirements for requests to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) concerning the status of pension plans. (Sec. 110) Sets forth an alternative method of meeting nondiscrimination requirements for automatic contribution trusts. (Sec. 111) Revises certain deduction limits for stock bonus and profit sharing trusts and for defined contribution plans. (Sec. 112) Provides for optional treatment of elective deferrals as plus contributions. (Sec. 113) Establishes a tax credit for pension plan startup costs of small employers. Title II: Enhancing Fairness for Women and Children - Allows additional salary reduction catch-up contributions for those approaching retirement under Code 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. 202) 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. 203) Provides for faster vesting of certain employer matching contributions under the Code and ERISA. (Sec. 204) Amends Federal civil service law to revise requirements for deferred annuities for surviving spouses of Federal employees under both the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). (Sec. 205) Revises minimum distribution rules under the Code. Revises requirements for actuarial adjustment of benefit under a defined benefit plan. 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. Excludes specified amounts from minimum distribution requirements. Repeals a rule relating to distributions begun before death occurs. (Sec. 206) Revises requirements relating to tax treatment of division of section 457 plan benefits upon divorce. (Sec. 207) Amends Federal civil service law to eliminate certain percentage limitations on contributions to the Thrift Savings Fund (TSF) under FERS and CSRS. (Sec. 208) Allows certain contributions to TSF of eligible rollover distributions of eligible retirement plans. (Sec. 209) Eliminates certain waiting periods for purposes of contributions to TSF. Title III: Increasing Portability for Participants - Permits rollovers from and to various types of plans under the Code. (Sec. 302) Permits individual retirement plan (IRA) rollovers only if certain conditions are met. (Sec. 303) Permits rollover of after-tax contributions in an exempt trust under specified conditions. Sets forth a hardship exception to the 60-day rule. (Sec. 304) Sets forth requirements for treatment of forms of distribution available under transferor and transferee plans, under both the Code and ERISA. (Sec. 305) Revises restrictions on distributions, including the same desk exception. Repeals business sale requirements. (Sec. 306) Authorizes trustee-to-trustee transfers to purchase permissive service credit with respect to governmental defined benefit plans. (Sec. 307) Allows employers to disregard rollovers for purposes of cash-out amounts, under retirement plan provisions of the Code and ERISA. Title IV: Strengthening Pension Security and Enforcement - Amends the Code and ERISA to revise the percentage of current liability funding limit. Revises maximum contribution deduction rules and applies them to all defined benefit plan under the Code. (Sec. 402) Amends ERISA to revise requirements relating to missing participants. Direct 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. 403) Amends ERISA to revise requirements for periodic pension benefits statements. (Sec. 404) Amends ERISA to make discretionary the imposition and amount of civil penalties for breach of fiduciary responsibility. Revises requirements for the applicable recovery amount and related rules. (Sec. 405) Amends the Code 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. 406) Amends the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 to make specified amendments inapplicable to elective deferrals used to pay indebtedness, incurred before a certain date, on plan acquisition of employer securities or real property. (Sec. 407) Amends ERISA to revise requirements for notice of significant reductions in plan benefits. Title V: Reducing Regulatory Burdens - Amends the Code to provide intermediate sanctions for inadvertent failures. Provides for protection from disqualification upon timely correction or payment of fine under requirements for: (1) qualified pension, profit-sharing, and stock bonus plans; (2) qualified cash or deferred arrangements (section 401(k) plans); and (3) annuity contracts. Provides that, under requirements relating to taxability of the beneficiary of a nonexempt trust, income inclusion for disqualification is not applicable to nonhighly compensated employees. (Sec. 502) Repeals a multiple use test. Directs the Secretary prescribe regulations permitting appropriate aggregation of plans and contributions. (Sec. 503) Directs the Secretary to provide by regulation that a plan shall be deemed to satisfy specified requirements of the Code if it satisfies a certain facts and circumstances test, under specified conditions. (Sec. 504) Revises line of business rules to: (1) repeal a gateway test; and (2) provide a line of business exception. Directs the Secretary to modify regulations relating to special rules for separate lines of business under the Code to: (1) simplify the administrability of the rules for both the Secretary and plans; and (2) permit employees to be allocated among lines of business based on all the facts and circumstances. (Sec. 505) Grants the Secretary discretion in applying a specified coverage test to a plan. (Sec. 506) Amends the Code and ERISA to provide for an annual inflation adjustment to increase the retirement plan cash-out amount. (Sec. 507) Amends the Code and ERISA to revise requirements relating to timing of plan valuations. (Sec. 508) Makes inapplicable to certain mirror plans specified Code requirements relating to deferred compensation plans of State and local governments and tax-exempt organizations. (Sec. 509) 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. 510) Amends Code requirements for applicable dividends to allow dividends of employee stock ownership plans to be reinvested without loss of dividend deduction. (Sec. 511) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to modify the regulations regarding the exclusion allowance to render void the requirement that contributions to a defined benefit pension plan be treated as previously excluded amounts. (Sec. 512) Provides for a special limitation rule for multiemployer plans as well as governmental plans. (Sec. 513) Eliminates partial termination rules for multiemployer plans. (Sec. 514) Revises the notice and consent period regarding distributions. Directs the Secretary to modify certain regulations under the Code 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. 515) Sets forth conforming amendments relating to election to receive taxable cash compensation in lieu of nontaxable parking benefits. (Sec. 516) Extends to international organizations the moratorium on application of certain nondiscrimination rules applicable to State and local plans. (Sec. 517) Directs the Secretary to modify certain regulations with respect to certain plan participation by employees of tax-exempt entities under the Code. (Sec. 518) Provides for permissive aggregation of collective bargaining units in specified circumstances relating to plan participation under the Code. (Sec. 519) Repeals a transition rule relating to certain highly compensated employees under the Tax Reform Act of 1986. (Sec. 520) Treats the provision of certain retirement planning services by an employer to an employee as a de minimis fringe benefit to the extent it is not treated as a working condition fringe. Prohibits including an amount in an employee's gross income solely because the employee may choose between any retirement planning fringe and compensation otherwise includible in gross income, providing such choices are available in a way that does not discriminate in favor of highly compensated employees. (Sec. 521) Revises ERISA requirements for annual report dissemination. (Sec. 522) Revises the ERISA definition of an excess benefit plan. (Sec. 523) Directs the Secretary of Labor to modify a regulation requiring a benefit suspension notification to allow such notification to: (1) be included in the summary plan description, rather than in a separate notice; and (2) not include a copy of the relevant plan provisions. (Sec. 524) Prescribes requirements for plan amendments or annuity contract amendments under the Code and ERISA. (Sec. 525) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to provide simplified annual filing requirements for: (1) one-participant (an owner and spouse) retirement plans with assets below a specified amount; or (2) retirement plans for fewer than 25 employees. (Sec. 526) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to issue model defined contribution and benefit plans that fit the needs of small businesses.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1999
Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 1999 - Amends the Federal criminal code to set penalties for persons who, whether or not acting under color of law, willfully cause bodily injury to any person or, through the use of fire, a firearm, or an explosive device, attempt to cause such injury, because of the actual or perceived: (1) race, color, religion, or national origin of any person; or (2) religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability of any person, where in connection with the offense, the defendant or the victim travels in interstate or foreign commerce, uses a facility or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce, or engages in any activity affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or where the offense is in or affects interstate or foreign commerce. (Sec. 5) Directs the United States Sentencing Commission to study the issue of, and, if appropriate, amend the Federal sentencing guidelines to provide sentencing enhancements for, adult defendants who recruit juveniles to assist in the commission of hate crimes. (Sec. 6) Requires the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to make grants to State and local programs designed to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles. Authorizes appropriations, including programs to train local law enforcement officers in investigating, prosecuting, and preventing hate crimes. (Sec. 7) Authorizes appropriations to the Department of the Treasury and to DOJ to increase the number of personnel to prevent and respond to alleged violations of provisions regarding interference with specified federally protected activities, such as voting.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1999
Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to give States the option of making medical assistance for breast and cervical cancer-related treatment services available during a presumptive eligibility period to certain low-income women without creditable coverage who have already been screened for such cancers under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention breast and cervical cancer early detection program and need treatment. Provides for an enhanced match with regard to such Medicaid treatment services.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1999
Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 1999 - Provides collective bargaining rights for public safety officers employed by States or local governments. Directs the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) to determine whether State law provides specified rights and responsibilities for public safety officers, including: (1) granting public safety employees the right to form and join a labor organization which excludes management and supervisory employees, and which is, or seeks to be, recognized as the exclusive bargaining agent for such employees; and (2) requiring public safety employers to recognize and agree to bargain with the employees' labor organization. (Sec. 5) Requires the FLRA to issue regulations establishing collective bargaining procedures for public safety employers and employees in States that do not substantially provide for such public safety employee rights and responsibilities. Directs the FLRA, in such cases, to: (1) determine the appropriateness of units for labor organization representation; (2) supervise or conduct elections to determine whether a labor organization has been selected as an exclusive representative by a majority of the employees in an appropriate unit; (3) resolve issues relating to the duty to bargain in good faith; (4) conduct hearings and resolve complaints of unfair labor practices; and (5) resolve exceptions to arbitrator's awards. Grants a public safety employer, employee, or labor organization the right to seek enforcement of such FLRA regulations and authority through appropriate State courts. (Sec. 6) Prohibits public safety employers, employees, and labor organizations from engaging in lockouts or strikes. (Sec. 7) Provides that existing collective bargaining units and agreements shall not be invalidated by this Act. (Sec. 9) Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1999
Amends the Federal Reserve Act to include among the types of collateral security which may be required (to back currency) in a Federal Reserve bank application for Federal Reserve notes any acceptances acquired (discount window loans extended) with respect to: (1) emergency advances to groups of or individual member banks; and (2) discounts of agricultural paper.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1999
Debt Relief for Poverty Reduction Act of 1999 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to direct the President, subject to authorization of appropriations, to cancel or reduce all amounts owed to the United States by heavily indebted poor countries (HIPCs) as a result of concessional and nonconcessional loans made, guarantees issued, or credits extended prior to January 1, 1996, under any provision of law. Sets forth eligibility requirements for cancellation or reduction of debt for HIPCs. Directs the President, in canceling or reducing debt, to give priority to HIPCs that have demonstrated a sustained commitment to poverty alleviation or have recently suffered a major natural disaster. (Sec. 2) Provides that cancellation or reduction of debt shall not be considered to be assistance for purposes of any law limiting assistance to a country. Authorizes appropriations. Sets forth certain procedures for the making of new loans, extending new credits, or issuing new guarantees to the governments of developing countries. (Sec. 3) Amends the International Financial Institutions Act to urge the President, in order to accelerate multilateral debt relief and promote economic and human development and poverty alleviation in HIPCs, to commence diplomatic efforts within the Paris Club of Official Creditors, as well as the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and other appropriate multilateral development institutions to make certain modifications in the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, including: (1) the placing of a limit on maximum waiting period before a country receives debt relief; (2) the incorporation of poverty reduction and environmental protection as conditions for HIPC debt relief; (3) the revision of country eligibility requirements under the HIPC Initiative; (4) the adoption of a human development action plan and fund by HIPCs; (5) limits on the amount of debt reduction; (6) transparency and participation by HIPCs in HIPC decision making; and (7) the provision of HIPC review. Authorizes appropriations for the HIPC Trust Fund. Declares the sense of Congress that the amounts that would otherwise be provided by the United States for development aid or other debt relief should not be reduced on account of any such appropriations. Directs the President to work with the member countries of international financial institutions to ensure transparency and public participation in decisions to make new loans (including terms and conditions of such loans) to developing countries.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1999
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, to: (1) remove from payments to Medicare+Choice organizations those amounts attributable to disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments; and (2) direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make direct payments to a DSH for any individual who is enrolled under a risk-sharing contract with an eligible organization and entitled to benefits under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) or who is enrolled with a Medicare+Choice organization under Medicare part C (Medicare+Choice).
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1999
Medicare Full Access to Cancer Treatment Act of 1999 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to exclude cancer treatment services from the prospective payment system for hospital outpatient department services under the Medicare program.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1999
Entitles to an annuity under either the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employee Retirement System a military reserve technician who is separated from service as a technician after either: (1) becoming 50 years of age and completing 20 years of such service; or (2) completing 25 years of such service.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 1999
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the full realization of the rights of women is vital to the development and well-being of people of all nations; and (2) the Senate should give its advice and consent to the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 1999
Recognizes and honors Joe DiMaggio for his storied baseball career, for his many contributions to the nation, and for transcending baseball and becoming a symbol of talent, commitment, and achievement.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 1999
Veterans' Hepatitis C Benefits Act of 1999 - Considers hepatitis C becoming manifest in a veteran to be service-connected, and therefore compensable under veterans' disability provisions, notwithstanding that there is no record of evidence of such illness during the period of such service, as long as it is shown that during such service the veteran experienced: (1) a blood transfusion before December 31, 1992; (2) blood exposure on or through skin or mucous membrane; (3) hemodialysis; (4) a tattoo, body piercing, or acupuncture; (5) unexplained liver disease or abnormal liver function tests; or (6) working in a health care occupation.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 1999
Directs the President to impose quotas, tariff surcharges, or negotiate enforceable voluntary export restraint agreements in order to ensure that the volume of imported steel products (semifinished, plates, sheets and strips, wire rods, wire and wire products, rail type products, bars, structural shapes and units, pipes and tubes, iron ore, and coke products) during any month does not exceed the average volume of imported steel for the 36-month period preceding July 1997. Directs the Secretaries of the Treasury and of Commerce to implement a program for administering and enforcing the restraints on such imports. Authorizes the Customs Service to refuse entry into the U.S. customs territory for a three year period of any steel products that exceed the allowable levels of such products. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish and implement a steel import notification and monitoring program. Requires any person who intends to import steel products into the United States to first obtain an import notification certificate. Sets forth specified import notification certificate requirements. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to publish on a weekly basis through the Internet certain information obtained from steel import notification certificate applications regarding imported steel, including country of origin, the port of entry, quantity, value of steel imported, single producer or exporter countries, and whether such imports are entered into a bonded warehouse or foreign trade zone. Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to charge reasonable fees to defray the costs of carrying out this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 1999
Student Health Insurance Portability Protection Act of 1999 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to apply health insurance portability, access, and renewability requirements to coverage offered in connection with a college-sponsored health plan as they apply to a group health plan. Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code to include coverage under a college-sponsored plan in the definition of "creditable coverage."
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 1999
Public Safety Act - Provides that the recipient of a grant under the violent offender incarceration and truth-in-sentencing incentive grant program may not contract with a private contractor or vendor to provide services related to the operation of a correctional facility or the incarceration of inmates. Amends the Federal criminal code to require the Bureau of Prisons to provide that: (1) any penal or correctional facility or institution (except for community correctional confinement such as halfway houses) confining any person convicted of offenses against the United States shall be under the direction of the Director of the Bureau and shall be managed and maintained by U.S. employees; and (2) the housing, safeguarding, care, subsistence, protection, instructing, and disciplining of any person charged with or convicted of any offense against the United States (with that exception) shall be conducted and carried out by U.S. employees.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 1999
Advancement in Pediatric Autism Research Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand, intensify, and coordinate the activities of NIH with respect to autism. Requires the Director, among other things, to make awards of grants and contracts to public or nonprofit entities for centers of excellence regarding research on autism. Authorizes appropriations. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a program to provide information and education on autism to health professionals and the general public. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary to establish an Autism Coordinating Committee to coordinate HHS efforts concerning autism.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 1999
Investment in Women's Health Act of 1999 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to increase to $14.60 the payment for diagnostic or screening pap smear laboratory tests.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 1999
Affordable Higher Education-Through-Pell Grants Act of 1999 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to increase the maximum Federal Pell Grant award to $6,500 for academic year 2000-2001. Amends HEA to declare that there shall be available to the Secretary of Education, from funds not otherwise appropriated, sums necessary to provide funds for such grants in the maximum amounts authorized.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Amendments to Endangered Species Act of 1973 Title II: Tax Incentives Title III: Authorization of Appropriations Endangered Species Recovery Act of 1999 - Title I: Amendments to Endangered Species Act of 1973 - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (the Act) to include within the definition of "species" the last remaining distinct population segment in the United States of any plant or invertebrate species. States that "interim habitat" includes habitat necessary to support either current populations of a species or populations necessary to ensure survival, whichever is larger. (Sec. 102) Revises requirements regarding designation of critical habitat to require the Secretary of the Interior or Commerce, as appropriate, to designate: (1) interim habitat concurrently with making a determination that a species is endangered or threatened; (2) critical habitat concurrently with adoption of a final recovery plan for a species; and (3) interim and critical habitat in the case of a highly migratory marine species. Requires the Secretary to designate interim habitat based only on biological factors, giving special consideration to habitat currently occupied by the species. (Sec. 103) Establishes a schedule for publishing species listing determinations. (Sec. 105) Provides for draft and final recovery plans for the conservation of endangered and threatened species. Expands plan provisions to require: (1) provisions for conservation in the recovery plan area of all endangered or threatened species, candidate species, and species proposed for such listing; (2) descriptions of actions likely to violate taking or jeopardy prohibitions; (3) a list of Federal agencies, States, tribes, and local government entities significantly affected by plan goals or management actions that should complete a recovery implementation plan; and (4) the selection of independent scientists to determine criteria for making determinations to remove a species from the list. Directs Federal agencies significantly affected by plan goals or management actions to develop and implement recovery implementation plans required to: (1) identify affirmative conservation duties and management responsibilities to contribute to achievement of plan goals; (2) set forth specific actions, timetables, and funding to achieve and monitor progress of goals or responsibilities; and (3) identify lands or waters under agency jurisdiction that may provide suitable habitat for the species and actions needed to acquire additional habitat or contribute to species recovery on agency lands or waters. (Sec. 106) Includes Indian tribes in the definition of "State" for purposes of provisions regarding cooperative agreements and funding for the conservation of endangered and threatened species. (Sec. 107) Requires Federal agencies to monitor the status and trends of endangered, threatened, and candidate species that occur on lands or waters under their administration. Directs Federal agencies, in cases where certain authorized takings of endangered or threatened species of a marine mammal are involved, to: (1) report to the Secretary every two years on the amount of incidental take that has occurred as a direct, indirect, or cumulative impact; and (2) reinitiate consultation with the Secretary if the amount authorized has been exceeded. Applies provisions regarding interagency cooperation and consultation to species in a foreign country or on the high seas. Requires the Secretary to promulgate regulations to ensure timely conclusion of Federal consultations regarding listing of species. (Sec. 108) Directs the Secretary to limit the duration of certain permits issued for acts or takings otherwise prohibited as necessary to ensure that changes in circumstances that could occur in the period and that would jeopardize the continued existence of species are reasonably foreseeable. Expands elements of conservation plans required to be submitted by applicants for permits authorizing takings. Adds to the list of conditions required to be met for permit issuance that the activities authorized by the permit and conservation plan are consistent with species recovery and will result in no net loss of the value to the species of the habitat occupied. Requires annual reports by the permittee on the biological status of the species in the affected area, on permitted action and habitat conservation plan impacts on the species, and on whether the plan's biological goals are being met. Revokes permits for noncompliance with permit conditions of this Act or for exceeding the authorized level of take. Requires the Secretary, using financial security provided by the permittee and the Habitat Conservation Fund, to undertake to conserve species where a permittee defaults on permit or plan obligations. Directs the Secretary to implement a streamlined application and approval procedure for incidental take permits and plans determined to be low effect, small scale plans. Lists criteria to be met for consideration as a low effect, small scale plan. Provides for monitoring of such plans and requires the Secretary to pay costs of implementing additional requirements or restrictions to ensure that actions authorized by such plans do not jeopardize the continued existence of any species determined to be endangered or threatened after such a plan was approved. Sets forth requirements for the deposit of performance bonds and other financial security by incidental take permit (other than low effect, small scale) applicants. Establishes the Habitat Conservation Plan Fund for: (1) paying the costs of additional conservation measures and restrictions for species recovery not covered by, or occurring as a result of failure of, plans; (2) permitting costs; and (3) restoring natural resources with respect to which damages are deposited. Requires the Secretary to encourage the development of multiple landowner, multispecies conservation plans, including by streamlining permitting processes across State and local jurisdictions. Sets forth requirements for incidental take certificates issued by such jurisdictions. Provides for public participation in the development of such plans and directs the Secretary to promulgate regulations establishing a development process which ensures an equitable balance of participation among citizens with primary interests in economic development activities that may affect species conservation, and citizens whose primary interest is in species conservation, respectively. Requires the Secretary, upon request, to invite independent scientists with expertise on species that may be affected by the plan to provide input. Directs the Secretary to establish a Community Assistance Program to provide timely and accurate information to local governments or property owners. Requires the Secretary, under such Program, to assign to each U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service field office employees whose duties include providing information on impacts of actions under, and assistance on compliance with, the Act and serving as a focal point for questions, requests, complaints, and suggestions from property owners and local governments. (Sec. 109) Expands the list of violations for which citizen suits may be brought to include violations of any permit, the Secretary's opinion statement regarding the impact of Federal agency actions on species and proposed conservation actions, or any agreement concluded under the Act. Makes certain time frames for bringing actions inapplicable to actions brought for emergencies posing a significant risk to any endangered or threatened species of fish, wildlife, or plant (or those proposed for listing). (Sec. 110) Makes persons who negligently damage any member or habitat of an endangered or threatened species liable to the United States and a State for the costs incurred in restoring or replacing the member or habitat. Title II: Tax Incentives - Authorizes the Secretary to enter into endangered species conservation agreements with owners or lessees of real property on which conservation measures for endangered, threatened, or candidate species or species proposed for listing are to be carried out. Requires the Secretary to establish a technical assistance program in cooperation with the States to assist landowners with such agreements. (Sec. 202) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require that the value of a taxable estate be determined by deducting from the value of the gross estate an amount equal to the value of real property included in the gross estate which is subject to an endangered species conservation agreement. Provides for recapture in certain cases. (Sec. 203) Allows an additional tax deduction for State and local real property taxes imposed on real property subject to such agreements. (Sec. 204) Allows a tax credit for costs incurred in connection with such agreements. Title III: Authorization of Appropriations - Extends the authorization of appropriations to carry out the Act through FY 2003.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 1999
Farm and Ranch Risk Management Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an individual engaged in an eligible farming business to deduct a limited amount from gross income for amounts paid into an interest-bearing Farm and Ranch Risk Management (FARRM) Account, created for the taxpayer's exclusive benefit. Requires withdrawal of contributions within five years, upon which they are taxable as ordinary income in the year of withdrawal. Prescribes penalties on amounts not distributed within five years.
United States · United States Congress · 3 March 1999
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the Congress must assure that the fundamental protections that social security provides for American families are available for generations to come; (2) the problems facing the social security system are manageable and can be prudently addressed by making careful and modest changes; (3) hastily conceived and radical solutions, such as utilizing social security system resources to fund individual accounts, require significant reductions in guaranteed benefits, are not necessary to assure the financial solvency of the system, and should be rejected; (4) solutions to a projected shortfall should be enacted within the existing social security structure, without compromising the guaranteed nature of benefits to individuals and families under the social security system; and (5) any solutions adopted by the Congress must be nondiscriminatory and equitable to Americans of all ages and must help insure American workers and their families against the economic risks associated with disability, the death of a parent or spouse, and retirement.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 1999
Amends the independent counsel statute to authorize the reimbursement for reasonable attorney's fees of an individual who is indicted pursuant to an independent counsel's investigation but found not guilty.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 1999
Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to limit the late enrollment penalty to a ten percent increase in the monthly part B premium due over a period equal to twice the number of years that the part B beneficiary could have been but was not enrolled under part B.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 1999
Access to Emergency Medical Services Act of 1999 - Provides that if a group health plan or health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer provides any benefits with respect to emergency services, the plan or issuer shall cover such services: (1) without the need for any prior authorization determination; (2) whether or not the health care provider furnishing such services is a participating provider with respect to such services; (3) in a manner so that if such services are provided by a nonparticipating provider, the participant, beneficiary, or enrollee is not liable for amounts that exceed the liability that would be incurred if the services were provided by a participating provider; and (4) without regard to any other term or condition of such plan or coverage (other than exclusion or coordination of benefits, a specified affiliation or waiting period, and applicable cost sharing). Requires such plans or issuers, in the case of maintenance or post-stabilization care services other than emergency services, to provide for reimbursement for services provided by nonparticipating providers in a manner consistent with specified guidelines relating to promoting efficient and timely coordination of maintenance and post-stabilization care of an enrollee under the Social Security Act or such guidelines as the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish. Requires information regarding coverage of emergency services to be made available annually by plans and issuers. Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code to deem requirements of the Access to Emergency Medical Services Act of 1999 to be incorporated into such Acts and the Internal Revenue Code.
![Official portrait of Rep. LaFalce, John J. [D-NY-29]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/l000556_200.jpg)