United States · United States Congress · 13 March 1984
Amends title II (Old age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to provide that a beneficiary shall be entitled to a prorated benefit for the month in which he or she dies.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 1984
Civil Service Amendments of 1984 - Title I: Pay for Performance; Senior Executive Service Management - Revises the merit pay system. Renames the system the performance management and recognition system. Allows the President to exclude any class of employees within any agency unit from such system under specified conditions. Excludes employees of the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, the Library of Congress, the Botanic Garden, and the Administrative Office of the Courts from such system. Directs the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to prescribe regulations under which an employee may be excluded from such system. Declares that such system shall provide for comparability pay increases, periodic step increases, and performance awards based on an employee's performance as measured on a five-level scale consisting of one fully successful level, two levels below fully successful, and two levels above fully successful. Requires that any employee whose performance is rated at: (1) the second level below fully successful receive no comparability increase; (2) the first level below fully successful receive one half of the comparability increase; and (3) the fully successful level or above receive the full comparability increase. Requires employees whose performance cannot be rated to receive the full comparability increase. Denies periodic step increases to employees who perform below the fully successful level. Authorizes annual step increases to take effect on the first applicable pay period beginning on or after October 1 of each year. Provides for the award of a full step increase or a fraction thereof based on the employee's level of performance and the employee's basic pay rate within his or her pay grade. Limits any step increase to the amount that would raise the employee's basic pay rate to the maximum rate for his or her pay grade. Directs OPM to prescribe regulations governing step increases for employees whose performance cannot be evaluated under the standard performance evaluation procedures. Requires the payment of an additional performance award of an amount not to exceed 20 percent of an employee's basic pay to any employee whose performance is rated at the second level above fully successful. Authorizes the payment of such a performance award to an employee whose performance is rated at the first level above fully successful. Directs an agency to use a specified percentage of the agency's payroll for employees in the agency's performance management and recognition system for performance awards. Prohibits a reduction in the pay of an employee brought under such system as long as the employee continues to occupy the same position. Allows an employee under such system to be paid less than the minimum rate of basic pay for the grade of the employee's position as a result of a less than fully successful performance rating. Continues the cash award program (currently provided under the merit pay system) under such system. Directs OPM to report to the President and Congress annually on the effectiveness of such system. Terminates such system, with the exception of the cash award program, five years after the enactment of this Act. Requires agencies to develop separate performance appraisal procedures for employees covered by such system. Requires such performance appraisal procedures to: (1) require that supervisors consult with employees before establishing performance standards; and (2) use the results of performance appraisals as a basis of personnel actions. Directs OPM to prescribe regulations requiring that such procedures assure accurate evaluation of job performance, communication with employees regarding job requirements prior to each appraisal period, evaluation of employees based upon the standards, assistance to employees performing below the fully successful level, and a reduction in grade for or removal of employees who continually perform at the lowest level. Lists factors to be considered in performance appraisals, which may include organizational accomplishment. Authorizes the review of an employee's performance appraisal by an agency officer or employee. Requires the reconsideration of an employee's appraisal by a superior to the appraiser at the employee's request. Bars any appeal of a performance appraisal outside the agency. Prohibits OPM or any agency from prescribing any particular distribution of levels of performance ratings or any specific performance standard or element. Provides that a step increase received by an employee under the performance management and recognition system shall be considered to be equivalent to a step increase under the General Schedule if that employee transfers to a General Schedule position. Requires OPM's biennial report to Congress on the Senior Executive Service (SES) to specify the number of SES employees who were removed from the SES as a result of a reduction-in-force and placed in a General Schedule position, as authorized under this Act. Repeals the right of a former career civil servant to be reinstated to an SES position after being removed under a reduction-in-force. Entitles an employee who is removed from the SES under a reduction-in-force to be placed in a civil service position in a grade no lower than a GS-15. Eliminates certain pay protection provisions for employees removed from the SES due to less than fully successful performance. Provides that a career appointee may be removed from the SES due to a reduction-in-force unless such appointee is qualified for and assigned to a vacant SES position in the same agency. Eliminates an appointee's right to appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) his or her removal or failure to receive an assignment to a vacant SES position. Authorizes the furlough of SES employees for insufficient work or funds or for other nondisciplinary reasons. Entitles a furloughed employee to appeal his or her status to the MSPB. Establishes the minimum amount for a performance award for an SES employee as five percent of such employee's basic pay. Limits the total amount an agency may pay in SES performance awards in a fiscal year. Repeals the aggregate pay limitation for SES employees who receive a bonus, award, or allowance. Allows an agency to suspend or remove an SES employee for failing to accept a directed reassignment or accompany a position in a transfer of function. Provides that such a removal based on an employee's refusal to accept a directed reassignment or to accompany a position transfer outside of the commuting area of the employee shall not jeopardize such employee's eligibility to receive a civil service annuity because of an involuntary separation. Allows an SES career appointee to be reassigned outside of his or her commuting area only if such appointee is provided with advance notice explaining the reasons for such reassignment. Title II: Effective Date; Transition Provisions - Sets forth the effective date of the performance management and recognition system. Provides that: (1) the basic pay rate of an employee under the merit pay system on the day before such date shall be such employee's pay rate on such date; and (2) any exclusion of an agency from merit pay system coverage shall cease to have effect on such date.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 1984
Defense Spare Parts Procurement Reform Act - Directs the head of a defense agency to establish procedures to recognize personnel efforts to increase competition and achieve cost savings in spare parts procurement. Requires each contractor supplying a military department to mark each item with: (1) the contractor's name and stock number for the item; and (2) the original manufacturer or producer if not the contractor. Requires all technical data relating to a part delivered under the contract to carry the name of the original manufacturer or producer and the stock number. Prohibits a contractor from entering into agreements with a subcontractor which restrict sales by the subcontractor directly to the United States. Limits such prohibition to contracts involving $25,000 or more. Requires that replacement parts be procured by competitive methods when possible. Directs a contracting officer to determine the availability of a part first through the supply system of the Defense Department and then under Federal supply contracts through the General Services Administration. Requires such officer to review the procurement history and description of a part. Directs the head of the contracting agency to require a bidder on a major system to specify: (1) whether the technical data provided would be with unlimited or limited rights and with a license; and (2) the cost of the United States of acquiring unlimited rights or a license. Requires that such bidders certify that items not available with unlimited rights will be developed at private expense and that the technical data is not in the public domain. Grants the United States unlimited rights in technical data delivered under contract if such data was developed wholly or in part at Government expense or is in the public domain. Establishes a second contractor review system and penalties for false statements concerning assertions that certain technical data is private. Directs a contractor to certify the completeness and accuracy of all statements concerning technical data to be or not to be provided, including opportunities and requirements for cure if such data should prove to be inaccurate or insufficient for subsequent reprocurement purposes. Directs the head of any agency to develop a plan for an accounting system to monitor access to and ownership of data which includes the possibility of a department-wide system for the retrieval of technical data. Requires the submission of such a plan to Congress. Directs the head of each such agency, within three years, to inventory the access to or the ownership of all technical data for each major system under the agency's jurisdiction. Directs the Secretary of Defense to coordinate such inventories to allow the exchange of information. Requires the head of each such agency to designate within the agency a competition advocate for the agency, and one for each procuring activity. Sets forth the functions of such advocates, including maximizing competitive opportunities during acquisition and challenging existing, inhibiting practices. Grants such advocates direct access to agency personnel. Requires each agency head to report to Congress by December 15 of each year on the management of the acquisition of replacement parts, including the activities of the competition advocates. Requires that such reports be submitted by the Secretary of Defense and break down information by the Department as a whole as well as for each of the military departments.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 1984
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should urge Canada to discontinue imposing taxes on travel literature imported from the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 1984
Directs the Secretary of Transportation to provide grants to LIFE International to pay up to 75 percent of the costs of retrofitting and operating specified vessels transferred to the organization. Authorizes appropriations to the Maritime Administration for FY 1985 through 1987 for such grants.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 1984
States that the Congress: (1) protests the denial by the International Olympic Committee of accreditation to Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) correspondents covering the winter Olympic games in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, and urges such Committee to grant accreditation to RFE/RL correspondents to cover future Olympic games, including the 1984 Olympic games in Los Angeles; and (2) calls upon the President to encourage the accreditation by the International Olympic Committee of RFE/RL correspondents who are recognized and supported by the U.S. Olympic Committee to cover the Olympic games.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 1984
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe regulations exempting retirees or individuals over age 65 from interest penalties with respect to any underpayment of estimated tax. Requires that such underpayment be due to reasonable cause (defined to include mistake or ignorance of the law) and not to willful neglect.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 1984
Declares that it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the President should award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to David Phillip Vetter, of Spring, Texas, to be presented to his family in his memory as the oldest survivor of congenital severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID).
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 1984
Amends the Education Amendments of 1972 to include educational institutions receiving Federal financial assistance within the prohibition against sex discrimination.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 1984
Authorizes the President, on behalf of Congress, to present to Elie Wiesel a gold medal in recognition of his humanitarian efforts and outstanding contributions to world literature and human rights. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to provide for the public sale of bronze duplicates of such medal.
United States · United States Congress · 29 February 1984
Repeals the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code which would include one-half of social security and tier 1 railroad retirement benefits in the gross income of the taxpayer. Provides that one-half of social security benefits paid to nonresident aliens is includible in gross income of the nonresident alien.
United States · United States Congress · 29 February 1984
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should instruct the U.S. delegation to the United Nations to request the Secretary General to seek the cooperation of Vietnam with the United States and specified other countries in ascertaining the whereabouts of the crewmen of the sunken U.S. vessel GLOMAR Java Sea.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 1984
Balanced Budget Constitutional Convention Convening Resolution - Requires that, within 30 days of the receipt of any additional application of a State legislature calling for the convening of a constitutional convention on a balanced budget amendment, the Vice President in his capacity as President of the Senate determine whether or not the application is made in the manner described by this resolution. Requires each such determination to be published in the Congressional Record. Requires the Vice President to convene such a convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, not later than 180 days after the date of the publication of a second additional State application. Requires each State to appoint delegates to the constitutional convention in a number equal to the number of Representatives and Senators to which the State is entitled in Congress. Sets forth procedures for the proceedings of the convention and adoption of amendments. Requires the presiding officer of the convention, within 30 days after the termination of proceedings, to transmit all records of official proceedings of the convention to the Archivist of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 1984
Amends the Federal criminal code to establish criteria for the imposition of the death penalty for Federal crimes. Requires the Government, for any offense punishable by death, to serve notice upon the defendant a reasonable time before trial or acceptance of a plea that it intends to seek the death penalty and the aggravating factors upon which it will rely. Requires a separate sentencing hearing before a jury, or the court upon motion by the defendant, when the defendant is found guilty or pleads guilty to an offense punishable by death. Allows the defendant and the Government to present any information relevant to sentencing, without regard to the rules of evidence, but permits information to be excluded where its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury. Specifies mitigating factors which the defendant must establish by a preponderance of the information and aggravating factors which the Government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Includes as threshold, aggravating factors for homicide that the defendant: (1) intentionally killed the victim; (2) intentionally inflicted serious bodily injury which resulted in the death of the victim; (3) intentionally participated in an act which he reasonably should have known would create grave risk of death to a person and the victim did die as a direct result of the act; or (4) attempted to kill the President of the United States. Sets forth special aggravating factors with respect to the crimes of treason, espionage, homicide, and attempted murder of the President. Includes among the mitigating factors that the defendant was less than 18 years old at the time of the crime. Directs the court, or the jury by unanimous vote, to impose the death penalty upon a finding that such sentence is justified based on consideration of both the aggravating and mitigating factors. Requires the court to instruct the jury not to consider the race, color, national origin, creed, or sex of the defendant in its consideration of the sentence. Limits the circumstances under which the offense of delivering defense information to aid foreign governments is punishable by death. Allows the death penalty to be imposed for the murder of foreign officials and for an offense of kidnapping resulting in the death of any person. Eliminates the death penalty for the crime of rape. Authorizes the death penalty for the crime of attempting to kill the President of the United States if the attempt results in bodily injury to the President or otherwise comes dangerously close to causing his death. Establishes procedures for appeal from a death sentence. Requires the Court of Appeals, upon considering the record and the information and procedures of the sentencing hearing, to affirm the decision if: (1) the sentence was not imposed under influence of passion, prejudice, or arbitrariness; and (2) the information supports the finding of aggravating factors or the absence of mitigating factors. Requires the court to provide a written explanation of its determination. Provides for the death penalty for murders committed by prisoners in Federal correctional institutions.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 1984
Authorizes the Secretary of the Army to convey specified Federal land to the city of Lompoc, California, for use as the site for the space science museum of the Lompoc, California, Western Museum and Science Center. Requires reversion of such land to the United States if it is not used for purposes of the space science museum. Directs the city of Lompoc to pay the costs of any surveys conducted to determine the property's exact acreage and legal description.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 1984
Repeals the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that require that ballots and other election materials be available in a language other than English. States that nothing in this Act shall prohibit any State from providing ballots in any language other than English if local conditions so require.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1984
Social Security Disability Benefits Continuation Act of 1984 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to extend provisions providing for the continued payment of disability benefits during administrative appeal of a determination that a disability benefit receipient is no longer entitled to such benefits. (Under current law, such provisions apply with respect to disability determinations made prior to October 31, 1983.) Amends title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) of the Social Security Act to permit recipients of benefits based on disability or blindness who are determined to be no longer eligible for such benefits to elect to have the payment of such benefits continued during administrative appeal of such determinations. Provides that such benefit payments shall be considered overpayments if the Secretary of Health and Human Services affirms such a determination upon appeal.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1984
Amends rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit the Committee on Appropriations from considering any supplemental appropriation bill unless the request for such appropriation is accompanied by a statement of necessity.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 1984
Central America Democracy, Peace, and Development Initiative Act of 1984 - Title I: Statement of Policy - Declares that U.S. policy toward Central America should be consistent and coherent and should include a long term commitment of both economic and military assistance. Sets forth the goals such policy should support. Title II: Economic and Human Development - Sets forth guiding principles for furnishing assistance to Central America. Declares that Central America needs: (1) agricultural development aid; (2) education assistance; (3) assistance for health and population needs; (4) housing and infrastructure assistance or guarantees; (5) assistance for economic stabilization programs; and (6) humanitarian relief and rehabilitation assistance for refugees and displaced persons. Declares that the Overseas Private Investment Corporation should make every effort to support projects in the region. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1984 and 1985 for Central American countries for: (1) agricultural research; (2) population planning and health programs; (3) education and human resources development; (4) energy resources development; and (5) operating expenses of the agency primarily responsible for administering international development programs. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1985 for the housing guaranty revolving fund. Authorizes supplemental appropriations for FY 1984 and 1985 to carry out: (1) Economic Support Fund activities for Central American countries; (2) the purposes of the Peace Corps Act for Central American countries; and (3) for the activities of U.S. Information Agency in Central American countries. Authorizes supplemental appropriations for FY 1985 for migration and refugee assistance. Authorizes additional loan principal for the housing guaranty program of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 for Central American countries for FY 1985. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the President to furnish assistance to countries and organizations in order to strengthen the administration of justice in Central American and Caribbean countries. Requires that a specified minimum amount of money shall be available for such purpose. Earmarks some of the Economic Support Fund authorization for payments by the Agency for International Development to discharge guarantees of liabilities incurred by the Export-Import Bank: (1) covering risks of loss or nonpayment under short-term trade credits for the purpose of financing goods and services for the use of the private sector in Central American countries; and (2) which do not offer reasonable assurances of repayment. Requires that the short-term credits be repayable within one year. Requires that amounts appropriated under this authority shall not be used to discharge guarantees that are approved after September 30, 1989. Limits the amount to be provided for such guarantees in FY 1985. Permits foreign assistance funds to be used by a foreign government to compensate nationals of that country in accordance with a land reform program if the President determines that monetary assistance for such land reform program will further U.S. interests. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the President should enter into negotiations with those countries receiving assistance authorized by this Act in order to establish a Central American Development Organization; and (2) the establishment of the Central American Development Organization should be based upon specified principles. Authorizes the President to participate in the Central American Development Organization. Requires the Administrator of the agency primarily responsible for administering the development assistance provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act to be chairman of the Central American Development Organization. Authorizes additional nonmilitary assistance for Central American countries for each of FY 1986 through 1989. Authorizes additional amounts for loan principal for housing guarantees for Central American countries for each of FY 1986 through 1989. Authorizes additional amounts for housing guarantees or insurance for Central American countries for FY 1986. Title III: Military Assistance, Sales, and Related Programs - Sets forth the principles upon which the Congress believes the restoration of peace and stability in Central America must be based. Authorizes additional appropriations for FY 1984 and 1985 for military assistance for Central American countries. Authorizes additional appropriations for FY 1985 for military education and training and for foreign military sales financing for Central American countries. Requires the President to submit a report to Congress semiannually beginning on July 31, 1984, describing the policies of El Salvador for achieving political development, economic development, conditions of security, and other goals. Title IV: Miscellaneous Provisions - Defines Central American countries to include Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and regional programs which benefit such countries. Authorizes the transfer of specified funds when the President determines it is necessary.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 1984
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should: (1) continue to express U.S. opposition to the exile of Igor Ogurtsov; and (2) urge the Soviet Union to provide Igor Ogurtsov with medical care, grant his release from exile, and accept his application for an exit visa and allow him to emigrate without forcing him to renounce his views (in accordance with a specified international treaty).
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 1984
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from the gross income of a physicians' and surgeons' mutual protection and indemnity association any initial payment made by a member upon joining such an association provided that the member does not elect to claim an income tax deduction for such payment. Allows a member of such an association to elect to claim an income tax deduction as a business expense any initial payment made to the association. Limits the amount of such deduction to an amount which would be payable to an independent insurance company for medical malpractice insurance.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 1984
Requires that such amounts as may be necessary of the Polish currencies held by the United States shall be available for construction of a new facility at the American Children's Hospital in Krakow, Poland, which would be known as the Clement J. Zablocki Outpatient Facility. Authorizes appropriations for: (1) equipping and furnishing such Facility; (2) improving medical equipment at the American Children's Hospital in Krakow; and (3) providing medical supplies to Poland through private and voluntary agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 1984
Revises general defense procurement contract law to require a contractor who must deliver technical data or computer software in connection with parts or components which are subject to replacement (spare parts) to grant the contracting agency, upon request, rights to the use of such data or software. Requires that such data and software be sufficiently informative as to allow subsequent competitive procurement of parts and components from another manufacturer. Sets forth the parameters and limitations on such requirement, including exemptions for data or software sold or leased generally to the public. Directs the Secretary of each military department to establish a board to review exemption requests.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 1984
Federal Money Management Act of 1984 - Requires custodians of public money, including a disbursing official having public money not for current expenditure, to deposit funds not later than three business days after the date of receipt.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 1984
Authorizes the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Incorporated to erect a National Law Enforcement Heroes Memorial on public grounds in the District of Columbia or its environs in honor and recognition of law enforcement officials in the United States who died in the line of duty. Directs the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Fund, to select with the approval of the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission, a suitable site on public grounds for such memorial. Subjects the design and any plans for the memorial to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, the Commission of Fine Arts, and the National Capital Planning Commission. Declares that no moneys belonging to the United States or the District of Columbia shall be expended for the erection of such memorial other than expenses incurred in the process of site selection and approval of design and plans.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 1984
Housing Finance Opportunity Act of 1984 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit the continued issuance of tax-exempt mortgage revenue bonds after December 31, 1983.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 1984
Scout Commemorative Coins Act - Amends Federal law to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue Boy and Girl Scouts of the United States of America half dollar coins commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Scouts of America. Limits the number of coins that may be minted and sets forth certain features of such coins. Directs the Secretary to sell the minted coins for a certain price or for a price equivalent to the average cost of minting and distributing such coins. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 1984
Declares that Congress reaffirms its commitment to the principle that funds for the support of scientific research projects and facilities should be awarded solely on the basis of scientific merit as determined in a fair and open competition review by peers. Urges interested parties to refrain from action that would bypass such a process.
![Official portrait of Rep. Lagomarsino, Robert J. [R-CA-19]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/l000020_200.jpg)