United States · United States Congress · 16 July 1985
Children's Justice Act - Amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make additional grants to States for developing, operating, or implementing programs for: (1) handling child abuse cases in a manner to reduce trauma to the child (especially in sexual abuse cases); (2) successful prosecution or legal action against child abusers; and (3) protection of children from abuse. Makes a State eligible for such assistance if it establishes a multidisciplinary task force and adopts reforms recommended by such task force. Requires the task force to be comprised of professionals experienced in the criminal justice system. Requires a State to adopt reforms recommended by the task force in each of the three stipulated categories or submit a detailed explanation of the reasons for not carrying out such recommendations. Requires the Secretary, through the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, to: (1) compile, publish, and disseminate evaluations of the approaches utilized with respect to the investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases; (2) develop and disseminate model training materials and procedures to help insure that law enforcement, legal, judicial, and child welfare personnel are adequately trained to deal with child abuse victims; and (3) provide for support of research projects to assist in identifying effective approaches to achieving successful investigation and prosecution of child sexual abuse cases. Directs the Secretary, within two years, to review and evaluate the effectiveness of the activities carried out with the funds made available under this Act and report the results to the Congress. Requires the evaluation to be made available to State officials within 180 days after enactment of this Act. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Attorney General, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Education, and any other agency or department head designated by the President, to meet regularly to coordinate and prevent the overlap of programs that address child abuse. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report to the Congress on the coordination of Federal programs. Requires the Attorney General to modify the classification system used by the National Crime Information Center in its Interstate Identification Index, and by the Identification Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in its Criminal File and its Uniform Crime Reporting System, with respect to offenses involving the sexual exploitation of children. Amends the Public Health Service Act with regard to the confidentiality of patient records to provide that nothing in such section shall supersede any State or local requirement for the reporting of incidents of suspected child abuse to authorities.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 1985
Military Real Property Disposal Act of 1985 - Alters the criteria for triggering the notice requirements before a proposed closure or realignment of any military installation may take place. Repeals the current criterion regarding any closure and any realignment involving a reduction of more than 1,000 or more than 50 percent of the civilian personnel authorized at the installation in question. Establishes as a new criterion any closure or realignment which increases the rate of unemployment in the economic region in question by one percent or more. Requires the Secretary of Defense or the military department concerned to include a socio-economic impact statement in any justification to the Armed Services Committees concerning a closing or realignment. Reduces the waiting period following the justification from 60 to 30 days. Removes the requirement that at least 300 civilian personnel be employed at a military installation before it is considered a military installation for purposes of such closures or realignments.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 1985
Amends the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Statute (RICO) to allow a civil action to be brought by a plaintiff only when the private suit rests on an injury caused by conduct that led to the defendant's conviction of one of the predicate offenses listed in the statute or of a criminal violation of RICO itself. Requires the plaintiff to bring such action within one year of the defendant's conviction.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 1985
Expresses the sense of the Congress that Social Security recipients should not be required, as a means of producing additional revenues, to pay income taxes on their benefits at a rate higher than the rate established by the Social Security Amendments of 1983.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 1985
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, as well as notice of the aggravating factors upon which it will rely. Requires a separate sentencing hearing before a jury or the court upon motion by the defendant when the defendant is found guilty or pleads guilty to an offense punishable by death. Provides that no presentence report shall be prepared in such cases. Provides that at the hearing, any information may be presented as to any matter relevant to the sentence and shall include all matters relating to any of the listed aggravating factors and to any mitigating factors. Allows the defendant to present any information relevant to sentencing, without regard to the rules of evidence, but permits information to be excluded where its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading of the jury. Allows the Government to present any information relevant to mitigating or aggravating factors in accordance with the rules of evidence applicable to a criminal trial in which the question of guilt or innocence is determined. Permits the Government and the defendant opportunity to rebut any information received at the hearing. 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. Lists threshold aggravating factors for homicide, including that the defendant: (1) intentionally killed the victim; (2) intentionally inflicted serious bodily injury which resulted in the death of the victim; or (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. Sets forth other aggravating factors. Includes among the mitigating factors that the defendant was less than 18 years old at the time of the crime. Conditions imposition of the death penalty on a unanimous finding by the jury that: (1) some aggravating factor exists in addition to a threshold factor; and (2) the aggravating factor sufficiently outweighs any mitigating factor found to exist. Directs the court to impose the death penalty upon a finding that such sentence is justified. Requires the court to instruct the jury not to consider the race, color, national origin, creed, or sex of the defendant in its consideration of the death sentence. 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. Revises the definition of "aircraft piracy" to state that it is a continuing offense throughout the period the seizure or exercise of control continues.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 1985
Amends the Deficit Reduction Act of 1984 to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, with respect to the prospective payment system of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, to adjust the payment amounts to hospitals for discharges occurring on or after October 1, 1985, to reflect any changes made in the hospital wage index. Provides that for discharges occurring during FY 1986, any changes in the wage index shall be derived from total gross hospital wages. Directs the Secretary to periodically adjust the hospital wage index as necessary.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 1985
Home Employment Enterprise Act - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to permit individuals to engage in industrial homework (including sewing, knitting, jewelry, or craftmaking) or perform any service in or about their place of residence as employees of any employer covered by such Act if the employer complies with minimum wage and maximum hours requirements under such Act.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 1985
Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Agriculture to jointly conduct a study of the use of unleaded fuel in agricultural machinery and to report to the Congress on such study. Prohibits any reduction in the permitted lead level in gasoline below a specified level until after the Congress receives such report. Authorizes appropriations
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 1985
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States: (1) should not sell advanced weapons to Jordan; (2) should ensure that Israel retains its qualitative military edge in the Middle East; and (3) should focus its efforts on bringing Jordan into direct peace negotiations with Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 1985
Designates the period of October 1, 1985, through September 30, 1986, as the time to reflect on the achievements of the Peace Corps during its 25 years and on ways such programs might be used in the future. Authorizes and requests the President to proclaim this period as a time to honor Peace Corps volunteers and reaffirm the Nation's commitment to such programs.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 1985
Expresses the Senate's commendation of the Soil Conservation Service on its 50th anniversary, and the Senate's commitment to vigorous soil and water conservation efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 1985
Designates August 14, 1985, as Social Security Day and the week of August 11 through August 17, 1985, as Social Security Week. Authorizes and requests the President to commemorate August 14, 1985, as the 50th anniversary of the Social Security Act.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1985
Farm Credit System Central Reserve Act of 1985 - Amends the Farm Credit Act of 1971 to decrease the maximum amount of a loan which a Federal land bank may originate, or in which such a bank may participate with a lender that is not a Farm Credit System (FCS) institution, from 85 to 60 percent of the appraised value of the real estate security, or from 97 to 75 percent of that value as may be authorized by the Farm Credit Administration for loans guaranteed by a governmental agency. Directs the Administration to establish and maintain a central reserve for FCS which the Governor of the Administration may use to make temporary deposits and investments in financially troubled FCS banks or production credit associations. Authorizes appropriations. Provides for funding of the reserve from the proceeds of FCS notes, bonds, and debentures and from payments from FCS banks and associations. Directs the Governor to report annually to specified congressional committees and to FCS investors on the condition of such central reserve. Provides that from the date that funds are appropriated to the reserve until the later of one year after such date or the date equivalent funds are repaid to the Treasury, the appointment of the Governor shall be subject to the President's approval and the President shall have the power to remove the Governor. Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture, during any such period, to designate two additional members to the Federal Farm Credit Board. Requires such members to have commercial agricultural lending or academic agricultural financial backgrounds. Allows the Secretary to designate as his or her representative to the Board a former member of a farm credit district board, officer or employee of the Administration, or officer or employee of any institution operating under the Administration's supervision. Requires Federal land banks and their associations to offer to farmers, ranchers, and producers or harvesters of aquatic products, for the purpose of purchasing land for any agricultural or aquacultural use, fixed-rate real estate mortgage loans with terms of at least 20 years. Allows such banks and associations to assess prepayment penalties on such mortgages under certain conditions. Directs the Governor to require each Federal intermediate credit bank, Federal land bank, Federal land bank association, and production credit association to: (1) provide to its stockholders and members, at least annually and upon request, copies of its bylaws, current director and officer lists, and schedules of stockholder meetings; (2) conduct an annual financial audit of its accounts and each loan; and (3) hold an annual meeting of stockholders and members to consider a report on such audit. Limits the total amount of loans and credit that may be extended to any person by a FCS bank or association to the greater of: (1) $200,000; or (2) five percent of the total of all outstanding loans and credit extensions of the institution. Sets forth provisions governing Administration enforcement actions, including: (1) the issuance of cease and desist orders directed at institutions or persons conducting institution activities who engage in unsafe or unsound practices or violate applicable laws or Administration rules; (2) the removal or suspension of an FCS institution director or officer who engages in such a practice, violates such rules or such an order, or breaches his or her fiduciary duty; and (3) the prohibition against participation in institution affairs by a person, or the removal or suspension of an FCS institution director or officer, whose conduct results in a substantial financial loss or other damage to the institution and evidences either personal dishonesty or a negligent, willful, or continuing disregard for the safety and soundness of the institution and unfitness to participate in institution affairs; and (4) the suspension or removal of a director or officer charged or convicted of a felony involving dishonesty or breach of trust. Sets forth penalties for violations of cease and desist orders or regulations issued under this Act. Provides for notice and Administration hearings for, and judicial review and enforcement of, such actions. Requires forfeiture of all rights, privileges, and franchises by any FCS institution whose directors knowingly violate, or knowingly permit any person participating in institution affairs to violate, the Farm Credit Act of 1971 as determined by a U.S. district court in a suit brought by the Administration. Provides that any institution director or officer who knowingly violates or permits the violation of such act shall be held personally liabile for all damages that the institution, its stockholders, or other persons sustain as a result of such violation. Grants the Administration subpoena power in connection with enforcement action proceedings under this Act. Repeals the authority of the Federal Farm Credit Board to require the merger of FCS associations. Authorizes the Governor to require two or more FCS institutions to merge if the merger would promote efficient and effective service to borrowers and if one or more of such institutions: (1) is insolvent or not financially viable; or (2) has failed to comply with an order issued under this Act or to conduct its operations in accordance with the Farm Credit Act of 1971. Directs the Comptroller General to audit FCS, evaluate the programs and activities authorized by such Act, and report the results to the Congress every three years.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1985
Amends part A (General Provisions) of title XI of the Social Security Act to extend the income and eligibility verification system so as to require an applicant or benefit recipient, as a condition of eligibility for or receipt of benefits under part A (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) of title IV of such Act, title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) of such Act, title XIX (Medicaid) of such Act, the food stamp program, or the unemployment insurance compensation program, to declare in writing whether or not he or she is a U.S. citizen, and, if a U.S. citizen his or her immigration status and file number. Requires the Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization to implement a verification system of immigration status to be made available to all States by October 1, 1985.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1985
Deplores and condemns the murder of Major Arthur D. Nicholson, Jr., and calls on the Soviet Union to apologize for his murder and to indemnify his family. Calls on the President to rename Checkpoint Charlie in honor of Major Nicholson.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1985
Supports the initiative of the Director of the U.S. Information Agency to: (1) arrange for a high level Soviet official to appear on American television provided the Soviet Union allows a high level American official to appear on Soviet television; and (2) plan for United States and Soviet participation in a worldwide discussion using an international satellite television network and allowing journalists to ask uncensored questions of such officials.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 1985
Young Astronaut Program Medal Act - Commemorates the Young Astronaut Program by directing the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and deliver to the Young Astronaut Council no more than 750,000 medals with emblems, devices, and inscriptions determined by the Secretary. Authorizes the Council to dispose of the medals at a premium and to have them delivered as required in quantities of no less than 2,000. Directs that no medals be struck after December 31, 1987. Directs the Secretary to set the price of the medals at no less than the manufacturing cost plus a surcharge of ten percent of such cost. Requires the furnishing of security sufficient to fully indemnify the United States for such costs. Directs that the medals be struck in gold, silver, and bronze and in such size or sizes as determined by the Secretary. Gives the U.S. Comptroller General the right to examine the records of the Council which are related to the medals.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 1985
Food Are Not Drugs Act of 1985 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to exclude from the definition of "drug" and of "food additive" foods for special dietary use, i.e. vitamins and minerals, where such foods are promoted or offered for sale in the diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease. Provides that food shall be considered misbranded if oral representatives have been made with respect to the food which are false or misleading in any particular.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 1985
Korean War Veterans Memorial Act of 1985 - Authorizes the American Battle Monuments Commission to erect a memorial on Federal land in the District of Columbia or its environs to honor members of the U.S. armed forces who served in the Korean war. Subjects the selected site, design, and plans for the construction of such memorial to the approval of the National Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission. Directs that, upon its completion, the memorial shall be turned over to the Department of the Interior which shall then be solely responsible for its maintenance. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 1985
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for therapeutic shoes for individuals with severe diabetic foot disease, if the shoes are prescribed by a physician and fitted and furnished by a certified orthotist. Limits such coverage to one pair of shoes annually and $375 annually.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 1985
Children's Protection Act of 1985 - Amends the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Statute to extend the Act's coverage to the sexual exploitation of children. Authorizes a civil suit for treble damages for any person injured personally or in his or her business or property. Amends the Federal criminal code with regard to the sexual exploitation of children. Makes it a Federal offense to print or publish any statement or advertisement to receive, buy, produce, display, photograph, film, print or publish any statement or advertisement to receive, buy, produce, display, photograph, film, print or record any visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Prohibits offering participation in sexually explicit conduct with a minor. Lists factors that may be considered in determining whether a person engaged in such conduct has attained the age of 18. Provides that the Government need not establish the identify of the alleged minor in a prosecution under this section. Increases the penalties for offenses involving the transportation of minors for prohibited sexual conduct.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 1985
Agricultural Tax Reform Act of 1985 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce the amount of the investment tax credit for farm property of a taxpayer not primarily engaged in farming. Excludes from the minimum tax any gain realized on the sale of farm property sold to satisfy the indebtedness of an insolvent farmer. Treats losses attributable to the trade or business of farming as an item of tax preference for purposes of the minimum tax. Disallows an investment tax credit for a single purpose agricultural structure. Disallows capital gains treatment for any gain realized on the sale of a single purpose agricultural structure. Repeals the income tax deduction for expenditures by farmers for clearing land. Allows an additional investment tax credit for soil or water conservation expenses incurred for irrigation property and conservation improvements by a taxpayer engaged in the business of farming. Sets the amount of such credit at ten percent of such expenses (in addition to the regular percentage allowed for the investment tax credit).
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 1985
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the administration should comply with the automatic appropriation and earmarking provisions of the Wallop/Breaux Sport Fish Restoration Trust Fund. States that funds owed to the States from such Fund should not be withheld or delayed.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 1985
Beekeeper Protection Act of 1985 - Requires the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), within 90 days of enactment of this Act, to investigate and report to the President on the effects of honey imports on certain domestic programs and on the amount of products processed in the United States from honey. Requires the President, if the ITC recommends that fees or limitations be imposed on honey imports, to: (1) impose such fees or limitations; or (2) deny the existence of the facts justifying such fees or limitations . Requires the President to take such action within 60 days of the issuance of the ITC report.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 1985
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow construction workers to take an income tax deduction for travel expenses incurred while away from home in pursuit of a trade or business if: (1) the job site is at least 30 miles from the residence of the construction worker; and (2) the job site is a temporary job site or a remote job site.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 1985
Designates the week beginning on April 13, 1986, as National Garden Week. Urges the wearing of garden flowers during that week as a symbol of appreciation for the contributions of the Nation's gardeners.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 1985
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the Rural Electrification Program must continue to provide financing and technical assistance at reasonable cost; and (2) the people of the United States and Federal and State governmental agencies should commemorate the Rural Electrification Administration on its 50th anniversary.
![Official portrait of Rep. Lightfoot, Jim [R-IA-3]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/l000305_200.jpg)