United States · United States Congress · 14 October 1978
Authorizes the printing of additional copies, not to exceed a cost of $1,200, of a committee document which is a report of the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice with regard to the revision of the United States criminal code, for the use of the House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 1978
Authorizes the Administrator of General Services to make payments to local governments based on the amount of tax exempt public and foreign lands within the boundaries of such governmental units.
United States · United States Congress · 17 August 1978
Congressional Oversight Improvement Act - Establishes, as a Congressional office, the Office of Congressional Legal Counsel to be headed by a Congressional Legal Counsel to defend Congress, a House of Congress, committee, subcommittee, Member, officer, or employee of Congress or an agency of Congress in civil actions in which the validity of any official proceeding or action taken by such person or entity is placed in issue or in cases involving subpoenas. Requires that specified representational activities undertaken by the Counsel be authorized by the Joint Leadership Group, House, Senate, or concurrent resolution, or committee affirmation according to the proposed action. Requires the Counsel, upon direction, to bring a civil action to enforce any subpoena issued by a House of Congress, committee or subcommittee authorized to issue such subpoena. Gives the District Court for the District of Columbia original jurisdiction over any civil action brought by a House of Congress or any authorized committee or subcommittee concerning the enforcement or validity of subpoenas. Requires the Counsel to intervene or appear as amicus curiae in the name of Congress, a House of Congress, or an officer, office, agency, committee, subcommittee or chairman of a House of Congress or of Congress in any legal action in any Federal or State court in which the powers and responsibilities of Congress, under the Constitution, are placed in issue. Directs the Counsel to notify the Joint Leadership Group of any legal action in which the Counsel is of the opinion that intervention is in the interest of Congress. Stipulates that the Counsel shall represent a House of Congress or committee or subcommittee in immunity proceedings. Requires the Counsel to notify the Joint Leadership Group and any affected party of any conflict between the representation of such party and the carrying out of this Act, or compliance with professional standards. Sets forth the procedure for resolving such conflict. Relieves the Attorney General of any responsibility with respect to representational service encompassed by this Act upon written notice that the Counsel has undertaken such service. Authorizes appropriations to the Office through fiscal year 1982 to carry out its duties under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 17 August 1978
Criminal Justice Improvements Act - Title I: Revision of Title 18 - Repeals by not reenacting certain offenses, including the capturing or killing of carrier pigeons, building vessels for slave trade purposes, selling intoxicants to Indians, and advocating overthrow of the Federal or State government. Incorporates into Title 18 certain offenses which are located in other United States Code sections, including aircraft piracy, assaulting certain Federal government officers or employees, and interference with the exercise of certain rights in the buying, selling, and renting of housing. Consolidates chapters which contain similar subject matter. Repeals by not reenacting certain procedural provisions, and excludes procedural provisions which are cross-referenced to the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. Modifies the language of three offenses dealing with abortion to read "illegal abortion." Revises the maximum authorized terms of imprisonment for 14 offenses, including conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims (from ten years to five years), the transportation of slaves (from five years to ten years), and destruction of a vessel by the owner (from life to ten years). Specifies a uniform fine structure in which the maximum fines are related to the maximum authorized terms of imprisonment. Authorizes imposition of a fine upon any person found guilty of an offense. Directs the court to consider the defendants' financial status when deciding whether to impose a fine and its amount. Directs the Judicial Conference of the United States to analyze on a continuing basis data relating to sentencing in the Federal courts. Requires the Conference to develop, make available, and evaluate advisory sentencing guidelines. Requires the court, in determining a particular sentence, to consider specific factors, including: (1) the nature and circumstances of the offense and the history and characteristics of the defendant; (2) the need for the sentence imposed to provide punishment commensurate with the seriousness of the offense, to deter similar conduct, protect the public, or provide the defendant needed training; (3) effective alternatives to imprisonment; and (4) any applicable advisory sentencing guidelines. Allows a defendant who has been convicted to be sentenced to a term of probation and specifies limitations. Increases from six months to one year the length of time a person can be confined while on probation. Requires probation officers to provide to the court information which is necessary to evaluate sentencing alternatives and information concerning advisory guidelines. Directs officers to conduct pre-release or pre-parole investigations. Decreases from six months to 90 days the minimum sentence for which good time allowance may be deducted. Applies restrictions on release prior to trial to offenses punishable by life imprisonment. Eliminates and modifies certain corrections provisions. Requires requests from specified sources to the court for the use of juvenile records to be in writing. Title II: Technical and Conforming Provisions - Conforms the fine levels of criminal statutes in other titles of the United States Code (except the Internal Revenue Code) to those of Title 18. Sets January 1, 1980, as the effective date of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 August 1978
Requires the President to submit to Congress a biannual report on the management of the executive branch. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to provide an evaluative report on Federal programs to the President to be included with the President's report.
United States · United States Congress · 11 August 1978
Requests the President to convene a White House Conference on Foreign Trade to provide a forum for representatives of industries and labor organizations in the United States, scholars and experts in the field of foreign trade, representatives of Federal, State, and local government, and other interested persons to (1) examine and recommend methods to increase trade, (2) evaluate the recommendations made by the President's Task Force on Export Policy, and (3) assess the impact on the United States of the anticipated trade agreement of the Multilateral Trade Negotiations.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 1978
Third Party Search Protection Act - Amends the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure to limit the circumstances under which a search warrant may be issued for property in possession of a third party. Allows a warrant to issue only if: (1) there is probable cause to believe the person in possession of the property committed or is committing a criminal offense; or (2) in any other case, only if a subpoena is not available or the property may be destroyed or removed and a restraining order would not prevent such removal or destruction.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 1978
Excludes from the Federal law limiting and restricting the corporate powers of national banking associations to deal in and underwrite investment securities specified dealing in and underwriting of all other nongeneral obligations issued or guaranteed by or on behalf of a State or any political subdivision thereof or agency of a State or any political subdivision thereof (except special assessment obligations and industrial revenue bonds) which are at the time eligible for purchase by a national bank for its own account, subject to specified limitations. Requires the Secretary of Treasury to submit an annual report to the Congress showing the extent to which the business of underwriting and dealing in State and local obligations is being carried on by commercial banks as compared with other banking institutions with a view to determining the effect of the amendment made by the first section of this Act on the institutional distribution of such business.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 1978
Amends the Freedom of Information Act to give courts jurisdiction to enjoin Federal agencies from withholding agency records, even if such records pertain to national defense or foreign policy and are properly classified pursuant to an Executive order, if the court finds no reasonable basis to support such Executive order. Extends the time period an agency may use to determine whether or not such agency will comply with a request for information.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 1978
Urges the prompt appointment of the National Commission on Social Security established by the Social Security Amendments of 1977. Resolves that the Congress request such Commission to study the feasibility of converting the present old-age, survivors, and disability insurance programs of the Social Security Act into self-renewing investment funds which will fulfill the purpose of the present program with a substantial reduction in taxes.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 1978
Amends the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure to provide that a sentence of death may not be imposed for violation of a Federal law unless the standards and procedures set forth in this Act have been followed. Requires a separate hearing before a jury on the question of sentencing whenever a person is convicted of an offense for which death is a possible penalty. Allows a jury to recommend a sentence of death only if every member of the jury (1) finds beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant intended that the life of any person be taken and that any person did die as a direct result of the offense; (2) finds that at least one of nine specified aggravating circumstances exists; and (3) determines that any aggravating circumstances found to exist, taken in conjunction with all the evidence, outweigh any of ten specified mitigating circumstances found to exist. Allows a judge to nevertheless refuse to impose the death sentence. Amends the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure to set forth standards for review of death sentences.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 1978
Provides that where two or more Members of the House of Representatives pay the basic pay of an individual from the clerk-hire allowance of each such Member, such individual shall be considered to be on the payroll of only one such Member for purposes of determining the number of individuals employed by such Members under the clerk-hire allowance. Requires such Members to designate who shall be considered the employer for the month involved and to report such designation to the Office of Finance.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 1978
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President, in carrying out his duties under the Trade Act, should seek the adoption and application of trade agreements which include environmental and safety and health standards among the international fair labor standards to be adopted.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 1978
Marihuana Pretrial Diversion Act - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to direct the Attorney General to establish a marihuana pretrial diversion program in which any person subject to arrest by Federal law enforcement officers solely for the possession of not more than 30 grams of marihuana or not more than seven grams of hashish may elect to receive drug-related counseling rather than be subject to criminal prosecution. Directs that, except as provided otherwise in this Act, persons found by Federal law enforcement officials in possession of such limited quantities of marihuana or hashish shall be issued a field release citation in lieu of being arrested. Requires any person who elects the diversion program to attend between five and 16 hours of such counseling during a period of not more than 40 days, or be subject to arrest and prosecution for failure to observe his or her diversion agreement. Requires the Attorney General to designate and specially train Federal employees as marihuana diversion officers responsible for the administration of such program. Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to public or private nonprofit entities for planning and carrying out counseling courses. Requires participants to pay an assessed fee of between $50 and $100 to defray the expenses of such program. Denies eligibility for the diversion program to individuals who have participated in it within three years prior to an arrest for possession of marihuana, and for specified other reasons. Requires a nonpublic record of participation in such program to be kept solely for determining an individual's eligibility for participation in such a program during the three year period following completion of the course. Exempts any participant who has completed a diversion course from arrest and prosecution on the charge or count for which he or she became eligible to participate, and from perjury for failure to acknowledge participation. Establishes in the Treasury of the United States a fund for defraying the operating costs of the diversion program.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 1978
Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Act - Title I: Temporary Storage of Spent Fuel - Directs the Secretary of Energy in consultation with other agencies to conduct a study and issue a preliminary report on the amount of spent nuclear fuel which can be stored at temporary spent fuel storage facilities currently in operation or under construction and whether any additional storage facilities should be acquired by the Federal Government. Requires that a final report be evaluated by the President. Directs that within 60 days after the receipt of such report, the President issue a plan for the temporary storage of spent nuclear fuel. Stipulates that any such plan take effect at the end of 60 calendar days of continuous session of Congress after the date on which copies of such plan are transmitted to each House of Congress. Permits the Congress to reject such plan by the adoption of a concurrent resolution. Sets forth the legislative procedure for the consideration of any such resolution. Title II: Permanent Storage of Radioactive Waste - Directs the Secretary in consultation with other Federal agencies to conduct a study to evaluate methods of providing permanent storage of radioactive waste and to determine the amount of storage capacity required to permanently store all radioactive waste. Requires the Secretary within two years from the date of enactment of this Act to issue a preliminary report on the results of such study. Directs the President to evaluate the final report and issue a plan for the permanent storage of radioactive waste. Stipulates that the plan shall take effect after 60 calendar days of Congressional session unless rejected by the adoption of a concurrent resolution. Sets forth the legislative procedure for the consideration of any such resolution.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 1978
Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1974, to increase to three the number of Lyndon Baines Johnson congressional interns which may be hired by each Member of the House of Representatives. Authorizes the payment of additional compensation to such interns from the clerk-hire allowance.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 1978
Declares that there be no reduction of customs duties on textile, apparel, or fiber products and that such products be excluded from the current Tokyo Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations in Geneva.
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 1978
Psychotropic Substances Act - Amends the Controlled Substances Act, the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and the Public Health Service Act to meet obligations under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 1978
Authorizes the immediate supervisor of any Federal employee who has applied for continuation pay during a period of disability caused by a work injury to require such employee to submit to an examination by a physician designated by the supervisor for the purposes of obtaining a second opinion concerning the employee's claim. Prohibits the payment of continuation pay for the first three days of disability unless the period of disability exceeds 14 days.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 1978
Bretton Woods Agreements Review Act - Amends the Bretton Woods Agreements Act to terminate all authority granted under such Act (including participation in the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) after September 30, 1981, unless reauthorized by Act of Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 1978
Prohibits, during the fiscal years 1978 and 1979, the use of funds appropriated to the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to carry out a program on smoking and health described by the Secretary of such Department on January 11, 1978. Stipulates that programs on smoking and health for the period beginning October 1, 1977 and ending January 10, 1978, shall not be affected. Limits the use of funds which were projected on or before January 11, 1978, to be expended to carry out the program on smoking and health, announced on such date, to expenditures for additional research during 1978 or 1979 on the harmful properties of tobacco and dangerous effects of smoking.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1978
Expresses the sense of the House that the national motto, "In God We Trust," shall continue to be engraved and printed on the currency of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 1978
Expresses the condemnation by the Congress of the March 11, 1978, attack on Israel by the Palestine Liberation Organization, and the expressed intention of the PLO to continue such attacks and to disrupt the peace efforts between Israel and Egypt. Requests the President to make the disapproval of the Congress known to governments approving the PLO attack. Expresses Congressional approval of the peace efforts between Israel and Egypt. Urges other Middle East countries to join such efforts. Declares negotiation to be the best way to bring peace to the Middle East.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 1978
Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to invalidate agreements preventing the broadcast of a professional sports game, by means of television, at the same time and in the same area in which the game is to be played if all tickets to such game have been sold 72 hours before gametime. Repeals this amendment effective February 1, 1981.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 1978
Directs the Secretary of the Army to pay to each person who served as a Philippine Scout between December 6, 1941, and December 31, 1946, or the survivors of such an individual the difference between the basic pay received by such an individual and the pay received by other members of the Army of corresponding grades and length of service. Requires that the retired pay of such individuals be computed using the rates of basic pay applicable to other members of the Army of corresponding grades and length of service.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 1978
Reserve Survivors' Benefits Act - Title I: Annuities Under Survivor Benefit Plan - Grants annuities to the survivors of individuals who would have been eligible for retired military pay for non-regular service but who died before reaching the age of 60. Establishes formulae for computing such benefits. Title II: Medical and Dental Care - Entitles such survivors to specified medical and dental benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 1978
Standards Repeal Act - Amends the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act to repeal the provisions of such Act and the standards promulgated thereunder relating to fuel economy standards for trucks and other nonpassenger vehicles.
United States · United States Congress · 22 February 1978
Declares that there be no reduction of customs duties on textile, apparel, or fiber products and that such products be excluded from the current Tokyo Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations in Geneva.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 1978
Denies payment to a local government by the Secretary of the Interior based on the amount of public lands within the boundaries of such locality when such lands were acquired by a State or local unit of government solely for the purpose of conveyance to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 1978
Federal Disclosure and Accountability Act - Prohibits any Federal employee from coercing any individual for the purpose of interfering with the right of such individual to disclose any illegal or otherwise improper Government action to the Review Board on Improper Government Actions, established by this Act and from taking any adverse personnel action against such individual who is a Federal employee in retaliation for such disclosure. Requires the Board to investigate any such disclosure and, in the event further investigation or action is warranted, to notify the person, the head of the agency in which such person is employed, and, if appropriate, the Attorney General and/or the Comptroller General.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 1978
Amends rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit the inclusion in any appropriation bill or amendment thereto of a provision which changes existing law or imposes any limitation not contained in existing law.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 1978
Amends the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Act of 1968 to establish a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship in Social and Political Thought at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars at the Smithsonian Institution. Establishes the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Trust Fund in the Treasury.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 1978
Steelhead Trout Protection Act - States that notwithstanding any Indian treaty, laws and regulations of a State prohibiting or restricting the taking or sale of steelhead trout for commercial purposes shall apply to Indians and Indian tribes in the same manner and to the same extent as such laws and regulations apply to other persons.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1978
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow taxpayers to deduct all current expenditures for plants and facilities which are otherwise chargeable to capital account and which are certified as required by Federal law and as not significantly increasing the plant's or facility's value or productivity.
![Official portrait of Rep. Mann, James R. [D-SC-4]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/m000105_200.jpg)