United States · United States Congress · 12 February 1998
Title X Child Abuse, Rape, Molestation, and Incest Reporting Act - Declares that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, no service provider under title X (Population Research and Voluntary Family Planning Programs) of the Public Health Service Act shall be exempt from any State law requiring notification or the reporting of child abuse, child molestation, sexual abuse, rape, or incest.
United States · United States Congress · 12 February 1998
Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1998 - Amends the Fair Housing Act to state that: (1) nothing in such Act shall be construed to make the expression of an opinion or the seeking of redress from public authority a violation of such Act; and (2) a party shall not be liable for engaging in litigation or administrative proceedings unless done so for an improper purpose, or not supported by evidence or warranted by existing law. (Sec. 3) Requires specificity of complaint. (Sec. 4) States that a provision of State or local law shall not be construed to violate fair housing provisions if the alleging party has not first exhausted State remedies. (Sec. 5) Provides that familial status protection shall apply to persons related by blood, marriage, or adoption and certain foster children. (Sec. 6) States that fair housing provisions shall not prevent local control of residential uses.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 1998
Judicial Mandate and Remedy Clarification Act - Amends the Federal judicial code to prohibit any district court from entering any order or approving any settlement that: (1) requires a State or political subdivision to impose, increase, levy, or assess a tax; or (2) has the effect of imposing, increasing, levying, or assessing any tax. Permits a district court to issue an order or approve a settlement that requires a State or political subdivision to implement a spending measure for the purpose of enforcing any Federal or State common law or statutory or constitutional right or law only if the court finds that specified conditions exist, including that: (1) there are no other means available to remedy the violation; (2) the spending measure is narrowly tailored to remedy the violation; and (3) plans submitted by State and local authorities will not effectively redress the violation. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) judicial review of the court's findings; (2) a right of certain aggrieved persons, corporations, or unincorporated associations to intervene in proceedings concerning implementation of a spending measure; and (3) termination of any such order or settlement after one year or earlier if the court determines that the violation of rights has been cured to the extent practicable.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 1998
Prescribes conditions for the appointment of a master to carry out functions with respect to an action before a Federal court. Requires the individual appointed to be a resident of the State in which the action is pending. Permits any party to the action to petition the court for removal of the master: (1) without cause (but no party may file more than one petition) within ten days after receiving notice of the appointment; and (2) at any time for misfeasance or malfeasance in office, for noncompliance with the residency requirement, or if the master's duties are duplicative of those of an existing official of the political subdivision with respect to which the action was brought. Directs the court, within 21 days after such petition is filed, to hold a hearing for the purpose of ruling on such a petition.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 1998
Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits the Supreme Court, any inferior court of the United States, or the court of any State from requiring a State or local government to levy or increase taxes.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 1998
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the United States expects the European Union to comply immediately with the ruling of the World Trade Organization (WTO) that the European Union's ban of U.S. beef is in violation of the WTO's Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, and grant U.S. beef producers access to the European market; and (2) the United States Trade Representative should take immediate action to open European markets to U.S. beef producers in the event the European Union fails to comply with the WTO's ruling.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 1998
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Saint Lawrence Seaway Corporation Title II: Great Lakes Development Bank Binational Great Lakes-Seaway Enhancement Act of 1998 - Authorizes the President to enter into an executive agreement with Canada to establish as binational corporations the Saint Lawrence Seaway Corporation and the Great Lakes Development Bank. Sets forth certain guiding negotiating principles with respect to such agreement, including: (1) improvement of operational coordination among assets of the United States and Canada on the Saint Lawrence Seaway; (2) assurance of navigational safety on the Seaway; and (3) enhancement of the competitiveness of the Seaway as a transportation route for world trade. Requires presidential approval and congressional review of the agreement. Title I: Saint Lawrence Seaway Corporation - Sets forth the functions of the Corporation, including to: (1) operate and improve the assets of the United States and Canada on the Saint Lawrence Seaway; (2) facilitate safe navigation on the Seaway; and (3) promote domestic and international trade involving the Great Lakes States and Great Lakes Provinces. (Sec. 105) Provides for: (1) Corporation adoption of all labor agreements involving Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) employees; (2) termination rights of SLSDC employees; (3) basic pay for SLSDC employees; and (4) SLSDC employee health and retirement benefits. (Sec. 111) Declares that all SLSDC regulations, and rights and responsibilities of SLSDC under the agreement, shall continue and become a part of the Corporation. (Sec. 114) Repeals the Saint Lawrence Seaway Act (effectively eliminating the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation). (Sec. 115) Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Great Lakes Development Bank - Sets forth the functions of the Great Lakes Development Bank, including to: (1) provide loans and other assistance to the Seaway and public and private entities that are involved in maritime commerce in the Great Lakes and Seaway regions; and (2) facilitate maritime commerce-related investment there. (Sec. 212) Prohibits the United States from subscribing to shares of capital stock of the Bank. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation, subject to advance appropriations, to make direct loans to the Bank. (Sec. 216) Grants U.S. district courts original and exclusive jurisdiction over civil actions brought in the United States by or against the Bank. (Sec. 218) Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 1998
Higher Education Reporting Relief Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) repeal the higher education tuition information return requirement for educational institutions and certain related businesses; and (2) require certain institution-identifying information to be provided by the taxpayer in order to claim the tuition credit.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 1998
Tax Code Termination Act - Prohibits the imposition of any tax by the Internal Revenue Code: (1) for any taxable year beginning after December 31, 2001; and (2) in the case of any tax not imposed on the basis of a taxable year, on any taxable event or for any period after December 31, 2001. Excepts the: (1) tax on self-employment income (chapter 2 of the Code); (2) Federal Insurance Contributions Act (chapter 21 of the Code); and (3) Railroad Retirement Tax Act (chapter 22 of the Code). Declares that any new Federal tax system should be a simple and fair system.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 1998
Skilled Workforce Enhancement Act of 1998 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide small employers with an income tax credit for certain long-term training of employees in highly skilled metalworking trades.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 1998
Requests that the U.S. Postal Service issue a commemorative postage stamp in 1999 in honor of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 1998
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) child care assistance, when provided to families, should be provided regardless of whether a child is cared for by an at-home parent, family member, neighbor, or child care center; and (2) a key component to any quality child care proposal should include financial relief for those families where there is an at-home parent. Calls for no bias against at-home parents, and recognizes and applauds their sacrifices and efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 9 November 1997
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Remedy Selection Title II: Liability Title III: Brownfields Title IV: Natural Resource Damages Title V: State Role Title VI: Federal Facilities Title VII: Community Participation Title VIII: Miscellaneous Title IX: Funding Subtitle A: Expenditures From the Hazardous Substance Superfund Subtitle B: 5-Year Extension of Hazardous Substance Superfund Superfund Reform Act - Title I: Remedy Selection - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) to revise remedy selection provisions. Requires final remedies for nonthreshold carcinogens to limit cumulative, lifetime additional cancer risk from exposure to hazardous substances from releases at the facility concerned to within the range of one in 10,000 to one in 1 million for the affected population or subpopulation. Requires exposure assessments to be consistent with the current and reasonably anticipated uses of land, water, and other resources identified by the President. Directs the President, for purposes of selecting appropriate methods of remediation for a given facility, to identify current and reasonably anticipated uses of land, water, and other resources at and around the facility and the timing of such uses. Requires the President, in identifying current and reasonably anticipated future groundwater uses, to defer to State determinations regarding such uses where the State has made such determination on a facility-specific basis. Prohibits, unless the State has made a determination otherwise, the use of groundwater from being identified as drinking water for groundwater: (1) that contains more than 10,000 milligrams per liter total dissolved solids; (2) that is so contaminated by naturally occurring conditions or by the effects of human activity unrelated to a specific activity that restoration of drinking water quality is impracticable; or (3) if the potential source of drinking water is physically incapable of yielding 150 gallons per day of water to a well or spring without adverse environmental consequences. Directs the President to use site-specific risk assessment to: (1) determine the nature and extent of risk to human health and the environment; (2) identify groups which are currently or would be highly exposed or susceptible to contamination based on current and reasonably anticipated uses of land, water, and other resources or to risks arising from implementation of a remedial option; (3) assist in establishing remedial objectives for the facility respecting releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances and in identifying geographic areas or exposure pathways of concern; and (4) evaluate alternative remedial actions for a facility to determine their risk reduction benefits. Requires final remedies to seek to remediate usable groundwater to beneficial use within a reasonable time frame. Directs the President to provide for the long-term monitoring of groundwater, where appropriate. Revises provisions regarding the degree of cleanup. Provides that the standards set forth in CERCLA shall govern the level or standard of control for remedies, remedy selection, and on-site management of hazardous substances in lieu of any other Federal, State, or local standards, except as otherwise provided. Requires point source discharges or emissions of hazardous substances into U.S. waters or ambient air that result from remediation technology used in the conduct of a remedy to comply with State and Federal standards respecting such discharges or emissions. Provides that selected remedies shall attain a level or standard which meets promulgated State standards for protection applicable to remedial actions, unless the President makes a certain finding. Requires final remedies to prevent or eliminate, at a minimum, human ingestion of drinking water containing hazardous substances in levels exceeding Maximum Contaminant Levels under the Safe Drinking Water Act, including the provision of an alternate water supply. Provides that compliance with State standards for protection shall not be required unless such standards are of general applicability, consistently applied, and identified to the President in a timely fashion. Directs the President to consider new procedures for conducting remedial investigations and feasibility studies in an efficient, cost-effective, and timely manner. Requires the President to emphasize performance-based standards. Provides for a phased approach to site characterization and remediation in which remedies are arrived at through a sequence of investigations and actions. Directs the President to maintain a registry of restrictions on the use of land, water, or other resources through institutional controls that are included in final records of decisions as part of the basis of decision at National Priority List (NPL) facilities. Requires the President to study and report on the use and effectiveness of institutional controls at NPL facilities and to issue recommendations to improve efficiency and effectiveness. (Sec. 102) Requires risk assessments and characterizations conducted under CERCLA to: (1) provide scientifically objective assessments, estimates, and characterizations which neither minimize nor exaggerate the nature and magnitude of health and environmental risks; (2) distinguish scientific findings from other considerations; (3) be based on the best, relevant, and current scientific and technical information; and (4) be based on a careful analysis of the weight of scientific evidence that supports conclusions about risks to health and the environment. Directs the President to: (1) update and publish exposure and ecological risk assessment guidelines consistent with such principles; and (2) conduct a study of the cancer potency values of 12 specified hazardous substances frequently found to pose significant risks at NPL facilities. Requires the President to make a scientifically objective assessment of different methodologies for determining the health effects of chemical mixtures at relevant doses based on reasonable exposure scenarios at NPL facilities. Directs the Administrator (Administrator) of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enter into a contract with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to review science on the relationship, if any, between lead in residential soils and blood lead levels. Requires NAS to report its findings to the Administrator and the Congress. Directs the President to reconcile any empirical data from a statistically significant representation of residents concerning lead in blood along with other relevant information in making estimates of risk based on models, methodologies, guidance, or rules concerning the exposure, uptake, bioavailability, and biokinetics of lead in soils. Bars projections based on any such model, methodology, guidance, or rule from being used to predict blood lead levels or to select remedial actions unless such projections have been reconciled with empirical data. (Sec. 103) Directs the President to review past Superfund records Hazardous Substance Superfund (Superfund) of decision, upon request of an interested party, to ensure that such decisions reflect the current state of knowledge with respect to remediation science and technology, best available facility data, and most recent EPA policy and guidance and to improve the cost-effectiveness of site remediation while ensuring long-term health and environmental protection. Defines a past record of decision as one selecting a remedy for an NPL site that was signed prior to October 2, 1995, and that has not been reviewed pursuant to a specified EPA directive or otherwise updated since such date. Requires the President to establish a National Superfund Remedy Review Board to control remedy costs and to provide for protective, consistent, and cost-effective remedial decisions at NPL facilities. Directs the Board, for remedial alternatives identified after this Act's enactment date and following identification of a preferred remedy, to review remedies for NPL facilities for which the estimated cost of the preferred remedy exceeds $15 million. Permits the Board to review remedies for which the estimated cost is less than such amount, if requested. Provides for public notice of such reviews. (Sec. 104) Requires the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Administrator to develop and distribute educational materials on human health effects of hazardous substances to the public. Authorizes the ATSDR Administrator to provide grant or contract assistance to individuals who may be affected by releases or threatened releases when: (1) a public health assessment is conducted at an NPL facility; or (2) a facility is being evaluated for inclusion on the NPL. Authorizes and directs the ATSDR Administrator, pursuant to such grants or contracts, to provide diagnostic services, health data registries, and preventative public health education to communities affected by such releases. (Sec. 105) Provides for cooperation with Indian tribes with respect to certain ATSDR activities. Requires the ATSDR Administrator to include in a biennial report on ATSDR activities the health impacts on Indian tribes of hazardous substances from covered facilities. Directs the President, in setting priorities for remedial action under the national hazardous substance response plan (part of the national contingency plan for the removal of oil and hazardous substances), to place highest priority on facilities with releases resulting in actual ongoing human exposures at levels of public health concern or demonstrated adverse effects. (Sec. 107) Alters the criteria for the continuance of obligations for removal actions to provide that actions shall not continue after $3 million (currently, $2 million) has been obligated or two years (currently, 12 months) have elapsed from the date of initial response to a release or threatened release of hazardous substances. (Sec. 108) Authorizes the President, in order to respond to a release of a hazardous substance, to acquire a hazardous substance easement which limits or controls the use of land, water, or other natural resources. Permits easements and notices of property use restrictions to be used whenever institutional controls have been selected as a component of remedial action for an NPL site. Makes easements enforceable for 20-year periods (unless terminated pursuant to this Act) against owners of affected property or persons who acquire interest in, or rights to use, the property. (Sec. 109) Makes amendments made by this title applicable to final remedial actions selected under CERCLA for which records of decision were signed, or consent decrees were lodged, after this Act's enactment and to any modifications to records of decision made after such date. Title II: Liability - Provides exemptions to liability under CERCLA, with stated exceptions, for releases occurring in connection with arranging for disposal, treatment, transport, or acceptance of hazardous substances, with respect to: (1) pre-1987 activities at non-federally owned NPL facilities or vessels; (2) activities at such facilities or vessels that involved only municipal solid waste or sewage sludge; or (3) de micromis activities. Absolves of liability certain owners or operators who acquired the concerned facility or vessel by inheritance or bequest. Limits liability for certain owners or operators who are also tax-exempt organizations. Exempts from liability: (1) construction contractors whose liability is based solely on a contracted construction activity at the facility or vessel concerned; (2) certain railroad owners or operators of spur tracks; or (3) persons whose liability is based on status as a holder of a pipeline right-of-way or easement or of a gas or oil lease if such a person does not cause, or contribute or consent to, the release or threat of release. Limits liability for certain municipalities and other owners or operators of NPL landfill facilities. Requires the Administrator to seek to minimize the administrative and legal burdens on non-liable parties. Makes amendments pertaining to liability exemptions and limitations inapplicable to: (1) actions brought for contribution to response costs or natural resource damage restoration incurred before November 9, 1997; or (2) actions seeking indemnity, rights of defense, or other rights under any indemnification or insurance contract. (Sec. 203) Prohibits the President from amending certain administrative orders or issuing additional orders without a subsequent finding of an imminent and substantial endangerment. Describes sufficient causes. (Sec. 204) Revises contribution provisions to require an action by a potentially responsible party (PRP) against another PRP for recovery of costs to be commenced within the later of: (1) three years after completion of a removal action or within six years after initiation of physical on-site construction for a remedial action; or (2) three years after the date of judgment in any action for recovery or the date of any administrative order or judicial settlement for recovery of costs or damages. (Sec. 205) Provides that a person who has resolved liability to a State or an Indian tribe in an administrative or judicially approved settlement shall not be liable for claims by persons other than the United States regarding response costs or damages addressed in the settlement. Provides the same protection for persons who have resolved liability to the United States (except for liability to a State for remedial or removal action costs). Includes protection against all claims that may be asserted against the settling party for recovery of costs or damages paid by another person if addressed in the settlement, except claims based on contractual indemnification. Limits the right to seek contribution from other parties where: (1) the person asserting the right has waived such right in a settlement; (2) the person from whom the contribution is sought is not liable under CERCLA; or (3) the person from whom the contribution is sought has entered into a final settlement with the United States. Makes any person who commences a contribution action liable to the person against whom the action is brought for all reasonable costs of defending against the claim if the action: (1) is barred for the reasons stated above; (2) is brought against a person who is protected from suits by reason of settlement with the United States; or (3) is brought during a specified moratorium period. (Sec. 206) Expands the exemption from liability for response action contractors to include exemption from liability under State or local law unless a State has enacted a law determining liability of such contractors. Extends certain indemnification agreements made by the President with respect to negligence of response action contractors to any claims for negligence arising under State or local law. Bars actions against contractors more than six years after the completion of work. Makes such prohibition inapplicable in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct or in States or political subdivisions where the State has enacted a statute determining liability for such contractors. Extends certain provisions relating to surety bonds with respect to direct Federal procurement of response actions. (Sec. 207) Revises conditions of eligibility for expedited final settlements. Makes eligible for such settlements certain parties whose liability is based on arranging for the treatment, disposal, or transport of, or accepting, the hazardous substances concerned and who have a demonstrated inability to pay response costs. (Sec. 208) Requires the President to initiate an allocation process for each response action at a non-federally owned NPL facility eligible for fair share funding under this Act. Makes such process inapplicable to actions for which there has been a final settlement, decree, or order determining liability and share of responsibility before November 9, 1997. Places a moratorium on litigation seeking recovery of response costs or contributions in connection with actions for which the President is required to initiate allocations until 90 days after issuance of the allocator's report or of a subsequent report under this section. Stays pending actions or claims, including those under State law, until such prescribed period unless the court determines that a stay will result in manifest injustice. Establishes a moratorium on enforcement orders by the Administrator or suits by the Attorney General to or against facilities subject to allocation for the same time period. Sets forth requirements for the President in initiating the allocation process. Describes the authorities of a neutral allocator, to be selected by the Administrator and acceptable to the PRPs. Permits PRPs to submit the names of additional PRPs to the allocator. Sets forth confidentiality requirements with respect to information submitted to the allocator. Requires the allocator to prepare a nonbinding allocation of percentage shares of responsibility to each allocation party and to the fair share funding (the amount to be allocated to the Superfund) without regard to theory of joint and several liability and based on specified equitable factors. Directs the allocator to adopt, in lieu of the allocation report, any agreement among some or all of the allocation parties that allocates 80 percent of the recoverable costs to the signatories if the settlement contains a waiver of all claims against all other allocation parties for contribution. Sets forth: (1) conditions under which the Administrator and Attorney General may reject the allocator's report; and (2) requirements for settlements based on allocations. Entitles parties who incur costs in excess of the percentage share allocated by the allocator to reimbursement from Superfund of such excess amounts. Authorizes the Administrator to commence an action against any party that has not resolved its liability following an allocation and to recover unrecovered response costs, including amounts constituting fair share funding. (Sec. 210) Absolves persons (other than owners or operators) who arranged for the recycling of recyclable material from liability for environmental response actions. Deems transactions involving scrap paper, plastic, glass, textiles, or rubber (other than whole tires) to be arranging for recycling if the person who arranged the transaction demonstrates that the following criteria were met: (1) the recyclable material met a commercial specification grade and a market existed for the material; (2) a substantial portion of the material was made available for use as a feedstock for the manufacture of a new saleable product; (3) the material (or product made from the material) could have been a replacement for a virgin raw material; and (4) with respect to transactions occurring 90 days after this Act's enactment, the person exercised reasonable care to determine that the facility where the material would be managed by another was in compliance with Federal, State, or local environmental laws or regulations. Deems transactions involving scrap metal to be arranging for recycling if the person who arranged the transaction demonstrates that: (1) the criteria for scrap materials were met; (2) he or she complied with applicable standards regarding activities associated with the recycling of scrap metals; and (3) the scrap metal was not melted prior to the transaction. Deems transactions involving spent lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, or other batteries to be arranging for recycling if the person involved demonstrates that: (1) the criteria for scrap materials were met; and (2) he or she complied with applicable Federal environmental standards regarding such batteries. Makes the exemptions from liability under this Act inapplicable if the person: (1) had an objectively reasonable basis to believe at the time of the recycling transaction that the recyclable material would not be recycled or would be burned as fuel or for energy recovery or incineration or that the consuming facility was not in compliance with Federal, State, or local environmental laws or regulations; (2) had reason to believe that hazardous substances had been added to the material for purposes other than processing for recycling; or (3) failed to exercise reasonable care with respect to the management of the material. Makes such exemptions inapplicable, with respect to any item of a recyclable material, if the item: (1) contained polychlorinated biphenyls at a concentration exceeding 50 parts per million or any new Federal standard; or (2) is scrap paper containing a concentration of hazardous substances determined to present a significant human health or environmental risk. Title III: Brownfields - Land Recycling Act of 1997 - Prohibits, with exceptions, the President and any person other than a State from using authorities of CERCLA or the Solid Waste Disposal Act to commence an administrative or judicial action with respect to a release or threatened release at a facility that is, or has been, the subject of a voluntary response plan in a State that certifies that it has enacted a program established to allow a person to respond voluntarily to the release or threatened release of hazardous substances at a facility. Declares that such prohibition shall not affect the Administrator's authority to gather information at facilities where there may be a substantial endangerment of human health or the environment, but only for purposes of determining whether a facility qualifies for listing on the NPL. Exempts facility response activities conducted entirely onsite as part of a voluntary response plan from Federal permit requirements. Requires the Administrator to provide assistance to States for establishing such programs. (Sec. 304) Amends CERCLA, with respect to defenses to liability of an owner of after-acquired property, to deem a person to have made (under current law, "undertaken") appropriate inquiry into the property's previous ownership and uses if the person establishes that an environmental site assessment was conducted which meets specified requirements (compliance with an American Society for Testing and Materials standard or with standards issued by the Administrator) and the person fulfills certain responsibilities concerning information compilation. (Sec. 305) Absolves from liability for response actions bona fide prospective purchasers to the extent liability at a facility for a release or threat thereof is based solely on ownership or operation of a facility. Gives a lien upon a facility to the United States for unrecovered response costs in any case in which there are such unrecovered costs for which the owner is not liable by reason of this Act and the facility's fair market value has increased above that which existed six months before the action was taken. (Sec. 306) Exempts from liability certain owners or operators of real property contiguous to property on which there has been a release or threat thereof. Authorizes the President to grant such persons an assurance of no enforcement action and protection against cost recovery and contribution actions. Title IV: Natural Resource Damages - Sets forth provisions regarding the designation of trustees for natural resources by Indian tribes. (Sec. 406) Limits the measure of damages to a natural resource to reasonable costs of restoration, temporary restoration, and assessment of damages. Bars recovery based on non-use values. Prohibits the use of contingent valuation methodology and other economic polling techniques to value lost natural resource services or restoration alternatives. (Sec. 407) Sets forth requirements for damage assessments by Federal, State, and Indian tribe trustees. (Sec. 409) Permits damages recovered by trustees to be available only for restoration, replacement, or acquisition of natural resources. (Sec. 410) Precludes trustees who receive compensation for injury to, destruction of, or loss of a natural resource pursuant to this Act from recovering compensation for the same natural resource pursuant to any other State or Federal law. Bars recovery under such other laws if recovery for such resources is made under this Act. Prohibits double liability for such resources in the same manner as double recovery is barred. Bars recovery for injury to, destruction of, or loss of natural resources where such damages and the release of a hazardous substance from which such damages resulted occurred wholly before December 11, 1980. (Sec. 412) Authorizes Federal or State natural resource trustees or Indian tribes seeking natural resource damages to initiate mediation with PRPs by means of the mediation procedure or another alternative dispute resolution method recognized by the district court in which the action is filed. (Sec. 413) Makes this title inapplicable to actions to recover natural resources damages in which a trial has begun before July 1, 1997, or in which a final settlement, decree, or order has been issued before such date. Title V: State Role - Authorizes the Administrator to delegate authority to States to: (1) take specified actions at NPL facilities, including actions relating to response, cost recovery, remedy selection, settlements, allocations, and community participation; and (2) implement a State hazardous substance response program in lieu of the response action authorities of this Act at NPL facilities. Sets forth administrative provisions and restrictions on such authority. Permits the Administrator to withdraw State authority under certain conditions. Sets forth provisions regarding the delisting of facilities from the NPL based on statements by a State Governor. (Sec. 503) Requires the Administrator to fund the cost to a State of exercising any delegated authorities as such costs arise, where such costs may be determined on a site-specific basis, with the exception of costs relating to removal authority which shall be reimbursed in accordance with another provision. Sets forth conditions under which the Administrator may deny funding to, or recover funds from, a State in cases where a State cleanup standard is more stringent than a Federal one. (Sec. 504) Revises provisions requiring contracts with States before remedial actions are provided to prohibit the Administrator or a State to which authorities have been delegated from providing any remedial action unless the State enters into an agreement providing assurances that it will pay ten percent of the costs of the action and ten percent of the costs of operation and maintenance. Exempts actions to be taken on Indian lands from such conditions. (Sec. 505) Permits the President to add a facility to the NPL only with the concurrence of the Governor of the State in which the facility is located. (Sec. 506) Extends certain provisions authorizing reimbursements by the President to local governments affected by releases or threatened releases to affected States as well. Title VI: Federal Facilities - Sets forth provisions regarding enforcement and dispute resolution regarding remedy selection at Federal facilities for which authorities have been delegated to a State. (Sec. 602) Allows the President to designate NPL-listed or -proposed Federal facilities to facilitate the development of innovative technologies for remedial action. Requires a report to the Congress. (Sec. 605) Revises provisions regarding the applicability of specified provisions of CERCLA to the U.S. Government. Makes the United States subject to all Federal, State, interstate, and local substantive and procedural requirements, including administrative orders and penalties and fines, and reasonable service charges. States that neither the United States nor any agent, employee, or officer shall be immune from any court process with respect to the enforcement of injunctive relief. (Sec. 608) Requires Federal agencies to conduct annual studies to determine environmental management priorities at NPL facilities and report to the Congress. Title VII: Community Participation - Requires the Administrator to provide for meaningful public participation in every significant phase of a response action through public meetings. Directs the Administrator to solicit and evaluate concerns, interests, and information from the community. Authorizes community members to propose remedial action alternatives to the Administrator. Sets forth minimum requirements for documents made available to the public which describe risk to human health. Authorizes civil actions to require Federal compliance with community involvement provisions. (Sec. 702) Requires the Governor of a State where a facility is located to create a community assistance group for an NPL-listed or -proposed proposed facility if: (1) it would be helpful in promoting meaningful consultation among persons interested in response action; or (2) requested by a specified number of residents, a representative group of PRPs, or any local governmental entity with jurisdiction over the facility. Lists responsibilities of such groups, including to solicit views of the community with respect to remedial actions and to serve as the community representative during the response action planning and implementation process. Makes such groups preferred recipients of technical assistance grants. (Sec. 703) Provides for technical assistance grants to citizen groups affected by releases at NPL facilities. Bars the approval of any grant application unless the applicant agrees to fully participate in the community assistance group and to present questions, concerns, and suggestions to the organization whenever possible. Title VIII: Miscellaneous - Revises existing definitions and adds new definitions of terms. (Sec. 803) Requires the Administrator to establish a small business Superfund assistance section within the EPA small business ombudsman office. (Sec. 806) Revises CERCLA report requirements. (Sec. 808) Requires the President to: (1) establish spending priorities for remedial actions based on criteria for determining priorities among releases and the most risk reduction for funds spent; (2) publish a proposed budget for expenditures for a fiscal year for remedial actions based on spending priorities; and (3) establish a National Remediation Advisory Committee to make recommendations on the budget and review public comments. Authorizes the establishment of regional remediation advisory committees as well. (Sec. 809) Encourages the President to give greater decisionmaking authority to remedial project managers in order to increase the pace of cleanups, reduce paperwork and administrative costs, and reduce delays in making response action decisions. Directs the President to: (1) require such managers to receive adequate training in environmental management; and (2) conduct a review of existing training facilities to determine whether a national environmental training center should be established to provide training for such managers and other personnel. (Sec. 810) Bars CERCLA authorities from being used to commence an administrative or judicial action with respect to source, special nuclear, or byproduct material that is subject to decontamination regulations issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for license termination under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 or by States with such regulatory duties unless requested by the NRC or the State, as appropriate. Title IX: Funding - Subtitle A: Expenditures from the Hazardous Substance Superfund - Revises the list of activities for which expenditures from Superfund are authorized. Permits the President to use Superfund monies for administrative costs directly related to the costs of authorized activities. Repeals provisions regarding the assumption of certain liability by the Post-closure Liability Fund. (Sec. 902) Authorizes appropriations to Superfund for FY 1998 through 2002. Subtitle B: 5-Year Extension of Hazardous Substance Superfund - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the collection of Superfund taxes through 2002. Increases the aggregate tax which may be collected from $11.97 billion to $22 billion until December 31, 2002. Extends the repayment deadline.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 1997
Prohibits the Secretary of Transportation from imposing any requirement with respect to the unloading of a cargo tank vehicle in liquefied compressed gas service that has the effect of: (1) requiring more than one attendant for the unloading; or (2) preventing the attendant from being positioned at the customer storage tank during the unloading.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 1997
Prohibits construing any Federal-State matching program as preventing a State from requiring, as a condition of providing assistance regarding the dispensing of a prescription drug to a minor, that a parent or guardian of the minor consent to the dispensing. Requires that these programs be considered Federal-State matching programs: (1) title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act; (2) title X (Population Research and Voluntary Family Planning Programs) of the Public Health Service Act; (3) title XX (Block Grants to States for Social Services) of the Social Security Act; and (4) part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)(TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 1997
National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program Incentive Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income scholarship amounts received for certain teaching, research, or other services by an individual under the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 1997
Sales Incentive Compensation Act - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to exempt from minimum wage recordkeeping and overtime compensation requirements any employee in a sales position, if: (1) such position requires specialized or technical knowledge related to products or services being sold; (2) the employee's sales are predominantly to persons or entities to whom the employee has made previous sales or the employee's position does not involve initiating sales contacts; and (3) the employee receives a base compensation at a specified minimum rate and additional compensation based on sales attributable to the employee;(4) the employee's aggregate compensation based upon sales reaches a specified minimum level; and (5) the rate of annual compensation or base compensation for an employee who did not work for an employer for an entire calendar year is prorated to reflect annual compensation which would have been earned if the employee had been compensated at the same rate for the entire calendar year.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 1997
Small Business Investment and Growth Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish, as specified, a maximum taxable S corporation tax. Establishes a special rule for a qualified personal service corporation. Requires each S corporation to establish a qualified retained earnings account. Allows qualified distributions from such a qualified retained earnings account to the owners to enable the S corporation shareholder to pay income taxes. Requires regulations to establish a presumption that distributions are to pay income taxes if such distributions do not exceed 34 percent of qualified taxable S corporation income. Provides for an additional tax on nonqualified distributions.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 1997
Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to establish a Tropical Forest Facility in the Department of the Treasury to provide for the administration of debt reduction in accordance with this Act. Makes eligible for Facility benefits developing countries with tropical forests that: (1) meet certain requirements applicable to Latin American and Caribbean countries for eligibility for Enterprise for the Americas Facility benefits; and (2) have put in place major investment reforms in conjunction with international development bank loans or are making progress toward open investment regimes. Authorizes the President to: (1) reduce debt owed to the United States (outstanding as of January 1, 1997) by eligible countries as a result of concessional loans made under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 or predecessor foreign economic assistance legislation or credits extended under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954; and (2) sell to any eligible purchaser any loan or portion of a loan made before such date to any eligible country pursuant to the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 or, on receipt of payment from an eligible purchaser, to reduce or cancel such loan. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary of State to enter into a Tropical Forest Agreement with any eligible country concerning the operation and use of the Tropical Forest Fund required to be established by a country to receive payments of interest on new obligations issued under this Act. Requires Funds to be used to provide grants to preserve, maintain, and restore tropical forests in beneficiary countries. Provides that grants shall be made to: (1) nongovernmental environmental, conservation, and indigenous peoples organizations in beneficiary countries; (2) other appropriate local or regional entities; and (3) governments of such countries, in exceptional circumstances. Makes grants of more than $100,000 subject to veto by the U.S. Government or the government of the beneficiary country. Establishes a Tropical Forest Board to: (1) advise the Secretary of State on the negotiations of Tropical Forest Agreements; (2) ensure that a suitable administering body is identified for each Fund; and (3) review the programs, operations, and fiscal audits of each administering body. Requires the President to report annually to the Congress on the Facility.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 1997
Recognizes the historic significance of the fiftieth anniversary of the reestablishment of the State of Israel. Commends the Israeli people for their achievements in building a new state and a pluralistic democratic society in the Middle East. Reaffirms the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the United States and Israel. Extends congratulations and best wishes to the State of Israel and her people for a peaceful, prosperous, and successful future.
United States · United States Congress · 6 November 1997
Regulatory Right-to-Know Act of 1997 - Directs the President, no later than January 2000 and each January every two years thereafter, to submit to the Congress an accounting statement that estimates the costs and corresponding benefits of Federal regulatory programs and program elements. Provides for each accounting statement submitted to: (1) cover, at a minimum, the costs and corresponding benefits for the five fiscal years preceding October 1 of the year in which the report is submitted; and (2) also contain a projection of the costs and corresponding benefits for the next ten fiscal years. Directs the President to propose the first accounting statement no later than one year after the enactment of this Act. Provides for such statement to cover, at a minimum, each of the preceding fiscal years beginning with FY 1997. Requires the President, acting through the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in each year following the year in which the President submits an accounting statement and after notice and opportunity for comment, to submit to the Congress a report associated with the accounting statement containing: (1) analyses of impacts; (2) an analysis of jurisdictional overlaps, duplications, and potential inconsistencies among Federal regulatory programs; and (3) recommendations for reform. Requires the Director to: (1) provide guidance to agencies to standardize measures of costs and benefits in accounting statements and the format of the accounting statements; and (2) review submissions from agencies to assure consistency with the guidance. Directs the Director of the Congressional Budget Office, after each accounting statement and associated report is submitted to the Congress, to make recommendations to the President for improving accounting statements and associated reports.
United States · United States Congress · 6 November 1997
Migratory Bird Treaty Reform Act - Amends the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to prohibit persons from: (1) taking migratory birds by the aid of baiting, or on or over any baited area, where they know or should have known that the area is a baited area; or (2) placing or directing the placement of bait on or adjacent to an area for purposes of causing, inducing, or allowing any person to take or attempt to take any migratory bird by the aid of baiting on or over the baited area. Defines "baiting" as the placement of salt, grain, or other feed capable of attracting migratory birds in such a quantity and in such a manner as to serve as an attractant to such birds to or over an area where hunters are attempting to take them by: (1) placing or distributing salt, grain, or other feed grown off-site; (2) redistributing grain or other feed after it is harvested or removed from the site where grown; (3) altering agricultural crops (other than by accepted agricultural planting, harvesting, or manipulation after harvest), altering millet planted for nonagricultural purposes, or altering other nonagricultural vegetation; or (4) gathering, collecting, or concentrating natural vegetation, planted millet, or other vegetation planted for nonagricultural purposes following alteration or harvest. Excludes from such definition: (1) redistribution, alteration, or concentration of grain or other feed caused by flooding, whether natural or man induced; or (2) alteration of natural vegetation on the site where grown other than alterations described above. Makes other exclusions from such definition with respect to certain alterations of planted millet or other vegetation during the waterfowl hunting season. Amends penalty provisions to require the Secretary of the Interior, in lieu of seizing any personal property not crucial to the prosecution of the alleged offense, to permit the owner or operator of such property to post bond or other collateral pending the disposition of any proceeding.
United States · United States Congress · 6 November 1997
Amends the General Education Provisions Act to prohibit the use of funds provided to the Department of Education, or to an applicable program, to develop, plan, implement, or administer any national testing program. Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish a similar prohibition against use of certain funds (from the Fund for the Improvement Education) for any national testing program. Exempts from such funding prohibitions the Third International Mathematics and Science Study.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 1997
Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 1997 - Authorizes the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to: (1) make grants to States or units of local government to purchase armor vests for use by law enforcement officers; and (2) give preferential consideration to applications from jurisdictions that have the greatest need, a mandatory wear policy, and a violent crime rate at or above the national average. Sets forth provisions regarding matching funds and allocation of funds, State and local applications, and grant application renewal. Prohibits any State or unit of local government that receives financial assistance made available by this Act from purchasing equipment or products manufactured using prison inmate labor. Authorizes appropriations. Expresses the sense of the Congress that entities receiving assistance under this Act should, in expending such assistance, purchase only American-made equipment and products.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 1997
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude distributions form an individual retirement account from inclusion in gross income to the extent that such distributions are used for charitable purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 1997
Printed Circuit Investment Act of 1997 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to classify as three-year depreciable property any printed wiring board or printed wiring assembly equipment.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 1997
Redesignates the Austin Post Office Building located at 324 South Laramie Street in Chicago, Illinois, as the Reverend Milton R. Brunson Post Office Building.
United States · United States Congress · 31 October 1997
Employment Discrimination Award Tax Relief Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to expenses incurred and amounts received in connection with employment discrimination claims, to, among other things: (1) provide for the deduction of expenses incurred in pursuing such a claim; and (2) limit the tax based on income averaging for back pay received from pursuing such a claim.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 1997
Designates the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 3750 North Kedzie Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, as the Daniel J. Doffyn Post Office Building.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 1997
Federal Prison Industries Competition in Contracting Act of 1997 - Amends the Federal criminal code to replace provisions regarding the purchase of prison-made products by Federal departments with provisions establishing a Government-wide procurement policy relating to purchases from Federal Prison Industries (FPI). Provides that: (1) when a procurement activity of a Federal department or agency has a requirement for a specific product or service (product) that is authorized to be offered for sale by FPI and is listed in a catalog of FPI products, such activity shall solicit an offer from FPI if the purchase is expected to be in excess of the micro-purchase threshold; and (2) a contract award for such product or service shall be made using competitive procedures, except where FPI cannot expect to receive the contract award on a competitive basis and that award is necessary to maintain work opportunities to prevent circumstances expected to significantly endanger penal or correctional facility administration. Requires a contract to be awarded to FPI if the contracting officer determines that: (1) the prison-made product will meet the requirements of the procurement activity; (2) timely performance can be reasonably expected; and (3) the contract price does not exceed a current market price. Sets forth provisions regarding determinations by the Attorney General, competitive offers from FPI, performance by FPI, finality of the contracting officer's decision, reporting of purchases, and publication, maintenance, and revision of the catalog. (Sec. 3) Modifies provisions regarding: (1) FPI administration to require that a decision to authorize FPI to offer a new specific product or to expand the production of an existing product be made by its board of directors, in conformance with specified requirements; and (2) an analysis of the probable impact on private sector firms and their employees of a proposal to authorize the sale of a new specific product or to expand production of a current product. Requires such analysis to identify and consider specified factors, such as whether: (1) the specific product is an import-sensitive product; and (2) authorizing the production of the new product or performance of a new service will provide inmates with the maximum opportunity to acquire knowledge and skill in trades and occupations that will provide them with a means of earning a livelihood upon release. (Sec. 4) Revises requirements for reporting by the board to the Congress to: (1) include additional information within its annual reports, such as certain analyses of sales and purchases and of the inmate workforce, and data concerning employment obtained by released inmates; and (2) require that copies of such reports be made available to the public at a price not exceeding the cost of printing. (Sec. 6) Sets forth provisions regarding revisions to the Government-wide Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement this Act, including requirements of public participation.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 1997
Disabled Sportsmen's Access Act - Amends the Sikes Act to direct the Secretary of Defense, in developing facilities and conducting programs for public outdoor recreation at military installations, to ensure that such recreational opportunities provide equal access for disabled veterans, military dependents with disabilities, and other disabled persons when topographic, vegetative, and water resources allow equal access without substantial modification to the natural environment. Allows the Secretary to accept the services of volunteers and donations of money and property in ensuring such equal access.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 1997
Superfund Recycling Equity Act of 1997- Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to absolve persons (other than owners or operators) who arranged for the recycling of recyclable material from liability for environmental response actions. Deems transactions involving scrap paper, plastic, glass, textiles, or rubber (other than whole tires) to be arranging for recycling if the person who arranged the transaction demonstrates that the following criteria were met: (1) the recyclable material met a commercial specification grade and a market existed for the material; (2) a substantial portion of the material was made available for use as a feedstock for the manufacture of a new saleable product; (3) the material (or product to be made from the material) could have been a replacement for a virgin raw material; and (4) with respect to transactions occurring 90 days after this Act's enactment, the person exercised reasonable care to determine that the facility where the material would be managed by another was in compliance with Federal, State, or local environmental laws or regulations. Deems transactions involving scrap metal to be arranging for recycling if the person who arranged the transaction demonstrates that: (1) the criteria for scrap materials were met; (2) he or she complied with applicable standards regarding activities associated with the recycling of scrap metals; and (3) the scrap metal was not melted prior to the transaction. Deems transactions involving spent lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, or other batteries to be arranging for recycling if the person involved demonstrates that: (1) the criteria for scrap materials were met; and (2) he or she complied with applicable Federal environmental regulations or standards regarding such batteries. Makes the exemptions from liability under this Act inapplicable if the person: (1) had an objectively reasonable basis to believe at the time of the recycling transaction that the recyclable material would not be recycled or would be burned as fuel or for energy recovery or incineration or that the consuming facility was not in compliance with Federal, State, or local environmental laws or regulations; (2) had reason to believe that hazardous substances had been added to the material for purposes other than processing for recycling; or (3) failed to exercise reasonable care with respect to the management of the material. Makes such exemptions inapplicable if the recyclable material contained polychlorinated biphenyls in excess of 50 parts per million or any new Federal standard or if such material is an item of scrap paper containing, at the time of recycling, a concentration of a hazardous substance determined to present a significant human health or environmental risk.
United States · United States Congress · 23 October 1997
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. (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) Provides 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; 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 the committee of primary jurisdiction reporting such a bill or joint resolution to timely request 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. Authorizes the President to implement a unilateral economic sanction under any provision of law not less than 60 days after announcing his intention to do so. Requires any executive sanction to include a clear finding that 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). Directs the President to establish an interagency Sanctions Review Committee to coordinate U.S. policy regarding unilateral economic sanctions and provide appropriate recommendations to the President.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 1997
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) all schools should be drug-free; (2) all Federal, State, and local drug fighting agencies should work together with schools and parents to ensure that a renewed effort is made to fight the distribution, sale, and use of illegal drugs in our schools and to America's youth; (3) all governmental leaders and parents share a role in raising awareness of this issue and offering constructive alternatives to illegal drug use; and (4) the Congress and the President should set a goal and work with local communities and parents to end the distribution, sale, and use of illegal drugs in the Nation's schools by the year 2000.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 1997
United States $1 Coin Act of 1997 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to place into circulation $1 coins depicting the Statue of Liberty upon depletion of the Government's supply of $1 coins bearing the likeness of Susan B. Anthony. Amends Federal law to mandate that the dollar coin shall: (1) be golden in color, have a distinctive edge, with tactile and visual features making it readily discernible; (2) be minted and fabricated in the United States; and (3) have similar metallic anticounterfeiting properties as U.S. clad coinage in circulation on the date of enactment of this Act. Authorizes the Secretary to continue to mint and issue $1 coins bearing the likeness of Susan B. Anthony if the supply of such coins is depleted before production of the coins depicting the Statue of Liberty has begun.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 1997
Asthma Inhalers Regulatory Relief Act of 1997 - Bars the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, under title VI of the Clean Air Act, from prohibiting the manufacture, distribution, or sale of metered-dose inhalers that use chlorofluorocarbons unless the Administrator and the Commissioner of Food and Drugs jointly certify to the Congress that alternatives are available for all populations of inhaler users that are comparable in terms of safety, effectiveness, costs, and retail availability.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 1997
Paycheck Protection Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to make it unlawful, except with the separate, prior, written, voluntary authorization of each individual, for: (1) national banks or corporations to collect from or assess its stockholders or employees any dues, initiation fee, or other payment as a condition of employment if any part of such dues, fee, or payment will be used for political activities in which the national bank or corporation is engaged; and (2) labor organizations to collect from or assess its members or nonmembers any dues, fee, or other payment if any part of such dues, fee, or payment will be used for political activities in which the labor organization is engaged. States that an authorization shall remain in effect until revoked and may be revoked at any time. Requires each entity collecting from or assessing amounts from an individual with an authorization in effect to provide the individual with a statement that the individual may at any time revoke the authorization.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 1997
Religious Fairness in Bankruptcy Act of 1997 - Amends Federal bankruptcy law, with respect to avoidance of fraudulent transfers and obligations by the bankruptcy trustee, to provide that a transfer of a donation to a religious unit made by a debtor from a sense of religious obligation such as tithes, shall be considered to have been made in exchange for a reasonably equivalent value.
United States · United States Congress · 2 October 1997
Religious Liberty and Charitable Donation Protection Act of 1997 - Amends Federal bankruptcy law with respect to avoidance by the trustee in bankruptcy of fraudulent transfers and obligations to cite circumstances under which a transfer of a charitable contribution to a qualified religious or charitable unit shall not be considered to be fraudulent. Prohibits the trustee from avoiding such charitable contributions when acting as lien creditors and successor to certain creditor and purchasers. Excludes from "disposable income," for purposes of bankruptcy plan confirmation, up to 15 percent of the gross income of the debtor when it is expended for such charitable contributions. Prohibits the bankruptcy court, when it determines whether to dismiss a case, from taking into consideration whether a debtor makes charitable contributions to any qualified religious or charitable entity.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1997
Marriage Penalty Relief Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow as a deduction, on a joint return, an amount equal to the lesser of: (1) $30,000; or (2) the qualified earned income of the spouse with the lower qualified earned income.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1997
United States Agricultural Products Market Access Act of 1997 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to direct the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to identify those foreign countries that: (1) deny fair and equitable market access to U.S. agricultural products or apply standards for the importation of U.S. agricultural products that are not related to public health concerns or cannot be substantiated by reliable analytical methods; and (2) are determined by the USTR to be priority foreign countries. Limits the identification of priority foreign countries to those that engage in the most onerous or egregious acts which have the greatest adverse impact on the relevant U.S. products. Provides that if available information indicates that such action is appropriate, the USTR may at any time: (1) revoke the identification of any foreign country as a priority foreign country; or (2) identify any foreign country as a priority foreign country. Subjects priority foreign countries to investigation by means other than a petition. Authorizes the USTR, with respect to an investigation of a country identified as denying fair and equitable market access to U.S. agricultural products, to request the Secretary of Agriculture to direct the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the Department of Agriculture to review certifications for the facilities of such country that export meat and other agricultural products to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1997
Declares that the United States: (1) should not provide assistance to any organization affiliated with the Palestinian Authority that advocates destruction of the United States and supports acts of terrorism or to the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation; and (2) should support a system of independent journalists in the Middle East who observe a code of professional journalism similar to the code adopted by the Voice of America.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 1997
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Alternative Fuels--General Title II: Alternatives Fuels--Non-Federal Programs Title III: Availability and Use of Replacement Fuels, Alternative Fuels, and Alternative Private Vehicles Energy Policy Act Amendments of 1997 - Title I: Alternative Fuels--General - Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to: (1) include biodiesel fuels as alternative fuels; (2) modify definitions relating to heavy duty motor vehicles and marine vessels; and (3) include among replacement fuels those fuels derived from biodiesel. (Sec. 102) Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to provide that, if alternative-fueled light duty Federal vehicles are not acquired from original equipment manufacturers, existing fleet vehicles may be converted to alternative fuel-use if the original manufacturer's warranty continues to apply to such vehicles. (Sec. 103) Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to prescribe compliance guidelines governing the conversion of Federal fleet vehicles into alternative-fueled vehicles. Title II: Alternative Fuels -- Non-Federal Programs - Requires State and local incentives programs to include the goal of introducing substantial numbers of light and heavy duty alternative fuels vehicles and increasing the use of alternative fuels. Conditions State eligibility for Federal assistance upon inclusion in each State plan of an examination of the introduction of converted or acquired light and heavy duty alternative-fueled vehicles in State-owned or operated motor vehicle fleets. (Sec. 201) Authorizes the Secretary of Energy (the Secretary) to provide, upon State request, Federal financial assistance grants for the incremental purchase cost of alternative fuels. Directs the Secretary to report annually to the President and the Congress on the volume of alternative fuel likely to be consumed. (Sec. 202) Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to provide financial assistance to States and political subdivisions for the incremental cost of alternative-fuels used in dual fueled school buses, and the conversions of such buses to alternative-fueled vehicles. (Sec. 203) Directs the Secretary to conduct studies regarding the use of alternative fuels in nonroad vehicles, including marine vessels. Title III: Availability and Use of Replacement Fuels, Alternative Fuels, and Alternative Fueled Vehicles - Modifies the deadline for the Secretary to evaluate whether program goals have been achieved with respect to the replacement fuel supply and demand program. (Sec. 302) Modifies credit allocation guidelines governing alternative-fueled vehicle acquisitions to deem certain acquisitions (conversions of existing vehicles) as alternative compliance credits. (Sec. 303) Directs the Secretary to submit to the Congress recommendations for requirements or incentives for: (1) suppliers of alternative-fueled vehicles to make such vehicles available to the public through conversion and warranty; and (2) exempting replacement fuels from taxes levied on nonreplacement fuels if the Secretary notifies the Congress that a fleet requirement program is not necessary.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 1997
Guadalupe-Hidalgo Treaty Land Claims Act of 1997 - Establishes the Guadalupe-Hidalgo Treaty Land Claims Commission to determine the validity of land claims arising out of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo of 1848. Authorizes three or more eligible Mexican descendants in the State of New Mexico who are also descendants of the same community land grant to petition the Commission for such a determination on behalf of themselves and all other descendants. Directs the Commission to establish a Community Land Grant Study Center at the Onate Center in Alcalde, New Mexico, to be responsible for directing the research, study, and investigations necessary to assist the Commission in performing its duties. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 1997
Medicare Beneficiary Freedom To Contract Act of 1997 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise provisions added by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 regarding the use of private contracts by Medicare beneficiaries for professional services. Outlines specific requirements for private contracts between Medicare beneficiaries and physicians or health care practitioners for services for which no Medicare claims may be submitted.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 1997
Continued Dumping or Subsidy Offset Act of 1997 - Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to declare that, whenever continued dumping or subsidization is found to exist by the administering authority or by operation of law, any duties assessed shall be distributed as continued dumping or subsidy offsets to the affected domestic producers for qualifying expenditures on an annual basis. Limits qualifying expenditures to expenditures incurred since the issuance of the antidumping duty finding or order or countervailing duty order in any or all of the categories of plant, equipment, research and development, personnel training, acquisition of technology, employer-paid employee health care and pension benefits, and environmental equipment, training and-or technology. Directs the Commissioner of the U.S. Customs Service to prescribe offset disbursement procedures. Sets forth general procedures for notification of eligible parties. Requires the Commissioner to establish a special account in the Treasury to receive all antidumping or countervailing duties, including interest, for distribution according to this Act, within 14 days after an antidumping or countervailing duty order takes effect.
![Official portrait of Rep. Manzullo, Donald A. [R-IL-16]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/m001138_200.jpg)