United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1999
Dry Cleaning Environmental Tax Credit Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish a dry cleaning equipment credit for any taxable year equivalent to 20 percent of the basis of each qualified dry cleaning property placed in service during the year which is designed primarily to dry clean clothing and other fabric if: (1) such equipment does not use any hazardous solvent (a chlorinated or petroleum-based solvent, or any other hazardous or regulated substance) as the primary process solvent; (2) the original use of such property commences with the taxpayer; and (3) with respect to which depreciation (or amortization in lieu of depreciation) is allowable. Excludes from the meaning of hazardous solvent any solvent: (1) not more than ten percent of which consists of petroleum or petroleum derivatives; and (2) which does not contain any substance determined by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the Director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences' National Toxicology Program, or the director of any other appropriate Federal agency to possess carcinogenic potential in humans, or bioaccumulative properties.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Brownfields Revitalization Title II: Community Participation and Human Health Subtitle A: Community Participation Subtitle B: Human Health Title III: Liability Reform Title IV: Remedy Selection Title V: General Provisions Title VI: Funding Subtitle A: Expenditures From the Hazardous Substance Superfund Subtitle B: Extension of Hazardous Substance Superfund Recycle America's Land Act of 1999 - Title I: Brownfields Revitalization - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) to direct the President to establish a program to provide grants to eligible States or political subdivisions, including Indian tribes, for: (1) inventory and assessment of brownfield facilities; and (2) capitalization of revolving loan funds for remedial actions at such facilities. Defines a "brownfield facility" as real property with respect to which expansion or redevelopment is complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 103) Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide technical and other assistance to States to establish and expand State voluntary cleanup programs. Makes limited amounts available from Superfund for FY 2000 through 2004 for such assistance. (Sec. 104) Bars the President or any person (other than a State), with respect to a facility that is not listed or proposed for listing on the National Priorities List (NPL) at which there is a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance, from taking an administrative or judicial enforcement action or bringing a civil action against any person who is conducting or has completed a response action in compliance with State law. Makes exceptions to this prohibition if the State requests the President to take action or in certain cases of emergency, risk, or migration of contamination across State lines. (Sec. 105) Requires the President to defer listing a facility on the NPL if: (1) long-term remedial action will be conducted under other Federal authorities; (2) remedial action that will provide long-term protection of human health and the environment is underway at that facility under a State response program; or (3) at a State's request, the State is attempting to obtain an agreement from a person to perform a remedial action under a State response program. Authorizes the President to place a facility described in (3) above on the NPL if, after one year, the President finds that the State is not making reasonable progress toward obtaining an agreement. Title II: Community Participation and Human Health - Subtitle A: Community Participation - Requires the President to take specified actions to provide for meaningful public participation in every significant phase of a response action at a facility listed or proposed for listing on the NPL (covered facilities). Permits affected Indian tribes and communities, local government officials, and State and local health officials to propose remedial alternatives to the President. (Sec. 202) Requires the President to make records relating to response actions at covered facilities available to the public throughout all phases of an action. Sets forth minimum requirements for documents made available to the public which describe risk to human health. (Sec. 203) Revises provisions regarding grants for technical assistance to authorize the Administrator to make such grants to affected communities with respect to: (1) covered facilities; (2) facilities at which the Administrator is undertaking a response action anticipated to exceed one year; or (3) facilities at which a specified funding limit is anticipated to be reached. (Sec. 205) Sets forth specific notice and comment requirements to provide for public participation in removal actions. (Sec. 206) Directs the Administrator to submit to Congress a community study that includes an analysis of: (1) the duration of time between the discovery and listing of a facility; (2) the timing and nature of response actions; (3) the degree to which public views are reflected in response actions; (3) future land use determinations and use of institutional controls; (4) the population, race, ethnicity, and income characteristics of communities affected by facilities listed or proposed for listing on the NPL; and (5) the risk presented by each such facility. Requires periodic updates of such study. Directs the Administrator to institute necessary improvements or modifications to address any deficiencies identified by the study. Subtitle B: Human Health - 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. 223) Requires 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. 224) Requires the Administrator to evaluate areas such as Indian reservations or poor rural communities that warrant special attention and identify up to five facilities in each EPA region that are likely to warrant inclusion on the NPL. Accords such facilities a priority in evaluation for NPL listing and scoring. Title III: Liability Reform - Bars the President from issuing orders in connection with abatement actions to protect public health and the environment against any person who would not be liable for damages and costs described under general liability provisions. Prohibits Federal agencies with authority to use the imminent hazard, enforcement, and emergency response authorities under provisions governing abatement actions from using such authorities with respect to releases for which they are potentially responsible parties (PRPs). (Sec. 303) Absolves of liability for response costs and damages certain owners or operators, including persons who inherited the property concerned and government entities that acquired property involuntarily, or through eminent domain or the granting of a license or permit to conduct business, if such persons: (1) acquired the affected facility after the disposal or placement of the hazardous substance for which liability is alleged; (2) did not cause or contribute to the hazardous substance release; and (3) exercised appropriate care with respect to such substance. Limits liability for owners or operators who meet such conditions and received the property as a charitable donation. Exempts from liability: (1) owners or operators of rights-of-way over which hazardous substances are transported if such persons did not cause or contribute to the release concerned; (2) railroad owners or operators of spur tracks whose tracks meet specified conditions and who did not cause or contribute to the release concerned; and (3) construction contractors whose liability is based solely on construction contract activities and who did not know of the presence of hazardous substances and exercised appropriate care with respect to such substances. Grants the United States a lien for unrecovered response costs on a facility for which the owner is not liable by reason of meeting the conditions described above. Prescribes conditions for such liens. Bars liens with respect to property: (1) for which the property owner preceding the current owner is not liable or has resolved liability; or (2) where an environmental assessment gave the owner or operator no reason to know of the release of hazardous substances. Makes applicable to tribal governments an exemption from liability for States or local governments for costs or damages resulting from actions taken in response to an emergency created by a release generated by a facility owned by another person. Expands such exemption to include actions to improve water quality protection at abandoned mine sites and adjacent lands owned by others if such actions are taken in accordance with a Federal or State-approved response action. Excludes certain contiguous property owners from the definition of "owner or operator" for purposes of creating an exemption to liability. (Sec. 306) Exempts certain small business concerns from liability under provisions governing arrangement, acceptance, or transport of hazardous substances for response costs or damages at an NPL facility with respect to actions taken before March 25, 1999. Provides an additional exemption from liability under such provisions if the materials that were arranged or transported for disposal at the NPL facility consist of municipal solid waste (MSW) or sewage sludge. Absolves municipalities that participate in a qualified household hazardous waste collection program from liability under such provisions, with respect to actions taken 36 months after this Act's enactment date, for the arrangement or transport of materials consisting of MSW or sewage sludge to an NPL facility. Limits liability response costs for facilities that received MSW, were proposed for NPL listing before March 25, 1999, are owned by municipalities, and are not subject to certain criteria for solid waste landfills under the Solid Waste Disposal Act. Requires the Hazardous Substance Superfund (Superfund) to assume the liability for certain exempt parties or those subject to limited liability for releases from NPL facilities. Directs the Administrator to establish a small business Superfund assistance section within the EPA small business ombudsman office to provide assistance and information regarding CERCLA and the allocation and settlement processes. (Sec. 307) 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. 308) 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. (Sec. 309) Requires (current law authorizes) the President to offer PRPs (currently, any person) who enter into settlement agreements that are in the public interest a final covenant not to sue concerning liability to the United States for response actions or costs, provided that: (1) the settling party agrees to perform a final remedial action for the release that is the subject of the settlement; (2) the agreement has been reached prior to the commencement of litigation against the settling party; (3) the settling party waives all contribution rights against other PRPs at the facility; (4) the settling party, other than a small business, pays a premium that compensates for the risks of remedy failure, future liability, and unanticipated increases in the cost of any uncompleted action (unless the party is performing the action); (5) the remedial action does not rely on institutional controls to ensure continued health and environmental protection; and (6) the settlement is otherwise acceptable to the United States. Authorizes the President, for settlements for which covenants are unavailable, to provide any person with a covenant not to sue concerning any liability to the United States if the covenant not to sue is in the public interest. Makes PRPs who are natural persons, small businesses, or municipalities with a demonstrated limited ability to pay response costs eligible for expedited settlements. Absolves a party of liability if the President does not make a settlement offer within the later of 180 days of determining that such party is eligible for an expedited settlement or of this Act's enactment date. (Sec. 310) Absolves persons (other than owners or operators) who arranged for the recycling of recyclable material or who transported such material from general liability under CERCLA. Deems transactions involving recyclable materials that consist of scrap 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 recyclable materials that consist of 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 recyclable materials that consist of 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. Deems transactions involving recyclable materials that consist of used oil to be arranging for recycling if the person involved did not mix such materials with a hazardous substance following the removal of the oil from service and demonstrates that: (1) the recyclable material was sent to a facility that recycled used oil by using it as a feedstock for the manufacture of a new saleable product; (2) the material (or product made from the material) could have been a replacement for a virgin raw material; (3) 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; and (4) he or she was in compliance with standards for the management of used oil under the Solid Waste Disposal Act. Makes the exemptions from liability 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 (in the case of materials other than used oil) 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. (Sec. 311) Sets forth provisions regarding an allocation process to determine equitable shares of liability for costs of performing response actions. Makes an action eligible for allocation if: (1) the performance of such action is not the subject of a consent decree or an administrative order as of March 25, 1999; and (2) the President's estimate of the cost of such action exceeds $2 million. Sets forth requirements for the President in initiating the allocation process. Stays litigation of eligible actions until 150 days after the issuance of the allocator's report unless the court determines that a stay will result in manifest injustice. Grants the court jurisdiction to ensure that a neutral allocator is selected. Authorizes the President to initiate an allocation for any response action. Requires the President to provide an estimate of the aggregate Superfund share prior to selection of an allocator and to offer to contribute to a settlement of liability on the basis of such estimate. Entitles the Administrator or the Attorney General, as representatives of Superfund, and any State that may be responsible for costs, to participate in allocation proceedings. Places a moratorium on litigation seeking recovery of response costs or contributions in connection with actions for which the President has initiated allocations until 150 days after issuance of the allocator's report or of a 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. Sets forth procedures for the allocation of response costs to Superfund by the allocator. Divides unattributable shares pro rata among the PRPs and Superfund. Sets forth requirements for accepting settlements based on allocations. Makes such requirements inapplicable if the Administrator and the Attorney General reject the allocation report. Sets forth conditions under which parties who satisfactorily perform work under an administrative abatement action order with respect to a remedial action for which an allocation is required shall be entitled to reimbursement for the costs of work performed in excess of the share allocated. Title IV: Remedy Selection - Revises provisions regarding general rules for remedy selection. 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. Permits land use assumptions restricting future use to be used in evaluating remedial alternatives only to the extent that institutional controls meeting specified criteria have been or will be adopted in the final remedy. 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) 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 (3) evaluate alternative remedial actions for a facility to determine their risk reduction benefits. Lists factors to be balanced by the President in selecting an appropriate remedy. Requires the President to give preference to remedies that include a treatment component for facilities with source materials that constitute a principal threat. 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 NPL facilities. (Sec. 402) Authorizes the President, in order to respond to a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance, to acquire a hazardous substance easement which limits or controls the use of land or other natural resources. Permits easements to be used wherever institutional controls have been selected as a component of a remedial action and the national contingency plan. Makes easements enforceable in perpetuity (unless terminated pursuant to this Act) against owners of affected property and persons who acquire interest in, or rights to use, the property. Sets forth provisions regarding the President's authority to assign easements to other parties. (Sec. 403) Requires risk assessments and characterizations conducted under CERCLA to: (1) provide 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 an analysis of the weight of scientific evidence that supports conclusions about a problem's potential health and environmental risk. Title V: General Provisions - Expands CERCLA provisions regarding treatment of Indian tribes to afford Indian tribes the same treatment as States with respect to provisions regarding public participation and remedy selection. Deems references to State facilities under CERCLA to mean facilities on Federal Indian reservations as well. Requires the President to conduct a study of, and report to Congress on, the health impacts on Indian tribes of pollutants, contaminants, and hazardous substances released from facilities listed on or proposed for listing on the NPL. (Sec. 503) Amends the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 to require certain grants for the training and education of workers engaged in hazardous waste removal or containment or emergency response activities to be made from Superfund. Allocates at least 20 percent of funds for such purposes to the training of minority and other community-based workers who are involved in such activities. (Sec. 504) Revises provisions requiring contracts with States before remedial actions are provided to prohibit the President 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. (Sec. 505) Extends certain provisions authorizing reimbursements by the President to local governments affected by releases or threatened releases to affected States as well. (Sec. 506) Sets forth provisions regarding enforcement and dispute resolution regarding remedy selection at Federal facilities for which authorities have been delegated to a State. (Sec. 507) Requires the Congressional Budget Office to conduct and submit to Congress a study of the potential costs to the Federal Government over the next 20 years from Federal liability for natural resource damages under CERCLA. (Sec. 508) Provides that CERCLA liability provisions shall not be construed to preempt any claims under State law for contribution to or recovery of costs of responding to releases of hazardous substances. Title VI: 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. Bars the use of Superfund for response actions that are not removal actions with respect to non-NPL facilities. Repeals provisions regarding the assumption of certain liability by the Post-closure Liability Fund. (Sec. 602) Authorizes appropriations to Superfund for FY 2000 through 2004. Subtitle B: Extension of Hazardous Substance Superfund - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the environmental tax to taxable years beginning after December 31, 1999, and before January 1, 2004. Extends specified provisions regarding: (1) Superfund's financing rate; (2) limits on tax if the unobligated balance in Superfund exceeds a specified amount; and (3) the repayment deadline for advances made to Superfund. Lowers the amount of the unobligated Superfund balance required for a suspension of collection of tax on petroleum under environmental tax provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1999
Freedom of Choice for Women in the Uniformed Services Act - Repeals a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996 which prohibits any medical treatment facility of the Department of Defense from being used to perform an abortion except where the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to full term or in the case of rape or incest.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: The Children's Firearm Safety Act of 1999 Title II: The Children's Firearms Age Limit Act of 1999 Title III: The Children's Firearm Dealer's Responsibility Act of 1999 Title IV: Children's Firearms Access Prevention Title V: The Children's Firearms Injury Surveillance Act of 1999 Title VI: Children's Gun Violence Prevention Education Children's Gun Violence Prevention Act of 1999 - Title I: Children's Firearm Safety Act of 1999 - Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to prohibit (beginning 18 months after this Act's enactment) the manufacture or import of an unsafe handgun, with exceptions. Defines "unsafe handgun" to mean:v (1) any handgun that fails a specified drop test; (2) any handgun without a child resistant trigger mechanism designed to prevent a child under age five from operating it; (3) any semiautomatic pistol that does not have a magazine disconnect safety; and (4) any handgun that is sold without a mechanism designed to prevent a handgun's discharge by an authorized user. (Sec. 102) Requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to conduct a study to determine how the safety of handguns can be improved so as to prevent the unauthorized use or discharge of handguns by children under age 18. Title II : Children's Firearms Age Limit Act of 1999 - Prohibits the sale, delivery, or other transfer of a semiautomatic assault weapon to a juvenile. (Sec. 202) Doubles the term of imprisonment for a person who transfers a handgun (or semiautomatic assault weapon) to a juvenile for use in a crime of violence. Title III: Children's Firearm Dealer's Responsibility Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, to revoke the license of a dealer who willfully sells a firearm to an individual who has not attained age 18. (Sec. 302) Requires two forms of identification for firearms purchasers known or believed to be under age 24. (Sec. 303) Directs the Secretary to issue final regulations that establish minimum firearm safety and security standards that apply to dealers who are issued a license. Sets penalties for licensed dealers who knowingly fail to comply with applicable regulations regarding such standards. Title IV: Children's Firearm Access Prevention - Prohibits keeping a loaded firearm, or an unloaded firearm and ammunition, within any premise under that person's control if that person knows, or reasonably should know, that a juvenile is capable of gaining access to the firearm without the permission of the parent or legal guardian, subject to specified requirements and exceptions. Imposes a fine of up to $10,000 for violations. Sets criminal penalties of up to a year in prison if a juvenile obtains access to the firearm and thereby causes death or bodily injury, or exhibits the firearm in a public place, or in violation of specified provisions, including prohibitions against the possession or use of a firearm in a school zone. Title V: Children's Firearm Injury Surveillance Act of 1999 - Children's Firearm Injury Surveillance Act of 1999 - Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to State and local departments of health and State and local law enforcement agencies for purposes of establishing and maintaining children's firearm-related injury surveillance systems. Authorizes appropriations. Title VI: Children's Gun Violence Prevention Education - Children's Gun Violence Prevention Education Act of 1999 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education or the State educational agency to award grants to local educational agencies for the purpose of educating children about preventing gun violence. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 603) Directs the Secretary: (1) before awarding such grants, to consult with the Attorney General to establish guidelines for gun violence prevention education programs for children; (2) to include on the Department of Education's Internet site a description of programs that receive such grants; and (3) to publicize the competitive grant program through its Internet site, publications, and public service announcements. (Sec. 605) Amends the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1994 to provide for timely counseling to, and evaluations of, any public school student who possesses a weapon on school grounds, and advice to public school students, staff, and administrators after an incident of gun-related violence on school grounds. Title VII: Children's Firearm Tracking Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to endeavor to expand the number of cities and counties directly participating in the Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative (YCGII). Requires the Secretary to: (1) utilize information provided by YCGII to facilitate the identification and prosecution of individuals illegally trafficking firearms to individuals under age 24; (2) share information derived from YCGII with State and local law enforcement agencies through on-line computer access; and (3) award grants to States, cities, and counties to assist their tracing of firearms and participation in YCGII.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1999
United Nations Arrears Payment Act - Makes available funds appropriated for the U.S. contribution for payment of United Nations arrearages for international organizations and international peacekeeping activities for FY 1998 and 1999.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1999
Cancer Screening Coverage Act of 1999 - Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code to require a group health plan, and a health insurance issuer offering group coverage, to provide coverage for certain types of cancer screening. Includes under such coverage mammograms, clinical breast examinations, pap tests and pelvic examinations, colorectal screening procedures, and prostate screening tests, at specified intervals and through specified procedures for certain age groups in appropriate genders. Prohibits related eligibility discrimination, monetary incentives to individuals, and penalties or incentives to providers.. Amends the Public Health Service Act to apply the requirements of this Act to coverage offered in the individual market. Amends the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 to mandate coordination of regulations, rulings, and interpretations between the Secretaries of the Treasury, Health and Human Services, and Labor relating to matters over which two or more of the Secretaries have responsibility.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1999
Food Banks Relief Act of 1999 - Amends the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 to authorize appropriations for the purchase of additional commodities for emergency feeding organizations. Limits the amount of funds that such organizations may use for distribution expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1999
Patient Freedom from Restraint Act of 1999 - Amends part D (Peer Review) of title XI of the Social Security Act (SSA) to specify Medicare and Medicaid (SSA titles XVIII and XIX) program beneficiaries' rights to freedom from restraint and other abuse while in a psychiatric hospital or other care facility or treatment center. Requires a covered facility to report sentinel events (when a program beneficiary under psychiatric or other specified care dies unexpectedly or suffers injury unrelated to his or her illness or underlying condition) to the appropriate protection and advocacy agency. Allows the imposition of restraints only: (1) to ensure physical safety of the individual or others in the provider's care; and (2) upon the written order of a physician specifying the duration (but no more than two hours) and circumstances under which restraints and seclusion are to be used (except in emergency circumstances specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services until such an order could reasonably be obtained). Prohibits their simultaneous use. Requires the covered facility to provide for annual staff training on the proper use of restraints and seclusion, to make available to each resident or patient (or guardian) a statement of their rights with regard to such mechanisms along with identifying information on the appropriate protection and advocacy agencies, such information to be posted in the facility where the patients or residents can see and read it. Imposes certain recordkeeping and other reporting requirements with regard to uses of restraints and seclusion, including making available applicable medical record information to the appropriate protection and advocacy agencies for inspection and periodic reporting to the Secretary on the overall use of restraints and seclusion. Requires the Secretary to compile and publish annually a comprehensive summary of the reports on sentinel events. Mandates sanctions for failure to report, which includes a civil money penalty for failure to file sentinel reports, and other specified violations, including those involving staff training.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1999
Medicaid Child Eligibility Improvement Act of 1999 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to permit public schools, child care resource and referral agencies, and child support enforcement agencies, as well as certain public and nonprofit entities that receive specified Federal funds, to determine presumptive eligibility for children under the Medicaid program.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1999
Tobacco Use Prevention and Public Health Act of 1999 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to prohibit as the treatment of an overpayment for Medicaid-related purposes any amount recovered or paid to a State as part of a settlement or judgment reached in litigation initiated or pursued by the State against one or more manufacturers of tobacco products (recovered amounts), if (and to the extent that), with respect to such recovered amounts in a fiscal year, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) finds that specified conditions will be met, including that the State will use at least 25 percent of recovered amounts for a fiscal year on: (1) specified tobacco control activities, including certain tobacco use reduction activities such as tobacco use cessation programs and school-based and child-oriented education programs to discourage tobacco use, as well as the enforcement of laws relating to tobacco products; and (2) health activities, including public health activities, which include State expenditures for outreach activities. Includes further among such activities: (1) tobacco-related research concerning nicotine addiction; and (2) activities to assist tobacco farmers and workers and communities as they transition to a more broadly diversified economy. Creates the National Tobacco Use Prevention Program (NTUPP), composed of various specified HHS and Department of Agriculture (DOA) subprogram and public awareness campaign components. Includes subprograms to reduce tobacco use by minorities (HHS) and to provide economic stabilization for tobacco farmers (DOA) within NTUPP. Establishes in the Treasury the National Tobacco Use Prevention Account, subject to a specified fiscal year adjustment.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1999
Good Samaritan Tax Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to set forth a rule for determining the amount of the deduction allowable for a charitable contribution of food inventory.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income any amount received by an individual (or any heir of the individual) from any person as a result of any moral or legal injustice experienced by such individual as a Holocaust victim persecuted for racial or religious reasons by Nazi Germany or any other Axis regime.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1999
Declares that the House of Representatives recognizes the social significance of mental illness issues and fully supports the White House Conference on Mental Health.
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 1999
Amends the Animal Welfare Act to eliminate the provision permitting interstate movement of live fighting birds if the fighting venture is to take place in a State allowing such fights.
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 1999
Lifesaving Vaccine Technology Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish an income tax credit for 30 percent of the qualified expenses (excluding amounts funded by any grant, contract, or otherwise by another person or any governmental entity) for medical research related to developing vaccines against widespread diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, or any infectious disease (of a single etiology) which, according to the World Health Organization, causes over one million human deaths annually. States that any qualified vaccine research expenses for a taxable year to which an election under this Act applies shall not be taken into account for purposes of determining the credit allowable for increasing research expenditures. Denies such a credit with respect to any vaccine research (other than human clinical testing) conducted outside the United States. States that the vaccine research credit shall include an amount equal to 20 percent of the amount paid by the taxpayer to acquire qualified research stock in a corporation if the corporation waives its own right to the credit and meets other specified criteria. Declares that it is the sense of Congress that if the vaccine research credit is allowed to any corporation or shareholder of a corporation, the corporation should certify to the Secretary of the Treasury that, within one year after that vaccine is first licensed, the corporation will establish a good faith plan utilizing technology transfer, differential pricing, in-country production, or other mechanisms to maximize international access to high quality and affordable vaccines. Directs the Institute of Medicine to study and report to Congress on the effectiveness of the vaccine research credit in stimulating vaccine research. Expresses the sense of Congress that the President and Federal agencies (including the Departments of State, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury) should work together in vigorous support of the creation and funding of a multi-lateral, international effort, such as a vaccine purchase fund, to accelerate the introduction of vaccines to which the vaccine research credit applies and of other priority vaccines into the poorest countries in the world. Expresses the sense of Congress that flexible or differential pricing for vaccines, providing lowered prices for the poorest countries, is one of several valid strategies to accelerate the introduction of vaccines in developing countries.
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 1999
Border Improvement and Immigration Act of 1999 - Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 with respect to the automated entry-exit control system to exempt from required recordkeeping: (1) land border and seaport crossings; and (2) aliens for whom certain documentation requirements have been waived by the Attorney General or the Secretary of State. Requires airport implementation of such system by a specified date. Requires the Attorney General to report on the feasibility of implementing an automated entry-exit control system that would include land border and seaport arrivals and departures. Provides for increased numbers of full-time Immigration and Naturalization and Customs inspectors at U.S. land borders, with such inspectors to be equally assigned to the northern and southern borders.
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Continuing the Commitment of the Violence Against Women Act Subtitle A: Law Enforcement and Prosecution Grants to Combat Violence Against Women Subtitle B: National Domestic Violence Hotline Subtitle C: Battered Women's Shelters and Services Subtitle D: Community Initiatives Subtitle E: Education and Training for Judges and Court Personnel Subtitle F: Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies Subtitle G: Rural Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Enforcement Subtitle H. National Stalker and Domestic Violence Reduction Subtitle I: Federal Victims' Counselors Subtitle J: Education and Prevention Grants to Reduce Sexual Abuse of Runaway, Homeless, and Street Youth Subtitle K: Victims of Child Abuse Programs Title II: Sexual Assault Prevention Violence Against Women Act of 1999 - Title I: Continuing the Commitment of the Violence Against Women Act - Subtitle A: Law Enforcement and Prosecution Grants to Combat Violence Against Women - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (the Act) to authorize appropriations for grants to combat violent crimes against women. (Sec. 102) Revises grant allocation guidelines governing prosecution grants, victims' services and State court systems,. Expands grant purposes to include training that addresses sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking for State, local, and tribal judicial personnel, as well as training of sexual assault forensic nurse examiners, and supporting the development of sexual assault response teams. Directs the Attorney General to deny State grant applications that fail to provide documentation of collaborative efforts with other agencies or organizations. Redefines "victims' services" to include advocacy and assistance for victims seeking legal, social, and health care services. Includes as a prerequisite for Federal reimbursement of forensic medical exams of victims of sexual assault that the participating governmental entity notify all victims that such reimbursement is neither contingent upon the victim's report to law enforcement officials, nor upon the victim's cooperation in the prosecution of the assault. (Sec. 103) Directs the Attorney General to make grants to State domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions for purposes of coordinating with: (1) victim services activities; and (2) Federal, State, and local entities engaged in violence-against-women activities. Subtitle B: National Domestic Violence Hotline - Amends the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) to authorize increased appropriations for the national domestic violence hotline grant. Requires grantees to submit a grant evaluation report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the HHS Secretary) for publication and public comment as a prerequisite to a grant award or renewal. Subtitle C: Battered Women's Shelters and Services - Battered Women's Shelters and Services Act - Amends the FVPSA to authorize appropriations for State grants. Modifies guidelines governing: (1) allotment of appropriations; (2) grants for information and technical assistance centers; and (3) authorization of appropriations. (Sec. 123) Instructs the HHS Secretary to award grants for: (1) State domestic violence coalitions and local domestic violence programs providing shelter or related assistance, in order to develop model strategies to address domestic violence in underserved populations; (2) each State domestic violence coalition for an emergency assistance fund for domestic violence victims; (3) technical assistance and training for State and local domestic violence programs; and (4) private, nonprofit, tribal domestic violence coalitions with representatives from a majority of the programs for victims of domestic violence operating within Indian reservations, and programs whose primary focus is the populations of such Indian country. Subtitle D: Community Initiatives - Authorizes appropriations for demonstration grants for community initiatives. Subtitle E: Education and Training for Judges and Court Personnel - Amends the Equal Justice for Women in the Courts Act of 1994 to permit training grants for judges and court personnel to include: (1) child custody, visitation, and safety issues raised by domestic violence and child sexual assault; and (2) the extent to which addressing domestic violence and victim safety contributes to the efficient administration of justice. Authorizes appropriations. Subtitle F: Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies - Amends the Act to reauthorize appropriations to implement the functions of the Bureau of Justice Statistics. (Sec. 153) Mandates that at least five percent of appropriated funds be used for grants to Indian tribal governments to treat domestic violence as a serious violation of criminal law. Subtitle G: Rural Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Enforcement - Amends the Safe Homes for Women Act of 1994 to authorize appropriations for rural domestic violence and child abuse enforcement. Mandates that five percent of such funds be used for grants to Indian tribal governments. Subtitle H: National Stalker and Domestic Violence Reduction - Amends the Safe Homes for Women Act of 1994 to authorize appropriations for grants to enter stalking and domestic violence data into crime information databases. Subtitle I: Federal Victims' Counselors - Amends the Safe Streets for Women Act of 1994 to authorize appropriations for the United States Attorneys to appoint Victim-Witness counselors for the prosecution of domestic violence and sexual assault crimes. Subtitle J: Education and Prevention Grants to Reduce Sexual Abuse of Runaway, Homeless, and Street Youth - Amends the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act to authorize appropriations for street-based outreach and education to prevent sexual abuse and exploitation. Subtitle K: Victims of Child Abuse Programs - Amends the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 to authorize appropriations for: (1) the court-appointed special advocate program; and (2) child abuse training programs for judicial personnel and practitioners. (Sec. 195) Amends the Act to authorize appropriations for grants for closed-circuit televising of testimony of child abuse victims. Title II: Sexual Assault Prevention - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the use of certain State funds exclusively for rape prevention and education programs conducted by rape crisis centers and private nonprofit nongovernmental State and tribal sexual assault coalitions for specified programs. (Sec. 201) Instructs the HHS Secretary to establish a National Resource Center on Sexual Assault when appropriations reach a specified minimum level. Mandates that State grantors ensure that at least 25 percent of the funds are devoted to educational programs targeted for middle school, junior high, and high school aged students. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 1999
Constitutional Amendment - Declares that equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 1999
Morris K. Udall Wilderness Act of 1997(sic) - Designates specified lands in Alaska as wilderness and components of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 1999
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to modify the formula for determining the amount of reduced monthly OASDI benefits payable to a spouse, surviving spouse, or parent receiving monthly payments from a Federal or State pension plan. Declares that such benefit reductions shall be equal to the lesser of: (1) the amount by which the total amount of the combined monthly benefit (before reduction) and monthly pension exceeds $1,200, adjusted for inflation; or (2) an amount equal to two-thirds of the amount of any such monthly pension plan payment.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 1999
Veterans American Dream Homeownership Assistance Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code concerning the eligibility of veterans for State-financed veterans' home mortgages.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 1999
Employee Pension Portability and Accountability Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, with respect to retirement savings, to: (1) provide for an exclusion from an employee's gross income of payroll deduction contributions to individual retirement accounts (IRAs); (2) require an employer, upon request from an employee, to withhold retirement savings from wages; (3) provide a credit to eligible small employers for pension plan start-up costs; (4) permit an employer to establish a Secure Money Annuity or Retirement (SMART) Trust (as defined); (5) provide for faster vesting of employer matching contributions under a plan including an accrued benefit derived from such contributions; (6) require spousal pension right-to- know provisions; (7) set forth various nondiscrimination rules for qualified cash or deferred arrangements and matching contributions. (8) require one-percent employer contributions under the alternative method of meeting nondiscrimination requirements for IRC 401(k) plans; (9) redefine the term highly compensated employee; (10) revise multiemployer plan provisions with respect to the special limitation rule, the exemption for survivor and disability benefits, the full funding limitation, valuation, and partial termination rules; (11) allow rollovers from and to IRC section 403(b) plans; (12) set forth requirements relating to rollover contributions from deferred compensation plans of State and local governments; (13) permit specified rollovers and make other revisions concerning portability; (14) exclude from gross income, for certain IRC purposes, amounts involved in a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer to a defined benefit governmental plan, if such transfer is for purchase of service credit under such plan a specified type of repayment; (15) modify requirements for joint and survivor annuities to provide for an alternative joint and 75 percent survivor annuity payable while both the participant and the spouse are alive; (16) treat periods of family and medical leave, under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, as hours of service for purposes of pension participation and vesting.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Expanded Availability of Health Care Services Title II: Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency and Related Provisions Subtitle A: Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Subtitle B: Elimination of Work Disincentives Subtitle C: Work Incentives, Planning, Assistance, and Outreach Title III: Demonstration Projects and Studies Title IV: Technical Amendments Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 - Title I: Expanded Availability of Health Care Services - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to provide for expanding State options under Medicaid for workers with disabilities, namely by creating State options to eliminate income, assets, and resource limitations for workers with disabilities who buy into Medicaid and to provide opportunity for employed individuals with a medically improved disability to make such a buy. Provides that Federal funds paid to a State for medical assistance provided to such individuals may not generally be used to supplant the level of State funds expended for a fiscal year for programs to enable working disabled individuals to work. (Sec. 102) Provides for certain continuation of Medicare coverage for working individuals with disabilities. (Sec. 103) Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) award grants to eligible States to support establishment of State infrastructures to support the working disabled as well as to enable State outreach campaigns on infrastructure existence; and (2) submit a recommendation to specified congressional committees on whether such grant program should be continued after FY 2010. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 104) Authorizes State demonstration projects for certain Medicaid coverage of up to a specified maximum number of workers with a potentially severe disability, coverage equal to that afforded under the State option provided for above for eliminating income, assets, and resource limitations for disabled workers buying into Medicaid. Makes necessary appropriations. Title II: Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency and Related Provisions - Subtitle A: Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency - Amends part A (General Provisions) of SSA title XI to direct the Commissioner to establish a Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program (TWSSP) under which a disabled beneficiary may use a TWSSP ticket issued by the Commissioner under a described system, designed to ensure quality assurance, to obtain employment, vocational rehabilitation services, or other support services, pursuant to an appropriate individual beneficiary work plan that meets specified requirements, at the Commission's expense, from a participating employment network, public or private, which: (1) meets specified qualifications and is under an agreement with the Commissioner who must select a program manager to assist in administering TWSSP; (2) is chosen by the beneficiary, and (3) is willing to accept assignment of the beneficiary's TWSSP ticket. Allows State agencies administering or supervising the administration of the State plan under title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to elect to participate as an employment network. Sets forth special requirements applicable to cross-referral to certain State agencies and requirements relating to provision of services. Describes employment network payment systems. Provides that during any period for which an individual is using a TWSSP ticket, the Commissioner and any applicable State agency may not initiate a continuing disability or similar review with regards to whether the individual is or is not disabled. Requires payments to employment networks to be made out of the social security trust funds in the case of ticketed SSA title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) disability beneficiaries who return to work, or from the appropriation made available for making Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments under SSA title XVI, in the case of SSI disability beneficiaries who return to work. Provides for allocation of other costs. (Sec. 202) Establishes within the Social Security Administration the Work Incentives Advisory Panel to advise the Commissioner with respect to TWSSP, and other Federal officials on related issues. Provides that the costs for carrying out this paragraph shall be paid from amounts available for the administration of SSA titles II and XVI, and shall be allocated among those amounts as appropriate. Subtitle B: Elimination of Work Disincentives - Amends SSA titles II and XVI to set forth a number of measures designed to eliminate work disincentives, namely prohibiting work activity as a basis for review of an individual's disability status and providing for expedited reinstatement of entitlement, or in the case of SSI, eligibility, to, respectively, OASDI and SSI disability benefits. Subtitle C: Work Incentives Planning, Assistance, and Outreach - Amends SSA title XI part A (General Provisions) to direct the Commissioner to establish a community-based work incentives outreach program for disabled beneficiaries that includes the provision of technical assistance to organizations and entities that are designed to encourage disabled beneficiaries to return to work. Provides that the costs of carrying out this subtitle shall be paid from amounts made available for administration of SSA titles II and XVI, and shall be allocated among such amounts as appropriate. (Sec. 222) Amends SSA title XI to authorize the Commissioner to make certain minimum payments in each State to the protection and advocacy system established under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act for the purpose of providing services to disabled beneficiaries, services which may include advocacy or other services that such a beneficiary may need to secure or regain gainful employment. Provides for funding similar to that in the paragraph above, although subject to certain limitation. Title III: Demonstration Projects and Studies - Amends SSA title II to provide for a permanent extension of disability insurance program demonstration project authority. Directs the Commissioner to develop and carry out experiments and demonstration projects, subject to specified guidelines which include the authority to waive compliance with benefits requirements, with regard to various alternative methods of treating the work activity of individuals entitled to OASDI disability benefits, altering other limitations and conditions applicable to such individuals, and implementing sliding scale benefit offsets. Authorizes the Commissioner to expand the scope of any such experiment or demonstration project to include any group of OASDI benefit applicants with impairments that reasonably may be presumed to be disabling for purposes of such demonstration project, and may limit any such demonstration project to any such group of applicants, subject to the terms of such demonstration project which shall define the extent of any such presumption. (Sec. 302) Directs the Commissioner to conduct certain demonstration projects designed to provide for specified reductions in disability insurance benefits based on earnings. Requires expenditures for such demonstration projects to come out of the social security and Medicare trust funds to the extent provided in advance in appropriation acts. (Sec. 303) Directs the Comptroller General to conduct and report to the Congress on various described studies and other specified related matters, but chiefly studies concerning existing disability-related employment incentives and coordination of the OASDI disability insurance program and the SSI program as they relate to individuals entering or leaving concurrent entitlement under such programs, as well as on a study concerning the impact of the substantial gainful activity limit on return to work. Title IV: Technical Amendments - Amends the Contract with America Advancement Act of 1996 with respect to: (1) final adjudication of denied claims by drug addicts and alcoholics for SSA title II disability benefits; and (2) the effective dates of certain requirements concerning representative payees and treatment referrals for such individuals. (Sec. 402) Amends SSA title II to: (1) provide for payments to State and local prisons for monthly reports on the identities of inmates whose OASDI benefits are determined by the Commissioner not to be payable as a result of such reports; (2) provide for a 50 percent reduction in such payments under SSA titles II and XVI in cases involving a comparable payment under the other title with respect to the same prisoner; (3) transfer from the OASDI trust funds any sums necessary to enable the Commissioner to make such payments; (4) eliminate the requirement that confinement stem only from a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year (thus denying OASDI benefits to individuals confined for any criminal offense); and (5) provide for continued denial of benefits to sex offenders remaining confined to public institutions upon completion of prison term. (Sec. 403) Provides for a two-year open season for members of the clergy who wish to revoke their exemption from social security coverage. (Sec. 404) Amends SSA title XI to make a miscellaneous technical amendment relating to cooperative research or development projects under SSA titles II and XVI. (Sec. 405) Amends SSA title XI to make miscellaneous technical amendments to provisions concerning the requirements of State income and eligibility verification systems, among other changes allowing a State to permit certain employers that make returns with respect to domestic service employment taxes on a calendar year basis to instead make such reports on an annual basis.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 1999
Medicare Medical Nutrition Therapy Act of 1999 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for Medicare coverage of medical nutrition therapy services of registered dietitians and nutrition professionals.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 1999
Newborn and Infant Hearing Screening and Intervention Act of 1999 - Mandates grants or cooperative agreements to: (1) develop statewide newborn and infant hearing screening, evaluation and intervention programs and systems; and (2) provide technical assistance to State agencies to complement an intramural program and to conduct applied research related to newborn and infant hearing screening, evaluation, and intervention programs and systems. Requires the National Institutes of Health to continue a program of research and development on the efficacy of new screening techniques and technology. Mandates Federal coordination and collaboration with State and local agencies, consumer groups, national medical, health, and education specialty organizations, deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals and their families, qualified professional personnel, and related commercial industries. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the 60-month limitation period on the allowance of the deduction for interest on loans for higher education expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1999
Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act - Authorizes the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to make grants on a competitive basis to a variety of fire departments for any of a number of specified purposes, including: (1) hiring additional firefighting personnel; (2) training them; (3) funding creation of rapid intervention teams to protect firefighting personnel at the scenes of fires and other emergencies; (4) certifying fire inspectors; (5) establishing wellness and fitness programs for firefighting personnel; (6) funding emergency medical services; (7) acquiring additional firefighting vehicles and equipment, including personal protective equipment required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; (8) modifying fire stations, fire training facilities, and other facilities; (9) enforcing fire codes; (10) funding fire prevention programs; and (11) educating the public about arson prevention and detection. Requires the FEMA Director to establish an office to set specific criteria for the selection of grant recipients and administer the grants. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1999
Good Friday Trade and Investment Act - Directs the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) to establish equity funds with total assets of at least $300 million for the purpose of providing insurance, financing, and other assistance to individuals or entities in Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Irish Republic whose businesses employ practices consistent with the principles of fair employment (such as freedom from religious discrimination). Grants priority of equity funds to projects involving businesses owned and managed by women, and projects involving the development of new technologies. (Sec. 4) Authorizes appropriations for U.S. contributions to the International Fund for Ireland for: (1) projects in the areas of greatest need based upon levels of unemployment, particularly in Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Irish Republic; (2) projects of individuals or entities in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland which employ practices consistent with the principles of fair employment; and (3) certain other priority projects relating to business development in the fields of scientific research, technology, and management and the establishment of an entrepreneurial learning center. (Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary of Commerce to consolidate activities with respect to promotion of business opportunities in Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Irish Republic to focus on promoting awareness of business opportunities in those counties, including encouraging joint ventures with businesses in those counties, and promoting the development of businesses owned by women. (Sec. 6) Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to authorize the President to designate Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Irish Republic as a beneficiary developing country eligible to receive duty-free treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences for a ten-year period, provided certain waivers under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement or the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) are granted. Requires the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to report annually to the Congress on the status of: (1) efforts to acquire such waivers; and (2) trade relations between the United States and Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Irish Republic, and recommendations on how to expand trade between them.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1999
Historic Homeownership Assistance Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for 20 percent of the qualified rehabilitation expenditures made by a taxpayer with respect to a qualified historic home which has been substantially rehabilitated and which is owned by the taxpayer and used as his or her principal residence. Allows the credit for such expenditures to be taken by a purchaser of the rehabilitated home. Permits, in lieu of the credit, a historic rehabilitation mortgage credit certificate, which may be transferred to a lender in exchange for a reduction in the rate of interest on the loan secured by the building.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1999
Colusa Basin Watershed Integrated Resources Management Act - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial assistance for use by the Colusa Basin Drainage District, California, or by local agencies for planning, design, environmental compliance, and construction required to carry out eligible projects in the Colusa Basin Watershed to: (1) reduce the risk of damage to urban and agricultural areas from flooding or the discharge of drainage water or tailwater; (2) assist in groundwater recharge efforts to alleviate overdraft and land subsidence; or (3) construct, restore or preserve wetland and riparian habitat; and (4) capture surface or stormwater for conservation, conjunctive use, and increased water supplies. Requires the Secretary to ensure that funded projects are not inconsistent with watershed protection and environmental restoration efforts being carried out under the Central Valley Project Improvement Act or the CALFED Bay-Delta Program. Directs the Secretary to require that the District and cooperating non-Federal agencies or organizations pay: (1) 25 percent of project costs; and (2) 100 percent of project operation, maintenance, and replacement and rehabilitation costs. Permits funds appropriated pursuant to this Act to be made available: (1) to fund all costs incurred for planning, design, and environmental compliance activities by the District or by local agencies in accordance with agreements with the Secretary; and (2) only to a District or a local agency that has entered into a binding agreement with the Secretary under which the District or local agency is required to pay the non-Federal share of construction costs and which governs the funding of planning, design, and compliance activities costs. Authorizes specified expenditures within existing budget authority to carry out this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Funding for Child Care Title II: Dependent Care Tax Credit Reform Title III: Grants to Business Consortia Subtitle A: Grant Program Subtitle B: General Provisions Title IV: After School Program Subtitle A: 21st Century Community Learning Centers Subtitle B: After School Snacks Title V: Model States Early Learning Program Title VI: Child Care Worker Incentives Title VII: Research and Demonstration Program Title VIII: Miscellaneous Subtitle A: Child and Adult Food Program Subtitle B: Mortgage Insurance for Child Care and Development Facilities Subtitle C: Sense of the Congress Affordable Child Care, Education, Security, and Safety Act - Title I: Funding for Child Care - Amends the Social Security Act (SSA) to make appropriations for FY 2000 through 2004 for child care subsidy funding under the title IV part A program of Block Grants to States for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). (Sec. 101) Reserves specified portions of such funds for payments to Indian tribes and for quality assurance and quality improvement activities relating to programs under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (CCDBGA). Provides for allotment of funds among the States and territories according to a specified formula, or for matching payments based on certain portions of their expenditures for specified purposes authorized under CCDBGA. Requires targeting of at least 70 percent of such subsidy for child care assistance funds to working non-welfare families, who are not TANF recipients under a State or territory program. Title II: Dependent Care Tax Credit Reform - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the dependent care tax credit and to provide an equivalent benefit where one parent stays at home to provide child care for child under age one. (Sec. 202) Allows a business-related tax credit for employer expenses for employer-provided child care assistance. (Sec. 203) Allows the dependent care credit against the alternative minimum tax. Title III: Grants to Business Consortia - Subtitle A: Grant Program - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make grants to States to provide grants to eligible entities to improve access to affordable, local, quality child care services. (Sec. 301) Makes eligible for such a grant a consortium that: (1) has not received a grant under this title; and (2) consists of representatives from at least five businesses (or a nonprofit organization that represents at least five businesses), each of which, to the maximum extent practicable, is located in the same geographic region. Requires States to give priority, in providing such grants, to eligible entities that consist of a majority of representatives from small businesses. Sets a maximum limit on the amount of any such grant provided to an eligible entity for any fiscal year. (Sec. 302) Sets forth requirements for grant applications, use of funds, and matching funds. Subtitle B: General Provisions - Authorizes appropriations for such child care services grants to business consortia. Title IV: After School Program - Subtitle A: 21st Century Community Learning Centers - Amends the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Act to require that discretionary grants be awarded to local educational agencies (LEAs) for supporting certain programs of public elementary schools or secondary schools, including middle schools, that serve communities with substantial needs for expanded learning opportunities for children and youth. (Sec. 401) Increases the maximum duration of such a grant from three to five years. (Sec. 402) Requires the LEA to demonstrate that it will provide specified portions of the annual costs of project activities from sources other than such grant funds. (Sec. 403) Requires the use of grant funds to establish or expand community learning centers that provide activities that offer expanded learning opportunities for children and youth in the community (such as activities conducted before or after school), and which may include any of the currently authorized activities. (Sec. 405) Extends through FY 2004 the authorization of appropriations for such Act. Authorizes continuation awards of FY 1998 grants. Subtitle B: After School Snacks - Amends the National School Lunch Act to provide for participation by certain additional institutions under the child and adult care food program. Allows such institutions to claim reimbursements for meal supplements which they serve without charge to children in afterschool care. (Sec. 411) Revises eligibility requirements for meal supplements for children in afterschool care. Title V: Model States Early Learning Program - Amends SSA title IV part A (TANF) to make appropriations for FY 2000 through 2004 for model States early learning programs. Provides for allotment of funds among the States, territories, and Indian tribes according to a specified formula, or for matching payments based on portions of their expenditures for an early learning program under CCDBGA. (Sec. 501) Amends CCDBGA to establish the Model States Early Learning Program. Sets forth program requirements for State participation and plans, allowable activities, and annual reports. Title VI: Child Care Worker Incentives - Child Care Worker Incentive Act of 1999 - Amends CCDBGA to establish a national child care provider scholarship program. (Sec. 602) Sets forth eligibility criteria for scholarship applicants, including: (1) demonstrated commitment to a child care career; (2) cost sharing by the applicant and employer; and (3) the employer's agreement to provide increased financial incentives to the employee upon completion of the education or training. Includes such program under requirements for State plans, allotments, payments, and annual reports. Authorizes appropriations. Title VII: Research and Demonstration Program - Amends CCDBGA to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), directly or through grants, contracts, or other arrangements, to carry out research, demonstration projects, and other activities relating to child care, including activities designed to improve the quality and increase the availability of child care. (Sec. 701) Includes among allowable activities under such research and demonstrations program: (1) research on child care needs of low-income families, on good policies and practices, and on retention of child care provider staff; (2) demonstrations of technology-based education and training; (3) demonstration projects for new methods; (4) a National Center on Child Care Statistics; and (5) a hotline to locate local child care resources, and child care consumer education activities. Authorizes appropriations. Title VIII: Miscellaneous - Subtitle A: Child and Adult Food Program - Amends the National School Lunch Act to increase reimbursement rates for family or group day care homes under the child and adult care food program. Subtitle B: Mortgage Insurance for Child Care and Development Facilities - Children's Development Commission Act - Amends the National Housing Act to authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to insure mortgages for: (1) new or rehabilitated child care and development facilities, including mortgage insurance for fire safety equipment loans; and (2) purchase or refinance of existing child care and development facilities. (Sec. 855) Establishes the Children's Development Commission which shall: (1) issue facility standards and compliance certifications; and (2) make loans not in excess of $50,000 for facility rehabilitation or renovation. Directs the Commission to report to the Congress on: (1) a plan for establishing an independent foundation to support research on child care and development facilities, fund pilot programs to test innovative methods for improving child care, and assist persons interested in mortgage insurance and other Commission assistance; and (2) a study of capital needs of center-based child care in low-income communities. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 856) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to study the availability of child care facility secondary mortgage markets. Subtitle C: Sense of the Congress - Expresses the sense of the Congress that funds should be appropriated under the amendments made by this Act to the maximum extent authorized and consistently with achieving a balanced Federal budget.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1999
Child Care Improvement Act of 1999 - Amends the Social Security Act (SSA) to make appropriations for FY 2000 through 2004 for child care subsidy funding under the title IV part A program of Block Grants to States for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). (Sec. 2) Reserves specified portions of such funds for payments to Indian tribes and for quality assurance and quality improvement activities relating to programs under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (CCDBGA). Provides for allotment of funds among the States and territories according to a specified formula, or for matching payments based on certain portions of their expenditures for specified purposes authorized under CCDBGA. Requires targeting of such subsidy for child care assistance funds as follows: (1) at least 70 percent to working non-welfare families, who are not TANF recipients under a State or territory program; and (2) at least 40 percent for children who have not attained four years of age. (Sec. 3) Makes appropriations for FY 2000 through 2004 for child care quality and early learning programs under TANF. Provides for allotment of funds among the States, territories, and Indian tribes according to a specified formula, or for matching payments based on portions of their expenditures for a child care quality and early learning program under CCDBGA. Amends CCDBGA to establish the child care quality and early learning program. Sets forth program requirements for State participation and plans, allowable activities, and annual reports. (Sec. 4) Requires States to use at least four percent of CCDBGA assistance for one or more of the following: (1) resource and referral programs; (2) grants or loans to assist in meeting State and local standards; (3) monitoring of compliance with licensing and regulatory requirements; (4) training; and (5) compensation. Provides for a specified disregard of early learning program funds. (Sec. 5) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the dependent care tax credit and to provide an equivalent benefit where one parent stays at home to provide child care for child under age one. (Sec. 6) Allows a business-related tax credit for employer expenses for employer-provided child care assistance. (Sec. 7) Allows the dependent care credit against the alternative minimum tax.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1999
Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage Extension Act of 1999 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to eliminate the time limitation on Medicare benefits for immunosuppressive drugs.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1999
Fire Safe Cigarette Act of 1999 - Directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission to promulgate a fire safety standard for cigarettes, including a prohibition on stockpiling cigarettes to which such standard will not apply. Prohibits the manufacture or import of cigarettes not in compliance with such standard. Authorizes a person adversely affected by such standard to file a petition for judicial review within a specified time period.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1999
Provides authority to include the costs of Secretary of Health and Human Services recognized professional educational training programs for psychologists in payments to hospitals under Medicare (title XVIII of the Social Security Act).
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1999
Printed Circuit Investment Act - 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 · 11 March 1999
Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 1999 - Amends the Federal criminal code to set penalties for persons who, whether or not acting under color of law, willfully cause bodily injury to any person or, through the use of fire, a firearm, or an explosive device, attempt to cause such injury, because of the actual or perceived: (1) race, color, religion, or national origin of any person; or (2) religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability of any person, where in connection with the offense, the defendant or the victim travels in interstate or foreign commerce, uses a facility or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce, or engages in any activity affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or where the offense is in or affects interstate or foreign commerce. (Sec. 5) Directs the United States Sentencing Commission to study the issue of, and, if appropriate, amend the Federal sentencing guidelines to provide sentencing enhancements for, adult defendants who recruit juveniles to assist in the commission of hate crimes. (Sec. 6) Requires the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to make grants to State and local programs designed to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles. Authorizes appropriations, including programs to train local law enforcement officers in investigating, prosecuting, and preventing hate crimes. (Sec. 7) Authorizes appropriations to the Department of the Treasury and to DOJ to increase the number of personnel to prevent and respond to alleged violations of provisions regarding interference with specified federally protected activities, such as voting.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1999
Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to give States the option of making medical assistance for breast and cervical cancer-related treatment services available during a presumptive eligibility period to certain low-income women without creditable coverage who have already been screened for such cancers under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention breast and cervical cancer early detection program and need treatment. Provides for an enhanced match with regard to such Medicaid treatment services.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1999
Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 1999 - Provides collective bargaining rights for public safety officers employed by States or local governments. Directs the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) to determine whether State law provides specified rights and responsibilities for public safety officers, including: (1) granting public safety employees the right to form and join a labor organization which excludes management and supervisory employees, and which is, or seeks to be, recognized as the exclusive bargaining agent for such employees; and (2) requiring public safety employers to recognize and agree to bargain with the employees' labor organization. (Sec. 5) Requires the FLRA to issue regulations establishing collective bargaining procedures for public safety employers and employees in States that do not substantially provide for such public safety employee rights and responsibilities. Directs the FLRA, in such cases, to: (1) determine the appropriateness of units for labor organization representation; (2) supervise or conduct elections to determine whether a labor organization has been selected as an exclusive representative by a majority of the employees in an appropriate unit; (3) resolve issues relating to the duty to bargain in good faith; (4) conduct hearings and resolve complaints of unfair labor practices; and (5) resolve exceptions to arbitrator's awards. Grants a public safety employer, employee, or labor organization the right to seek enforcement of such FLRA regulations and authority through appropriate State courts. (Sec. 6) Prohibits public safety employers, employees, and labor organizations from engaging in lockouts or strikes. (Sec. 7) Provides that existing collective bargaining units and agreements shall not be invalidated by this Act. (Sec. 9) Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1999
Montgomery GI Bill Improvements Act of 1999 - Amends Federal basic educational assistance provisions (the Montgomery GI Bill) to authorize enhanced educational assistance to a member of the armed forces who, after September 30, 1999: (1) first enters on active duty; (2) reenlists or continues to serve on active duty; (3) serves a continuous period of active duty of four years; or (4) serves and is discharged or released for a service-connected disability, at the convenience of the Government (after serving at least 42 months of such duty), or due to a reduction in force. Limits to 36 months the period for such enhanced assistance, with a special rule for certain early separations. Requires the payment of educational expenses under such program, including tuition and fees, books, and other supplies. Provides: (1) a monthly stipend for approved programs of education, with different rates for programs pursued on a full-time, three quarter-time, or half-time basis; and (2) tutorial assistance. (Sec. 3) Increases the monthly rates of basic educational assistance. (Sec. 4) Repeals, with respect to such assistance: (1) a required monthly reduction in pay for individuals who do not elect to participate in such assistance program; (2) a provision authorizing individuals to elect not to receive such assistance; (3) the requirement that participants complete the requirements of a high school diploma or equivalency certificate prior to the end of their initial obligated period of service in order to be eligible to receive such assistance; and (4) provisions limiting an individual's opportunity to withdraw an election not to enroll in such assistance program. (Sec. 5) Authorizes an individual entitled to basic educational assistance to receive an accelerated payment of such allowance, beginning on March 1, 2000, under certain conditions. (Sec. 6) Authorizes the use of basic educational assistance for: (1) the payment of vocational or professional licensing or certification tests required under Federal, State, or local law; (2) preparatory courses for college and graduate school entrance exams; and (3) training for technological occupations offered by entities other than educational institutions. (Sec. 9) Authorizes enrollment in the basic educational assistance program for individuals who: (1) before October 10, 1996, were enrolled in the veterans' educational assistance program (VEAP); (2) had continuously served on active duty since October 9, 1996; and (3) if discharged or released from active duty after the date on which the individual elects to participate in the basic educational assistance program, were discharged or released with an honorable discharge. Discontinues, after the enactment of this Act, the required reduction in basic pay for VEAP participants.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1999
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, to: (1) remove from payments to Medicare+Choice organizations those amounts attributable to disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments; and (2) direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make direct payments to a DSH for any individual who is enrolled under a risk-sharing contract with an eligible organization and entitled to benefits under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) or who is enrolled with a Medicare+Choice organization under Medicare part C (Medicare+Choice).
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1999
Semiconductor Equipment Investment Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make semiconductor manufacturing equipment three-year depreciable property.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 1999
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the full realization of the rights of women is vital to the development and well-being of people of all nations; and (2) the Senate should give its advice and consent to the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 1999
Coastal States Protection Act - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from issuing a lease for mineral exploration, development, or production on submerged lands of the Outer Continental Shelf that are seaward or adjacent to lands beneath navigable waters of a coastal State whose Governor has placed a moratorium on such activities with respect to oil, gas, or other minerals.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 1999
Veterans' Hepatitis C Benefits Act of 1999 - Considers hepatitis C becoming manifest in a veteran to be service-connected, and therefore compensable under veterans' disability provisions, notwithstanding that there is no record of evidence of such illness during the period of such service, as long as it is shown that during such service the veteran experienced: (1) a blood transfusion before December 31, 1992; (2) blood exposure on or through skin or mucous membrane; (3) hemodialysis; (4) a tattoo, body piercing, or acupuncture; (5) unexplained liver disease or abnormal liver function tests; or (6) working in a health care occupation.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 1999
Directs the President to impose quotas, tariff surcharges, or negotiate enforceable voluntary export restraint agreements in order to ensure that the volume of imported steel products (semifinished, plates, sheets and strips, wire rods, wire and wire products, rail type products, bars, structural shapes and units, pipes and tubes, iron ore, and coke products) during any month does not exceed the average volume of imported steel for the 36-month period preceding July 1997. Directs the Secretaries of the Treasury and of Commerce to implement a program for administering and enforcing the restraints on such imports. Authorizes the Customs Service to refuse entry into the U.S. customs territory for a three year period of any steel products that exceed the allowable levels of such products. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish and implement a steel import notification and monitoring program. Requires any person who intends to import steel products into the United States to first obtain an import notification certificate. Sets forth specified import notification certificate requirements. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to publish on a weekly basis through the Internet certain information obtained from steel import notification certificate applications regarding imported steel, including country of origin, the port of entry, quantity, value of steel imported, single producer or exporter countries, and whether such imports are entered into a bonded warehouse or foreign trade zone. Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to charge reasonable fees to defray the costs of carrying out this Act.
![Official portrait of Rep. Matsui, Robert T. [D-CA-5]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/m000249_200.jpg)