United States · United States Congress · 22 October 1985
Prohibits the number of Soviet nationals admitted to the United States to serve as members of the Soviet mission at United Nations (U.N.) headquarters from exceeding the number of U.S. nationals who serve as members of the U.S. mission at U.N. headquarters, unless: (1) the excess number is the result of routine replacement of personnel and is not more than ten percent of the number of U.S. nationals serving at the U.S. mission; or (2) the President determines that the admission of additional Soviet nationals would be in the interests of the United States. Directs the Secretary of State to report to the Congress every six months on the number of Soviet nationals admitted to the United States because the President determined their admission would be in the national interest and on their duties with the Soviet mission. Declares that the Secretary and the Attorney General should report to the Congress within six months on a plan for ensuring that the excess number of Soviet nationals admitted due to a routine replacement of personnel does not exceed the five percent limit.
United States · United States Congress · 22 October 1985
Suspends most-favored-nation treatment for Romania for six months. Directs the President, before the end of such six months, to: (1) assess the status of civil liberties and human rights in Romania; and (2) recommend to the Congress whether to extend the suspension of nondiscriminatory treatment to Romania.
United States · United States Congress · 17 October 1985
Amends the Federal criminal code to allow the imposition of sanctions against foreign governments for failure to extradite terrorists as required by treaty. Allows the President to: (1) restrict imports from that country; and (2) reduce military and economic assistance to that country. Requires the President to notify specified congressional committees of the intended action.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 1985
Depository Institution Examination Improvement Act of 1985 - Redesignates the Financial Institution Examination Council as the Depository Institutions Examination Council. Requires the Council to devise a Federal examiner classification system and, for each of 12 districts approximating the districts of the Federal depository institutions regulatory agencies (regulatory agencies), a regional pay scale in order to provide Federal examiners with compensation and benefits commensurate with private sector accountants and auditors who perform similar functions in such districts. Directs each regulatory agency and each regional bank, branch, or office of such agency to assign and pay examiners accordingly. Directs the Council to prescribe methods of determining travel allowances and pay rates for temporary assignments of examiners. Exempts from Federal laws and regulations applicable to Government employees the officers and employees of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation, and the National Credit Union Administration. Exempts such entities, the Council, Federal reserve banks, and Federal Home Loan Banks from Federal laws and regulations providing for budget and appropriation review and provides that certain assessments received by such entities shall not be considered Government funds or appropriated money. Subjects such entities and banks to audit by the Comptroller General. Repeals authority of the Secretary of the Treasury over the Comptroller of the Currency and staff. Authorizes each regulatory agency to establish procedures for transferring employees affected by this Act out of the civil service and for providing fair and equitable compensation and reimbursement to such employees for any resulting loss of benefits. Directs the Council to: (1) develop a proposal for consolidating all Federal examiner training programs in one school to be established and conducted by the Council; and (2) report to specified congressional committees on its findings, legislative recommendations, and the savings to the regulatory agencies that would result from such consolidation. Requires the Council to: (1) study the feasibility of establishing a graduate degree program in financial management analysis for officers and employees of the regulatory agencies and the State depository institutions supervisory agencies (State agencies); and (2) report to specified congressional committees on its findings, legislative recommendations, the cost of establishing and conducting the program, and on the approval or disapproval by each regulatory agency of the Council's proposal for such program. Requires the Council to establish minimum requirements for examinations of depository institutions by State agencies in order for such an examination to be acceptable for purposes of Federal law. Directs the Council: (1) at least annually, to request each State agency which examines institutions subject to Federal examination to allow the Council to review its examination methods; (2) to notify a State agency if its examination methods do not satisfy such minimum requirements and allow the agency not more than three years to cure any deficiency; and (3) notify each Federal regulatory agency if a State agency refuses to allow a review of its examination methods or fails to remedy any deficiency in its methods. Prohibits any Federal regulatory agency or any regional bank, branch, or other office of such Federal agency to rely on any report of examination by a State agency for which such a notice has been received to fulfill an examination requirement under Federal law. Requires the Council to establish a State examiner certification program and to evaluate State examiners for certification at the request of a State agency.
United States · United States Congress · 16 October 1985
Declares that the Congress: (1) condemns the hijacking of the Achille Lauro and the murder of Leon Klinghoffer; (2) commends the President and others who assisted in the apprehension of the perpetrators of such hijacking and murder; and (3) calls on all governments having jurisdiction over such matter to ensure that the individuals responsible for such hijacking and murder are prosecuted and punished. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should convene an international meeting to determine the steps which must be taken to rid the world of hijacking and the taking of hostages.
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 1985
Declares that the Congress: (1) condemns the Government of the Soviet Union for the killing of Charles Thornton (an American journalist in Afghanistan) in violation of Protocol I (a treaty relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflict); and (2) calls upon such government to abide by the terms of such treaty, including provisions that protect journalists working in areas subject to armed conflict.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 1985
Trade Partnership Act - Title I: International Trade - Directs the President to establish the Commission on Trade which shall: (1) evaluate existing U.S. trade laws and policies; (2) develop recommendations on monetary and fiscal policies for the United States and its chief trading partners; (3) evaluate the export financing practices of major trading partners and of international agencies; and (4) review existing trade agreements to assess their effect on U.S. long-term trading interests. Requires the Commission to report its findings and recommendations to the President and to the Congress. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should evaluate such findings and recommendations and take into account the results of an international monetary conference to determine the propriety of convening a summit conference on international trade in order to develop changes in international trade and monetary practices. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should call for an international monetary conference to develop: (1) options for reforming institutional mechanisms in order to decrease the disparity among, and to prevent dramatic fluctuations in the value of, the currencies of the major economic powers; and (2) means for reducing interest rates, promoting national and world economic growth, assuring price stability, and promoting higher levels of international trade. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should initiate multilateral trade negotiations under the auspices of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in order to: (1) resolve the issues not resolved in earlier negotiations; (2) develop multilateral disciplines in those areas where trade problems have emerged or are becoming more acute; (3) focus on improving the dispute settlement mechanisms of the GATT; (4) place a high priority on bringing developing countries into full participation in the international trading community; (5) ensure that all developed countries share equally the responsibility for advancing the economies of developing countries; and (6) increase efforts to bring countries now outside the GATT under accepted multilateral disciplines governing trade. Directs the President to begin negotiations immediately if Canada requests the negotiation of a trade agreement that provides for the elimination or reduction of any duty imposed by the United States. Directs the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to review the bilateral relationships between the United States and its major trading partners in order to determine those countries that offer the most potential for the establishment of free trade areas with the United States. Sets forth factors to be considered in making such review. Authorizes the President, during the year following enactment of this Act, to negotiate with Japan on a trade agreement under which the United States will permit the exportation to Japan of Alaskan petroleum and natural gas in return for substantial concessions by Japan regarding the importation into Japan of agricultural products, wood products, and other kinds of export products that are important to the United States. Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to transfer to the USTR specified functions relating to import relief that are currently performed by the President. Directs the President to review the USTR's determination on whether to provide import relief and what form such relief should take. Requires the President to complete such review within 15 days of receiving the USTR's determination. Directs the President to notify the Congress of the President's decision and of the USTR's determination. Directs the USTR to take action to implement the import relief which the USTR decided to provide if the President concurs in the USTR's decision. Directs the USTR to take action to implement the President's decision on import relief if it differs from the USTR's decision and no joint resolution disapproving the President's decision is enacted. Directs the USTR to order the implementation of the import relief recommended by the International Trade Commission if the decision of the President differs from the decision of the USTR and a joint resolution disapproving the President's decision is enacted. Authorizes interim relief after a petition for import relief is filed if the USTR determines that: (1) it is likely that the article is being imported in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury or threat thereof to the competing domestic industry; and (2) the absence of such interim relief would result in irreparable harm to the domestic industry. Authorizes emergency relief from imports of perishable products (other than perishable products from a beneficiary country under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act) after a petition for such relief is filed if the USTR, after consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, decides that: (1) there is a reasonable indication that the perishable product is being imported in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury, or threat thereof, to the competing domestic industry; and (2) emergency action is warranted. Directs the USTR, upon deciding to grant interim relief or emergency relief, to: (1) determine the method and extent of such relief; (2) notify the President of such decision; and (3) unless the President decides within 15 days that such relief is not in the national economic interest, order the Commissioner of Customs to impose such relief. Declares that such relief may consist of tariff increases or import limitations. Provides for the termination of such relief. Directs the USTR to order the Commissioner of Customs to implement actions necessary to enforce U.S. rights under any trade agreement if: (1) the President and the USTR agree on the appropriate action; or (2) the President differs with the USTR on the appropriate action but a joint resolution disapproving such action is not enacted. Reduces the number of days from 21 to 15 between the President's receipt of the USTR's recommendation of appropriate action and the President's decision on what action is appropriate. Requires the President to determine during such 15 day period if: (1) the President concurs in the USTR's recommendation; or (2) it is in the national economic interest not to take any action or to take action different from the action determined by the USTR. Requires the President to notify the Congress of such decision. Provides that if 90 days after the Congress receives notice of such decision no joint resolution is enacted disapproving it then such decision shall take effect. Reduces the amount of time the USTR may take to make a recommendation on a petition for enforcement of U.S. trade rights. Sets forth the actions the USTR may recommend to the President based on such petition. Directs the USTR to include in the annual report to the Congress on foreign barriers to market access an analysis and assessment of the overall reciprocity accorded U.S. products, services, and investment by each of the major trading partners of the United States and the impact on major U.S. product sectors of the failure to provide reciprocity. Requires specified congressional committees, within 90 days of receiving such report, after consultation with the USTR and conducting public hearings, to issue a joint report on: (1) the priorities for negotiations regarding reducing or eliminating trade barriers; and (2) the committees' recommendations on actions to enforce U.S. trade rights. Directs the Secretary of Labor to pay to private firms 80 percent of the cost of providing job training if the training is certified as trade readjustment training and if the trainees are not charged for the training. Extends the job training, job search, and job relocation allowance provisions of the trade adjustment assistance programs through October 1, 1987. Amends the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to set a one year deadline for the President to take action on the advice of the Secretary of Commerce on imports that are suspected of impairing national security. Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to reduce the time limit for decisions by the International Trade Commission on allegations of unfair practices in import trade from one year (18 months in more complicated cases) to eight months (ten months in more complicated cases). Declares that the USTR should expedite the issuance of notices requesting the negotiation of periodic adjustments to the bilateral limitations on shipments of textiles and apparel contained in the Multi-Fiber Arrangement. Directs the Commissioner of Customs to: (1) increase the number of inspectors, import specialists, and customs patrol officers in the Customs Service by at least 800; (2) implement the Automated Commercial System at all ports of entry; and (3) implement a program for detecting, investigating, and prosecuting patent and copyright infringement cases. Requires the Commissioner to report quarterly to specified congressional committees on the operation and effect of the patent and copyright infringement program. Imposes a penalty for multiple customs law offenders who import or attempt to import merchandise during the three years following the date of the third of the offenders' convictions. Title II: Protection of Patents and Transfer of Technology - Part A: Protection of Patents - Amends the patent laws to make it an infringement of patent to use, sell, or import into the United States without authority a product produced by a patented process. Places the burden of proof upon the party asserting that a product was not produced with the patented process in an infringement action where the court finds a substantial likelihood that the product was so produced and the claimant has exhausted all means of discovery. Part B: Transfer of Technology - Federal Laboratory Technology Utilization Act of 1985 - Authorizes Federal agencies to permit their laboratories to enter into cooperative research and development arrangements with other Federal, State, and local agencies, universities, industrial organizations, or other persons including licensees of inventions owned by the Federal agency or general partners of research and development limited partnerships. Permits such laboratories to exchange funds, services, and property with collaborators, grant such collaborators patent licenses or assignments, waive Federal ownership of inventions made by a collaborator, and negotiate licensing agreements for federally owned inventions. Sets forth a formula for the distribution of royalties or other income received by such laboratories from the licensing of cooperatively produced inventions to Federal agency employee inventors, the laboratories themselves, and the Treasury. Requires affected Federal agencies to report annually to the appropriate congressional committees on the income from and distribution of royalties. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to provide procedures, training, and advice to Federal laboratories on recognizing the commercial potential of new technologies and inventions. Requires the Secretary to report biannually to the President and the Congress on Federal agency participation in this program. Makes it the policy of the Government to encourage the commercialization of inventions by Federal or former Federal employees made by them during their Federal employment and exempts such efforts from otherwise applicable violations. Permits such an employee to retain title to an invention (subject to retention by the Government of a nonexclusive license) unless the agency intends to file a patent application itself in order to promote commercialization. Sets forth other permissible conditions on such an inventor's title. Part C: Protection of Proprietary Information - Exempts commercial and financial information that is proprietary or sensitive from the sunshine provisions applied to Federal agencies if the proprietor is notified of the request for release of the information and given 60 days to present arguments on why the information should be exempt. Title III: Export Promotion - Amends the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 to increase, from five percent to ten percent, the percentage of shares that: (1) a bank holding company may hold in an export trading company; and (2) an Edge Act corporation may hold in an export trading company from five to ten percent. Increases the amount of credit that a bank owning stock in a bank holding company with investments in an export trading company may extend to an export trading company. Amends the Export Trading Company Act of 1982 to direct the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank to try to insure that a "significant share" (currently a "major share") of any loan guarantees ultimately serves to promote exports from small, medium-size, and minority businesses or agricultural concerns. Requires the Board to report to the Congress on implementation of such requirement within one year of its effective date. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to develop a program consisting of mixed credit financing for exports to compensate for the effects of subsidized financing by U.S. trading partners. Declares that the Export-Import Bank should expand its promotion programs for small- and medium-sized banks. Amends the Federal Reserve Act to give Edge Act corporations the same discount and borrowing privileges as Federal Reserve banks. Repeals the limitation on bank investments in Edge Act corporations. Directs the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to require periodic reports from every corporation of the total amount of capital stocks and paid up surplus of the corporation, the name of any stockholder who holds more than ten percent of the shares of the stock of such corporation, and the share holdings of such stockholder. Directs the U.S. Executive Director of each of the multilateral development banks to promote procurement opportunities relating to the assistance provided by such banks in recipient countries for U.S. firms. Sets forth actions the Executive Directors should take with respect to such opportunities. Declares that the Secretary of Commerce should continue to assign one foreign commercial service officer to the office of the U.S. Executive Director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to assign such an officer on a part-time basis to each of the offices of the U.S. Executive Director of the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the African Development Bank. Requires the U.S. Ambassadors to those countries that are important trading partners of the United States to report annually to the President and to the Congress on their efforts to help U.S. industries in expanding export sales to, and improving their market positions in, such countries. Authorizes the seven Bell operating companies, effective September 1, 1986, to manufacture telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment in the United States if specified conditions are met. Title IV: Foreign Corrupt Practices - Business Accounting and Foreign Trade Simplification Act - Changes the name of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA) to the Business Practices and Records Act. Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require securities issuers to maintain an internal accounting system that provides reasonable assurance that specified accountability and accuracy goals are met. Prohibits imposing criminal liability for failing to maintain such an accounting system. Prohibits imposing civil injunctive relief with respect to: (1) an issuer who fails to maintain the required accounting system if the issuer tried in good faith to meet the requirements; or (2) any person other than an issuer in connection with an issuer's failure to comply with such requirements, unless such person knowingly caused the issuer to fail to comply. Prohibits anyone from knowingly circumventing such an accounting system for a purpose inconsistent with the accountability and accuracy goals of such system. Requires only good faith efforts at ensuring compliance by issuers who hold 50 percent or less of the equity of domestic or foreign firms. Transfers from the Securities and Exchange Commission to the Department of Justice jurisdiction to enforce the bribery prohibitions of the FCPA with respect to issuers. Revises the prohibition against domestic concerns using any means of interstate commerce to further payments to obtain business with a foreign official. States that such a payment made "directly or indirectly" to a foreign official is illegal. Prohibits such payments that are made to: (1) influence a foreign official's act or induce such an official to violate a legal duty; or (2) induce a foreign official to affect a foreign government's act. Prohibits domestic concerns from using interstate commerce to direct or authorize an agent to further such a payment to a foreign official. Exempts from such prohibitions: (1) payments to foreign officials to expedite or to secure the performance of routine governmental action; (2) payments to such officials that are lawful under the foreign country's laws; (3) payments which constitute tokens of regard or esteem; (4) expenditures associated with selling, purchasing, or demonstrating goods; or (5) ordinary expenditures associated with performing a contract with a foreign government. Revises the fines and criminal penalties for violations of such Act. Empowers the Attorney General to undertake all civil investigations necessary to enforce the Act. Prohibits prosecution of a domestic concern or specified agents of such concern for violating the Federal mail or wire fraud provisions by making a payment to a foreign official if the prosecution is based on the theory that the official, by receiving the payment, violated a duty to or defrauded the foreign government or the citizens of a foreign country. Authorizes the Attorney General to issue guidelines specifying: (1) permissible conduct associated with common types of export sales arrangements; and (2) precautionary procedures which would create a rebuttable presumption of compliance. Provides for the establishment of a Business Practices and Records Act Review Procedure to answer specific inquiries concerning enforcement of such Act. Requires the Attorney General to issue opinions regarding compliance. Makes such opinions final and binding on all parties if the opinion states that the conduct does not involve a violation. Directs the Attorney General to protect the confidentiality of materials submitted in the review procedure. Requires annual reports to the Congress by: (1) the Attorney General concerning actions taken pursuant to such Act; and (2) the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission concerning the reporting requirements. Title V: Related Tax Provisions - High Technology Research and Scientific Education Act of 1985 - Part A: The Credit for Increasing Research Activities - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax credit for research and development (R&D) expenditures. Modifies the definition of qualified research for purposes of the R&D credit to narrow the category of eligible activities for which the credit is allowable. Provides that in-house and contract research expenses paid or incurred by a regular corporation (not an S corporation, a personal holding company, or a service corporation) will constitute qualified research expenses for R&D credit purposes if the corporation undertakes the research with the intention to use the result thereof in the active conduct of a present or future trade or business. Provides that in the case of research being conducted in partnership form, research expenses will constitute qualified research expenses if they are incurred by the partnership in carrying on a trade or business as applied at the partnership level, and the credit is apportioned among the partners in accordance with general partnership rules. Provides exceptions to this general rule where: (1) there is a joint venture enterprise of regular corporations; or (2) not all of the members of the joint venture are regular corporations, but each member's own trade or business would satisfy the trade or business test with respect to the partnership's research expenditures. Provides that for these two exceptions the research expenses will flow through to the partners, with the trade or business test being applied at the partner level. Part B: Promotion of University Research and Scientific Investigation - Establishes a new income tax credit equal to 20 percent of that portion of a corporation's payments to universities (and other qualified non-profit tax-exempt organizations for basic research) which exceeds a fixed, historical "minimum university basic research" floor. Defines the "minimum university basic research" floor as one percent of the annual average of the corporate taxpayer's combined qualified in-house research expenses, contract research expenses, and university basic research payments for the base period composed of the period from 1981 through 1983. Provides that the amounts of research expenses which fall below the floor shall remain eligible for the present R&D credit and are included in the corporation's base period for purposes of calculating the present R&D credit. Treats the amounts which exceed the "minimum university basic research" floor as ineligible for the present R&D credit and excludes such amounts from the corporate taxpayer's base year research expenses for purposes of calculating the corporation's R&D credit under present law. Provides that a corporation's payments to universities for basic research that is eligible for the new tax credit shall be reduced to the extent that the corporation's general (i.e., not designated for research purposes) charitable giving to all universities falls below historical levels (the annual average of undesignated payments for three of the immediately preceding four years as selected by the taxpayer). Makes additions to the list of organizations to which corporate payments for basic research may be made and be eligible for the tax credit. Allows a corporation an income tax deduction for contributions of scientific or technical property to an institution of higher education. Defines scientific property to mean tangible personal property (including computer software) used in a trade or business, which is donated for the direct education of students or faculty, for research and experimentation, or for research training in the United States in mathematics, the physical, biological, or chemical sciences, engineering, or advanced computer sciences. Sets forth a formula for determining the amount of the allowable deduction for contributions of scientific property. Provides for an income tax exclusion for the scholarships, fellowship grants, student loan forgiveness, or stipends of a graduate student in mathematics, engineering, computer science, or the physical or biological sciences. Provides that such tax exclusion is not forfeited merely because the student is required, as a condition of the scholarship or fellowship, to perform future service in teaching or research.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 1985
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should raise with the Soviet Union, at the November 1985 summit in Geneva, Switzerland, the matter of Poland's suppression of speech and political activity, and that by so doing the President raises and defends the principles of human rights as embodied in the Helsinki Accords.
United States · United States Congress · 2 October 1985
Federal Science and Technology Revitalization Act of 1985 - Authorizes Federal agencies to establish alternative personnel management systems for scientific and technical employees in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Includes in each such system a Senior Scientific and Technical Personnel Service (comparable to the Senior Executive Service) for such employees who are specially qualified. Sets forth provisions for scientific and technical employees relating to employment authority, compensation, and retirement. Directs OPM to review and monitor agency alternative systems to ensure compliance with this Act and applicable regulations. Sets forth transition provisions for employees designated as subject to an alternative management system. Directs the Comptroller General to review and evaluate the systems established under this Act and report to the Congress and OPM within five years of its enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1985
Social Security Budget and Administrative Reorganization Act of 1985 - Title I: Establishment of the Social Security Administration - Amends title VII (Administration) of the Social Security Act to establish as an independent executive agency a Social Security Administration, headed by a Social Security Board. Provides that it shall be the duty of the Administration to administer the programs established by titles II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) and XVI (Supplemental Security Income) of the Social Security Act. Requires the Board to study and make recommendations as to the most effective methods of providing economic security through social insurance and as to legislation and matters of administrative policy. Establishes in the Administration: (1) a Commissioner of Social Security; (2) a Deputy Commissioner of Social Security; (3) a General Counsel; (4) an Inspector General; and (5) an Office of the Beneficiary Ombudsman, to be headed by a Beneficiary Ombudsman who shall represent the interests of beneficiaries under the Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance program and the Supplemental Security Income Program within the Administration. Requires the annual report of the Board to include a description of the activities of the Beneficiary Ombudsman. Requires the Board to make annual budgetary recommendations relating to the Administration. Requires that appropriations requests by the Administration for staffing and personnel be based upon a comprehensive workforce plan as established by the Board. Provides for the apportionment of administrative costs. Requires the annual report of the Board to include a section reflecting the use of budget authority provided to the Administration. Requires that authority for automated data processing procurement and facilities construction be provided in the form of contract authority covering the total cost of such acquisitions. Makes amounts needed for the liquidation of contract authority so provided available from the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund to the extent that such amounts are not needed to meet current obligations for benefit payments. Requires the Board and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to implement demonstration projects relating to personnel matters. Directs the Board and the Administrator of General Services to implement such projects relating to delegations from the Administrator. Specifies the authorities which are to be delegated to the Board from the Administrator and the Director. Requires the Comptroller General to report to specified congressional committees concerning such projects, including an evaluation of the Board's readiness to assume full and permanent authority. Requires the Board to cause a seal of office to be made and judicial notice taken thereof. Provides for the transfer to the Administration of all functions carried out by the Secretary of Health and Human Services with respect to the programs and activities to be carried out by the Administration under this Act. Abolishes the position of Commissioner of Social Security in the Department of Health and Human Services. Sets forth effective date and transitional rule provisions. Title II: Conforming Amendments and Rules of Construction - Requires the Secretary and the Board to report to Congress within 120 days after the beginning of each regular session on their administration under this Act. Requires the Secretary to study and make recommendations on the most effective methods of providing economic security and on the administrative policy for the programs which he or she administers. Directs the Board to appoint, quadrennially, an Advisory Council on the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program and an Advisory Council on Health and Supplementary Medical Insurance to review the relation of the trust funds supporting the Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance program and the Medicare program and the long-term commitments of those programs. Requires each council to submit a report to the Board for transmittal to the Congress and the Board of Trustees of each Trust Fund. Sets forth the effective dates of this title. Title III: Budgetary Treatment of Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program - Provides for off-budget treatment of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund beginning with FY 1987.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 1985
Establishes the National Commission on POWs and MIAs to investigate and make recommendations concerning the status of members of the armed forces who are officially recorded as being prisoners of war or missing in action. Directs the Commission to report annually to the President and to the Congress its findings, conclusions, and recommendations with respect to the status of those listed as prisoners of war or missing in action. Continues such Commission until terminated by an Act of Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 1985
Bicentennial of the Constitution Coins and Medals Act - Title I: Bicentennial of the United States Constitution Commemorative Coins - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to issue a specified number of five dollar gold coins and one dollar silver coins emblematic of the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution. Sets forth certain features of such coins and provides for their sale and issuance. Terminates the minting of such coins after December 31, 1987. Requires the Secretary to deposit in the Treasury all surcharges received from sale of such coins, to be used to reduce the national debt. Title II: Bicentennial of the United States Constitution Commemorative Medals - Directs the Secretary to strike and deliver to the Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution a specified number of gold, silver, and bronze medals commemorating the Bicentennial. Authorizes the Commission to dispose of such medals at a premium. Terminates the striking of such medals after December 31, 1987.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 1985
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the provisions which provide that a regulated investment company does not qualify for conduit treatment (no taxation at the corporate level) if 30 percent or more of its gross income is derived from the sale (or other disposition) of stock or securities held for less than three months. Expands the definition of permitted income of regulated investment companies to provide that "securities" has the same meaning as it does under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Provides that foreign currency gains are included in the definition of qualifying income as well as other income with respect to a regulated investment company's business of investing in stocks, securities, or income from gains from options or futures contracts. Provides that each separate portfolio in a series fund will be treated as a separate corporation for purpose of eligibility for conduit treatment of a regulated investment company. Extends to 60 days the period for mailing various notices to shareholders of regulated investment companies. Expands the definition of "third-party recordkeepers" to include regulated investment companies with respect to certain protections in connection with summonses that are served for obtaining records.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 1985
Narcotics Control Trade Act - Directs the President to designate a country an uncooperative drug source nation if during any fiscal year beginning after September 30, 1985, such country: (1) was a source of any illicit narcotic and psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances that is significantly affecting the United States; and (2) did not cooperate with the United States in preventing such drugs and substances from affecting the United States by taking specified actions. Directs the President to report to the Congress the name of each such country. Denies the products of each such country most-favored-nation treatment until the President notifies the Congress that such country has made significant progress and will continue to make progress in remedying those policies on which an uncooperative drug source nation designation was based.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 1985
Covert Agent Disclosure Federal Pension Forfeiture Act - Requires the forfeiture of Federal employee retirement benefits upon conviction of the felony of the unauthorized disclosure of the identity of a covert agent.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 1985
Establishes the Disability Advisory Council (the Council), whose members shall be appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to conduct studies and make recommendations regarding the medical and vocational aspects of disability under titles II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) and XVI (Supplemental Security Income) of the Social Security Act. Provides that in addition to the above duties of the Council, the Secretary shall appoint a special panel to conduct studies with respect to the so-called "notch problem" for determining primary insurance amounts under title II of the Act. Requires the special panel to report its findings and recommendations to the Council. Requires the Council to report to the Secretary, and such report to be sent to the Congress and to the Board of Trustees of the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund. Terminates the Council following submission of its report.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 1985
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that expenditures for the construction, reconstruction, or relocation of new railroad grading and tunnel bores in designated Federal disaster areas shall be treated as five-year property for purposes of the deductions under the accelerated cost recovery system and eligible for the general business tax credit. Provides that amounts received from business interruption insurance used to construct replacement track and for related tunnel bore and grading expenditures will be treated as amounts realized from the involuntary conversion of property to which no gain or loss is recognized.
United States · United States Congress · 10 September 1985
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that the tax treatment of loans with below market interest rates (i.e. the imputed interest rules) shall not apply to any obligation issued by the State of Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 1985
Home Equity Conversions Act of 1985 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit the owner of a residence who has attained the age of 55 to enter into a sale-leaseback transaction with a prospective purchaser of the residence and retain occupancy rights to the residence under a lease requiring a fair rental. Requires the owner of the residence to have owned and used the residence as a principal residence for three of the five years immediately preceding the sale. Allows the purchaser of such residence an income tax deduction for depreciation of the residence. Permits an owner of a residence who sells such residence under a sale-leaseback arrangement to claim the one-time exclusion from income of gain from the sale of a principal residence by an individual aged 55 or older. Excludes from the gross income of such owner the value of any occupancy rights or fair market price discount attributable to retained occupancy rights received in a sale-leaseback transaction. Permits the use of the installment sales method of accounting in reporting gain from the sale of a residence under a sale-leaseback agreement. Provides a special rule for the treatment of an annuity purchased for the owner-occupant under a sale-leaseback transaction. Establishes a legal presumption that a sale-leaseback transaction for the sale of a residence under this Act is an activity engaged in for profit for purposes of the deductibility of certain related business expenses. Exempts the purchaser of a residence under a sale-leaseback agreement from rules disallowing income tax deductions for personal use of a residence. Permits the purchaser in a sale-leaseback transaction of a principal residence to use the accelerated cost recovery system of depreciation.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 1985
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the President should inform Japan that the cost of the U.S. defense commitment to Japan and the unfair trade practices of Japan threaten the U.S. economy. Provides that in order for Japan to retain access to U.S. markets it should assume a fair share of the cost of its defense and allow free and fair access to its markets.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 1985
Elderly Crime Prevention and Victim Assistance Act of 1985 - Establishes in the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice the National Resource Office Relating to Crimes Against Older Individuals. Provides for the appointment of an administrator from the employees of the Department of Justice to head such office. Requires the administrator to coordinate activities of the Department of Justice relating to training of law enforcement officers, financial assistance for older victims, compilation of statistical information, and research with regard to crimes committed against the elderly. Requires the administrator to: (1) establish a liaison with all Federal departments and agencies involved with programs for older persons who are or may become victims of crimes; (2) disseminate information regarding such programs and assistance; and (3) provide technical assistance to reduce or prevent the committing of crime against older individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 1985
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the United States should reaffirm its commitment to the principles expressed in section seven of the Helsinki Accords; and (2) the President should urge Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to reaffirm the Soviet Union's commitment to such principles.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 1985
Expresses the Congress' concern about Doctor Yury Orlov and calls upon the Soviet Union to release him from exile and allow him and his wife to emigrate. Urges the President to instruct the Secretary of State to raise this issue with the Soviet Union and at specified forums.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 1985
Disapproves the President's recommendation to extend the President's authority to waive the freedom of emigration requirements under the Trade Act of 1974 in order to extend the most-favored nation status of Romania.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 1985
Children's Justice Act - Amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make additional grants to States for developing, operating, or implementing programs for: (1) handling child abuse cases in a manner to reduce trauma to the child (especially in sexual abuse cases); (2) successful prosecution or legal action against child abusers; and (3) protection of children from abuse. Makes a State eligible for such assistance if it establishes a multidisciplinary task force and adopts reforms recommended by such task force. Requires the task force to be comprised of professionals experienced in the criminal justice system. Requires a State to adopt reforms recommended by the task force in each of the three stipulated categories or submit a detailed explanation of the reasons for not carrying out such recommendations. Requires the Secretary, through the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, to: (1) compile, publish, and disseminate evaluations of the approaches utilized with respect to the investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases; (2) develop and disseminate model training materials and procedures to help insure that law enforcement, legal, judicial, and child welfare personnel are adequately trained to deal with child abuse victims; and (3) provide for support of research projects to assist in identifying effective approaches to achieving successful investigation and prosecution of child sexual abuse cases. Directs the Secretary, within two years, to review and evaluate the effectiveness of the activities carried out with the funds made available under this Act and report the results to the Congress. Requires the evaluation to be made available to State officials within 180 days after enactment of this Act. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Attorney General, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Education, and any other agency or department head designated by the President, to meet regularly to coordinate and prevent the overlap of programs that address child abuse. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report to the Congress on the coordination of Federal programs. Requires the Attorney General to modify the classification system used by the National Crime Information Center in its Interstate Identification Index, and by the Identification Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in its Criminal File and its Uniform Crime Reporting System, with respect to offenses involving the sexual exploitation of children. Amends the Public Health Service Act with regard to the confidentiality of patient records to provide that nothing in such section shall supersede any State or local requirement for the reporting of incidents of suspected child abuse to authorities.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 1985
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the: (1) local field office structure of the Social Security Administration should be maintained, strengthened, and fully staffed; and (2) proper amount of administrative costs of such offices should approximate 1.5 percent of the costs of the social security benefit programs serviced by such offices.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 1985
Recognizes the efforts of the members of the Airborne Divisions of the U.S. Army who served during World War II. Urges the Postmaster General to issue commemorative stamps honoring those Divisions, and to determine the appropriate denomination, design, and period of issuance of the stamps.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 1985
Amends the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to prohibit the purchase, lease, or acquisition of control in any manner of a substantial portion of an air carrier by the following persons: (1) any air carrier which is a debtor; (2) any person who is a debtor and controls an air carrier; (3) any person controlling an air carrier which is a debtor; or (4) any person who is a debtor and is substantially engaged in the business of aeronautics.
![Official portrait of Rep. McGrath, Raymond J. [R-NY-5]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/m000458_200.jpg)