United States · United States Congress · 30 October 1995
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) in the negotiation of any peace agreement between the parties to the conflict in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, there should not be a presumption, and it should not be considered to be a prerequisite to the successful conclusion of such a negotiation, that enforcement of such agreement will involve deployment of U.S. armed forces on the ground in the territory of the Republic; and (2) no U.S. armed forces should be deployed on the ground in such territory to enforce a peace agreement until the Congress has approved the deployment.
United States · United States Congress · 19 October 1995
Amends Federal employment provisions to provide veterans' hiring preference status to members of the armed forces who served on active duty in connection with Operations Desert Shield or Desert Storm, whether or not such service took place in the Persian Gulf theater of operations.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 1995
Open Campus Police Logs Act of 1995 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to require any higher education institution which participates in any student aid program under HEA title IV, and which maintains a police or security department, to keep a daily log of specified information about crimes which is open to public inspection.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 1995
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Definitions; General Provisions Title II: Certification of Health Plans Title III: Enforcement Family Health Care Fairness Act of 1995 - Title I: Definitions; General Provisions - Defines terms for purposes of this Act. Mandates a process under which a health plan may apply to be certified under this Act. Provides for certification review, termination, and nonrenewal. Conditions certification on meeting the requirements of this Act. Title II: Certification of Health Plans - Sets forth requirements plans must meet for certification, including regarding: (1) access to care (including emergency and urgent care and specialized services); (2) choice of health professionals, a point-of-service option, and continuity of care; (3) nondiscrimination against individuals or providers on the basis of race and other factors, including the individual's (or the providers' patients') health status and anticipated need for services; (4) mechanisms used in development of plan policies; (5) certain procedures relating to utilization review and appeals processes; (6) certain due process rights for providers; (7) marketing materials and information provided by plans to enrollees and prospective enrollees; (8) confidentiality; (9) plan financial reserves and solvency; and (10) a quality assurance program and case review. (Sec. 210) Mandates a study and report to the Congress on the feasibility and desirability of voluntary health plan participation in a system that: (1) uses a risk adjustment mechanism for enhanced premium payments to plans serving high risk or underserved populations; and (2) requires part of such premiums to be passed through to providers serving such populations. Title III: Enforcement - Mandates regulations to enforce this Act. (Sec. 302) Prohibits plans from inappropriately limiting or denying care through any utilization review or cost containment technique. Allows any individual alleging injury caused by a clinically or medically inappropriate decision resulting from the design or application of utilization review or cost containment to commence a civil action against the plan in State or Federal court. Prohibits plans from requiring any provider to indemnify the plan for recovery in such an action. Prohibits States from limiting plan liability under such an action.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 1995
Career Awareness Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to develop an age specific program for students from kindergarten through 12th grade regarding career opportunities and skills necessary for careers. Requires coordination with other Federal agencies and local educational agencies to make such program available on publicly accessible networks and other electronic media. Requires regular program updating and dissemination of current career information.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 1995
Regulatory Compliance Assistance Act - Amends Federal law to authorize each executive department and agency head, upon request, to issue rulings to any individual or entity respecting the application to such individual or entity of the laws under departmental or agency jurisdiction.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 1995
Capital Gains Exclusion Expansion Act of 1995 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a 100 percent exclusion of the gain from the sale or exchange of certain small business stock held for more than ten years.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 1995
Capital Expenditure Expansion Act of 1995 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to disregard up to $15 million of capital expenditures in applying the provisions permitting a $10 million limit on qualified small issue bonds.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 1995
S Corporation Investment Act of 1995 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit small business corporations to have not more than 40 (currently, not more than 35) shareholders, treating members of a family (currently, a husband and wife) as one shareholder. Terminates a small business corporation's election to be an S corporation when passive investment income exceeds 40 (currently, 25) percent of gross receipts for three consecutive years and other requirements are met. Imposes a tax when an S corporation has C earnings and profits and has gross receipts more than 40 (currently, 25) percent of which are passive investment income. Allows S corporations to elect to deduct payments to a reinvestment reserve.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 1995
Minority Business Development Act of 1995 - Amends the Small Business Act to provide that the Small Business Administration shall not prohibit the owner of a small business concern from qualifying as an economically disadvantaged individual for purposes of receiving contract awards solely on the basis of personal net worth unless such net worth exceeds $350,000.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 1995
Investment Tax Credit Act of 1995 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reinstate the ten-percent investment tax credit for property used as an integral part of manufacturing, production, or extraction or of furnishing transportation, communications, electrical energy, gas, water, and sewage disposal services.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 1995
Pollution Control Equipment Investment Act of 1995 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit the issuance of tax-exempt bonds for air or water pollution control facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 1995
Job Training Tax Credit Act of 1995 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a general business tax credit for 20 percent of expenses incurred by reason of the participation of an employee in any job training program funded in whole or in part with Federal funds.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 1995
Amends the White House Conference on Small Business Authorization Act to require the final report of the National White House Conference on Small Business to be published in the Federal Register and distributed through the regional offices of the Small Business Administration.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 1995
Requires that any markup in the committees or subcommittees of the House of Representatives of any legislation changing existing law concerning Medicare or Medicaid pursuant to the reconciliation instructions of the concurrent resolution on the budget for FY 1996 be preceded by a minimum of four weeks for public disclosure of and public hearings on the legislative text of such changes. Prohibits such legislation from being considered in the House until such requirements have been met. Expresses the sense of the House that the Senate should adopt a similar schedule for public disclosure and hearings on the legislative text of any such changes.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 1995
Prohibits a Member of Congress from receiving basic pay for any period in which: (1) there is a lapse in appropriations for any Federal agency or department as a result of a failure to enact a regular appropriations bill or continuing resolution; or (2) the Government is unable to make payments or meet obligations because the public debt limit has been reached. Provides that no pay forfeited in accordance with this Act may be paid retroactively.
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 1995
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 - Requires registration with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives (appropriate congressional officials) by any individual lobbyist (or the individual's employer if it employs one or more lobbyists) within 45 days after the individual first makes, or is employed or retained to make, a lobbying contact with either the President, the Vice President, a Member of Congress, or any other specified Federal officer or employee, including certain high-ranking members of the uniformed services. Defines a lobbyist as any individual employed or retained by a client for financial or other compensation for services that include more than one lobbying contact (but not an individual whose lobbying activities constitute less than 20 percent of the time engaged in the services provided to that client over a six-month period). (Sec. 4) Provides for: (1) special registration filing rules in cases involving multiple clients and contacts; and (2) registration termination in cases where a registrant is no longer employed or retained by a client to conduct lobbying activities and does not anticipate any additional lobbying activities for such client. Specifies the contents of such registration. Provides for exemptions from registration requirements above in cases involving lobbying income of $5,000 or less (for a particular client) or total expenses of $20,000 or less (in the case of an organization whose employees engage in lobbying activities on the organization's behalf) (adjusted periodically for inflation) for the semiannual period. (Sec. 5) Requires registrants to file semiannual lobbying activity reports with the appropriate congressional officials. Specifies the contents of such reports. (Sec. 6) Specifies various duties of the appropriate congressional officials for carrying out this Act, including reviewing registrations and reports filed under it, and making copies of them available to the public. (Sec. 7) Sets forth penalties for violations involving the requirements of this Act. (Sec. 9) Amends the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 to: (1) replace references to political propaganda with references to informational materials; and (2) add to the exemption from registration requirements under such Act for certain lawyers providing legal representation to disclosed foreign principals to apply it to such representative actions as judicial proceedings and criminal or civil law enforcement inquiries, investigations, or proceedings. Exempts from the requirements of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 any agent of a foreign government, foreign political party, or other foreign entity not organized for business that registers under this Act. (Sec. 10) Revises (Byrd Amendment) limitations on use of appropriated funds to influence certain Federal contracting and financial transactions, removing obsolete reporting requirements, among other changes. (Sec. 11) Repeals the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act. Repeals provisions of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act and the Housing Act of 1949 relating to lobbyist activities. (Sec. 14) Sets forth special rules for the identification of: (1) foreign and other clients on whose behalf lobbying contacts are made with a covered legislative or executive branch official; and (2) such covered officials. (Sec. 15) Permits tax-exempt charitable organizations required to report lobbying expenses by the Internal Revenue Code to report, under this Act, only good faith estimates of such expenses in order to meet specified reporting (including exemption from such reporting) requirements of this Act. (Sec. 16) Amends provisions of Federal law known as the Ramspeck Act to repeal authority extending competitive status to certain legislative and judicial branch employees involuntarily separated without prejudice from their respective branch, entitling them to transfer to the competitive service in the executive branch. (Sec. 17) Requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to promulgate regulations on the manner and extent that experience in a position other than a competitive one may be considered in making appointments to a competitive position. Prohibits the grant, in such regulations, of any preference based on the fact of service in the legislative or judicial branch. Directs OPM to study excepted service considerations for competitive service appointments relating to this Act. (Sec. 18) Makes certain civic leagues or organizations not organized for profit but operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare, and certain local associations of employees whose net earnings are devoted exclusively to charitable, educational, or recreational purposes, ineligible for Federal funds in any form if they engage in lobbying activities. (Sec. 19) Amends the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 to require the Attorney General to report to Congress semiannually on administrative matters (currently "from time to time") including registration filings. (Sec. 20) Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to: (1) augment the dollar value categories for required disclosure of income, assets, and liabilities of subject individuals, but limiting disclosure requirements for their spouses and dependent children to income, assets, and liabilities held jointly with the subject individual, and leaving unspecified any such amounts or values exceeding $1 million; and (2) require the financial disclosure reports of subject individuals to include the category of the total cash value of any interest of the reporting individual in a qualified blind trust, except under certain circumstances. (Sec. 21) Amends the Federal criminal code to apply to the Deputy United States Trade Representative (Deputy USTR) the same three-year prohibition against representing, aiding, or advising a foreign entity after leaving Government service as applies to the United States Trade Representative (USTR). Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to prohibit any person who has directly represented, aided, or advised a foreign entity in any trade negotiation, or trade dispute, with the United States from being appointed as USTR or Deputy USTR. (Sec. 23) Expresses the sense of the Senate that lobbying expenses should not be tax deductible.
United States · United States Congress · 6 September 1995
Amends rule XLIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit a House Member, officer, or employee from knowingly accepting a gift except as provided in this Act. Allows such individual to accept a gift (other than cash or cash equivalent) which he or she reasonably and in good faith believes to have a value of less than $50 and a cumulative value from one source during a calendar year of less than $100. Provides that no gift with a value below ten dollars shall count towards the $100 annual limit. Considers a gift to a family member to be a gift to such individual if given with his or her knowledge and acquiescence and if there is reason to believe that the gift was given because of such individual's official position. Treats only the food and refreshment that are provided to such individual as a gift if they are also provided at the same time and place to such individual's spouse or dependent. Includes among exempted items: (1) contributions lawfully made under the Federal Election Campaign Act or attendance at a fund raising event sponsored by a political organization; (2) anything provided on the basis of a personal friendship unless such individual has reason to believe that the gift was provided because of his or her official position; (3) otherwise lawful contributions to such individual's legal expense fund; (4) food, refreshments, lodging, and other benefits which result from the outside business or employment activities of such individual or spouse if such benefits have not been offered or enhanced because of such individual's official position, which are customarily provided by a prospective employer in connection with bona fide employment discussions, or which are provided by a political organization in connection with a fund raising or campaign event; (5) training that is the House's interest; (6) a gift of personal hospitality of an individual other than a registered lobbyist or agent of a foreign principal; and (7) certain other opportunities and benefits provided to the public or to Government employees generally. Establishes conditions under which such individual may accept an offer of free attendance at a convention, dinner, or similar event. Prohibits the acceptance of a gift exceeding $250 on the basis of the personal friendship exception unless the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct issues a written determination that such exception applies. Provides that certain reimbursements to such individual for travel expenses to an event in connection with official duties shall not be considered to be gifts if advance authorization is received and the reimbursements and authorization are disclosed within a specified time period. Declares that activities that are substantially recreational in nature shall not be considered to be in connection with official duties. Includes as prohibited gifts to such individual from a registered lobbyist or an agent of a foreign principal: (1) anything provided to an entity that is maintained or controlled by such individual; (2) a charitable contribution made on the basis of such individual's specification, with the exception of a mass mailing or other solicitation directed to a broad category of persons or entities; (3) a contribution or other payment to such individual's legal expense fund; and (4) a financial contribution or expenditure made relating to a conference or similar event sponsored by, or affiliated with, an official congressional organization for, or on behalf of, such individuals. Provides that a charitable contribution made by a registered lobbyist or agent in lieu of an honorarium to such individual shall not be considered a gift under this Act if such individual reports to the Clerk of the House the name and address of the registered lobbyist, the date and amount of the contribution, and the name and address of the designated or recommended charitable organization. Declares that such rules shall be interpreted and enforced solely by the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 1995
Extends through December 31, 1998, the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide hospital care and medical services to Persian Gulf veterans exposed to toxic substances or environmental hazards during such service, as long as symptoms become manifest before January 1, 1997. Extends through December 31, 1997: (1) the authority to contract with community-based treatment facilities for the care of eligible veterans suffering from alcohol or drug dependence or abuse disabilities; (2) the authority of a pilot program for furnishing veterans with noninstitutional alternatives to nursing home care (requires a report); (3) the Department's health professionals scholarship program (requires a report); (4) the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into enhanced-use leases of Department real property (requires a report); (5) the authority under the Veterans' Benefits and Services Act of 1988 for a pilot program providing community-based residential care for homeless chronically mentally ill veterans; (6) the Department's compensated work therapy and therapeutic transitional housing program; and (7) the authority under the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 for a pilot program to expand and improve Department benefits and services to homeless veterans. Extends through FY 1997 the authorization of appropriations for such pilot program. Directs the Secretary to report to the Congress on the advantages and disadvantages of consolidating specified veterans' programs. Repeals the authority of the Secretary to make contracts and grants for providing care and treatment for veterans at the Department's Veterans Memorial Medical Center in the Philippines.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 1995
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the Speaker of the House should move to appoint conferees on S. 4 (granting the President legislative line item veto rescission authority) immediately so that the House and Senate may resolve their differences on this important legislation; and (2) no conference report on any appropriation bill or the reconciliation bill required by H. Con. Res. 67 (congressional budget for FY 1996 through 2002) should be considered by the House unless such conference report makes the provisions of S. 4, as passed by the House, applicable to that bill, or Congress has considered the conference report on S. 4.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 1995
Lobbying Disclosure Reform Act of 1995 - Requires registration with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) by any individual lobbyist (or the individual's employer, if it employs one or more lobbyists) within 30 days after the individual first makes, or is employed or retained to make, a lobbying contact with either the President, the Vice President, a Member of Congress, or any other specified Federal officer or employee. Defines a lobbyist as any individual employed or retained by a client for financial or other compensation for services that include one or more lobbying contacts (but not an individual whose lobbying activities constitute less than ten percent of the time engaged in the services provided to that client). Provides for: (1) special registration filing rules in cases involving multiple clients and contacts; and (2) registration termination in cases where a registrant is no longer employed or retained by a client to conduct lobbying activities, and does not anticipate any additional lobbying activities for such client. Specifies the contents of such registration and reports. Requires registrants to file semiannual lobbying activity reports with the Commission. Provides for exemptions from such registration and reporting requirements in cases involving lobbying income of $2,500 or less (for a particular client), total income in connection with lobbying activities in a six month period of $5,000 or less, or total expenses of $5,000 or less (for all lobbying activities) (adjusted periodically for inflation) for the semiannual period. Specifies various duties of the FEC Chairman for carrying out this Act, including reviewing registrations and reports filed under this Act, and making copies of them available to the public for a fee. Establishes procedures for: (1) determining and resolving alleged violations of this Act; and (2) judicial review of such determinations. Authorizes appropriations. Sets forth special rules for the identification of: (1) foreign and other clients on whose behalf lobbying contacts are made with a covered legislative or executive branch official; and (2) such covered officials. Permits tax-exempt charitable organizations required to report lobbying expenses by the Internal Revenue Code to report, under this Act, only good faith estimates of such expenses in order to meet specified criteria for exemption from the reporting requirements of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 1995
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Independent Commission on Medicare Title II: Controlling Outlays Under Medicare Program Commission to Save Medicare Act of 1995 - Title I: Independent Commission on Medicare - Establishes the Independent Commission on Medicare to: (1) report to the Congress and the President during December of each year on certain aspects of the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act involving projected outlays and benefits; and (2) report to the Congress during July of each year specific recommendations on certain changes to ensure that total program outlays for the fiscal year involved do not exceed specified limits. Precludes such recommendations from including changes relating to the payment of payroll taxes for financing the program. Provides procedures for expedited congressional consideration of recommendations. Title II: Controlling Outlays Under Medicare Program - Provides that Congress, not later than April 15 of each year, shall, in the concurrent resolution on the budget for the following fiscal year, establish a limit on total outlays to be made under the Medicare program for the fiscal year involved. Provides for the enforcement of such limits through sequestration under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act).
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 1995
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to reduce permitted contribution amounts to Federal candidates by multicandidate political committees. (Sec. 2) Prohibits a House of Representatives candidate from accepting contributions from a multicandidate political committee in excess of 50 percent of all contributions accepted by such candidate during a reporting period. (Sec. 3) Limits contributions which a House of Representatives candidate may accept from other than in-State residents. (Sec. 4) Removes contribution limitations for congressional candidates whose opponents intend to spend or spend $100,000 or more from personal sources. (Sec. 5) Prohibits leadership committees. (Sec. 6) Revises contribution through intermediary provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 1995
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide hospital care and outpatient or ambulatory care, and authorizes the Secretary to provide nursing home care, to veterans who received nasopharyngeal irradiation treatments while serving in the active military, naval, or air service, regardless of the veteran's disability. Authorizes such treatment through December 31, 1998.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 1995
Permits the American Iron and Steel Institute to sponsor a free public event on the Capitol grounds on September 1, 1995, to demonstrate the use of steel building materials in the construction of residential homes.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1995
Reduces the size of the House of Representatives to 295 Members. Utilizes the method of equal proportions for apportionment. Ensures that each State receive at least one Member.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1995
Amends rule XV of the Rules of the House of Representatives to reduce from 15 minutes to two minutes the time within which a Member of the House must respond to a roll call or quorum call in order to have his or her vote or presence recorded by electronic device. Amends rule XI to prohibit House committees from sitting while the House is in session. Authorizes any House committee or subcommittee thereof to sit and act and to hold hearings at such times and places within the United States only whenever the House is not in session.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1995
Amends rules I and XXIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives to require the approval of two-thirds of the Members of the House for the Speaker to name a Member to perform the duties of the Chair: (1) for up to three legislative days; (2) for up to ten days in the case of his illness; or (3) to preside over the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 1995
Parental Choice in Television Act of 1995 - Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prescribe rules that: (1) on the basis of recommendations from an advisory committee, identify and rate video programming that contains sexual, violent, or other material about which parents should be informed; and (2) require distributors of video programming to transmit signals that contain the rating of the program being distributed and permit parents to block the display of the video programming. Voids such requirement if program distributors, within one year, have established voluntary rules to the same effect. Directs the FCC to require televisions with a picture screen 13 inches or greater which are manufactured or imported for use in the United States to be equipped with circuitry designed to enable viewers to block the display of channels, time slots, and programs, as well as allow viewers to block displays of all programs with a common rating. Prohibits the shipment in interstate commerce, the manufacture, the assembly, or the importation from any foreign country into the United States of any such televisions except in accordance with FCC rules. Exempts those carriers who are not trading the televisions. Directs the FCC to prescribe rules providing for FCC oversight of the blocking standards adopted by the industry and requiring that every television with a picture screen 13 inches or greater will be able to receive ratings signals that conform to the signal and blocking specifications established by industry.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 1995
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the U.S. Government should pursue policies that: (1) encourage all residents of this country to become fully proficient in English by expanding educational opportunities; (2) conserve and develop the Nation's linguistic resources by encouraging all residents to learn or maintain skills in a language other than English; (3) assist Native Americans, Native Alaskans, Native Hawaiians, and other peoples indigenous to the United States in their efforts to prevent the extinction of their languages and cultures; (4) continue to provide services in languages other than English as needed to facilitate access to essential functions of government, promote public health and safety, ensure due process, promote equal educational opportunity, and protect fundamental rights; and (5) recognize the importance of multilingualism to vital national interests and individual rights, and oppose "English-only" measures and similar language restrictionist measures.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 1995
Professional Baseball Antitrust Reform Act of 1995 or the "Giles Act"- Amends the Clayton Act to apply the antitrust laws to any agreement or restraint imposed by professional baseball, major or minor league owners, or their agents or employees on the location of any minor league team or franchise.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 1995
Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993 to authorize the display of the POW-MIA flag on the grounds of each Department of Veterans Affairs medical center. Directs the Administrator of General Services to procure and distribute POW-MIA flags to the medical centers within 30 days of this Act's enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 1995
Dairy, Nutrition, and Conservation Act of 1995 - Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949 to require: (1) a producer referendum regarding implementation of the alternative milk price support and inventory management program established by this Act; and (2) election of a National Milk Marketing Board if such program is approved. (Sec. 4) Establishes an alternative milk price support and inventory management program. Provides for: (1) price support production cost adjustments; (2) a production-consumption based marketing allocation factor; (3) marketing histories; (4) production and nutrition base determinations; (5) dairy nutrition assistance price reductions; and (6) export of excess production (with permitted direct exporting contracts). (Sec. 5) Directs the Board to monitor and report on the relationship between producer-received price and nutrition assistance program needs. (Sec. 6) Provides assistance for milk producer environmental compliance activities.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 1995
Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 1995 - Prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation by covered entities, including an employing authority to which specified provisions of the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991 or the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 apply. Declares that: (1) this Act does not apply to the provision of employee benefits for the benefit of an employee's partner; and (2) a disparate impact does not establish a prima facie violation of this Act. Prohibits quotas and preferential treatment. Declares that this Act does not apply to: (1) religious organizations (except in their for-profit activities); (2) the armed forces; or (3) laws creating special rights or preferences for veterans. Provides for enforcement. Disallows State immunity. Makes the United States liable for all remedies (except punitive damages) to the same extent as a private person. Allows recovery of attorney's fees. Prohibits retaliation and coercion. Requires posting notices for employees and applicants.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 1995
Equitable Health Care for Neurobiological Disorders Act of 1995 - States that the standards for the nondiscriminatory and equitable treatment by employer health benefit plans of individuals with neurobiological disorders require that such plans provide for coverage of services essential to the effective treatment of such disorders in a specified manner. Sets forth the criteria under which an employer plan may meet such standards. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a tax of up to 25 percent of the amounts received by the carrier or under the plan for coverage if a carrier or an employer health benefit plan fails to comply with the standards relating to the nondiscriminatory treatment of neurobiological disorders under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 1995
Black Revolutionary War Patriots Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue one-dollar silver coins emblematic of the Black Revolutionary War Patriots Memorial in Washington, D.C. Directs that coin sale surcharges be paid to the Black Revolutionary War Patriots Foundation for raising an endowment to support construction of the Memorial.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 1995
Franked Mail Savings Act - Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1991 to establish an Official Mass Mailing Allowance for Members of the House of Representatives. Requires the Official Mass Mailing Allowance to be: (1) available only for postage for any mass mailing sent by a Member as franked mail; (2) the sole source of funding for any such postage; and (3) available in a session of Congress in an amount that does not exceed the total amount allocated to the Official Mail Allowance of a Member in such session. Treats the Official Mass Mailing Allowance and mass mailings separately from the Official Mail Allowance. Continues the applicability of current provisions of law relating to mass mailings sent by a Member or Member-elect. Prohibits a mass mailing from being sent if it would be postmarked during any session that begins in an even-numbered calendar year, except mail matter sent after election day, mailed by a chairperson of a congressional committee, or which relates to an emergency or disaster declared by the President. Sets forth requirements for the submission of samples of mass mailings to the House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards. Revises the formula for determining the Official Mail Allowance (thereby reducing the maximum allocation allowed). Prohibits the transfer of any amount (except for amounts from the Official Mass Mailing Allowance) to or from the Official Mail Allowance of a Member. (Currently, transfers up to a specified amount are allowed from the Official Expenses and Clerk Hire Allowances.)
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 1995
Patent Application Publication Act of 1995 - Requires each patent application, except applications for design patents and provisional applications, to be published as soon as possible after 18 months from the earliest filing date for which a benefit is sought, except for an application that is no longer pending or one subject to a secrecy order. Permits earlier publication at the applicant's request. Prohibits disclosure of information concerning published applications except as determined by the Commissioner of Patents. Prohibits, upon request by certain independent inventors, the publication of rejected applications, with specified exceptions, until three months after the Commissioner notifies the applicant. Requires the applicant to certify that no application was or will be filed for the invention in a foreign country. Entitles a patent application to claim the benefit of an earlier filing date in a foreign country if a claim therefor and a certified copy of the original foreign application, specification, and drawings upon which it is based are filed in the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) at any such time during the pendency of the application as is required by the Commissioner. Allows the Commissioner to consider the failure of the applicant to file a timely claim for priority as a waiver of any such claim. Authorizes the Commissioner to determine the time period within which an amendment containing the specific reference to an earlier filed application shall be submitted. Specifies that a patent shall include the right to obtain a reasonable royalty from any person who, during the period from publication of the application until issue of the patent: (1) makes, uses, or sells in the United States the invention as claimed in the published application or imports such an invention into the United States, or if the invention as claimed in the published application is a process, uses or sells in or imports into the United States products made by that process as claimed in such application; and (2) had actual notice or knowledge of the published patent application. Makes the right to obtain a reasonable royalty unavailable unless the invention claimed in the patent is identical to that claimed in the published application. Specifies the commencement date of the period for obtaining a royalty based upon the international publication of an international application designating the United States. Revises Federal patent law to provide that a person shall not be entitled to a patent if the invention was described in a published patent application by another filed in the United States, or in a published international application, before the invention thereof by the applicant. Directs the Commissioner to recover the cost of early publication by adjusting the filing, issue, and maintenance fees by charging a separate publication fee, or by any combination of such fees. Provides for the extension of the term of a patent the issue which is delayed due to an unusual administrative delay by the PTO. Limits the total duration of all extensions to ten years. Reduces the extension period equal to the time during the processing or examination of the application leading to the patent in which the applicant failed to engage in reasonable efforts (current law provides a reduction for lack of due diligence) to conclude processing or examination of the application. Prohibits the extension of a patent the term of which has been disclaimed beyond the expiration date of the disclaimer.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 1995
Sets forth the rule for the consideration H.R. 1535 (revising tax rules on expatriation and to modify the basis rules for nonresident aliens becoming citizens or residents).
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1995
James Madison Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to issue commemorative one-dollar silver coins emblematic of the 250th anniversary of the birth of James Madison and the life and achievements of the fourth President of the United States. Requires the Secretary to turn over proceeds from surcharges to the National Trust for Historic Preservation to be used to: (1) establish an endowment as a permanent source for Montpelier (home of James Madison and a museum); and (2) fund capital restoration projects at Montpelier.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1995
Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949 and the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 to terminate sugarcane and sugar beet price support, marketing quota, and acreage allotment programs. Makes related amendments to the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and the Food Security Act of 1985.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 1995
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 certified historic structure 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 shall 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 May 1995
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Findings and Purposes Title II: Reserve Component Structure Title III: Reserve Component Accessibility Title IV: Reserve Component Resources Title V: Reserve Forces Sustainment Reserve Forces Revitalization Act of 1995 - Title I: Findings and Purposes - States that the purpose of this Act is to revise statutory authorities governing the reserve components of the armed forces in order to recognize the realities of reserve component partnership in the Total Force and to better prepare the American citizen-soldier in peace for duties in war. Title II: Reserve Component Structure - Establishes within the appropriate military departments the Army, Naval, and Air Force Reserve Command, as well as the Marine Forces Reserve. Provides for a commander and deputy commander within each of the Commands and Reserve. Requires the Secretary of each military department (Commandant, with respect to the Marine Corps) to assign to the Command or Reserve all of their reserve forces (specified portions with respect to the Marine Corps). Requires an implementation report and schedule. Establishes in each military department an Office of Army, Naval, Marine Forces, and Air Force Reserve, as well as a Chief of each such Reserve. Outlines administrative provisions with respect to each such office, including terms of office, budgets, and a required annual report to the Congress. (Sec. 203) Requires the Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau to serve in the grade of lieutenant general (currently, major general). (Sec. 204) Provides the grades of the commanders of the reserve personnel centers. (Sec. 205) Exempts from annual active-duty officer end strength limitations general officers responsible for reserve affairs within the military departments. (Sec. 206) Limits the total reduction in the number of positions authorized for military (civilian) technicians of the Army and Air National Guard and the Army and Air Force Reserve. Title III: Reserve Component Accessibility - Authorizes the President to order to active duty members of the Ready Reserve: (1) in time of national emergency declared by the Congress; (2) when necessary to provide Federal disaster relief to a State upon request; and (3) when otherwise authorized by law. Requires 48 hours' prior notification to the Congress before exercising such authority. Provides time limitations with respect to such activations. Requires quarterly reports to the Congress by the President with respect to the exercise of such authority and the necessity for retention of the reserves on active duty. Limits to one million the total number of personnel authorized to be on such duty at any one time without their consent. Directs the Secretary of Defense to prescribe policies and procedures for the release of such members from such duty. Prohibits any member of the Ready Reserve from being ordered to such duty more than once in any 24-month period, with a waiver by the President when it is determined that such service is urgently required and not otherwise available. (Sec. 302) Directs the Secretary to report to the Congress concerning possible legislation: (1) providing tax incentives to employers of reserve personnel to compensate for employee absences due to the performance of involuntary training or required or involuntary active duty; (2) to establish an income insurance program to provide replacement income to reserve personnel called to active duty or active Federal service; and (3) to establish a small business loan program to provide to reserve personnel ordered to active duty or active Federal service during a contingency operation low-cost loans to assist such members in retaining or rebuilding businesses affected by such service. Title IV: Reserve Component Resources - Directs the Secretary to include in the annual budget report to the Congress a report on any actual or anticipated shortfall in funding for reserve component personnel, operations and maintenance, equipment, or military construction in the budget for that fiscal year. (Sec. 402) Requires funds appropriated to the reserve components to be allocated by the Secretary to the use of that component for the purposes provided by the Congress. Requires amounts intended for military or civilian active personnel performing service in support of the reserves to be shown separately in budget justification documents. Title V: Reserve Forces Sustainment - Requires the Secretary to report to the Congress concerning possible legislation to restore the tax deductibility of nonreimbursable expenses incurred by reserve personnel in connection with military service. (Sec. 502) Authorizes the Secretary to pay transient housing charges for reserve personnel performing active duty for training at locations which are more than 50 miles from their current residence. (Currently, such authority is limited to annual training duty performed at such locations.) (Sec. 503) Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the United States should continue to pay reserve personnel appropriate quarters allowances during periods of service on active duty for training; and (2) current reserve component military leave policies should not be changed. (Sec. 505) Directs the Secretary to seek to arrange for the establishment by a private insurance carrier of a group dental plan for members of the Selected Reserve and their dependents which would enable such individuals to obtain dental care at a low cost. (Sec. 506) Directs the Secretary to seek to enter into an agreement with a national organization representing retail merchants under which such organization would sponsor a program for the provision of price discounts by participating retail merchants to members of the armed forces. (Sec. 507) Commends the Reserve Forces Policy Board for its past work as an independent source of advice to the Secretary on all matters pertaining to the reserves. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Board and the reserve forces policy committees for the individual military departments should continue to perform the vital role of providing the civilian leadership of the Department of Defense with independent advice on such matters.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 1995
National Senior Citizens Pet Ownership Protection Act - Amends the Housing and Urban-Rural Recovery Act of 1983 to prohibit owners and managers of federally assisted rental housing from preventing elderly and disabled tenants from owning or having household pets.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 1995
Jerusalem Embassy Relocation Implementation Act of 1995 - Declares it is U.S. policy that: (1) Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel; and (2) construction of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem should begin no later than December 31, 1996, and officially open no later than May 31, 1999. States that not more than 50 percent of the funds appropriated for FY 1997 and 1999 to the Department of State for "Acquisition and Maintenance of Buildings Abroad" may be obligated in the respective fiscal year until the Secretary of State determines, and reports to the Congress, that (for FY 1997) such construction has begun and that (for FY 1999) the Embassy has opened. Limits the availability of specified amounts of such funds in certain fiscal years until they are expended for: (1) costs associated with relocating the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem; and (2) the costs for its construction. Requires the Secretary of State to report to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate on: (1) the Department of State's plan to implement this Act; and (2) progress made toward opening the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.
![Official portrait of Rep. McHale, Paul [D-PA-15]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/m000466_200.jpg)