United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States, Russia, and other nuclear powers should negotiate an agreement to take all of their nuclear weapons off of high-alert status to decrease the risk of accidental firing; (2) the United States should immediately take off of hair-trigger alert as many of its nuclear weapons as is feasible and consistent with national security, and should encourage Russia to reciprocate; (3) the Department of Defense and the State Department should study methods to increase the time needed to launch all nuclear missiles and study the effect these actions would have on nuclear deterrence, relations with other recognized nuclear powers, the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, and other aspects of national security; and (4) the President should expedite the establishment of a U.S.-Russian joint early-warning center and should facilitate the establishment of a temporary center before the end of 1999 that could address any problems which might arise due to the failure of computers to recognize the year 2000 date change.
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 1999
Motor Carrier Safety Act of 1999 - Title I: National Motor Carrier Administration - Establishes the National Motor Carrier Administration within the Department of Transportation, to be headed by an Administrator appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. (Sec. 101) Decreases the amount the Secretary of Transportation can deduct from Federal-aid highway funds for administrative expenses related to carrying out various Federal transportation projects. Sets forth a specified percent of such funds for administrative expenses related to administering motor carrier safety programs and motor carrier safety research. (Sec. 102) Directs the Secretary to develop a long-term strategy (including an annual plan and schedule for achieving, at a minimum, specified goals) for improving commercial motor vehicle, operator, and carrier safety. (Sec. 103) Amends Federal aid highway law to provide, based on a specified formula pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act), for proportionate reductions in appropriated funds from the Highway Trust Fund to carry out the motor carrier safety grant program. (Sec. 104) Authorizes additional appropriations out of the Highway Trust Fund for the motor carrier safety grant program for FY 2000 through 2003. Amends the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century to increase authorizations of appropriations for the motor carrier safety grant program for FY 2000 through 2003. Prohibits the Secretary from making such grants to a State unless the State enters into an agreement that provides that the total State expenditure for the development or implementation of programs for improving motor carrier safety and enforcement of U.S. orders on commercial motor vehicle safety, hazardous materials transportation safety, and compatible State regulations will be maintained at a level at least equal to FY 1999 levels. Requires the Secretary to withhold amounts allocated for motor carrier safety from States that are not in compliance with certain commercial driver license requirements. Provides for the reallocation of such funds if a State is not in compliance with such requirements by June 30 of the fiscal year in which the funds are withheld. (Sec. 105) Directs the Secretary to establish in the Administration a motor carrier safety advisory committee. Title II: Commercial Motor Vehicle and Driver Safety - Amends Federal transportation law to disqualify from operating a commercial motor vehicle for at least one year any individual: (1) committing a first violation of driving a commercial motor vehicle with a revoked, suspended, or canceled commercial driver's license; or (2) convicted of causing a fatality through negligent or criminal operation of a commercial motor vehicle. Disqualifies an individual from operating a commercial motor vehicle for life for committing more than one violation of operating such vehicle with a revoked, suspended, or canceled commercial driver's license or being convicted of more than one offense of causing a fatality through negligent or criminal operation of such vehicle. (Sec. 201) Requires the Secretary to disqualify an individual from operating a commercial motor vehicle on an emergency basis for up to 30 days if allowing such individual to continue to operate such vehicle would create an imminent hazard. Directs the Secretary to issue regulations disqualifying an individual from operating a commercial motor vehicle who has been convicted of serious offenses involving a noncommercial motor vehicle. Defines "serious traffic violation" to mean, among other things, driving a commercial motor vehicle when the individual: (1) has not obtained a commercial driver's license; (2) does not have in his or her possession a commercial driver's license unless the individual held a valid commercial driver's license on the date of the citation; and (3) has not meet certain minimum testing standards with respect to the class of vehicle the individual is operating or type of cargo the vehicle is carrying. (Sec. 202) Directs the Secretary in prescribing regulations on minimum standards for testing and ensuring the fitness of an individual operating a commercial motor vehicle to include, among other things, minimum testing standards for the operation of a school bus in a State that elects to issue a commercial driver's license school bus endorsement. Authorizes the Secretary to prescribe different minimum testing standards for different classes of school buses. (Sec. 203) Requires a State, in order to avoid the withholding of its apportionment of Federal-aid highway funds, to comply with certain commercial driver's license requirements, including to: (1) notify State officials of the State in which an individual has committed a (non-parking) violation of the State's motor vehicle control traffic law and has a commercial driver's license that has been issued by another State; (2) record and make available to authorized persons and entities such violations (including those that involve a motor vehicle and a commercial motor vehicle) in the driving record of the individual who has a commercial driver's license; and (3) revoke, suspend, or cancel for a specified time the commercial driver's license of an individual who has been convicted of serious offenses involving a noncommercial motor vehicle. (Sec. 204) Requires the Secretary, if a State is not in substantial compliance with specified Federal commercial driver's license requirements, to: (1) issue an order declaring all such licenses issued by such State as invalid; and (2) prohibit such State from issuing any more commercial driver's licenses. (Sec. 205) Amends the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century with respect to the nationwide toll-free telephone system for drivers of commercial motor vehicles and others to report violations of Federal motor carrier safety regulations. Requires such system to be staffed 24 hours a day seven days a week by individuals knowledgeable about Federal motor carrier safety regulations and procedures. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 206) Directs a State, before issuing an individual a motor vehicle operator's license, to request information on the individual's driving record from the National Driver Register and the commercial driver's license information system. (Sec. 207) Directs the Secretary to develop and implement appropriate staffing standards for Federal and State motor carrier safety inspectors in international border areas. Directs the Secretary to allocate five percent of specified funds for border commercial motor vehicle safety programs and enforcement activities and projects. (Sec. 208) Urges the Secretary to ensure that motor carriers operate safely by imposing civil penalties at a level calculated to ensure prompt and sustained compliance with Federal motor carrier safety and commercial driver's license laws. (Sec. 209) Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on the causes of, and factors contributing to, crashes that involve commercial motor vehicles. Requires the study to yield information that will help the Department of Transportation and the States to identify activities and other measures likely to lead to significant reductions in the frequency, severity, and rate per mile traveled of crashes involving commercial motor vehicles.
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 1999
Rail Passenger Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1999 - Amends Federal transportation law to require the Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, as soon as practicable after being notified of a rail passenger accident involving a major loss of life, to: (1) designate and publicize the name and phone number of a Board employee who shall be a director of family support services responsible for acting as a point of contact within the Federal Government for the families of passengers involved in a rail passenger accident and a liaison between the rail passenger carrier and the families; and (2) designate an independent nonprofit organization (with experience in disasters and posttrauma communication with families) which shall have primary responsibility for coordinating the emotional care and support of the families of passengers involved in such accidents. Sets forth the responsibilities of the Board and designated organization. Directs each rail passenger carrier to submit to the Secretary of Transportation and the Chairman of the Board a plan for addressing the needs of the families of passengers involved in a rail passenger accident resulting in a major loss of life. Shields a rail passenger carrier from liability for damages (except for gross negligence or intentional misconduct) in any action brought in a Federal or State court arising out of the carrier's performance in preparing or providing a passenger list, or in providing information concerning a train reservation, pursuant to the carrier's plan.
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 1999
Federal Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 1999 - Title I: Hours of Service - Amends Federal transportation law to define "dually employed" to mean being at the same time in the employ of two or more railroad carriers, of two or more railroad contractors, or of both one or more railroad carriers and one or more railroad contractors. Declares that a railroad carrier and a railroad contractor (and their managers, supervisors, officers, and agents), if such carrier or contractor has actual knowledge of a train employee's dual employment and schedule, shall not require or allow the employee to remain or go on duty, nor may such employee remain or go on duty: (1) unless that employee has had at least eight consecutive hours off duty during the prior 24 hours; or (2) after that employee has been on duty for 12 consecutive hours, until that employee has had at least ten consecutive hours off duty. Makes similar changes with respect to signal employees and dispatching service employees. (Sec. 105) Makes certain sleeping quarters limitations and imputed knowledge provisions applicable to railroad carrier managers and supervisors. (Sec. 106) Requires each Class I, Class II, and Class III railroad carrier, each railroad carrier providing intercity rail passenger transportation, and each railroad carrier providing commuter or other short-haul railroad passenger service in a metropolitan or suburban area, to submit to the Secretary of Transportation a fatigue management plan designed to reduce: (1) fatigue experienced by railroad employees covered by hours of service laws; and (2) the likelihood of accidents and injuries caused by such fatigue. (Sec. 107) Provides a process for the waiver of requirements contained in this Act. (Sec. 108) Prohibits a railroad carrier and its managers, supervisors, officers, and agents from providing sleeping quarters (including crew quarters, camp or bunk cars, and trailers) for employees, and any individuals employed to maintain the right of way of a railroad carrier in an area or in the immediate vicinity of an area in which railroad switching or humping operations are performed. Title II: Monitoring of Railroad Radio Communications - Authorizes officers, employees, or agents of the Secretary to monitor railroad radio communications for purposes of conducting any rulemaking, investigating accidents, and acquiring general railroad safety information on railroad operations. Prohibits the use of information obtained from such monitoring as evidence for the assessment or collection of civil penalties or for implementation of other enforcement activities, except as background for further investigation which might lead to the discovery of other useful evidence. Prohibits such information from being conveyed to a railroad carrier. (Sec. 202) Amends Federal criminal law to authorize officers, employees, or agents of the Secretary in the normal course of employment and in furtherance of Federal railroad safety laws to intercept radio communications broadcast to a railroad carrier and disclose or use the information in conducting rulemaking, investigating accidents, and in acquiring general information as to railroad operations. Title III: Rulemaking Authority - Amends Federal transportation law to require a rail carrier, if no qualifying accident or incident occurs, to report at least quarterly to the Secretary on all accidents and incidents resulting in injury or death to an individual or damage to equipment or a roadbed arising from the carrier's operations during such period. (Sec. 302) Directs the Secretary to prescribe regulations governing noise emissions from high-speed rail systems (including magnetic levitation systems) when operating at speeds greater than 150 miles per hour. Provides that railroad-related noise regulations under the Noise Control Act of 1972 shall govern noise emissions from locomotives and cars that operate at speeds equal to or less than 150 miles per hour. Title IV: Whistleblower Protection - Revises certain railroad employee protection requirements to prohibit a rail carrier from discharging or discriminating against an employee because the employee: (1) notified, or attempted to notify, the carrier of a work-related personal injury or illness; (2) cooperated with a safety investigation; (3) refuses to authorize the use of safety-related equipment, track, or structures because he or she believes that they are in a hazardous condition and their use would endanger human life; and (4) where possible, has notified the carrier not to use hazardous equipment, track, or structures, unless they are repaired properly or replaced. (Sec. 401) Permits resolution of any dispute, grievance, or claim arising under this title through a tort action brought by the employee in a U.S. district court. Declares that if an employee has been found by the National Railroad Adjustment Board or the court to have been discharged, suspended, or otherwise discriminated against, the Board or the court: (1) may award reasonable damages (including punitive damages) sufficient (up to $100,000) to deter the carrier from such conduct in the future; and (2) shall make the employee whole, including reinstatement, with an award of back pay, and with all benefits and accumulated seniority. Title V: Grade Crossing Safety - Revises grade crossing safety requirements to direct the Secretary to promote establishment of emergency toll-free telephone numbers the public can use to convey to railroad carriers information about malfunctions of automated warning devices or other safety problems at highway-rail grade crossings. (Sec. 502) Directs the Secretary to review current local, State, and Federal laws regarding violations of highway-rail grade crossing signals. Directs the Secretary to develop and make available to State and local governments model State legislation providing for civil or criminal penalties, or both, for violations of highway-rail grade crossing signals. (Sec. 503) Requires each railroad carrier to: (1) report to the Secretary certain information concerning each highway-rail crossing through which the carrier operates; or (2) otherwise ensure that such information has been reported to the Secretary by a specified date. Sets forth similar requirements for each State. Requires each carrier and State to report such information periodically to the Secretary. Sets forth civil penalties for violations of such requirements. Title VI: Miscellaneous Provisions - Provides for the adjustment of civil penalties for inflation with respect to violations of Federal railroad safety law. (Sec. 602) Amends the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 to prohibit a State from continuing in force any State law, rule, or standard adopted before enactment of this Act requiring any railroad in the Region to employ any specified number of persons to perform any particular task, function, or operation, or requiring the railroad to pay protective benefits to its employees. (Sec. 603) Authorizes the Secretary to impose on, and collect fees from, railroad carriers to cover the costs related to railroad safety inspections and Federal Railroad Administration activities in connection to the transportation of hazardous materials. (Sec. 604) Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 1999
Title I: Motor Carrier Safety - Motor Carrier Safety Act of 1999 - Amends Federal transportation law to direct the Secretary of Transportation, in prescribing regulations on minimum standards for testing and ensuring the fitness of an individual operating a commercial motor vehicle, to require that such individual has received training, including in-vehicle training, in the safe operation of a motor vehicle of the type the individual operates or will operate. (Sec. 102) Requires a State, in order to avoid withholding of its apportionment of Federal-aid highway funds, to comply with certain commercial driver's license requirements, including to: (1) record on a driver's commercial driver's license record each conviction for a moving traffic violation, including one committed in a non-commercial motor vehicle; (2) not issue a commercial driver's license to an individual within three years after the date the individual was convicted of any drug- or alcohol-related traffic violation, including one committed in a non-commercial motor vehicle; and (3) not issue a special license or permit to a commercial driver's license holder that permits the driver to drive a commercial motor vehicle during a period in which the individual is disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle, or the individual's driver's license is revoked, suspended, or canceled. Requires the Secretary, if a State is not in substantial compliance with specified Federal commercial driver's license requirements, to transfer up to five percent of the State's apportionment of Federal-aid highway funds to amounts made available to such State for enforcement of Federal and State programs for improving motor carrier safety, including commercial motor vehicle safety and hazardous materials transportation safety. (Sec. 103) Directs the Secretary, in prescribing regulations for determining the safety fitness of an owner or operator of a commercial motor vehicle, to require that no owners or operators beginning commercial motor vehicle operations after enactment of this Act will be determined fit unless they have attended a program that educates them on at least safety, size and weight, and financial responsibility regulations administered by the Secretary. Requires the Secretary to assess a fee to defray the cost of the program. (Sec. 104) Amends the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century to prohibit the redistribution to a State of its unused apportionment of funds for Federal-aid highway and highway safety construction programs during a fiscal year, if the State that fails to reduce the number of fatalities in a year resulting from commercial motor vehicle crashes by at least five percent. (Sec. 105) Directs the Secretary, after notice and opportunity for comment, to issue regulations requiring the installation and use of on-board recorders or other technologies on commercial motor vehicles to manage driver hours of service. (Sec. 106) Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on methods used to compensate drivers of commercial motor vehicles, and how they may affect safety and compliance with State and Federal motor carrier safety requirements (including hours of service regulations), including ways safety could be improved through changes in driver compensation. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 107) Requires the Secretary to expend a specified amount from certain Federal-aid highway funds each fiscal year to carry out public information and education programs to prevent crashes involving commercial motor vehicles. (Sec. 108) Requires the Secretary to amend a specified regulation to require the periodic updating of the Motor Carrier Identification Report, Form MCS-150, by each motor carrier conducting operations in interstate or foreign commerce. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 109) Amends Federal transportation law to subject to civil and criminal penalties, to the same extent as the motor carrier or driver committing such violation, any person who knowingly aids, abets, commands, or induces a violation of Federal regulations pertaining to qualifications, hours of service, safety, and equipment standards with respect to motor carriers (including migrant worker motor carriers). (Sec. 110) Redefines "imminent hazard" for which a commercial motor vehicle may be ordered out of service to mean any violation, or series of violations, of specified Federal commercial motor carrier safety regulations that could result in a highway crash if not discontinued within 24 hours. (Sec.111) Directs the Secretary to carry out a pilot program with one or more States to develop innovative methods (including use of photography and other imaging technologies) of improving compliance with traffic laws, including those pertaining to highway-rail grade crossings. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 112) Directs the Secretary to conduct research on heavy vehicle safety, including measures to improve braking and stability, measures to improve vehicle compatibility in crashes between heavier and lighter vehicles, and measures to improve the performance of motor vehicle drivers. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 113) Directs the Secretary to carry out a program, in cooperation with the States, to improve the collection and analysis of data on crashes involving commercial vehicles. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 114) Authorizes appropriations for: (1) grants to States for the development and enforcement of Federal and State regulations on commercial motor vehicle safety; and (2) the establishment and operation of motor carrier, commercial motor vehicle, and driver information systems and data analysis programs to support safety regulatory and enforcement activities. Title II: Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety - Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Act of 1999 - Amends Federal rail transportation law to promote the establishment of emergency notification systems utilizing toll-free telephone numbers that the public can use to convey to railroad carriers (either directly or through public safety personnel) information about malfunctions of automated warning devices or other safety problems at highway-rail grade crossings. (Sec. 203) Amends railroad trespassing and vandalism provisions to require the Secretary to evaluate and review current local, State, and Federal laws regarding, among other things, violations of highway-rail grade crossing signals, and develop model prevention strategies and enforcement laws to be used for the consideration of State and local legislatures and governmental entities. Requires the Secretary to develop and make available to State and local governments model State legislation providing for civil or criminal penalties, or both, for violations of highway-rail grade crossing signals. (Sec. 204) Directs each railroad carrier to report to the Secretary, with periodic updates, certain information concerning each highway-rail crossing through which such carrier operates.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 1999
Access to Medical Treatment Act - Defines: (1) "danger" as an adverse reaction to an unapproved drug or medical device that causes serious harm, would not otherwise have occurred, and is more serious than contraindications for drugs or devices approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration for the same disease or condition; and (2) other terms as used in this Act including, "unapproved drug or medical device." (Sec. 4) Allows, notwithstanding any other provision of Federal law, a patient to receive and a health care practitioner to provide any unapproved drug or device the patient desires if it is: (1) recommended by a practitioner (within that practitioner's scope of practice); (2) not a violation of State law; and (3) the practitioner abides with all recommendation requirements. Sets forth the recommendation requirements, including that the practitioner: (1) does not violate the Controlled Substances Act; (2) has informed the patient of certain matters, including that the drug or device is unapproved and experimental; and (3) does not impose a charge for the drug or device in excess of costs. Prohibits the practitioner from making any advertising claims for the drug or device, but allows dissemination of information on the results of the practitioner's use of the drug or device so long as: (1) the practitioner does not offer to sell the drug or device in connection with the dissemination; or (2) the claims are permitted under provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) relating to misbranded food and to dietary supplement labeling. (Sec. 5) Requires a practitioner who discovers that an unapproved drug or device creates a danger to a patient to immediately cease use and recommendation of the unapproved drug or device and provide specified information to the drug's or device's manufacturer. Requires the manufacturer that receives the information to: (1) immediately cease sale and distribution of the drug or device; (2) notify all practitioners to whom the drug or device has been provided; (3) report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Directs the Secretary, on receiving the report from the manufacturer, to promptly disseminate information on the danger to all practitioners in the United States, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and agencies of States having responsibility for regulating unsafe or adulterated drugs and devices. Requires the manufacturer to investigate to determine the actual cause of the danger and take specified actions depending on the outcome of that investigation. (Sec. 6) Requires a practitioner who discovers that an unapproved drug or device used in the treatment of a life threatening condition produces results that are significantly more beneficial than results from approved drugs or devices for that condition to provide specified information to the drug's or device's manufacturer. Requires that manufacturer to provide information to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Requires the Center to annually report to Congress on beneficial results and make the report available to the public. (Sec. 7) Declares that this Act does not: (1) have any effect on FDCA provisions regarding pharmacy compounding; and (2) supersede any State or political subdivision law. (Sec. 8) Authorizes a practitioner, in conformity with this Act, to take certain actions regarding an unapproved drug or device and interstate commerce. (Sec. 9) Requires that a practitioner found to have knowingly violated this Act be denied coverage under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 1999
Tax Fairness for County Fairs Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that long-term vehicle storage by tax-exempt organizations which conduct county and similar fairs shall not be treated as an unrelated trade or business.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 1999
Congratulates Lance Armstrong on his spectacular performance, winning the 1999 Tour de France. Recognizes the contribution his perseverance has made to inspire those fighting cancer and its survivors around the world.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1999
Amends the Consumer Product Safety Act to provide that low-speed electric bicycles are consumer products and shall be subject to Consumer Product Safety Commission regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 1999
Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish a program to assist States and local educational agencies (LEAs) to recruit, train, and hire 141,000 additional school-based mental health personnel, including 100,000 additional counselors, 21,000 additional school psychologists, and 20,000 additional school social workers over a five-year period, in order to reduce the student-to-counselor ratios nationally, in elementary and secondary schools, to an average of one school counselor for every 250 students, one school psychologist for every 1,000 students, and one social worker for every 800 students, as recommended in a report by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences relating to schools and health. Directs the Secretary of Education, after reserving certain funds for schools in outlying areas and schools run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, to make program allotments to States according to a specified formula. Requires States to allocate Federal and State shares of program costs to LEAs according to specified formulas. Sets forth requirements for State and LEA applications and LEA use of funds. Requires Federal, State, and local shares of program costs to each equal one-third, but allows State and local shares to be in cash or in kind. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1999
Department of Defense Anthrax Vaccination Moratorium Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) a single protection measure such as the mandatory anthrax vaccine immunization program should not be implemented by the Department of Defense (DOD) without regard to its effect on morale, retention, recruiting, and budget; and (2) an insufficiently proven vaccine should not be advocated as a substitute for research, development, and production of truly effective vaccines and antibiotics, adequate protective equipment, and nonproliferation measures. Directs the Secretary of Defense to suspend implementation of the DOD anthrax vaccination program. Requires: (1) an independent study of the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine used; and (2) a report from the Director of the National Institutes of Health to specified congressional committees on study results. Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a study and comment to Congress on the vaccine program and the effect of the use of contractor-operated facilities for such program. Requires expedited consideration by the respective Boards for Correction of Military Records for current or former military personnel for remedies for adverse personnel actions that were the result of the vaccine program. States that if the Director determines that the vaccine used in the DOD program meets specified criteria, the Secretary may resume such program. Provides that if such program is resumed, the Secretary may use only newly produced vaccine for vaccinations after such resumption.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 1999
American Military Health Protection Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense to make the anthrax vaccination immunization program voluntary for all members of the armed forces until the Food and Drug Administration has approved a new anthrax vaccine for humans or a new, reduced course of shots for such vaccine.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1999
1999 Omnibus Adoption Act - Title I: Expansion of Adoption Tax Credit - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the dollar amount of qualified expenses for the adoption tax credit; (2) double the limit on the amount of a taxpayer's adjusted gross income that is used in computing the income limitation applicable to adoption tax credits; (3) make permanent the adoption tax credit for adoptions of children without special needs; and (4) provide for adjustment of such dollar and income limitations for inflation. Title II: Leave Equity for Adoptive Families - Establishes leave requirements for an employee needing leave because of the placement of a son or daughter with the employee for adoption or foster care, and provides for civil actions against an employer to enforce such requirements, subject to specified limitations. Title III: Adoption Counseling - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish a national adoption counseling program for pregnant women and infertile married couples. Allows for the participation of religious organizations. Directs the Secretary to require that each program providing voluntary family planing services with a grant from the Secretary provide nondirective counseling and referrals regarding prenatal care and delivery, infant and foster care, and adoption. Title IV: Adoption Information for Members of the Armed Forces - Requires the Secretary of each military department and the Secretary of Transportation with respect to the Coast Guard when outside naval jurisdiction to ensure that members of the armed forces under their jurisdiction have information concerning adoption readily available to them. Title V: Federal Prisons - Amends the Federal criminal code to direct the Attorney General to take appropriate action to assure that information regarding the option of planning adoption for the child is made available to each female prisoner who is or may be pregnant. Title VI: Accreditation of Adoption Service Providers - Amends SSA title IV part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) to: (1) require State plans to provide for State laws to prohibit adoption services by unaccredited persons, and require State accreditation of adoption service providers; and (2) require the State to establish standards for such accreditation. Title VII: Adoption and Foster Care Data Collection - Amends SSA title IV part E to provide for State adoption and foster care data collection and reporting systems for HHS. Title VIII: Refundable Credit for Medical Expenses of Pregnancies with Children Placed for Adoption - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for a refundable tax credit of up to $5,000 per child for medical expenses of pregnancies with children placed for adoption. Title IX: Maternal Health Certificates Program - Directs the Secretary to establish a maternal health certificates program to cover maternity and housing services facility expenses incurred by eligible pregnant women. Authorizes appropriations. Title X: Rehabilitation Grants for Maternity Housing and Services Facilities - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to implement a grant program to assist eligible nonprofit entities to rehabilitate buildings for use as housing and services facilities for eligible pregnant women. Allows for the participation of religious organizations. Authorizes appropriations. Title XI: Repeal of National Clearinghouse on Adoption Information - Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 to repeal the National Clearinghouse on Adoption Information. Title XII: National Commission on Adoption - Establishes the National Commission on Adoption to review all adoption programs and related activities. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1999
Expresses support for the May 5, 1999, agreement between the Republic of Indonesia and the Portuguese Republic on the question of the independence of East Timor. Expresses concern about the escalating violence in East Timor. Urges the Indonesian Government to guarantee the protection of United Nations (UN) staff members assisting in the preparation of the referendum and demands that the Indonesian Government ensure that the vote is carried out in a secure atmosphere by: (1) ceasing Indonesian military and police support for paramilitary forces; (2) disarming paramilitary units in fulfillment of its responsibilities under the terms of the May 5 agreement; (3) opening access to East Timor to independent international monitors, observers, and relief workers; and (4) allowing the return of exiled East Timorese and securing their safety. Endorses the purpose of the UN Assistance Mission in East Timor to carry out a free and fair vote. Encourages the Administration to support UN action to secure UN personnel and to better supervise the vote.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 1999
Adoption Awareness Act of 1999 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to national adoption organizations for programs to train the staff of eligible health centers in providing adoption counseling to pregnant women and infertile married couples. Makes it a condition for receipt of such a grant that the national adoption organization involved agree to make reasonable efforts to ensure that the eligible health centers with respect to which training under the grant is provided include centers that: (1) receive grants relating to voluntary family planning projects; (2) receive grants relating to community health centers, migrant health centers, and centers regarding homeless individuals and residents of public housing; (3) receive grants for the provision of services in schools; and (4) do not perform or make referrals for abortions, or provide or make referrals for counseling that presents abortion as an option. Directs the Secretary to require programs providing voluntary family planning services with such a grant to provide nondirective counseling and referrals regarding prenatal care and delivery, infant care, foster care, and adoption. Makes religious organizations eligible for such grants without discrimination and mandates their independence from Federal, State, and local governments, providing certain safeguards to ensure such independence. Provides the beneficiaries of assistance from religious organizations with certain rights, including the right not to be discriminated against by the religious organization. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 1999
Educating America's Girls Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to: (1) ensure education technology and teacher training programs are targeted in a manner that addresses the unique needs and different learning styles of all students, including girls; (2) provide schools with resources for programs to prevent sexual harassment and abuse; (3) provide for collection of data on high school athletic participation by girls; (4) establish dropout prevention programs to keep pregnant and parenting teens in school; and (5) reauthorize the Women's Educational Equity Act (WEEA). (Sec. 2) Requires that attention be given to the incorporation and use of technology to enhance teaching and learning, under specified ESEA requirements relating to school improvement, professional development, teacher training, and educational innovation. Requires schools to give attention to professional development that incorporates technology used to improve teaching and learning. Requires professional development activities to include instruction in the use of technology. Adds technology to the list of core subject areas for the National Teacher Training Project grants program. Requires authorized professional development activities to incorporate effective technology for meeting the educational needs of diverse groups of students. Includes technological innovation as a higher education activity to improve teacher education programs. Directs the Secretary of Education to take into special consideration the different learning needs for and exposures to technology for all students, including girls and students who have economic and educational disadvantages, in carrying out ESEA titles I (Helping Disadvantaged Children Meet High Standards), II (Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program), and III (Technology for Education). Requires the Secretary, as well as applicants and grantees, to provide for such special consideration to be given under specified programs, including: (1) such Technology for Education programs as national challenge grants, regional technical support and professional development, educational technology product development, and Star Schools grants; and (2) the Fund for the Improvement of Education (part A of ESEA title X Programs of National Significance). (Sec. 3) Authorizes the Secretary, through the Office of Educational Technology, to award matching grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to eligible consortia to develop or redesign programs to prepare prospective elementary and secondary school teachers to use technology effectively in their classrooms. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 4) Getting Our Girls Ready for the 21st Century Act (Go Girl Act) - Amends ESEA to authorize the Secretary to make grants to, and contracts and cooperative agreements with, local educational agencies to provide subgrants to elementary and secondary schools for services that: (1) encourage the ongoing interest of girls in science, mathematics, and technology; and (2) prepare girls to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees and careers in those fields. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 5) Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Grants Act - Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to State and local educational agencies (SEAs and LEAs) or other public or private entities to train teachers and administrators in identifying and preventing sexual harassment. Authorizes appropriations. Amends ESEA title IV (the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1994) to include high rates of reported incidences of sexual harassment and abuse on the list of examples of objective data which an SEA is required to consider in determining which LEAs have the greatest need for additional funds. Includes, under authorized uses of grants and contracts under Governors' programs, developing and implementing strategies and programs to greatly reduce the incidence of sexual harassment and abuse and to encourage positive and respectful interactions between girls and boys. Requires LEA drug and violence prevention programs to be designed, for all students and employees, to greatly reduce the incidence of sexual harassment and abuse. Includes sexual harassment and abuse among the types of school violence for which the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is required to collect data to determine frequency, seriousness, and incidence. (Sec. 6) Amends the National Education Statistics Act of 1994 to require NCES to collect and disseminate statistics on the participation, by gender, of secondary school students in elective physical education and athletic programs. (Sec. 7) Amends ESEA title V part C (the School Dropout Assistance Act) to direct the Secretary to give additional special consideration to grant applications that include provisions that emphasize mentoring and other support services for pregnant and parenting teenagers. Revises implementation or expansion plans for ESEA title XI coordinated services projects to include: (1) an assessment of the needs of children requiring specialized comprehensive services such as students who are pregnant or parenting; and (2) strategies to ensure addressing the health and welfare needs of families with pregnant or parenting children in school. (Sec. 8) Women's Educational Equity Act of 1999 - Renames, reauthorizes, and revises ESEA title V part B (currently the Women's Educational Equity Act of 1994) (WEEA). Directs the Secretary to report: (1) to the President and Congress on the status of educational equity for girls and women in the Nation; and (2) to Congress on evaluation, materials, and programs under WEEA. Extends the authorization of appropriations for WEEA programs.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
Authorizes the President to present, on behalf of the Congress, a gold medal to General Wesley Clark in recognition of his exemplary performance as a military leader in coordinating the planning, strategy, and execution of the United States and NATO combat action and his invaluable contributions to the United States and to the successful return to peace in the Balkans as Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, and Commander-in-Chief, United States European Command. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
Genetic Nondiscrimination in Health Insurance and Employment Act of 1999 - Title I: Prohibition of Health Insurance Discrimination on the Basis of Predictive Genetic Information - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) (regarding a group health plan, and a health insurance issuer offering group insurance through a group plan), the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) (regarding such a plan or issuer, and with regard to an issuer offering health insurance in the individual market), the Internal Revenue code (IRC) (regarding a group health plan), and title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) (regarding Medicare supplemental policies) to prohibit, with respect to genetic information: (1) discriminating in individual enrollment; (2) discriminating in group eligibility or group premium or contribution rates; (3) requesting or requiring test performance; and (4) requesting, requiring, collecting, purchasing, or disclosing information, unless authorized by the individual. Allows a plan or issuer: (1) regarding payment for genetic services, to request evidence that the services were performed; and (2) regarding payment for other benefits, to request predictive genetic information in certain circumstances. Allows a court, for violations, to award any appropriate legal or equitable relief, attorney's fees and costs, and expert witness costs. Allows civil monetary penalties. Applies the requirements of this paragraph to plans that have fewer than two participants who are current employees. Amends ERISA and the PHSA to: (1) declare that the provisions of paragraph above do not preempt any provision of State law that protects genetic information confidentiality or privacy, or prohibits genetic discrimination, more completely than ERISA's and the PHSA's group health plan provisions; and (2) apply the requirements of the paragraph above to Medicare supplemental health insurance and similar supplemental coverage, if provided under a separate policy, certificate, or contract of insurance. Amends the IRC to apply the requirements of this title to apply the requirements of this title to any governmental plan. Title II: Prohibition of Employment Discrimination on the Basis of Predictive Genetic Information - Makes it an unlawful employment practice for an employer, employment agency, labor organization, or training program to discriminate because of predictive genetic information, including making it unlawful to request, require, collect, or purchase such information. Allows an employer to request, require, collect, or purchase such information: (1) where used for genetic monitoring of biological effects of workplace toxic substances; or (2) with consent of the employee, if results are received only by the employee (or the employee's family). (Sec. 206) Requires employers possessing such information to treat and maintain the information as part of the employee's confidential medical records. Prohibits disclosure, subject to exception. (Sec. 207) Empowers one or more employees, labor organization members, or training participants to bring an action in Federal or State court for violations. Applies to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), for enforcement of this title, the powers, remedies, and procedures under specified provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Allows a court to award any appropriate legal or equitable relief, attorney's fees and costs, and costs of experts. (Sec. 209) Authorizes appropriations to carry out this title.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 1999 - Provides that: (1) whoever engages in conduct that violates specified provisions of the Federal criminal code, the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, or the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, or specified articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (conduct constituting certain Federal violent crimes), and thereby causes the death of, or bodily injury to, a child who is in utero, shall be guilty of a separate offense; and (2) the punishment for that separate offense shall be the same as that provided under Federal law for that conduct had that injury or death occurred to the unborn child's mother, except that the death penalty shall not be imposed. Bars prosecution under this Act for conduct relating to an abortion: (1) for which the consent of the pregnant woman has been obtained or for which such consent is implied by law in a medical emergency; (2) for conduct relating to any medical treatment of the pregnant woman or her unborn child; or (3) of any woman with respect to her unborn child.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
Railroad Safety Reform Act of 1999 - Title I: Employee Fatigue - Amends Federal transportation law to revise the hours of duty limitations with respect to train employees (including determining when an employee is on or off duty). Declares that a railroad carrier shall not be held responsible for violating such requirements in the case of a dually employed employee if none of the railroad carrier's managers, supervisors, officers, and agents had actual knowledge of the employee's work schedule for another employer. Makes similar changes with respect to signal employees and dispatching service employees and power directors. (Sec. 105) Revises certain sleeping quarters limitations with respect to train employees (including signal employees), and for any individuals employed to maintain the right of way of a railroad carrier, to require such carrier and its managers, supervisors, officers, and agents to provide, among other things, a separate bedroom for each employee or individual. (Sec. 106) Requires each Class I and Class II railroad carrier, each railroad carrier providing intercity rail passenger transportation, and each railroad carrier providing commuter rail passenger transportation, to submit to the Secretary of Transportation a fatigue management plan designed to reduce: (1) fatigue experienced by railroad employees or its independent contractors; and (2) the likelihood of accidents and injuries caused by such fatigue. Provides a waiver for the submission of such plan. (Sec. 108) Prohibits, except in a specified emergency, a railroad carrier and its managers, supervisors, officers, and agents from requiring a transport vehicle driver to remain or go on duty: (1) unless such driver has at least eight consecutive hours off duty, during which such driver receives no communication from such carrier and its managers, supervisors, officers, and agents, during the prior 24 hours; (2) for a period in excess of ten consecutive hours; (3) unless such driver has received notice at least eight hours before going on duty; and (4) unless such driver has had at least one period of at least 24 consecutive hours off duty in the past seven days. (Sec. 110) Authorizes a railroad carrier and its managers, supervisors, officers, and agents to require a train employee to work a split shift only if the split shift begins between 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 a.m. and ends before 2:00 a.m. on the day following the day on which the shift begins. (Sec. 111) Prohibits a railroad carrier and its managers, supervisors, officers, and agents from requiring an employee to report for duty to begin an eight-hour shift which begins at a time that is more than four hours earlier or more than six hours later than the time of day when that employee, within the previous 72 hours, began a prior eight-hour shift (rotating shift). Directs the Secretary to report to Congress the results of a study regarding: (1) the effect of rotating shifts on employee fatigue; and (2) alternative methods of preventing fatigue due to such shifts. (Sec. 112) Directs the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee to convene a working group to consider what legislative changes might be appropriate with respect to hours of service. Requires the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration to report to Congress on the Committee's recommendations with respect to such changes. Title II: Protection of Employees and Witnesses - Revises certain employee protection requirements prohibiting a railroad carrier from discharging or discriminating against an employee also to prohibit such carrier from threatening, intimidating, or disciplining for, or preventing an employee from (among other things): (1) notifying, or attempting to notify, the carrier of a work-related personal injury or illness; (2) cooperating with a safety investigation; (3) furnishing information to any party as to the facts relating to any accident resulting in injury or death or damage to property occurring in connection with railroad transportation; (4) accurately reporting hours of duty or dual employment status; or (5) reporting a hazardous condition or refusing to work when confronted by a hazardous condition. Sets forth both civil and criminal penalties for violations of the requirements under this Act. (Sec. 201) Sets forth certain requirements with respect to the exclusion of an individual from employment by a railroad carrier as a safety-critical employee. (Sec. 203) Requires a railroad carrier to have an annual audit of the process by which it reports accidents. (Sec. 204) Makes it unlawful for any person to knowingly interfere with, obstruct, or hamper a railroad safety investigation, or knowingly or intentionally use intimidation, harassment, or threats to influence the testimony of any person or prevent a person from attending such investigation. Sets forth both civil and criminal penalties for violations of this Act. Title III: Grade Crossing Safety - Revises grade crossing safety requirements to require each railroad carrier to: (1) establish a toll-free telephone service to receive calls reporting malfunctions of safety equipment, or disabled vehicles blocking railroad tracks, at grade crossings; (2) notify trains operating near a grade crossing of the malfunction or disabled vehicle and contact appropriate public safety officials; and (3) ensure placement of signs at each grade crossing displaying the toll-free telephone information. (Sec. 302) Directs the Secretary to review current local, State, and Federal laws regarding violations of grade crossing signals. Directs the Secretary to develop and make available to State and local governments model State legislation providing for civil or criminal penalties, or both, for violations of grade crossing signals. Title IV: Passenger Service Safety Standards - Requires all passenger railroad cars to have emergency windows after January 1, 2002. (Sec. 402) Sets forth requirements for: (1) passenger railroad signals; and (2) internal and compartmentalized fuel tanks on passenger locomotives. Title V: Safety Rulemaking and Enforcement - Amends Federal transportation law with respect to railroad safety to direct the Secretary to convene an annual conference to determine the most important actions needed to improve railroad safety, and report the results to Congress. (Sec. 503) Directs the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to report monthly to specified congressional committees on the status of FRA's safety-related rulemakings and reports. (Sec. 504) Sets forth requirements with respect to the rulemaking process of rules proposed by the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee. (Sec. 505) Declares that certain railroad power brake safety rules proposed on September 16, 1994, shall take effect as final rules one year after enactment of this Act if before that time the Secretary has not issued all final regulations required by specified law. (Sec. 506) Directs the Secretary to initiate a rulemaking to ensure the safety of operators of railroad cranes and other hoisting equipment, and of railroad employees working in the vicinity of cranes and other hoisting equipment. (Sec. 508) Directs the Secretary to prescribe regulations addressing noise emissions from high-speed rail systems (including magnetic levitation systems) when operating at speeds greater than 150 miles per hour. (Sec. 509) Directs the Secretary to issue rules requiring that no track inspection shall be conducted from a vehicle traveling at a speed of more than 15 miles per hour. (Sec. 510) Authorizes officers, employees, or agents of the Secretary to monitor railroad radio communications for purposes of conducting any rulemaking, accident investigations, and acquiring general information as to railroad operations as it relates to railroad safety. Prohibits the use of information obtained from such monitoring as evidence for the assessment or collection of civil penalties or for implementation of other enforcement activities, except that it may be used as background for further investigation which might lead to the discovery of other useful evidence. (Sec. 511) Expands the Secretary's emergency authority to order restrictions and prohibitions to include instances of unsafe conditions involving significant harm to the environment. (Sec. 512) Requires fees imposed on railroad carriers to cover the costs of providing an additional 400 railroad safety inspectors. Title VI: Miscellaneous Provisions - Directs the Federal Transit Administrator to consult with the Federal Railroad Administrator concerning relevant safety issues when making a grant or loan to a commuter railroad to help eliminate or correct an unsafe condition that may cause a serious hazard of death or injury. (Sec. 602) Provides for the adjustment of civil penalties for inflation with respect to railroad safety violations committed under Federal railroad safety law. (Sec. 603) Requires certification of other safety-related railroad personnel in addition to locomotive engineers. (Sec. 604) Sets forth requirements with respect to: (1) transport motor vehicle inspections; and (2) railroad employee seniority rights.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
Permits payments to be made by employing authorities of the House of Representatives to reimburse Members, officers, and employees for qualified adoption expenses. Limits such amount for each child adopted to $2,000.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 1999
County Schools Funding Revitalization Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to determine, for a specified eligibility period, State and county full payment amounts of National Forest System shared revenues for public education and other public services. (Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary to: (1) make Forest Service payments to eligible States for affected counties for public education and transportation; and (2) make Bureau of Land Management payments to eligible counties for public education, law enforcement, and other public services. (Sec. 7) Establishes the Forest Counties Payments Committee to develop long-term methods to ensure that State and counties in which Federal lands are situated receive adequate payments for public education and other public services. Terminates the Committee three years after enactment of this Act. (Sec. 8) Expresses the sense of the Congress: (1) in favor of the Committee's mandate to develop a long-term payment solution; and (2) that the regulatory or legislative solution should be completed within two years of the Committee's report. (Sec. 9) Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 1999
El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Act of 1999 - Amends the National Trails System Act to designate El Camino Real de los Tejas as a National Historic Trail.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 1999
Paycheck Fairness Act - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) to revise remedies for and enforcement of prohibitions against sex discrimination in the payment of wages. (Such FLSA prohibitions are also known as the Equal Pay Act). (Sec. 3) Amends FLSA to provide for enhanced enforcement of equal pay requirements, adding a nonretaliation requirement. Increases penalties for such violations. Provides for the Secretary of Labor to seek additional compensatory or punitive damages in such cases. (Sec. 4) Requires the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs to train EEOC employees and affected individuals and entities on matters involving wage discrimination. (Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary to conduct studies and provide information to employers, labor organizations, and the general public concerning the means available to eliminate pay disparities between men and women, including convening a national summit and carrying out other specified activities. (Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop guidelines for employer evaluations of job categories based on objective criteria, to be used voluntarily by employers to compare wages for different jobs to determine if pay scales adequately and fairly reflect each job's educational and skill requirements, independence, working conditions, and responsibility, in order to eliminate unfair pay disparities between occupations traditionally dominated by men or women; and (2) establish a program to recognize employers who use such guidelines to ensure that women are paid fairly in comparison to men without lowering men's wages. Authorizes the Secretary to provide technical assistance for employers to carry out such evaluations. (Sec. 7) Establishes the Robert Reich National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace, which shall be evidenced by a medal. Sets forth criteria for specified types of entities to receive such an award. (Sec. 8) Amends the Civil Rights Act to direct the EEOC to: (1) complete a survey of data currently available to the Government relating to employee pay information for use in the enforcement of Federal laws prohibiting pay discrimination, and identify additional data collections to enhance enforcement of such laws; and (2) based on survey results and consultations with other relevant Federal agencies, issue regulations for the collection of pay information data from employers as described by the sex, race, and national origin of employees. (Sec. 9) Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 1999
National Discovery Trails Act of 1999 - Amends the National Trails System Act to provide for the establishment, as components of the National Trails System, of national discovery trails which shall be extended, continuous interstate trails located so as to provide for outdoor recreation and travel and to connect representative examples of America's trails and communities. Requires the appropriate Secretary for each national discovery trail to administer the trail in cooperation with a competent trailwide nonprofit organization. Prohibits a trail from being considered feasible and desirable for designation as a national discovery trail unless it: (1) links to one or more areas within the boundaries of a metropolitan area and joins with other trails, tying the National Trails System to significant recreation and resources areas; (2) is supported by a competent trailwide volunteer-based organization and has extensive local and trailwide support by the public, user groups, and affected State and local governments; and (3) extends and passes through more than one State and, at a minimum, is a continuous, walkable route. Requires the responsible Secretary, within three complete fiscal years after enactment of legislation designating a national discovery trail, to submit to specified congressional committees a comprehensive plan: (1) for the protection, management, development, and use of the Federal portions of the trail; and (2) for technical assistance to States, local governments, and private landowners, as requested, for non-Federal portions of the trail. Designates as a national discovery trail the 6,000-mile American Discovery Trail which shall extend from Cape Henlopen State Park in Delaware to Point Reyes National Seashore in California, traveling northern and southern routes from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Denver, Colorado.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 1999
Safety Net Preservation Act of 1999 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to establish a new prospective payment system for federally-qualified health centers and rural health clinics.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 1999
Medicare Coverage Information Decision Act of 1999 - Provides for: (1) meetings with the Secretary of Health and Human Services regarding national coverage determinations with respect to items or services proposed to be covered under the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act; and (2) written agreements between the individual seeking particular coverage and the Secretary in order for the Secretary to make a national coverage determination with respect to the items and services for which coverage is requested.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 1999
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act Settlement Trusts Remedial Tax Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to the tax treatment of Settlement Trusts established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Exempts from income taxation any such Settlement Trust electing coverage by this Act. Declares that for an electing trust: (1) no amount shall be includible in the gross income of a Settlement Trust beneficiary by reason of a contribution to the Settlement Trust during such taxable year; and (2) the ordinary requirements for taxation of trusts and beneficiaries shall not apply. Requires an electing trust to distribute at least 55 percent of its adjusted taxable income each taxable year. Imposes a tax on a trust, in the amount of the failure, if the distribution is insufficient. Includes in the beneficiary's gross income, as ordinary income, any distribution from an electing trust (only when the actual distribution is received). Provides that distributions from the trust will be taxable as ordinary income even if the distribution represents a return of capital. Requires tax withholding on trust distributions over a certain amount.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 1999
Binational Great Lakes-Seaway Enhancement Act of 1999 - Authorizes the President to enter into an executive agreement with Canada to establish as binational corporations the Saint Lawrence Seaway Corporation and the Great Lakes Development Bank. Sets forth certain guiding principles with respect to negotiating such agreement, including: (1) improvement of operational coordination among assets of the United States and Canada on the Saint Lawrence Seaway; (2) assurance of navigational safety on the Seaway; and (3) enhancement of the competitiveness of the Seaway as a transportation route for world trade. Requires presidential approval and congressional review of the agreement. Title I: Saint Lawrence Seaway Corporation - Sets forth the functions of the Corporation, including: (1) operating and improving the assets of the United States and Canada on the Saint Lawrence Seaway; (2) facilitating safe navigation on the Seaway; and (3) promoting domestic and international trade involving the Great Lakes States and Great Lakes Provinces. (Sec. 105) Provides for: (1) Corporation adoption of all labor agreements involving Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) employees; (2) termination rights of SLSDC employees; (3) basic pay for SLSDC employees; and (4) SLSDC employee health and retirement benefits. (Sec. 111) Declares that all SLSDC regulations, and rights and responsibilities of SLSDC under the agreement, shall continue and become a part of the Corporation. (Sec. 114) Repeals the Saint Lawrence Seaway Act (effectively eliminating the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation). (Sec. 115) Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Great Lakes Development Bank - Sets forth the functions of the Great Lakes Development Bank, including: (1) providing loans and other assistance to the Seaway and public and private entities involved in maritime commerce in the Great Lakes and Seaway regions; and (2) facilitating maritime commerce-related investment there. (Sec. 212) Prohibits the United States from subscribing to shares of capital stock of the Bank. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation, subject to advance appropriations, to make direct loans to the Bank. (Sec. 216) Grants U.S. district courts original and exclusive jurisdiction over civil actions brought in the United States by or against the Bank. (Sec. 218) Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 1999
Families First Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow for penalty-free withdrawals from individual retirement plans if used to pay adoption expenses; and (2) permanently extend and increase the dollar and income limitations for employer adoption assistance programs.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 1999
Code of Conduct on Arms Transfers Act of 1999 - Prohibits U.S. military assistance and arms transfers to a foreign government unless the President certifies to Congress that such government: (1) meets specified conditions regarding democracy, including that it was chosen by free and fair elections and promotes civilian control of the military, the rule of law, and respect for individual rights; (2) does not engage in human rights violations, investigates and prosecutes those responsible for human rights violations, permits access to political prisoners by international organizations, and provides access to such organizations in situations of conflict or famine; (3) is not engaged in acts of armed aggression in violation of international law; and (4) is participating in the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms. Authorizes the President to request from Congress an exemption from such prohibition, stating that: (1) it is in the national security interest to provide military assistance and arms transfers to a government; or (2) an emergency exists under which it is vital to the U.S. interest to do so. Makes the exemption effective upon such request, unless disapproved by Congress. Directs the President to: (1) compile a list of countries that do not meet the requirements of this Act; (2) notify the governments participating in the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual Use Goods and Technologies, done at Vienna, July 11 and 12, 1996, that the listed countries are ineligible to receive U.S. arms sales and military assistance; and (3) request that the notified countries also declare the listed countries as ineligible for arms sales and military assistance. Requires the President to continue efforts through the United Nations and other international fora, such as the Wassenaar Arrangement, to limit arms transfers worldwide, particularly transfers to the listed countries, for the purpose of establishing a permanent multilateral regime to govern the transfer of conventional arms. Directs the President, in conjunction with the submission of the annual congressional presentation documents for foreign assistance programs, to report to Congress on progress made toward establishing such regime.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income (under the qualified scholarship provisions) certain amounts provided by an employer to the child of an employee.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 1999
Expresses the sense of the Congress relating to the timely distribution of payments to local educational agencies (LEAs) under the Impact Aid (IA) program of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Declares such IA program should be funded at a level that allows its funds to be made available on the currently-required, forward-funded basis. Urges the Secretary of Education, upon completion of the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for each fiscal year, to distribute such IA program payments to eligible LEAs within 45 days after the enactment of each such Act, if other congressional action has not caused a delay and State education agencies have supplied all the necessary information to the Department of Education for such distribution.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 1999
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) any premium support, privatization, or voucher plan for the Medicare program (title XVIII of the Social Security Act) should be rejected; (2) the eligibility age for Medicare should not be increased; (3) no copayment should be imposed on home health care; (4) specified changes should be made to Medicare to improve and extend it; and (5) the current guarantee of Medicare benefits should not be eliminated.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 1999
Declares that Congress supports the goals and ideas of In Memory Day to honor the men and women of the United States whose deaths had a basis in their service in Vietnam during the Vietnam conflict and who are thereby true examples of patriotism and sacrifice to the Nation.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 1999
Medicare Early Access Act of 1999 - Title I: Access to Medicare Benefits for Individuals 62-to-65 Years of Age - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to add a new part D (Purchase of Medicare Benefits by Certain Individuals Age 62-to-65 Years of Age). Makes eligible to enroll in Medicare during a specified period individuals between the ages of 62 and 65 who: (1) are not eligible for coverage under group health plans or Federal health insurance; but (2) would be Medicare-eligible if age 65. Requires prior notification of each individual seeking to enroll of the deferred monthly premium amount for which the individual will be liable upon attaining age 65. (Sec. 101) Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to determine rates for: (1) the base monthly premium; (2) the base annual premium for individuals age 62 or older, adjusted appropriately for each premium area; as well as the maximum amount of such premium; and (3) the deferred premium for such individuals. Directs the Secretary to provide for payment and collection of the base monthly premium. Makes the enrollee liable for the deferred monthly premium payment. Requires collection of both premiums in the same manner as for the payment of monthly premiums under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance). Creates in the Treasury the Medicare Early Access Trust Fund (Trust Fund) to hold collected premiums. Directs: (1) the Trust Fund's Board of Trustees to report annually to Congress on the need for adjustments in the new program in order to maintain its financial solvency; and (2) the Comptroller General to report periodically to Congress on the adequacy of program financing along with appropriate recommendations to accomplish such end. Requires: (1) individuals enrolled under the new part D program to be treated for Medicare purposes as though they were entitled to benefits under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) and enrolled under Medicare part B; and (2) new part D program benefits to be payable under Medicare to such individuals in the same manner as if they were so entitled and enrolled. Provides that the new part D program shall not be treated as Medicare for purposes of the Medicaid program (SSA title XIX), including the provision of Medicare cost-sharing assistance, nor for purposes of COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985) continuation requirements of the Public Health Service Act. Title II: Access to Medicare Benefits for Displaced Workers 55-to-62 Years of Age - Amends SSA title XVIII part D to rename the newly established part D program the Purchase of Medicare Benefits by Certain Individuals Age 55-to-65 Years of Age. Provides for part D coverage for certain displaced workers and spouses between the ages of 55 and 62 under arrangements similar to those in title I. Directs the Secretary to provide for continued enrollment of displaced workers who attain 62 years of age. Title III: COBRA Protection for Early Retirees - Subtitle A: Amendments to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to extend specified group health plan insurance continuation coverage under COBRA to qualified retirees and their dependents, in cases of substantial reduction or termination of a retiree group health plan. Sets forth a special rule for certain dependents in case of termination or substantial reduction of retiree health coverage. Permits an increased level of premiums in the case of an individual provided continuation coverage by reason of the qualifying event. Subtitle B: Amendments to the Public Health Service Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend specified group health plan insurance continuation coverage under COBRA to qualified retirees and their dependents, in cases of substantial reduction or termination of a retiree group health plan. Sets forth a special rule for certain dependents in case of termination or substantial reduction of retiree health coverage. Permits an increased level of premiums in the case of an individual provided continuation coverage by reason of the qualifying event. Subtitle C: Amendments to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend specified group health plan insurance continuation coverage under COBRA to qualified retirees and their dependents, in cases of substantial reduction or termination of a retiree group health plan. Sets forth a special rule for certain dependents in case of termination or substantial reduction of retiree health coverage. Permits an increased level of premiums in the case of an individual provided continuation coverage by reason of the qualifying event. Title IV: Financing - Provides that any increase in payments under SSA title XVIII resulting from enactment of this Act shall be offset by reductions in payments under such program pursuant to the anti-fraud and anti-abuse provisions enacted as part of the Medicare Fraud and Reimbursement Reform Act of 1999.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 1999
Bear Protection Act of 1999 - Prohibits any person from: (1) importing bear viscera into, or exporting it from, the United States; or (2) selling bear viscera, bartering, offering it for sale or barter, or purchasing, possessing, transporting, delivering, or receiving it in interstate or foreign commerce. Subjects persons who violate such prohibitions to specified penalties. Waives such prohibition for wildlife law enforcement purposes where a valid permit has been issued. Requires the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of State to discuss issues involving such trade with the appropriate representatives of countries that are the leading importers, exporters, or consumers of such products. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to report to Congress on the progress of efforts to end illegal trade in bear viscera.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 1999
Young American Workers' Bill of Rights - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to revise and increase requirements relating to child labor standards, including: (1) reporting, recordkeeping, and certification; (2) orders and regulations; (3) penalties; (4) coverage regardless of sales volume; (5) civil actions; and (6) migrant or seasonal agricultural labor. Directs the Secretary of Labor to: (1) compile (jointly with the Census Bureau) annual child labor data with respect to individuals under age 18; (2) provide for coordination among enforcement personnel for Federal and State labor standards, occupational health and safety laws, and Federal immigration laws; (3) establish an Advisory Committee for Child Labor; and (4) publicize violators of child labor laws. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 1999
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Clinton administration should: (1) be commended for supporting United Nations Commission on Human Rights Resolution 1999-13 (concerning continued discrimination against religious minorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran), and should continue to work through the United Nations to assure that Iran implements that resolution's recommendations; (2) condemn the recent arrest of members of Iran's Jewish minority and urge their immediate release; (3) urge all nations having relations with Iran to condemn the treatment of religious minorities in Iran and call for the release of all prisoners held on the basis of their religious beliefs; and (4) maintain the current U.S. policy toward Iran unless and until that country moderates its treatment of religious minorities.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 1999
Aviation Code-Share Safety Act of 1999 - Amends Federal aviation law to authorize the Secretary of Transportation to approve a code-sharing arrangement (an arrangement whereby an air carrier's designator code is used to identify a flight operated by another carrier) between an air carrier providing air transportation of passengers and a foreign air carrier, only if: (1) the director of safety, director of operations, and director of maintenance for the air carrier each certify to the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration that an initial safety audit, (including an on- site inspection) of the foreign air carrier has been conducted under a safety audit program approved by the Administrator, and the foreign air carrier met the standards of the safety audit program; and (2) the air carrier agrees to conduct periodic safety audits (including on-site inspections) of the foreign air carrier in accordance with the safety audit program. Sets forth specified safety audit program requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 1999
Medicare Community Nursing Demonstration Extension Act of 1999 - Grants an additional three-year extension for demonstration projects under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 that provide payment on a prepaid, capitated basis for community nursing and ambulatory care furnished to beneficiaries under the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 1999
Harold Hughes-Bill Emerson Substance Abuse Treatment Parity Act of 1999 - Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code to provide for parity in the application of treatment limitations and financial requirements to substance abuse treatment benefits under group health plans and individual health insurance coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 1999
Medicare's Elderly Receiving Innovative Treatments (MERIT) Act of 1999 - Amends part C (Medicare+Choice) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with regard to the frail elderly, modifying: (1) payment rules (including requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and implement a new payment system); (2) eligibility, election, and enrollment provisions (adding special rules for frail elderly Medicare+Choice beneficiaries enrolling in specialized programs for the frail elderly that establish a continuous open enrollment period for such individuals); and (3) benefits and beneficiary protections provisions (requiring the Secretary to develop and implement a program to measure the quality of care provided in specialized programs for the frail elderly). Exempts Medicare+Choice beneficiaries in a specialized program for the frail elderly from any risk adjustment system until the Secretary certifies to Congress that a comprehensive risk adjustment methodology taking certain factors into account is being fully implemented.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 1999
Military Survivor Benefits Improvement Act of 1999 - Amends Federal provisions concerning the military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) to adjust the basic SBP annuity amount for surviving spouses age 62 or over of former military personnel to: (1) 35 percent of the retired pay of the decedent, for months beginning on or before the enactment of this Act (current law); (2) 40 percent of such pay, for months beginning after the date of enactment of this Act until October 2004; and (3) 45 percent of such pay, for months beginning on or after October 2004. Adjusts similarly the percentage amounts of SBP supplemental annuity authorized to be provided for such surviving spouses. Directs the Secretary of Defense to ensure appropriate adjustments in the computation of retired pay reductions for such supplemental annuities made necessary by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 1999
Declares that: (1) no Member of Congress or any other American should generalize or stereotype the actions of an individual to an entire group of people; (2) Americans of Asian ancestry are entitled to all rights and privileges afforded to all Americans; and (3) the Attorney General, the Secretary of Energy, and the Commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission should, within their respective jurisdictions, vigorously enforce the security of the national laboratories and investigate all allegations of discrimination in public or private workplaces.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 1999
Harbor Services Fund Act of 1999 - Imposes a fee on services provided to commercial vessels for port use based on vessel category and vessel capacity as specified under this Act. Requires that the aggregate amount of such fees in a fiscal year be sufficient to pay the projected total expenditures of the Department of the Army for harbor development, operation, and maintenance for a fiscal year. Requires such fee, with specified exceptions, to be imposed on a voyage basis for such vessels and to be payable by the operator of such a vessel upon entering a U.S. port from a foreign port or at the originating port for domestic voyages. Establishes the Harbor Services Fund into which all fees collected under this Act shall be deposited as offsetting receipts and to which balances in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund shall be transferred. Authorizes amounts in the Fund to be made available for each fiscal year to pay 100 percent of the eligible harbor development costs, the eligible operations and maintenance costs assigned to commercial navigation of all ports within the United States, and the eligible costs of maintaining Federal dredging capability for the Nation. Authorizes, in addition, appropriations of up to $100 million per fiscal year from the Fund for the dredging of berthing areas and construction and maintenance of bulkheads associated with a Federally authorized project and for all or a portion of the non-Federal share of project costs of an eligible non-Federal interest participating in the construction, operation, or maintenance of such a project. Reserves from the balances transferred to the Fund such sums to implement legislation to be enacted to establish the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation as a performance based organization.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 1999
Father Theodore M. Hesburgh Congressional Gold Medal Act - Authorizes the President to present, on behalf of Congress, a congressional gold medal to Father Theodore M. Hesburgh in recognition of his outstanding and enduring contributions to civil rights, higher education, the Catholic Church, the Nation, and the global community. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 1999
Home Health Access Preservation Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, subject to certain restrictions, to pay an additional amount, determined in accordance with specified guidelines, to home health agencies furnishing qualified home health services during a cost reporting period beginning on or after October 1, 1997, under the Medicare program (title XVIII of the Social Security Act). Authorizes appropriations. Prohibits the Secretary from making additional payments under this Act for all or portions of cost reporting periods beginning on or after the date of the implementation of the prospective payment system (PPS) for home health services under Medicare. Bars judicial review with regard to any action of the Secretary with respect to the determination of an additional payment under this Act. Addresses overpayments to home health agencies, giving them a repayment option over a 36-month period, and prohibiting interest accrual on the outstanding balance of the overpayment amount during such period. Prohibits home health agencies from electing to make such a repayment for all or portions of cost reporting periods beginning on or after the date of the implementation of the PPS for home health services under Medicare. Makes the repayment option effective retroactively to the enactment of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Directs the Secretary to meet periodically with the staff of the appropriate congressional committees to provide an informal update regarding the Secretary's progress in implementing such PPS.
![Official portrait of Rep. Oberstar, James L. [D-MN-8]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/o000006_200.jpg)