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United States · Official source
3,131 records where Rep. Panetta, Leon [D-CA-16] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 12 August 1992
Designates February 4, 1993, and February 3, 1994, as National Women and Girls in Sports Day.
United States · United States Congress · 12 August 1992
Designates November 30 through December 6, 1992, as National Education First Week.
United States · United States Congress · 12 August 1992
Designates the week beginning November 8, 1992, as Hire a Veteran Week.
United States · United States Congress · 11 August 1992
Designates December 1, 1992, as World AIDS Day.
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1992
Expresses the sense of the Congress that effective follow-up to achieve the goals of the agreements reached at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) will depend on the following actions by the President and the U.S. Government: (1) adoption of a national strategy for environmentally sustainable development, based on an extensive process of nationwide consultations with all interested organizations and individuals; (2) the Government encouraging and facilitating means for adopting individual Agenda 21 plans of action, including the establishment of local, county, State, business, and other boards and commissions for achieving sustainable development; (3) the President establishing an effective mechanism to plan, initiate, and coordinate U.S. policy for implementing Agenda 21; and (4) policies being formulated for foreign policy and assistance to help developing countries, and for domestic actions to assure appropriate action to implement Agenda 21. Supports: (1) pursuing the research and policy initiatives urged in Agenda 21, including research on sustainable consumption and production patterns, creation of a policy framework for sustainable consumption patterns, identification of a strategy to eliminate or reduce subsidies for unsustainable natural resource exploitation, and improving pricing policies; (2) the Congress adopting a plan to reallocate an appropriate amount of savings from reduced defense spending to achieve its goals of global environmental protection and sustainable development over the next decade; and (3) the effective establishment of a high-level United Nations (UN) Commission on Sustainable Development. Urges the United States to call for periodic international meetings to continue the process toward developing and advancing international agreement to facilitate sustainable economic development. Calls on the President to: (1) urge and actively participate in multilateral efforts aimed at creating a more favorable international economic climate for developing countries to practice sustainable development; (2) affirm strong U.S. commitment to the Commission by appointing a high-level representative to the Commission and by encouraging the UN Secretary General to appoint an Under Secretary General for Sustainable Development; (3) submit and encourage all UN members to submit a national report to the Commission on activities the United States has undertaken to implement Agenda 21 both domestically and internationally, on progress made toward fulfilling other commitments undertaken at UNCED, and on other relevant environmental and developmental issues; and (4) submit an annual report to the Congress on the steps taken by the United States to implement Agenda 21 and the recommendations made by this Act and make information regarding such steps available to Members of the Congress upon request.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 1992
Health Choices Freedom Act of 1992 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to define "dietary supplement." Declares that a supplement is not: (1) a drug solely because of its potency or because its labeling or advertising contains certain material; or (2) a food additive if certain requirements are met. Regulates supplement labeling and advertising.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 1992
Balanced Budget Enforcement Act of 1992 - Title I: Balancing the Budget - Part A: Purposes - Repeals provisions of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) with respect to: (1) emergency powers to eliminate deficits in excess of the maximum deficit amount; (2) budgetary treatment of social security trust funds; and (3) miscellaneous and related provisions. Declares the purpose of this Act to balance the budget by FY 1998 and each year thereafter. Part B: The Deficit Elimination Act of 1992 - The Deficit Elimination Act of 1992 - Establishes deficit reduction targets for direct spending and receipts legislation for FY 1993 through 1998. Establishes discretionary funding limits in terms of new budget authority for FY 1994 through 1998. Requires, whenever appropriate, that adjustments to such limits be made to reflect: (1) changes in budget accounting concepts; (2) changes in inflation for each year and outyear (any of the four fiscal years that follow the budget year); (3) renewal/replacement multiyear subsidized housing contracts; (4) emergency requirements; (5) new limits for 1998 and thereafter; and (6) any law that raises excise taxes dedicated to a transportation trust fund. Provides that if at the start of the 1998 budget-year session the baseline assuming deficit reduction projects a deficit (or surplus) for that year, then the direct spending and receipts deficit reduction requirement for that year and the discretionary funding limit for that year shall each be changed by amounts that, when debt service effects are added, will produce a balanced budget. Requires these changes to be made through enactment of a spin-off law or, if a spin-off law is not enacted, an adjustment to the direct spending and receipts deficit reduction requirement by two-thirds of the required change (excluding debt service effects) and a one-third adjustment of the required change (excluding debt service effects) to the discretionary funding limit. Provides for preventing deficits starting with FY 1999. Provides for the enactment of a spin-off law through congressional budget procedures or other means to balance the budget in 1998 or prevent deficits after 1998. Establishes a scorecard for the recording of the estimated increase or decrease in deficit reduction for the current year, the budget year, and each fiscal year through 1998 due to enactment (after August 15, 1992) of any law, or the imposition of any sequestration, or the change in the baseline which relates to certain expiring provisions of law and to veterans' compensation, affecting the level of direct spending or the level of receipts. Requires the creation of a new scorecard for FY 1999 and thereafter for the estimated increase or decrease in the deficit or surplus for the budget year. Sets forth deficit reduction requirements for the scorecard. Provides for scoring any law that affects current-year direct spending or receipts. Divides the scorecard between changes in outlays for direct spending and changes in receipts. Excludes certain emergency legislation from the scorecard. Includes certain receipts resulting from an increase in an excise tax dedicated to a transportation fund. Establishes a scorecard for each fiscal year starting with 1994 for discretionary appropriations amounts due to: (1) the enactment of any law in the budget-year session; (2) the enactent of any law in any previous session of Congress; or (3) the imposition of any across-the-board reduction of discretionary programs. Sets forth the method of enforcing deficit reduction targets in direct spending programs through a targeted sequestration procedure. Requires enactment of a spin-off law to initiate such procedure. Establishes a comprehensive sequestration procedure if such spin-off bill is not enacted. Requires under such procedure a freeze of entitlement spending and some revenue provisions in the amount needed to meet deficit targets. Sets forth the method of sequestering discretionary programs through uniform across-the-board reductions, unless the excess of new budget authority is less than $250 million. Lists the budget accounts or activities exempted from sequestration. Authorizes the President to exempt some or all of the budgetary resources of any military personnel account from sequestration, pending notification of the Congress. Subjects Federal administrative expenses to sequestration orders, with specified exceptions. Provides for the permanent sequestration of direct spending and receipts and for determining applicable uniform percentages for reductions. Sets forth the method of making reductions for: (1) the non-JOBS and JOBS portion of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children Program (AFDC) under the Social Security Act; (2) the child support enforcement program; (3) the Commodity Credit Corporation; (4) the conservation reserve program; (5) extended unemployment compensation; (6) the Federal Employees Health Benefits Fund; (7) the Federal Housing Finance Board; (8) Federal pay; (9) the guaranteed student loan program; (10) Federal insurance program; (11) the Medicaid program; (12) the Medicare program; (13) the Postal Service Fund; (14) the Department of Energy power marketing administration funds or the Tennessee Valley Authority fund; (15) the uranium enrichment program; and (16) veterans' housing loans. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish the method of sequestration through tax changes. Requires an increase in the top marginal rates and modifies the indexing provision under a sequestration order. Imposes a tax surcharge on individuals and corporations. Sets forth the timetable for estimating assumptions and filing reports and orders by the President, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Board of Estimates (established by this Act). Requires the making of sequestration reports, sequestration preview reports, and low-growth reports by CBO and OMB. Establishes the administrative procedures relative to such reports. Sets forth assumptions to be used in calculating the baseline for the budget year and each outyear with respect to direct spending and receipts and discretionary programs. Declares that a baseline assuming deficit reduction refers to a projection of current policy baseline surpluses or deficits into the budget year and the outlays that is adjusted in aggregate by: (1) assuming compliance with basic deficit reduction targets; (2) assuming compliance with the discretionary funding limits; and (3) excluding amounts resulting from legislation designated as an emergency requirement. Establishes as a deposit fund in the Treasury a Stabilization Reserve Fund to accumulate balances during years of comparative prosperity, which may later be used to cover the loss of receipts and the increase in outlays that occur during comparative economic distress. Requires annual surpluses to be paid into the Fund. Requires starting with FY 1999 that an additional $10 billion be paid to the Fund. Requires in each year starting with 2000 that an additional $20 billion be paid to such Fund. Prohibits Fund balances from receiving interest. Requires the enactment of a law to transfer balances to the General Fund of the Treasury. Establishes congressional procedures in the event of a low-growth report or a declaration of war. Establishes a Board of Estimates to choose the applicable sequestration report from OMB or CBO to submit to the President. Provides judicial review procedures for provisions of this title. Title II: Technical and Conforming Amendments - Makes technical and conforming amendments to the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Standing Rules of Senate, and specified other laws. Establishes the public debt limit.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 1992
Children's Initiative - Family Preservation Act of 1992 - States that titles I through V of this Act may be cited as the Family Preservation Act of 1992 - Title I: Child Welfare Services - Amends part B (Child Welfare Services) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA) to create a capped entitlement program to provide child welfare services designed to strengthen and preserve families. Provides for allotments, reallotments, and payments to States of entitlement funds. Requires use of part of such funds to develop or expand specialized child welfare service programs for families in crisis due to substance abuse. Requires uses of remaining funds to develop or expand certain family and child service programs. Repeals provisions for incentive payments to States which maintain a foster care inventory, information system, and case review system; but requires States to provide such protections and other services designed to keep families together or reunify them, or to place children for adoption, with a legal guardian, or in some other planned, permanent living arrangement. Requires States to submit the following types of reports on child welfare services and expenditures: (1) pre-expenditure reports; (2) post-expenditure reports; and (3) comparative financial contributions reports. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to transmit to specified congressional committees annual summaries of the information in such comparative financial contributions reports. Requires such information to be made available to the public. Reserves entitlement funds for grants to State court systems to assess and improve procedures in child welfare cases in carrying out parts B and E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of SSA title IV. Sets forth application requirements and formulas for determining the amount of such grants for FY 1994 through 1998. Directs the HHS Secretary to submit interim and final reports to the Congress on the information obtained from assessments conducted with such grants and the impact of such grant program on State court procedures and functions. Requires each State to compile periodically a detailed directory of programs designed to keep families together or reunify them or place children permanently, identifying which of such programs provides specialized child welfare services to families in crisis due to substance abuse. Requires States to report on measures taken to comply with the Indian Child Welfare Act. Title II: Foster Care And Adoption Assistance - Amends SSA title IV to add a new part C, Comprehensive Service Projects to grant States flexibility and resources to develop comprehensive and coordinated services designed to: (1) preserve and strengthen families with children at risk of placement outside their homes; (2) reunite children with their families expeditiously if an out-of-home placement is found to be necessary; and (3) place children in adoptive homes or other permanent arrangements in a timely fashion if reunification with their families is not appropriate. Permits any State to apply to the HHS Secretary for permission to: (1) conduct a comprehensive service project in a selected area or areas; and (2) suspend certain child welfare services and foster care and adoption assistance requirements with respect to State activities in such area or areas during the project. Sets forth application requirements and administrative provisions for such projects. Prohibits the HHS Secretary from requiring as a condition of approval of a project application: (1) the State to select any area or areas in which to conduct the project; or (2) the project to comply with any requirements not specified in the project authorization. Sets forth those requirements with which such a project must comply. Provides for determining the expenses for which a State might properly seek reimbursement, for purposes of calculating such grant amount. Authorizes the HHS Secretary to increase such grant amount, to the extent appropriate, by taking specified factors into account. Sets forth requirements for notification to States of grant amounts, and for grant payments in equal quarterly installments. Prohibits a State from carrying out such a project in a manner that impairs the entitlement of any child to: (1) the foster care benefits he or she would have receive if the HHS Secretary had approved the State plan and had not authorized the State to conduct such a project; or (2) any other benefit to which the child is legally entitled. Deems a State to have in effect an approved foster care and adoption assistance plan during the period in which it conducts such a project for purposes of State plan requirements under part A (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) (AFDC) of SSA title IV. Requires States to report annually on project funds expended to the HHS Secretary and the Advisory Commission on Children and Families. Provides for administrative remedies for unsuccessful projects. Provides for project termination. Makes abandoned children entering foster care eligible for foster care maintenance payments. Makes the adoptive parents of any such child with respect to whom foster care maintenance payments may be made eligible for adoption assistance payments. Makes technical revisions to the foster care maintenance payments program and the adoption assistance program to expand the removal from home requirement to include removal from legal custody. Provides for retroactive application of such new requirement under the adoption assistance program. Makes children whose adoption has been set aside by a court eligible for foster care maintenance payments. Makes the adoptive parents of any such child with respect to whom foster care maintenance payments may be made eligible for adoption assistance payments. Establishes a respite care program for foster parents with children who have special needs. Limits the expenses eligible for reimbursement under such program. Expands the definition of children with special needs, for purposes of the adoption assistance program, to include: (1) those children for whom information is known and available about their genetic or social history indicating a high risk of medical conditions or physical, mental, or emotional handicaps which makes it reasonable to conclude that they cannot be placed for adoption without providing part E adoption assistance or Medicaid (SSA title XIX) medical assistance; and (2) those children that have been adopted, that were under the care and responsibility of the State agency responsible for administering the State's part E programs immediately before adoption, and that have a mental, physical, or emotional handicap that either existed before the adoption but was not diagnosed until afterwards, or first manifests itself after the adoption but is congenital or was caused beforehand. Extends to relatives (as well as foster parents) who are prospective adoptive parents, and with whom the child has significant emotional ties while in their care, the exception to the requirement that an effort be made to place special needs children with appropriate adoptive parents without providing adoption or Medicaid assistance. Requires each State to submit to the HHS Secretary the factors and conditions it uses to identify children with special needs for purposes of the adoption assistance program, and any modifications to such factors and conditions. Directs the HHS Secretary to establish an Advisory Committee on Foster Care Placement to study and report to the Secretary and the Congress on the implementation of specified requirements, under State plans for foster care and adoption assistance, that reasonable efforts be made: (1) before placement of a child in a foster home, to prevent or eliminate the need for removal of the child from the child's home; and (2) to make it possible for the child to return to the child's home. Provides Federal coverage of 90 percent of State costs in developing and installing certain statewide mechanized data collection and information retrieval systems. Covers 50 percent of State costs for operation of such systems. Provides that all State expenditures for development, installation, and operation of such systems shall be treated as necessary for proper and efficient administration of the State plan, without regard to whether the systems may be used with respect to foster or adoptive children other than those on behalf of whom payments may be made for foster care maintenance or adoption assistance. Reduces, after three years, from 90 to 50 percent the Federal matching payment for development and installation of such systems. Defers a deadline for implementation of automated systems until one year after certain regulations are promulgated. Directs the Secretary to establish a work group to advise on planning and implementation of the system to be used for collection of data relating to adoption and foster care in the United States. Requires the State plan to provide for: (1) a triennial review of the amounts paid as foster care maintenance payments and adoption assistance to assure their continuing appropriateness; and (2) a report to the HHS Secretary on the results. Sets forth requirements concerning dispositional hearings to determine the final status of a foster child. Revises the time frame for judicial determinations on voluntary placements. Sets forth case plan requirements for placement of children in out-of-State foster care. Requires annual review, with the child present, of the status of children in out-of-State foster care placements. Requires States to collect data on the numbers of children in out-of-State foster care placements. Requires a State, in order to receive payments for expenditures after FY 1994 for foster care maintenance payments made with respect to children placed in foster care outside the State, to conduct and submit a study to the HHS Secretary, by the end of such fiscal year, identifying the number and common characteristics of such children and the reasons why they were not placed in foster care in the State. Provides for the treatment of assets of youth participating in the independent living program. Eliminates the ceilings on Federal foster care payments to States and the State's authority to transfer unused foster care funds to child welfare services programs. Directs the HHS Secretary to: (1) establish an advisory committee; and (2) issue final regulations for training of staff of agencies responsible for administering foster care and adoption assistance programs, and for training of foster care and adoptive parents. Directs the Secretary annually to publish information, on a State-by-State basis, on expenditures for, and the operation of, the Child Welfare Services program, the Foster Care and Adoption Assistance program, and Comprehensive Service Projects. Amends SSA title IV to add a new part G, Child Welfare Review System. Directs the HHS Secretary to establish such system to: (1) review each State child welfare program to assess whether the requirements of the Act are being carried out; (2) impose financial penalties in cases of substantial failure to comply; and (3) provide technical assistance to any such program. Sets forth provisions relating to effects of noncompliance, suspension and rescission of financial penalties, and administrative and judicial review. Requires that all State child welfare programs be reviewed at least once by the end of FY 1997. Prohibits the Secretary from reducing or withholding any payment, or seeking any repayment from any State under part B or E, by reason of a determination made in connection with specified reviews or audits for certain periods. Prohibits suspension of payments with respect to any claim for reimbursement 30 days after the HHS Secretary receives the quarterly statement of expenditures that contains the report of the claim. Provides that within ten months after the Secretary takes any action to suspend payment with respect to such a claim, the Secretary shall: (1) determine the allowability of the claim; or (2) if unable to make such a determination, make payment with respect to the claim, subject to a later determination of allowability. Title III: Social Services Block Grant - Amends SSA title XX (Block Grants to States for Social Services) to authorize increased appropriations for title XX programs. Provides for the allocation to tribal organizations of program funds otherwise allotted to the State in which the Indians represented by such an organization reside. Title IV: Research, Demonstration, and Evaluation Activities - Amends part A (General Provisions) of SSA title XI to require the Director of the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) to establish an Advisory Commission on Children and Families. Requires the Commission to collect and assess specified types of information in order to identify cost-effective approaches to protect and enhance the physical, mental, emotional, and financial well-being of children and their families. Directs OTA to report annually to the Congress on the Commission and its assessment. Requires the Commission to conduct, through contracts with independent research organizations, the following research and evaluation projects: (1) the evaluation of child welfare service programs, including intensive family preservation programs; (2) foster care evaluations; (3) longitudinal child welfare data bases, and studies of child welfare population dynamics; and (4) comprehensive service projects evaluations. Requires the Commission to study child separation guidelines. Directs the HHS Secretary to conduct the following research and evaluations: (1) a study (under contract with an independent research organization) to assess the prevalence and nature of risks to the safety of employees of child welfare systems; and (2) a three-year study (under contract with an organization with demonstrated appropriate experience) to examine methodologies for measuring the workloads of providers of child welfare services and community mental health services. Directs the HHS Secretary to make grants to States or localities for child welfare demonstration projects concerning abandoned child permanent placement. Directs the HHS Secretary to authorize eligible institutions to conduct demonstration projects to train eligible individuals to deliver culturally sensitive and bilingual child welfare services in U.S. areas that border on Mexico. Directs the HHS Secretary to make grants to eligible institutions to conduct projects to train eligible institutions to deliver culturally sensitive and bilingual welfare services in urban centers which have a high proportion of historically unserved or underserved populations. Authorizes the HHS Secretary to make grants to State or local government agencies to conduct demonstration projects designed to: (1) develop and implement innovative recruitment or retention strategies for trained staff in public and private nonprofit agencies working with children and adolescents at risk of being placed in foster care; and (2) test the effect of joint training programs for the staff of child welfare, mental health, and juvenile justice agencies, and for judicial personnel and judges. Authorizes the HHS Secretary to conduct demonstration projects designed to test the feasibility of eliminating income and resource requirements respecting foster care and adoption assistance payments. Directs the HHS Secretary to provide technical assistance to States for: (1) interpreting and implementing parts B, C, and E; (2) disseminating information on innovative child welfare agencies; (3) correcting problems identified through Federal audits and reviews and carrying out corrective action plans under part E; (4) implementing the foster care and adoption data collection system; and (5) addressing other matters identified by the HHS Secretary. Title V: Miscellaneous Human Resources Amendments - Amends the AFDC program to give States the option of using retrospective budgeting without monthly reporting under AFDC. Increases the amount of stepparent income disregarded under AFDC. Amends the Family Support Act of 1988 to extend demonstration projects for evaluating model procedures for reviewing child support awards. Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 and the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to make technical corrections relating to human resource and income security provisions. Title VI: Childhood Hunger Relief - Mickey Leland Childhood Hunger Relief Act - Subtitle A: Ensuring Adequate Food Assistance - Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to remove the excess shelter deduction cap for purposes of food stamp program eligibility. (Sets forth transitional caps through 1996.) Eliminates food stamp reductions for households reapplying for program reinstatement within 30 days. Excludes 100 percent (currently only a specified portion) of third party payments for transitional housing for the homeless from consideration as program income. Increases funding for the nutrition assistance program in Puerto Rico. Excludes general assistance vendor payments from consideration as program income. Excludes the income of high school students from consideration as program income. (Current law excludes income until a student's eighteenth birthday.) Subtitle B: Promoting Self-Sufficiency - Excludes from consideration as program income: (1) the first $50 a month received as child support; and (2) child support payments to non-household members. Increases annually the fair market value limit of vehicles that program recipients may own. Subtitle C: Simplifying the Provision of Food Assistance - Permits related adults living in the same household to apply for separate program benefits under specified conditions. Repeals provisions authorizing benefit reductions due to insufficient funding. Subtitle D: Commodity Distribution to Needy Families - Amends the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 to provide for increased allotments in FY 1993 for commodity purchases under the emergency food assistance program. Subtitle E: Implementation and Effective Dates - Sets forth the effective dates for provisions of this title. Title VII: Funding - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a surtax on individuals with incomes over $1,000,000.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 1992
California San Antonio Mission National Historic Park Study Act of 1992 - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to study and report to specified congressional committees on the suitability and feasibility of establishing the San Antonio Mission in California as a unit of the National Park System. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 1992
Supports the planting of 500 redwood trees from California on the northwest coast of Spain in commemoration of the quincentenary of the voyage of Christopher Columbus to the New World. Designates such trees as a gift to the people of Spain made in the name of the people of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 1992
Designates August 7, 1992, as Battle of Guadalcanal Remembrance Day.
United States · United States Congress · 7 July 1992
International Kidnapping and Extradition Treaty Enforcement Act of 1992 - Prohibits the prosecution by any U.S. governmental authority of persons forcibly abducted from a foreign place which has in effect an extradition treaty with the United States by agents of a U.S. governmental authority for purposes of a criminal prosecution in violation of international law.
United States · United States Congress · 2 July 1992
Fiscal Accountability and Impact Reform Act (FAIR Act) - States that one purpose of this Act is to assist the Congress in consideration of proposed legislation establishing or revising Federal programs to assure that, to the maximum extent practicable, legislation enacted will: (1) minimize the burden of such legislation on expenditure of scarce local public resources by State and local governments; (2) minimize inefficient allocation of economic resources; and (3) reduce the adverse effect of such legislation on the ability of State and local governments to use local public resources to meet local needs, and on allocation of economic resources, full employment, and international competitiveness. States that a second purpose of this Act is to require Federal agencies to exercise discretionary authority and implement statutory requirements in a manner which, consistent with agency mission and Federal law, minimizes the impact of regulations and other major Federal actions affecting the economy on: (1) the ability of State and local governments to use local public resources to meet local needs; and (2) the allocation of economic resources, full employment, and international competitiveness of American goods and services. Title I: Legislative Reform - Provides that whenever a committee of either House reports a bill to its House which mandates unfunded requirements upon State and local governments or the private sector, the report accompanying that bill shall analyze the effect of the new requirements on: (1) State and local government expenditures necessary to comply with Federal mandates; (2) private businesses; and (3) economic growth and competitiveness. Title II: Agency Impact Analysis - Requires, to the fullest extent practicable, that: (1) the policies, regulations, and public laws of the United States be interpreted and administered in accordance with the purposes of this Act; (2) all Federal agencies, consistent with attainment of the requirements of Federal law, minimize the adverse effects of rules affecting the economy; and (3) Federal agencies take certain actions in promulgating new rules, reviewing existing rules, developing legislative proposals, or initiating any other major Federal action affecting the economy whenever an agency identifies two or more alternatives which will satisfy the agency's statutory obligations. Provides that, whenever an agency publishes a general notice of proposed rulemaking, promulgates a final rule, or before initiating or implementing any other major Federal action affecting the economy, the agency shall prepare and make available for public comment an Economic Impact Assessment. Specifies the contents of such an assessment. Provides for judicial review of final agency actions for compliance with this title.
United States · United States Congress · 2 July 1992
Denounces the sexual misconduct that occurred at the annual Navy Tailhook Association symposium in September 1991. Calls on the Secretary of Defense to ensure that the ongoing Department of Defense investigation of such misconduct is full and uncompromising. Urges the Secretary of the Navy to recommend and initiate full disciplinary procedures against any culpable individuals. Recognizes the importance of equality of opportunity for women and men in the armed forces to achieving mutual respect between the sexes. Urges the Secretary of Defense to make available to female military personnel the same opportunities available to male personnel, to the extent consistent with the protection and security of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 1992
Designates October 1992 as Country Music Month.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 1992
World University Games Commemorative Coin Act - Authorizes the minting and issuance of five dollar gold coins and one dollar silver coins (at no net cost to the Government) to commemorate American participation in the World University Games. Requires that all surcharges from the sale of such coins be paid to the Greater Buffalo Athletic Corporation to support amateur athletic programs, erect facilities for the use of such athletes, and to underwrite the cost of sponsoring the World University Games.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 1992
Foreign Language Economic Enhancement Act - Title I: Foreign Language Teacher Recruitment - Directs the Secretary of Education to establish a program of grants to State education agencies (SEAs) to recruit and train qualified individuals as elementary and secondary school foreign language teachers. Allots such funds to applicant States on the basis of periodic assessments of need for foreign language teachers in each State. Sets minimum and maximum grant limits. Sets forth application requirements. Requires SEAs, in selecting qualified individuals for such program from among those with competence in a foreign language consistent with certain standards, to include: (1) retired or returning Government employees who served abroad; (2) retired or returning business persons or professionals who served abroad; (3) foreign-born nationals with a degree from a domestic or overseas institution of higher education; and (4) individuals with a baccalaureate degree whose major or minor was in a foreign language or international studies. Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Grants to Institutions of Higher Education for Translators and Interpreters - Requires the Department of State to establish a Translation and Interpretation Needs Assessment Council, to be composed of the following (or their designated representatives): (1) the Secretaries of State, of Education, of Defense, and of Commerce; (2) the Directors of the Central Intelligence Agency, U.S. Information Agency, and National Security Council; and (3) six Presidentially-appointed experts in the fields of translation and interpretation, language and linguistics, international studies, business, and area studies education. Directs the Council to award institutional grants and individual fellowships for higher education degree or certificate programs in translation and interpretation. Requires determination of institutional and individual qualifications and selection for such awards after the Council has determined the translation and interpretation needs of the Government for purposes of economic competitiveness and cooperation, diplomacy, and national security. Requires higher education institutions or consortia (in conjunction with nonprofit or Federal agencies) to show they are developing such a program, in order to receive such a grant. Requires individual fellowship recipients to be enrolled in such a program and agree to enter government or public service for two years for each year of the fellowship. Sets forth authorized uses of such grants for institutional support and such fellowships. Authorizes appropriations. Title III: Lesser Known and Studied Languages - Amends the Soviet-Eastern European Research and Training Act of 1983 to direct the Secretary of State to award institutional grants and individual fellowships for degree or certificate programs for teaching and study of lesser known and studied languages. Requires the Secretary to develop a list of such languages. Sets forth requirements for program development grants to higher education institutions or consortia (in conjunction with nonprofit or Federal agencies), and for individual fellowships for study in such programs. Authorizes appropriations. Title IV: Export Education - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to make grants to States to provide education and support services to domestic businesses to increase their basic knowledge of world markets, foreign cultures, and languages, or order to develop and expand into international export markets. Requires States to submit proposals indicating the qualifications of an appropriate State-based entity to carry out authorized activities under this title. Requires each State receiving such a grant to determine the eligibility of such an entity according to the needs of the State's primary trade and economic development agency and model programs. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 1992
Calls upon the President to urge the United Nations Security Council to direct the Secretary General of the United Nations to provide a plan and budget for intervention as may be necessary to enforce the Security Council resolutions seeking cessation of hostilities in the former republics of Yugoslavia.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 1992
Free Trade in Ideas Act of 1992 - Amends the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Export Administration Act of 1979, the Trading With the Enemy Act, the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, and the United Nations Participation Act of 1945 to declare that the authority granted the President under such Acts does not include the authority to regulate or prohibit: (1) the importation from or exportation to any country, or the communication or telecommunication or other form of transmission to any country, of publications, films, posters, phonograph records, photographs, microfilms, microfiche, audiotapes and video tapes, artworks, telephone conversations, other voice or data communications, telecasts, and news wire feeds; (2) other forms of telecommunications; (3) other materials which in the United States would be protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution; (4) information that is not otherwise controlled under the Export Administration Act of 1979; (5) travel related to importation, exportation, communication, telecommunication, or transmission; (6) transactions for the creation or circulation concerning such information, or rights to such information, whether commercial or otherwise; (7) other transactions incidental to the above-mentioned activities or transactions; (8) any transactions ordinarily incident to travel to and from any country; (9) any transactions ordinarily incident to travel and maintenance within any country; (10) any transactions incident to the arrangement, promotion, or facilitation of travel to, from, or within a country; (11) any transactions incident to nonscheduled flights or voyages to and from any country; (12) normal banking transactions incident to travel to and from any country; (13) the importation or exportation of publications or other informational materials from any country; (14) financial or other transactions, or travel, incident to activities of scholars, other educational or academic activities, cultural activities and exchanges, or public exhibitions by nationals of one country in another country; or (15) financial or other transactions related to the establishment of U.S. news bureaus in foreign countries, or the establishment of foreign news bureaus in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 1992
Declares that the Congress acknowledges and appreciates the commitment, devotion, and sacrifices of present and former military families. Designates November 23, 1992, as National Military Families Recognition Day.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 1992
United States - China Act of 1992 - Prohibits the President from recommending for a 12-month period in 1993 continuation of a waiver of human rights and emigration requirements for nondiscriminatory treatment (most-favored-nation treatment) for China under the Trade Act of 1974 unless a specified report is submitted to the Congress stating that China has accounted for and released prisoners who dissented in Tiananmen Square and in other parts of China on June 3 and 4, 1989, and made progress in: (1) preventing gross violations of internationally recognized human rights, including workers' rights, in China and Tibet; (2) preventing exports of products made by prison labor, and allowing U.S. officials and international organizations to inspect such places of detention; (3) terminating religious persecution in China and Tibet and releasing religious leaders incarcerated as a result of the expression of their religious beliefs; (4) removing restrictions in China and Tibet on freedom of the press and on broadcasts by the Voice of America; (5) terminating harassment of Chinese citizens in the United States (including refusal to return or renew passports as retribution for prodemocracy activities); (6) ensuring access to prisoners of international human rights monitoring groups; (7) ensuring freedom from torture and in humane prison conditions; (8) terminating prohibitions on peaceful assembly imposed after June 3, 1989; (9) committing to engage in high-level discussions on human rights issues; (10) adhering to the Joint Declaration on Hong Kong; (11) providing adequate protection of U.S. patents, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights, and implementing the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the United States of America on the Protection of Intellectual Property; (12) providing U.S. exporters access to Chinese markets, including lowering tariffs, removing nontariff barriers, and increasing the purchase of U.S. goods and services; (13) ceasing unfair trade practices which burden or restrict U.S. Commerce; (14) adopting a national policy which adheres to the Missile Technology Control Regime and the controls of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Australia Group on chemical and biological arms proliferation; and (15) assuring that it is not assisting any nonnuclear weapons state in acquiring nuclear explosive devices. Requires the President, if he recommends such extension, to include in a specified document submitted to the Congress a report on China's progress in meeting the above-mentioned objectives. Requires such report also to include, but not be limited to, progress made by China and Tibet with regard to specified human rights. Grants nondiscriminatory treatment to products of nonstate-owned enterprises in China.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 1992
Provides for the printing of the book entitled "Year of the American Indian, 1992: Congressional Recognition and Appreciation" (prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on Printing) as a House document.
United States · United States Congress · 28 May 1992
Designates July 2, 1992, as National Literacy Day.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 1992
Title I: Law Enforcement Authority and Sundry Administrative Provisions - Grants authority to an on-duty member of the Capitol Police to make arrests and enforce Federal and District of Columbia laws within an expanded area of the District: (1) with respect to any crime of violence committed within the U.S. Capitol Grounds or in the presence of such member; and (2) to prevent imminent loss of life or injury to person or property. (Current law authorizes the Capitol Police to enforce such laws within the U.S. Capitol Buildings and Grounds only.) Changes the composition of the Capitol Police Board. Directs the Chairman of the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives and the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate to alternate, by session of Congress, as Chairman of the Board. Requires the payroll administration for members and civilian support personnel of the Capitol Police to be carried out on a unified basis by a single disbursing authority. Requires the Capitol Police Board, with the approval of specified congressional committees, to provide for such payroll administration. Makes such unified payroll administration effective as of FY 1993. Title II: Lump-Sum Payment Provisions - Provides that an officer or member of the U.S. Capitol Police who separates from service within two years of the enactment of this title, and who satisfies the age and service requirements for an immediate annuity pursuant to Federal law, shall be entitled to receive a lump-sum payment for his or her accumulated and current accrued annual leave attributable to service performed by such individual as an officer or non-civilian member of the Capitol Police Force. Sets forth disbursement procedures for such lump-sum payments.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 1992
States it shall be U.S. policy that: (1) President Aristide should be reinstated as President of Haiti; (2) the United States will coordinate with the Organization of American States to implement the Haitian trade embargo; and (3) humanitarian assistance to Haitians will be extended and their forced repatriation will cease. Provides for temporary protected status for certain Haitian nationals. Directs the President to: (1) notify Haiti of U.S. intentions to terminate the migrant interdiction agreement between the two countries; and (2) expand processing facilities for Haitians seeking U.S. protection. Excludes from U.S. entry certain Haitians who directly or indirectly assisted the overthrow of President Aristide or who participated in terrorist acts against the Haitian people.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 1992
Balanced Budget Enforcement Act of 1992 - Title I: Balancing the Budget - Part A: Purpose - Repeals provisions of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) with respect to: (1) emergency powers to eliminate deficits in excess of the maximum deficit amount; (2) budgetary treatment of social security trust funds; and (3) miscellaneous and related provisions. Declares the purpose of this Act to balance the budget by FY 1997 and each year thereafter. Part B: The Deficit Elimination Act of 1992 - Deficit Elimination Act of 1992 - Establishes the amounts by which the deficits in the deficit reduction base shall be reduced by changes in law for FY 1993 through 1997. Declares that changes in law do not include the resulting debt service changes or any incidental changes in intragovernmental receipts of Federal trust funds. Increases the basic deficit reduction requirements for FY 1996 and 1997 if the baseline assuming deficit reduction projects a deficit for either fiscal year. Provides for preventing deficits starting with FY 1998, if the current policy baseline projects a deficit for the budget year after excluding any amounts resulting from the prior enactment of specific excesses. Declares the shortfall in deficit reduction to be the amount by which the deficit reduction required for that year exceeds the deficit reduction achieved for that year. States that the amount to be sequestered for any budget year is the amount of the shortfall in deficit reduction for that year (general sequestration). Requires: (1) one-half of the amount to be sequestered to be derived by the imposition of a surtax; (2) one-quarter to be derived from reductions in direct spending programs; and (3) one-quarter to be derived from reductions in discretionary programs. Requires additional sequestration based on outyear shortfall (any of the four fiscal years that follow the budget year). Allows the enactment of a spin-off law, through the congressional budget process or any other means, for any budget year that separately specifies the proportions of deficit reduction required for that year (categorical sequestration) that is to be achieved from: (1) changes in direct spending law; (2) changes in receipts law; and (3) changes in outlays for discretionary programs. Requires such law to specify a cap on the amount of discretionary new budget authority that may be appropriated for the budget year. Sets forth formulae for determining amounts of sequestration in each category. Requires additional sequestration based on outyear shortfall. Sets forth the method of sequestering direct spending programs. Provides that such sequestration will occur only if direct spending in the current policy baseline exceeds $250 million. Provides for sequestration of revenues through a tax surcharge to reduce the deficit. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose such tax surcharge on individuals and corporations. Sets forth the method of sequestering discretionary programs. Provides that such sequestration will occur only if discretionary new budget authority in the current policy baseline exceeds $250 million. Requires within-session sequestration if any law is enacted containing provisions that would: (1) cause there to be a greater amount of direct spending or lower total receipts that allowed in the spin-off law, or a breach in the cap on discretionary new budget authority under the spin-off law; or (2) cause a shortfall in deficit reduction if no spin-off law has been enacted. Lists the budget accounts or activities exempted from sequestration. Subjects Federal administrative expenses to sequestration orders, with specified exceptions. Grants the President the option to exempt military and civilian personnel. Declares that automatic spending increases are increases in outlays due to changes in indexes in the National Wool Act and the special milk program. Exempts all amounts under such programs from any sequestration order other than the automatic spending increases. Sets forth the method of making reductions for: (1) the guaranteed student loan program; (2) foster care and adoption assistance programs; (3) low-income entitlements; (4) Federal retirement and veteran programs; (5) the Medicare program; (6) Federal pay; (7) the child support enforcement program; (8) extended unemployment compensation; (9) the Commodity Credit Corporation; (10) the JOBS portion of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children Program (AFDC) under the Social Security Act; and (11) the Postal Service Fund. Requires budgetary resources sequestered from any account other than an entitlement trust, special, or revolving fund account to revert to the Treasury and be permanently canceled. Requires the same percentage sequestration to apply to all programs, projects, and activities within a budget account. Requires administrative regulations or similar actions implementing a sequestration to be made within 120 days of the order. Requires that obligations in sequestered direct spending accounts be reduced in the fiscal year in which a sequestration occurs and in all succeeding fiscal years. Provides that if an automatic spending increase is sequestered, the increase that was disregarded shall not be taken into account in any subsequent fiscal year. Requires sequestration in accounts for which obligations are indefinite to be taken in a manner to ensure that obligations in the fiscal year of a sequestration and succeeding fiscal years are reduced from the level that would actually have occurred, by the applicable sequestration percentage. Establishes a scorecard for the recording of the estimated increase or decrease in deficit reduction for the current year, the budget year, and each fiscal year through 1997 due to enactment (after May 15, 1992) of any law, or the imposition of any sequestration, affecting the level of direct spending or the level of receipts. Treats deficit reduction as a positive and deficit increase as a negative on such scorecard. Divides the scorecard between changes in outlays for direct spending and changes in receipts. Provides for scoring deficit reduction achieved in prior sessions. Provides for determining deficit reduction achieved in the current session and for calculating savings in discretionary programs. Sets forth assumptions to be used in calculating the baseline for the budget year and each outyear with respect to direct spending and receipts and discretionary programs. Requires the deficit reduction base to be a current policy baseline for FY 1992 through 1997. Provides for determining direct spending and receipts for such base and sets forth the level of outlays for discretionary appropriations. Requires adjustments to the discretionary deficit reduction base for each budget year and each outyear through 1997 to reflect changes in budget accounting concepts, changes in inflation, and specific excesses. Declares that a baseline assuming deficit reduction shall be a projection of current policy baseline deficits that is adjusted in aggregate by assuming compliance with basic deficit reduction requirements and excluding amounts designated as specific excess. Sets forth the timetable for estimating assumptions and filing reports and orders by the President, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Board of Estimates (established by this Act). Requires the making of sequestration preview reports, sequestration update reports, within-session sequestration reports, and low-growth reports by CBO and OMB. Establishes the administrative procedures relative to such reports. Establishes a Board of Estimates to choose the applicable report from OMB or CBO to submit to the President. Establishes a deposit fund in the Treasury a Stabilization Reserve Fund to accumulate balances during years of comparative prosperity, which may later be used to cover the loss of receipts and the increase in outlays that occur during comparative economic distress. Requires annual surpluses to be paid into the Fund. Requires starting with FY 1997 that an additional $2 bilion be paid to the Fund. Prohibits Fund balances from receiving interest. Requires the enactment of a law to transfer balances to the General Fund of the Treasury. Establishes congressional procedures in the event of a low-growth report or a declaration of war. Provides judicial review procedures for provisions of this title. Title II: Technical and Conforming Amendments - Makes technical and conforming amendments to the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Standing Rules of the Senate, and specified other laws.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 1992
Justice in India Act - Terminates all development assistance for India under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (except assistance for specified health projects) if the President reports to the Congress that India has not repealed certain special and preventive detention laws. Provides for the resumption of such assistance if India repeals such laws.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 1992
Designates February 21 through 27, 1993, as American Wine Appreciation Week. Commends the winegrape and fruit growers and vintners of the United States for the production of high quality agricultural products.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 1992
Directs the Postmaster General to issue a commemorative postage stamp in honor of American POWs/MIAs.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 1992
Prohibits a member of the armed forces or person seeking to become a member from being discriminated against by the armed forces on the basis of sexual orientation.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 1992
Designates the week beginning February 14, 1993, as National Visiting Nurse Associations Week.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 1992
Designates the third Sunday in May 1992 as Peace Day.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 1992
Amends rule XIV of the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit the Speaker of the House from recognizing Members to make special-order speeches. Amends rule XXXIV to prohibit extensions of remarks by Members from being inserted in the Congressional Record, except as they pertain to legislative matters before the House, its committees or subcommittees.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 1992
Civil War Battlefield Commemorative Coin Act of 1992 - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to issue a specified number of five-dollar gold coins, one-dollar silver coins, and half-dollar clad coins to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Civil War battlefield preservation. Sets forth certain features of such coins and provides for their design, issuance, and sale. Requires that all sales include a surcharge of $35 per coin for the five-dollar coins, $7 per coin for the one-dollar coins, and $1 per coin for the half-dollar coins. Requires that all surcharges be paid to the Civil War Battlefield Foundation for the preservation of historically significant Civil War battlefields.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 1992
Designates November 13, 1992, as Vietnam Veterans Memorial 10th Anniversary Day.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 1992
Congratulates the residents of Jerusalem and the peopole of Israel on the 25th anniversary of the reunification of that city. Urges that: (1) Jerusalem remain an undivided city in which the rights of every ethnic and religious group are protected; and (2) the President and Secretary of State issue an unequivocal statement in support of such principle.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 1992
Military Conscientious Objector Act of 1992 - Establishes procedures for the determination of whether members of the armed forces should be discharged from military service or reassigned to other duties as conscientious objectors. Makes this Act applicable to all members of the armed forces, including members in a retired status and those not on active duty. Provides that, upon application, a member of the armed forces who, on the basis of sincerely held moral, ethical, or religious beliefs is conscientiously opposed to: (1) any participation in war in any form or to any participation in a particular conflict, is entitled to be discharged from the armed forces; and (2) the performance of certain duties in the armed forces, is entitled to be reassigned to other duties that are identified by that member as not inconsistent with such beliefs. Specifies that, upon submission of an application stating the applicant's conscientious objection and requesting a discharge or reassignment: (1) the burden of proof that the applicant does not have have a sincerely held conscientious objection shall lie with the armed forces; and (2) the application may not be rejected unless the Secretary concerned demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence that the applicant does not have such a sincerely held conscientious objection. Sets forth provisions with respect to: (1) the availability of of information regarding application procedures and rights, protections, and obligations afforded to members applying for conscientious objector status; (2) the filing of a notice of intent to file a claim for such status; (3) the right to legal counsel; (4) the filing of the application; (5) appointment of an investigating officer; (6) the convening of an adjudication panel; and (7) judicial review of the panel's decision. Specifies that, in the case of a member who files such application and with respect to whom court martial proceedings are pending arising out of the member's objection to participation in war: (1) the member shall have the right to elect that all such court martial proceedings be held in abeyance pending final determination of the application; (2) if the application is approved, such charges shall be dismissed in conjunction with the discharge of the member; and (3) if the application is denied, the stay of the court martial proceedings shall be lifted. Prohibits: (1) a discharge under this Act from being made with a characterization of service other than that which the member would have received without reference to the conscientious objection claim; and (2) the separation document issued to the member from including any notation that would provide the basis for discrimination or which would otherwise differentiate that person from members discharged under other provisions of law. Specifies that the reenlistment code for such person shall be R-2 unless a lesser designation is warranted by the character of the member's service without regard to the conscientious objection application.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 1992
Commission on Executive Organization Act - Establishes the Commission on Executive Organization to examine and make recommendations with respect to an effective and practicable organization of the Federal executive branch. Requires the Commission to seek to reduce the total number of Federal employees by five percent within five years after the effective date of this Act. Requires the Commission to submit a report to the President describing its recommendations and legislative changes necessary to implement such recommendations. Requires the President to: (1) issue an Executive order implementing the recommendations made in the report; and (2) report to the Congress on the Commission's recommendations for legislation. Requires the Directors of the Congressional Research Service, the Congressional Budget Office, and the Office of Technology Assessment to submit to the Commission indices to, and synoposes of, materials on executive organization useful to the Commission. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 1992
Extends emergency crop loss assistance to producers who lost crops during the period July 1, 1991, to April 15, 1992, to infestations of sweetpotato whitefly. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to provide specified funds to the Cooperative State Research Service for expanded research on sweetpotato whitefly control.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 1992
Designates October 4 through 10, 1992, as Mental Illness Awareness Week.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 1992
Designates October 4 through 10, 1992, as National Customer Service Week.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 1992
Pacific Ocean Salmon Fishing Disaster Relief Act - Mandates a disaster payment to a commercial salmon fishing operation owned and operated by a U.S. citizen or national and operating out of California, Oregon, or Washington if the operation harvests during 1992 less than a specified percentage of the average annual harvest during 1986 through 1990. Requires adjustment of the determination of the actual harvest of an operation if the operation: (1) compensated for the reduced salmon harvest by harvesting other fish; or (2) failed to take reasonable methods to alleviate the economic hardship resulting from the imposition by the Pacific Fishery Management Council of a ban or restrictions on the harvest.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 1992
Designates the second Sunday in October 1992 as National Children's Day.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 1992
Authorizes the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate, on behalf of the Congress, to present a bronze medal to individuals certified by the Secretary of Defense who: (1) were members of the U.S. Armed Forces present during the Battle of Midway on June 4 through 6, 1942; and (2) participated in combat operations on those days against the Japanese military forces attacking Midway Island. Deems an individual who was killed or wounded in that attack a participant of such operation. Requires the presentation of such medal as close as feasible to the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Midway. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 1992
Designates April 26 through May 2, 1992, as National Crime Victims' Rights Week.
United States · United States Congress · 8 April 1992
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that secondary schools should implement a financial planning program using proven techniques of the College for Financial Planning in partnership with the Department of Agriculture Extension Service and participating Land-Grant University Cooperative Extension Services.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1992
Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1992 - Establishes in the Department of Agriculture (Department) the Farm Services Administration to consolidate farmer service programs, field offices, and specified Department agencies. Authorizes the transfer of appropriate programs to the Rural Development Administration. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to: (1) reduce Department headquarters personnel (with priority given to attrition rather than reductions-in-force); and (2) establish a centralized data system within the Farm Services Administration, including paperwork reduction and simpler program applications. Reorganizes the local and county committee system. Expresses the sense of the Congress in favor of farm program simplification.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 1992
Minor Crop Protection Assistance Act of 1992 - Amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to define "minor use" as the use of a pesticide on a commercial agricultural crop or site where: (1) the total U.S. acreage for the crop is less than 300,000 acres; (2) the acreage expected to be treated as a result of that use is less than 300,000 acres annually or the agricultural crop represents production from less than 300,000 acres annually; (3) the use does not provide sufficient economic incentive to support initial or continuing registration; and (4) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not determined that the use presents an unreasonable adverse environmental effect. Permits the Administrator, in handling the registration of a pesticide for a minor use, to waive applicable data requirements if it is determined that the absence of data will not prevent the Administrator from determining the incremental risk presented by the minor use and that such risk would have an unreasonable adverse environmental effect. Prohibits data that relates solely to a minor use, without the permission of the original data submitter, from being considered by the Administrator to support a minor use application by another person for ten years following the submission of the data. Terminates the exclusive use of such data if the registration is voluntarily cancelled, or if the data are used to support a nonminor use. Provides for expedited review (within six months of submission) of applications to support minor use pesticide registrations. Grants registrants who make good faith requests for minor use waivers regarding required data, and whose requests are denied, a full time period for providing such data. Requires the Administrator, upon the request of a registrant, to extend the deadline for the production of data required solely to support a minor use pesticide up to four years if the registrant provides data to support other uses of the pesticide and a schedule to assure that the data production will be completed before the expiration of the extension. Applies the same extension conditions to data for reregistrations. Requires the Administrator to conditionally amend a registration to permit additional minor uses even if data is insufficient if the applicant has submitted satisfactory data pertaining to the proposed minor use and amending such registration would not increase environmental risks. Prohibits amendments if the pesticide meets or exceeds risk criteria associated with human dietary exposure and other specified conditions. Provides for extensions of minor use registration and data submission deadlines in cases where a registrant is not providing data to support a minor use but is providing data in a timely fashion to support other uses. Requires the Administrator, when a minor use registration application is filed no later than two years after another registrant voluntarily cancels registration for a similar use, to evaluate such application as if the voluntary cancellation had not yet taken place for purposes of data use, subject to environmental risk considerations. Directs EPA to assure coordination of minor use issues through the establishment of a minor use program within the Office of Pesticide Programs. Establishes and authorizes funding for a Department of Agriculture matching fund minor use program. Requires the program to be utilized to ensure the continued availability of minor use crop protection chemicals, including the data to support minor use pesticide registrations.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 1992
Medicare Durable Medical Equipment Patient Protection Act of 1992 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (the Act) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to designate no more than five regional carriers nationwide to process all claims for durable medical equipment (DME). Prohibits a supplier of a covered item from presenting, or causing to be presented, a claim for payment unless such claim is presented to the appropriate carrier (i.e., the carrier having jurisdiction over the geographic area of the residence of the patient to whom the item is furnished, with exceptions). Includes: (1) within the definition of "DME" ostomy and tracheostomy supplies, urologicals, surgical dressings, and splints, casts, and other devices used for reduction of fractures and dislocations; and (2) such supplies among "inexpensive and other routinely purchased DME" for purposes of special payment rules. Directs the Secretary to: (1) study and report to the Congress on the feasibility and desirability of basing payment amounts for covered items of DME, prosthetic devices, and orthotics and prosthetics under part B of the Medicare program on the reasonable costs of such items; and (2) establish and publish updated guidelines for carriers under part B that describe the conditions under which such items shall be considered medically effective when furnished to an elderly patient and when furnished to a disabled patient, and under which a supplier of such items may furnish a patient with an item in excess of, or more expensive than, the standard version of the item for which payment may be made under the program. Specifies that no payment of suppliers of DME may be made for any covered item furnished during a year (beginning with 1993) by any supplier unless the Secretary certifies (or has certified during the four preceding years) that the supplier meets specified certification standards. Directs the Secretary to establish and publish certification standards for suppliers, including a requirement that the supplier furnish the Secretary with the following information: (1) whether the items furnished by the supplier are purchased, warehoused, and shipped directly by the supplier or under arrangements with other suppliers; (2) the identity of subcontracting or subsidiary entities or entities with which the provider is doing business which are advertising or marketing firms directly or indirectly involved in furnishing covered items to individuals entitled to benefits under the Act; (3) a description of all items and services furnished by the supplier to individuals eligible for such benefits and to providers of services or other entities furnishing items and services for which payment may be made under the Act; and (4) a list of all States and counties in which individuals reside to whom the supplier furnishes items or services for which payment is made under Medicare or Medicaid. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) require a supplier to pay an administrative fee (not to exceed $100) with respect to a certification or certification renewal, which shall be deposited in the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund and available only for administration; and (2) waive or modify certification standards or fee payment with respect to a supplier if the Secretary determines that the majority of items furnished by the supplier are inexpensive or routinely purchased items, or that less than 25 percent of the supplier's annual gross revenues are attributable to the furnishing of covered items. Prohibits a carrier from issuing more than one provider number to a supplier of a covered item unless the issuance of multiple provider numbers is appropriate because of significant differences among the items the supplier furnishes or the geographic regions the provider serves (but permits a carrier to issue a new provider number to a supplier to replace an inactive or obsolete provider number). Provides that anti-kickback requirements under the Act shall not apply to any amount paid by an employer to a bona fide employee for employment in the provision of covered items or services (as under current law), except that any employment relationship between an employee of a nursing facility and a supplier of covered items shall not be considered a bona fide employment relationship for purposes of such provision. Directs the Secretary to develop and periodically update a list of suppliers determined to have: (1) engaged in activities which make the suppliers subject to specified civil or criminal monetary penalties; (2) furnished a substantial number of items for which payment was not made; or (3) engaged in a pattern of overutilization of items. Requires carriers to determine in advance whether payment for an item furnished by a supplier included on such list may not be made because of exclusions from coverage. Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a study of: (1) the impact of this Act on access to, and costs of, DME for Medicare beneficiaries; and (2) the types, volume, and utilization of items of DME furnished to Medicare beneficiaries residing in skilled nursing and intermediate care facilities. Sets forth reporting requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 1992
Global Climate Protection Act - Directs the President to promulgate final regulations that will achieve stabilization of carbon dioxide emissions by January 1, 2000. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to evaluate and report biennially to the Congress on the progress made pursuant to such regulations. Directs the President to promulgate additional regulations to achieve stabilization if the Administrator finds that the regulations will not achieve stabilization. Permits citizen suits against officers of the United States for failures to perform duties in accordance with this Act.