United States · United States Congress · 2 October 1991
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the President should make clear that the United States supports the restoration of the democratically elected government of President Aristide in Haiti; (2) all U.S. assistance to the Haitian Government should remain suspended until democratic government is restored; (3) the Haitian military should respect the human rights of the Haitian people; (4) the Organization of American States should be commended for condemning the coup and for its Santiago commitment creating a new automatic mechanism to respond to the interruption of legitimate elected government; and (5) the international community should take all appropriate action to restore democratic government in Haiti.
United States · United States Congress · 2 October 1991
Commends the President and executive branch officials for their involvement in diplomatic initiatives within the United Nations (UN) and their commitment to a free and fair referendum for self-determination in the Western Sahara. Recognizes UN Secretary Javier Perez de Cuellar's efforts in negotiating the terms of the peace plan adopted by the UN relating to the Western Sahara. Calls upon Morocco and the Polisario to comply with the terms of the peace plan as endorsed by the UN Security Council. Calls upon the President to: (1) continue strong advocacy of the peace plan; (2) ensure that independent international observers be allowed to monitor the referendum until its results have been published; and (3) take steps to ensure that the Security Council takes firm action in the event of any failure to comply with, or attempt to delay, the peace plan which has been adopted.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 1991
Clean Water Enforcement and Compliance Improvement Amendments Act of 1991 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to require any person subject to the requirements of such Act (currently, owners or operators of point sources) to maintain records, make reports, and allow access to information to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with respect to carrying out such Act. Provides for the issuance of compliance orders, the bringing of civil actions, and the imposition of civil, criminal, or administrative penalties for violations of requirements of pretreatment programs. Repeals a provision that treats a single operational upset that leads to simultaneous violations of more than one pollution parameter as a single violation. Authorizes courts to order civil penalties to be used for mitigation projects. Raises the ceiling on the amount of administrative penalties allowed to be assessed for violations. Removes provisions that permit State enforcement actions to serve as a bar to Federal enforcement actions. States that civil penalties must be in an amount that is no less than the amount of the economic benefit or savings resulting from the violation plus interest accruing from the date of violation. Sets forth minimum civil penalties for discharges of pollutants (including hazardous pollutants) from point sources exceeding effluent limitations and from persons determined to be significant noncompliers. Requires the EPA Administrator to: (1) conduct inspections of facilities operated by significant noncompliers at which violations occurred; and (2) report annually to the Congress and to State Governors on persons classified as significant noncompliers. Prohibits the amount of civil penalties for discharges from sources exceeding effluent limitations from being compromised. Adds to the list of requirements for State pollutant discharge permit programs that such programs ensure that: (1) permits for discharges from major industrial or municipal facilities contain annual State inspection requirements; (2) permits for discharges from publicly owned treatment works require significant industrial users of the treatment works to submit monthly discharge monitoring reports as a condition to using the treatment works; (3) significant industrial users or other sources designated by the Administrator that introduce pollutants into such treatment works operate in accordance with a permit issued by the treatment works or the State; and (4) the State will grant publicly owned treatment works the authority and responsibility to conduct inspections and to assess and collect civil and administrative penalties. Sets forth inspection and discharge reporting requirements. Authorizes the Administrator to renew expired State discharge permits under certain conditions. Makes the issuance of permits modifying certain effluent limitations for toxic pollutants subject to certain public hearing requirements. Makes persons who fail to comply with orders concerning public endangerment from discharges subject to civil penalties. Authorizes citizen suits for past violations of effluent standards or limitations. Establishes the Clean Water Trust Fund. Requires the Administrator to use Fund moneys to carry out inspections and enforcement activities.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 1991
Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 - Declares it is U.S. policy to: (1) seek multilaterally coordinated efforts with other countries to control the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons; and (2) strengthen efforts to control chemical agents, precursors, and equipment. Requires the President to use the U.S. export control laws to control the export of defense articles, defense services, goods, and technologies that he determines would assist a country in acquiring the capability to produce or use such weapons. Amends the Export Administration Act of 1979 to require the Secretary of Commerce to establish a list of goods and technology that would assist a foreign government or group in acquiring chemical or biological weapons. Requires a validated export license for the export of such items to certain countries of concern. Requires the President to impose certain sanctions against foreign persons if he determines that they knowingly contributed to the efforts of a country to acquire, use, or stockpile chemical or biological weapons. Declares such sanctions to include: (1) denial of U.S. procurement contracts for goods or services from such foreign persons; and (2) prohibition against importation of products from such persons. Authorizes the President to waive imposition of such sanctions if he determines that is in the national security interests of the United States. Amends the Arms Export Control Act to set forth similar provisions. Requires the President to make a determination with respect to whether a country has used chemical or biological weapons in violation of international law or has used lethal chemical or biological weapons against its own nationals. Authorizes specified congressional committees to request the President to make such determination with respect to the use of such weapons. Requires the President to impose the following sanctions against foreign countries that have been found to have used such weapons: (1) termination of assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (except humanitarian assistance and agricultural commodities); (2) termination of arms sales and arms sales financing; (3) denial of U.S. credit; and (4) prohibition of the export of certain goods and technology. Directs the President to impose at least three of the following additional sanctions unless such countries cease the use of such weapons and provide assurances that they will not use, and will allow inspections with respect to, such weapons: (1) opposition to the extension of multilateral development bank assistance; (2) prohibition of U.S. bank loans (except loans for food or agricultural commodities); (3) further export prohibitions (4) import restrictions; (5) suspension of diplomatic relations; and (6) termination of air carrier landing rights. Provides for the removal and waiver of such sanctions. Requires the President to submit to the Congress annual reports on the efforts of countries to acquire chemical or biological weapons.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 1991
Declares that the House of Representatives: (1) condemns all violations of human rights in Zaire; (2) supports the aspirations of the Zairean people for democratic change; (3) invites the international community of nations to express their concern with respect to the repression and corruption of the regime and to support the Zairean democratic forces' desire for peaceful change; and (4) calls upon the Administration to persuade President Mobutu to respect the wishes of the democratic forces within Zaire and permit the sovereign national conference to be organized without interference.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 1991
Medicare EKG Payment Restoration Act of 1991 - Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) reestablish separate payment for the interpretation of electrocardiograms (EKGs) that are ordered or performed during an office visit or consultation with a physician; and (2) require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish separate fee schedule amounts for EKG interpretations and to adjust the relative values established for office visits to or consultations with a physician to reflect the establishment of such separate fee schedule amounts. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish practice guidelines for the use of EKGs for dissemination along with other educational information relating to the use of EKGs to physicians; (2) develop a profile of the use of EKGs by physicians; and (3) conduct a study and report to the Congress on the utilization and costs of EKGs.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 1991
College Opportunity Act of 1991 - Title I: Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarships - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to extend the authorization of appropriations for the Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarships program. Extends the period of such scholarship program and increases the total maximum number of individuals who may receive scholarships under it. Establishes a minority teaching incentive award of an additional $1,000 for each year of such a scholarship, which the state agency must agree to pay to any minority recipient who agrees to perform the required teaching under such scholarship program in an elementary or secondary school of a local educational agency with a significant number of minority students. Requires statewide panels to give priority when selecting new scholarship recipients to applicants who are members of groups underrepresented in the teaching profession, such as minorities and individuals with disabilities. Title II: Christa McAuliffe Fellowships - Extends the authorization of appropriations for the Christa McAuliffe Fellowship program for teachers. Title III: New Teacher Programs for the Improvement of the Education of Minorities - Provides for teacher recruitment for the improvement of the education of minorities. Authorizes the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to make grants to institutions of higher education with schools or departments of education to pay the Federal share of program to: (1) recruit, prepare, and train students to become elementary and secondary school teachers; and (2) place students as teachers in urban and rural local educational agencies having 50 percent minority student enrollment in their elementary and secondary schools. Requires special consideration to be given to historically black colleges and universities in making such grants. Sets forth requirements for grant uses, applications, and Federal share. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to partnerships composed of institutions of higher education and local educational agencies for programs to identify and encourage minority students in the seventh through twelfth grades to aspire to and prepare for careers in elementary and secondary school teaching. Authorizes grants to consortia of institutions of higher education with special expertise which have entered a partnership agreement. Sets forth grant selection criteria, partnership agreement requirements, authorized uses of funds, and application requirements. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 1991
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require that grants and contracts awarded under provisions for Special Programs for Students from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (TRIO programs) be awarded for a period of five years, subject to continuing appropriations allowing for such awards. Directs the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to give institutions, agencies, and organizations sponsoring such program projects notice as to the status of their application for funds at least ten months prior to the expiration of existing funding or the proposed start-up-date. Directs the Secretary to encourage coordination of such programs with other programs for disadvantaged students operated by the sponsoring institution or agency, regardless of funding source. Prohibits the Secretary from requiring a separate director for a project funded under the TRIO programs if this would hinder such coordination. Extends through FY 1996 the authorization of appropriations for TRIO programs. Requires that participants in Talent Search program projects either have completed five years (currently six years) of elementary education or be at least 11 years old (currently 12 years old).
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 1991
Intermodal Carriers Competitiveness Act of 1991 - Prohibits a State, political subdivision, or interstate agency of two or more States from adopting or enforcing any law, rule, regulation, or standard relating to interstate or intrastate rates, routes, services, or terms of service of any national intermodal carrier with respect to the provision of surface transportation of property in the State.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 1991
College Opportunity Act of 1991 - Title I: Institutional Aid - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) with respect to institutional aid to historically black colleges and universities. Authorizes the use of grant funds to: (1) establish or enhance a program of teacher education designed to qualify students to teach in public elementary or secondary schools in the State; and (2) perform other proposed activities specifically approved by the Secretary of Education (the Secretary). Increases the minimum allotment to institutions. Revises a list of eligible professional or graduate institutions to eliminate the qualifier "independent" and to add: (1) during any fiscal year, either the Thurgood Marshall School of Law or the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (Graduate Program) (but not both), Texas Southern University; (2) North Carolina Central University School of Law; (3) Florida A & M College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (Graduate Program); and (4) Xavier University of Louisiana School of Pharmacy (Graduate Program). Sets forth special rules relating to the funding of such new institutions and others already on the list. Requires that Morehouse School of Medicine (an institution already on the list) receive at least a special minimum amount during a certain period when funding of such institutions may be ratably reduced. Repeals specified provisions for a challenge grant program for certain types of institutions. Revises provisions for endowment challenge grants program to: (1) reduce from ten years to five years the period after a grant has ended during which an institution is ineligible to reapply; (2) increase the maximum amount of such a grant to an institution in fiscal years when the appropriation exceeds a specified amount; and (3) eliminate the maximum limitation in any fiscal year when the appropriation exceeds a higher specified amount. Extends the authorization of appropriations for programs covered by this title. Requires the Secretary to set aside certain funds for challege grants to historically black colleges and universities. Title II: Student Assistance - Part A: Pell Grants - Extends the Pell Grants program. Sets forth increasing maximum amounts for individual Pell Grants through academic year 1996-1997. Requires entitlement-based allocation of Pell Grant program reimbursements of institutional advances while eliminating adjustments for insufficient appropriations. Requires institutions of higher education which have Pell Grant agreements with the Secretary to: (1) award the full amount of the Pell Grants to which their eligible students are entitled; (2) credit such awards toward student expenses; and (3) submit vouchers for reimbursement. Directs the Secretary to reimburse each institution submitting a proper voucher for the full amount of Pell Grant awards credited to eligible students. Requires each institution desiring to provide Pell grants to eligible students to enter specified types of agreements with the Secretary. Deems an institution, which has entered such an agreement, awarded such grants, and credited such awards, to have a contractual right against the United States (entitlement) to receive such reimbursements. Considers such reimbursements to be payments made for acquisition of services by contract with the Department of Education. Requires the institution to pay any amount of the Pell Grant that exceeds tuition and fees owed by the student to students who do not reside in institutionally-owned or -operated housing. Treats such amounts paid as amounts credited, and allows such funds to be used by the student to cover room, board, transportation, child care, books, and other costs of attendance. Eliminates a percentage-of-cost-of-attendance limitation on the amount of a Pell Grant. Provides for phase-in of the entitlement to Pell Grants. Part B: Perkins Loans - Revises the Perkins Loan program. Provides that no funds are authorized to be appropriated under such program: (1) after FY 1991, of initial allocations to institutions of higher education; and (2) after FY 1991, of initial allocations to institutions of higher-education; and (3) after FY 1996, to enable students who received such loans for academic years ending prior to October 1, 1991, to complete courses of study. Authorizes appropriations for administrative expenses of such program. Extends specified program provisions relating to distribution of assets from student loan funds. Requires program agreements with institutions of higher education to distribution of assets from student loan funds. Requires program agreements with institutions of higher education to provide for: (1) maintenance of a student loan fund, without additional allocations of funds from the Secretary to institutions, and with necessary modifications; and (2) an institutional option, with the Secretary's approval, to establish an income contingent repayment schedule for not more than ten percent of the total amount of student loans made in each academic year based upon specified income contingent repayment schedule in effect on September 30, 1991. Repeals authority for the Income Contingent Direct Loan Demonstration Project. Authorizes the Secretary to promulgate necessary regulations. Part C: Need Analysis - Applies simplified needs analysis to students who: (1) are receiving cash payments under the aid to families with dependent children (AFDC) program of the Social Security Act; (2) are receiving food stamps under the Food Stamp Act of 1977; or (3) qualify for and reside in public housing. Directs the Secretary to provide a streamlined application form for second-year students reapplying for student assistance and for subsequent year students from families that qualify for simplified needs analysis. States that such form shall require such students to submit concise updated information, including the relevant tax return form for the year preceding that for which the determination is made. Part D: Administration - Authorizes the Secretary to waive a specified student eligibility verification requirement for any eligible institution which the Secretary determines has had no audit exceptions for the three prior award years. Requires the Secretary, in carrying out the Robert T. Stafford Loan Program, to assure that the suspension or termination of any eligible institution based on calculation of the institution's cohort or other default rate: (1) not be arbitrary; (2) include total volume of dollars on default represented by the cohort default rate; and (3) be supported by the most accurate calculation of such rate available. Title III: Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Development - Part A: Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarships - Extends the authorization of appropriatons for the Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarships program. Extends the period of such scholarship program and increases the total maximum number of individuals who may receive scholarships under it. Establishes a minority teaching incentive award of an additional $1,000 for each year of such a scholarship, which the State agency must agree to pay to any minority recipient who agrees to perform the required teaching under such scholarship program in an elementary or secondary school of a local educational agency with a significant number of minority students. Requires statewide panels to give priority when selecting new scholarship recipients to applicants who are members of groups underrepresented in the teaching profession, such as minorities and individuals with disabilities. Part B: Christa McAuliffe Fellowships - Extends the authorization of appropriations for the Christa McAuliffe Fellowship program for teachers. Part C: New Teacher Programs for the Improvement of the Education of Minorities - Provides for teacher recruitment for the improvement of the education of minorities. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to institutions of higher education with schools or departments of education to pay the Federal share of programs to: (1) recruit, prepare, and train students to become elementary and secondary school teachers; and (2) place students as teachers in urban and rural local educational agencies having 50 percent minority student enrollment in their elementary and secondary schools. Requires special consideration to be given to historically black colleges and universities in making such grants. Sets forth requirements for grant uses, applications, and Federal share. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to partnerships composed of institutions of higher education and local educational agencies for programs to identify and encourage minority students in the seventh through twelfth grades to aspire to and prepare for careers in elementary and secondary school teaching. Authorizes grants to consortia of institutions of higher education with special expertise which have entered a partnership agreement. Sets forth grant selection criteria, partnership agreement requirements, authorized uses of funds, and application requirements. Authorizes appropriations. Title IV: Additional Reauthorizations and Revisions Part A: Academic Libraries - Extends the authorization of appropriations for: (1) college library resources; (2) library training, research, and development; (3) strengthening of research library resources (but requiring that awards first be made to the libraries at North Carolina Central University and Clark Atlanta University); and (4) college library technology and cooperation grants. Part B: International Education - Authorizes the establishment of a program to significantly increase the numbers of African Americans and other minorities in the foreign service of the United States. Requires such academic and professional program to be established in the Institute for International Public Policy at Howard University (Washington, D.C.) (the Institute), created by this Act. Allows any institution of higher education that wishes to participate in any or all aspects of such program to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Howard University. Sets forth the components of the academic program of the Institute, including a junior year abroad, academic year and summer internships, a masters degree program, and Ralph Bunche International Fellowships for graduate study at Howard University or other institutions for students who agree to serve two years in the U.S. foreign service for each year of the fellowship. Requires appointment of a Board of Visitors for the Institute. Sets forth matching requirements and provisions for gifts and donations. Requires Howard University and any institutions of higher education in consortium with it to delegate to a nonprofit institution in the District of Columbia the administration of the Foreign Service Examination preparative and the International Careers Program, which may include the Junior Year Abroad and the Academic Year and Summer Internship programs. Authorizes appropriatons. Part C: Graduate Education - Revises the program for grants to institutions to encourage minorities to enter the higher education professorate (currently, grants to institutions to encourage minority participation in graduate education). Directs the Secretary to make grants to institutions of higher education (or to nonprofit organizations associated with such institutions with a demonstrated record of enhancing minority access to graduate education), in consortia with historically black colleges and universities and other institutions with significant enrollments of African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans. States that such grants shall enable such institutions to: (1) identify talented canidates for and recipients of baccalaureate degrees and faculty who wish to enter or continue in the higher education professorate; and (2) provide such students and faculty with stipends and fellowships to assist them in obtaining a doctoral degree and returning to an institution of higher education to teach. Designates such fellowships as the Augustus F. Hawkins Fellowships. Sets forth application and selection requirements. Requires each Hawkins Fellowship recipient to agree to teach at an institution of higher education for two years for every one year of fellowship assistance, or else repay the fellowship. Sets forth repayment procedures and exceptions.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 1991
Pollution Prevention, Community Recycling, and Incinerator Control Act - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to prohibit the issuance of permits for construction or expansion to municipal solid waste incinerators. Prohibits Federal agencies, State or local governments, or other waste management jurisdictions from issuing permits to such incinerators after December 31, 1999, unless the applicant demonstrates and the State finds that: (1) an annual waste composition analysis of the solid waste generated within the area to be served by the facility is conducted by the applicant and by entities from which the facility accepts waste; (2) such entities divert specified percentages of glass, paper, metals, plastics, and yard and food waste to waste management methods other than incineration; (3) the facility will not interfere with diversion rates; (4) it is not feasible to manage the remaining solid waste through source reduction, reuse, or recycling; (5) the facility will not adversely affect the environment or human health and is not situated in a nonattainment area identified under the Clean Air Act; (6) the facility will not harm the local economy; (7) the full cost of the facility over its entire life will be less costly than reducing, recycling, or composting waste; (8) the waste management jurisdiction conducts a public participation process (including a technical assistance grant to local community groups concerned about the project); (9) the proposed construction or expansion is approved by the unit of local government in whose boundaries the facility would be sited; (10) firms operating the facility are in compliance with environmental and public health statutes, have paid outstanding fines for violations of such statutes, and make disclosure statements available; and (11) an approved environmental impact statement is completed. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to: (1) promulgate standards for waste composition analyses; and (2) review diversion rates triennially and require higher rates, if feasible. Treats ash from municipal solid waste incinerators as a hazardous waste under the Solid Waste Disposal Act. Requires such ash to be managed in a monofill containing only such ash and designed to: (1) prevent the migration of constituents during the operation of the facility; and (2) prevent the infiltration of precipitation during any closure or postclosure monitoring period. Provides for compliance with such requirement by existing incinerators within three years of the enactment of this Act. Prohibits the use of such ash for any purpose. Prohibits the incineration of household hazardous waste, batteries, chlorinated plastics, consumer electronics, and yard waste in such incinerators. Prohibits the issuance of permits or prior approval for the construction or expansion of hazardous waste incinerators unless: (1) waste composition analyses are conducted by the applicant and generators of waste to be incinerated at the facility; (2) specified toxics use reduction requirements have been met and the facility will not interfere with the implementation of such requirements; (3) the facility will not adversely affect the environment or human health; (4) the facility will not harm the local economy; (5) there is no safer disposal or treatment technology available for any of the wastes; (6) the waste management jurisdiction conducts a public participation process (including a technical assistance grant to local community groups concerned about the project); (7) the proposed construction or expansion is approved by the unit of local government in whose boundaries the facility would be sited; (8) firms operating the facility are in compliance with environmental and public health statutes, have paid outstanding fines for violations of such statutes, and make disclosure statements available; and (9) an approved environmental impact statement is completed. Requires hazardous waste generators, as part of the permit process, to report annually on the use, and reduction of the use, of toxic or hazardous substances at their facilities. Directs permit applicants to demonstrate that the State in which the incinerator is located, and each State in which generators of hazardous waste to be incinerated at the facility are located, are implementing toxics use reduction programs. Applies this Act's requirements to any facility that burns hazardous waste.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 1991
Amends the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act to direct the Administrator of General Services to prescribe regulations to ensure the participation of (except in specified circumstances) at least five historically Black colleges and universities and nonprofit organizations owned and controlled by Black Americans in research and development (R&D) activities conducted with Federal funds by executive agencies. Outlines the requirements to be imposed on executive agencies through such regulations, including the requirement that each such agency reserve a specified percent of its FY 1992 through 1995 appropriations for R&D activities to be conducted by the Black colleges it must designate under this Act as federally funded R&D centers. Increases such set-aside on a graduated basis for such fiscal years. Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to the Congress annually on the activities of executive agencies in carrying out this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 1991
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise graduate program provisions to rename Grants to Institutions to Encourage Minority Participation in Graduate Education as Grants to Institutions to Strengthen and Diversity the Higher Education Professorate. Directs the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to make grants to institutions of higher education to identify talented minority students and faculty members and to provide them with stipends and fellowships (Augustus F. Hawkins Fellowships) to assist them in obtaining a doctoral degree if they agree to teach at an institution of higher education for a specified period after receiving such degree. Requires such grants to be made to institutions of higher education, or to nonprofit organizations associated with institutions of higher education with a demonstrated record of enhancing minority access to graduate education. Requires such institutions to carry out the program in consortia with historically black colleges and universities and other institutions with significant enrollments of African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans. Sets forth grant application and selection requirements. Requires the Secretary to give priority to applications from institutions which provide a tuition waiver and a minimum $2,000 stipend to each Hawkins Fellowship recipient; but authorizes the Secretary to waive all or any portion of such requirement upon request of any historically Black college or university. Sets forth agreement requirements for fellowship recipients. Requires an agreement to teach for at least two years, within five years after completing the doctorate, at a public or private nonprofit institution of higher education (or, in the case of a for-profit institution, one that offers at least the Associate of Arts degree). Requires repayment if the teaching service requirement is not complied with. Provides for deferral of repayment during certain periods, and forgiveness in cases of permanent total disability.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 1991
Comprehensive Occupational Safety and Health Reform Act - Amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA) with respect to occupational safety and health programs, committees, employee representatives, coverage, standards, enforcement, antidiscrimination, training and education, hazard and illness evaluation, State plans, and victims' rights. Title I: Safety and Health Programs - Amends OSHA to establish requirements for each employer to set up and carry out a written occupational safety and health program that includes methods and procedures for: (1) identifying, evaluating, and documenting hazards; (2) correcting them; (3) investigating work-related illnesses, injuries, and deaths; (4) providing occupational safety and health services, including emergency response and first aid procedures; (5) employee participation in implementing such program, including, where applicable, a safety and health committee; (6) responding to such committee's recommendations; (7) providing safety and health training and education to employees and committee members; (8) designating an employer representative qualified to and responsible for identifying hazards and initiating corrective action; and (9) at a worksite where employees of two or more employers work, protecting employees from hazards under the other employers' control. Authorizes the Secretary of Labor (the Secretary) to modify the application of such requirements to classes of employers where, in light of the risks faced by the employer's employees, such a modification would not reduce their safety and health protection. Directs the Secretary to issue final regulations on the required employer occupational safety and health programs, covering employee training and education as well, including annual refresher courses. Title II: Safety and Health Committees and Employee Safety and Health Representatives - Amends OSHA to require each employer of 11 or more employees to provide for: (1) safety and health committees; and (2) employee safety and health representatives. Requires, in general, such employers to establish such a committee at each worksite, but authorizes the Secretary to modify application of this requirement to: (1) an employer whose employees do not primarily report to or work at a fixed location; (2) covered employers at worksites where less than 11 of their employees are employed; and (3) worksites where employees of more than one employer are employed. Requires committee membership to consist of elected or appointed employee representatives and up to an equal number of employer representatives. Requires the committee to be cochaired by an employer representative and an employee representative. Grants each committee the reasonable right to: (1) review occupational safety and health related employer programs, incidents of death, injury, or illness, complaints of hazards, the employer's work injury and illness records (other than personally identifiable medical information), and other related reports and documents; (2) conduct worksite inspections (and related employee interviews) at least once every three months and in response to complaints; (3) conduct meetings at least once every three months; (4) observe the measurement of employee exposure to toxic materials and harmful physical agents; (5) establish procedures for exercising committee rights; (6) make advisory recommendations for improvements and corrections; and (7) accompany the Secretary's representative during certain physical inspections of the worksite. Requires the employer to permit committee members to take such time from work as is reasonably necessary to exercise committee rights, without any loss of pay or benefits for such time. Directs the Secretary to issue final regulations for the establishment and functioning of such committees. Sets forth procedures for selection of employee representatives by and from nonmanagerial employees. Directs the Secretary to issue regulations on safety and health representatives, including specified numbers and selection procedures. Title III: Coverage - Revises the OSHA definition of employer to include the Federal Government (except certain congressional employees) and State and local governments, thus extending OSHA coverage to public employees. (Includes under such OSHA coverage the executive and judicial branches and the following agencies of the legislative branch: the Botanic Garden, the General Accounting Office, the Government Printing Office, the Library of Congress, the Office of Technology Assessment, the Congressional Budget Office, and the Copyright Royalty Tribunal.) Authorizes the Secretary to cede OSHA jurisdiction to a Federal agency with respect to specified standards or regulations affecting occupational safety and health of some or all employees within that agency's regulatory jurisdiction, if the agency has promulgated and is enforcing standards and regulations so that its employees are being protected at least as effectively as they would be by the Secretary. Declares that nothing in OSHA shall apply to working conditions covered by the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977. Applies OSHA to employment performed in the Federal nuclear facilities under the control or jurisdiction of the Department of Energy. Extends an employer's duties under OSHA to all employees working at the place of employment (even if they are not the employer's employees). Title IV: Occupational Safety and Health Standards - Revises provisions for OSHA standards. Requires specified timeframes for setting such standards after the Secretary has received: (1) a recommendation of an advisory committee, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), or the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; or (2) a petition from an interested person setting forth with reasonable particularity the facts claimed to establish that a standard should be promulgated, modified, or revoked. Directs the Secretary, within 90 days after such receipt, to publish a response stating whether the Secretary intends to publish a proposed rule with respect to such standard, or if not, the reasons for the decision not to publish such a rule. Directs the Secretary, if such rule is intended to be published, to do so within 12 months after the receipt of the recommendation or petition. Directs the Secretary to: (1) afford interested persons a period of at least 30 days to submit written data or comments after publication of a proposed rule promulgating, modifying, or revoking an OSHA standard; and (2) issue a final rule within 180 days after the public comment period (or within 180 days after a required public hearing on objections to such rule). Allows any adversely affected person to petition for judicial review, in the U.S. court of appeals for the appropriate circuit, of the Secretary's refusal or failure to issue such rules or standards. Requires that such a petition to appeal the Secretary's determination not to propose a rule with respect to a standard be filed within 60 days after publication of such determination. Requires set-aside of the Secretary's determination if it is found to be arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law. Allows a petition to appeal the Secretary's failure to publish a proposed rule within the required 12-month time frame to be filed at any time after such time period has elapsed. Directs the reviewing court to compel the Secretary to take any such action that is found to have been unlawfully withheld or unreasonably delayed. Provides that the withholding or delaying of action shall not be justified by the Secretary's desire to consult with, or receive approval from any other Federal agency or executive official, except where this is required by applicable law and pursued in timely fashion. Revises the definition of "occupational safety and health standard" to mean a standard which addresses a significant risk to the safety or health of employees by requiring conditions, or the adoption or use of one or more practices, means, methods, operations, or processes that most adequately assure, to the extent feasible, safe and healthful employment and places of employment. Requires each OSHA standard also to prescribe requirements for recording or reporting a work-related illness determined as a result of a medical examination or test conducted under the standard. Directs the Secretary to place in the public record all written comments and communications and a summary of all verbal communications with parties outside the Department of Labor (DOL) (including communications with executive branch officials) regarding promulgation, modification, or revocation of an OSHA standard. Directs the Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary of HHS and in addition to other OSHA standards, to modify and establish exposure limits for toxic materials and harmful physical agents on a regular basis in a specified manner. Directs the Secretary of HHS, acting through the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), to: (1) regularly evaluate available scientific evidence, data, and information to determine if such exposure limits should be modified or be established to protect exposed employees from material impairment of health or functional capacity; and (2) at least every three years, on the basis of such evaluation, develop and transmit to the Secretary recommendations identifying materials and agents for which exposure limits should be modified or established to protect employees from such impairment. Directs the Secretary: (1) within 30 days of receipt of such recommendations, to publish them and provide a 30-day public comment period; (2) within six months of their receipt evaluate them and the public comments and publish a proposed rule for the exposure limits of each material and agent for which the Secretary of HHS has made a recommendation (explaining why any proposed limit is not the same as a recommended limit); (3) within one year of publication of the proposed limits, issue a final standard (explaining why any final limit is not the same as the recommended limit); and (4) establish or modify such limits whenever warranted, in addition to a periodic review. Directs the Secretary, within two years after the effective date of this Act, to promulgate final standards on exposure monitoring and medical surveillance programs, including specified requirements. Directs the Secretary to issue a final standard on ergonomic hazards to protect employees from work-related musculoskeletal disorders, including specified requirements. Sets forth timetables for the Secretary to issue various OSHA final standards. Title V: Enforcement - Revises OSHA enforcement provisions. Provides that time spent by an employee in accompanying the Secretary's representative on an OSHA inspection shall be deemed to be hours worked, with no loss of pay, benefits, or seniority. Requires the Secretary to notify employees or their representative within 30 days after receipt of their request for inspection that there are no reasonable grounds to believe a violation or danger exists. Directs the Secretary also to make a special inspection after determining that there are reasonable grounds to believe that an imminent danger or serious violation exists in a place of employment, upon notification from any other source (as well as upon notification by an employee or employee representative as in current law). Directs the Secretary to establish and carry out a special emphasis inspection program for conducting inspections of industries or operations where existing hazards or newly recognized or new hazards introduced into work sites warrant more intensive than normal inspections. Requires annual designation of the industries and operations for such program and the number of inspections planned and number of enforcement personnel required. Requires that special emphasis inspections be in addition to other programmed and complaint inspections conducted under OSHA before the effective date of this Act. Requires a report on such program in the Secretary's annual OSHA report to the Congress. Requires the Secretary to investigate any work-related death or serious incident (i.e. one resulting in hospitalization of two or more employees). Requires the employer to: (1) notify the Secretary of any death or serious incident occurring in a place of employment covered by OSHA; and (2) prevent the destruction or alteration of evidence that would assist in investigating such death or incident. Requires OSHA citations to state if the Secretary or the Secretary's representative believes that an alleged violation is serious and presents such a substantial risk to the safety or health of employees that initiation of review proceedings should not suspend the running of the period for correction of the violation. Revises the correction period to make it begin to run from the date of receipt of the citation, with specified exceptions. Requires employers to verify the abatement of a serious, willful, or repeated violation in writing to the Secretary within 30 days after the correction period has expired. Requires employers, within ten days after verification of abatement, to prominently post notice of such abatement at or near each place the violation occurred and to make a copy of the verification available to employers and employee representatives. Directs the Secretary to issue regulations implementing such abatement verification and notice requirements. Grants employees the right to contest: (1) citations' designations of the character of the violation or of the OSHA provision, standard, rule, regulation, or order violated (in addition to contesting the abatement period, as in current law); and (2) proposed penalties as inadequate. Grants employee representatives the right to participate in other proceedings (as well as hearings) conducted under specified OSHA enforcement procedures. Requires, if the Secretary intends to withdraw or modify a citation as a result of any agreement with the employer, the Commission's rules of procedure to provide for prompt notice to affected employees or their representatives. Grants employees or their representative, regardless of whether they have previously elected to participate in the proceedings, the right to file a notice alleging that the proposed agreement fails to effectuate the purposes of OSHA within 15 days after receipt of notice of the agreement. Directs the Secretary to consider the matter and, upon determination to proceed with the agreement, respond with particularity to the objections. Grants employees or their representative, within 15 days after the Secretary's response, the right to a hearing upon request to the Commission. Provides that if the Commission determines the proposed agreement fails to effectuate the purposes of OSHA, the proposed agreement shall not be entered as a Commission order and the citation shall not be withdrawn or modified in accordance with the proposed agreement. Revises OSHA provisions for restraining imminent dangers. Directs the Secretary to inform the employer and the affected employees and request that a condition or practice that poses an imminent danger be corrected immediately or that employees be immediately removed from exposure to such danger. Requires such actions if the Secretary determines, on the basis of an inspection or investigation, that a condition or practice in the place of employment is such that an imminent danger to safety or health exists which could reasonably be expected to cause death, serious physical harm, or permanent impairment of health or functional capacity of employees if not corrected immediately. Directs the Secretary to determine whether to post a notice in the workplace if the employer refuses to comply with the Secretary's request. Requires that such notice identify the source of the imminent danger. Grants employees the right to refuse to perform a duty that has been identified as the source of an imminent danger by such a notice, and prohibits discrimination against them for such refusal. Subjects an employer to a civil penalty of from $10,000 to $50,000 for each day during which an employee continues to be exposed if the employer does not immediately correct the hazard referred to in the posted notice or remove all employees from exposure to it, unless the Commission determines that the condition or practice is not covered by such imminent danger provisions. Revises OSHA criminal penalties to increase the maximum amount of fines and the length of prison terms for specified violations, including those for a willful violation causing death, an improper advance notice of an inspection, or a false statement. Establishes criminal penalties for a willful violation that causes serious bodily injury. Prohibits a penalty or fine which is imposed on a director, officer, or agent of an employer from being paid out of the employer's assets on behalf of that individual. Provides that nothing in OSHA shall preclude State and local law enforcement agencies from conducting criminal prosecutions in accordance with State or local laws. Title VI: Protection of Employees from Discrimination - Revises OSHA antidiscrimination provisions to extend coverage to an employee's: (1) reporting any injury, illness, or unsafe condition to the employer, employer's agent, safety and health committee, or employee safety and health representative; and (2) refusing to perform duties when reasonably apprehensive that doing so would result in serious injury to himself/herself or other employees, after having sought and been unable to obtain from the employer corrections of the circumstances causing such refusal. Revises procedures for consideration of complaints of discrimination. Increases the period for filing such complaints from 30 to 180 days after the alleged discrimination. Requires the Secretary, within 60 days after receipt of the complaint, to investigate and notify the complainant and the alleged violator of the findings. Requires such findings to be accompanied by a preliminary order providing relief, if the Secretary has concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe a violation has occurred. Allows the alleged violator or the complainant to file, within 30 days, objections to the findings and/or the preliminary order, and to request a hearing on the record. Provides that such filing of objections shall not operate to stay any reinstatement remedy in the preliminary order. Requires such hearings to be conducted expeditiously. Deems the preliminary order a final order not subject to judicial review if a hearing is not timely requested. Directs the Secretary to issue a final order within 120 days after the conclusion of such hearing. Allows such proceedings to be terminated at any time in the interim on the basis of a settlement agreement by the Secretary, the complainant, and the alleged violator. Requires the Secretary, upon determination that a violation of antidiscrimination provisions has occurred, to order: (1) correction of the violation; (2) reinstatement to the former position with all compensation (including back pay), terms, conditions, and privileges of such employment; and (3) compensatory damages. Authorizes the Secretary, upon request of the complainant, to assess against the person against whom such order is issued all costs and expenses (including attorney's fees) incurred by the complainant in connection with bringing the complaint. Allows adversely affected or aggrieved persons to petition within 60 days to obtain review of such orders in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit. Directs the Secretary to file a civil action in the appropriate U.S. district court to enforce such orders against persons who fail to comply. Authorizes such court to grant appropriate relief. Provides that the legal burdens of proof that prevail under the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 shall govern adjudication of protected activities under OSHA antidiscrimination provisions. Title VII: OSHA and NIOSH Training and Education - Revises OSHA provisions for training and education. Includes education programs for employees and members of safety and health committees, as appropriate, among those programs which the Secretary of HHS is to conduct through NIOSH. Requires the Secretary (of Labor) to develop training materials, model curricula, and programs to assist employers in: (1) providing the training and education required under the new provisions for employer occupational safety and health programs; and (2) complying with OSHA standards. Title VIII: Recordkeeping and Reporting - Revises OSHA provisions relating to statistics to require the Secretary to collect information and conduct analyses that identify: (1) industries, employers, processes, operations, and occupations that have a high rate of injury or illness; (2) factors that cause or contribute to injuries and illnesses; and (3) workers' compensation costs associated with the injuries and illnesses. Requires such data to be publicly available in a form suitable for further statistical analysis, and to be used in setting safety and health standards, targeting inspections of individual establishments, and evaluating standard setting and enforcement programs. Directs the Secretary to require each employer covered by OSHA to report: (1) each work-related death of an employee immediately upon knowledge; and (2) each serious incident resulting in hospitalization of two or more employees within 24 hours of the incident. Revises OSHA requirements for employer records and reports to include (in addition to work-related deaths, injuries, and illnesses) suspected work-related illnesses, including a work-related illness reported by an employee or an employee's physician, unless the employer makes a reasonable determination that the illness is not work-related. Provides that all such employer records and reports shall be made available to the Secretary, the Secretary of HHS, employees, and employee representatives. Title IX: NIOSH - Revises OSHA provisions relating to duties of the Secretary of HHS acting through NIOSH. Includes under hazard evaluation reports an evaluation of whether any hazardous condition or harmful physical agent found in the place of employment poses a risk to exposed employees. Directs the Secretary of HHS, if a final determination of hazard is not made within six months of a request, to provide to the employer and employees an interim report on the known or suspected hazards, a recommendation for control, and an estimate of the time in which a final determination will be made. Directs the Secretary of HHS to identify major factors contributing to occupational injuries and deaths through accident investigations and epidemiological research. Directs the Secretary of HHS to carry out a program to identify and notify employees at increased risk of occupational illnesses, injuries, and deaths, including public information and education programs, and recommendations for appropriate medical surveillance. Requires notification, if they are found to be at increased risk, of subjects of studies funded or conducted by the Secretary of HHS under such program. Specifies that the authority of the Secretary of HHS, and of NIOSH, to inspect records extends to the Secretary's designees and contractors. Directs the Secretary of HHS, through NIOSH (and in cooperation with other HHS agencies and the Secretary of Labor), to establish a national surveillance program to identify cases of occupational illnesses, deaths, and serious injuries. Requires coordination with State health agencies and Federal and State workers' compensation agencies under such program. Directs the Secretary of HHS to collect data each year on the number and characteristics of all occupational deaths and selected occupational illnesses and injuries. Requires, in making such selections, consideration of known frequency and severity of the disorder and of the size of the population at risk. Directs the Secretary of HHS to report on and analyze the occupational deaths, illnesses, and injuries collected under such program, and transmit such information to the Secretary of Labor, State health agencies, employers, employees, and other interested parties. Authorizes the Secretary of HHS to require an employer, through a physician or health professional employed by or under contract to the employer, to report information on occupational deaths, illnesses, and injuries. Establishes NIOSH as a separate agency within the U.S. Public Health Service in the Department of HHS. Title X: State Plans - Revises OSHA requirements for State plans to provide for: (1) development of safety and health programs and safety and health committees and training programs that are at least as effective as those under the new OSHA requirements; and (2) reporting requirements, protection of employee rights, and access to information that are at least as effective as those under OSHA or other Federal laws governing access to information related to OSHA. Requires a State to enforce a Federal OSHA standard until a State standard at least as effective is in effect, if a State fails to adopt or promulgate such a standard within six months after the Federal standard is promulgated. Requires the Secretary (of Labor) to: (1) promptly investigate complaints against a State plan if there are reasonable grounds to believe a deficiency exists; (2) investigate complaints alleging a deficiency in a State enforcement action within 30 days of receipt; and (3) within 30 days of completion of the investigation, transmit findings and recommendations for correction to the State and complainant (or notify the complainant if there are no reasonable grounds to believe a deficiency exists). Requires a State to respond as to what action it has taken on the Secretary's findings and recommendations within 30 days of their receipt. Directs the Secretary to issue a citation with reasonable promptness if, after receipt of the State's response, the Secretary believes a serious violation of OSHA exists for which the State has failed to issue a citation. Requires the Secretary, upon determination that there are reasonable grounds to conclude there is a failure to comply substantially with any provision or assurance of the State plan, to: (1) notify the State and allow six months for correction of deficiencies; (2) institute proceedings for withdrawal of approval of the State plan, if the State has not corrected the deficiencies within six months (unless there are exceptional circumstances); and (3) during the pendency of such proceedings, exercise concurrent jurisdiction with the State over the safety and health issues that are subject to the State plan. Requires States which are operating State safety and health plans to modify them to conform to this Act. Title XI: Victim's Rights - Sets forth provisions for victims' rights under OSHA. Defines a victim as: (1) an employee who has sustained a work-related injury or illness which is the subject of an OSHA inspection or investigation; or (2) the family member of an employee who either is killed or cannot reasonably exercise victim's rights as a result of such an injury or illness. Grants victims the right, on request, to: (1) meet with the Secretary or a representative respecting the inspection or investigation before the Secretary's decision to issue a citation or to take no action; (2) receive a free copy of any citation or report issued as a result of the inspection or investigation; (3) be informed of any notice of contest filed; (4) be provided an explanation of the rights of employees and employee representatives to participate in OSHA enforcement proceedings; and (5) be provided an opportunity to appear and make a statement before the parties conducting any settlement negotiations, before the Secretary agrees to withdraw or modify the citation. Provides that a victim shall have the same rights as an employee under OSHA enforcement procedures. Entitles a victim, if such victims' rights are violated, to declaratory relief, injunctive relief, recovery of costs of securing specified documents, and reasonable attorney's fees and costs. Directs the Secretary to take reasonable actions to inform victims of these rights. Title XII: Worker's Compensation Study - Establishes the Federal Worker's Compensation Commission. Directs the Commission to study worker's compensation laws and system with respect to: (1) the recommendations of the National Commission on State Workmen's Compensation Laws; (2) the feasibility of using workers' compensation data to target loss prevention activities on high risk occupations; (3) the laws' adequacy in providing for needs of injured workers, occupational illnesses and diseases, quality control and medical and rehabilitation costs with cost control, and time for recuperation and counseling before return to full-time work; (4) the administrative system's adequacy and the appropriateness of such laws as the exclusive remedy; (5) the relationship between workers' compensation, safety and health programs, and insurance rates and services; (6) the feasibility and appropriateness of transferring the branch of the Department of Labor involved in workers' compensation studies from the Employment Standards Administration to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; and (7) the feasibility of preempting State workers' compensation laws with a national program. Requires such Commission to report the results of such study to the President and the Congress. Title XIII: Effective Date - Sets forth the effective date of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 1991
Military Retirement Equity Act of 1991 - Permits retired members of the armed forces to be paid retirement pay concurrently with compensation for any service-connected disability if the person's entitlement to such retirement pay is based solely on: (1) age; (2) length of service; or (3) both. Reduces the amount of retirement pay, in the case of individuals receiving both types of pay, by a specified percentage of the disability compensation which decreases as the disability rating increases. Prohibits any reduction in the retirement pay of a disabled person when the disability rating is total. Expresses the sense of the Congress that, once the Federal budget deficit has been reduced, the Congress should reexamine and eliminate any offset of retired pay by a veteran's disability compensation.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 1991
Hispanic Access to Higher Education Act of 1991 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to establish an integrated early outreach program. Directs the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to make grants and contracts to specified types of entities for providing various educational services to develop the academic skills and self-confidence of program participants necessary for success in higher education. Requires that: (1) at least two-thirds of program participants be low-income, racial or ethnic minorities underrepresented in higher education who are first-generation college students; and (2) the remaining one-third of such participants be either low-income individuals or first-generation college students. Requires participants to have completed three years of elementary education, and be between eight and 19 years of age (unless such limitations would defeat program purposes). Requires annual program reports to include data on student academic progress, appropriate income measures, gender, English proficiency, and the racial and ethnic background of program participants and service providers. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary to conduct a biennial survey, through the National Center for Educational Statistics, of factors associated with participation of low-income and minority students in various types of postsecondary education. Sets forth requirements for development of such survey and types of data to be included. Establishes a demonstration program of Stafford student loan forgiveness for any borrower employed as a full-time teacher: (1) in a school which qualifies under HEA for loan cancellation for Perkins student loan recipients who teach at such schools; and (2) of mathematics, science, foreign languages, special education, bilingual education, or any other field where the State educational agency determines there is a shortage of qualified teachers. Directs the Secretary to assume the obligation to repay the following percentages of Stafford loans incurred during the borrower's last two undergraduate years: (1) 15 percent for the first or second academic year in which the borrower is a full-time teacher; (2) 20 percent for the third or fourth such years of teaching; and (3) 30 percent for the fifth year. Sets forth a special rule authorizing such repayments with respect to Stafford loans for a maximum of two years in returning to an institution of higher education after graduation to obtain a teaching certificate. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to State educational agencies (SEAs) to conduct Teacher Corps activities. Bases the amount of such grants on relative school-age population. Directs the Secretary to use funds for such program to: (1) disseminate information nationally about the availability of Teacher Corps scholarships to individuals leaving the armed services; and (2) conduct activities, with SEA cooperation, which foster communications and meetings, including training, of Teacher Corps members. Authorizes each SEA receiving such a grant to use such funds for: (1) grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) for induction and mentor programs; (2) in-service and mentoring program for Teacher Corps members at State and local levels; (3) technical assistance to LEAs for Teacher Corps and induction programs; (4) evaluation of Teacher Corps membership applications and awarding Teacher Corps scholarships; (5) Teacher Corps awards to individuals in training to become a school psychologist, school social worker, or a school counselor; (6) ensuring that members understand repayment obligations resulting from noncompliance with scholarship conditions; (7) assistance for employment placement of Teacher Corps members; and (8) collection of scholarship repayments. Requires SEAs to give priority in awarding grants to LEAs with the greatest proportion of disadvantaged students, including racial and ethnic minorities. Allows each SEA to choose to administer such program through a preexisting experienced panel. Authorizes LEAs receiving grants to use such funds for: (1) induction programs for new Teacher Corps members and other new teachers; and (2) ensuring that Teacher Corps members participate in an induction program for at least one year, including working with a mentor teacher designated by the LEA. Allows such induction programs to be developed in cooperation with institutions of higher education. Requires the SEA, in cooperation with the State higher education agency, to select Teacher Corps members. Requires the SEA-established criteria to include specified factors. Requires special consideration for individuals who intend to teach limited English-proficient students, preschool age children, or students with disabilities (or to provide related services to students with disabilities). Requires priority consideration for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities and individuals with disabilities, who are underrepresented in the teaching profession or the curricular areas in which they are preparing to teach. Sets forth application requirements for Teacher Corps membership, SEAs, and LEAs. Provides for Teacher Corps scholarships. Limits individual eligibility to a maximum of three years of specified types of programs of study. Limits individual scholarship amount and duration. Requires that such scholarships be considered in determining eligibility for HEA student assistance. Requires that total assistance not exceed need. Provides for continued eligibility. Sets forth scholarship conditions, including agreement to work as a teacher, upon completion of education, for five years in a school which qualifies for Perkins student loan cancellation under HEA, or to repay all or part of the scholarship, plus interest, if scholarship conditions are not complied with. Requires SEAs receiving Teacher Corps assistance to: (1) publicize availability of and application procedures for Teacher Corps scholarships, particularly among specified types of students and individuals; and (2) recruit minority students to participate in the Teacher Corps program. Authorizes appropriations. Prohibits any such funds from being appropriated unless the amount appropriated to carry out the Paul Douglas Congressional Teacher Scholarships program under HEA equals or exceeds a specified amount. Amends HEA to establish the Teacher Opportunity Corps (TOC) program, to encourage institutions of higher education to offer educational programs and financial assistance to enable paraprofessionals working in shortage area schools serving disadvantaged students to become certified teachers. Directs the Secretary to allocate TOC program grant funds to States according to the same formula under which States receive funding for education of disadvantaged children. Requires TOC grant program agreements to include provisions for administration and recordkeeping by the State education or higher education agency. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to States to support TOC programs at institutions of higher education. Sets forth State grant application requirements and general criteria for State grants, including: (1) involvement of institutions of higher education and shortage area schools or school districts; (2) full creditability to a baccalaureate program leading to teacher certification; (3) a program evaluation system; and (4) appropriate credit for paraprofessional classroom experience as practice or student teaching. Requires any paraprofessional who receives student financial assistance under the TOC program to agree to act as a paraprofessional in a shortage area school for at least one year for each year of such assistance, within ten years after completing the postsecondary education. Requires repayment of all or part of such assistance, plus interest and reasonable collection costs, if the recipient fails to comply with this service requirement, except in specified circumstances. Requires that such student financial assistance supplement, but not supplant, other Federal or State assistance for which the student would otherwise qualify. Requires TOC program grants to be for a term of at least five years, subject to availability of appropriations. Allows States to use TOC program funds for: (1) student financial assistance to paraprofessionals to pay part or all of the costs of attendance (including child care) in postsecondary education programs required for teacher certification; (2) supportive services for such paraprofessionals during participation in such programs; and (3) payment of wage costs of substitute paraprofessionals to afford employed paraprofessionals release-time to attend postsecondary classes required for teacher certification. Authorizes appropriations. Revises HEA with respect to Special Programs for Student from Disadvantaged Backgrounds to require the Secretary to consider the geographic location of first-time applicants for such funding to ensure that projects are evenly distributed geographically and are able to service the needs of large concentrations of disadvantaged students. Includes community-based organizations among the entities which may receive grants and contracts for such programs. Authorizes the Secretary to compile data on the students served by the projects assisted. Requires such data to include specified minimum components. Revises HEA special programs for students whose families are engaged in migrant and seasonal farmwork. Expands eligibility for the high school equivalency program and the college assistance migrant program to include certain persons who have participated in specified programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 or the Job Training Partnership Act. Extends the grant period from three to five years. Extends the authorization of appropriations for the high school equivalency program and the college assistance migrant program. Authorizes the Secretary to carry out a National Mini-Corps Program to: (1) provide certain migrant college students with training to help them serve as student or teacher role models, links to the community, and tutors and teachers of migrant children; (2) designate college coordinators at participating institutions to train, supervise, and assign migrant students in cooperation with the operating State agency in which migrant children with special needs have been identified; (3) provide academic assistance, home visits, parental involvement, parent-student advisement services, and family advocacy; (4) provide that the instructional services for migrant children are to be coordinated with the overall educational goals of the operating State agency; and (5) provide that migrant students participating in such programs work from ten to 15 hours per week and receive stipends for such services. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 1991
Medicare Physician Payment Reform Amendments of 1991 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise the transition rules for phasing in the resource-based relative value scale (RB RVS) method of payment for physician services to prohibit adjustments for asymmetry in the transition and for behavioral responses. Declares spending under this Act to be an emergency requirement under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) and exempt from sequestration.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 1991
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1991 - Amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to allow States to opt to include under the definition of "children with disabilities," for children aged three through five, those who need special education and related services because they are experiencing delays in one or more following areas of their development: physical, cognitive, communication, social or emotional, or adaptive. Increases the amount of Assistance for Education of All Handicapped Children grant funds which a State may use for administrative costs. Revises provisions relating to Indian reservations. Requires that payments by the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to the Secretary of the Interior are to meet assistance needs for the education of children with disabilities aged five through 21 on reservations who are enrolled in elementary and secondary schools for Indian children operated or funded by the Secretary of the Interior. Allows Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools which are State-accredited to count Indian students aged three through five enrolled in affiliated programs for the purpose of funds distribution. Makes the Secretary of the Interior responsible for meeting all assistance requirements for such children. Makes the State educational agency (SEA) responsible for ensuring that all such requirements are implemented with respect to all other children aged three through 21 on reservations. Revises requirements for the application by the Secretary of the Interior for the allotment payment, including additional requirements for information, coordination, and cooperation in monitoring and oversight. Directs the Secretary to make payments to the Secretary of the Interior for distribution to tribes or tribal organizations or consortia to provide for the coordination of assistance for special education and related services for children aged three through five on reservations served by elementary and secondary schools for Indian children operated or funded by the Department of the Interior. Sets forth formulas for such distribution. Requires such funds to be used to assist in child find, screening, and other procedures for the early identification of children aged three through five, parent training, and direct services. Requires the tribe or tribal organization to report biennially to the Secretary of the Interior on the activities undertaken with such funds. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to offer and, on request, provide technical assistance (especially in the areas of child find, diagnosis, and referrral) to State, local, and intermediate educational agencies, and tribes and tribal organizations. Prohibits specified assistance funds from being used by the Secretary of the Interior for administrative purposes, including child count, and the provision of technical assistance. Directs the Secretary of the Interior, before January 1, 1992, to submit to specified congressional committees a plan for the coordination of services, from whatever source, for all Indian children with disabilities residing on reservations covered under IDEA. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish under the BIA an advisory board on education and provision of services to Indian infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. Requires State plans to set forth policies and procedures relating to the smooth transition for those participants in the early intervention program who will participate in preschool programs under IDEA, including a method of ensuring development and implementation, by a child's third birthday, of an individualized education program or, if consistent with specified provisions, an individualized family service plan. Revises application requirements to allow the local or intermediate educational agency, if this is consistent with State policy and has the concurrence of parents or guardian, to establish, annually review, and revise an individualized family service plan (as an alternative to an individualized education plan) for each child with a disability, aged three through five. Revises provisions for preschool grants to increase to $1,500 (from $1,000) the maximum limit on a preschool grant to a State per child with a disability, aged three through five. Allows a State to opt to use a certain portion of its preschool grant to provide a free public education to two-year-old children with disabilities who will reach age three during the school year, whether or not they are receiving or have received services under the early intervention program (also allows the local or intermediate educational agency to use its preschool grant funds from the State for such purpose, if consistent with State policy). Provides that early intervention program provisions do not apply to any child with disabilities receiving a free public education with funds received under preschool grants provisions. Revises IDEA provisions for early education for children with disabilities to include program services and activities for: (1) individuals at risk of having substantial developmental delays if early intervention services are not provided; (2) outreach to low-income, minority, rural, and other underserved populations eligible for assistance under IDEA; and (3) supporting statewide projects in conjunction with an early intervention plan and preschool grant application, to change from segregated to integrated environments the delivery of early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and of special education and related services to preschool children with disabilities. Directs the Secretary to fund up to five grants to States for three years to establish a statewide interagency, multidisciplinary, coordinated system to identify, track, and refer to appropriate services all categories of children who are biologically and/or environmentally at-risk of having developmental delays. Sets forth requirements for grantees. Revises provisions for personnel training and parent training and information. Directs the Secretary to fund up to five grants to States or other entities to support formation of a consortium or partnerships of public and private entities to provide opportunities for career advancement and/or competency-based training for current workers at public and private agencies providing services to infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. Sets information dissemination requirements and authorized uses of funds. Provides for award of a cooperative agreement through a separate competition to an entity to provide technical assistance to grantees. Requires grantees to give priority to providing specified parent training and information services to parents of children aged zero through five. Requires the Secretary, in ensuring that parent training and information grants will serve parents of minority children with disabilities representative to the proportion of the minority population in the areas being served, to specify: (1) the special efforts that will be undertaken to involve parents of such children; and (2) budgetary items earmarked for ensuring such services. Requires the Secretary to obtain data on the number of parents served under such parent training and information programs who are parents of children with disabilities aged zero through five. Increases the amounts authorized to be appropriated for FY 1992 through 1994 for provisions for training personnel for the education of individuals with disabilities. Revises definitions, under provisions for early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities, to include references to the following developmental needs: communication, social or emotional, and adaptive. Includes among early intervention services: vision services, assistive technology devices and services, and transportation and related costs. Includes among qualified personnel: family therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and pediatricians and other physicians. Requires that early intervention services, to the maximum extent appropriate, be provided in natural environments, including the home, and community settings in which children without disabilities participate. Authorizes differential funding for the fourth or fifth year of grant allotments to States under the early intervention program for handicapped infants and toddlers (from birth to age two), thus allowing certain States to continue their participation in such program under specified conditions. Allows States that have not met all or some of fourth or fifth year requirements to request extended participation for such years and, if such request is approved by the Secretary of Education, receive an allotment for such years in an amount set at a specified earlier, lesser rate. Provides for reallotment of the resultant excess funds to States that have met all the requirements for such years and that will consequently be receiving the full grant allotment for such years, as well as such additional funds from their portion of such reallotment. Revises requirements for a statewide system of services, under the early intervention program, include reference to service coordination (rather than case management) services under the individualized family service plan. Requires the comprehensive system of personnel development to: (1) include training of paraprofessionals; and (2) be consistent with the preschool system. Revises the lead State agency responsibilities to: (1) include monitoring compliance of programs and activities used by the State to carry out the early intervention program whether or not these are receiving assistance; and (2) provide for assignment of fiscal responsibility to the appropriate agencies in accordance with provisions for State designation of an individual entity to make such assignment. Revises part H requirements for the State application and assurances. Requires such application to also include: (1) a designation by the State of an individual or entity responsible for assigning financial responsibility among appropriate agencies; (2) a description of the policies and procedures used to ensure a smooth transition for participants in early intervention programs who are eligible to participate in preschool programs, including how the families will be included in transitional plans and how the early intervention programs who are eligible to participate in preschool programs, including how the families will be included in the transitional plan and how the early intervention lead agency will notify the appropriate local or intermediate educational agency at least 90 days before such child is eligible for the preschool program in accordance with State law; and (3) a description of the policies and procedures used to review the child's program options, for the period beginning in the day the child turns three years old through the remainder of the school year, and to establish a transition plan. Requires the State, beginning in FY 1992, to assure that policies and practices have been adopted to ensure meaningful involvement of traditionally underserved families, including minority, low-income, and rural families, in early intervention planning and implementation and access of such families to culturally competent services within their local areas. Allows a State to use early intervention program funds to provide a free appropriate public education, in accordance with preschool program provisions, to children with disabilities in the transitional period from their third birthdays to the beginning of the following school year. Revises early intervention statewide system procedural safeguards to also include the rights of parents or guardians to: (1) written notice of and written consent to the exchange of personnally identifiable information among agencies, consistent with Federal and State laws; and (2) determine whether they, their infant or toddler, or other family members will accept or decline any early intervention service in accordance with State law without jeopardizing other such early intervention services. Revises early intervention requirements relating to State Interagency Coordinating Council: (1) membership composition and numbers; (2) chairperson; (3) functions (adding advice and assistance in toddlers transition to preschool programs and in provision of appropriate services for children from birth through age five); and (4) expenditures (including child care for parent representatives). Revises early intervention requirements for allocation of funds among tribal organizations or consortia. Requires such funds to be used to assist States in child find, screening, and other procedures for the early identification of Indian children aged zero through two, and for parent training. Allows such funds to be used also to provide early intervention services. Requires the tribe or tribal organization to report biennially to the Secretary of the Interior on the activities undertaken with such funds. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to include a summary of such information, biennially, with other specified information required to be submitted to the Secretary of Education. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to require any additional information from the Secretary of the Interior. Prohibits any of such early intervention funds from being used by the Secretary of the Interior for administrative purposes, including child count, and the provision of technical assistance. Extends through FY 1994 the payment of State allotments for early intervention program services. Provides that each State shall receive at least a specified minimum amount in such allotment. Extends through FY 1994 the authorization for early intervention program services. Directs the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to establish a Federal Interagency Coordinating Council, for early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families and preschool services for children with disabilities, to: (1) minimize duplication of programs and activities at Federal, State, and local agency levels; (2) coordinate Federal agency programs and policies and technical assistance and support to States; and (3) identify gaps in programs and services and barriers to Federal interagency cooperation and program operation. Directs the Secretary to: (1) undertake a study to identify alternative formulas allocating early intervention program funds, including specified analyses; and (2) transmit the study and a report on it to specified congressional committees by March 1, 1993. Amends both Federal law relating to impact aid and the Defense Dependents Education Act of 1978 to require that IDEA provisions for early intervention services and preschool public education apply, respectively, to infants and toddlers age birth through two with disabilities and children aged three through five with disabilities who are military dependents served under such law and such Act. Makes various technical amendments and changes in terminology in IDEA, and updates various Federal laws' references to IDEA. Increases the amount of funds which a State may use for administrative costs under certain IDEA provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 24 July 1991
Toxic Cleanup Equity and Acceleration Act of 1991 - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to absolve municipalities or other persons from liability to any person other than the United States for claims of contribution or other response costs or damages related to the generation or transportation, or arrangement for the transportation, treatment, or disposal of municipal solid waste or sewage sludge unless there is a basis for liability under provisions governing owners or operators. Prohibits the President from initiating or maintaining an action against any person (other than owners or operators) in the absence of exceptional circumstances. Provides that exceptional circumstances exist where the President obtains evidence that: (1) the release of hazardous substances on which liability is based is not that ordinarily found in municipal solid waste or sewage sludge and the hazardous substances were derived from a commercial, institutional, or industrial process or activity; (2) the total contribution to the site of hazardous substances from such activities is insignificant in terms of volume and toxicity when compared to the volume and toxicity of the municipal solid waste and sewage sludge; or (3) absent the contribution of such substances, the contribution of hazardous substances from the municipal solid waste and sewage sludge would be a significant cause of the release that will result in the response action. Authorizes the President, when the release involves trash from commercial, institutional, or industrial sources, to require persons handling such materials to provide evidence that the general composition and toxicity of the trash are similar to those of waste generated by households. Authorizes a municipality, whenever an administrative or judicial action is brought against the municipality for acts or omissions concerning the handling of municipal solid waste or sewage sludge, to request the President to settle the municipality's potential liability for response costs or damages to natural resources. Prohibits an action from being commenced or pursued during the period the President is considering the settlement request. Limits permissible reasons to fail to reach a settlement to one or more of the following: (1) the settlement offer from the municipality does not meet the cost allocation criteria; (2) the municipality refuses to agree to settlement terms required in consent decrees; or (3) insufficient information exists to permit a cost allocation. Provides that if the President completes a settlement with a party other than the municipality requesting a settlement, such settlement creates a rebuttable presumption that the President cannot invoke insufficient information as a reason for failing to settle with the municipality concerning matters addressed in the other party's settlement. Provides that settlements shall: (1) require the municipality to pay for costs based on the quantity of hazardous constituents in municipal solid waste and sewage sludge, subject to a certain condition; (2) limit a municipality's payments if such payments would force a municipality to dissolve, declare bankruptcy, or default on debt obligations; and (3) be reached even in the event that a municipality may be liable for response costs or damages in other actions. Requires the President to provide a covenant not to sue with respect to the facility concerned to any municipality which has entered into a settlement. Directs the President to prepare a nonbinding preliminary allocation of responsibility (based on the quantity of hazardous constituents in municipal solid waste and sewage sludge) upon the request of a municipality. Applies this Act to all administrative or judicial actions commenced before this Act's effective date, unless a final court judgement has been rendered or a court-approved settlement agreement has been reached.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 1991
Older Americans Act Amendments of 1991 - Title I: Amendments to the Older Americans Act of 1965 - Amends the Older Americans Act (the Act) of 1965 to state that the Administration on Aging (Administration) shall be under the direct authority and supervision of the Secretary of Health and Human Services and that the Commissioner on Aging shall report directly to the Secretary on all matters relating to the Act, including policy, budget, and administration of programs. Expands the functions of the Associate Commissioner on American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Aging to include serving as the advocate in the States for older Indians, Native Hawaiians, and Alaska Natives. Modifies the duties and functions of the Administration to include: (1) establishing the National Ombudsman Resource Center to provide training and information to State Long-Term Ombudsmen and the National Center on Elder Abuse to assist State Long-Term Ombudsmen in the prevention of elder abuse; (2) providing for the establishment of the National Commission on Board and Care Facility Quality to assist State and local entities in the implementation of State and local board and care facility quality standards; (3) issuing regulations with regard to conflicts of interest; and (4) designing and implementing uniform data collection procedures for use by State agencies in providing to the Administration information on programs and activities funded under the Act. Requires coordination between the Commissioner and Federal agencies proposing or administering related programs or services. Revises provisions relating to the Federal Council on the Aging to, among other changes: (1) require the Council to serve as a direct advisor to the Commissioner on matters affecting the special needs of older individuals for services and assistance under the Act; and (2) reauthorize and extend the Council through FY 1995. Authorizes the Commissioner to designate a Federal office in the Administration, directed by an officer or employee with nutritional science and planning expertise, to coordinate and assist the: (1) delivery of nutrition services under the Act; (2) implementation of Federal dietary, nutritional, and health services standards for nutritional planning; and (3) establishment of guidelines for monitoring compliance of such nutritional services with the Act's requirements. Authorizes the Commissioner to establish a policy, and be responsible for advocating, guiding, coordinating, and assisting under the Act Federal and State efforts to create opportunities for older individuals to participate in multigenerational activities. Requires the evaluation of programs for their effectiveness in targeting for services low-income minority older individuals. Requires a Commissioner evaluation of nutrition services provided during FY 1992 through 1993. Requires the Secretary to: (1) submit to the President, the Speaker of the House, and the President pro tempore of the Senate recommendations to improve nutrition service programs provided under the Act; and (2) require the Commissioner to implement such recommendations. Changes funding provisions under provisions regarding the evaluation of such programs. Establishes in the Administration the Office of Federal Long-Term Care Ombudsman to be headed by the Federal Long-Term Care Ombudsman who shall: (1) advocate, monitor, and coordinate Federal and State activities of long-term care ombudsmen under the Act; (2) administer the National Ombudsman Resource Center; (3) report annually to the Congress on the effectiveness of services under State long-term care ombudsman programs; and (4) have authority to investigate the violation of any Federal law administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that may adversely affect older individuals. Authorizes appropriations for salaries and expenses of the Administration through FY 1995. Reauthorizes and extends title III (Grants for State and Community Programs on Aging) programs through FY 1995. Increases the minimum State allotment for outreach services for the Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid programs (titles XVI and XIX, respectively, of the Social Security Act) and the Food Stamp program. Changes the requirements with respect to a State agency's development of a formula for the distribution of title III grant funds to require the formula to take into account the State's low-income minority elderly. Requires the Commissioner to consider the effectiveness of State and local efforts to target older individuals with the greatest economic need (including low-income minority individuals) and older individuals with the greatest social need (including minority individuals) to receive services under the Act in preparing his report on evaluations to be included in the annual report to the Congress on Administration activities. Makes miscellaneous and technical amendments to area and State plan provisions, including conforming changes to reflect the above-mentioned conflict of interest prohibitions to maintain integrity in all contractual and commercial relationships under the Act. Sets new limits on the amount of funds a State may elect to transfer between the programs under part B (Supportive Services) and part C (Nutrition Services) under title III of the Act for FY 1992 through 1994. Caps at 30 percent the maximum amount of funds a State may elect to transfer between subpart I (Congregate Nutrition Services) and subpart II (Home Delivered Nutrition Services) of part C. Ties the funding for disaster relief reimbursements to the total appropriation for title IV of the Act. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 through 1995 for food donated to nutrition serices programs for older individuals. Prohibits the cents per meal level under the program for donating surplus commodities to older individuals from being reduced below 65.66 cents per meal during FY 1992 through 1995. Provides for an annual adjustment for inflation in the elderly meals reimbursement rate for surplus commodities. Requires the supportive services designed to encourage and assist older individuals to use the facilities and services available to them to include language translation services to assist older individuals with limited-English speaking ability to obtain services under the title III State grant program. Includes as supportive services under such program: (1) counseling relating to pension rights and benefits; and (2) information concerning prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of age-related diseases. Changes the name of the program under part F of title III of the Act from the Preventive Health Services program to the Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Services program and outlines specific program services, including informational services relating to Alzheimers disease, to be provided at senior centers and other appropriate sites and programs that provide nutrition services under part C. Adds a new part H under title III of the Act entitled "Supportive Activities for Caregivers Who Provide In-Home Services to Frail Older Individuals." Outlines the supportive activities which may be included under such part, including the provision of information to frail older individuals and their families regarding how to obtain in-home and respite services. Amends title IV (Training, Research, and Discretionary Projects and Programs) of the Act to revise the authorities for education and training, and for R & D, demonstration projects, and other activities. Authorizes grants to minority educational institutions to provide education and training to prepare students for careers in the field of aging. Authorizes demonstration projects for: (1) information and counseling related to pension benefits; (2) foreclosure and eviction assistance and relief services; (3) multigenerational activities; and (4) enhancing private resources in order to provide additional services under the title III State grant program. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 through 1995 to carry out title IV of the Act. Requires the Commissioner to submit annually to the Speaker of the House and the President pro tem of the Senate a report that describes each completed project funded under title IV. Requires the Commissioner to: (1) establish by regulation and implement a process to evaluate the results of projects and programs carried out under title IV; and (2) make available to the public each such evaluation and to use it to improve services delivered, or the operation of programs and projects carried out, under the Act. Amends the Older American Community Service Employment Act to make the Older American Community Service Employment Program (the program) applicable to unemployed low-income persons who have poor employment prospects and are fifty-five years of age or older. Revises provisions outlining the authority of the Secretary of Labor with respect to the execution of agreements for furthering the goals and purposes of the program and payment of projects costs to: (1) condition payment of project costs upon the Secretary's determination that the project will prepare an assessment of the participant's skills and talents, need for supportive services, and physical capabilities, except under prescribed conditions; and (2) require (currently, authorize) the Secretary to increase the amount available for paying project administration costs whenever the Secretary determines that it is necessary to carry out the project. Requires the coordination of second career training and job placement experimental projects with training programs for older individuals under the Job Training Partnership Act. Requires the Secretary to coordinate the administration of the program with the Commissioner's administration of the title III, IV, and X programs under the Older Americans Act of 1965 to facilitate access to services under such titles by individuals eligible for employment opportunities under the program. Requires the Secretary to promote and coordinate carrying out projects under the program jointly with programs, projects, or activities under other Acts that provide training and employment opportunities to eligible individuals. Requires additional considerations, including the relative distribution of eligible minority individuals, in making an equitable distribution of assistance for community service employment programs for older Americans among areas within each State. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 through 1995 for community service employment for older Americans. Permits certain legalized aliens to receive assistance under the Older Americans Community Service Act of 1965 without such assistance being considered prohibited public assistance under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Provides for dual eligibility with respect to community service employment projects carried out jointly with programs under the Job Training Partnership Act. Amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 to place restrictions on grants to eligible tribal organizations to pay all of the costs for delivery of supportive and nutrition services for older Indians. Requires applications for such grants to contain assurances that the tribal organization will coordinate such services with services provided under the title III State grant program in the same geographic area. Requires similar assurances with respect to applications by organizations for grants under the Native Hawaiian program. Authorizes increased appropriations to carry out the Indian and Native Hawaiian programs under title X (Grants for Native Americans) through FY 1995 of which: (1) 90 percent shall be available to carry out the Indian program; and (2) ten percent shall be available to carry out the Native Hawaiian program. Title II: 1993 National Conference on Aging - Amends the Older Americans Act Amendments of 1987 to direct the President to convene a 1993 National Conference on Aging. Revises Conference administrative provisions, including those regarding conference and related administrative committees. Replaces references in Conference reporting provisions to the Secretary of HHS with references to the new Governing Committee created under the above mentioned administrative provisions to direct the Conference to, among other changes, make the Committee responsible for formulating and approving the Conference's final report. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 and 1993 to carry out the Conference. Title III: Amendments to the Native American Programs Act of 1974 - Native American Programs Act Amendments of 1991 - Amends the Native American Programs Act (the Act) of 1974 to establish in HHS' Office of the Administration for Children and Families an Administration for Native Americans as the agency responsible for carrying out Native American programs under the Act. Directs the Secretary to establish an intra-agency task force to review and comment on all policies and practices of agencies in HHS relating to programs affecting Indians, Alaskan Natives, and Native Hawaiians. Extends a demonstration project involving the establishment of a revolving loan fund to promote the economic development of Native Hawaiians. Authorizes appropraitions for FY 1992 for carrying out such project. Repeals provisions regarding the deposit of unneeded monies as miscellaneous receipts in the Treasury. Revises congressional reporting requirements applicable to such project to require annual reports on administration of the project along with specified information concerning loans from the fund. Mandates (currently, authorizes) the provision of technical assistance and training for Native American projects receiving financial assistance under the Act. Requires such projects to be evaluated not less frequently than at three-year intervals. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 through 1995 to carry out the provisions of the Act (other than provisions concerning grants to improve tribal regulation of environmental quality). Title IV: General Provisions - States that any authority to enter into contracts under any amendment made by this Act shall be effective only to the extent or in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriations Acts. Sets forth the effective dates of this Act and its amendments.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 1991
Augustus F. Hawkins Medical Assistance Act of 1991 - Amends part B (Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities) of title III (Institutional Aid) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to add provisions for an assistance program for medical and health profession training institutes to conduct education and research to improve the health and education development of residents within underserved and economically disadvantaged communities. Directs the Secretary of Education to award such program grants to institutions of higher education that are making a substantial contribution to the medical education and training opportunities for individuals from minority groups who are underrepresented in medical or allied health professions. Sets forth requirements relating to grant size, duration, matching funds, applications, and authorized uses of funds. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 through 1996 for such program.
United States · United States Congress · 23 July 1991
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the people of the United States should recognize: (1) the tenth anniversary of "An Artistic Discovery" (the Congressional High School Art Competition); and (2) its success in encouraging the creative endeavors of our Nation's young artists and forging strong working relationships among the Congress, businesses, and the arts community towards the ultimate goal of providing opportunities for high school students to express their artistic talents.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 1991
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish the Teacher Opportunity Corps (TOC) program, to encourage institutions of higher education to offer educational programs and financial assistance to enable paraprofessionals working in shortage area schools serving disadvantaged students to become certified teachers. Directs the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to allocate TOC program grant funds to States according to the same formula under which States receive chapter 1 funding (i.e. funding for education of disadvantaged children under chapter 1 of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965). Sets forth a minimum State allotment. Requires TOC grant program agreements to include provisions for administration and recordkeeping by the State education or higher education agency. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to States to support TOC programs at institutions of higher education. Sets forth State grant application requirements and general criteria for State grants, including: (1) involvement of institutions of higher education and shortage area schools or school districts; (2) full credit of education program courses to a baccalaureate program leading to teacher certification; and (3) a program evaluation system. Requires any paraprofessional who receives student financial assistance under the TOC program to agree to act as a paraprofessional in a shortage area school for at least one year for each year of such assistance, within ten years after completing the postsecondary education. Requires repayment of all or part of such such assistance, plus interest and reasonable collection costs, if the recipient fails to comply with such service requirement, except under specified circumstances. Requires that such student financial assistance supplement, but not supplant, other Federal or State assistance for which the student would otherwise qualify. Requires TOC program grants to be for a term of at least five years, subject to availability of appropriations. Allows States to use TOC program funds for: (1) student financial assistance to paraprofessionals to pay part or all of costs of attendance (including child care) in postsecondary education programs required for teacher certification; and (2) supportive services for such paraprofessionals during participation in such programs. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1993 through 1997 for the TOC program.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 1991
California Desert Protection Act of 1991 - Title I: Wilderness Additions - Designates as additions to the National Wilderness Preservation System 77 wilderness areas within the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA), the Yuma District, and the Bakerfield District of the Bureau of Land Management. Permits grazing in such areas. Prohibits the approval of any plan of operation prior to determining the validity of unpatented mining claims, mill sites, and tunnel sites affected by plans in such areas. States that non-designated areas within the CDCA have been adequately studied for inclusion in the System and releases them from otherwise applicable restrictions. Designates certain lands within the CDCA as the White Mountains Wilderness Study Area. Title II: Death Valley National Park - Establishes the Death Valley National Historic Park which subsumes the Death Valley National Monument. Withdraws the additional lands from further exploitation under the mining laws. Requires the Secretary of the Interior (the Secretary) to determine the validity of any unpatented mining claims, mill sites, and tunnel sites within such additional lands and whether the United States should acquire any mineral rights in such lands. Preserves grazing privileges on such lands for persons holding permits as of July 1, 1991. Terminates all grazing on July 1, 2016. Title III: Joshua Tree National Park - Establishes the Joshua Tree National Park which subsumes the Joshua Tree National Monument. Withdraws the additional lands from further exploitation under the mining laws. Requires the Secretary to determine the validity of any unpatented mining claims, mill sites, and tunnel sites within such additional lands and whether the United States should acquire any mineral rights in such lands. Continues the validity of certain rights-of-way of the Metropolitan Water District. Title IV: Mojave National Park - Establishes the Mojave National Monument which subsumes the East Mojave National Scenic Area. Withdraws Federal lands within the Monument from further exploitation under the mining laws. Requires the Secretary to determine the validity of any unpatented mining claims, mill sites, and tunnel sites within the Monument and whether the United States should acquire any mineral rights in such lands. Authorizes the Secretary to regulate mining in such Monument. Preserves grazing privileges on such lands for persons holding permits as of July 1, 1991. Terminates all grazing on July 1, 2016. Continues the validity of existing rights-of-way for specified activities. Directs the Secretary to submit a management plan for the Monument to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. Designates the Granite Mountains Natural Reserve within the Monument. Authorizes the Secretary to construct a visitors' center and acquire lands. Title V: National Park Wilderness - Designates as wilderness the Death Valley National Park Wilderness, the Joshua Tree National Park Wilderness Additions, and the Mojave National Monument Wilderness. Title VI: Miscellaneous Provisions - Directs the Secretary to transfer Red Rock Canyon State Park Additions in the CDCA to California. Establishes the Desert Lily Sanctuary within the CDCA. Prohibits the Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture from: (1) disposing of lands within the boundaries of any wilderness, park, or monument designated by this Act; (2) granting rights-of-way in lands within designated wilderness; and (3) making lands within such boundaries available for use by the Metropolitan Water District. Requires the Secretary to transfer certain Federal lands selected by the California State Lands Commission upon transfer to the United States of State school lands of equivalent value that are included in areas designated as wilderness and national parks under titles I through IV of this Act. Sets forth procedures for establishing fair market value. Creates the California Desert State Lands Credit Account in the event that the value of selected Federal lands is less than that of transferred State lands. Authorizes the Secretary to exchange Federal mineral interests in lands in California for private mineral interests in wilderness areas and national parks designated by this Act. Directs the Secretary to insure nonexclusive access to the wilderness areas, parks, and monument designated by this Act for traditional Indian cultural and religious purposes. Reserves Federal water rights for wilderness areas designated by this Act. Authorizes appropriations. Title VII: Definitions - Sets forth specified definitions.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 1991
Social Security Protection Act of 1991 - Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) to exclude the appropriations for the administration of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund from Federal budget deficit calculations and to exempt such appropriations from sequestration under such Act.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 1991
Directs the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to establish minimum requirements for accounts providing basic consumer depository services in order for such accounts to qualify as lifeline accounts. Provides assessment credits for qualifying depository institution activities in distressed communities. Establishes the Community Enterprise Assessment Credit Board. Authorizes a depository institution located in a distressed community to sell insurance under specified conditions.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 1991
Community Right-To-Know More Act of 1991 - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to revise congressional findings, objectives, and national policy provisions. Title I: Expansion of Toxics Release Inventory - Requires owners or operators of facilities subject to toxic chemical release requirements under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 that meet threshold requirements under this Act to include supplemental information comparable to that required in toxic chemical release forms for transfers or releases of chemicals that are: (1) priority pollutants relating to steam electric power point source pollutants under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act; (2) specified hazardous wastes listed under the Solid Waste Disposal Act; (3) specified chemicals listed under the Clean Air Act; (4) pesticides with respect to which the registration has been denied, cancelled, or is under suspension or pesticides undergoing administrative review or that are classified for restricted use; (5) chemicals listed under the Safe Drinking Water Act for which maximum contaminant levels have been proposed; (6) chemicals identified as carcinogens by the Carcinogen Assessment Group of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the International Agency for Research on Cancer, or the National Toxicology Program; (7) extremely hazardous substances listed pursuant to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986; (8) chemicals listed in 90 California Regulatory Notice Register 990 as reproductive toxins; or (9) listed under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 that are not used at a level that meets threshold requirements for reporting but are released to the environment or transferred to an offsite waste management facility in amounts meeting the threshold under this Act. Provides that a facility meets the threshold requirements with respect to a chemical listed under this Act if the facility: (1) uses the chemical at a level that meets the threshold requirement for reporting under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986; or (2) releases to the environment or transfers to an offsite waste management facility a chemical in an amount greater than or equal to 100 pounds annually in the case of metals or metal compounds or 2,000 pounds annually for any other chemical. Authorizes the EPA Administrator to establish lower thresholds for any chemical, user segment, or facility. Permits authorized States to establish lower thresholds for facilities in their jurisdictions. Authorizes the Administrator to delete a carcinogen or reproductive toxin from the list under this Act if it is not otherwise listed under this Act or the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986. Applies toxic chemical release reporting requirements to facilities employing at least ten full-time employees that are not currently subject to such requirements, but meet threshold reporting requirements under this Act or the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986. Title II: Toxics Use Reduction - Requires owners or operators of covered facilities to submit: (1) annual toxics use reduction reports for each covered chemical for which such facilities are required to file toxic chemical release forms or supplemental information pursuant to title I; and (2) annual plans for reducing the use of covered chemicals. Sets forth report and plan requirements and submission deadlines. Authorizes the Administrator to modify such plans. Requires the Administrator to establish an advisory board to determine a professional code of practice for toxics use reduction materials accounting and planning. Directs owners or operators of facilities in violation of standards, permit conditions, or regulations pertaining to the management or release of covered chemicals, upon the request of 50 citizens or employees, to establish a workplace toxic use reduction committee to provide ongoing dialogue and appraisal of the progress toward pollution prevention. Requires the committee to meet at least quarterly to review a facility's progress on toxics use reduction. Directs the Administrator to implement a strategy to promote toxics use reduction. Requires the Administrator, Federal agencies, and States or political subdivisions, in issuing or approving regulatory action under specified environmental, consumer protection, occupational health and safety, and energy Acts, to make toxics use reduction an integral part of the planning, decisionmaking, and rulemaking process. Authorizes the Administrator to require owners or operators of facilities to provide records and information and grants the Administrator access to records, products, or raw materials. Requires the Administrator to establish a technical assistance and research program to promote and study toxics use reduction. Directs the Administrator to analyze information on production units reported by facilities for purposes of classifying such units into groups that use similar production processes and covered chemicals. Authorizes the Administrator to classify such units into groups on the basis of industrial categories according to Standard Industrial Classification codes. Requires the Administrator to: (1) classify ten groups, to be referred to as user segments; (2) evaluate the reduction in the use and generation of covered chemicals by each production unit in each user segment; and (3) prepare and make available to the public an annual percentile ranking of each unit according to use and generation as byproduct. Authorizes the Administrator to promulgate regulations to establish minimum toxics use reduction performance requirements for production units in user segments. Sets forth regulation requirements. Applies provisions of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 concerning trade secrets, the provision of information to health professionals, and public availability of information to toxics information under this Act. Waives Federal facility compliance with toxics use reduction and reporting requirements upon the request of the Secretary of Defense and the President's determination that such waiver is in the interest of national security. Directs the Administrator to study and report to the appropriate congressional committees on methods of encouraging the reporting of toxics information through the use of computer telecommunication and other means. Requires the Director of the Office of Technology Assessment to study and report to the Administrator and the Congress on the provision to the public of toxic release inventory information and related information required to be submitted to the Administrator. Prescribes civil and administrative penalties for violations of toxics use reduction and reporting requirements. Sets forth provisions concering civil actions with respect to such violations. Requires the Administrator to establish a grant program to assist States and local governments in establishing innovative toxics use reduction programs. Directs States to make 75 percent of a grant available to local governments for carrying out toxics use reduction. Bases the awarding of grants on the extent to which chemical substances are manufactured, processed, used, and disposed of in a State, the extent of exposure to such substances in a State, and the population density of a State. Authorizes appropriations for such grants and for toxics use reduction under this Act. Requires the Administrator to: (1) implement a procurement policy that reduces, avoids, or eliminates the acquisition of agency procurement items made with or containing covered chemicals and hazardous secondary materials; and (2) make recommendations to the Congress for a national toxics use reduction procurement policy covering all procuring agencies, Federal facilities, and government contractors. Amends the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 to increase the amounts authorized to be appropriated for functions under such Act and to increase and extend the authorization of appropriations for technical assistance grants to States. Title III: Waste Stream Reporting - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to revise recordkeeping and reporting requirements for hazardous waste generators. Directs hazardous waste generators to report annually to the Administrator and authorized State agencies on the quantity of hazardous waste generated from each catastrophic event, remedial action, or one-time event not associated with production processes. Sets forth reporting requirements for generators of solid waste in amounts in excess of 11,000 pounds a month and for facilities managing solid and certain special wastes generated by fossil fuels combustion, mining, and activities involving cement kilns. Reqiures the Administrator to: (1) maintain publicly accessible databases for hazardous, solid, and special waste stream data reported under this Act; (2) make the data accessible on a cost reimbursable basis; and (3) report to the Congress on links between EPA databases and changes that would facilitate links between all major EPA operations.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 1991
Condemns the Government of Mauritania's persecution of non-Hassaniya-speaking black Mauritanians and the continued practice of slavery in Mauritania. Calls upon such Government to: (1) abide by its international obligations and the Mauritanian constitution to protect the rights of all Mauritanians; (2) permit an impartial investigation by independent Mauritanian organizations into the death in detention of hundreds of black Mauritanians and to bring those responsible to justice; (3) permit international human rights and humanitarian organizations to conduct fact-finding missions to Mauritania; and (4) take immediate steps to enforce Mauritanian law and end the practice of slavery. Welcomes: (1) recent actions by such Government, including the amnesty and release in April 1991 of hundreds of political prisoners; (2) President Taya's announcement on April 15, 1991, promising legislative elections and allowing political parties to be formed; and (3) the diminution of tensions between Senegal and Mauritania. Commends the U.S. Department of State for its thorough reporting on human rights abuses in Mauritania in the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1990. Calls upon the President to convey U.S. concern about human rights violations in Mauritania by: (1) publicly condemning human rights abuses, such as killings and imprisonment of Mauritanians and the continued practice of slavery; (2) encouraging the appointment of a special rapporteur on Mauritania at the United Nations Human Rights Commission; (3) opposing loans to Mauritania in the World Bank and the African Development Fund; and (4) encouraging the Governments of France, Spain, and Germany to oppose such loans and to limit assistance to Mauritania to humanitarian assistance provided through private voluntary organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 1991
Rural Schools of America (RSA) Act of 1991 - Title I: Rural School Improvement - Authorizes appropriations for this title. Directs the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to reserve five percent of specified funds for competitive grant awards to exemplary school programs. Directs the Secretary to allot, from remaining amounts, to each eligible local educational agency (LEA) with an approved application an amount based on that LEA's relative allocation under certain provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 for education of disadvantaged children (ESEA title I chapter 1). Provides for annual payments to eligible LEAs with approved applications if they comply with certain data collection requirements to monitor progress toward meeting national education goals, and demonstrate such progress. Requires each such LEA to reserve up to five percent of its allotment to make as many grants as practicable, for authorized activities, to community-based organizations or nonprofit partnerships between the LEA and an area-wide collaborative of private sector businesses. Sets limits on the time and the amount of funds to be used for planning purposes. Requires LEAs to use funds under this title to meet national education goals through programs designed to: (1) increase the academic achievement of rural school children to at least the national average; (2) prepare all rural children for school; (3) increase the graduation rates of rural students to at least the national average; (4) prepare rural school graduates to enter higher education, pursue careers, and exercise their responsibilities as citizens; (5) recruit and retain qualified teachers; and (6) decrease the use of drugs and alcohol by rural students, and enhance their physical and emotional health. Sets forth program accountability requirements: (1) in general, for initial grants, renewal grants, and renewal of school participation; (2) for achievement, including demonstration of improvement; and (3) for data collection certification and to monitor progress in achieving national education goals. Authorizes the Secretary to make, from reserved funds, competitive incentive awards to individual schools participating in projects assisted under this title that demonstrate exemplary progress in meeting specified program requirements. Directs the Secretary, by January 1, 1993, to report on the impact of Federal regulations, guidelines, and policies on rural public schools. Requires LEAs desiring to receive an allotment under this Act to establish a local advisory group to: (1) advise on design and conduct of a needs assessment for participating schools; (2) assist in planning for community-wide collaboration in service delivery for youths in participating schools; (3) advise the LEA and the community on how they can work together to use multiple service providers; and (4) advise and assist program implementation and review program evaluation; (5) review and approve community-based organizations' applications; (6) advise on strategies for increasing parental involvement and the number of school volunteers and role models; and (7) review community-based programs' progress or national education goals. Allows use of a comparable existing local advisory group to comply with such requirement. Sets forth special rules relating to ranking of schools to determine relative need, in general, on the basis of achievement, poverty, and racial isolation. Requires each LEA receiving a grant to serve between ten and 20 percent of its schools. Requires eligible LEAs to have flexibility to serve homeless children, desegregating students, immigrants, migrants, or other highly mobile populations, within the program assisted under this title. Deems any approved program for any school served under certain ESEA title I chapter 1 provisions to be sufficient to meet the application and program accountability requirements of this title. Title II: School Building Repair and Renovation - Authorizes appropriations to assist eligible LEAs in repairing and renovating instructional facilities in rural schools. Directs the Secretary to make allotments to State educational agencies based on relative allocations to LEAs under ESEA title I chapter 1. Directs each SEA after after being allowed to reserve one percent of such funds for administrative expenses, to allot the remainder to eligible LEAs, which shall use half of such allotment for programs for school building repair and renovation, and half for programs for school environmental concerns and safety improvements. (Authorizes the SEA to waive such 50 percent division in certain cases.) Directs the SEA to allocate such funds on the basis of the number of: (1) children from families below the poverty line; (2) school buildings used for instructional purposes; and (3) school buildings more than 25 years old used for instructional purposes. Limits the period covered by a grant application to three years, and requires annual review. Lists types of programs eligible LEAs must conduct with their allotments for: (1) repair and renovation of school buildings; and (2) improvements related to environmental concerns and safety. Title III: Evaluation of Results - Subtitle A: Assistant Secretary - Amends the Department of Education Organization Act to establish an Assistant Secretary for Rural Education in the Department of Education. Subtitle B: Rural School Research and Evaluation - Authorizes appropriations to carry out this subtitle. Directs the Secretary to establish for each region a National Rural Regional Education Research Center (Center), to be operated by the appropriate regional educational laboratory. Requires each Center to: (1) conduct independent research in rural education and distance learning technologies; (2) evaluate progress toward the national education goals of rural schools receivng funds under title I of this Act; (3) be rural education clearinghouses for research findings, policies, and practices; (4) develop measurements of rural schools' progress; (5) disseminate evaluation and research results to other centers and rural school districts and parents; (6) arrange collaboration and consortia among rural schools in the region for joint research and evaluation; (7) replicate successful models and program approaches; (8) provide technical assistance and outreach services for schools; (9) provide staff training; and (10) develop curricula to assist rural schools in moving toward meeting the national education goals. Requires each Center to reserve 25 percent of funds received under this subtitle for direct grants to rural eligible LEAs within its region, which are participating in a program assisted under title I of this Act, to conduct local school district research and evaluation of efforts toward meeting the national education goals. Title IV: General Provisions - Establishes the Interagency Council on Rural Schools to: (1) review Federal programs to determine effects on and rural schools' ability to meet national education goals; (2) track school progress toward and such goals; (3) solicit advice and information for rural education experts and rural school representatives on improvement of Federal programs; (4) review Federal regulations for duplication or contradiction; (5) report annually to the Congress and the President on rural school progress; (6) review and recommend improvement for streamlining of Federal data collection in rural schools; and (7) conduct research to help rural school practitioners improve school performance. Directs the President to conduct a White House Conference on Rural Education before October 30, 1994. Requires the Conference to: (1) develop recommendations and strategies for improving rural education; (2) marshal the forces of the private sector, governmental agencies at all levels, parents, teachers, communities, and education officials to assist rural schools in meeting national goals; and (3) conduct initial planning for a permanent national advisory commission on rural education. Requires reports to the President. Authorizes appropriations for such Conference. Establishes the Carl D. Perkins National Commission on Rural Education (the Commission). Directs the Commission to: (1) study specified issues relating to rural schools; and (2) report, and recommend changes in Federal legislation, to the President and appropriate congressional committees. Terminates the Commission three years after its first meeting. Authorizes appropriations for the Commission. Requires eligible LEAs to use Federal funds received under this Act only to supplement but not supplant non-Federal funds.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 1991
Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1991 - Prohibits any agency, department, or official of the United States or any State (the government) from burdening a person's exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, except that the government may burden a person's exercise of religion only if it demonstrates that application of the burden to the person: (1) is essential to further a compelling governmental interest; and (2) is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest. Sets forth provisions pertaining to judicial relief, attorney's fees, and applicability.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 1991
World Cup USA 1994 Commemorative Coin Act - 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 in commemoration of the 1994 World Cup and the unique appeal of soccer. 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 Organizing Committee to organize and stage the 1994 World Cup. Requires that ten percent of such funds shall be made available through the U.S. Soccer Federation Foundation, Inc., for distribution to institutions for scholastic scholarships to qualified students.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 1991
Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to include the costs of securing and maintaining a hearing dog trained to assist a deaf or hard-of-hearing individual as allowable medical expenses for the purpose of income-related calculations to determine eligibility for the food stamp program. Amends Federal law to: (1) include as a benefit to certain veterans the provision of hearing dogs trained to assist deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals; (2) permit hearing dogs trained to assist a deaf or hard-of-hearing individual to be admitted to public buildings and other properties owned by the United States; and (3) permit certain common carriers to continue to establish a special rate for transportation of a hearing-impaired individual when accompanied by a dog trained to assist the individual. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a commission regarding measures that should be taken to provide rights regarding the use of guide dogs by deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 1991
Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Act of 1991 - Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to restrict the export of nuclear weapon items to a non-nuclear weapon state, unless: (1) such state maintains International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards on all its peaceful nuclear activities; and (2) the the export, retransfer, or activity is under the terms of an agreement for cooperation. Prohibits the Nuclear Regulatory Commission from issuing any license for the export of highly enriched uranium. Directs the President to undertake negotiations with foreign nations which participate in the Nuclear Suppliers Group to establish specified multilateral nuclear non-proliferation controls. Sets forth sanctions for violations of this Act. Amends the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978 to require the United States to enter into negotiations with other nations and groups of nations to improve the effectiveness of the safeguards of the IAEA.
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