United States · United States Congress · 18 January 1973
Establishes, under the Secretary of Commerce, the United States Metric Conversion Coordinating Commission consisting of nine members representing business, labor, education, science, and technology. Authorizes members of the Commission to be compensated at the rate of $100 a day. Charges the Commission with the responsibility of implementing with the voluntary participation of every interested sector in the United States the recommendations issued by the United States metric study including: (1) that the United States change to the metric system; (2) that such change be done through a coordinated program; (3) that there be established detailed plans and time tables be worked out; (4) that priority be given to educational programs in elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher learning designed to enable Americans to think in metric terms; (5) that appropriate representatives of American enterprise participate in international standards; (6) that changeover costs shall lie where they fall; and (7) that the target date for full conversion shall be January 1, 1984. Directs each agency of the Federal Government to convert to the international metric system and provides that such system shall be the sole and official system of weights in the United States by January 1, 1984. Authorizes necessary appropriations to carry out this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 18 January 1973
Provides that a person connected with or employed by the news media or press, or who is independently engaged in gathering information for publication or broadcast, shall not be required to disclose before the Congress or any Federal court, grand jury, or administrative entity any information, written or oral, or pictorial material or the source of that information or material procured for publication or broadcast. Provides that the above provisions shall not apply with respect to the source of any allegedly defamatory information in any case where the defendant in a civil action for defamation asserts a defense based on the source of such information.
United States · United States Congress · 18 January 1973
Creates an Atlantic Union delegation, composed of 18 eminent citizens, which is authorized to organize and participate in a convention made up of similar delegations from such North Atlantic Treaty parliamentary democracies as desire to join in the enterprise, and other parliamentary democracies the convention may invite, to explore the possibility of agreement on: (1) a declaration that the goal of their peoples is to transform their present relationship into a more effective unity based on Federal principles; (2) a timetable for the transition by stages to this goal; and (3) a commission to facilitate advancement toward such stages. Requires the convention's recommendations to be submitted to the Congress. Provides that not more than half of the delegation's members shall be from one political party, and that 6 of the delegates shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, after consultation with the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, 6 by the President of the Senate, after consultation with the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and 6 by the President of the United States. Allows all members of the delegation to speak and vote individually in the convention. Authorizes the delegation in carrying out the purposes of this Act: (1) to seek to arrange an international convention and such other meetings and conferences as it may deem necessary; (2) to employ and fix the compensation within prescribed limits of such temporary professional and clerical staff as it deems necessary; and (3) to pay not in excess of $100,000 toward such expenses as may be involved as a consequence of holding any meetings or conferences authorized by this joint resolution. Authorizes not to exceed $200,000 to be appropriated to the Department of State to carry out the purposes of this resolution, payments to be made upon vouchers approved by the Chairman of the delegation subject to the laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the obligation and expenditure of appropriated funds. Requires the delegation to make semiannual reports to Congress accounting for all expenditures and such other information as it deems appropriate. Provides that the delegation shall cease to exist at the expiration of the three-year period beginning on the date of the approval of this resolution.
United States · United States Congress · 15 January 1973
Provides that the recommendations of the President transmitted to the Congress under the Federal Salary Act of 1967 (relating to salaries of members of Congress and certain members of the executive and judicial branches of the Federal government) shall become effective at the beginning of the first pay period which begins after the first period of thirty calendar days of continuous session following the transmittal of such recommendations, unless there has been enacted into law a statute which establishes rates of pay other than those proposed by all or part of such recommendations, or unless between the date of transmittal and the end of the thirty day period either House adopts a resolution disapproving all or part of such recommendations. Provides that if the Committee, to which a resolution has been referred disapproving the recommendations of the President. Provides that the House has not reported the resolution after ten calendar days, it is in order to discharge the committee from further consideration of the resolution. Directs that such motion to discharge may be made only by an individual favoring the resolution and debate thereon is limited to not more than one hour divided equally between those favoring and those opposing the resolution. Directs that the motion to discharge may not be renewed, nor may another motion to discharge the committee be made with respect to any other resolution concerning the same recommendations. Specifies that when the committee has reported, or has been discharged from the further consideration of such resolution, it is in order to proceed to the consideration of the resolution. Stipulates that such motion is not debatable and may not be amended. Limits debate on the resolution to not more than two hours to be divided equally between those favoring and those opposing the resolution. Provides that motions to postpone, motions to proceed to the consideration of other business and appeals from the decisions of the chair shall be decided without debate. Authorizes any part of the recommendations of the President, in accordance with express provisions of such recommendations, to be made operative on a date later than a date on which such recommendations otherwise are to take effect. (Amends 2 U.S.C. 359)
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 1973
Extends for three years (until July 1, 1975) the provisions under the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, according full Federal payment of relocation and related costs for victims of Hurricane Agnes and other major disasters occuring between January 1, 1971, and July 1, 1973. (Amends 42 U.S.C. 4527)
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1973
Safe Drinking Water Act - Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish and publish national drinking water regulations specifying the maximum permissible level of harmful contaminants in water from a public water system. Prescribes regulations for State underground waste injection control programs with inspection, monitoring, reporting, and control requirements to prevent harmful contaminants. Provides that a State has primary enforcement responsibility for public water systems and underground water sources during any period for which the Administrator determines that such State has adopted and is implementing acceptable drinking water standards. Provides for civil actions to require compliance by any State failing to assure enforcement of drinking water regulations. Provides that the Administrator, upon receipt of information that a contaminant in a public water system may present an imminent and substantial endangerment to the health of persons, and that appropriate State authorities have not acted, may take such actions as he may deem necessary in order to protect the health of such persons. Authorizes the Administrator to conduct research and programs to control diseases resulting from contaminants in water, including improved methods to identify and measure contaminants, and improved methods of water treatment, purification, and distribution. Authorizes grants for projects designed to train personnel for occupations involving the public health aspects of providing safe drinking water. Authorizes appropriations for grants to States to carry out the drinking water programs established under this Act. Makes provisions for State plans and applications for assistance. Establishes a National Drinking Water Advisory Council of 15 members to advise the Administrator on matters relating to this Act. Authorizes the Administrator to prescribe such regulations as are necessary to carry out his functions under this Act. Authorizes the Administrator to establish and promulgate bottled drinking water standards. Requires the registration of preparers of bottled drinking water. Prescribes penalties for failure to comply with these registration provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1973
Emergency Medical Services Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to make grants to public and other nonprofit entities for projects to study the feasibility of and plan the establishment and operation of an emergency medical service system for an area. Defines such a system in terms of personnel, facilities, equipment, and service. Authorizes the Secretary of each military department to enter into agreements with such system to provide transportation and other services in emergency conditions. Requires applications for planning grants to demonstrate the need of the area for an emergency medical service system, and to contain assurances that the applicant is qualified for plan. Authorizes appropriations for such program of $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1973, and $10,000,000,000 for fiscal year 1974. Sets conditions for grants for the establishment and initial operation of such systems, and authorizes to be appropriated a total of $190,000,000 for fiscal years 1973, 1974, and 1975. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to schools of medicine, dentistry and osteopathy and to other educational institutions for research and training programs in the techniques and methods of medical emergency care and treatment. Authorizes to be appropriated for such grants $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1973 and $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1974. Provides that the Secretary shall establish an Interagency Technical Committee on Emergency Medical Services to evaluate the adequacy of all Federal programs and activities which relate to emergency medical services, and to assist in coordinating such programs.
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1973
Constitutional Amendment - Provides that the people of the several States and the District of Columbia shall be the electors of the President and Vice President. Requires each elector to cast a single vote for two persons who shall have consented to the joining of their names on the ballot. Allows each State to adopt less restrictive voting requirements for the offices of President and Vice President than for the Congressional offices from that State. Permits Congress to adopt uniform residence and age requirements for voting in such elections. Authorizes Congress to prescribe the qualifications for electors from the District of Columbia. Provides that persons joined as candidates for President and Vice President who shall have received the greatest number of votes shall be declared elected President and Vice President, if such number be at least 40 percent of the total number of votes certified. Provides that if none of the persons joined as candidates for President and Vice President shall have at least 40 percent of the total number of votes certified, a runoff election shall be held between the two pairs joined as candidates for President and Vice President who shall have received the highest number of votes certified. Requires Congress to determine the days of such elections. Allows the States to determine the times, places, and manner of holding such elections. Authorizes Congress to prescribe by law the time, place, and manner in which the results of such elections shall be ascertained and declared. Permits Congress to provide, by law, for the case of the death or withdrawal of any candidate or candidates, for the death of both the President-elect and Vice-President-elect, and for the case of a tie.