United States · United States Congress · 14 December 1982
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that more money should be made available for jobs and programs in socially productive industries by reducing the amount of tax dollars spent on nuclear weapons, foreign military intervention, and wasteful military programs. Endorses the Jobs with Peace Week of April 10 through April 16, 1983.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 1982
Title I: Armed Forces, Soldiers' Home, Coast Guard, Lighthouse Service, and Merchant Marine - Amends Federal Military laws dealing with the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Coast Guard to eliminate gender-based distinctions. Title II: Elimination of Gender-based distinctions under the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program, Railroad Retirement and the Work Incentive Program - Eliminates gender-based distinction in the social security and railroad retirement programs. Title III: Amendments to United States Code - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Walsh-Healey Act, the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, the Federal criminal code and other acts dealing with Indian affairs, transportation, public lands and provisions relating to Saint Elizabeth Hospital and contract law to eliminate gender-based distinctions.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1982
Federal Employees Health Benefits Reform Act of 1982 - Increases the amount of the Government's contribution for an employee enrolled in a employee health benefits plan from 60 to 75 percent of the average subscription charge for such plan. Increases the maximum Government contribution for an enrollee from 75 to 100 percent of such subscription charge. Requires payment of a Government differential equal to five percent of the average subscription charge, in addition to the Government's contribution, for any enrollee who is over 65 years of age and not entitled to medicare benefits. Excludes such differential in determining the amount to be paid by the enrollee. Permits the following persons to elect to continue coverage under a Federal employees' health benefits plan for a specified period: (1) an employee who is involuntarily separated from the civil service due to a reduction in force; (2) the spouse of an enrollee whose marriage is dissolved by divorce or annulment, if the enrollee was enrolled for self and family; (3) an individual who elects to receive the lump-sum credit for civil service retirement benefits; and (4) an individual 22 years of age or older whose enrollment was based on such individual's being an unmarried child who was incapable of self-support because of a mental or physical disability which existed and did not terminate before the individual attained the age of 22. Requires such persons who elect to continue coverage to pay into the Employees Health Benefits Fund an amount equal to the sum of employee and agency contributions paid for the same level of benefits. Allows such a person to: (1) change to a lower level of benefits; (2) change coverage within 60 days after a change in family status; and (3) transfer enrollment to another plan under conditions prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Provides a temporary extension of coverage to allow persons who elected not to continue coverage or whose continued coverage is terminated to convert to a nongroup contract providing health benefits. Allows annuitants whose annuity is less than the amount required to be withheld for enrollment in a health benefits plan to pay the amount of any deficiency required for enrollment. Requires contracts for employee organization plans and comprehensive medical plans to require carriers to reinsure with other participants. Requires the service benefit plan and the indemnity benefit plan to provide, in addition to all currently authorized benefits: (1) nervous and mental disorder benefits; and (2) alcoholism and substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation benefits. Prohibits the OPM from entering into a contract for any service benefit, indemnity benefit, or employee organization plan which does not provide for 50 outpatient visits and 60 inpatient days of nervous and mental disorder benefits and two 28-day alcoholism treatment and rehabilitation benefits. Requires any limits on nervous and mental disorder benefits to be exceeded on a case by case basis only to the extent that a peer review mechanism determines such treatment to be necessary. Requires 80 percent of such excessive benefit claims to be paid from the balance of one percent of all contributions to the Employees Health Benefits Fund remaining after the expenses of administering provisions governing Federal employees health benefit plans are paid. Prohibits the OPM from entering into a contract with a carrier for any health benefits plan which does not provide 95 percent of the benefits that such plan or the most similar plan provided during the preceding year, unless the carrier and the OPM mutually agree to waive such requirement. Directs the OPM to: (1) provide a three week period during which enrollees in health benefits plans may change or cancel their enrollments before any contract term in which the rates or benefits of a plan will change, a new plan will be offered, or an existing plan will be terminated; and (2) make available to such enrollees information on such plans at least four weeks before such open enrollment period. Prohibits the OPM from entering into a contract for a health benefits plan which excludes anyone because of nonactive employee status. Eliminates the requirement that the group of physicians under a group-practice prepayment plan include physicians representing at least three major medical specialties.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1982
Reaffirms the commitment of Congress to locating and repatriating Americans unaccounted for in Southeast Asia. Expresses congressional appreciation to the Lao Government for its expressed willingness to help. Supports the President's actions to locate and return missing Americans. Urges the President to respond to the indicated willingness of the Lao Government to cooperate in this effort.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 1982
Medicare Physician Reimbursement Reform Act of 1982 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to annually publish a list of all physicians who have entered into an agreement with the Secretary to accept assignment for all Medicare patients he or she treats. Provides a simplified billing procedure for participating physicians (termed cooperating physicians). Provides that cooperating physicians shall be paid a bonus of one dollar for each claim submitted in accordance with the simplified billing procedure.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 1982
Comprehensive Victim and Witness Protection and Assistance Act of 1982 - Amends rule 32 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure to require that presentence reports contain: (1) information concerning any harm or loss suffered by the victim; (2) information that may aid the court in sentencing; (3) a statement of the circumstances of the commission of the offense; and (4) any prior criminal record of the defendant. Amends the Federal criminal code to establish as offenses "tampering with a witness or an informant" and "retaliating against a witness or an informant." Authorizes the Attorney General to initiate civil proceedings to restrain any harassment of a victim or witness. Authorizes a sentencing court to order the defendant to make restitution. Requires the court to state for the record the reasons for not ordering restitution. Prescribes a procedure for the issuance of restitution orders. Directs the Attorney General to develop Federal guidelines for the fair treatment of crime victims and witnesses. Requires the Attorney General to consider certain objectives in preparing the guidelines, including: (1) ensuring that victims receive prompt social and medical services; (2) giving victims and witnesses notice of important criminal justice proceedings and scheduling changes; (3) arranging for the prosecution to obtain the nonbinding views of victims of serious crimes during such stages as plea bargaining and pretrial release; (4) encouraging employers to continue to pay victims and witnesses for work absences to assist investigations and prosecutions; (5) training law enforcement personnel in victim assistance; and (6) informing victims or witnesses on legal steps for protection from intimidation. Directs the Attorney General to recommend to Congress any laws that are necessary to ensure that no Federal felon derives any profit from the sale of his or her story until any victim of the offense receives restitution. Amends the Bail Reform Act of 1966 to require as a condition of pretrial release that the defendant not commit certain offenses.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 1982
Directs the President to resume negotiations with the Soviet Union on a treaty prohibiting: (1) the testing, deployment, production, or use of any weapons system designed to damage or interfere with a spacecraft; and (2) the stationing in outer space of any weapon designed to inflict injury or damage on the Earth, in the atmosphere, or on objects placed in space. Requires such a treaty to provide for verifying compliance with its terms. Directs the President to seek the establishment of a working group within the United Nations to provide a forum for discussing a multilateral space treaty banning from space all weapons launched by any country.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 1982
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the establishment of a means test for Medicare benefits would be a breach of faith with the American public; and (2) the Medicare program should not have a means test.
United States · United States Congress · 19 August 1982
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Secretary of Health and Human Services should withdraw certain proposed rules that would reduce public notice and comment opportunities in rulemaking procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 12 August 1982
States that the United States and the Soviet Union should: (1) pursue a complete halt to the nuclear arms race; (2) decide when and how to achieve a mutual and verifiable freeze on the testing, production, and further deployment of nuclear warheads, missiles, and other delivery systems; (3) give special attention to destabilizing weapons; and (4) proceeding from this freeze, pursue major, mutual, and verifiable reductions in nuclear warheads, missiles, and other delivery systems.
United States · United States Congress · 11 August 1982
Missing Children Act - Authorizes the Attorney General to collect and exchange information which would assist in the identification of unidentified deceased individuals and the location of missing persons, including missing children.
United States · United States Congress · 11 August 1982
Prohibits any executive agency from obligating, during the last two calendar months of FY 1983, 1984, or 1985, more than 20 percent of its total controllable budgetary resources, as defined by this Act, for such fiscal year. Authorizes the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to waive such spending limitation upon determining that it would seriously disrupt an agency program or operation, if the Director reports on such waiver to Congress before the agency violates such limitation. Requires the head of each agency to submit a report to the President and the Congress not later than 90 days after the close of each such fiscal year describing the department's or agency's compliance with this Act. Permits the Director to apportion annual appropriations and set aside reserves in a manner consistent with the purposes and requirements of this Act. Exempts reserves established to comply with a spending limitation under this Act from reporting requirements of the Impoundment Control Act of 1974.
United States · United States Congress · 11 August 1982
Provides that the United States District Court for the District of Colorado shall be held at Boulder, Colorado, in addition to the other places currently provided by law.
United States · United States Congress · 10 August 1982
Prohibits the Senate or the House of Representatives from considering any concurrent resolution on the budget if its adoption would cause either: (1) an increase in total budget outlays over those of the preceding fiscal year; or (2) a reduction in Federal revenues from the preceding fiscal year. Exempts from such prohibition any resolution that contains corresponding revenue increases or budget reductions. Allows waiver of the prohibition by a two-thirds vote of each House of Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 10 August 1982
Prohibits the Secretary of Agriculture from placing into effect any rule which would not maintain or enhance the nutritional integrity of supplemental foods made available under the special supplemental food program for women, infants, and children of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. Directs the Secretary to make a finding that any rule changes governing the program subsequent to enactment of this resolution shall be beneficial to the nutritional status of program participants. Requires the Secretary to submit such finding to the appropriate congressional committees prior to its publication in the Federal Register. Requires the Secretary to implement a specified rule concerning the program no later than December 31, 1982.
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1982
Encourages the President's efforts to achieve deep cuts in the amounts of nuclear weapons held by each nation and to establish an enduring peace. Endorses a complete halt to the nuclear arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union, including a mutual verifiable freeze on the testing, production, and deployment of nuclear weapons. Declares that Congress would welcome an international agreement based on specified principles providing for: (1) the staged disarmament of all nations until nonthreatening force levels are reached under effective international inspection and control; and (2) concurrent agreements providing methods for the peaceful settlement of international disputes and the creation of a United Nations police force. Requests the President to: (1) transmit copies of this resolution to the heads of government of all nations and to invite them to participate in negotiations on such an international agreement; and (2) report to Congress on the steps taken respecting this resolution and the responses received.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 1982
States that the President, at the earliest possible date, should: (1) request Senate consent to ratification of the Threshold Test Ban and Peaceful Nuclear Explosion Treaties; and (2) resume trilateral test ban treaty negotiations.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 1982
Prohibits the Secretary of Labor from promulgating regulations changing: (1) the conditions for employment of 14 and 15 year-old children; and (2) existing regulations governing full-time student employment at subminimum wages.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 1982
Declares that the presidential certification submitted to the Congress with respect to sending military aid to El Salvador is void. Directs the President to immediately suspend such assistance. Requires the suspension to remain in effect during FY 1982 and 1983. Prohibits the President from making another such certification until Congress enacts a joint resolution declaring that El Salvador has met specified conditions.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1982
Expresses the disapproval of Congress of the five-year Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas leasing plan approved by the Department of the Interior on July 21, 1982. Prohibits the implementation of such program until the Secretary of the Interior has modified the plan to conform to applicable Federal law and national energy policy.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 1982
Diversity Jurisdiction Reform Act of 1981 - Abolishes diversity of citizenship as a basis of jurisdiction of Federal district courts, but retains as a basis of jurisdiction "alienage," involving foreign states or citizens of foreign states. Increases the amount in controversy requirement in such cases from $10,000 to $25,000. Retains as a basis for Federal jurisdiction statutory interpleader, which includes actions between citizens of different States. Permits venue for a Federal civil action in any judicial district in which a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the claim occurred, or in which a substantial part of property that is the subject of the action is situated.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1982
Amends the Federal criminal code to make it a defense to a Federal prosecution that at the time of the offense the defendant, as a result of mental disease or defect, did not understand the wrongfulness of the conduct or was incapable of conforming his conduct to the requirements of the law. Places the burden of proof of insanity on the defendant. Authorizes a special verdict of "not guilty only by reason of insanity." Amends the Federal Rules of Evidence to prohibit expert witnesses from offering opinions on the issue of the insanity of the defendant. Provides for an initial screening examination to determine whether there is reasonable cause to believe that the defendant lacks competence. Allows for a more thorough examination of the defendant if the initial results suggest incompetency. Requires a hearing on the issue of competence and further examination on the issue of the likelihood of the defendant's recovery. Allows for appropriate treatment if necessary. Requires in-patient treatment only when the defendant is dangerous, likely to flee, or in custody. Requires transfer to State officials for State civil commitment of certain defendants who have received the maximum treatment under this section or are found incompetent with no substantial probability of improvement. Allows a person serving a sentence of imprisonment to be transferred to a mental institution upon a showing of clear and convincing evidence that the prisoner is in need of treatment. Establishes Federal commitment procedures for persons found "not guilty only by reason of insanity." Provides for a special examination of violent offenders in order to determine their dangerousness.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1982
Residential Mortgage Investment Act of 1982 - Permits employee benefit plans, as defined under this Act, to engage in any qualified mortgage transaction involving any qualified residential mortgage loan, provided transactions between all parties are at arm's length. Permits such plans to participate in any mortgage pool, provided such pool conforms to specified requirements with regard to permitted investments. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe regulations to carry out this Act. Provides that this Act shall supersede any and all contrary provisions of State law, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code. Prohibits the imposition of Federal excise tax on a plan or pool that engages in a transaction described under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 1982
Constitutional Amendment - Declares that equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 1982
Diversity Jurisdiction Reform Act of 1981 - Abolishes diversity of citizenship as a basis of jurisdiction of Federal district courts, but retains as a basis of jurisdiction "alienage," involving foreign states or citizens of foreign states. Increases the amount in controversy requirement in such cases from $10,000 to $25,000. Retains as a basis for Federal jurisdiction statutory interpleader, which includes actions between citizens of different States. Permits venue for a Federal civil action in any judicial district in which a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the claim occurred, or in which a substantial part of property that is the subject of the action is situated.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 1982
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) Ethiopians who have lived in the United States for a substantial period of time should not be forced to return to Ethiopia; and (2) the Secretary of State should recommend to the Attorney General that extended voluntary departure status be continued for Ethiopians who have continuously resided in the United States since before January 1, 1980.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 1982
States that the United States and the Soviet Union should begin the strategic arms reduction talks (START), which should have the following objectives: (1) pursuing a complete halt to the nuclear arms race; (2) deciding when and how to achieve and pursue a mutual and verifiable freeze on the testing, production, and further deployment of nuclear warheads, missiles, and other delivery systems; (3) giving special attention to destabilizing weapons; (4) preserving present limitations and controls on current nuclear weapons and delivery systems; and (5) incorporating ongoing negotiations in Geneva on land-based intermediate-range nuclear missiles into the START negotiations. Declares that the United States shall try to reach a common position with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies on any agreement that would be inconsistent with existing U.S. commitments to those allies. Declares that the United States shall promptly approve the SALT II agreement if adequate verification capabilities are maintained.
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 1982
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe regulations exempting retirees or individuals over age 65 from interest penalties with respect to any underpayment of estimated tax. Requires that such underpayment be due to reasonable cause (defined to include mistake or ignorance of the law) and not to willful neglect.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 1982
Expresses the opposition of Congress to the use of plastic bullets by British security forces in Northern Ireland. Urges the President to call on the British Government to end the use of plastic bullets in Northern Ireland.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 1982
Wilderness Protection Act of 1982 - Withdraws from disposition under all laws pertaining to oil, gas, mineral, and geothermal leasing: (1) wilderness areas; (2) lands recommended for wilderness designation, until Congress determines otherwise or until the lands concerned are recommended for other uses; (3) wilderness study areas, for the period of interim wilderness protection and management required by law; and (4) lands identified for further planning in Executive Communication 1504, 96th Congress, until one year after the final approval and implementation of an initial forest plan covering the further planning area. Exempts from the withdrawal pursuant to this Act: (1) national forest system land released to management for nonwilderness uses; (2) lands designated as congressional wilderness study areas in Colorado and New Mexico and certain lands within the River of No Return Wilderness in Idaho; (3) Bureau of Land Management wilderness study areas; and (4) lands designated as a conservation system unit under the Alaska National Interest Land Conservation Act. Permits activities compatible with the preservation of the wilderness environment for the purpose of inventorying energy, mineral, and other resource values in areas withdrawn by this Act. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to augment recurring surveys of mineral values of wilderness areas and to acquire information on the areas withdrawn by this Act by conducting nondestructive mineral inventories of such areas. Authorizes the President to recommend to Congress that minerals exploration, development, or extraction be permitted in specified areas withdrawn under this Act, if: (1) there is an urgent national need for the mineral activity; and (2) such need outweighs the public values of the wilderness lands involved and the potentially adverse environmental impacts likely to result. Makes such a recommendation effective only upon enactment of a joint resolution of approval by Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 1982
Jobs and Business Opportunities for the Handicapped Act of 1982 - Transfers all functions of the Committee on Purchase of Products and Services of the Blind and Other Severely Handicapped to the Secretary of Commerce. Establishes in the Department of Commerce the Handicapped Employment and Business Opportunities Administration. Directs the Secretary to delegate his or her functions under this Act to the head of such Administration. Directs the Secretary to establish and publish a list of the commodities produced and services provided by any qualified industry employing the blind or other severely handicapped (currently restricted to qualified nonprofit agencies for the blind or severely handicapped). Permits any qualified industry determined by the Secretary to be eligible to receive Government contracts to apply to have a commodity or service placed on such list. Directs the Secretary to: (1) evaluate the capacity of such applicant to produce the commodity or service in accordance with Government specifications and time requirements; and (2) publish his or her determination concerning the application. Authorizes the Secretary to reject the placement of any item on the list and to limit the quantity of any item approved for the list. Directs the Secretary to determine and revise as appropriate the fair market price of items which are on the list and which are offered for sale to the Government. Specifies procedures for determining an item's fair market price. Directs the Secretary to establish and administer criteria for determining the eligibility of qualified industries that apply to receive Government contracts for items on the list. Authorizes any qualified industry which meets such criteria to receive Government contracts if it is determined before the contract is awarded that the qualified industry is not in violation of any: (1) applicable standard of the Occupational Safety and Health Act; (2) order of the National Labor Relations Board; or (3) applicable provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. Directs the Secretary to reevaluate each qualified industry periodically. Directs the Secretary to establish procedures for allocating Government contracts among qualified industries. Authorizes the Secretary to regulate: (1) specifications for commodities and services on the procurement list; (2) time of their delivery; and (3) such other matters necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act, including standards designed to promote upward mobility and to expand opportunities for blind and other severely handicapped persons. Directs the Secretary to insure that priority be given to purchasing items from qualified industries employing the blind. Authorizes the Secretary to hire either a nonprofit or a for profit organization for the purpose of: (1) furnishing technical assistance for qualified industries providing commodities or services to the Government; and (2) projects designed to help blind or other severely handicapped persons to achieve upward mobility within qualified industries or to move from employment in qualified industries to the private sector. Limits the amount of money the Secretary may spend for such purposes. Directs the Secretary to make a continuing study and evaluation of the Secretary's activities under this Act. Establishes a Coordination and Advisory Council to: (1) advise the Secretary on all functions and activities of the Handicapped Employment and Business Opportunities Administration; (2) monitor the implementation of this Act and recommend methods of expanding opportunities for the blind and other severely handicapped; and (3) help the Secretary coordinate the contracting activities of the Federal Government under this Act. Requires Federal agencies to procure any commodity or service on the procurement list from a qualified industry at the price established by the Secretary. Exempts from such requirement certain products made by prison inmates. Grants the Comptroller General of the United States access, for auditing purposes, to any records of the Administration and to certain records of Federal agencies. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1982 through 1985. Abolishes the Committee for the Purchase of Products and Services of the Blind and Other Severely Handicapped.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 1982
Declares that students performing volunteer Government service shall be considered to be Federal employees for purposes of specified provisions relating to the confidentiality and disclosure of tax returns and return information.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 1982
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States: (1) should not sell advanced weapons to Jordan; (2) should ensure that Israel retains its qualitative military edge in the Middle East; and (3) should focus its efforts on bringing Jordan into direct peace negotiations with Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 1982
Declares that the United States and the Soviet Union should begin negotiating to create an exchange for peace program to provide an ongoing country-to-country exchange of individuals aged 15 through 19.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 1982
Whistleblower Protection Act of 1982 - Abolishes the Special Counsel of the Merit Systems Protection Board. Assigns to the Board certain responsibilities of the Special Counsel concerning the transmission, investigation, and publication of information disclosed by a Federal employee or applicant evidencing a violation of law, mismanagement, waste of funds, abuse of authority, or a danger to public health or safety. Permits a person claiming to be aggrieved by a prohibited personnel practice to: (1) bring a civil action in a U.S. district court against the employee or agency involved (respondent); or (2) seek corrective action through the Board. Prohibits a respondent from taking any personnel action with respect to the employee bringing the civil action pending final disposition of the civil action without the approval of the court or the Board, unless the employee consents to such personnel action. Permits the court or the Board, upon application, to grant temporary or preliminary relief pending final disposition of the civil action. Authorizes the court, upon finding that the respondent has conducted a prohibited personnel practice, to: (1) issue an injunction against such practice and grant appropriate equitable or declaratory relief; and (2) take specified disciplinary action against the employee respondent. Provides for: (1) the appeal of such civil actions to the U.S. courts of appeals; and (2) the payment of attorney fees by the respondent to the person bringing the action if such person prevails. Authorizes the Board, upon finding that a respondent has conducted a prohibited personnel practice, to: (1) order corrective action; and (2) take specified disciplinary action against the employee respondent. Allows persons claiming to be aggrieved by actions alleged to be part of a pattern of prohibited personnel practices to seek corrective action from the Board. Directs the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to investigate and order corrective action for any prohibited personnel practice conducted by an agency or agency employee. Transfers to the Director of the OPM all investigatory functions of the Special Counsel concerning allegations of: (1) prohibited political activities by Federal, State, or local government employees; (2) arbitrary or capricious withholding of information in violation of the Freedom of Information Act; (3) activities prohibited by any civil service law; or (4) discrimination in any personnel action. Authorizes any individual to bring such an allegation to the Director and, if the Director doesn't initiate an action within 60 days, to the Board.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 1982
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Department of the Army should grant a permit to the Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) to hold a public memorial ceremony in Arlington National Cemetery on May 15, 1982.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 1982
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the Soviet Union should comply with certain international agreements relating to human rights by pursuing a more humane emigration policy and by ceasing harassment of Jews and others seeking to emigrate; (2) Soviet compliance with internationally recognized emigration rights would significantly promote improved relations with the United States; (3) the President should convey these concerns of Congress to the Soviet Union at every appropriate opportunity; and (4) the President should also convey these concerns to U.S. allies.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 1982
Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should: (1) urge the Soviet Union to allow Ida Nudel to emigrate; and (2) inform the Soviet Union that the United States will consider the extent to which countries honor their commitments under international law when evaluating U.S. relations with other countries.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 1982
Authorizes appropriations for FY 1983-1985 for the Patent and Trademark Office. Requires the use of these funds to reduce by 50 percent the payment of fees by independent inventors, nonprofit organizations, and small businesses. Authorizes supplemental appropriations for FY 1982. Requires the Commissioner of Patents to charge fees according to a schedule set forth in this Act rather than establishing fees himself according to a prescribed formula. Permits the Commissioner to accept the payment of maintenance fees after the six-month grace period if the delay is unavoidable. Protects the use or manufacture by others of anything covered by such a patent during the period between the grace period and the actual payment of the fee. Permits the Commissioner to require a surcharge for the delay. Directs the Commissioner to establish fees for other unspecified services to cover their estimated cost to the Office. Amends the Trademark Act of 1946 to require the Commissioner of Patents to recover through fees all rather than half of the costs of registering a trademark. Requires the exclusive use of such fees for processing registrations and other services related to trademarks. Eliminates the ceiling on the number of examiners-in-chief in the Office. Revises the patent application procedures. Permits the Commissioner to certify a correction of inventor in an issued patent even though such error did not involve joint inventors. Amends the Trademark Act of 1946 to permit the Commissioner, upon petition rather than unilaterally, to declare that an interference exists between two trademarks. Establishes a patent term of 14 years for designs. Permits a contract involving a patent or any right under a patent to contain a provision requiring arbitration of any dispute relating to patent validity or infringement arising under the contract. Allows both parties, even without such a provision, to still agree in writing to binding arbitration. Sets forth the arbitration conditions and procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 1982
Waste and Abuse Information Collection Act - Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to provide for the operation of toll-free telephone facilities for the collection of information concerning fraud, waste, or abuse in the expenditure of Federal funds by any direct recipient of such funds. Requires the Director to assure that: (1) complaints are promptly referred to the Inspector General or other appropriate official of the agency responsible for the funds; (2) the identities of complainants who request confidentiality are protected; and (3) complainants are notified of their rights to be protected against recriminations for providing information, their opportunities for incentive awards, and progress in the investigation of their complaints. Requires that each contract, grant and loan application, and cooperative agreement involving a specified amount of Federal funds for non-Federal parties provide that the direct recipient of such funds: (1) will not take any adverse personnel or other action against any employee as a reprisal for providing information concerning waste, fraud, or abuse; (2) if found to have taken such an adverse action, will take appropriate affirmative measures to redress such action or pay damages or both; (3) will post a notice of the employee rights and remedies under this Act, incentive award opportunities, and appropriate methods of informing officials of waste, fraud, or abuse; and (4) will require indirect recipients to comply with this Act. Directs the head of each Federal agency to: (1) provide for prompt investigation of complaints regarding prohibited adverse actions against employees who provide information on waste, fraud, or abuse; and (2) institute proceedings on any complaint which is believed to demonstrate a violation of this Act. Provides for judicial review of agency actions taken pursuant to such proceedings. Exempts grant applications and cooperative agreements under specified acts from this Act. Permits a Federal agency to enter into cooperative agreements with State agencies for assistance in the collection and investigation of information on waste, fraud, and abuse and complaints of prohibited adverse actions against employees. Authorizes the head of a Federal agency to pay a cash award to any individual whose disclosure of fraud, waste, or abuse has resulted in cost savings for the agency. Directs the agency head to consider factors such as the importance of information provided and the risk taken by the informant when establishing the amount of such an award. Limits the maximum amount to a specified percentage of the resulting cost savings. Directs the Comptroller General to review awards made and procedures used to verify cost savings.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 1982
Expresses congressional approval of the 1979 strategic arms limitation agreement between the Soviet Union and the United States (SALT II). Directs the President to transmit to the Soviet Union the necessary instruments of ratification.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 1982
Urges the United States, the Soviet Union, and other countries possessing the technology to produce separated plutonium to begin negotiations leading to a verifiable halt in the production of separated plutonium and in the export of technology for such production. Calls for the United States and other nuclear supplier and consumer nations to begin negotiations leading to an agreement to: (1) reject the commercial use of separated plutonium as a nuclear power reactor fuel; (2) base civilian nuclear power technology only on nonweapons usable fuel; and (3) make available reliable supplies of natural and low-enriched uranium.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 1982
Expresses the sense of the Congress that if Israel is illegally denied its right to participate in the United Nations General Assembly or in any specialized agency of the United Nations the United States should: (1) suspend its participation in the General Assembly or specialized agency; and (2) withhold its assessed contribution to the United Nations or specialized agency until the illegal action is reversed.
![Official portrait of Rep. Schroeder, Patricia [D-CO-1]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s000142_200.jpg)