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United States · Official source
8,597 records where Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 1997
Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 1997 - Provides for the permanent resident status adjustment of certain Haitian nationals (and their spouses and children) who were paroled into the United States or filed for amnesty before a specified date. Sets forth stay of removal and work authorization provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 1997
Justice for Victims of Communism Act of 1997 - Amends the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1997 to extend and revise eligibility for the (Vietnamese) Orderly Departure Program.
United States · United States Congress · 9 November 1997
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the low-income State housing credit ceiling amount; and (2) provide for a cost-of-living adjustment for such amount.
United States · United States Congress · 9 November 1997
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Attorney General should remove Hani El-Sayegh from the United States to Saudi Arabia.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 1997
Requires, in complying with specified provisions of the Clean Air Act and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer regarding chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), that any regulations under which the essential use designations may be removed to phase out allowances for drug products require certification to the Congress that alternatives to inhalers are available that, for all user populations, are comparable in safety and effectiveness, therapeutic indications, dosage strength, cost, and retail availability. Requires withdrawal of a specified proposed rulemaking concerning CFCs in metered-dose inhalers. Regulates issuance of another proposal.
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 1997
Prohibits construing any Federal-State matching program as preventing a State from requiring, as a condition of providing assistance regarding the dispensing of a prescription drug to a minor, that a parent or guardian of the minor consent to the dispensing. Requires that these programs be considered Federal-State matching programs: (1) title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act; (2) title X (Population Research and Voluntary Family Planning Programs) of the Public Health Service Act; (3) title XX (Block Grants to States for Social Services) of the Social Security Act; and (4) part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)(TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 1997
Family Viewing Cable Television Act of 1997 - Amends the Federal criminal code to impose a fine and up to two years' imprisonment on any person who knowingly disseminates any indecent material on any channel provided to all subscribers as part of a basic cable television package.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 1997
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: National Advisory Board on Adoption Title II: Adoption Data Collection System Title III: Adoption Education Programs Title IV: Adoption Benefits for Federal Employees and Military Personnel Title V: Adoption Credit Made Permanent for Adoptions of Children Without Special Needs Title VI: Maternal Health Certificates Program Title VII: Rehabilitation Grants for Maternity Housing and Services Facilities Title VIII: Sense of Congress Regarding Changes in State Adoption Laws Omnibus Adoption Act of 1997 - Title I: National Advisory Board on Adoption - Establishes the National Advisory Board on Adoption to monitor program implementation under this Act and make recommendations to the Congress. Title II: Adoption Data Collection System - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to submit a status report to the Congress on implementation of a certain data collection system required under the Social Security Act. Title III: Adoption Education Programs - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award social work graduate school fellowships for work in innovative programs on the effects of adoption on the parties involved. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 302) Directs the Secretary of Education to award grants to the States for implementation of adoption education programs. Authorizes appropriations. Title IV: Adoption Benefits for Federal Employees and Military Personnel - Amends Federal law to set forth adoption benefits for Federal employees and military personnel. Directs the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Transportation to coordinate their efforts in implementing this Act and to consult with the National Advisory Board on Adoption. Title V: Adoption Credit Made Permanent for Adoptions of Children Without Special Needs - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent: (1) the tax credit for adoptions of children without special needs; and (2) the exclusion from an employee's gross income of any amounts paid or expenses incurred by the employee's employer for qualified adoption expenses. Expresses the sense of the Congress that after studies have been done to evaluate the impact of the credit for adoption expenses for children without special needs, consideration should be given to making such credit a refundable credit. Title VI: Maternal Health Certificates Program - Directs the Secretary to establish a maternal health certificates program to cover maternity and housing services facility expenses incurred by eligible pregnant women. Authorizes appropriations. Title VII: Rehabilitation Grants for Maternity Housing and Services Facilities - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to implement a grant program to assist eligible nonprofit entities to rehabilitate buildings for use as housing and services facilities for eligible pregnant women. Authorizes appropriations. Title VIII: Sense of Congress Regarding Changes in State Adoption Laws - Expresses the sense of the Congress that the States should adopt a specified statutory adoption scheme, including certain health plan benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 1997
Amends the Federal Power Act with respect to procedures and administrative provisions to direct the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to: (1) calculate a generation performance standard (equal to a certain statutory tonnage cap) for oxides of nitrogen, sulfate fine particulate matter, and any other air pollutant released in significant quantities by electric generating units; (2) set forth schedules of statutory tonnage caps for emissions of oxides of nitrogen and sulfate fine particulate matter from covered electric generating units; and (3) promulgate by rule a national limit on total annual emissions of any other pollutant from covered electric generating units, expressed in tons. Prescribes procedural guidelines for: (1) allocation and trading of allowances; (2) penalties for excess emissions; and (3) periodic publication by FERC of its estimate of the total electric generation by covered electric generating units. Provides for citizen suits to enforce this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 1997
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to repeal a specified restriction imposed by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 on Medicare payment for certain hospital discharges to post-acute care.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 1997
Sound Science for the Environment Act - Authorizes and directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish a National Institute for the Environment to: (1) initiate, facilitate, and perform comprehensive assessments of the current state of knowledge of environmental issues and their implications; (2) establish a Center for Environmental Assessment; (3) award competitively grants and contracts for extramural scientific research; (4) establish an Office of Research and a universally accessible National Library for the Environment; and (5) sponsor education and training of environmental scientists and professionals and improve public environmental literacy. Establishes a Board of Governors for the Institute. Requires the Institute to be operated by a nonprofit organization under contract with the NSF. Provides for interagency acquisition of information and requires the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources of the National Science and Technology Council or an equivalent body to serve as an Interagency Advisory Committee to ensure that the scientific efforts of the Institute and Federal agencies are complementary. Makes scientists, engineers, and other researchers eligible to receive funding from the Institute. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 1997
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase (from 50 percent), in increments, the meals and entertainment deduction to 80 percent for calendar years 2008 and thereafter.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 1997
Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to establish a Tropical Forest Facility in the Department of the Treasury to provide for the administration of debt reduction in accordance with this Act. Makes eligible for Facility benefits developing countries with tropical forests that: (1) meet certain requirements applicable to Latin American and Caribbean countries for eligibility for Enterprise for the Americas Facility benefits; and (2) have put in place major investment reforms in conjunction with international development bank loans or are making progress toward open investment regimes. Authorizes the President to: (1) reduce debt owed to the United States (outstanding as of January 1, 1997) by eligible countries as a result of concessional loans made under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 or predecessor foreign economic assistance legislation or credits extended under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954; and (2) sell to any eligible purchaser any loan or portion of a loan made before such date to any eligible country pursuant to the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 or, on receipt of payment from an eligible purchaser, to reduce or cancel such loan. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary of State to enter into a Tropical Forest Agreement with any eligible country concerning the operation and use of the Tropical Forest Fund required to be established by a country to receive payments of interest on new obligations issued under this Act. Requires Funds to be used to provide grants to preserve, maintain, and restore tropical forests in beneficiary countries. Provides that grants shall be made to: (1) nongovernmental environmental, conservation, and indigenous peoples organizations in beneficiary countries; (2) other appropriate local or regional entities; and (3) governments of such countries, in exceptional circumstances. Makes grants of more than $100,000 subject to veto by the U.S. Government or the government of the beneficiary country. Establishes a Tropical Forest Board to: (1) advise the Secretary of State on the negotiations of Tropical Forest Agreements; (2) ensure that a suitable administering body is identified for each Fund; and (3) review the programs, operations, and fiscal audits of each administering body. Requires the President to report annually to the Congress on the Facility.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 1997
Recognizes the historic significance of the fiftieth anniversary of the reestablishment of the State of Israel. Commends the Israeli people for their achievements in building a new state and a pluralistic democratic society in the Middle East. Reaffirms the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the United States and Israel. Extends congratulations and best wishes to the State of Israel and her people for a peaceful, prosperous, and successful future.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 1997
Urges the President to authorize the transfer of ownership of one of the bells taken from the town of Balangiga on the island of Samar, Philippines, which are currently displayed at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, to the people of the Philippines.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 1997
Reaffirms the U.S. commitment to the rights enunciated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Expresses the determination of the Congress to work for the implementation and observance of international human rights and rights agreements. Urges government leaders of all nations, representatives of private international human rights organizations, business and labor leaders, local government officials, and all Americans to use the Declaration as an instrument to promote tolerance, understanding, and greater respect for human rights.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 1997
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the islets of Imia in the Aegean Sea are sovereign territory of Greece under international law.
United States · United States Congress · 6 November 1997
Amends the General Education Provisions Act to prohibit the use of funds provided to the Department of Education, or to an applicable program, to develop, plan, implement, or administer any national testing program. Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish a similar prohibition against use of certain funds (from the Fund for the Improvement Education) for any national testing program. Exempts from such funding prohibitions the Third International Mathematics and Science Study.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 1997
Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 1997 - Authorizes the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to: (1) make grants to States or units of local government to purchase armor vests for use by law enforcement officers; and (2) give preferential consideration to applications from jurisdictions that have the greatest need, a mandatory wear policy, and a violent crime rate at or above the national average. Sets forth provisions regarding matching funds and allocation of funds, State and local applications, and grant application renewal. Prohibits any State or unit of local government that receives financial assistance made available by this Act from purchasing equipment or products manufactured using prison inmate labor. Authorizes appropriations. Expresses the sense of the Congress that entities receiving assistance under this Act should, in expending such assistance, purchase only American-made equipment and products.
United States · United States Congress · 5 November 1997
Directs the House Committee on the Judiciary to: (1) investigate whether grounds exist to impeach President Clinton; and (2) report its findings, recommendations, and, if the Committee so determines, a resolution of impeachment.
United States · United States Congress · 31 October 1997
Iran Missile Protection Act of 1997 - Authorizes supplemental appropriations for FY 1998 for the Department of Defense for cooperative activities with Russia for determining: (1) the extent of Russian cooperation and assistance in the development by Iran of a ballistic missile capability; and (2) the technical nature of the Iranian missile threat. Requires a certification by the President to the Congress with respect to the information to be released by Russia before such funds may be appropriated. Prohibits the obligation of $3 million in FY 1998 cooperative ballistic missile defense projects with Russia until the President certifies to the Congress that the Russian Government is providing full cooperation with respect to the release of such information. Authorizes appropriations for the Navy theater-wide missile defense system to be used to accelerate the development of such system through additional testing and risk reduction. Authorizes additional appropriations for defense-wide research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) of specified missile defense sytems, radars, networks, and related activities. Authorizes appropriations for defense-wide RDT&E for support of the Israeli Arrow tactical ballistic missile defense system to be used to protect a U.S. ally in imminent peril. Directs the Secretary of Defense to report to the Congress on the Iranian ballistic missile threat in the Middle East and Persian Gulf regions.
United States · United States Congress · 29 October 1997
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the Government of the People's Republic of China should stop the harvesting and transplanting of organs for profit from prisoners whom it executes and should be strongly condemned for such practice; (2) the President should bar from entry into the United States all officials of such Government known to be directly involved; (3) individuals determined to be participating in or otherwise facilitating the sale of such organs in the United States should be prosecuted; and (4) appropriate U.S. officials should interview individuals who may have knowledge of such practice.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 1997
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) hosting a summit of the heads of state or government of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) should be reserved for participating states that have demonstrated steadfast support for Helsinki principles and standards, particularly respect for human rights; (2) the United States should refuse to give consensus to any proposal that Turkey serve as the venue for such a summit meeting until the Turkish Government has demonstrably improved implementation of its OSCE commitments, including action to address human rights concerns; (3) the United States should encourage the development of genuine democracy in Turkey; and (4) the President should report to the Congress by April 15, 1998, on any improvement in Turkey's human rights record.
United States · United States Congress · 23 October 1997
Iran Missile Proliferation Sanctions Act of 1997 - Directs the President to report periodically to specified congressional committees on foreign persons (except those previously identified or sanctioned or subject to waiver) who, on or after August 8, 1995, have transferred, or attempted to transfer, controlled goods or technology, or provided, or attempted to provide, technical assistance or facilities that contributed, or would have contributed, to Iran's efforts to acquire, develop, or produce ballistic missiles. Requires imposition on such persons of minimum two-year sanctions prohibiting: (1) sales to such persons of items on the United States Munitions List (and terminating sales of any controlled U.S. arms); (2) the export to such persons of dual use goods and technology; and (3) the provision of U.S. financial assistance. Authorizes the President to waive such sanctions, with written justification to Congress, on the basis of U.S. national security or additional information demonstrating that the sanctioned person did not commit the acts alleged.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 1997
International Child Labor Elimination Act of 1997 - Directs the Secretary of Labor to annually identify foreign countries that do not prohibit child labor, or that have laws prohibiting child labor but do not enforce them, and those industries in such countries in which child labor is used. Prohibits U.S. bilateral and multilateral assistance to identified countries, with specified exceptions. Authorizes appropriations for a U.S. contribution to the International Labor Organization for the activities of the International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 1997
International Child Labor Elimination Act of 1997 - Directs the Secretary of Labor annually to identify foreign countries that do not prohibit child labor, or that have laws prohibiting child labor but do not enforce them, and those industries in such countries in which child labor is used. Prohibits: (1) the entry into the United States of any article that is a product of child labor; and (2) U.S. bilateral and multilateral assistance to identified countries, with specified exceptions. Sets forth both civil and criminal penalties for violations of this Act. Authorizes appropriations for a U.S. contribution to the International Labor Organization for the activities of the International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 1997
Senior Citizen Respiratory Care Preservation Act of 1997 - Declares that, with respect to the furnishing of an ultrasonic nebulizer, the determination of medical necessity shall be under the same terms and conditions as applied to such equipment on December 1, 1996, and the amount of payment for such equipment shall be made without respect to alternatives. Describes a nebulizer as an item of durable medical equipment: (1) for which payment may be made under part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act; and (2) that for such payment purposes, as of December 1, 1996, was assigned HCPCS Code E0575.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 1997
Amends the Clean Water Act to require grants made under the National Estuary Program to be used for assisting activities necessary for the development and implementation of conservation and management plans (currently, for research and other technical work necessary for the development of such plans). Reauthorizes appropriations for the Program for FY 1998 through 2003.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 1997
Abolishing Child Pornography Act - Amends Federal criminal code provisions regarding activities relating to material involving the sexual exploitation of minors to prohibit and set penalties for knowingly possessing any material (currently, three or more items) containing child pornography that has been mailed, shipped, or transported, including by computer, in interstate or foreign commerce.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 1997
Directs the Secretary of Defense to list, and publish in the Federal Register, persons who are Communist Chinese military companies operating directly or indirectly in the United States or any of its territories and possessions. Authorizes the President to exercise authorities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (except those relating to importation) to regulate, prohibit, or penalize certain transactions involving foreign currency, transfers of credit, or property with respect to any activities of such companies in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 1997
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) all schools should be drug-free; (2) all Federal, State, and local drug fighting agencies should work together with schools and parents to ensure that a renewed effort is made to fight the distribution, sale, and use of illegal drugs in our schools and to America's youth; (3) all governmental leaders and parents share a role in raising awareness of this issue and offering constructive alternatives to illegal drug use; and (4) the Congress and the President should set a goal and work with local communities and parents to end the distribution, sale, and use of illegal drugs in the Nation's schools by the year 2000.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 1997
Religious Fairness in Bankruptcy Act of 1997 - Amends Federal bankruptcy law, with respect to avoidance of fraudulent transfers and obligations by the bankruptcy trustee, to provide that a transfer of a donation to a religious unit made by a debtor from a sense of religious obligation such as tithes, shall be considered to have been made in exchange for a reasonably equivalent value.
United States · United States Congress · 2 October 1997
Religious Liberty and Charitable Donation Protection Act of 1997 - Amends Federal bankruptcy law with respect to avoidance by the trustee in bankruptcy of fraudulent transfers and obligations to cite circumstances under which a transfer of a charitable contribution to a qualified religious or charitable unit shall not be considered to be fraudulent. Prohibits the trustee from avoiding such charitable contributions when acting as lien creditors and successor to certain creditor and purchasers. Excludes from "disposable income," for purposes of bankruptcy plan confirmation, up to 15 percent of the gross income of the debtor when it is expended for such charitable contributions. Prohibits the bankruptcy court, when it determines whether to dismiss a case, from taking into consideration whether a debtor makes charitable contributions to any qualified religious or charitable entity.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1997
Marriage Penalty Relief Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow as a deduction, on a joint return, an amount equal to the lesser of: (1) $30,000; or (2) the qualified earned income of the spouse with the lower qualified earned income.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 1997
Directs the Secretary of Defense to list, and publish in the Federal Register, persons who are Communist Chinese military companies operating directly or indirectly in the United States or any of its territories and possessions. Authorizes the President to exercise authorities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to regulate, prohibit, or penalize certain transactions involving foreign currency, transfers of credit, or property with respect to any activities of such companies in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 1997
Forced Abortion Condemnation Act - Prohibits the Secretary of State from issuing any visa to, and the Attorney General from admitting to the United States, any Chinese national (including any Communist Party official or Chinese Government official) that has been found to have been involved in the enforcement of population control policies resulting in a woman being forced to undergo an abortion against her free choice, or resulting in a man or woman being forced to undergo sterilization against his or her free choice.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 1997
Encourages the President to make clear to the leadership of the People's Republic of China the firm commitment of the American people to security and democracy for the people of Taiwan and that the United States fully expects that the security issues of the Taiwan Strait will be resolved by peaceful means.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 1997
Denounces and rejects the resolution adopted on September 21, 1997, by the Foreign Ministers of the Arab League in their conference in Cairo which invites Arab states to take action to ease United Nations (UN) sanctions against Libya. Reaffirms U.S. commitment to support the sanctions until the two individuals suspected in the terrorist bombing of Pan Am flight 103 and UTA flight 772 are turned over to appropriate judicial authorities in the United States or the United Kingdom and France as required by UN Security Council resolutions. Calls upon the President to suspend all U.S. assistance to all countries which violate the UN sanctions. Requests that the Secretary of State express to the government of each Arab League member country the profound concern of the United States about efforts to undermine the international fight against terrorism by weakening or violating the sanctions.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 1997
Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from expending any funds for preparation, conduct, preleasing, and leasing activities with respect to an oil or gas lease sale on any lands of the Outer Continental Shelf between the seaward boundary between the States of Connecticut and Rhode Island and the seaward boundary between the States of North Carolina and South Carolina.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 1997
Expresses support for: (1) former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker III in his mission as Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary General for the Western Sahara; and (2) a referendum on self-determination for the Western Sahara people meeting specified criteria. Requests the administration to support Baker in his mission of organizing such referendum. Encourages the release of civilian political prisoners and prisoners of war held by Morocco and the Polisario Front.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 1997
Guadalupe-Hidalgo Treaty Land Claims Act of 1997 - Establishes the Guadalupe-Hidalgo Treaty Land Claims Commission to determine the validity of land claims arising out of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo of 1848. Authorizes three or more eligible Mexican descendants in the State of New Mexico who are also descendants of the same community land grant to petition the Commission for such a determination on behalf of themselves and all other descendants. Directs the Commission to establish a Community Land Grant Study Center at the Onate Center in Alcalde, New Mexico, to be responsible for directing the research, study, and investigations necessary to assist the Commission in performing its duties. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 1997
Radio Free Asia Act of 1997 - Authorizes appropriations for FY 1998 and 1999 for: (1) Radio Free Asia; (2) international broadcasting activities, with specified amounts available only for enhanced Voice of America broadcasting to China; and (3) radio construction, with specified amounts only for construction in support of enhanced broadcasting to China. Earmarks amounts for: (1) one-time capital costs; (2) additional advanced editing equipment; (3) additional personnel to staff Cantonese language broadcasting; and (4) augmentation of transmitters at Tinian, Marshall Islands. Directs the President to report to the Congress on a plan to achieve continuous broadcasting of Radio Free Asia and Voice of America to China in multiple major dialects and languages.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 1997
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Consumer Bankruptcy Issues Title II: Improved Bankruptcy Administration Responsible Borrower Protection Bankruptcy Act - Title I: Consumer Bankruptcy Issues - Amends Federal bankruptcy law to prescribe guidelines for a needs-based bankruptcy system which precludes individuals from filing for complete relief in bankruptcy (under chapter 7 (Liquidation)) if certain current monthly income is available to pay creditors. (Sec. 101) Sets forth formulae for income levels determinative of debtor eligibility for bankruptcy relief. Treats as having income available to pay creditors (and thus eligible for chapter 13 Adjustment of Debts of an Individual with Regular Income) any individual (or in a joint case, an individual and spouse combined) with: (1) a current monthly total income of 75 percent of the national median household income for one earner (or 75 percent of the national median family income for a family of equal size); (2) projected monthly net income greater than $50; and (3) projected monthly net income sufficient to repay 20 percent or more of unsecured non-priority claims during a five-year repayment plan. (Sec. 102) Provides for adjustment to a chapter 13 debtor's monthly net income for extraordinary circumstances such as loss of income or unusual expenses. (Sec. 103) Modifies notice requirements to apprise a consumer debtor of alternatives to bankruptcy, including independent non-profit debt counseling services. (Sec. 104) Declares embezzlement or fraudulently-incurred debts of individuals nondischargeable in bankruptcy. (Sec. 105) Instructs the bankruptcy court to confirm the bankruptcy plan of an individual if it provides that the holder of a secured allowed claim retains the lien securing such claim until discharge of all debts. (Sec. 106) Grants a claim arising from a nondischargeable debt incurred to pay a Federal tax (or any other nondischargeable debt) the same priority as the claim for the underlying obligation which was paid for by such nondischargeable debt. (Sec. 107) Establishes a presumption that consumer debts owed to a single creditor and incurred within 90 days prior to an order for relief in bankruptcy are nondischargeable in bankruptcy. (Sec. 108) Revamps prescriptions governing the effects of conversion from chapter 13 to another chapter. Declares that: (1) valuations of property and of allowed secured claims in a chapter 13 case shall not apply in a chapter 7 case; and (2) with respect to cases converted from chapter 13, the claim of any creditor holding security as of the date of the petition shall continue to be secured by that security unless the full amount of that claim determined under applicable non-bankruptcy law has been paid in full as of the date of conversion. (Sec. 109) Terminates the automatic stay 30 days after filing of a petition if a petition was pending and dismissed under chapter 7 the previous year, unless the subsequent filing is in good faith. Delineates conditions under which a history of previous petitions in bankruptcy give rise to a rebuttable presumption that the case is not filed in good faith. (Sec. 110) Requires that the value of personal property collateral be at least equal to the outstanding balance of the purchase price, including interest and charges, where the property was acquired by the debtor within 180 days of filing the petition in bankruptcy. (Sec. 111) Declares that, in the case of chapter 7 and chapter 13 debtors, the personal property securing the individual debtor's personal property shall be the replacement value as of the date the petition is filed without deduction for costs of sale or marketing. (Sec. 112) Modifies debtor's duties to mandate specified affirmative actions to be taken by a chapter 7 debtor, including reaffirmation of the debt or redemption of the property within 60 days, in order to retain possession of personal property. (Sec. 113) Establishes the Bankruptcy Exemption Study Commission to study and report to the Congress on issues and problems in the bankruptcy system, including whether exemptions should be uniform nationally, and the appropriate size of exemptions in individual cases. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 114) Mandates that a chapter 13 debtor file a bankruptcy plan within a specified deadline. (Sec. 115) Changes from discretionary to mandatory the court's authority to dismiss an individual debtor case if relief would be a substantial abuse of chapter 7. Requires the court to find that substantial abuse exists if: (1) the debtor is ineligible for chapter 7 relief under the needs-based test; or (2) the totality of the circumstances of the debtor's financial situation demonstrate substantial abuse. (Sec. 116) Provides for a chapter 7 debtor's assumption of executory contracts and unexpired leases. Declares that in a chapter 11 case in which the debtor is an individual, and in a chapter 13 case, if the lease is not assumed in the plan, it is rejected (and no longer subject to an automatic stay) as of the plan's confirmation date. (Sec. 117) Mandates a maximum five-year payment period under a chapter 13 plan for any individual debtor (or in a joint case, an individual and spouse combined) with a current monthly total income of 75 percent of the national median household income for one earner (or 75 percent of the national median family income for a family of equal size). Permits the court to approve a longer period, not to exceed seven years. (Sec. 118) Revises prescriptions governing a stay of action against a codebtor to provide that: (1) the co-debtor stay would continue to be available when the debtor who borrowed the money sought Chapter 13 relief; but (2) if a guarantor or other co-debtor who did not receive the consideration for the creditor's claim filed for relief, the debtor who borrowed the money would not be protected by a stay unless he or she also filed a bankruptcy petition. Declares that the stay shall terminate as to the debtor's interest in personal property if the debtor surrendered or abandoned that property. (Sec. 120) Includes within the definition of a debtor's "principal residence" an individual condominium or cooperative unit, or mobile, or manufactured home or trailer. Provides that the inclusion of incidental property in a mortgage on the debtor's principal residence will not disqualify that mortgage from protection under chapter 13. Provides that if the debtor resides in a house the debtor owns during the 180 days before filing, such protection applies. States that the automatic stay will not be violated if a prepetition foreclosure proceeding is postponed during the pendency of a Chapter 13 proceeding, so long as any prepetition default remains uncured by actual payment in full according to the plan. (Sec. 121) Extends the mandatory period between discharges in bankruptcy from six to ten years for chapter 7 debtors. Sets five years as the mandatory period between discharges for chapter 13 debt repayment plans. Title II: Improved Bankruptcy Administration - Modifies the organization of bankruptcy courts to mandate the compilation of bankruptcy statistics for individual debtors with primarily consumer debts seeking relief under chapters 7, 11 (Reorganization), and 13. Directs the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (Administrative Office) to make such statistics public and to report them annually to the Congress. (Sec. 202) Requires each U.S. trustee to report to the Attorney General on audit results of bankruptcy petitions and schedules performed by independent certified or licensed public accountants. Requires the Attorney General to establish random audits of individual bankruptcy cases under chapter 11. (Sec. 203) Directs the Administrative Office to establish and maintain a nationwide debtors' docket accessible to searches by any users. (Sec. 204) Revises guidelines governing meetings of creditors and equity security holders to provide that if the debtor is an individual in a voluntary case under chapters 7, 11, or 13, the first meeting of creditors shall not convene earlier than 60 days after the date of the order for relief in bankruptcy, unless the court determines that unusual circumstances justify an earlier meeting. Authorizes a creditor holding a consumer debt to participate in a meeting of creditors in a chapter 7 or 13 case, either alone or in conjunction with an attorney. Prescribes notice procedures for chapter 7 and chapter 13 creditors. (Sec. 207) Revises automatic stay guidelines to provide that in the case of an individual filing under chapters 7, 11, or 13, the automatic stay shall terminate 60 days after a request for its release by a party in interest, unless the court orders or the parties agree to a longer time. Terminates such stay if the debtor fails to complete an intended surrender of consumer debt collateral. (Sec. 210) Expands debtor's duties to require filing with the bankruptcy court: (1) Federal tax returns; (2) evidence of payments received; (3) monthly net income projections; and (4) anticipated debt or expenditure increases. Permits a chapter 7 or chapter 13 creditor to request the debtor's petition, schedules and statement of affairs, including the debt adjustment plan filed by the debtor. Mandates debtor compliance within ten days of such request. Mandates that, at the time of filing with the taxing authority, a chapter 7 or 13 debtor file with the bankruptcy court specified tax documentation pertaining to the period from the commencement of the case until case termination. Requires a chapter 13 debtor to file with the court a statement of income and expenditures in the preceding tax year, and monthly net income, showing how calculated. (Sec. 211) Provides for automatic dismissal if a chapter 7 debtor fails to furnish all mandatory information, or fails to timely file the requisite schedules. Requires the court to order dismissal within five days of a request by a party in interest for the debtor's failure to timely submit requisite documentation. (Sec. 212) Delineates a cash payment plan for chapter 13 debtors for payments to any lessor of personal property and to any creditor holding a claim secured by personal property to the extent such claim is attributable to the debtor's purchase of such property. (Sec. 213) Prohibits a Chapter 13 confirmation hearing from being held less than 20 days after the first meeting of creditors if there is an objection.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 1997
Medicare Beneficiary Freedom To Contract Act of 1997 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise provisions added by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 regarding the use of private contracts by Medicare beneficiaries for professional services. Outlines specific requirements for private contracts between Medicare beneficiaries and physicians or health care practitioners for services for which no Medicare claims may be submitted.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 1997
Charitable Giving Relief Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit non-itemizers to deduct a portion of their charitable contributions.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 1997
Career Transition Assistance Act of 1997 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) exclude from gross income a limited amount of qualified severance pay; and (2) permit a limited credit for qualified job training expenses for certain individuals over the age of 50 who have been laid off.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 1997
Prohibits the imposition of any tax by the Internal Revenue Code: (1) for any taxable year beginning after December 31, 2001; and (2) in the case of any tax not imposed on the basis of a taxable year, on any taxable event or for any period after December 31, 2001. Declares that any new Federal tax system should be a simple and fair system.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 1997
Urges the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to: (1) release all political prisoners, including Dr. Nguyen Dan Que, Professor Doan Viet Hoat, Venerable Thich Quang Do, Reverend Pham Minh Tri, and evangelist To Dinh Trung, with full restoration of their civil and human rights; (2) permit all political organizations in Vietnam to function without intimidation or harassment; and (3) announce a framework and timetable for free and fair elections of local and national leaders. Requests the President to make clear to such Government: (1) the firm commitment of the American people to political, religious, and economic freedom for the people of Vietnam; and (2) that the United States fully expects equal protection under the law to all Vietnamese.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 1997
Condemns the violence committed by paramilitary groups on both sides of the conflict in Northern Ireland and by agents of the British Government as illegal, unjust, and inhumane. Commends and supports those in the British and Irish Governments who are building on the accomplishments of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, the Joint Declaration, and the Framework Documents by bringing the various political parties into the current negotiations and creating an environment in which negotiations may be reached expeditiously through inclusive talks. Declares that: (1) respect for human rights must now be at the heart of the peace process; (2) all participants at the multiparty talks must rededicate themselves to restoring civil rights and respecting human rights in Northern Ireland if a peace agreement is to have lasting value; (3) any peace agreement in Northern Ireland must recognize the state's obligation to protect human rights in all circumstances; (4) the establishment of a bill of rights for the people of Northern Ireland may advance and strengthen the peace process; (5) the multiparty negotiations should consider the feasibility of establishing an independent "Truth Commission" to look into outstanding cases of human rights abuses, giving special consideration to those who have been unable to obtain full disclosure about how their loved ones met their deaths; (6) the British Government should initiate a new independent inquiry into the deaths of civilians on "Bloody Sunday," repeal emergency legislation that limits internationally recognized individual human rights, and establish an independent complaints mechanism for the review of citizen inquiries regarding alleged abuses of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and other security forces; (7) there should be a mechanism by which all defense solicitors will have a vigorous independent investigation of threats they receive; (8) those who report threats of violence should be accorded effective protection; and (9) plastic bullets should be withdrawn from use.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 1997
Marriage Tax Elimination Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit a husband and wife to file a combined income tax return on which each spouse is taxed separately at the unmarried return rate.