United States · United States Congress · 19 March 1986
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Federal excise taxes and tariffs when incurred by business in the production of income should remain deductible for Federal income tax purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 1986
Telephone Decency Act of 1986 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit any obscene or indecent telephone communication for commercial purposes to any person in the District of Columbia or in interstate or foreign communication. (Current law prohibits such communication to any person without his or her consent or to any person under 18 years of age.)
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 1986
Amends Federal law relating to the employment and training benefits for disabled and Vietnam era veterans to expand readjustment appointments in the Federal Government for such veterans up to and including the GS-11 level through December 31, 1991 (currently up to and including GS-9 through September 30, 1986). Requires a preference in appointment to be given to a veteran: (1) who has more than 14 years of education; and (2) who is either entitled to disability compensation or whose discharge from active duty was for a service-connected disability.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 1986
Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act - Requires States to provide by law for elections for Federal office: (1) absentee registration and absentee voting for uniformed services voters and overseas voters; and (2) the use of alternative write-in absentee ballots by overseas voters. Directs the President to designate the head of an executive department to have primary responsibility for the administrative functions of this Act, including: (1) prescribing an official postcard form containing a voter registration and an absentee ballot application; (2) prescribing an alternative write-in ballot for overseas voters; (3) prescribing forms and designs for balloting materials; (4) distributing election materials; and (5) reporting to the Congress in even-numbered years on its effectiveness. Provides for the distribution of official postcards. Sets forth recommendations to the States in carrying out provisions of this Act. Authorizes the use of the alternative write-in ballots in lieu of absentee ballots under specified circumstances. Directs the Postmaster to expedite the transport of election materials and declares such materials free of postage.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 1986
Establishes a presumption of service-connection for disability purposes for former prisoners of war suffering from the following conditions after active service: (1) organic residuals of hypothermia; (2) spastic colon; and (3) arthritis due to trauma. Decreases from six months to 90 days the amount of time a former prisoner of war must have been incarcerated to be eligible for outpatient dental services.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 1986
Peace, Stability, and Reconciliation in Ireland and Northern Ireland Act of 1986 - Earmarks a specified amount of the funds authorized for the Economic Support Fund for FY 1986 through 1990 for a U.S. contribution to the International Fund (the Fund) established pursuant to the Anglo-Irish Agreement signed in November 1985. Authorizes providing assistance from other U.S. programs for Ireland and Northern Ireland in support of such Agreement. Permits using such contributions only to support economic and social reconstruction and redevelopment in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Requires the President to make every effort to ensure that there is U.S. representation on the Board of the Fund. Authorizes the United States to make contributions to the Fund only if the President each fiscal year makes a specified certification to the Congress relating to the Board of the Fund and to the disbursements from the Fund. Requires the President to report annually to the Congress on the degree to which: (1) the Fund has contributed to reconciliation between the communities in Northern Ireland; (2) the U.S. contribution to the Fund is meeting its objectives; and (3) the Fund has increased respect for the freedoms of all people in Northern Ireland. Imposes certain requirements relating to funds for international organizations and conferences.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 1986
Infrastructure Protection Act of 1986 - Prohibits the receipts and disbursements of the Highway Trust Fund (for both the Federal aid highway program and the Mass Transit Account), the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, and the Inland Waterways Trust Fund which are allocable to the transportation-related operations of such Funds from being included in either the Federal budget as submitted by the President, or in the congressional budget. Exempts such Trust Funds from any general statutory budget limitation.
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 1986
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the aspirations of the Angolan people deserve U.S. support; (2) the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) and its leader, Dr. Jonas Malheiro Savimbi, have the right to play a role in the political life of Angola; and (3) the Marxist Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) has violated the rights of the Angolan people. Declares that the MPLA should agree to negotiations which will include UNITA, end the presence of Soviet and Cuban forces in Angola, result in national reconciliation within Angola, and facilitate the independence of Namibia. Urges the President to provide assistance to UNITA in order to promote a political solution and withdrawal of outside forces, and to help UNITA deter and resist continued Soviet, Cuban, and MPLA military escalation.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 1986
Attorney-Client Privilege Act of 1986 - Amends the Revised Statutes of the United States to provide that the attorney-client privilege and other privileges are available to persons testifying before the Congress. Provides that questions regarding whether a witness' testimony is covered by the privilege shall be resolved by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 1986
Declares that the Ukrainian and Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republics should not be represented in the United Nations until they are granted their independence by the Soviet Union. Declares that the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations should file a protest with respect to such representation.
United States · United States Congress · 19 February 1986
Authorizes and requests the President to present, on behalf of the Congress, gold medals to Anatoly and Avital Shcharansky in recognition of their supreme dedication and total commitment to human rights and freedoms. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to determine the design of the medals. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary to sell bronze duplicates of the medals.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 1986
Diplomatic Security Act - Title I: Diplomatic Security - Directs the Secretary of State (the Secretary) to develop and implement policies and programs to: (1) protect all civilian U.S. employees on official duty abroad and their dependents; (2) establish and operate security functions at all civilian U.S. missions abroad; (3) establish and operate security functions at all State Department facilities in the United States; and (4) protect foreign missions, international organizations, foreign officials, and other foreign persons in the United States. Requires other Federal agencies to cooperate with the State Department. Requires an Assistant Secretary of State to head the Bureau of Diplomatic Security of the State Department. Increases the number of Assistant Secretaries of State from 14 to 15. Requires the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service to be headed by a Director designated by the Secretary. Sets forth the qualifications for the Director of the Diplomatic Security Service and for other personnel of the Diplomatic Security Service. Title II: Performance and Accountability - Requires the Secretary to convene an Accountability Review Board whenever there is serious injury, loss of life, or significant destruction of property at or related to a U.S. mission abroad unless there are clearly no security or breach of duty issues involved. Sets forth administrative provisions relating to the Board. Requires the Board to determine whether: (1) there are reasonable grounds to believe the injury, loss of life, or property damage was security-related; and (2) there is reasonable cause to believe that a breach of duty by a U.S. employee contributed to such injury, loss of life, or destruction of property. Directs the Board to make recommendations to the Secretary on programs or operations subject to this Act which the Board has reviewed. Provides for disciplinary proceedings and certain agency actions with respect to U.S. employees who the Board finds reasonable cause to believe contributed to the injury, loss of life, or property destruction because of their breach of duty. Title III: Authorization of Appropriations - Authorizes appropriations to the State Department for FY 1986 through 1990 for: (1) the purposes of this Act; and (2) antiterrorism research and development. Requires the State Department Foreign Buildings Office to use American contractors to the maximum extent possible in implementing any foreign building program funded by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 1986
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the United States, in cooperation with other members of the international donor community, should call upon the Ethiopian Government to recognize that resources donated for famine relief should be used for that purpose and not diverted to resettlement efforts; (2) such forced resettlements by the Ethiopian Government should be halted and monitored by the United Nations (U.N.); (3) the Ethiopian Government should commit sufficient resources to move food and relief goods to meet the needs of its people; and (4) the U.N. should insist on free access to resettlement sites for international observers and the news media and report on conditions in the resettlement camps.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 1986
Establishes a veterans' home loan guaranty limitation amount of $17,600,000,000 reduced by 4.3 percent for purposes of implementing any sequestration order issued by the President for FY 1986 calling for a reduction of such loan commitments.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 1986
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the President should award the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously to Michael J. Smith, Francis R. Scobee, Ronald E. McNair, Ellison S. Onizuka, Sharon Christa McAuliffe, Gregory B. Jarvis, and Judith A. Resnik, all of whom died in the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger.
United States · United States Congress · 29 January 1986
Promotion of Democracy in Ethiopia Act of 1986 - Declares U.S. policy: (1) regarding human rights and opportunities; (2) condemning the resettlement program and human rights abuses in Ethiopia; (3) calling for human and civil rights and for free elections in Ethiopia; and (4) supporting non-communist resistance forces in Ethiopia. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to add Ethiopia to the list of communist countries. Prohibits Ethiopia from receiving nondiscriminatory (most-favored-nation) trade treatment. Prohibits the importation of coffee, coffee extract, essence, or concentrate from Ethiopia. Prohibits the Federal Government and any U.S. person from making a loan or extending credit to Ethiopia or to any organization owned or controlled by Ethiopia. Exempts from such prohibition any loan or extension of credit agreed upon before enactment of this Act. Directs the President, within 90 days of enactment of this Act, to issue regulations prohibiting any U.S. person from making any investment in Ethiopia. Excludes from such prohibition certain loans, investments in established Ethiopian businesses, and stock purchases of Ethiopian businesses. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. Executive Director to each of the relevant international financial institutions to oppose furnishing aid to Ethiopia. Requires such sanctions against Ethiopia to terminate if the President certifies to the Congress that Ethiopia: (1) respects the human rights of its people; (2) has granted basic civil rights to its people; (3) has terminated and dismantled its resettlement program; (4) has established a legal system that assures the participation of all its people; (5) has held free and fair elections; and (6) no longer is host to troops from communist countries. Directs the President to report to the Congress every six months on the progress made by Ethiopia in meeting such objectives. Provides for enforcement of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 1986
Prohibits any benefits payable from the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, including cost-of-living increases, during calendar year 1987 from being subject to reduction or suspension by statute or presidential order.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1986
Expresses disapproval of the refusal of the U.S.S.R. to recognize the sovereignty of the Baltic Republics. Designates the 14th day of June 1986 as Baltic Freedom Day. Authorizes and requests the President to submit the issue of Baltic self-determination to the United Nations.
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 1986
Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) to exempt cost-of-living increases in civil service retirement and disability programs (including the Central Intelligence Agency retirement and disabilty system, the Comptroller General retirement system, the Foreign Service retirement and disability system, the judicial survivors' annuities system, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration retirement system, the Coast Guard retirement system, the Public Health Service commissioned officers retirement system, and the Tax Court judges survivors' retirement system), military retirement benefits, and certain railroad retirement benefits from reduction under the President's sequestration order.
United States · United States Congress · 19 December 1985
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the President should continue to express to the Soviet Union U.S. opposition with respect to the harassment and arrests of Hebrew teachers and Jewish activists in the Soviet Union; and (2) the Soviet Union should comply with its commitments under specified international human rights agreements and cease its persecution of individuals on the basis of their Jewish faith.
United States · United States Congress · 5 December 1985
Federal Incentives for State Health Care Professional Liability Reform Act of 1985 - Establishes a program to provide development and incentive grants to States for enacting medical malpractice liability reforms. Describes the reforms which must be in effect for States to receive incentive grants, including: (1) the manner of payment of damage awards exceeding $100,000; (2) a $250,000 limit on noneconomic losses; (3) the method for determining attorneys' fees; and (4) certain requirements regarding health care professional liability insurance. Requires each State receiving an incentive grant to prepare and transmit a report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services every two years describing: (1) State liability reforms enacted, adopted, or in effect; (2) activities conducted by the State with grants received under this Act; and (3) any current problems with respect to health care professional liability or health care professional liability insurance. Requires the Secretary to transmit periodic reports to the Congress summarizing the information provided by the States. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 1985
Requires each State to: (1) establish parking privileges for handicapped persons (whether drivers or passengers); (2) grant handicapped non-residents the same parking privileges as handicapped residents; (3) establish the international access symbol as the exclusive identifier for handicapped parking and vehicles; and (4) certify to the Secretary of Transportation by a specified date that parking privileges for the handicapped are being enforced. Prohibits the Secretary from approving the State highway department project plans of any State which has failed to establish handicapped parking privileges under this Act. Requires the Secretary to withhold certain Federal-aid highway funds from a non-compliant State.
United States · United States Congress · 21 November 1985
Equity and Choice Act of 1985 - Amends chapter 1 (Financial Assistance to Meet the Special Educational Needs of Disadvantaged Children) of the Educational Consolidation and Improvement Act of 1981 (ECIA) (hereinafter referred to as Chapter 1) to add provisions for educational vouchers. Requires each local educational agency (LEA) to provide an educational voucher, upon parental request, to the parents of each educationally deprived child selected to participate in the LEA's Chapter 1 program. Requires each LEA to: (1) provide written notice to such parents of the options available to them under Chapter 1, including their right to obtain an educational voucher for their child; (2) afford such parents a reasonable period of time to request such vouchers; and (3) convene an annual public meeting to discuss the availability and authorized uses of such vouchers, and invite parents of all eligible children and representatives of private eligible educational institutions to such meeting. Sets forth authorized uses of such vouchers. Allows such vouchers to be used as payment toward tuition and/or to obtain compensatory services at: (1) a public school outside the child's school attendance area (if the LEA permits this); (2) a public school outside the child's district; or (3) private school. Sets forth formulas for determining the amount of such a voucher. Requires each LEA to provide regular Chapter 1 programs and projects for eligible public and private school children whose parents do not request educational vouchers from that LEA. Sets forth requirements for LEA applications for Chapter 1 assistance. Declares that such voucher payments to a private school or a public school outside the child's school district shall not constitute Federal financial assistance to the private school or that public school. Declares that the use of such funds by such private or public schools shall not constitute a program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. Provides that such voucher payments to parents shall not be subject to Federal, State, or local income taxes. Requires that any private school eligible for such voucher payments include a statement that it does not discriminate against student applicants or students on the basis of race in any published bylaws, advertisements, admission application forms, or other published materials. Makes inapplicable to such voucher programs specified Chapter 1 provisions relating to authorized program design and description and application approval and assurances. Allows each LEA to use Chapter 1 funds to provide for transportation, on an equitable basis, to eligible children whose parents obtain vouchers and enroll such children at public schools outside their school attendance area or school district or at private schools. Makes such use of funds an administrative cost of carrying out Chapter 1 programs and projects. Sets forth provisions relating to nondiscrimination by private schools in such voucher program. Prohibits voucher payments with respect to any private school if there is in effect a judgment by a U.S. district court declaring that such school follows a racially discriminatory policy, or if a U.S. court of appeals has ordered the district court to enter such a judgment. Requires each private school, before receiving voucher payments, to file with the LEA a verified statement: (1) declaring that such school has not followed a racially discriminatory policy during the previous 12 months; (2) indicating whether such a declaratory judgment or order has been entered against the school in an action brought under this Act; and (3) attesting that the school has complied with the requirement to include a statement of nondiscrimination in its published materials. Grants the Attorney General exclusive jurisdiction to investigate and determine whether a private school is following a racially discriminatory policy. Defines "racially discriminatory policy" for purposes of this Act. Declares that a racially discriminatory policy shall not include failure of any institution to pursue or achieve any racial quota, proportion, or representation in the student body. Defines "race" to include color or national origin. Authorizes the Attorney General to have sole discretion to seek a declaratory judgment against any private school upon: (1) receipt within the previous one-year period of any allegation of discrimination against such institution; and (2) a finding of good cause by the Attorney General. Authorizes the U.S. district court for the district in which the private school is located to make a declaration with respect to whether such institution follows a racially discriminatory policy, upon the filing of an appropriate pleading by the Attorney General. Sets forth procedures with respect to such allegations, pleadings, and declarations. Authorizes the Attorney General to have sole discretion to enter into settlement agreements prior to and in lieu of filing such actions. Authorizes the court to award costs and reasonable attorneys' fees to any private school which prevails in such actions unless the court determines that the Attorney General was substantially justified. Provides for post-judgment motions for declarations that a school no longer follows a racially discriminatory policy. Sets forth technical and conforming amendments to ECIA and to specified provisions of Federal law relating to the creation of the declaratory judgment remedy.
United States · United States Congress · 20 November 1985
Designates May 25, 1986, as Hands Across America Day. Authorizes and requests the President to commend: (1) United Support of Artists for Africa for their Hands Across America project; and (2) the American people for their commitment to helping people help themselves.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 1985
Authorizes educational assistance for apprenticeship or other on-the-job training under the All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program. Limits the amount of educational assistance payable in any one month where the individual pursuing the educational program fails to complete 120 hours of training.
United States · United States Congress · 12 November 1985
Financial Export Control Act - Amends the Export Administration Act of 1979 to declare that it is U.S. policy to use export controls to restrict the export of capital, the extension of credit, or the transfer of financial resources to countries subject to national security export controls. Authorizes the President to restrict the export or transfer of money or other financial assets to the government of a country subject to national security export controls. Provides for negotiations with other countries to obtain their cooperation with such export controls on capital. Requires export license applications for the export of capital to be submitted to the Secretary of the Treasury who shall make all determinations with respect to such applications. Requires the annual report on the administration of the Export Administration Act of 1979 to include a report on actions taken to carry out export controls on capital.
United States · United States Congress · 6 November 1985
Declares that the Congress: (1) condemns all acts of terrorism (specifically the hijacking of the Achille Lauro and the murder of Leon Klinghoffer); (2) commends the President and members of the U.S. armed forces who apprehended such hijackers and murderers; and (3) calls on all governments who have jurisdiction over such incident to insure that such perpetrators are prosecuted and punished. Declares that the Congress recommends that the President review the options and authorities under existing law for combating terrorism. Provides that, in order to increase the effectiveness of the U.S. counterterrorism efforts, the President should establish a unified policy to combat terrorism. Declares that the Congress urges the President: (1) to raise international public awareness with respect to terrorism by proposing to place this matter on the agenda of the Geneva Summit between the President and Mikhail Gorbachev, the 40th U.N. General Assembly, the International Maritime Organization, and other subsequent international meetings; and (2) to seek the acceptance by all governments that terrorism is an international crime. Urges the President to seek to establish an international coordinating committee on terrorism. Sets forth what such committee should be charged with in regard to handling such terrorism. Urges the President to propose to the Congress ways (including those proposed by the Inman Advisory Panel on Overseas Security) to improve the security of U.S. citizens abroad.
United States · United States Congress · 1 November 1985
Acid Deposition Act- Title I: Acid Deposition Control Program - Amends the Clean Air Act to limit the application of such Act's sulfur dioxide emissions limitations to sources constructed or modified in 1980 and earlier. Requires electric utilities in the acid deposition impact region which convert to coal after 1980 to meet an emission standard not in excess of 1.2 pounds of sulfur dioxide per million British thermal units (Btu's). Designates an acid deposition impact region comprising a long-range transport corridor of 31 States east of the Mississippi and the District of Columbia. Requires such region to achieve in two equal phases a total reduction of annual emissions of sulfur dioxide of ten million tons below 1980 levels, the first five million by the start of 1991. Directs the Acid Precipitation Task Force to implement an accelerated research program during the first stage to examine the pattern of effects of atmospheric loading of pollutants such as sulfur and nitrogen oxides. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1986 through 1990. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to evaluate such results until no later than the start of FY 1992. Authorizes appropriations for such evaluations for FY 1989 through 1991. Requires the completion of the second phase's five million ton emissions reduction by the start of 1996. Authorizes the Administrator to vary through rulemaking by April 1, 1992 the requirements of the second stage based upon the first stage research evaluations. Requires the Administrator to report to the Congress on proposed changes and requires such changes to increase protection of sensitive areas and mitigation of identified damage. Directs the Administrator to report to the Congress by the end of FY 1992 if a determination is made that individual State nitrogen oxides reduction standards should not be established. Requires each State to reduce its proportional share of annual sulfur dioxide emissions, permitting two or more States to reallot their shares among themselves so long as the total, required reduction is achieved. Requires each State to adopt enforceable reduction measures within two years of this Act's enactment, submitting them to the Administrator for approval and other States for comment. Provides for revisions of such measures by the State or the Administrator. Applies Federal reduction standards of 1.2 pounds of sulfur dioxide per million Btu's in addition to State established requirements for any major stationary source in noncompliance with the applicable implementation plan by the end of 1986. Applies the Federal standard to all facilities owned or operated by an owner or operated of a facility which continues to be in noncompliance by 1991. Applies Federal reduction standards of an average among facilities of 1.2 pounds of sulfur dioxide per million Btu's on a 30-day average to covered sources in States in the impact region without the required enforcement measures. Requires the owner or operator of such sources to submit a compliance plan and schedule to the Administrator for approval. Permits the use of the following measures to reduce emissions in addition to enforceable continuous emission reduction measures if such measures are enforceable by entities and persons other than the State in which the emissions occur: (1) least emissions dispatch to meet electric generating demand at existing generating capacity; (2) retirement of major stationary sources at an earlier than provided for date; (3) investments in energy conservation where emission reductions can be identified with such investments; (4) trading of emission reduction requirements and actual reductions through emission reduction banks or brokerage institutions; (5) precombustion cleaning of fuels, and (6) fuel substitution. Directs the Administrator and the Secretaries of Energy, Commerce, and State to induce Canada to achieve comparable reductions. Requires the Administrator to certify that progress on such front is being made by Canada before the Department of Energy approves agreements for the importation of electric energy from Canada under the Federal Power Act. Directs the President and Secretary of State to seek the installation and monitoring of air pollution control equipment on new major emissions sources, including copper and other metal smelters in Mexico. Directs the President to report periodically to the Congress on progress in such endeaver. Directs the Administrator to report to the appropriate congressional committees on compliance with emission limitations and other enforceable measures under this Act.
![Official portrait of Rep. Solomon, Gerald B. H. [R-NY-22]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s000675_200.jpg)