United States · United States Congress · 9 April 1981
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States should increase the power of the transmitters and improve the quality and quantity of foreign language programs of the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, and Radio Liberty; and (2) research should be undertaken to speed progress in the area of international mass communication media.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1981
Small Business Innovation Research Act of 1981 - Amends the Small Business Act to direct the Small Business Administration (SBA) to: (1) maintain an information program to provide small businesses an opportunity to participate in Federal small business innovation research (SBIR) programs; (2) coordinate a schedule for release of agency SBIR solicitations and prepare a master release schedule; (3) monitor SBIR programs within Federal agencies; and (4) report annually to the Congressional Small Business Committees on the SBIR programs. Requires each Federal agency with a research and development budget in excess of $100,000,000 in fiscal year 1982 or any subsequent fiscal year to spend a specified percentage of its budget in connection with an SBIR program. Requires each Federal agency with a research and development budget in excess of $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1982 or any subsequent fiscal year to establish specific goals for funding research and development agreements with small businesses. Directs each Federal agency with an SBIR program to report annually to the SBA the number of awards over $10,000 in amount made under the SBIR program and to concerns other than small business concerns. Directs the Administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, in conjunction with the SBA, to promulgate regulations for the conduct of the SBIR programs. States that this Act does not authorize the appropriation of funds.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1981
Amends the Federal criminal code to specify prohibited activities with respect to the administration or use of a polygraph or other detection of deception examination on behalf of an employer engaged in business affecting interstate commerce. Forbids any such examination from including inquiries into the truthfulness or untruthfulness of an individual with respect to: (1) any event occurring more than seven years before the examination date; (2) any information or belief relating to any matter involving religion, race, politics, or labor organizations; and (3) any matter relating to sexual behavior, unless such behavior is related to job performance. Requires a person administering a polygraph or other detection of deception examination to an individual to: (1) provide such individual a verbatim statement of each question to be asked; (2) obtain the consent in writing of such individual; (3) inform such individual that no Federal law requires his participation; (4) provide such individual an opportunity to explain any reaction indicating emotional stress; and (5) use an instrument which records cardiovascular, respiratory, and galvanic skin responses patterns as minimum standards. Prohibits a person administering such an examination from: (1) refusing to provide the individual with a copy of any report or recommendation prepared for the employer on whose behalf the examination was administered; (2) disclosing the test results to anyone except the individual or employer in certain types of investigations; (3) intentionally preparing any misleading, biased, or falsified report or recommendation in connection with such examination; and (4) administering such examination surreptitiously.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to deny the foreign tax credit for foreign oil related income. Defines "foreign oil related income" as income derived from sources outside the United States from: (1) the extraction of minerals from oil or gas wells; (2) the processing of such minerals into their primary products; (3) the transportation and sale of such minerals or primary products; or (4) the sale or exchange of assets used in energy related businesses. Denies credit carryovers and net operating loss carrybacks with respect to foreign oil related income.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1981
Commends the peaceful attempts to resolve differences between Poland's workers and government officials and expresses the hope that they will continue to resolve their differences through peaceful negotiations. Welcomes to the United States Poland's First Deputy Prime Minister. Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States could not remain indifferent to external aggression or internal repression against Poland and that such developments would have serious consequences for East-West relations. Supports efforts to work with other nations to ease Poland's economic difficulties and the U.S. decision to sell surplus food to Poland at concessionary prices and in Polish currency provided neither external aggression nor internal repression occurs.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1981
Commends Secret Service Agents Timothy McCarthy and Jerry Parr and Metropolitan Officer Thomas Delahanty for their performance in the line of duty with respect to the assassination attempt on the life of the President.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 1981
Family Enterprise Estate and Gift Tax Equity Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce the estate and gift tax rates beginning in 1981. Increases the unified credit against the estate and gift taxes from $47,000 to $124,750 by specified annual increments through 1985. Increases from $175,000 to $600,000, by specified annual increments through 1985, the minimum gross estate requirement for filing of a return. Repeals the existing limitations on the marital deduction for gift and estate taxes. Increases from $3,000 to $10,000 the annual gift tax exclusion. Qualifies estates of decedents who were disabled or retired for the special valuation of certain farms based on use if such decedents materially participated in the operation of the farm for five out of eight years preceding the year in which they became disabled or eligible for disability benefits. Permits the spouse of a decedent to use such valuation if the spouse has managed the farm or business for ten years preceding the decedent's death or takes over active management upon the decedent's death. Qualifies woodlands for the special use valuation if the decedent or a member of the decedent's family owned and farmed the property for ten years prior to the decedent's death. Reduces from 15 to ten years the length of time a qualified property must be held and put to a qualified use following the decedent's death before it can be disposed of without incurring a recapture of estate tax benefits. Permits active management rather than material participation as a test for qualification of the estate for spouses, children under 21, students, and disabled individuals who receive property from a decedent who qualified for special use valuation. Repeals the $500,000 limitation on the reduction of the value of qualified real property permitted by the special use valuation. Allows the like kind exchange of property without loss of special use valuation eligibility. Revises the method of valuing farms by providing that the basis of such valuation shall be the average annual gross rental value. Authorizes the step-up in basis of such assets. Repeals the requirement that an heir elect special treatment for involuntary conversions of qualified real property, thus making such treatment automatic upon such conversion. States that gifts made within three years of a decedent's death shall be valued as of the time of transfer rather than as of the date of death. Authorizes an individual to elect to pay a gift tax rather than use the unified tax credit. Modifies the alternate extension of time for payment of the estate tax where the estate consists largely of an interest in a closely held business to: (1) allow an installment payment election if the value of the interest in the closely held business is either 35 percent of the value of the gross estate or 50 percent of the taxable estate; (2) increase to 50 percent the value of an interest disposed of which will accelerate the payment of tax; and (3) permit payment, but with a penalty, of an installment within six months after the due date. Allows a disclaimer of an interest in property for estate tax purposes in specified circumstances where such disclaimer does not result in the passing of the interest concerned under the applicable State law.
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 1981
Authorizes supplemental appropriations for the Board for International Broadcasting for fiscal year 1981 for specified projects of RFE/RL, Incorporated (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty).
United States · United States Congress · 2 April 1981
Commends President Ronald Reagan, Assistant to the President James S. Brady, Secret Service Agent Timothy McCarthy, and Metropolitan Police Officer Thomas Delahanty for their actions with respect to the assassination attempt on the life of the President of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 1981
Repeals a specified provision of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act thereby deleting limits on the use of public treatment works grants for treating, storing, or conveying the flow of industrial users into treatment works.
United States · United States Congress · 1 April 1981
Directs the President to award a special gold medal to Fred Waring. Stipulates that funds may not be appropriated under this Act for any period before October 1, 1981.
United States · United States Congress · 31 March 1981
National Tourism Policy Act - Title I: National Tourism Policy - Directs the Federal Government to cooperate with State and local governments and other organizations to implement a national tourism policy designed to promote the economic, educational, and intercultural contributions of the U.S. tourism and recreation industries. Title II: Tourism Policy Council; Tourism Advisory Board - Establishes as an interagency coordinating council the Tourism Policy Council. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a Tourism Advisory Board to represent the views and needs of the tourism industry in the implementation of the national tourism policy established by this Act. Title III: Amendments to the International Travel Act - Amends the International Travel Act to make the purpose of such Act the strengthening of U.S. domestic and foreign commerce through the implementation of the international aspects of the national tourism policy established under this Act. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to submit annually to Congress a marketing plan to stimulate travel to the United States and to implement the international aspects of such national tourism policy. Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 1981 and 1982 to carry out such Act. Eliminates the reduction of employees in the District of Columbia offices of the U.S. Travel Service. Title IV: Effective Date - Makes this Act effective on October 1, 1981.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 1981
Tuition Tax Relief Act of 1981 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a refundable income tax credit for 50 percent of the educational expenses paid for the elementary, secondary, college, or vocational education of the taxpayer or the taxpayer's spouse or dependents. Sets forth maximum dollar amounts allowable as a credit. Excludes from eligibility for the credit educational expenses for: (1) elementary and secondary education at a privately operated institution of a State educational agency, other than an institution which offers education for the handicapped as a substitute to regular education; (2) part-time study; and (3) graduate study. Requires the individual for whom the tuition tax credit is allowed by this Act to be a full-time student or a half-time student during any four months of the calendar year. Excludes from the definition of "educational expenses" any amounts paid for books, supplies, and equipment for courses of instruction, meals, lodging, transportation, similar personal expenses, and education below the first-grade level. Forbids any construction of this Act as granting the Government additional authority to examine the books or activities of any church school. Requires that any amount received by the taxpayer as a tuition tax credit be disregarded for purposes of determining the eligibility of the taxpayer for Federal, State, or local educational assistance. Specifies that the granting of a tax credit to a student due to his enrollment in any educational institution shall not be considered Federal assistance to such institution.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that bonds issued by a volunteer fire department to finance the acquisition, construction, reconstruction, or improvement of firefighting property shall be treated as obligations of a local government and the interest on such bonds shall be excluded from gross income. Provides that a volunteer fire department qualifies for such tax treatment of its bonds if it: (1) is organized and operated to provide firefighting services in an area which does not have any other firefighting services; (2) is required by a local government to furnish firefighting services; (3) receives over half of its funding from local government; and (4) makes no charge for its services.
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 1981
Proclaims Raoul Wallenberg an honorary citizen of the United States. Requests the President to ascertain his whereabouts from the Soviet Union and to secure his freedom.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1981
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should: (1) express to the Soviet Union the United States' deep concern about the Soviet Union's depriving the Vashchenko and Chmykhalov families of religious freedom and refusing them permission to emigrate; (2) ensure that such families may reside in the U.S. embassy in Moscow until the Soviet Union authorizes their emigration; and (3) ensure provision of assistance for such families during their residence in the embassy.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 1981
Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits the adoption of any Federal budget in which expenditures exceed receipts unless approved by a roll call vote of three-fifths of the Members of each House of Congress directed solely to that subject. Prohibits the Congress from passing and the President from signing any appropriation bill which would cause the total expenditures of the Federal Government to exceed its total receipts in any fiscal year. Permits the Congress to waive such provisions with respect to any single year in which a declaration of war is in effect. Prohibits any annual increase in the proportion of Federal receipts to the national income unless passed by a roll call vote, directed solely to such purpose, of each House of Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend tax-exempt status to veterans' organizations at least 75 percent of whose membership consists of past or present members of the armed forces of the United States (combat or noncombat veterans) and whose remaining membership consists substantially of cadets or spouses, widows, or widowers of armed forces personnel or cadets.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1981
Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1981 - Title I: Information Practices: Use of Consumer Reporting Agencies - Amends the Privacy Act of 1974 to permit a Federal agency to disclose records pertaining to an individual to a consumer reporting agency. Authorizes a Federal agency attempting to collect a claim under the Federal Claims Collection Act of 1966 to notify a consumer reporting agency that a person is responsible for a claim if: (1) the agency has sent a written notice informing the person that a consumer reporting agency will be contacted, describing the information to be disclosed, and explaining the person's right to dispute the agency's claim; (2) the person has not agreed to repay the claim or filed for review of the claim; (3) the agency has reviewed the claim, if requested; and (4) the agency has obtained assurances that the consumer reporting agency complies with Federal laws governing the provision of consumer credit information. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to establish regulations requiring each agency with outstanding debts to submit annual reports on the amount and number of such debts, the interest charged on such debts, the cost to the agency of collecting debts, and other information on the agency's debt collection activities. Requires the Director to report annually to Congress on the management of agency debt collection activities. Title II: Collection Practices for Defaulted Student Loans - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1954 to require the Secretary of Education to analyze, quarterly, the collection status of defaulted Federal, federally-guaranteed, and federally-insured student loans. Directs the Secretary: (1) to notify the borrower of a defaulted loan of the consequences of not repaying the loan; (2) to attempt to enter into a repayment agreement with the borrower; and (3) if such attempt is not successful within 180 days of the loan becoming defaulted, to engage a nonprofit collection agency to service the loan. Directs the Secretary to refer any loan which is not under a repayment agreement within one year after being placed with a collection agency, to: (1) the Attorney General if the projected outstanding balance exceeds $600; or (2) the Secretary of the Treasury for collection. Requires the Attorney General to establish procedures for the efficient collection of such loans. Amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 to require any borrower of a defaulted loan referred to the Secretary of the Treasury to pay the amount owed: (1) with income tax imposed for the year of the referral; or (2) by other methods prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury. Grants the Secretary of the Treasury the same powers to assess and collect such defaulted loans as if such amounts were imposed income taxes, the collection of which would be jeopardized by delay. Exempts any such collection or assessment from review by a Federal court. Directs the Comptroller General to analyze the systems for collecting student loans established under this Act, and to submit to Congress recommendations for the application of these systems to the collection of other loans made, insured, or guaranteed by the Government. Title III: Collection of Child-Support Obligations - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to certify the amount of child support obligations assigned to a State for collection by the Secretary of the Treasury without regard to whether a State agrees to reimburse the United States for collection costs. Shortens the period that collection of such an obligation is stayed after service of the notice and demand for payment in the case of the first delinquency assessment against an individual. Title VI: Higher Interest Charges During Periods of Default for All Federal Loan Programs - Requires each agency which administers a program providing direct Federal loans to include in any such loan a provision stating that the interest rate on the loan for each month during which the loan is in default may be increased to a rate equal to the Federal borrowing cost. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to promulgate regulations for the uniform implementation of this title. Title V: Other Provisions Relating to the Collection of Federal Claims - Amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 to direct the Secretary of the Treasury, by January 15 of each year, to notify any person owing a debt (excluding student loans) to a Federal agency for the preceding year of the amount and method of payment of such debt. Requires such person to pay the debt with his or her income taxes or as prescribed by the Secretary. Grants the Secretary the same powers to assess and collect such debts as if such amounts were imposed income taxes, the collection of which would be jeopardized by delay. Permits the head of an agency to garnish an employee's wages to pay any debt owed to the United States because of an erroneous payment to the individual by another agency. Declares that the statute of limitations for actions brought by the United States for money damages shall not bar the Government from collecting money payable to an individual by administrative offset if the individual is provided with an opportunity for an administrative hearing subject to judicial review. Authorizes the Secretary to disclose a taxpayer's address to an agency or an agency contractor engaged in a proceeding to collect a Federal claim. Permits such agency or contractor to redisclose such information. Authorizes appropriations for the employment in the Internal Revenue Service of sufficient personnel to collect all Federal tax liabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1981
Comprehensive Savings Incentive Act of 1981 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase to $1,000 ($2,000 in the case of a joint return) the amount of interest and dividend income which may be excluded from gross income. Amends the Crude Oil Windfall Profit Tax Act of 1980 to repeal the termination date for such exclusion. Increases to $2,500 ($3,000 for married couples) the amount of retirement savings contribution allowable as a deduction. Increases from 60 to 70 percent the amount of the capital gain deduction. Reduces the rate of the alternative minimum tax on individuals. Reduces the rate of the alternative tax on the capital gains of corporations from 28 to 21 percent.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow certain low-income individuals a refundable income tax credit for the property taxes and rent paid on their principal residences. Requires, for purposes of eligibility, that the taxes and rent paid by such individuals exceed five percent of their adjusted gross income. Limits such credit to $500 for the taxable year ($250 for married individuals filing separately). Reduces the credit by five percent of the amount by which the taxpayer's adjusted gross income exceeds $10,000 in 1980, $15,000 in 1981, and $20,000 in taxable years beginning after December 31, 1982.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit a taxpayer to elect to compute the depreciation on certain eligible vessels and vessel construction facilities by using a useful life of five years.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 1981
Welfare Improvement Act of 1981 - Amends part A (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) of title IV of the Social Security Act to set forth a new formula for determining the amount of payments to a State under such part. Provides: (1) for an annual increase in such amount based upon the lesser of the percentage increases in the Consumer Price Index or the national wage level; and (2) that such amount shall be changed in accordance with a State's population. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to pay to each State with an "excess unemployment percentage" greater than zero, as determined according to this Act, a supplemental grant based on a specified formula. Permits a State to require any individual whose needs are taken into account in determining AFDC eligibility to work as a condition of AFDC eligibility. Establishes a five-year, eight-State demonstration project in which payments made to participating States pursuant to the AFDC program may be used without regard to the requirements and limitations otherwise applicable under the AFDC program. Directs the Advisory Council on Intergovernmental Relations to report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and to Congress concerning such project.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 1981
Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 - Title I: Individual Tax Rate Cuts - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce individual and estate and trust income tax rates for 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1984. Repeals the 50 percent maximum tax rate on personal service income. Reduces the alternative minimum tax for taxpayers other than corporations. Title II: Incentives for Plant, Equipment, and Real Property - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the method for determining useful lives of business assets for purposes of computing allowable depreciation deductions. Replaces the asset depreciation range (ADR) method with a schedule of capital cost recovery periods for three classes of business property. Establishes cost recovery periods for the following classes of business property: (1) ten-year property, including owner-used buildings and their structural components and certain public utility property; (2) five-year property, including tangible property, and (3) three-year property, including automobiles, light-duty trucks and certain tangible property used in connection with research and experimentation. Excludes from the category of recovery property: (1) property placed in service before January 1, 1981; (2) certain property eligible for amortization; and (3) certain depreciable real property. Requires the recapture of depreciation amounts and investment tax credit amounts applicable to assets which are sold or otherwise disposed of prior to the expiration of the capital cost recovery period. Revises the treatment of progress expenditure property with respect to the investment tax credit and the allowance for depreciation. Includes as recovery property property which would have been depreciated using the retirement-replacement-betterment method. Provides special rules for recovery property predominantly used outside of the United States. Establishes definite useful lives for certain types of real property, (e.g., buildings, low-income housing, owner-occupied industrial and commercial buildings) which are not subject to change by the Internal Revenue Service upon audit. Allows current depreciation of any qualified progress expenditure property not yet placed in service. Revises the applicable percentage for determination of the investment tax credit to make eligible for such credit: (1) 100 percent of the basis of ten-year or five-year recovery property; and (2) 60 percent of the basis of three-year recovery property. Revises the progress expenditure rules to eliminate the useful life requirement for depreciable property being constructed by or for a taxpayer for use in trade or business (qualified progress expenditure property) and to apply to such property the revised percentages for determining the investment tax credit under this Act. Revises rules for the recapture of tax benefits upon the disposition of property eligible for the investment tax credit. Prescribes recapture percentages for each of the three classes of recovery property. Limits the amount of the investment tax credit to the amount that the taxpayer has risked. Disqualifies capital cost recovery property from the allowance for first year depreciation. Repeals the retirement-replacement-betterment methods of depreciation allowed for certain types of property. Specifies that such property shall be depreciated using a ratable method. Requires the recapture as ordinary income of excess depreciation from recovery property which is subsequently sold or exchanged. Exempts accelerated depreciation on real property with a shortened audit-proof life and recovery property from classification as an item of tax preference for purposes of computing the minimum tax. Sets forth rules for treatment of the depreciation allowance for any recovery property under real property with a shortened audit-proof life in computing the earnings and profits of a corporation. Extends the carryover period for the net operating loss deduction, the investment tax credit, the work incentive program credit, and the new employee credit. Sets forth a method of computing the recovery allowance for recovery property and certain real property in the case of certain corporate acquisitions.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a income tax credit for the purchase of a model year 1979 or later highway vehicle which is manufactured in the United States and is purchased by the taxpayer after May 31, 1980 and before June 1, 1981. Limits the amount of such credit to $500 or $750 in the case of a certified high fuel efficiency vehicle.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require a cost-of-living adjustment, based on the Consumer Price Index, to the adjusted basis of a capital asset at the time of its sale or exchange for purposes of determining gain or loss on such asset.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individuals a refundable income tax credit equal to one-third of the total cost during the taxable year of heating oil purchased by such individuals for use in a residence. Limits the dollar amount of such credit to $400 for the taxable year. Reduces the amount of such credit by 1.5 percent of the amount by which the taxpayer's adjusted gross income exceeds $30,000. Provides for the termination of the credit for taxable years ending after December 31, 1983. Provides for the cost of funding such credit through the Windfall Profit Tax Account.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 1981
Taxpayers' Bill of Rights Act - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to prepare, for distribution to taxpayers, brief but comprehensive statements which set forth in nontechnical terms: (1) the rights and obligations of taxpayers during an audit; (2) the procedures which the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may use in enforcing revenue laws; and (3) the procedures by which a taxpayer may appeal adverse decisions, prosecute refund claims, and file taxpayer complaints. Requires a copy of such statement to accompany any tax forms sent to taxpayers. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to prescribe criminal penalties for: (1) any investigation by employees of the United States in connection with Federal tax laws which inquires into the beliefs, associations, or activities of any individual or organization which are not directly related to such tax laws; or (2) the maintenance of any records containing information derived from such an investigation. Creates a civil cause of action for any taxpayer aggrieved by a prohibited investigation or by the deprivation of any civil rights. Permits the award of a judgment of costs, including reasonable attorney's fees, to a prevailing taxpayer in any proceeding before the Tax Court. Requires the IRS, upon a taxpayer's request, to conduct any interview regarding a deficiency assessment in the taxpayer's residence or place of business, at a reasonable time convenient to the taxpayer. Requires the officer or employee conducting such interview to warn the taxpayer that: (1) he has a right to remain silent; (2) any statement he makes may be used against him; and (3) he has the right to the presence of an attorney. Exempts certain income producing property from levy for nonpayment of taxes. Makes binding on the Secretary: (1) a tax return prepared for the taxpayer by an officer or employee of the IRS acting in his official capacity to provide such assistance; and (2) information or advice given to the taxpayer by such an officer or employee acting in his official capacity. Directs the Comptroller General of the United States to establish, and to report annually to Congress on, a program to provide for a continuing audit and investigation of the efficiency, uniformity, and equity of the administration of the internal revenue laws of the United States. Places the burden of proof, in administrative and judicial proceedings involving the IRS and a taxpayer, upon the IRS. Directs that all property of taxpayers, for purposes of the estate and gift tax, be valued at historical cost (original cost to the taxpayer or the basis of the property if it was not purchased). Prohibits the use in IRS personnel evaluations of amounts collected pursuant to audits or investigations. Requires the annual audit of the tax returns of IRS revenue agents and tax auditors. Requires a court order before property of a taxpayer may be levied upon for the collection of tax.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 1981
Repeals a specified provision of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act thereby deleting limits on the use of public treatment works grants for treating, storing, or conveying the flow of industrial users into treatment works.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 1981
Federal Lending Oversight and Control Act - Declares that the purpose of this Act is to provide a statutory basis for controlling loans and loan guarantees under Federal credit programs through the congressional budget process. Title I: Reports Regarding Federal Credit Activity - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury, not later than February 1 and August 1 of each year, in consultation with the Council of Economic Advisors, to transmit a report to both Houses of Congress regarding Federal credit activity during the previous six month period. Requires each such report to examine the relationship between Federal credit activity during the previous six-month period and: (1) the condition of the economy; (2) the availability and cost of credit in the private sector; and (3) the exercise of monetary and fiscal policy by the Federal Government. Amends the Federal Reserve Act to direct the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, in their biannual reports to Congress concerning recent developments affecting economic trends in the Nation, to examine the effects of Federal credit activity on the availability and cost of credit in the private sector and on the exercise of monetary policy by the Board and the Federal Open Market Committee. Amends the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 to require the President, in his annual budget statement to the Congress, to include all essential facts regarding direct lending by the Government and guarantees by the Government of the repayment of indebtedness incurred by another person or government. Title II: Changes in Congressional Budget Procedures - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to require the first concurrent resolution on the budget for each fiscal year to set forth the appropriate level of total gross obligations for the principal amount of direct loans and the appropriate level of total commitments to guarantee loans and to allocate such totals among the major functional categories of the budget. Directs each standing committee of the House and Senate to submit its estimates of direct loan obligations and loan guarantee commitments provided for in legislation under its jurisdiction by March 15 of each year for consideration of the Budget Committee in formulating the budget resolution. Directs the House and Senate Banking Committees to submit recommendations to the Budget Committees for the aggregate levels of direct loans and loan guarantees in each fiscal year. Requires the joint explanatory statement accompanying a conference report on the concurrent resolution on the budget to include an estimate allocation of the total levels of direct loan obligations and loan guarantee commitments among the committees of the House and Senate. Directs the Committees on Appropriations to provide such an allocation among their subcommittees as soon as practicable after a budget resolution has been agreed to. Requires the House Committee on Appropriations, before reporting any regular appropriations bills, to submit a summary report to the House comparing the credit authority contained in such bills to the levels agreed to in the budget resolution. Requires any report accompanying legislation conferring new budget authority or increasing tax expenditures to include information on direct loan obligations and loan guarantee commitments. Establishes a deadline for the completion of action on legislation providing credit authority. Requires the second concurrent resolution on the budget in any fiscal year and the reconciliation process to take into account Federal obligations and commitments on loans and loan guarantees. Declares out of order any measure brought up for consideration in either House which would increase the level of loan obligations and guarantee commitments agreed to in the budget process. Requires any authority to guarantee the payment of any indebtedness to be contingent on provisions in appropriation Acts. Title III: Amendments to House Rules - Amends rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives to require each standing committee (other than the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on the Budget) to review and make appropriate recommendations with respect to the consistency and uniformity of the different definitions, default provisions, policies, interest rates, and other terms and conditions relating to direct loan, loan insurance, and loan guarantee activities included in any laws of which the subject matter is within the jurisdiction of that committee. Title IV: Construction and Effective Dates - Sets forth the effective dates of the titles of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 1981
Voluntary School Prayer Act of 1981 - Eliminates Supreme Court and Federal district court jurisdiction to review and hear any case arising out of State law relating to voluntary prayer in public buildings and schools.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 1981
Directs the Comptroller General to audit, each fiscal year, the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Advisory Council, the Federal Open Market Committee, and all Federal Reserve banks and their branches. Requires the Comptroller General, within six months after the end of each fiscal year, to make a report to the Congress on the results of such audit.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 1981
Committee Improvement Amendments of 1981 - Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to require each standing committee, not later than 60 days after the Congress convenes, to submit an oversight agenda to the Committee on Government Operations. Directs such committee to hold hearings at which the chairman and ranking minority member of each standing committee shall testify on the oversight accomplishments of the preceding Congress and the proposed oversight agenda for the new Congress. Requires the Committee on Government Operations, not later than 90 days after the Congress convenes, to report to the House an oversight agenda resolution which incorporates such agendas of all standing committees, and additional recommendations of the committee. Directs the House to complete action on such resolution not later than 90 days after the Congress convenes, to report to the House an oversight agenda resolution which incorporates such agendas of all standing committees, and additional recommendations of the committee. Directs the House to complete action on such resolution not later than 180 days after the Congress convenes. Directs the Speaker of the House to initially refer each bill, resolution, or other matter to one committee of principal jurisdiction. Eliminates the authority of the Speaker to refer any such matter to two or more committees for concurrent consideration. Requires the membership of each committee, select committee, and conference committee (and each subcommittee, task force, or subunit thereof) to reflect the ratio of majority to minority Members. Provides that such ratio be reflected for standing committees at the beginning of each Congress, and for select and conference committees at the time of appointment. Prohibits any standing committee to establish more than six subcommittees, and any Member to serve at any one time on more than four subcommittees. Defines subcommittee as any subunit of a standing committee established for a period of more than six months. Prohibits the vote by any member of any committee or subcommittee to be cast by proxy. Provides that a majority of members of each committee or subcommittee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business. Prohibits the House to consider any primary expense resolution until the Committee on House Administration has reported and the House has adopted a resolution establishing committee staff personnel ceilings for that year. Requires such committee to specify in any primary or supplemental expense resolution the number of staff positions authorized therein. Authorizes the House to consider any supplemental expense resolution in excess of such ceiling by a vote of two-thirds of the Members present.
United States · United States Congress · 4 March 1981
Limits the aggregate amount of all expense resolution authorization levels for the committees of the House of Representatives for the first session of the 97th Congress to no more than 90 percent of the aggregate expenditure levels of such committees for the second session of the 96th Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 1981
Federal Law Enforcement Officers' Security Act of 1981 - Provides civil service compensation for the disability or death of a Federal law enforcement officer resulting from an injury sustained while making an arrest for a State felony, unless such compensation is available to such officer under State law. Directs the Attorney General of the United States to reimburse a Federal officer for: (1) any litigation expenses incurred for defending himself or herself in an action brought against such officer for violating a State law while making such an arrest; and (2) any resulting fine or damages imposed, if a State officer would be immune to liability for the same conduct. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude the amount of any such reimbursement from the officer's gross income.
United States · United States Congress · 26 February 1981
Employee Retirement Savings Contribution Act of 1981 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employees who are participants in tax-qualified employer retirement plans an income tax deduction for contributions to such plans or to individual retirement accounts. Limits the amount of such deduction to the lesser of 15 percent of the employee's compensation for the taxable year or $1,500. Disallows such deduction for individuals otherwise claiming a deduction for contributions for retirement savings. Limits the deduction for government employees to the amount of plan contributions which exceeds the amount of employment tax which such employees would pay if they were subject to the employment tax.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 1981
Amends title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) of the Social Security Act to exclude the income and resources of parents from their child's income and resources, for the purpose of determining the child's eligibility for SSI benefits, if such child: (1) is disabled; (2) regularly requires special care which is primarily or customarily available only in hospitals; (3) spent at least four weeks receiving such care in a hospital for which payment was made under the Medicaid program (title XIX of the Act); and (4) has left the hospital, is living at home with his or her parents, and is receiving such care at home as an alternative to further hospitalization, but the parents cannot realistically meet the costs of such care without SSI benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 1981
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to redefine capital gains and losses so as to eliminate the one year holding period requirement for capital gains tax treatment. Removes such requirement for property used in a trade or business. Revises the tax treatment of capital losses.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 1981
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the Army should construct and place in Arlington National Cemetery a plaque honoring members of the United States Armed Forces who died attempting to rescue the American hostages in Iran.
United States · United States Congress · 25 February 1981
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) Israel's security in the 1980's will reflect the military balance of power and continued U.S. assistance; (2) support of Israel will entail support of the United States; (3) the United States should build up its strength to contain Soviet influence in the Middle East; and (4) such actions will be viewed as reaffirming U.S. security agreements with Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 24 February 1981
Amends the Federal criminal code to establish penalties for forcibly assaulting, striking, wounding, discharging a firearm or explosive at, or offering violence to, any fireman or law enforcement officer on account of such individual's performance of official duties.
United States · United States Congress · 24 February 1981
Requires the Federal Government and persons conducting federally assisted programs, projects, and activities to pay interest to business concerns for overdue sales and lease agreement payments not made by the thirtieth day after the bill for such payment is received. Specifies the procedure for computing such interest. Stipulates that overdue payments for meat, groceries, and perishables shall be determined in accordance with terms commonly offered meat, grocery, and perishable industries. Entitles the Government and such persons to early payment discounts only if payments are made within the prescribed periods.
![Official portrait of Rep. Solomon, Gerald B. H. [R-NY-22]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s000675_200.jpg)