United States · United States Congress · 25 July 1984
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal rules relating to the determination of the issue price of certain debt instruments issued for property. Amends the Tax Reform Act of 1984 to repeal the revisions made to rules for the imputation of interest on certain deferred payments. Provides that the Internal Revenue Code shall be applied and administered as if such revisions had not been enacted.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 1984
Establishes a pilot program for fellowships under the House of Representatives for persons who are blind or deaf. Requires the Committee on House Administration to report to the House on the effectiveness of, and the desirability of, continuing such program.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 1984
Atomic Veterans Relief Act - Provides disability benefits to veterans who participated in atomic tests or the occupation of Hiroshima or Nagasaki after World War II and who, within 40 years, suffer from diseases that may be attributable to ionizing radiation, including: (1) leukemia, (2) polycythemia vera; (3) carcinoma of the thyroid; (4) chromosomal damage; (5) posterior subcapsular cataracts; and (6) other radiogenic cancers. Directs the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to promulgate regulations to resolve benefit claims and provide standards for benefit determinations and the inclusion of additional diseases as the basis for benefits. Provides for survivors' benefits. Directs the Administrator to report to the Veterans' Affairs Committees of Congress whenever legislative action related to the subject matter of the regulations is needed. Establishes in the Veterans Administration the Advisory Committee on Veterans Exposed to Ionizing Radiation to report annually to the Administrator on the administration of the benefits provided by this Act. Directs the Administrator to submit such report to Congress with appropriate comments. Provides medical care for the treatment of genetic or congenital disorders in the natural children of affected veterans. Entitles such children to educational assistance. Requires the Administrator to carry out an outreach, screening, and counseling program to serve those veterans, dependents, and survivors entitled to benefits under this Act. Directs the Administrator to establish a research and training program for the diagnosis and treatment of disabilities caused by exposure to ionizing radiation, including a centralized registry of claims. Directs the Administrator to make a comprehensive report on these programs in the annual report to Congress under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 1984
Prohibits a Federal agency from procuring by contract any services performed by Federal employees in the competitive service positions of guards, elevator operators, messengers, and custodians if such procurement would: (1) cause the separation of a preference eligible from any such position; or (2) preclude the performance of any such service by a qualified preference eligible. Allows such procurement when: (1) qualified preference eligibles are not available; or (2) the position is held by an employee other than a preference eligible on the date that the contract is entered into.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 1984
American Footwear Act of 1984 - Limits the imports of nonrubber footwear to 400,000,000 pairs per year. Directs the Secretary of Commerce (the Secretary) to allocate the import limitations among foreign countries, taking into consideration: (1) average levels of imports for the period 1978 through 1982; (2) findings of unfair trade practices with respect to nonrubber footwear products; and (3) recent market trends. Requires the Secretary to publish annually in the Federal Register the permissible level of imports by country, groups of countries, or area. Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of the Treasury to take all necessary actions to enforce this Act. Authorizes the Secretaries to issue such implementing regulations as necessary to effect the purposes of this Act and to enforce its provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 1984
Veterans' Compensation Amendments for Fiscal Year 1985 - Title I: Disability Compensation and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation - Part A: Rate Increases - Increases the rates of: (1) veterans' disability compensation; (2) additional compensation for dependents; (3) the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans; and (4) dependency and indemnity compensation. Part B: Compensation Program Amendments - Includes lupus erythematosus systemic among the chronic diseases considered to be service-connected for purposes of veterans' benefits if it manifests itself to a degree of ten percent or more within one year of separation from service. Decreases from 50 to 30 percent the percentage of disability required to make a peacetime service-connected disabled veteran eligible to receive additional compensation for dependents. Title II: Other Veterans' Program Improvements - Directs the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to establish the Advisory Committee on Veterans Exposed to Ionizing Radiation to advise the Administrator on benefits provided, compensation needs of veterans, dependents, and survivors, and disabilities or disorders stemming from a veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation during active military service. Requires the Committee to report to the Administrator by July 1, 1985, and biannually thereafter on activities of the Veterans Administration and recommendations for changes pertaining to veterans exposed to such radiation. Directs the Administrator to submit such report to Congress. Requires a permanently and totally disabled from a non-service-connected disability veteran under age 50 who applies for and receives a military pension to undergo a vocational evaluation. Allows any veteran who the Administrator of Veterans Affairs determines can achieve a vocational goal to undertake such training. Limits such training to 48 months. Suspends pension payment to any veteran failing to participate as required by the Administrator. Continues the drugs and medicine entitlement of housebound or regularly attended veterans who participate in vocational training without regard to income limitations. Increases the maximum amount of insurance available under the Servicemen's Group Life Insurance program. Increases the amount of automobile and adaptive equipment assistance the Administrator of Veterans Affairs may provide to an eligible person.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 1984
Amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act concerning the definition of the term "physician." Includes only doctors of medicine or osteopathy within the definition of the term "physician." Classifies as an "independently licensed health care practitioner" a podiatrist, optometrist, or chiropractor. Defines a "dentist" as a doctor of dental surgery or dental medicine.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 1984
Veterans' Health Care and Facilities Improvement Act of 1984 - Revises the requirements concerning the special policemen who protect Veterans Administration (VA) property. Increases the maximum fines for violations of regulations governing such property. Directs the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to appoint a chief inspector to supervise VA police officers. Sets forth requirements concerning police uniform design and cost reimbursement. Directs the Administrator to report to the Veterans' Affairs Committees within 90 days on the implementation of these provisions and the number and salary of officers proposed to be assigned to such facilities. Authorizes the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to furnish medical treatment to veterans of the Vietnam era who served in Southeast Asia and suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Limits treatment of such disorder to specified VA medical facilities. Directs the Administrator to compile and publish research results concerning the causes and treatment of such disorder. Terminates such assistance after FY 1988. Modifies the due date of the Comptroller General's report on the compliance of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget with certain statutory requirements relating to funded personnel ceilings for the VA's Department of Medicine and Surgery. Directs the Administrator to make an annual rather than a triennial report to Congress on the adequacy of per diem rates for payments made to States providing domiciliary, nursing home, and hospital care to veterans. Makes the first report due June 30, 1985 (currently, due June 30, 1986). Extends from FY 1984 to FY 1985 the authority of the Administrator to contract for hospital care or medical services in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands without reference to patient loads or incidence of provision of medical services for veterans treated by the Veterans Administration in the contiguous 48 States. Expands the amount of authorizations available for the research and education activities of Veterans Administration geriatric centers. Authorizes the Administrator to provide States with funds for the acquisition as well as the construction of State home facilities for veterans. Entitles veterans receiving service-connected disability compensation who are housebound or in need of regular aid to VA furnished drugs and medicines.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 1984
Increases the adapted housing benefit ceiling for veterans with specified permanent and total service-connected disabilities. Increases the maximum home loan guaranty available to eligible veterans generally and for the purchase of a manufactured home. Amends the national cemeteries and memorials provisions of Federal law to require that each grave marker in a national cemetery be upright.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 1984
Clean Coal Production and Utilization Technology Demonstration Act - Directs the Secretary of Energy to establish a technology demonstration program of advanced systems to: (1) reduce air pollution from coal-burning powerplants and other facilities; and (2) prove more efficient and environmentally acceptable processes for producing coal-derived fuels. States that such program and its funding shall be in addition to the Research and Base Technology activity contained in the existing fossil energy research and development budget of the Department of Energy. Directs the Secretary to prepare detailed specifications for advanced systems to demonstrate: (1) five specified near-term technologies; (2) seven longer-term, second generation technologies; and (3) any other advanced technologies which may appear promising for extracting gas and oil from shale and coal through field tests, with an emphasis on exploiting these resources in the Eastern region of the United States. Directs the Secretary within six months from the date of the enactment of this Act to solicit proposals from the public to construct, install, and operate these systems pursuant to such detailed specifications, on a cooperative basis with appropriate assistance from the Secretary, in one or more new or existing electric powerplants. Directs the Secretary to report to the appropriate committees of Congress concerning the selection of a proposal at least 45 days prior to accepting any proposal for technology demonstration. Directs the Secretary, within eight months following the date of the enactment of this Act, to prepare and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a five-year national coal engineering, development, and technology demonstration plan. Requires such plan to be updated annually and submitted to such committees by January 31 of each succeeding year. Makes available, pursuant to authorization and annual appropriation to the Secretary of Energy for use in carrying out this Act, a specified amount of the funds deposited in the Energy Security Reserve pursuant to provisions of the United States Synthetic Fuels Corporation Act of 1980. Authorizes an amount to be appropriated for FY 1986 from such reallocated funds to carry out the purposes of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 1984
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the President should continue to oppose: (1) the imposition of restrictions on European Community (EC) imports of nongrain feed ingredients and corn gluten and should support the current duty-free binding on such products; and (2) EC proposals which violate the duty-free binding on soybeans and soybean products under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and reaffirm the United States position that the imposition of a consumption tax by EC on vegetable fats and oils would represent a restraint of trade. States that if EC action is taken to inhibit the importation of such products, then the United States should restrict EC imports by the same proportion of reduced U.S. export products.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 1984
Title I: 15 Percent Increase in Rates - Increases veterans' educational assistance, including assistance for survivors and dependents, by 15 percent. Revises the formula for the reimbursement of administrative expenses to State and local agencies who monitor educational institutions attended by GI bill veterans to increase such allowance. Increases the subsistence allowance rate under the vocational rehabilitation program. Title II: Veterans' Employment in Civil Service - Extends veterans' readjustment appointments in the Federal Government up to and including the GS-11 level (currently fixed at GS-7). Grants a Vietnam veteran so appointed and terminated within the year to the same right of appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board as is held by a career or career-conditional employee during the first year of employment. Extends such appointments through FY 1987 (currently through FY 1984). Requires the Office of Personnel Management's annual report to Congress on veterans' readjustment appointments to breakdown by agency the number and grade of appointments, the number converted to career or career-conditional appointments, and the number and categories of causes of termination. Requires such report to breakdown such information for all veterans, with a separate breakdown veterans of the Vietnam era who are disabled.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 1984
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to identify by survey and determine the fair market value of certain property interests within and contiguous to the New River Gorge National River (Kentucky) which the United States and the Berwind Corporation are contemplating for exchange. Directs the Secretary to ensure that the transfer of certain excess Federal property to the Berwind Corporation will allow the mountain top removal method of surface mining. Subjects such surface mining to all Federal and State regulations. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into a written agreement with the Corporation pertaining to the reclamation of transferred property. Directs the Secretary to administer any exchanged properties as part of the New River Gorge.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 1984
State and Local River Conservation Act of 1984 - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to make grants to States for: (1) the establishment of State and local programs to conserve the natural environmental values of rivers; (2) conservation by the States, local governments, or private organizations of lands near rivers which are included in State, local, or Federal river programs; (3) the development of river management plans, technical assistance documents, or river regulations; and (4) projects demonstrating river conservation methods. Specifies restrictions on the use of such grants. Sets forth grant allocation requirements. Authorizes appropriations for the grants and for the administration of this Act. Conditions such grants upon the establishment of a State river conservation program or upon the development of an assessment of the river related resources of the State. Directs the Secretary to make grants to States for the development of such assessments. Specifies restrictions on such grants. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to encourage volunteers and volunteer organizations to conserve, maintain, and manage rivers throughout the United States. Requires each State with a river conservation program to establish review procedures in connection with applications for a Federal permit or license to conduct activities affecting land or water uses near any river included in the State program. Requires State concurrence with the granting of any such licenses by the Federal agencies with licensing authority. Authorizes landowners to make contributions of real property interests to tax-exempt organizations in order to conserve or enhance the values of rivers included in State, local, or Federal river programs. Requires the agency responsible for the management or supervision of the river involved to concur in the donation.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 1984
Performing Arts Labor Relations Amendments - Amends the National Labor Relations Act to exclude specified types of employers and performers in the performing arts from coverage under unfair labor practice provisions prohibiting specified contracts or agreements between employers and labor organizations and prohibiting specified actions of labor organizations to force or require cessation of dealings with others, joining of labor or employer organizations, or recognition of or negotiation with labor organizations not certified as representative. Permits such employers, excluding employers in the broadcasting or motion picture industries, to: (1) agree with a labor organization to make membership in such organization a condition of performing arts employment; and (2) make agreements with a labor organization covering performing artists even if the majority status of the organization has not yet been established. Defines "employer" to include purchasers of musical performance services. Defines "employee" to include independent contractors engaged to perform musical services.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 1984
Fair Trade in Steel Act of 1984 - Declares that it is the policy of Congress that access to the U.S. market for foreign-produced carbon, alloy, and specialty steel mill products should be on an equitable basis to safeguard national security, insure orderly trade in steel mill products, reduce unfair trade in steel mill products, and alleviate U.S. balance-of-payments problems. Expresses the intent of Congress to: (1) expand the economic viability of the U.S. steel industry and the jobs of its workers; (2) prevent the further decline of the domestic steel industry; and (3) temper the economic hardships resulting from unemployment in steel industry communities by encouraging reinvestment in existing steelmaking facilities. Limits annual imports of specified steel mill product categories to specified percentages of the apparent domestic supply which are based on adjusted average import penetration levels for each such product category for the years 1979, 1980, and 1981. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to allocate global product limitations among foreign countries, groups of countries, or areas. Sets forth guidelines for making such allocations. Requires the Secretary to make an annual determination of the expected apparent domestic supply in each steel mill product category. Requires the Secretary to revise such determination periodically during the year. Directs the Secretary to determine, within 90 days after the effective date of this Act, whether the steel industry companies have plans to use substantially all of the cash flow from the steel sector for reinvestment in and the modernization of the steel sector. Prohibits the import restrictions from taking effect until the Secretary determines that the steel companies have such plans. Directs the Secretary to monitor steel sector investments made and announced by the steel industry and to consult with steel industry representatives and employees in the course of such monitoring. Directs the Secretary to determine annually whether steel companies are using substantially all the cash flow from the steel sector for reinvestment in and modernization of the steel sector. Directs the Secretary to modify or suspend the relevant import restrictions if the Secretary determines that substantially less than all the cash flow from the steel sector is being used for such reinvestment and modernization and that the level of investment is not demonstrably justified by adverse financial conditions within the industry. Directs the Secretary to publish: (1) each annual determination and its rationale; and (2) the total amount of cash flow from the steel sector and the total amount used for reinvestment in and modernization of the steel sector. Requires the steel companies to provide the Secretary with the information necessary for making such determinations. Directs the Secretary to examine the supply and demand situation in the United States for a specified steel product category if requested by affected steel consumers. Sets forth criteria to be used in determining short supply. Directs the Secretary to monitor imports of fabricated steel mill products. Sets forth the method of investigating whether imports of fabricated steel products are rendering ineffective or materially interfering with the objectives of this Act. Limits the quantity of iron ore that may be entered from all sources during any calendar year after the effective date of this Act. Directs the Secretary to allocate global iron ore limitations among foreign countries, groups of countries or areas. Sets forth guidelines for making such allocation. Directs the Secretary, in making such allocations, to attempt first to accommodate the requirements of individual steel mills which have been traditionally dependent on ocean sourced foreign iron ore and the requirements of contractual obligations incurred before January 1, 1984. Authorizes the Secretary to waive the import restrictions on iron ore if necessary to meet the needs of such individual steel mills. Provides for the enforcement and implementation of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 1984
Petroleum Marketing Practices Act Amendments of 1984 - Amends the Petroleum Marketing Practices Act to: (1) redefine the term "failure"; and (2) define the terms "constructive termination" and "similar motor fuel marketing operations." Defines "constructive termination" to mean: (1) the failure by the franchisor to supply the franchisee with motor fuel in an amount equal to the minimum specified in the franchise agreement; (2) the failure by the franchisor to make motor fuel available to the franchisee such minimum amount at a price which enables the franchisee to compete with similar motor fuel marketing operations of the franchisor; or (3) any adjustment in the quantity of fuel a franchisee is required or entitled to receive unless the franchisor can show that either the adjustment is applied equally to all franchisees and marketing operations of the franchisor within the relevant geographic area, or, if it is a downward adjustment, the franchisor can show that it is reasonable. Prohibits a motor fuel franchisor from constructively terminating a franchise. Requires a franchisor, in certain circumstances prior to terminating a franchise, to make a bona fide reasonable offer to transfer the franchise to the franchisee. Permits nonrenewal of a franchise relationship if the franchisor and franchisee cannot agree to changes or additions to the provisions of the franchise which are fair and reasonable. Prohibits nonrenewal because of the failure of the franchisor and franchisee to agree to changes or additions to the provisions of the franchise which relate to materially altering, adding to, or replacing the marketing premises. Permits nonrenewal, in a situation where renewal is presently permitted, when it would be uneconomical to the franchisor despite any reasonable changes acceptable to the franchisee, only if the franchisor demonstrates that the nonrenewal is not being made with the intent of avoiding competition with the franchisee. Requires a franchisor to notify a franchisee, 90 days prior to the franchisor's final opportunity to exercise an option to buy or to continue leasing the land where the franchise is located, of the name, address, and phone number of the owner or holder of the underlying lease. Provides that if a franchisee enters into an agreement with the owner or lessor to maintain possession of the premises, then the franchise agreement may continue, at the option of the franchisee. Requires any franchisor who competes with its own franchisees to supply motor fuel to its franchisees at a price and on terms which reasonably enable the franchisee to compete with the franchisor. States that the burden of proof is on the franchisor to show lack of competition. Revises the definition of "trial franchise." Permits a franchisee to maintain a civil action against a franchisor if the franchisor constructively terminates the franchise. States that the death, retirement, or disability of a franchisee shall not be grounds for termination or nonrenewal of the franchise if, prior the franchisee's death, retirement, or disability, the franchisee provides the franchisor with a succession plan. Permits termination or nonrenewal if: (1) the franchisor notifies the franchisee in writing, within 30 days of receipt of the plan, of the franchisor's rejection of the plan; (2) the rejection notice includes reasons for the rejection; and (3) the rejection is reasonable. Provides a franchisee with the right to sell or otherwise transfer the franchise subject to the approval of the franchisor. Prohibits approval from being withheld unreasonably.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 1984
Directs the President to: (1) secure from the Indochina nations a full accounting of Americans captured or missing as a result of the Vietnam conflict; and (2) work for the release of captive Americans and the return of the remains of those American servicemen and civilians who died in Southeast Asia. Requires the President to submit two reports to Congress on American POW/MIAs in Southeast Asia.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 1984
Authorizes the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Incorporated to erect a National Law Enforcement Heroes Memorial on public grounds in the District of Columbia or its environs in honor and recognition of law enforcement officials in the United States who died in the line of duty. Directs the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Fund, to select with the approval of the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission, a suitable site on public grounds for such memorial. Subjects the design and any plans for the memorial to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, the Commission of Fine Arts, and the National Capital Planning Commission. Declares that no moneys belonging to the United States or the District of Columbia shall be expended for the erection of such memorial other than expenses incurred in the process of site selection and approval of design and plans.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1984
Fair Insurance Coverage Act - Prohibits any insurer from discriminating in an insurance contract against any person because of blindness. Includes within the prohibition refusing to make or negotiate a contract for insurance or giving different treatment with respect to terms, conditions, rates, or benefits because of blindness. Establishes a preference for State actions prior to judicial enforcement under this Act. Authorizes any aggrieved person, in the absence of State actions or jurisdiction, to bring an action under this Act for individual relief. Authorizes the Attorney General of the United States to bring an action for injunctive relief whenever there is reasonable cause to believe a person is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination or when an individual is aggrieved and an issue of general public importance is raised. Grants the Federal district courts jurisdiction of such actions regardless of the amount in controversy. Allows a court to order monetary, equitable, or other appropriate relief, including punitive damages.