United States · United States Congress · 4 May 1977
Federal Construction Costs Reduction Act - Raises from $2,000 to $40,000 the dollar value of contracts to which the Davis-Bacon Act setting minimum wages on federally-affected construction projects applies. Directs the Secretary of Labor to increase such threshold level yearly in proportion to the rise in the Consumer Price Index. Makes the Act applicable only to the wages of unskilled laborers. Exempts apprentices, helpers, and trainees from the Act and forbids the Secretary from taking any action which discourages the customary utilization of apprentices, helpers, and trainees. Requires the "prevailing wage" (contracts covered by the Act must provide that covered employees are paid at a rate determined by the prevailing wage) to be set at the average wage paid laborers employed on at least three projects similar to the subject project which were carried out in the immediate geographic area during the previous two years. Requires such determination to be made no later than 60 days prior to the opening of invitations for bids for projects covered by the Act. Requires, in lieu of the weekly wage reports presently required by the Act, that in the event there is no evidence that a contractor is violating the Act, such contractor need only submit an affidavit certifying his compliance. States that where evidence of such violation exists, the contractor must submit weekly certified payroll statements and other records required by the Secretary. Establishes a Federal Construction Appeals Board to which any interested party may appeal wage rate determinations or other Labor Department rules likely to have a substantial effect on future wage rate determinations.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 1977
Entitles to a civil service annuity those employees of the Bureau of Indian Affairs or of the Indian Health Service: (1) who complete 25 years of service before December 31, 1989, or who become 50 years of age before December 31, 1989, but complete 20 years of service before that date ; (2) who were employed continuously from June 17, 1974, to the date of separation; and (3) who are not otherwise entitled to full retirement benefits or to an Indian preference. Sets forth the method of computation of such annuity.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 1977
Authorizes the Administrator of General Services to accept land, buildings, and equipment, without reimbursement, for the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library in Boston, Massachusetts, as part of the National Archives system. Provides that such acceptance shall not occur until after the expiration of 60 days of continuous congressional session following the date on which a report is submitted by the Administrator to Congress on any such proposed Presidential archival depository.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 1977
National Food Stamp Reform Act - Extends the Food Stamp Act of 1964 through fiscal year 1982. Excludes from the definition of "food" which may be purchased with food stamps alcoholic beverages, tobacco, ice cubes, artificial food colorings, powdered and liquid cocktail mixes, carbonated beverages, cooking wines, and chewing gum; and any other food, class of food, food product or condiment which the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the President of the National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council (Food and Nutrition Board), determines to have a negligible or low nutritional value or to be an insignificant enhancement of palatability. Includes residents of federally subsidized housing for the elderly in the definition of "household". Redefines "elderly person" as someone 65 years or older (currently, 60 years of age). Defines "nutritionally adequate diet" as a diet sufficient to feed a family of four persons, consisting of a man and a woman between 20 and 54 years of age, one child between ages nine and eleven and one child between six and eight, and which meets additional specified conditions. Directs the Secretary to establish uniform national standards of eligibility for participation by households in the food stamp program. Requires the income standards of eligibility in every State to be the nonfarm income poverty guidelines prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget, adjusted annually; but limits the standards for Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam to those of the 50 States. Sets a 90-day accounting period for certification or recertification of food stamp applicants. Limits the maximum allowable financial resources (liquid and nonliquid assets) of a household to $1,500, except that, for households or two or more persons with one or more members 65 years or older, such resources are limited to $2,250. Specifies holdings excluded from the determination of such resources. Requires household income for purposes of the food stamp program to be the gross income of the household less: (1) a deduction of $25 a month for any household in which there is at least one elderly person; and (2) an additional deduction equal to 15 percent of all earned income to compensate for taxes, mandatory deductions, and work expenses. Includes in gross income: (1) all monetary payments to or on behalf of any household member except payments made for medical costs; (2) all income tax refunds and Federal income tax credits; (3) the value of all in-kind items; and (4) the value of all benefits received under any publicly or privately funded assistance program. Excludes from gross income: (1) payments for medical costs made on behalf of the household; (2) compensation for services performed by a student residing with the household who is not yet 18; (3) Uniform Relocation Assistance payments; (4) infrequent or irregular quarterly income; (5) all loans except deferred repayment education loans; and (6) the cost of producing self-employed income. Authorizes the Secretary to establish temporary emergency eligibility standards for households which are victims of a disaster. States that no household shall be eligible for participation in the Food Stamp program which includes an able- bodied adult between the ages of 18 and 65 who: (1) incurs a reduction of income as a result of voluntarily reducing his or her number of hours of employment without good cause; (2) fails to register for employment at a State or Federal employment office; (3) has refused to accept employment or public work within 30 miles of the person's principal residence; (4) fails to actively seek employment; or (5) is enrolled in an institution of post-secondary education as a substitute for full-time employment. Excludes from this class of ineligible individuals mothers with dependent children, primary or secondary school students, post-secondary level students or trainees' employed part-time, enrollees in a drug addiction or alcoholic treatment program, and persons working at least 30 hours per week. States that refusal to work at a plant site because of a strike or other labor dispute shall be deemed to be a refusal to accept employment. Declares that no person shall be eligible who is not a citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. States that no minor shall be considered a household member if such minor resides in a household in which no other member has a legal duty to support him unless: (1) the individual who had such a duty is financially unable to perform it; or (2) no individual with such duty exists. Requires each household receiving food stamps to report its income at least once each month. Declares that no household that knowingly transfers liquid or nonliquid assets for the purpose of qualifying or attempting to qualify for the food stamp program shall be eligible to participate in the program for a minimum of 90 days. States that no person who receives supplementary security income benefits under title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) of the Social Security Act. State supplementary payments under such title, or payments under specified provisions of title II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) of such Act, shall be considered a member of a household for any month, if for such month, such individual resides in a State in which the Supplemental Security Income benefit has been increased specifically to include the bonus value of food coupon allotments. Requires food coupons to be designed with spaces for the user to sign upon receipt and redemption. Requires coupon users to present suitable identification; including signature and photograph, when redeeming coupons at approved food stores. States that the value of the food coupon allotment to which eligible households will be entitled shall be an amount sufficient to allow a household to purchase a nutritionally adequate diet. Requires the semi-annual adjustment of the value of an allotment based on changes in the cost of food. Establishes as the charge a household shall pay for its coupon allotment the lesser of: (1) the percentage of its income which would be expended for food by an average household of its size and income range in the same region of the country; or (2) 30 percent. Provides, under the requirements for State plans for the administration of the food stamp program, for closer State supervision of eligibility by households. Requires the State agencies administering the program to conduct nutrition education programs for recipients. Directs each State agency to establish an earnings clearance system for the purpose of checking the actual income and assets of a household against those reported by the household. Provides that if a State agency does not comply with the provisions of the Food Stamp Act, the Secretary may refer the matter to the Attorney General with a request for an injunction, or he may direct that there be no further issuance of coupons in the political subdivisions where such failure has occurred until such time as satisfactory corrective action has been taken. Establishes a national system for providing information to State agencies in order to assist them in preventing households from receiving food stamps in more than one State or in more than one political subdivision within a State. Sets a civil penalty not in excess of $10,000 for each violation of the Food Stamp Act of 1964 or regulations issued pursuant to it by specified persons, including State agencies. Directs the Secretary to pay to each State agency out of funds appropriated by Congress an amount equal to 75 percent of all direct costs of State food stamp program investigations, prosecutions, and State activities related to recovering losses sustained in the food stamp program. Specifies information to included in the Secretary's annual report in addition to information already given.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 1977
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to deny tax-exempt status to certain organizations if such organizations hold farm real property purchased after the date of enactment of this Act and the holding of such property is not substantially related to the charitable or educational purpose which would otherwise make the organizations tax-exempt.
United States · United States Congress · 21 April 1977
Constitutional Amendment - Declares the term "person," with respect to due process and equal protection, applicable to human beings irrespective of age, health, function or condition of dependency, including the unborn. Prohibits the deprivation of life of an unborn person, except pursuant to laws permitting medical procedures required to prevent the death of the mother.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 1977
Amends the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to direct the Civil Aeronautics Board to adopt time limitations for decisions regarding applications for certificates of public convenience and necessity to engage in interstate air transportation. Requires the Board, if it does not act within such period, to issue the certificate as requested unless it, by order entered within the specified time period, finds that the public interest or extraordinary circumstances justify delay for a period of time specified in the order. Requires that any proposed rule or regulation establishing such time limits be submitted to each House of Congress and stipulates that it shall become effective 30 legislative days after submission unless either House adopts a resolution disapproving such rule or regulation.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 1977
Amends the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to require the Civil Aeronautics Board to rescind the authority of any air carrier to provide non-stop service between two points if such authority is not exercised for any continuous one-year period. Authorizes the Board to grant such authority to another carrier with or without a hearing.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 1977
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow taxpayers a credit against the income tax for specified higher education expenses, including tuition, fees, books and supplies, incurred by the taxpayer for himself or any dependent.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 1977
Amends the Federal Salary Act of 1967 to require that the pay recommendations of the President with respect to salary increases for Members of Congress be approved by legislation by both Houses of Congress. Amends the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 to abolish automatic cost-of-living adjustments for Members of Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 1977
Requires the Congressional Record for the House of Representatives to contain an accurate and verbatim account of remarks actually delivered on the floor of the House together with supporting data. Limits revisions of verbatim remarks in the Record to the correction of grammatical and typographical errors which do not change the meaning, content, or substance of those remarks. Entitles Members to insert in the Records remarks not actually delivered on the floor. Stipulates that such insertions always be clearly distinguishable from verbatim remarks.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 1977
Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949 to base specified disaster payments for wheat and feed grains on the actual acreage planted, in lieu of the farm acreage allotment base.
United States · United States Congress · 31 March 1977
Amends the Tariff Schedules of the United States to permit the duty-free importation of crude petroleum and crude shale oil from Canada, when an equivalent amount of the same kind and quality of domestic or duty-paid foreign crude petroleum and crude shale oil has been exported to Canada within 30 days prior to entry.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 1977
Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949 to base specified disaster payments for wheat and feed grains on the actual acreage planted, in lieu of the farm acreage allotment base.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 1977
Amends the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 and the Bankruptcy Act to repeal provisions allowing automatic cost-of-living adjustments in the salaries of Members of Congress, persons paid pursuant to the Executive Schedule, the Vice President, and specified judicial positions including bankruptcy referees.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1977
Family Farm Preservation Act - Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to prohibit any insured bank from investing any of the funds of a common trust fund or other fund for the collective investment of assets held by the bank as fiduciary, agent, or in any similar capacity, in real estate used principally for agricultural purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 1977
Requires the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, under the Federal Crop Insurance Act, to reopen, for a special period ending 30 days after this Act becomes effective, any county which for any reason the Corporation has closed to new applications for crop insurance prior to the norma closing date, upon a determination by Secretary of Agriculture that an emergency exists in such county as a result of a natural disaster. Stipulates that terms, conditions, and premium rates shall be the same as those applicable to similarly situated eligible applicants prior to the most recent closing period for the crop to be insured. Directs the Treasury of the United States to reimburse the Corporation for such insurance issued. States that future adjustments in premium rates are not to take into account actuarial data arising from insurance issued during this reopening period. Applies the terms of this Act to the 1977 crop year only.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 1977
Raises the amount of capital stock of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation authorized by the Federal Crop Insurance Act from $100,000,000 to $400,000,000. Increases the maximum compensation of members of the FCIC Advisory Committee and of members of the Board of Directors who are not otherwise employed by the Government to no greater than the daily rate for GS-18. Eliminates county crop insurance committees and associations of producers from the administration of the insurance program. Makes insurance available to producers of rice as well as of wheat, cotton, grain sorghum, corn, and barley wherever they are grown commercially. Provides for a three-year period during which the Corporation must accept all eligible producers who want insurance; after which it may limit or refuse insurance under adverse circumstances to producers who have not availed themselves of the opportunity to enter the program. Authorizes insurance against prevented planting losses caused by floods. Provides for a 25 percent Federal subsidy of each participant's premium. Removes the $12,000,000 limitation on funds that may be made available by direct appropriation and creates within the United States Treasury a separate revolving fund available, without fiscal year limitation, for administrative and operating expenses of the Corporation and for other purposes. Grants the Corporation discretionary borrowing authority. Authorizes the Government to reimburse the Corporation for the depletion of premium reserves paid in by farmers caused by administrative and operating expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 1977
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the ban or prohibition of saccharin should be delayed until the appropriate Congressional committees have determined that consumption of saccharin in unsafe.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 1977
Requires the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, under the Federal Crop Insurance Act, to reopen for 30 days the period during which insurance or reinsurance applications may be made by persons in counties in which the Secretary of Agriculture determines a state of emergency exists with respect to insurable crops. Stipulates that terms, conditions, and premium rates shall be the same as those applicable to similarly situated applicants prior to the most recent closing period for the crop to be insured. Directs the Treasury of the United States to reimburse the Corporation for such insurance issued. States that future adjustments in premium rates are not to take into account actuarial data arising from insurance issued during this reopening period. Terminates this Act one year after enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 2 March 1977
Authorizes the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to construct a replacement lock and dam project on the Mississippi River near Alton, Illinois. Authorizes the Secretary to undertake steps to provide for wildlife protection and recreational activities in conjunction with such project. Withdraws all authority for the Secretary of the Army to construct or study the feasibility of construction or modification of a channel in the Mississippi River north of its juncture with the Illinois River. Withdraws the authority of: (1) any Federal agency to study the feasibility of deepening the navigation channels in the Minnesota River, Minnesota; Black River, Wisconsin; Saint Croix River, Minnesota and Wisconsin; Illinois River, Illinois; and the Mississippi River north of its junction with the Missouri River, Missouri; and (2) the Secretary of the Army to study or construct a specified Mississippi River channel. Authorizes the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to construct a replacement lock and dam project on the Mississippi River near Alton, Illinois. Authorizes the Secretary to undertake steps to provide for wildlife protection and recreational activities in conjunction with such project. Withdraws all authority for the Secretary of the Army to construct or study the feasibility of construction or modification of a channel in the Mississippi River north of its junction with the Illinois River. Withdraws the authority of: (1) any Federal agency to study the feasibility of deepening the navigation channels in the Minnesota River, Minnesota; Black River, Wisconsin; Saint Croix River, Minnesota and Wisconsin; Illinois River, Illinois; and the Mississippi River north of its junction with the Missouri River, Missouri; and (2) the Secretary of the Army to study or construct a specified Mississippi River channel.
![Official portrait of Rep. Stangeland, Arlan [R-MN-7]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s000795_200.jpg)