United States · United States Congress · 6 August 1987
Line-Item Rescission Act of 1987 - Amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to allow the President to transmit to both Houses of the Congress, for expedited consideration, one or more special messages proposing to rescind all or part of any item of budget authority provided in an appropriation bill. Sets forth required contents of such special message. Requires that such special message be transmitted on the same calendar day the President approves the appropriation bill and be accompanied by a draft bill or joint resolution that would, if enacted, rescind the budget authority proposed to be rescinded. Sets forth House and Senate procedures for the expedited consideration of such a proposal. Requires the item of budget authority proposed to be rescinded to be made available for obligation unless both Houses adopt the bill rescinding such item within 60 days.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 1987
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the President should direct the appropriate agencies to establish a systematic method for encouraging, screening, and processing Soviet defectors and prisoners of war in Afghanistan; (2) Soviet defectors and prisoners of war who request political asylum should be granted such asylum and transported to the United States; (3) the President should seek to establish a framework under which Soviet defectors would be helped in adapting to American life; and (4) the President should direct the appropriate agencies to broadcast into the Soviet Union and Afghanistan information concerning the Soviet Union's actions in Afghanistan and the provisions of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1987
Amends Federal provisions relating to cemeteries and memorials to remove the per-State limitation on the receipt of grant funds used for the establishment, expansion, and improvement of veterans' cemeteries. Authorizes the Administrator of Veterans Affairs (the Administrator) to make contributions to local authorities for the construction of traffic controls, road improvements, or other devices on land adjacent to a national cemetery if the Administrator determines that such a contribution is necessary for safe ingress and egress to or from such cemetery. Authorizes the Administrator to provide an approved grave liner for the interment of remains in cemeteries within the National Cemetery System and in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. Authorizes the Administrator to provide for flat grave markers in the case of gravesites of cremated remains that are interred in the ground. Authorizes the Administrator to also provide for flat grave markers in the case of graves on land transferred to the Department of Memorial Affairs from the Department of Medicine and Surgery of the Veterans Administration for the expansion of a cemetery at the Clement A. Zablocki Veterans' Administration Medical Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Establishes in the Treasury the Foreign Currency Fluctuations, American Battle Monuments Commission, Account. States that account funds shall be used by the American Battle Monuments Commission (the Commission) to eliminate operating losses due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates of foreign countries which occur after a budget request for the Commission is submitted to the Congress. Requires any limits applicable to appropriations available to the Commission to be adjusted to take into account any such foreign currency fluctuations. Authorizes funds originally transferred from such Account to be transferred back to that Account if foreign currency fluctuations necessitate such action. Requires unobligated balances of funds appropriated to the Commission for a fiscal year to be transferred into the Account within a specified time and to be merged with and available for the same period and purposes as that Account. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to report to the Congress annually on funds made available under this provision. Authorizes appropriations to the Account.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1987
Veterans' Compensation Amendments of 1987 - Title I: Rate Increases - Increases the rates of veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, and the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans. Increases the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children of veterans who have died as a result of service-connected disabilities, as well as the rates of supplemental dependency and indemnity compensation for certain surviving children. Title II: Improved Benefits for Former Prisoners of War - Amends Federal veterans' benefits provisions to: (1) redefine "former prisoner of war" to include persons held by other than an enemy government during a war; and (2) allow a presumption of service-connection for peripheral neuropathy due to trauma, a spastic colon, or peptic or duodenal ulcers suffered by a former prisoner of war which become manifest to a degree of ten percent or more after active military service. Decreases from six months to 90 days the period of internment required for former prisoners of war to become eligible for dental care benefits. Title III: Miscellaneous Provisions - Directs the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to pay benefits to the surviving spouse and children of certain deceased veterans rated totally disabled at their time of death and for a specified period preceding death. Requires such benefits to be provided in the same manner as if the veteran's death was service-connected. Prohibits the payment of any such benefits to a surviving spouse unless: (1) the marriage to the veteran occurred before the expiration of 15 years after the veteran's discharge or release from active duty; (2) the surviving spouse was married to the veteran for one year or more; or (3) a child was born of the marriage. Requires any benefits to be paid under this provision to be offset by any money received from a cause of action for damages arising from the death of the veteran as described above. Provides that persons found eligible for benefits as a result of this Act shall also be deemed eligible for dependency and indemnity compensation under current Federal law. Directs the Administrator to continue to maintain and operate separately the Veterans Administration Insurance Centers located in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Prohibits the Administrator from taking any action to consolidate such centers. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the bridge currently being constructed across the Ohio River between the cities of Weirton, West Virginia, and Steubenville, Ohio, would serve as an appropriate and fitting memorial to veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1987
Title I: Temporary Extension of Public Debt Limit - Increases the public debt limit (until September 30, 1987) to $2,358,000,000,000. Title II: Budget Process Reform - Amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to increase the permissible maximum deficit amounts for FY 1987 through 1990. Extends for one year the expiration date of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act). Title III: Economic Summit - Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President, together with the bipartisan leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives, should convene a domestic economic summit conference to address the dangerous economic situation which is created by large deficits and the ineffectual budget process. Directs the conference to report its recommendations for solutions to budgetary issues and budget process reforms to the Congress and the President.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1987
National Commission on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Act - Establishes a National Commission on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome to study and make recommendations regarding: (1) national policy and priorities with respect to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) including research, testing for the AIDS virus, confidentiality of test results, treatment and care of AIDS sufferers, prevention of the transmission of AIDS, and education about AIDS; (2) the appropriate roles of Federal, State, and local governments, and of the private sector regarding such national policy and priorities; and (3) guidelines for the coordination of AIDS activities with international organizations. Directs the Commission to hold hearings and to submit interim and final reports to the President and to the Congress. Directs the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to assist the Commission by preparing: (1) a detailed compilation and synopsis of national and international medical research on AIDS; and (2) a detailed report on activities of the Veterans Administration relevant to the duties of the Commission. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1988. Terminates the Commission 30 days after submission of its final report. Authorizes the President to extend the life of the Commission for a period not to exceed two years.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1987
Nuclear Waste Policy Commission Act of 1987 - Prohibits any expenditures from the Nuclear Waste Fund (or any other source) for site-specific activities until the Nuclear Waste Policy Review Commission (established by this Act) has submitted a specified report to the Congress, and the Congress authorizes the resumption of such activities after reviewing the report. Establishes the Nuclear Waste Policy Review Commission and makes it responsible to the Congress. States that the Commission's function shall be to examine the Nation's progress in the disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel and to make recommendations to the Congress. Details the scope of the Commission's review. Outlines the manner in which the Commission shall administer its affairs. Requires the Commission to submit a comprehensive report to the Congress within 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act. Authorizes appropriations to implement this Act for FY 1988 through 1990.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 1987
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the administration should oppose the implementation of the European Community directive which will limit U.S. access to such Community's agricultural markets; (2) if the European Community denies U.S. meat imports based on unsubstantiated standards or standards not applied to all Community members, the administration should adopt countermeasures; and (3) the administration should communicate to the Community that the United States views the directive as inconsistent with such Community's obligations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 1987
Administrative Law Judge Corps Act - Amends Federal law to establish, in Washington, D.C., an Administrative Law Judge Corps (the Corps) comprised of all current administrative law judges. States that the chief administrative law judge shall be the chief administrative officer of the Corps as well as its presiding judge. Specifies the qualifications for chief judge. States that such judge shall be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate. Directs the chief judge to submit annual reports to the President and the Congress. Establishes divisions (to number between four and ten) within the Corps, with each division headed by a division chief judge appointed by the chief administrative law judge, with the approval of the Council of the Administrative Law Judge Corps (the first division chief judge of each division shall be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate). Sets forth qualifications for division chief judges. Identifies initial divisions and their respective areas of jurisdiction. States that the Corps' policymaking body shall be the Council of the Corps (the Council), comprised of the chief judge and the division chief judges. Authorizes the Council to determine matters of general Corps policy, including: (1) issuance of regulations for Corps proceedings; (2) creation or abolition of divisions or regional offices; (3) contractual transactions; and (4) delegation of functions to division chief judges. Establishes a Judicial Nomination Commission to submit a list of qualified nominees for positions of chief judge and division chief judges. Prescribes a procedure for recommending appointments to the President. Directs the Corps to appoint new judges from a register maintained by the Office of Personnel Management. Confers jurisdiction upon members of the Corps to adjudicate cases under specified sections of the Administrative Procedure Act. Requires cases arising under such sections to be referred to the Corps. Directs the Council to issue regulations for assigning such cases. Provides guidelines for the removal and discipline of administrative law judges. Establishes a Complaints Resolution Board within the Corps to recommend action upon complaints against the official conduct of judges. Details the membership of such Board and the procedures to be followed. Declares Board proceedings and the contents of complaints to be privileged and confidential. Exempts documents and reports considered by the Board from the disclosure and publication requirements of the Freedom of Information Act. Exempts the Board from compliance with the public meeting requirements of specified Federal law. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 1987
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to ensure that rural hospitals which have no more than 50 beds and provide at least 70 percent of their inpatient hospital services to Medicare patients receive Medicare coverage of at least the reasonable costs of providing such services.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 1987
Constitutional Amendment - Requires the Congress and the President, prior to each fiscal year, to agree, by enactment of a joint resolution, on an estimate of total receipts for that fiscal year. Prohibits outlays for that year from exceeding such estimated receipts unless the Congress, by a three-fifths rollcall vote of each House, provides for a specific excess of outlays over receipts. Requires the Congress, whenever actual outlays exceed actual receipts for any fiscal year, to provide by law for the repayment of such excess in the ensuing fiscal year. Requires a three-fifths rollcall vote of each House to increase the public debt. Directs the President to submit to the Congress a proposed budget for each fiscal year in which total outlays do not exceed total receipts. Requires the approval by a majority of the total membership of each House by rollcall vote before any bill to increase revenue may become law. Waives this article for any fiscal year in which a declaration of war is in effect. Declares that total receipts shall include all receipts of the United States, except those derived from borrowing, and total outlays shall include all outlays of the United States, except those for repayment of debt principal.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 1987
National Petroleum Security Act of 1987 - Title I: Financial Incentives to Stimulate Oil and Gas Production - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the windfall profit tax on domestic crude oil. Allows a crude oil production tax credit for maintaining economically marginal wells. Allows as a tax deduction geological and geophysical costs paid or incurred during the taxable year. Repeals special rules for deduction of intangible drilling costs and mineral exploration and development costs. Increases the net income depletion limitations for oil or gas wells to 100 percent. Repeals certain depletion transfer rules. Title II: Federal Leasing Reform Provisions - Amends the Mineral Lands Leasing Act of 1920 to direct the Secretary of the Interior to implement a competitive oil and gas leasing program on the public lands of the Coastal Plain (in Alaska) in order to assure expeditious exploration, development, and production of the area's oil and gas resources. Delineates the elements of the Coastal Plain leasing program. Mandates deposit of the receipts from such leasing program in the Treasury. Requires that activities be conducted to achieve the reasonable protection of wildlife resources, the environment, and subsistence users. Authorizes the Secretary of State to initiate discussions with the Canadian Government regarding mutual planning for the development and transportation of crude oil and natural gas resources in the Arctic region under the respective jurisdiction of each country, both onshore and offshore. Title III: Oil Regulatory Reform Provisions - Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to direct the Secretary of Energy to assure that at least 50 percent (by volume) of the petroleum products acquired for storage in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve during each fiscal year are derived from domestic crude oil production (other than production of Federal lands). Amends the Department of Energy Organization Act to authorize the Attorney General to petition the Secretary of Energy for an adjudication of whether continued regulation of an existing pipeline is in the public interest. Directs the Secretary, upon receipt of such petition, to conduct such adjudication according to prescribed guidelines. Terminates Federal Energy Regulatory Commission jurisdiction over an existing pipeline that is not the subject of such a petition 120 days after the effective date of this Act, unless a joint resolution is enacted before then directing the Secretary to conduct an adjudication of whether regulation of such pipeline is in the public interest. Prescribes adjudication guidelines under which the Secretary shall find that regulation of a pipeline is in the public interest only if it is demonstrated that such regulation is necessary to constrain the exercise of substantial market power in a significant portion of the markets in which the pipeline operates. Terminates Commission regulatory jurisdiction over an existing pipeline if the Secretary finds the regulation over such pipeline is not in the public interest. Prescribes guidelines under which the Secretary is authorized to conduct an adjudication of whether, as a direct result of changed circumstances, regulation of an existing pipeline not then subject to Commission regulatory jurisdiction is in the public interest. Declares that new pipelines shall not be subject to Commission regulatory jurisdiction. States that the termination of Commission regulatory jurisdiction does not apply to its jurisdiction over crude oil or refined oil products transported prior to termination. Precludes Commission regulatory jurisdiction from being transferred in any manner to any Federal agency. Declares that the pipeline jurisdiction provisions of this Act do not apply to the Trans-Alaska pipeline. Confers exclusive, original jurisdiction over any petition for judicial review upon the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Precludes from such judicial review any action of the Attorney General under this Act, including adjudication petitions. Authorizes both the Secretary and the Attorney General to promulgate regulations under this Act. Retains the applicability of all antitrust laws to pipeline transportation of crude oil or refined oil products. Title IV: Natural Gas Regulatory Reform Provisions - Amends the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 to authorize the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to: (1) allow any pipeline to transport natural gas on behalf of any person; (2) require pipelines to transport gas without discrimination; and (3) require pipelines which receive gas to provide nondiscriminatory transportation services. Requires the Commission (upon request by any person) to direct an interstate pipeline to provide transportation service, without discrimination, unless such pipeline demonstrates to the Commission that it is incapable of providing such service. Removes wellhead price controls over all natural gas first sales beginning April 1, 1988. Removes such control for certain gas sales contracts executed after the date of enactment of this Act. Repeals Commission jurisdiction over first sales of natural gas committed or dedicated as of the day before enactment of this Act. Repeals Commission authority to specify the minimum duration of certain natural gas contracts (thus removing all non-price regulation of first sales of natural gas). Declares that, with respect to ceiling prices of certain natural gas sales, the last price paid for such gas shall be considered a federally established rate for purposes of an area rate clause. Provides a limited antitrust exemption for independent natural gas producer cooperatives. Title V: Environmental Provisions - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to exclude from the definition of "underground storage tank" all well cellars, sumps, drip collection devices, and specified equipment used in petroleum marketing operations. Expresses the sense of the Congress that certain rules regarding mixtures and derivatives should not be invoked to curtail certain petroleum industry recycling practices. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency should encourage continued use of land treatment for petroleum waste, and that such treatment should be considered as complying with the Solid Waste Disposal Act. Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to modify the underground injection control program with respect to the utilization of brine or other fluids.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 1987
Veterans' Housing Rehabilitation and Program Improvement Act of 1987 - Amends Federal veterans' benefits provisions to extend through FY 1989 the applicability of the veterans' loan origination fee (a fee paid by veterans for housing loans made to them by the Administrator of Veterans Affairs). Directs the Administrator to determine current and anticipated amounts in the Veterans' Administration Loan Guaranty Revolving Fund, and to cancel collection of the veterans' loan origination fee if the Fund exceeds a certain level. Decreases from 60 to 30 percent of the loan the loan amount guaranteed by the Veterans Administration (VA) on loans made to qualifying veterans for the purchase or construction of homes. Repeals a specified provision of Federal law guaranteeing the payment of a specified amount of each housing loan made to a veteran. Similarly decreases from 60 to 30 percent the loan amount guaranteed by the VA on loans made to veterans for the purchase of manufactured homes and lots for homes. Repeals a specified provision requiring the guaranty of a specified amount of each such loan. Requires the Administrator, upon receipt of a foreclosure notice to a veteran on a housing loan guaranteed by the VA, to contact the veteran concerned to provide such veteran with information about: (1) alternatives to foreclosure; and (2) the veteran's and the VA's liability with respect to the loan, unless the Administrator has assurances that the lender has adequately advised the veterans with respect to such matters. Authorizes the payment of added interest to a lender on a defaulted loan when there is a delay in a foreclosure sale caused by the VA or by the exercise of forbearance by the lender at the request of the Administrator. Directs the Administrator to make direct loans to eligible veterans in American Samoa in amounts equal to amounts provided to such veterans by the Government of American Samoa. Removes the requirement of occupancy by the veteran for eligibility for loan refinancing through the VA, and for the guarantee of loans to a veteran for the purchase of manufactured homes or lots for homes. Removes the requirement of home occupancy in nearly all cases of loans guaranteed to veterans, except for the case in which a loan is guaranteed to a veteran while such veteran is in active status with the armed forces, at which time the occupancy requirement will be met if such veteran's spouse and all of their dependent children occupy such home. Authorizes the Administrator, in order to assist homeless veterans and their families in acquiring shelter, to enter into agreements with an organization, any political subdivision of a State, or the District of Columbia, in which the Administrator sells real property acquired by the Administrator as the result of a default on a veteran's loan as guaranteed by the VA. Authorizes the Administrator to enter into such agreements only if: (1) the Administrator determines that such action will not adversely affect the VA or any of its funds or programs in any way; (2) the entity which purchases the property agrees to utilize the property solely as a shelter primarily for homeless veterans, complies with all zoning requirements, and makes no incompatible use of the property purchased; and (3) the Administrator determines that there is little likelihood of the property being sold for a price sufficient to reduce the liability to the VA of the veteran who defaulted on the guaranteed loan. Further authorizes the Administrator, in order to assist veterans to obtain training pursuant to the Veterans' Job Training Act, to convey to the persons previously described such real property and improvements therein for an amount not less than 75 percent of its fair market value if the purchasers agree to: (1) use veterans in a program pursuant to such Act in the rehabilitation of residences on such real property; and (2) provide a priority to veterans in the sale of such rehabilitated residences. Requires the Administrator to reduce a veteran's liability under a guaranteed loan defaulted on by the amount equal to the reduction in the sale price of the property below the fair market value of the property. Authorizes the Administrator to include, as part of a loan to finance a purchase of property acquired by the Administrator as a result of a defaulted loan guaranteed by the Administrator, an amount to be used for the purpose of rehabilitating the property to be purchased with the loan. Provides that, if a veteran disposes of residential property securing a guaranteed, insured, or direct housing loan obtained by the veteran and the veteran notifies the holder of the loan before disposing of the property, the veteran shall be relieved of all further liability to the Administrator on account of such loan (including liability for any loss resulting from the default of any subsequent purchasers) if: (1) the loan is current; (2) the purchaser agrees to abide by the original loan agreement; and (3) the purchaser qualifies from a credit standpoint in an amount equal to the unpaid balance of the loan. Requires the holder, if he or she determines that the loan is not current or that the purchaser of such property does not meet the above credit requirements, to notify the veteran and the Administrator of such determination, and notify the veteran that the veteran may appeal the determination to the Administrator. Directs the Administrator, upon request of the veteran, to review such determination and make his or her own determination on the matter. Requires the holder to approve such a property transfer if the Administrator determines that the loan is current and that the new purchaser is qualified for the loan. Authorizes the holder to make an immediate demand of all loan principal if the veteran disposes of property to a transferee without the loan being current or without such transferee being credit-qualified. Authorizes the holder to make such demand also if the holder disposes of property secured under a loan guarantee without notifying the loan holder or the Administrator of such transfer. Requires any loan holder who has knowledge of a property transfer by a veteran to notify the Administrator of such transfer or impending transfer. Directs the Administrator to require that each contract entered into with a veteran under a guaranteed-loan agreement contain provisions implementing the above requirements. Authorizes the Administrator to provide assistance to a veteran for the purpose of avoiding the foreclosure of a housing loan made to that veteran and guaranteed by the Administrator. Allows such assistance only if specified conditions are met (relating to lateness of payment and the belief that the veteran will soon be able to resume such payments on his/her own). Requires a loan made under this provision to be made to the holder of the primary loan (the holder of the original loan made to the veteran), such loan to be applied first to any delinquent payments and then to future payments such as taxes, assessments, etc. Authorizes the Administrator to make more than one loan under this provision to each veteran, but limits to $8,400 the total to each veteran. Outlines further administrative provisions relating to the making of such assistance loans, including security for the loan as well as the determination of the loan interest rate. Requires any veteran receiving such an assistance loan to execute an agreement to repay the loan within a reasonable period of time as determined by the Administrator. Provides that the Administrator's decision on any question of law or fact regarding such loan assistance shall be final and conclusive, without recourse to any courts or other Federal official. Prohibits the Administrator from making any such assistance loan after the two-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act. Amends Federal veterans' benefits regarding the use of appraisers in the VA home loan guaranty program to require any such appraiser employed by the VA to successfully complete a written test, submit a sample appraisal, certify to an appropriate number of years of experience as an appraiser, and submit recommendations from other appraisers. Revises provisions concerning appraisals made by lenders to require the appraiser to forward an appraisal report to the Administrator for review, at which time the Administrator shall determine the reasonable value of the property and notify the veteran of such determination. Authorizes the Administrator to allow certain lenders to determine the reasonable value of the property. Directs the appraiser selected by the Administrator, in such a case, to forward the appraisal report directly to the lender for review, and the lender, upon request, to furnish a copy of such appraisal to the veteran concerned. Directs the Administrator to exclude from a veteran's liability under a defaulted loan procedure certain interest and charges incurred with respect to such a loan arising 30 days or more after the veteran has made an offer to transfer the property to another purchaser, and the Administrator has refused to accept such offer.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 1987
Designates the two week period of July 13 through July 26, 1987, as United States Olympic Festival-1987 Celebration. Designates July 17, 1987, as United States Olympic Festival-1987 Day.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 1987
Declares that the United States should enter into negotiations with countries which participate in a common defense alliance with the United States, particularly members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Japan, for the purpose of a more equitable apportionment of the burden of financial support for the alliance.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 1987
Veterans' Administration Health-Care Amendments of 1987 - Title I: Health Care Provisions - Amends Federal veterans' benefits provisions to direct (current law authorizes) the Administrator of Veterans Affairs (the Administrator) to provide certain medical services to eligible veterans. Revises the definition of "nursing home care" for purposes of such provisions, to include services delivered in skilled, intermediate care, and combined facilities, but to exclude domiciliary or residential care. Revises the definition of "Veterans' Administration facilities" to include public or private facilities at which the Administrator provides recreational activities for patients receiving care under a specified provision of Federal law. Authorizes the Administrator to contract-out with non-Veterans Administration (VA) facilities for the provision of nursing home care to veterans in a public or private nursing home in the community, and for hospitalization of a person for observation and examination to determine eligibility for benefits, when the VA is unable to provide such services adequately. Authorizes the Administrator to furnish such medical services as needed for any person: (1) for a disability for which a person receives disability compensation; or (2) for a disability where disability compensation is suspended, but only to the extent that such person's continuing eligibility is provided for in the judgment or settlement of an action concerning such suspension. Prohibits the Administrator, before a date to be determined, from relocating any VA readjustment counseling centers that are situated apart from VA health-care facilities. Authorizes the Administrator (current law directs) to take certain action regarding the transition from offering veterans' readjustment counseling in facilities located apart from VA health-care facilities to offering such services in VA health-care facilities. Extends to September 30, 1991, the contract adult day health care program. Directs the Administrator to conduct a study, and submit specified reports on, the cost efficiency of furnishing adult day health care over nursing home care, and the advantages and disadvantages of furnishing such care through facilities not under the jurisdiction of the Administrator and through facilities that are under the jurisdiction of the Administrator. Adds veterans sojourning or residing in Canada to those eligible for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care while abroad. Repeals a specified provision of the Veterans' Health Care Amendments of 1979 requiring annual reports from the Administrator concerning the contracting-out of health care. Directs the Administrator to conduct a pilot program to provide care and treatment and rehabilitative services in halfway houses, therapeutic communities, psychiatric residential treatment centers, and other community-based facilities to homeless veterans suffering from chronic mental illness disabilities. Requires the Administrator to approve each such program before putting it into operation. Terminates the authority for such pilot program on September 30, 1988. Directs the Administrator, no later than May 1, 1988, to report to the Senate and House Veterans' Affairs Committees on the experience of the VA under the pilot program and the recommendations of the Administrator as to whether such program should be continued. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1988 for such program, earmarking a specified amount of such authorized funds for quality control management and monitoring of such program. Repeals a specified provision of current Federal law relating to the provision of treatment and rehabilitation for chronically mentally ill veterans. Title II: Health Care Personnel - Amends Federal provisions relating to health-care personnel within the VA's Department of Medicine and Surgery (the Department) to provide pay increases for specified health-care personnel within such Department. Increases the hours considered to be weekend duty eligible for premium pay for nurses in the Department. Revises other provisions concerning miscellaneous medical personnel matters. Revises provisions concerning the composition and convening of disciplinary boards for medical personnel of the Department. Requires any determination made by such board to be made only after notice and an opportunity for a fair hearing. Requires a majority of the members of a disciplinary board to be employees in the same category of position as the employee who is the subject of the charges. Defines a "covered disciplinary action" for purposes of such boards as a disciplinary action: (1) arising from performance or conduct during a person's tenure with the VA; and (2) proposing that such person be removed, suspended for more than 14 days, or given a demotion involving the loss of grade or pay. Makes technical changes to Federal provisions concerning the Health Professional Scholarship Program. Excludes temporary research personnel from any ceiling on full-time employees of the VA or any other ceiling applicable to employees of the VA. Provides for the employment of two (currently one) Associate Deputy Chief Medical Directors, who shall act as assistants to the Chief and the Deputy Chief Medical Director of the Department. Revises provisions relating to the appointment, reappointment, or extension of employment of any person appointed to a position in the Department. Requires the first two years of employment of a person appointed to a medical personnel position in the Department to be a probationary period, allowing the record of such employee to be reviewed at any time during such period by a board appointed under regulations prescribed by the Secretary. Requires the board to make recommendations to the Chief Medical Director concerning each such employee, and allows the Chief Medical Director to accept, reject, or modify such recommendations, requiring a statement of reasons if the Chief Medical Director takes actions not recommended by the board. Provides for the payment of on-call pay for medical personnel of the Department required to be on call for a period other than the employee's regular hours of duty, at a specified rate. Revises provisions relating to the waiver of certain licensing requirements of certain medical personnel if such person is to be employed only in a research or academic post where there is no direct responsibility for the care of patients, or if such person is to serve in a foreign country where he or she is fully licensed under the laws of such country. Title III: Administration of Health-Care System - Provides a six-year statute of limitations for actions brought by the United States against a veteran for recovery of the cost of furnishing care and services to a veteran for a non-service-connected disability. Excludes certain medical personnel of the Department from immunity from suit under specified Federal law which prohibits certain Federal employees from suing or being sued, thereby authorizing suits against such personnel for negligent or wrongful acts or omissions committed while an employee of the Department. Authorizes the Administrator to settle any claim against such employees under tort laws, to the extent delegated to the Administrator by the Attorney General. Prohibits the Administration from transferring any interest in real property owned by the United States and administered by the Administrator which is valued in excess of $50,000 to another Federal agency or to a State, unless such transfer is specifically authorized by law after the date of enactment of this Act. Makes technical revisions to Federal provisions regarding the financial management of the veterans' canteen service. Provides that persons employed in the canteen service and compensated from a revolving fund established for the provision of such service may not be considered to be employees of the VA for purposes of the determination of VA employee ceilings. Exempts certain specified VA fund accounts from the operation of any sequestration order issued or enacted for any fiscal year after FY 1985. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to implement such exemption, and, no later than 60 days after enactment of this Act, report to the appropriate congressional committees on any action taken to implement such provision. Directs the Administrator to carry out a pilot program to determine hospital management efficiency within the VA. Requires the Administrator to designate five medical centers to participate in the pilot program. Requires the Administrator to consult with the Senate and House Veterans' Affairs Committees before making such designation. Authorizes the Director of a designated medical center to waive or alter any applicable management and administration laws pertaining to such center in order to improve the efficiency and economy of such medical center. Directs the Administrator to ensure that a designated medical center does not incur a budget reduction during the period of the pilot program due to improved efficiency or economy of operation achieved under this provision. Directs the Administrator to submit to the Congress an annual report on the pilot program. Terminates such pilot program on September 30, 1990. Directs the Administrator to establish and operate, as part of the Department, an outpatient clinic in central or southern New Jersey. Requires the Administrator to begin the site location process for such clinic no later than 30 days after the enactment of this Act. Title IV: Miscellaneous - Sets forth the effective date for amendments made by this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 1987
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit institutions of the Farm Credit System an income tax deduction for any reasonable addition to reserves for bad debts. Applies this deduction in lieu of the deduction generally applicable to worthless debts.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 1987
Designates the week beginning October 18, 1987, as Financial Independence Week. Urges all citizens to pursue financial independence through sound planning and management of their individual resources.
United States · United States Congress · 28 May 1987
Authorizes the President, on behalf of the Congress, to present a gold medal to Roy Acuff in recognition of his accomplishments in country music. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to provide for the sale of bronze duplicates of the medal.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 1987
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Amendments of 1987 - Title I: Registration - Amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to provide for public access to health and safety data submitted to support a registration application for a pesticide containing a new active ingredient, or to authorize the food use of a pesticide active ingredient. Provides criminal penalties for wrongful disclosure. Requires a person seeking such information to affirm that he or she is not working for a pesticide business. Prohibits conditional registrations for additional uses unless in the public interest. Requires the reregistration of active ingredient pesticides with outstanding data requirements registered before November 1, 1984. Requires an inert ingredient priority list to be established. Provides for the payment of registration fees based on active ingredients. Title II: Information Disclosure - Requires pesticide producers to make health, safety, and environmental information available to the public. Provides for data disclosure to States. Title III: Review and Cancellation - Provides for a public administrative review of pesticide safety. Provides for cancellation of registrations based on false or invalid data. Title IV: Records and Inspections - Authorizes duly designated Federal and State officials or employees to inspect pesticide facilities. Title V: Exports - Requires that specified precautionary information be placed on the labels of pesticides intended for export, unless such information is in conflict with the importing country's laws. Revises notification requirements. Directs the Administrator to: (1) actively participate in international efforts to develop improved pesticide research and regulatory programs; and (2) report annually to the Congress. Title VI: Certification and Training - Makes it a violation for any person to use any pesticide as a commercial applicator unless such person is a certified commercial applicator or a registered commercial applicator under the direct supervision of a certified commercial applicator. Requires commercial applicators to maintain records of pesticide applications. Provides for the development of training materials and procedures, including standards for trainers and training programs. Provides for separate standards for commercial and private applicators. Requires refresher training. Requires pesticide dealers to maintain sales and distribution records. Title VII: Additional Data, Data Compensation, and Patents - Requires each registrant of an active ingredient pesticide used only in food, feed, or fiber production to jointly develop, or share in the development costs of, additional data. Revises data compensation provisions. Title VIII: General - Subtitle A: Amendments to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act - Provides for State regulation, under specified conditions, of household antimicrobial pesticides not intended for use on food or feed. Terminates such authority five years after enactment of this Act. Permits a State, in regulating pesticide sales or uses, to take into account the difference in concept and usage between various pesticide classes and the differences in environmental risk (and risk evaluation) between agricultural and nonagricultural pesticides. Terminates State primary enforcement responsibility for pesticide violations as of January 1, 1989, unless the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determines that the State has the authority to impose civil and criminal penalties at least equal to those provided for in this Act. Requires the Administrator of EPA to establish criteria for disapproving special local needs registrations. Makes the scientific advisory panel under such Act permanent. Authorizes EPA action if a State fails to take appropriate investigative or enforcement measures. Authorizes any person to obtain judicial review of EPA regulations. Revises enforcement and penalty provisions under such Act. Requires congressional review of EPA regulations and rules. Requires: (1) indemnity reports to the appropriate congressional committees; (2) the Administrator to protect drinking water and groundwater from pesticide contamination; (3) the Administrator to protect the health and safety of pesticide workers; and (4) the Administrator to develop antimicrobial standards. Requires the Administrator to establish a council of information management experts to plan an information management system that would direct and assist users in accessing site specific information on pesticide application. Provides for the testing of neurotoxicological and behavioral effects of pesticides. Directs the Administrator to regulate the design of pesticide containers and procedures and standards for removal of pesticides from containers before disposal. Requires a study and report to the Congress on containers. Requires producers and other parties to notify EPA and State and local officials regarding stored, cancelled or suspended pesticides. Permits the Administrator by regulation to limit the distribution, sale, or use in any State of unregistered pesticides. Authorizes FY 1988 through 1992 appropriations. Obligates specified amounts for research. Subtitle B: Other Provisions - Requires the Comptroller General to evaluate the activities under this Act and report to the Congress. Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to provide support for the interregional project number 4 program (IR4 program). Requires EPA studies and reports to the Congress on the following: (1) pesticide risk rating; (2) nonagricultural pesticides; (3) pesticide drift; and (4) naturally occurring agents that act as pesticides. Directs the Administrator to establish a Pesticide Resistance Management Program. Title IX: Clarifying and Technical Amendments - Makes technical amendments. Title X: Effective Date - States that the provisions of this Act shall take effect 60 days after enactment, unless otherwise so provided.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 1987
Base Acreage Equity Act of 1987 - Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949 to permit a producer, upon appropriate notice to the county committee, to increase the crop acreage base for wheat, feed grains, upland cotton, or rice by up to ten percent (20 percent for two or more crops). Requires that any upward adjustment be offset by an equivalent downward adjustment of one or more other crop acreage bases. Sets forth county committee notification dates according to individual program crops.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 1987
Amends rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit select committees from being reestablished more than three times other than by a resolution adopting or amending the Rules of the House.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 1987
Farm Base Acreage Flexibility Act of 1987 - Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949 to require the Secretary of Agriculture, upon producer request, to increase wheat, feed grains, rice, and cotton crop acreage bases. (Current law authorizes the Secretary to provide for such increases.) Increases maximum base adjustments from ten percent to 20 percent.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 1987
Diplomatic Reciprocity and Security Act - Title I: Soviet Embassy in the United States and United States Embassy in the Soviet Union - Declares that the United States withdraws from the agreement with the Soviet Union concerning embassies in Moscow and Washington. Authorizes the President to waive such withdrawal if he determines, and reports to the Congress, that: (1) it is vital to the national security of the United States not to withdraw from the embassy agreement; (2) the U.S. Embassy in Moscow can be safely and securely occupied by the United States and used for its intended purposes; and (3) steps have been or will be taken to eliminate, no later than October 1, 1989, the damage to U.S. national security due to electronic surveillance from Soviet facilities at the Mount Alto site in Washington, D.C., and from other Soviet facilities in the United States. Provides that if the withdrawal from the embassy agreement takes effect the Mount Alto site may not be available for use by a foreign mission for any purpose. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the current arbitration process between the United States and the Soviet Union should be expanded to include Soviet reimbursement of the full costs incurred by the United States as a result of the intelligence activities of the Soviet Union directed at the new United States Embassy in Moscow. Requires the Secretary of State to achieve, by October 1, 1989, reciprocity in certain matters for U.S. diplomatic and consular posts in the Soviet Union. Specifies such matters as: (1) the payment of fair market value for goods and services in the Soviet Union; (2) full access to goods and services in the Soviet Union, including utilities; and (3) obtaining real property in the Soviet Union which is equivalent in terms of quantity and quality to the real property used by diplomatic and consular posts of the Soviet mission to the United States. Authorizes the Secretary to take certain measures, including the closing of Soviet diplomatic or consular offices, in order to achieve reciprocal treatment concerning real property. Requires the Secretary to report annually to the Congress concerning actions taken or planned to achieve such objectives. Requires the Secretary to submit to the Congress a report discussing whether the number of personnel of Soviet state trading enterprises in the United States should be reduced. Title II: Improving State Department Personnel Practices and Organization to Counter Hostile Intelligence Threats - Requires the Secretary of State to require periodic counterintelligence scope polygraph interviews of the Diplomatic Security Service. Requires the Secretary to develop and implement a special personnel security program for personnel of the Department of State assigned to U.S. diplomatic and consular posts in high intelligence threat countries who are responsible for security at those posts and for any individuals performing guard functions at those posts. Requires the Secretary to convene an Accountability Review Board in any case of a serious breach of security involving intelligence activities of a foreign government directed at a U.S. mission abroad. Prohibits, after September 30, 1989, employment of any national of a Communist country as a foreign national employee at U.S. diplomatic and consular missions in any Communist country. Exempts from such prohibition any foreign national employee who is not permitted access to: (1) U.S. Embassy or consulate grounds, vehicles, or buildings located in the compound of the Embassy or consulate; and (2) the residence, wherever located, of the chief of mission or the deputy chief of mission. Expresses the willingness of the Congress to provide additional funds to the Department of State for the expenses of employing U.S. citizens to replace foreign nationals dismissed as a result of such prohibition. Requires the Secretary to terminate the retirement benefits of foreign national employees who the Secretary reasonably believes engaged in intelligence activities directed against the United States. Allows the Secretary to waive such requirement on a case-by-case basis if he determines that it is vital to U.S. national security to do so and reports such waiver in advance to the appropriate committees of the Congress. Requires the Secretary to submit to the Congress a report discussing the advisability of employing foreign nationals at foreign service posts abroad. Establishes within the Department of State the position of Under Secretary of State for Security, Communications, Construction, and Missions. Provides that such Under Secretary shall be responsible for: (1) the Bureau of Diplomatic Security; (2) the Office of Communications; (3) the Office of Foreign Buildings; and (4) the Office of Foreign Missions. Replaces the current position of Director of the Office of Foreign Missions with the position of Assistant Secretary of State for Foreign Missions. Title III: Additional Measures to Protect Against Hostile Intelligence Threats - Authorizes additional appropriations for the Department of State to carry out the diplomatic security program. Requires the Secretary of State to conduct periodic surveys to determine the weaknesses in the programs, practices, and procedures for protecting classified information at U.S. diplomatic and consular posts, giving priority attention to posts in Communist countries. Amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to prohibit the acquisition of real property by or on behalf of the foreign mission of an unfriendly country if: (1) in the judgment of the Secretary of Defense, the acquisition of that property might improve the capability of that country to intercept communications involving U.S. diplomatic, military, or intelligence matters; or (2) if in the judgment of the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the acquisition of that property might improve the capability of that country to engage in intelligence activities directed against the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 1987
Provides that each item of any joint resolution making continuing appropriations that is agreed to in the same form by both Houses of the Congress shall be enrolled as a separate bill or joint resolution for presentation to the President (line-item veto).
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 1987
Amends Federal veterans' benefits provisions to direct (current law authorizes) the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to pay travel expenses of certain veterans and their eligible dependents to or from a Veterans Administration facility or other authorized place in connection with rehabilitation, counseling, or medical treatment or care. Defines those veterans entitled to such payment, including: (1) those veterans financially unable to meet such travel costs; and (2) those veterans unable to bear the cost of special transportation necessitated due to a medical disability. Limits such payments in the case of travel by a privately-owned vehicle to the cost of similar public transportation for such travel. Limits such payment to the actual cost incurred for such travel.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 1987
Davis-Bacon Reform Act of 1987 - Amends the Davis-Bacon Act to increase from $2,000 to $250,000 the threshold amount subjecting certain contracts to such Act and requiring them to specify the minimum wages to be paid to laborers and mechanics. Directs the Secretary of Labor to establish as the prevailing wage for a class of laborers or mechanics the entire range of wages being paid to a corresponding class of such workers in the particular urban or rural subdivision of the State in which the work is to be performed. Sets out the means for determining such prevailing wage in cases when more than a single wage is being paid to corresponding classes of workers. Excludes from the computation of wages the basic hourly rates of pay for workers on local Federal projects. Establishes a separate classification for helpers of laborers or mechanics, with their prevailing wages to be determined on the basis of the corresponding class of helpers. Prohibits the division of contracts into units of $250,000 or less for purposes of avoiding wage computation under such Act. Directs the Secretary of Labor and the U.S. Comptroller General to submit to the Congress annual reports describing the effects of the Davis-Bacon Act, the Copeland Act, and this Act on local wages and on local and national economies. Amends the Copeland Act to require certain contractors or subcontractors to furnish compliance statements concerning weekly wages at the beginning, midpoint, and conclusion of the period covered by the contract, instead of every week as the wages are paid.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 1987
Federal Accounting Practices Review Commission Act of 1987 - Title I: Title, Statement of Findings, Purpose and Limitations - Declares the reasons for, and purposes of, this Act. Title II: Establishment, Duties, and Membership - Establishes the Federal Accounting Practices Review Commission to: (1) examine and describe the financial management practices of the Federal Government; (2) formulate a financial accounting and management system for Federal agencies; (3) prepare a plan for implementation of such system; and (4) recommend an ongoing method for determining and updating generally accepted accounting principles for the Government. Title III: Administration - Sets forth the administrative staffing, procedures, and powers of the Commission. Requires the Commission to submit a final report to the President and the Congress not later than 18 months after the date of completion of appointments of members to the Commission. Terminates the Commission 30 days after submission of such report. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 1987
General Aviation Standards Act of 1987 - Amends the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (relating to aviation accident investigations) to apply such Act, with specified exceptions, to any action for damages for harm arising out of a general aviation accident brought against a general aviation manufacturer, owner, or operator of a general aviation aircraft, or a person who supports or maintains such aircraft. Establishes guidelines for uniform standards of liability of general aviation manufacturers for general aviation accidents. States that all actions for harm arising out of a general aviation accident shall be governed by the principles of comparative responsibility. Establishes, with specified exceptions, a limitation of actions period of 12 years from delivery of aircraft or harm-causing part to the purchaser for general aviation civil liability brought against a general aviation manufacturer. Declares admissible as evidence certain income tax and payroll tax liability for purposes of establishing financial harm arising out of a general aviation accident. Permits the award of punitive damages if a claimant establishes by clear and convincing evidence that the harm suffered was the direct result of conduct manifesting conscious, flagrant indifference to safety. Establishes a two-year limitation of actions period for actions arising out of a general aviation accident. Confers original jurisdiction upon the Federal district courts, concurrently with State courts, for all civil actions for harm arising out of a general aviation accident. Provides procedures for removal from State to Federal district courts of such actions. Declares that this Act supersedes any State law regarding recovery of damages for harm arising out of a general aviation accident. Declares the intent of the Congress that sanctions be strictly enforced for violations of Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, including orders to pay to the other party the reasonable costs of legal fees.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 1987
Energy Independence Act of 1987 - Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to direct the Secretary of Energy (Secretary), for the purpose of obtaining petroleum products for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and to the extent that amounts are credited to the SPR Petroleum Account (Account), to purchase either U.S. stripper well oil or crude oil exchanged for U.S. stripper well oil. Requires that such purchases be made on a competitive bid basis, subject to a minimum price of $25 per barrel, adjusted annually for inflation. Makes available to the Secretary, for SPR development, in any quarter at the beginning of which there is the equivalent of less than 1,000,000,000 barrels of crude oil in the SPR, funds from the Account in an amount equal to 25 percent of the aggregate amount of revenue collected during the previous quarter from the excise tax imposed by this Act on imported crude oil and petroleum products. Limits the use of such funds for SPR petroleum acquisition to periods when: (1) the SPR contains less than 1,000,000,000 barrels of crude oil; and (2) the world price of crude oil is $25 or less per barrel, adjusted for inflation. Provides for alternative energy security uses of such tax revenue when the world oil price exceeds the reference price of $25 for a specified time. Directs the President, to the maximum extent practicable, to take the steps necessary to: (1) enter into international voluntary agreements in connection with the international energy program (IEP) in the interest of developing parity with respect to oil import fees; and (2) enforce certain existing agreements with other IEP countries. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose, until 1993, an excise tax on the first sale within the United States of imported crude oil and petroleum products. Sets a variable rate for such tax, as follows: (1) for crude oil, the greater of 50 cents per barrel or the difference between the world price per barrel of crude oil and $25 (the reference price, to be adjusted annually for inflation); and (2) for petroleum products, in accordance with a specified formula based on the amount of tax per barrel of crude oil, the barrel-of-oil equivalent of the particular product attributable to crude oil, and a three dollar per barrel environmental outlay adjustment. Places liability for the payment of such tax on the first person selling the imported oil or petroleum product within the United States. Requires such person to register with the Secretary of the Treasury before incurring liability. Exempts from the import tax: (1) any sale of crude oil or petroleum product destined for export, upon proof that it has been exported within six months of the first sale within the United States; and (2) the sale or use of any petroleum product during any period when the President determines that it is in the national interest to refrain from such taxation. Applies to the import tax the same procedures and penalties that currently govern the windfall profit tax. Permits the imported oil tax payments as an income tax deduction.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 1987
Energy Security Tax Act of 1987 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose an excise tax on the first sale within the United States of imports of: (1) crude oil; (2) refined petroleum products; and (3) petrochemical feedstocks or other derivatives. Sets the rate of such tax as the difference between $24 per barrel ($26.50 for petroleum and petrochemical products) and the most recently published average price of a barrel of internationally traded oil, as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury in accordance with a specified formula. Permits an income tax deduction for oil import tax payments. Repeals the windfall profit tax on domestic crude oil.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 1987
Truth in Solicitation and Receipt of Charitable Contributions Act of 1987 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a penalty tax on one half of the gross revenue of a public-soliciting charity to the extent that such revenue remains undistributed for charitable expenditures at the end of the first succeeding taxable year. Defers taxation of an organization until the fourth year of its existence, thus exempting from the tax any organization that exists for three years or less. Sets the rate of such tax at 15 percent of the amount of such undistributed revenue. Provides that any remaining funds still undistributed after a 90-day correction period shall be taxed at a rate of 100 percent. Establishes a criminal penalty of not more than $5,000, imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, for willful acts of an officer or employee of a charitable organization that result in the liability of such organization for taxation because of its failure to distribute revenue. Requires anyone who solicits a charitable contribution by mail to include with such a solicitation: (1) the name and principal business address of the person making the solicitation; (2) the purpose of the solicitation and the intended use of the contribution solicited; (3) the estimated portion of all contributions to be used for the charitable purpose during the 12-month period following the solicitation; and (4) the portion of all contributions used for such charitable purpose during the four complete calendar quarters immediately preceding the solicitation. Sets forth requirements relating to the presentation of such information.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 1987
PRO Due Process and Equity Amendments of 1987 - Amends part B (Peer Review) of title XI of the Social Security Act to give Medicare (title XVIII of the Act) providers 30 days to request a hearing, and such time as is thereafter needed to exhaust administrative and judicial remedies, before the decision of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to exclude the provider from Medicare participation takes effect, provided that such delay does not pose a severe and immediate threat to the health of Medicare beneficiaries. Provides that where the Secretary finds such an immediate threat to exist, the provider shall be immediately excluded from Medicare participation and be given a hearing within 30 days. Directs the Secretary to act upon the recommendations regarding a provider's noncompliance with title XI requirements within five days of their submission if the PRO finds such noncompliance to pose an immediate threat to the health of Medicare beneficiaries, and, in any other case, within 120 days of the submittal of the recommendations. Entitles Medicare providers to a reconsideration by PRO of that organization's denial of payment for services provided, and to further review where such reconsideration is adverse to the provider and certain jurisdictional criteria are satisfied. Requires PROs to notify providers regarding any changes in the services reviewed or the review standards applied by PROs at least 30 days before such changes take effect. Requires the Secretary to emphasize PRO educational activities as much as its sanctioning activities when entering into, reviewing, or terminating PRO contracts. Directs PROs to make at least 50 percent of their review of small rural hospitals on-site reviews and take into account professionally recognized local health care standards as well as national and State standards in conducting such reviews. Prohibits the finalization of a provider payment denial until at least 30 days after the PRO gives the provider reasonable notice of the proposed denial and a reasonable opportunity to discuss such denial. Requires a PRO to include at least one hospital representative on its governing body. Requires the random review of physician care to be conducted so that there is an equal likelihood and intensity of review for each physician sampled.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 1987
Medicare Rural Hospital Amendments of 1987 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to extend, until October 1990, the adjustment of payments made to sole community hospitals which experience a five percent decrease in patient volume over two successive cost reporting periods, unless such decrease in patient volume is due to hospital actions taken to reduce capacity or case load. Requires the Prospective Payment Assessment Commission (Commission) to report to the Congress on March 1, 1988, on a study into the appropriateness of the criteria used in designating hospitals as sole community hospitals. Directs the Secretary to report to the Congress on a study into the feasibility and impact of eliminating separate urban and rural prospective payment rates for hospital services. Requires the Commission to collect information and report to the Congress on March 1, 1988, concerning whether an adjustment to the area wage index (used to adjust prospective payment rates to account for the wage differential between urban and rural areas) is warranted to account for variations in the occupational mix of hospital employees. Requires information on the wages and hours of employment for employees in hospital occupational categories to be collected for purposes of the annual update of the area wage index. Bases outlier payments for a fiscal year on a percentage of the total prospective payment system (PPS) payments made for the second previous fiscal year. (Currently, outlier payments represent a percentage of the total PPS payments estimated to be made for the same fiscal year). Directs the Commission to report to the Congress by FY 1989 on a study into the impact on urban and rural hospitals of the criteria used to determine eligibility for outlier payments. Requires the Secretary to analyze the appropriateness of different annual percentage changes in prospective payment rates for urban and rural hospitals. Authorizes the Secretary, beginning in FY 1989, to provide for different annual percentage changes in prospective payment rates for urban and rural hospitals. Sets forth certain factors that a rural hospital which is adjacent to an urban area must establish in order to have the urban wage index applied in the determination of its prospective payments. Sets aside 25 percent of the funds appropriated pursuant to the Social Security Act, beginning with FY 1988, for research and demonstration projects relating to the delivery of or access to health care, to projects relating to the delivery of or access to health care in rural areas.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 1987
Rural Nursing Care Access Amendments of 1987 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to permit certain rural hospitals having less than 150 beds to provide Medicare extended care services. (Currently, such hospitals must have less than 50 beds.) Provides that, as an alternative to procuring a State certificate of need for extended care services, such hospitals may demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Secretary of Health and Human Services that: (1) there is no Medicare skilled nursing facility in the county (or equivalent area) in which the hospital is located or; (2) if there are such facilities, at least 95 percent of facility beds have been occupied during the year preceding the hospital's annual agreement with the Secretary for the provision of such services. Reimburses eligible hospitals for routine extended care services on the same basis on which skilled nursing facilities in the area are reimbursed for such services.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 1987
Rural Health Care Preservation Act of 1987 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to create a new title, Title XXIII: Preservation of Rural Health Care. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) to appoint a Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Health Care to coordinate public and private activities to strengthen the rural health care system, including regional analyses and an information clearinghouse. Requires the Director of the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment to appoint a Rural Health Care Advisory Commission to report annually to the Congress, the Secretary, and the Deputy Under Secretary on access to community-based rural health care. Declares that certain provisions of the Social Security Act relating to staffing, administration, and reporting shall apply in the same way to the Commission as they apply to the Prospective Payment Assessment Commission. Authorizes appropriations to carry out the provisions of this Act relating to the Rural Health Care Advisory Commission for FY 1988 through 1990. Requires the Secretary to include with the publication of certain regulations an analysis of the impact of each regulation on access to rural health care. Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary to make grants for mental health services demonstration projects relating to rural residents. Increases the amount authorized to be appropriated for such projects in FY 1988 and authorizes such increased amount for FY 1989 and 1990. Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary to provide that not less than 25 percent of funds set aside for research and demonstration projects relating to health services delivery or access be used in projects relating to rural areas, except for funds appropriated for the National Institutes of Health or funds first made available before FY 1988.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 1987
Expresses the sense of the Congress that Medicare (title XVIII of the Social Security Act) reconciliation legislation should take into account the special needs of rural hospitals which are not currently taken into account under the Medicare hospital prospective payment system.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 1987
Amends the Small Business Act to require each Federal agency having substantial procurement or grant-making authority to develop rural area business enterprise development plans. Requires the Secretary of Commerce and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to establish uniform guidelines for all Federal agencies to use in rural area business development programs. Directs each Federal agency required to develop a rural area business development plan to assist small businesses in rural areas by providing direct assistance, procurement assistance, and management and technical assistance to such small businesses and by providing incentives for greater subcontracting by Federal prime contractors and grant recipients with such small businesses.
![Official portrait of Rep. Stenholm, Charles W. [D-TX-17]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/s000851_200.jpg)