United States · United States Congress · 27 October 1999
Common Sense Protections for Endangered Species Act - Title I: Improving Scientific Integrity of Listing Decisions and Procedures - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) to require the Secretary of Commerce or the Interior, as appropriate: (1) to accord greater weight and preference to empirical data rather than extrapolations developed through modeling, when making determinations as to whether a species is endangered or threatened; and (2) consider the future conservation benefits to be provided to the species under species conservation plans or management or conservation agreements in making such determinations. Directs the Secretary to promulgate scientifically valid standards for rendering taxonomic determinations of species and subspecies. Requires such standards to provide that to be eligible for determination as a subspecies under the Act, a subspecies must be reproductively isolated from other subspecific population units and constitute an important component in the evolutionary legacy of the species. Expands provisions which allow petitions for proposed additions to, or removals from, endangered or threatened lists to authorize petitions for changing a species status from a previous determination with respect to such lists. Sets forth minimum requirements for information to be provided by petitions, including: (1) descriptions of available data on the historical and current range, population, and distribution of the species; (2) scientific evidence that the species population is declining or has declined from historic population levels; (3) appraisals of available data on the threats to the species or the causes of its decline; (4) an identification of information contained in the petition that has been peer-reviewed or field-tested; and (5) the reason that the petitioned action is warranted. Sets forth requirements for notification of State Governors and affected tribes to solicit advice as to whether the petitioned action is warranted. Provides for peer review of any determination that an action is warranted if it is in direct conflict with information submitted by a Governor or tribe. Permits any person to intervene as a matter of right in suits under judicial review upon demonstrating that a determination to list a species will have a direct economic effect on the person. Prohibits the Secretary from making a determination that a species is threatened or endangered in a State if a Governor or a tribe provides scientific evidence that a determination is not warranted, unless the Secretary shows by a preponderance of scientific evidence that the information submitted by the State or tribe is incorrect. Requires a public meeting to be held in each State that would be affected by a proposed regulation regarding endangered or threatened species, at the request of any person. Limits the total number of meetings to five. Requires proposed regulations to implement endangered or threatened species determinations to be based on peer-reviewed scientific information that has been, to the maximum extent feasible, verified by field testing. Directs the Secretary, concurrently with a determination that a species warrants listing, to publish an analysis of the economic, social, and other public health, safety, and welfare effects the listing may have. (Sec. 102) Replaces provisions regarding recovery plans with those setting forth requirements for scientific peer review of proposed actions to list a species, remove a species from the list, designate, or revise the designation of, critical habitat, propose alternatives, or establish mitigation obligations. (Sec. 103) Makes data or information considered by the Secretary in making the determination to list subject to the Freedom of Information Act unless the Secretary determines that the information must be kept confidential. Bars the Secretary from publicly disclosing the location of particular private property as habitat for an endangered or threatened species unless the property owner is notified first and consents or the information is otherwise public. Title II: Complying With All Federal Laws and Missions - Authorizes Federal agencies implementing land use or land and resource management plans to authorize, fund, or carry out a site-specific ongoing or previously scheduled action prior to completing consultation with the Secretary if no consultation is required or the Secretary issues a biological opinion and the action satisfies relevant requirements. Requires Federal agencies, upon determining that duties under other Federal laws conflict with those under the ESA, to request the President to resolve the conflict. Authorizes Federal agencies to proceed with proposed actions if consultation is not concluded and the Secretary fails to provide a required statement by the applicable deadline. Provides for the participation of persons who have sought authorization or funding subject to consultation in consultation proceedings. Bars permit or license applicants subject to consultation requirements regarding endangered or threatened species from being subject to new or additional requirements for the specific protection of any species beyond those identified in the Secretary's original statement. (Sec. 202) Permits consultation to be waived by a Federal agency, in response to a natural event or other emergency, for the repair or maintenance of a natural gas pipeline, hazardous liquid pipeline, flood control facility, or electrical distribution transmission or substation facility if the repair or maintenance is necessary to address an imminent threat to human lives or a significant threat to the environment. (Sec. 203) Replaces provisions regarding the Endangered Species Committee (established for the purpose of granting exemptions to consultation requirements) with those authorizing the Secretary to grant exemptions for reasons of national security and the President to grant exemptions for major disaster areas, subject to certain conditions. Eliminates specified requirements for exemptions and judicial review under consultation provisions. Title III: Permitting and Enforcement - Describes conditions under which an activity of a non-Federal person is not a taking of a species, including if it: (1) addresses a critical threat to public health or safety or a natural event; or (2) is incidental to carrying out an otherwise lawful activity such as maintenance, use, or repair of pipelines, flood control facilities, fire breaks, transmission and distribution lines, specified water facilities, and roads and rights-of-way or certain emergency repair. (Sec. 302) Revises provisions regarding citizen suits to permit civil suits by injured parties to enjoin the United States if the violation poses immediate and irreparable harm to a threatened or endangered species. (Current law authorizes suits to enjoin any person alleged to be in violation of the Act.) (Sec. 303) Revises provisions regarding incidental take permits, adding deadlines and administrative requirements for the Secretary on permit actions. Provides that no additional measures to minimize and mitigate impacts on a species that is the subject of such a permit shall be required of a permittee that is in compliance with the permit. Bars any additional restrictions on land or water under the permit without the permittee's consent. Prohibits the Secretary from requiring, as a condition of an incidental take permit, that a permittee for a public project take any measures to minimize or mitigate impacts of a taking: (1) if the costs of implementing such measures will exceed ten percent of the total project costs; or (2) for any activity that occurred prior to the date of permit issuance. (Sec. 304) Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) enter into "safe harbor" agreements with non-Federal persons to benefit the conservation of endangered or threatened species by creating, restoring, or improving habitat or by maintaining currently unoccupied habitat; and (2) provide a grant of up to $10,000 to any individual private landowner to assist the landowner in carrying out such an agreement. Title IV: Recovery Planning - Requires the Secretary, on the basis of the best scientific and commercial data available, to develop and implement plans for the conservation and recovery of endangered and threatened species unless a plan will not promote the conservation of the species or an existing plan or strategy for conservation already serves as the functional equivalent of such plan. Gives priority to plans that: (1) address significant and immediate threats to the survival of a species, have the greatest likelihood of achieving species recovery, and will benefit species that are more taxonomically distinct; (2) address multiple species that are dependent on the same habitat as the endangered or threatened species; (3) reduce conflicts with construction, development projects, jobs, agriculture, private property, or other economic activities; and (4) reduce conflicts with military training and operations. Establishes deadlines for the publication of draft and final recovery plans. Sets forth requirements for: (1) recovery teams appointed to develop recovery plans; and (2) recovery plans, including objective, measurable benchmarks to determine whether progress is being made toward the biological recovery goal recommended by the team. Establishes deadlines for the Secretary's review of existing and future plans. Provides for revision of plans if new information indicates that recovery goals will not achieve conservation and recovery. Revises provisions regarding designations of critical habitat. Authorizes the Secretary to designate critical habitat concurrently with the determination that a species is endangered or threatened if such designation is essential to avoid imminent extinction. Sets forth conditions under which States may develop recovery plans. Requires the Secretary to establish the Office of Species Recovery in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to: (1) provide support services to recovery teams to develop recovery plans; (2) seek the recovery of all endangered or threatened species; (3) make all determinations to remove a species from a list; and (4) assist in the designation of critical habitat. Title V: Miscellaneous - Authorizes appropriations to the Departments of the Interior, Commerce, and Agriculture to carry out the ESA.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 1999
Health Care Restoration Act of 1999 - Title II (sic): Provisions Relating to Part B - Subtitle A: Payment for Physician Services - Amends part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) with regard to payment for physicians' services to provide for: (1) an update to the specified conversion factor for years beginning with 2001; (2) modification of requirements concerning conversion factors, updates, and sustainable growth rate; and (3) inclusion of a limitation on application of the practice expense site-of-service differential and of a revision to 1997 relative value units (RVUs) under provisions for computation of RVUs for components. (Sec. 202) Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), for a report to Congress, to use data collected or developed by entities and organizations other than HHS to supplement its data in determining the practice expense component used for purposes of determining relative values for payment for physicians' services under the Medicare fee schedule. (Sec. 203) Directs the Administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration to study and report to Congress on the physician and non-physician clinical resources necessary to provide safe outpatient cancer therapy services and the appropriate payment rates for such services under Medicare. Subtitle B: Hospital Outpatient Services - Amends SSA title XVIII part B with regard to the prospective payment system (PPS) for hospital outpatient department (OPD) services to require the Secretary to provide for outlier adjustment and for transitional pass-through payment for additional costs of innovative medical devices, drugs, and biologicals. Provides for application of such new adjustments on a budget neutral basis. Limits judicial review for such new adjustments. (Sec. 211) Includes medical devices as covered OPD services. Limits variation of costs of services classified within a group. (Sec. 212) Adds a transitional adjustment to limit decline in payment for certain covered OPD services furnished before January 1, 2002 and during 2002 and 2003, pursuant to specified guidelines. Directs the Secretary to report to Congress on whether the PPS for covered OPD services furnished under Medicare should apply to various specified providers of outpatient items and services for which payment is made under Medicare, including rural health clinics and rural referral centers. (Sec. 213) Adds to the special rules for certain hospitals rules for cancer and small rural hospitals pertaining to the amount of PPS payment for covered OPD services furnished before January 1, 2005. (Sec. 214) Revises provisions on periodic review and adjustments components of PPS, mandating at least an annual review by the Secretary, among other changes. Subtitle C: Other - Amends SSA title XVIII part B to place a two-year moratorium on the caps for certain physical and occupational therapy services. Amends the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA '97) to modify congressional reporting requirements pertaining to HHS recommendations on the establishment of a revised coverage policy for outpatient physical and occupational therapy services. Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on utilization patterns for such services, and speech-language pathology services covered under Medicare. (Sec. 222) Provides that if the Secretary implements a revised PPS for services of ambulatory surgical facilities under Medicare part B before incorporating data from the 1999 Medicare cost survey, such system shall be implemented consistent with specified principles, such as the principle of budget neutrality. (Sec. 223) Amends BBA '97 to expand coverage to direct services for Medicare beneficiaries participating in certain demonstration projects. Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on the use of telemedicine. (Sec. 224) Amends part D (Miscellaneous) of SSA title XVIII with regard to determination of facility specific per diem rates under the PPS for skilled nursing facilities for routine service costs. (Sec. 225) Directs the Administrator for Health Care Policy and Research to provide for a study and report to Congress that compares the differences in quality of ultrasound and other imaging services (including error rates and resulting complications) furnished under the Medicare and Medicaid (SSA title XIX) programs between such services furnished by individuals who are credentialed by private entities or organizations and by those who are not so credentialed. Requires the study to examine and evaluate differences in error rates and patient outcomes as a result of the differences in credentialing. (Sec. 226) Requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPac) to study and report to Congress on the regulatory burdens placed on all classes of health care providers under Medicare parts A (Hospital Insurance) and B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) to determine the costs these burdens imposed on the nation's health care system. (Sec. 227) Amends part D of SSA title XVIII to eliminate the time limitation on Medicare benefits for immunosuppressive drugs. Title III: Provisions Relating to Parts A and B - Subtitle A: Home Health Services - Directs the following officials to do the following: (1) the Secretary to report to Congress and the Comptroller General (CG) on specified matters with respect to the data collection requirement of patients of Medicare home health agencies under the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) standard as part of the comprehensive assessment of patients; and (2) the CG to conduct an independent audit for a report to Congress on the costs incurred by such agencies in complying with such requirement. (Sec. 302) Amends BBA' 97 to limit OASIS data collection requirements to Medicare and Medicaid patients. (Sec. 303) Amends part D of SSA title XVIII to provide for a phase-in and partial elimination of the 15 percent reduction in payments under the PPS for home health services. (Sec. 304) Amends part B of SSA title XVIII with regard to home health agency consolidated billing for durable medical equipment. (Sec. 305) Amends part D of SSA title XVIII to include under the PPS for home health services provisions on use of PPS payments for costs associated with the use of telecommunications systems. Subtitle B: Other - Amends part D of SSA title XVIII to permit the reclassification of certain urban hospitals as rural hospitals. (Sec. 312) Directs the MEDPac to study and report to Congress on Medicare payment policy with respect to graduate clinical training of different classes of non-physician health care professionals and the basis for any differences in treatment among such classes. Title V: Provisions Relating to Part C (Medicare+Choice Program) - Subtitle A: Medicare+Choice - Amends part C (Medicare+Choice) of SSA title XVIII to provide for the phase-in of a new risk adjustment methodology under provisions for payments to Medicare+Choice organizations. (Sec. 502) Directs the Secretary to provide for the computation and the publication, on an annual basis at the time of publication of the annual Medicare+Choice capitation rates, of information on the level of the average annual per capita costs for each Medicare+Choice payment area. (Sec. 503) Makes various specified changes in Medicare+Choice special election period rules and associated Medicare supplemental health insurance (Medigap) policies provisions permitting enrollment in alternative Medicare+Choice plans in case of involuntary termination of Medicare+Choice enrollment. (Sec. 504) Allows variation in premium waivers within a service area if Medicare+Choice payment rates vary within the area. (Sec. 505) Delays to not later than July 1 (currently, not later than May 1) of each year the submission by each Medicare+Choice organization to the Secretary of adjusted community rate, proposed premium, and related information. Modifies provisions with respect to provision of notice and list of plans and comparison of plan options. (Sec. 506) Revises treatment of accreditation provisions under the Medicare+Choice quality assurance program, directing the Secretary to determine, within 90 days after receiving an application by a private accrediting organization, whether its process meets certain requirements considering the factors described under provisions on the effect of accreditation. (Sec. 507) Reduces from 0.5 to 0.3 percentage points the adjustment in national per capita Medicare+Choice growth percentage for 2001 and 2002. (Sec. 508) Allows the Secretary to extend or renew a reasonable cost reimbursement contract beyond December 31, 2005. (Sec. 509) Amends part C (Medicare+Choice) of SSA title XVIII to reduce from five to two years the re-entry period after a contract with a Medicare+Choice organization. (Sec. 510) Directs MEDPac to: (1) study and report to Congress on risk adjustment; and (2) report to Congress on specific legislative changes that should be made to make Medicare Medical Savings Account plans a viable option under the Medicare+Choice program. (Sec. 512) Amends part C (Medicare+Choice) of SSA title XVIII to permit religious fraternal benefit societies to offer a range of Medicare+Choice plans. Subtitle B: Other Managed Care Provisions - Amends BBA '97 to provide for a delay in implementation of the Medicare prepaid competitive pricing demonstration project. (Sec. 522) Amends part D of SSA title XVIII to make OASIS inapplicable to a PACE (program of all-inclusive care for the elderly) program. Title VI: Medicaid - Amends BBA '97 to: (1) make the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) transitional rule permanent; (2) increase the DSH allotment for the District of Columbia, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Wyoming for FY 2000 through 2002; (3) establish a new PPS for Federally-qualified health centers and rural health clinics; and (4) revise the formula used by the Secretary to determine payment amounts to each State which has an approved Medicaid plan. Title VII: State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) - Amends SSA XXI (Children's Health Insurance) (CHIP) to: (1) modify provisions on allotments, among other changes replacing provisions on floor for States with provisions on floors and ceilings in State allotments; and (2) increase appropriations for described territories and commonwealths under CHIP.
United States · United States Congress · 20 October 1999
Unsolicited Electronic Mail Act of 1999 - Authorizes any person, on his or her own behalf or on behalf of his or her children, to file with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) a statement that he or she desires to receive no unsolicited commercial electronic mail (e-mail), unsolicited pandering (erotically arousing or sexually provocative) e-mail, or both. Directs the FCC to: (1) maintain and keep a current list of such filers; and (2) make such list available to any person, upon reasonable terms and conditions, including a service charge for such list. Prohibits any person from initiating the transmission of any unsolicited commercial or pandering e-mail to an individual whose name and e-mail address has been on such list for more than 30 days. Prohibits any other use of such list. Prohibits any person from sending an unsolicited commercial or pandering e-mail message unless the message contains a conspicuous reply e-mail address to which a recipient may send notice of a desire not to receive further messages. Subjects to an FCC order to discontinue any person who transmits such a message after such an objection. Directs the FCC, upon request, to include in such an order the names and e-mail addresses of any children of an objecting recipient. Provides a private right of action, or an action by the FCC, against an e-mail initiator who violates the above requirements. Authorizes an interactive computer service provider to establish and enforce policies that are nondiscriminatory on the basis of content regarding unsolicited commercial e-mail. Authorizes such provider to decline to transmit such messages to subscribers without compensation from the sender. Requires a provider to notify the violator of such policy in writing and request compliance. Makes subject to the same FCC order as above a violator who sends such messages after provider notification. Provides a private right of action by a provider, or an action by the FCC, upon an e-mail initiator who violates such requirements. Requires the FCC to report to Congress on the effectiveness and enforcement of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 19 October 1999
Know Your Caller Act of 1999 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to make it unlawful for any person making a telephone solicitation to interfere with or circumvent a caller identification service from accessing or providing the call recipient with identifying information about the call. Directs the Federal Communications Commission to prescribe regulations implementing such prohibition. Provides a cause of action for a person or entity, or a State attorney general on behalf of its residents, for violations of such prohibition or regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 14 October 1999
Medicare Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999 - Title I: Provisions Relating to Part A - Subtitle A: PPS Hospitals - Amends SSA title XVIII part D (Miscellaneous), as amended by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA '97), to provide for a one-year delay in the transition of the indirect teaching adjustment factor (under the prospective payment system (PPS) for hospital outpatient department (OPD) services) to its permanent value on or after October 1, 2001 (currently, on or after October 1, 2000) used in determining an additional payment amount for certain hospitals with indirect costs of medical education. Subtitle B: PPS Exempt Hospitals - Amends SSA title XVIII part D to: (1) limit the target amount for described hospitals that are exempt from PPS payment; and (2) direct the Secretary to provide for an appropriate wage adjustment with regard to such hospitals. (Sec. 112) Provides for increased target amounts in computing payments for long-term care and psychiatric hospitals until development of a PPS for those hospitals. (Sec. 113) Directs the Secretary to develop, implement, and report to Congress on: (1) a per discharge PPS for payment for inpatient hospital services of Medicare long-term care hospitals; and (2) develop a per diem PPS for payment for inpatient hospital services of Medicare psychiatric hospitals. Subtitle C: Adjustments to PPS Payments for Skilled Nursing Facilities - Directs the Secretary, for purposes of computing prospective payments for covered skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), to temporarily increase payments for covered skilled nursing facility services for certain high cost patients. (Sec. 122) Amends SSA title XVIII part D to revise provisions on payment to hospitals for inpatient hospital services to: (1) increase for FY 2001 the SNF unadjusted federal per diem rate; (2) permit a SNF to waive a three year transition period and elect to have the amount of payment for all covered facility costs determined pursuant to the adjusted Federal per diem rate applicable to it; (3) exclude certain additional items and services from being covered facility items and services (thus providing for Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) pass-through payment for such items and services, including certain ambulance services and chemotherapy items) while ensuring budget neutrality for FY 2001; (4) apply to facilities participating in the Nursing Home Case-Mix and Quality Demonstration Project requirements for determining base payments on a per diem basis; and (5) modify requirements for the first cost reporting period update that is used in determining facility specific per diem rates. Title II: Provisions Relating to Part B - Subtitle A: Adjustments to Physician Payment Updates - Amends SSA title XVIII part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) to modify provisions on: (1) payment for physicians' services with regard to updates to provide for new guidelines for determining updates for years beginning with 2000; and (2) sustainable growth rate with regard to publication and with regard to the data to be used in determining such updates. Subtitle B: Hospital Outpatient Services - Amends SSA title XVIII part B to revise requirements for the PPS for hospital OPD services to: (1) require the Secretary to provide for a specified outlier adjustment for covered OPD services, as well as transitional pass-through payments for additional costs of "innovative" medical devices, drugs, and biologicals, while ensuring budget neutrality; (3) include medical devices as covered OPD services; (4) allow the Secretary to elect to establish relative payment weights based on mean hospital costs for covered OPD services; (5) limit, generally, the variation of costs of covered OPD services classified within a group for purposes of comparable treatment with respect to the use of resources; (6) change the Secretary's optional periodic review of PPS components to a mandatory annual review; and (7) establish a transitional adjustment in the amount of PPS payment for covered OPD services to limit declining payments under Medicare for such services. Subtitle C: Other - Amends SSA title XVIII to provide for: (1) application of separate currently existing caps for speech-language pathology and for other outpatient physical therapy services on a per beneficiary, per facility basis; (2) optional, limited exemption of certain therapy services facilities from any applicable caps for 2000 and 2001; (3) mandatory annual increases in end stage renal disease dialysis composite rate payment amounts; and (4) revised annual covered item updates for 2001 and 2002 for certain durable medical equipment. Title III: Provisions Relating to Parts A and B - Subtitle A: Home Health Services - Provides, in the case of a home health agency that furnishes home health services to a Medicare beneficiary, that for each beneficiary furnished such services during the agency's cost reporting period beginning in FY 2000, the Secretary shall, in accordance with specified restrictions, pay the agency a specified amount out of the Medicare trust funds in addition to any other amount of payment to defray agency costs attributable to data collection and reporting requirements under the Outcome and Assessment Information (OASIS) required under BBA '97. (Sec. 302) Amends BBA '97 and Medicare with regard to the PPS for home health services to delay for one year the application of the 15 percent reduction in payment rates for home health services. Subtitle B: Direct Graduate Medical Education - Amends SSA title XVIII to provide for the use of national average per resident payment system in computing payments for direct graduate medical education (DGME) costs. Title IV: Rural Provider Provisions - Amends SSA title XVIII to permit the reclassification of certain urban hospitals as rural ones. (Sec. 402) Ties the standards applied for geographic reclassification of certain rural hospitals to the most recently available census data. (Sec. 403) Revises the critical access hospital program, permitting for-profit hospitals to qualify for designation as a critical access hospital. Provides for an all-inclusive payment option for outpatient critical access hospital services. Eliminates coinsurance payments for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests furnished by a critical access hospital on an outpatient basis. Allows certain currently excluded hospitals to be providers of extended care services. (Sec. 404) Extends for five years the Medicare-dependent, small rural hospital program. (Sec. 405) Mandates rebasing for certain sole community hospitals that elect such treatment, in accordance with specified guidelines with respect to select fiscal year discharges. (Sec. 406) Revises provisions on payments for direct and indirect graduate medical education costs to expand current graduate medical education training programs for hospitals located in rural areas, and to encourage the training of physicians in underserved rural areas. (Sec. 407) Eliminates the requirement for State certification of need and certain restrictions on a hospital with more than 49 beds that provides extended care services. (Sec. 408) Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to assist eligible small rural hospitals in meeting the costs of implementing data systems required to meet Medicare requirements established by BBA '97. (Sec. 409) Directs the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC) to study and report to Congress on rural providers under Medicare. Title V: Provisions Relating to Part C (Medicare+Choice Program) - Subtitle A: Medicare+Choice - Amends SSA title XVIII part C (Medicare+Choice) and D (Miscellaneous) to provide for: (1) phased-in new risk adjustment methodology under provisions for payments to Medicare+Choice organizations; (2) increased monthly payments under such provisions for a limited period to encourage the offering of Medicare+Choice plans in certain areas where such a plan has either not been offered or is offered but slated for termination; (3) modification of the five-year reentry rule for Medicare+Choice organizations whose contracts have been terminated; (4) continued annual computation and publication of county-specific per capita fee-for-service expenditure information; (5) enrollment in alternative Medicare+Choice plans and Medicare supplemental health insurance policy (Medigap) coverage in case of involuntary termination of Medicare+Choice enrollment; (6) authorized variation in premium values within a service area if the annual Medicare+Choice capitation rates vary within the area; (7) a delayed deadline for submission of adjusted community rates and related information; (8) extension of Medicare reasonable cost reimbursement contracts under provisions for payments to health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and competitive medical plans; and (9) permission for religious fraternal benefit societies to offer a range of Medicare+Choice plans. (Sec. 510) Directs MEDPAC to report to Congress on specific legislative changes that should be made to make Medicare medical savings account plans a viable option under the Medicare+Choice program. Subtitle B: Social Health Maintenance Organizations (SHMOs) - Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 to: (1) extend social health maintenance organization (SHMO) demonstration project authority; and (2) replace the current limit on the number of individuals who may participate in a SHMO I or II project site with an aggregate limit for all sites.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 1999
Truth in Telephone Billing Act of 1999 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct a telecommunications carrier that is required to contribute to, or is assessed for, any universal service support mechanism, fund, tax, or program to identify on each subscriber's bill: (1) the identity of such mechanism, fund, tax, or program, as well as the governmental authority whose rules require or authorize the contribution or assessment; (2) the basis for such contribution or assessment; and (3) the dollar amount that is being attributed to and collected from such subscriber for such mechanism, fund, tax, or program.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1999
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Brooklyn Museum of Art should not receive Federal funds unless it closes its exhibit featuring works of a sacrilegious nature.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 1999
Calls upon the President: (1) not to participate in any international negotiation in which antidumping or antisubsidy rules are part of the negotiating agenda; (2) to refrain from submitting for congressional approval agreements that require changes to the current antidumping and countervailing duty laws and enforcement policies of the United States; and (3) to enforce the antidumping and countervailing duty laws vigorously in all pending and future cases.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 1999
Authorizes the President, on behalf of the Congress, to present congressional gold medals to astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, in recognition of their monumental and unprecedented feat of space exploration, as well as their achievements in the advancement of science and promotion of the space program. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates. Requires receipts from such sales to be deposited in the U.S. Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999
Shivwits Plateau National Conservation Area Establishment Act - Title I: Shivwits Plateau National Conservation Area - Establishes the Shivwits Plateau National Conservation Area in Arizona. (Sec. 103) Requires the administration of the conservation area to be exercised by the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Land Management. Prohibits the Secretary from using the National Park Service or the Fish and Wildlife Service to administer the Conservation Area or to include the area as a unit of the National Park System or the National Wildlife Refuge System, except by express congressional authorization. Requires the Secretary to prepare a management plan for administration and use of the conservation area. Establishes the Shivwits Plateau National Conservation Area Advisory Committee to advise on the preparation and implementation of the management plan. (Sec. 104) Provides that the designation of the conservation area shall not be construed to alter the existing authorized uses or rights to use Federal lands included in the area. Treats a land use as an existing land use if it was authorized as of January 1, 1999, was a historical or traditional use, or was a right of use as of such date. Permits hunting, trapping, and fishing on conservation area lands and waters. Authorizes grazing within the area to the same extent as was permitted during calendar year 1998. Guarantees grazing permit holders the right to create new improvements for grazing operations. Permits aircraft and helicopter overflights of lands and landings within the area to the same extent as was permitted during calendar year 1998. (Sec. 105) Describes procedures for the acquisition of State or private lands within the conservation area. (Sec. 106) Requires the Secretary to assess the oil, gas, coal, and other mineral potential on Federal lands in the conservation area in order to expand the data base with respect to the mineral potential of the lands. Subjects the mineral assessment program to review and approval by the Arizona State Department of Mines and Mineral Resources. Bars the Secretary from making, modifying, or extending any mineral withdrawal authorized by law within the conservation area after January 1, 1999, until the assessment, consultation with, and review by, the State are completed. Permits the removal of minerals from the conservation area after completion of such requirements. (Sec. 107) Requires the Secretary, subject to the availability of funds, to carry out ecological resources restoration projects within the conservation area. Prohibits such projects from adversely affecting grazing allotments for more than three years unless an extension has been agreed upon by the permittee. Requires the Secretary, to the extent that a project affects such an allotment, to provide alternative allotments within the same grazing district to affected permittees so that the total number of animal unit months is unaltered. Sets forth provisions regarding control of plant growth and road maintenance and improvement within the conservation area. (Sec. 110) Directs the Secretary to conduct a survey of the conservation area, noting all sites of archaeological, historical, or scientific interest. Makes survey results publicly available. (Sec. 111) Authorizes appropriations to carry out this title. Title II: Land Restoration and Conveyances - Requires the Secretary of the Interior, to the extent possible, to implement the recommendations contained in the April 1999 report of the Sonoran Institute regarding the Arizona Strip-Southern Utah Restoration Area. Authorizes the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior, as a demonstration project, to apply all or a part of the revenues received for timber and other resources removed from lands designated as such restoration area under stewardship end-result contracts as an offset against the costs of stewardship services. Requires the Secretaries to designate an independent scientific review panel to review and approve all projects under this section. Terminates the authority to conduct projects seven years after this Act's enactment date. (Sec. 202) Directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey, without consideration, all U.S. right, title, and interest in and to specified lands to Colorado City, Arizona, Fredonia, Arizona, Mohave County, Arizona, and the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians. (Sec. 203) Authorizes appropriations to carry out this title.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 1999
NTIA Reauthorization Act of 1999 - Amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act (the Act) to increase and extend through FY 2001 the authorization of appropriations for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). (Sec. 3) Prohibits NTIA from assigning any electromagnetic radio frequency spectrum for use for, or provide any spectrum management functions with respect to, any Federal agency except to the extent that NTIA obtains reimbursement for the cost of such activities. Authorizes NTIA to collect fees from such agencies to cover such costs. Requires NTIA to report annually to Congress, for FY 2000 and thereafter, itemizing the fees collected. (Sec. 4) Directs the Comptroller General (CG) to assess and report to Congress on the fair market value of the facilities of the NTIA Institute for Telecommunication Sciences in Boulder, Colorado. (Sec. 5) Directs the CG to study and report to Congress on: (1) the efficiency of NTIA in carrying out its functions; and (2) whether such functions comply with the NTIA mission and responsibilities under law. Requires the Inspector General of the Department of Commerce to conduct and report to Congress on an audit or evaluation of the performance of NTIA in conducting each of its functions, programs, and operations. Requires NTIA to review the above reports and submit to Congress a plan for the most efficient performance of its functions, including personnel adjustments, automation or privatization of functions, termination of unnecessary functions, and reduction of expenses for management and overhead. (Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Assistant Secretary, to convene an interagency review and assessment of spectrum reallocation to non-Federal use and the implications of such reallocations for affected Federal agencies. Requires a report from the Secretary to the President and Congress. (Sec. 7) Authorizes the Assistant Secretary to consolidate into a single submission reports required to be submitted to the same entity. (Sec. 8) Authorizes the Secretary, under the Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program, to make grants to eligible entities to assist in the development of a national telecommunications and information infrastructure. Requires grant funds to be used only for projects to: (1) expand or augment telecommunications networks or information technology systems for health care providers, educational institutions, research facilities, libraries, museums, State and local governments, and other social service and public information providers; (2) enhance the ability of such entities to have access to existing and new sources of information; (3) make universally available and utilize an advanced telecommunications and information infrastructure, especially for traditionally underserved populations; and (4) demonstrate and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of social services, such as education and health care, to the American people. Outlines grant requirements and limits. Designates as eligible entities: (1) a nonprofit foundation, corporation, institution, or association; (2) a State or local government or political subdivision thereof; or (3) an enterprise owned and operated by a State or local government entity. Outlines application requirements, selection procedures, and administrative provisions (including authorized recovery of grant funds for grant use violations). Requires: (1) Inspector General reviews to assure grant use compliance; (2) monitoring and evaluation of grant projects and activities by the Secretary; and (3) an annual report from the Secretary to Congress summarizing the results of such monitoring and evaluation. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2000 and 2001 for such grants.
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1999
Realistic Tests for Realistic Threats National Security Act of 1999 - Requires the Director of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization of the Department of Defense to: (1) conduct, no later than September 30, 2001, at least one intercept test of the Navy Theater-Wide defense system and the Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system against target missiles with velocities of not less than the maximum velocity of the Taepo Dong I missile of North Korea; (2) take immediate steps to modify plans for managing the development of such systems to meet such deadline. Urges the Director, in order to improve the likelihood that the tests are successful, to review changes in the configuration of the systems to: (1) increase the speed of their interceptor missiles to well in excess of three kilometers-per-second; and (2) allow such missiles to receive and use targeting data provided by a variety of external sensors.
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 1999
American Military Health Protection Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense to make the anthrax vaccination immunization program voluntary for all members of the armed forces until the Food and Drug Administration has approved a new anthrax vaccine for humans or a new, reduced course of shots for such vaccine.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 1999
Cardiac Arrest Survival Act of 1999 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) assist in providing for an improvement in the survival rates of individuals who experience cardiac arrest in Federal buildings by publishing in the Federal Register for public comment recommendations with respect to placing automatic external defibrillators in such buildings; and (2) assist Federal agencies in implementing programs for such placement. Requires the Secretary to determine criteria for: (1) the selection of the Federal public buildings in which defibrillators should be placed; (2) defibrillator maintenance; and (3) the coordination of the use of the defibrillators in public buildings with emergency medical services providers for the geographic areas in which the buildings are located. Provides that any person who provides emergency medical care through the use of a defibrillator, any person who maintained, tested, or provided training in the use of the device, any physician who provided medical oversight of the device, and the person who acquired the device (if specified conditions have been met) is immune from civil liability for any personal injury or wrongful death resulting from the provision of such care, unless the person engaged in gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct under the applicable circumstances.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
Fairness in Securities Transactions Act - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to reduce (from one three-hundredth of one percent to one five-hundredth of one percent) the transaction fees designed to recover the costs to the Government of securities markets oversight and enforcement. Provides that if insufficient fees are collected for the budget authority of the Securities and Exchange Commission as provided by an appropriations Act, such Act may provide for a fee increase, with all such increases deposited and credited as offsetting collections to the pertinent appropriations account. Requires that ten percent of all such fees be deposited and credited as offsetting collections to the pertinent appropriations account.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act of 1999 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to define "high speed data service" as a service capable of transmitting electronic information at a rate generally not less than 384 kilobits per second in at least one direction. Prohibits the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and each State, except as expressly provided in this Act, from regulating the rates, charges, terms or conditions for, or entry into the provision of, any high speed data service or Internet access service, or to regulate the facilities used in the provision of such service. Prohibits the FCC from requiring an incumbent (established) local exchange carrier to: (1) provide unbundled access to any network elements used in the provision of any high speed data service, other than those elements described in FCC regulations; or (2) offer for resale at wholesale rates any high speed data service. States that nothing in this Act shall: (1) limit or affect the authority of any State to regulate voice telephone exchange services; (2) affect the ability of the FCC to retain or modify the exemption from interstate access charges for enhanced service providers; or (3) prohibit the FCC from modifying the regulation concerning the number of networks subject to its unbundling requirement. Requires each incumbent local exchange carrier to provide: (1) Internet users with the ability to subscribe to and have access to any Internet service provider that interconnects with such carrier's high speed data service; (2) any Internet service provider with the right to acquire necessary facilities and services to facilitate such interconnection; and (3) any Internet service provider with the ability to collocate equipment in order to achieve such interconnection. Includes high speed data service or Internet access service within the definition of "incidental interLATA services" permitted for a Bell operating company (BOC). States that, until the date a BOC is authorized to offer interLATA services originating in an in-region State, such BOC offering any high speed data service or Internet access service may not, in such State, bill or collect for interLATA voice telecommunications service obtained by means of such high speed data or Internet access service provided by such company.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Amendments of 1999 - Declares that Congress: (1) recognizes the generous contribution made by each living individual who has donated an organ to save a life; and (2) acknowledges the advances in medical technology that have enabled organ transplantation with organs donated by living individuals to become a viable treatment option for an increasing number of patients. Amends the Public Health Service Act to revise and extend programs relating to organ procurement and transplantation, among other changes requiring the Organ Procurement and Transportation Network to: (1) carry out studies and demonstration projects to improve procedures for organ procurement and allocation; and (2) develop a peer review system to assure that members of the Network comply with appropriate medical and other specified criteria. Mandates that the Secretary of Health and Human Services establish additional procedures for providing oversight of, and public accountability for, operation of the Network. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants or contracts for: (1) payment of travel and subsistence expenses incurred toward living organ donation; and (2) studies and demonstration projects. Directs the Secretary to carry out a program to educate the public about organ donation. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
Arctic Tundra Habitat Emergency Conservation Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to implement the rules published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on February 16, 1999, relating to use of additional hunting methods to increase the harvest of mid-continent light geese and the establishment of a conservation order for the reduction of such goose populations, without regard to the withdrawal of such rules by a certain rule published on June 17, 1999. Makes such requirement applicable until the later of: (1) the effective date of rules issued by the Service to control such overabundant geese populations; or (2) the date of the publication of a final environmental impact statement for such rules.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
Medicare+Choice Risk Adjustment Amendments of 1999 - Amends part C (Medicare+Choice) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) require that the new risk adjustment methodology for Medicare+Choice payment rates be implemented in a budget neutral manner; and (2) eliminate any further adjustment in the national per capita Medicare+Choice growth percentage.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the Internal Revenue Service, as we know it, must be abolished, and the Internal Revenue Code must be replaced with a new, simple, and fair tax system that reduces taxes and applies a single, low rate to all Americans; and (2) the President should submit to Congress a comprehensive proposal to reform the Internal Revenue Code by April 1, 2000.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 1999
Corporation for Public Broadcasting Authorization Act of 1999 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to authorize appropriations: (1) to the Public Broadcasting Fund for FY 2000 through 2006; (2) for FY 1999 through 2003 for costs associated with the transition of public broadcasting to digital broadcasting services; and (3) for FY 2000 through 2004 for the planning and construction of public telecommunications facilities, including analog and digital broadcasting facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 25 June 1999
Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1999 - Repeals the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935. Prescribes procedural guidelines for both Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and State access to records of a holding company (including subsidiaries, associates and affiliates) of a public utility or natural gas company. Precludes such State access to any person that is a holding company solely by reason of ownership of one or more qualifying facilities under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act. Instructs FERC to promulgate a final rule to exempt specified holding companies from such access requirements. Requires FERC to exempt any person or transaction from such access requirements if it finds that regulation of such person or transaction is irrelevant to the jurisdictional rates of a public utility or natural gas company. Retains the jurisdiction of FERC and State commissions to determine whether a public utility company or natural gas company may recover in rates any costs of affiliate transactions. Declares this Act inapplicable to: (1) the United States; (2) a State or its political subdivision; and (3) a foreign governmental authority not operating in the United States. Grants FERC certain Federal Power Act enforcement powers. Transfers from the Securities and Exchange Commission to FERC all books and records that relate primarily to the functions vested in FERC by this Act. Authorizes appropriations. Amends the Federal Power Act to repeal its conflict of jurisdiction guidelines.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 1999
Safety Net Preservation Act of 1999 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to establish a new prospective payment system for federally-qualified health centers and rural health clinics.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 1999
Pain Relief Promotion Act of 1999 - Title I: Use of Controlled Substances Consistent With the Controlled Substances Act - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to provide that for purposes of such Act, alleviating pain or discomfort in the usual course of professional practice is a legitimate medical purpose for the dispensing, distributing, or administering of a controlled substance consistent with public health and safety even if the use of such a substance may increase the risk of death. Declares that nothing in this Act authorizes intentionally dispensing or administering a controlled substance for purposes of causing death or assisting another person in causing death. Prohibits the Attorney General, in determining whether a controlled substance manufacturer, distributor, or dispenser registration is consistent with the public interest under the Act, from giving force and effect to State law permitting assisted suicide or euthanasia. Authorizes certain educational and research programs carried out by the Attorney General under the Act to include educational and training programs for local, State, and Federal personnel on the necessary and legitimate use of controlled substances in pain management and palliative care and means by which investigation and enforcement actions by law enforcement personnel may accommodate such use. Title II: Promoting Palliative Care - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Administrator of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research to carry out a program to: (1) develop and advance scientific understanding of palliative care; and (2) collect and disseminate protocols and evidence-based practices regarding such care, with priority given to pain management for terminally ill patients, and make such information publicly available. Defines "palliative care" as the active total care of patients whose prognosis is limited due to progressive, far-advanced disease. Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to award grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts to health professions schools, hospices, and other entities for programs to provide education and training to health care professionals in palliative care. Sets forth requirements for grant applicants. Provides for the evaluation of such programs to determine their effect on knowledge and practice regarding palliative care. Makes funds available for such grants and contracts.
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 1999
Arctic Coastal Plain Domestic Energy Security Act of 1999 - Declares that: (1) it is the policy of the United States to permit exploration, development, production and transportation of oil and gas resources in a designated area of the Coastal Plain Study Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; (2) such exploration, development, production and transportation should proceed with dispatch; and (3) such activities should be conducted in a manner consistent with the protection of the Coastal Plain's fish and wildlife resources and environment and the needs of the area's subsistence users. (Sec. 4) Instructs the Secretary of the Interior to establish and implement a competitive oil and gas leasing program that will: (1) result in an environmentally sound program; (2) not result in significant adverse effects upon fish and wildlife; and (3) ensure the receipt of fair market value by the public for the mineral resources to be leased. Amends the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 to repeal the prohibition against production of oil and gas from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and any leasing or development leading to such production. States that Congress determines that the Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing program and activities authorized by this Act are compatible with the purposes for which the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was established, and that no further findings or decisions are required to implement this determination. States this Act is the sole authority for Coastal Plain leasing, and that such Plain is considered "Federal land" for purposes of the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) designate a maximum total of Coastal Plain acreage as "Special Areas" and close them to leasing if the Secretary determines that these Areas require special management and regulatory protection; (2) permit leasing in those Special Areas by setting lease terms that limit or condition surface use and occupancy by lessees but permit the use of horizontal drilling technology from sites on leases located outside the designated Special Areas. Declares that this Act constitutes the Secretary's sole authority to close Coastal Plain lands to oil and gas leasing and to exploration, development, and production. (Sec. 6) States that lands may be leased to any person qualified to obtain a lease for oil and gas deposits under the Mineral Leasing Act. Requires the Secretary to prescribe lease procedures. (Sec. 7) Authorizes the Secretary to grant to the highest responsible qualified bidder by sealed competitive cash bonus bid any Coastal Plain lands upon payment of such bonus and a royalty which shall not be less than a certain amount. Prescribes lease terms and conditions. (Sec. 10) Directs the Secretary to grant rights-of-way and easements across the Coastal Plain for oil and gas transportation.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 1999
Declares that Congress recognizes: (1) the severity of the issue of colorectal cancer; (2) such disease's preventable nature; and (3) the importance of the Screen for Life Campaign. Calls on health educators, elected officials, and the people of the United States to: (1) broaden the message of the Screen for Life Campaign to reach all individuals; and (2) learn about colorectal cancer and its preventable nature and learn to recognize the risk factors and symptoms which enable early detection and treatment.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 1999
Abolishment of Obsolete Agencies and Federal Sunset Act of 1999 - Establishes the Federal Agency Sunset Commission to: (1) submit to Congress a schedule for review by the Commission, at least once every 12 years, of the abolishment or reorganization of each agency; (2) review and evaluate the efficiency and public need for each agency; and (3) recommend whether each agency should be abolished or reorganized. Requires the abolishment of any agency within one year of the Commission's review, unless the agency is reauthorized by Congress. Authorizes the deadline to be extended for an additional two years if enacted by a super majority of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Sets forth criteria for such review. Directs the Comptroller General and the Director of the Congressional Budget Office, in cooperation with the Director of the Congressional Research Service, to prepare an inventory of Federal programs within each agency for the purpose of advising and assisting Congress and the Commission in carrying out the requirements of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 1999
National Uniformity for Food Act of 1999 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) to prohibit any State or political subdivision from establishing or continuing in effect as to any food in interstate commerce any requirement for food labeling or food that is not identical to specified FDCA provisions. Prohibits any State or political subdivision from establishing or continuing in effect any notification requirement for a food that provides for a warning concerning the food's safety that is not identical to FDCA provisions. Allows a State to petition for an exemption and for a national standard regarding any requirement under the FDCA, as amended by this Act, or the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act relating to food regulation. Allows a State to establish a requirement that would otherwise violate FDCA provisions relating to national uniform nutrition labeling or this paragraph if the requirement is needed to address an imminent hazard to health that is likely to result in serious adverse health consequences and if other requirements are met.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 1999
Increases the authorization of appropriations for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with respect to motor vehicle safety and information programs.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 1999
Arrow Excise Tax Clarification Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to the excise tax on arrows to: (1) include among taxable components any article used to attach a point and shaft; (2) provide a reduced rate for certain hunting and fishing points; (3) impose a tax on imported arrows; (4) define "taxable arrow"; and (5) provide for tax-free sales by component purchasers to governments or tax-exempt entities.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 1999
National Retail Sales Tax Act of 1999 - Repeals the income, estate, gift, and certain excise tax provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. (Sec. 4) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a 15 percent tax on the use, consumption or enjoyment in the U.S. of any property or service produced or rendered within or without of the United States. Prohibits, subject to exception, imposing a tax on any property or service purchased for: (1) a business purpose in an active trade or business; or (2) export from the Unites States for use or consumption outside of the Unites States, provided that the purchaser provided the seller with either an intermediate sales certificate or an export sales certificate. Defines "purchased for a business purpose in an active trade or business" as property or services: (1) purchased for resale; (2) purchased to produce property or services; or (3) purchased in furtherance of other bona fide business purposes. Sets forth rules relating to the obligation of governmental units and not-for-profit organizations to collect, remit, and pay taxes. Sets forth provisions concerning credits and refunds. Allows for general credits against the tax, including: (1) a used property credit; (2) a business use conversion credit; (3) an administration credit; (4) a compliance equipment cost credit; (5) a bad debt credit; (6) an insurance proceeds credit; and (7) a transition inventory credit. Provides for installment payments of the tax on the purchase of a principal residence. Allows an eligible family unit to receive a sales tax rebate. Requires that a family member, to be counted for the purposes of determining family unit size, must: (1) if over two years old, have a bona fide Social Security number; and (2) be a lawful U.S. resident. Declares that no individual shall be considered part of more than one family unit. Sets forth definitions and special rules concerning such things as: (1) foreign financial intermediation services; (2) financing leases; and (3) installment sales. Imposes a 15 percent tax on gaming services. Directs an administering State to administer, collect, and remit to the U.S. Treasury the tax on gross payments for the use, consumption or enjoyment of taxable property or services within the State. Defines an administering State as one which maintains a specified conforming sales tax and enters into a specified cooperative agreement with the Secretary. Provides for administrative support for States. Sets forth provisions concerning, among other things: (1) monthly reports and payments; (2) records; (3) penalties; (4) appeals; (5) accounting; and (6) hobby activities. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to establish an Office of Revenue Allocation to arbitrate any claims or disputes among States. (Sec. 5) Prohibits the authorizing of any appropriations for the Internal Revenue Service after FY 2003. Establishes in the Treasury: (1) an Excise Tax Bureau to administer any excise taxes not repealed by this Act; and (2) a Sales Tax Bureau to administer the national sales tax. (Sec. 6) Authorizes the Social Security Administration to collect and administer self-employment income and employment taxes beginning in 2001. (Sec. 7) Sets forth provisions concerning: (1) the self- employment tax; (2) the indexing of social security benefits; (3) compensating payments to individuals on fixed incomes; and (4) the interest rate on tax underpayments and overpayments. (Sec. 11) Requires a supermajority in the House of Representatives or the Senate to raise rates.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 1999
Father Theodore M. Hesburgh Congressional Gold Medal Act - Authorizes the President to present, on behalf of Congress, a congressional gold medal to Father Theodore M. Hesburgh in recognition of his outstanding and enduring contributions to civil rights, higher education, the Catholic Church, the Nation, and the global community. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 1999
Citizen Legislature and Political Freedom Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to terminate limitations on Federal election campaign contributions after 2000. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to terminate after December 31, 1999, the designation of income tax payments to the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. Terminates the Fund itself and the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account after December 31, 2000, and transfers any amounts remaining in the Fund to the general fund of the Treasury. Amends FECA, in the case of a political committee of a national political party, to require reports of all funds transferred to any political committee of a State or local political party, without regard to whether or not the funds are otherwise treated as contributions or expenditures under such Act (soft money). Requires any political committee of a State or local political party to file with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) a copy of any report on disbursements it is required under a State or local law, rule, or regulation to submit to the State or local government. Directs the FEC to make electronic filing of reports mandatory. Revises current deadlines for notification of contributions by a campaign committee. Applies such deadlines to each campaign committee of a candidate, not (as currently) just the principal campaign committee. Requires each political committee to notify, in writing, the appropriate office of any contribution (currently, of $1,000 or more) received by the committee during the period which begins on the 90th day before an election (currently, after the 20th day after, but more than 48 hours before, an election) and ends at the time the polls close for such election. Requires such notification to be made within 24 hours (or, if earlier, by midnight of the day on which the contribution is deposited) (currently, within 48 hours) after receipt of the contribution. Requires the FEC to make report information available on the Internet and at FEC offices as soon as practicable after its receipt. Declares that the "best efforts" exception to noncompliance with FECA shall not apply with respect to information regarding the identification of any contributor of more than $200 in the aggregate during a calendar year (thus requiring strict observance of reporting deadlines for all such contributions).
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide a tax deduction (for individual loss) and tax exceptions to homeowners and small businesses for the repair of Formosan termite damage.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 1999
Consumer and Investor Access to Information Act of 1999 - Title I: Commerce in Duplicated Databases Prohibited - Proscribes the sale or distribution of databases to the public that: (1) is a duplicate of another database collected and organized by another person; and (2) is sold or distributed in commerce in competition with that other database. Excludes from such proscription: (1) government databases; (2) databases related to Internet communications; (3) computer programs; and (4) subscriber list information. Preempts State law that is not consistent with this Act. Sets forth liability limitations for service providers and misuse of the duplicate distribution protection. Grants the Federal Trade Commission enforcement and rulemaking authority, and directs it to report to Congress on the effect of this upon electronic commerce and upon the domestic database industry. Title II: Securities Market Information - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to set forth civil remedies for the misappropriation of real-time market information, including injunctions, monetary relief, and disgorgement.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 1999
Clinical Research Enhancement Act of 1999 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to: (1) support and expand the NIH's involvement in clinical research; (2) support and expand the resources available for the clinical research community; and (3) establish peer review mechanisms. (Sec. 4) Mandates grants to: (1) establish general clinical research centers to provide the infrastructure for clinical research, including clinical research training and career enhancement; (2) support individual careers in clinical research at general clinical research centers or other institutions (to be known as Mentor Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Awards); (3) support individual clinical research projects at general clinical research centers or other institutions (to be known as Mid-Career Investigator Awards in Patient-Oriented Research); and (4) support individuals pursuing master's or doctoral degrees in clinical investigation (to be known as graduate training in clinical investigation awards). Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 5) Increases the limit on the aggregate number of scholarship (regarding professions needed by the NIH) and loan repayment (regarding clinical researchers from disadvantaged backgrounds) contracts under specified provisions. Modifies the loan repayment program to: (1) remove current references to disadvantaged backgrounds; and (2) require a period of service in a general clinical research center, in clinical NIH research, or as a physician receiving a clinical research career enhancement award or a graduate training in clinical investigation award (currently, a period of service as an NIH employee). Requires that at least 50 percent of the loan repayment contracts involve individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Authorizes appropriations to carry out the loan repayment provisions. (Sec. 7) Directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress on the extent to which the NIH has complied with requirements of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 1999
Social Security Surplus Preservation and Debt Reduction Act - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to make it out of order in the House of Representatives or the Senate to consider a concurrent budget resolution (or amendment thereto or conference report thereon) that violates a provision of the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990 that provides that the receipts and disbursements of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors and Disability Insurance Trust Funds (social security trust funds) shall not be counted for purposes of the presidential or congressional budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act). Makes it out of order in the House or the Senate to consider any legislation that would: (1) increase the limit on the public debt under the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act; or (2) provide additional borrowing authority that would result in such limit being exceeded. Makes it out of order in the House or the Senate to consider a concurrent budget resolution (or amendment thereto or conference report thereon) that sets forth a deficit for any fiscal year. Makes such point of order inapplicable if: (1) the public debt limit is suspended; or (2) the deficit for a fiscal year results solely from the enactment of retirement security reform legislation or provisions designated as emergency requirements. Includes the level of public debt in the required content of the concurrent budget resolution. Requires the budget resolution to specify the amounts by which the limit on such debt is to be changed and direct the committee having jurisdiction to recommend such change. Amends the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act to set forth: (1) limits on the public debt for specified periods through April 30, 2010; and (2) estimated levels of social security surpluses through FY 2009. Provides for adjustments to the public debt limit based on actual social security surpluses and emergency requirements. Prohibits such adjustments if those for the current year are less than the on-budget surplus for the year before the current year. Suspends the public debt limit in cases of low economic growth or war. Provides for an adjustment to the public debt limit if retirement security reform legislation is enacted. Sunsets this Act on April 30, 2010.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Estuary Habitat Restoration Title II: Chesapeake Bay Program Estuary Habitat Restoration Partnership Act of 1999 - Title I: Estuary Habitat Restoration - Establishes the Estuary Habitat Restoration Council (Council), which shall: (1) develop a national strategy for estuary habitat restoration; and (2) review project applications. (Sec. 105) Establishes six Regional Councils to represent the: (1) Gulf region; (2) Middle Atlantic region; (3) Northeast region; (4) Northwest region; (5) Southeast region; and (6) Southwest region. States that such Councils shall: (1) be made up of the Governors and their appointees for each member State; (2) develop regional strategies for project prioritization and selection; and (3) evaluate and forward project applications to the Council. Directs the Secretary of the Army to coordinate technical support and provide, upon request, administrative support to the Councils. (Sec. 106) Directs the Council to develop an estuary restoration strategy within a specified time which shall provide for the integration of estuary restoration plans, programs, and partnerships. (Sec. 107) Sets forth project application and administrative provisions, including Federal cost-sharing limits. (Sec. 109) Directs the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere of the Department of Commerce to develop a project monitoring database. (Sec. 110) Authorizes appropriations for: (1) estuary restoration activities; and (2) database monitoring. Obligates administrative funds for the Council and Regional Councils. Title II: Chesapeake Bay Program - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to authorize appropriations for the Chesapeake Bay Program, with an annual limitation on funds available for the Program office in the Environmental Protection Agency.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 1999
Schools and Libraries Internet Access Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to repeal provisions authorizing the Federal Communications Commission to take certain actions to provide access to advanced telecommunications services for schools, health care providers, and libraries. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce the excise tax paid for telephone and other communications services to one percent (currently, three percent) of the total paid for such services beginning with bills rendered on or after January 1, 2000, and before October 1, 2003. Repeals such communications taxation provisions with respect to bills rendered on or after October 1, 2004. Establishes in the Treasury the Telecommunications Technology Trust Fund and appropriates into such Fund all amounts received pursuant to the above taxation authority after December 31, 1998. Makes such funds available to carry out provisions of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act (NTIAO) as added under this Act. Terminates this section on October 1, 2004. Amends the NTIAO to direct the Secretary of Commerce to award a fiscal year grant to each State having an approved plan for the acquisition of telecommunications and related services for: (1) the provision of health care services by any public or nonprofit health care provider that serves persons residing in a rural area; or (2) elementary and secondary schools and libraries, for educational purposes. Provides for an allocation of State funding based on relative populations. Requires the State plan to take into consideration the relative economic need of the eligible entities, including the number of students living in low-income or sparsely populated areas. Authorizes appropriations from the Fund for FY 2000 through 2004 for such grants and administrative expenses. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2005 and thereafter for such purposes from general Treasury funds.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 1999
Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act - Title I: Validity of Electronic Records and Signatures for Commerce - Prohibits any rule of law from denying the legal effect of certain instruments of electronic commerce on the ground that: (1) they are not in writing; or (2) they are not signed or affirmed by a signature if they have been signed or affirmed by electronic signature. Sets forth guidelines under which a Federal or State rule of law may alter or supersede the general rule of validity governing instruments of electronic commerce. Empowers the Secretary of Commerce to enjoin a State rule of law in violation of such guidelines. Excludes certain testamentary instruments and matters of family law from the purview of this Act. Title II: Development and Adoption of Electronic Signature Products and Services Directs the Secretary to: (1) conduct and report to Congress on the results of an inquiry regarding impediments to commerce in electronic signature products and services; and (2) promote the practice of electronic signatures in interstate and foreign commerce. Title III: Use of Electronic Records and Signatures Under Federal Securities Law - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to reflect the provisions of this Act regarding the use of electronic records and signatures. Authorizes the Securities and Exchange Commission to prescribe implementing regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 1999
Ivanpah Valley Airport Public Lands Transfer Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to convey to Clark County, Nevada, certain Federal public lands in Ivanpah Valley, Nevada, for the development of an airport facility and related infrastructure. Prohibits such conveyance from being made until: (1) the County has conducted an airspace assessment to identify any potential adverse effects on access to the Las Vegas basin under visual flight rules that would result from the construction and operation of a commercial or primary airport, or both, on the land to be conveyed; (2) the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration certifies to the Secretary that such assessment is thorough, and that alternatives have been developed to address each adverse effect identified in such assessment; and (3) the County has entered into an agreement with the Secretary to retain ownership of Jean Airport, located at Jean, Nevada, and to maintain and operate such Airport for general aviation purposes. Requires conveyance of small parcels over 20 years as may be needed by the County to construct and develop the airport facility and infrastructure on the lands conveyed. Provides for the deposit of payments received from the County as consideration for the conveyance of each parcel in the special account described in the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act. Withdraws the conveyed lands from mineral entry under the Act of May 10, 1872, known as the Mining Law of 1872 and the Mineral Leasing Act. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to consult with the Secretary in the development of an airspace management plan for the Ivanpah Valley Airport that shall, to the maximum extent practicable and without adversely impacting safety considerations, restrict aircraft arrivals and departures over the Mojave Desert Preserve in California.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact Title II: Southern Dairy Compact Dairy Consumers and Producers Protection Act - Title I: Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact - Amends the Agricultural Market Transition Act to include Maryland, New Jersey, and New York within the Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact. Includes Ohio among the additional States that may join such Compact, and eliminates Virginia from such group. Eliminates and revises specified provisions regarding Compact implementation, duration, restricting authority, and Commodity Credit Corporation compensation. Title II: Southern Dairy Compact - States that Congress consents to the Southern Dairy Compact entered into by Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Includes Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas as additional States that may join such Compact. Limits price regulatory authority to Class I fluid milk unless otherwise consented to by Congress. Provides for Commodity Credit Corporation compensation. Sets forth the Southern Dairy Compact.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 1999
Regulatory Fairness and Openness Act of 1999 - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a transition analysis report with respect to pesticide tolerances before releasing any product safety information to the public, or making final tolerance decisions. Includes within such report's requirements a description of the extent to which specified assumptions have been used to support findings or regulatory recommendations. (Sec. 5) Sets forth interim review or reassessment procedures. (Sec. 6) Requires the Administrator to issue within one year of enactment of this Act final implementing rules for tolerances and exemptions for pesticide chemical residues. (Sec. 7) Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the Administrator to issue guidelines specifying required data in support of tolerances and exemptions. Amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to provide for related notice and opportunity for hearing. (Sec. 8) Amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to provide for an expedited replacement product registration process. Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to authorize an expedited tolerance for an emergency exemption if no significant (food) consumer risk exists. (Sec. 9) Requires the Administrator and the Secretary of Agriculture to report with respect to related pesticide, residue, and food use priorities and resources. (Sec. 10) Requires the Secretary to develop a program to monitor the competitive international market strength of major U.S. agricultural commodity sectors. (Sec. 11) Establishes the Pesticide Advisory Committee.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 1999
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to restore the link ended by the Senior Citizens' Freedom to Work Act of 1995 between the rules relating to substantial gainful activity for blind individuals and the rules relating to excess earnings under the social security earnings test for individuals who have attained retirement age (thus allowing blind individuals, once again, to earn up to the social security excess earnings threshold without being regarded as having demonstrated an ability to engage in substantial gainful activity and without losing entitlement to OASDI benefits). Makes this Act effective with respect to taxable years ending after 1995.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 1999
Individual Investment Account Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a deduction for amounts contributed to individual investment accounts. Allows tax-free distributions, limited to $15,000 for all taxable years, from such accounts for use in the purchase of a principal residence by a first-time homebuyer. Makes such accounts tax-exempt unless the individual engages in prohibited transactions. Exempts such an account from the additional tax on prohibited transactions even if the account ceases to be an individual investment account as the result of a prohibited transaction. Adjusts dollar limitations under this Act for inflation. Allows such deduction in determining adjusted gross income. Exempts such accounts from estate tax. Excludes from gross income gain from the sale or exchange of property if, during the five-year period ending on the date of the sale or exchange, such property has been owned and used by the taxpayer as a principal residence for periods aggregating two years or more. Limits such exclusion to the amount paid to an individual investment account during the one-year period beginning on the date of the sale or exchange. Provides for adjusting the basis of a residence acquired through the use of an individual investment account.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Satellite Competition and Consumer Protection Title II: Secondary Transmissions By Satellite Carriers Within Local Markets Satellite Copyright, Competition, and Consumer Protection Act of 1999 - Title I: Satellite Competition and Consumer Protection - Satellite Competition and Consumer Protection Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to allow television broadcasting stations the option of electing must-carry status as provided in this title for satellite carriers providing local service and retransmitting the station's signals, as an alternative to the current authority to grant retransmission consent. (Sec. 102) Exempts from such retransmission consent requirement (in addition to noncommercial television broadcast stations) superstations that existed as superstations on May 1, 1991, were retransmitted by satellite carriers under satellite compulsory license as of July 1, 1998, and whose retransmissions were in compliance with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules governing network nonduplication, syndicated exclusivity, and sports blackout. Terminates seven months after the enactment of this Act the retransmission consent exemption for satellite-delivered distant network signals. Requires the FCC to commence a rulemaking proceeding to revise the regulations governing the exercise by television broadcasting stations of the right to grant retransmission consent and such other regulations as are necessary to administer the limitations contained in this Act. Requires such regulations to: (1) establish election time periods for must-carry retransmission consent rights that correspond with those regulations adopted under this Act; and (2) prohibit (through January 1, 2006) television broadcast stations that provide retransmission consent from engaging in discriminatory practices, understandings, arrangements, and activities, including exclusive contracts for carriage, that prevent a multichannel video programming distributor from obtaining retransmission consent from such stations. Provides that, if an originating television station elects to exercise its right to grant retransmission consent under this Act with respect to a satellite carrier, the must-carry provisions shall not apply to the carriage of such station's signal by the satellite carrier. (Sec. 103) Requires satellite carriers that retransmit a television broadcast signal to subscribers located within the signal's local market to carry, upon request, beginning January 1, 2002, all television broadcast stations located within the local market (must- carry requirement), subject to the retransmission consent election by such stations. Requires a television broadcast station asserting its right to such carriage to bear costs associated with delivering a good quality signal to the satellite carrier's designated local receive facility or to another facility that is acceptable to at least one-half the stations asserting the right to carriage in the local market. Provides that a satellite carrier shall not be required: (1) to carry upon request the signal of any local commercial television broadcast station that substantially duplicates the signal of another local commercial television broadcast station which is secondarily transmitted by the satellite carrier within the same local market; or (2) to carry upon request the signals of more than one local commercial television broadcast station in a single local market that is affiliated with a particular television network. Requires the FCC to prescribe regulations that provide the same degree of carriage by satellite carriers of multiple local noncommercial television broadcast stations as is provided by cable systems. Declares that no satellite carrier shall be required to provide a local television broadcast station signal to subscribers in that station's local market on any particular channel number, or to provide the signals in any particular order, except that the satellite carrier shall retransmit the signal of the local stations to subscribers in the stations' local market on contiguous channels, and provide access to such signals at a nondiscriminatory price and in a nondiscriminatory manner on any navigational device, on screen program guide, or menu. Prohibits a satellite carrier from accepting or requesting monetary payments or other valuable consideration in exchange either for carriage of local television broadcast stations in fulfillment of the requirements of this Act or for channel positioning rights provided to such stations. Allows any such station, however, to be required to bear the costs associated with delivering a good quality signal to the satellite's local receive facility. Provides an administrative procedure by which stations may seek redress from the FCC for violations of the must-carry obligations for satellite carriers. (Sec. 104) Sets a deadline by which the FCC must commence a single rulemaking proceeding to establish regulations (modeled after those currently applicable to the cable industry) that apply network nonduplication protection, syndicated exclusivity protection, and sports blackout protection to retransmission of broadcast signals by satellite carriers to subscribers. Directs the FCC to establish a signal intensity Network Nonduplication Signal Standard (until revised, the Grade B field strength standard prescribed by specified FCC regulations) for purposes of determining the network nonduplication rights of local television broadcast stations. Directs the FCC to take all actions necessary to develop and prescribe by rule a point-to-point predictive Network Nonduplication Reception Model for reliably and presumptively determining the ability of individual locations to receive signals in accordance with the Network Nonduplication Signal Standard. Requires the network nonduplication requirements to allow a television network station to assert certain nonduplication rights. Prescribes procedures: (1) for subscriber requests for waiver of network nonduplication requirements; and (2) for verification of inability to receive a standard-meeting signal, if a waiver is denied. Prescribes conditions for deeming a subscriber with satellite reception equipment in a recreational vehicle to be outside a station's local market and Reception Model Area. Requires the FCC to review and, if necessary, revise such Standards and Models. (Sec. 105) Requires the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) to certify annually to the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and notify each pertinent satellite carrier, that a majority of its membership supports or does not support the secondary transmission of the PBS satellite feed. (Sec. 107) Requires the FCC to complete the biennial review required by the Telecommunications Act of 1996. (Sec. 108) Provides that until the FCC issues regulations, if a subscriber's network service is terminated, the satellite carrier shall, upon request, provide the subscriber free of charge an over- the-air television broadcast receiving antenna that will provide the subscriber with an over-the-air signal of Grade B intensity for those network stations that were terminated as a result of a finding of copyright infringement. (Sec. 109) Prohibits a subscriber whose household is located outside the Grade A contour of a network station from having his or her satellite service of another network station affiliated with that same network terminated as a result of an infringement finding, until the FCC has issued and implemented a new predictive model under this Act. Title II: Secondary Transmissions by Satellite Carriers Within Local Markets - Satellite Copyright Compulsory License Improvement Act - Amends Federal copyright law to cite circumstances under which the secondary transmission by a satellite carrier of a primary transmission of a television broadcast station into the station's local market shall be subject to statutory (compulsory) licensing. Requires the carrier: (1) within 90 days after commencing such secondary transmission, to submit to the network that owns or is affiliated with the network station a list identifying all subscribers to which the satellite carrier currently makes such transmission; and (2) on the 15th day of each month, to submit a subsequent list identifying any subscribers who have been added or dropped since submission of the last list. (Sec. 202) Restricts the use of the subscriber information to monitor compliance by the satellite carrier. Applies the submission requirements to a satellite carrier only if the network to which the submissions are to be made places on file with the Register of Copyrights a document identifying the name and address of the person to whom such submissions are to be made. Precludes any royalty obligation for such secondary transmission. Makes actionable as an act of infringement fully subject to copyright remedies a satellite carrier's willful or repeated secondary transmission into a television broadcast station's local market of the station's primary transmission embodying a performance or display of a work to a subscriber outside the station's local market, if the satellite carrier has not complied with FCC rules, regulations, or authorizations concerning signal carriage. Applies the same infringement liability and copyright remedies to a satellite carrier if: (1) the content of a particular program in which the performance or display is embodied or any commercial advertising or station announcement transmitted by the primary transmitter during, or immediately before or after, the transmission of such program, is in any way willfully altered by the satellite carrier through changes, deletions, or additions, or is combined with programming from any other broadcast signal; or (2) such transmission is made to a subscriber outside the station's local market who is not subject to compulsory licensing or a private licensing agreement, unless the satellite promptly withdraws service from the ineligible subscriber. Sets forth additional remedies for willful and repeated patterns or practices of such violations. Places on the satellite carrier the burden of proof in any action brought under this Act that its secondary transmission of a station's primary transmission is made only to subscribers within the station's local market or subscribers being served in compliance with compulsory licensing requirements. Provides that, with respect to any actionable secondary transmission by a satellite carrier of a primary transmission embodying the performance or display of a work, a television broadcast station holding a copyright or other license to transmit or perform the same version of that work shall be treated as a legal or beneficial owner if such secondary transmission occurs within the local market of that station. (Sec. 203) Amends the Satellite Home Viewer Act of 1994 to extend until December 31, 2004, the sunset of the satellite compulsory license. (Sec. 204) Revises the formula used to compute the rate of royalty fees for satellite carriers in effect on January 1, 1998, by reducing the $.27 rate for retransmission of: (1) superstation signals by 30 percent; and (2) network stations by 45 percent. Provides that, for purposes of copyright arbitration royalty panels, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) shall be the agent for all public television copyright claimants and all PBS member stations with respect to royalty fees paid by satellite carriers for retransmitting the PBS satellite feed. (Sec. 205) Subjects to compulsory license a copyrighted programming carried upon the PBS national satellite feed. Conditions such license, after certain circumstances take place, or two years after the effective date of this Act, whichever is earlier, on the annual PBS certification that a majority of PBS membership supports the secondary transmission of the PBS satellite feed. Defines "Public Broadcasting Service satellite feed" as the national satellite feed distributed by PBS consisting of educational and informational programming intended for private home viewing, to which PBS holds national terrestrial broadcast rights. (Sec. 206) Limits the compulsory license to secondary transmissions of network stations to persons who are unable to receive a signal of the intensity specified as the Network Nonduplication Signal Standard (currently, limited to secondary transmissions to persons who reside in unserved households). Makes use of the compulsory license contingent upon compliance with the FCC nonduplication requirements of title I of this Act. (Sec. 207) Makes satellite carrier eligibility for the compulsory license contingent upon full compliance with all FCC signal carriage requirements. (Sec. 208) Requires the Register of Copyrights and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information jointly to study and report to Congress on the technical and economic impact of must-carry requirements on delivery of local signals.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 1999
National Retail Sales Tax Act of 1999 - Repeals the income, estate, gift, and certain excise tax provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. (Sec. 4) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a 15 percent tax on the use, consumption or enjoyment in the U.S. of any property or service produced or rendered within or without of the United States. Prohibits, subject to exception, imposing a tax on any property or service purchased for: (1) a business purpose in an active trade or business; or (2) export from the United States for use or consumption outside of the United States, provided that the purchaser provided the seller with either an intermediate sales certificate or an export sales certificate. Defines "purchased for a business purpose in an active trade or business" as property or services: (1) purchased for resale; (2) purchased to produce property or services; or (3) purchased in furtherance of other bona fide business purposes. Sets forth rules relating to the obligation of governmental units and not-for-profit organizations to collect, remit, and pay taxes. Sets forth provisions concerning credits and refunds. Allows for general credits against the tax, including: (1) a used property credit; (2) a business use conversion credit; (3) an administration credit; (4) a compliance equipment cost credit; (5) a bad debt credit; (6) an insurance proceeds credit; and (7) a transition inventory credit. Provides for installment payments of the tax on the purchase of a principal residence. Allows an eligible family unit to receive a sales tax rebate. Requires that a family member, to be counted for the purposes of determining family unit size, must: (1) if over two years old, have a bona fide social security number; and (2) be a lawful resident. Declares that no individual shall be considered part of more than one family unit. Sets forth definitions and special rules concerning such things as: (1) foreign financial intermediation services; (2) financing leases; and (3) installment sales. Imposes a 15 percent tax on gaming services. Directs an administering State to administer, collect, and remit to the Treasury the tax on gross payments for the use, consumption or enjoyment of taxable property or services within the State. Defines an administering State as one which maintains a specified conforming sales tax and enters into a specified cooperative agreement with the Secretary. Provides for administrative support for States. Sets forth provisions concerning, among other things: (1) monthly reports and payments; (2) records; (3) penalties; (4) appeals; (5) accounting; and (6) hobby activities. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to establish an Office of Revenue Allocation to arbitrate any claims or disputes among States. (Sec. 5) Prohibits the authorizing of any appropriations for the Internal Revenue Service after FY 2003. Establishes in the Treasury: (1) an Excise Tax Bureau to administer any excise taxes not repealed by this Act; and (2) a Sales Tax Bureau to administer the national sales tax. (Sec. 6) Authorizes the Social Security Administration to collect and administer self-employment income and employment taxes beginning in 2001. (Sec. 7) Sets forth provisions concerning: (1) the self-employment tax; (2) the indexing of social security benefits; (3) compensating payments to individuals on fixed incomes; and (4) the interest rate on tax underpayments and overpayments. (Sec. 11) Requires a supermajority in the House of Representatives or the Senate to raise rates.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 1999
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to implement the Class I milk price structure known as Option A as part of the final rule to consolidate Federal milk marketing orders.
United States · United States Congress · 14 April 1999
Bond Price Competition Improvement Act of 1999 - Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Act) to replace requirements regarding the National Market Advisory Board with provisions requiring the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to adopt rules and takeactions to assure the prompt, accurate, reliable, and fair collection, processing, distribution, and publication of transaction information, including last sale date, regarding covered debt securities (i.e., bonds, debentures, or other debt instruments of an issuer, other than exempted securities and securities that the SEC determines by rule to except) so that such information is available to all. Directs the SEC, in determining the rules or other actions to take, to consider private sector systems for the collection and distribution of transaction information on corporate debt securities. (Sec. 4) Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a study of measures needed in the public interest and for the protection of investors to improve the prompt, accurate, reliable, and fair collection, processing, distribution, and publication of information concerning transactions in: (1) debt securities as to which transaction information is collected but not disseminated pursuant to the Act; and (2) municipal securities. Requires the Comptroller General to report to Congress on such studies.
![Official portrait of Rep. Tauzin, W. J. (Billy) [R-LA-3]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/t000058_200.jpg)