United States · United States Congress · 11 February 1999
Military Retirees' Medicare Equity Act of 1999 - Instructs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in the case of certain military retirees and dependents, to provide for a special open enrollment period during which such an individual may enroll under part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act without being assessed a late enrollment penalty. Prohibits an issuer of a Medicare supplemental (Medigap) policy, in the case of such an individual who seeks to enroll during such special enrollment period, from denying or conditioning the issuance or effectiveness of such a policy, or from discriminating in its pricing on the basis of the individual's health status, medical condition, claims experience, receipt of health care, medical history, genetic information, evidence of insurability, or disability.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 1999
Small Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments of 1999 - Amends the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to provide financial assistance to an eligible local organization to cover a portion of the total costs incurred for the rehabilitation of structural measures originally constructed as part of a covered water resource project (except that the local organization shall be responsible for securing all land, easements, or rights-of-ways necessary for the project). Limits the amount of Federal funds that may be made available to such an organization for construction of a particular rehabilitation project to 65 percent of the total rehabilitation costs, but not exceed 100 percent of actual construction costs incurred, and makes the local organization responsible for resource rights costs and all Federal, State, and local permits. Authorizes the Secretary, acting through the Natural Resources Conservation Service, to provide technical assistance to a requesting organization in planning, designing, and implementing rehabilitation projects. Prohibits any assistance authorized under this Act from being used to perform operation and maintenance activities. Outlines assistance application requirements. Directs the Secretary to establish a system of approving rehabilitation assistance requests from eligible organizations equitably. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2000 through 2009 to provide financial and technical assistance. Earmarks funds authorized for the first two fiscal years for an assessment by the Secretary of the rehabilitation needs of covered projects. Requires: (1) the Secretary to maintain a database to track the benefits derived from rehabilitation projects and expenditures and report annually to the Congress on the status of activities conducted; and (2) eligible local organizations that received assistance to report to the Secretary on the status of rehabilitation efforts undertaken using financial assistance after the completion of the specific projects for which assistance was provided.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 1999
Manufactured Housing Improvement Act - Amends the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 to revise Federal construction and safety provisions for manufactured homes based upon a consensus standards development process. Eliminates the National Manufactured Home Advisory Council. Revises related fee provisions to: (1) apply such fees to manufactured home manufacturers (currently fees apply to manufacturers, distributors, and dealers); and (2) establish in the Treasury the Manufactured Housing Fees Trust Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 1999
Bond Fairness and Protection Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to tax-exempt bond financing of certain electric facilities, to exclude a permitted open access transaction (as defined by this Act) from the definition of private business use. Permits, as specified, termination of tax-exempt bond financing for certain electric output facilities.
United States · United States Congress · 11 February 1999
Commends and praises the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of its founding, for working to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of minority group citizens of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Outer Continental Shelf Impact Assistance Title II: State, Local, and Urban Conservation and Recreation Title III: Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 1999 - Title I: Outer Continental Shelf Impact Assistance - Establishes the Outer Continental Shelf Impact Assistance Fund (OCSIAF) to provide impact assistance to coastal States from a portion (27 percent) of allocable new OCS revenues (payments received by the United States as royalties, net profit share payments, and related late-payment interest from natural gas and oil leases under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act). Prohibits placement in the Fund of OCS revenues from a leased tract (or portion) located in a geographic area subject to a leasing moratorium on January 1, 1999, unless the lease was issued before the moratorium and was in production on such date. (Sec. 103) Sets forth a formula for use by the Secretary of the Interior to determine the portion of the allocable share of new revenues attributable to each coastal State and county eligible to receive impact assistance payments. Mandates that such OCS funds be expended by the eligible coastal States and counties for certain environmental projects and activities. Requires: (1) the Governor of every OCSIAF recipient State to develop (and certify to the Secretary) a State plan for the use of such funds; (2) an eligible county to submit for the Governor's approval a plan setting forth the projects and activities for which it proposes to expend OCSIA funds; and (3) the Governor of each recipient State to account to the Congress for all OCSIAF monies received for the previous fiscal year. Title II: State, Local, and Urban Conservation and Recreation - Amends the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (LWCFA) to require an amount equal to 23 percent of specified Outer Continental Shelf revenues to be credited to a separate account in the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) in the Treasury in each fiscal year through September 30, 2015. (Sec. 202) Makes such funds available, without further appropriation, to carry out LWCFA in the next succeeding fiscal year. Provides that, if such revenues in a fiscal year exceed $900 million, such excess shall be available, without further appropriation, in the next succeeding fiscal year for obligation or expenditure as payments in lieu of taxes. Authorizes appropriations to maintain a certain minimum total annual income of the LWCF. Makes certain amounts covered into the LWCF available for expenditure without appropriation. Sets forth formulae for allocation of such funds for: (1) Federal acquisition of certain lands, waters, or interests; (2) financial assistance to the States for land acquisition, urban conservation, and recreation projects; and (3) local governments through the Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery Program of the Department of the Interior. Provides for an LWCFA allocation of funds to Indian tribes and Alaska Native Village Corporations. Requires States to make at least 50 percent of the annual State apportionment under LWCFA available as grants to local governments. Replaces, within a five-year period, LWCFA requirements for comprehensive State plans with requirements for State action agendas. Allows each State to define its own priorities and criteria for selection of outdoor recreation and conservation acquisition and development projects eligible for LWCFA grants so long as it provides for public involvement in this process and publishes an accurate and current State Action Agenda for Community Recreation and Conservation. Requires such Agendas to: (1) be strategic, originating in broad-based and long-term needs, but focused on actions that can be funded over the next four years, and be updated every four years; (2) consider all providers of recreation and conservation lands, and correlate with other State, regional and local plans for parks, recreation, open space, and wetlands conservation; (3) address wetlands as important outdoor recreation and conservation resources, and incorporate a State wetlands priority conservation plan consistent with the national plan developed under the Emergency Wetlands Resources Act; and (4) be guided in part by recovery action programs developed by urban localities under the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act. Revises LWCFA conditions for approval of conversions. (Sec. 203) Amends the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act (UPRRA) to provide (in addition to the current types of at-risk recreation grants and recovery action program grants) for matching capital grants to local governments in the form of: (1) development grants for development and construction on existing or new neighborhood recreation sites, including indoor and outdoor recreation facilities, support facilities, and landscaping, but excluding routine maintenance and upkeep activities; and (2) acquisition grants for purchasing new parkland to be permanently dedicated and made accessible for public recreation use. Revises UPRRA requirements for: (1) eligibility; (2) matching grants; (3) coordination; and (4) conversion approval. Repeals the limitation on the use of UPRRA funds for acquisition of land or interests in land. (Sec. 205) Establishes a Habitat Reserve Program (HRP) within the Department of the Interior to be administered by the Secretary of the Interior in association with the applicable State fish and wildlife department in the State where the affected land is located. Requires lands eligible for enrollment in the HRP to be privately owned and designated by the State agency as necessary to preserve the existence of one or more species listed under the Endangered Species Act, and their owners and operators to have voluntarily entered into partnership agreements with the Secretary and the State agency. Prescribes: (1) limitations on lands eligible for enrollment in the HRP; (2) HRP contract requirements; (3) HRP management plans; (4) HRP contract duration; and (5) payments to owners or operators of lands included in the HRP. Title III: Wildlife Conservation and Restoration - Amends the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (FAWRA) to require an amount equal to ten percent of specified Outer Continental Shelf revenues to be deposited in a new subaccount in the Federal aid to wildlife restoration fund (FAWRF), to be invested and to be made available without further appropriation, for apportionment in the next succeeding fiscal year for State wildlife conservation and restoration programs. Provides that all interest on such amounts shall be available without further appropriations, for obligation or expenditure for purposes of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act of 1989. (Sec. 305) Sets forth requirements for: (1) allocation of such subaccount receipts; (2) applications for approval of, and development grants for, State wildlife conservation and restoration programs; and (3) coordination. (Sec. 306) Allows certain subaccount funds for such a State wildlife conservation and restoration program to be used for law enforcement and education. (Sec. 307) Prohibits a State from receiving FAWRA matching funds if it diverts any funds from wildlife conservation purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the tax increase (85 percent maximum rate) on social security benefits and tier 1 railroad retirement benefits, effective as of tax year 1994. Waives any limitation on related refunds or credits if a claim is made within one year of enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 1999
Marriage Tax Elimination Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise standard deduction amounts and individual income tax rate bracket amounts, including providing that amounts for married filing jointly categories shall be twice that of amounts for single filers.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 1999
Right to Life Act of 1999 - States that Congress declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being at fertilization.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 1999
Amends Federal law to add Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday (the third Monday in January) to the list of days on which the U.S. flag should especially be displayed.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 1999
Amends Federal provisions relating to the military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) to change from October 1, 2008, to October 1, 2003, the effective date on or after which no reduction may be made in the retired pay of an SBP participant for any month after the later of: (1) the 360th month for which such pay was so reduced; or (2) the month during which the participant attains 70 years of age.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 1999
Children's Education Tax Credit Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish a tax credit (of up to $1,000) for the qualified educational expenses (tuition, attendance fees, books, supplies, equipment, but excluding meals and lodging) paid by a taxpayer for the education of each individual with respect to whom the taxpayer is allowed a deduction as a dependent. Provides for: (1) the inclusion of certain home schooling expenses; and (2) adjustments for certain scholarships. Defines "eligible educational institution" as a secondary school, an elementary school, or any private, parochial, religious, or home school providing elementary or secondary education.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 1999
Honoring American Military Women for Their Service in World War II Resolution - Honors the women who served the United States in military capacities during World War II. Recognizes that these women contributed vitally to the victory of the United States and the Allies in the war.
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 1999
Declares that: (1) the final political status of the territory controlled by the Palestinian Authority can only be determined through negotiations and agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority; (2) any attempt to establish Palestinian statehood outside the negotiating process will invoke the strongest congressional opposition; and (3) the President should unequivocally assert U.S. opposition to the unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state.
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 1999
Hope for Children Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the amount allowable for qualified adoption expenses; (2) permanently extend the credit for adoption expenses; and (3) adjust the limitations on such credit for inflation.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 1999
Save Our Children Act of 1999 - Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to amend or promulgate sentencing guidelines to provide that certain drug offenses committed in the presence of a child receive a penalty enhancement of the greater of: (1) two offense levels or one year, for the first such offense; or (2) four offense levels or two years, for the second such offense.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 1999
Sets a deadline by which the Secretary of Energy is directed to purchase a specified sum of petroleum products for storage in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 1999
Higher Education Affordability and Availability Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from income distributions from qualified tuition programs used for qualifying higher education expenses. Includes within the definition of "qualified State tuition program" programs maintained by eligible educational institutions.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 1999
Designates majority membership on the House Committees on Government Reform; the Judiciary; Science; Small Business; Transportation and Infrastructure; and Veterans' Affairs.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 1999
Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act of 1999 - Waives the English language requirement and provides special consideration for the civics requirement with respect to the naturalization of certain aliens (or their spouses or widows) who served with special guerilla units in Laos.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 1999
Authorizes the United States National Civil Defense Monument Commission to construct a monument to honor those who have served the nation's civil defense and emergency management programs. Terminates such authority seven years after the enactment of this Act, with an exception. Authorizes the Commission, subject to the approval of the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to select the monument site on FEMA lands in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and to develop the monument design. Requires monument costs to be paid from contributions to the Commission.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 1999
Amends the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994 to add to title I a new subtitle C, which may be cited as the Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs Act of 1999. Directs the Administrator of the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (Administrator) to establish a microenterprise technical assistance and capacity building program to provide Fund grants to qualified nonprofit organizations to: (1) provide training and technical assistance to disadvantaged entrepreneurs; (2) provide training and capacity building services to help microenterprise development organizations and programs develop microenterprise training and services; and (3) aid in researching and developing the best practices in the field of microenterprise and technical assistance programs for disadvantaged entrepreneurs. Sets forth an allocation formula for such assistance and for grants benefitting very low-income persons, including those residing on Indian reservations. Authorizes a qualified organization to provide subgrants to small and emerging microenterprise entities. Mandates matching funds from non-Federal sources. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 1999
Mandates Information Act of 1999 - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to require the Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), in preparing estimates of the direct costs of all Federal private sector mandates, to estimate also, if feasible, the indirect impact of such mandates on consumers, workers, and small businesses, including any disproportionate impact in particular regions or industries. Prohibits such estimate from being considered in determining whether the direct costs of all such mandates will exceed the threshold specified under current law. Revises provisions concerning legislation subject to a point of order to: (1) define the point of order for a determination by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office that it is not feasible to determine the economic impact of a Federal mandate; and (2) replace certain references to Federal intergovernmental mandates with references to Federal mandates with respect to legislation reported by the Appropriations Committee. Provides a point of order against consideration of legislation that would increase the direct costs of Federal private sector mandates (excluding direct costs attributable to revenue resulting from tax or tariff provisions of any such measure if it does not raise net tax and tariff revenues over the five-fiscal- year period beginning with the first fiscal year such measure affects such revenues) by an amount that causes the stated threshold of $100 million per fiscal year to be exceeded. Revises the definition of "Federal intergovernmental mandate" to mean any provision in legislation, statute, or regulation that relates to a then-existing Federal program under which $500 million or more is provided annually to State, local, or tribal governments under entitlement authority, and that meets certain other criteria, if such legislation, statute, or regulation does not provide participating State, local, or tribal governments with new or expanded authority (currently, if such governments lack such authority) to amend their financial or programmatic responsibilities to continue providing required services affected by the legislation, statute, or regulation.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a five-year net operating loss carryback for losses attributable to operating mineral interests of oil and gas producers.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 1999
Authorizes the President to award, on behalf of the Congress, a gold medal honoring Wilma G. Rudolph in recognition of her outstanding and enduring contributions to humanity and women's athletics in the United States and the world. Declares the medals to be national medals. Authorizes funding for the cost of the medals and requires deposit of sale proceeds in the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 1999
Directs the Secretary of the military department concerned to ensure that any person who first becomes a member of the armed forces on or after the date of enactment of this Act is provided a written statement of all the benefits that will be provided to such person upon retirement from the armed forces. Prohibits any such statement from including a reservation of the right to change any such benefit. Requires any such person who subsequently retires from the armed forces to receive the benefits as described in the original statement.
United States · United States Congress · 19 January 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to set forth provisions for: (1) a small employer (100 or fewer employees) retirement plan; (2) a credit for the expenses of establishing such a plan; and (3) a model small employer retirement plan.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1999
Permits certain veterans with service-connected disabilities who are retired members of the uniformed services to receive compensation concurrently with retired pay, without deduction from either.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1999
Selective Agricultural Embargoes Act of 1999 - Amends the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to direct the President, if he or she takes action to embargo the export under an export sales contract of an agricultural commodity to a country that is not part of an embargo on all exports to the country, to report to the Congress, not later than five days after imposing the embargo, on the reasons for such embargo and its proposed duration. Sets forth congressional procedures for termination of the embargo. Specifies plant nutrient materials among the agricultural commodities whose export the President may not prohibit or curtail if: (1) the export sales contract for such materials is entered into before he or she announces an action that would otherwise prohibit or curtail their export; and (2) the contract terms require delivery of the materials within 270 days after the date of the suspension of trade is imposed.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1999
Truth in Budgeting Act - Prohibits the receipts and disbursements of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, the Inland Waterways Trust Fund, and the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund from being counted as new budget authority, outlays, receipts, or deficit or surplus for purposes of the Federal budget as submitted by the President, the congressional budget, or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act). Exempts such trust funds from any general statutory budget outlays limitation. Amends Federal transportation law to require the Secretary of Transportation to estimate annually: (1) what, but for this Act, would be at the close of the next fiscal year the amount of unfunded aviation authorizations; and (2) the net aviation receipts at the close of such year.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a business tax credit for producing crude oil and natural gas from marginal wells of: (1) $3 per barrel of qualified crude oil production; and (2) $.50 per 1,000 cubic feet of qualified natural gas production. Provides: (1) a formula for reducing such credit in years in which oil and gas prices increase; and (2) an inflation adjustment for such formula. Allows such credit against the regular and minimum tax.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1999
Military Retiree Health Care Task Force Act of 1999 - Establishes the Medicare Eligible Military Retiree Health Care Consensus Task Force to study and report to the Congress on matters relating to health care coverage of retired military personnel and their families, Federal sharing agreements relating to such care, and proposals to provide a full continuum of such coverage to Medicare-eligible military retirees and their dependents.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1999
Amends Federal armed forces provisions to remove certain numerical and geographic restrictions on the participation by Medicare-eligible Department of Defense beneficiaries in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program. Provides open enrollment periods through the year 2002 (currently 2000) and revises enrollment terms.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1999
Directs the Secretary of the military department concerned to pay monthly special compensation to severely disabled military retirees as follows: (1) $300 for those with disabilities rated as total; (2) $200 for those with disabilities rated at 90 percent; and (3) $100 for those with disabilities rated at 70 or 80 percent. Requires such retirees to have completed at least 20 years of retirement-creditable military service and to have a service-connected disability.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1999
Military Retiree Health Care Relief Act - Amends: (1) the Internal Revenue Code to allow a refundable credit for premiums paid by military retirees for Medicare (title XVIII of the Social Security Act) part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) coverage; and (2) part B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate, as specified, the ten percent part B premium penalty.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1999
Amends Federal law to exclude the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund from the Federal and congressional budgets, and exempt it from any general budget limitation imposed by statute on U.S. budget outlays and from certain orders issued under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act).
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1999
Affordable Housing Opportunity Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase, and link to the cost-of-living adjustment, the State low-income housing credit ceiling.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1999
Capital Gains Tax Reduction Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce the maximum capital gains tax rates for both individuals and corporations. Provides for the indexing of assets for determining gain or loss.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1999
Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits outlays for a fiscal year (except those for repayment of debt principal) from exceeding total receipts (except those derived from borrowing) for that fiscal year unless the Congress, by a three-fifths roll call vote of each House, authorizes a specific excess of outlays over receipts. Requires a three-fifths roll call vote of each House to increase the public debt. Directs the President to submit a balanced budget to the Congress. Requires the approval of a majority of each House by roll call vote before any bill to increase revenue may become law. Authorizes the Congress to waive these provisions when: (1) a declaration of war is in effect; or (2) the United States is engaged in a military conflict which poses a threat to national security as declared by a joint resolution adopted by a majority of each House. Makes this article effective beginning with FY 2002 or with the second fiscal year beginning after its ratification, whichever is later.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1999
Elects Members to the following House Committees: (1) Agriculture; (2) Appropriations; (3) Armed Services; (4) Banking and Financial Services; (5) Budget; (6) Commerce; (7) Education and the Workforce; (8) Government Reform; (9) House Administration; (10) International Relations; (11) Judiciary; (12) Resources; (13) Rules; (14) Science; (15) Small Business; (16) Standards of Official Conduct; (17) Transportation and Infrastructure; (18) Veterans' Affairs; and (19) Ways and Means.
United States · United States Congress · 6 January 1999
Elects the following officers of the House of Representatives: (1) Jeffrey J. Trandahl as Clerk;(2) Wilson S. Livingood as Sergeant at Arms; (3) James M. Eagen III as Chief Administrative Officer; and (4) Reverend James David Ford as Chaplain.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 1998
Declares that the President should: (1) impose sanctions under the Arms Export Control Act and the Iran-Iraq Arms Non-Proliferation Act of 1992 to the fullest possible extent, including freezing assets and seizing property in the United States of entities involved in illegal transactions with Iran; (2) take steps to expedite the development of a missile defense system for the United States and for U.S. forces wherever deployed to deal with the Iranian threat, including accelerating development of the Navy Upper Tier program and improving the integration of the Patriot, AEGIS, and THADD missile radar systems; and (3) provide assistance to Israel to acquire a third Arrow missile battery for protection against the Iranian missile threat.
![Official portrait of Rep. Watts, J. C., Jr. [R-OK-4]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/w000210_200.jpg)