United States · United States Congress · 10 June 1999
Equity in Prescription Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act of 1999 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Public Health Service Act to prohibit a group health plan, and a health insurance issuer providing group coverage, from: (1) excluding or restricting benefits for prescription contraceptive drugs, devices, and outpatient services if the plan provides benefits for other outpatient prescription drugs, devices, or outpatient services; (2) denying eligibility based on use or potential use of such items or services; (3) providing monetary payments or rebates to a covered individual to encourage acceptance of less than the minimum protections available; (4) penalizing, reducing, or limiting a professional's reimbursement because the professional prescribed such drugs or devices or provided such services; or (5) providing incentives to a professional to induce the professional to withhold drugs, devices, or services. Amends the Public Health Service Act to apply those prohibitions to coverage offered in the individual market.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 1999
Lewis and Clark Expedition Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue one-dollar coins emblematic of the expedition of Lewis and Clark. Allocates surcharges from coin sales between the National Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council and the National Park Service for activities associated with the bicentennial commemoration of the expedition.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 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 · 27 May 1999
Rural Telecommunications Improvement Act of 1999 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to establish within the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the Office of Rural Advocacy, to be headed by the Rural Advocate of the FCC, to: (1) promote access to advanced telecommunications service for rural populations; and (2) undertake related functions and activities. Requires: (1) annual reports (and other reports as needed) from the Rural Advocate to Congress, the President, and the FCC; and (2) an initial report from the Advocate to Congress on actions taken to carry out this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 1999
International Tax Simplification for American Competitiveness Act of 1999 - Title I: Treatment of Controlled Foreign Corporations - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) with respect to subpart F (Controlled Foreign Corporations) to set forth provisions concerning, among other things: (1) permanently extend the subpart F exemption for active financing income earned on business operation overseas; (2) direct the Secretary of the Treasury to conduct a study on the feasibility of treating all countries included in the European Union as a single country for purposes of applying the same country exceptions under subpart F; (3) provide for the determination of subpart F earnings and profits under generally accepted U.S. accounting principles; (4) exclude from the definition of "foreign base company oil related income" the pipeline transportation of oil or gas within such foreign country; and (5) exclude from the definition of the term "foreign base company services income" income derived in connection with the performance of services which are related to the transmission of high voltage electricity. Title II: Provisions Relating to Foreign Tax Credit - Revises section 904 (Limitation On Credit) of the (IRC) to, among other things: (1) extend the period to which excess foreign taxes may be carried; (2) define overall domestic loss and sets forth provisions for determining taxable income for any taxpayer sustaining such a loss; (3) provide an exception for interest on certain securities; (4) revise provisions concerning the of application of look-thru rules to dividends from noncontrolled section 902 corporations to provide, in general, that any dividend from a noncontrolled section 902 corporation with respect to the taxpayer shall be treated as income in a separate category in proportion to the ratio of the portion of earnings and profits attributable to income in such category to the total amount of earnings and profits; (5) repeal the 90 percent limitation on the utilization of the foreign tax credit; and (6) repeals section 907 (Special Rules In Case of Foreign Oil and Gas Income) of the IRC. Title III: Other Provisions - Applies constructive ownership rules for purposes of determining certain post-1986 undistributed U.S. earnings. Applies capitalization rules to nonresident aliens and foreign corporations. Repeals the special rule for military property with respect to exempt foreign trade income. Revises the definition of U.S. property to exclude certain assets acquired by dealers in the ordinary course of business. Exempts from the taxes on nonresident aliens and foreign corporations certain regulated investment company dividends. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, with respect to the Puerto Rico and possession tax credit, to exclude from the definition of the term "intangible property" any preliminary agreement which is not legally enforceable. Sets forth provisions concerning airline mileage awards to certain foreign persons. Repeals subpart G (Export Trade Corporations) of part III of subchapter N of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code. Prohibits the Secretary from requiring a corporation to report any information with respect to any foreign person which is a related person if the aggregate value of the transactions between the corporation and the related person does not exceed $5 million.
United States · United States Congress · 27 May 1999
Semiconductor Equipment Investment Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make semiconductor manufacturing equipment three-year depreciable property.
United States · United States Congress · 26 May 1999
Amends the Poultry Products Inspection Act to include within the definition of poultry birds of the order Ratitae (ostriches, emus, rheas) that are raised for commercial distribution as human food.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Brownfields Liability Relief Title II: Small Business Liability Relief Title III: Settlements for Municipalities and Contributors of Municipal Waste Title IV: Clarification of Liability for Recycling Transactions Title V: Brownfields Cleanup Title VI: Settlement Incentives Title VII: Funding Title VIII: Definitions Superfund Litigation Reduction and Brownfield Cleanup Act of 1999 - Title I: Brownfields Liability Relief - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) to absolve from liability for response actions bona fide prospective purchasers to the extent liability at a facility for a release or threat thereof is based solely on ownership or operation of a facility. Gives a lien upon a facility to the United States for unrecovered response costs in any case in which there are unrecovered costs of a response not inconsistent with the National Contingency Plan for which the owner is not liable by reason of this Act and the facility's fair market value has increased above that which existed before the action was taken. (Sec. 102) Amends provisions concerning defenses to liability of an owner of after-acquired property, to deem a person to have made (under current law, "undertaken") appropriate inquiry into the property's previous ownership and uses if the person establishes that a site assessment was conducted which meets specified requirements (compliance with an American Society for Testing and Materials standard or with standards issued by the President) and the person fulfills certain responsibilities concerning information compilation, prevention or cessation of hazardous substance releases at the facility, cooperation with those conducting response actions, and compliance with land use or activity restrictions. Deems the appropriate inquiry requirements to be satisfied by a site inspection and title search that reveal no basis for further investigation in the case of property for residential or similar use purchased by a nongovernmental or noncommercial entity. Exempts from liability under CERCLA certain owners or operators of real property contiguous to property on which there has been a release or threatened release that is not owned or operated by such persons. Authorizes the President to issue an assurance that no enforcement action will be initiated against such individuals. Title II: Small Business Liability Relief - Provides exemptions from liability under CERCLA for: (1) certain pre-May 1999 acts if liability is based solely on arranging for disposal, treatment, or transport of, or accepting, hazardous substances and the total of materials containing such substances did not exceed a specified amount; and (2) certain owners, operators, or lessees of residential property, businesses with fewer than 100 employees, or small nonprofit organizations whose liability is based on arrangement or acceptance provisions with respect to municipal solid waste (MSW). (Sec. 202) Adds to the list of parties eligible for expedited final settlements persons and small businesses who demonstrate an inability or limited ability to pay response costs. Revises conditions of eligibility for such settlements for de minimis parties. Establishes a moratorium on litigation under CERCLA for recovery or contribution of response costs from any person eligible for an expedited settlement within a specified time frame. (Sec. 203) Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a small business Superfund assistance section within the EPA small business ombudsman office to provide assistance and information regarding CERCLA and the settlement processes and to make recommendations for changes in EPA policies that would better fulfill the goals of this title in assuring equitable, simplified, and expedited settlements for small businesses. Title III: Settlements For Municipalities and Contributors of Municipal Waste - Makes municipalities currently liable for response costs on the basis of ownership or operation of a municipal landfill listed on the National Priorities List (NPL) on or before May 1, 1999, eligible for settlements. Limits liability to 20 percent of total response costs for municipalities with populations exceeding 100,000, but authorizes the President to increase or decrease such percentage to up to 35 percent or to no less than ten percent, respectively, under certain conditions. Limits liability of municipalities with populations of less than 100,000 to a maximum of ten percent of total response costs. Authorizes the President to require such municipalities to perform or participate in response actions at the facility. Considers two or more municipalities that jointly own or operate a facility to be single owners for purposes of calculating settlement offers. Requires municipalities, as a condition of such settlements, to waive claims for response costs, including those for contribution, against other potentially responsible parties (PRPs) unless the President determines that a waiver would be unjust. (Sec. 302) Adds to the list of parties eligible for expedited final settlements: (1) PRPs whose liability is based on arranging for disposal, treatment, transport of, or on accepting, MSW or municipal sewage sludge at an NPL facility; and (2) municipalities with an inability or limited ability to pay response costs. Title IV: Clarification of Liability for Recycling Transactions - Absolves persons (other than owners or operators) who arranged for the recycling of recyclable material from liability for environmental response actions. Considers transactions involving scrap paper, plastic, glass, textiles, or rubber (other than whole tires) to be arranging for recycling if the person who arranged the transaction demonstrates that the following criteria were met: (1) the recyclable material met a commercial specification grade and a market existed for the material; (2) a substantial portion of the material was made available for use as a feedstock for the manufacture of a new saleable product; (3) the material (or product to be made from the material) is a replacement for a virgin raw material; and (4) in the case of transactions occurring 90 days after this Act's enactment, the person exercised reasonable care to determine that the facility where the material would be managed by another was in compliance with Federal, State, or local environmental laws. Considers transactions involving scrap metal to be arranging for recycling if the person who arranged the transaction demonstrates that: (1) the criteria for scrap materials were met; (2) he or she complied with applicable standards regarding activities associated with the recycling of scrap metals; and (3) the scrap metal was not melted prior to the transaction. Considers transactions involving spent lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, or other batteries to be arranging for recycling if the person involved demonstrates that: (1) the criteria for scrap materials were met; and (2) he or she complied with applicable Federal environmental law regarding such batteries. Makes the exemptions from liability under this Act inapplicable if the person: (1) had an objectively reasonable basis to believe at the time of the recycling transaction that the recyclable material would not be recycled or would be burned as fuel or for energy recovery or incineration or that the consuming facility was not in compliance with Federal, State, or local environmental laws; (2) had reason to believe that hazardous substances had been added to the material for purposes other than processing for recycling; or (3) failed to exercise reasonable care with respect to the management of the material. Makes such exemptions inapplicable if the recyclable material contained polychlorinated biphenyls in excess of 50 parts per million or any new Federal standard. Title V: Brownfields Cleanup - Directs the Administrator to establish a program to award grants to States or local governments to inventory and conduct site assessments of brownfield sites. Requires the Administrator to establish a program to award grants to: (1) State or local governments for capitalization of loan programs for brownfield site cleanup by either the State or locality or by an owner or prospective purchaser; and (2) local governments that are not liable under CERCLA for purposes of cleaning up brownfield sites. Requires reports to specified congressional committees regarding the programs established under this title. Imposes funding limitations, including a restriction on the use of grants to meet Federal cost-sharing requirements or to pay fines or penalties. (Sec. 502) Authorizes the Administrator to: (1) award grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts or provide technical assistance to States, Indian tribes, political subdivisions, and other entities for training, technology transfer, and information dissemination programs to strengthen environmental response activities; and (2) provide training and technical assistance to individuals and organizations to inventory and conduct assessments and cleanups of brownfield sites and conduct response actions under CERCLA. (Sec. 503) Requires the Administrator to provide grants to States to develop or enhance State voluntary response programs. (Sec. 504) Provides for auditing of such grants by the EPA Inspector General. Title VI: Settlement Incentives - Authorizes settlements to provide for payment of a portion of response costs at facilities where there are parties that are insolvent or defunct or otherwise have a limited ability to pay. Authorizes the President to evaluate the ability to pay of a PRP and to enter into a settlement based on that ability. Title VII: Funding - Reauthorizes the Hazardous Substance Superfund (Superfund) through FY 2004. Adds purposes for which Superfund may be used, including payments for certain cleanup settlements. (Sec. 703) Reauthorizes certain activities under CERCLA to be carried out by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (Sec. 704) Authorizes appropriations for the brownfields activities and State voluntary response programs created by this Act. (Sec. 705) Authorizes appropriations to Superfund for FY 2000 through 2004. (Sec. 706) Increases the maximum amount available for certain worker training and education grants under the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 in FY 2000 through 2004. Title VIII: Definitions - Adds definitions to CERCLA.
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 1999
Trade Injury Compensation Act of 1999 - Establishes in the Treasury a Trade Injury Compensation Trust Fund consisting of proceeds from additional duties on products on a retaliation list. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to invest Fund amounts in interest-bearing U.S. obligations. Directs: (1) the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer to the Secretary of Agriculture Fund amounts resulting from items on a retaliation list because of injury to producers of agricultural commodities; and (2) the Secretary of Agriculture to distribute a portion of such amounts to each injured producer of an agricultural commodity for promotion and development of their products. Provides for the distribution of Fund amounts to nonagricultural producers who have been similarly injured. Prohibits a payment made to an injured producer or an injured agricultural commodity producer from resulting in the reduction or denial of any service or assistance with respect to which such producers would otherwise be entitled.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 1999
Designates the Amtrak station to be constructed in the James A. Farley Post Office Building in New York, New York, as the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Station.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 1999
Carbon Cycle and Agricultural Best Practices Research Act - Amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to state that the Department of Agriculture shall be the lead agency with respect to Federal agricultural soil carbon research, including research on agricultural practices to increase soil carbon storage. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Economic Research Service, to analyze the impact of the U.S. farm economy under the Kyoto Protocol and other international agreements under the Framework Convention on Climate Change. Authorizes the Secretary to designate not more than two carbon cycle and agricultural best practices (as defined by this Act) research consortia. Authorizes specified appropriations. Directs the Secretary to develop a carbon cycle remote sensing technology program, to be carried out through the Regional Earth Science Application Center at the University of Kansas under specified circumstances. Authorizes specified appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary, with respect to producers in conservation programs following agricultural best practices, to: (1) make conservation premium payments for related research activities; and (2) provide educational and technical assistance. Directs the Secretary to provide developing nations with agricultural best practices and natural resource management information. Authorizes the Secretary to establish a nationwide carbon cycle monitoring system. Authorizes specified appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 1999
Real Estate Investment Trust Modernization Act of 1999 - Title I: Treatment of Income and Services Provided by Taxable REIT Subsidiaries - Excludes taxable REIT subsidiaries (TRSs) from the five and ten percent asset tests. Allows TRSs to provide non-customary tenant services. Allows a REIT to establish a TRS (as defined). Includes in the definition of "disqualified interest" (Sec. 163 of the IRC) any interest paid or accrued by a TRS to the REIT. Imposes a 100 percent tax on any interest payments by a TRS to the REIT in excess of the commercially reasonable interest rate. Title II: Health Care REITs - Includes within the definition of the term "foreclosure property" any qualified health care property acquired by a REIT as the result of the termination of a lease of such property. Title III: Conformity With Regulated Investment Company Rules - Changes the distribution requirement from 95 percent to 90 percent. Title IV : Clarification of Definition of Independent Contractor - Provides, with respect to the definition of an independent contractor, that in the event that any class of stock of is regularly traded on an established securities market, only owners who own, directly or indirectly, more than five percent of such class of stock shall be taken into account as owning any of the stock of such class for purposes of applying the 35 percent limitation. Title V: Modification of Earnings and Profits Rules - Provides rules for determining whether a Regulated Investment Company (RIC) has earnings and profits form a non-RIC year.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 1999
Structured Settlement Protection Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) impose an excise tax on persons acquiring structured settlement payments in factoring transactions; and (2) set forth related reporting requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 1999
Motor Vehicle Franchise Contract Arbitration Fairness Act of 1999 - Provides that each party to a motor vehicle franchise contract providing for the use of arbitration to resolve a controversy arising out of or relating to the contract shall have the option, after the controversy arises and before both parties commence an arbitration proceeding, to reject arbitration as the means of settling the controversy. Requires that any such rejection be in writing. Requires the arbitrator, whenever a party elects arbitration, to provide the parties with a written explanation of the factual and legal basis for the award.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 1999
Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 1999 - Provides collective bargaining rights for public safety officers employed by States or local governments. (Sec. 4) Directs the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) to determine whether State law provides specified rights and responsibilities for public safety officers, including: (1) granting public safety employees the right to form and join a labor organization which excludes management and supervisory employees, and which is, or seeks to be, recognized as the exclusive bargaining agent for such employees; and (2) requiring public safety employers to recognize and agree to bargain with the employees' labor organization. (Sec. 5) Requires the FLRA to issue regulations establishing collective bargaining procedures for public safety employers and employees in States that do not substantially provide for such public safety employee rights and responsibilities. Directs the FLRA, in such cases, to: (1) determine the appropriateness of units for labor organization representation; (2) supervise or conduct elections to determine whether a labor organization has been selected as an exclusive representative by a majority of the employees in an appropriate unit; (3) resolve issues relating to the duty to bargain in good faith; (4) conduct hearings and resolve complaints of unfair labor practices; and (5) resolve exceptions to arbitrator's awards. Grants a public safety employer, employee, or labor organization the right to seek enforcement of such FLRA regulations and authority through appropriate State courts. (Sec. 6) Prohibits public safety employers, employees, and labor organizations from engaging in lockouts or strikes. (Sec. 7) Provides that existing collective bargaining units and agreements shall not be invalidated by this Act. (Sec. 9) Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 1999
Nursing and Allied Health Payment Improvement Act of 1999 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to exclude nursing and allied health education costs from calculation of the annual area- specific Medicare+Choice capitation (payment) rate.
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 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 · 11 May 1999
Import Surge Relief Act - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to repeal the requirement that the cause of serious injury (or threat) be substantial to the domestic industry producing an article like or directly competitive with an article that is being imported into the United States in such increased quantities with respect to the President's taking action to facilitate efforts by such industry to make a positive adjustment to the import competition. Defines "cause" to mean a cause that contributes significantly to serious injury (or threat) to the domestic industry but need not be equal to or greater than any other cause. (Sec. 2) Revises certain factors the International Trade Commission (ITC) must consider when investigating to determine whether an article is being imported into the United States in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury (or threat) to the domestic industry producing an article like or directly competitive with the imported article. Repeals, similarly, the requirement that such injury be substantial. Directs the ITC, when a petition filed by an industry (or a request by the President, United States Trade Representative (USTR), a resolution of specified congressional committees, or on the ITC's own motion) requesting a positive adjustment to import competition alleges that critical circumstances exist, to make a serious injury (or threat) determination with respect to such competition not later than 45 days (currently 60 days) after such petition or request is filed. Requires the President within 20 days (currently, 30 days) after receiving an affirmative determination to provide provisional relief to prevent or remedy such injury. Requires with respect to the implementation of such provisional relief that it will not have an adverse impact on the United States substantially out of proportion to the benefits of such action. Requires provisional relief recommended by the ITC to take effect upon the enactment of a joint resolution of Congress within the 60 day (currently, 90 day) period beginning on the date that the President reports to Congress on what action, if any, is to be taken. (Sec. 3) Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to authorize an entity (including a trade association, firm, certified or recognized union, or group of workers which is representative of a domestic industry that produces an article that is like or directly competitive with an imported article) to file a request to monitor to such imports, based on a petition that alleges that an article is being imported into the United States in such increased quantities as to cause serious injury (or threat) to the domestic industry. Requires the President to determine whether to monitor within 45 days after receiving a request. (Sec. 4) Authorizes the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in order to facilitate the early identification of potentially disruptive import surges, to grant an exception to the publication dates established for the release of data on U.S. international trade in goods and services in order to permit public access to preliminary international trade import data, if the Director notifies Congress of the early release of such data. (Sec. 5) Amends the Customs Procedural Reform and Simplification Act of 1978 to establish a Steel and Agricultural Import Monitoring and Enforcement Program. (Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, and the ITC to establish a suffix to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States for merchandise that is subject to countervailing duty orders or antidumping duty orders. (Sec. 7) Directs the Secretary of Commerce to monitor, and report to Congress on, imports (including steel mill products and other import-sensitive products) on a monthly basis for import surges and potential unfair trade through 2000. (Sec. 8) Directs the ITC to investigate, collect information, and report to specified congressional committees on anticompetitive practices in international trade of steel and agricultural products. Requires the ITC's findings to be included in the National Trade Estimate report.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 1999
Promoting Health in Rural Areas Act of 1999 - Title I: Promoting Access to Health Care Services in Rural Areas Under the Medicare Program - Subtitle A: Hospital-Related Provisions - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) with regard to hospital-related provisions to: (1) revise payment and geographic reclassification requirements for sole community hospitals; (2) modify the criteria for designation of a critical access hospital; (3) make certain technical amendments with regard to adjustments for graduate medical education, both indirect and direct; (4) make permanent the payment provision for the Medicare-dependent, small rural hospital program, and provide an option to base program eligibility on discharges during any of the three most recent audited cost reporting periods; and (5) provide for an all-inclusive payment rate option for outpatient critical access hospital services. (Sec. 106) Provides for: (1) exclusion of swing beds in critical access hospitals from the prospective payment system (PPS) for skilled nursing facilities; (2) exclusion of small rural providers from the PPS for hospital outpatient department services; (3) modification of disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payment adjustment requirements; (4) application of hospital geographic reclassification for inpatient services (labor costs) to all PPS-reimbursed items and services; and (5) mandatory standardization of wage levels for hospitals with respect to occupational mix before adjusting payment rates. Directs the Secretary of Labor to study and report to Congress on the feasibility and costs of having the Bureau of Labor Statistics collect data on wages that would assist the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) in determining average wage levels, at the metropolitan statistical area, statewide, and rural level by sector and the proportion of the workforce in each occupational category within each sector. Subtitle B: General Provisions - Amends Medicare part C (Medicare+Choice) to make certain adjustments to the calculation of annual capitation rates used in determining payments to Medicare+Choice organizations. (Sec. 122) Amends the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to convert into a permanently authorized program the current demonstration program for direct billing of Medicare, Medicaid (SSA title XIX), and other third party payors by Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Alaska Native health organizations. (Sec. 123) Amends SSA title XVIII (Medicare) to: (1) provide for rural representation on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC) as well as additional specified duties for MEDPAC; (2) require MEDPAC to review the impact of PPS's for skilled nursing facility services, home health services, and hospital outpatient department services on access to services in rural areas, as well as review the operating margins for hospitals in rural or frontier areas; and (3) provide for Medicare coverage of qualified mental health professional services. (Sec. 125) Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on the barriers that Medicare beneficiaries residing in rural areas face in obtaining quality mental health services, and on ways to reduce or eliminate such barriers. (Sec. 126) Directs the Secretary to establish a waiver process in which entities and individuals under Medicare that are located in an urban or large urban area for purposes of Medicare reimbursement may apply to be considered as located in a rural area for such purposes if the entity or individual is located in a rural area: (1) within a metropolitan county; or (2) as determined by using a census tract definition adopted by the Office of Rural Health Policy in awarding grants. (Sec. 127) Revises per-visit payment limits for rural health clinic services under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance). (Sec. 128) Amends Medicare part B to: (1) extend to physician assistant or nurse practitioner services additional payments for services furnished in health professional shortage areas; (2) provide authority for the Secretary to establish a PPS for rural health clinic (RHC) services in a rural hospital with 50 beds or more; (3) establish separate wage indexes for making adjustments to payments under the PPS's for skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies; and (4) require consideration of rural issues in establishing an ambulance service fee schedule. Title II: Additional Provisions to Address Shortages of Health Professionals in Rural Areas - Amends the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) to direct the Secretary to define "frontier area" for inclusion among health professional shortage areas. Requires the Secretary to consider any pending retirements or resignations of available physicians when determining whether to designate an area as a health professional shortage area. Prohibits the Secretary from implementing any regulation establishing a new methodology for designating a health professional shortage area unless such methodology: (1) is not detrimental to underserved rural or frontier communities, including that the methodology does not result in the provision of fewer services in such communities; and (2) includes consideration of the percentage of the population over age 65 residing in an area. (Sec. 202) Amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to exclude from an individual's gross income certain amounts received under the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program under PHSA. (Sec. 203) Amends Federal civil service law to provide for the designation of underserved areas under health care contracts administered by the Office of Personnel Management. (Sec. 204) Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) to mandate a new PPS for federally-qualified health centers and rural health clinics under the Medicaid program. (Sec. 205) Amends the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 to revise requirements for Medicare reimbursement of telehealth services, including store-and-forward technologies among the telecommunications systems used in providing telehealth services. (Sec. 206) Directs the Secretary to conduct a specified study on telehealth licensure for a report to the Congress. (Sec. 207) Redesignates the Joint Working Group on Telemedicine as the Joint Working Group on Telehealth, with the chairperson being designated by the Director of the Office for the Advancement on Telehealth. Establishes the mission of the Joint Working Group, among other things, as identifying, monitoring, and coordinating Federal telehealth projects and programs. Authorizes appropriations. Title III: Development of Telehealth Networks - Subtitle A: Development of Telehealth Networks - Directs the Secretary to provide specified financial assistance to eligible telehealth networks for the purpose of expanding access to health care services for individuals in rural and frontier areas through the use of such networks. Authorizes appropriations. Subtitle B: Rural Health Outreach and Network Development Grant Program - Amends PHSA to rename the Rural Health Outreach, Network Development, and Telemedicine Grant Program as the Rural Health Outreach and Network Development Grant Program, and to modify the renamed program. Title IV: Miscellaneous Provisions - Amends the IRC with regard to the non-deductible interest expense of financial institutions allocable to tax-exempt income, and the limited exception from such non-deductibility for interest expense on certain tax-exempt small issuer obligations. Allows a small issuer, the proceeds of whose obligations are to be used to make or finance eligible loans for health care or educational purposes, to elect to apply specified current limitations on the amount of obligations by treating each borrower as the issuer of a separate issue. (Sec. 402) Requires the heads of the National Center for Health Statistics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, and the Bureau of the Census to negotiate and enter into interagency agreements with HHS agencies and offices under which they will be provided access to data sets for the intramural and extramural research they conduct or support.
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 1999
Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act with respect to shared appreciation agreements to: (1) exclude capital improvements from the recapture value; and (2) require appraisals by appraisers whose principal place of business is in the State in which the property is located.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 1999
Military Reservists Small Business Relief Act of 1999 - Amends the Small Business Act to require the Small Business Administration (SBA), upon written request, to defer repayment of principal and interest due on a direct general business or disaster loan made to a member of the reserves ordered to active duty during a period of military conflict, as long as such reservist: (1) received the loan before being ordered to such duty; and (2) is the owner, manager, or key employee of a small business for which the loan was made. Extends such deferral period until 180 days after such reservist is discharged or released from active duty. Directs the SBA to encourage lenders and loan intermediaries participating in other SBA loan programs to defer repayment of similar loans as well as loans made under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958. Authorizes the SBA to make disaster loans to assist a small business that has or is likely to suffer economic injury as the result of the owner, manager, or key employee of such business being ordered to active duty during a period of military conflict. Extends such assistance until 180 days after such reservist is discharged or released from such duty. Provides a loan limitation. Applies such assistance to periods of military conflict occurring on or after March 24, 1999. Directs the SBA to utilize its entrepreneurial development and management assistance programs to provide business counseling and training to any small business adversely affected by the deployment of units of U.S. armed forces in support of a period of military conflict. Requires the SBA, for the duration of Operation Allied Force and 120 days thereafter, to enhance its publicity of the availability of such assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 1999
Made in USA Label Defense Act of 1999 - Amends Federal law to prohibit the affixation of the "Made in the USA" label to a product of the Northern Mariana Islands. Prohibits such products from being imported into the United States free of duty or quotas.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 1999
Children's Dental Health Improvement Act of 1999 - Title I: Expanded Opportunities for Training Pediatric Dental Health Care Providers - Amends the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), as amended by the Health Professions Education Partnerships Act of 1998, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to: (1) develop training materials for use by health professionals to promote oral health through health education; (2) make grants to schools that train pediatric dental health providers to meet the costs of projects for developing or improving training programs in providing dental health services to children; (3) establish at least ten Pediatric Dental Centers of Excellence with not less than 36 additional training positions annually for pediatric dentists at such centers of excellence; (4) determine dental site readiness in inner city, rural, frontier, and border areas; and (5) increase the numbers of Corps and private practice dentists under contract with the Corps who are selected for student loan repayments. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 102) Directs the Secretary to increase the number of dental health providers skilled in treating children who become members of the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service and who are assigned to duty for the National Health Service Corps, so that there are specified numbers of additional dentists and dental hygienists in the Corps (ensuring that at least 20 percent of Corps dentists are pediatric dentists and another 20 percent have general dentistry residency training. Requires the Corps to report annually to Congress on how it is meeting the oral health needs of underserved children in rural, frontier, and border areas. Increases the amount of appropriations made available under the Health Professions Education Partnerships Act of 1998 for grant and contract awards under PHSA for programs of pediatric or general dentistry. (Sec. 104) Provides for a dental officer multiyear retention bonus for the Indian Health Service. (Sec. 105) Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to direct the Secretary to make Medicare payments to approved nonhospital based dentistry residency training programs providing oral health care to children for program operating expenses. Provides for a permanent dental exemption from voluntary residency reduction incentive payment programs under Medicare, and for the removal of dentists from full-time equivalent count averaging requirements under Medicare. Redefines primary care resident. (Sec. 106) Amends PHSA to allow the Secretary to designate dental health professional shortage areas in areas with a severe shortage of dental health professionals, including general and pediatric dentists and dental hygienists. Includes dental hygienists in PHSA's student loan repayment program. Title II: Ensuring Delivery of Pediatric Dental Services Under the Medicaid and SCHIP Programs - Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) to: (1) provide for quarterly payment to a State of an amount equal to the greater of the Federal medical assistance percentage or 75 percent of the sums expended during the quarter attributable to dental services for children; (2) require a State Medicaid plan to provide for payment for dental services for children at a rate designed to create an incentive for providers of such services (but that does not result in a reduction or other adverse impact on the extent to which the State provides dental services to adults); (3) set the required minimum Medicaid expenditures each fiscal year for dental health services for children; (4) require the State to verify annually sufficient numbers of Medicaid-participating dental health professionals and to collect appropriate data; (5) provide for the inclusion of the recommended age for the first dental visit in the definition of early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment services (EPSDT); and (6) provide for the use of Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) (SSA title XXI) funds to treat certain low-income children with special oral health needs (including advanced craniofacial diseases) who reside in certain States. (Sec. 207) Amends SSA title V (Maternal and Child Health Services) to direct the Secretary to award grants to States to supplement payments made under State Medicaid and CHIP programs for the treatment of children with special oral health care needs. Defines children with special oral health care needs as children with oral, dental and craniofacial conditions or disorders, and other acute or chronic medical, genetic, and behavioral disorders with dental manifestations. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 208) Directs the Secretary to establish demonstration projects designed to increase access to dental services for children in underserved areas. Authorizes appropriations. Title III: Pediatric Dental Research - Directs the Secretary to: (1) support community based research designed to improve our understanding of the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of pediatric oral, dental, craniofacial diseases and conditions and their sequelae in high risk populations; (2) develop clinical approaches to assess individual patients for pediatric dental disease; and (3) support demonstrations of preventive interventions in high risk populations. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 302) Amends PHSA to direct the Administrator for Health Care Policy and Research to conduct and support activities with respect to existing barriers, including access to oral health care for children, and the establishment of measures of oral health status and outcomes. (Sec. 303) Amends PHSA to direct the Secretary to establish a specified oral health research and training program involving qualified oral health professional participants who, pursuant to an agreement with the Secretary, will have a specified portion of their educational loans repaid by the Secretary in exchange for the program-related research they conduct or the program-related training they provide. (Sec. 304) Directs the Secretary to convene a Consensus Development Conference to: (1) examine the management of early childhood caries; and (2) support research on the biology and physiologic dynamics of infectious transmission of dental caries. Authorizes appropriations. Title IV: Surveillance and Accountability - Requires the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to collect and report annually to the appropriate congressional committees on the dental, craniofacial, and oral health of residents of at least one State from each HHS region. (Sec. 402) Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) to require a State Medicaid plan to provide for the reporting to the Secretary of the following: (1) the percentage of expenditures for EPSDT dental health professionals licensed in the State and providing services commensurate with State Medicaid plan eligibility; and (3) data on the children being served and the actual services provided. (Sec. 403) Directs the Administrator of the Administration on Children, Youth, and Families to report annually to the appropriate congressional committees the percentage of children enrolled in a Head or Early Start program who have access to and who obtain dental care, including children with special oral, dental, and craniofacial health needs. (Sec. 404) Amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to impose on the State involved certain data collection and submission requirements with regard to children under the special supplemental food program for women, infants, and children (WIC) under that Act. Title V: Oral Health Promotion and Disease Prevention - Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to States or localities for the purpose of increasing the resources available for community water fluoridation. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 502) Directs the Secretary to establish a specified demonstration project designed to assist rural water systems in successfully implementing certain CDC water fluoridation guidelines. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to States or localities to provide for the development of school-based dental sealant programs at eligible public elementary or secondary schools to improve the access of certain children to sealants. Authorizes appropriations. Title VI: Miscellaneous - Establishes the effective dates for this Act, some of which are retroactive to the enactment of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 1999
Federally Impacted School Improvement Act - Provides matching grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) for construction, renovation and repair of school facilities in areas affected by Federal activities. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary of Education to distribute such funds as follows: (1) 45 percent for basic matching grants to LEAs eligible for impact aid assistance as serving children from Indian lands, if the number of such children is at least 25 percent of the total number in attendance; (2) 45 percent to the Secretary of Defense for basic matching grants to LEAs serving children from military bases, if the number of such children is at least 25 percent of the total number in attendance; and (3) ten percent for emergency non-matching grants in cases of health or safety hazards at facilities of LEAs which have a number of impact aid eligible children equal to at least 50 percent of their total attendance. Sets forth requirements for: (1) LEA eligibility; (2) basic grant awards and amount limits; (3) applications; and (4) emergency grant certifications, amounts, and priorities.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to taxation of U.S. shareholders of controlled foreign corporations, to permanently extend the subpart F exemption (which excludes such income from the shareholder's foreign personal holding company income) for active financing (banking, financing, or similar business) income earned on business operations overseas. (Thus permits American financial services firms doing business abroad to defer U.S. tax on their earnings from their foreign financial services operations until such earnings are returned to the U.S. parent company.)
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce from 39 years (life of the building) to ten years the recovery period for the depreciation (by straight line method) of any qualified leasehold improvement to an interior portion of a building which is nonresidential real property if: (1) such improvement is made under or pursuant to a lease (including a commitment to lease) by the lessee (or any sublessee) or the lessor of such portion; (2) such portion is to be occupied exclusively by the lessee (or any sublessee); and (3) such improvement is placed in service more than three years after the date the building was first placed in service. Excludes from the meaning of qualified leasehold improvement any improvement for which the expenditure is attributable to: (1) enlargement of the building; (2) any elevator or escalator; (3) any structural component benefitting a common area; and (4) the internal structural framework of the building.
United States · United States Congress · 22 April 1999
Amends the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to designate a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System under the Wilderness Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 1999
Transportation Tax Equity and Fairness Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the 4.3-cent motor fuel excise taxes on railroads and inland waterway transportation which remain in the general fund of the Treasury.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 1999
Freedom to E-File Act - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish in the Department of Agriculture a public use electronic filing and information retrieval system.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from Federal income tax any amounts received by Holocaust victims or their heirs: (1) from the Swiss Humanitarian Fund established by the Government of Switzerland or from any similar fund established by any foreign country; or (2) as a result of the settlement of the action entitled "In re Holocaust Victims' Asset Litigation", (E.D. NY), C.A. No. 96-4849, or as a result of any similar action.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Expanding Coverage for Small Business Title II: Increasing Pension Access and Fairness for Women Title III: Increasing Portability of Pension Plans Title IV: Strengthening Pension Security and Enforcement Title V: Encouraging Retirement Education Title VI: Reducing Red Tape Title VII: Plan Amendments Pension Coverage and Portability Act - Title I: Expanding Coverage for Small Business - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to revise requirements relating to pension plan loans for Subchapter S owners, partners, and sole proprietors. (Sec. 102) Allows an employer to establish payroll deductions for contributions to employee individual retirement plans without incurring ERISA liability. (Sec. 103) Amends the IRC to allow an eligible employer to establish and maintain a SAFE annuity (an individual retirement annuity) or a SAFE trust (a trust forming part of a defined benefit plan), both to be funded by the employer. Makes the employer contributions deductible without limitation and otherwise provides for the treatment of contributions and distributions. Mandates a penalty for early withdrawals. Requires simplified employer reports for SAFE annuities and simplified actuarial reports for SAFE trusts. Amends the ERISA to exempt SAFE trusts from coverage requirements and SAFE annuities from certain employer reporting requirements. (Sec. 104) Amends the IRC to modify definitions applicable to special rules for top-heavy plans. Requires consideration of employer matching contributions in determining whether a defined contribution plan meets minimum contribution requirements. Exempts frozen plans from a minimum benefit requirement. Provides an alternative test for top-heavy plans. (Sec. 105) Allows employers to elect salary reduction only arrangements under IRC requirements for simple plans. (Sec. 106) Establishes a small employer pension plan credit. (Sec. 107) Increases (from $6,000 to $8,000) limits for deferrals to simple plans. (Sec. 108) Amends ERISA to provide for a phase-in of an additional premium for new plans to pay to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). (Sec. 109) Provides for a reduced PBGC premium for new plans of small employers. (Sec. 110) Eliminates user fee requirements for requests to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) concerning the status of pension plans. (Sec. 111) Declares the $150,000 compensation limit inapplicable to simple 401(k) arrangements. (Sec. 112) Provides that elective deferrals shall not be taken into account for purposes of limits on certain plan contributions. (Sec. 113) Repeals specified coordination requirements under the IRC for deferred compensation plans of State and local governments and tax-exempt organizations. Title II: Increasing Pension Access and Fairness for Women - Sets forth requirements relating to equitable treatment for contributions of employees to defined contribution plans. Requires that certain contributions by church plans are not to be treated as exceeding a specified limit. Sets forth special rules for annuity contracts and simplified pensions. (Sec. 202) Provides for faster vesting of certain employer matching contributions under IRC and ERISA. (Sec. 203) Amends Federal civil service law to revise requirements for deferred annuities for surviving spouses of Federal employees under both the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). (Sec. 204) Revises IRC requirements relating to tax treatment of division of section 457 plan benefits upon divorce. (Sec. 205) Amends the IRC and ERISA to provide for the spouse's right to know specified distribution information relating to survivor annuities. (Sec. 206) Revises minimum distribution rules under IRC. Revises requirements for actuarial adjustment of benefit under a defined benefit plan. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) simplify and finalize the regulations relating to minimum distribution requirements; and (2) modify such regulations to reflect increases in life expectancy, and revise required distribution methods so that, under reasonable assumptions, the amount of the required minimum distribution does not decrease over a participant's life expectancy. Provides that, during the first year that such revised regulations are in effect, required distributions for future years may be redetermined, with the opportunity to choose a new designated beneficiary and to elect a new method of calculating life expectancy. Excludes specified amounts from minimum distribution requirements. Repeals a rule relating to distributions begun before death occurs. (Sec. 207) Directs the Secretary to revise regulations relating to safe harbor relief for hardship withdrawals from cash or deferred arrangements. Title III: Increasing Portability of Pension Plans - Permits rollovers from and to various types of plans under the IRC. (Sec. 302) Permits individual retirement plan (IRA) rollovers into workplace retirement plans only if certain conditions are met. (Sec. 303) Permits rollover of after-tax contributions in an exempt trust under specified conditions. Sets forth a hardship exception to the 60-day rule. (Sec. 304) Revises restrictions on distributions from defined contribution plans, including the same desk exception. Repeals business sale requirements. (Sec. 305) Provides that a transferee defined contribution plan shall not be treated as having failed to meet certain requirements because it does not provide for some or all of the distribution forms previously available under a transferor defined contribution plan. (Sec. 306) Authorizes trustee-to-trustee transfers to purchase permissive service credit with respect to governmental defined benefit plans. (Sec. 307) Authorizes employers to disregard rollovers for purposes of employee cash-out amounts under the IRC and ERISA. Title IV: Strengthening Pension Security and Enforcement - Amends the IRC and ERISA to revise the percentage of current liability funding limit. Revises maximum contribution deduction rules and applies them to all defined benefit plan under the IRC. (Sec. 402) Increases dollar limits for employer-sponsored retirement plans. (Sec. 403) Makes certain compensation limitations for defined benefit plans inapplicable to governmental and multiemployer plans. Prohibits combining or aggregating a multiemployer plan with any other plan maintained by the employer for the purpose of applying such limitations. (Sec. 404) Amends ERISA to direct the PBGC to prescribe rules relating to missing participants for multiemployer plans covered by the PBGC that terminate. (Sec. 405) Amends ERISA to make discretionary the imposition and amount of civil penalties for breach of fiduciary responsibility. Revises requirements for the applicable recovery amount and related rules. (Sec. 406) Amends the IRC to allow an employer, in determining the amount of nondeductible contributions for any taxable year, to elect not to take into account any contributions to a defined benefit plan except to the extent that they exceed the full-funding limitation. (Sec. 407) Amends the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 to protect investment of employee contributions to 401(k) plans by providing that specified requirements apply to elective deferrals for plan years beginning after December 31, 1998. (Sec. 408) Bars the Secretaries of Labor and the Treasury from litigating any claim against a person under specified ERISA provisions if: (1) an action against that person with respect to the same plan is resolved by a court-approved settlement; (2) such proposed settlement is served upon the Secretaries at least 90 days before entry of final judgment approving the settlement; and (3) such claim was or could have been brought in such action. Title V: Encouraging Retirement Education - Requires that pension benefit statements be furnished annually (once every three years for defined benefit plans) or on request. Allows written or electronic statements. Requires multiemployer plans to furnish a statement (written or electronic) on request. (Sec. 502) Directs the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to prepare a plan to: (1) increase awareness of retirement benefits;(2) update small business owners concerning such benefits; and (3) post information on the Internet on types of retirement benefit plans and other options. (Sec. 503) Treats the provision of certain retirement planning services by an employer to an employee as a de minimis fringe benefit to the extent it is not treated as a working condition fringe. Prohibits including an amount in an employee's gross income solely because the employee may choose between any retirement planning fringe and compensation otherwise includible in gross income, providing such choices are available in a way that does not discriminate in favor of highly compensated employees. Title VI: Reducing Red Tape - Amends the IRC and ERISA to revise requirements relating to timing of plan valuations. (Sec. 602) Amends ERISA rules for substantial owners relating to plan terminations to revise: (1) the phase-in of the guarantee; and (2) the allocation of assets. (Sec. 603) Amends IRC requirements for applicable dividends to allow dividends of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) to be reinvested without loss of dividend deduction. (Sec. 604) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to modify the regulations regarding the exclusion allowance to render void the requirement that contributions to a defined benefit pension plan be treated as previously excluded amounts. (Sec. 605) Directs the Secretary to provide by regulation that a plan shall be deemed to satisfy specified requirements of the IRC if it satisfies a certain facts and circumstances test, under specified conditions. (Sec. 606) Grants the Secretary discretion in applying a specified coverage test to a plan. (Sec. 607) Makes inapplicable to certain mirror plans specified IRC requirements relating to deferred compensation plans of State and local governments and tax-exempt organizations. (Sec. 608) Revises the notice and consent period regarding distributions. Directs the Secretary to modify certain regulations under the IRC to provide that the description of a participant's right, if any, to defer receipt of a distribution shall also describe the consequences of failing to defer such receipt. (Sec. 609) Sets forth conforming amendments relating to election to receive taxable cash compensation in lieu of nontaxable transportation fringe benefits. (Sec. 610) Repeals a transition rule relating to certain highly compensated employees under the Tax Reform Act of 1986. (Sec. 611) Extends to international organizations the moratorium on application of certain nondiscrimination rules applicable to State and local plans. (Sec. 612) Revises ERISA requirements for annual report dissemination. (Sec. 613) Directs the Secretary to modify certain regulations with respect to certain plan participation by employees of tax-exempt entities under the IRC. (Sec. 614) Repeals a multiple use test. Directs the Secretary prescribe regulations permitting appropriate aggregation of plans and contributions. Title VII: Plan Amendments - Prescribes requirements for plan amendments or annuity contract amendments under the IRC and ERISA.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1999
Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River as a recreational river. Establishes a 15-member management commission to develop a management plan for the Hanford Reach recreational river. Excludes privately owned land from the river, including only adjacent public land. Directs the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers of the Army Corps of Engineers, to develop a comprehensive plan of improvement for the levees and other rivershore areas downstream of the Hanford Reach recreational river in the vicinity of the cities of Richland, Pasco, and Kennewick, Washington. Directs the Secretaries of the Interior and of Energy to: (1) study the consolidation of parcels of land administered by the Bureau of Land Management on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation; and (2) prepare to exchange lands on completion of documents required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
United States · United States Congress · 25 March 1999
Sanctions Policy Reform Act - Declares that it is the purpose of this Act to establish an effective framework for consideration by the legislative and executive branches of unilateral economic sanctions in order to ensure coordination of U.S. policy with respect to trade, security, and human rights. (Sec. 3) Declares that it is U.S. policy to: (1) pursue U.S. interests through vigorous and effective diplomatic, political, commercial, charitable, educational, cultural, and strategic engagement with other countries, while recognizing that U.S. national security interests may sometimes require the imposition of economic sanctions on other countries; (2) foster multilateral cooperation on vital matters of U.S. foreign policy, including promoting human rights and democracy, combating international terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and international narcotics trafficking, and ensuring adequate environmental protection; (3) promote U.S. economic growth and job creation by expanding exports of goods, services, and agricultural commodities, and by encouraging investment that supports the sale abroad of U.S. products and services; (4) maintain the reputation of U.S. businesses and farmers as reliable suppliers to international customers of quality products and services; (5) avoid the use of restrictions on exports of agricultural commodities as a foreign policy weapon; and (6) oppose policies of other countries designed to discourage economic interaction with countries friendly to the United States or with any U.S. national, and to avoid use of such measures as instruments of U.S. foreign policy. States that when economic sanctions are necessary, it is U.S. policy to: (1) target them as narrowly as possible on those foreign governments, entities, and officials that are responsible for the conduct being targeted, thereby minimizing unnecessary or disproportionate harm to individuals who are not responsible for such conduct; and (2) to the extent feasible, avoid any adverse impact of economic sanctions on the humanitarian activities of the United States and foreign nongovernmental organizations in a country against which sanctions are imposed. (Sec. 5) Expresses the sense of Congress that any unilateral economic sanction legislation introduced in or reported to a House of Congress should: (1) state the U.S. foreign policy or national security objective; (2) terminate after two years unless specifically reauthorized; (3) provide for contract sanctity, with specified exceptions; (4) provide presidential authority to adjust or waive the sanction in the national interest; (5) target the sanction as narrowly as possible against the parties responsible for the conduct being targeted; and (6) provide for expanded export promotion programs if sanctions are likely to target an export market for American farmers. (Sec. 6) Sets forth a procedure for congressional consideration of any unilateral economic sanction legislation. Requires specified reports: (1) from the President assessing the likelihood that the proposed unilateral economic sanction will achieve its stated objective within a reasonable period of time, as well as the impact of the proposed unilateral economic sanction on U.S. foreign policy, national security, and humanitarian activities; and (2) from the Secretary of Agriculture assessing the extent to which any country or countries proposed or likely to be sanctioned are markets that accounted for more than three percent of all U.S. agricultural export sales in the preceding calendar year, as well as the likelihood that U.S. agricultural exports will be affected by the proposed sanction or by retaliation by any country proposed or likely to be sanctioned, and specific commodities which are most likely to be affected. Requires that any bill or joint resolution that imposes any unilateral economic sanction be treated as including a Federal private sector mandate for purposes of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995. Requires the Congressional Budget Office, in its report pursuant to such Act, to assess the likely short- and long-term costs of the proposed sanction to the U.S. economy. (Sec. 7) Requires the President to: (1) publish notice in the Federal Register at least 45 days in advance of the President's intention to impose any new unilateral economic sanction with respect to a foreign country or foreign entity; and (2) consult with the appropriate congressional committees regarding such proposed sanction. Requires any executive sanction to include an assessment of whether the sanction is likely to achieve a specific U.S. foreign policy or national security objective within a reasonable and specified period of time. Requires, before imposition of a new unilateral economic sanction, that the President and the Secretary of Agriculture report to appropriate congressional committees the same assessments required in connection with any bill or joint resolution imposing or authorizing the imposition of a unilateral economic sanction by the executive branch. Requires the President to request a report by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) on the likely short- and long-term costs of the proposed sanction to the U.S. economy, including the potential impact on U.S. competitiveness. Provides, in the event that it is in the national interest, for allowing the President temporarily to waive most of the requirements for executive action in order to act immediately, generally requiring the waived requirements to be met within 60 days after imposition of the sanction (which shall terminate after 90 days if such requirements are not met). Establishes an interagency Sanctions Review Committee to coordinate U.S. policy regarding unilateral economic sanctions and provide appropriate recommendations to the President. (Sec. 8) Requires the President and the ITC to report annually to the appropriate congressional committees with respect to each unilateral economic sanction imposed under this Act or under any other U.S. law, regulation, or Executive order.
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Telemarketing Fraud and Seniors Protection Act Title II: Telemarketing Fraud Over the Internet Title I: Telemarketing Fraud and Seniors Protection Act - Telemarketing Fraud and Seniors Protection Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Aging, to publicly disseminate by specified means in each State certain information designed to educate senior citizens and raise awareness about the dangers of telemarketing fraud and fraud over the Internet. Title II: Telemarketing Fraud Over the Internet - Amends the Federal criminal code to include within its criminal fraud protections transmissions made over the Internet. Directs the Federal Trade Commission to initiate a rulemaking proceeding to set forth the application of the Federal Trade Commission Act to deceptive acts or practices in U.S. commerce in connection with the promotion, advertisement, sale offer, or sale of goods or services through the use of the Internet, including the initiation, transmission, and receipt of unsolicited commercial electronic mail.
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 1999
Expresses support for the U.S. military personnel who are engaged in military operations against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and recognizes their professionalism, dedication, patriotism, and courage.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) permanently extend the credit for increasing research activities; and (2) increase the incremental rates for the alternative research credit.
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 1999
Agriculture Market Transparency Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a pilot program requiring certain packers to report to the Secretary with respect to prices, volume, and terms of sale for domestic and imported livestock and livestock products. Directs the Secretary to encourage voluntary reporting by other packers.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 1999
Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to give States the option of making medical assistance for breast and cervical cancer-related treatment services available during a presumptive eligibility period to certain low-income women without creditable coverage who have already been screened for such cancers under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention breast and cervical cancer early detection program and need treatment. Provides for an enhanced match with regard to such Medicaid treatment services.
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 1999
Historic Homeownership Assistance Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for 20 percent of the qualified rehabilitation expenditures made by a taxpayer with respect to a qualified historic home which has been substantially rehabilitated and which is owned by the taxpayer and used as his or her principal residence. Allows the credit for such expenditures to be taken by a purchaser of the rehabilitated home. Permits, in lieu of the credit, a historic rehabilitation mortgage credit certificate, which may be transferred to a lender in exchange for a reduction in the rate of interest on the loan secured by the building.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Individual Retirement Plans Title II: Pension Plans Title III: Small Business Incentives Title IV: Catchup Contributions Title V: Plan Amendments Retirement Savings Opportunity Act of 1999 - Title I: Individual Retirement Plans - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (the Code) to increase from $2,000 to $5,000 (with cost-of-living adjustments) the maximum retirement savings deduction allowable. (Sec. 102) Repeals income limits for Roth IRA contributions. Increases the income cap for conversions to $1 million. (Sec. 103) Amends the Code and ERISA (the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) to permit employees to make IRA contributions under a qualified employer plan. Title II: Pension Plans - Provides for optional treatment of elective deferrals as plus contributions. Defines such contributions. (Sec. 202) Increases the elective deferral limit from $7,000 to $15,000. (Sec. 203) Increases the limit on the deferred amount for State and local government plans to $12,000. (Sec. 204) Eliminates the 25 percent compensation limit on contributions to a defined contribution plan, thereby making the maximum contribution limit $30,000 for any individual. (Sec. 205) Amends the Code and ERISA to revise the percentage of the current liability funding limit. Revises maximum contribution deduction rules and applies them to all defined benefit plans under the Code. Title III: Small Business Incentives - Establishes a small employer pension plan credit equal to, subject to limitations: (1) 50 percent of qualified employer contributions; and (2) qualified start- up costs. (Sec. 302) Permits employers to establish SAFE annuities (a defined individual retirement annuity). (Sec. 303) Increases the $6,000 contribution amount for simple retirement accounts to $10,000. Title IV: Catchup Contributions - Permits "catchup contributions" for certain individuals over age 50. Title V: Plan Amendments - Prescribes requirements for plan amendments or annuity contract amendments under the Code and ERISA.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Individual Retirement Plans Title II: Pension Plans Title III: Small Business Incentives Title IV: Catchup Contributions Title V: Plan Amendments Retirement Savings Opportunity Act of 1999 - Title I: Individual Retirement Plans - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (the Code) to increase from $2,000 to $5,000 (with cost-of-living adjustments) the maximum retirement savings deduction allowable. (Sec. 102) Repeals income limits for Roth IRA contributions. Increases the income cap for conversions to $1 million. (Sec. 103) Amends the Code and ERISA (the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) to permit employees to make IRA contributions under a qualified employer plan. Title II: Pension Plans - Provides for optional treatment of elective deferrals as plus contributions. Defines such contributions. (Sec. 202) Increases the elective deferral limit from $7,000 to $15,000. (Sec. 203) Increases the limit on the deferred amount for State and local government plans to $12,000. (Sec. 204) Eliminates the 25 percent compensation limit on contributions to a defined contribution plan, thereby making the maximum contribution limit $30,000 for any individual. (Sec. 205) Amends the Code and ERISA to revise the percentage of the current liability funding limit. Revises maximum contribution deduction rules and applies them to all defined benefit plans under the Code. Title III: Small Business Incentives - Establishes a small employer pension plan credit equal to, subject to limitations: (1) 50 percent of qualified employer contributions; and (2) qualified start- up costs. (Sec. 302) Permits employers to establish SAFE annuities (a defined individual retirement annuity). (Sec. 303) Increases the $6,000 contribution amount for simple retirement accounts to $10,000. Title IV: Catchup Contributions - Permits "catchup contributions" for certain individuals over age 50. Title V: Plan Amendments - Prescribes requirements for plan amendments or annuity contract amendments under the Code and ERISA.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1999
Farm and Ranch Risk Management Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an individual engaged in an eligible farming (or ranching) business a deduction (in computing adjusted gross income) for any taxable year of up to 20 percent of taxable income attributable to the eligible farming business which was paid in cash by the taxpayer to a Farm and Ranch Risk Management Account (FARRM Account). Includes distributions from a FARRM account in the taxpayer's gross income, and subjects to a special ten percent surtax any distributions not made within five years of contribution. Establishes a tax on excess contributions, but exempts the taxpayer from the tax on certain prohibited transactions.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1999
Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to plan, design, construct, operate, maintain, and replace the Assiniboine and Sioux Rural Water System (Water System) within the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana. Directs the Secretary to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Fort Peck Tribal Executive Board regarding the Water System. Provides that title to the Water System be held in trust by the United States for the Fort Peck tribes and not be transferred unless a transfer is authorized by an Act of Congress enacted after the enactment of this Act. Limits the availability of Water System construction funds until certain requirements are met. Directs the Secretary to enter into a cooperative agreement with Dry Prairie Rural Water Association Incorporated or a successor non- Federal entity to provide Federal funds for the planning, design, and construction of the Dry Prairie Rural Water System in Roosevelt, Sheridan, Daniels, and Valley Counties, Montana, outside the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Limits the Federal share to 76 percent. Requires cooperative agreement concurrence by the Water System Board. Directs the Secretary to: (1) interconnect the Dry Prairie System with the Water System; and (2) provide for the delivery of water to the Dry Prairie System, without charge, from the Missouri River through the Water System. Prohibits Federal funds from being used for operation and maintenance expenses associated with water deliveries to the Dry Prairie System. Directs the Water System and the Dry Prairie System to use power from the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program (Eastern Division) for start-up and operation. Sets forth provisions regarding reservation of power and recovery of expenses associated with power purchases. Requires the Fort Peck tribes and Dry Prairie Rural Water Association Incorporated to develop a water conservation plan containing a description of water conservation objectives and measures and a schedule for implementing such measures and this Act to meet such objectives. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1999
Directs the Secretary of the Interior, within one year after the enactment of this Act, to offer to enter into a contract with the irrigation district for the Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana, under which the district will operate and manage the Flathead Indian Irrigation Project, including the right to use permanent easements purchased under a prior Act. Outlines contract requirements, including U.S. fulfillment of trust responsibilities to such Tribe, the maintenance of water flows, and the continuation of certain existing cost repayment obligations.
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