United States · United States Congress · 16 January 1973
Provides, under the Rural Electrification Act, that the Administrator of the Rural Electrification Administration is directed to fully obligate funds made available for each fiscal year for rural electrification programs provided for in such Act. (Amend 7 U.S.C. 901, 902, 904, 922)
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 1973
Prohibits the distribution of food stamps under the Food Stamp Act of 1964, to any household where the head of the household is engaged in a labor strike, except where such household was eligible for participation in such program prior to the time the head of the household went on strike. (Amends 7 U.S.C. 2013)
United States · United States Congress · 16 January 1973
Provides that the price-regulation provisions of the Natural Gas Act relating to rates and charges shall not apply to persons engaged in the production or gathering and sale but not in the transmission of natural gas. Provides that the Federal Power Commission shall have no power to deny that portion of the rates and charges made, demanded or received by any natural gas company to or for a person exempt under the provisions of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 1973
Voter Registration Act - Establishes within the Bureau of the Census the Voter Registration Administration. Provides that the President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, an Administrator and two Associate Administrators for terms of four years each. Sets forth the duties and powers of the Administration. Authorizes the Administration to establish a voter registration program in accordance with this Act for all Federal elections and, when requested by the States, for State elections. Provides that an individual who is eligible to vote under State law and who is registered to vote under the provisions of this Act shall be entitled to vote in Federal elections in that State. Directs the Administration to prepare voter registration forms in accordance with the provisions of this Act. Authorizes the Administration to enter into agreements with the Postal Service, with departments and agencies of the Federal Government, and with State officials for the distribution of registration forms. Requires the Administration to assist State officials in detecting fraudulent voter registration, when such assistance is requested by the State. Provides that whoever knowingly or willfully gives false information as to his name, address, residence, age, or other information for the purposes of establishing his eligibility to register or vote under this chapter, or conspires with another individual for the purpose of encouraging his false registration to vote or illegal voting, or pays or offers to pay or accepts or offers to accept payment either for registration to vote or for voting shall be fined not more than $10,000, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. States that any person who deprives, or attempts to deprive, any other person of any right under this chapter shall be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. Authorizes the Administration to pay to each appropriate State the reasonable cost of processing registration forms prescribed under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 1973
Provides for the reimbursement to taxpayers of all costs, including legal and accounting fees, incurred by them in contesting unwarranted second audits of their income tax liability under the Internal Revenue Code. (Adds 26 U.S.C. 6408)
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 1973
Land Use Policy and Planning Assistance Act - Title I: Findings, Policy, and Purpose - Declares that it is a continuing responsibility of the Federal Government, consistent with the responsibility of State and local governments for land use planning and management, to undertake the development and implementation of a national land use policy which shall incorporate environmental, esthetic, economic, social, and other appropriate factors. Declares it to be the national policy to: (1) favor patterns of land use planning, management, and development which are in accord with sound environmental, economic, and social values and which encourage the wise and balanced use of the Nation's land resources; (2) assist State governments to develop and implement land use programs for non-Federal lands which will incorporate environmental, esthetic, economic, social, and other appropriate factors, and to develop a framework for the formulation, coordination, and implementation of State and local land use policies; (3) assist the State and local governments to improve upon their present land use planning and management efforts with respect to areas of critical environmental concern, key facilities, development and land use of regional benefit, and large scale development; (4) facilitate increased coordination in the administration of Federal programs and in the planning and management of Federal lands and adjacent non-Federal lands so as to encourage sound land use planning and management; and (5) promote the development of systematic methods for the exchange of land use, environmental, economic, and social data and information among all levels of governments. Title II: Aministration of Land Use Policy - Establishes in the Department of the Interior an Office of Land Use Policy Administration. Provides that the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the office, shall: (1) maintain a continuing study of the land resources of the United States and their use; (2) cooperate with the States in the development of standard methods and classifications for the collection of land use data and in the establishment of effective procedures for the exchange and dissemination of land use data; (3) develop and maintain a Federal Land Use Information and Data Center; (4) make the information maintained at the Data Center available to Federal, regional, State, and local agencies conducting or concerned with land use planning and management and to the public; and (5) administer the grant-in-aid program established under the provisions of this Act. Directs the Secretary to establish a National Advisory Board on Land Use Policy to assist the Secretary in carrying out this Act. Authorizes the States to coordinate land use planning, policies, and programs with appropriate interstate entities, and a reasonable portion of the funds made available to such States under the provisions of this Act may be used therefor. Title III: Program of Assistance to the States - Authorizes the Secretary to make annual grants to each State to assist each State in developing and administering a State land use program meeting the requirements set forth in this Act. Provides that, as a condition to the continued eligibility of any State for grants after a period of three complete fiscal years following the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall have determined that the State has developed an adequate statewide land use planning process. Sets forth the requirements of such process. Provides that, in the determination of an adequate statewide land use process of any State, the Secretary shall confirm that the State has an eligible State land use planning agency established by the Governor of such State or by law. Provides that, as a condition of the continued eligibility of any State for grants after a period of five complete fiscal years following the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall determine that the State has developed an adequate State land use program. Provides that such program shall include methods of implementation for: (1) assuring that use and development of land in areas of critical environmental concern within the State is not inconsistent with the State land use program; (2) assuring that the use of land in areas within the State which are or may be impacted by key facilities, including the site location and the location of major improvement and major access features of key facilities, is not inconsistent with the State land use program; (3) assuring that any large-scale subdivisions and other proposed large-scale development within the State of more than local significance in its impact upon the environment is not inconsistent with the State land use program; (4) assuring that any source of air, water, noise, or other pollution in the areas or from the uses or activities listed in this part shall not be located where it would result in a violation of any pollution standard or implementation plan; (5) periodically revising and updating the State land use program to meet changing conditions; (6) assuring dissemination of information to appropriate officials or representatives of local governments and members of the public and their participation in the development of and subsequent revisions in the State land use program and in the formulation of State guidelines, rules, and regulations for the development and administration of the State land use program; and (7) conducting a coordinated management program for the land and water resources of any coastal zone within the State in accordance with existing or then applicable Federal or State law. Provides that such methods of implementation shall include either one or a combination of the two following general techniques: (1) implementation by local governments pursuant to criteria and standards established by the State, such implementation to be subject to State administrative review with State authority to disapprove such implementation wherever it fails to meet such criteria and guidelines; and (2) direct State land use planning and regulation. Provides that the Secretary shall not make a grant to any State pursuant to this Act until he has ascertained that the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency is satisfied that the land use program of such State is in compliance with the goals of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, the clean Air Act, and other Federal laws controlling pollution which fall within the jurisdiction of the Administrator. Requires Federal projects and activities significantly affecting land use to be consistent with State land use programs which conform to the provisions of this Act. Establishes a procedure for the withholding of funds under this Title. Title IV: Federal-State Coordination and Cooperation in the Planning and Management of Federal and Adjacent Non-Federal Lands - States that all agencies of the Federal Government charged with responsibility for the management of Federal lands shall consider State land use programs prepared pursuant to this Act and attempt to coordinate the State and Federal programs. Provides that the Secretary, at his discretion or upon the request of the Governor of any State involved, shall establish an Ad Hoc Federal-State Joint Committee or Committees to review specific problems arising from the management of Federal lands and adjacent non-Federal lands. States that, upon receipt of the recommendations of such committee, the Secretary shall take any appropriate action to minimize such conflict. Directs the Secretary to report biennially to the President and Congress concerning the coordination of the management of Federal land and adjacent non-Federal lands. Title V: General - Authorizes the President to designate an agency or agencies to issue guidelines to the Federal agencies to assist them in carrying out the requirements of this Act. Directs the Secretary, with the assistance of the Office and the Board, to report biennially to the President and the Congress on land resources, uses of land, and current and emerging problems of land use. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants provided for in this Act in any amount not to exceed 66 2/3 percent of the estimiated cost of developing the State land use programs for the two fiscal years following the enactment of this Act. Provides that for the following three fiscal years grants may be made in an amount not to exceed 50 percent of the estimated cost of developing and administering such programs. Authorizes to be appropriated for grants to the States under this Act $40,000,000 for each of the first two fiscal years following the enactment of this Act and $30,000,000 for each of the next three fiscal years. Authorizes to be appropriated, for each of the five full fiscal years following the enactment of this Act, $10,000,000 to the Secretary to be used exclusively for the administration of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 1973
World War I Pension Act - Increases non service-connected disability pensions of World War I veterans, their widows and children, by 10 percent. Increases the monthly rate payable to any World War I veteran for regular aid and attendance by $15 and increases the monthly rate for such veterans with permanent and total disability by $6 a month. Provides that the monthly rate to which any child or children of a veteran of World War I shall be increased by $8 in the case of one child and by $1 for each additional child. (Amends 38 U.S.C. 521(b), (c), (d), (e), 542)
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 1973
Opportunities Industrialization Assistance Act - Authorizes $100,000,000 for fiscal year 1974, $150,000,000 for fiscal year 1975, and $200,000,000 for fiscal year 1976 for the purposes of this Act. Provides that appropriations not obligated in one fiscal year may be obligated in the next fiscal year and that obligated funds may be expended for two years after obligations. Directs the Secretary of Labor to assist the States in the establishment and operation of opportunities industrialization centers designed to provide comprehensive employment services and job opportunities for low-income persons who are unemployed or underemployed. Requires assurances that residents of the area to be served participate in the planning and operation of the center and that local businessmen will be consulted as to its development and operation. Gives priority to programs in the inner-city areas with high unemployment or underemployment. Authorizes the Secretary to establish criteria for the equitable distribution of money to the States. Limits Federal financial assistance to 90 percent of the program costs. Permits contributions in excess of this percentage if the Secretary determines that this is necessary in furtherance of the objectives of this Act. Requires the Secretary to prescribe regulations to assure that these programs are operated in a manner designed to best fulfill the purposes of this Act. Directs the Secretary to include, in the annual Department of Labor report, information as to activities conducted under this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 1973
Grants the consent of the United States to the Arkansas River Basin compact, Arkansas-Oklahoma. Creates an interstate administrative agency to be known as the Arkansas-Oklahoma River Commission.