United States · United States Congress · 30 October 1975
Dairy and Meat Import Inspection and Identification Act - Establishes labeling and sanitation requirements for imported meat and dairy products. Title I: Dairy Products - Defines terms as used in this title. Directs that no dairy products shall be imported into the United States unless the Secretary of Agriculture first certifies that such products are wholesome and pure. Requires the Secretary to establish standards comparable to standards imposed upon domestic dairy products. Provides that such imports must comply with United States packaging and labeling requirements. Requires that the package or container of any food product made in whole or in part of imported dairy products shall be labeled "imported" or "imported in part". Establishes criminal penalties for violation of the requirements of this Act. Title II: Meat and Meat Products - Imposes the same labeling requirements on meat products as those imposed by title I of this Act. Requires that such products meet the same health standards as imposed upon domestically produced meats. Requires that inspectors employed by the Department of Agriculture supervise the testing of imported meats. Directs that periodic tests of imported meats shall be conducted in the United States by the Department of Agriculture.
United States · United States Congress · 30 October 1975
Home and Family Services Health Care Act - Title I: Home Health Services - Increases from 100 to 200 the number of allowable home health visits under Medicare. Requires that in case such services are provided to an individual during any one-year period for more than 100 visits, a physician must certify that such visits must prevent or postpone institutionalization of the patient. Limits the cost of such expanded home health benefits to no more than the cost would have the patient been institutionalized. Requires that home health services be offered where the physician certifies that the patient would, without these services, require institutional care. Title II: Services of Outpatient Surgical Centers - Requires the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to complete its evaluation of outpatient surgical centers no later than March 1, 1976. Provides that until such study is complete the Secretary is allowed to reimburse such centers for services to Medicare beneficiaries, provided the centers meet standards set by the Department. Title III: Adult Ambulatory Care Services - Extends coverage under the Medicare program to pay for 100 days of service in adult ambulatory care centers. Requires that such services include nursing care and rehabilitation services on a daily basis. Provides that in order to qualify for Medicare reimbursement, such center must be governed by both a physician and a registered nurse; must maintain clinical records; and must conduct a review of the appropriateness and necessity of patient care. Limits payment for services offered in such a center to no more than the cost of institutional care that would have been provided had these services not been available.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 1975
Authorizes a project for flood control in the vicinity of Baytown, Texas, at an estimated cost of $12,700,000. Provides that both the $15,000 limitation imposed under the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 and any changes in the fair market value of the property caused by subsidence or flooding after February 13, 1969, shall be disregarded in compensating owners of the property who were owners as of the time of flooding. Requires the State or local governments to supply 20 percent of the funding for such project.
United States · United States Congress · 9 October 1975
Directs the Comptroller General, in consultation with the Congressional Budget Office and the Senate Government Operations Committee, to develop no later than June 1, 1976, a standard oversight methodology to be utilized in the Senate by each standing committee other than the Committees on Appropriations and Budget, in reviewing the effectiveness of programs it has authorized. Provides for the development of a standard report form to be utilized in reporting the results of their hearings and investigations.
United States · United States Congress · 8 October 1975
Provides that, effective January 1, 1976, all right, title, interest in, and right to immediate possession of the lands lcoated within the boundaries of the Big Thicket National Preserve, Texas, shall be vested in the United States. States that improved property on which residential housing is situated, the mineral estate, lands, or interests in lands owned by the State of Texas or its political subdivisions, and existing easements for public utilities, pipelines, and railroads, are exempted from these provisions. Requires the United States to pay just compensation to the owner of any real property taken by right of eminent domain. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to initiate eminent domain proceedings against improved property if, in his judgment, such lands are subject to, or threatened with, uses which are or would be detrimental to the objectives of assuring the preservation, conservation, and protection of the Big Thicket area.
United States · United States Congress · 25 September 1975
Calls upon the President's Special Representative for Trade Negotiations and other officials to develop a code of conduct and specific trading obligations among governments, together with suitable procedures for dispute settlement.
United States · United States Congress · 24 September 1975
Requires Congressional committee reports on proposed legislation to contain statements of the reporting and recordkeeping requirements which will be imposed on private business as a result of the enactment of such proposed legislation.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 1975
Energy Conservation in Buildings Act - Title I: Weatherization Assistance for Low-Income Persons - Weatherization Assistance Act - Authorizes the Administrator of the Federal Energy Administration to provide funds to the States for weatherization of dwellings of low-income persons, particularly the low-income elderly and the handicapped. Enumerates criteria for the evaluation of weatherization grant applications, including an estimation of the amount of fuel to be conserved by the weatherization program. Directs the Comptroller General to provide for the examination and audit of programs under this title. States that such audit shall include an evaluation of the manner in which policies and programs under this title are being carried out. Provides that a program determined not to be in compliance with the provisions of its approved application for any fiscal year shall not receive Federal funds until substantial compliance is established. Authorizes the appropriation of up to $55,000,000 per year for fiscal years 1976, 1977, and 1978. Title II: Energy Conservation Building Standards - Building Energy Conservation Standards Act - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to publish performance standards for new commercial buildings within 18 months of enactment of this title. Directs the promulgation of performance standards for new residential buildings within three years after the enactment of this title. Directs the Secretary to monitor the progress made by the States and their political subdivisions in adopting and enforcing model energy conservation standards. Authorizes to be appropriated to the States $10,000,000 for technical assistance in implementing model energy conservation standards approved by the Secretary. Provides for research and demonstration projects to assist the development of performance standards under this title.
United States · United States Congress · 17 September 1975
Expresses the sense of the Senate that the President should, upon his visit to the People's Republic of China, request that the Chinese officials use their offices to obtain an accounting of members of the United States Armed Forces missing in action and confined as prisoners of war in Southeast Asia.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 1975
Authorizes the Secretary of Labor to prescribe alternative simplified methods for providing disclosure to participants in smaller pension plans under the reporting requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 1975
Provides, under the Internal Revenue Code, that product development and improvement costs (including writing, editing, compiling, illustrating, and designing) of publishers are research or experimental expenditures for purposes of deductibility. Prohibits the retroactive application of Revenue Ruling Numbered 73-395.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 1975
Requires that the support price of milk be adjusted by the Secretary of Agriculture at the beginning of each quarter to reflect estimated changes during the immediately preceding quarter in the index of prices paid by farmers for production items, interest, taxes and wage rates.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 1975
Expresses the sense of the Senate that the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare should withdraw its proposed Consolidated Procedural Rules for Administration and Enforcement of the Department's statutory responsibilities. States that if additional positions are required for enforcement of Civil Rights laws such need should be brought to the attention of the Senate. Directs the Office of Civil Rights to continue to make efforts to detect systematic discrimination including those areas relating to discrimination based on sex and handicap.
United States · United States Congress · 31 July 1975
Authorizes the President of the United States to suspend participation and to withhold payment of expenses with respect to any organ, commission, or other body of the United Nations which discriminatorily applies any procedural rule or discriminatorily imposes any sanction.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 1975
Securities Protection Act - Declares it to be the finding of Congress that criminal dealings in marketable securities affect interstate and foreign commerce, and that such dealings are harmful to the national economy. Declares the following activities to be crimes under the criminal laws of the United States and establishes fines and prison sentences for: (1) forging or counterfeiting of marketable securities and possession thereof; (2) possession of stolen United States marketable securities; (3) theft and unlawful possession of marketable securities; and (4) use of stolen or counterfeit marketable securities at a financial institution. Defines terms used in this Act. States that the United States Secret Service shall investigate the forging and counterfeiting of marketable securities, and the possession of stolen United States marketable securities.
United States · United States Congress · 30 July 1975
Authorizes the United States Governor of the Inter-American Development Bank to vote in favor of two proposed resolutions providing for an increase in the authorized capital stock of the Bank and an increase in the resources of the Fund for Special Operations. Authorizes appropriations of amounts necessary to purchase 99,474 shares of capital stock in the bank and $600,000,000 to contribute to the Fund for Special Operations. Provides that the Governor may vote for an additional increase of authorized callable capital stock. States the Governor may agree on behalf of the United States to subscribe to 37,303 shares of such increased capital.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 1975
Makes permanent specified amendments to the Internal Revenue effected by the Tax Reduction Act of 1975, including: (1) the increase from $50,000 to $100,000 on the dollar limitation on used property; (2) the increase in the corporate surtax exemption from $25,000 to $50,000; and (3) the reduction in the normal corporate tax rate from 22 percent to 20 percent on the first $25,000 of net income.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 1975
Prohibits possession of a handgun by persons indicted for or convicted of a felony. Provides for a term of imprisonment of one year without parole for a violation of this Act. (Amends 18 U.S.C. 922, 924)
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 1975
Expresses the disapproval of the United States Senate of attempts to expel Israel for the United Nations. States that if Israel is expelled the Senate will review United States commitments to the Third World nations involved in the expulsion and will consider the implication of continued membership in the United Nations.
United States · United States Congress · 10 July 1975
Provides that, under the Social Security Act, the entire area of a State may be redesignated as a single Professional Standards Review Organization Area by majority vote of the doctors voting.
United States · United States Congress · 11 June 1975
Makes specified appropriations for the operations and administration of the Domestic and International Business Administration and the Department of Commerce for fiscal year 1976.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 1975
Defines the term "navigable waters", for purposes of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as it applies to Corps of Engineers authority and responsibility to regulate the discharge of dredged or fill material.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 1975
Makes a supplemental appropriation of $458,050,000 to the Department of Labor for fiscal year 1975 to provide additional funds for youth summer employment programs under the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 1975
Authorizes the Federal Financial Bank to purchase general obligation bonds of units of local government when such bonds are issued to satisfy existing liabilities of such units of government; when the maturity of such obligations does not exceed two years; and when such unit of government has submitted a plan to achieve a balanced budget within two years.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 1975
Restricts the authority of the Army Corps of Engineers to supervise waterways activities to navigable waters which are presently used, or are susceptible to use in their natural condition or by reasonable improvement, as a means to transport interstate or foreign commerce. Abolishes Corps authority over the discharge of fill material into such waterways. Permits the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Engineers to waive jointly any requirements they may have for review and approval of any activities on waters of the United States if the Chief of Engineers determines that such activities will not have a substantial adverse impact on the affected waters for their use to transport interstate or foreign commerce and can be effectively regulated by the State concerned.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 1975
Exempts the Sabine River Authority of Lousisiana and the Sabine River Authority of Texas from the payment of any annual charges imposed for the purpose of recompensing the United States for the use, occupancy, and enjoyment of its lands within the Sabine National Forest, Texas. Specifies that the use of such lands is necessary to the Authority for the construction and operation of the Toledo Bend Dam and Reservoir.
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 1975
Allows payment of overtime to personnel employed in the Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service if: (1) their duties are critical to the inspection services provided by the Department of Agriculture to assure wholesome food products, humane treatment of animals, and to control and eradicate animal and plant diseases; and (2) they are in positions in which overtime work may be required by emergency needs created by disease outbreaks or in which operating requirements cannot be met without substantial overtime work. (Amends 5 U.S.C. 5542(a))
United States · United States Congress · 20 May 1975
Provides that foreign countries, agents, or agencies thereof and foreign companies may purchase and store United States agricultural commodities or products thereof in the United States, and to the extent in storage, the commodities shall not be subject to any export controls or restraints. Stipulates that such stored commodities shall not be resold into the United States except under the restrictions and regulations applicable to imported commodities. States that before commodities can be stored under the provisions of this Act, prior approval from the Secretary of Agriculture must be obtained by the storage facility involved.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 1975
Latin American and Caribbean Foreign Policy Principles Resolution - Expresses the sense of the Congress that the policy of the United States toward Latin America, the Caribbean, and the developing world in general should be guided by principles of self-determination for all nations, the primacy of the right of all people to the basic human rights of life, liberty and personal security, and that the United States and other hemispheric nations have paralled interests in developing and maintaining nonexclusionary, nondiscriminatory foreign economic policies. States that it is the sense of the Congress that the United States should unequivocally maintain its adherence to the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man and to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Supports the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States. Reaffirms the United States' commitment to seek structural changes in the institutions and rules guiding world trade practices which will be conducive to increasing world trade potential of the hemisphere. States that recent history has shown that punitive United States policies are not effective in contributing to the resolution of economic disputes. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States policy responses to foreign government actions should be limited to the policy area of the dispute in question. Calls for the repeal of legislation that requires the United States to suspend bilateral assistance or vote against multilateral economic aid to countries expropriating without compensation property owned by a United States company. Calls for efforts to be made to resolve trade disputes through negotiations. Criticizes the practice of denying or reducing economic assistance in cases of violations of human rights since such policies would deny aid to people whose needs are greater in conditions adverse to basic human rights. Calls for a repeal of legislative restrictions on the kinds of military equipment sold to Latin America. Encourages the United States to make efforts to develop subregional, regional, and global arms limitations agreements. Provides that arms transfers by the United States to developing countries should be to the greatest extend possible or a nonconcessional basis. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States should continue its commitment to aid for development. Calls for the development of loan guarantee mechanisms which would permit access for those countries at the intermediate level of development to the capital markets of the developed countries. Calls for increased effort to resolve the outstanding differences between the positions of the United States and the Latin American Governments. Establishes policies for cooperation in the development of scientific and technological innovations and in a cultural and intellectual exchange between North and Latin America.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 1975
Justice Department Reform Act - Provides that persons holding positions of trust affiliated with the campaign of a President may not be appointed to the offices of Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General, Solicitor General, or Assistant Attorneys General by such President. Provides that the Attorney General, and not the President, shall appoint United States attorneys and marshals. Provides for inclusion of Department of Justice personnel including the Attorney General, Solicitor General, and U.S. Attorneys, under the Hatch Act (prohibiting partisan political activities).
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 1975
Prohibits the person holding the position of Secretary of State from holding simultaneously the position of Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, or any other position supervising, directing, or controlling the staff of the National Security Council. States that this Act shall apply with respect to any individual who is appointed to the position of Secretary of State on or after the date of enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 1975
Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture either independently or in cooperation with States or farmers organizations to carry out operations to detect and eradicate plant pests. Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to cooperate with the Governments of Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, or the local authorities thereof, in carrying out necessary surveys and control operations in those countries in connection with the eradication, suppression, control and prevention or retardation of the spread of plant pests. Authorizes to be appropriated such sums as the Congress may annually determine to be necessary to enable the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out the provisions of this Act. States that unless otherwise specifically authorized, or provided for in appropriations, no part of such sums shall be used to pay the cost or value of property injured or destroyed. Repeals the provisions of law which limits the Secretary's pest control authority to the Mexican pink bollworm. (Repeals 7 U.S.C. 145)
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 1975
American Folklife Preservation Act - Creates an American Folklife Center in the Library of Congress. Provides that the center shall be subject to the supervision and direction of a board of trustees. Specifies the composition of the board, including: four members appointed by the President, and seven members appointed by the Librarian of Congress. Directs the Librarian to appoint a Director of the Center. Authorizes the Center to establish and implement a program of contracts, grants, loans and scholarships to promote and support American folklife traditions and arts. Provides that no payment shall be made pursuant to this Act to carry out any research or training over a period in excess of two years, with specified exceptions. Provides that no former employee of the Federal government shall be eligible to receive any grant or other assistance under this Act in the two year period following the termination of such employment. Requires the Center to submit to the Librarian of Congress, for inclusion in his annual report to the Congress, an annual report of its operations under this Act. Authorizes to be appropriated to the Center to carry out the provisions of this Act $167,750 for fiscal year 1976, $710,000 for fiscal year 1977, and $1,716,000 for fiscal year 1978.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 1975
Authorizes and requests the President to issue a proclamation designating the seven calendar days commencing on April 30 of each year as "National Beta Sigma Phi Week".
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 1975
Middle-Aged and Older Workers Job Assistance Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Labor: (1) to make loans and grants to public and nonprofit private agencies for training designed to upgrade the work skills and capabilities of middle-aged and older persons; and (2) to develop and carry out a program for training persons to understand and respond to the manpower training and educational needs of middle-aged and older persons, especially in localities where such persons are unemployed or underemployed because of mass layoffs. Authorizes the Secretary to provide increased opportunities for part-time employment to middle-aged and older citizens. Provides a formula for the equitable distribution of assistance among the States under this Act. Authorizes $150,000,000 for fiscal year 1976 to carry out the purposes of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 23 April 1975
Establishes the per-annum pay scale for specified personnel of the Department of Medicine and Surgery of the Veterans; Administration, including the Chief Medical Director, at $49,700. States that in order to attract or retain highly qualified physicians, dentists, and nurses in the Department, such persons may be paid an additional 25 percent of their annual salary. Authorizes the granting of leave with pay for pursuit of studies to such individuals under enumerated circumstances.
![Official portrait of Sen. Bentsen, Lloyd M. [D-TX]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b000401_200.jpg)