United States · United States Congress · 3 November 1983
Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to allow organizations or individuals that provide voluntary uncompensated services for the preparation, processing, or administration of examinations for amateur station operator licenses to recover up to four dollars (to be adjusted for inflation) from each examinee, as necessary, to reimburse such individuals or organizations for out-of- pocket expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 1983
Authorizes the President to present, on behalf of Congress, a gold medal to Lady Bird Johnson in recognition of her humanitarian efforts and contributions to the beautification of America. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to provide for the striking of such medal and bronze duplication for sale to the public. Declares such medals to be national medals. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 1983
Alternative Energy Tax Incentives Act of 1983 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the residential energy income tax credit for renewable energy sources for five years from 1985 to 1990. Reduces the qualifying percentage for energy source expenditures by specified increments between 1985 and 1990. Increases from 15 percent to 20 percent the investment tax credit for solar, wind, geothermal, and ocean thermal property. Extends such tax credit for five years from 1985 to 1990. Extends the investment tax credit for hydroelectric generating property and biomass property for five years from 1985 to 1990. Reestablishes the credit for cogeneration property until 1990. Qualifies until 1995 affirmative commitments for solar, wind, geothermal, ocean thermal, biomass, and cogeneration projects begun by December 31, 1990. Eliminates the 20 percent limitation for oil and natural gas used in cogeneration facilities. Qualifies as biomass property methane-containing gas produced by anaerobic digestion from nonfossil waste materials. Revises the definition of geothermal deposit to lower the required temperature to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. (Present regulations require a temperature of 122 degrees Fahrenheit.) Includes shale oil property and tar sands equipment as energy property for purposes of the investment tax credit. Grants a 15 percent depletion allowance for tar sands. Allows an investment tax credit for photovoltaic energy property. Defines photovoltaic property.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 1983
Allows the President an item veto of appropriations bills except any item of appropriation for the legislative branch or the judicial branch. Requires the President, in signing such a bill, to designate the provisions disapproved and return the bill to the house in which it originated. Subjects such bills to the same proceedings as other bills disapproved by the President.
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 1983
Constitutional Amendment - Permits the President to reduce or veto any item of appropriation in any Act or joint resolution, except an item of appropriation for the legislative branch or the judicial branch. Requires the President to return with his objections any item of appropriation reduced or vetoed to the House in which the bill originated. Subjects such bills to the same proceeding as other bills disapproved by the President.
United States · United States Congress · 3 October 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the capital gains tax on disposition of investments in U.S. real property by foreign citizens. Repeals the special reporting requirements with respect to U.S. real property interests.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 1983
Condemns the Soviet Union's systematic disregard for human life and liberties and urges the President to: (1) proclaim May 28, 1984, as a day to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the introduction of the original resolution on the Ukrainian famine in the House of Representatives; (2) call the attention of the world to the Soviet policies which caused Ukrainian deaths by famine during 1932 through 1933; and (3) urge the Soviet Union to remove restrictions on the shipment of food and other necessities to Soviet citizens by private individuals and charitable organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 1983
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) to declare that contributions, gifts, or payments by union members to a separate fund which is used by the union for political purposes must be voluntary and unrelated to moneys required as a condition of employment. Declares it to be unlawful to use moneys paid to an organization as a condition of employment for any type of election or campaign activities by such organization.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 1983
Recruitment and Retention Readiness Act of 1983 - Directs the President, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Defense, to report to the Congress by the earlier of July 1, 1987, or at such time as the President determines the armed forces are experiencing recruiting difficulties sufficient to require a new program of educational assistance, on the recruitment and retention experiences of the armed forces. Requires such report to include an assessment of the effectiveness of a new program of educational assistance in attracting and retaining qualified personnel. Requires such report to break down required information by branch of service, occupational specialty, and category of educational qualifications applicable. Requires the Secretary to confer with the Administrator of Veterans Affairs and the Secretaries of the military departments prior to making any recommendations. Sets forth procedures for the introduction of legislation designed to address these recruitment and retention needs.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 1983
Calls for special recognition during 1987, the bicentennial year of the United States Constitution, of the constitutional foundation for patent and copyright laws.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 1983
Aviation Tax-Reduction Act of 1983 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the gasoline excise tax any gasoline sold for use as a fuel in an aircraft. Provides for adjustments to the excise tax on noncommercial aviation fuel (presently 12 cents per gallon on gasoline and 14 cents per gallon on jet fuel). Sets forth a formula for the calculation of such adjustments based on total amounts appropriated from the Aviation Trust Fund each fiscal year. Exempts from the special fuels excise tax any fuel used in aircraft involved in agricultural activities. Provides for adjustments to: (1) the passenger ticket tax; (2) the cargo waybill tax; and (3) the excise tax on aircraft tires and tubes.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 1983
Title I: Short Title - Declares that this Act may be cited as the National Productivity and Innovation Act of 1983. Title II: Joint Research and Development Ventures - Provides that no joint research and development program shall be deemed illegal per se in any action under the antitrust laws. Limits to actual damages, interest thereon, and the cost of suit the amount that any person or State may recover in an antitrust action based on conduct that is part of such a program and that has been disclosed to the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission. Authorizes any individual participating in such a program to file with the Attorney General and the Commission a notification describing the program and specifying conduct to be performed under the program. Directs the Commission to publish in the Federal Register a notice of each such notification, including a description of the participants, the program, and its objectives. Declares that material submitted as part of such notification shall be available to the public upon request, unless the Attorney General or the Commission determines that the individual who submitted the notification shows good cause for not disclosing certain material. Allows an individual to withdraw a filed notification before it is published and accompanying material is made publicly available. Exempts actions and determinations of the Attorney General or the Commission concerning such notifications or antitrust actions or investigations from judicial review. Title III: Intellectual Property Licensing Under the Antitrust Laws - Amends the Clayton Act to provide that agreements to convey rights to use, practice, or sublicense patented inventions, copyrights, trade secrets, trademarks, know-how, or other intellectual property shall not be deemed illegal per se in actions under the antitrust laws. Limits to actual damages, interest thereon, and the cost of suit the amount that any person or State may recover in an antitrust action based on such an agreement. Title IV: Patent and Copyright Misuse - Prohibits a patent or copyright owner who is entitled to relief for patent or copyright infringement from being denied relief or being deemed guilty of misuse or illegal extension of the patent right or copyright by reason of doing any of the following, unless such conduct violates the antitrust laws: (1) licensing the patent or copyright under terms that affect commerce outside the scope of its claims; (2) restricting a licensee in the sale of a patented or copyrighted product; (3) obligating a licensee to pay excessive royalties, royalties that differ from those paid by other licensees, or royalties not related to a licensee's sale of the patented or copyrighted product; (4) refusing to license a patent or copyright to any person; or (5) otherwise using the patent or copyright allegedly to suppress competition. Title V: Process Patents - Requires a process patent to grant the patentee the right to exclude others from using or selling products produced by that process. Includes as patent infringement the unauthorized use or sale of a product of a patented process. Places the burden of proving that a product was not produced by the patented process on the defendant in a patent infringement action if the court finds that: (1) a substantial likelihood exists that the product was produced by that process; and (2) the claimant has exhausted all reasonable means of determining the process used and was unable to make such determination.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 1983
Amends the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a voluntary on-farm salinity control program in cooperation with private landowners to reduce watershed erosion on both non-Federal and Department of Agriculture lands in order to protect the water quality of the Colorado River. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) identify salt sources; (2) reduce salt levels through improved farm irrigation and watershed management practices; (3) provide technical, monitoring, and cost-sharing assistance; and (4) carry out research, demonstration, and education activities. Requires the Secretary to describe proposed measures in reports to the appropriate congressional committees, the Advisory Council, and the Governor of any affected State. Prohibits fund expenditures until 60 days after any such report is filed. Authorizes the Secretary to use Department of Agriculture agencies, including the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), or to authorize participating agencies to make grants or enter into contracts, to carry out such program. Authorizes appropriations. Prohibits the CCC from making any disbursements unless such amounts are covered in advance by appropriations Acts. Requires a program report to Congress by January 1, 1988, and at five-year intervals thereafter.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 1983
Congressional Budget Process Repeal Act of 1983 - Amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to eliminate the congressional budget process and abolish the Committees on the Budget of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 1983
Expresses the sense of the Senate that the United States should seek to: (1) urge other governments to conduct their own investigations of suspected chemical warfare; (2) help the United Nations gain access for U.N. investigators to areas where chemical and toxin weapons use is suspected; and (3) negotiate with the Soviet Union on strengthening existing agreements on chemical, biological, and toxin weapons.
United States · United States Congress · 3 August 1983
Amends the National Labor Relations Act to provide that membership in a labor organization is not required as a condition of employment in Federal areas located within a State or territory (thus allowing the application of State right-to-work laws).
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 1983
Competition in Television Production Act - Prohibits the Federal Communications Commission from repealing, amending, or otherwise modifying specified rules regarding network television syndication, network television financial interests, and prime time access before July 1, 1988.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 1983
Authorizes specified leases of trust or restricted lands on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Reservation (Arizona) to contain provisions for binding arbitration of disputes. Provides that failure to submit to such arbitration or comply with the arbitration ruling shall be deemed a civil action arising under the Constitution, laws, or treaties of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 1983
Federal Election Campaign Expenditure Limits Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to repeal a specified allowance for political fund raising expenditures. Requires an additional pre-election report of receipts and disbursements by the treasurer of a congressional candidate's principal campaign committee. Reduces from $1,000 to $500 the contribution threshholds which must be reported by the principal campaign committee of a congressional candidate. Delineates specific categories in which reported campaign operating expenses must be itemized. Reduces from $1000 to $500 any independent expenditure aggregate which must be reported. Requires specified political committees who must file disbursement and receipt reports to make such reports available for public inspection and purchase. Requires political committees which make communications soliciting contributions to identify the officers, organizers and organizations associated with such committees. Prohibits political parties from holding nominating conventions for the office of President or Vice-President before the first Monday in September of an election year. Prohibits any person or entity from incurring costs or expenditures to solicit contributions for a Presidential or Vice-Presidential candidate before June 1 of an election year. Sets limits upon such expenditures. Raises the expenditure ceiling for: (1) nomination for the office of President from $10,000,000 to $15,000,000; and (2) election to the office of President from $20,000,000 to $25,000,000. Repeals the linkage between the Consumer Price Index and limitations placed on campaign expenditures. Sets limitations on expenditures: (1) for primary and general election campaigns for the Senate and the House of Representatives; and (2) from personal funds for the office of President, Senator, and House of Representatives. Sets limitations on independent expenditures in connection with a clearly identified candidate. Repeals the public financing provisions of the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act, the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account Act, and the Internal Revenue Code.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 1983
Malt Beverage Interbrand Competition Act - Declares that no antitrust law shall prohibit the importer, brewer, or trademark licensee of a trademarked malt beverage, when such beverage has substantial competition from other malt beverages in an area, from: (1) entering into an agreement granting a wholesale distributor the exclusive right to sell such beverage within any defined geographic area within a State; or (2) limiting such distributor to the sale of such beverage for ultimate resale to consumers in such area. Declares that this Act shall not affect any provision of State law.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 1983
Universal Telephone Service Preservation Act of 1983 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a system of exchange access charges in order to: (1) achieve equal treatment among all inter-local access and transport area (LATA) carriers and other customers using the services of exchange companies through direct or indirect connection; (2) assure that payments and assignments of costs relating to exchange access are carried out in a manner which is open for public examination; (3) achieve flexibility in accommodating changes in market conditions and technology; (4) establish incentives for efficient investment decisions and technological choices; and (5) ensure that exchange carriers are compensated for their costs of providing exchange access. Directs the Universal Telephone Service Joint Board (established by this Act) to establish a universal service charge schedule to insure that basic telephone service will be available at reasonable rates throughout the United States. Requires such schedule to designate universal service costs to be allocated to a Federal jurisdiction and to provide for their collection by means of a universal service charge that is payable by any interLATA carrier or any provider of interLATA services or any private system that connects directly or indirectly to any exchange carrier or any local exchange switched network used to provide basic telephone service. Entitles each exchange company qualifying for payments to 90 percent of its reasonably incurred universal service costs which are directly related to the efficient and economic provision of such service. States that universal service costs shall consist of an exchange company's costs for basic intraLATA telephone service to any points within a LATA which exceed 110 percent of the average cost of providing comparable basic intraLATA telephone service throughout the United States. Provides that, notwithstanding the above provisions, any company which qualifies for payments and whose costs for basic intraLATA telephone service to any points exceed 250 percent of the average cost of providing comparable basic intraLATA telephone service throughout the United States shall be entitled to receive 100 percent of its reasonably incurred universal service costs over 250 percent of the national average. Defines: (1) "basic telephone service" as residential service; (2) "basic intraLATA telephone service" as that portion of basic telephone service provided within a local access and transport area, including access to such service; and (3) "exchange company" as a company that offers basic telephone service and other services within one or more service areas recognized by any State regulatory commission. Authorizes the Commission to assert jurisdiction over all nontraffic sensitive subscriber loop costs to a Federal jurisdiction, in order to achieve consistency and uniformity of policy in regard to interstate and intrastate access charges. Authorizes the Commission to delegate to a State commission some or all of the Commission's authority with respect to: (1) intrastate interLATA toll service; and (2) access charges for the interconnection of exchange communications service with interstate or intrastate interLATA toll service upon a finding that such delegation would promote the purposes of this Act. Directs the Universal Telephone Service Joint Board to establish guidelines binding a State commission in the exercise of any delegated authority. Directs the Commission to establish the Universal Telephone Service Joint Board which shall be composed of five commissioners of the Commission and four commissioners nominated by the national organization of State commissions. Directs the Commission to adopt as final any decisions of the Board. Establishes a fine applicable to anyone who, with the intent to deprive any exchange company of any revenue in connection with access charges, transmits telecommunications so as to avoid accessing a local exchange in order to avoid such charges. Directs the Commission and each State regulatory authority to take action to ensure access to basic telephone lifeline service.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 1983
National Commission on Neurofibromatosis Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish within 60 days a National Commission on Neurofibromatosis which shall formulate a plan to identify the research needed to develop an effective treatment and a cure for neurofibromatosis. Sets forth operating and related provisions. Authorizes the Commission to transmit interim reports. Requires the Commission to make a final report to the President and to each House of Congress within two years. Terminates the Commission three months after submission of the final report.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 1983
Commercial Aircraft Fire Safety Act of 1984 - Amends the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to require fire equipment on certain passenger-carrying aircraft in the lavatory and galley areas.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 1983
Directs the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce to continue to use diplomatic and legal means to achieve worldwide compliance with the International Whaling Commission moratorium on commercial whaling.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 1983
Arizona Strip Wilderness Act of 1983 - Designates the following lands as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System: (1) the Cottonwood Point Wilderness in the Arizona Strip District of the Bureau of Land Management in Arizona; (2) the Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness in the Arizona Strip District; (3) the Kanab Creek Wilderness in the Kaibab National Forest and in the Arizona Strip District; (4) the Mt. Logan Wilderness in the Arizona Strip District; (5) the Mt. Trumbull Wilderness in the Arizona Strip District; (6) the Paiute Wilderness in the Arizona Strip District; (7) the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness in the Arizona Strip District and in the Cedar City District in Utah; (8) the Saddle Mountain Wilderness in the Kaibab National Forest; and (9) the Beaver Dam Mountains Wilderness in the Arizona Strip District and in the Cedar City District. Releases from management as wilderness areas those lands in the Arizona Strip District of the Bureau of Land Management in Arizona and those portions of the Starvation Point Wilderness Study Area and of the Paria Canyon Instant Study Area plus contiguous units in the Cedar City District of the Bureau of Land Management in Utah which are not designated as wilderness by this Act. Releases lands in the Kaibab National Forest which have been reviewed in the RARE II (second roadless area review and evaluation) program from further review by the Department of Agriculture and from management as wilderness areas pending the revision of initial national forest management plans.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 1983
Authorizes appropriations for FY 1984 through 1988 to the General Services Administration for: (1) the National Historical Publications and Records Commission; and (2) funds to Federal, State, and local agencies and to nonprofit organizations for the collection, preservation, and publication of historically significant documents.
United States · United States Congress · 19 May 1983
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) to declare that contributions, gifts, or payments by union members to a separate fund which is used by the union for political purposes must be voluntary and unrelated to moneys required as a condition of employment. Declares it to be unlawful to use moneys paid to an organization as a condition of employment for any type of election or campaign activities by such organization.
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