United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1978
Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 1979, 1980, 1981, and 1982 to the Secretary of the Army to develop and implement a national dam safety program. Stipulates the formula for allocation of such appropriations. Directs the Secretary to furnish financial and training assistance to any State which establishes a dam safety program which meets specified criteria. Directs the Secretary to guarantee any dam failure liability insurance of a dam owner. Establishes a Federal Dam Safety Review Board: (1) to review the procedures and standards in dam design and safety analysis; and (2) to monitor State implementation of this Act. Directs the Secretary to study techniques of dam inspection.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1978
National Alcohol Fuels Commission Act - Establishes the National Alcohol Fuels Commission to study the use of alcohol as an alternative fuel source. Charges the Commission with the duty to study the short and long-term potential of alcohol fuels derived from plant, animal and industrial sources and wastes, and from coal. Directs the Commission to study alternative feedstocks and desirability of converting present feedstocks into alcohol fuels. Requires the Commission to identify and study technical, economic, legal, environmental and social factors involved with the production, manufacture, distribution and use of alcohol fuels. Directs relevant Federal agencies to appoint a liaison officer and to cooperate closely with the Commission. Requires the Committee to file a final report with the President and the Congress no later than December 31, 1980.
United States · United States Congress · 20 January 1978
Authorizes and directs the President to fix relocation, travel, and transportation expenses for the General Manager of the Alaska Railroad. Stipulates that this Act shall apply to the present General Manager with respect to such expenses whether they were incurred before or after the enactment of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 1977
Authorizes a $543,000,000 appropriation for reimbursing States for expenditures made with respect to services provided by such States under specified titles of the Social Security Act. Sets forth procedures and time limitations for making claims for reimbursement and maximums amounts which a State may receive for providing services under the Social Security Act.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 1977
Equal Access to Courts Act - Entitles a party which: (1) prevails in any civil action, including an action for judicial review of agency actions; and (2) is a small business as defined by the Small Business Act or an individual or entity having assets or income below specified amounts to a judgment for costs and an award for attorney fees, witness fees, and necessary studies and reports. Directs an agency to pay costs and fees to a party meeting the criteria of (2) above if such a party: (1) successfully defends the imposition of an agency sanction; (2) successfully opposes the issuance or amendments of certain agency orders; or (3) successfully appeals agency action or is subject to agency action which is appealed or reviewed. Entitles a party partially prevailing against the United States to costs and fees to the extent to which it prevailed. Authorizes, where in the interest of justice, an award of cost and fees to a party which fails to prevail in a civil action instituted by or against the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 1977
States that it shall be the policy of the United States to protect and preserve for American Indians their inherent right of freedom to believe, express, and exercise their traditional religions. Directs the various Federal executive agencies responsible for administering laws which interfere with the exercise of these religions to evaluate their policies and procedures in order to determine the changes necessary to protect and preserve American Indian religious cultural rights and practices.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 1977
Declares it the sense of Congress that the United States should encourage the United Nations to hold a World Alternate Energy Conference to consider alternate ways to meet the world's energy needs and to establish an International Alternate Energy Commission to encourage worldwide use of alternate energy sources.
United States · United States Congress · 7 December 1977
Domestic Offshore Communities Seaport Development Act - Amends the Merchant Marine Act, 1920, to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to make grants in order to establish a system of public seaports adequate to meet the needs of domestic offshore communities. Stipulates that the aggregate amount of such grants shall be at least $100,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1978 through 1981. Sets forth conditions which must be met in order for the Secretary to approve such a seaport development project. Establishes a formula for the apportionment of such grants.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 1977
Authorizes and requests the President to annually designate the Sunday following Fire Service Recognition Day as "Memorial Sunday" for firefighters disabled or killed in the line of duty during the preceeding year.
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 1977
Families with Alcoholism Assistance Act - Amends the Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Act of 1970 to require research into the need for education, counseling, and treatment of the families of alcohol abusers and alcoholics.
United States · United States Congress · 2 November 1977
Authorizes the appropriation of funds for the prosecution of the comprehensive plan of development of each of the following river basins: (1) Alabama-Coosa River Basin, $5,000,000; (2) Arkansas River Basin, $1,000,000; (3) Brazos River Basin $14,000,000; (4) Mississippi River Basin, $22,000,000; (5) Missouri River Basin $59,000,000; (6) North Branch, Susquehanna River Basin, $32,000,000; (7) Ohio River Basin, $18,000,000; (8) San Joaquin River Basin, $61,000,000; (9) South Platte River Basin, $3,000,000.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 1977
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey by quitclaim deed, without consideration, to a certain individual, all of the right, title, and interest of the United States to a specified property.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 1977
Expresses the sense of the Senate that the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior should impose a moratorium with respect to any increase in the charges currently being made for grazing livestock on public lands for such a period as may be necessary to permit the appropriate committees of the Congress a reasonable opportunity to hold hearings on the proposed new formula.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 1977
Amends the Whale Conservation and Protection Act to urge that attention be given to the utilization and employment of native whaling committees which engage in whale hunting for subsistence. Authorizes appropriations to carry out the purposes of the Act for fiscal years 1980 through 1982, and increases appropriations authorization for fiscal years 1978 and 1979.
United States · United States Congress · 3 October 1977
Designates the South Portal Federal Office Building of the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare at 200 Independence Avenue Southwest, Washington, D. C., as the "Hubert H. Humphrey Building."
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 1977
Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to furnish Federal financial assistance for construction projects to separate rail-highway crossings where the rail facilities have incurred a substantial increase in use as a result of coal transportation activities resulting in substantial delays in highway travel. Stipulates that the Federal share of such a project shall be 90 percent of its cost. Authorizes appropriations of $300,000,000 out of the Highway Trust Fund for each of the fiscal years 1978, 1979, and 1980 to carry out such projects.
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 1977
Tuition Tax Credit Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a credit against an individual's income tax in an amount equal to 50 percent of the sum of the amounts paid by him to educational institutions as tuition (though no more than $500 for any single individual) for the attendance of the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse, or any of his dependents with respect to whom he is entitled to a personal exemption.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 1977
Indian Tribal Governmental Tax Status Act - Provides that recognized Indian tribes shall be treated as State governments in determining the tax treatment of: (1) charitable donations to the tribes; (2) excise tax liability on special fuels; manufacturing, communications and highway motor vehicles use; (3) tribal colleges fellowships, scholarships, and universities; (4) tribal taxes; (5) tribal retirement systems and donations to employee benefit systems; (6) contributions to candidates for tribal offices; and (7) interest on tribal bonds and other obligations. Defines "recognized Indian tribes" to include all tribes, bands, communities, villages, and groups of Indians and Alaska Natives which are designated by the Secretary of the Treasury, after consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, as performing substantial governmental functions.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 1977
Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to convey specified lands within the Chugach and Tongass National Forest, Alaska, to the present occupants as homesites.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 1977
Makes changes to the appraisal system used in determining stumpage rates on national forest lands in Alaska which are to become effective on January 1, 1979.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 1977
Amends the Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act of 1973 to establish special first sale prices for crude oil which is owned by a State or political subdivision thereof.
United States · United States Congress · 7 September 1977
Amends the National Trails System Act of 1968 to re-establish the advisory council on the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, to limit such council's existence to ten years, and to reduce the term of council members from five to two years. Increases the limitations on acreage which may be acquired for rights-of-way and by condemnation proceedings along the Appalachian Trail without the consent of the owner from 25 acres in any one mile to at least 25 acres but not more than 125 acres within any one mile. Increases from $5,000,000 to $89,000,000 the authorization of appropriations for acquisition of lands for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1977
Amends the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 to permit the recovery by States and local governments of real property donated or sold by them to the United States, and subsequently declared to be surplus.
United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1977
Small Hydroelectric Power Projects Act - Amends the Federal Power Act to direct the Federal Power Commission to establish a program of grants and low-interest loans to assist in the development of small hydroelectric power projects by municipalities, electric cooperatives, industrial development agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other persons. Details procedures and eligibility criteria for such financial assistance programs. Authorizes the appropriation of $50,000,000 per fiscal year for grants under this Act and $50,000,000 per fiscal year for loans under this Act, for each of the fiscal years 1978, 1979, and 1980. Revises licensing requirements to reduce the maximum annual charges for licenses involving Government dams issued after December 31, 1975, to $1 per kilowatt of installed capacity.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 1977
Amends the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 with respect to the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to investigate the effects of imports on national security at the request of any Federal department or agency. Decreases to six months the period during which the findings of such investigation must be reported to the President, when the investigated imports are refined petroleum products.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 1977
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide, in the case of retirement savings accounts, for an automatic annual adjustment of the $1,500 maximum deduction for individuals ($1,750 for certain married individuals) to the nearest multiple of $50 for increases in the cost- of-living in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury.
United States · United States Congress · 2 August 1977
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the zero bracket amounts and the personal exemption deduction amounts for individuals residing in Alaska and Hawaii.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 1977
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow to a taxpayer holding an economic interest in a geothermal energy property a tax deduction amounting to 22 percent of the gross income from such property, excluding from such gross income an amount equal to any rents or royalties paid or incurred by the taxpayer in respect to such property. Requires that regulations issued by the Secretary of the Treasury also grant the option to deduct as expenses intangible drilling and development costs in the case of wells drilled for geothermal steam and associated geothermal resources.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 1977
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that the United States Tax Court may issue a reviewable declaratory judgment as to whether a precedential revenue ruling issued by the Secretary of the Treasury, which modifies a revenue ruling issued at least five years earlier, is consistent with the internal revenue laws to which such ruling relates.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 1977
Amends the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to provide that the land allocated to the Regional Corporation for the Southeastern Alaska Region may include land withdrawn for, but not selected by, the Corporation for the Village of Klukwan.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 1977
Amends the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to provide certain small and isolated communities, as defined by this Act, with more flexibility in determining eligibility criteria for participation in Headstart programs.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 1977
Provides that the confederated Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes constitute a single recognized tribal entity and that the Tribes' Central Council is the entity's general and supreme governing unit.
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1977
National Crude Oil Supply and Transportation Act - Expresses the intent of Congress that the continuation of a transportation system to deliver Alaskan crude oil to Northern Tier or inland States be accomplished through expedited administrative procedures. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a time schedule for the completion of required environmental impact statements in order to select a crude oil transportation system by February 1, 1978. Establishes criteria to be considered by the Secretary in selecting a transportation route. Directs the Secretary and other appropriate Federal officials to take all actions necessary to provide rights of way, permits, leases, and other authorizations necessary for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the transportation system approved under this Act. Declares that the actions of Federal officers and agencies under this Act shall not be subject to judicial review by the courts. Allows for claims that: (1) actions under this Act will deny Constitutional rights; and (2) actions taken are beyond the scope of authority conferred by this Act, provided that such claims are filed within 60 days following the date of the challenged action. Vests exclusive jurisdiction to hear such claims in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, acting as a special court. Stipulates that any judicial proceedings should be completed at the earliest possible date. Declares that nothing in this Act shall authorize or imply an exemption from provisions of the antitrust laws.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 1977
Makes it unlawful for any Federal official or employee, with the exception of employees of the Central Intelligence Agency or the National Security Agency, to require or request any other employee or any person seeking employment to take a polygraph test. Makes it unlawful for any person engaged in any business in commerce to require or request an employee or applicant to take a polygraph test or to use such a test unless fully consented to by an employee. Permits aggrieved persons to seek injunctive relief in Federal courts.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 1977
Constitutional Amendment - Provides for proposal of laws, other than those relating to certain aspects of the armed forces, by petition, and enactment of such laws by popular vote.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 1977
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow certain individuals to compute the amount of the deduction for retirement savings on the basis of the earned income of their spouses.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 1977
Federal Officials' Antidefamation Act - Renders a person who with actual malice, makes a false and defamatory communication concerning a Federal official liable for damages in a Federal court defamation suit.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 1977
Requires the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Chief of Naval Operations, and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force to keep the Secretary of the military department of which such individual is a member, fully and currently informed on matters considered or acted upon by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
United States · United States Congress · 24 June 1977
Energy Development Act - Title I: Deregulation - Amends the Natural Gas Act to exempt sales of new natural gas from regulation by the Federal Power Commission except to the extent that rates or charges received by affiliates exceed those received by nonaffiliates. Title II: Excessive Profits Tax - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to encourage the reinvestment of fossil fuels profits by: (1) applying an additional 80 percent income tax for the five tax years ending before 1982, against either the taxpayer's fossil fuels profits which exceed his average profits during 1970-74, or 15 percent of his capital investment, whichever is greater; and (2) offering a cumulative credit against this temporary tax for funds invested in developing any energy sources.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 1977
Radiation Health and Safety Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to develop and issue to the States criteria and minimum standards for the accreditation of educational institutions conducting programs for the training of radiologic technologists and medical and dental practitioners, hygienists, and assistants. Directs the Secretary to develop and issue to the States criteria and minimum standards for licensure of radiologic technologists. Directs that State and local governments be encouraged to minimize exposure of the public to radiation from all sources and establishes procedures for the adoption of appropriate standards. Allows the Secretary to make grants to States in an amount up to two-thirds of the first year and one-third of the second year costs of planning, developing, or establishing programs to carry out the provisions of this Act. Prohibits conducting activities contrary to this Act and subjects violators to a civil penalty of not more than $1,000.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 1977
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide heads of households with the same zero bracket amount (i.e., standard deduction) previously available to married persons.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 1977
Amends the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 to require that the Administrator of the Energy Research and Development Administration notify legislatures of affected States of plans to explore sites for radioactive waste storage facilities. Prohibits the Administrator from contracting for construction of any such facility at a site where the State legislature has indicated its disapproval.
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