United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1983
Amends Federal law to recodify and consolidate specified shipping and related marine provisions administered by the Coast Guard. Reorganizes existing law with respect to: (1) the operation, inspection, and regulation of passenger, cargo, animal transport, and recreational vessels; (2) marine casualties and accidents; (3) licenses, certificates and merchant mariners' documents; (4) the manning of vessels; and (5) merchant seamen, their protection and relief. Repeals specified laws.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1983
Sexual Exploitation of Children Act of 1983 - Amends the Federal criminal code dealing with the sexual exploitation of children. Increases the penalties for the sexual exploitation of children from $10,000 to $75,000 and, on a subsequent conviction, from $15,000 to $150,000. Establishes as an affirmative defense to prosecution that the medium (upon which such prosecution is based), when taken as a whole, possesses serious literary, artistic, scientific, social or educational value.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1983
Amends Rule 12 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure to authorize a new plea of "guilty but insane" for any criminal defendant whose actions constitute all necessary elements of the offense charged but who lacks the requisite state of mind as a result of mental disease or defect. Adopts the current notice provisions for a defense of insanity for the new plea of guilty but insane. Provides for determination of a defendant's mental competency to stand trial. Permits the jury or the court in a non-jury trial to find a defendant guilty but insane. Requires the court in any such case to hold a hearing to determine the present mental condition of the convicted person. Directs the court to commit such person to the custody of the Attorney General upon a finding by a preponderance of the evidence that the person is presently suffering from a mental disease or defect as a result of which release would create a substantial danger to himself or to the person or property of another. Directs the Attorney General to release such person to a State which will assume responsibility for his custody and treatment or otherwise to hospitalize such person in a suitable facility. Requires the court to hold a hearing upon the certification by the director of the facility that such person's release will no longer create a substantial danger to himself or the person or property of another. Directs the court to order the discharge of a person who is found to have recovered. Provides for the hospitalization of persons found guilty, imprisoned persons, and persons due for release, who are found to suffer from mental disease or defect.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1983
Enterprise Zone Employment and Development Tax Act of 1983 - Title I: Designation of Enterprise Zones - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for the designation of enterprise zones by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for purposes of extending the tax incentives and regulatory flexibility measures provided by this Act. Specifies that State and local governments shall nominate areas for such designation. Limits the designation of enterprise zones to 25 nominated areas per year (one-third of which must be in rural areas). Limits the period during which such designations shall remain in effect. Specifies that the Secretary may designate such zones only if: (1) the area is within the jurisdiction of the local government; (2) the boundary of the area is continuous; (3) the area has a population of at least 4,000 if any portion thereof is located within a standard metropolitan statistical area (with a population of at least 50,000) or 2,500 otherwise, or is within an Indian reservation; and (4) the area meets specified unemployment and poverty requirements. Requires nominating local governments, as a condition of the Secretary's designation, to agree in writing to follow a course of action which may include reducing tax rates, improving local services, simplifying or streamling regulation of business, or receiving commitments of private entities to assist employees and residents of the area. Terminates the authority of the Secretary to designate enterprise zones on January 1, 1987 or three years after the publication of regulations pertaining to such zones, whichever is later. Describes areas to which preference shall be given in deciding to designate enterprise zones. Requires that any property tax reduction effected by a local government under the terms of this Act be disregarded for purposes of determining the eligibility of a State or local government for Federal assistance or benefits. States that designation of an enterprise zone shall not give displaced persons from such an area any rights or benefits under the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970. Title II: Federal Income Tax Incentives - Subtitle A: Credit for Employers - Allows employers located in enterprise zones a nonrefundable income tax credit for increased employment expenditures and employment of the disadvantaged. Allows a three year carryback and 15 year carryover of such credit. Sets the amount of such credit at ten percent of the increase in payroll (taking into account a maximum of $15,000 in wages per year per employee) plus 50 percent of the wages paid to certain disadvantaged workers for the first three years of the enterprise zone designation. Phases out such credit in the last three years of the enterprise zone designation. Disallows a deduction for the portion of wages taken into account for such credit. Subtitle B: Credits for Investment in Tangible Property in Enterprise Zones - Allows businesses an additional investment tax credit for investment in certain tangible property located in enterprise zones. Limits such credit to five percent for zone personal property and ten percent for new zone construction property, including rental property. Requires that the property subject to such credit be predominantly used in the zone, be purchased after zone designation, and not be acquired from relatives or related corporations. Requires the recapture of such credit upon early disposition of the property. Phases out such credit in the last three years of the enterprise zone designation. Subtitle C: Reduction in Capital Gain Tax Rates - Eliminates the capital gains tax on property of corporations acquired after the enterprise zone designation and used in a zone business. Qualifies certain low-income rental housing located in an enterprise zone for such treatment. Permits property to remain qualified for purposes of the revised capital gains treatment after a designation of an enterprise zone has terminated. Exempts gain from the sale or exchange of property used in a business in an enterprise zone from the computation of the minimum tax. Allows noncorporate taxpayers to deduct from gross income 100 percent of any net capital gain from qualified enterprise zone property. Subtitle D: Rules Relating to Industrial Development Bonds - Provides that limitations on the cost recovery deductions for property financed with tax-exempt industrial development bonds shall not apply to enterprise zone property. Provides that the termination of the small issue exemption shall not apply to industrial development bonds the proceeds of which are used to finance facilities in such enterprise zones. Subtitle E: Deduction for Enterprise Stock - Allows a tax deduction up to a maximum of $100,000 per year for the purchase of stock originally issued by an enterprise zone small business having a net worth of less than $2,000,000. Taxes as ordinary income any amount previously taken as a deduction upon sale or disposition of such stock. Provides tax penalties if such stock is sold within three years. Subtitle F: Sense of the Congress with Respect to Tax Simplification - Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Internal Revenue Service should simplify the administration and enforcement of any provision of the Internal Revenue Code affected by this Act. Title III: Regulatory Flexibility - Revises the definition of "small entity" for purposes of the analysis of regulatory functions, to include qualified businesses (as defined in Title II of this Act), to include governments, and nonprofit enterprises operating within enterprise zones. Authorizes Federal agencies, upon request by a designating government, to waive or modify rules and regulations which pertain to the carrying out of projects or activities within an enterprise zone. Requires agencies to approve such request if the resulting benefits of job creation, community development, or economic revitalization outweigh the public interest in continuation of the rule unchanged. Disallows waiver or modification of a rule that would directly violate a statutory requirement (including the Davis-Bacon Act and Fair Labor Standards Act) or which would present a danger to the public health and safety. Provides that such waivers or modifications of a rule shall remain in effect as long as the zone designations. Amends the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act to direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to promote the coordination of all enterprise zone programs and consolidate all periodic reports required under such programs into one summary report. Title IV: Establishment of Foreign-Trade Zones in Enterprise Zones - Requires the Foreign-Trade Board to consider on a priority basis and expedite the processing of applications for the establishment of foreign-trade zones within enterprise zones. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to give priority to, and expedite applications for, the establishment of ports of entry necessary to establish such zones. States that to the maximum extent practicable foreign-trade zones should be established within enterprise zones.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1983
Domestic Commodity Distribution and Food Assistance Act - Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to distribute surplus Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) stocks to eligible agencies (as defined in this Act). Requires the CCC to pay for commodity processing with funds or with in-kind payments to the processor. Requires the Secretary to publish an annual announcement of such anticipated surplus stocks for the coming three-year period. Provides that up to 2,000,000 metric tons of wheat available under the Food Security and Wheat Reserve Act of 1980 may be used for domestic purposes. Requires the CCC to use any additional reserves to replenish such stocks. Provides for State distribution of commodities under this Act. States that if a State agency cannot meet the requests for a given commodity such agency shall give special consideration to organizations that serve low income and unemployed persons. Provides administrative money to the States to run such program. Prohibits States from charging recipient agencies for related program costs. Requires States to pay the distribution costs of organizations serving low income and unemployed persons. Requires the Secretary and the States to work with private companies and recipient agencies to make it easier for recipients to process such commodities into end use products. Directs the Secretary to use moneys saved on storage and spoilage to process commodities into food products for agencies serving low income and unemployed persons.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1983
Child Protection Act of 1983 - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit the distribution of material involving the sexual exploitation of minors even if the material is not found to be "obscene."
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1983
Broadcast Deregulation Act of 1983 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from regulating the programming of radio broadcast station licensees. Directs the FCC to renew a broadcast station's license if the station has not seriously violated the Communications Act and, with respect to television stations, the licensee has substantially met the needs of residents of its service area. Prohibits the FCC, when acting on a license renewal application, from considering the license application of another person for the same facilities. Directs the FCC, consistent with sound spectrum management, to encourage the introduction of new and additional services. Requires the FCC, in acting upon applications for such services, to presume the services are in the public interest whenever providing them is technically feasible without causing significant technical degradation to, or interference with, radio transmissions by other licensees. Sets forth a schedule of fees to be charged by the FCC for specified administrative services. Authorizes the FCC to increase or decrease the charges annually. Authorizes the FCC to impose penalty fees and to waive fee payments. Requires the moneys collected from these fees to be placed in the Treasury for use by the FCC. Limits the amount collected from the fees to 50 percent of the amount authorized to be appropriated to the FCC.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1983
Directs the United States Postal Service to issue, during the calendar year 1983, a commemorative postage stamp to honor the dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the maximum tax deduction allowed for amounts contributed to retirement savings plans by a married couple where one spouse has no earned income from $2,250 to $4,000. Increases the maximum deduction allowed for certain divorced individuals from $1,125 to $2,000.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1983
Capital Gains Tax Act of 1983 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to decrease the holding period for capital gains tax treatment from one year to six months.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1983
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an individual taxpayer an income tax deduction for contributions to a savings account established to pay the educational expenses (tuition, supplies, meals and lodging) of such taxpayer or the taxpayer's child at an institution of higher education or a vocational school. Limits the amount of such deduction to $750 (adjusted for inflation) for each account per year, up to a maximum of $3,000 for all accounts that are established. Specifies that no account may have more than one beneficiary and that no individual may be a beneficiary of more than one account. Permits the deferral of income tax on income accumulated in such educational savings accounts as long as such amounts are used exclusively for educational expenses. Specifies penalties for the use of account funds for other than educational purposes. Excludes from the gross income of account beneficiaries any distributions from the account made on their behalf which are used for educational expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1983
Constitutional Amendment - Requires Congress, prior to each fiscal year, to adopt a statement of receipts and outlays for that year in which total outlays are no greater than total receipts. Permits Congress in such statement to provide for a specific excess of outlays over receipts by a three-fifths vote directed solely to that subject. Prohibits total receipts for any fiscal year set forth in such statement from increasing by a rate greater than the rate of increase in national income in the last calendar year ending before such fiscal year, unless Congress passes a bill directed solely to approving specific additional receipts and such bill has become law. Permits Congress to waive the provisions of this Act with respect to any fiscal year in which a declaration of war is in effect. Declares that total receipts shall include all receipts of the United States, except those derived from borrowing and total outlays shall include all outlays of the United States except those for repayment of debt principal.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1983
Constitutional Amendment - Defines "person" to include the unborn for the purpose of the right to life guarantee. Makes such amendment inapplicable to laws permitting medical procedures required to prevent the death of the mother.
United States · United States Congress · 21 December 1982
Expresses the sense of the Senate that the President should exercise his authority to issue an Executive Order disqualifying Japanese-manufactured, numerically-controlled machining centers and punching machines for the investment tax credit until Japan provides persuasive evidence to the President that certain unfair and discriminatory acts and policies restricting U.S. commerce have ceased.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 1982
Expresses the sense of the Senate that the President should exercise his authority to issue an Executive Order disqualifying Japanese-manufactured, numerically-controlled machining centers and punching machines for the investment tax credit until Japan provides persuasive evidence to the President that certain unfair and discriminatory acts and policies restricting U.S. commerce have ceased.
United States · United States Congress · 10 December 1982
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the national security policy should reflect a national strategy of peace through strength. Sets forth the principles and goals of such a policy.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 1982
Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) the Senate condemns and abhors the suppression of civil liberties and human rights by the Polish martial law government; (2) Americans respect the commitment to ideals manifested by the Polish people and Lech Walesa in particular; (3) Americans hope that Polish authorities will take steps to return to the Polish people their rights and liberties; and (4) the President is urged to proclaim December 12, 1982, as a national day of solidarity and prayer for Poland.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 1982
Foreign Assistance and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1983 - Title I: Multilateral Economic Assistance - Appropriates FY 1983 funds to the President for the U.S. contributions to the: (1) Inter-American Development Bank; (2) International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank); (3) International Development Association; (4) Asian Development Bank; and (5) African Development Fund. Specifies the maximum amount of callable capital stock to which the U.S. Governors of such Banks may subscribe. Appropriates a specified sum for international organizations and programs. Title II: Bilateral Economic Assistance - Makes FY 1983 appropriations to carry out the provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 relating to: (1) agriculture, rural development, and nutrition; (2) voluntary population planning; (3) health programs; (4) education and human resources development; (5) energy and selected development activities; (6) science and technology; (7) loan allocation (with specified repayment periods for loan recipients based on a country's per capita gross national product); (8) American schools and hospitals abroad; (9) international disaster assistance (with a specified amount earmarked for earthquake relief and reconstruction in southern Italy); (10) the Sahel development program (with a prohibition against the United States providing more than ten percent of the total contributions to the program); (11) overseas training and special development activities (foreign currency programs); (12) the Economic Support Fund (with specified sums earmarked for Egypt and for Israel); (13) peace keeping operations; (14) the operating expenses of the Agency for International Development; (15) trade and development programs; (16) housing and credit guaranty and credit guaranty programs; and (17) international narcotics control. Appropriates a specified sum to the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund. Limits the amount of funds appropriated for voluntary population planning that can be used for the United Nations Fund for Population Activities. Prohibits using any such funds for the World Health Organization's Special Program of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction. Makes appropriations for FY 1983 for the Inter-American Foundation and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), with limitations on OPIC's direct and guaranteed loans. Appropriates FY 1983 funds for the Peace Corps. Appropriates FY 1983 funds to the Department of State for migration and refugee assistance. Appropriates FY 1983 funds for anti-terrorism assistance programs. Title III: Military Assistance - Appropriates fiscal year 1982 funds to the President for: (1) military assistance; (2) international military education and training; (3) foreign military credit sales (with limitations on the amounts of direct and guaranteed loans); and (4) the Special Defense Acquisition Fund. Title IV: Export-Import Bank of the United States - Authorizes, with specified exceptions, the Export-Import Bank to make expenditures without regard to fiscal year limitations. Prohibits expenditures, during the current fiscal year, for nuclear exports to any country, other than a nuclear weapons State, that has detonated a nuclear explosive device after enactment of this Act. Limits, during specified fiscal years, the amounts of direct and guaranteed loans and administrative expenses. Title V: General Provisions - Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for: (1) financing construction of any water or related land resource development project which has not met specified standards; (2) pensions for persons who have served in the armed forces of any recipient country; (3) procurement contracts which do not permit termination for U.S. convenience; (4) dues of any member of the United Nations; (5) the transfer of appropriated funds among international lending organizations; (6) financing nuclear export or providing nuclear training assistance to foreign nationals; (7) assisting countries to violate human rights; (8) assistance to Mozambique (unless it would further U.S. foreign policy interests); (9) assistance to Libya, Iraq, South Yemen, Angola, Cambodia, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, or Syria; (10) obligation under an appropriations account to which they were not appropriated, without prior congressional approval; (11) unauthorized publicity purposes within the United States; (12) obligation beyond the current fiscal year unless otherwise permitted; (13) assistance to countries which are more than one year in default on loan payments to the United States; (14) international financial institutions which do not make available to the U.S. representatives information concerning loans or management documents; (15) any government which aids or abets international terrorism; (16) assisting the production of commodities for export, if such commodities will likely be in surplus on world markets and will cause substantial injury to U.S. producers; and (17) the obligation of specified funds for programs not justified or in excess of the amount justified, without prior congressional notification; (18) lobbying for abortion; (19) financing the operating expenses for the Agency for International Development (AID) with funds other than funds earmarked for AID; and (20) assisting any country during any three month period immediately following a Presidential certification to Congress that such country is not cooperating sufficiently with the United States in preventing narcotic drugs and other controlled substances which are produced, processed, or transported in such country from entering the United States unlawfully. Limits the use of appropriated funds for: (1) obligation during the last month of availability; and (2) residence expenses, entertainment expenses, and representation allowances of AID. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. executive directors of specified international financial institutions to oppose assistance for the production of export commodities in surplus on world markets and which will cause substantial injury to U.S. producers.
United States · United States Congress · 3 December 1982
Reaffirms the commitment of Congress to locating and repatriating Americans unaccounted for in Southeast Asia. Expresses congressional appreciation to the Lao Government for its expressed willingness to help. Supports the President's actions to locate and return missing Americans. Urges the President to respond to the indicated willingness of the Lao Government to cooperate in this effort.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 1982
Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to extend for not more than three years, beginning October 1, 1982, the additional period for congressional consideration of portions of the following rivers which have been designated for potential addition to the national wild and scenic rivers system: (1) the Illinois River in Oregon; (2) the Pine Creek River in Pennsylvania; (3) the Youghiogheny River in Maryland and Pennsylvania; (4) the Encampment River in Colorado; (5) the Kettle River in Minnesota; (6) the Owyhee River, South Fork, in Oregon; (7) the Shepaug River in Connecticut; (8) the Upper Mississippi River in Minnesota; (9) the Wisconsin River in Wisconsin; and (10) the Housatonic River in Connecticut. Provides that the additional period for congressional consideration of portions of the Tuolumne River in California designated for potential addition to the national wild and scenic rivers system may be extended beginning October 1, 1982, for an additional period of not more than one year.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 1982
Federal Anti-Tampering Act - Amends the Federal criminal code to make it a Federal offense to maliciously cause or attempt to cause injury or death to any person, or injury to any business' reputation, by adulterating a food, drug, cosmetic or other product. Provides for a prison term of up to 20 years and a fine of up to $20,000 if personal injury results, or a prison term of up to life if death results. Establishes a separate offense, with similar penalties, for any person who willfully or maliciously conveys false information concerning an attempt at such adulteration, if injury or death results.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 1982
Amends the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 to repeal provisions which require the withholding of tax on interest and dividends. Requires persons paying or receiving interest payments of $10 or more a year to file an information return. Requires statements to be furnished to persons with respect to whom an information return is filed. Requires such statements to be included in the return of a person with respect to whom information is furnished regarding dividends and patronage dividends.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 1982
Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949, as amended by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1982, to eliminate the 50-cent producer assessment from the dairy price support program.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1982
Directs the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating to cause a named vessel to be documented as a vessel of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 1 October 1982
Designates 1983 as the "Tricentennial Anniversary Year of German Settlement in America". Expresses congressional support for the President's Youth Exchange Initiative, and especially the concept of a United States-German teenage exchange sponsored by the Congress and the West German Bundestag.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 1982
Declares that it should be U.S. policy to: (1) support the people of Afghanistan in their struggle to be free from foreign domination; (2) provide the Afghans, upon request, with material assistance; and (3) pursue a negotiated settlement of the war in Afghanistan based on the total withdrawal of Soviet troops and the recognition of the right of the Afghans to choose their own destiny.
United States · United States Congress · 16 September 1982
Veterans' Compensation, Education, and Employment Amendments of 1982 - Title I: Compensation and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Rate - Increases and Program Improvement - Increases the rates of: (1) disability compensation; (2) additional compensation for dependents; (3) the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans; (4) dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses; (5) dependency and indemnity compensation for children; and (6) supplemental dependency and indemnity compensation for children. Entitles veterans with service-connected total blindness without light perception in both eyes to the same rate of monthly compensation as is paid for the anatomical loss of both eyes. Extends dependency and indemnity compensation to survivors of veterans who were entitled to but because of error did not receive service-connected disability compensation. Supercedes specified provisions of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1982 concerning compensation. Title II: Amendments of Veterans' Education and Rehabilitation Programs - Permits the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs to station veterans benefits counselor's at locations other than Veterans' Administration offices including schools. Permits the payment of a subsistence allowance to a veteran pursuing a rehabilitation program while residing in a halfway house or participating in a work-release program. Increases from $75 to $100 the maximum monthly deduction from a person's military pay for contribution to a matching fund for educational assistance. Provides for the transfer of funds from the Secretary of a military department to the Administrator for the administration of an educational assistance program. Repeals the ten year delimiting period for the use of educational assistance for veterans who are discharged or released from duty after December 31, 1979. Directs the Secretary of Defense to reimburse the Administrator for educational assistance paid out after December 31, 1979. Eliminates the requirement that a vocational school prove 50 percent employment among its graduates to prevent the Administrator's disapproving a veteran's enrollment . Prohibits the Administrator from approving the enrollment of an eligible veteran or person in any sales or sales management course which does not provide specialized training. Prohibits the payment of anything but a books and supplies allowance for non-tuition courses. Permits the Administrator to discontinue educational assistance to eligible veterans and persons enrolled at institutions or in courses with uncorrected violations of specified requirements. Lessens the detail required in the Administrator's annual report to Congress on the default of educational loans. Tolls the delimiting period for any veteran prevented from participating in a vocational rehabilitation program because of an alcohol or drug dependence or abuse condition. Requires (at present, only permits) the Administrator to provide educational assistance to Vietnam era veterans in apprenticeship or on-the-job training programs, orin courses with approval vocational objectives, unless a particular veteran does not need such a program or course to obtain suitable and stable employment. Requires publication in the Federal Register of proposed regulations implementing this requirement within 30 days after enactment of this Act. Title III: Veterans Employment Amendments - Requires that priorities in jobs training programs be given to disabled and vietnam era, veterans. Changes the position of State veterans' employment representative to that of State Director for Veterans' Employment. Makes such directors functionally responsible for supervising the participation of veterans in Federal employment and training programs, job listings, discrimination complaints, and other speclified duties. Requires the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment to supervise the use of funds in the disabled veterans' outreach program. Permits a waiver of limitation on the percentage of outreach specialists which shall be stationed at local employment service offices in a State. Requires outreach specialists to develop programs with the Veterans Administration vocational rehabilitation staff and others to assure maximum assistance to veterans. Directs the Assistant Secretary to monitor the employment of such specialists. Directs the Secretary of Labor to estimate the funds necessary for the administration of the employment training and reemployment rights programs, including the amounts necessary to fund the disabled veterans' outreach program specialists. Requires the Secretary's annual report to include a report on activities under such program. Requires each Federal contractor who must take affirmative action to employ such veterans to make annual reports on the number and characteristics of new hires with the State veterans' employment director. Directs the Secretary, through the Assistant Secretary, to assist in the placement of veterans using existing Federal and State agencies. Repeals the exemplary rehabilitation certificates program. Title IV: Miscellaneous Improvements - Sets forth the conditions under which the assignee of a beneficiary of a National Service Life Insurance policy or a U.S. Government Life Insurance policy may resolve disputes concerning the proceeds. Eliminates the four year cut-off for payment of claims under the Servicemen's Group Life Insurance and Veterans' Group Life Insurance programs. Prohibits the escheat of payments to the State. Directs the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs to pay the burial expenses of certain veterans of war whose bodies are held by a State and not claimed. Permits the Administrator to guarantee a loan to refinance an existing loan for the purchase of a manufactured home or the lot on which such home will be placed. Requires applications for recovery of payments or over payments of benefits under laws administered by the Veterans Administration to be made within 180 days rather than within two years. Modifies the minimum service requirement for the receipt of veterans' benefits by a veteran or his survivor or dependent. Permits the pursuit of correspondence training as specified. Prohibits the contracting out of veterans' medical care unless a particular medical care activity is not a direct patient care activity or incident to direct patient care and to contract out would be more cost-effective. Title V: Effective Dates - Sets forth effective dates for the provisions of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 1982
Amends the Federal criminal code to make it an affirmative defense to a Federal prosecution that at the time of the offense the defendant, as a result of mental disease or defect, lacked entirely the ability to understand the nature and the quality of his acts and to distinguish right from wrong. Places the burden of proving insanity on the defendant. Requires the court to hold a hearing to determine the present mental condition of the defendant. Directs the court to commit such person to the custody of the Attorney General upon a finding by a preponderance of the evidence that the person is presently suffering from a mental disease or defect, rendering him mentally incompetent. Directs the Attorney General to hospitalize such person in a suitable facility. Provides that when the defendant has recovered and is able to understand the nature and consequences of the proceedings against him, the court will order his release and set a date for trial. Authorizes a special verdict of "not guilty only by reason of insanity" for any criminal defendant who raises the issue of insanity by notice as provided by Rule 12 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. Provides for the hospitalization of persons found not guilty only by reason of insanity, convicted persons, imprisoned persons, and persons due for release who are found to suffer from mental disease or defect. Allows for discharge when such person is found to have recovered. Requires reimprisonment of any such person for whom a term of prison sentence has not yet expired.
United States · United States Congress · 19 August 1982
Grants congressional approval of the Comprehensive Master Plan for the Management of the Upper Mississippi River System as a guide for future water policy on such System. Authorizes the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to provide for the engineering, design, and construction, of a second lock at locks and dam 26, Mississippi River, Alton, Illinois and Missouri. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to undertake with respect to the Upper Mississippi River System: (1) a habitat rehabilitation and enhancement program; (2) the implementation of a long-term resource monitoring program; (3) the implementation of a computerized inventory and analysis system for data storage and retrieval; and (4) the implementation of a program of recreational projects. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to: (1) review the Master Plan; (2) assign priorities; and (3) develop and submit to Congress a proposal for further implementation. Declares that such Master Plan has reasonably complied with the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
United States · United States Congress · 17 August 1982
Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) the Secretary of State should investigate and report to Congress on the extent to which forced labor will be employed and human rights violated in the construction of the trans-Siberian pipeline; and (2) Federal agency heads should assure U.S. conformance with existing treaties on the importation of goods produced with slave labor.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 1982
Major League Sports Community Protection Act of 1982 - Declares that it shall not be unlawful under any antitrust law for a professional sports league and its member clubs to enforce rules: (1) authorizing the league membership to decide that a member club shall not be relocated; or (2) providing for the division of league or member club revenues that promote comparable economic opportunities for member clubs. Prohibits any State or local government from imposing any limitation on the collective conduct of sports leagues or member teams authorized by this Act. Specifies the applicability of this Act to actions commenced under the antitrust laws before its enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 1982
Sets forth the congratulations of Congress to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and other organizations and persons who contributed to the successful completion of the Space Shuttle test flight period.
![Official portrait of Sen. Kasten, Robert W., Jr. [R-WI]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/k000019_200.jpg)