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Official portrait of Sen. Matsunaga, Spark M. [D-HI]

Sen. Matsunaga, Spark M. [D-HI]

United States · Official source

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3,423 records where Sen. Matsunaga, Spark M. [D-HI] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years

Bill· SS. 982 (101st)open

Radiation Victims Fair Treatment Act

United States · United States Congress · 12 May 1989

Radiation Victims Fair Treatment Act - Amends the Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1985 to repeal provisions which: (1) substitute the United States as defendant in all suits against private contractors for radiation injuries arising from atomic weapons testing programs; and (2) make the Federal Tort Claims Act the sole remedy for those injuries. Details the applicability of statutes of limitations.

Law· SS. 978 (101st)enacted

National Museum of the American Indian Act

United States · United States Congress · 11 May 1989

National American Indian Museum Act - Establishes within the Smithsonian Institution a memorial to Native Americans to be known as the National Museum of the American Indian to provide for the study, research, collection, and exhibition of Native Americans and their culture. Designates specified areas in the District of Columbia and New York City as the sites of facilities for the Museum. Requires establishment of a facility for the conservation and storage of Museum collections at the Museum Support Center in Suitland, Maryland. Authorizes the Smithsonian to: (1) provide for the transfer of certain assets of the Heye Foundation for the benefit and use of the Museum; (2) construct such facilities; (3) provide for acquisition of Native American objects and artifacts from museums or private collections; and (4) maintain or loan objects and artifacts in the Museum collection. Establishes the Board of Trustees of the Museum. Directs the Board to: (1) recommend annual budgets for the Museum; and (2) assist the Board of Regents on matters relating to the Museum. Grants the Trustees sole authority to: (1) dispose of and acquire additional Museum property; and (2) establish policy with respect to the utilization of the Museum collections. Grants the Trustees authority to: (1) establish policy with respect to restoration, preservation, and maintenance of Museum collections; (2) solicit funds for the Museum; (3) approve expenditures from the Museum's endowment; (4) advise the Museum's Director; (5) provide for the exhibition of Native American objects and artifacts; and (6) conduct research and evaluation and educational programs with respect to the Museum collections. Requires the Trustees to submit annual reports to the Board of Regents and the Congress. Requires the Foundation's employees serving at the time of the transfer to be offered employment by the Smithsonian. Authorizes the Board of Regents to: (1) designate affiliate museums of the Museum in certain U.S. regions and in Alaska and Hawaii; and (2) establish an advisory council within each such region or State to oversee Museum curation and acquisitions and to provide necessary technical assistance for such affiliate museums. Directs the Board of Regents to: (1) identify the geographic and tribal origins of the skeletal remains of Indians and Alaska Natives in the Smithsonian; (2) conduct a study and make recommendations as to the final disposition of such remains; (3) consult with Native American traditional religious leaders in making such recommendations; and (4) report to the Congress within three years after this Act's enactment on the identity of such skeletal remains and the findings and recommendation of such study. Pledges that the United States will provide the funds needed to maintain and operate the Museum. Authorizes appropriations.

Bill· SS. 980 (101st)referred

Low-Income Housing Credit Act of 1989

United States · United States Congress · 11 May 1989

Low-Income Housing Credit Act of 1989 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the low-income housing income tax credit (under current law the credit will expire after tax year 1989). Permits States a one-year carryover of unused credit authority. Assigns carryovers to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to allocate to eligible States applying for excess credit. Allows the credit only if an extended low-income housing commitment (beyond the current 15-year period) is in effect with respect to any building for the relevant taxable year. Describes procedures to effect transition to a non-low-income use in connection with such extensions. Permits the credit in connection with the acquisition of an existing building only if the taxpayer incurs rehabilitation expenditures of at least $3,000 per unit. Revises rent restrictions to: (1) declare unnecessary a required rent reduction below the initial rent if the median gross income of the area decreases; (2) permit higher rent if units are occupied by higher income individuals and the project has an operating deficit; (3) base income limitations on the number of bedrooms in a unit; and (4) use State median gross income in certain low-income housing status determinations. Broadens categories of existing buildings eligible for a waiver of the ten-year requirement for the low-income housing credit. Revises credit provisions relating to single-room occupancy units and special needs housing. Revises restrictions that limit credit benefits in connection with buildings financed with tax-exempt bonds and below market loans. Permits the credit to be allocated: (1) on a project basis; and (2) in connection with owner-occupied buildings of four units or less if a development plan is submitted. Directs housing credit agencies to adopt plans for allocating credit amounts among projects, prohibiting the credit with respect to any building not included in such a plan. Modifies at-risk rules in connection with buildings subject to the historic rehabilitation credit and those associated with financing provided by certain nonprofit organizations. Sets the tax credit rate on a semiannual basis rather than monthly. Increases the credit in connection with buildings in high cost areas (low-income census tracts or difficult development areas). Establishes special rules for determining the eligible basis and applying at-risk rules in connection with qualified buildings acquired in foreclosures.

Law· SS. 933 (101st)enacted

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

United States · United States Congress · 9 May 1989

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1989 - Title I: General Prohibition Against Discrimination - Declares that it shall be discriminatory, on the basis of disability, to deny opportunities or to afford them unequally, to provide opportunities less effectively (or differently or separately, unless necessary for effectiveness), to assist an organization or individual that discriminates, or to otherwise limit opportunities enjoyed by others. Prohibits the use of standards, criteria, or administrative methods that have the purpose or effect of discrimination or perpetuate discrimination. Declares it discriminatory to deny equal opportunities because of the relationship or association of an individual with another individual with a disability. Allows as a defense to a charge of discrimination that an application of standards or criteria has been demonstrated to be both necessary and substantially related to the ability of an individual to take advantage of the essential components of the opportunity, and that the taking advantage cannot be accomplished by reasonable accommodations, modifications, or the provision of auxiliary aids or services. Title II: Employment - Prohibits discrimination by any employer, employment agency, labor organization, or joint labor-management committee against any qualified individual with a disability in job application procedures, hiring or discharge, compensation, advancement, training, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. Lists types of actions construed to be discrimination. Makes the remedies set forth in specified provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other specified Federal law available to any individual who believes that he or she is being or is about to be subjected to discrimination in violation of this Act. Title III: Public Services - Declares that no qualified individual with a disability shall be excluded from the participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination by a State, or by an agency, political subdivision, or other instrumentality of a State. Lists types of actions deemed, for purposes of this Act and specified provisions of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to be discrimination with regard to public transportation. Makes the remedies and rights set forth in specified provisions of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 available to any individual who believes that he or she is being or is about to be subjected to discrimination in violation of this Act. Title IV: Public Accommodations and Services Operated by Private Entities - Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the enjoyment of any place of public accommodation. Lists types of actions construed to be discrimination. Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in public transportation services provided by a private entity that is primarily engaged in transporting people, but that is not in the principal business of air transportation. Lists types of actions construed to be discrimination. Makes specified provisions of the Fair Housing Act relating to enforcement available, subject to exception, to any aggrieved individual. Title V: Telecommunications Relay Services - Defines "telecommunications relay services" to mean services that enable simultaneous communication between individuals who use telecommunications devices for the deaf (TDDs) or other nonvoice terminal devices and individuals who do not use such devices. Declares it discriminatory for any common carrier that offers telephone services to the public to fail to provide interstate or intrastate telecommunication relay services that are equal to those provided to their customers who are able to use voice services, except in any State in which services are provided through an entity designated by the State. Declares it discrimination by a State that makes such a designation if the State fails to provide interstate or intrastate relay services that are equal to those provided to their voice customers. Makes specified provisions of the Fair Housing Act relating to enforcement available, subject to exception, to any aggrieved individual. Requires the Federal Communications Commission to enforce this title. Makes specified provisions of the Communication Act of 1934 apply with respect to the enforcement of this title. Provides for cease and desist orders by the Commission and for monetary penalties. Title VI: Miscellaneous Provisions - Prohibits retaliatory discrimination against any individual because of actions related to this Act. Declares that a State shall not be immune under the 11th Amendment to the Constitution from an action in Federal court for a violation of this Act. Requires the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board to issue minimum guidelines to supplement the existing Minimum Guidelines and Requirements for Accessible Design. Allows the awarding of reasonable attorney's fees, in certain circumstances, in any action or proceeding under this Act.

Bill· SS. 947 (101st)reported

Veterans Health-Care Personnel Act of 1989

United States · United States Congress · 9 May 1989

Veterans Health-Care Personnel Act of 1989 - Title I: Pay Matters - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, for the pay period beginning on or after July 1, 1990, to establish the rates of basic pay for the following health-care personnel employed within the Veterans Health Services and Research Administration (HSRA) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): registered nurses and registered nurse anesthetists, physicians, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, nurses, physician assistants, dental assistants, certain clinical or counseling psychologists, certain therapists, practical or vocational nurses, pharmacists, and occupational therapists. Requires the director of each VA health-care facility to conduct a survey which will establish the rate of basic pay in each appropriate pay grade by a specified date. Requires the director to conduct an annual review to determine if such basic pay rates need to be adjusted, and to adjust them, if necessary. Requires the director, as part of such survey, to survey the equivalent entry-level positions for such work performed in non-VA health-care facilities in order to determine the amount of basic pay for similar work. Outlines further administrative provisions relating to the determination of a similar labor market area for purposes of making such pay-rate determinations, requiring the director of a VA facility to notify the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the labor market identified of his or her selection of a labor market area, and requiring the CMD to approve or disapprove of such a labor market area selection within a specified time. Provides maximum amounts for such minimum rates of basic pay as established under this Act. Outlines employee exceptions to such basic pay rates. Requires the Secretary to submit an annual report to the Senate and House Veterans' Affairs Committees regarding the exercise of authority under this Act for the preceding fiscal year and to prescribe final regulations setting forth criteria and procedures to carry out this Act. Requires the director of each VA facility to establish and adjust such basic pay rates by a specified date even if such final regulations have not been implemented. Requires each director, within a specified period, to conduct a survey and establish an interim competitive pay rate to be followed until such final regulations and pay rates are determined. Makes conforming amendments. Authorizes overtime pay for nurses who perform in excess of 40 hours in an administrative workweek. (Currently, overtime is authorized only for work performed in excess of eight hours a day.) Authorizes the payment of six percent additional pay per hour for nurses performing work as a head nurse. Provides for the waiver of a mandatory reduction under Federal law for registered nurses working in positions of health-care professionals involved in direct patient care or in positions involving the provision of services incident to direct patient care. Increases the limitation on the amount authorized to be paid as special pay to certain individuals in the HSRA of the VA. Requires increases in such pay of a specified amount or more to be reported by the Secretary to the veterans' committees. Reduces from 90 to 45 days the time in which the Secretary must notify the President of the Secretary's intention to approve such special rates of pay. Authorizes a one-time lump-sum payment of special pay to each nurse who is recertified in the specialty in which the nurse is employed. Title II: Other Personnel Benefits - Directs the Secretary to establish by regulation a program under which the Secretary may pay a cash award to any VA employee who is a supervisor or manager employed in any of the following positions: physician, dentist, podiatrist, optometrist, nurse, physicians' assistant, or expanded-function dental auxiliary. Limits the amount of each award and the total number of recipients in each fiscal year. Directs the Secretary to establish and conduct a dependent care assistance program, which meets certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, for the care of dependents of employees of the HSRA. Requires such program to be implemented no later than June 1, 1990. Directs the Secretary to establish a voluntary transfer of leave program for the benefit of health-care professionals of the HSRA. Authorizes the Secretary to establish a voluntary leave bank program for the benefit of such individuals. Requires such programs to be consistent with current Federal voluntary leave programs. Authorizes the Secretary and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to enter into agreements permitting health-care professionals of the HSRA to participate in the current Federal voluntary leave transfer and voluntary leave bank programs. Requires the Secretary to implement such programs no later than October 1, 1990. Title III: Health Care Education - Requires the Secretary, in selecting applicants for the VA Scholarship Program, to ensure an equitable allocation of scholarships to persons enrolled in the second year of a program leading to an associate degree in nursing. Requires such requirement to be implemented beginning with scholarships awarded in 1990. Requires current representatives of the field of paramedics to assist in the establishment of cooperative arrangements to provide for the training of health and paramedical personnel in order to improve the manpower utilization of such personnel. Requires such requirement to be implemented no later than February 1, 1990. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1990 through 1993 for making grants for such cooperative programs. Title IV: Other Personnel Management Matters - Authorizes the Secretary, upon the recommendation of the CMD, to appoint in the competitive service any individual who: (1) has been awarded a degree or certificate in a health-care profession or occupation by an accredited institution; (2) has been appointed by the Secretary to a clinical education program conducted by an educational institution affiliated with a VA health-care facility; and (3) has successfully completed such program within one year before the individual's appointment into the competitive service. Directs the CMD of the VA to conduct a pilot program at no less than five VA medical facilities during FY 1990 through 1992 in order to determine the effect on employees of VA pay and personnel management practices. Requires the CMD to establish certain alternative pay and personnel management practices, such as increasing certain pay differentials for day versus evening duty, utilizing registered nurses in new ways for the furnishing of direct-patient care, and establishing flexible employment benefits programs for VA employees. Requires various reports between the CMD, the Secretary, and the veterans' committees relating to the results of such pilot program.

Bill· SS. 915 (101st)referred

A bill to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act with respect to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

United States · United States Congress · 3 May 1989

Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to require the Secretary of Energy, as part of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Plan, to establish Regional Petroleum Reserves maintaining oil in sufficient quantities to provide substantial protection against imported oil disruptions in States which consume specified amounts of imported oil. Prohibits the establishment of more than one such Reserve per region.

Bill· SS. 768 (101st)open

Basic Health Benefits for All Americans Act

United States · United States Congress · 12 April 1989

Basic Health Benefits for All Americans Act - Title I: Amendments to Public Health Service Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to add provisions which require each employer to enroll each of its employees and their families in a health benefit plan. Makes State and local employers which do not so enroll their employees and their families ineligible to receive grants, contracts, loans, or loan guarantees under such Act. Title II: Amendments to Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 - Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to add provisions which require each employer to enroll each of its employees and their families in a health benefit plan. Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) regarding supersedure of State laws relating to contracts or policies of insurance issued to or under a health benefit plan under title III of this Act. Amends ERISA with regard to the treatment of the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act. Title III: Requirements for Health Benefit Plans for Employees and Their Families - Subtitle A: Requirement and Definitions - Applies this title to employers required to enroll employees in health benefit plans under certain provisions of the Public Health Service Act or the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. Requires each small and certain large employers to use a regional insurer, subject to certain exceptions and conditions. Exempts employers in the State of Hawaii so long as the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act remains in effect. Requires that enrollment of an employee in a health benefit plan under this title includes enrollment of the employee's family in the plan. Prohibits the employee from waiving personal or family enrollment. Provides exceptions: (1) to avoid duplicate family coverage; and (2) in the case of multiple employers. Prohibits employers from discriminating against any individual because such individual has a spouse or child required under this title to be enrolled in a health benefit plan. Subtitle B: Requirements for Health Benefit Plans - Sets forth general requirements for plans. Permits a health benefit plan to be considered as meeting such requirements provided the actuarial benefits under the plan are not less than would have applied if the plan met the requirements of this subtitle. Sets forth minimum requirements, including a limit on out-of-pocket expenses. Mandates inclusion of certain mental health benefits. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) establish an advisory board to advise the Secretary on development of actuarial equivalency standards; and (2) publish, at least three months before the effective date of this Act, a table of actuarial equivalency describing as many variations as feasible. Declares a plan using variations not included in the table to be in compliance with this Act if it meets certain requirements. Directs the Secretary to establish streamlined procedures regarding employers with multiple plans. Allows new small businesses to use a tailored health benefit plan, as defined in this title. Specifies benefits which a plan must provide, including inpatient and outpatient hospital care and physician services, tests, prenatal and well-baby care, and inpatient and outpatient care for mental disorders. Prohibits placing limits on the amount, scope, or duration of benefits for hospital care, physician services, or tests, but allows plan limits on prenatal and well-baby care under regulations prescribed by the Secretary. Declares that nothing in this Act: (1) prohibits a health plan from providing benefits through a panel or other form of managed care system or establishing a different level of payments for reimbursement for different health care providers furnishing benefits; or (2) requires a plan to use a provider to provide benefits provided before the effective date of this Act other than the providers being utilized by the plan on that date or make payments to any provider that is excluded from participation in any Federal health care program. Allows an insurer to establish a fee schedule or other basis of payment that is different from actual charges if the schedule meets certain requirements. Specifies requirements regarding the date of initial coverage. Prohibits pre-existing condition provisions. Provides special requirements regarding certain part-time and temporary employees. Allows a plan to require an employee to pay for premiums, deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance not to exceed certain limits. Provides for adjustments for covered spouses with other coverage and for employed retirees. Requires each employer with an employee whose hourly wage is less than a specified amount to offer each such employee at least one plan that does not require a premium for the employee. Prohibits State laws from preventing employers from using payroll withholding for premiums due by employees. Sets forth special rules for the calculation of premiums for part-time employees. Sets limitations on: (1) deductibles, to be increased for increases in the consumer price index; (2) copayments and coinsurance, subject to exception; and (3) out-of-pocket expenses. Subtitle C: Certification of Regional Insurers - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) to designate six to eight health insurance regions and to establish procedures for the periodic certification of insurers for each region. Sets forth certification eligibility requirements. Specifies requirements for application for and consideration of applications for such certification. Directs the Secretary to periodically evaluate the performance of regional insurers and, under certain circumstances, allows the Secretary to terminate the certification of the insurer. Allows the Secretary, if the Secretary determines that there is a failure of competition among regional insurers in the region and that other conditions are met, to restrict certification, based on a competitive bidding or other system, to those qualified insurers which offer plans at lower rates. Sets forth requirements regarding the types of plans each regional insurer must offer. Requires each regional insurer to fix premiums under a community rating system. Prohibits adjustment of such premiums based on age, gender, other factors relating to the projected or actual use of services, or, subject to exception, on geographical location within the region. Permits regional insurers to enter into subcontracts. Directs the Secretary to encourage regional insurers to enter into arrangements with entities representing groups of small businesses for the provision of administrative services. Requires such insurers to reduce the premiums charged by an amount which reflects the value of such services. Directs the Secretary to provide technical assistance to employers, utilizing to the maximum extent feasible entities with experience in providing health insurance services to small businesses. Subtitle D: Regulations and Enforcement - Directs the Secretary to promulgate rules to carry out this title by specified deadlines. Provides for civil penalties for any nongovernmental employer who does not comply with certain provisions of this Act. Makes nongovernmental employers who knowingly fail to comply with certain provisions of this Act liable for damages, including health care costs incurred, to the employee or the employee's family. Allows any individual injured, adversely affected, or aggrieved by violation of certain requirements of this Act to bring an action for injunctive relief. Subtitle E: Small Business Subsidy - Directs the Secretary of Labor to provide for payment to a small employer, whose compliance cost exceeded a specified percentage of the employer's gross revenues, of 75 percent of such excess. Allows adjustments for industries for which the specified percentage is not an appropriate measure of the financial burden of providing the insurance. Title IV: Assuring Provision of Health Benefits to Under-Poverty, Near-Poverty, and Other Individuals - Amends the Public Health Service Act to create a new title on State-provided health care benefits for poor individuals. Requires each State to operate a health care benefits program under which the State: (1) must offer, starting in 1991, benefits to under-poverty individuals; (2) may offer, starting in 1991, and must offer, starting in 1996, benefits to near-poverty individuals; and (3) may offer, starting in 1996, and must offer, starting in 1999, benefits to all other individuals not covered under a health benefit plan under title III of this Act. Requires the benefits under the State benefits program to be the same as required of health benefit plans under such title plus coverage for items and services relating to early and periodic screening and diagnosis of children under the age of 21. Prohibits the benefits from including any other items or services. Prohibits the imposition of premiums, deductibles, copayments, or cost-sharing on under-poverty individuals. Allows such features, subject to limitations, for near-poverty and other covered individuals. Makes an individual who is enrolled in a health benefit plan under title III of this Act ineligible for benefits under a State benefits program, but requires or permits a State program to pay part or all of the premiums, deductibles, and other cost-sharing imposed by a title III plan on an individual who is under or near poverty. Allows a State to require an under-poverty or near-poverty individual who is eligible for but not required to be enrolled in a plan under title III to enroll in the plan, but only if the individual's premiums and out-of-pocket expenses will be no greater than if the individual had not been required to enroll. Requires the State to determine the eligibility of an individual within 30 days of application. Provides for enrollment periods and effective dates of coverage. Declares that an individual who is determined in a month to be eligible must remain eligible for not less than six months. Requires reimbursement to providers under each State benefits program to be at a level sufficient to achieve access to services covered by the program. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to pay to a State the State's Federal health benefit assistance percentage, determined under a specified formula, for the cost of benefits under the State program. Directs the Secretary to provide for review of State programs to ensure that the programs meet the requirements of this title and provide quality health care. Requires the use of such clinical practice guidelines as the Secretary may develop in determining whether items and services are medically necessary. Prohibits a State from providing benefits through a plan that restricts the provider from whom an individual may obtain items and services unless the plan meets certain requirements. Requires each State to administer its benefits program, unless the State elects to have the Secretary do so and pays for such services. Title V: Effective Date for Titles I through III - Provides for the effective dates of titles I through III of this Act and transition rules for certain circumstances. Declares that no employer will be required under title III of this Act to provide any health benefit in addition to the benefits required to be provided by specified provisions of this Act unless: (1) such additional benefit is for a service which State Medicaid plans (under title XIX of the Social Security Act) are required to cover for certain individuals; and (2) before the enactment of such requirement, the benefits and costs of requiring the provision of such additional health benefit have been analyzed and considered by the Congress, according to certain procedures.

Bill· SS. 752 (101st)referred

Outer Space Protection Act of 1989

United States · United States Congress · 11 April 1989

Outer Space Protection Act of 1989 - Reaffirms U.S. policy that activities in space should be devoted to peaceful purposes to benefit mankind. Prohibits the use of funds by Federal agencies for: (1) the testing, production, or deployment of any weapon system designed to be based in outer space; (2) the testing of any weapon system to determine its capability to damage or destroy any object in outer space; or (3) the launch of any spacecraft that carries weapons capable of inflicting death or injury on people. Urges and requests the President to enter into bilateral negotiations with the Soviet Union concerning weapons systems in outer space. Specifies the purposes of such negotiations as: (1) prohibiting the testing, production, and deployment of all weapons based in outer space and the testing of all weapons against objects in outer space; (2) establishing limitations on technologies that could become weapons; (3) determining methods for monitoring compliance with such limitations and with mutually agreed upon prohibitions on weapons in outer space and the testing of antisatellite weapons; and (4) encouraging the effective utilization of the Standing Consultative Commission (established under the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty) to resolve disagreements and to develop limitations and verification procedures for new technologies. Urges and requests the President, in the event that such negotiations result in an agreement, to initiate discussions in the United Nations toward an international agreement to prohibit the testing, production, and deployment of all weapons in outer space and to prohibit the testing of all antisatellite weapons. Requires the Secretary of Defense to manage the long-term basic research on ballistic missile defense technologies so as to provide the United States with expanded options for responding to any future breakout by the Soviet Union from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. Specifies that nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit the obligation or expenditure of funds for non-weapon military operations in outer space. States that the provisions of this Act relating to bilateral negotiations with the Soviet Union and the prohibition on the use of funds for space weapons shall become inapplicable if the President certifies to the Congress that the Soviet Union: (1) has tested, produced, or deployed space weapons; or (2) has launched into orbit any spacecraft that carries a weapon capable of inflicting death or injury on people.

Bill· SS. 727 (101st)referred

Animal Research Facilities Protection Act of 1989

United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1989

Animal Research Facilities Protection Act of 1989 - Makes it unlawful for any person to: (1) release, steal, or intentionally cause the loss of any research facility animal; (2) damage, vandalize, or steal any animal research facility property; (3) falsely obtain access to any research facility for unauthorized purposes; (4) break into a facility with an intent to destroy, alter, duplicate, or obtain unauthorized possession of records, equipment, or animals; (5) gain control over or to use the records, material, data, equipment, or animals of any such facility knowing or reasonably believing that they have been obtained by theft or deception; or (6) enter or remain on a research facility with the intent to commit an act prohibited by this Act. Imposes a $5,000 fine and/or one year imprisonment for violations of this Act. Provides for a private right of action for any research facility injured in its business or property by a violation of this Act. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture and the Attorney General to jointly conduct a study on the extent and effects of domestic and international terrorism on facilities in which animals are used for research, food production, exhibition, or pets and to submit a report on the results of such study to certain congressional committees.

Bill· SS. 731 (101st)referred

A bill to request the President to award a gold medal on behalf of Congress to Robert Wise and to provide for the production of bronze duplicates of such medal for sale to the public.

United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1989

Authorizes the President to present a gold medal, on behalf of the Congress, to Robert Wise in recognition of his contribution to this Nation's cultural heritage. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary to strike and sell bronze duplicates of such medal at a price sufficient to cover the costs of such duplicates and the gold medal. Requires the appropriations to be reimbursed out of the sales proceeds. Designates all such medals as National Medals.

Bill· SS. 730 (101st)referred

A bill to request the President to award gold medals on behalf of Congress to Frank Capra, James M. Stewart, and Fred Zinnemann, and to provide for the production of bronze duplicates of such medals for sale to the public.

United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1989

Authorizes the President to present gold medals, on behalf of the Congress, to each of the following individuals in recognition of their contributions to this Nation's cultural heritage: (1) Frank Capra; (2) James Stewart; and (3) Fred Zinnemann. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to design a different gold medal for each such individual. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary to strike and sell bronze duplicates of such medals at a price sufficient to cover the costs of such duplicates and the gold medals. Requires the appropriations to be reimbursed out of the sales proceeds. Designates all such medals as National Medals.

Bill· SS. 714 (101st)referred

A bill to extend the authorization of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 through the end of fiscal year 1993.

United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1989

Amends the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 to reauthorize the grant program for water resources research and technology institutes on a dollar-for-dollar matching basis for FY 1989 through 1993. Requires that such funds be used only for the reimbursement of direct cost expenditures incurred for the conduct of the water resources research program. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct an evaluation of each institute every five years to determine if it qualifies for further support. (Currently the Secretary must make such determination every four years.) Extends the authorization of appropriations for the grant program from FY 1989 through 1993. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1989 through 1993 only for the reimbursement of the direct cost expenses of additional research by institutes which focuses on water problems and issues of a regional or interstate nature beyond those of concern only to a single State and which relates to specific program priorities identified jointly by the Secretary and the institutes. Requires such funds when appropriated to be matched on a not less than dollar-for-dollar basis by non-Federal sources. Extends the authorization of appropriations from FY 1989 through 1993 for the matching grant research program concerning any aspect of a water resource-related problem which the Secretary deems to be in the national interest. Authorizes appropriations to extend the technology grant program from FY 1989 through 1993. Requires rules and regulations issued prior to the date of enactment of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 to remain in effect until superseded by new rules and regulations promulgated under this Act.

Bill· SS. 695 (101st)open

Educational Excellence Act of 1990

United States · United States Congress · 5 April 1989

Educational Excellence Act of 1989 - Title I: Improving Elementary and Secondary Education - Part A: Presidential Merit Schools - Presidential Merit Schools Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to establish the Presidential Merit Schools Program to recognize and reward public and private elementary and secondary schools that have made substantial progress in: (1) raising student educational achievement, especially in reading, writing, and mathematics; (2) creating a safe and alcohol- and drug-free school environment; and (3) reducing the dropout rate. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1990 through 1993. Authorizes State educational agencies (SEAs) to designate as a Merit School any public or private elementary or secondary school nominated through procedures established by the SEA. Sets forth requirements for selection criteria established by the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) and by SEAs. Provides that each Merit School will be awarded a Presidential Certificate of Merit, as well as funds to further its educational program. Prohibits Federal, State, or local reduction of other assistance to a school because it receives such an award. Part B: Magnet Schools of Excellence - Magnet Schools of Excellence Act of 1989 - Amends ESEA to establish the Magnet Schools of Excellence Program of grants to support public elementary or secondary schools that: (1) offer the highest quality instruction in an academic or vocational discipline or create a unique and effective learning environment; (2) are open to students from beyond the immediate school attendance area; and (3) are capable of attracting students from a variety of backgrounds. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1990 through 1993. Sets forth criteria for selection of applications. Limits such grants to any one school to no more than two years and requires satisfactory progress in order to receive the grant for the second year. Prohibits Federal, State, or local reduction of assistance to a school because it receives such an award. Part C: Alternative Certification for Teachers and Principals - Alternative Certification of Teachers and Principals Assistance Act of 1989 - Amends ESEA to establish a program of assistance for Alternative Certification of Teachers and Principals. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1990. Repeals this part as of October 1, 1990. Part D: Presidential Awards for Excellence in Education - Amends ESEA to establish the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Education Program to recognize and reward outstanding elementary and secondary school teachers. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1990 through 1993. Makes any full-time public or private elementary or secondary school teacher of academic or vocational subjects eligible for such an award. Makes teachers of religion (other than religion as an academic discipline) ineligible. Allows various individuals, groups, or institutions to nominate teachers for such awards. Requires State panels to select award recipients using criteria approved by the Secretary. Sets the amount of such an award at $5,000, and allows the recipient to use it for any purpose. Part E: Effective Date - Sets the effective date of the amendments made by this title. Title II: National Science Scholars - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to establish the National Science Scholars Program to recognize student excellence and achievement in the physical, life, and computer sciences, mathematics, and engineering. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1990 through 1993. Authorizes the Secretary to award scholarships to outstanding students selected as National Science Scholars by the President. Allows students who satisfy certain requirements to receive such scholarships for the first year of undergraduate study and, if they satisfy additional requirements, additional scholarships to cover the remaining undergraduate years. Directs the Secretary to appoint a panel of experts to recommend academic achievement criteria for use in the nomination of scholars. Sets forth requirements for initial and continuation awards. Sets the scholarship amount at $10,000 for an academic year, but reduces such amount based on cost of attendance and other grant or scholarship assistance, and adjusts for insufficient appropriations. Requires that scholarship recipients, to the extent they are otherwise qualified, be given priority consideration for federally financed summer employment in research and development centers. Title III: Other Programs - Amends the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1986 to establish a Drug-Free Schools Urban Emergency Grants program. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1990 through 1993. Directs the Secretary to use program funds to award a small number of one-time grants to local educational agencies in urban areas with the most severe drug problems to assist them in developing and implementing comprehensive approaches to eliminating such problems. Amends HEA to authorize appropriations for FY 1990 through 1993 for special awards to historically Black colleges and universities. Makes institutions that receive such awards ineligible for other specified awards, and makes institutions that do not receive them eligible for those other awards.

Bill· SS. 704 (101st)referred

Social Services Block Grant Restoration Act of 1989

United States · United States Congress · 5 April 1989

Social Services Block Grant Restoration Act of 1989 - Amends title XX (Block Grants to States for Social Services) of the Social Security Act to authorize increased appropriations under such title from FY 1990 through 1992.

Bill· SS. 655 (101st)referred

Public Protection from Passive Smoke Act

United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1989

Public Protection From Passive Smoke Act - Title I: Smoke Free Certifications - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require that any vessel at any port (currently at any foreign port) departing for any port in a State or possession obtain a bill of health. Directs the Surgeon General to prescribe regulations to require that domestic vessels, as a part of the bill of health, certify that they do not involuntarily expose the public to the byproducts produced by lighted tobacco. Defines "domestic vessel" to mean any regularly scheduled interstate public conveyance, including air, rail, or bus service. Subjects to monetary penalties any vessel or individual, including a passenger, who violates these provisions or who violates any prohibition on smoking enacted by any vessel under these provisions. Title II: General Health Information Concerning Smoking - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish: (1) a program to inform the public of dangers to human health presented by cigarette smoking; and (2) an Interagency Committee on Smoking and Health. Requires each person who manufactures, packages, or imports cigarettes to annually provide the Secretary with a list of the ingredients added to tobacco that does not identify the company or brand involved. Directs the Secretary to submit to the appropriate committees of the Congress a report on the additives. Requires information provided to the Secretary to be treated as a trade secret and prohibits its disclosure, except to such committees. Title III: Health Information Concerning Smokeless Tobacco - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a program to inform the public of dangers to human health resulting from the use of smokeless tobacco products. Authorizes the Secretary to provide technical assistance and make grants to States to: (1) assist in the development and distribution of programs, materials, and public service announcements respecting the dangers to health from smokeless tobacco; and (2) establish 18 as the minimum age for the purchase of smokeless tobacco. Requires each person who manufactures, packages, or imports smokeless tobacco products to annually provide to the Secretary: (1) a list of ingredients added to the tobacco that does not identify the company or brand involved; and (2) a specification of the quantity of nicotine in each product. Directs the Secretary to submit to the appropriate committees of the Congress a report on the additives. Requires information provided to the Secretary to be treated as a trade secret and prohibits its disclosure, except to such committees. Repeals specified provisions of the Comprehensive Smoking Education Act and the Comprehensive Smokeless Tobacco Health Education Act of 1986. Places provisions similar to those repealed in this Act, except for repealed provisions of such Smokeless Tobacco Act relating to enforcement, regulations, and construction.

Bill· SS. 668 (101st)referred

A bill to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act with respect to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1989

Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to require the Secretary of Energy, as part of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Plan, to establish Regional Petroleum Reserves maintaining oil in sufficient quantities to provide substantial protection against imported oil disruptions in States which consume specified amounts of imported oil.

Bill· SS. 654 (101st)referred

Section 89 Simplification Act

United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1989

Section 89 Simplification Act - Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions relating to the new nondiscrimination requirements for coverage and benefits under certain statutory employee benefit plans to: (1) prescribe criteria for simplified health arrangements which, if offered by an employer, will be treated as meeting the nondiscrimination requirements of Internal Revenue Section 89; (2) increase from 17 1/2 hours to 25 hours per week (30 hours in 1989, 27 1/2 hours in 1990) the threshold number of work hours triggering requirements with respect to part-time employees; (3) apply noncompliance penalties (taxation of benefits) only with respect to highly compensated employees rather than with respect to all employees; (4) exempt the plans of entities with no highly compensated employees; and (5) revise rules relating to plan testing, aggregation of plans, and coverage valuation.

Resolution· SRESS.Res. 86 (101st)referred

A resolution to request the President of the United States to appoint a special commission to consider the destruction of Pan American World Airways Flight 103, and the security of air travel.

United States · United States Congress · 17 March 1989

Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) the President should appoint a special commission to investigate the events surrounding the destruction of Pan Am flight 103; and (2) the commission should submit to the President and to specified congressional committees a report concerning its findings and recommendations about the security of commercial air carriers.

Law· SS. 639 (101st)enacted

Spark M. Matsunaga Hydrogen Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1990

United States · United States Congress · 16 March 1989

Title I: Hydrogen Production and Use - Directs the Secretary of Energy to prepare and submit to specified congressional committees a comprehensive five-year program management plan for a research and development program designed to permit the development of a domestic hydrogen fuel production capability within the shortest time practicable. Requires the Secretary to send the Congress annual plan descriptions including plan modifications. Directs the Secretary to establish within the Department of Energy a program consistent with the plan. Lists research areas and priority criteria. Directs the Secretary to conduct demonstrations to evaluate technical and nontechnical parameters to determine commercial applicability of hydrogen technology and to prepare a comprehensive large-scale hydrogen demonstration plan. Directs the Secretary, with the advice and help of industry, academic, and governmental interests, to implement a program in the interest of accelerating broader application of hydrogen technologies and of increasing the participation of private sector interests in near commercial applications. Lists the Secretary's duties in connection with the program. Establishes a Hydrogen Technical Advisory Panel as part of the Energy Research Advisory Board. Requires the Panel to submit an annual report. Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Hydrogen-Fueled Aircraft Research and Development - Directs the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to prepare and submit to specified congressional committees a comprehensive five-year program management plan for a research and development program for the development of a domestic hydrogen-fueled aircraft capability within the shortest time practicable. Requires the Administrator to transmit to Congress an annual plan description, including any necessary plan modifications. Requires the Administrator to establish such a program within NASA and to prepare and transmit to the Congress a comprehensive flight demonstration plan whose implementation will confirm the technical feasibility, economic viability, and safety of liquid hydrogen as a fuel for commercial transport aircraft. Prescribes required subjects of the research and development program. Establishes a Hydrogen-Fueled Aircraft Advisory Committee to advise the Administrator. Requires the Committee to report annually to the Administrator. Authorizes appropriations.