Education

Student Loan Privatization Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Reforms to Improve the Accuracy of the Federal Credit Reform Act with Respect to Budget Scoring the Cost of the Federal Direct Student Loan Program Title II: Phase-Out of the Federal Direct Student Loan Program Title III: Improvements to the Federal Family Education Loan Program Student Loan Privatization Act of 1995 - Title I: Reforms to Improve the Accuracy of the Federal Credit Reform Act with Respect to Budget Scoring the Cost of the Federal Direct Student Loan Program - Amends the Congressional Budget Act to revise its Federal Credit Reform Act provisions relating to budget accuracy of accounting for Federal costs associated with the Federal Direct Student Loan Program. Title II: Phase-Out of the Federal Direct Student Loan Program - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to direct the Secretary of Education to phase-out the Federal Direct Student Loan Program (FDSL) in a specified manner. Eliminates related requirements involving loan volume limits and administrative expenses for such program. Repeals HEA authority for such program as of the end of FY 1997. Title III: Improvements to the Federal Family Education Loan Program - Amends HEA to revise provisions under the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFEL) relating to: (1) recovery of guaranty agency reserves; and (2) return to the Treasury of reserve funds returned or recovered by the Secretary. Terminates FDSL consolidation loan authority. Consolidates FDSL program loans under the FFEL program. Prohibits certain administrative funds from being expended to support public relations activities (by Department of Education employees or pursuant to contracts with the Department) or marketing of institutions to encourage participation in the FDSL program. Provides for sale of FDSL loan portfolios. Directs the Secretary to provide a copy of all reports and analyses prepared in connection with auctions, for purposes of such sales, to the Directors of the Congressional Budget Office and of the Office of Management and Budget. Requires all proceeds received as a result of such auctions to be returned to the Department of the Treasury after deduction of connected expenses incurred by the Department of Education.

Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1995

Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Act of 1995 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of services for the early detection of prostate cancer and certain drug treatments for such cancer. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish fee schedules for such services. Amends Federal law to cover such detection and treatment services for veterans as a preventive health service. Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize appropriations for certain public health programs related to prostate cancer research and education. Directs the Administrator of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research to: (1) conduct and support prostate cancer health services and screening and treatment procedures; and (2) provide for the development, periodic review, and updating of clinically relevant guidelines, standards of quality, performance measures, and medical review criteria.

Lead Battery Recycling Incentives Act

United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1995

Lead Battery Recycling Incentives Act - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate regulations for persons who generate, transport, store, recycle, or dispose of spent lead-acid batteries. Sets forth required elements of such regulations, including specific requirements for battery storage and transfers and recordkeeping and management practices. Directs battery retailers to accept from customers spent lead-acid batteries of the same type and quantity as the batteries sold. Requires the Administrator to implement education activities to inform the public about the environmental and safety hazards associated with improper handling and disposal of spent lead-acid batteries. Authorizes appropriations. Applies such requirements to batteries which are transported to or managed by a lead-acid battery recycling facility, a secondary lead smelter, or any facility that prepares batteries for recycling. Requires producers or importers of lead-acid batteries to recycle, for the ten-year period beginning 24 months after this Act's enactment, an amount of spent lead equal to at least the amount determined by multiplying the amount of lead in the batteries produced or imported by such persons by the recycling percentage established by the Administrator. Authorizes compliance with such requirement by: (1) reclaiming lead and using it in the production of new batteries; (2) purchasing reclaimed lead from secondary lead smelters to produce new batteries or shielding; or (3) purchasing recycling credits. Sets the recycling percentage at 80 percent. Increases such percentage by two points annually. Authorizes the Administrator to reduce or waive the two percent increase if the rate exceeds 95 percent. Directs the Administrator to allow: (1) producers of lead-acid batteries to create credits for recycling an amount of batteries greater than required; and (2) producers of new batteries to purchase such credits for purposes of complying with this Act. Applies battery recycling requirements to persons who produce or import more than 10,000 pounds of new lead-acid batteries annually. Sets the recycling percentage at 90 percent if the Administrator fails to promulgate recycling regulations.

Karl N. Stauber, of Minnesota, to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics. (New Position)

United States · United States Senate · 6 April 1995

Domestic Violence Identification and Referral Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1995

Domestic Violence Identification and Referral Act of 1995 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to give preference, in making grants or contracts under provisions relating to health professions education and provisions relating to nurse education, to certain health professions entities that train students in the identification, examination, treatment, and referral of victims of domestic violence.

Welfare and Medicaid Responsibility Exchange Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Division A: Exchange of Responsibilities for Providing Welfare Assistance and Medical Care Title I: Federal and State Responsibilities During and After the Transition Period Subtitle A: Transition Period Subtitle B: Post-Transition Period Subtitle C: Legislative Proposals Subtitle D: Health Benefits and Coverage Commission Title II: Acute Care Benefits Under the Medicare Program for Elderly Low-Income and Nonelderly Low- Income Disabled Individuals Subtitle A: Eligibility Criteria and Acute Care Benefits for Elderly Low-Income Individuals Subtitle B: Eligibility and Acute Care Benefits for Nonelderly Low-Income Disabled Individuals Subtitle C: Premiums, Coinsurance, and Deductibles Established Without Regard to Additional Costs Title III: Establishment of the Long-Term Care Program Subtitle A: Establishment Subtitle B: Providing Long-Term Care Subtitle C: Requirements for Long-Term Care Contractors Subtitle D: Establishing Long-Term Care Benefits for Certain Individuals Title IV: Ensuring Financing for Federal Health Care for Certain Elderly Low-Income and Nonelderly Low- Income Disabled Individuals Title V: Miscellaneous Provisions Division B: Tax Incentives and Standards for Long-Term Care Insurance Title I: Tax Treatment of Long-Term Care Insurance Title II: Standards for Long-Term Care Insurance Title III: Incentives to Encourage the Purchase of Private Insurance Welfare and Medicaid Responsibility Exchange Act of 1995 - Division A: Exchange of Responsibilities For Providing Welfare Assistance and Medical Care - Title I: Federal and State Responsibilities During and After the Transition Period - Subtitle A: Transition Period - Provides for the termination of AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children), JOBS (Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training Program), WIC (Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children), and food stamp programs over a five- year transition period starting October 1, 1996, shifting financial responsibility to the States for providing similar assistance to low-income individuals, with such cash or non-cash assistance paid for, in part, out of equivalent to the Federal welfare savings. Requires States to provide Medicaid assistance, during such transition period, to certain otherwise eligible individuals who are not welfare- related. Subtitle B: Post-Transition Period - Requires Federal assumption, during the transition period, of Medicaid acute care benefits and long-term care benefits. Authorizes each State, after the transition period, to provide medical care to welfare-related individuals. (Sec. 121) Directs the Health Benefits and Coverage Commission (established under subtitle D of this title) to develop a legislative proposal recommending a certain grant program designed to award grant funds to those States: (1) that experience the greatest loss of Federal funds as a result of program terminations of this title; and (2) contain cities or counties among the least affluent in the United States, and have the greatest need for public services for low-income and disadvantaged individuals. Subtitle C: Legislative Proposals - Specifies other legislative proposals for the Commission to develop. Provides for congressional consideration of implementing bills. Subtitle D: Health Benefits and Coverage Commission - Establishes the Health Benefits and Coverage Commission. Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Acute Care Benefits Under the Medicare Program for Elderly Low-Income and Nonelderly Low-Income Disabled Individuals - Subtitle A: Eligibility Criteria and Acute Care Benefits for Elderly Low-Income Individuals - Requires the legislative proposal developed by the Commission under title I to recommend a category of elderly low-income individuals eligible for benefits under the Medicare program (as amended by this Act), subject to the availability of appropriations. Limits such category to: (1) the elderly individuals eligible for Supplementary Security Income (SSI) under title XVI of the Social Security Act (SSA); (2) elderly individuals who meet a Federal medically needy standard (which may be based on specified factors); and (3) individuals who would have been eligible to receive medical assistance for Medicare cost-sharing as certain kinds of beneficiaries under SSA before enactment of this Act. Requires certain cost projections to accompany such proposal, together with prescribed cost controls. (Sec. 202) Requires such proposal to include specified Medicare benefits for elderly low-income individuals. Subtitle B: Eligibility and Acute Care Benefits for Nonelderly Low-Income Disabled Individuals - Requires such legislative proposal to establish a category of nonelderly low-income disabled individuals. Requires certain cost projections to accompany such proposal, together with prescribed cost controls. (Sec. 212) Requires such proposal to include specified Medicare benefits for nonelderly low-income disabled individuals. Subtitle C: Premiums, Coinsurance, and Deductibles Established Without Regard to Additional Costs - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish premiums, coinsurance, and deductibles for the Medicare program after the transition period without regard to the amount of additional Federal expenditures incurred for providing acute care benefits to elderly low-income and nonelderly low-income disabled individuals. Title III: Establishment of the Long-Term Care Program - Subtitle A: Establishment - Directs the Secretary to establish a long-term care program. Subtitle B: Providing Long-Term Care - Directs the Secretary to establish a procedure for making eligibility determinations under the long-term care program and for periodic reassessment (at least annually, with certain exceptions) of an individual's financial and physical condition. (Sec. 312) Authorizes the Secretary to contract on a statewide, marketwide, or regional basis with any State, local government, community or civic organization, private entity, joint public and private partnership, or fiscal intermediary meeting certain requirements to provide or deliver benefits under the long-term care program. Prescribes requirements for such contracts and contractors. (Sec. 313) Requires the Secretary to provide individuals meeting eligibility criteria with long-term care benefits through any other means if at least one long-term care contractor in their area does not enter into a program contract. (Sec. 314) Sets forth contract terms and the Secretary's powers and duties. Subtitle C: Requirements for Long-Term Care Contractors - Prescribes other general requirements for long-term care contractors, along with needs assessment and individualized plan of care requirements for beneficiaries. (Sec. 323) Requires long-term care contractors to establish: (1) procedures that assure reasonable standards of quality of care consistent with prevailing professionally recognized standards of medical practice; and (2) meaningful procedures for hearing and resolving grievances with eligible individuals. Sets forth appeal procedures for such grievances. (Sec. 325) Requires the Secretary to have access to any contractor or subcontractor records. Subtitle D: Establishing Long-Term Care Benefits for Certain Individuals - Requires the Commission's legislative proposal to recommend national eligibility criteria for elderly or disabled individuals to receive long-term bare benefits, developed according to specified guidelines, and including repeal and replacement of the current Medicaid program with a program established according to this title. Title IV: Ensuring Financing for Federal Health Care for Certain Elderly Low-Income and Nonelderly Low-Income Disabled Individuals - Requires the Secretary to report to the Congress the actual or estimated shortfall, along with a legislative proposal, if the funds appropriated for any fiscal year for acute care benefits and long-term care benefits are, or are estimated to be, insufficient to pay the total Federal expenditures for such purposes. Requires such legislative proposal to include a request for supplemental appropriations together with proposed modifications to eligibility requirements and benefits. Requires the Secretary to modify such benefits, according to specified priorities, if the Congress fails to enact legislation in response to the proposal with 45 days. Title V: Miscellaneous Provisions - Requires an individual to satisfy separately the eligibility requirements for acute care benefits under Medicare and long-term care benefits under the long- term care program. Permits such individual to use the same assets or income to meet the separate eligibility criteria. (Sec. 502) Requires the Secretary, after the transition period, to take all necessary and appropriate steps in administering the Medicare program and the long-term care program to facilitate and encourage opportunities for enrollment in private health care plans and integrated systems of managed care plans by individuals eligible for benefits under this Act. (Sec. 503) Requires the Commission's legislative proposal to recommend modifications to SSI eligibility requirements for children, alcoholics, and drug addicts so that only the most severely disabled among them are eligible for SSI benefits. (Sec. 504) Prescribes information requirements for an annual report to the Congress on implementation of this Act. (Sec. 505) Directs the Commission to study and report to Congress on what legislative and regulatory measures can be taken to integrate acute and long-term care benefits for all elderly and disabled individuals. Division B: Tax Incentives and Standards for Long-Term Care Insurance - Title I: Tax Treatment of Long-Term Care Insurance - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make qualified long-term care expenses deductible medical care expenses. (Sec. 1003) Treats a qualified long-term care insurance policy as an accident and health insurance contract. (Sec. 1004) Excludes qualified long-term care plans from COBRA continuation requirements. (Sec. 1005) Treats any amount distributed to an individual under a life insurance contract (including accelerated death benefits) on the life of a terminally ill individual as an amount paid by reason of the insured's death. Prescribes the tax treatment of companies issuing qualified accelerated death benefit riders. Title II: Standards for Long-Term Care Insurance - Sets forth additional requirements for issuers of long-term care insurance policies. Imposes an excise tax on such issuers who fail to meet such requirements. Title III: Incentives to Encourage the Purchase of Private Insurance - Directs the Secretary to provide for a public information and education program on the benefits of securing long-term care insurance coverage and the risks of not doing so. Authorizes appropriations.

Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Research, Assistance, and Education Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1995

Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Research, Assistance, and Education Act of 1995 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to mandate a program for the conduct and support of research and training, the dissemination of health information, and other programs regarding Parkinson's disease. Establishes the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Parkinson's Disease. Requires Core Center Grants to encourage the development of innovative multidisciplinary research and provide training concerning Parkinson's, designating each grant recipient as a Morris K. Udall Center for Research on Parkinson's Disease. Authorizes establishment of the National Parkinson's Disease Data System to collect, store, analyze, retrieve, and disseminate data. Establishes: (1) the National Parkinson's Disease Information Clearinghouse; (2) a grant program to support scientists who have distinguished themselves in Parkinson's research; and (3) a national education program to foster a national focus on Parkinson's and the care of those with Parkinson's. Authorizes appropriations.

Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1995

Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Act of 1995 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of services for the early detection of prostate cancer and certain drug treatments for such cancer. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish fee schedules for such services. Amends Federal law to cover such detection and treatment services for veterans as a preventive health service. Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize appropriations for certain public health programs related to prostate cancer research and education. Directs the Administrator of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research to: (1) conduct and support prostate cancer health services and screening and treatment procedures; and (2) provide for the development, periodic review, and updating of clinically relevant guidelines, standards of quality, performance measures, and medical review criteria.

Career Preparation Education Reform Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Amendments to the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act Title II: Effective Date; Transition Title III: Amendments to Other Acts Career Preparation Education Reform Act of 1995 - Title I: Amendments to the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act - Amends the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act to revise and rename it the Carl D. Perkins Career Preparation Education Act. (Sec. 101) Sets forth title I part A provisions for Improving State and Local Programs. Requires that title I funds be used to support development, implementation, and improvement of school-to-work opportunities systems in secondary and postsecondary schools (as set forth in the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994). Requires State and local recipients to give priority to specified types of services and activities. Sets forth requirements for State leadership activities and local activities. Allows State and local recipients of assistance under the Act, in supporting school-to-work opportunities systems, to combine funds from programs under the Act, School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994, Goals 2000: Educate America Act, Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), and Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) (the specified Acts). Sets forth requirements for State plans, State administration, local applications, performance goals and indicators, and evaluation, improvement, and accountability. Sets forth title I part B provisions for Allocating State and Local Resources. Revises provisions for allotments, within-State allocation, and distribution of funds at secondary and postsecondary levels. Allows States to distribute funds: (1) using alternative formulas, if they demonstrate to the Secretary of Education that such formulas better meet the purposes of the Act; and (2) to secondary- postsecondary consortia. Establishes a new title II, National Support for State and Local Reforms. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) make one or more performance awards for excellence to one or more States for specified achievements; (2) carry out research, development, dissemination, evaluation, capacity-building, and technical assistance with regard to services and activities under the Act, and coordinate these with related activities under the other specified Acts; (3) support professional development activities for educators to help ensure that all students receive an education that enables them to enter high-skill, high-wage careers, giving priority to new models and innovative forms of instruction, and coordinating these with other related professional development activities; (4) establish one or more national centers in the areas of research, development, and dissemination; and (5) make five-year grants to tribally controlled postsecondary vocational institutions for basic support for educating Indian students. Directs the Secretary to: (1) conduct a national assessment of services and activities assisted under the Act, appoint an independent advisory panel, and submit an interim and a final report to the Congress; (2) maintain a data system to collect information and report on school-to-work opportunities systems and State and local activities under the Act (with specified roles for the Secretary of Labor and the Commissioner of Education Statistics with respect to such data system); and (3) make grants or cooperative agreements for career preparation services and activities for Indians and Native Hawaiians. Sets forth a new title III, General Provisions. Allows any State to request for itself or a local recipient a waiver by the Secretary, or the Secretary of Labor for JTPA, of one or more of certain statutory or regulatory provisions under the Act and other specified Acts, in order to more effectively reform education and develop school-to-work opportunities systems. Excludes the portion of any student financial assistance received under the Act that is made available for certain attendance costs from consideration in determining eligibility for any welfare program funded in whole or in part with Federal funds. Prohibits States from considering payments under the Act in determining for any educational agency or institution its eligibility for or amount of State aid for public education. Provides for identification of State imposed requirements. Prohibits use of funds under the Act for directly providing incentives or inducements for employer relocations from other States. Title II: Effective Date; Transition - Sets forth effective date and transition provisions. Title III: Amendments to Other Acts - Amends the Smith-Hughes Act to terminate at the end of FY 1995 the annual appropriations for payments to States to assist in preparing and paying salaries of educators involved in the teaching of agricultural, trade, home economics, and industrial subjects. Sets forth technical and conforming amendments to the JTPA, Adult Education Act, School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994, ESEA, Goals 2000: Educate America Act, Higher Education Act of 1965, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Displaced Homemakers Self-Sufficiency Assistance Act, Wagner-Peyser Act, Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of Act of 1994, Nontraditional Employment for Women Act, Training Technology Transfer Act of 1988, and certain Federal law added by the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.

Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Amendments Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1995

Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Amendments Act of 1995 - Modifies the boundaries of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor. Requires the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission to revise the Cultural Heritage and Land Management Plan to address the boundary change and include a natural resource inventory of areas or features that should be protected, restored, managed, or acquired because of their contribution to the understanding of national cultural landscape values. Prohibits changes other than minor revisions in the approved plan as amended without the approval of the Secretary of the Interior. Extends the date of termination of the Commission until ten years after this Act's enactment, subject to specified conditions. Directs the Secretary to approve an additional extension if the Secretary finds that: (1) the Governors of Massachusetts and Rhode Island provide adequate assurances of continued tangible contribution and effective policy support toward achieving the purposes of the Corridor; and (2) the Commission is effectively assisting Federal, State, and local authorities to retain, enhance, and interpret the distinctive character and nationally significant resources of the Corridor. Authorizes the Secretary to undertake a limited program of financial assistance for the purpose of providing funds for the preservation and restoration of structures on or eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places within the Corridor which exhibit national significance or provide a wide spectrum of historic, recreational, or environmental education opportunities to the general public. Specifies that nothing in the Act establishing the Corridor shall be construed to affect or authorize the Commission to interfere with: (1) the rights of any person with respect to private property; or (2) any local zoning ordinance or land use plan of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or a political subdivision of such Commonwealth. Increases and extends the authorization of appropriations under the Act.

Career Preparation Education Reform Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Amendments to the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act Title II: Effective Date; Transition Title III: Amendments to Other Acts Career Preparation Education Reform Act of 1995 - Title I: Amendments to the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act - Amends the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act to revise and rename it the Carl D. Perkins Career Preparation Education Act. (Sec. 101) Sets forth title I part A provisions for Improving State and Local Programs. Requires that title I funds be used to support development, implementation, and improvement of school-to-work opportunities systems in secondary and postsecondary schools (as set forth in the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994). Requires State and local recipients to give priority to specified types of services and activities. Sets forth requirements for State leadership activities and local activities. Allows State and local recipients of assistance under the Act, in supporting school-to-work opportunities systems, to combine funds from programs under the Act, School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994, Goals 2000: Educate America Act, Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), and Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) (the specified Acts). Sets forth requirements for State plans, State administration, local applications, performance goals and indicators, and evaluation, improvement, and accountability. Sets forth title I part B provisions for Allocating State and Local Resources. Revises provisions for allotments, within-State allocation, and distribution of funds at secondary and postsecondary levels. Allows States to distribute funds: (1) using alternative formulas, if they demonstrate to the Secretary of Education that such formulas better meet the purposes of the Act; and (2) to secondary- postsecondary consortia. Establishes a new title II, National Support for State and Local Reforms. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) make one or more performance awards for excellence to one or more States for specified achievements; (2) carry out research, development, dissemination, evaluation, capacity-building, and technical assistance with regard to services and activities under the Act, and coordinate these with related activities under the other specified Acts; (3) support professional development activities for educators to help ensure that all students receive an education that enables them to enter high-skill, high-wage careers, giving priority to new models and innovative forms of instruction, and coordinating these with other related professional development activities; (4) establish one or more national centers in the areas of research, development, and dissemination; and (5) make five-year grants to tribally controlled postsecondary vocational institutions for basic support for educating Indian students. Directs the Secretary to: (1) conduct a national assessment of services and activities assisted under the Act, appoint an independent advisory panel, and submit an interim and a final report to the Congress; (2) maintain a data system to collect information and report on school-to-work opportunities systems and State and local activities under the Act (with specified roles for the Secretary of Labor and the Commissioner of Education Statistics with respect to such data system); and (3) make grants or cooperative agreements for career preparation services and activities for Indians and Native Hawaiians. Sets forth a new title III, General Provisions. Allows any State to request for itself or a local recipient a waiver by the Secretary, or the Secretary of Labor for JTPA, of one or more of certain statutory or regulatory provisions under the Act and other specified Acts, in order to more effectively reform education and develop school-to-work opportunities systems. Excludes the portion of any student financial assistance received under the Act that is made available for certain attendance costs from consideration in determining eligibility for any welfare program funded in whole or in part with Federal funds. Prohibits States from considering payments under the Act in determining for any educational agency or institution its eligibility for or amount of State aid for public education. Provides for identification of State imposed requirements. Prohibits use of funds under the Act for directly providing incentives or inducements for employer relocations from other States. Title II: Effective Date; Transition - Sets forth effective date and transition provisions. Title III: Amendments to Other Acts - Amends the Smith-Hughes Act to terminate at the end of FY 1995 the annual appropriations for payments to States to assist in preparing and paying salaries of educators involved in the teaching of agricultural, trade, home economics, and industrial subjects. Sets forth technical and conforming amendments to the JTPA, Adult Education Act, School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994, ESEA, Goals 2000: Educate America Act, Higher Education Act of 1965, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Displaced Homemakers Self-Sufficiency Assistance Act, Wagner-Peyser Act, Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of Act of 1994, Nontraditional Employment for Women Act, Training Technology Transfer Act of 1988, and certain Federal law added by the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.

Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Research, Assistance, and Education Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1995

Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Research, Assistance, and Education Act of 1995 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to mandate a program for the conduct and support of research and training, the dissemination of health information, and other programs regarding Parkinson's disease. Establishes the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Parkinson's Disease. Requires Core Center Grants to encourage the development of innovative multidisciplinary research and provide training concerning Parkinson's, designating each grant recipient as a Morris K. Udall Center for Research on Parkinson's Disease. Authorizes establishment of the National Parkinson's Disease Data System to collect, store, analyze, retrieve, and disseminate data. Establishes: (1) the National Parkinson's Disease Information Clearinghouse; (2) a grant program to support scientists who have distinguished themselves in Parkinson's research; and (3) a national education program to foster a national focus on Parkinson's and the care of those with Parkinson's. Authorizes appropriations.

Tobacco Health Tax and Agricultural Conversion Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1995

Tobacco Health Tax and Agricultural Conversion Act of 1995 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the excise tax on: (1) cigars; (2) cigarettes; (3) cigarette papers and tubes; (4) snuff; and (5) chewing and pipe tobacco. Imposes an additional tax on packs of cigarettes containing fewer than 20 cigarettes. Provides an inflation adjustment of such tax rates. Imposes a tax on the floor stocks of such tobacco products which are removed before October 1, 1995. Imposes such tax on such products entered into the United States from foreign trade zones before such date. Requires tobacco products and cigarette papers and tubes transferred or removed in bond from domestic factories and export warehouses (and thereby exempt from tax) to be appropriately labeled for export. Imposes a civil penalty on any person who sells, relands, or receives tobacco products labeled for export. Restricts the importation of previously exported tobacco products. Repeals the following exemptions from tax: (1) sales to employees of tobacco products manufacturers; (2) sales to the United States; and (3) books of cigarette papers containing 25 or fewer papers. Imposes minimum capacity or activity requirements (prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury) for granting of a permit to commence business as a tobacco products manufacturer or export warehouse proprietor. Imposes an excise tax on the manufacture or importation of roll-your-own tobacco. Establishes in the Treasury the Tobacco Conversion and Health Education Trust Fund (consisting of a Tobacco Conversion Account and a Health Education Account), to which the Secretary shall transfer an amount equivalent to three percent of the net increase in revenues attributable to the tax increases imposed by this Act. Makes funds in the Tobacco Conversion Account available to: (1) assist farmers in converting from tobacco to other crops; and (2) provide grants and loans, including assistance to convert from tobacco production, to communities and persons involved in tobacco growing and tobacco product manufacture who are adversely affected by the tax increases in this Act. Makes funds in the Health Education Account available for expenditures to increase public awareness of health risks, including those of tobacco use. Establishes in the Treasury the National Fund for Medical Research, to which nine percent of the revenues resulting from the tax increases imposed by this Act shall be transferred for distribution to the member institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health. Transfers the balance of the revenues from these increases to the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund.

National Aquaculture Development, Research, and Promotion Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 5 April 1995

National Aquaculture Development, Research, and Promotion Act of 1995 - Amends the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 to establish the Department of Agriculture (Department) as the lead Federal agency for the development of national policy and programs for private aquaculture. (Sec. 5) Authorizes (currently requires) the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) to: (1) establish within the National Agricultural Library a National Aquaculture Information Center; and (2) assign new aquaculture programs to the appropriate Federal agencies. (Sec. 6) Provides for coordination with the aquaculture industry. (Sec. 7) Directs the Secretary to: (1) implement a national policy for private aquaculture; (2) implement a Department Aquaculture Plan; (3) revise the National Aquaculture Development Plan; and (4) treat private aquaculture as a form of agriculture. (Sec. 8) Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out grant and cooperative agreement programs to demonstrate aquaculture's application to environmental enhancement, including a water-borne pollution assessment program. (Sec. 9) Authorizes the Secretary to carry out grant and cooperative agreement programs for Native American fishpond revitalization. (Sec. 10) Authorizes the Secretary to establish aquaculture education programs in secondary and postsecondary vocational schools. (Sec. 11) Authorizes appropriations for aquaculture programs. (Sec. 12) Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to make aquaculture farmers eligible for farm credit assistance. (Sec. 13) Amends the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to authorize the Secretary to establish an international aquaculture information and data collection program. (Sec. 14) Directs the Secretary to report to the Congress with respect to aquaculture information network enhancement. (Sec. 15) Directs the Secretary to develop an aquatic species voluntary quality standards certification plan. (Sec. 16) Directs the Secretary to report to the Congress on progress made in implementing this Act.

Job Creation and Infrastructure Restoration Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 5 April 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Department of Commerce Grants Title II: Public Works and Job Restoration Subtitle A: Jobs 2000 Subtitle B: Employment in Support of Community Renewal Subtitle C: Employment Activities: Repair and Renovation of Educational Facilities Title III: General Provisions Job Creation and Infrastructure Restoration Act of 1995 - Title I: Department of Commerce Grants - Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to make grants to any State or local government for construction, renovation, repair, restoration, or other improvement of local public works projects, including those for which Federal financial assistance is authorized under other titles or Acts. Limits the Federal share to not more than 90 percent of project cost. Prohibits any new grants after the expiration of any three-month period during which the national unemployment rate remains below five percent for each such month, or after September 30, 1999, whichever occurs first. (Sec. 103) Provides for allocation of funds and for preferences. Gives priority to State or local governments with unemployment rates higher than the national average. Requires State and local prioritization of applications. Allows localization of unemployment determinations. (Sec. 105) Sets forth general limitations, including Buy American and minority participation requirements and applicability of laws regarding individuals with disabilities. (Sec. 106) Authorizes appropriations and deems them to be emergency spending. Title II: Public Works and Job Restoration - Subtitle A: Jobs 2000 - Jobs 2000 Act of 1995 - Provides for jobs for the unemployed and underemployed, especially youth, through payments for labor and related costs for: (1) construction, repair, or rehabilitation of community and educational facilities; (2) reclamation and conservation of public lands; and (3) creation, repair, rehabilitation, and restoration of public safety, public transportation, health, social services, and recreation facilities and other activities necessary to the public welfare. (Sec. 203) Sets forth participant eligibility requirements, duration and extent of subsidized employment, participation priorities, special considerations for welfare recipients and veterans, and equal employment opportunities for traditionally underrepresented groups. (Sec. 204) Requires that at least 75 percent of funds made available to any recipient under subtitles B and C be used for wages and related employment benefits for work which the recipient certifies has been performed in authorized activities. Sets forth other limitations on use of funds, except training costs in specified circumstances. Subtitle B: Employment in Support of Community Renewal - Part A: Community Improvement Projects - Requires participants to be employed in community improvement projects in various specified activities under the categories of: (1) repair, rehabilitation, or improvement of public facilities; (2) conservation, restoration, rehabilitation, or improvement of public lands; and (3) public safety, health, social service, and other activities necessary to public welfare. (Sec. 210) Provides for joint programs, public lands projects limitations, eligibility and qualification of administrative entities, allotment of funds, requirements for receipt of funds, reports, and project design priorities and coordination. Part B: Community Improvement and Renewal Activities for Youth Trainees - Authorizes use of funds for wages and benefits for eligible youth for part-time employment up to 32 hours per week in authorized youth trainee activities at a work site of a public or private nonprofit or for-profit employer, in a manner which requires and is consistent with enrollment in high school, an equivalency program, or a program of basic skills, skills training, or employability development for at least eight hours per week. (Sec. 221) Provides for joint programs, youth eligibility requirements, exemption from unemployment duration requirements, priority for the economically disadvantaged, and equitable service for school dropouts. Part C: State Job Programs - Reserves five percent of State allotments for: (1) authorized State-administered programs and activities; (2) special assistance for areas with sudden or severe economic dislocations; (3) State-directed emergency aid to cope with natural disasters; and (4) special assistance to seasonal farmworkers and small farmers in areas with severe economic disruption. (Sec. 231) Sets forth requirements for program and activity selection and design. Subtitle C: Employment Activities: Repair and Renovation of Educational Facilities - Part A: Elementary and Secondary School Facility Improvement Jobs - Requires funds to be made available to any eligible local education agency in an eligible jurisdiction to provide employment to eligible participants in repair, renovation, restoration, or rehabilitation of public school facilities. (Sec. 241) Provides for use of quick-start projects, permitted uses of funds, tribal school projects, allotment of funds, and receipt requirements. Part B: Higher Education Facility Improvement Projects - Requires funds under this part to be made available to higher education institutions in eligible jurisdictions to provide employment to eligible participants in work on repair, restoration, renovation, or rehabilitation of academic facilities. (Sec. 251) Provides for use of quick-start projects, permitted uses of funds, selection of projects, allotment of funds, and receipt requirements. Part C: Special Definitions for Subtitle C - Sets forth special definitions for subtitle C. Part D: Authorization of Appropriations - Authorizes appropriations. Title III: General Provisions - Sets forth general requirements, including wage rates, labor standards, fiscal controls and sanctions, and judicial review procedures.

Youth Development Community Block Grant Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 4 April 1995

Youth Development Community Block Grant Act of 1995 - Establishes a youth development block grant program. (Sec. 5) Authorizes appropriations. Sets forth formulas for allocation of funds to States and for distribution of funds through States to local boards for community-based youth development services. (Sec. 6) Requires establishment of county or multicounty Community Youth Development Boards to receive such assistance and make grants for youth development programs. (Sec. 7) Requires, as a condition for any entity within a State to receive such assistance, establishment or designation of a State entity to receive youth development input, review community youth development plans, monitor operations of community boards, provide technical assistance in developing and implementing community plans, and provide annual reports and audits. (Sec. 8) Directs the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services to: (1) establish a mechanism to receive youth development advice and input; (2) develop and issue national policy goals and a national strategic plan for youth development; (3) establish a system for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of activities funded under this Act; (4) coordinate programs funded under this Act with other Federal programs serving youth and families; and (5) establish a system for providing training and technical assistance to States and local communities to increase their capacity to provide quality youth development services. Authorizes the Assistant Secretary to provide financial assistance to appropriate entities to carry out time-limited, research-based youth development demonstration programs designed to improve the knowledge base of the youth development and youth prevention fields. (Sec. 9) Repeals specified provisions under: (1) certain Federal law relating to the Local Partnership Act; (2) the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 relating to crime prevention programs and to urban recreation and at-risk youth; (3) the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) relating to school dropout demonstration assistance and to drug free schools and communities; (4)the Job Training Partnership Act relating to summer youth employment and training programs; (5) the Public Health Service Act relating to grants for the prevention of alcohol and drug abuse among high-risk youth, and to community coalition demonstration projects to support health and human service needs for minority males; (6) the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 relating to gang-free schools and communities, to mentoring, and to local delinquency programs; (7) the Human Services Reauthorization Act of 1986 relating to demonstration partnership agreements; (8) the Community Services Block Grant Act relating to the National Youth Sports Program; and (9) the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 relating to drug abuse prevention relating to youth gangs and runaway and homeless youth. (Sec. 10) Sets forth conforming amendments to: (1) ESEA relating to school dropout demonstrations; (2) ESEA and the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 relating to drug-free schools and communities; (3) the Job Training Partnership Act; and (4) the National School Lunch Act relating to the National Youth Sports Program. (Sec. 11) Provides for transfer of a limited amount of funds from such repealed programs to the program under this Act.

Federal Acquisition Improvement Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 4 April 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Contract Formation Subtitle A: Competition Statutes Subtitle B: Truth in Negotiations Subtitle C: Procurement Protests Subtitle D: Policy, Definitions, and Other Matters Title II: Contract Administration Subtitle A: Contract Payment Subtitle B: Cost Principles Subtitle C: Claims and Disputes Subtitle D: Miscellaneous Title III: Commercial Items Title IV: Simplified Acquisition Threshold Subtitle A: Threshold Defined Subtitle B: Inapplicability of Laws to Acquisitions At or Below the Simplified Acquisition Threshold Subtitle C: Simplified Procedures Subtitle D: Micro-Purchase Procedures Title V: Acquisition Management Subtitle A: Pilot Programs Subtitle B: Miscellaneous Title VI: Other Procurement-Related Matters Subtitle A: Standards of Conduct/Ethics Subtitle B: Additional Amendments Subtitle C: Intellectual Property Title VII: Small Business and Socioeconomic Laws Subtitle A: Small Business Laws Subtitle B: Socioeconomic Laws Title VIII: Defense International Trade Federal Acquisition Improvement Act of 1995 - Title I: Contract Formation - Subtitle A: Competition Statutes - Part I: Armed Services Acquisitions - Subpart A: Competition Requirements - Amends Federal armed services law to revise competition and other contract requirements to provide for delegation of certain authority. (Sec. 1002) Modifies approval levels for contracts. (Sec. 1003) Defines advisory and assistance services. Subpart B: Planning, Solicitation, Evaluation, and Award - Provides that nothing under any Federal law shall be construed to prohibit an agency from adding, deleting, or tailoring evaluation factors or specifications at any time up until the issuance of a request for final offers, when purchasing commercial items. (Sec. 1012) Authorizes contracting officers to limit the competitive range if they make specified determinations. (Sec. 1013) Provides for pre-award debriefings of excluded offerors. (Sec. 1014) Establishes two-phase selection procedures. Subpart C: Kinds of Contracts - Repeals certain fee limitations, as well as specified provisions relating to architectural and engineering services and employment of outside architects and engineers. Revises provisions applicable to contracts for architectural and engineering services and construction design. Part II: Civilian Agency Acquisitions - Subpart A: Competition Requirements - Amends the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (FPASA) to revise competition and other contract requirements to provide for delegation of certain authority. (Sec. 1052) Modifies approval levels for contracts. (Sec. 1053) Defines advisory and assistance services. (Sec. 1054) Allows justification for use of noncompetitive procedures in order to provide for continued occupancy of leased space. Subpart B: Planning, Solicitation, Evaluation, and Award - Provides that nothing under any Federal law shall be construed to prohibit an agency from adding, deleting, or tailoring evaluation factors or specifications at any time up until the issuance of a request for final offers, when purchasing commercial items. (Sec. 1062) Authorizes contracting officers to limit the competitive range if they make specified determinations. (Sec. 1063) Provides for pre-award debriefings of excluded offerors. (Sec. 1064) Establishes two-phase selection procedures. Subpart C: Kinds of Contracts - Repeals certain fee limitations. Part III: Acquisitions Generally - Repeals a Small Business Act provision for duplicative approval authority. Repeals provisions under the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act for an annual competitive report, a review of regulations for consistency with Federal acquisition regulation, and a biannual report on procurement regulatory activity. Subtitle B: Truth in Negotiations - Part I: Armed Services Acquisitions - Amends Federal armed services law relating to truth in negotiations for armed services acquisitions to revise certain required regulations. Part II: Civilian Agency Acquisitions - Amends FPASA provisions relating to truth in negotiations for civilian agency acquisitions to revise certain required regulations. Revises provisions relating to the status of certain Federal employees' health benefits contracts. Subtitle C: Procurement Protests - Part I: Protests to the Comptroller General - Amends Federal law relating to money and finance to revise requirements that the Comptroller General rule on dispositive motions with respect to protests. (Sec. 1202) Adds provisions relating to frivolous protests. (Sec. 1203) Revises requirements relating to decisions on protests. (Sec. 1204) Prohibits certain awards of costs unless the party has provided the agency a reasonable opportunity to provide relief pursuant to an established administrative procedure for resolution of protests that provides for review by a senior agency official and tolls protest stay periods during pendency of agency review. (Sec. 1205) Provides for availability of funds following resolution of a formal protest or any administrative or judicial challenge. Part II: Protests in the Federal Courts - Amends Federal law relating to the judiciary and judicial procedure to give the U.S. Court of Federal Claims exclusive judicial jurisdiction of federal contract bid protests. Amends Federal law relating to money and finance to declare that specified provisions do not give the Comptroller General exclusive jurisdiction over protests nor affect the right of any interested party to file a protest with the contracting agency or an action in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Part III: Protests in Procurement of Automatic Data Processing - Amends FPASA to revise requirements relating to decisions on protests, and to add provisions relating to interlocutory appeals, suspension of procurement pending protest, dispositive motions, and frivolous protests. (Sec. 1436) Prohibits certain awards of costs unless the party has provided the agency a reasonable opportunity to provide relief pursuant to an established administrative procedure for resolution of protests that provides for review by a senior agency official, and tolls protest stay periods during pendency of agency review. Part IV: General - Amends the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (OFPPA) to add provisions regarding: (1) protests of procurements made through the Federal acquisition computer network under the simplified acquisition threshold; and (2) offeror statements to refrain from protesting procurements. (Sec. 1443) Expresses the sense of the Congress that executive agencies should consider the establishment of their own administrative remedial procedures for the resolution of protests, and that protest stay periods should be tolled during the pendency of such procedures. Subtitle D: Policy, Definitions, and Other Matters - Amends FPASA to: (1) repeal a multi-year limitation on inspection, maintenance, and repair; (2) authorize the Administrator of the General Services Administration to accept and pay for public utility services under a tariff at the lowest applicable rates, without entering into a contract; and (3) make specified funds available for procurement by contract for services of guards, elevator operators, messengers, and custodians without limitation. Title II: Contract Administration - Subtitle A: Contract Payment - Part I: Armed Services Acquisitions - Amends Federal armed services law to add provisions for vestiture of title with respect to acquisitions. Part II: Civilian Agency Acquisitions - Amends FPASA to add provisions for vestiture of title with respect to acquisitions. Subtitle B: Cost Principles - Part I: Civilian Agency Acquisitions - Amends FPASA to make certain contracts for health benefits for Federal employees covered contracts for purposes of applicability of allowable cost principles. Part II: Acquisitions Generally - Directs the Federal Acquisition Registry to identify those costs incurred with respect to a protest that are unallowable under covered contracts. Subtitle C: Claims and Disputes - Amends Federal law relating to the judiciary and judicial procedures to divest Federal district courts of jurisdiction for Federal contract disputes subject to the Contract Disputes Act of 1978. (Sec. 2252) Amends the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 to reduce from 12 months to 90 days the period for a contractor's filing for an action directly on the claim in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (in lieu of appealing the contracting officer's decision to an agency board). Subtitle D: Miscellaneous - Amends Federal law relating to money and finance to eliminate specified provisions relating to accounting for advisory and assistance services. Waives cancellation of funding for: (1) satellite on-orbit incentive fees; and (2) Navy and other Government shipbuilding and conversion. Title III: Commercial Items - Amends OFPPA to revise a definition of commercial items. Title IV: Simplified Acquisition Threshold - Subtitle A: Threshold Defined - Amends OFPPA to define simplified acquisition threshold as: (1) $100,000; or (2) $1 million for the acquisition of services, including construction, when the procurement is conducted as a small business set-aside and if supply items are expected to constitute less than 20 percent of the total value of the contract. Subtitle B: Inapplicability of Laws to Acquisitions At or Below the Simplified Acquisition Threshold - Repeals a provision of the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 relating to inapplicability of certain laws (the Miller Act) to acquisitions at or below the simplified acquisition threshold. Subtitle C: Simplified Procedures - Amends OFPPA to: (1) repeal provisions for duplicative authority for simplified acquisition purchases; (2) conform procurement notice posting thresholds; and (3) provide exemptions from a wait period when using a detailed synopsis and from synopsizing requirements. (Sec. 4205) Repeals a duplicative procurement notice provision under the Small Business Act. Subtitle D: Micro-Purchase Procedures - Amends OFPPA to authorize purchases not greater than $2,500 without obtaining competitive quotations if the purchase price is considered reasonable (removing a requirement for contracting officer determination of this). Title V: Acquisition Management - Subtitle A: Pilot Programs - Amends OFPPA to replace provisions for tests of innovative procurement methods and procedures with provisions for acquisition research demonstration projects in the form of agency test programs to determine whether a specified change in acquisition policies or procedures would result in improved Federal acquisition management. Subtitle B: Miscellaneous - Amends the Department of Energy Organization Act to revise certain administrative procedures. Title VI: Other Procurement-Related Matters - Subtitle A: Standards of Conduct/Ethics - Amends OFPPA to repeal specified provisions relating to procurement integrity. Adds provisions relating to penalties and administrative actions for cases of disclosing and obtaining contractor bid or proposal information or source selection information. Subtitle B: Additional Amendments - Amends Federal armed services law with respect to the inapplicability of a prohibition on gratuities. Subtitle C: Intellectual Property - Amends the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 to revise provisions for cooperative research and development agreements. Adds provisions for Federal agencies to negotiate licensing agreements for copyrights owned by, or voluntarily assigned to, the Government. (Sec. 6101) Adds provisions for Federal agency claims of copyright of certain computer programs. Revises provisions for distribution of royalties received by Federal agencies. (Sec. 6102) Revises employee activities provisions to authorize Federal agencies to allow Government employee authors of computer programs to acquire title to copyright, subject to certain conditions. (Sec. 6103) Amends Federal copyright law to provide an exception to the prohibition on copyright protection for works of the Federal Government. (Sec. 6104) Amends Federal patent law to revise provisions relating to patent rights in inventions made with Federal assistance. Title VII: Small Business and Socioeconomic Laws - Subtitle A: Small Business Laws - Amends the Small Business Act to add provisions relating to direct contracting with certain program participant companies and to small business subcontracting plans, and to revise a reporting requirement on the number of small business subcontract awards. (Sec. 7004) Repeals: (1) the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program Act of 1988; (2) a program for manufacturing contracts through manufacturing application and education centers; and (3) a pilot program for very small business concerns. Subtitle B: Socioeconomic Laws - Repeals the Walsh-Healey Act (relating to public contracts). (Sec. 7102) Amends the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act to: (1) revise provisions relating to biennial reports on Federal procurement; and (2) remove certain provisions relating to requirements for certification and verification. Title VIII: Defense International Trade - Amends Federal law relating to arms export control and foreign military sales authorizations with respect to U.S. companies' competitiveness and the reduction or waiver of certain charges.

Federal Acquisition Improvement Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 4 April 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Contract Formation Subtitle A: Competition Statutes Subtitle B: Truth in Negotiations Subtitle C: Procurement Protests Subtitle D: Policy, Definitions, and Other Matters Title II: Contract Administration Subtitle A: Contract Payment Subtitle B: Cost Principles Subtitle C: Claims and Disputes Subtitle D: Miscellaneous Title III: Commercial Items Title IV: Simplified Acquisition Threshold Subtitle A: Threshold Defined Subtitle B: Inapplicability of Laws to Acquisitions At or Below the Simplified Acquisition Threshold Subtitle C: Simplified Procedures Subtitle D: Micro-Purchase Procedures Title V: Acquisition Management Subtitle A: Pilot Programs Subtitle B: Miscellaneous Title VI: Other Procurement-Related Matters Subtitle A: Standards of Conduct/Ethics Subtitle B: Additional Amendments Subtitle C: Intellectual Property Title VII: Small Business and Socioeconomic Laws Subtitle A: Small Business Laws Subtitle B: Socioeconomic Laws Title VIII: Defense International Trade Federal Acquisition Improvement Act of 1995 - Title I: Contract Formation - Subtitle A: Competition Statutes - Part I: Armed Services Acquisitions - Subpart A: Competition Requirements - Amends Federal armed services law to revise competition and other contract requirements to provide for delegation of certain authority. (Sec. 1002) Modifies approval levels for contracts. (Sec. 1003) Defines advisory and assistance services. Subpart B: Planning, Solicitation, Evaluation, and Award - Provides that nothing under any Federal law shall be construed to prohibit an agency from adding, deleting, or tailoring evaluation factors or specifications at any time up until the issuance of a request for final offers, when purchasing commercial items. (Sec. 1012) Authorizes contracting officers to limit the competitive range if they make specified determinations. (Sec. 1013) Provides for pre-award debriefings of excluded offerors. (Sec. 1014) Establishes two-phase selection procedures. Subpart C: Kinds of Contracts - Repeals certain fee limitations, as well as specified provisions relating to architectural and engineering services and employment of outside architects and engineers. Revises provisions applicable to contracts for architectural and engineering services and construction design. Part II: Civilian Agency Acquisitions - Subpart A: Competition Requirements - Amends the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (FPASA) to revise competition and other contract requirements to provide for delegation of certain authority. (Sec. 1052) Modifies approval levels for contracts. (Sec. 1053) Defines advisory and assistance services. (Sec. 1054) Allows justification for use of noncompetitive procedures in order to provide for continued occupancy of leased space. Subpart B: Planning, Solicitation, Evaluation, and Award - Provides that nothing under any Federal law shall be construed to prohibit an agency from adding, deleting, or tailoring evaluation factors or specifications at any time up until the issuance of a request for final offers, when purchasing commercial items. (Sec. 1062) Authorizes contracting officers to limit the competitive range if they make specified determinations. (Sec. 1063) Provides for pre-award debriefings of excluded offerors. (Sec. 1064) Establishes two-phase selection procedures. Subpart C: Kinds of Contracts - Repeals certain fee limitations. Part III: Acquisitions Generally - Repeals a Small Business Act provision for duplicative approval authority. Repeals provisions under the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act for an annual competitive report, a review of regulations for consistency with Federal acquisition regulation, and a biannual report on procurement regulatory activity. Subtitle B: Truth in Negotiations - Part I: Armed Services Acquisitions - Amends Federal armed services law relating to truth in negotiations for armed services acquisitions to revise certain required regulations. Part II: Civilian Agency Acquisitions - Amends FPASA provisions relating to truth in negotiations for civilian agency acquisitions to revise certain required regulations. Revises provisions relating to the status of certain Federal employees' health benefits contracts. Subtitle C: Procurement Protests - Part I: Protests to the Comptroller General - Amends Federal law relating to money and finance to revise requirements that the Comptroller General rule on dispositive motions with respect to protests. (Sec. 1202) Adds provisions relating to frivolous protests. (Sec. 1203) Revises requirements relating to decisions on protests. (Sec. 1204) Prohibits certain awards of costs unless the party has provided the agency a reasonable opportunity to provide relief pursuant to an established administrative procedure for resolution of protests that provides for review by a senior agency official and tolls protest stay periods during pendency of agency review. (Sec. 1205) Provides for availability of funds following resolution of a formal protest or any administrative or judicial challenge. Part II: Protests in the Federal Courts - Amends Federal law relating to the judiciary and judicial procedure to give the U.S. Court of Federal Claims exclusive judicial jurisdiction of federal contract bid protests. Amends Federal law relating to money and finance to declare that specified provisions do not give the Comptroller General exclusive jurisdiction over protests nor affect the right of any interested party to file a protest with the contracting agency or an action in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Part III: Protests in Procurement of Automatic Data Processing - Amends FPASA to revise requirements relating to decisions on protests, and to add provisions relating to interlocutory appeals, suspension of procurement pending protest, dispositive motions, and frivolous protests. (Sec. 1436) Prohibits certain awards of costs unless the party has provided the agency a reasonable opportunity to provide relief pursuant to an established administrative procedure for resolution of protests that provides for review by a senior agency official, and tolls protest stay periods during pendency of agency review. Part IV: General - Amends the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (OFPPA) to add provisions regarding: (1) protests of procurements made through the Federal acquisition computer network under the simplified acquisition threshold; and (2) offeror statements to refrain from protesting procurements. (Sec. 1443) Expresses the sense of the Congress that executive agencies should consider the establishment of their own administrative remedial procedures for the resolution of protests, and that protest stay periods should be tolled during the pendency of such procedures. Subtitle D: Policy, Definitions, and Other Matters - Amends FPASA to: (1) repeal a multi-year limitation on inspection, maintenance, and repair; (2) authorize the Administrator of the General Services Administration to accept and pay for public utility services under a tariff at the lowest applicable rates, without entering into a contract; and (3) make specified funds available for procurement by contract for services of guards, elevator operators, messengers, and custodians without limitation. Title II: Contract Administration - Subtitle A: Contract Payment - Part I: Armed Services Acquisitions - Amends Federal armed services law to add provisions for vestiture of title with respect to acquisitions. Part II: Civilian Agency Acquisitions - Amends FPASA to add provisions for vestiture of title with respect to acquisitions. Subtitle B: Cost Principles - Part I: Civilian Agency Acquisitions - Amends FPASA to make certain contracts for health benefits for Federal employees covered contracts for purposes of applicability of allowable cost principles. Part II: Acquisitions Generally - Directs the Federal Acquisition Registry to identify those costs incurred with respect to a protest that are unallowable under covered contracts. Subtitle C: Claims and Disputes - Amends Federal law relating to the judiciary and judicial procedures to divest Federal district courts of jurisdiction for Federal contract disputes subject to the Contract Disputes Act of 1978. (Sec. 2252) Amends the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 to reduce from 12 months to 90 days the period for a contractor's filing for an action directly on the claim in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (in lieu of appealing the contracting officer's decision to an agency board). Subtitle D: Miscellaneous - Amends Federal law relating to money and finance to eliminate specified provisions relating to accounting for advisory and assistance services. Waives cancellation of funding for: (1) satellite on-orbit incentive fees; and (2) Navy and other Government shipbuilding and conversion. Title III: Commercial Items - Amends OFPPA to revise a definition of commercial items. Title IV: Simplified Acquisition Threshold - Subtitle A: Threshold Defined - Amends OFPPA to define simplified acquisition threshold as: (1) $100,000; or (2) $1 million for the acquisition of services, including construction, when the procurement is conducted as a small business set-aside and if supply items are expected to constitute less than 20 percent of the total value of the contract. Subtitle B: Inapplicability of Laws to Acquisitions At or Below the Simplified Acquisition Threshold - Repeals a provision of the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 relating to inapplicability of certain laws (the Miller Act) to acquisitions at or below the simplified acquisition threshold. Subtitle C: Simplified Procedures - Amends OFPPA to: (1) repeal provisions for duplicative authority for simplified acquisition purchases; (2) conform procurement notice posting thresholds; and (3) provide exemptions from a wait period when using a detailed synopsis and from synopsizing requirements. (Sec. 4205) Repeals a duplicative procurement notice provision under the Small Business Act. Subtitle D: Micro-Purchase Procedures - Amends OFPPA to authorize purchases not greater than $2,500 without obtaining competitive quotations if the purchase price is considered reasonable (removing a requirement for contracting officer determination of this). Title V: Acquisition Management - Subtitle A: Pilot Programs - Amends OFPPA to replace provisions for tests of innovative procurement methods and procedures with provisions for acquisition research demonstration projects in the form of agency test programs to determine whether a specified change in acquisition policies or procedures would result in improved Federal acquisition management. Subtitle B: Miscellaneous - Amends the Department of Energy Organization Act to revise certain administrative procedures. Title VI: Other Procurement-Related Matters - Subtitle A: Standards of Conduct/Ethics - Amends OFPPA to repeal specified provisions relating to procurement integrity. Adds provisions relating to penalties and administrative actions for cases of disclosing and obtaining contractor bid or proposal information or source selection information. Subtitle B: Additional Amendments - Amends Federal armed services law with respect to the inapplicability of a prohibition on gratuities. Subtitle C: Intellectual Property - Amends the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 to revise provisions for cooperative research and development agreements. Adds provisions for Federal agencies to negotiate licensing agreements for copyrights owned by, or voluntarily assigned to, the Government. (Sec. 6101) Adds provisions for Federal agency claims of copyright of certain computer programs. Revises provisions for distribution of royalties received by Federal agencies. (Sec. 6102) Revises employee activities provisions to authorize Federal agencies to allow Government employee authors of computer programs to acquire title to copyright, subject to certain conditions. (Sec. 6103) Amends Federal copyright law to provide an exception to the prohibition on copyright protection for works of the Federal Government. (Sec. 6104) Amends Federal patent law to revise provisions relating to patent rights in inventions made with Federal assistance. Title VII: Small Business and Socioeconomic Laws - Subtitle A: Small Business Laws - Amends the Small Business Act to add provisions relating to direct contracting with certain program participant companies and to small business subcontracting plans, and to revise a reporting requirement on the number of small business subcontract awards. (Sec. 7004) Repeals: (1) the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program Act of 1988; (2) a program for manufacturing contracts through manufacturing application and education centers; and (3) a pilot program for very small business concerns. Subtitle B: Socioeconomic Laws - Repeals the Walsh-Healey Act (relating to public contracts). (Sec. 7102) Amends the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act to: (1) revise provisions relating to biennial reports on Federal procurement; and (2) remove certain provisions relating to requirements for certification and verification. Title VIII: Defense International Trade - Amends Federal law relating to arms export control and foreign military sales authorizations with respect to U.S. companies' competitiveness and the reduction or waiver of certain charges.

Middle Class Flexible Savings Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 4 April 1995

Middle Class Flexible Savings Act of 1995 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase from $2,000 to $3,000 the maximum deduction allowed to individuals for contributions to individual retirement accounts (IRAs). Increases the income phaseout limits on the deduction for active participants in employer-maintained pension plans. Provides an inflation adjustment for deductible amounts and the phaseout limits beginning after 1995. Allows the full IRA deduction to a spouse who had less than $1,000 of compensation and who has a child under the age of six who is the taxpayer's dependent. Allows distributions from qualified retirement plans without penalty to: (1) pay higher education expenses or business start-up expenditures; (2) pay for certain medical expenses; (3) assist certain unemployed individuals; and (4) purchase first homes. Imposes a minimum tax on certain foreign-owned and foreign corporations.

A resolution commending the 125th anniversary of Allen University, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 3 April 1995

Commends Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina, on its 125th anniversary.

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize States to deny public education benefits to aliens not lawfully present in the United States.

United States · United States Congress · 3 April 1995

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) declare it to be U.S. policy that illegal aliens not be entitled to public education benefits in the same manner as U.S. citizens and lawful resident aliens; and (2) authorize States to deny public education benefits to illegal aliens.

Comprehensive Economic and Environmental Recovery Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 3 April 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Voluntary Environmental Cleanup Title II: National Environmental Business Development Program Title III: National Environmental Response, Remediation, and Restoration Training Programs Subtitle A: National Environmental Response Training Program Subtitle B: National Environmental Remediation and Restoration Training Program Title IV: National Environment-Related Employment Program Comprehensive Economic and Environmental Recovery Act of 1995 - Title I: Voluntary Environmental Cleanup - Authorizes innocent landowners or responsible owners to submit cleanup plans for affected sites to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency for approval. Defines: (1) an "affected site" as a facility that has environmental contamination that could prevent its use, development, reuse, or redevelopment and is limited in scope and can be comprehensively characterized and readily analyzed; (2) an "innocent landowner" as a person who intends to own or who owns an affected site and did not contribute to any contamination or the release of hazardous substances; and (3) a "responsible owner" as a person who owns an affected site on which industrial activities take place. Establishes a Cleanup Loan Fund to provide funding to persons undertaking the development and implementation of approved cleanup plans. Requires liens in favor of the United States to arise on contaminated property subject to a loan. Authorizes civil actions to enforce loan agreements. Provides for the annual transfer of a specified amount of funds from the Hazardous Substance Superfund to the Cleanup Loan Fund. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to include within the tax deduction allowed for trade and business expenses all amounts paid or incurred in preparing and implementing cleanup plans. Title II: National Environmental Business Development Program - Exempts wages paid to an owner-employee (any employee who is a principal shareholder) of an employer which is a new environmental business from social security taxes. Makes such exemption inapplicable to amounts after the first $100,000 paid to such employee. Defines a "new environmental business" as any corporation which: (1) is a small business concern; (2) meets requirements similar to those under the Internal Revenue Code for targeted urban areas; (3) is a new business for the calendar year; and (4) during such year, trains and certifies environmental response employees and emergency responders, employs such individuals, or performs environmental assessments, remediation, or restoration. Provides for a similar exemption from social security taxes for self-employed new environmental businesses. Terminates such exemptions after 2000. Title III: National Environmental Response, Remediation, and Restoration Training Programs - Subtitle A: National Environmental Response Training Program - Directs the Secretary of Labor to establish a National Environmental Response Training Program for purposes of: (1) training and certifying targeted urban area residents who are unemployed and underemployed to become environmental response employees and emergency responders; and (2) providing grants to environmental training providers. Requires the Secretaries of Labor and Education to develop an academic or work-site experience curriculum cooperatively with local educational agencies to enable 11th and 12th grade students to become environmental response employees or emergency responders. Provides for grants to communities for purposes of implementing such curriculum. Subtitle B: National Environmental Remediation and Restoration Training Program - Directs the Administrator to establish an education and training program in qualified institutions of higher education to enable qualified individuals to acquire career training in environmental engineering, environmental sciences, or environmental project management as it relates to hazardous waste response, cleanup, and restoration. Makes eligible for such program persons who have a high school diploma or its equivalence, are enrolled in or accepted into a qualified institution of higher education, and reside in targeted areas. Directs the Secretaries of Defense and Energy and the Administrator to provide grants to qualified institutions of higher education, subject to certain conditions. Requires such institutions to use such funds for purposes of establishing consortium programs to provide education and training in environmental restoration to qualified individuals. Title IV: National Environment-Related Employment Program - Requires Federal agencies authorized to award contracts to carry out environmental or emergency response to give preference to firms that: (1) meet the requirements of the contract; (2) are located in a targeted urban area; and (3) have a payroll in which at least 25 percent of their certified environmental response employees and responders reside in a targeted urban area or, in cases where availability of certified environmental response employees and responders does not allow firms to comply, actively participate in a youth apprenticeship program.

Persons With Disabilities Trusts Tax Rate Restoration Act

United States · United States Congress · 31 March 1995

Persons With Disabilities Trusts Tax Rate Restoration Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the 1993 increase in the rate of income tax as applied to trusts established for: (1) individuals who are disabled; (2) support and maintenance of individuals under age 21 whose parents are deceased; and (3) higher education expenses of the grantor's children or grandchildren.

Telecommunications Act of 1996

United States · United States Congress · 30 March 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Transition to Competition Title II: Removal of Restrictions to Competition Subtitle A: Removal of Restrictions Subtitle B: Termination of Modification of Final Judgement Title III: An End to Regulation Title IV: Obscene, Harassing, and Wrongful Utilization of Telecommunications Facilities Telecommunications Competition and Deregulation Act of 1995 - Title I: Transition to Competition - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 (the Act) to require a local telephone exchange carrier (or class of such carriers) that is determined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to have market power in providing telephone exchange service or telephone exchange access service to: (1) enter into good faith negotiations within 15 days with any telecommunications carrier requesting interconnection with the telephone exchange carrier in order to provide telephone exchange or exchange access service; and (2) provide such interconnection at reasonable, nondiscriminatory rates and in accordance with requirements of this title. Provides minimum standards for any interconnection agreement entered into, including nondiscriminatory access and high-quality interconnection between the carriers. Allows a local exchange carrier, upon receiving a request for interconnection, to negotiate and enter into a binding agreement with the telecommunications carrier without regard to such standards, as long as such agreement: (1) includes a schedule of itemized charges for each service, facility, or function included; and (2) is submitted to the State for approval. Provides for agreement: (1) arbitration by a State at any time during negotiations; and (2) intervention by a State when more than 135 days have passed since the original intervention request. Outlines duties and rights of parties in an intervention proceeding, including the duty to provide all appropriate information and the opportunity to respond. Requires the State proceeding to be conducted in accordance with rules promulgated by the FCC. Requires the State action to be completed no later than 10 months after the date on which the local exchange carrier received the original interconnection request. Outlines provisions concerning: (1) the determination during arbitration or intervention of the charges by the local exchange carrier for an unbundled (no unreasonable conditions on resale or sharing) element of the interconnection; (2) State approval or rejection of an interconnection agreement; (3) the required availability of an interconnection agreement to other telecommunications carriers on the same terms and conditions; (4) the collocation of equipment necessary for interconnection at the premises of the carrier at reasonable charges; (5) FCC promulgation of implementing regulations; (6) FCC authority to act if a State fails to carry out its arbitration or intervention responsibilities; (7) waiver or modification by the FCC or a State of minimum interconnection standards with respect to a rural telephone company; and (8) a State's authority to impose requirements on a telecommunications carrier for intrastate services to further competition in telephone exchange service or exchange access service. (Sec. 102) Prohibits a Bell operating company (BOC)(including any subsidiary and affiliate) which provides telephone exchange service from providing information services, manufacturing services, or interLATA (local access and transport area) services (with exceptions), unless it provides that service through a subsidiary that: (1) is separate from any BOC entity that provides telephone exchange service; and (2) meets specified structural and transactional requirements, such as books, records, officers, directors and employees separate from the BOC. Prohibits any discrimination between a BOC, its subsidiary or affiliate, and any other entity in the provision of goods, services, facilities, and information or in the establishment of standards. Prohibits a BOC subsidiary from marketing or selling telephone exchange services provided by the BOC unless that company permits other entities offering the same or similar services to market and sell its telephone exchange services. Outlines additional requirements for the provision of interLATA services by a BOC. Requires each BOC and its subsidiary or affiliate to protect the confidentiality of proprietary information relating to other common carriers, equipment manufacturers, and customers, with certain exceptions such as bill collection. Authorizes the FCC to grant an exception from any requirement of this section when determined necessary for the public interest, convenience, and necessity. Requires public utility companies which are registered holding companies that provide telecommunications services to provide such service through a separate subsidiary. Directs each State to determine whether public utility companies in their State which provide such service but are not registered holding companies will be required to provide such service through a separate subsidiary. (Sec. 103) Directs the FCC to institute and refer to a Federal- State joint board a proceeding to recommend rules regarding the implementation of provisions with regard to universal service (intra- and inter-state telecommunications services that the FCC determines should be provided at reasonable rates to all Americans, including those in rural and high-cost areas and those with disabilities). Requires the periodic (at least every four years) review of such implementation. Provides Joint Board and FCC deadlines with regard to the provision and implementation of appropriate recommendations. Requires the Joint Board and the FCC to base policies for the preservation and enhancement of universal service on specified principles, including quality services, affordable rates, and access in all regions of the country. Requires all telecommunications providers to contribute in the advancement of universal service. Prohibits telecommunications carriers from subsidizing competitive services with revenues from services that are not competitive. (Sec. 104) Directs the FCC (in the case of interstate service) or a State (in the case of intrastate service), when more than one telecommunications carrier serves a geographic area, to determine which carrier is best able to provide universal service to the community and to designate that carrier as an essential telecommunications carrier (ETC) for that community. Sets forth ETC obligations in the provision of such service. Allows multiple ETC designations for an area. Directs the FCC or a State, as appropriate, to establish rules for the resale of universal service, requiring the carrier whose facilities are being resold to be adequately compensated for their use. Allows, under specified rules, an ETC to relinquish such designation if another ETC is designated for the same area. Provides for: (1) enforcement proceedings against an ETC refusing to provide appropriate universal service; and (2) the designation of an ETC for interexchange services for any unserved community or portion thereof requesting such services. (Sec. 105) Makes provisions of the Act prohibiting foreign investment and ownership in telecommunications licenses, facilities, and equipment inapplicable to foreign representatives when the FCC determines that the foreign country of such representative provides equivalent market opportunities for common carriers to the United States or its citizens. Repeals such exemption when such equal opportunity ceases. (Sec. 106) Directs the FCC to prescribe regulations that require certain local telephone exchange carriers to make available to any qualifying carrier (an ETC) such public switched network infrastructure, technology, information, and telecommunications facilities and functions as may be requested for the provision of telecommunications services, or access to such services, in the service area of an ETC. Requires a local exchange carrier entering into an agreement under this section to provide to each party of the agreement timely information on the planned deployment of telecommunications services and equipment, including necessary software. Title II: Removal of Restrictions to Competition - Subtitle A: Removal of Restrictions - Amends the Act to prohibit any State or local statute or regulation from prohibiting the ability of any entity to provide any interstate or intrastate telecommunications services. Authorizes the FCC to immediately preempt the enforcement of any statute that is found to so interfere. Protects the rights of any cable operator engaged in the provision of telecommunications services, prohibiting any franchise or additional conditions from being imposed on such operator for such services. (Sec. 202) Authorizes a State, under certain conditions, to require a direct-to-home satellite service provider who is subject to the personal jurisdiction of the State to collect and remit a State and local sales tax with respect to the provision of such services. Provides nondiscrimination provisions. Exempts the direct-to-home satellite service from other local taxes or fees for such services. (Sec. 203) Provides that any telecommunications carrier, including a BOC, which carries or provides video programming provided by others through a common carrier video platform shall not be considered a cable operator providing cable service and therefore shall not be subject to certain cross-ownership restrictions under the Act. Requires BOCs, in order to receive such exemption, to: (1) provide facilities, services, or information to all programmers on the same terms and conditions as provided to its own video programming operations; and (2) not subsidize its video programming with revenues from its telecommunications services. Outlines provisions concerning rates, access, and certain procedural safeguards (through FCC regulations) and enforcement provisions with respect to the provision of video programming through a common carrier video platform. (Sec. 204) Authorizes the FCC to consider a rate for cable programming services as unreasonable only if it substantially exceeds the national average rate for comparable services. Includes as "effective competition" under the Act a situation where a local exchange carrier offers video programming services directly to subscribers, either over a common carrier video platform or as a cable operator, in the franchise area of an unaffiliated cable operator which is also providing cable service in that franchise area. (Sec. 205) Authorizes a cable television system to use utility pole attachments to provide cable service or any other telecommunications service. Requires a utility owning a pole to provide a cable television system with nondiscriminatory access to such pole for such purposes. Directs the FCC to prescribe regulations to ensure that such utilities charge just, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory rates for such pole attachments. (Sec. 206) Authorizes any utility and its subsidiary or affiliate (other than a public utility holding company that is an associate company of a registered holding company) to engage in any activity necessary or appropriate for the provision of telecommunications services, information services, or other services or products subject to FCC jurisdiction under the Act. Prohibits the Securities and Exchange Commission from regulating such activities. Allows the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or a State commission to exercise its authority to prohibit the cross-subsidization of such activities. Requires the maintenance of separate books and accounts with regard to such activities by any subsidiary or affiliate that is an associated company of a registered holding company. Allows for independent audits, upon State request, of such subsidiaries or affiliates with respect to such activities. (Sec. 207) Authorizes the FCC, under certain conditions, to allow licensees to make use of the advanced television spectrum for the transmission of ancillary or supplementary services. Authorizes the FCC to collect fees for the use of such spectrum from licensees that charge subscribers for advanced television spectrum services. Requires such licensee to establish that such services are in the public interest. Increases from 25 to 35 percent the amount of national audience a single broadcast licensee may reach. Increases the term of license renewal for television licenses from five to ten years and for radio licenses from seven to ten years. Revises the broadcast license renewal procedures to allow such renewal if the FCC finds that: (1) the station has served the public interest, convenience, and necessity; (2) there have been no serious violations by the licensee of the Act or FCC rules and regulations; and (3) there have been no other violations which, taken together, would constitute a pattern of abuse. Subtitle B: Termination of Modification of Final Judgment - Establishes the criteria to be used by the FCC to determine when a BOC may provide interLATA services in the region in which it is the dominant provider of wireless telephone exchange service or exchange access service. Allows such BOC to provide such services only if it has reached an interconnection agreement which meets the requirements of a competitive checklist, including nondiscriminatory access to specified services. States that, until a BOC is authorized to provide interLATA services in a telephone exchange area, a telecommunications carrier may not jointly market telephone exchange or exchange access service purchased from such a BOC with interexchange services offered by that telecommunications carrier. Prohibits the FCC from limiting or extending the requirements of the competitive checklist. Outlines provisions concerning: (1) a BOC application for the provision of interLATA services in an appropriate area; (2) FCC determination and approval of such application and publication of results in the Federal Register; and (3) judicial review and judgment with respect to an approval. Requires a BOC granted such approval to provide interLATA toll dialing parity throughout the market area coincident with its exercise of authority. Authorizes a BOC or its subsidiary or affiliate to provide interLATA services in an area where it is not the dominant provider of telephone exchange or exchange access services upon the date of enactment of this Act. Authorizes such BOC to provide certain incidental services, with limitations. Provides that a person engaged in the provision of commercial mobile services shall not be required to provide equal access to interexchange telecommunications carriers unless required to do so under the Act. (Sec. 222) Provides that a BOC authorized to provide interLATA services under this Act shall be authorized by the FCC to: (1) manufacture and provide telecommunications equipment; and (2) manufacture customer premises equipment, subject to specified requirements and related regulations. Requires such manufacturing to be carried out through a separate subsidiary or affiliate of such BOC, with appropriate requirements of separation (books, accounts, officers, and employees) maintained. Requires a manufacturing subsidiary of a BOC to make available to local exchange carriers telecommunications equipment and related software that is manufactured by such subsidiary as long as there is demand for such equipment. Prohibits a BOC from discriminating among such local exchange carriers with respect to bids for services or equipment, the standards or certification of equipment, or the sale of telecommunications equipment and software. Requires the protection of proprietary information. Allows a BOC to engage in close collaboration with manufacturers of customer premises or telecommunications equipment not affiliated with a BOC during the design and development of equipment hardware and software. Provides for the administration and enforcement of such requirements through FCC regulations and appropriate civil actions. (Sec. 223) States that nothing in this Act is intended to prohibit a BOC from engaging in any activity authorized by an order pursuant to the Modification of Final Judgment, if such order was entered on or before the date of enactment of this Act. (Sec. 224) Provides specific penalties for violations of provisions of this Act relating to interconnection authority, separate subsidiary and safeguard requirements, and the authority of a BOC to provide interLATA telecommunications services. (Sec. 225) Authorizes a BOC to provide alarm monitoring services three years after the date of enactment of this Act if the BOC has been authorized by the FCC to provide interLATA services. Requires the FCC to establish rules governing the provision of such services by a BOC. Provides an exception to the three-year waiting requirement in the case of alarm monitoring services provided by a BOC that was engaged in the provision of such services as of December 31, 1994, as long as certain conditions are met. Title III: An End to Regulation - Directs the FCC and the States to: (1) provide telecommunications carriers with pricing flexibility in the rates charged to consumers for telecommunications services; (2) ensure that residential telephone rates remain just, reasonable, and affordable as competition develops for telephone exchange service and telephone exchange access service; and (3) adopt alternative forms of regulation for Tier 1 telecommunications carriers as part of a plan that includes the advancement of competition and other measures designed to protect the consumer. Authorizes the FCC and the States to establish: (1) rates for services included within universal service; and (2) a residential telephone rate where only a single carrier provides such service in a market, but to cease such rate regulation when determined no longer necessary for the protection of consumers. Provides for a transition plan. Requires local telephone exchange carriers to provide subscriber list information to anyone, upon request, on a timely, unbundled, and nondiscriminatory basis. (Sec. 302) Directs the FCC (with respect to Federal regulations) and a Federal-State Joint Board (with respect to State regulations) to biennially review and make appropriate determinations with respect to all regulations applicable to telecommunications services. (Sec. 303) Authorizes the FCC, upon making certain determinations, to forbear from applying any regulation or provision of the Act to a telecommunications carrier or service in any or some of their geographic markets. Requires the FCC, within those determinations, to consider whether such forbearance will promote competitive market conditions. (Sec. 304) Requires the FCC and each State telecommunications commission to encourage the deployment of advanced telecommunications capability to all Americans. Requires the FCC to regularly initiate a notice of inquiry concerning such availability. (Sec. 305) Directs the FCC to undertake the termination or modification of regulations and provisions of the Act as necessary to implement the changes made under this Act. (Sec. 306) Provides that any ship documented under U.S. laws operating under the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System provisions of the Safety of Life at Sea Convention shall not be required to be equipped with a radio telegraphy station operated by one or more radio officers or operators. (Sec. 307) Requires local exchange carriers to make available: (1) interim telecommunications number portability beginning on the date of enactment of this Act; and (2) final number portability when the FCC determines such to be technically feasible. Requires the neutral administration of a nationwide numbering system, with costs to be borne by all telecommunications carriers. (Sec. 308) Requires the manufacturer of telecommunications and customer premises equipment or a provider of telecommunications service to ensure that the equipment is designed, developed, and fabricated to be accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, if readily achievable. Sets forth standards. Requires closed captioning when readily achievable. Provides exemptions from such requirements. Provides for: (1) studies; (2) regulations; and (3) enforcement. (Sec. 309) Prohibits a State, except for the adoption of specified minimally restrictive statutes or regulations, from waiving or modifying the requirements of this Act concerning interconnection agreements. Authorizes the FCC to preempt any State statute or regulation found to be inconsistent with FCC regulations or unreasonably discriminatory in their application. (Sec. 310) Requires designated ETCs, upon request, to provide at affordable and reasonable rates: (1) telecommunications services necessary for the provision of health care services to persons residing in rural areas; and (2) universal service to elementary and secondary schools and libraries for the provision or receipt of educational services. Directs the FCC to establish rules for the enhancement of the availability of advanced telecommunications and information services to elementary and secondary school classrooms, health care providers, and libraries. Requires appropriate interconnection. (Sec. 311) Prohibits any BOC that provides payphone or telemessaging service from: (1) subsidizing such services with revenues from its telephone exchange or exchange access service; or (2) preferring or discriminating in favor of its payphone or telemessaging service. Requires implementing regulations. Title IV: Obscene, Harassing, and Wrongful Utilization of Telecommunications Facilities - Communications Decency Act of 1995 - Amends the Act to prohibit the use of any telecommunications device (currently, only the telephone) by a person not disclosing his or her identity in order to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person. Prohibits the repeated use of a telecommunications device solely for harassment purposes. Prohibits a person from allowing the use of any telecommunications facility (currently, telephone facility) in his or her control for such purposes. Prohibits the use of a telecommunication device (currently, telephone) for making indecent communications for commercial purposes to children under age 18. Increases the fine and maximum sentence for such violations. Provides defenses to such violations, including one for persons whose actions are limited solely to the provision of access to certain communications. (Sec. 403) Increases from $10,000 to $100,000 the maximum fine for: (1) transmission over a cable system of obscene or otherwise unprotected material; and (2) broadcasting obscene language on the radio. (Sec. 405) Includes digital communications among those communications protected by the Act from unauthorized interception and disclosure. (Sec. 406) Prohibits a party calling a toll-free telephone number from being assessed a charge by virtue of being asked to connect or otherwise transfer to a pay-per-call service. (Sec. 407) Requires cable television operators, upon subscriber request and at no charge, to fully scramble or otherwise block the audio and video portions of programs unsuitable for children. (Sec. 408) Authorizes a cable operator to refuse to transmit any public access or leased access program or portion thereof which contains obscenity, indecency, or nudity.

Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 30 March 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Reductions in Government Overregulation Subtitle A: The Home Mortgage Process Subtitle B: Amendments to the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 Subtitle C: Payment of Interest Act Title II: Streamlining Government Regulation Subtitle A: Eliminating Unnecessary Regulatory Requirements and Procedures Subtitle B: Eliminating Unnecessary Costs and Paperwork Burdens Subtitle C: Eliminating Unnecessary Reporting Requirements Subtitle D: Regulatory Micromanagement Title III: Regulatory Impact on Cost of Credit and Credit Availability Subtitle A: Lowering Compliance Costs to Promote Credit Availability Subtitle B: Disincentives to Risk-Taking Subtitle C: Miscellaneous Nonsupervisory Reforms Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 - Title I: Reductions in Government Overregulation - Subtitle A: The Home Mortgage Process - Part I: Regulatory Simplification and Uniformity - Amends the Truth in Lending Act (TLA) and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) to require the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Board) to: (1) eliminate, modify, or simplify disclosure requirements if such action results in uniformity with other statutory disclosure requirements relating to credit transactions; and (2) proscribe imposition of any disclosure requirement unless its effect is to eliminate, modify, or simplify any disclosure required under this Act. (Sec. 103) Exempts from TLA disclosure requirements transactions that the Board determines: (1) are not necessary to effectuate its purposes; or (2) do not provide a measurable benefit in the form of useful information or consumer protection. (Sec. 104) Amends RESPA to repeal requirements that: (1) a federally related mortgage lender disclose to a mortgage loan applicant the servicing of any such mortgages the lender has assigned, sold or transferred during the most recent three calendar years; and (2) a lender that does not service federally related loans similarly disclose any intention to assign, sell or transfer such servicing. Repeals the mandate for model disclosure statements. Excises from the definition of "federally related mortgage loan" any loan secured by a subordinate lien on residential real property (thereby removing second mortgages from RESPA requirements). Directs the Board to ensure that regulations pertaining to the business credit exemption from RESPA jurisdiction include all business credit exempted from the TLA. Part II: Clarifications to Reduce Costs and Regulatory Burdens - Amends the TLA to exempt from its disclosure requirements any credit transactions involving consumers with an annual earned income of more than $200,000 or having net assets in excess of $1,000,000 at the time of the transaction. (Sec. 112) Revises disclosure requirements for adjustable rate home mortgages to permit as an alternative to the currently required table illustration, a statement that a monthly payment may increase or decrease significantly due to annual percentage rate increases. Grants creditors the option of disclosing, in any variable interest rate residential mortgage transaction that is not an open end credit plan, either a statement that the monthly payment may change substantially, or an historical example illustrating the effects of interest rate changes implemented according to the loan program. (Sec. 113) Excludes from the determination of the finance charge for any consumer credit transaction fees imposed by third party closing agents (including settlement agents, attorneys, escrow and title companies) that are neither expressly required nor retained by the creditor (thereby exempting such amounts from TLA disclosure requirements). Exempts from the computation of a finance charge, if they are otherwise itemized and disclosed, certain: (1) taxes on security instruments or evidences of indebtedness; and (2) fees for preparation of loan-related documents and attending or conducting settlement. (Sec. 114) Exempts from the right of rescission certain refinancings or consolidations of debt that are secured by a lien on a consumer's principal dwelling. (Sec. 115) Permits finance charge disclosures for certain consumer credit transactions secured by real property or a dwelling to vary within an accuracy tolerance range of $100. Sets guidelines for per diem interest rate disclosures consumer credit transactions. (Sec. 116) Shields a creditor or assignee from liability in connection with disclosures of: (1) certain fees and charges; and (2) finance charges that fall within certain statutory tolerance limits. (Sec. 117) Modifies the guidelines delimiting an obligor's period of rescission to preclude a consumer from asserting rescission in any action after the earlier of: (1) expiration of the three-year period beginning on the transaction consummation date; or (2) the date of the sale of the property securing an extension of credit. (Sec. 118) Modifies assignee liability guidelines to provide that a violation is apparent on the face of the disclosure statement if the disclosure does not use the format required by law. Prescribes guidelines under which the servicer of a consumer obligation arising from a consumer credit transaction shall not be treated as the assignee of such obligation. (Sec. 119) Repeals the bona fide personal financial emergency condition placed upon exercise of the Board's authority to modify or waive rescission rights arising from a consumer credit transaction. Subtitle B: Amendments to the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 - Amends the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (CRA) to prohibit the appropriate Federal regulatory agency, in the course of examining a financial institution, from imposing recordkeeping or reporting requirements that do not have the effect of eliminating, streamlining, or reducing regulatory burdens upon such institution. (Sec. 132) Exempts small-sized banks with total assets under $250 million from CRA jurisdiction. (Sec. 133) Prescribes guidelines under which each appropriate Federal regulatory agency shall: (1) publish its examination schedule; and (2) provide opportunity for community comment. Authorizes the agency to reconsider, upon request, the rating of an institution. (Sec. 134) Defines a "special purpose bank" as one that does not generally accept deposits from the public in amounts less than $100,000, such as a credit card bank or a trust bank. Mandates that, in assessing the record of special purpose banks in meeting community credit needs, the appropriate Federal regulatory agency: (1) take into consideration the nature of the businesses of such banks; and (2) develop standards under which they may be deemed to comply with CRA requirements consistent with the specific nature of such businesses. Requires the agency, in assessing any financial institution, to give positive consideration to investments and loans made by such institutions that provide benefits to distressed communities, regardless of whether or not the communities are located within the service area of the financial institution. Subtitle C: Payment of Interest Act - Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 to retitle the Truth in Savings Act as the "Payment of Interest Act". Repeals: (1) the finding of the Congress that uniform disclosure of interest and fees charged on consumer deposit accounts strengthens consumer ability to make informed decisions and verify deposit accounts; and (2) the stated purpose of the Truth in Savings Act requiring clear, uniform disclosure of interest rates payable on deposit accounts and the fees assessable against them. Declares instead that: (1) the Truth in Savings Act created unnecessary paperwork, compliance, and liability burdens for depository institutions without enhancing consumer ability to make informed decisions; and (2) the purpose of the Payment of Interest Act is to repeal unnecessary disclosure requirements while retaining the requirement that interest be paid on the full amount of principal in the account for each day of the stated calculation period at the interest rate disclosed by the depository institution. Repeals: (1) the uniform disclosure requirements for interest rates and fees, including annual percentage yields, minimum account and time requirements, and interest penalties; and (2) the proscription against misleading descriptions of free or no-cost accounts, and misleading or inaccurate advertisements. Repeals current law that a depository institution: (1) maintain and distribute a schedule of fees, interest rates, and account restrictions written in readily understood format for each class of accounts being offered; (2) notify account holders of any changes in the schedule; and (3) clearly and conspicuously disclose with each periodic statement to account holders the annual percentage yield earned, the amount of interest earned, the amount of fees or charges imposed, and the number of days in the reporting period. Repeals civil liability guidelines governing class actions. Modifies depository institution liability regarding: (1) notification and adjustment for errors; and (2) continuing and subsequent depository institution failure to pay interest. Title II: Streamlining Government Regulation - Subtitle A: Eliminating Unnecessary Regulatory Requirements and Procedures - Amends the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (BHCA) to set forth financial and managerial criteria under which an acquisition of shares by a bank holding company, or a merger or consolidation between registered bank holding companies, shall be deemed to be approved. (Current law requires prior Board approval). (Sec. 202) Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDIA) to set forth conditions under which prior approval is not required for any merger, consolidation, asset acquisition, or liabilities assumption, involving only insured depository institutions subsidiaries of the same depository institution holding company. (Sec. 203) Permits any insured depository institution to participate in optional conversion transactions between members of the Bank Insurance Fund and the Savings Association Insurance Fund without the prior written approval of the responsible agency. Repeals: (1) agency guidelines for approval; and (2) the prohibition against transactions which result in the transfer from one Federal deposit insurance fund to the other. Makes the sole criterion for authorization of a conversion transaction without approval that the acquiring, assuming, or resulting depository institution will meet all applicable capital requirements upon consummation of the transaction. (Sec. 204) Amends the Revised Statutes, the Federal Reserve Act (FRA), and the FDIA to delineate conditions under which prior approval is not required for banks under their purview to establish and operate a branch or seasonal agency. (Sec. 205) Amends the Home Owners' Loan Act to remove from its regulatory purview a bank holding company subject to the BHCA. Revises the definition of "savings and loan holding company" to exclude a bank holding company under BHCA jurisdiction. Provides that acquisition of a savings association by a bank holding company under BHCA jurisdiction obviates approval by the Director of the Office of Thrift Supervision. (Sec. 206) Amends the Revised Statutes to repeal the aggregate minimum capital requirements imposed upon a national banking association and its branches. (Sec. 207) Amends the Revised Statutes and the FDIA to exclude from the definition of "branch" an automated teller machine or remote service unit (thus exempting those entities from the approval requirements of such Acts). (Sec. 208) Amends the FRA to prescribe regulatory approval guidelines for investments in bank premises by well capitalized and well managed banks. (Sec. 209) Amends the BHCA to repeal the provision that shares transferred by a bank holding company to a transferee under its control are deemed to be under the holding company's control (thus subject to specified approval requirements). (Sec. 210) Amends the FDIA to repeal the requirement that the appropriate Federal banking agency be notified prior to the appointment or addition of a new director or senior executive officer if the affected insured depository institution or depository institution holding company: (1) has been chartered less than two years; or (2) has undergone a change in control within the preceding two years. Retains such prior notice requirement for troubled insured depository institutions or depository institution holding companies only if the agency determines that prior notice is appropriate. Extends from 30 days up to 90 days the period during which, following notice, the agency may disapprove board of directors or senior executive officer appointments by such institutions or companies. (Sec. 211) Amends the Depository Institutions Management Interlocks Act to revise the prohibition on dual service of management officials to raise the asset-size thresholds of the depository institutions or depository holding companies to which the prohibition applies. Authorizes Federal banking regulatory agencies to adjust such thresholds for inflation. Repeals the 20-year exemption from the dual service prohibition for certain grandfathered directors and management officials (thus permitting them to continue their dual service permanently). Repeals the requirement that each appropriate Federal depository institutions regulatory agency: (1) review according to prescribed criteria the petition of a management official to serve in more than one position (interlocking directorate); and (2) determine whether continuation of such dual service produces an anti-competitive effect. Repeals the criteria governing regulatory approval of management interlocks. (Sec. 212) Amends the FRA to exempt from its proscription against preferential terms in credit extensions to executive officers, directors, or principal shareholders (insider lending) any credit extensions made pursuant to a benefit or compensation program widely available to employees of the member bank. Includes such credit extensions in the Board's authority to waive the proscription against such preferential terms for certain executive officers and directors of controlling nonbank affiliates. Repeals the reporting requirement that: (1) an executive officer of a member bank indebted to another bank submit a written report of such debt to the member bank's board of directors; and (2) a member bank include in its statutory condition of report all loans made since its previous report. Amends the FDIA to repeal Federal banking agency authority to require banks to disclose credit extensions made to their executive officers or principal shareholders. Amends the Bank Holding Company Act Amendments of 1970 to repeal the requirement that bank executive officers and stockholders who own more than a ten percent controlling interest report to the bank's board of directors regarding any credit extensions made to them by a bank maintaining a correspondent account. (Sec. 213) Amends the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council Act of 1978 to abolish the Appraisal Subcommittee. Amends the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 to transfer the functions of the Appraisal Subcommittee to the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council. (Sec. 214) Amends the FDIA to exclude automated teller machines and specified bank branches from the definition of "banking branch" (thus exempting them from Federal bank closure notification requirements). Makes such exemption retroactive to the effective date of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991. (Sec. 215) Amends the International Banking Act of 1978 to replace the Board's authority to order a foreign bank to terminate its branch activities in the United States with authority to recommend to the appropriate Federal or State bank official that such branch's license be terminated. Revises the examination guidelines for foreign banks to: (1) direct the Board to rely upon reports of examinations made by the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and State bank supervisors (currently the Board coordinates such examinations); and (2) subject a foreign bank to the same on-site examination schedules and cost-of-examination assessments as are imposed upon U.S. banks. Modifies procedural guidelines for Board review of foreign bank applications to establish a U.S. presence. Subtitle B: Eliminating Unnecessary Costs and Paperwork Burdens - Amends the FDIA to: (1) expand from 18 months to 24 months the discretionary timeframe for mandatory on-site examinations of certain small-sized depository institutions; and (2) increase from $175 million to $250 million the asset-size ceiling on the meaning of "small depository institution" which Federal banking agencies may in their discretion determine for examination purposes. (Sec. 222) Amends the Right to Financial Privacy Act to require a Government authority to reimburse a financial institution for assembling or providing financial records pertaining to corporate customers. (Sec. 223) Directs the Federal Financial Institutions Examinations Council, and each Federal banking agency represented on it, to review and report to the Congress on Federal banking regulations at least every ten years to identify unnecessary regulatory requirements imposed upon insured depository institutions.Requires the Council or the pertinent banking agency to eliminate unnecessary regulations to the extent appropriate. Subtitle C: Eliminating Unnecessary Reporting Requirements - Amends the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (CRA) to prohibit the imposition upon financial institutions of: (1) recordkeeping requirements that do not result in eliminating, streamlining or reducing regulatory burdens upon the institutions; or (2) loan data collection and reporting requirements. Prohibits public disclosure of loan data by any Federal financial supervisory agency. (Sec. 232) Amends the Federal Home Loan Bank Act (FHLBA) to exempt financial institutions meeting specified criteria from its community support requirements. (Sec. 233) Amends Federal monetary law to: (1) reduce mandatory identification procedures for monetary transactions; and (2) repeal identification reporting requirements regarding certain financial institution customers of depository institutions. (Sec. 235) Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 to repeal the mandate that: (1) insured depository institutions include information on small businesses and small farm lending in their annual reports of condition; and (2) the Board publish annually information on credit availability to small businesses. (Sec. 236) Amends the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act of 1975 to increase from $10 million to $50 million the maximum asset-size of institutions exempt from its purview. Authorizes the Board to exempt from the Act's disclosure requirements institutions whose asset-size is at least $50,000000 if the burden of compliance outweighs the usefulness of the requisite information. Declares that a depository institution shall be deemed to have satisfied the public availability requirements with respect to its mortgage loan transactions if its branch offices provide notice of the availability upon request of such information from the home office. (Sec. 237) Amends FDIA guidelines governing a change in control of insured depository institutions to repeal mandatory reporting by financial institutions (or affiliates) of any loans secured by 25 percent or more of any class of shares of an insured depository institution (stock loans). Subtitle D: Regulatory Micromanagement - Amends the Revised Statutes regarding national banking association director qualifications to extend to all such associations the Comptroller of the Currency's authority to waive citizenship requirements for a minority of the association's directors. Allows the Comptroller to waive State residency requirements. (Sec. 242) Sets a deadline by which each Federal banking agency and the National Credit Union Administration Board must eliminate regulations which require insured depository institutions and credit unions to produce unnecessary internal written policies. (Sec. 243) Amends the FDIA to increase the number of members of the FDIC Board of Directors from five to six. Mandates that one director be appointed from among individuals serving as State bank commissioners or supervisors. Limits such appointment to a single two-year term served without compensation. Limits eligibility to serve as Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of the FDIC Board to residentially appointed directors. Title III: Regulatory Impact on Cost of Credit and Credit Availability - Subtitle A: Lowering Compliance Costs to Promote Credit Availability - Amends FDIA guidelines for improved accountability in financial management to: (1) eliminate the use of an independent public accountant to detect and report violations of law by an insured depository institution or depository institution holding company; (2) alter independent audit committee composition from one composed entirely of outside directors independent of institution management, to one composed of a majority of such independent directors; and (3) require each appropriate Federal banking agency to exempt from the independent audit committee requirement any insured depository institution that has encountered hardships in retaining competent directors on such committee. (Sec. 302) Amends the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and the Fair Housing Act to prohibit an enforcing agency from acquiring or using reports generated by any creditor-conducted review of lending operations to determine compliance with such Acts (thereby encouraging creditors to self-test for compliance with the Acts). (Sec. 303) Amends the Home Owners' Loan Act to revise the exemption from certain non-qualified thrift lender restrictions of specialized savings associations serving transient military personnel to repeal a specified requirement with respect to the association's savings and loan holding company. (Sec. 304) Repeals Federal savings association (association) authority to issue credit cards or engage in credit card operations. Permits an association to deal in credit card loans or education loans without being subject to a percentage-of-assets limitation. Raises from ten percent to 20 percent the percentage-of-assets-limitations ceiling placed upon commercial and agricultural loans offered by an association. Restricts loan amounts exceeding ten percent of an association's total assets to loans made to small businesses. Repeals the five-percent-of-assets loan restriction upon education loans offered by an association. Expands the scope of "qualified thrift lender" to include a domestic building and loan association. Redefines "qualified thrift investment" to cover, as assets includible without limit, educational loans, small business loans, and loans made through credit cards or credit card accounts. Removes the ten-percent-of-assets loan restriction placed upon certain personal, family, household or education loans. (Sec. 305) Amends the FRA, with respect to regulations governing payment system risk or intraday credit, to: (1) require them to include net debit caps appropriate to the credit quality of each Federal Home Loan (FHL) Bank (together with normal fees for daylight overdrafts); or (2) exempt FHL Banks from such regulations. (Sec. 306) Amends the FHLBA to: (1) revise the location requirements for FHL Banks to provide for membership-based-on-convenience; (2) mandate that the FHL Banks contract annually for an annual audit with a single auditor; and (3) preclude the Board from participation in any audit or audit contracting process (other than to establish contract and accounting requirements). (Sec. 308) Amends the BHCA to lift the growth cap restrictions placed upon banks controlled by certain bank holding companies not statutorily treated as bank holding companies. Subtitle B: Disincentives to Risk-Taking - Amends the FDIA and the Federal Credit Union Act to: (1) reinstate the requirement of a showing of irreparable and immediate harm as a prerequisite to attachment of assets and other injunctive relief when the FDIC or the National Credit Union Administration Board acts as conservator or receiver; and (2) confer oversight authority to prohibit removal of assets in cease and desist proceedings if it results in immediate and irreparable harm. Subtitle C: Miscellaneous Nonsupervisory Reforms - Amends the TLA to hold a cardholder liable for unauthorized use of a credit card if the liability exceeds $50 and the cardholder fails to timely notify the card issuer of any unauthorized transaction that appears on the account statement. Amends the Electronic Fund Transfer Act to raise from $50 to $500 a cardholder's liability for unauthorized electronic fund transfers if the cardholder substantially contributed to the unauthorized transfer, including writing on or keeping with the card or other means of access a personal identification or other security code.

National African American Museum Act

United States · United States Congress · 30 March 1995

National African American Museum Act - Establishes within the Smithsonian Institution the National African American Museum to be operated as a center for scholarship and a location for museum training, public education, exhibits, and collection and study of items and materials relating to the life, art, history, and culture of African Americans. Authorizes the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution to plan, design, reconstruct, and renovate the Arts and Industries Building to house the Museum. Establishes a Board of Trustees of the Museum in the Smithsonian Institution. Directs the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution to appoint a Director to manage the Museum.

Coast Guard Authorization Act For Fiscal Year 1996

United States · United States Congress · 30 March 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Authorizations Title II: Personnel Management Improvement Title III: Navigation Safety and Waterway Services Management Title IV: Miscellaneous Title V: Coast Guard Regulatory Reform Title VI: Documentation of Vessels Title VII: Technical and Conforming Amendments Title VIII: Coast Guard Auxiliary Amendments Coast Guard Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996 - Title I: Authorizations - Authorizes appropriations for the Coast Guard for FY 1996 for: (1) operation and maintenance; (2) acquisition, construction, rebuilding, and improvement of aids to navigation, shore and offshore facilities, vessels, and aircraft; (3) research, development, test, and evaluation of technologies, materials, and human factors relating to the performance of the Coast Guard's mission; (4) retired pay, payments under the Retired Serviceman's Family Protection and Survivor Benefit Plans, and payments for medical care of retired personnel and their dependents; (5) alteration or removal of bridges obstructing navigation, and personnel and administrative costs associated with the bridge alteration program; and (6) environmental compliance and restoration. (Sec. 102) Authorizes: (1) an end-of-year strength for active duty personnel of 38,400 as of September 30, 1996; and (2) specified military training student loads for FY 1996. (Sec. 103) Directs the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) to submit to specified congressional committees quarterly reports on drug interdiction. Title II: Personnel Management Improvement - Makes provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 1993 concerning homeowners assistance for certain individuals affected by Hurricane Andrew applicable to the military personnel of the Coast Guard who were assigned to, or employed at or in connection with, any Federal facility or installation in the vicinity of Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, subject to specified limitations. (Sec. 202) Excludes certain reserve members in computing the authorized strength of members on active duty or members in grade. (Sec. 203) Authorizes the Commandant of the Coast Guard to make child development services available to members of the armed forces and Federal civilian employees. (Sec. 204) Requires any officer, chief warrant officer, or enlisted member of the Coast Guard or Coast Guard Reserve to request that all information contained in the National Driver Register pertaining to the individual be made available to the Commandant. Authorizes such individual to request the chief driver licensing official of a State to provide information about the individual to the Commandant. (Sec. 205) Revises provisions regarding officer retention to provide for retention until eligible for retirement under specified conditions. Title III: Navigation Safety and Waterway Services Management - Repeals provision requiring the Secretary of Commerce to collect and pay to the Treasury foreign passenger vessel user fees. (Sec. 302) Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) the Florida Avenue Bridge in Orleans Parish, Louisiana; (2) renewal of the Houston-Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee, the Lower Mississippi River Waterway Advisory Committee, the Navigation Safety Advisory Council, and the Commercial Fishing Industry Vessel Advisory Committee; (3) nondisclosure of port security plans; (4) establishment of a civil penalty to enforce maritime alcohol and dangerous drug testing; (5) withholding vessel clearance for specified violations; (6) increased civil penalties for failure to report a casualty and for operation of an uninspected vessel in violation of manning requirements; and (7) a requirement that vessels operating beyond three nautical miles from the coastline of the Great Lakes carry alerting and locating equipment, including emergency position indicating radio beacons. Title IV: Miscellaneous - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to transfer Coast Guard property in Traverse City, Michigan, and in Ketchikan, Alaska. (Sec. 403) Authorizes electronic filing of commercial instruments. (Sec. 404) Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) Board for Correction of Military Records deadlines; (2) judicial sale of documented vessels to aliens; (3) authority of the Commandant to sell recyclable material; (4) special selection boards; and (5) limits on the use of information from marine casualty investigations. (Sec. 407) Directs: (1) the Commandant to report on the recruitment of women and minorities into the Coast Guard; and (2) the Secretary to report on LORAN-C radionavigation system technology. (Sec. 408) California Cruise Industry Revitalization Act - Amends the Johnson Act to exclude certain voyages from prohibitions against manufacturing, repairing, selling, or possessing gambling devices. (Sec. 409) Revises or adds provisions regarding: (1) vessel financing; (2) availability of extrajudicial remedies for default on preferred mortgage liens on vessels; (3) implementation of water pollution laws with respect to vegetable oil; (4) limited double hull exemptions; and (5) oil spill response vessels. (Sec. 410) Expresses the sense of the Congress that all equipment and products purchased with funds made available under this Act should be American-made. Title V: Coast Guard Regulatory Reform - Coast Guard Regulatory Reform Act of 1995 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to prescribe regulations which establish a safety management system for specified persons and vessels, including: (1) a safety and environmental protection policy; (2) instructions and procedures to ensure safe operation of those vessels and protection of the environment in compliance with international and U.S. law; (3) defined levels of authority and lines of communications between and among personnel on shore and on the vessel; and (4) procedures for reporting accidents and nonconformities with this title, preparing for and responding to emergency situations, and internal audits and management reviews of the system. Requires regulations prescribed to be consistent with the International Safety Management Code with respect to vessels engaged on a foreign voyage. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) implementation of the safety management system; and (2) certification and enforcement. Directs the Secretary to conduct a study of the methods that may be used to implement and enforce the International Management Code for the Safe Operation of ships and for Pollution Prevention under the Annex to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974. (Sec. 503) Authorizes the Secretary to rely, as evidence of compliance with this title, on reports, documents, and records of other persons and on other methods determined by the Secretary to be reliable. (Sec. 504) Revises provisions regarding: (1) equipment approval; (2) frequency of inspection; (3) certificates of inspection; and (4) delegation of authority of the Secretary to classification societies. Title VI: Documentation of Vessels - Authorizes a coastwise endorsement to be issued for a vessel that: (1) is less than 200 gross tons; (2) is eligible for documentation; (3) was built in the United States; and (4) was sold foreign in whole or in part, or placed under foreign registry. (Sec. 602) Authorizes the Secretary to issue a certificate of documentation with a coastwise endorsement for two vessels (both named Gallant Lady), subject to specified limitations on operation and conditions. (Sec. 603) Extends the deadline for conversion of the vessel M-V Twin Drill. (Sec. 604) Authorizes the Secretary to issue a certificate of documentation with appropriate endorsements for employment in the coastwise trade, Great Lakes trade, and the fisheries for the vessel Rainbow's End. Title VII: Technical and Conforming Amendments - Makes technical and conforming amendments to various laws, including the Inland Navigational Rules Act of 1980, the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, the Vessel Bridge-to-Bridge Radio-telephone Act, the Ports and Waterways Safety Act of 1972, the Merchant Marine Acts of 1920 and 1956, the Maritime Education and Training Act of 1980, and title 46 (shipping) of the U.S. Code. Title VIII: Coast Guard Auxiliary Amendments - Revises provisions regarding the Coast Guard Auxiliary to direct the Auxiliary, for command, control, and administrative purposes, to include such organizational elements and units as approved by the Commandant, including a national board and staff. Grants the Auxiliary organization and its officers such rights, privileges, powers, and duties as may be granted to them by the Commandant, consistent with this title and applicable law. Deems each organizational element or unit as an instrumentality of the United States for purposes of various listed statutes, with exceptions. Permits the national board, and any Auxiliary district or region, to form a corporation under State law in accordance with policies established by the Commandant. (Sec. 802) Revises or adds provisions regarding: (1) the purpose of the Auxiliary; (2) members and status of the Auxiliary; (3) assignment and performance of duties; (4) cooperation with other agencies, States, territories, and political subdivisions; (5) vessels deemed public vessels; (6) aircraft deemed public aircraft; and (7) disposal of certain material.

Department of Defense Acquisition Management Reform Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 30 March 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Performance Based Acquisition Process Subtitle A: Performance Goals Subtitle B: Results-Oriented Acquisition Process Subtitle C: Rapid Contracting Subtitle D: Performance Based Contract Management Subtitle E: Financial Management Subtitle F: Defense Acquisition Workforce Subtitle G: Revision of Procurement Integrity Requirements Subtitle H: Clerical Amendments Title II: Reorganization and Reform of the Defense Acquisition System Subtitle A: Streamlining and Improvement of Acquisition Management Subtitle B: Transfer of Functions Subtitle C: Conforming Amendments Subtitle D: Effective Date Title III: Depot-Level Maintenance Department of Defense Acquisition Management Reform Act of 1995 - Title I: Performance Based Acquisition Process - Subtitle A: Performance Goals - Amends Federal defense procurement provisions to: (1) require acquisition programs of the Department of Defense (DOD) for each DOD appropriation account to be assessed for achieving on average 90 percent of their cost, performance, and scheduling goals; and (2) direct the Secretary of Defense to terminate any major defense acquisition program that fails to meet at least 50 percent of its cost, performance, and schedule goals. (Sec. 103) Amends the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 to direct the Secretary to include certain additional incentives such as pay and promotion incentives within a system which encourages excellence in the personnel management of defense acquisition programs (DAPs). Requires a review of such system to be completed by October 1, 1997, and requires a report from the Secretary to specified congressional committees. Subtitle B: Results-Oriented Acquisition Process - Directs the Secretary to revise DOD regulations relating to the acquisition of major systems and information technology systems. (Sec. 112) Directs the Secretary to define in appropriate regulations a simplified acquisition program cycle (cycle) that is results-oriented and consists of the following phases: (1) the integrated decision team meeting; (2) prototype development and testing; (3) product integration, development, and testing; and (4) production and integration into existing systems. Utilizes established maximum time limits for the completion of the cycle and each of its phases, with alternatives to such limits. Requires the acquisition program approval process to have one major decision point which shall occur before the program proceeds into product integration, development, and testing, directing the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition to review, and make certain determinations with respect to, such program. Requires any regulations adopted to ensure that potential users of an item being acquired under a cycle are afforded an opportunity to participate in the acquisition decisions during the appropriate phases. (Sec. 113) Prohibits the Secretary from issuing a notice to proceed with production of a major system until: (1) at least one phase of initial operational test and evaluation has been completed, during both the prototype development and testing phase and again during the product integration, development, and testing phase; and (2) the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation has made certain certifications to the Secretary concerning testing and evaluation procedures and conditions. Authorizes the waiver of such requirements under certain conditions, including for national security reasons. Prohibits operational testing of a new system other than a major system until the head of the operational test and evaluation agency of the military department concerned determines the quantity of articles of the system that are to be procured for operational testing. Repeals a Federal provision requiring any increase in the quantity of articles to be procured for low-rate initial production to be made only with the approval of the official making the original quantity determination. Prohibits such quantity from being increased by more than ten percent of the original quantity as of the date on which funds appropriated for procurement are first obligated for the program. Allows such original quantity to be exceeded in addition to the ten percent increase during periods of war or national emergency or when the Secretary makes certain certifications to specified congressional committees concerning the necessity of such action. Requires the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation to report directly to the Secretary (currently, the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary of Defense), without intervening review or approval. (Sec. 114) Directs the Secretary to revise existing DOD directives regarding development and procurement of certain information systems in order to consolidate those directives into one series of directives that is consistent with the simplified cycle established under this Act. Subtitle C: Rapid Contracting - Directs the Secretary to establish, and take necessary action to achieve, a goal of reducing by 50 percent the time necessary for DOD to acquire an item for the user of that item. (Sec. 122) Authorizes a contracting officer of an agency receiving more than three competitive proposals for a proposed contract to solicit best and final offers from three of such offerors, without conducting discussions with representatives of all of the competitive offers. (Sec. 123) Authorizes the Secretary to establish a contractor certification system for the procurement of DOD property or services that are acquired on a repetitive basis. Authorizes the head of a DOD agency to enter into such a contract on the basis of a competition among contractors certified under the system. Provides for the termination of such certification under appropriate circumstances. (Sec. 124) Requires solicitations for defense contracts for the procurement of property of services to include a statement of past contractor performance of the offeror and any certification of the offeror under the certification system established under this Act. Directs the Secretary to maintain a contractor performance data base containing performance histories of each contractor under DOD contracts. (Sec. 125) Requires (currently authorizes) the head of a defense agency to enter into multiyear contracts for the purchase of property whenever certain cost savings and other factors are present. (Sec. 126) Directs the Secretary to authorize and encourage the use of leasing in the acquisition of equipment when practicable and otherwise authorized by law. Requires a report on legislative changes required to facilitate such leases. Subtitle D: Performance Based Contract Management - Includes within unallowable defense contractor costs: (1) labor costs in excess of those provided in the contract offer; and (2) bid protest costs. (Sec. 132) Directs the Secretary to prescribe in regulations: (1) policies and procedures that encourage DOD contract administrators to submit to program managers for consideration alternative approaches to contract management, including an analysis of the costs and benefits of each alternative; and (2) a clause, to be included in each cost- and incentive-type contract, that provides contractor rewards for exceeding the contract cost, schedule, or performance parameters, as well as contractor penalties for failing to adhere to such parameters. Subtitle E: Financial Management - Requires the Secretary, before initial funding is made available for a phase of the acquisition program cycle for which an authorization of appropriations is specifically required, to submit to the Congress information concerning the objectives and plans for conducting such phase and the funding requirements for the entire phase. Directs the Congress, in authorizing appropriations for such a phase, to provide a single amount sufficient for carrying out the entire phase. Requires specific identification of the phase being funded. (Sec. 142) Authorizes the Secretary to transfer funds from appropriations available for a particular acquisition program phase in order to pay the cost of incentives provided to program managers who have been certified by the Secretary as having achieved at least 90 percent of the cost, schedule, and performance goals established for that phase. (Sec. 143) Directs the Comptroller General to review and report to the Congress on commercial practices regarding DOD accounts payable, and to develop standards to be used by the Secretary for improving DOD contract payment procedures and financial management systems. Empowers the Secretary with certain responsibilities with respect to corrective actions necessary to resolve weaknesses found by the Comptroller General. Subtitle F: Defense Acquisition Workforce - Directs the Secretary to ensure that DOD management policies and procedures provide that education and training in acquisition matters, and past performance of acquisition responsibilities, are major factors in the selection of personnel for assignment to DOD acquisition positions. Requires demonstrated past performance of acquisition duties to be considered under various provisions relating to employee qualifications, requirements, and evaluations. (Sec. 152) Directs the Secretary to provide for the acquisition of professional educational development and training services for the DOD acquisition workforce from commercial sources and through programs provided by Federal sources for all Federal acquisition personnel. Terminates provisions requiring the establishment and maintenance of a defense acquisition university structure. Requires DOD program managers and executive officers to have completed the course of development and training services established under this section. Authorizes the Secretary to submit to the Congress an alternative system of development and training. Subtitle G: Revision of Procurement Integrity Requirements - Amends the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (the Act) to: (1) require the head of a procuring activity who approves a recusal request (request for dismissal from participation in a procurement contract due to possible conflict of interests) to retain such request for at least five years and make such request available to the public; and (2) make certain contract officer or employee certification requirements under such Act inapplicable to contracts of less than $500,000. Provides that no individual who, in the year prior to separation from service as a military officer in a covered position or an officer or employee of the Government, participated personally and substantially in acquisition functions related to a contract of $500,000 or more shall knowingly accept or continue employment with the contractor or subcontractor involved under such contract for a period of one year following separation from service, except for employment in an unrelated position. Defines a "covered position" as one which requires such officer or employee to work directly on contracts in excess of $500,000. Requires a procurement ethics training program for procurement officials who are likely to be involved in contracts, modifications, or extensions in excess of $25,000. (Currently, all officials must participate in the program.) (Sec. 162) Provides penalties for those aiding, abetting, counseling, commanding, inducing, or procuring acts of Government officials which affect a personal interest of the individual. (Sec. 163) Repeals certain superseded and obsolete laws. (Sec. 164) Provides implementing regulations and requires Inspector General reports in each of FY 1996 through 1999 on compliance by the head of an agency in designating procurement positions covered by amendments to the Act. Subtitle H: Clerical Amendments - Makes clerical amendments to Federal armed forces provisions, the Federal criminal code, and the Department of Energy Organization Act. Title II: Reorganization and Reform of the Defense Acquisition System - Subtitle A: Streamlining and Improvement of Acquisition Management - Adds specified duties for the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology (Under Secretary). Establishes in DOD a Defense Research, Development, and Acquisition Agency, with a Director and a Chief of Engineering and Analysis (Chief). Outlines the duties to be performed by the Agency, including the planning, programming, and carrying out of the research, development, and acquisition (RDA) activities of DOD, the preparation and integration of budgets for RDA activities, and the review of acquisition program plans. Provides for: (1) selection and evaluation of Agency program executive officers; (2) the organization of personnel; (3) policies and procedures for the interaction of commanders of unified and specified combatant commands with program executive officers regarding the initiation and conduct of weapons acquisition programs; and (4) the selection, evaluation, and duties of Agency program managers. Requires the Chief to be responsible for ensuring that all functional analytical capabilities provided to the Agency Director and its officers and managers in connection with DOD acquisition programs are the most advanced capability of their type. Limits the procurement authority of the Secretaries of the various military departments to that considered necessary for the sustainment of operations of that service branch. (Sec. 202) Directs the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to make recommendations to the Under Secretary regarding the desirability for joint development by the United States and one or more foreign countries of foreign products or systems. Subtitle B: Transfer of Functions - Transfers, with specified exceptions, to the: (1) Secretary all RDA activities of the military departments; and (2) Agency all the functions of specified organizations and commands. Directs the Secretary to terminate all organizations whose functions are so transferred. Provides savings provisions. Subtitle C: Conforming Amendments - Repeals specified Federal provisions concerning the general authorities and responsibilities of the defense acquisition workforce. Makes conforming amendments with respect to the transfer of certain RDA functions made earlier under this Act. Subtitle D: Effective Date - Makes this title and its amendments effective one year after the date of enactment of this Act. Title III: Depot-Level Maintenance - Repeals Federal provisions: (1) prohibiting more than 40 percent of funds made available for military department or defense agency depot-level maintenance and repair workloads from being used to contract for the performance of such workload by nongovernmental personnel; (2) prohibiting the management of DOD civilian depot-level maintenance personnel on the basis of end strengths; (3) providing an exception to (1), above; and (4) requiring a report concerning funds used to contract out for such work. (Sec. 302) States that it is essential for the national defense that DOD preserve an organic maintenance and repair capability to meet readiness and sustainability requirements for the systems and equipment required for contingency plans. Requires the Secretary to identify those DOD maintenance and repair activities that are necessary to preserve such capability (core capability), and prohibits the Secretary from contracting out for their performance. Allows for the contracting out of non-core capability functions. (Sec. 303) Directs the Secretary to provide for the performance by the private sector of all DOD depot-level maintenance and repair work except: (1) when no responsive bids for such performance are received from responsible offerors; or (2) for reasons of national security as determined by the Secretary.

Department of Defense Acquisition Management Reform Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 29 March 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Performance Based Acquisition Process Subtitle A: Performance Goals Subtitle B: Results-Oriented Acquisition Process Subtitle C: Rapid Contracting Subtitle D: Performance Based Contract Management Subtitle E: Financial Management Subtitle F: Defense Acquisition Workforce Subtitle G: Revision of Procurement Integrity Requirements Subtitle H: Clerical Amendments Title II: Reorganization and Reform of the Defense Acquisition System Subtitle A: Streamlining and Improvement of Acquisition Management Subtitle B: Transfer of Functions Subtitle C: Conforming Amendments Subtitle D: Effective Date Title III: Depot-Level Maintenance Department of Defense Acquisition Management Reform Act of 1995 - Title I: Performance Based Acquisition Process - Subtitle A: Performance Goals - Amends Federal defense procurement provisions to: (1) require acquisition programs of the Department of Defense (DOD) for each DOD appropriation account to be assessed for achieving on average 90 percent of their cost, performance, and scheduling goals; and (2) direct the Secretary of Defense to terminate any major defense acquisition program that fails to meet at least 50 percent of its cost, performance, and schedule goals. (Sec. 103) Amends the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 to direct the Secretary to include certain additional incentives such as pay and promotion incentives within a system which encourages excellence in the personnel management of defense acquisition programs (DAPs). Requires a review of such system to be completed by October 1, 1997, and requires a report from the Secretary to specified congressional committees. Subtitle B: Results-Oriented Acquisition Process - Directs the Secretary to revise DOD regulations relating to the acquisition of major systems and information technology systems. (Sec. 112) Directs the Secretary to define in appropriate regulations a simplified acquisition program cycle (cycle) that is results-oriented and consists of the following phases: (1) the integrated decision team meeting; (2) prototype development and testing; (3) product integration, development, and testing; and (4) production and integration into existing systems. Utilizes established maximum time limits for the completion of the cycle and each of its phases, with alternatives to such limits. Requires the acquisition program approval process to have one major decision point which shall occur before the program proceeds into product integration, development, and testing. Directs the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition to review, and make certain determinations with respect to, such program. Requires any regulations adopted to ensure that potential users of an item being acquired under a cycle are afforded an opportunity to participate in the acquisition decisions during the appropriate phases. (Sec. 113) Prohibits the Secretary from issuing a notice to proceed with production of a major system until: (1) at least one phase of initial operational test and evaluation has been completed, during both the prototype development and testing phase and again during the product integration, development, and testing phase; and (2) the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation has made certain certifications to the Secretary concerning testing and evaluation procedures and conditions. Authorizes the waiver of such requirements under certain conditions, including for national security reasons. Prohibits operational testing of a new system other than a major system until the head of the operational test and evaluation agency of the military department concerned determines the quantity of articles of the system that are to be procured for operational testing. Repeals a Federal provision requiring any increase in the quantity of articles to be procured for low-rate initial production to be made only with the approval of the official making the original quantity determination. Prohibits such quantity from being increased by more than ten percent of the original quantity as of the date on which funds appropriated for procurement are first obligated for the program. Allows such original quantity to be exceeded in addition to the ten percent increase during periods of war or national emergency or when the Secretary makes certain certifications to specified congressional committees concerning the necessity of such action. Requires the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation to report directly to the Secretary (currently, the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary of Defense), without intervening review or approval. (Sec. 114) Directs the Secretary to revise existing DOD directives regarding development and procurement of certain information systems in order to consolidate those directives into one series of directives that is consistent with the simplified cycle established under this Act. Subtitle C: Rapid Contracting - Directs the Secretary to establish, and take necessary action to achieve, a goal of reducing by 50 percent the time necessary for DOD to acquire an item for the user of that item. (Sec. 122) Authorizes a contracting officer of an agency receiving more than three competitive proposals for a proposed contract to solicit best and final offers from three of such offerors, without conducting discussions with representatives of all of the competitive offers. (Sec. 123) Authorizes the Secretary to establish a contractor certification system for the procurement of DOD property or services that are acquired on a repetitive basis. Authorizes the head of a DOD agency to enter into such a contract on the basis of a competition among contractors certified under the system. Provides for the termination of such certification under appropriate circumstances. (Sec. 124) Requires solicitations for defense contracts for the procurement of property of services to include a statement of past contractor performance of the offeror and any certification of the offeror under the certification system established under this Act. Directs the Secretary to maintain a contractor performance data base containing performance histories of each contractor under DOD contracts. (Sec. 125) Requires (currently authorizes) the head of a defense agency to enter into multiyear contracts for the purchase of property whenever certain cost savings and other factors are present. (Sec. 126) Directs the Secretary to authorize and encourage the use of leasing in the acquisition of equipment when practicable and otherwise authorized by law. Requires a report on legislative changes required to facilitate such leases. Subtitle D: Performance Based Contract Management - Includes within unallowable defense contractor costs: (1) labor costs in excess of those provided in the contract offer; and (2) bid protest costs. (Sec. 132) Directs the Secretary to prescribe in regulations: (1) policies and procedures that encourage DOD contract administrators to submit to program managers for consideration alternative approaches to contract management, including an analysis of the costs and benefits of each alternative; and (2) a clause, to be included in each cost- and incentive-type contract, that provides contractor rewards for exceeding the contract cost, schedule, or performance parameters, as well as contractor penalties for failing to adhere to such parameters. Subtitle E: Financial Management - Requires the Secretary, before initial funding is made available for a phase of the acquisition program cycle for which an authorization of appropriations is specifically required, to submit to the Congress information concerning the objectives and plans for conducting such phase and the funding requirements for the entire phase. Directs the Congress, in authorizing appropriations for such a phase, to provide a single amount sufficient for carrying out the entire phase. Requires specific identification of the phase being funded. (Sec. 142) Authorizes the Secretary to transfer funds from appropriations available for a particular acquisition program phase in order to pay the cost of incentives provided to program managers who have been certified by the Secretary as having achieved at least 90 percent of the cost, schedule, and performance goals established for that phase. (Sec. 143) Directs the Comptroller General to review and report to the Congress on commercial practices regarding DOD accounts payable, and to develop standards to be used by the Secretary for improving DOD contract payment procedures and financial management systems. Empowers the Secretary with certain responsibilities with respect to corrective actions necessary to resolve weaknesses found by the Comptroller General. Subtitle F: Defense Acquisition Workforce - Directs the Secretary to ensure that DOD management policies and procedures provide that education and training in acquisition matters, and past performance of acquisition responsibilities, are major factors in the selection of personnel for assignment to DOD acquisition positions. Requires demonstrated past performance of acquisition duties to be considered under various provisions relating to employee qualifications, requirements, and evaluations. (Sec. 152) Directs the Secretary to provide for the acquisition of professional educational development and training services for the DOD acquisition workforce from commercial sources and through programs provided by Federal sources for all Federal acquisition personnel. Terminates provisions requiring the establishment and maintenance of a defense acquisition university structure. Requires DOD program managers and executive officers to have completed the course of development and training services established under this section. Authorizes the Secretary to submit to the Congress an alternative system of development and training. Subtitle G: Revision of Procurement Integrity Requirements - Amends the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (the Act) to: (1) require the head of a procuring activity who approves a recusal request (request for dismissal from participation in a procurement contract due to possible conflict of interests) to retain such request for at least five years and make such request available to the public; and (2) make certain contract officer or employee certification requirements under such Act inapplicable to contracts of less than $500,000. Provides that no individual who, in the year prior to separation from service as a military officer in a covered position or an officer or employee of the Government, participated personally and substantially in acquisition functions related to a contract of $500,000 or more shall knowingly accept or continue employment with the contractor or subcontractor involved under such contract for a period of one year following separation from service, except for employment in an unrelated position. Defines a "covered position" as one which requires such officer or employee to work directly on contracts in excess of $500,000. Requires a procurement ethics training program for procurement officials who are likely to be involved in contracts, modifications, or extensions in excess of $25,000. (Currently, all officials must participate in the program.) (Sec. 162) Provides penalties for those aiding, abetting, counseling, commanding, inducing, or procuring acts of Government officials which affect a personal interest of the individual. (Sec. 163) Repeals certain superseded and obsolete laws. (Sec. 164) Provides implementing regulations and requires Inspector General reports in each of FY 1996 through 1999 on compliance by the head of an agency in designating procurement positions covered by amendments to the Act. Subtitle H: Clerical Amendments - Makes clerical amendments to Federal armed forces provisions, the Federal criminal code, and the Department of Energy Organization Act. Title II: Reorganization and Reform of the Defense Acquisition System - Subtitle A: Streamlining and Improvement of Acquisition Management - Adds specified duties for the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology (Under Secretary). Establishes in DOD a Defense Research, Development, and Acquisition Agency, with a Director and a Chief of Engineering and Analysis (Chief). Outlines the duties to be performed by the Agency, including the planning, programming, and carrying out of the research, development, and acquisition (RDA) activities of DOD, the preparation and integration of budgets for RDA activities, and the review of acquisition program plans. Provides for: (1) selection and evaluation of Agency program executive officers; (2) the organization of personnel; (3) policies and procedures for the interaction of commanders of unified and specified combatant commands with program executive officers regarding the initiation and conduct of weapons acquisition programs; and (4) the selection, evaluation, and duties of Agency program managers. Requires the Chief to be responsible for ensuring that all functional analytical capabilities provided to the Agency Director and its officers and managers in connection with DOD acquisition programs are the most advanced capability of their type. Limits the procurement authority of the Secretaries of the various military departments to that considered necessary for the sustainment of operations of that service branch. (Sec. 202) Directs the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to make recommendations to the Under Secretary regarding the desirability for joint development by the United States and one or more foreign countries of foreign products or systems. Subtitle B: Transfer of Functions - Transfers, with specified exceptions, to the: (1) Secretary all RDA activities of the military departments; and (2) Agency all the functions of specified organizations and commands. Directs the Secretary to terminate all organizations whose functions are so transferred. Provides savings provisions. Subtitle C: Conforming Amendments - Repeals specified Federal provisions concerning the general authorities and responsibilities of the defense acquisition workforce. Makes conforming amendments with respect to the transfer of certain RDA functions made earlier under this Act. Subtitle D: Effective Date - Makes this title and its amendments effective one year after the date of enactment of this Act. Title III: Depot-Level Maintenance - Repeals Federal provisions: (1) prohibiting more than 40 percent of funds made available for military department or defense agency depot-level maintenance and repair workloads from being used to contract for the performance of such workload by nongovernmental personnel; (2) prohibiting the management of DOD civilian depot-level maintenance personnel on the basis of end strengths; (3) providing an exception to (1), above; and (4) requiring a report concerning funds used to contract out for such work. (Sec. 302) States that it is essential to the national defense that DOD preserve an organic maintenance and repair capability to meet readiness and sustainability requirements for the systems and equipment required for contingency plans. Requires the Secretary to identify those DOD maintenance and repair activities that are necessary to preserve such capability (core capability), and prohibits the Secretary from contracting out for their performance. Allows for the contracting out of non-core capability functions. (Sec. 303) Directs the Secretary to provide for the performance by the private sector of all DOD depot-level maintenance and repair work except: (1) when no responsive bids for such performance are received from responsible offerors; or (2) for reasons of national security as determined by the Secretary.

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the levels for higher education financial aid programs should not be reduced.

United States · United States Congress · 29 March 1995

Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the subsidized Stafford Loan Program (including the in-school interest exemption), the Perkins Loan Program, the Federal Work Study Program, the Pell Grant Program, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program, and the State Student Incentive Grant Program should not be reduced from their current and anticipated levels.

Ryan White CARE Act Amendments of 1996

United States · United States Congress · 28 March 1995

Ryan White CARE Reauthorization Act of 1995 - Amends title XXVI (HIV Health Care Services Program) of the Public Health Service Act regarding emergency relief for areas with a substantial need for services. Changes requirements for grants to metropolitan areas having large numbers of cases of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Modifies the composition, chairperson requirements, and duties of local human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) health services planning councils. Revises requirements for supplemental grants. Alters the method for determining the amount of each grant, the mandated uses of the grants, and application requirements. Allows a single application for initial and supplemental grants and authorizes both to be made as a single grant. Mandates (currently, allows) technical assistance. Authorizes planning grants. Amends provisions relating to the care grant program to change the uses of HIV care consortia grants and consortium application requirements. Mandates establishment of a recommended minimum formulary of pharmaceutical drug therapies approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Revises: (1) State duties in using grant funds to provide treatments; (2) State application requirements; and (3) planning, evaluation, and administration requirements. Mandates (currently, allows) technical assistance. Mandates grievance procedures to address allegations of egregious violations of title XXVI. Requires coordination of the planning and implementation of Federal HIV programs by the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Amends early intervention services provisions to: (1) require grant recipients to provide a continuum of primary care; and (2) modify other requirements regarding uses of grant funds. Authorizes planning grants to entities that are not direct primary care providers to enable them to provide HIV primary care services. Authorizes appropriations for early intervention grants. Replaces provisions mandating demonstration grants for research and services for pediatric AIDS patients with provisions mandating grants for primary care for out-patient care and support services to children, youth, women with HIV disease, and the families of those individuals and for facilitating the participation of such individuals in research. Requires procedures for the protection of human subjects. Prohibits conditioning services on research participation. Authorizes appropriations. Reserves a specified portion of the amounts appropriated under other parts of title XXVI to administer a special projects of national significance program to award direct grants for special programs for the care and treatment of individuals with HIV disease. Repeals current provisions relating to special projects of national significance. Replaces provisions of the Public Health Service Act authorizing grants and contracts to train the faculty of specified types of health professions schools regarding providing for the health care needs of individuals with HIV disease with provisions authorizing grants and contracts to train health personnel, including community providers, in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of HIV infection and disease. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 4) Amends title XXVI provisions relating to emergency relief for areas with a substantial need for services to modify the formula for determining the amount of grants. (Sec. 5) Amends provisions relating to the care grant program to change the formula regarding minimum grant allotments. (Sec. 6) Authorizes appropriations to make grants under title XXVI provisions relating to: (1) emergency relief for areas with a substantial need for services; and (2) the care grant program. Mandates development and implementation of a methodology for adjusting the percentages allocated to those parts. Repeals existing authorizations of appropriations for those parts.

Insular Development Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 28 March 1995

Insular Development Act of 1995 - Authorizes appropriations for FY 1996 through 2001 for: (1) the Northern Mariana Islands for capital improvement projects in the environmental, health, and public safety areas, administration and enforcement of immigration and labor laws, and contribution toward costs of the compacts of free association (for the same purposes for which funds are provided for Guam by this Act); (2) Guam for costs that result from increased demands for education and social program benefits by immigrants from the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau (currently, amounts as necessary are authorized for FY 1986 and subsequent years for Hawaii, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands as well); and (3) grants for capital infrastructure in American Samoa, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. Sets forth conditions on funding for capital improvement projects, including that the recipient government submit specified capital needs and maintenance plans. Extends funding for such projects for an additional three years, subject to certain conditions. Prohibits, after FY 1995, certain continuing financial assistance to the Northern Mariana Islands.

Adoption Antidiscrimination Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 28 March 1995

Adoption Antidiscrimination Act of 1995 - Prohibits any entity (including a State) that receives Federal funds and is involved in adoption or foster care placements from: (1) denying to any person the opportunity to become an adoptive or foster parent on the basis of race, color, or national origin of either the person or the child; or (2) delaying or denying the placement of a child for adoption or foster care, or discriminating in making a placement decision on the basis of such factors. Sets forth penalties for violations of this Act. Precludes State immunity under the 11th Amendment to the Constitution for violations of this Act. Exempts the Indian Child Welfare Act from the application of this Act. Repeals specified provisions of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 (regarding racial matching in the child adoption process).

James P. Grant World Summit for Children Implementation Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 28 March 1995

James P. Grant World Summit for Children Implementation Act of 1995 - Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) specified amounts should be appropriated for FY 1996 and 1997 to achieve full participation in the special supplemental food program for women, infants, and children under the Child Nutrition Act (WIC program); and (2) appropriations for Head Start should be augmented for FY 1996 through 2001 to achieve full participation. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1996 and 1997 for contributions to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize appropriations for FY 1996 and 1997 for the Child Survival Fund. Earmarks funds for activities that have a direct measurable impact on reducing rates of child morbidity and mortality. Expresses the sense of the Congress that authority should be granted to the President to exercise specified debt forgiveness for least developed countries that are pursuing economic policy reforms to promote long-term development. Earmarks development assistance funds for FY 1996 and 1997 for the Vitamin A Deficiency Program. Authorizes additional appropriations for FY 1996 and 1997 for: (1) iodine and iron fortification programs; and (2) prevention, care, and control programs related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in developing countries. Earmarks development and economic assistance funds for FY 1996 and 1997 for programs in support of basic education. Authorizes additional appropriations for FY 1996 and 1997 for population assistance activities. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1996 and 1997 for migration and refugee assistance. Urges the President to call upon other governments to provide their share of resources required to achieve the World Summit for Children goals by the year 2000.

Tuition Account Assistance Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 28 March 1995

Tuition Account Assistance Act of 1995 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income amounts received by reason of education furnished pursuant to a qualified State prepaid tuition program (under which credits for tuition for the undergraduate education of a designated beneficiary may be purchased) or earnings on amounts paid to such a program.

Disadvantaged Minority Health Improvement Authorization Extension Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 28 March 1995

Disadvantaged Minority Health Improvement Authorization Extension Act of 1995 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize appropriations for: (1) the Office of Minority Health in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health; (2) health statistical and epidemiological activities of the National Center for Health Statistics; (3) grants for surveys or studies, data analysis, and research regarding ethnic and racial populations; (4) grants to States for demonstration programs to increase the availability of primary health care in health professional shortage areas; (5) grants to provide public housing residents with primary health services and health counseling and education services; (6) Federal capital contributions to student loan funds for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds; (7) grants to schools of medicine, osteopathic medicine, and dentistry for scholarships for students of exceptional financial need; (8) grants to health professions schools for scholarships; (9) educational loan repayments for those agreeing to serve as members of the faculties of specified types of health professions schools; (10) grants and contracts with health or educational entities to assist in increasing the number of underrepresented minority faculty members; (11) grants to health professions schools to support programs of excellence in health professions education for minority individuals; and (12) grants and contracts to assist individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds to undertake education to enter a health profession. Declares that provisions of the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, except as inconsistent, shall apply to provisions regarding educational loan repayments of health professionals who agree to conduct clinical research as employees of the National Institutes of Health. (Current law applies some but not all of the provisions that would be applied under the amendment made by this Act.)

Tax Fairness and Deficit Reduction Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 28 March 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Discretionary Savings Title II: Extension of Authority of Federal Communications Commission to Use Competitive Bidding Title III: Privatization of the United States Enrichment Corporation Title IV: Retirement Title V: Medicare Savings Extensions Subtitle A: Provisions Relating to Part A of the Medicare Program Subtitle B: Provisions Relating to Part B of the Medicare Program Subtitle C: Provisions Relating to Parts A and B of the Medicare Program Title VI: Contract With America Tax Relief Act of 1995 Subtitle A: American Dream Restoration Subtitle B: Senior Citizens' Equity Subtitle C: Job Creation and Wage Enhancement Subtitle D: Family Reinforcement Subtitle E: Social Security Earnings Test Subtitle F: Technical Corrections Tax Fairness and Deficit Reduction Act of 1995 - Title I: Discretionary Savings - Discretionary Spending Reduction and Control Act of 1995 - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to establish discretionary spending limits for FY 1996 through 2000. Extends congressional committee allocation and enforcement provisions and the applicability of certain points of order through FY 2000. Extends the requirement for five-year concurrent resolutions on the budget through FY 2000. Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) to establish amounts for FY 1996 through 2000 to eliminate budgetary excess from the Violent Crime Reduction Trust Fund. (Sec. 1003) Revises the general statement of budget enforcement to apply to discretionary spending limits and pay-as-you-go requirements rather than expired maximum deficit amounts. (Sec. 1004) Extends enforcement of discretionary spending limits, pay-as-you-go requirements, and reporting requirements through FY 2000. (Sec. 1009) Provides a special rule on the interrelationship between changes in discretionary spending limits and pay-as-you-go requirements for enforcement purposes. Prohibits changes in direct spending and receipts resulting from this Act from being reflected in pay-as-you-go estimates. Revises the final sequestration report to be made by the Office of Management and Budget for FY 1996. Title II: Extension of Authority of Federal Communications Commission to Use Competitive Bidding - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to extend through FY 2000 the authority of the Federal Communications Commission to use competitive bidding in granting licenses and permits. Title III: Privatization of the United States Enrichment Corporation - USEC Privatization Act - Provides for the transfer by the United States Enrichment Corporation of some or all of its assets and obligations regarding uranium- and uranium enrichment-related activities to a private corporation. Title IV: Retirement - Congressional and Federal Employee Retirement Equalization Act - Increases, incrementally through 1997, percentages of basic pay which may be deposited by a Federal employee or Member of Congress in the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund for service for which retirement deductions or deposits have not been made. Adjusts employing agency deductions and withholding according to this schedule. Provides that Government contributions shall be determined, with respect to service after 1995, according to the 1995 applicable percentage plus three percent. Conforms military basic pay and volunteers' readjustment allowance or stipend percentages to the percentages for employee service. Revises Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS) deductions and withholding so that the rates applicable to Federal and congressional employees and Members, increased incrementally through 1997, are made uniform. Provides higher rates for law enforcement officers, fire fighters, and air traffic controllers. Conforms military basic pay and volunteers' compensation percentages to the FERS percentages for employee service. Exempts postal employees from the applicability of these Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and FERS contribution changes. (Sec. 4004) Revises rules relating to average pay, for purposes of computing employee annuities or survivor annuities for employees separating after 1995, to increase the number of consecutive years of service considered. Revises accrual rates, with respect to annuities of congressional employees and Members with at least five years of service, to compute annuities on the basis of service before 1996. Applies, in the case of immediate retirement, the 1.1 percent accrual rate in the computation of the basic annuity of a Member or congressional employee who separates after January 1, 1996. (Sec. 4006) Eliminates the option of Members not to participate in FERS. Title V: Medicare Savings Extensions - Medicare Presidential Budget Savings Extension Act of 1995 - Subtitle A: Provisions Relating to Part A of the Medicare Program - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary), with respect to per diem limits on routine costs of services of skilled nursing facilities or prospective payments to such facilities, from considering changes in the costs of services occurring during cost periods which began in FY 1994 or 1995. Subtitle B: Provisions Relating to Part B of the Medicare Program - Sets the monthly part B premium (for supplementary medical insurance) at 50 percent of the monthly actuarial rate for enrollees age 65 and over. Subtitle C: Provisions Relating to Parts A and B of the Medicare Program - Amends title XVIII secondary payer provisions to extend permanently requirements for employer responses to fiscal intermediaries or carriers inquiring as to coverage of an employee under a group health plan. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend permanently requirements of the Secretary of the Treasury and the Commissioner of Social Security to provide taxpayer identity information for verification of Medicare beneficiary employment status. Extends permanently the prohibition on large group health plans from taking into account that a disabled active individual under age 65 is entitled to Medicare benefits under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the SSA. Extends the period during which a group health plan may not take into account that an individual with end stage renal disease is entitled to Medicare benefits solely by reason of title II provisions. Prohibits the Secretary, in determining limits on reasonable costs of home health care agency services, from taking into account changes in the costs of services furnished with respect to cost reporting periods which began on or after July 1, 1994, and before July 1, 1996. Title VI: Contract With America Tax Relief Act of 1995 - Contract With America Tax Relief Act of 1995 - Subtitle A: American Dream Restoration - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individuals a tax credit of $500 multiplied by the number of qualifying children who have not attained age 18. Places limitations on such credit for taxpayer adjusted gross incomes over $200,000. Provides an inflation adjustment for such credit and the taxpayer adjusted gross income amount. (Sec. 6102) Allows a marriage penalty reduction credit for qualified married couples to be determined under tables prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury. (Sec. 6103) Establishes individual retirement plans (IRAs) which can be designated as American Dream Savings Accounts. Disallows a tax deduction for amounts contributed to such accounts. Limits contributions to such accounts to the lesser of $2,000, or compensation includible in an individual's gross income for a taxable year ($4,000 in the case of certain married individuals). Provides an inflation adjustment of such amounts. Permits contributions to be made after age 70.5. Excludes distributions from such accounts from gross income and makes the penalty on early distributions inapplicable. Designates qualified distributions as those: (1) made after the individual attains age 59.5; (2) made to a beneficiary on or after the death of the individual; (3) attributable to the individual being disabled; and (4) qualified as special purpose distributions. Prohibits qualified distributions from being made within the five-year period since the account began. Describes special purpose distributions as those for: (1) qualified first-time homebuyers; (2) qualified higher education expenses; and (3) qualified medical expenses, including long-term care insurance. Terminates the authority to make nondeductible contributions to IRAs. (Sec. 6104) Provides for computing a spousal IRA on the basis of compensation of both spouses. Subtitle B: Senior Citizens' Equity - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to decrease the tax on social security benefits from 1996 through 1999. Terminates such tax after December 31, 1999. (Sec. 6211) Provides for the treatment of qualified long-term care insurance as accident and health insurance for purposes of insurance company taxation. Prohibits long-term care insurance under cafeteria plans. Includes in the gross income of an employee employer-provided coverage for qualified long-term care services provided through flexible spending arrangements. Provides that the continuation coverage excise tax does not apply to a group health plan solely by reason of failing to provide long-term care insurance. Declares that payments to relatives (unlicensed with respect to long-term medical care services) shall be treated as not paid for medical care. (Sec. 6212) Includes amounts paid for qualified long-term care services as medical expenses deductible from gross income. (Sec. 6213) Provides for the nonrecognition of gain or loss on the exchange of any life insurance contract or an endowment or annuity contract for a long-term care insurance contract. (Sec. 6214) Excludes from gross income certain amounts withdrawn from individual retirement accounts and certain employer cash or deferred arrangements to pay long-term care premiums. (Sec. 6221) Provides for the exclusion as a death benefit of any amount paid or advanced to an individual under a life insurance contract because such individual is terminally ill or chronically ill and confined to a qualified facility. (Sec. 6222) Allows insurance companies to issue accelerated death benefit riders on life insurance contracts. (Sec. 6231) Includes in gross income excess long-term care benefits, except for terminally ill individuals. (Sec. 6232) Establishes reporting requirements for persons who pay long-term care benefits. Subtitle C: Job Creation and Wage Enhancement - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a 50 percent income tax deduction for the net capital gain of noncorporate taxpayers. Allows such deduction in computing gross income. (Sec. 6302) Requires indexing, based on the gross national product deflator, of the adjusted basis of certain assets (corporate stock and tangible property that is a capital asset or property used in a trade or business) that have been held for more than three years at the time of sale or other transfer, solely for the purpose of determining gain or loss. Allows a taxpayer, other than a corporation that holds any readily tradable stock on January 1, 1995, to treat such stock as having been sold on the last business day before such date for an amount equal to its closing market price on such last business day (and as having been reacquired on such last business day for an amount equal to such closing market price). (Sec. 6311) Reduces the alternative capital gains tax on corporations from 35 percent to 25 percent. (Sec. 6316) Allows an itemized deduction for losses arising from the sale or exchange of a principal residence. (Sec. 6321) Allows the depreciation deduction to be computed based on a neutral recovery basis for property placed in service after December 31, 1994. (Sec. 6322) Provides for the treatment of lessor improvements which are abandoned at the termination of a lease. (Sec. 6331) Phases out the alternative minimum tax for corporations to zero after December 31, 2000. Provides for earlier termination of certain tax adjustments. (Sec. 6341) Establishes in the Treasury a Public Debt Reduction Trust Fund for the deposit of portions of tax liability designated by individuals. Makes amounts in such Trust Fund available only to pay at maturity, or to redeem or buy before maturity, any obligation of the Federal Government included in the public debt. Prohibits the reissuance of any obligation which is paid, redeemed, or bought with amounts from the Trust Fund. Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to require a sequestration (reduction) of Federal spending equivalent to the aggregate amounts designated for payment to such Fund. Sets forth congressional reporting requirements. (Sec. 6351) Increases the unified credit against the estate tax and the unified credit against the gift tax and provides a cost-of- living adjustment for such credits. Provides an inflation adjustment for the alternate valuation of certain farm and business property, the gift tax exclusion, the generation-skipping tax exemption, and the estate tax on closely held businesses. (Sec. 6352) Increases the dollar limitation on the election to expense certain depreciable business assets. (Sec. 6353) Includes as a principal place of business, for purposes of qualifying a home office for the deductibility of expenses, a place of business used by the taxpayer for administrative or management activities of a trade or business if there is no other fixed location where the taxpayer conducts such activities. (Sec. 6354) Treats the storage of product samples as inventory for deduction purposes. Subtitle D: Family Reinforcement - Allows an income tax credit for up to $5,000 of qualified adoption expenses paid or incurred by the taxpayer during the taxable year. Sets forth a formula for reduction of such credit for taxpayers whose adjusted gross income exceeds $60,000. Denies such a credit for any expense for which a deduction or credit is allowable under another Code provision. Defines "qualified adoption expenses" as reasonable and necessary adoption fees, court costs, attorney's fees, and other lawful expenses directly related to legal adoption of a child, but not any expenses paid from any funds received under a Federal, State, or local program. Disqualifies for such a credit any expenses in connection with the adoption of a child of the taxpayer's spouse. (Sec. 6402) Allows a tax credit for an individual who maintains a household which includes one or more qualified persons requiring custodial care equal to $500 for each such person. Subtitle E: Social Security Earnings Test - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to increase the monthly exempt amount for individuals who have attained retirement age. Subtitle F: Technical Corrections - Makes technical amendments to the Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1990 and the Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1993. Provides for the application of amendments made by title XII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990. Includes among such amendments clarification of U.S. shareholder interests in controlled foreign corporations with respect to dividends, modification of the election to include a child's unearned income on a parent's return, and certain investments in annuity contracts.

Second Supplemental Appropriations and Rescissions Act, 1995

United States · United States Congress · 24 March 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Supplementals and Rescissions Title II: General Provisions Second Supplemental Appropriations and Rescissions Act, 1995 - Title I: Supplementals and Rescissions - Makes FY 1995 additional supplemental appropriations to the Department of Agriculture for the Agricultural Research Service, the Food Safety and Inspection Service, the Commodity Credit Corporation, and the Food and Nutrition Service. Rescinds appropriations made to the Department of Agriculture for the Office of the Secretary, Agricultural Research Service, the Cooperative State Research Service, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Rural Development Administration and Farmers Home Administration, the Alcohol Fuels Credit Guarantee Program Account, the Rural Electrification Administration, the Food and Nutrition Service, and the Foreign Agricultural Service. Makes FY 1995 additional supplemental appropriations to the National Bankruptcy Review Commission and the United States Information Agency. Rescinds appropriations made to: (1) the Department of Justice for the Immigration and Naturalization Service and Office of Justice Programs; (2) the Department of Commerce for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Under Secretary for Technology-Office of Technology Policy, the National Technical Information Service, and the Economic Development Administration; (3) the Judiciary for the United States Court of International Trade and for defender services; (4) the Small Business Administration; (5) the Department of State; (6) the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency; (7) the Board for International Broadcasting; and (8) the United States Information Agency. Rescinds appropriations made to: (1) the Corps of Engineers-Civil; (2) the Bureau of Reclamation of the Department of the Interior; (3) the Department of Energy; (4) the Appalachian Regional Commission; and (5) the Tennessee Valley Authority. Rescinds funds appropriated to the President for foreign operations, export financing, and related programs. Rescinds appropriations made to: (1) the Department of the Interior for the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and territorial and international affairs; (2) the Department of Agriculture for the Forest Service; (3) the Department of Energy for fossil energy research and development, naval petroleum and oil shale reserves, and energy conservation; (4) the Department of Education for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. Rescinds appropriations made to the Smithsonian Institution, the National Gallery of Art, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities. Rescinds appropriations made to the Department of Labor for the Employment and Training Administration and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Rescinds appropriations made to the Department of Health and Human Services for the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the Assistant Secretary for Health, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, the Health Care Financing Administration, the Social Security Administration, the Administration for Children and Families, the Administration on Aging, and the Office of the Secretary. Rescinds appropriations made to specified Department of Education programs, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the Railroad Retirement Board. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to decrease the appropriated funds for FY 1995 for the Federal Direct Student Loan Program. Rescinds funds made available to the Legislative Branch for: (1) the payments to widows and heirs of deceased Members of Congress; (2) Joint Economic Committee and the Joint Committee on Printing; (3) the Office of Technology Assessment for salaries and expenses; (4) the Congressional Budget Office for salaries and expenses; (5) the Architect of the Capitol for capitol buildings and grounds; (6) the Government Printing Office for congressional printing and binding and salaries and expenses; (7) the Botanic Garden for salaries and expenses; (8)the Library of Congress for salaries and expenses; and (9) the General Accounting Office for salaries and expenses. Rescinds funds made available to the Department of Defense for: (1) military construction; (2) the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; and (3) Base Realignment and Closure Account, Parts II and III. Rescinds funds made available to the Department of Transportation (DOT) for: (1) the Office of the Secretary; (2) the Coast Guard; (3) the Federal Aviation Administration; (4) the Federal Highway Administration; (5) the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; (6) the Federal Railroad Administration; and (7) the Federal Transit Administration. Reduces certain obligation limitations for DOT. (Sec. 901) Rescinds funds from the DOT working capital fund. (Sec. 902) Cancels a specified amount for DOT civilian and military compensation and benefits permanently. Makes FY 1995 additional supplemental appropriations to the General Services Administration and the Office of Personnel Management. Rescinds funds made available to the Department of the Treasury for departmental offices, the Financial Management Service, the United States Mint, the Bureau of the Public Debt, and the Internal Revenue Service. Rescinds funds made available to the Executive Office of the President for the White House Office and Federal drug control programs. Rescinds funds made available to the General Services Administration for the Federal Buildings Fund and the Office of Personnel Management for salaries and expenses. Makes FY 1995 additional supplemental appropriations to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for disaster relief and the National Flood Insurance Fund. Rescinds funds made available to: (1) the Department of Veterans Affairs for medical care and major projects construction; and (2) the Department of Housing and Urban Development for housing programs. Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to: (1) permit a public housing agency to use modernization assistance for any eligible activity, including demolition, replacement housing, and temporary relocation assistance, authorized by this or other applicable appropriations Acts; (2) permit replacement units to be built on the site of the original demolished public housing unit only if the number of replacement units is significantly less than the number of units demolished; (3) repeal provisions prohibiting public housing projects from transferring title unless there is Federal funding assistance providing for a unit for unit replacement for each transfer; and (4) permit the reuse of any budget authority that is recaptured on account of termination of a housing assistance payments contract only for one or more the following, tenant-based assistance or project-based assistance. Rescinds funds made available to the: (1) Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board; (2) Community Development Financial Institutions Fund; (3) Corporation for National and Community Service; (4) Environmental Protection Agency; (5) National Aeronautics and Space Administration; (6) National Science Foundation; and (7) Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Title II: General Provisions - Directs the Secretary concerned to: (1) prepare, offer, and award contracts for salvage timber sales from Federal lands; and (2) perform the appropriate revegetation and tree planting operations in the salvage area. Subjects such sales to judicial review only in the United States district court for the district in which the affected Federal lands are located. Permits such an action only if made within 15 days after the initial advertisement of the challenged timber sale. (Sec. 2002) Amends the Treasury, Postal Service and General Government Appropriations Act, 1995 and other Federal law provisions concerning overtime for criminal investigators. (Sec. 2006) Prohibits the use of funds available in FY 1995 appropriations being used for specified purposes by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Science and Mathematics Early Start Grant Program Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 24 March 1995

Science and Mathematics Early Start Grant Program Act of 1995 - Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award Science and Mathematics Early Start Grants to organizations to support model programs that provide instruction to Head Start personnel regarding the introduction of science and mathematics activities to children enrolled in Head Start programs. Sets forth award priorities. Requires grant recipients to report program results to the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Mathematics and Science Education for dissemination. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 4) Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to each of the ten regional Head Start agencies to improve teaching and learning through professional development activities in science and mathematics at the regional and local agency levels. Sets forth provisions for: (1) regional and within-region allocations of funds; (2) local plans and applications for improving mathematics and science teaching and learning; (3) local allocation of funds; and (4) permissible activities. Authorizes appropriations.

Low-Income School Choice Demonstration Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 24 March 1995

Low-Income School Choice Demonstration Act of 1995 - Establishes a low-income school choice demonstration program to determine the effects on students and schools of providing financial assistance to enable low-income parents to select the public or private schools their children will attend. (Sec. 4) Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary to award grants to eligible entities to carry out between ten and 20 demonstration projects under which low-income parents receive education certificates for the cost of enrolling their eligible children in a choice school. Sets forth requirements for use of grant funds, authorized projects, award priorities, and applications. (Sec. 8) Requires the amount of an eligible child's education certificate to be determined by the eligible entity, in an amount that provides the recipient with the maximum degree of choice in selecting the choice school the eligible child will attend. Requires an eligible entity to consider certain cost factors in determining such amount. Allows an eligible entity to provide an education certificate to the parent of an eligible child who chooses to attend a school that does not charge tuition or fees in order to pay: (1) the additional reasonable costs of transportation directly attributable to the child's participation in the demonstration project; or (2) the cost of complying with certain special services requirements. Provides for adjustments in certificate amount. Limits the maximum amount of an eligible child's education certificate to the per pupil expenditure for elementary or secondary education (as appropriate) by the local educational agency for the public school to which the child would normally be assigned for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the determination is made. Declares that an education certificate, and funds provided under it, shall not be treated as income of the parents for purposes of Federal tax laws or for determining eligibility for any other Federal program. (Sec. 9) Requires that eligible child participants in such a demonstration project receive whatever special services to which they would otherwise be entitled under certain provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Allows any local educational agency participating in such a demonstration project to count eligible children who otherwise would attend the agency's schools in order to receive funds under any program administered by the Secretary. Allows use of information under the National School Lunch Act to determine a child's eligibility to participate in a demonstration project under this Act and, if needed, to rank families by income. (Sec. 10) Requires each eligible entity receiving a grant under this Act to provide timely notice of the demonstration project to parents of eligible children residing in the area to be served. (Sec. 11) Directs the Comptroller General to contract with an evaluating agency for an annual evaluation of the demonstration program, according to specified criteria.

Pipeline Safety Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 24 March 1995

Pipeline Safety Act of 1995 - Amends Federal natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline safety transportation law to prohibit the Secretary of Transportation from promulgating any significant gas or hazardous liquid transportation safety standard or regulatory requirement unless he or she: (1) certifies that an analysis of risk reduction benefits and costs has been conducted based on objective and unbiased scientific and economic evaluations; (2) certifies that the incremental risk reduction or other benefits of any option chosen will be likely to justify, and be reasonably related to, the incremental costs incurred by Federal, State, local, and tribal governments and other public and private citizens; and (3) explains why other options identified were found either to be less cost-effective at achieving a substantially equivalent reduction in risk, or to provide less flexibility to State, local, or tribal governments or regulated entities in achieving the otherwise applicable objectives of such standard or requirement. (Sec. 3) Requires the Secretary, with respect to any significant standard or regulatory requirement, to submit any risk assessment documents and cost-benefit analyses for review by the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee or the Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committee, or both, and make them available to the public. Requires the Secretary to review the Committees' reports and recommendations with respect to their review and take appropriate action. (Sec. 4) Excludes from the meaning of the term "transporting gas" the gathering of gas (other than gathering through regulated gathering lines) in rural locations which are outside the limits of any incorporated or unincorporated city, town, or village, or any other designated residential or commercial area. (Sec. 5) Requires Federal minimum safety standards for pipeline transportation and pipeline facilities to include a requirement that all individuals who operate pipeline facilities be qualified to recognize and react to abnormal operating conditions that may indicate a dangerous situation or condition exceeding design limits. Requires the Secretary, when prescribing such minimum safety standards, to consider, among other things, the comments and recommendations of the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards and the Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committees. Revises the prescriptions for minimum safety standards in new or replacement gas pipeline transmission facilities or hazardous liquid pipeline facilities or related equipment with respect to the accommodation of instrumented internal inspection devices ( "smart pigs"). Directs the Secretary, to the extent practicable, to update incorporated industry standards that have been adopted as part of the Federal pipeline safety regulatory program. (Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary to carry out a voluntary project under which owners and operators of pipeline facilities demonstrate applications of risk management. Authorizes the Secretary, during the demonstration period, to exempt owners and operators participating in the project from compliance with some or all of the safety standards that would otherwise apply under this Act. (Sec. 7) Eliminates the application of certain inspection and maintenance requirements to persons who transport gas or hazardous liquids. Repeals the requirement for pipeline facility inspections at least once every two years. Requires the Secretary to establish a mandatory, systematic, and, where appropriate, periodic inspection program of any pipeline facility crossing under, over, or through waters where a substantial likelihood of commercial navigation exists. (Currently this requirement applies to all navigable waters reardless of such likelihood.) (Sec. 8) Requires the Secretary to prescribe regulations that establish criteria by which operators of hazardous liquid pipeline facilities and gathering lines shall identify each hazardous liquid pipeline facility that crosses waters where a substantial likelihood of commercial navigation exits. (Currently this requirement applies to all navigable waters reardless of such likelihood.) Requires the Secretary, when identifying an area as unusually sensitive to environmental damage if there is a hazardous liquid pipeline accident, to consider including intake locations of community water systems. Repeals the requirement to consider earthquake, landslide, and other substantial ground movement zones as unusually sensitive to environmental damage if there is a hazardous liquid pipeline accident. (Sec. 9) Authorizes the Secretary to adopt industry accepted performance and manufacturing standards when developing standards for the performance of excess flow valves used to protect lines in a natural gas distribution system. (Sec. 11) Repeals the requirement for criminal penalties in regulations establishing a one-call notification system with respect to the safety of pipeline facilities. (Sec. 12) Requires the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee and the Technical Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committee to serve as peer review committees. Deems such service to be in compliance with the requirements of other applicable Federal statutes. Requires committee members to be experienced in risk management. Revises the composition of the committees. Requires at least one of the individuals selected for each committee from the natural gas or hazardous liquid industry and from the general public to have education, backgroud, or experience in risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis. Requires the Secretary, when giving each committee each standard proposed for transporting gas and hazardous liquid, and for gas and hazardous liquid pipeline facilities, to include a risk assessment document, cost-benefit, and other analyses supporting such standard. Requires each committee to meet with the Secretary at least four times (currently, twice) annually. (Sec. 13) Requires each owner or operator of a natural gas pipeline facility to provide a program for educating the public on, among other things, the use of damage prevention ("one-call") systems prior to excavation. Repeals the requirement for persons transporting gas to conduct public education programs. (Sec. 14) Authorizes the Secretary to enter into grants, cooperative agreements, and other transactions with any U.S. person, agency, or instrumentality, any State or local government, any educational institution, and any other entity to carry out pipeline safety programs, including the development, improvement, and promotion of "one-call" damage prevention programs, research, risk assessment, and mapping. (Sec. 15) Declares owners and operators of natural gas or hazardous liquid pipelines who have voluntarily participated in the risk management demonstration project to be in compliance with safety standards or regulatory requirements prescribed under such project. (Sec. 16) Subjects to civil and criminal penalties any person who knowingly and willfully excavates and subsequently damages a pipeline facility and does not report such damage promptly to the operator of the pipeline facility and other appropriate authorities. (Sec. 19) Authorizes appropriations.

Department of Education Elimination Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 24 March 1995

Department of Education Elimination Act of 1995 - Eliminates the Department of Education as of January 1, 1998. Directs the Secretary of Education, prior to such date, to: (1) consolidate into a block grant program those programs that are administered by the Department and are appropriate for States to administer; and (2) otherwise provide for the complete elimination of the Department. Directs the Secretary to submit to the Congress: (1) a strategic plan with recommendations for legislation to carry out such elimination and block grant program, and for transfers of functions and activities to other Federal or State agencies; and (2) a report with a plan and recommendations for such transfer of programs and agencies considered appropriate for continued Federal administration to other existing departments and abolishment of unnecessary programs and agencies, and with a description of projected cost savings to the Federal Government. Requires the Director of the Congressional Budget Office to submit to a specified congressional committee a list of recommendations for minimizing the cost of Federal education programs through the elimination of the Department. Directs the Comptroller General to report to such congressional committee with recommendations for the most efficient means of achieving the complete elimination of the Department and the transfer of appropriate functions to other existing or successor Federal or State agencies.

NATO Participation Act Amendments of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 23 March 1995

NATO Participation Act Amendments of 1995 - Amends the NATO Participation Act of 1994 to expand eligibility for participation in a program to assist in transition to full North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) membership to European countries emerging from communist domination (currently, countries emerging from communist domination that are participating in the Partnership for Peace program). Revises conditions on such assistance to permit participation only if the President reports to designated congressional committees that the country: (1) has made progress toward establishing shared values and interests, a democratic government, a free market economy, civilian control of the military, police, and intelligence services, adherence to the Helsinki Final Act of the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and more transparent defense budgets and is participating in the Partnership for Peace defense planning process; (2) has made public commitments regarding NATO; (3) meets standards of NATO allies to prevent the transfer of defense articles to states supporting terrorism; and (4) is likely, within five years, to be in a position to further the principles of NATO and contribute to its own security and that of the North Atlantic area. Adds economic support fund, peacekeeping operations, and Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund assistance to the list of assistance available to participants in the NATO transition program. Earmarks international military education and training assistance for the placement of additional military personnel from Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia at U.S. military education institutions and for the placement of U.S. instructors at military educational centers in eligible countries. Declares that the President should use the vote of the United States at all international fora to urge observer status in the North Atlantic Council for eligible countries. Sets forth conditions under which a country's eligibility may be terminated.

Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Amendments Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 23 March 1995

Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Amendments Act of 1995 - Modifies the boundaries of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor. Requires the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission to revise the Cultural Heritage and Land Management Plan to address the boundary change and include a natural resource inventory of areas or features that should be protected, restored, managed, or acquired because of their contribution to the understanding of national cultural landscape values. Prohibits changes other than minor revisions in the approved plan as amended without the approval of the Secretary of the Interior. Extends the date of termination of the Commission until ten years after this Act's enactment, subject to specified conditions. Directs the Secretary to approve an additional extension if the Secretary finds that: (1) the Governors of Massachusetts and Rhode Island provide adequate assurances of continued tangible contribution and effective policy support toward achieving the purposes of the Corridor; and (2) the Commission is effectively assisting Federal, State, and local authorities to retain, enhance, and interpret the distinctive character and nationally significant resources of the Corridor. Authorizes the Secretary to undertake a limited program of financial assistance for the purpose of providing funds for the preservation and restoration of structures on or eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places within the Corridor which exhibit national significance or provide a wide spectrum of historic, recreational, or environmental education opportunities to the general public. Specifies that nothing in the Act establishing the Corridor shall be construed to affect or authorize the Commission to interfere with: (1) the rights of any person with respect to private property; or (2) any local zoning ordinance or land use plan of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or a political subdivision of such Commonwealth. Increases and extends the authorization of appropriations under the Act.

Family Privacy Protection Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 21 March 1995

Family Privacy Protection Act of 1995 - Declares that, in conducting a program or activity funded in whole or in part by the Federal Government, a person may not, without parental or guardian consent (or, if the minor is emancipated, without the minor's own prior consent), require or otherwise seek the response of the minor to a survey or questionnaire intended to elicit information concerning: (1) parental political affiliations or beliefs; (2) mental or psychological problems; (3) sexual behavior or attitudes; (4) illegal, anti-social, or self-incriminating behavior; (5) appraisals of other individuals with whom the minor has a familial relationship; (6) relationships legally recognized as privileged, such as those with lawyers, physicians, and clergy; or (7) religious beliefs. Exempts from this prohibition: (1) the seeking of information for the purpose of a criminal investigation or adjudication; (2) any inquiry made pursuant to a good faith concern for the health, safety, or welfare of an individual minor; (3) administration of the immigration, internal revenue, or customs laws of the United States; or (4) the seeking of any information required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance. Provides that any restriction under any provision of Federal law on the seeking of information from minors through surveys, questionnaires, analyses, or evaluations shall not apply to any test intended to measure academic performance. Prescribes agency notice and compliance requirements. Provides for judicial review in certain cases. States that this Act does not apply to any program or activity which is subject to the General Education Provisions Act.

School-Based Clinic Health Service Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 21 March 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: School-Based or School-Linked Health and Social Services Center Grants Title II: State and Local Coordinated Youth Services Grants Subtitle A: Local Consortia Grants Subtitle B: Statewide Youth Services Center Grants Subtitle C: Provisions Relating to Both Local and Statewide Grant Programs Title III: Implementation Provisions Title IV: Federal Coordinated Youth Services Initiatives School-Based Clinic Health Service Act of 1995 - Title I: School-Based or School-Linked Health and Social Services Center Grants - Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to award grants to eligible local community partnerships to coordinate and deliver comprehensive education, health, and social services to children or youth in school-based, school-linked, or community-based locations. Requires partnership use of grant funds for coordination and delivery of specified core services at a school-based, school-linked, or community-based location or locations accessible to and used by at-risk children, youth, and their families. Gives priority to grant applicants whose comprehensive services plan demonstrates: (1) continuity of access to core services on a year-round basis or beyond traditional school or service hours, either on site or through a backup referral system of community-based providers; and (2) the offer of services beyond the in-school population, including core services to out-of-school youth, to the extent practicable. Authorizes the Secretary, acting through the Administration, to award planning grants to eligible entities that agree to establish a local community partnership to deliver comprehensive services. Title II: State and Local Coordinated Youth Services Grants - Subtitle A: Local Consortia Grants - Authorizes the Secretary, acting through the Administrator, to award grants to eligible consortia to coordinate and deliver comprehensive core education, health, and social services to at-risk youth through an integrated service delivery network directed by a consortium. Requires such consortia membership to include specified types of local representatives. Requires specified financial or organizational commitments by consortium members. Subtitle B: Statewide Youth Services Center Grants - Authorizes the Secretary, acting through the Administrator, to award grants to eligible States to provide for coordination and delivery of comprehensive education, health, and social services to at-risk youth through the award of State grants to local community partnerships or consortia. Subtitle C: Provisions Relating to Both Local and Statewide Grant Programs - Sets forth requirements for applications and use of grant funds for a consortium or State entity awarded a grant under subtitle A or B. Requires coordination and delivery of the core services through a system of school-based, school-linked, or community-based youth centers to serve in-school and out-of-school youth and their families. Requires coordination and co-location of existing core services in a broader system of health and social services centers accessible to in-school or out-of-school youth (including adolescent parents and runaway and homeless youth), as well as coordination of core services with alternative education and job training and placement opportunities for them. Authorizes the Secretary, acting through the Administrator, to award planning grants to consortia or States. Title III: Implementation Provisions - Makes ineligible for title I funds any community that: (1) is currently receiving State funds to deliver co-located education, health, and social services; or (2) will receive funding from a State funded under subtitle B of title II. Allows such a currently funded community partnership to form a consortium to seek funding for an expanded citywide or countywide youth services network under subtitle A of title II. Requires a local consortium operating in a locality receiving State funding for delivery of such co-located services to include participation from the entities receiving such State funding. Makes eligible for continued funding, at the completion of its five-year grant period under title I, a partnership that has expanded into a citywide or countywide consortium or has become part of a statewide network. Directs the Secretary to: (1) disseminate information on programs under this Act as well as successful and model programs, and to provide technical assistance; and (2) collaborate with the Departments of Education and Labor and the Commission on National and Community Service in such efforts. Authorizes appropriations. Title IV: Federal Coordinated Youth Services Initiatives - Directs the Secretary, acting through the Administrator, to establish and administer a special projects of national significance program to award direct grants to public and nonprofit private entities to fund model programs to integrate health and social services, including HIV prevention, provided to special populations of youth at risk. Allows such special projects to include projects targeting youth who are: (1) runaway, homeless, or street youth; (2) immigrants or migrants; (3) in the juvenile justice system; (4) in foster care; (5) in gangs; (6) with a history of substance abuse; (7) with HIV disease; (8) adolescent parents; and (9) Native American. Amends the Claude Pepper Young Americans Act of 1990 to direct the Federal Council on Children, Youth, and Families to: (1) identify program regulations or practices that impede coordination and collaboration; and (2) develop recommendations for creating jointly funded programs, unified assessments, application procedures, confidentiality regulations that facilitate information-sharing, and pertinent legislative action.

Individual Responsibility Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 21 March 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Time-Limited Transitional Assistance Title II: Make Work Pay Title III: The Work First Program Title IV: Family Responsibility and Improved Child Support Enforcement Title V: Teen Pregnancy and Family Stability Title VI: Program Simplification Title VII: Child Protection Block Grant Program Title VIII: SSI Reform Title IX: Financing Title X: Food Assistance Reform Title XI: Deficit Reduction Title XII: Effective Date Individual Responsibility Act of 1995 - Title I: Time-Limited Transitional Assistance - Amends part A (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) (AFDC) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) require States opting to have work first programs to make ineligible for AFDC any family with a member who has participated in such work program, generally, for two years (and so is prohibited from further participation), while preserving the eligibility of such families for Medicaid; and (2) direct the Secretary of Health and Human Service (Secretary) to establish a database of work first and community service programs participants for use by States opting to have work first programs. Title II: Make Work Pay - Amends SSA titles XIX (Medicaid) and IV part A (AFDC), the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and other specified Federal law, to make various specified changes with regard to certain program aspects, including: (1) extended Medicaid enrollment for former AFDC recipients; (2) increased AFDC earned income disregards; (3) limited AFDC income and resource disregards of savings for education, first time home purchase, or microenterprise initiatives; (4) child care, including replacement of current Federal child care programs with State-administered block grant programs for child care services, as well as child care for work first program participants; and (5) refundable tax credits for dependent care and other expenses connected with gaining employment in order to enable AFDC recipients to become self-sufficient. (Sec. 213) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require participating residents to receive advanced earned income payments from a responsible State agency pursuant to a State Advance Payment Program in lieu of receiving earned income advance amounts from an employer. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to designate up to four State Advance Payment Demonstrations. Title III: The Work First Program - Amends SSA title IV to replace the current Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training Program under part F with a new program for assessing the employability of AFDC recipients and providing for their participation in job search activities, as well as a new Work First Program that allows participating States to establish one of two types of work programs, with one type similar to the programs operated by Riverside County, California and the State of Oregon. (Sec. 301) Requires a State to develop an individual responsibility plan, involving job search and other employment-related activities, for each aid applicant or recipient 18 years of age or older who has not completed high school or obtained a certificate of high school equivalency, and is not attending secondary school. Requires States establishing a work first program to have a workfare program (including community service) or a job placement voucher program with respective requirements for obtaining private sector employment. Requires a work supplementation component under such programs that provides for subsidized private sector or State or local government jobs. Requires States to provide program participants with the necessary case management services to ensure integrated benefits and services provided under such programs. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) States should target individuals who have not attained 25 years of age for participation in work first programs; and (2) the Secretary and the States should consider the needs of rural areas in designing State plans under SSA title IV part G. (Sec. 305) Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to community- based organizations that move AFDC recipients into the private work sector. Authorizes appropriations. Title IV: Family Responsibility and Improved Child Support Enforcement - Amends part D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity) of SSA title IV to require States to have statutorily prescribed procedures to: (1) record child support orders in a central case registry; and (2) collect child support payments through a centralized collections unit. (Sec. 401) Revises the guidelines for: (1) State plans for child and spousal support; and (2) payments distribution. (Sec. 403) Requires State plans to establish procedural guidelines for: (1) notification of all proceedings and orders affecting child support obligations; and (2) privacy safeguards regarding paternity and child support actions. (Sec. 411) Revises the formula for: (1) Federal matching payments to the States; and (2) incentive adjustments to the Federal matching rate. (Sec. 413) Requires a State plan for child and spousal support to include prescribed procedures for State reviews and audits. Revises the guidelines for Federal evaluation and audit of State programs governing paternity, child and spousal support, and parent location. (Sec. 415) Revises the automated data processing requirements for State plans to mandate a single statewide automated data processing and information retrieval system which can perform specified tasks. (Sec. 416) Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to conduct staffing studies of each State child support enforcement program and to report the results to the Congress. (Sec. 417) Makes funds available to the Secretary for: (1) training of Federal and State staff, research and demonstration programs, and special projects of regional and national significance; and (2) operation of the Federal Parent Locator Service. (Sec. 421) Mandates that the single statewide automated data system function as a single central case registry of State-provided services and support orders. Delineates contents of case records and data matching activities, including data exchange with sister States. (Sec. 422) Requires State plans to include a centralized, automated unit for the collection and disbursement of support payments. (Sec. 423) Requires the States to have statutorily prescribed procedures: (1) for mandatory income withholding for support payments subject to enforcement; and (2) under which child support orders issued before October 1, 1996, shall become subject to withholding from wages if arrearages occur, without the need for a judicial or administrative hearing. Revises the procedural guidelines for income withholding for child support enforcement. (Sec. 425) Revises the Federal Parent Locator Service to add kinds of information which may be transmitted to locate individuals and assets for purposes of establishing parentage and executing child support obligations. Requires the Secretary to establish in the Service a Data Bank of Child Support Orders and an automated Directory of New Hires. (Sec. 426) Requires State plans to include procedures for recording social security numbers on certain family legal documents and records, including all applications for motor vehicle licenses and professional licenses. (Sec. 431) Requires each State to have the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act in effect as of January 1, 1997. (Sec. 432) Amends the Federal judicial code to revise the procedures for a court to apply when determining which State order to recognize for purposes of continuing, exclusive jurisdiction and enforcement for child support orders. (Sec. 433) Amends SSA title IV part D to revise State plan guidelines for mandatory expedited administrative and judicial procedures to include: (1) authorized genetic testing to establish paternity; and (2) the securing of assets and increasing of monthly payments to satisfy a support arrearage. (Sec. 441) Expresses the sense of the Congress that social services should be provided in hospitals to women who have become pregnant as a result of rape or incest. (Sec. 442) Requires the States to have statutorily prescribed procedures for providing new fathers with parenting counseling that stresses the importance of paying child support in a timely manner. (Sec. 443) Mandates that a State plan for child and spousal support have procedural guidelines for the State agency to determine whether an individual is cooperating with efforts to establish paternity and secure support. (Sec. 444) Sets forth the applicable percentage for Federal matching payments. (Sec. 445) Revises the guidelines for performance-based incentive adjustments to the Federal matching rate with respect to Statewide paternity establishment and the overall performance of the State in child support enforcement. (Sec. 446) Revises the guidelines for statutorily prescribed procedures governing genetic testing and outreach for voluntary paternity acknowledgment. (Sec. 451) Establishes the National Child Support Guidelines Commission to develop and recommend to the Congress a national child support guideline that is based on a study of various guideline models. (Sec. 452) Revises the requirements for State plan procedures for the review and adjustment of support orders. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the priority of refund distribution with respect to past-due support owed to individuals. (Sec. 463) Amends SSA title IV part D to revise procedural guidelines for: (1) consent by the United States to income withholding, garnishment, and similar proceedings for enforcement of child support and alimony obligations of current and retired Federal employees; and (2) enforcement of child support obligations of current and retired members of the Armed Forces. (Sec. 465) Requires States to have statutorily prescribed procedures for: (1) placing liens for child support arrearages on motor vehicle titles of the debtor; (2) voiding fraudulent transfers by a child support debtor; (3) suspending any driver's, business, or occupational license issued to any person who owes past-due child support; (4) reporting to credit bureaus the name of the parent in arrears for child support; (5) extending the statute of limitations for collection on child support arrearages; and (6) calculating interest or penalties on such arrearage. (Sec. 471) Prescribes procedural guidelines for passport denial (including revocation) upon certification of nonpayment of child support. (Sec. 472) Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States should ratify the United Nations Convention of 1956. Requires State plans to provide that the State must treat international child support cases as interstate cases. (Sec. 473) Amends SSA title IV part D to authorize holds on lottery winnings, settlements, payouts, bequests, and proceeds from the sale of forfeited property in order to satisfy child support arrearages. (Sec. 474) Requires States to have statutorily prescribed procedures that impose liability upon grandparents for the financial support of a grandchild whose parent is less than 18 years of age to the extent the parent is unable to provide such support. (Sec. 475) Expresses the sense of the Congress that the States should develop programs that are designed to work with noncustodial parents who are unable to meet their child support obligations. (Sec. 481) Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to include within the definition of medical child support order an order issued through a State administrative process. (Sec. 482) Mandates that a State plan for aid and services to needy families with children extend Medicaid eligibility for families losing AFDC due to increased child support collections. (Sec. 491) Sets forth effective dates for this Act. Title V: Teen Pregnancy and Family Stability - Amends SSA title IV part A with respect to Federal and State roles in reducing teenage pregnancy and promoting family stability, among other things by: (1) giving States the option to deny AFDC for additional children (except those born as a result of rape or incest) of AFDC families while preserving their eligibility for Medicaid; and (2) requiring unmarried minors who are pregnant or who have children to live under adult supervision in order to receive AFDC. (Sec. 503) Amends SSA title XX (Block Grants to States for Social Services) to provide for the establishment of the National Clearinghouse on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Programs. (Sec. 504) Requires State plans to reduce by 25 percent the aid payable to a family with a parent under 20 who has not completed secondary school (or obtained an equivalency certificate) if that parent has failed without good cause to maintain minimum attendance at an educational institution. (Sec. 505) Grants States the option, with respect to families in which both parents are married, to disregard any standard that limits: (1) the time during a month that a family's principal earner may be employed (100-hour rule) under the AFDC-UP (Unemployed Parent) program; or (2) the length of time (six-month limit) such a family may receive AFDC payments. (Sec. 506) Repeals the quarters of work coverage requirement under the AFDC-UP program for families in which both parents are under age 20. (Sec. 508) Places restrictions on Federal housing benefits to minors who bear children out-of-wedlock. (Sec. 509) Give States the option of denying AFDC to minor parents. (Sec. 511) Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) children should be educated about the risks of early parenthood; (2) reproductive family planning and education should be made available to potential parents; and (3) States should use SSA title XX (Block Grants to States for Social Services) funds to provide comprehensive services to high-risk youth and work with schools for early identification and referral of such children. Title VI: Program Simplification - Amends SSA titles IV part A and XI, as well as the Food Stamp Act of 1977, among other things to give States increased flexibility in providing AFDC benefits (including restoring those wrongfully terminated) through, among other means, use of electronic benefit transfers, quicker action on waiver requests, and coordination with food stamp rules. (Sec. 631) Expresses the support of the Congress for certain efforts by the Social Security Administration to reduce fraud and abuse in the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program under SSA title XVI. (Sec. 632) Requires the Commissioner of Social Security to study and report to the Congress on the feasibility of issuing a single counterfeit-resistant ID card to replace the current social security card and any health security card issued under health reform legislation. (Sec. 641) Sets forth additional AFDC changes involving: (1) State payment options under the program for dependent children of unemployed parents; (2) State determination of the needs of the dependent child and relative with whom the child is living; (3) "fill- the-gap" budgeting; (4) repeal of the requirement for supplemental payments in States paying less than their needs standards; (5) collection of AFDC overpayments from Federal tax refunds; and (6) disregard of student and nonrecurring lump-sum income. (Sec. 646) Amends SSA title XI to raise the limitations on payments under SSA titles I (Old Age Assistance), X (Aid to the Blind), XIV (Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled), and XVI (Supplemental Security Income)(SSI), and IV parts A and E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance). Title VII: Child Protection Block Grant Program - Amends SSA title IV part B (Child-Welfare Services) to convert the current program into a child protection block grant program. Authorizes appropriations. Title VIII: SSI Reform - Amends SSA title XVI to limit the payment of SSI benefits for children by reason of disability and make specified changes with regard to disability reviews for certain children and young adults. (Sec. 811) Provides for the denial of SSI benefits by reason of disability to drug addicts and alcoholics. Title IX: Financing - Amends SSA, IRC, and the Immigration and Nationality Act with regard to the treatment of aliens concerning AFDC, SSI, and food stamp benefits, among other things to: (1) provide for an extension of deeming of income and resources under the AFDC, SSI, and food stamp programs; (2) prescribe requirements for sponsor's affidavit of support; (3) extend requirements for affidavits of support to family-related and diversity immigrants; (4) revise the definition of "emergency assistance to needy families with children" and the limitation on State expenditures for such assistance; (5) include certain Federal assistance (such as AFDC and food stamps) in gross income; (6) make payments of certain assistance reportable to the Internal Revenue Service; (7) deny the earned income tax credit to individuals not authorized to be employed in the United States; (8) phaseout the earned income credit for individuals having more than $2,500 of taxable interest and dividends; and (9) ignore AFDC and food stamp benefits for purposes of determining the earned income tax credit. Title X: Food Assistance Reform - Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) to establish specific time periods for: (1) retail food stores and wholesale food concerns (stores) to apply for food stamp program (program) participation; and (2) prohibition of program participation based on lack of business integrity. (Sec. 1003) Includes income and sales tax information among the types of eligibility verification information which may be requested. (Sec. 1004) Establishes a six-month reapplication waiting period for a store that does not meet participation requirements. (Sec. 1006) Authorizes suspension of a store pending administrative and judicial review. (States that the Secretary shall not be liable for lost sales during such period.) (Sec. 1007) Provides for disqualification of a store that is disqualified from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). (Sec. 1008) Provides for permanent disqualification of a store that knowingly submits a falsified application. (Sec. 1009) Expands civil and criminal forfeiture for specified violations of the Act. (Sec. 1010) Amends the Social Security Act as amended by the Social Security Administrative Reform Act of 1994, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended by the Social Security Administrative Reform Act of 1994, to authorize information sharing with State WIC enforcement instrumentalities. (Sec. 1011) Amends the Act to expand the definition of "coupon." (Sec. 1012) Amends the Act to increase ineligibility penalties for program violations. (Sec. 1013) Makes mandatory the collection of overissuance of coupons from Federal pay or Federal tax refunds (as authorized by this section). (Sec. 1016) Revises work requirements to: (1) disqualify a non- exempt individual not employed a minimum of 20 hours per week nor participating in a State workfare or training program; (2) revise exempt individual categories; and (3) disqualify a household that includes an individual who refuses to comply with work requirements. Increases and extends authorization allotments for employment training. Coordinates work requirements with the AFDC program under part A of SSA title IV. (Sec. 1017) Extends current claims retention rates. (Sec. 1019) Encourages States to implement electronic benefit transfer systems. (Sec. 1020) Freezes the standard deduction rate through October 1, 1995. (Sec. 1021) Extends the Puerto Rico block grant. (Sec. 1022) Revises specified income exclusion requirements. Commodity Distribution Act of 1995 - Authorizes the Secretary to purchase and distribute food assistance commodities to the States through FY 2000. (Sec. 1053) Requires the Secretary to establish procedures for supplemental State, local, and private commodity donations. (Sec. 1054) Requires a State seeking commodity assistance to submit an administrative plan to the Secretary every four years. (Sec. 1055) Establishes program allocation guidelines. Requires States to make emergency feeding organizations their first priority. (Sec. 1057) Authorizes the Secretary to use Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds to pay initial commodity processing and packaging costs. (Sec. 1059) Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 1060) Obligates specified funds for a commodity supplemental food program for women, infants, and children or the elderly. Requires the CCC to donate specified amounts of cheese and nonfat dry milk to such program. (Sec. 1061) States that commodities received under this title shall not be considered income or resources for any Federal, State, or local means-tested program. (Sec. 1068) Repeals the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983. Eliminates specified provisions of: (1) the Commodity Distribution Reform Act and WIC Amendments of 1987; (2) the Charitable Assistance and Food Bank Act of 1987; (3) the Food Security Act of 1985; (4) the Agricultural and Consumer Protection Act of 1973; (5) the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990; and (6) the Hunger Prevention Act of 1988. Title XI: Deficit Reduction - Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to use savings resulting from this Act for specified deficit reductions. Title XII: Effective Date - Sets forth the effective date for amendments made by this Act.

Gang Prevention and Youth Recreation Act of 1995

United States · United States Congress · 21 March 1995

Gang Prevention and Youth Recreation Act of 1995 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to not more than ten selected cities to assist them to establish and operate teen resource and education centers to provide education, employment, recreation, social, and cultural awareness assistance to at-risk youth. Authorizes the Secretary to make such grants to a city if it applies and agrees to operate at least two such centers. Requires such centers to offer for at-risk youth: (1) educational assistance, including information on institutions of higher education, assistance with financial aid and scholarship applications, and preparatory courses for high school equivalency and college entrance examinations; (2) employment and skills training assistance, including hiring teen peer counselors to provide basic job skills training, job referral services, and job banks; (3) recreational opportunities, such as sports teams, neighborhood gardening and food distribution, creative activities and arts, and reading programs; (4) social skills development, including hiring adult counselors and providing support groups for counseling on social and personal issues; and (5) cultural awareness programs, such as classes in the history and culture of various cultural groups and productions of plays, stories, and artwork reflecting the cultural heritage of such youth. Requires such centers to provide financial assistance to college graduates who work full-time at the center to assist them to repay part of their student loan debt. Sets forth grant selection, allocation, and reporting requirements. Authorizes appropriations.

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a deduction for the payment of postsecondary education expenses.

United States · United States Congress · 21 March 1995

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an income tax deduction for qualified postsecondary education expenses of the taxpayer or the taxpayer's spouse or dependent.

Turkish Human Rights Compliance Act

United States · United States Congress · 21 March 1995

Turkish Human Rights Compliance Act - Requires the President, from the funds available for FY 1996 for assistance for Turkey under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Arms Export Control Act, to withhold, first from grant assistance and then from loan assistance, $500,000 for each day that Turkey does not meet the conditions of this Act. Authorizes a presidential waiver of this Act if it is in the national security interest. Considers conditions to be met when the President certifies to the Congress that the Turkish Government: (1) allows free monitoring of the human rights situation within its territory by human rights monitoring organizations; (2) recognizes the civil, cultural, and human rights of its Kurdish citizens, ceases military operations against Kurdish civilians, and takes steps toward a peaceful resolution of the Kurdish issue; (3) takes steps toward the total withdrawal of military forces from Cyprus and supports a settlement recognizing the sovereignty and independence of Cyprus, with a constitutional democracy; (4) removes its blockade of U.S. and international assistance to Armenia; and (5) removes official restrictions on Christian churches and schools and offers sufficient protection against acts of violence, harassment, and vandalism in connection with the clergy and such churches and schools.