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Bill· HRH.R. 4287 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2000
Financial Aid for Skill Enhancement Act of 2000 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a direct loan program for less-than-half-time students to acquire and improve their job skills. Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to employer-provided educational assistance programs to exclude from an employee's gross income any employer payments on such student loans.
Bill· HRH.R. 4290 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2000
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for student loan forgiveness for public defenders under the Federal Perkins Loan program. Requires a reduction in the amount of Federal capital contributions to Federal student loan funds to offset the amount expended under this Act.
Bill· HRH.R. 4304 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2000
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for student loan forgiveness for members of the Armed Forces on active duty, under the Federal Perkins Loan program.
Bill· HRH.R. 4284 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2000
Illegal Sports Betting Enforcement Act of 2000 - Directs the Attorney General to establish in the Department of Justice an Amateur Sports Illegal Gambling Task Force. Authorizes ppropriations. (Sec. 3) Amends the Federal criminal code to increase the penalty for transmission of wagering information in interstate or foreign commerce. Provides for enhanced penalties under provisions regarding: (1) interstate transportation of wagering paraphernalia, if the matter carried or sent in interstate or foreign commerce was intended by the defendant to be used to assist in the placing of bets or wagers on any sporting event or contest (event); (2) illegal gambling business, if the business included the placing of bets or wagers on any sporting event; (3) interstate and foreign travel or transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises, if the offense violated specified provisions and the illegal activity included the placing of bets or wagers on any sporting event; and (4) bribery in sporting contests if the purpose of the bribery is to affect the outcome of a bet or wager placed on a sporting event. (Sec. 4) Requires the Director of the National Institute of Justice to conduct a study to determine the extent to which minors participate in illegal sports gambling activities. (Sec. 5) Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) illegal sports gambling poses a significant threat to youth on college campuses and in society in general; (2) State and local governments, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and other youth, school, and collegiate organizations should provide educational and prevention programs to help youth recognize the dangers of illegal sports gambling and the serious consequences it can have; (3) such programs should include public service announcements; (4) the NCAA and other amateur sports governing bodies should adopt mandatory codes of conduct regarding the avoidance and prevention of illegal sports gambling among our youth; and (5) the NCAA should enlist U.S. universities to develop scientific research on youth sports gambling and related matters.
Bill· HRH.R. 4276 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2000
Pipeline Safety and Community Protection Act of 2000 - Amends Federal transportation law with respect to gas and hazardous liquid pipeline facilities in high-density population areas and environmentally sensitive areas. (Sec. 2) Requires the operator of a natural gas transmission pipeline facility or hazardous liquid pipeline facility to: (1) evaluate the risks to the operator's pipeline facility in such areas (as identified by specified criteria established by the Secretary of Transportation); and (2) adopt and implement a program for integrity management that reduces the risks in those areas. Specifies minimum standards, according to certain criteria, for an operator's program for integrity management, including: (1) internal inspection or another equally protective method for periodic assessment of pipeline integrity; (2) prompt actions to address integrity issues; and (3) measures that prevent and mitigate the consequences of a release of a hazardous substance or a discharge of oil. Requires the Secretary to prescribe additional standards, addressing specified issues, to direct an operator's conduct of a risk analysis or adoption or implementation of a program for integrity management. Excludes tanks incidental to pipeline transportation from the mandatory pipe inventory of a hazardous pipeline facility. Directs the Secretary to issue regulations for the implementation of an integrity management program by operators of more than 500 miles of hazardous liquid pipelines, and ultimately by all operators of such pipelines or natural gas transmission pipelines. (Sec. 3) Revises requirements for owner or operator public education programs on the use of a one-call notification system before excavation and other damage prevention activities, the possible hazards of unintended pipeline facility releases, and public detection and reporting of such an event. Requires each owner or operator to: (1) review its existing public education program for effectiveness and modify it as necessary; and (2) initiate and maintain liaison with the State emergency response commissions, and local emergency planning committees in the areas of pipeline right-of-way in each State in which it operates. Directs the Secretary to prescribe requirements for public access to integrity management program information prepared under this Act. Requires the owner or operator of each interstate gas pipeline facility to provide, at least annually, to the governing body of each municipality in which the interstate gas pipeline facility is located, a map identifying the location of the facility. Requires the Secretary, in issuing standards for public education programs and public safety programs, to consider the results of a required survey and assessment of such programs. Requires that notice of a hazardous condition be given, concurrently with a safety report to the Secretary, to local emergency responders, and appropriate On-scene Coordinators for the Area Contingency Plan-Sub-area Contingency Plan. (Sec. 4) Revises requirements for the Secretary's decision that a pipeline facility is hazardous to life, property, or the environment to include decisions that a facility or its construction or operation would be hazardous. Authorizes the Secretary to waive notice and hearing requirements, upon deciding a facility may present a hazard, and request the Attorney General to bring suit to restrain facility operation on behalf of the United States in the appropriate district court. Increases the general administrative civil penalty for violations: (1) from the minimum penalty of $25,000 to $100,000; and (2) from the maximum penalty of $500,000 to $1 million. States that such maximum civil penalty for a related series of violations does not apply to a judicial enforcement action brought by the Attorney General or by a private person. Revises considerations for determining the amount of a civil penalty to allow the Secretary to consider the economic benefit gained from the violation without any discount because of subsequent damages. Revises requirements with respect to the penalty for an excavator's not using the one-call notification system or not heeding location information or markings. Allows a court in which the Attorney General brings suit to award (in addition to punitive damages) a temporary or permanent injunction and civil penalties. Revises requirements for injunctive actions by private persons. Repeals authorization to bring a civil action against the United States and other governmental authorities. Limits such an action to a compliance enforcement action, and the defendant to a person owning or operating a pipeline facility. (Sec. 5) Declares that regulations prescribed by the Secretary do not apply to a State that has a one-call notification program accepted by the Secretary as meeting certain minimum standards, or approved by the Secretary as an alternative program. Applies safety program requirements to operators of hazardous liquid pipeline facilities (as well as operators of gas pipeline facilities). Authorizes a State to enforce a requirement of a one-call notification law satisfying specified Federal requirements against an operator of an interstate natural gas pipeline facility or an interstate hazardous liquid pipeline facility, provided that the requirement sought to be enforced is compatible with Federal minimum standards. Establishes a misdemeanor for any person who knowingly engages in an excavation activity without first using an available one-call notification system to establish the location of underground facilities in the excavation area. (Sec. 6) Authorizes the Secretary, after accepting a State's pipeline safety program certification, to: (1) make an agreement authorizing the State authority to participate in the oversight of interstate pipeline transportation; but (2) end such an agreement upon finding significant gaps in the State authority's regulatory authority. Authorizes the Secretary to pay up to 100 percent of the cost of the personnel, equipment, and activities of a State authority acting as the Secretary's agent in conducting a special investigation involved in monitoring new construction or investigating an incident on an interstate gas pipeline facility or an interstate hazardous liquid pipeline facility. (Sec. 7) Requires any person owning or operating a hazardous liquid pipeline facility to: (1) report to the Secretary each release to the environment greater than five gallons of the hazardous liquid or carbon dioxide transported; and (2) make available to the Secretary within prescribed time limits, during an incident investigation, any records, reports, and information relevant to such investigation. Directs the Secretary to establish a national depository of data on events and conditions, including spill histories and corrective actions for specific incidents, that can be used to evaluate the risk of, and to prevent, pipeline failures and releases. (Sec. 8) Revises the Secretary's entry and inspection authority. Authorizes the Secretary to establish procedures to recover travel, contract support, and related costs incurred because of investigation of incidents from the operators of the pipeline facilities involved in the incidents. (Sec. 9) Directs the Secretary to support international efforts to share information about the risks to the public and the environment from pipelines and the means of protecting against those risks. (Sec. 10) Revises requirements for the risk management demonstration grant program to authorize the Secretary, by order, to allow the continuation of an individual project beyond the program's termination, subject to specified conditions and time limits. (Sec. 11) Directs the Secretary to participate in the development of innovative alternative technologies to: (1) identify outside force damage using internal inspection devices, as well as monitor outside-force damage to pipelines; and (2) inspect pipelines that cannot accommodate internal inspection devices available on the date of the enactment of this Act. (Sec. 12) Authorizes appropriations.
Bill· HRH.R. 4303 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2000
MTBE Elimination Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should provide technical assistance, information, and matching funds to help local communities test drinking water supplies and remediate drinking water contaminated with methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). Amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to prohibit, three years after the enactment of the MTBE Elimination Act, the use of MTBE as a fuel additive. Requires persons selling oxygenated gasoline containing MTBE at retail to be required under regulations promulgated by the Administrator to label the fuel dispensing system with a notice that specifies that the gasoline contains MTBE and provides other information concerning MTBE as determined appropriate by the Administrator. Directs the Administrator to establish a schedule that provides for an annual phased reduction in the quantity of MTBE that may be used as a fuel additive during the three-year period beginning on this Act's enactment date. Requires the Administrator to establish an MTBE research grants program within EPA. Authorizes grants to eligible grantees to pay the Federal cost share of research on: (1) the development of more cost-effective and accurate MTBE groundwater testing methods; (2) the development of more efficient and cost-effective remediation procedures for water sources contaminated with MTBE; or (3) the potential effects of MTBE on human health. Makes eligible for such grants Federal research agencies, national laboratories, colleges or universities, certain private research organizations, and State environmental research facilities. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Administrator to promulgate rules requiring a .5 pounds per square inch Reid vapor pressure allowance for all reformulated gasoline containing 3.5 percent oxygen by weight. Provides that any additional volatile organic compound emissions resulting from the use of such gasoline should be deemed to be fully offset and not calculated in determining compliance with certain Clean Air Act provisions dealing with reasonable further progress plans or demonstrations.
Bill· HRH.R. 4307 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2000
Reading Deficit Elimination Act - Title I: Reducing the Reading Deficit - Reduces the total amount of Federal discretionary spending appropriated for a fiscal year by an amount that bears the same relation to 0.5 percent of the total amount of such spending for the preceding fiscal year as the total number of children enrolled in kindergarten through fourth grade in public elementary schools in States submitting requests for funds under this title bears to the total number of such children in all States. Reallots such Reading Enhancement and Achievement Disbursement (READ) funds to States to reduce the national reading deficit through the use of programs of reading instruction based on scientifically-based reading research, which includes a sequence of instruction in phonemic awareness, systematic phonics, reading fluency, spelling, writing, and reading comprehension strategies. (Sec. 103) Requires States to allocate 95 percent of such allotments to local educational agencies (LEAs) on the basis of relative numbers of such children, for use for teacher training, instructional materials, student assessment, teacher bonuses, and tuition assistance grants to parents or guardians to purchase tutoring. Repeals this title on the date that the National Assessment of Educational Progress publishes a notice certifying that the national reading deficit is less than five percent of the total number of children enrolled in grades kindergarten through fourth grade in the United States. Title II: Improving Literacy Through Family Literacy Projects; Reauthorization of Inexpensive Book Distribution Program - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to revise and reauthorize Even Start Family Literacy Programs (Even Start) (part B of title I provisions for Helping Disadvantaged Children Meet High Standards). (Sec. 201) Extends through FY 2004 the authorization of appropriations for such Even Start programs, and increases the amounts authorized. (Sec. 202) Requires State plans to assure that State educational agencies (SEAs) will encourage local educational agencies (LEAs) and individual schools participating in a program assisted under ESEA title I part A (Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies) to use part A funds to offer family literacy services, if the LEA or school determines that a substantial number of students served under part A have parents who do not have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, or who have low levels of literacy. (Sec. 203) Directs the Secretary of Education to: (1) reserve an increased portion of part B Even Start funds for migrant programs, outlying areas, and Indian tribes, under specified conditions; (2) award a competitive demonstration grant of sufficient amount and duration for a potentially high-quality family literacy program in a prison that houses women and their preschool age children; (3) ensure coordination of family literacy programs under Even Start with similar programs operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA); and (4) reserve specified portions of Even Start excess funds for scientifically-based research on family literacy by the National Institute for Literacy. Authorizes States to use a portion of Even Start funds to provide technical assistance and training to subgrantees (partnerships of LEAs and eligible organizations) to improve the quality of their family literacy services, giving priority to low-quality programs. Requires all such instructional staff, whose salaries are paid, in whole or in part, with Federal Even Start funds, within four years after enactment of this Act to: (1) have an associate's, bachelor's, or graduate degree in a field related to early childhood education, elementary school education, or adult education; or (2) meet State-established qualifications for such types of education provided as part of an Even Start or other family literacy program. Requires all new instructional staff, beginning on the enactment of this Act, to meet one of those two requirements. Requires, within such four-year period, that: (1) all paraprofessionals whose salaries are paid with any Federal Even Start funds have at least a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent; and (2) the individual responsible for administrating each local Even Start program be trained in operating a family literacy program. Requires Even Start programs to: (1) use research-based techniques for helping children learn to read, as well as for helping adults where appropriate research is available; and (2) encourage participating families to attend regularly and remain in the program a sufficient time to meet their program goals. Allows an Even Start program, despite specified age limitations, to permit children eight years of age or older to participate, under certain conditions. Requires an SEA, in awarding subgrants to continue an Even Start program after the first year, to review the progress of each eligible entity in meeting program goals described in the State plan (as well as, under current law, evaluating the program based on State-developed program quality indicators). Eliminates the eight-year limitation on a subgrantee's receiving Even Start funds. Sets the same limits on the Federal share of renewed subgrants as on Even Start grants. Directs the National Institute for Literacy to use certain reserved Even Start funds for scientifically-based research to determine: (1) the most effective ways of improving literacy skills of adults with reading difficulties; and (2) how family literacy services can best provide parents with knowledge and skills to support their children's literacy development. Requires the Secretary, and any Even Start grantee or subgrantee, to treat religious organizations the same as other nongovernmental organizations for purposes of participating in eligible partnerships receiving or applying for such assistance, under specified conditions and limitations. Prohibits Even Start services from being provided through vouchers or certificates. (Sec. 204) Requires State applications for Even Start grants to describe how the State will encourage programs and projects assisted under Even Start to offer family literacy services, if the program or project serves a substantial number of migratory children with parents who do not have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent or who have low levels of literacy. (Sec. 205) Defines family literacy services under ESEA as services provided to participants on a voluntary basis that are of sufficient intensity in terms of hours, and of sufficient duration, to make sustainable changes in a family, and that integrate: (1) interactive literacy activities between parents and their children; (2) training for parents regarding how to be the primary teacher for their children and full partners in the education of their children; (3) parent literacy training that leads to economic self-sufficiency; and (4) an age-appropriate education to prepare children for success in school and life experiences. (Sec. 206) Amends the Education Amendments Act of 1978 to require BIA-operated family literacy programs, under the early childhood education program for Indian children or other programs, to be coordinated with Even Start family literacy programs under ESEA. Subtitle II: Inexpensive Book Distribution Program - Reauthorizes and revises the Inexpensive Book Distribution Program, with respect to which the Secretary of Education contracts with Reading is Fundamental (RIF). Requires RIF to support and promote programs which include distribution of books to young and school-aged children that motivate them to read. (Sec. 211) Requires RIF also to provide training to subcontractors. Extends through FY 2004 the authorization of appropriations for such Program. Requires assisted local reading motivation programs to: (1) use Program assistance to provide books, training for volunteers, motivational activities, and other essential literary resources; and (2) give highest priority to serving the youngest and neediest children. Allows subcontractors operating such programs in low-income communities with substantial numbers or percentages of children with special needs to use funds from other Federal sources to pay up to one-half of the non-Federal share of funds used for acquiring and distributing books. Authorizes RIF, under specified conditions, to waive certain requirements for subcontractors and to enter into multi-year subcontracts.
Bill· HRH.R. 4272 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2000
National Science Education Enhancement Act - Provides that nothing in this Act may be construed to authorize any Federal department, agency, officer, or employee to exercise any direction, supervision, or control over the curriculum, program of instruction, administration, or personnel of any educational institution or school system. Title I: Amendments to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 - Revises the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) with respect to teacher professional development activities to include support for mentoring activities for science, mathematics, engineering, and technology teachers. (Sec. 101) Includes information on model science, mathematics, engineering, and technology teacher mentoring programs among the information which the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Mathematics and Science Education (Clearinghouse) is required to disseminate. Requires States, in their plans in applications for teacher professional development grants, to describe how they will: (1) administer a mentoring system to ensure consistent implementation of mentoring programs for science, mathematics, engineering, and technology teachers; (2) provide a structure for local mentoring program evaluation; (3) provide technical assistance to local mentoring programs; (4) ensure compliance by local mentoring programs with State teacher training requirements; and (5) provide incentives for local educational agencies (LEAs) to take mentoring into consideration in assessing instructional staff hiring needs. Requires local activities under the teacher professional development program to include mentoring programs for novice teachers of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. Requires States to include, in their accountability reports under the teacher professional development program, the impact of State and local mentoring programs on teaching quality and teacher retention rates. (Sec. 102) Revises ESEA provisions for the allocation and use of funds for the Clearinghouse. Requires such funds to be used to: (1) solicit and gather qualitative and evaluative materials and programs, review their evaluation, rank their effectiveness, and distribute results of reviews, as well as excerpts of materials and links to Internet sites and information on on-line communities of users to teachers; and (2) establish an Internet site offering a search mechanism to assist site visitors in identifying information on science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education instructional materials and programs, including electronic links to information on classroom demonstrations and experiments, teachers who have used materials or participated in programs, vendors, curricula, and textbooks. Directs the Clearinghouse to give particular attention to the effective use of materials and technology in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education. Directs the National Academy of Sciences to study and report on the Clearinghouse. (Sec. 103) Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make competitive grants, from specified ESEA funds, for summer professional development institutes for teachers. Provides for such grants to be awarded to State agencies for higher education, working in conjunction with the State educational agency (if such agencies are separate). Requires the grantees to: (1) make subgrants to or cooperative agreements with various entities working in conjunction with an LEA or consortium of LEAs; and (2) give priority to applicants assuring use of a curriculum recognized by the working group established under specified provisions of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950. Sets forth requirements relating to such institutes and their activities and curricula. Requires peer review of grant applications under a process established by the Director of the National Science Foundation. Requires participants in such institutes to earn credit toward State continuing education requirements for teachers or a post-baccalaureate degree program at an institution of higher education. Revises provisions for allocation of certain appropriated amounts. Reserves specified funds for the summer institute program. (Sec. 104) Includes providing technology training software and instructional materials to teachers among local uses of ESEA school technology resource grants. (Sec. 105) Requires grant applicants, under the ESEA 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, to assure that they will use at least five percent of the grant amount to provide after-school day care services that focus on science activities. (Sec. 106) Includes after-school day care services that focus on science activities for children in kindergarten through sixth grade among uses of grants under the ESEA 21st Century Community Learning Centers program. Title II: Other Provisions - Revises the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to treat technology training, tutoring teachers in the uses of classroom technology, as community service by college students under the work-study program. Increases funding for such program and reserves the amount of such increase to compensate students employed in technology training or tutoring teachers in the uses of classroom technology. (Sec. 202) Directs the Secretary of Commerce to study: (1) the feasibility and effectiveness of various incentives, including tax credits, for businesses to provide personnel with regular compensation for time spent as volunteers engaged in the technological training of teachers and facilities for such training; (2) alternative methods of providing financial support, through income tax credits, loan forgiveness, or otherwise, to individuals seeking training or retraining in mathematics, science, and technology education; (3) the effectiveness of higher education institutions in training teachers who can use technology and integrate it into lesson plans, curricula, and distance learning; (4) methods to coordinate working alliances at various levels of government between the business and academic community; and (5) other means of improving the efficiency of the technological training of teachers. (Sec. 203) Directs the Secretary of Commerce to report to Congress on such study, including proposals for a comprehensive approach to providing technologically competent teachers to the Nation's schools.
Bill· HRH.R. 4268 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2000
Veterans and Dependents Millennium Education Act - Increases as of October 1, 2002, the rates of veterans' basic educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill. (Sec. 3) Authorizes participants in the Veterans Educational Assistance Program who have continuously served on active duty since October 9, 1996, to enroll in the Montgomery GI Bill program. Provides a one- year enrollment period. Requires monthly pay reductions to cover program costs. (Sec. 4) Increases the rates of veterans' survivors and dependents educational assistance, as well as assistance for correspondence courses, special restorative training, and apprenticeship training. Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to annually increase such amounts by the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index. (Sec. 5) Revises the effective date for the award of survivors and dependents educational assistance with respect to survivors or dependents of individuals receiving a veterans' disability rating who apply for such assistance within one year after the rating decision, even though such assistance is for a program of education for months preceding such rating. (Sec. 6) Authorizes the payment of basic educational assistance during periods between school terms where the period between such terms does not exceed eight weeks and both the terms preceding and following such period are not shorter than such period. (Sec. 7) Authorizes as of October 1, 2000, the use of basic educational assistance for payment of vocation or profession certification or licensing tests. (Sec. 8) Extends through: (1) December 31, 2008, the authority to guarantee the payment of principal and interest on certificates or other securities evidencing an interest in a pool of veterans' mortgage loans; (2) September 30, 2008, the authority to charge a home loan fee for Department of Veterans Affairs-guaranteed veterans' housing loans; (3) September 30, 2008, certain procedures applicable to foreclosure sales on defaulted home loans guaranteed by the Department; (4) September 30, 2008, the authority of the Secretary to utilize certain veterans' income verification procedures; and (5) September 30, 2008, a veterans' pension limitation for certain recipients of nursing home care covered under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act. (Sec. 9) Codifies provisions recurring in annual Department appropriations Acts relating to: (1) veterans' disability compensation and pensions; (2) veterans' medical care; (3) medical administration and miscellaneous operating expenses; (4) general operating expenses; (5) construction, major projects; and (6) construction, minor projects. (Sec. 10) Makes a provision of the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995 which terminates on December 31, 1999, all reporting requirements contained on a list prepared by the Clerk of the House of Representatives for the first session of the 103d Congress inapplicable to certain Departments reports. Terminates the requirement for certain budget reports, reports on equitable relief cases, and reports from advisory committees on former prisoners of war and women veterans. Requires that, whenever the Secretary submits to Congress or a congressional committee a report required by law or by joint explanatory statement of a conference committee, the Secretary shall include with such report a statement of the cost of preparing the report and the methodology used in preparing the cost statement.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 479 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2000
Global Sustainable Development Resolution - Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States and the people of the United States, and the people and governments of the other Nations of the world, should take actions to establish democratic control over the global economy. (Sec. 3) Makes findings with respect to unregulated economic globalization and deleterious consequences that it tends to generate, including destructive competition (in which nations are forced to cut labor, social, and environmental costs in order to attract mobile capital), economic inequality, and degradation of democracy. (Sec. 4) Expresses the sense of the House that the United States should adopt specified policies with respect to: (1) global economic goals (reconstructing the global economy to achieve democracy, human rights, environmental sustainability, and economic advancement for the most oppressed and exploited parts of the population); (2) a democratic multilevel global economy; (3) reduction of financial volatility; (4) sustainable development; and (5) democracy. (Sec. 5) Expresses the sense of the House that, to develop the broadest possible dialog by the people of the United States among themselves and with the other peoples of the world regarding the future of the global economy, the United States should establish a United States Commission on the Global Economy which shall: (1) hold hearings to investigate the effect of globalization on the workers, industry, and environment of the United States; and (2) establish a Global Economy Truth Commission. (Sec. 6) Expresses the sense of the House that the United States should enter into negotiations with other members of the United Nations to develop and implement a sustainable development strategy aimed at restructuring the international financial system to avoid global recessions, protect the environment, ensure full employment, reverse the polarization of wealth and poverty, and support the efforts of polities at all levels to mobilize and coordinate their economic resources. Declares that the United States should: (1) work with other Nations to achieve specified goals such as encouraging economic policies based on domestic economic growth and development, not domestic austerity in the interest of export-led growth, and encouraging a return to more stable exchange rates in order to achieve the original purposes of the Bretton Woods agreement; (2) in cooperation with other Nations, establish levies on all foreign currency transactions and establish the mechanisms for implementing such levies on such transactions for specified purposes, establish one or more public international investment funds, develop international institutions to perform functions of monetary regulation that are performed inadequately by national central banks, and establish, for highly indebted nations, an insolvency or bankruptcy mechanism; and (3) take specified actions with respect to debt cancellation. (Sec. 7) Expresses the sense of the House that the United States should impose on any U.S. funding of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), or any other international financial institution specified conditions with respect to worker rights, environmental conditions, social conditions, democracy and human rights conditions, international financial institution governance, participation by certain sectors of civil society, and IMF missions. (Sec. 8) Expresses the sense of the House that, to help establish public control and citizen sovereignty over global corporations and reduce the ability of such corporations to evade local and national law: (1) the United States should enter into negotiations with other countries to establish a binding Code of Conduct for Transnational Corporations, which should impose on each corporation that operates in more than one country requirements regarding toxic substance emissions, facilities, and hazardous materials disclosures, worker rights, environmental standards, termination of operations, unions, financial disclosures, investment, education and job training, and social and environmental standards; (2) there should be established a mechanism of adjudication and sanctions to enforce the code of conduct which allows both governments and citizens to initiate complaints of noncompliance by global corporations and which operates in a transparent manner; (3) Governments should not be subject to trade or other reprisals for efforts to enforce the code of conduct; (4) corporations based in the United States should immediately follow certain standards in their overseas operations, pending the implementation of the code of conduct; and (5) U.S. laws should be amended such that corporations incorporated or operating in the United States are held liable for harms caused abroad and that persons aggrieved by such harms can pursue actions for relief in the U.S. courts. (Sec. 9) Expresses the sense of the House that the President should begin the process of renegotiating all agreements regulating international trade, including the World Trade Organization, the North American Free Trade Agreement, and bilateral investment treaties, with objectives of: (1) reorienting trade and investment to be means of carrying out just and sustainable development; (2) removing labor and environmental rights and conditions and social protections as factors of competition; and (3) incorporating in market prices the long-term costs of industrial production, including resource depletion, waste, and disposal or recycling of final product. Sets forth provisions regarding reporting requirements, withdrawal provisions, and trade agreement negotiating authority.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 309 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2000
Expresses the sense of the Congress that States should encourage their primary and secondary schools to implement quality child safety curricula so that each child receives instruction that is positive, comprehensive, and effective. Recognizes the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Guidelines for Programs to Reduce Child Victimization as a tool for local schools' selection and development of quality child safety programs.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 310 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2000
Acknowledges and commends the charter school movement for its contribution to improving our Nation's public school system. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) a National Charter Schools Week should be established; and (2) the President should issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to conduct appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities to demonstrate support for charter schools in communities throughout the Nation.
Bill· SS. 2409 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2000
Pipeline Safety and Community Protection Act of 2000 - Amends Federal transportation law with respect to gas and hazardous liquid pipeline facilities in high-density population areas and environmentally sensitive areas. (Sec. 2) Requires the operator of a natural gas transmission pipeline facility or hazardous liquid pipeline facility to: (1) evaluate the risks to the operator's pipeline facility in such areas (as identified by specified criteria established by the Secretary of Transportation); and (2) adopt and implement a program for integrity management that reduces the risks in those areas. Specifies minimum standards, according to certain criteria, for an operator's program for integrity management, including: (1) internal inspection or another equally protective method for periodic assessment of pipeline integrity; (2) prompt actions to address integrity issues; and (3) measures that prevent and mitigate the consequences of a release of a hazardous substance or a discharge of oil. Requires the Secretary to prescribe additional standards, addressing specified issues, to direct an operator's conduct of a risk analysis or adoption or implementation of a program for integrity management. Excludes tanks incidental to pipeline transportation from the mandatory pipe inventory of a hazardous pipeline facility. Directs the Secretary to issue regulations for the implementation of an integrity management program by operators of more than 500 miles of hazardous liquid pipelines, and ultimately by all operators of such pipelines or natural gas transmission pipelines. (Sec. 3) Revises requirements for owner or operator public education programs on the use of a one-call notification system before excavation and other damage prevention activities, the possible hazards of unintended pipeline facility releases, and public detection and reporting of such an event. Requires each owner or operator to: (1) review its existing public education program for effectiveness and modify it as necessary; and (2) initiate and maintain liaison with the State emergency response commissions, and local emergency planning committees in the areas of pipeline right-of-way in each State in which it operates. Directs the Secretary to prescribe requirements for public access to integrity management program information prepared under this Act. Requires the owner or operator of each interstate gas pipeline facility to provide, at least annually, to the governing body of each municipality in which the interstate gas pipeline facility is located, a map identifying the location of the facility. Requires the Secretary to: (1) survey and assess public education programs and public safety programs; and (2) determine their effectiveness and applicability as components of a model program. Requires that notice of a hazardous condition be given, concurrently with a safety report to the Secretary, to local emergency responders, and appropriate on-scene coordinators for the area contingency plan or sub-area contingency plan. (Sec. 4) Revises requirements for the Secretary's decision that a pipeline facility is hazardous to life, property, or the environment to include decisions that a facility or its construction or operation would be hazardous. Authorizes the Secretary to waive notice and hearing requirements, upon deciding a facility may present a hazard, and request the Attorney General to bring suit to restrain facility operation on behalf of the United States in the appropriate district court. Increases the general administrative civil penalty for violations: (1) from the minimum penalty of $25,000 to $100,000; and (2) from the maximum penalty of $500,000 to $1 million. States that such maximum civil penalty for a related series of violations does not apply to a judicial enforcement action brought by the Attorney General or by a private person. Revises considerations for determining the amount of a civil penalty to allow the Secretary to consider the economic benefit gained from the violation without any discount because of subsequent damages. Revises requirements with respect to the penalty for an excavator's not using the one-call notification system or not heeding location information or markings. Allows a court in which the Attorney General brings suit to award (in addition to punitive damages) a temporary or permanent injunction and civil penalties. Revises requirements for injunctive actions by private persons. Repeals authorization to bring a civil action against the United States and other governmental authorities. Limits such an action to a compliance enforcement action, and the defendant to a person owning or operating a pipeline facility. (Sec. 5) Declares that regulations prescribed by the Secretary do not apply to a State that has a one-call notification program accepted by the Secretary as meeting certain minimum standards, or approved by the Secretary as an alternative program. Applies safety program requirements to operators of hazardous liquid pipeline facilities (as well as operators of gas pipeline facilities). Authorizes a State to enforce a requirement of a one-call notification law satisfying specified Federal requirements against an operator of an interstate natural gas pipeline facility or an interstate hazardous liquid pipeline facility, provided that the requirement sought to be enforced is compatible with Federal minimum standards. Establishes a misdemeanor for any person who knowingly engages in an excavation activity without first using an available one-call notification system to establish the location of underground facilities in the excavation area. (Sec. 6) Authorizes the Secretary, after accepting a State's pipeline safety program certification, to: (1) make an agreement authorizing the State authority to participate in the oversight of interstate pipeline transportation; but (2) end such an agreement upon finding significant gaps in the State authority's regulatory authority. Authorizes the Secretary to pay up to 100 percent of the cost of the personnel, equipment, and activities of a State authority acting as the Secretary's agent in conducting a special investigation involved in monitoring new construction or investigating an incident on an interstate gas pipeline facility or an interstate hazardous liquid pipeline facility. (Sec. 7) Requires any person owning or operating a hazardous liquid pipeline facility to: (1) report to the Secretary each release to the environment greater than five gallons of the hazardous liquid or carbon dioxide transported; and (2) make available to the Secretary within prescribed time limits, during an incident investigation, any records, reports, and information relevant to such investigation. Directs the Secretary to establish a national depository of data on events and conditions, including spill histories and corrective actions for specific incidents, that can be used to evaluate the risk of, and to prevent, pipeline failures and releases. (Sec. 8) Revises the Secretary's entry and inspection authority. Authorizes the Secretary to establish procedures to recover travel, contract support, and related costs incurred because of investigation of incidents from the operators of the pipeline facilities involved in the incidents. (Sec. 9) Directs the Secretary to support international efforts to share information about the risks to the public and the environment from pipelines and the means of protecting against those risks. (Sec. 10) Revises requirements for the risk management demonstration grant program to authorize the Secretary, by order, to allow the continuation of an individual project beyond the program's termination, subject to specified conditions and time limits. (Sec. 11) Directs the Secretary to participate in the development of innovative alternative technologies to: (1) identify outside force damage using internal inspection devices, as well as monitor outside-force damage to pipelines; and (2) inspect pipelines that cannot accommodate internal inspection devices available on the date of the enactment of this Act. (Sec. 12) Authorizes appropriations.
Bill· SS. 2414 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2000
Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 - Directs the Secretary of State, with the assistance of the Assistant Secretary of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, to include in the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices specified information on the status of trafficking in persons in various countries, and the steps, if any, that governments are taking to end such trafficking and assist the victims. (Sec. 5) Requires the President to establish an Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking, which shall: (1) measure and evaluate the progress of the United States and other countries in trafficking prevention, protection, and assistance to victims of trafficking, and prosecution and enforcement against traffickers; (2) expand interagency procedures to collect and organize data; (3) engage in efforts to facilitate cooperation among countries of origin, transit, and destination; (4) examine the role of the international sex tourism industry in the trafficking of persons and in the sexual exploitation of women and children around the world; and (5) engage in advocacy, with governmental and nongovernmental organizations, among other entities, to advance the purposes of this Act. Authorizes the Secretary of State to establish within the Department of State an Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking to assist the Task Force. (Sec. 6) Directs the President, acting through the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (AID) and the heads of other appropriate agencies, to carry out initiatives to enhance economic opportunity for potential victims of trafficking as a method to deter trafficking, including: (1) microcredit lending programs, training in business development, skills training, and job counseling; (2) programs to promote women's participation in economic decisionmaking; (3) programs to keep children, especially girls, in elementary and secondary schools, and to educate children, women, and men who have been victims of trafficking; (4) development of educational curricula regarding the dangers of trafficking; and (5) grants to nongovernmental organizations to accelerate and advance the political, economic, social, and educational roles and capacities of women in their countries. Directs the President, acting through the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Attorney General, and the Secretary of State, to carry out programs to increase public awareness, particularly among potential victims, of the dangers of trafficking and the protections available for such victims. (Sec. 7) Directs the Secretary of State and the AID Administrator to establish programs and initiatives in foreign countries to: (1) meet the mental and physical health, housing, legal, and other assistance needs of victims of trafficking and their children; (2) assist in their safe integration, reintegration, or resettlement, including, if appropriate, their spouses and parents; and (3) take steps to enhance cooperative efforts among foreign countries, including countries of origin of trafficking victims, to assist in their integration, reintegration, or resettlement. Requires the Attorney General, the HHS Secretary, the Secretary of Labor, and the Board of Directors of the Legal Services Corporation to expand existing services to provide assistance to victims of severe forms of trafficking in persons within the United States, without regard to their immigration status. Defines severe forms of trafficking as: (1) sex trafficking in which either a commercial sex act or any act or event contributing to such an act is effected or induced by fraud, force, coercion, or deception, or in which the person induced to perform such act is under age 18; or (2) the recruitment, harboring, provision, transportation, employment, transfer, receipt, purchase, sale, or securing, by any means, of a person, through the use of force, coercion, fraud, or deception, for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, or slavery or slavery-like practices. Makes victims of severe forms of trafficking in the United States eligible, without regard to immigration status, for any benefits otherwise available under the Crime Victims Fund, including victim services, compensation, and assistance. Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to States, territories and possessions of the United States, Indian tribes, local governments, and nonprofit, nongovernmental victim service organizations to develop, expand, or strengthen victim service programs for victims of trafficking. Authorizes a victim of a violation of the anti-trafficking criminal prohibitions of this Act to bring a civil action in U.S. district court. Requires the Attorney General and the Secretary of State to promulgate regulations for law enforcement personnel, immigration officials, and Department of State officials to implement specified requirements for: (1) physical protection, housing, medical care, food, and other assistance to victims of severe forms of trafficking while in U.S. custody; (2) immunity of such victims from penalties for unlawful acts owing to having been trafficked, including use of false documents, entry into the country without documentation, or working without documentation; (3) access to legal assistance, information about their rights, and translation services; (4) continued presence in the United States for the prosecution of those responsible for trafficking, with measures for witness protection; and (5) training of State Department and Department of Justice personnel in identifying such victims and providing them protection. Urges that funds from asset forfeitures be first disbursed to satisfy any judgments awarded victims of trafficking. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish a new "T" nonimmigrant visa for victims of trafficking (and specified family members), subject to certain requirements. Directs the Attorney General to: (1) refer such aliens to nongovernmental organizations to educate them about their options and resources while in the United States; and (2) grant them authorization to engage in employment in the United States. Authorizes the Attorney General to adjust to permanent residence the status of any such aliens who meet specified criteria. (Sec. 8) Sets forth minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking for a country of origin, transit, or destination for a significant number of victims. (Sec. 9) Authorizes the Secretary of State and AID to provide assistance to foreign countries directly, or through nongovernmental, intergovernmental and multilateral organizations, for programs and activities designed to meet such minimum international standards for the elimination of trafficking. (Sec. 10) Authorizes the President to impose any of specified measures against any foreign country which does not meet such minimum standards. Authorizes the President to deny to the country assistance of any kind provided by grant, sale, loan, lease, credit, guaranty, or insurance, or by any other means, by any Federal agency or instrumentality (except certain assistance intended to benefit the people of that country directly, and which is not channeled through the country's governmental agencies or entities). Authorizes the President to instruct the U.S. Executive Directors of specified international financial institutions (multilateral development banks) to use the voice and vote of the United States to oppose any loan or financial or technical assistance to the country. Authorizes the President to prohibit the transfer of defense articles, defense services, or design and construction services under the Arms Export Control Act, including defense articles and defense services licensed or approved for export, to the country or any of its nationals. Authorizes the President to: (1) prohibit or substantially restrict exports to the country of goods, technology, and services (excluding agricultural commodities and products otherwise subject to control); and (2) suspend existing licenses for the transfer of items the export of which is controlled under the Export Administration Act of 1979 or the Export Administration Regulations. Requires the President to report to Congress on the measures applied and the reasons for doing so. (Sec. 11) Authorizes the President to exercise certain authorities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) in the case of any foreign person listed publicly by the Secretary of State as: (1) playing a significant role in a severe form of trafficking in persons, directly or indirectly in the United States or any of its territories or possessions; (2) materially assisting in or otherwise supporting activities of a significant foreign trafficker; or (3) owning, controlling, directing, or acting for or on behalf of, a significant foreign trafficker. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exclude from admission into the United States of persons who have been listed, or are known by the Attorney General or a consular official, as having benefitted from illicit activities of traffickers in persons. (Sec. 12) Amends the Federal criminal code to prescribe penalties for: (1) trafficking into involuntary servitude, peonage, or slavery-like conditions; (2) sex trafficking of children or by force, fraud, or coercion; and (3) unlawful possession of documents in furtherance of trafficking, involuntary servitude, peonage, or slavery-like conditions. Includes among such penalties mandatory restitution of victim losses. Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review and, if appropriate, amend the sentencing guidelines and policy statements applicable to persons convicted of offenses involving the trafficking of persons, including component or related crimes of peonage, involuntary servitude, slave trade offenses, and possession, transfer or sale of false immigration documents in furtherance of trafficking. (Sec. 13) Authorizes appropriations.
Bill· HRH.R. 4258 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2000
Student Loan Forgiveness Act of 2000 - Title I: Student Loan Forgiveness for Teachers - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise provisions for student loan forgiveness for teachers under the Federal Family Loan Program. Provides for such forgiveness for borrowers employed as full-time teachers in public elementary or secondary schools. Directs the Secretary of Education to repay, for each year of four years of such teaching service, up to one-fourth of the aggregate loan obligation outstanding at the beginning of the first year of service, so that the entire obligation is repaid at the end of such four years. Amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to provide that such student loan forgiveness shall not be included in an individual's gross income for income tax purposes. Title II: Tax Credits for Teaching - Amends IRC to provide a tax credit of $1,000 for public elementary and secondary school teachers. Reduces the amount of such credit in cases of student loan forgiveness for teachers.
Bill· HRH.R. 4264 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 April 2000
Summer Fill and Fuel Budgeting Act of 2000 - Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to direct the Secretary of Energy, upon request of the chief executive officer of a State, to provide information, technical assistance, and funding to: (1) develop consumer education and outreach programs to encourage consumers to fill their storage facilities for kerosene, propane, and heating oil during the summer months; and (2) promote the use of budget contracts, price cap contracts, and fixed price contracts, and other advantageous financial arrangements; and (3) give preference to States that contribute public funds or leverage private funds to develop State summer fill and fuel budgeting programs. Authorizes appropriations.
Bill· SS. 2402 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2000
Help Our Professionals Educationally (HOPE) Act of 2000 - Authorizes the Secretary of each military department (Secretary concerned) to permit individuals who are entitled to basic educational assistance under the Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) to transfer such assistance to their spouse, one or more children, or a combination thereof. Requires the individual to: (1) have completed six years of military service before any such transfer; and (2) designate the transferees chosen, the percentage of assistance for each, and the period in which such transfer shall be effective. Prohibits any transferee from using such assistance until the transferor has completed ten years of military service. Requires any child receiving such assistance to complete his or her entitlement before attaining 26 years of age. Requires annual reports beginning in 2002 from each Secretary concerned to the congressional Armed Services committees concerning such transfers. Requires the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress on the manner in which each Secretary proposes to exercise such authority. Authorizes the Secretary concerned to entitle to basic educational assistance under the All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program those individuals who: (1) are current VEAP participants, disenrolled VEAP participants, or elected to no longer participate in VEAP; (2) are serving on active duty; and (3) before applying for benefits, have completed the requirements of a secondary school diploma or the equivalent of 12 semester hours in a program of education leading to a standard college degree. Reduces the basic pay of Program participants. Provides for: (1) the transfer of account funds under prior enrollments; and (2) transfers of appropriate amounts to the Secretary of Defense for deposit into the Department of Defense Education Benefits Fund to cover Program costs. Requires annual reports beginning in 2002 from each Secretary concerned to the congressional Armed Services committees concerning such entitlements. Requires the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress on the manner in which each Secretary proposes to exercise such authority (requiring a separate report from the Secretary of Transportation with respect to the Coast Guard). Revises provisions concerning the payment of tuition for off-duty training or education to: (1) allow the Secretary concerned to pay all (currently up to 75 percent) of such education expenses; and (2) remove payment limitations for certain enlisted personnel and individuals enrolled in a high school completion program. Allows military personnel entitled to assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill to use such entitlement for the payment of tuition or expenses not paid by the Secretary concerned. Directs the Secretary of Defense, at the election of individuals pursuing off-duty education, to pay a basic educational assistance allowance to meet all or a portion of such expenses not paid for by the Secretary concerned. Authorizes such allowance for up to 36 months. Extends until five years after separation the educational assistance entitlement for members of the Selected Reserve who continue to serve at the end of the 10-year period during which such individuals were entitled to such assistance.
Bill· SS. 2398 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2000
Organ Transplantation Fairness Act of 2000 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to modify: (1) the requirements organ procurement organizations must meet to be eligible for certain existing grants, including organization certification requirements; and (2) requirements and limitations regarding the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, including regarding organ allocation and regarding the disposition of listing and participation fees. Requires that the scientific registry of organ transplant recipients also include information respecting donors and patients in transplants involving living donors. Authorizes grants and contracts for travel and subsistence expenses of living donors. Mandates a public education program regarding organ donation (either directly by the Secretary of Health and Human Services or through grants or contracts). Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) make grants for studies and demonstration projects regarding increasing donation rates; and (2) make grants to States for public education and programs to increase the number of donors. Provides for a bronze medal for donors (or, if the donor is deceased, the donor's family). Prohibits States or their subdivisions from establishing or continuing in effect any law, rule, regulation, or other requirement that would restrict the ability of any entity to comply with Network organ allocation policies.
Bill· SS. 2394 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2000
Teaching Hospital Preservation Act of 2000 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise a certain formula pertaining to additional payments to hospitals with indirect costs of medical education to maintain the value of a certain variable used in the indirect teaching adjustment factor at the FY 1999 level on or after October 1, 2000. (Current law requires a lesser value for such variable in FY 2001 and thereafter.)
Bill· HRH.R. 4227 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2000
Technology Worker Temporary Relief Act - Title I: Numerical Limitation on H-1B Nonimmigrants - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (Act) to temporarily and conditionally increase the number of annual H-1B (specialty occupation) nonimmigrant visas. Directs the Secretary of State to maintain related visa issuance records. Makes a conforming amendment to the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998. Title II: New Requirements on Petitioning Employers - Amends the Act to establish H-1B minimum salary requirements, with exceptions for an institution of higher education or related nonprofit entity, or a nonprofit or governmental research organization. (Sec. 202) Requires an H-1B employer to electronically submit specified information respecting such employees to the Secretary of Labor, who shall subsequently make such information available on the Internet. (Sec. 203) Requires an H-1B alien providing instruction in the United States to have specified levels of English language competence. Title III: Anti-Fraud Provisions for H-1B Nonimmigrants - Amends the Act to require specialty occupation workers and fashion models admitted under other than H-1B status to obtain such status. (Sec. 302) Requires H-1B workers to work at least 35 hours per week, with exceptions for employers who are institutions of higher education or related nonprofit entities. (Sec. 303) Revises certain academic degree-related provisions. Directs the Secretary of State to verify foreign degrees. Authorizes the Secretary to impose a related employer fee. Establishes in the Treasury an H-1B Educational Credential Verification Account. (Sec. 304) Directs the Attorney General to impose an H-1B employer anti-fraud fee. Establishes in the Treasury an H-1B Anti-fraud Account. Obligates specified fee amounts for anti-fraud and alien removal activities. (Sec. 305) Requires a petitioning H-1B employer to be: (1) an institution of higher education, or a governmental or nonprofit entity; or (2) a U.S. based and State or locally licensed business with specified assets. (Sec. 306) Requires an H-1B employer to file W-2 forms Title IV: Extension of Provisions from the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 - Amends the Act to extend the application requirement that an H-1B dependent employer not displace one of his or her U.S. workers. (Sec. 402) Amends the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 to extend certain additional labor application investigative authority of the Secretary.
Bill· HRH.R. 4239 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2000
Teaching Hospital Preservation Act of 2000 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise a formula pertaining to additional payments to hospitals with indirect costs of medical education to maintain the value of a variable used in the indirect teaching adjustment factor at the FY 1999 level on or after October 1, 2000. (Current law requires a lesser value for such variable in FY 2001 and thereafter.)
Bill· HRH.R. 4240 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2000
IDEA Funding Clarification Act - Amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to require that States receive certain amounts as formula grants under IDEA part B provisions for Assistance for Education of All Children with Disabilities. (The formula for determining such required grant amount for a State in a fiscal year is the same formula as that under current law for determining the maximum amount which a State may receive.)
Bill· HJRESH.J.Res. 97 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2000
Constitutional Amendment - Declares that all citizens of the United States shall enjoy the right to an education of equal high quality.
Bill· SS. 2382 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 2000
Technical Assistance, Trade Promotion, and Anti-Corruption Act of 2000 - Title I: Promoting Trade and Protecting United States Jobs - Subtitle A: Private Sector Development - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the President to designate a private, nonprofit organization as eligible to receive Enterprise Funds with respect to any country for promoting: (1) development of the private sectors of eligible countries, including small businesses, the agricultural sector, and joint ventures with United States and host country participants; and (2) policies and practices conducive to private sector development in such countries on the same basis as Enterprise Funds are provided for Poland and Hungary under the Support for East European Democracy (SEED) Act of 1989. Subtitle B: Protection of United States Jobs and Exports - Prohibits: (1) U.S. bilateral assistance (including direct and guaranteed loans and credit and insurance programs by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)) to finance any loan to establish or expand production of any commodity for export by any country other than the United States, if such commodity is likely to be in surplus on world markets and such assistance will cause substantial injury to U.S. producers of the same, similar, or competing commodity; and (2) U.S. development assistance for any testing or breeding feasibility study, variety improvement or introduction, consultancy, publication, conference, or training in connection with the growth or production in a foreign country of an agricultural commodity grown or produced in the United States, with specified exceptions. (Sec. 112) Amends the International Financial Institutions Act to direct the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. Executive Directors of specified international financial institutions to use the U.S. vote to oppose any assistance by them for the production or extraction of any commodity or mineral for export, if it is in surplus on world markets and such assistance will cause substantial injury to U.S. producers of the same, similar, or competing commodity. (Sec. 113) Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to prohibit U.S. assistance (other than direct and guaranteed loans and credit and insurance programs by OPIC) to provide: (1) financial incentive to a business enterprise located in the United States to relocate outside the United States if such incentive is likely to reduce the number of employees of such enterprise because U.S. production is being replaced by it outside the United States; (2) assistance to establish or develop in a foreign country any export processing zone in which the tax, tariff, labor, environment, and safety laws of such country do not apply to activities within the zone, unless the President determines and certifies that such assistance is not likely to cause a loss of jobs within the United States; or (3) assistance for any project that contributes to the violation of internationally recognized workers rights within a recipient country or zone, except that such assistance shall not be precluded for the informal sector of such country, micro and small-scale enterprise, and smallholder agriculture. (Sec. 114) Declares that assistance under this Act should make full use of American resources, including commodities, products, and services, to the maximum extent possible. Expresses the sense of Congress that, to the greatest extent practicable, all agricultural commodities, equipment, and products purchased with funds made available in this Act should be American-made. Requires Federal agency heads, in providing financial assistance to or entering into any contract with any entity using funds made available in this Act, to notify such entity of this intention. Subtitle C: Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement - Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 - Sets forth provisions respecting presidential and congressional authorities and procedures for the imposition of new, and termination of existing, unilateral agricultural and medical sanctions. (Sec. 125) Requires prohibitions on certain U.S. assistance to a country supporting international terrorism to remain in effect until the Secretary of State determines that such country has repeatedly provided support for such terrorism. Title II: Economic Assistance - Subtitle A: Assistance Authorities - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to revise certain principles in the provision of U.S. bilateral development assistance to a foreign country to state that the successful transition of a developing country is dependent upon the economic reform and development of its institutions of democratic governance and its adherence to the rule of law. (Sec. 202) Increases from 25 million to $50 million the amount of foreign assistance funds that the President is authorized to use for emergency contingencies during any fiscal year. (Sec. 203) Provides for a waiver of restrictions on foreign assistance for narcotics-related assistance to foreign countries. (Sec. 204) Establishes a working capital fund for the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID) which shall be available without fiscal year limitation for expenses of personal and nonpersonal services, equipment, and supplies for international cooperative administrative support services, and rebates from the use of U.S. Government credit cards. (Sec. 205) Provides that an organization shall be eligible for population planning assistance in a fiscal year if the AID Administrator determines and certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that it has not used such assistance for abortions or involuntary sterilizations. (Sec. 206) Authorizes appropriations for development assistance to foreign countries. Earmarks specified amounts from such appropriations for: (1) certain activities of the Global Environment Center of the AID; (2) certain water and coastal resources activities; and (3) assistance to East Timor. (Sec. 208) Amends the Horn of Africa Recovery and Food Security Act to make Economic Support Fund (ESF) assistance available for certain activities to aid the poor majority in the Horn of Africa. (Sec. 209) Declares that the total amount of development assistance made available for FY 2001 for sub-Saharan Africa shall bear the same proportion to the total amount of development assistance made available for that fiscal year as the total amount of development assistance for such region made available for FY 2000 bears to the total amount of development assistance made available for FY 2000. (Sec. 210) Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to make U.S. foreign assistance funds available for nonmilitary education programs and for anticorruption programs. Subtitle B: International Disaster Assistance - Authorizes the President to provide, through international disaster assistance, for the reconstruction of foreign countries affected by natural disasters. (Sec. 212) Requires the Administrator of AID, in processing applications for the transportation of humanitarian assistance abroad, to afford priority to applications for the transportation of disaster relief assistance. Subtitle C: Sudan Peace Act - Sudan Peace Act - Declares that Congress: (1) condemns violations of human rights on all sides of the conflict in Sudan (including the Government of Sudan), the ongoing slave trade there, and the Government's increasing use and organization of "murahalliin" or "mujahadeen", Popular Defense Forces (PDF), and regular Sudanese Army units into raiding and slaving parties in Bahr al Ghazal, the Nuba Mountains, Upper Nile, and Blue Nile regions; and (2) recognizes that the use of raiding and slaving parties is a tool for creating food shortages as a systematic means to destroy the societies, culture, and economies of the Dinka and Nuba peoples in a policy of low-intensity ethnic cleansing. (Sec. 225) Expresses the sense of Congress that it: (1) declares its support for the efforts by U.S. executive branch officials and the President's Special Envoy for Sudan to lead in a reinvigoration of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD)-sponsored peace process; (2) calls on IGAD member states, the European Union, the Organization of African Unity, Egypt, and other key states to support such process; (3) urges Kenya's leadership in the implementation of the process; and (4) declares that any such diplomatic efforts toward resolution of the conflict in Sudan are best made through a peace process based on the Declaration of Principles reached in Nairobi, Kenya, on July 20, 1994, and that the President should not create any process which could be viewed as a parallel or competing diplomatic track. (Sec. 226) Expresses the sense of Congress that the President, acting through the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, should take specified actions to increase pressure on the combatants involved in the war in Sudan. (Sec. 227) Directs the President to report to Congress on: (1) the specified sources (including any U.S. sources) and current status of Sudan's financing and construction of oil exploitation infrastructure and pipelines; (2) such financing's relation to sanctions contained in the Executive Order of November 4, 1997; (3) the extent of aerial bombardment by the Government of Sudan forces in areas outside its control; (4) the number, duration, and locations of air strips or other humanitarian relief facilities to which access is denied by any party to the conflict; and (5) the status of the IGAD-sponsored peace process or any other ongoing effort to end the conflict, including specific and verifiable steps taken by the parties to the conflict, the members of the IGAD Partners Forum, and the members of IGAD toward a comprehensive solution to the war. (Sec. 228) Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should organize and maintain a formal consultative process with the European Union, the United Nations Security Council, and other relevant parties on coordinating an effort within the UN to revise the terms of Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS) to end the Government of Sudan's veto power over OLS plans for air transport relief flights. (Sec. 229) Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should continue to increase the use of non-OLS agencies in the distribution of relief supplies in southern Sudan. (Sec. 230) Directs the President to develop and report to Congress on a contingency plan to provide, outside UN auspices, the greatest amount of U.S. Government and privately donated relief to all affected areas in Sudan, including the Nuba Mountains, Upper Nile, and Blue Nile, in the event the Government of Sudan imposes a ban on OLS air transport relief flights. (Sec. 231) Supports the President's ongoing efforts to diversify and increase the effectiveness of U.S. assistance to populations in areas of Sudan outside the control of the Government of Sudan, especially the long-term focus shown in the Sudan Transition Assistance for Rehabilitation (STAR) program with its emphasis on promoting democracy, self-reliance, and actively supporting people-to-people reconciliation efforts. Authorizes appropriations. Grants the President authority to undertake any appropriate programs using Federal agencies, contractual arrangements, or direct support of indigenous groups, agencies, or organizations in areas outside the control of the Government of Sudan (including northern, southern, and eastern regions) in an effort to provide emergency relief, economic self-sufficiency, build civil authority, provide education, enhance rule of law and the development of the judiciary, support people-to-people reconciliation efforts, or implementation of any programs in support of any viable peace agreement. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the President should immediately and to the fullest extent possible utilize the Office of Transition Initiatives at the Agency for International Development to pursue such programs in the Sudan; and (2) priority should be given in current and future development or transition programs undertaken by the U.S. Government to rebuilding and supporting the Rumbek Secondary School in the Sudan. (Sec. 232) Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should assess the humanitarian needs in the Nuba Mountains, Red Sea Hills, and Blue Nile regions of Sudan, and respond appropriately to those needs. (Sec. 233) Directs the President to report to the appropriate congressional committees detailing possible options or plans of the U.S. Government for the provision of nonlethal assistance to participants of the National Democratic Alliance. Subtitle D: Assistance to Countries With Large Populations Having HIV/AIDS - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to revise requirements for assistance for health programs in developing countries to declare that Congress recognizes: (1) the growing international dilemma of children with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); and (2) that mother-to-child transmission prevention strategies can serve as a major force for change in developing regions, and that it is therefore a major objective of the foreign assistance program to control the acquired immune deficiency syndrom (AIDS) epidemic. Provides that Congress expects the agency primarily responsible for administering this Act to make the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS a priority in the foreign assistance program for developing countries. Authorizes appropriations (earmarking amounts for training and training facilities in sub-Saharan Africa and U.S. contributions to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative). (Sec. 245) Directs the President to enter into negotiations with foreign government officials and other interested parties to establish an international vaccine purchase fund that would: (1) accept contributions from governments to purchase and distribute in developing countries vaccines for malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, and any infectious disease which causes the deaths of over one million people worldwide each year; and (2) be a significant market incentive for private sector vaccine research. (Sec. 246) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to enter into negotiations with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank) or the International Development Association (IDA), and with their member nations and other interested parties, for the creation of two trust funds which would accept contributions from governments, the private sector, and nongovernmental entities to: (1) address the AIDS epidemic in countries eligible to borrow from the IDA; and (2) provide support for or the establishment of programs which provide primary and secondary education for orphans in sub-Saharan Africa. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 248) Directs the President to coordinate the development of multidonor strategy to provide for the support and education of AIDS orphans and the families, communities, and institutions most affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. Requires the United States to ensure that classroom training under the African Crisis Response Initiative includes military-based education on the prevention of the spread of AIDS. Subtitle E: International Tuberculosis Control - International Tuberculosis Control Act of 2000 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to revise requirements for assistance for health programs in developing countries to declare that Congress recognizes: (1) the growing international problem of tuberculosis; and (2) that the means exist to control and treat it, and that it is therefore a major objective of the foreign assistance program to control the disease. (Sec. 253) Declares that Congress expects the agency primarily responsible for administering this Act to: (1) coordinate with the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health, and other organizations toward the development and implementation of a comprehensive tuberculosis control program; and (2) set as a goal the detection of at least 70 percent of the cases of infectious tuberculosis, and the cure of at least 85 percent of the cases detected, in those countries in which the agency has established development programs, by December 31, 2010. Authorizes appropriations. Subtitle F: Global Opportunities for Biotechnology in Agriculture - Advancing the Global Opportunities for Biotechnology in Agriculture Act of 2000 - Authorizes the appropriation of certain foreign assistance funds to the President for programs and projects designed, through the establishment of technical exchange programs for foreign officials and U.S. biotechnology experts, to educate government officials in developing countries regarding the use of biotechnology in the agricultural sector and the regulatory procedures used by the United States with respect to agricultural products using biotechnology. Declares that such programs shall encourage acceptance by such countries of products approved under the U.S. regulatory system or, in the case of countries which choose to establish a national regulatory system based on science, to encourage adoption of domestic approval processes based on objective scientific principles. (Sec. 265) Directs the President to establish an interagency process for all relevant executive branch agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, the Office of the U.S. Trade of Representative, the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID), the Department of Commerce, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency, to coordinate efforts and to generate support for the acceptance of agricultural biotechnology. Urges U.S. policies to stress the prominence of science as the foundation for regulatory decision-making and work aggressively in international fora such as the World Trade Organization, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, including its CODEX Alimentarius, and the United Nations, to advocate for science-based decision-making. Urges AID and the Department of Agriculture to ensure that all food and grain products that meet U.S. health and safety requirements are acceptable to foreign countries under relevant food aid programs. (Sec. 266) Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State should work with U.S. embassies abroad to develop bilateral support from foreign governments for the approval of science-based trading regimes in multilateral forums and organizations. Title III: Peace Corps of the United States - Amends the Peace Corps Act to redesignate the Peace Corps as the Peace Corps of the United States. Title IV: Strengthening Anticorruption Measures and Accountability - Amends the Bretton Woods Agreement Act to authorize appropriations through FY 2003 for U.S. contributions to the Heavily Indebted Poor Country Trust Fund of the World Bank. (Sec. 402) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. Executive Director of each multilateral development bank to exert U.S. influence to strengthen each bank's procedures and management controls to ensure that funds disbursed by it to borrowing countries are used as intended and in a manner that complies with the conditions of the bank's loan to such country. (Sec. 403) Directs the Comptroller General to report annually to the appropriate congressional committees on the sufficiency of audits of the financial operations of each multilateral development bank conducted by persons or entities outside of such bank. (Sec. 404) Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to repeal the President's discretionary authority to transfer certain funds to certain international financial institutions for the purpose of bilateral funding. Title V: Serbia Democratization Act - Serbia Democratization Act of 2000 - Subtitle A: Support for the Democratic Forces - Authorizes the President to furnish assistance and other support to promote and strengthen institutions of democratic government and the growth of an independent civil society in Serbia, including ethnic tolerance and respect for internationally recognized human rights. Authorizes appropriations. Urges the President to take all necessary steps to ensure that such assistance shall not be provided to the Government of Yugoslavia or the Government of Serbia. (Sec. 512) Authorizes the President to provide assistance to the Government of Montenegro, unless the President determines, and reports to the appropriate congressional committees, that the leadership of such government is not committed to, or is not taking steps to promote, democratic principles, the rule of law, or respect for internationally recognized human rights. (Sec. 513) Directs the Broadcasting Board of Governors to further the open communication of information and ideas through the increased use of radio and television broadcasting (Voice of America and Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty, Incorporated) to Yugoslavia in both the Serbo-Croatian and Albanian languages. Subtitle B: Assistance to the Victims of Oppression - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Government of Yugoslavia and the Government of Serbia bear responsibility to the victims of the conflict in Kosovo, including refugees and internally displaced persons, and for property damage in Kosovo; (2) under President Milosevic's direction neither government has provided the resources to assist innocent, civilian victims of oppression in Kosovo; and (3) because neither government has fulfilled the responsibilities of a sovereign government toward the Kosovar people, the international community offers the only course for humanitarian assistance to victims of oppression in Kosovo. (Sec. 523) Authorizes the President to furnish assistance (including economic support funds) under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962 for: (1) relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction in Kosovo; and (2) refugees and persons displaced by the conflict there. Prohibits assistance to any organization that has been designated as a terrorist organization. Subtitle C: "Outer Wall" Sanctions - Imposes certain economic and non-economic ("Outer Wall") sanctions against Yugoslavia until the President determines, and certifies to the appropriate congressional committees, that the Government of Yugoslavia has made significant progress in meeting certain conditions, including: (1) agreement on a lasting settlement in Kosovo; (2) compliance with the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina; (3) implementation of internal democratic reform; (4) settlement of all succession issues with the other republics that emerged from the break-up of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; and (5) cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, including the transfer to the Hague of all individuals in Yugoslavia indicted by the Tribunal. (Sec. 531) Sets forth such sanctions, including instructing: (1) the U.S. executive directors of the international financial institutions to oppose, and vote against, any extension of any financial assistance of any kind to the Government of Yugoslavia; (2) the U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to oppose and block any consensus to allow the participation of Yugoslavia in the OSCE; (3) the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) to oppose any resolution in the UN Security Council to admit Yugoslavia to the UN, including any proposal to allow it to assume the membership of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the UN General Assembly; (4) the U.S. Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council to oppose the extension to Yugoslavia of membership in the Partnership for Peace program or any other affiliated NATO organization; and (5) the U.S. Representatives to the Southeast European Cooperation Initiative (SECI) to actively oppose the extension of SECI membership to Yugoslavia. Expresses the sense of Congress that the President: (1) should not restore full diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia until the President has determined, and reported to the appropriate congressional committees, that Yugoslavia has met the aforementioned conditions; and (2) should encourage all other European countries to diminish their level of diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia. (Sec. 532) Expresses the sense of Congress that if any international financial institution approves a loan or other financial assistance to the Government of Yugoslavia over the opposition of the United States, then the Secretary of the Treasury should withhold from payment the U.S. share of any increase in the paid-in capital of such institution in an amount equal to the amount of such loan or other assistance. Subtitle D: Other Measures Against Yugoslavia - Blocks all property of the Government of Serbia or the Government of Yugoslavia (including commercial, industrial, or public utility or entities) that is in the United States. (Sec. 542) Directs the President to use the authorities under the Immigration and Nationality Act to suspend the entry into the United States of any alien who: (1) holds a position in the senior leadership of the Government of Yugoslavia or the Government of Serbia; or (2) is a spouse, minor child, or agent of such person. (Sec. 543) Prohibits the export of computers, computer software, or goods or technology intended to manufacture or service computers to or for use by the Government of Yugoslavia or by the Government of Serbia (including the military, the police, the prison system, and the national security agencies of such republics). Declares that nothing in this section shall prevent the issuance of licenses to ensure the safety of civil aviation and safe operation of U.S.-origin commercial passenger aircraft and to ensure the safety of ocean-going maritime traffic in international waters. (Sec. 544) Prohibits: (1) any Government agency (including the Export-Import Bank and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation) from extending any loan, credit guarantee, insurance, financing, or other similar financial assistance to the Government of Yugoslavia or the Government of Serbia; and (2) any funds being made available for activities of the Trade and Development Agency in or for Serbia. Urges all other countries, particularly European countries, to suspend any of their programs that provide similar financial assistance to the Government of Yugoslavia or the Government of Serbia, including rescheduling either government's debt under more favorable conditions. Prohibits any U.S. national from making or approving any loan or other extension of credit (unless it is for housing, education, or humanitarian benefit to assist the victims of repression in Kosovo), directly or indirectly, to the Government of Yugoslavia or to the Government of Serbia. (Sec. 545) Prohibits the U.S. Government (including any Federal agency or entity) from providing assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 or the Arms Export Control Act (including the provision of Foreign Military Financing or international military education and training (IMET)) or providing any defense articles or defense services under such Acts, to the armed forces of the Government of Yugoslavia or of the Government of Serbia. (Sec. 546) Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should continue to seek to coordinate with other countries, particularly European countries, a comprehensive, multilateral strategy to further the purposes of this Act, including, as appropriate, encouraging other countries to take similar measures contained in this title. (Sec. 547) Exempts from the sanctions imposed in this Act both Kosovo and Montenegro (unless the President determines and certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the leadership of the Government of Montenegro is not committed to, or is not taking steps to promote, democratic principles, the rule of law, or respect for internationally recognized human rights). Provides for a waiver and termination of sanctions imposed against Yugoslavia. Subtitle E: Miscellaneous Provisions - Declares it is U.S. policy to support the investigation of President Slobodan Milosevic by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and grave breaches of the Geneva Convention. (Sec. 552) Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should call on NATO allies in negotiating the future of Kosovo to establish guarantees for the rights of the ethnic Hungarian community of Vojvodina. (Sec. 553) Declares it is U.S. policy to insist that the Government of Yugoslavia has the responsibility to engage in good faith negotiations with the Governments of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Slovenia for resolution of outstanding property issues and disposition of specified properties located in the United States. Expresses the sense of Congress that if the Government of Yugoslavia refuses to negotiate in good faith, the President should take steps to return such properties to such governments. (Sec. 554) Authorizes the President to furnish assistance to Yugoslavia if he determines, and certifies to the appropriate congressional committees, that the Government of Yugoslavia is committed to democratic principles and the rule of law and respects internationally recognized human rights. Title VI: Microenterprise Assistance - Microenterprise for Self-Reliance Act of 2000 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to set forth congressional findings and policy, including that: (1) the development of microenterprise (including micro- and small enterprises) is a vital factor in the growth of developing countries and in the development of free, open, and equitable international economic systems; (2) it is in the best interest of the United States to assist the development of microenterprises and of enterprises of the poor in developing countries; and (3) the support of microenterprise can be served by programs that provide credit, savings, training, technical assistance, and business development services. (Sec. 604) Authorizes the President to provide grants and other assistance for programs to increase the availability of credit and other services to microenterprises (including micro- and small enterprises) lacking full access to capital training, technical assistance, and business development services through: (1) grants to microfinance institutions; (2) loans and guarantees to credit institutions (with a limit of $30 million per borrower); (3) grants to microenterprise institutions for training, technical assistance, and business development services; and (4) policy and regulatory programs at the country level. (Sec. 606) Directs the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID) to establish: (1) a monitoring system that provides, among other things, for performance goals for microenterprise development grant assistance; (2) eligibility criteria for determining which entities shall carry out activities receiving credit assistance; and (3) a U.S. Microfinance Loan Facility to prevent the bankruptcy of microfinance institutions caused by natural disasters, war or civil conflict, national financial crisis, or other short-term financial movements that threaten the long-term development of such institutions. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 607) Directs the President to report to the appropriate congressional committees on the most cost-effective methods and measurements for increasing the access of poor people overseas to credit, other financial services, and related training. (Sec. 608) Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the administrator of AID and the Secretary of State should seek to support and strengthen the effectiveness of microfinance activities in United Nations (UN) agencies, such as the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the UN Development Program, which have provided key leadership in developing the microenterprise sector; and (2) the Secretary of the Treasury should instruct each U.S. Executive Director of the multilateral development banks to advocate the development of a coherent and coordinated strategy to support the microenterprise sector, including an increase of multilateral resource flows for building microenterprise retail and wholesale intermediaries. Title VII: Defense and Security Assistance - Subtitle A: Military and Related Assistance - Authorizes appropriations for FY 2001 for foreign military financing grants and direct loans. (Sec. 711) Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to increase the aggregate value of the emergency drawdown of defense articles from the stocks of the Department of Defense (DOD), defense services of DOD, and international military education and training (IMET) to foreign countries in any fiscal year. Authorizes the drawdown of such articles, services, and training for counterterrorism and nonproliferation purposes. (Sec. 712) Authorizes the President to provide for the transportation of excess defense articles without charge to a country for the costs of such transportation if, among other things, the total weight of such transfer does not exceed 50,000 pounds (currently, 25,000 pounds). Subtitle B: International Military Education and Training - Authorizes appropriations for FY 2001 for IMET assistance to foreign countries. Sets forth certain additional requirements with respect to the provision of such assistance. Subtitle C: Nonproliferation and Export Control Assistance - Authorizes the President to furnish assistance to foreign countries in order to enhance their ability to halt the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, and advanced conventional weaponry. (Sec. 731) Authorizes appropriations for FY 2001 (earmarking amounts for training and education of personnel from friendly countries in the United States, science and technology centers in the independent states of the former Soviet Union, and static cargo x-ray facility in Malta). Subtitle D: Antiterrorism Assistance - Authorizes appropriations for FY 2001 for antiterrorism assistance to foreign countries. Subtitle E: Integrated Security Assistance Planning - Requires the Secretary of State to report annually to the appropriate congressional committees on a National Security Assistance Strategy for the United States. (Sec. 752) Authorizes appropriations for FY 2001 for security assistance surveys used in preparing the Strategy. (Sec. 761) Authorizes appropriations for FY 2001 for foreign military financing grants for the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland. Earmarks specified amounts of IMET assistance funds for such countries, including Greece and turkey. (Sec. 763) Earmarks specified amounts for FY 2001 for foreign military financing grants for Israel and Egypt. Earmarks specified amounts for such grants (including IMET assistance) for: (1) Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania; (2) Philippines; (3) Georgia; (4) Malta; (5) Slovenia; (6) Slovakia; (7) Romania; and (8) Bulgaria. (Sec. 765) Earmarks certain funds for FY 2001 to assist GUUAM countries (group of countries that signed a protocol on quadrilateral cooperation on November 25, 1997) and Armenia to: (1) strengthen national control of their borders (including to prevent the trafficking of illegal narcotics and the proliferation of technology and materials related to weapons of mass destruction, and to contain and inhibit transnational organized criminal activities); and (2) promote the independence and territorial sovereignty of such countries. Subtitle F: Other Provisions - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the use of defense articles and defense services made available through the provision of U.S. military assistance to foreign countries for antiterrorism and nonproliferation purposes. (Sec. 772) Amends the Arms Export Control Act to authorize the President to reduce the price for the sale of DOD and Coast Guard defense articles to eligible foreign countries if certain conditions are met. (Sec. 773) Repeals certain congressional reporting and certification requirements with respect to cooperative projects with North American Treaty Organization countries. (Sec. 774) Exempts a prohibition on U.S. assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan from certain congressional oversight provisions under the National Security Act of 1947. (Sec. 775) Sets forth the maximum value of additions to stockpiles in foreign countries for FY 2001. Makes amounts available for such stockpiles in the Republic of Korea. (Sec. 776) Authorizes the President to transfer to Israel certain obsolete or surplus defense articles in return for concessions to be negotiated by the Secretary of Defense. (Sec. 777) Prohibits US sale of Stinger missiles in the Persian Gulf, with certain exceptions. (Sec. 778) Amends Federal law to increase: (1) the bond required to be filed with the Secretary of the Treasury in cases where certain required export information may be filed with the Secretary by a carrier in connection with the exportation or transportation of cargo after the departure of such carrier from the port or place of exportation or transportation; and (2) the penalty for a carrier's failure to file such information within the prescribed period. Subjects a person who knowingly fails to file, or knowingly files false or misleading, export information through the Shipper's Export Declaration (SED) or the Automated Export System (AES) to a fine not to exceed $10,000, or imprisoned for not more than five years, or both. Increases the civil penalty with respect to the violation of the other reporting requirements under this Act. (Sec. 779) Authorizes for FY 2001 the use of DOD funds for crating, packing, handling, and transporting excess defense articles to Mongolia. (Sec. 780) Directs the President to certify annually to the appropriate congressional committees that any Russian person engaged in a commercial operation involving Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) equipment or technology with a U.S. person pursuant to an arms export license issued within the 36 months preceding the certification is not suspected of contributing to the acquisition, design, development, or production of MTCR-class ballistic missiles in Iran at any time since January 1, 2000. Authorizes the President to terminate such license if it is determined that the foreign person has engaged in the transfer of any MTCR equipment or technology. (Sec. 781) Makes specified amounts of economic support fund (ESF) and foreign military financing funds available only to Israel for FY 2001 through 2008. Subtitle G: Transfers of Naval Vessels - Authorizes the President to transfer certain naval vessels to: (1) Australia; (2) Brazil; (3) Chile; (4) Egypt; (5) Greece; and (6) Turkey. (Sec. 792) Sets forth requirements with respect to: (1) the inapplicability of aggregate annual limitation on the value of transferred excess defense articles; (2) who should be charged the costs related to such transfers; (3) conditions related to the transfer of naval vessels on a combined lease-sale basis; and (4) the funding of costs related to such transfers. Subtitle H: Definition - Defines "appropriate committees of Congress". Title VIII: Special Authorities and Other Provisions - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to set forth additional authority under the Arms Export Control Act for the prohibition on assistance to any foreign government that provides lethal military equipment to a country that the Secretary of State has determined has a terrorist government, unless the President determines that furnishing such assistance is in the U.S. national interest. (Sec. 802) Authorizes the Administrator of the agency primarily responsible for administering development assistance to foreign countries to provide program and management oversight for activities that are funded by such assistance in countries in which such agency does not have a field mission or office. (Sec. 803) Sets forth revised requirements with respect to the availability of foreign assistance funds for the winding up of programs that have been terminated. (Sec. 804) Authorizes the President to furnish foreign assistance to support or strengthen the administration of justice in countries in Latin American and the Caribbean. Repeals the prohibition against the participation of DOD personnel and members of the U.S. armed forces in the provision of training with respect to the administration of justice in such countries. (Sec. 805) Amends the International Financial Institutions Act to require the annual reporting of environmental impact of multilateral development bank assistance proposals (currently made semi-annually). (Sec. 806) Expresses the sense of the Senate on environmental contamination and health effects emanating from former U.S. military facilities in the Philippines. (Sec. 807) Repeals obsolete provisions of specified Federal laws.
Law· HRH.R. 4205 (106th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2000
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 - Division A: Department of Defense Authorizations - Title I: Procurement - Subtitle A: Authorization of Appropriations - Authorizes appropriations for FY 2001 to the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and Air Force for aircraft, missiles, weapons and tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, shipbuilding and conversion, and other procurement. (Sec. 104) Authorizes appropriations for FY 2001 for: (1) defense-wide procurement; (2) the Defense Inspector General; (3) the Defense Health Program; and (4) the chemical demilitarization program. Subtitle B: Multi-Year Contract Authorizations - Authorizes the use of multiyear procurement contracts for the M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, the UH/60-CH/60 helicopter, and the DDG-51 (destroyer). Title II: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation - Authorizes appropriations for FY 2001 for the armed forces for research, development, test, and evaluation. Title III: Operation and Maintenance - Subtitle A: Authorization of Appropriations - Authorizes appropriations for FY 2001 for operation and maintenance (O&M) for the armed forces and specified activities and agencies of the Department of Defense (DOD). (Sec. 302) Authorizes appropriations for FY 2001 for: (1) working capital and revolving funds; and (2) the Armed Forces Retirement Home. (Sec. 304) Authorizes the transfer of up to $150 million from the National Defense Stockpile Transaction Fund to specified military O&M accounts for FY 2001. Subtitle B: Environmental Provisions - Authorizes the Secretary of Defense (Secretary) to reimburse the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a specified amount for certain removal costs connected with the former Nansemond Ordnance Depot Site in Suffolk, Virginia. (Sec. 312) Authorizes the Secretary of the military department concerned (Secretary concerned) to pay certain fines and penalties imposed by the EPA or a State in connection with environmental violations at specified sites. Subtitle C: Other Matters - Authorizes the Secretary of the Air Force to issue regulations requiring payment by civil air carriers for certain air and landing support provided at Johnston Atoll. (Sec. 322) Authorizes the Secretary, upon request from a department Secretary or defense agency director, to transfer excess titanium sponge from the National Defense Stockpile for use in manufacturing defense equipment. (Sec. 323) Amends the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 to extend through FY 2003 a pilot program for the acceptance and use of landing fees charged for the use of military airfields by civil aircraft. Extends a required implementation report date. (Sec. 324) Repeals a provision requiring a nonappropriated fund instrumentality to be considered as the most economical method of distribution of covered alcoholic beverages for resale on a military installation if the use of a private distributor would subject such beverages to direct or indirect State taxation. Title IV: Military Personnel Authorizations - Subtitle A: Active Forces - Sets forth the authorized end strengths for active-duty forces as of the end of FY 2001. Subtitle B: Reserve Forces - Sets forth the authorized end strengths as of the end of FY 2001 for members of the Selected Reserve and reserve personnel on active duty in support of the reserves. (Sec. 413) Sets forth the authorized end strengths as of the end of FY 2001 for military technicians. (Sec. 414) Increases the number of certain officers and enlisted personnel authorized to serve on active duty in support of the reserves. (Sec. 415) Exempts from the active-duty end strength limitation those members of the reserve: (1) or National Guard serving on active duty to prepare for and perform military funeral honor functions; and (2) on active duty for 181 days or more to perform special work in support of the armed forces and combatant commands. Title V: Military Personnel Policy - Subtitle A: Officer Personnel Policy - Authorizes the Secretary of the Air Force to retain Medical Service Corps officers beyond the normal required retirement age. Withdraws the authority to so retain veterinary officers. (Sec. 503) Provides for the release to the military department concerned of the names of officers considered for promotion to a grade below brigadier general or rear admiral (lower half) upon transmittal to the President of the report of such selection board. Subtitle B: Reserve Component Personnel Policy - Exempts certain reserve and general flag officers serving in joint duty assignments from the active duty list for promotion purposes. (Sec. 512) Authorizes the Secretary concerned, upon a determination that it is in the national security interest, to increase the number of certain officers and enlisted personnel serving on active duty or full-time National Guard duty. (Sec. 514) Exempts medical and dental officers from reserve end strength limitations. (Sec. 515) Includes under certain promotion authority an individual on the Reserve Active Status List who is ordered to active duty for a period of three years or less. Subtitle C: Education and Training - Repeals a provision which allows the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Program to be funded from certain excess National Guard Challenge Program funding. Removes an annual funding limit with respect to the latter program. Subtitle D: Medal of Honor Recipients - Waives certain time limitations with respect to the award of the Medal of Honor to: (1) Ed W. Freeman of Boise, Idaho, for acts of valor during the Vietnam conflict; and (2) Andrew J. Smith (posthumously) for acts of valor during the Civil War. Subtitle E: Joint Management - Revises provisions concerning the joint officer specialty program to: (1) provide for the designation of officers with the joint specialty officer identifier; (2) allow an officer to be designated with such an identifier after completing two full tours of duty in joint duty assignments; (3) allow the Secretary concerned to waive designation requirements for a particular officer for unusual circumstances, or for a critical need (the latter only in the case of a general or flag officer); (4) provide for joint specialty officer designations for general and flag officer positions; and (5) require accreditation by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) for any educational institution designated as a joint professional military education institution. Revises policy objectives and qualifications for joint duty officers. (Sec. 543) Repeals a provision requiring officers graduating from a joint professional military education school to be assigned to a joint duty assignment for that officer's next duty assignment. Reduces from three to two months the duration of the principal course of instruction offered at the Armed Forces Staff College. (Sec. 544) Requires the length of a joint duty assignment to mirror the standard tour length that the Secretary establishes for each installation or location at which joint duty assignments are authorized. Allows waivers from such required tour length only on a case-by-case basis. Repeals provisions providing for the initial joint duty assignment of officers with critical occupational specialties. Authorizes the Secretary concerned to request the joint activity to which an officer is assigned to curtail such officer's assignment. Repeals provisions concerning average joint duty tour lengths. Revises the criteria under which full tour credit will be recognized for promotion purposes. (Sec. 545) Makes the JCS (currently the Secretary) responsible for monitoring the personal issues (careers) of officers with the joint specialty designation as well as other officers who have served in joint duty assignments. (Sec. 546) Revises generally information required in an annual report from the Secretary to Congress concerning joint specialty duty assignments and experience. (Sec. 548) Repeals minimum joint duty completion requirements in the case of an officer selected by a promotion board for appointment to the grade of brigadier general or rear admiral (lower half) while serving in a joint duty assignment. Subtitle F: Selection Board Appeals - Provides exclusive remedies available to a person challenging the action or recommendation of a selection board. Bars any such person from entitlement to judicial relief unless he or she has first been considered by a special board or refused such consideration by the Secretary concerned. Provides for appropriate correction of military records or restoration of appropriate status, rights, and entitlements if consideration by a special board results in a decision favorable to the individual. Makes this section inapplicable to the Coast Guard when not operating as a service in the Navy. Subtitle G: Other Matters - Exempts members of the Army, Navy, or Air Force Retiree Council from limits on the authorized number of recalled retirees. (Sec. 562) Mandates a three-year tenure requirement for the following positions (currently designated only as critical acquisition positions): program or deputy program manager for a significant nonmajor defense acquisition program; program executive officer, general or flag officer or civilian equivalent thereto; or senior contracting official. Title VI: Compensation and Personnel Benefits - Subtitle A: Bonuses and Special and Incentive Pays - Authorizes the Secretary concerned to delegate the authority to waive operational flying duty requirements for purposes of entitlement to incentive pay. (Sec. 602) Authorizes special pay (in lieu of any other special pay) for reserve medical and dental officers performing annual training, active duty for training, and active duty for special work. (Sec. 603) Provides compensation rates for reserve and National Guard personnel performing funeral honors duty. (Sec. 604) Extends through FY 2002 specified authorities currently scheduled to expire at the end of 2000 with respect to certain special pay and bonus programs within the regular and reserve armed forces. Subtitle B: Travel and Transportation Allowances - Authorizes the advance payment of allowances for temporary lodging expenses. (Sec. 612) Provides for the payment of a prorated amount for the transportation of baggage and household effects when less than the authorized weight limit is shipped. (Sec. 613) Authorizes the advance payment of per diem for temporary lodging expenses. (Sec. 614) Authorizes a member entitled to the transportation of a motor vehicle to instead be paid a prorated share of the savings achieved by the member in not sending the vehicle to the new duty station. Authorizes the storage of such motor vehicle in lieu of shipping. Subtitle C: Other Matters - Makes eligible for appointment to a military service academy the children of a member of the reserves who either: (1) have earned at least 2,880 military retirement credit points; or (2) are, or who died while they were, eligible for military retired pay, but had not yet reached age 60. (Sec. 632) Authorizes a personal money allowance of $2,000 annually for senior enlisted members of the armed forces. (Sec. 633) Increases the initial and annual uniform allowance. (Sec. 634) Authorizes the Secretary (and the Secretary of Transportation with respect to the Coast Guard when not operating under the Navy) to prescribe the quantity and kind of clothing to be worn by enlisted personnel. (Currently, the President has such authority.) Title VII: Health Care Provisions - Entitles Medal of Honor recipients to medical and dental care in the same manner and to the same extent as those entitled to military retired or retainer pay. Title VIII: Acquisition Policy, Acquisition Management, and Related Matters - Subtitle A: Amendments to General Contracting Authorities, Procedures, and Limitations - Eliminates: (1) the requirement that a contractor furnish written assurances that technical data furnished complies with contractual requirements; and (2) certain subcontract notification requirements. (Sec. 805) Redesignates major defense acquisition programs as major systems for purposes of applying operational test and evaluation requirements. Authorizes defense contractors to participate in certain phases of such test and evaluation, including analytical and logistic support. Requires certain steps to ensure the impartiality and integrity of contractor employees involved in such process. (Sec. 808) Allows the Secretary of Defense to utilize indefinite-delivery contracts for gloves, boots, humanitarian and operational rations, and toxicological agent protective clothing, upon request of a State or U.S. territory, Puerto Rico, an Indian tribe, the District of Columbia, or a qualified, nonprofit agency for the blind or severely handicapped. Subtitle B: Other Matters - Prohibits the suspension of defense procurement contract preferences for small disadvantaged businesses and historically black and other minority educational institutions if the President determines that contracts for a price exceeding fair market value cost are necessary to remedy demonstrated discrimination in that industry category. (Sec. 812) Revises the definition of "conventional ammunition" under the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 to include ammunition managed by DOD's Single Manager for Conventional Ammunition. (Sec. 813) Provides a further exception to the technical data rights for items developed exclusively at private expense when operation, maintenance, or installation services are to be provided other than by the contractor or subcontractor. (Sec. 814) Authorizes the Secretary to waive the application of survivability tests to the MH-47E and MH-60K helicopter modification programs before full material release of such helicopters for operational use. Requires a report with any such waiver. (Sec. 815) Repeals the requirement that the Secretary certify to Congress that the future-years defense program fully funds support costs associated with the multiyear contracting program. Title IX: Department of Defense Organization and Management - Subtitle A: Department of Defense Organization - Redesignates Marine Corps Deputy and Assistant Chiefs of Staff as Deputy Commandants. Subtitle B: Other Matters - Consolidates the Naval Academy General Gift Fund and the Naval Academy Museum Fund into the United States Naval Academy Gift and Museum Fund. Repeals the Naval Academy Museum Fund and the Naval Historical Center Fund. (Sec. 912) Authorizes the Secretary of the Navy to dispose of the current cash value of previously accepted gifts to the Naval Academy Gift Fund by transfer to an entity designated by the donor. (Sec. 913) Authorizes the Secretary to establish a pilot program for the payment of retraining and relocation expenses to facilitate the reemployment of DOD employees who are being involuntarily separated due to a reduction-in-force or transfer of military functions. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into an agreement with a non-Federal employer to pay the costs (for up to 12 months) of retraining such individuals for employment with that employer. Prohibits: (1) the total amount of retraining payments for each individual from exceeding $10,000; and (2) payment for training or relocations commenced after September 30, 2003. Title X: General Provisions - Subtitle A: Financial Matters - Provides for the offset of overpayments made to DOD contract carriers for transportation services. (Sec. 1002) Changes an annual date for submission of a report concerning the scoring of defense budget outlays. (Sec. 1003) Codifies provisions concerning O&M reimbursements for certain reserve intelligence or counterintelligence support. Subtitle B: Humanitarian and Civic Assistance - Includes underserved areas for the provision of defense humanitarian and civic assistance. (Sec. 1012) Increases from $5 million to $10 million the annual limit on costs of equipment, services, and supplies provided in connection with the clearance of land mines in foreign countries. Subtitle C: Miscellaneous Reporting Requirements and Repeals - Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991 to repeal a B-2 bomber reporting requirement. (Sec. 1016) Requires an annual report concerning National Guard and reserve equipment to include information concerning Coast Guard Reserve equipment. Subtitle D: Other Matters - Requires a military will or codicil, executed in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary (or Secretary of Transportation with respect to the Coast Guard when not operating under the Navy), to be recognized as a valid testamentary instrument. Outlines general requirements for such wills and codicils, including self-proof through testator acknowledgment and witnesses. Prohibits anything in this section from invalidating other testamentary instruments. (Sec. 1022) Repeals a provision which allows the Secretary to enter into cooperative military airlift agreements with allied countries only under authority of current provisions concerning such agreements. (Sec. 1023) Repeals a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 which prohibits FY 2000 Cooperative Threat Reduction funds from being used for a chemical weapons destruction facility in Russia. Division B: Military Construction Authorizations - Military Construction Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 - Title XXI(sic): Army - Authorizes the Secretary of the Army to acquire real property and carry out military construction projects in specified amounts at specified installations and locations. Authorizes the Secretary of the Army to construct or acquire family housing units, carry out architectural planning and design activities, and improve existing military family housing in specified amounts. Authorizes appropriations to the Army for fiscal years after: (1) 2000 for military construction, land acquisition, and family housing functions of the Army; and (2) 2001 for completion of certain previously-authorized military construction projects. Limits the total cost of construction projects authorized by this title. (Sec. 2105) Amends the Military Construction Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 to increase the amount authorized for a project at Fort Hood, Texas. Title XXII: Navy - Provides, with respect to the Navy, authorizations paralleling those provided for the Army under the first paragraph of the previous title. Title XXIII: Air Force - Provides, with respect to the Air Force, authorizations similar to those provided for the Army under the first paragraph of Title XXI. Title XXIV: Defense Agencies - Authorizes the Secretary to acquire real property and carry out military construction projects in specified amounts at specified installations and locations. (Sec. 2402) Authorizes the Secretary to carry out certain energy conservation projects. (Sec. 2403) Authorizes appropriations to DOD for fiscal years after: (1) 2000 for military construction, land acquisition, and military family housing functions of DOD; and (2) 2001 for completion of a previously-authorized project. Limits the total cost of construction projects authorized by this title. Title XXV: North Atlantic Treaty Organization Security Investment Program - Authorizes the Secretary to make contributions for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Security Investment Program and authorizes appropriations for fiscal years after 2000 for such Program. Title XXVI: Guard and Reserve Forces Facilities - Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years after 2000 for the Guard and reserve forces for acquisition, architectural and engineering services, and construction of facilities. Title XXVII: Expiration and Extension of Authorizations - Terminates all authorizations contained in titles XXI through XXVI of this Act on October 1, 2003, or the date of enactment of an Act authorizing funds for military construction for FY 2004, whichever is later, with exceptions. Extends certain prior-year military construction projects. Title XXVIII: General Provisions - Increases from $200,000 to $500,000 the minor real property transaction threshold before certain congressional notification and reporting is required from the Secretary concerned. (Sec. 2802) Includes a military readiness center within the definition of an armory. (Sec. 2803) Extends through February 10, 2006, the authority of the Secretary concerned to enter into contracts for the construction or acquisition of military family housing facilities. (Sec. 2804) Authorizes the Secretary concerned to provide utilities or services on a reimbursable basis as part of a project for the acquisition or construction of military family housing units located on a military installation. (Sec. 2805) Amends provisions concerning the leasing of military family housing at the United States Southern Command in Miami, Florida, to: (1) remove an annual $60,000 limit on individual housing lease costs; (2) allow such leases to extend for up to five years; and (3) allow the Secretary of the Army to adjust the maximum annual limit on such leases by the amount of the annual basic allowance for housing increase in the Miami area. (Sec. 2806) Removes certain limitations on housing space based on pay grade and allows the Secretary concerned to ensure that room patterns and floor areas are generally comparable to patterns and areas of similar housing units in that locality. (Sec. 2807) Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991 to modify the authority for a land conveyance at the Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro, California.
Bill· HRH.R. 4217 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2000
Amends the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1994 to include activities to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety among activities to protect students traveling to and from school, which are authorized activities for State Governors' programs under such Act.
Bill· SS. 2366 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2000
Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Amendments Act of 2000 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require that the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network: (1) be a private network; (2) have a policy board elected by Network members (currently, have a board of directors that includes organ procurement organization representatives), with 50 to 55 percent being transplant surgeons and transplant physicians and 20 to 25 percent being transplant candidates, recipients, donors, and their family members; (3) establish medical criteria for allocating organs and for listing and de-listing patients; and (4) establish transplant policies, including allocation policies and policies that affect patient outcomes. Sets forth requirements for those policies, including that: (1) the policies be designed to avoid wasting organs and futile transplants; (2) priority rankings be based on standardized medical criteria and ordered according to medical urgency and appropriateness; and (3) disparities in transplantation resulting from socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, or being medically underserved be reduced. Regulates policy adoption procedures. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish the Scientific Advisory Committee on Organ Transplantation, empowering it to disapprove of comments or revisions by the Secretary to policies revised by the Board. Prohibits, when the Committee so disapproves, revised policies from becoming effective until the Committee approves the policy or revisions. Requires that Committee members be appointed by the Secretary. Directs the Secretary to contract, through competitive bidding, with a nonprofit private entity for Network administration and operation (Administrator). Limits contracts to five years. Authorizes the Administrator to assess and collect fees for Network membership and listing of potential recipients in amounts that are reasonable and customary and sufficient to cover Network operational costs. Requires the Board and Administrator to monitor Network participants' operations for compliance with Board criteria and policies. Requires the Board to establish a peer review system and conditions for the application of peer review requirements to ensure compliance. Requires the Board or Administrator to advise the Secretary on action concerning noncompliance or a risk to the health of transplant patients or public safety. Authorizes the Board or the Secretary to impose sanctions for violations. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary, by contract, to develop and maintain a scientific registry of transplant recipients. (Sec. 4) Directs the Secretary to establish an interagency task force on organ donation and research to improve coordination and evaluation of federally supported or conducted organ donation and basic, clinical, and health services research. Allows termination of the task force at the discretion of the Secretary after completion of two annual reports. Directs the Secretary: (1) on termination, to provide for ongoing coordination; (2) directly or though grants or contracts, to carry out a comprehensive national public education program to increase donation, including living donation; (3) to support the development and dissemination of model curricula to train health care and other professionals (including religious leaders and law enforcement officials) in donation issues, including approach methods and cultural sensitivities; and (4) contract with the Institute of Medicine for an evaluation of the donation practices of organ procurement organizations, States, other countries, and other organizations that have achieved a higher than average organ donation rate and examine existing donation barriers. Authorizes appropriations.
Bill· HRH.R. 4183 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2000
Next Generation Technology Innovation Awards Act of 2000 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to establish a program of Next-Generation Technology Innovation Awards, as part B of title III (Technology for Education) of ESEA. (Eliminates the current part B Star Schools Program.) Authorizes the Secretary of Education, through the Office of Educational Technology, to award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements on a competitive basis to eligible applicants, which are consortia that include: (1) at least one State educational agency or local educational agency; and (2) at least one institution of higher education, for-profit entity, museum, library, other public or private entity with appropriate expertise. Sets forth requirements for applications, plans, priorities, uses of funds, and evaluation. Authorizes the Secretary to require a non-Federal share of up to 50 percent of the cost of activities assisted pursuant to such an award. Authorizes appropriations. Repeals provisions for a program of national challenge grants for technology in education.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 461 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2000
Declares that: (1) the immediate and unconditional release from prison in Turkey of the Kurdish Democracy Party parliamentarians Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan, and Selim Sadak is a vital step in upholding due process in Turkey and facilitating Turkey's integration into the European Union; and (2) the prompt recognition by the Government of the Republic of Turkey of full cultural and language rights for the Kurdish people within its borders, including the right of education and broadcasting in Kurdish, is a vital step in promoting tolerance and cultural diversity in a manner consistent with Turkey's commitment as a participating state of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 299 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 2000
States that the Congress: (1) recognizes the devastating impact of fragile X on thousands of Americans; (2) recognizes the leadership of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in research efforts to find a cure for fragile X and related disorders; (3) calls on these and other sources of Federal and private research funds to enhance and increase their efforts and commitments to fragile X research; and (4) calls on medical schools and other health educators, medical societies and associations, and Federal, State, and local health care facilities to learn, teach, and promote awareness of the incidence, causes, symptoms, effects, and treatment of fragile X and support screening of newborns for fragile X to permit early intervention and treatment.
Bill· SS. 2347 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2000
Information Technology Act of 2000 - Authorizes the Secretaries of Education and Labor, acting jointly, to make grants to eligible partnerships (made up of an institution of higher education and a private organization such as a certified training provider) to pay the Federal share (50 percent) of establishing and carrying out information technology training programs for minorities, women, older individuals, veterans, Native Americans, dislocated workers and former program participants who have not received certification. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make grants to appropriate organizations for awarding bonuses to teachers who achieve information technology certification. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2001 through 2005.
Bill· SS. 2341 (106th)reported
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2000
IDEA Full Funding Act of 2000 - Amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to authorize funding to reach the Federal Government's goal of providing 40 percent of the national average per pupil expenditure to assist States and local educational agencies with the excess costs of educating children with disabilities. Authorizes appropriations for IDEA part B programs of assistance for education of all children with disabilities, in specified amounts for FY 2001 through 2010, and as necessary thereafter.
Bill· SS. 2355 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2000
Growing Resources in Educational Achievement for Today and Tomorrow Act - GREATT IDEA Act - Amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to authorize appropriations in specified amounts for FY 2001 through 2005 for IDEA part B programs of Assistance for Education of All Children with Disabilities. Requires States that use proceeds of IDEA grants to maintain expenditures for IDEA activities for each of FY 2001 through 2005 at least at the FY 2000 level.
Bill· SS. 2353 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2000
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise requirements, under part A (Strengthening Institutions) of title III (Institutional Aid), for grant applications and awards under programs for: (1) American Indian Tribal Colleges and Universities; and (2) Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions. Requires regulations to prescribe a simplified and streamlined format for such program grant applications that takes into account the limited number of institutions that are eligible for assistance. Prohibits any Tribal College or University or Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian-serving institution that receives such program funds from concurrently receiving funds under other provisions of part A or part B (Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities). Exempts such program grantees from a two-year wait-out-period requirement for eligibility for an additional grant. Directs the Secretary of Education, in awarding such grants, to ensure maximum and equitable distribution among all eligible institutions.
Bill· SS. 2348 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2000
Establishes certain requirements relating to the use of standardized tests by State and local educational agencies (SEAs and LEAs) that receive funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). Prohibits standardized test performance from being the sole determinant of any decision about an individual student's retention, graduation, tracking, or within-class ability grouping. Allows test performance to be considered in making such decision only if specified criteria are met. Requires such tests to: (1) meet professional standards of validity and reliability for the purpose for which its results are being used; (2) allow users to make score interpretations related to a functional performance level, and be based on State or local content or performance standards, and be aligned with curriculum and classroom instruction; (3) be administered in accordance with written guidance from the test developer or publisher; and (4) not be used to decide promotion or placement in special education for a child below age eight or grade three. Requires that: (1) multiple measures of student achievement be used, including grades and evaluations by teachers, so that scores from large-scale assessments are never the only source of information used nor assigned determinative weight in making a high-stakes decision about an individual student; and (2) multiple opportunities to demonstrate proficiency in the subject matter covered by the test be provided to students tested. Requires SEAs and LEAs to: (1) have evidence that the test is of adequate technical quality for each purpose for which it is used; (2) provide appropriate accommodations and alternate assessments for students with disabilities that provide such students with a valid opportunity to show what they know and can do; and (3) provide appropriate accommodations for students with limited English proficiency, including specified arrangements. Requires evaluations of the impact of standardized tests use in high stakes decisions on students' education and educational outcomes, particularly on individuals and subgroups disaggregated by socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, limited English proficiency, disability, and gender, to be carried out by: (1) SEAs receiving ESEA funds; (2) LEAs receiving ESEA funds located in States that do not do such evaluations; and (3) the Secretary of Education.
Bill· SS. 2342 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2000
Medicare Modernization Act of 2000 - Title I: Making Medicare More Competitive and Efficient - Part A: Competitive Defined Benefit - Amends part C (Medicare+Choice) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) with regard to: (1) payments to Medicare+Choice organizations based on risk-adjusted bids; (2) Medicare premium reduction and monthly excess premium for Medicare+Choice plan enrollment; (3) Medicare+Choice plan inclusion of cost-sharing reduction in its basic benefits; and (4) provision of supplemental health care benefits by Medicare+Choice organizations subject to the approval of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Part B: Private Sector Purchasing and Quality Improvement Tools for Original Medicare - Amends SSA title XVIII to provide for: (1) care coordination services, including their coverage as Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) medical services; (2) disease management services, including their coverage as Medicare part B medical services; (3) competitive acquisition of items and services; (4) provider and physician collaborations; (5) preferred participants; (6) centers of excellence; (7) demonstration projects to test and, if proven effective, expand the use of incentives (bonus payments) to certain health care groups participating in Medicare; and (8) administration of certain private sector purchasing and quality improvement programs. (Sec. 120) Amends SSA title XVIII to revise requirements for contracting for Medicare claims processing. (Sec. 121) Outlines special provisions for funding of activities related to certain overpayment recoveries and provider enrollment and reverification of eligibility. Title II: Modernizing Medicare Benefits - Part A: Prescription Drug Benefit - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to add a new part D (Prescription Drug Benefit for the Aged and Disabled) outlining the following program components: (1) establishment of a voluntary insurance program to provide prescription drug benefits for individuals who are aged or disabled or have end-stage renal disease and who elect to enroll under such program, to be financed from enrollee premium payments together with contributions from Federal appropriations; (2) scope of benefits; (3) payment of benefits and benefit limits; (4) eligibility and enrollment; (5) monthly premium rates; (6) creation within the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of the Prescription Drug Insurance Account for payments;(7) administration of benefits through benefit managers; (8) authorization for the Employer Incentive Program to encourage employers to provide adequate prescription drug benefits to retired individuals and to maintain such existing benefit programs by subsidizing, in part, the sponsor's cost of providing coverage under qualifying plans; and (9) authorization of appropriations to the Account to cover Government contributions. (Sec. 201) Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study and report on the feasibility and advisability of establishing an annual open enrollment period under the new part D program. (Sec. 202) Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) to: (1) provide for coverage for certain low-income individuals of part D premiums;(2) require State Medicaid plans to provide that in the case of any individual whose eligibility for medical assistance is not limited to Medicare or Medicare drug cost-sharing, and for whom the State elects to pay monthly premiums under part D, the State will purchase all prescription drugs, without regard to whether the benefit limit for such individual has been reached; (3) require Government payment of Medicare drug cost-sharing for qualified Medicare beneficiaries and for Medicare-eligible individuals with incomes between 100 and 150 percent of the Federal poverty line; and (4) make provisions on payment for covered outpatient drugs inapplicable to prescription drugs purchased under part D pursuant to an agreement with the Secretary under the special eligibility, enrollment, and copayment rules below for low-income individuals. Amends SSA title XVIII part D to outline special eligibility, enrollment, and copayment rules for low-income individuals, which include options for continuation of Medicaid coverage or enrollment under such part. Part B: Improving Preventive Benefits and Eliminating Cost Sharing - Amends SSA title XVIII to eliminate deductibles and coinsurance for certain preventive health care items and services. (Sec. 222) Directs the Secretary to carry out: (1) a nationwide education campaign to promote preventive health awareness among older Americans and people with disabilities; and (2) a demonstration project testing a variety of smoking cessation services for Medicare beneficiaries for the purpose of identifying the most successful and cost-effective approaches. Provides for funding. Part C: Rationalizing Cost Sharing and Medigap - Amends SSA title XVIII with regard to: (1) deductibles and coinsurance for clinical laboratory services, indexing the deductible for inflation; and (2) Medicare supplemental health insurance (Medigap) policies, authorizing establishment of new Medigap plan. (Sec. 234) Directs the Secretary to report to Congress on policy options for improving Medigap coverage. (Sec. 235) Amends SSA title XVIII to: (1) apply Medigap protections to disabled and end stage renal disease (ESRD) Medicare beneficiaries; (2) add a special Medigap enrollment antidiscrimination requirement for certain beneficiaries; (3) add a one-time additional special open enrollment for beneficiaries losing access to Medicare+Choice plans; (4) provide guaranteed access for certain Medicare beneficiaries to all Medigap policies; and (5) provide for increased civil money penalties for enrollment period violations. (Sec. 236) Amends SSA title XVIII to remove the sunset date for cost-sharing in Medicare part B premiums for certain qualifying individuals. Repeals the mandate for State coverage of Medicare cost-sharing for additional low-income Medicare beneficiaries. Title III: Protecting and Extending Medicare Solvency - Amends SSA title XVIII to make additional appropriations to the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund (Trust Fund) under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) for FY 2001 through FY 2015. (Sec. 302) Establishes the Catastrophic Prescription Drug Coverage Reserve (Reserve), defined under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 for FY 2006 through 2010. Provides that beginning with September 30, 2006, any balance remaining in the Reserve on the last day of a fiscal year is appropriated to the Trust Fund. (Sec. 303) Creates the Medicare Solvency Debt Reduction Reserve comprising hospital insurance employment taxes imposed under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act as well as amounts in the Reserve. Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to: (1) make it out of order in either House of Congress to consider any budget resolution that would allocate funds from or assume a reduction of the Medicare Solvency Debt Reduction Reserve; and (2) require a supermajority vote for waiver of related points of order. (Sec. 304) Provides that: (1) any provision of legislation that would reduce, repeal, or reverse the additional appropriations made by this Act to the Trust Fund, or the amount of the Reserve, shall not be counted on the pay-as-you-go scorecard, and shall not be included in any pay-as-you-go estimates made by the Congressional Budget Office or the Office of Management and Budget; and (2) certain transfers under this Act to the Medicare Solvency Debt Reduction Reserve shall be treated for purposes of the President's budget, the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman- Hollings Act), and the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 as reductions to the on-budget surplus (or increases in the on-budget deficit).
Bill· HRH.R. 4176 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2000
Information Technology Act of 2000 - Authorizes the Secretaries of Education and Labor, acting jointly, to make grants to eligible partnerships (made up of an institution of higher education and a private organization such as a certified training provider) to pay the Federal share (50 percent) of establishing and carrying out information technology training programs for minorities, women, older individuals, veterans, Native Americans, dislocated workers and former program participants who have not received certification. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make grants to appropriate organizations for awarding bonuses to teachers who achieve information technology certification. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2001 through 2005.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 459 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 2000
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Congress should: (1) exercise its oversight responsibilities and conduct hearings concerning the provision for school children of prescriptions for psychotropic drugs; (2) recommend that the National Academy of Sciences study the effects of such drugs on children's academic achievement and behavior; (3) acknowledge State and local education agency efforts, and support their conclusions and resolutions, regarding the prevalence among school children of such drugs and the growing crisis of classroom management; (4) encourage school personnel to use proven academic and classroom-management solutions for problems of behavior, attention, and learning difficulties; and (5) urge greater communication between and education of parents, educators, and medical professionals regarding the effects of such drugs on children's academic achievement and behavior and regarding the ability to provide a successful, safe, and civil learning environment.
Resolution· SCONRESS.Con.Res. 101 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2000
Sets forth the congressional budget for the Government for FY 2001, including the appropriate budgetary levels for FY 2002 through 2005 and the revised budgetary levels for FY 2000. Title I: Levels and Amounts - Lists recommended budgetary levels and amounts, for FY 2001 through 2005 (and revised levels and amounts for FY 2000), with respect to: (1) Federal revenues; (2) new budget authority; (3) budget outlays; (4) deficits; (5) public debt; and (6) debt held by the public. (Sec. 102) Sets forth for such fiscal years specified amounts of revenues and outlays of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund, including amounts of new budget authority and outlays for administrative expenses. (Sec. 103) Lists the appropriate levels of new budget authority and budget outlays for specified major functional categories for FY 2001 through 2005 (and revised levels for FY 2000). (Sec. 104) Requires the Senate Finance Committee to report to the Senate a reconciliation bill proposing changes in laws within its jurisdiction to reduce revenues by specified amounts in FY 2001 and the period of FY 2001 through 2005. Title II: Budgetary Restraints and Rulemaking - Makes it out of order in the House of Representatives or the Senate to consider any revision to this or any other concurrent budget resolution (or an amendment or conference report) that sets forth a deficit for any fiscal year. Makes such point of order inapplicable if: (1) the most recent of the Department of Commerce's advance, preliminary, or final reports of real economic growth indicate that the rate of real economic growth for the most recently reported quarter and immediately preceding quarter is less than one percent; or (2) a declaration of war is in effect. Provides that if the social security surplus in any fiscal year is used to finance general Federal Government operations, such amount shall be deducted from the available amount of discretionary spending for the following fiscal year for purposes of any concurrent budget resolution. Waives or suspends the point of order under this section in the Senate only by an affirmative three-fifths majority vote. Requires the same majority to sustain an appeal of the ruling of the Chair on such point of order. (Sec. 202) Authorizes the adjustment of spending aggregates and other budgetary levels and limits and revision of allocations in the Senate for legislation reported by the Finance Committee to provide a prescription drug benefit for FY 2001 through 2003, provided the legislation will not reduce the on-budget surplus by a total of $20 billion during these years and will not cause an on-budget deficit. Requires such adjustments to be made for legislation or an amendment that provides prescription drug coverage if the Finance Committee has not reported such legislation before September 1, 2000. Authorizes the Chairman of the Budget Committee (Chairman), if legislation is reported by the Finance Committee that extends the solvency of the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund without the use of transfers of new subsidies from the general fund, decreasing beneficiaries' access to health care, and excluding the cost of extending and modifying the prescription drug benefit described above, to change committee allocations and spending aggregates by up to $20 billion total for FY 2004 and 2005 to fund such benefit if such legislation will not cause an on-budget deficit. (Sec. 203) Permits the Chairman, whenever the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee reports a bill (or an amendment or conference report is submitted) that provides additional resources for counties and complies with this section, to increase the allocation of budget authority (and resulting outlays to that committee by the amount) provided by such legislation, with limitations. Provides that legislation complies if it provides for the stabilization of receipt-based payments to counties that support school and road systems and provides that a portion of those payments would be dedicated toward local investments in Federal lands within the counties. (Sec. 204) Authorizes the appropriate Budget Committee Chairman, if the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry reports a bill before June 29, 2000 (or an amendment or conference report is submitted), that provides assistance for producers of program and specialty crops and enhancements for agriculture conservation that does not cause a specified net increase in budget authority and outlays, to increase the allocation of budget authority (and resulting outlays to that committee by the amount) provided by such legislation, with limitations. (Sec. 205) Authorizes the Chairman to reduce spending and revenue aggregates and revise committee allocations for legislation that reduces revenues if such legislation will not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for FY 2001 or for the period of FY 2001 through 2005. (Sec. 206) Requires the: (1) Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to update its economic and budget outlook for FY 2001 through 2010 by July 1, 2000; and (2) appropriate Budget Committee Chairman to make certain budget adjustments if such update estimates a budget surplus that exceeds the surplus set forth in the CBO's March 2000 outlook. (Sec. 207) Directs the Chairman, if the reconciliation legislation provided for in section 104 or the Medicare legislation provided for in section 202 of this resolution does not become law by October 1, 2000, to make certain adjustments to the pay-as-you-go scorecard and the level of debt held by the public set forth in this resolution. (Sec. 208) Provides that the criteria to be considered in determining whether a proposed expenditure or tax change is an emergency requirement in legislation are whether it is: (1) necessary, essential, or vital; (2) sudden, quickly coming into being, and not building up over time; (3) an urgent, pressing, and compelling need requiring immediate action; (4) unforeseen, unpredictable, and unanticipated; and (5) not permanent, temporary in nature. Requires a committee report or the statement of managers to justify why a requirement should be accorded emergency status if it does not meet such criteria. Strikes emergency requirements in legislation under consideration in the Senate when a point of order is sustained against such requirements. Waives or suspends such point of order only by an affirmative three-fifths majority vote. Requires the same majority to sustain an appeal of the ruling of the Chair. (Sec. 209) Requires the appropriate Budget Committee chairman, if legislation becomes law that increases the discretionary spending limit for FY 2001 set out in the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act), to increase a specified allocation called for in the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to the appropriate Appropriations Committee. Prohibits such allocation from exceeding the total budget authority and outlays set forth under such Act. (Sec. 210) Provides a point of order in the Senate against consideration of legislation that exceeds certain discretionary spending limits in the defense and nondefense categories for FY 2001. Makes this section inapplicable if a declaration of war is in effect. Waives or suspends such point of order only by an affirmative three-fifths majority vote. Requires the same majority to sustain an appeal of the ruling of the Chair. (Sec. 211) Provides a point of order in the Senate against consideration of legislation or motions that provide an appropriation of new budget authority for any fiscal year: (1) after the budget year that exceeds a specified amount; and (2) subsequent to the year after the budget year. Makes a point of order in the Senate against consideration of legislation (with exceptions) or motions that contain an appropriation of new budget authority for any fiscal year which does not become available upon the later of enactment of such legislation or the first day of that fiscal year. Waives or suspends such points of order only by an affirmative three-fifths majority vote. Requires the same majority to sustain an appeal of the ruling of the Chair. Terminates this section on October 1, 2002. (Sec. 212) Provides that for purposes of points of order of this resolution and the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, provisions contained in legislation, amendments, or motions that affect any surplus funds of the Federal reserve banks shall not be scored with respect to the levels of budget authority, outlays, or revenues contained in such legislation. (Sec. 213) Provides that provisions contained in an appropriations bill (or related amendment or conference report) that result in increased revenues shall continue not to be scored with respect to the level of budget authority or outlays in such legislation for purposes of points of order under this resolution and the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974. (Sec. 214) Provides for the application and effect of changes in allocations and aggregates made pursuant to this resolution. (Sec. 215) Authorizes the Chairman, whenever the Finance Committee reports a bill (or an amendment or conference report is submitted) that facilitates children with disabilities receiving health care at home and finances health programs designed to allow such children to access the health services they need to remain at home while allowing their families to become or remain employed, to increase the spending aggregate and allocation of budget authority (and resulting outlays) to that committee by the amount provided by such legislation, with limitations. Title III: Sense of the Senate Provisions - Expresses the sense of the Senate with respect to: (1) funding international tuberculosis control efforts; (2) tax relief for parents and funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant; (3) tax relief for college tuition and interest paid on student loans; (4) increased funding for the National Institutes of Health; (5) funding for elementary and secondary education being in proportion to levels authorized in the Educational Opportunities Act; (6) elimination of wasted Federal expenditures and the use of revenue for tax relief or debt reduction; (7) the skilled nursing benefit and Medicare; (8) full funding as discretionary programs of certain conservation, historic preservation, and wildlife programs and funds; (9) increased appropriations for veterans' medical care; (10) educational impact aid; (11) raised acreage limits under the Conservation and Wetlands Reserve Programs; (12) tax simplification; (13) antitrust enforcement regarding agriculture mergers and anticompetitive activity; (14) trade support for American farmers; (15) the effects of social security reform on women; (16) full funding for programs established by the Violence Against Women Act of 1994; (17) the use of the False Claims Act to combat Medicare fraud; (18) funding for the National Guard; (19) protection of the defense readiness accounts; (20) compensation for the Chinese Embassy bombing in Belgrade; (21) access to information technologies and information technology training to address the digital divide; (22) funding for immunization grants; (23) tax credits for small businesses that provide health insurance to low-income employees; (24) funding for certain criminal justice programs; (25) Pell Grant funding; (26) public education reform; (27) funding for U.S. international leadership; (28) the HIV-AIDS epidemic; and (29) funding for tribal colleges.
Bill· SS. 2338 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2000
Effective National Firearms Objectives for Responsible, Common-sense Enforcement Act of 2000 (ENFORCE Act) - Title I: Criminal Gun Trafficker Apprehension - Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (the Act) to provide that it shall be presumed that the intent underlying the sale or disposition of a firearm is predominantly one of obtaining livelihood and pecuniary gain if a person transfers more than 50 firearms during any 12-month period, or more than 30 firearms in any 30-day period, excluding any infrequent transfer of a firearm by gift, bequest, intestate succession, or other means by an individual to a parent, child, grandparent, or grandchild. (Sec. 102) Requires that a firearms licensee, as a condition of obtaining a license to deal in firearms or ammunition (license), operate from a fixed premise (other than a private residence) primarily devoted to the sale of firearms and conspicuously designated to the public as such. (Sec. 103) Prohibits a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer, beginning on the date on which the Secretary of the Treasury issues final regulations, from storing any firearm on a premises in a manner other than in accordance with those regulations. Directs the Secretary, in promulgating such regulations, to consider the type and quantity of the firearms to be stored, and the standards of safety and security recognized in the firearms industry. Authorizes the Secretary, after notice and opportunity for hearing, to suspend or revoke a license, or to subject the licensee to a civil penalty of up to $10,000, or both, for knowingly violating this prohibition. Limits review of the Secretary's actions. Requires that the firearms inventory of the business be stored in compliance with the regulations not later than 30 days after the application is approved. (Sec. 104) Prohibits a common or contract carrier from failing to report the theft or loss of a firearm to the Secretary and to the appropriate authorities within 48 hours after discovery. Authorizes the Secretary to impose a civil fine of up to $10,000 for knowingly violating this prohibition. Title II: Criminal Gun Dealer Detection - Amends the Act to authorize the Secretary to inspect or examine the records of a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer without reasonable cause or warrant for ensuring compliance with record- keeping requirements not more than four times (currently, once) during any 12-month period, or as otherwise specified in the Act. (Sec. 202) Provides that a personal collection of firearms of a licensed manufacturer, importer, or dealer shall be considered part of the business inventory of the licensee (thus making disposal of such collection subject to regulation), with an exception for the infrequent transfer of a firearm by gift, bequest, intestate succession, or other means from the personal collection of firearms of a licensee to a parent, child, grandparent, or grandchild. (Sec. 203) Amends the Act to authorize the Secretary, after notice and opportunity for hearing, to: (1) suspend or revoke a license, subject the licensee to a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 per violation, or both, if the holder of such license has willfully violated the Act or any rule or regulation prescribed by the Secretary thereunder; and (2) suspend or revoke the license, assess a civil penalty of not more than $10,000, or both, with respect to a dealer who willfully transfers armor piercing ammunition. Authorizes the Secretary, at any time, to compromise, mitigate, or remit the liability regarding any willful violation or any rule or regulation prescribed by the Secretary thereunder. Sets forth provisions regarding rights of applicants and licensees with respect to notice requirements and the appeals process. Title III: Violent Felon Gun Ban Enforcement - Amends the Federal criminal code (the code) to: (1) deny natural persons the opportunity to seek administrative relief from prohibitions against possessing, shipping, transporting, or receiving firearms or ammunition; and (2) require publication of additional information about such administrative relief granted to any person. (Sec. 302) Prohibits the possession of, or transactions in, firearms by any natural person convicted of a serious drug offense or violent felony, regardless of expungement of the conviction or restoration of other civil rights, subject to specified limitations. Title IV: Intensive Gun Violence Reduction Strategy and Project Exile Implementation - Subtitle A: Funding Provisions - Authorizes appropriations for the improvement of the national instant criminal background check system, including improvements to criminal justice records as specified in the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 and to records required by the Attorney General under the Brady Act for the purpose of implementing that Act. (Sec. 402) Amends the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (VCCLEA) to authorize the Attorney General to make grants to State or local law enforcement agencies for the purpose of improving the organization of criminal records, including records relating to convictions for crimes of domestic violence and restraining orders relating to domestic violence, and the reporting of such records to the national instant criminal background check system. Sets forth provisions regarding permissible uses of grant funds, application and matching requirements, grant awards, and reporting requirements. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 403) Authorizes appropriations for the hiring of 600 firearms agents and inspectors for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. (Sec. 404) Amends the VCCLEA to authorize the Attorney General to make grants to State, Indian tribal, or local prosecutors for the purpose of supporting the creation or expansion of community-based justice programs for the prosecution of firearm-related crimes. Sets forth provisions regarding permissible uses of grant funds, application and matching requirements, grant awards, and reporting requirements. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 405) Directs the Attorney General to: (1) hire 114 additional Federal prosecutors to prosecute violations of Federal firearms laws; and (2) establish in each of the jurisdictions not more than 20 areas designated by the Attorney General as having high rates of firearm-related crime a gun enforcement team. (Sec. 406) Directs the Secretary to expand: (1) to 50 the number of city and county law enforcement agencies that through the Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative (YCGII) submit to the Secretary identifying information relating to the types and origins of all firearms recovered during law enforcement investigations, including from individuals under 25; and (2) the resources devoted to law enforcement investigations of illegal youth possessors and users and of illegal firearms traffickers identified through YCGII. Directs the Secretary to: (1) select cities and counties for participation in the program; and (2) establish a system through which State and local law enforcement agencies, through on-line computer technology, can promptly provide firearms-related information to the Secretary and access information derived through YCGII as soon as such capability is available. Sets forth reporting requirements. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 407) Amends the VCCLEA to authorize the Attorney General to make grants to public or private nonprofit entities for the purpose of supporting the creation or expansion of local anti-gun violence media campaigns. Sets forth provisions regarding permissible uses of funds, and application and matching requirements. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 408) Directs the Attorney General to carry out a program for the research and development of smart gun technology. Authorizes appropriations. Subtitle B: Ballistics Testing - Prohibits a licensed manufacturer or importer from transferring a firearm to any person before: (1) test firing the firearm; (2) preparing forensic ballistics records of the fired bullet and cartridge casings; and (3) making the records available to the Secretary for entry in a computerized database. Authorizes the Secretary, after notice and opportunity for hearing, for each violation by a licensed manufacturer or importer, to suspend the license for up to one year or revoke the license, impose on the licensee a civil fine of not more than $10,000, or both. Limits review of the Secretary's action. Directs the Attorney General and the Secretary to assist licensed firearm manufacturers and importers in complying with this section through: (1) the acquisition, disposition, and upgrades of computerized forensic ballistics equipment and bullet recovery equipment to be placed at the sites of licensed manufacturers and importers or at regional firearm centers established by the Secretary; and (2) the hiring or designation of personnel necessary to develop and maintain a database of forensic ballistics records, research, and evaluation. Requires the Attorney General and the Secretary to establish a system through which State and local law enforcement agencies, through online computer technology, can promptly access forensic ballistics records, as soon as the capability to do so is available. Sets forth reporting requirements. Directs the Attorney General and the Secretary to work cooperatively with representatives of the firearm industry to: (1) provide education about the role of forensic ballistics as part of a comprehensive firearm crime reduction strategy; and (2) provide for coordination among Federal, State, and local law enforcement and regulatory agencies and the firearm industry to curb firearm-related crime and illegal firearm trafficking. Sets forth provisions regarding areas of concentrated efforts, and annual reports and evaluation. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary and the Attorney General to conduct mandatory forensic ballistics testing of all firearms that are or have been taken into the custody of, or procured or utilized by, their respective agencies. Authorizes appropriations. Sets forth reporting requirements.
Bill· HRH.R. 4148 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2000
Tribal Contract Support Cost Technical Amendments of 2000 - Amends the Indian Self- Determination and Education Assistance Act to provide that an Indian tribe or tribal organization administering a contract or compact shall be entitled to: (1) recover its full indirect costs associated with any other Federal funding received by such tribe or tribal organization, consistent with the tribe's or tribal organization's indirect cost rate agreement with its cognizant Federal agency; and (2) use or expend any other Federal funding received by such tribe or tribal organization in the same manner as permitted in provisions under the Act relating to the use of funds for matching or cost requirements and allowable uses of funds without approval of the Secretary of any Federal agency providing funds to such tribe or tribal organization. Directs the Office of Management and Budget to issue a circular exclusively devoted to the expenditure of Federal funds paid to tribes and tribal organizations under this or any other Federal law. Requires the Secretary of the Interior, commencing in FY 2002, to consolidate all funds paid to a tribe or tribal organization into a single consolidated contract amount, provided that the conditions for consolidation as specified under this Act have been met. Sets forth requirements and conditions regarding the consolidation of contract amounts. Makes, within the Indian Health Service of the Department of Health and Human Services, the negotiation, review, and approval of tribal contract support cost entitlements the responsibility of the Office of Tribal Programs. Provides that contract support costs that are eligible for the purposes of receiving funding under the Act include contract support costs associated with all Federal employees employed in connection with the program, service, function, or activity that is the subject of the contract, including all Federal employees paid with funds generated from third-party collections. Makes technical amendments with respect to contract support costs, including requiring the Secretary of the Interior to pay preaward and startup costs without regard to the year in which such costs were incurred, including such costs prior to the date of the enactment of this Act. Increases the period for the review of self-determination contract proposals. Amends provisions under the Act relating to contract appeals to: (1) provide that, in applying the Equal Access to Justice Act to proceedings instituted in a civil action or claim, a tribe or tribal organization shall be a 'party' regardless of the net worth or the size of the workforce of such tribe or tribal organization; and (2) in the event damages are awarded in any proceeding where a court or administrative agency determines that an agency has willfully failed to follow the mandates of the Act, require the court to award the injured tribe or tribal organization additional damages equal to the amount of damages awarded by such court in favor of the tribe or tribal organization, or a specified amount, whichever is greater.
Bill· HRH.R. 4143 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2000
Teaching Fellows Act of 2000 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to direct the Secretary of Education to make competitive grants to States for public school teaching fellowship programs providing: (1) higher education scholarships to promising high school seniors; and (2) scholarships to individuals, such as those currently in the education field, to complete a bachelor's degree in education, through partnership programs among associate-and-bachelor- degree-granting institutions. Requires scholarship recipients to repay specified amounts if they do not fulfill certain obligations to teach in public schools. Authorizes appropriations. (Designates such programs as part B, Federal Teaching and Partnership Fellows, under HEA title II. Redesignates the current title II as part A Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants for States and Partnerships of title II Teacher Quality.)
Bill· HRH.R. 4141 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2000
Education Opportunities to Protect and Invest in Our Nation's Students (Education OPTIONS) Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to allow States and local educational agencies (LEAs) to transfer funds among various ESEA programs. Revises and reauthorizes ESEA provisions for: (1) drug and violence prevention and education; (2) education technology; (3) innovative education; and (4) programs of national significance, including the Fund for the Improvement of Education, arts education, public charter schools, and civic education. Title I: Transferability - State and Local Transferability Act - Revises ESEA title XIV part B (Flexibility in the Use of Administrative and Other Funds) to authorize State and LEA transfers of funds: (1) among specified ESEA formula grant programs; and (2) from such programs to their allocations for ESEA title I (Helping Disadvantaged Students Meet High Standards) but does not allow transfer of title I funds to other programs. (Sec. 103) Allows States to make such transfers of all the nonadministrative funds for State-level activities under specified programs to the allocation for other programs. Allows LEAs to transfer up to 30 percent of specified program funds without obtaining State permission, and all of such funds with State approval. Title II: Drug and Violence Prevention and Education - Supporting Drug and Violence Prevention and Education for Students and Communities Act of 2000 - Revises and renames ESEA title IV as Supporting Drug and Violence Prevention and Education for Students and Communities (currently Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities, or the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1994). Includes under such new title IV: (1) certain before- and after-school services and continuing education programs as authorized activities under part A (currently under ESEA title X part I, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, or the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Act); and (2) a new part C, Gun Possession (currently ESEA title XIV part F, or the Gun Free Schools Act of 1994). (Sec. 201) Extends through FY 2005 the authorization of appropriations for ESEA title IV: (1) part A, State Grants for Drug and Violence Prevention Programs; and (2) part B, National Programs. Revises provisions for reservations, allotments, and within-State distribution of part A funds. Allows Governors to reserve ten percent of State allotments for Governor's authorized activities. Requires States to: (1) distribute at least 96 percent of the remainder to LEAs; and (2) in awarding 30 percent of such funds to LEAs with greatest need, give special consideration to LEAs that pursue a comprehensive approach to drug and violence prevention by providing or incorporating mental health services in their programs. Requires part A programs and activities to be based on certain principles of effectiveness, including (1) assessment of objective data about local drug and violence problems, current prevention activities, and activities to increase student academic achievement; (2) performance measures established by the LEA; (3) scientifically based research that provides evidence that the program or activity will prevent or reduce drug abuse and violence, with a waiver for innovative programs with a likelihood of success; and (4) periodical evaluation results to improve the program or activity. Requires LEA part A programs to address before- and after-school activities and continuing education needs of youth and adults in the community. Revises authorized LEA program activities to include: (1) before- and after-school programs and continuing education in specified forms (some of which are in the current 21st Century Learning Centers program); (2) counseling, mentoring, and referral services, and other student assistance practices and programs, training of teachers by school-based mental health service providers in appropriate identification and intervention techniques for disciplining and teaching students at risk of violent behavior; (3) services and activities that reduce the need for suspension and expulsion in maintaining classroom order and school discipline; (4) a system for transferring suspension and expulsion records by an LEA to any public or private school; (5) allowing students at unsafe public schools to transfer to safe public schools, and paying reasonable transportation costs for such students; (6) character education and training; (7) testing students for illegal drug use or conducting student locker searches for illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia; (8) establishing school uniform policies; (9) emergency intervention services following traumatic crisis events; (10) school violence hotlines; (11) background checks of school personnel; (12) school-based mental health services, including early identification of drug use and violence, assessment, and direct individual or group counseling services provided to students, parents, and school personnel by qualified school based mental health services personnel; (13) hiring and training coordinators of drug and violence prevention programs serving students in grades six through nine; and (14) mentoring and tutoring services for students provided by senior citizen volunteers. Allows LEAs or consortia that receive part A subgrants and have reported expulsions under part C (Gun Possession) during the past three years to: (1) develop plans with local law enforcement agencies to protect students and employees of public schools against gun violence that may include, but not be limited to, promoting the benefits of child safety locks for firearms; and (2) if they have a high rate of such expulsions, use a portion of the subgrant to study the effectiveness of promoting the benefits of child safety locks for firearms with the purpose of reducing the danger of firearms harming public school students and employees. Eliminates special part A provisions for Native Hawaiians. Revises part B national programs to authorize the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to provide: (1) for demonstrations and scientifically-based evaluations of innovative approaches to drug and violence prevention based on State and LEA reported needs; (2) information on drug abuse education and prevention to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for dissemination by the clearinghouse for alcohol and drug abuse information; and (3) continuing technical assistance to Governors, State education agencies (SEAs), and LEAs to build capacity to develop and implement high-quality, effective programs consistent with the principles of effectiveness. Directs the Secretary to establish a clearinghouse for after-school program technical assistance and models. Requires the clearinghouse to: (1) be available to the public, including via Internet; and (2) serve as a resource for child care organizations, communities, and individuals seeking to improve the quality and availability of after-school programs. Eliminates part B provisions for grants for local hate crime prevention. Redesignates Gun Possession as part C of title IV (it is currently under title XIV part F, known as the Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994). Revises requirements for States receiving ESEA funds to have laws requiring LEA agencies to: (1) expel from school for at least one year any student who brings a weapon to school, allowing for case-by-case modifications; and (2) have a policy requiring each school to refer to the criminal justice or juvenile delinquency system any student who brings a firearm to school. Prohibits use of title IV funds for activities or programs that discriminate against or denigrate the religious or moral beliefs of students who participate or of their parents or legal guardians. Revises provisions for program standards of quality to include violence prevention programs, as well as drug prevention programs. Authorizes the Secretary to continue to fund, until the award period terminates, multiyear grants awarded prior to enactment of this Act under: (1) the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program (the current ESEA title X part I); and (2) the Middle School Coordinator Initiative (under title III of the Department of Education Act, 2000). Requires that the General Accounting Office to a report to Congress: (1) for each State, descriptions of types of after-school programs for students in kindergarten through grade 12, significant areas of unmet needs in quality and availability of such programs, and barriers to participation in such programs; (2) for 15 varied communities, a detailed analysis of such available programs; and (3) a list of activities, other than after-school programs, in which such students participate when not in school, and an analysis of the value of the listed activities for their well-being and educational development. Authorizes, and sets forth guidelines for, States to provide title IV services through grants and contracts with charitable, religious, or private organizations. Title III: Tech for Success - Tech for Success Act of 2000 - Revises ESEA title III Education Technology to consolidate various programs into a part A Tech for Success Grant Program. Includes among such consolidated programs: (1) Challenge Fund; (2) Challenge Grants; (3) Star Schools; (4) Software Development; (5) Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers; (6) Community Technology Centers; (7) Secretary's Leadership Fund; and (8) Middle Schools Teacher Training. Authorizes appropriations through FY 2005 for such part A program. Allocates 95 percent of part A program funds to subpart 1 State and local technology initiatives, and five percent to subpart 2 national technology initiatives. Bases one-half of State allotment amounts on relative amounts of title I part A grants, and the other half on relative State populations aged five through 17. Requires, within each State, at least 95 percent of funds to be distributed to LEAs. Requires at least 80 percent of such LEA funds to be distributed through a State-developed formula targeting high-need districts, and the remainder through competitive grants. Requires LEAs receiving formula grants to use at least 20 percent for professional development of teachers in the integration of technology into the curriculum. Includes among allowable local activities: (1) using technology to increase academic achievement; (2) expanding access; and (3) developing performance measurements. Requires LEAs using such funds to purchase computers used to access the Internet, or to pay costs for such accessing, to have filters to block material deemed harmful to minors. Authorizes the Secretary to use funds for part A subpart 3 National Technology Initiatives to: (1) fund research-based educational technology programs; (2) provide technical assistance; and (3) update the national long-range educational technology plan. Directs the Secretary to conduct a study of the use of technology to improve academic achievement. Revises the Ready to Learn Television program as part B (currently part C) of title III, which authorizes contracts and grants for producing educational video and television programming and support materials to increase academic achievement for preschool and elementary school children and their parents. Includes under program development activities: (1) programming and digital content especially designed for nationwide distribution over digital broadcasting channels and the Internet, containing Ready to Learn-based children's programming and resources for parents and caregivers; and (2) training and support materials, including interactive programs and programs adaptable to distance-learning technologies, designed to promote school readiness and effective use of Ready to Learn programming by parents, caregivers, and education and library personnel. Extends through FY 2005 the authorization of appropriations for such part B program. Establishes a new part C Telecommunications Program to improve the teaching of all core academic subjects (replacing the Telecommunications Demonstration Project, or Mathline, under current part D of title III). Authorizes the Secretary to award: (1) grants for a national telecommunications-based program to improve the teaching of core academic subjects; and (2) grants and contracts for developing, producing and distributing digital, educational and instructional video programming designed for use by elementary and secondary school students. Authorizes appropriations through FY 2005 for such part C program. Eliminates the Elementary Mathematics and Science Equipment Program under current part E of title III. Title IV: Innovative Education Programs - Revises ESEA title VI Innovative Education Program Strategies to eliminate references to National Education Goals. Adds to authorized LEA uses of title VI funds: (1) professional development and hiring of teachers, including activities consistent with the Teacher Empowerment Act; (2) education reform projects that provide single gender schools and classrooms, as long as comparable educational opportunities are offered for students of both sexes; (3) community service programs; (4) curriculum-based youth entrepreneurship education; (5) consumer, economic, and personal finance education; (6) public school choice programs; and (7) school-based mental health services. Requires that all amounts for title VI grants to States in excess of the FY2000 level be allocated to LEAs. Extends through FY 2005 the authorization of appropriations for such title VI programs. Title V: Programs of National Significance - Revises ESEA title X, Programs of National Significance. Part A: Fund for the Improvement of Education - Revises ESEA title X part A provisions for the Fund for the Improvement of Education (FIE), to prohibit use of part A funds to: (1) develop, test, implement, administer, or distribute any national test in any subject without specific and authorization by Federal law; or (2) federally endorse, approve, or sanction of any curriculum designed for use in elementary or secondary schools. Eliminates references to National Education Goals. Includes as authorized uses of part A funds: (1) performance rewards for States that agree to meet specific performance goals and that increase proportions of certain groups of students who meet State proficiency standards; and (2) an independent study to provide a strategy for effective professional development activities for mathematics and science teachers. Revises provisions for part A grants for: (1) elementary and secondary school counseling programs; and (2) character education programs. Makes the Smaller Learning Communities grants program apply only to those within high schools. Eliminates provisions for: (1) Promoting Scholar Athlete Competitions; (2) National Student and Parent Mock Election; and (3) Model Projects. Extends through FY 2005 the authorization of appropriations for FIE programs. Part B: Arts Education - Revises ESEA title X part D Arts Education to eliminate references to National Education Goals. Includes State and local arts agencies, organizations representing the arts, and arts educators among the entities for which support may be given for collaborative efforts with Federal agencies or institutions. Requires the Secretary to consult with such non-Federal, as well as Federal, entities in carrying out arts education programs. Extends through FY 2005 the authorization of appropriations for Arts Education programs. Requires that such Federal arts education funds be used only to supplement and not supplant non-Federal arts education funds. Eliminates provisions for Cultural Partnerships for At-Risk Children and Youth (current part D subpart 2). Part C: Public Charter Schools - Revises ESEA title X part C, Public Charter Schools, to require public charter schools, if more students apply for admission than can be accommodated, to either admit students by lottery (as in current law) or in any other nondiscriminatory manner consistent with State law. Extends through FY 2005 the authorization of appropriations for Public Charter Schools programs. Part D: Civic Education - Education for Democracy Act - Revises ESEA title X, part F, Civic Education to provide for grants or contracts for the Center for Civic Education (CCE) to carry out civic education activities under: (1) (as under current law) (the We the People...) The Citizen and the Constitution program; and (2) (the We the People...) The Project Citizen program. Includes among program requirements provision of: (1) instructional materials and methods, including teacher training, that use the latest advancements in educational technology; (2) civic education materials and services to address specific problems such as prevention of school violence and drug and alcohol abuse; and (3) optional simulated hearings of Congress (Citizen and Constitution) and State legislatures (Project Citizen). Extends through FY 2005 the authorization of appropriations for such Civic Education programs. Title VI: General Provisions - Revises ESEA title XIV General Provisions to add definitions of: (1) a child with a disability; (2) family literacy services; and (3) scientifically based research. (Sec. 601) Allows SEAs, under specified conditions, to combine administrative funds under all ESEA programs and such other programs as the Secretary may designate. (Current law only allows combining administrative funds under specified ESEA and other programs.) Adds to authorized uses of such combined funds: (1) State level activities to carry out ESEA title XIV; (2) training personnel engaged in audit and other monitoring activities; and (3) implementation of the Cooperative Audit Resolution and Oversight Initiative of the Department of Education. Allows SEAs to submit to the Secretary consolidated plans and applications for all ESEA programs and such other programs as the Secretary may designate. Allows LEAs to submit to SEAs consolidated plans and applications for all ESEA programs. Revises provisions for waivers to: (1) make them inapplicable to certain prohibitions against use of ESEA funds; and (2) increase their maximum duration to five years (currently three years). Prohibits the Department of Education from making ESEA or other program funds available to any State or LEA which has a policy of denying, or which prevents participation in, constitutionally-protected voluntary prayer by individuals in public schools. Declares that: (1) ESEA funds may not be used for religious worship, instruction, or construction of any religious memorial; and (2) ESEA does not bar religious memorials and memorial services on public school campuses to honor persons slain on those campuses. Allows up to 20 percent of an LEA's administrative funds to be used for legal expenses in defending against legal actions claiming that an LEA, public school, or their agent violated the constitutional prohibition against the establishment of religion by permitting, facilitating, or accommodating: (1) a student's religious expression; or (2) the design or construction of any memorial which includes religious symbols, motifs, or saying as part of a memorial placed on a public school campus to honor the memory of a person slain on that campus. Prohibits use of ESEA funds for: (1) materials, programs, or courses directed at youth that are designed to promote or encourage sexual activity, whether homosexual or heterosexual; (2) distributing, or aiding distribution by any organization, of legally obscene materials to minors on school grounds; (3) sex education or HIV prevention education in schools, unless such programs are age appropriate and emphasize abstinence; or (4) programs of contraceptive distribution in schools. Directs the Secretary to report to Congress on how audits of ESEA-assisted activities will comply with changes made by this Act, particularly with respect to permitting children with similar educational needs to be served in the same educational settings, where appropriate. Prohibits requiring any State to have content standards or student performance standards approved or certified by the Federal Government in order to receive assistance under ESEA, but provides that such prohibition shall not be construed to affect requirements under title I of ESEA. Prohibits the Department of Education from using any funds made available to it or to any applicable program to endorse, approve, or sanction any curriculum designed to be used in an elementary or secondary school. Expresses the sense of Congress regarding: (1) reducing the reading deficit; and (2) science assessment. (Sec. 602) Repeals provisions under the Goals 2000: Educate America Act for: (1) the National Education Goals Panel (parts A and C of title II); and (2) the International Education Program (title VI). Repeals ESEA provisions for: (1) Allen J. Ellender Fellowship Program (part G of title X); and (2) Coordinated Services (title XI).
Bill· HRH.R. 4146 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2000
Help Emergency Responders Operate Act - Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of Agriculture for FY 2001 and 2002 for carrying out provisions authorizing the Secretary to: (1) cooperate with State foresters or equivalent State officials in developing systems and methods for the prevention, control, suppression, and prescribed use of fires on rural lands and in rural communities that will protect human lives, agricultural crops and livestock, property and other improvements, and natural resources; (2) provide financial, technical, and related assistance to such foresters or officials, and through them to other agencies and individuals, for the prevention, control, suppression, and prescribed use of fires on non-Federal forest lands and other non- Federal lands; and (3) provide financial, technical, and related assistance to such foresters or officials in cooperative efforts to organize, train, and equip local firefighting forces, including those of Indian tribes or other native groups, to prevent, control, and suppress fires threatening human lives, crops, livestock, farmsteads or other improvements, pastures, orchards, wildlife, rangeland, woodland, and other resources in rural areas. Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to allow the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), using amounts in an account for the purpose of providing loan guarantees (established under this Act), to guarantee loans to volunteer fire and rescue agencies for the entire principal and interest on the loan for specified volunteer fire and rescue services, including to purchase equipment necessary for proper performance of the agency's duties, to repair, rehabilitate, or otherwise improve the agency's existing facilities, and for carrying out public education programs regarding fire prevention, life safety, and arson. Sets forth loan terms and conditions. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes appropriations to the Director for FY 2001 and 2002 for making grants directly to local fire and rescue services for equipment, including interoperability radio equipment. Authorizes the Director to make grants on a competitive basis to: (1) safety organizations that have experience in conducting burn safety programs for assisting those organizations in conducting such programs or augmenting existing burn prevention programs; (2) hospitals that serve as regional burn centers to conduct acute burn research; and (3) governmental and nongovernmental entities to provide after-burn treatment and counseling to individuals that are burn victims. Creates an office in FEMA to establish specific criteria of grant recipients and to administer such grants. Authorizes appropriations. Requires the Director to establish a program to award grants to volunteer, paid, and combined departments that provide fire and emergency medical services. Permits such grants to be used, among other things, to: (1) acquire personal protective equipment required for firefighting personnel by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and other personal protective equipment for firefighting personnel; (2) acquire additional firefighting equipment, including equipment for communication and monitoring; (3) establish wellness and fitness programs for firefighting personnel to reduce the number of injuries and deaths related to health and conditioning problems; (4) promote professional development of fire code enforcement personnel; (5) integrate computer technology to improve records management and training capabilities; (6) fund fire prevention programs and public education programs about arson prevention and detection, and juvenile fire setter intervention; and (7) modify fire stations, fire training facilities, and other facilities to protect the health and safety of firefighting personnel. Provides for grant recipients to be subject to audits to ensure that the funds are spent for their intended purposes. Authorizes appropriations. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission, in addition to the allocations and assignments otherwise made with respect to new public safety services licenses and commercial licenses, within 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, to allocate the electromagnetic spectrum between 139 megahertz and 140.5 megahertz, inclusive, and between 141.5 megahertz and 143 megahertz, inclusive, to interoperability use by public safety services. Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of the Interior for FY 2001 for the U.S. Geological Survey for the Hazard Support System for system improvements and for operation and maintenance. Directs such Secretary to transmit to Congress a report on the results of a study, carried out in consultation with the National Interagency Fire Center and State fire services, of the best methods of disseminating data from such System to State and local fire mitigation entities for realtime fire detection. Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to include as activities eligible for assistance under the community development block grant program the provision of assistance to local firefighting, emergency medical, or rescue units serving low-income communities for: (1) acquisition, repair, or rehabilitation of equipment or vehicles for firefighting, emergency medical, or rescue services; (2) construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, or improvement of facilities for local firefighting, emergency medical, or rescue services; or (3) training or planning involved in providing fire fighting, emergency medical, or rescue services. States that such an assisted activity shall be considered to benefit persons of low and moderate income if the service provides such services to low- and moderate-income persons.
Bill· HRH.R. 4140 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2000
International HIV-AIDS Partnership Prevention Act of 2000 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to direct the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (AID) to: (1) establish and carry out, through a grant program, HIV-AIDS education, prevention, treatment, and research programs in foreign countries, including programs to build community capacity to slow the spread of the epidemic; and (2) take all appropriate steps to enhance cooperative efforts among foreign countries and to assist in fostering human rights with respect to the establishment of such programs. Authorizes the Administrator of AID to establish HIV-AIDS Technical Support Centers in any country mission of the AID in order to provide technical assistance to recipients of assistance under this Act. Authorizes appropriations (earmarking amounts for AIDS vaccine research and development).
Law· SS. 2311 (106th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2000
Ryan White CARE Act Amendments of 2000 - Title I: Amendments to HIV Health Care Program - Subtitle A: Purpose; Amendments to Part A (Emergency Relief Grants ) - Amends Public Health Service Act provisions relating to emergency relief for areas with a substantial need for services relating to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease to revise the duties of HIV health services planning councils. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) develop epidemiologic measures for establishing the number of individuals living with HIV disease (defined as infection with the etiologic agent for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), including any condition arising from AIDS) who are not receiving HIV-related health services; and (2) provide advice and technical assistance to planning councils regarding the process for establishing fund allocation priorities. (Sec. 102) Requires the chief elected official of an area that receives an emergency relief grant to establish a quality management program to assess the extent to which medical services provided to patients under the grant are consistent with the most recent Public Health Service guidelines for the treatment of HIV disease and related opportunistic infection and to develop strategies for improvements in the access to and quality of medical services. Allows use of emergency relief grant funds for the program. (Sec. 103) Requires, in order to receive an emergency relief grant, that: (1) the State or private service provider have a participation agreement under titles XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (Children's Health Insurance) of the Social Security Act; and (2) funded entities maintain relationships with area entities that constitute key points of access to the health care system (such as emergency rooms, substance abuse treatment programs, and sexually transmitted disease clinics) for individuals with HIV disease to facilitate early intervention. (Sec. 104) Requires that emergency relief grants be used: (1) for outpatient and ambulatory health services (currently, for outpatient and ambulatory health and support services, including case management) and other specified services; and (2) if the service provider meets specified requirements, for early intervention services. Requires that State and political subdivision grant recipients use the grants to increase funding for HIV-related services specified in provisions relating to outpatient and inpatient services (currently, HIV-related services to individuals with HIV disease). (Sec. 106) Makes permanent the provisions of current law requiring disbursal of 50 percent of the amounts appropriated 60 days after an appropriation for emergency relief grants and grants under provisions relating to grants to improve the quality, availability, and organization of health care and support services for individuals and families with HIV disease becomes available. (Sec. 107) Requires that the amount of a grant to an eligible area be not less than 98 percent of the amount the area received in the preceding fiscal year. (Sec. 108) Requires emergency relief grants to be used for infants, children, and women with HIV disease in the same ratio as each of those populations bears to the general population in that area of individuals with HIV disease. Subtitle B: Amendments to Part B (Care Grant Program ) - Modifies requirements regarding the contents of applications for grants to improve the quality, availability, and organization of health care and support services for individuals and families with HIV disease (care grants), including regarding peer review and quality management. Limits the amount a State may spend on its quality management program. Changes requirements regarding the amount a State that is receiving a small allotment may use for planning, evaluation, and administration. (Sec. 123) Requires, in order to receive a care grant, that funded entities maintain relationships with area entities that constitute key points of access to the health care system (such as emergency rooms, substance abuse treatment programs, and sexually transmitted disease clinics) for individuals with HIV disease to facilitate early intervention. (Sec. 124) Applies to care grants the use conditions and limitations that apply to emergency relief grant use provisions. (Sec. 125) Allows care grants to be used for early intervention services if the service provider meets specified requirements. (Sec. 126) Extends the authorization of appropriations for grants for specified services for pregnant women and newborns. (Sec. 128) Directs the Secretary to make supplemental grants to States for comprehensive services of the type described in care grant provisions to supplement services in areas that are not eligible to receive emergency relief grants. Directs the Secretary to: (1) reserve an amount for States with a metropolitan area that is not eligible for an emergency relief grant and that has 1,000 - 2,000 cases of AIDS; and (2) use 50 percent of any increase in the amount appropriated for emergency relief and care grants to carry out the provisions of this paragraph. (Sec. 129) Requires, in addition to other requirements, that States use therapeutics funds provided from care grants to encourage, support, and enhance adherence to and compliance with treatment regimens, but only if the State is able to provide to all eligible individuals appropriate HIV/AIDS therapeutic regimens as recommended in the most recent Federal treatment guidelines. Mandates supplemental grants to States with a severe need for providing access to AIDS/HIV-related medications for individuals at or below 200 percent of the Federal poverty line. (Sec. 130) Doubles the minimum care grant allotments to States. Adds the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau to the definition of "territory of the United States" for determination of care grant allotments. (Sec. 131) Requires care grants to be used for infants, children, and women with HIV disease in the same ratio as each of those populations bears to the general population of that State of individuals with HIV disease. Subtitle C: Amendments to Part C (Early Intervention Services ) - Repeals provisions mandating formula grants for HIV disease early intervention services. (Sec. 142) Allows currently-authorized planning and development grants to be used to expand the capacity, preparedness, and expertise to deliver primary care services to individuals with HIV disease in underserved low-income communities. Increases the limit on the amount of a care grant. (Sec. 143) Extends the authorization of appropriations for early intervention grants. (Sec. 144) Increases the limit on spending for administration (currently, for administration including planning and evaluation) of grants under early intervention provisions. Requires grantees to establish a quality management program to assess: (1) the extent to which medical services funded under title XXVI (HIV Health Care Services Program) of the Public Health Service Act are consistent with the most recent Public Health Service guidelines for the treatment of HIV disease and related opportunistic infections; and (2) whether improvements in access to and quality of medical services are addressed. (Sec. 145) Requires that preference in making early intervention grants be given to serving areas that are not otherwise eligible to receive emergency relief grants. Subtitle D: Amendments to Part D (General Provisions ) - Eliminates requirements that a significant number of women, infants, children, and youth who are patients of the grantee (under provisions mandating grants to provide opportunities for women, infants, children, and youth to be voluntary participants in research of potential benefit to individuals with HIV disease) participate in research projects. Requires grantees to: (1) inform and educate individuals regarding opportunities to participate in HIV/AIDS-related clinical research; and (2) implement a quality management program. Directs the Secretary to examine the distribution and availability of ongoing and appropriate HIV/AIDS- related research to existing sites under provisions amended by this paragraph to enhance and expand voluntary access to HIV-related research, especially in communities that are not reasonably served by the research. Extends the authorization of appropriations to carry out the provisions amended by this paragraph. (Sec. 152) Directs the Secretary to: (1) review the administrative, program support, and direct service-related activities carried out under title XXVI general provisions to ensure that eligible individuals have access to quality, HIV-related health and support services and research opportunities; and (2) determine the relationship between the costs of those activities and the access of eligible individuals to those services and opportunities. (Sec. 153) Authorizes appropriations to carry out: (1) program evaluations; (2) emergency relief grant provisions; and (3) care grant provisions. Subtitle E: Amendments to Part F (Demonstration and Training ) - Extends the authorizations of appropriations to carry out provisions relating to AIDS Education and Training Centers (including schools, centers, and dental schools). Title II: Miscellaneous Provisions - Directs the Secretary to: (1) contract with the Institute of Medicine to conduct a study on appropriate epidemiological measures and their relationship to the financing and delivery of primary care and health-related support services for low-income, uninsured, and under-insured individuals with HIV disease; and (2) report to the appropriate congressional committees regarding how the Institute of Medicine's conclusions and recommendations can be addressed and implemented.
Bill· SS. 2324 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2000
Ballistics, Law Assistance, and Safety Technology Act (BLAST) - Title I: Blast - Amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to require a licensed manufacturer or importer to: (1) test fire firearms manufactured or imported by such licensees as specified by the Secretary of the Treasury by regulation; (2) prepare ballistics images of the fired bullet and cartridge casings; (3) make the records available to the Secretary for entry in a computerized database; and (4) store the fired bullet and cartridge casings in such a manner and for such a period as specified by the Secretary by regulation. Specifies that nothing herein creates a cause of action against any Federal firearms licensee or any other person for any civil liability except for imposition of a civil penalty under this title. Directs the Attorney General and the Secretary to assist firearm manufacturers and importers in complying through: (1) the acquisition, disposition, and upgrades of ballistics equipment and bullet recovery equipment to be placed at or near the sites of licensed manufacturers and importers; (2) the hiring or designation of personnel necessary to develop and maintain a database of ballistics images of fired bullets and cartridge casings, research, and evaluation; (3) providing education about the role of ballistics as part of a comprehensive firearm crime reduction strategy; and (4) providing for the coordination among Federal, State, and local law enforcement and regulatory agencies and the firearm industry to curb firearm-related crime and illegal firearm trafficking. Directs the Attorney General and the Secretary to: (1) establish a computer system through which State and local law enforcement agencies can promptly access ballistics records stored under this title, as soon as such a capability is available; and (2) encourage training for all ballistics examiners. Sets forth reporting requirements. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary and the Attorney General to conduct mandatory ballistics testing of all firearms obtained or in the possession of their respective agencies. (Sec. 103) Prohibits the use of ballistics information of individual guns in any form or database established by this Act for prosecutorial purposes unless law enforcement officials have a reasonable belief that a crime has been committed and that ballistics information would assist in the investigation of that crime. (Sec. 104) Directs the Secretary and the Attorney General to establish in the jurisdictions selected a comprehensive firearm crime reduction strategy which shall: (1) provide for ballistics testing, in accordance with criteria set forth by the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network, of all firearms recovered during criminal investigations to identify the types and origins of the firearms, identify suspects, and link multiple crimes involving the same firearm; (2) require that all identifying information relating to firearms recovered during criminal investigations be promptly submitted to the Secretary in order to identify the types and origins of the firearms and to identify illegal firearms traffickers; (3) provide for coordination among Federal, State, and local law enforcement officials, firearm examiners, technicians, laboratory personnel, investigators, and prosecutors in the tracing and ballistics testing of firearms and the investigation and prosecution of firearms-related crimes, including illegal firearms trafficking; and (4) require analysis of firearm tracing and ballistics data in order to establish trends in firearm-related crime and firearm trafficking. Requires the Secretary and the Attorney General to select not fewer than ten jurisdictions for participation in the program. Sets forth provisions regarding selection criteria. Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Exile - Directs the Attorney General and the Secretary to designate not less than 50 local jurisdictions in which to enforce aggressively Federal laws designed to prevent the possession by criminals of firearms. Authorizes the Attorney General and the Secretary, in order to provide assistance for the enforcement of Federal laws designed to prevent the possession by criminals of firearms, to: (1) direct the detailing of Federal personnel, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms investigators, to designated jurisdictions, subject to department or agency head approval; (2) coordinate activities with State and local officials, including facilitation of training of State and local law enforcement officers and prosecutors in designated jurisdictions to work with Federal prosecutors, agents, and investigators to identify appropriate cases for enforcement of Federal laws designed to prevent the possession by criminals of firearms; and (3) help coordinate public outreach in designated jurisdictions regarding penalties association with violation of Federal laws designed to prevent the possession by criminals of firearms. Sets forth provisions regarding criteria for designation, priority in considering which local jurisdictions to designate, reports, and evaluation. Authorizes appropriations.
Bill· HRH.R. 4127 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2000
Classroom Safety Act of 2000 - Amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to authorize school personnel to discipline (including expel or suspend), in the same manner in which such personnel may discipline a child without a disability, a child with a disability who commits specified school-related weapon or drug offenses. (Thus provides an exception to current IDEA procedural safeguards that require placement in an alternative educational setting.) Authorizes such personnel to modify the disciplinary action on a case-by-case basis. Permits assertion of a defense that the offense was committed unintentionally or innocently. Allows the local educational agency (LEA) responsible for providing educational services to a child with a disability who is expelled or suspended under this Act to choose to continue to provide educational services to such child, but specifies that an LEA that so chooses to continue to provide services: (1) is not required by IDEA to provide such child with a free appropriate public education, or any particular level of service; and (2) has discretion as to the location where it provides the services.
Bill· HRH.R. 4117 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2000
Collegiate Athletics Due Process Act of 2000 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to oblige institutions of higher education, under student aid program participation agreements, to ensure that student-athletes' due process rights are respected if they are accused of violations or infractions of amateur sports rules, including rules and legislation of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Requires the institution to provide any such accused student- athlete with separate independent legal counsel at the institution's expense immediately upon any investigation or alleged violation or infraction, and through the entire investigation, until all matters and facts of the pending case (and any other investigations that may arise out of the initial investigation) have concluded to the satisfaction of all parties involved. Requires the accused student-athlete to be given: (1) notice and opportunity to be heard before an arbitrator, neutral party, or tribunal not associated with the NCAA or a member institution, before any enforcement actions are administered by the institution; and (2) at all hearings, the opportunity to be heard and the right of controverting every material fact bearing on individual or private rights involved. Requires any enforcement action taken by the institution in compliance with rules or legislation of the NCAA for amateur sports violations to be clearly established on the basis of specific standards and guidelines for all possible infractions, including punishment or restitution. Makes this Act inapplicable to disciplinary actions taken by a coach or college administrator for violations of the institution's policy or conduct rules that apply to the entire student body of the institution.
Bill· HRH.R. 4128 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2000
Help Emergency Responders Operate Act - Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of Agriculture for FY 2001 and 2002 for carrying out provisions authorizing the Secretary to: (1) cooperate with State foresters or equivalent State officials in developing systems and methods for the prevention, control, suppression, and prescribed use of fires on rural lands and in rural communities that will protect human lives, agricultural crops and livestock, property and other improvements, and natural resources; (2) provide financial, technical, and related assistance to such foresters or officials, and through them to other agencies and individuals, for the prevention, control, suppression, and prescribed use of fires on non-Federal forest lands and other non- Federal lands; and (3) provide financial, technical, and related assistance to such foresters or officials in cooperative efforts to organize, train, and equip local firefighting forces, including those of Indian tribes or other native groups, to prevent, control, and suppress fires threatening human lives, crops, livestock, farmsteads or other improvements, pastures, orchards, wildlife, rangeland, woodland, and other resources in rural areas. Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to allow the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), using amounts in an account for the purpose of providing loan guarantees (established under this Act), to guarantee loans to volunteer fire and rescue agencies for the entire principal and interest on the loan for specified volunteer fire and rescue services, including to purchase equipment necessary for proper performance of the agency's duties, to repair, rehabilitate, or otherwise improve the agency's existing facilities, and for carrying out public education programs regarding fire prevention, life safety, and arson. Sets forth loan terms and conditions. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes appropriations to the Director for FY 2001 and 2002 for making grants directly to local fire and rescue services for equipment, including interoperability radio equipment. Authorizes the Director to make grants on a competitive basis to: (1) safety organizations that have experience in conducting burn safety programs for assisting those organizations in conducting such programs or augmenting existing burn prevention programs; (2) hospitals that serve as regional burn centers to conduct acute burn research; and (3) governmental and nongovernmental entities to provide after-burn treatment and counseling to individuals that are burn victims. Creates an office in FEMA to establish specific criteria of grant recipients and to administer such grants. Authorizes appropriations. Requires the Director to establish a program to award grants to volunteer, paid, and combined departments that provide fire and emergency medical services. Permits such grants to be used, among other things, to: (1) acquire personal protective equipment required for firefighting personnel by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and other personal protective equipment for firefighting personnel; (2) acquire additional firefighting equipment, including equipment for communication and monitoring; (3) establish wellness and fitness programs for firefighting personnel to reduce the number of injuries and deaths related to health and conditioning problems; (4) promote professional development of fire code enforcement personnel; (5) integrate computer technology to improve records management and training capabilities; (6) fund fire prevention programs and public education programs about arson prevention and detection, and juvenile fire setter intervention; and (7) modify fire stations, fire training facilities, and other facilities to protect the health and safety of firefighting personnel. Provides for grant recipients to be subject to audits to ensure that the funds are spent for their intended purposes. Authorizes appropriations. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission, in addition to the allocations and assignments otherwise made with respect to new public safety services licenses and commercial licenses, within 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, to allocate the electromagnetic spectrum between 139 megahertz and 140.5 megahertz, inclusive, and between 141.5 megahertz and 143 megahertz, inclusive, to interoperability use by public safety services. Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of the Interior for FY 2001 for the U.S. Geological Survey for the Hazard Support System for system improvements and for operation and maintenance. Directs such Secretary to transmit to Congress a report on the results of a study, carried out in consultation with the National Interagency Fire Center and State fire services, of the best methods of disseminating data from such System to State and local fire mitigation entities for realtime fire detection. Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to include as activities eligible for assistance under the community development block grant program the provision of assistance to local firefighting, emergency medical, or rescue services for: (1) acquisition, repair, or rehabilitation of equipment or vehicles for fire fighting, emergency medical, or rescue services; (2) construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, or improvement of facilities for local fire fighting, emergency medical, or rescue services; or (3) training or planning involved in providing fire fighting, emergency medical, or rescue services. States that such an assisted activity shall be considered to benefit persons of low and moderate income if the service provides such services to all persons in the geographical area served, including any low and moderate income persons.