Environment

Abandoned Mine Restoration Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999

Abandoned Mine Restoration Act of 1999 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Army to carry out a program, managed by the head of the Sacramento District Office of the Corps of Engineers, to assist stewards of lands owned by the United States and non-Federal entities to address environmental and water quality problems caused by drainage and related activities from abandoned, inactive, and post-production noncoal mines. Permits the Secretary to provide technical, planning, design, restoration, remediation, and construction assistance to Federal and non-Federal entities for carrying out projects to address such environmental and water quality problems, but only if the Secretary determines that such a project will improve environmental quality, is in the public interest, and is cost-effective. Requires that the Federal share of the cost of a project to be 100 percent for projects carried out on Federal land and 65 percent for other projects. Sets forth provisions governing Federal cost share credits and reimbursements to non-Federal entities for project resources, services, and work. Requires that the non-Federal share of operation and maintenance costs for a project to be 100 percent, except that in the case of a project undertaken on Federal lands, the Federal agency with management responsibility for the lands shall be responsible for all operation and maintenance costs. Prohibits more than $10 million from being allotted for projects in a single locality, but permits the Secretary to accept funds voluntarily contributed by the non-Federal or Federal entity for expanding the scope of services requested. Prohibits the Secretary or any State or political subdivision which implements any remedial action which is consistent with a State and Environmental Protection Agency approved remediation plan at an abandoned mine site and adjacent lands to provide water quality protection from being treated, based on actions taken consistent with the plan, as being: (1) the site owner or operator or the arranger or transporter for disposal; (2) responsible for any discharge or release of pollutants, contaminants, or hazardous substances on or from the abandoned mine site or adjacent lands; or (3) subject to any enforcement action pursuant to Federal law, except for violations involving gross negligence. Authorizes the Secretary to provide assistance to the Western Universities Mine-Land Reclamation and Restoration Consortium for carrying out the purposes of the program. Authorizes appropriations.

America's Private Investment Companies Act

United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999

America's Private Investment Companies Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to license America's Private Investment Companies (APICs) (for-profit investment companies formed to make equity and credit investments for large-scale business development in low-income communities). Authorizes the Secretary to impose fees and charges for administrative costs and to collect fees for loan guarantee commitments and loans made under this Act. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2000 through 2004 for loan guarantee commitments and for administrative expenses. (Sec. 105) Directs the Secretary to select APICs for licensing on the basis of competitions announced through the Federal Register. Outlines application and licensee selection requirements and criteria, including that each such entity have available at least $25 million in equity capital. (Sec. 106) Requires substantially all investments made by selected APICs to be qualified low-income community investments if such investments are financed by the Secretary under this Act. Outlines investment limits and borrowing and repayment conditions. (Sec. 107) Authorizes the Secretary, consistent with the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, to make commitments to guarantee the timely payment of principal and interest on debentures issued by APICs, to issue trust certificates representing ownership of all or a fractional part of such debentures, and to guarantee the payment of principal and interest on such certificates. (Sec. 108) Authorizes an APIC to request that the Secretary guarantee a debenture that the APIC intends to issue under this Act. Outlines special requirements for: (1) requests which would include funding for initial expenditures for a project or activity; and (2) certification by a State or unit of general local government of responsibility for environmental reviews in connection with authorized projects or activities. (Sec. 109) Directs the Secretary to examine and monitor the operations and activities of APICs for compliance with sound financial management practices and satisfaction of the program and procedural goals of this and related Acts. (Sec. 110) Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) increase the credit subsidy allocated to an APIC as an award for high performance in carrying out its investment strategy and public purpose goals; and (2) penalize APICs for fraud, mismanagement, or noncompliance (allowing for notice and opportunity to respond prior to such penalties).

To make technical corrections to the Water Resources Development Act of 1999.

United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999

Amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 to: (1) increase the authorization of appropriations for the water-related environmental infrastructure and resource protection and development project for Jackson County, Mississippi, and provide a project for the elimination or control of combined sewer overflows for the County; (2) decrease the authorization of appropriations for the water-related environmental infrastructure and resource protection and development project for Elizabeth, New Jersey; and (3) increase the authorization of appropriations for such a project for North Hudson, New Jersey, and modify such project to provide for the elimination or control of combined sewer overflows for the North Hudson Sewerage Authority (currently, for such overflows in North Hudson).

To amend the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to limit the portion of the Superfund expended for administration, oversight, support, studies, design, investigations, monitoring, assessment, and evaluation, and enforcement activities.

United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999

Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to limit the amount of Hazardous Substance Superfund expenditures for administration, oversight, support, studies, design, investigations, monitoring, assessment, evaluation, and enforcement activities to: (1) 25 percent of total Superfund monies in FY 2000 through 2003; and (2) 20 percent of such total in FY 2004 and thereafter. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to report to Congress on any regulatory or statutory relief required to operate under such funding limitations.

Small Business Remediation Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999

Small Business Remediation Act of 1999 - Provides that the maximum level of remediation for a dry cleaning solvent in the soil, surface water, groundwater, and other environmental media (other than for water used as a drinking water source) that may be required of a dry cleaner shall be equal to: (1) the soil screening level for inhalation for such solvent determined in accordance with the Soil Screening Guidance Document (Guidance Document) developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); or (2) the generic soil screening level for inhalation for such solvent as set forth in the Guidance Document until such maximum level is determined for a facility. Requires the applicable requirements for dry cleaning solvents under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to be the remediation standards set forth in this Act. Authorizes the EPA Administrator to change such standards in accordance with any revised Guidance Document if necessary to protect health or the environment.

Brownfields Remediation Waste Act

United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999

Brownfields Remediation Waste Act - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act (the Act) to authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to provide alternative requirements for management of remediation waste in lieu of restrictions under the Act or this Act. Defines "remediation waste" as all solid and hazardous wastes and all media and debris that contain listed hazardous wastes or that themselves exhibit a hazardous characteristic and are managed for implementing cleanup. Provides that such requirements shall be protective of health and the environment and remove disincentives to remediation, streamline regulation, and achieve greater flexibility for State remediation programs. Deems specified rules regarding hazardous remediation waste management promulgated by the Administrator on November 30, 1998, to be alternative requirements and to remain in effect unless the Administrator takes action to modify such rules. Prohibits the Administrator from publishing any proposal to modify such rules before reporting to Congress on problems associated with their implementation. Provides that placement of remediation waste in temporary units, staging piles, or corrective action management units designated under Federal or State authorities shall not be deemed to be engaging in land disposal and shall not be subject to specified requirements under the Act regarding hazardous waste management. Authorizes, notwithstanding the rules of November 30, 1998, and where protective of health and environment, the designation of: (1) temporary units and staging piles at another location owned or operated by a person engaged in remediation at the first location to facilitate consolidated waste management; (2) corrective action management units at one remediation waste management site to receive remediation waste from another such site; and (3) a staging pile to allow for mixing or blending for the primary purposes of subsequent waste consolidation or enhancement. Allows remediation waste management units or activities to be authorized through permits, interim status, orders, or other authorization available under the Act. Permits States to administer and enforce remediation waste management programs pursuant to programs authorized under the Act or this Act. Sets forth required elements of such programs. Authorizes States with approved programs to carry out such programs in lieu of the Federal program.

Clean Water Infrastructure Financing Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999

Clean Water Infrastructure Financing Act of 1999 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to provide that capitalization grants to States for the establishment of water pollution control revolving funds ( revolving funds) shall be for providing assistance to accomplish the purposes of such Act. (Currently, such grants are provided for assistance for specific purposes.) Removes certain requirements for States with respect to construction of treatment works under capitalization grant agreements. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to assist states in establishing simplified procedures for small water systems to obtain assistance under the Act. Requires amounts available to revolving funds to be used only for providing assistance to activities which have as a principal benefit the improvement or protection of water quality of navigable waters. Adds activities to the list of those which may be assisted. Provides for a repayment period of the lesser of 40 years or the expected life of the project to be financed with loan proceeds with respect to loans made to disadvantaged communities from revolving funds. Requires loans made from such funds to be fully amortized upon the expiration of the loan term (currently, no later than 20 years after project completion). Requires such funds to provide: (1) loan guarantees for developing and implementing innovative technologies; and (2) technical, planning, and other specified assistance to small systems. Treats a treatment works as a publicly owned treatment works, for purposes of eligibility for construction assistance from a revolving fund, if the treatment works, without regard to ownership, would be considered a publicly owned treatment works and is principally treating municipal waste water or domestic sewage. Provides for negative interest rates of up to two percent to reduce the unpaid principal on loans from revolving funds made to disadvantaged communities. Reauthorizes appropriations for FY 2000 through 2004 for the revolving fund program.

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Federal Communications Commission should exercise its authority under the Communications Act of 1934 to ensure that unaffiliated service providers have open, nondiscriminatory access to broadband facilities that enable access to the Internet over cable systems.

United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999

Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the open infrastructure of the Internet should be safeguarded, especially against discriminatory access by telecommunications carriers; (2) the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should complete a proceeding ensuring a competitive, nondiscriminatory environment for broadband access to the Internet over cable systems; and (3) the FCC should continue to seek to ensure such environment.

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the importance of "family friendly" programming on television.

United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999

Recognizes and honors the efforts of the Forum on Family Friendly Programming and other entities supporting family friendly programming. Expresses support for: (1) efforts of the television network and production community to produce more quality family friendly programming; and (2) the Family Friendly Programming Awards. Encourages the media and American advertisers to further a family friendly television environment with appropriate advertisements accompanying the programming.

National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 4 August 1999

National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 1999 - Amends the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to modify the Act's findings, purposes, policies, and definitions. (Sec. 5) Revises sanctuary designation standards. Removes a requirement that the Secretary of Commerce (as part of the environmental impact statement required by the Act) draft a resource assessment report. (Sec. 6) Changes designation and implementation procedures, including: (1) requiring a resource assessment; and (2) allowing changes to designation terms by following procedures of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (currently, only by the same procedures by which the original designation is made). Modifies the circumstances in which the Secretary may withdraw an entire designation. (Sec. 7) Adds to the list of unlawful activities: (1) the offering for sale, purchasing, importing, or exporting of any sanctuary resource; and (2) provisions specifying activities that constitute interference with enforcement of the Act. (Current law makes interference unlawful, but does not specify what acts constitute interference.) (Sec. 8) Empowers officers authorized to enforce the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to arrest any person on reasonable cause to believe that the person has interfered with enforcement. Makes interference punishable by fine or imprisonment. Authorizes the Secretary bring a civil action to assess and collect any civil penalty for which a person is liable for violation of the Act. Authorizes the Secretary to subpoena electronic files. Allows, in any action by the United States under the Act, process to be served where the defendant is found, resides, transacts business, or has appointed an agent for service or process. (Sec. 10) Authorizes the Secretary to conduct, support, or coordinate (currently, directs the Secretary to conduct) research, monitoring, evaluation, and education programs. (Sec. 11) Mandates public notice before the Secretary identifies any activity subject to a sanctuary special use permit. Requires a permittee to have insurance or an equivalent bond (currently, to have insurance). Authorizes the Secretary to assess and collect special use permit fees for the fair market value of the sanctuary resource (currently, for the fair market value of the sanctuary resource and a reasonable return to the U.S. government). Allows, for nonprofit activities and for activities the Secretary considers to be beneficial to the system, waiver or reduction of certain fee portions or acceptance of in-kind services in lieu of fees. (Sec. 12) Authorizes the Secretary, notwithstanding any other provision of law, to apply for and use grants from Federal, State, regional, interstate, or local agencies, foundations, or other persons to carry out the purposes of the Act. Authorizes the Secretary to use by agreement the personnel, services, or facilities of Federal, State, or local agencies on a reimbursable or non-reimbursable basis to assist in carrying out the Act. (Sec. 13) Makes a vessel that injures (currently, that is used to injure) a sanctuary resource liable in rem. Declares that nothing in specified Federal laws limits the liability of any person or vessel (currently, of any person) under the Act. Directs the Secretary to request the Attorney General to begin a civil action against any person or vessel that may be liable for response costs and damages. Sets a statute of limitations on actions for response costs and damages. (Sec. 14) Authorizes appropriations to carry out the Act. (Sec. 16) Changes the function of sanctuary advisory councils from assisting to giving advice and recommendations to the Secretary. (Sec. 17) Allows the Secretary to solicit and accept monetary or in-kind contributions from official sponsors of the national program or of an individual sanctuary for the use of, including the sale of items bearing, the symbol of the national program or a sanctuary (currently, for the use of the symbol). Allows the Secretary to enter into an agreement with a nonprofit organization authorizing it to: (1) assist in the administration of the sponsorship program; (2) use the symbols; (3) solicit persons to be official sponsors; (4) collect the statutory contribution from the sponsor; and (5) retain not more than five percent of the collected amounts to offset the organization's administrative costs in soliciting sponsors, transferring the remainder to the Secretary.

ICCVAM Authorization Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 4 August 1999

ICCVAM Authorization Act of 1999 - States that the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) shall be sustained as a permanent standing committee administered by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Sets forth ICCVAM objectives, including: (1) increasing the efficiency of Federal test method review; and (2) reducing animal testing. Directs the Institute to establish a Scientific Advisory Committee. Requires each Federal agency to: (1) identify and forward to ICCVAM those guidelines or regulations it follows requiring or recommending animal testing; (2) promote valid alternatives to animal testing; and (3) adopt ICCVAM recommendations unless such recommendations are inadequate or unsatisfactory.

Quiet Communities Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 4 August 1999

Quiet Communities Act of 1999 - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reestablish an Office of Noise Abatement and Control in EPA. Requires the Administrator, using funds made available to the Office, to carry out a study of airport noise, examining the Federal Aviation Administration's selection of noise measurement methodologies, health impact thresholds, and abatement program effectiveness. Amends the Noise Control Act of 1972 to include the establishment of training programs on the use of noise abatement equipment and the implementation of noise abatement plans in the list of purposes for which grants under the Quiet Communities Program are provided. Authorizes appropriations.

Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000

United States · United States Congress · 3 August 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Department of Veterans Affairs Title II: Department of Housing and Urban Development Title III: Independent Agencies Title IV: General Provisions Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000 - Makes appropriations for FY 2000 for the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development and for sundry independent agencies. Title I: Department of Veterans Affairs - Makes appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs for: (1) veterans' compensation, pensions, and readjustment benefits; (2) veterans' insurance and indemnities; (3) veterans' housing, education, and vocational rehabilitation loan accounts; (4) veterans' medical care; (5) medical and prosthetic research; (6) medical administration; (7) the General post fund, national homes; (8) departmental administration; (9) the National Cemetery Administration; (10) the Office of Inspector General; (11) construction; (12) the parking revolving fund; and (13) grants to States for construction of extended care facilities and cemeteries. Sets forth authorized uses of, and limitations on, funds made available under this title. Title II: Department of Housing and Urban Development - Makes appropriations for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for: (1) public and Indian housing; (2) the Public Housing Capital and Operating Funds; (3) drug elimination grants for low-income housing; (4) revitalization of severely distressed public housing; (5) Native American housing block grants; (6) Indian housing loan guarantees; (7) housing opportunities for persons with AIDS; (8) community development block grants; (9) brownfields redevelopment; (10) the HOME investment partnerships program; (11) homeless assistance grants; (12) housing for special populations; (13) the Federal Housing Administration; (14) the Government National Mortgage Association; (15) housing policy development and research; (16) fair housing activities; (17) the Lead Hazard Reduction Program; (18) management and administration; (19) the Office of Inspector General; and (20) carrying out the Federal Housing Enterprise Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992. Sets forth authorized uses of, and limitations on, funds made available under this title. (Sec. 204) Amends the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 to extend certain provisions regarding grants to otherwise ineligible States for housing for persons with AIDS. (Sec. 205) Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 to extend the Secretary of HUD's authority to enter into certain risk-sharing agreements to determine Federal credit enhancements for loans for affordable multifamily housing. Extends to FY 2000 a provision that increases the number of units to which those agreements may apply in FY 1999. (Sec. 207) Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to authorize the Secretary of HUD to establish income ceilings, with respect to eligibility for public housing or project-based Section 8 assistance, that are higher or lower than 30 percent of the area median income based on findings that such variations are necessary because of unusually high or low family incomes. (Sec. 208) Establishes the Millenial Housing Commission to study and report to specified congressional committees on: (1) the importance of housing, particularly affordable housing, to U.S. infrastructure; (2) possible methods for increasing the role of the private sector in providing affordable housing; and (3) whether existing HUD programs work in conjunction with one another to provide better housing opportunities for families, neighborhoods, and communities and how such programs can be improved with respect to such purpose. Terminates the Commission on June 30, 2002. (Sec. 210) Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to authorize the Secretary of HUD to reuse any budget authority recaptured on account of expiration of a housing assistance payments contract. Removes: (1) a condition that applies such authority only to contracts other than those for tenant-based assistance; and (2) a provision that makes such authority effective only for actions initiated by the Secretary on or before September 30, 1995. (Sec. 211) Provides for enhanced vouchers for families in projects with expiring contracts under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937. Provides for indefinite enhanced voucher assistance for certain families whose rent, absent such assistance, would exceed the greater of 30 percent of adjusted income or the rent paid, to the extent that amounts are provided in advance in appropriations Acts pursuant to provisions for preserving existing housing investment under the Department of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1997. (Sec. 212) Rescinds a specified amount of funds appropriated to HUD in the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998 and prior appropriations Acts. (Sec. 213) Makes appropriations for: (1) a grant to the National Cities in Schools Community Development program under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992; and (2) the Moving to Work Demonstration program. Title III: Independent Agencies - Makes appropriations for: (1) the American Battle Monuments Commission; (2) the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board; (3) the Department of the Treasury for community development financial institutions; (4) the Consumer Product Safety Commission;(5) the Office of Inspector General; (6) the Court of Veterans Appeals; and (7) the Department of Defense for Army cemeterial expenses. Appropriates funds for the Environmental Protection Agency for: (1) science and technology activities; (2) environmental programs and management; (3) the Office of Inspector General; (4) buildings and facilities; (5) Superfund; (6) the leaking underground storage tank program; (7) oil spill response programs; and (8) assistance to States and Indian tribes for environmental programs and infrastructure. Appropriates funds for: (1) the Executive Office of the President for the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Council on Environmental Quality, and the Office of Environmental Quality; and (2) the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General. Makes appropriations for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for: (1) disaster relief; (2) disaster assistance direct loans; (3) salaries and expenses; (4) the Office of Inspector General; (5) emergency management planning and assistance; (6) a specified emergency food and shelter program; (7) the Flood Map Modernization Fund; (8) the National Flood Insurance Fund; and (9) the National Flood Mitigation Fund. Cancels indebtedness of the FEMA Director resulting from amounts borrowed for certain national insurance programs pursuant to the National Housing Act before this Act's enactment date. Makes appropriations for: (1) the General Services Administration for the Consumer Information Center; (2) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for human space flight, science, aeronautics, and technology research and development, mission support, and the Office of Inspector General; (3) the National Credit Union Administration's Central Liquidity Facility; (4) the National Science Foundation for research, major construction projects, science and engineering education and human resources programs, salaries and expenses, and the Office of Inspector General; (5) the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation; and (6) the Selective Service System. Sets forth authorized uses of, and limitations on, funds appropriated under this title. Title IV: General Provisions - Sets forth provisions regarding availability, and prohibitions on the use, of funds appropriated by this Act. Expresses the sense of the Congress that equipment and products purchased with funds made available in this Act should be American-made. (Sec. 422) Amends the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933 to decrease the maximum amount authorized to be issued by the Tennessee Valley Authority as bonds for financing its power program. (Sec. 423) Bars the use of funds made available in this Act for publication of a specified global change scientific assessment under the Global Change Research Act of 1990 unless: (1) the supporting research has been subjected to peer review and, if not otherwise publicly available, posted electronically for public comment prior to use in the assessment; and (2) the draft assessment has been published in the Federal Register for a 60-day public comment period.

Palmetto Bend Conveyance Act

United States · United States Congress · 2 August 1999

Palmetto Bend Conveyance Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, on receipt of payment in accordance with this Act, to convey the Palmetto Bend Reclamation Project in Texas (excluding the mineral estate) to the State of Texas, acting through the Texas Water Development Board and/or the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority. Requires the Secretary: (1) to expeditiously complete the conveyance, including such actions as may be required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; and (2) if the conveyance is completed later than one year and 180 days after the enactment date of this Act, to report to the House Committee on Resources and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on the conveyance's status, any obstacles to completion, and the anticipated completion date. Directs the State, as a condition of the conveyance, to pay $48 million to the Secretary. Extinguishes the State's obligation under a specified Bureau of Reclamation contract on payment of such amount. Requires: (1) the land, water, facilities, and mineral estate of the Project to continue to be managed by the State and operated for ensuring the implementation of fish, wildlife, and recreational activities; and (2) all mineral interests in the Project retained by the United States on completion of the conveyance to be subject to continued use by the State for the purposes for which it was authorized. Permits the Project's surface estate to be used for exploration, development, or oil, gas, or mineral production on approval by the State.

Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities Enhancement Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 2 August 1999

Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities Enhancement Act of 1999 - Amends title XX (Block Grants to States for Social Services) of the Social Security Act to revise additional grants requirements, providing for: (1) additional State entitlements to grants for designated qualified empowerment zones and qualified enterprise communities as well as for strategic planning communities (currently not provided for); (2) specified funding for such additional designated qualified empowerment zone State grants (according to urban or rural status) as well as for additional designated qualified enterprise community State grants and strategic planning community State grants; (3) direct grants to the governing bodies of eligible Indian tribes or Alaska Native villages or regional or village corporations, subject to certain conditions; (4) use of grant funds for revolving loan fund loans to residents, institutions, organizations, or businesses that hire disadvantaged adults and youths; and (5) environmental review to ensure that the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and other applicable Federal law are most effectively implemented in connection with the expenditure of grant funds under SSA title XX additional grants provisions.

A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress regarding the importance of "family friendly" programming on television.

United States · United States Congress · 2 August 1999

Recognizes and honors the efforts of the Forum on Family Friendly Programming and other entities supporting family friendly programming. Expresses support for: (1) efforts of the television network and production community to produce more quality family friendly programming; and (2) the Family Friendly Programming Awards. Encourages the media and American advertisers to further a family friendly television environment with appropriate advertisements accompanying the programming.

Palmetto Bend Conveyance Act

United States · United States Congress · 2 August 1999

Palmetto Bend Conveyance Act - Directs the Secretary of the Interior: (1) on receipt of a specified payment from the State of Texas (acting through the Texas Water Development Board and/or the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority), to convey the Palmetto Bend Reclamation Project (excluding the mineral estate) to the State; (2) to complete the conveyance expeditiously, including such actions as may be required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; and (3) to report to specified congressional committees if the conveyance is completed later than one year and 180 days after the enactment date of this Act. Extinguishes the State's obligation under a specified Bureau of Reclamation contract upon payment of such amount. Requires the State to bear the cost of all boundary surveys, title searches, appraisals, and other transaction costs for the conveyance. Requires State payments to the Secretary to be credited to the Reclamation Fund in the Treasury. Provides that: (1) the land, water, facilities, and mineral estate of the Project shall continue to be managed by the State and operated for ensuring the implementation of fish, wildlife, and recreational activities; (2) all mineral interests in the Project retained by the United States on completion of the conveyance shall be subject to continued use by the State for purposes for which the Project was authorized; and (3) the Project's surface estate may be used for exploration, development, or oil, gas, or mineral production only on approval by the State. Deauthorizes the Project effective on the date of its conveyance.

Omnibus Mercury Emissions Reduction Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 2 August 1999

Omnibus Mercury Emissions Reduction Act of 1999 - Amends the Clean Air Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate regulations to establish standards for mercury and mercury compound emissions applicable to: (1) electric utility steam generating units; (2) coal- and oil-fired commercial and industrial boiler units that have a maximum design heat input capacity of ten mmBtu (millions of British thermal units) per hour or greater; (3) chlor-alkali plants that use the mercury cell production process; and (4) dust from Portland cement plants. Requires such units and plants to have permits no later than two years after this Act's enactment. Prescribes a minimum required emission reduction, such that a unit or plant reduce annual poundage of mercury emitted below its mercury emission baseline by at least 95 percent. Authorizes emission trading among electric utility or coal- and oil-fired units contained at a single site if the aggregate annual reduction from all units is at least 95 percent. Requires the Administrator to authorize methods of control of mercury emissions. Sets forth permit requirements, including requirements for monitoring and analysis, inspection, entry, compliance certification, and reporting. Establishes specific mercury emission baselines for classes of electric utility and coal- and oil-fired boiler units, including those in operation before January 1, 1996, and those beginning operation after this Act's enactment. Requires the regulations to ensure that mercury that is captured or recovered is disposed of in a manner that ensures that: (1) the mercury hazards are not transferred from one environmental medium to another; and (2) there is no release of mercury into the environment. Directs the Administrator to establish a program of long-term research to develop and disseminate information on methods such as separating, solidifying, recycling, and encapsulating mercury-bearing waste so that the mercury does not volatize, migrate to groundwater or surface water, or contaminate the soil. Requires the Administrator to make emission data for each unit and plant available annually to the public. (Sec. 5) Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to direct the Administrator to publish a list of mercury-containing items to be separated and removed from the waste streams that feed solid waste management facilities. Requires manufacturers of listed items to label items (or, in the case of button cell batteries, packages) to indicate that a product contains mercury. Requires persons that transfer solid waste that may contain a mercury-containing item listed by the Administrator under this Act to submit plans for: (1) separating and removing listed mercury-containing items from waste streams that feed such facilities; (2) transferring separated waste to a recycling facility or treatment, storage, or disposal facility permitted under hazardous waste management provisions of the Solid Waste Disposal Act; (3) monitoring and reporting on plan compliance; and (4) achieving full compliance with the plan within 18 months of plan approval. Directs the Administrator or a State to develop and enforce plans for facilities without approved plans. Amends the Clean Air Act to direct the Administrator to promulgate regulations prescribing procedures for monitoring and analysis for mercury emissions from solid waste combustion flue gases and determining compliance with such requirements. Requires permits for solid waste incineration units to specify inspection, entry, monitoring, compliance certification, and reporting requirements. Directs the Administrator to require incineration units that exceed the maximum mercury emission rate to install control equipment and techniques that will result, within three years, in an emission rate below the specified maximum. Directs the Administrator to make mercury emission data for each unit available annually to the public. Prohibits, three years after this Act's enactment, the sale of mercury-containing products by manufacturers unless the manufacturer has been granted an exemption by the Administrator. Permits an exemption if the Administrator determines that: (1) the product has an essential use; (2) there is no comparable product that does not contain mercury and that is available in the marketplace at a reasonable cost; and (3) through submitted documentation, the manufacturer has established a program to take back, after consumer use, all products subject to the exemption that are manufactured after the date of approval of the exemption application. Provides for maximum three-year exemptions and for renewals. (Sec. 8) Requires the Administrator to report to Congress on the extent to which the annual poundage of mercury and mercury compound emissions from medical waste incinerators and hazardous waste combustors in the United States has been reduced below specific baselines. (Sec. 10) Directs the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress on the use of mercury and mercury compounds by the Department of Defense. (Sec. 11) Requires the Administrator to report to Congress on the sources and extent of mercury emissions in North America. (Sec. 12) Directs the Administrator to establish: (1) a program to characterize and quantify the potential mercury-related health effects on high-risk populations; and (2) a mercury public awareness and prevention program targeted at populations most at risk from exposure to mercury. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Administrator to establish an advisory committee to report on the progress made by the Federal Government, State and local governments, industry, and other regulated entities in complying with the mercury-related amendments to the Clean Air Act made by this Act. Directs the Administrator to submit to Congress a report that characterizes mercury and mercury-compound sedimentation trends in Lake Champlain, the Chesapeake Bay, the Great Lakes, the finger lakes region of upstate New York, Tampa Bay, and other water bodies of concern. Requires the Administrator to evaluate: (1) data collected by EPA and each State concerning mercury contamination of fish; and (2) advisories to warn the public about the consumption of mercury-contaminated fish. Directs the Administrator to: (1) implement any changes necessary to improve the quality and ensure consistency from State to State of Federal and State data collection, reporting, characterization of mercury contamination, and thresholds above which advisories will be issued; and (2) make biennial reports available to the public concerning mercury levels in fish and any consumption advisories that have been issued.

National Beverage Container Reuse and Recycling Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 2 August 1999

National Beverage Container Reuse and Recycling Act of 1999 - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to prohibit the sale of beer, mineral water, soda water, wine coolers, or carbonated soft drinks in beverage containers by retailers and distributors unless such containers carry a refund value of ten cents. Provides for the adjustment for inflation of the refund amount at ten-year intervals. Requires: (1) distributors to collect from retailers the refund value for each beverage sold to retailers; and (2) retailers to collect from consumers the refund value for each beverage sold to consumers. Requires retailers and distributors to pay the refund on returned containers of brands (in the same kind and size of container) sold. Directs distributors to pay annually to a State unclaimed refund amounts (the amount by which the total refund value of all containers sold by distributors exceeds the amount paid by distributors to persons in that State). Makes unclaimed refunds available to a State for carrying out pollution prevention and recycling programs. Prohibits distributors and retailers from: (1) selling beverages in metal beverage containers with detachable openings; and (2) disposing of containers subject to this Act or any metal, glass, or plastic from such containers (other than the top or seal) in landfills or solid waste disposal facilities. Makes this Act inapplicable to States that have adopted requirements similar to those under this Act or that have demonstrated achievement of a recycling or reuse rate for beverage containers of at least 70 percent. Prohibits States or political subdivisions that impose taxes on the sale of beverage containers from imposing any tax on the amount attributable to the refund value of such containers. Prescribes civil penalties for violations of this Act.

regenerative Energieanlagen

Austria · Federal Council · 30 July 1999

Anfrage der Bundesräte Ulrike Haunschmid und Genossen an den Bundesminister für wirtschaftliche Angelegenheiten betreffend regenerative Energieanlagen

Chemical Security Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 30 July 1999

Chemical Security Act of 1999 - Amends provisions of the Clean Air Act regarding accidental releases of hazardous substances anticipated to cause death, injury, or serious health or environmental effects to require the Attorney General to: (1) determine whether owners or operators of stationary sources have taken adequate actions to detect, prevent, and minimize the consequences of criminal releases that may cause harm to public health and safety and the environment; and (2) promulgate requirements to ensure that such actions are taken, if they have not been taken. Defines a "criminal release" as a release of such a substance: (1) from a stationary source into the environment caused by a criminal act; and (2) that has been removed from a source by a criminal act. Authorizes appropriations.

To provide for a study of Radium 224 in drinking water and to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to require that a national primary drinking water standard be established for Radium 224, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 30 July 1999

Requires the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to study and report to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency on the toxicological effects of Radium 224 and the health effects of exposure to Radium 224 in drinking water. Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to include Radium 224 on the list of contaminants which may require regulation and be subject to a determination by the Administrator to regulate. Requires State source water assessment programs to be revised every five years after calendar year 1999. Makes such programs and revisions publicly available.

Federal Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 30 July 1999

Federal Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 1999 - Title I: Hours of Service - Amends Federal transportation law to declare that a railroad carrier shall not be responsible for violating certain hours of duty limitations with respect to train employees (including determining when an employee is on or off) in the case of a dually employed employee, if none of the railroad carrier's managers, supervisors, officers, and agents had actual knowledge of the employee's work schedule for another employer. Makes similar changes with respect to signal employees and dispatching service employees and power directors. (Sec. 105) Revises certain sleeping quarters limitations with respect to train employees (including signal employees), and for any individuals employed to maintain the right of way of a railroad carrier, to require such carrier and its managers, supervisors, officers, and agents to provide, among other things, a separate bedroom for each employee or individual. (Sec. 106) Requires each Class I and Class II railroad carrier, each railroad carrier providing intercity rail passenger transportation, and each railroad carrier providing commuter rail passenger transportation, to submit to the Secretary of Transportation a fatigue management plan designed to reduce: (1) fatigue experienced by railroad employees or its independent contractors; and (2) the likelihood of accidents and injuries caused by such fatigue. (Sec. 108) Prohibits a railroad carrier and its managers, supervisors, officers, and agents, except in a specified emergency, from requiring a transport vehicle driver to remain or go on duty: (1) unless such driver has at least eight consecutive hours off duty during the previous 24 hours during which the driver receives no communication from the carrier and its managers, supervisors, officers, and agents; (2) for a period in excess of ten consecutive hours; (3) unless such driver has received notice at least eight hours before going on duty; and (4) unless such driver has had at least one period of at least 24 consecutive hours off duty in the past seven days. Title II: Monitoring of Railroad Radio Communications - Authorizes officers, employees, or agents of the Secretary to monitor railroad radio communications for purposes of conducting any rulemaking, accident investigations, and acquiring general information as to railroad operations as it relates to railroad safety. Prohibits the use of information obtained from such monitoring as evidence for the assessment or collection of civil penalties or for implementation of other enforcement activities, except that it may be used as background for further investigation which might lead to the discovery of other useful evidence. Title III: Protection of Employees and Witnesses - Revises certain employee protection requirements prohibiting a railroad carrier from discharging or discriminating against an employee to prohibit a carrier from threatening, intimidating, or disciplining for, or preventing an employee from (among other things): (1) notifying, or attempting to notify, the carrier of a work-related personal injury or illness; (2) cooperating with a safety investigation; (3) furnishing information to any party as to the facts relating to any accident resulting in injury or death or damage to property occurring in connection with railroad transportation; or (4) reporting a hazardous condition or refusing to work when confronted by a hazardous condition. Sets forth both civil and criminal penalties for violations of this Act. (Sec. 301) Sets forth certain requirements with respect to the exclusion of an individual from employment by a railroad carrier as a safety-critical employee. (Sec. 303) Requires a railroad carrier to have an annual audit of the process by which it reports accidents. (Sec. 304) Makes it unlawful for any person to knowingly interfere with, obstruct, or hamper a railroad safety investigation, or knowingly or intentionally use intimidation, harassment, or threats to influence the testimony of any person or prevent a person from attending such investigation. Sets forth both civil and criminal penalties. Title IV: Passenger Service Safety Standards - Requires all passenger railroad cars to have emergency windows (including markings clearly indicating them) after January 1, 2002. (Sec. 402) Sets forth requirements for: (1) passenger railroad signals;(2) internal and compartmentalized fuel tanks on passenger locomotives; and (3) corner posts in railroad passenger cars. Title V: Miscellaneous Provisions - Expands the Secretary's emergency authority to order restrictions and prohibitions to include instances of unsafe conditions involving significant harm to the environment. (Sec. 502) Directs the Federal Transit Administrator to consult with the Federal Railroad Administrator concerning relevant safety issues when making a grant or loan to a commuter railroad to help eliminate or correct an unsafe condition that may cause a serious hazard of death or injury. (Sec. 503) Provides for the adjustment of civil penalties for inflation with respect to violations of Federal railroad safety law. (Sec. 504) Directs the Secretary to require the establishment of notification systems utilizing toll-free telephone numbers that the public can use to convey to carriers information about malfunctions of automated warning devices or other safety problems at highway-rail grade crossings. (Sec. 505) Directs the Secretary to prescribe regulations addressing noise emissions from high-speed rail systems (including magnetic levitation systems) when operating at speeds greater than 150 miles per hour. (Sec. 506) Directs the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to report quarterly to specified congressional committees on the status of FRA's safety-related rulemakings and reports. (Sec. 507) Directs the Secretary to issue rules requiring that no track inspection be conducted from a vehicle traveling at a speed of more than 15 miles per hour. (Sec. 508) Sets forth requirements with respect to the rulemaking process of rules proposed by the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee. (Sec. 509) Requires fees imposed on railroad carriers to cover the costs of providing an additional 400 railroad safety inspectors. (Sec. 510) Requires certification of other safety-related railroad personnel in addition to locomotive engineers. (Sec. 511) Sets forth requirements with respect to: (1) transport motor vehicle inspections; and (2) railroad employee seniority rights. (Sec. 512) Directs the Secretary to initiate a rulemaking to ensure the safety of operators of railroad cranes and other hoisting equipment, and of railroad employees working in the vicinity of cranes and other hoisting equipment. (Sec. 513) Repeals a specified section of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 prohibiting a State from requiring the Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) (or any other railroad in the Region) to employ any specified number of persons to perform a particular task, or requiring it to pay protective benefits to its employees (thus allowing States to make such requirements). (Sec. 515) Authorizes appropriations.

Karenzgeld für alle

Austria · Federal Council · 29 July 1999

Mündliche Anfrage des Bundesrates Mag. Karl Wilfing (ÖVP) an den Bundesminister für Umwelt, Jugend und Familie Dr. Martin Bartenstein betreffend "Karenzgeld für alle"

Maßnahmen zur besseren Vereinbarkeit von Familie und Beruf

Austria · Federal Council · 29 July 1999

Mündliche Anfrage der Bundesrätin Maria Grander (ÖVP) an den Bundesminister für Umwelt, Jugend und Familie Dr. Martin Bartenstein betreffend Maßnahmen zur besseren Vereinbarkeit von Familie und Beruf

ordnungsgemäße Entsorgung von Deponien

Austria · Federal Council · 29 July 1999

Mündliche Anfrage des Bundesrates Ernst Winter (SPÖ) an den Bundesminister für Umwelt, Jugend und Familie Dr. Martin Bartenstein betreffend ordnungsgemäße Entsorgung von Deponien

Abbau von Treibhausgas-Emissionen

Austria · Federal Council · 29 July 1999

Mündliche Anfrage des Bundesrates Erhard Meier (SPÖ) an den Bundesminister für Umwelt, Jugend und Familie Dr. Martin Bartenstein betreffend Abbau von Treibhausgas-Emissionen

Familienberatungsstellen

Austria · Federal Council · 29 July 1999

Mündliche Anfrage der Bundesrätin Uta Barbara Pühringer (ÖVP) an den Bundesminister für Umwelt, Jugend und Familie Dr. Martin Bartenstein betreffend Familienberatungsstellen

Kinderbetreuungsscheck

Austria · Federal Council · 29 July 1999

Mündliche Anfrage des Bundesrates Dr. Reinhard Eugen Bösch (FPÖ) an den Bundesminister für Umwelt, Jugend und Familie Dr. Martin Bartenstein betreffend Kinderbetreuungsscheck

Baustopp für grenznahe Atomkraftwerke

Austria · Federal Council · 29 July 1999

Mündliche Anfrage des Bundesrates Ernest Windholz (F) an den Bundesminister für Umwelt, Jugend und Familie Dr. Martin Bartenstein betreffend Baustopp für grenznahe, mit Sicherheitsmängeln behaftete Atomkraftwerke als unabdingbare Voraussetzung für einen EU-Beitritt der betreffenden Länder

Regulatory Openness and Fairness Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 29 July 1999

Regulatory Openness and Fairness Act of 1999 - Title I: Issuance and Continuation of Tolerances - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) to apply the requirements of this paragraph to any proposed or final rule, order, notice, report, guidance document, or risk assessment (document) based on any review or reassessment by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of a tolerance or of the uses of a pesticide chemical for which a tolerance is in effect (except when the Administrator finds or recommends that no adverse action regarding a tolerance is required) issued after 1998 and before the completion of the review of tolerances mandated by current law. Requires the Administrator to conduct a transition analysis before any such document is issued and to include with the document a report (with specified contents) on the analysis. Defines "tolerance," for this paragraph and the next paragraph, to mean a tolerance for a pesticide chemical residue, or an exemption from the requirement of such a tolerance, established under specified FDCA provisions. (Sec. 102) Applies this paragraph to any review or reassessment by the Administrator of a tolerance (initiated by the Administrator or by petition) or of any registration of a pesticide chemical under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) associated with that tolerance review issued after 1998 and before the completion of the review of tolerances mandated by current law. Prohibits the Administrator, notwithstanding any other provision of law, from basing an adverse action regarding a tolerance or registration on any information, calculation, or assumption described under specified provisions of this Act. (Sec. 103) Directs the Administrator, in implementing provisions regarding pesticide chemical residue tolerances (as amended by this Act), to issue rules and guidance, including guidance regarding aggregate pesticide chemical exposure and cumulative effects of exposure to two or more chemicals having a common toxicity mechanism. (Sec. 104) Directs the Administrator to issue guidelines specifying the kinds of information that will be required to support the issuance or continuation of a tolerance or a tolerance exemption. Requires the guidelines to specify the conditions under which data requirements will apply to particular types of pesticide chemical residues. Amends the FDCA and FIFRA to mandate notice and an opportunity to comment. (Sec. 105) Amends FIFRA to require the Administrator to expedite the review of a pesticide registration or amended registration, an experimental use permit, or an emergency exemption in specified circumstances. Amends the FDCA to require the Administrator to give priority to petitions to establish or modify a tolerance or exemption that is needed in connection with an application under specified FIFRA provisions for approval of an effective and economic alternative. Authorizes establishment of a tolerance associated with an emergency exemption without regard to other tolerances and before reviewing those other tolerances if the Administrator finds that any incremental exposure that may result will not pose any significant risk to food consumers. Title II: Studies and Reports - Defines "tolerance," for this title, to mean a tolerance for a pesticide chemical residue, or an exemption from the requirement of such a tolerance, established under specified FDCA provisions. (Sec. 202) Directs the Administrator to prepare a proposal for revising the priorities of and resources available to the Administrator that will allow the Administrator to: (1) process promptly all FIFRA pesticide registration applications, FDCA tolerance petitions, experimental use permits requests, new inert ingredient approval requests, emergency exemption requests, and requests for decisions on the merits of those applications, petitions, and requests; and (2) perform tolerance reviews and other duties regarding pesticide chemicals under the FDCA and FIFRA. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to prepare a proposal for revising the priorities of and resources available to the Secretary that will allow the Secretary to: (1) obtain and provide to the Administrator adequate and timely information on food consumption, pesticide residues in or on food and drinking water, and pesticide use; (2) review actions proposed by the Administrator under the FDCA and FIFRA; and (3) perform other duties regarding pesticide regulation. Directs the Administrator and the Secretary to report to Congress on those proposals. (Sec. 203) Directs the Secretary to establish and administer a program to continuously assess the strength of major U.S. agricultural commodities and products in the international marketplace, including regarding the sustainability and competitive strength of each commodity and product in that marketplace and the relationship of those factors to regulatory actions under the FDCA and FIFRA. Mandates periodic reports to specified congressional committees. (Sec. 204) Establishes the Pesticide Advisory Committee to: (1) provide advice to the Administrator and the Secretary regarding implementation of specified FDCA and FIFRA provisions; (2) foster communication between the Administrator, the Secretary, and interested organizations; and (3) carry out the functions performed by the Tolerance Reassessment Advisory Committee. Makes inapplicable to the Pesticide Advisory Committee provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act mandating the termination of any advisory committee two years after the committee is established.

Electricity Consumer, Worker, and Environmental Protection Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 29 July 1999

Electricity Consumer, Worker, and Environmental Protection Act of 1999 - Title I: Federal Standards for Electricity Service - Subjects electric utility industry workers to the jurisdiction of the 1994 National Skills Standards Act and title V of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act. Subjects all generating plants to State and Federal general industry requirements as established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and mandates periodic government inspection. (Sec. 101) Prescribes continuing employment guidelines for a specified transition period in the event of any transfer of ownership of any divisions or units within an electric utility. (Sec. 102) Establishes a right of privacy with respect to consumer billing, payment, specific usage and appliance information obtained by the seller in the normal course of business. Prescribes guidelines governing: (1) consumer privacy; (2) disclosures for retail electricity bills; (3) dispute resolution of billing complaints; and (4) quality standards for sellers and distributors of retail electric service. (Sec. 107) Mandates that each State create a not-for-profit membership corporation to be known as the "Citizens' Utility Board, Inc." (State CUB) to represent and promote the interests of a State's residential consumers of electricity. (Sec. 108) Amends the Federal Power Act to establish within the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) an Office of the Consumer Counsel (the Office) to represent energy consumers during FERC proceedings that may affect wholesale or retail electric or gas service, prices, and practices. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 109) Prohibits any Federal or State authority from requiring consumers to subsidize the costs of owning or operating any power plant owned by an investor-owned company, except any facility or power plant that qualifies for support from the National Electric Public Benefit Fund (established by this Act) or that produces renewable energy credits (established under this Act). Mandates that every investor-owned company licensed to operate a nuclear reactor place specified funds in escrow to cover costs for nuclear reactor decommissioning, and for low- and high-level radioactive waste disposal. (Sec. 110) Prohibits any State-regulated investor-owned electric utility company (or associated holding company) from: (1) owning a voting security of a company which provides either a nonregulated service, or service outside the United States; or (2) providing any nonregulated service. (Sec. 111) Prescribes antitrust guidelines governing electric utility mergers that fall within the purview of the Federal Power Act. (Sec. 112) Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to: (1) promulgate regulations establishing nationwide pollution standards and generation pollution standards; and (2) establish a system for monitoring the amount of each pollutant annually emitted by a covered generation facility. (Sec. 113) Directs the Secretary of Energy to establish a National Electric Public Benefit Board which shall create the National Electric Public Benefit Fund to provide: (1) funding for State support of affordable electric service (universal electric service (UES)) for low- and moderate-income residential customers; and (2) matching funds for State-supported renewable energy sources and energy conservation programs, as well as programs to mitigate the impact of utility workforce reductions caused by electricity deregulation. Prescribes funding distribution guidelines. Requires the Secretary to provide a mechanism to ensure UES to qualifying low-income consumers in States without a State program or with a State program that does not qualify for funds under this Act. Prescribes criteria for State UES programs. Requires FERC to impose a nonbypassable wires charge for direct payment to the Fund by the operator of a wire on electricity carried through it. (Sec. 115) Mandates that each retail electricity supplier annually submit renewable energy credits to the Secretary according to prescribed formulae. Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish a program to issue such credits to renewable energy electric generators; and (2) impose a fee on electric generators awarded such credits in an amount equal to the reasonable costs of administering the Renewables Portfolio Standard program. Establishes a civil penalty for non-compliance with such mandate. (Sec. 116) Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) to require that: (1) each retail electricity supplier make net metering service available upon the request of any retail consumer whom the supplier currently serves or solicits for service; and (2) each retail electricity distributor permit interconnection to its distribution system of an on-site generating facility that meets FERC safety and power quality standards. (Sec. 117) Imposes civil liability for non-compliance with this Act, including attorney's fees. Title II: State Standards for Electricity Service - Sets deadlines for State compliance with the requirements of this Act, contingent upon individual State enactment of deregulation of retail electricity sales. (Sec. 202) Proscribes consumer charges for transmission or distribution service in excess of a consumer class's proportional responsibility for the costs of providing such service. Requires each State regulatory authority to compute and, if necessary, adjust the rate differential for retail electric service between residential and industrial customers so that the respective access charges per kilowatt-hour are within three percentage points of each other. (Sec. 203) Requires a State's investor-owned utilities to transfer transmission and distribution assets to their regulated counterparts within one year of State deregulation of retail electricity sales. Prohibits any direct or indirect owner of a voting security of any company that owns, operates, or leases generation facilities, or of any company that sells electricity, from owning directly or indirectly any portion of a transmission company or a distribution company. (Sec. 204) Declares it shall be unlawful within one year after deregulation of retail electricity sales for an investor-owned generation company or associated holding company to control more than 20 percent of the following power plant categories: (1) baseload power plants; (2) peaking power plants; and (3) power plants providing primarily ancillary services. (Sec. 205) Sets forth post-deregulation requirements governing: (1) basic service for residential and small commercial customers; (2) nonprofit public aggregation of consumers, including nonprofit municipal electric systems, and buying cooperatives in unincorporated areas; (3) certain worker protections, including recovery by utilities of employee-related transition costs, and extended State unemployment benefits; (4) licensing and disclosure requirements for retail electricity suppliers; (5) unbundled rates and nondiscriminatory access to electric grids by distribution companies; (6) customer choice to change an electric supplier; and (7) distribution service disconnections and supply terminations. (Sec. 212) Prescribes billing and collections procedures for electricity sales by retail suppliers and distributors. (Sec. 213) Prohibits certain unfair trade practices including: (1) "cramming" (unauthorized changes to the number of products or services offered) and "slamming" (unauthorized change of supplier for a residential or small commercial customer) until such change has been confirmed by an independent third-party verification company following prescribed procedures; and (2) misleading advertisements regarding electricity prices. (Sec. 214) Prescribes requirements for installation of a standard meter (or a qualified different meter) without separate charge at a previously unserved location for residential and small commercial customers. (Sec. 215) Declares that sales of electricity services in a deregulated market are subject to certain proscriptions of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act against discrimination in credit. (Sec. 216) Prescribes consumer remedies for violations of this Act.

A resolution relating to the recent elections in the Republic of Indonesia.

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 1999

Congratulates the people of Indonesia on carrying out the first free, fair, and transparent national elections in 44 years. Supports the aspirations of the Indonesian people in pursuing a transition to genuine democracy. Calls upon: (1) all Indonesian leaders, political party members, military personnel, and the general public to respect the outcome of the elections and uphold that outcome pending the selection of the new president by the Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat (MPR) later this year; and (2) the present ruling Golkar Party to work closely with any successor government in assuring a smooth transition. Calls for the convening of the MPR and the selection of the next president as soon as practicable. Urges the present government, and any new government, to continue to work to ensure a stable and secure environment in East Timor by: (1) assisting in disarming and disbanding any militias on the island; (2) granting full access to East Timor to groups such as the United Nations, international humanitarian organizations, human rights monitors, and similar nongovernmental organizations; and (3) upholding its commitment to cooperate fully with the United Nations Assistance Mission for East Timor.

Familienpaket 2000

Austria · Federal Council · 26 July 1999

Mündliche Anfrage des Bundesrates Mag. Harald Himmer an den Bundesminister für Umwelt, Jugend und Familie Dr. Martin Bartenstein <br><br> <br><br>Welche Punkte des Familienpakets 2000 müssen Ihrer Beurteilung nach raschest verwirklicht werden?

Maßnahmen im Bereich Vereinbarkeit von Familie und Beruf

Austria · Federal Council · 26 July 1999

Mündliche Anfrage der Bundesrätin Mag. Melitta Trunk an den Bundesminister für Umwelt, Jugend und Familie Dr. Martin Bartenstein <br><br> <br><br>Welche konkreten politischen Maßnahmen haben Sie im Bereich der Vereinbarkeit von Familie und Beruf getroffen, die Ihre Werbekampagne und die damit verbundenen steuerlichen Ausgaben rechtfertigen?

Taxpayer Refund Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 26 July 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Broad Based Tax Relief Title II: Family Tax Relief Provisions Title III: Retirement Savings Tax Relief Subtitle A: Individual Retirement Arrangements Subtitle B: Expanding Coverage Subtitle C: Enhancing Fairness for Women Subtitle D: Increasing Portability for Participants Subtitle E: Strengthening Pension Security and Enforcement Subtitle F: Encouraging Retirement Education Subtitle G: Reducing Regulatory Burdens Subtitle H: Plan Amendments Title IV: Education Tax Relief Provisions Title V: Health Care Tax Relief Provisions Title VI: Small Business Tax Relief Provisions Title VII: Estate and Gift Tax Relief Provisions Subtitle A: Reductions of Estate, Gift, and Generation-Skipping Transfer Taxes Subtitle B: Conservation Easements Subtitle C: Annual Gift Exchange Subtitle D: Simplification of Generation-Shipping Transfer Tax Title VIII: Tax Exempt Organizations Provisions Title IX: International Tax Relief Title X: Housing and Real Estate Tax Relief Provisions Subtitle A: Low-Income Housing Credit Subtitle B: Historic Homes Subtitle C: Provisions Relating to Real Estate Investment Trusts Subtitle D: Private Activity Bond Volume Cap Subtitle E: Leasehold Improvements Depreciation Title XI: Miscellaneous Provisions Title XII: Extension of Expired and Expiring Provisions Title XIII: Revenue Offsets Subtitle A: General Provisions Subtitle B: Loophole Closers Title XIV: Technical Corrections Title XV: Compliance with Congressional Budget Act Taxpayer Refund Act of 1999 - Title I: Broad Based Tax Relief - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce the lowest individual regular income tax rate from 15 percent to 14 percent. (Sec. 102) Phases-in an increase in the size of the 14-percent rate bracket. Title II: Family Tax Relief Provisions - Permits married taxpayers to calculate separate taxable income for each spouse and to be taxed as two single individuals on the same return. Calculates the tax due is calculated by applying the tax rates for single individuals to the separate taxable incomes. Requires both spouses to elect to either use a standard deduction or to itemize their deductions. (Sec. 202) Increases the starting point of the phase-out of the earned income credit for married couples filing a joint return by $2,000. (Sec. 203) Expands the list of persons eligible to: (1) make qualified foster care payments; and (2) place foster care individuals. (Sec. 204) Increases the maximum dependent care credit percentage from 30 percent to 50 percent for taxpayers with an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $30,000 or less. Phases-down the 50 percent credit rate by one percentage point for each $1,000 of AGI, or fraction thereof, between $30,001 and $59,000. (Sec. 205) Provides for an employer-provided child care credit (of up to $150,000) equal to the sum of: (1) 25 percent of the qualified child care expenditures; and (2) 10 percent of the qualified child care resource and referral expenditures. (Sec. 206) Permits an individual to offset the entire regular tax liability (without regard to the minimum tax) by the personal nonrefundable credit. Repeals the provision reducing the refundable child credit by the alternative minimum tax (AMT). Permits the deduction for personal exemptions in computing AMT. Title III: Retirement Savings Tax Relief - Subtitle A: Individual Retirement Arrangements - Increases the annual contribution limit for traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs in $1,000 annual increments, beginning in 2001, until the limit reaches $5,000 in 2003, and thereafter, the limit is indexed for inflation in $100 increments. Increases the AGI phase-out limits for active participants in an employer-sponsored plan. (Sec. 303) Provides for Individual Development Accounts (IDA). Permits, if an eligible individual establishes an IDA with a qualified financial institution, the qualified financial institution to deposit into a separate, parallel, individual or pooled matching account an eligible matching contribution for the taxable year. Provides a tax credit for certain matching contributions to an IDA. Prohibits matching contributions after December 31, 2005. Permits qualified distributions only if, among other things: (1) the holder of the IDA has completed an economic literacy course offered by a qualified financial institution, a nonprofit organization, or a government entity; and (2) the distribution is used for qualified expenses (qualified higher education expenses, qualified first-time homebuyer costs, qualified business capitalization costs, or qualified rollovers). (Sec. 304) Permits IRAs to invest in any coin certified by a recognized grading service. Subtitle B: Expanding Coverage - Provides for optional treatment of elective deferrals as plus contributions. (Sec. 312) Increases elective deferral contribution limits. (Sec. 313) Eliminates certain current rules concerning plan loans made to an owner-employee. (Sec. 314) Provides that elective deferral contributions are not subject to deduction limits. (Sec. 315) Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974 to provide that, during the first five years of a new single-employer plan of a small employer (100 or fewer employees), the flat rate Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PGBC) premium will be five dollars per plan participant. Provides for a reduced additional PGBC variable premium for new employers. (Sec. 317) Eliminates user fee requirements for requests to the IRS concerning the status of pension plans. (Sec. 318) Amends the IRC to allow an eligible employer to establish and maintain a SAFE annuity (an individual retirement annuity) or a SAFE trust (a trust forming part of a defined benefit plan), both to be funded by the employer. Makes the employer contributions deductible without limitation and otherwise provides for the treatment of contributions and distributions. Mandates a penalty for early withdrawals. Requires simplified employer reports for SAFE annuities and simplified actuarial reports for SAFE trusts. Amends ERISA to exempt SAFE trusts from coverage requirements and SAFE annuities from certain employer reporting requirements. (Sec. 319) Modifies top-heavy rules. Subtitle C: Enhancing Fairness for Women - Provides that individuals who have attained age 50 may make additional catch-up elective contributions to employer-sponsored retirement plans and additional catch-up IRA contributions. (Sec. 322) Sets forth requirements relating to equitable treatment for contributions of employees to defined contribution plans. Requires that certain contributions by church plans are not to be treated as exceeding a specified limit. (Sec. 323) Revises requirements relating to tax treatment of division of section 457 plan benefits upon divorce. (Sec. 324) Directs the Secretary to revise regulations relating to safe harbor relief for hardship withdrawals from cash or deferred arrangements. (Sec. 325) Provides for faster vesting of certain employer matching contributions. Subtitle D: Increasing Portability for Participants - Permits rollovers from and to various types of plans. (Sec. 332) Permits individual retirement plan (IRA) rollovers only if certain conditions are met. (Sec. 333) Permits rollover of after-tax contributions in an exempt trust under specified conditions. (Sec. 334) Sets forth a hardship exception to the 60-day rule. (Sec. 335) Sets forth requirements for treatment of forms of distribution available under transferor and transferee plans. (Sec. 336) Revises restrictions on distributions, including the same desk exception. (Sec. 337) Authorizes trustee-to-trustee transfers to purchase permissive service credit with respect to governmental defined benefit plans. (Sec. 338) Allows employers to disregard rollovers for purposes of cash-out amounts, under retirement plan provisions. (Sec. 339) Revises year of inclusion in gross income requirements for section 457 plans. Subtitle E: Strengthening Pension Security and Enforcement - Amends the IRC and ERISA to phase-in increases in the percentage of the current liability funding limit. Repeals such limit beginning January 1, 2004. (Sec. 342) Amends ERISA to direct the PBGC to prescribe rules relating to missing participants for multiemployer plans covered by the PBGC that terminate. (Sec. 343) Amends the IRC to allow an employer, in determining the amount of nondeductible contributions for any taxable year, to elect not to take into account any contributions to a defined benefit plan except to the extent that they exceed the full-funding limitation. (Sec. 344) Imposes an excise tax on a plan failing to provide required notice of a significant reduction in the rate of future benefit accrual. (Sec. 345) Amends the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 to protect investment of employee contributions to 401(k) plans by providing that specified requirements apply to elective deferrals for plan years beginning after December 31, 1998. (Sec. 346) Makes certain compensation limitations for defined benefit plans inapplicable to governmental and multiemployer plans. Prohibits combining or aggregating a multiemployer plan with any other plan maintained by the employer for the purpose of applying such limitations. Subtitle F: Encouraging Retirement Education - Requires that pension benefit statements be furnished annually (once every three years for defined benefit plans) or on request. Allows written or electronic statements. Requires multiemployer plans to furnish a statement (written or electronic) on request. (Sec. 352) Excludes qualified retirement planning services from gross income (as a fringe benefit). Subtitle G: Reducing Regulatory Burdens - Directs the Secretary, by regulation, to provide that plan satisfies the nondiscrimination requirements concerning highly employees if it meets pre-1994 requirements and certain other conditions are met. (Sec. 362) Amends the IRC and ERISA to revise requirements relating to timing of plan valuations. (Sec. 363) Amends ERISA rules for substantial owners relating to plan terminations to revise: (1) the phase-in of the guarantee; and (2) the allocation of assets. (Sec. 364) Amends IRC requirements for applicable dividends to allow dividends of employee stock ownership plans to be reinvested without loss of dividend deduction. (Sec. 365) Revises the notice and consent period regarding distributions. Directs the Secretary tomodify certain regulations to provide that the description of a participant's right, if any, to defer receipt of a distribution shall also describe the consequences of failing to defer such receipt. (Sec. 367) Repeals a transition rule relating to certain highly compensated employees under the Tax Reform Act of 1986. (Sec. 368) Directs the Secretary to modify certain regulations with respect to certain plan participation by employees of tax-exempt entities under the IRC. (Sec. 369) Revises ERISA requirements for annual report dissemination. (Sec. 370) Revises rules concerning the exclusion for employer provided transit passes. Subtitle H: Plan Amendments - Prescribes requirements for plan amendments or annuity contract amendments under the IRC. Title IV: Education Tax Relief Amendments - Eliminates the 60-month limit on student loan interest deductions and increases the income limitation on student loan deductions. (Sec. 402) Permits private educational institutions to maintain qualified tuition programs which are comparable to qualified State tuition programs. Excludes qualified distributions from such accounts from gross income. (Sec. 403) Excludes from gross income certain amounts received under the National Health Corps Scholarship Program or the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship and Financial Assistance Program. (Sec. 404) Permanently extends the exclusion from gross income of employer-provided educational assistance and restores the exclusion for such assistance on the graduate level. (Sec. 405) Increases the amount by which certain governmental bonds used to finance public school capital expenditures may be exempted from specified arbitrage bond provisions. (Sec. 406) Provides for the treatment of qualified public educational facility bonds as exempt facility bonds. Defines a "qualified public educational facility" as any school facility which is: (1) part of a public elementary school or a public secondary school; and (2) owned by a private, for-profit corporation pursuant to a public-private partnership agreement with a State or local educational agency. Provides for an exception from the State volume cap. (Sec. 407) Permits aggregate Federal guarantees of up to $500 million in school construction bonds by the Federal Housing Finance Board. Title V: Health Care Tax Relief Provisions - Phases-in a 100 percent deduction (for both itemizers and nonitemizers) for the health and long-term care insurance costs of individuals not participating in employer-subsidized health plans. (Sec. 502) Permits offering long-term care insurance under cafeteria plans and flexible spending arrangements. (Sec. 503) Permits a taxpayer an additional exemption for certain elderly family members who need long-term care and who reside with the taxpayer. (Sec. 504) Adds to the list of taxable vaccines any conjugate vaccine of streptococcus pneumoniae. Reduces the per dose vaccine tax rate. Requires a report on the adequacy of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund to meet claims. Title VI: Small Business Tax Relief Provisions - Provides for the deduction of 100 percent of the health insurance costs of self-employed individuals. (Sec. 602) Increases to $30,000 the amount which may be expensed as section 179 property. (Sec. 603) Makes the 6.2 percent Federal Unemployment Tax Act rate effective through calendar year 2004 (currently, 2007) and the 6.0 percent rate effective through calendar year 2005 (currently, 2008). (Sec. 604) Coordinates, for farmers, income averaging with the alternative minimum tax. (Sec. 605) Permits an individual engaged in an eligible farming business a limited deduction for amounts paid into a Farm and Risk Management Account. Defines such an account. Title VII: Estate and Gift Tax Relief Tax Provisions - Subtitle A: Reductions of Estate, Gift, and Generation-Skipping Transfer Taxes - Reduces the maximum estate tax rate from 55 to 50 percent. Repeals the phaseout of graduated rates. (Sec. 702) Replaces the unified credit with a unified exemption amount. Subtitle B: Conservation Easements - Doubles the distance within which qualified conservation easements must be located from a metropolitan area, national park, or wilderness area. Subtitle C: Annual Gift Exclusion - Phases-in a doubling of the annual gift exclusion. Subtitle D: Simplification of Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax - Permits the retroactive allocation of the generation-skipping transfer tax (GST) in certain cases. (Sec. 732) Permits the severance of a trust if there is a "qualified severance." (Sec. 733) Modifies certain valuation rules. (Sec. 734) Requires regulations prescribing the circumstances and procedures under which extensions of time will be granted in the case of a GST exemption or exception. Title VIII: Tax Exempt Organizations Provisions - Exempts an organization from income tax if it is created by a State to provide property and casualty insurance coverage for property for which such coverage is otherwise unavailable. (Sec. 802) Modifies rules relating to unrelated business taxable income for amounts received from controlled entities. (Sec. 803) Repeals the separate grass roots lobbying expenditure limit. (Sec. 804) Exempts from inclusion as income individual retirement account (IRA) distributions used for qualified charitable purposes. Sets forth related rules for charitable remainder trusts, pooled income funds, and charitable gift annuities. (Sec. 805) Excludes from an individual's gross income amounts received as reimbursement regarding the use of a passenger automobile for the benefit of a charitable organization. Relieves the organization of certain reporting requirements regarding the reimbursements. (Sec. 806) Treats certain expenses incurred by whaling captains while carrying out sanctioned activities for Native Alaskan subsistence whaling as a charitable contribution deduction. (Sec. 807) Permits charitable contributions to be made to qualified low-income schools after the end of a tax year, if such contributions are made before the required filing time. (Sec. 808) Permits non-itemizers to deduct a portion of their charitable contributions. (Sec. 809) Phases-in increases in the percentage limitations applicable to charitable contributions. (Sec. 810) Sets forth a limited exception to the excess business holdings rule. Title IX: International Tax Relief - Permits treating each electing worldwide affiliated group as an affiliated group for purposes allocating and apportioning interest expense for each domestic corporation which is a member of the group. (Sec. 902) Revises provisions concerning the of application of look-thru rules to dividends from noncontrolled section 902 corporations to provide, in general, that any dividend from a noncontrolled section 902 corporation with respect to the taxpayer shall be treated as income in a separate category in proportion to the ratio of: (1) the portion of earnings and profits attributable to income in such category; to (2) the total amount of earnings and profits. (Sec. 903) Excludes from the definition of "foreign base company oil related income" the pipeline transportation of oil or gas within such foreign country. (Sec. 904) Excludes from the definition of "foreign base company services income" income derived in connection with the performance of services which are related to the transmission of high voltage electricity. (Sec. 905) Provides for the treatment of advance pricing agreements as confidential taxpayer information. (Sec. 906) Exempts certain air transportation rights sold to foreign individuals from the 7.5 percent excise tax. (Sec. 907) Repeals the 90 percent limitation on the utilization of the alternative minimum tax foreign tax credit. (Sec. 908) Repeals the special foreign corporation sales rule for military property. Title X: Housing and Real Estate Tax Relief Provisions - Subtitle A: Low-Income Housing Credit - Modifies the low-income housing credit. Subtitle B: Historic Homes - Establishes a credit equal to 20 percent of the qualified rehabilitation expenditures made by a taxpayer with respect to a qualified historic home. Subtitle C: Provisions Relating to Real Estate Investment Trusts - Part I: Treatment of Income and Services Provided By Taxable REIT Subsidiaries - Excludes taxable REIT subsidiaries (TRSs) from the five and ten percent asset tests. (Sec. 1022) Allows TRSs to provide non-customary tenant services. (Sec. 1023) Allows a REIT to establish a TRS (as defined). (Sec. 1024) Includes in the definition of "disqualified interest" (Sec. 163 of the IRC) any interest paid or accrued by a TRS to the REIT. (Sec. 1025) Imposes a 100 percent tax on any interest payments by a TRS to the REIT in excess of the commercially reasonable interest rate. Part II: Health Care REITs - Includes within the definition of the term "foreclosure property" any qualified health care property acquired by a REIT as the result of the termination of a lease of such property. Part III: Conformity With Regulated Investment Company Rules - Changes the distribution requirement from 95 percent to 90 percent. Part IV: Clarification of Exception From Impermissible Tenant Service Income - Provides, with respect to the definition of an independent contractor, that in the event that any class of stock of is regularly traded on an established securities market, only owners who own, directly or indirectly, more than five percent of such class of stock shall be taken into account as owning any of the stock of such class for purposes of applying the 35 percent limitation. Part V: Modification of Earnings and Profits Rules - Provides rules for determining whether a Regulated Investment Company (RIC) has earnings and profits form a non-RIC year. Part VI: Study Relating to Taxable REIT Subsidiaries - Directs the: (1) Commissioner of the Internal Revenue shall conduct a study to determine how many taxable REIT subsidiaries are in existence and the aggregate amount of taxes paid by such subsidiaries; and (2) the Secretary of the Treasury to submit a report to the Congress describing the results of such study. Subtitle D: Private Activity Bond Volume Cap - Accelerates the increase in the volume cap on State private activity bonds. Subtitle E: Leasehold Improvements Depreciation - Includes qualified leasehold improvement property as 15 year property for purposes of the accelerated cost recovery depreciation rules. Defines "qualified leasehold improvement property" as certain improvements to an interior portion of a building which is nonresidential property. Title XI: Miscellaneous Provisions - Repeals the: (1) LUST taxes on fuel used in trains; and (2) 4.3-cents-per-gallon General Fund excise tax on diesel fuel used by railroads and on fuels used by barges operating on designated inland waterways. (Sec. 1102) Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to the tax treatment of Settlement Trusts established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Exempts from income taxation any such Settlement Trust electing coverage by this Act. Declares that for an electing trust: (1) no amount shall be includible in the gross income of a Settlement Trust beneficiary by reason of a contribution to the Settlement Trust during such taxable year; and (2) the ordinary requirements for taxation of trusts and beneficiaries shall not apply. Requires an electing trust to distribute at least 55 percent of its adjusted taxable income each taxable year. Imposes a tax on a trust, in the amount of the failure, if the distribution is insufficient. Includes in the beneficiary's gross income, as ordinary income, any distribution from an electing trust (only when the actual distribution is received). Provides that distributions from the trust will be taxable as ordinary income even if the distribution represents a return of capital. Requires tax withholding on trust distributions over a certain amount. (Sec. 1103) Permits businesses to recover, as specified, long-term unused credits against the alternative minimum tax. (Sec. 1104) Permits a five-year net operating loss carryback for losses attributable to operating mineral interests of independent oil and gas producers. (Secs. 1105 and 1106) Allows both geological and geophysical expenditures on domestic oil and gas exploration and development and delay rental payments, at the taxpayer's election, to be deducted from gross income at the time incurred. (Sec. 1107) Provides that, for specified purposes of the active business definition, all members of a corporation's separate affiliated group shall be treated as one corporation. (Sec. 1108) Increases the maximum dollar limitation on reforestation expenses eligible for amortization and suspends such dollar limitation through calendar year 2003. (Sec. 1109) Revises the excise tax on arrow components. (Sec. 1110) Doubles the Joint Committee on Taxation reporting threshold for refunds and credits. (Sec. 1111) Modifies the definition of a rural airport for purposes of the air passenger tax. (Sec. 1112) Provides that the patronage dividends of cooperatives shall not be reduced by stock dividends to the extent the stock dividends are in addition to amounts otherwise payable. (Sec. 1113) Repeals certain provisions concerning the filing of consolidated returns by insurance companies. (Sec. 1114) Modifies, for lending or finance companies, the exemption from the personal holding company tax. (Sec. 1115) Expands the credit for modifications to inter-city buses to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. (Sec. 1116) Accelerates the 80 percent deduction for business meal expenses for individuals subject to Federal hours of service limitations. (Sec. 1117) Provides for the treatment of a qualified highway infrastructure project bond as an exempt private activity bond. (Sec. 1118) Extends the District of Columbia (DC) homebuyer credit by one year and increases the phase-out range. (Sec. 1119) Eliminates the ten percent poverty rate limitation for purposes of the zero-percent capital gains rate for DC zone assets. (Sec. 1120) Classifies any natural gas gathering line as seven-year property for purposes of depreciation. Defines natural gas gathering line. (Sec. 1121) Exempts small seaplanes from the air passenger excise taxes. Title XII: Extension of Expired and Expiring Provisions - Extends the: (1) research credit (permanently); (2) subpart F (Controlled Foreign Corporations) exemption for active income financing (for five years); (3) taxable income limit on percentage depletion for marginal oil and gas wells (for five years); (4) work opportunity credit and the welfare-to-work credit (for five years); (5) credit for electricity produced by wind and closed-loop biomass (for five years) and extends a credit to facilities using poultry waste; and (6) expiration date for the expensing of certain environmental remediation costs until June 30, 2004. Maintains the exemption of Alaska from dyeing requirements for diesel fuel and kerosene exempt from the gasoline tax. Repeals the exemption from such dyeing requirements for other States exempted by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from such requirements under the Clean Air Act. Title XIII: Revenue Offsets - Subtitle A: General Provisions - Modifies the foreign tax credit carryback and carryover periods. (Sec. 1302) Amends provisions involving returns relating to the cancellation of indebtedness by certain entities to include within the definition of "applicable financial entity" any organization a significant trade or business of which is the lending of money. (Sec. 1303) Increases the withholding rate for nonperiodic distributions from 10 to 15 percent. (Sec. 1304) Directs the Secretary to establish a program requiring the payment of user fees for requests to the IRS for ruling letters, opinion letters, determination letters, and other similar requests. Terminates fees October 1, 2009. (Sec. 1305) Prohibits transfers of excess pension assets to retiree health account made after September 30, 2009, (currently, after December 31, 2000) from being treated as qualified transfers. (Sec. 1306) Excludes from the definition of "capital asset" (under rules for determining capital gains and losses) any commodities derivative financial instrument held by a commodities dealer, if such instrument clearly has no connection to the activities of the dealer as a dealer. Subtitle B: Loophole Closers - Limits the use of the non-accrual experience method of accounting under provisions relating to special rules for services. (Sec. 1312) Modifies rules relating to the exemption of certain ten or more employer plans from welfare benefit fund provisions. (Sec. 1313) Prohibits, in general, the use of the installment method of accounting for accrual method dispositions. (Sec. 1314) Treats a gain as an ordinary gain to the extent such gain exceeds the net underlying long-term capital gain where the taxpayer has gain from a constructive ownership transaction with respect to any financial position and such gain otherwise would be treated as a long-term capital gain. Provides that, to the extent such gain is treated as a long-term capital gain after the application of the previous sentence, the determination of the applicable capital gain rate (or rates) shall be determined on the basis of the respective rate (or rates) that would have been applicable to the net underlying long-term capital gain. Sets forth definitions and exceptions. (Sec. 1315) Amends the IRC to disallow a deduction for the transfer of a charitable contribution to or for the use of a State or charitable tax-exempt organization or trust if in connection with such transfer: (1) the organization directly or indirectly pays, or has previously paid, any premium on any personal benefit contract (life insurance, annuity, or endowment contract, also known as charitable split-dollar life insurance) with respect to the transferor; or (2) there is an understanding (side agreement) that any person will directly or indirectly pay any premium on such contract with respect to such transferor. Imposes on such organization an excise tax equal to the premiums paid by it on the personal benefit contract. Provides that certain persons shall not be treated as indirect beneficiaries: (1) in certain cases in which a charitable organization purchases an annuity contract to fund an obligation to pay a charitable gift annuity; or (2) solely by reason of being a noncharitable recipient of an annuity or unitrust amount paid by a charitable remainder trust that holds a life insurance, annuity or endowment contract. (Sec. 1316) Prohibits from taking into account any dividend received from a closely held real estate investment trust by any person owning 10 percent or more of the stock or beneficial interests in the trust in computing annualized income installments in a manner similar to the manner under which partnership income inclusions are taken into account. (Sec. 1317) Requires any employee stock ownership plan holding employer securities consisting of stock in an S corporation to provide that no portion of the assets of the plan attributable to (or allocable in lieu of) such employer securities may, during a nonallocation year, accrue (or be allocated directly or indirectly under any qualified plan of the employer) for the benefit of any disqualified individual. (Sec. 1318) Revises the anti-abuse rules related to assumption of liability. (Sec. 1319) Provides that, as a general rule, a transfer of an interest in intangible property shall be treated (under provisions concerning the transfer of property to a corporation controlled by the transferor) as a transfer of property even if the transfer is of less than all of the substantial rights of the transferor in the property. (Sec. 1320) Makes a controlled entity ineligible to be a REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust). Defines "controlled entity." (Sec. 1321) Sets forth rules concerning distributions to a corporate partner of stock in another corporation. Title XIV: Technical Corrections - Sets forth amendments concerning, among other things: (1) the Tax and Trade Relief Extension Act of 1998; (2) the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998; (3) the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997; (4) the treatment of worthless securities of affiliated corporations; (5) the IRA contribution amount of the lesser earning spouse; (6) modified endowment contracts; (7) lump-sum distributions; and (8) tentative carryback adjustments of losses from section 1256 contracts. Title XV: Compliance With Congressional Budget Act - States that: (1) all provisions of, and amendments made by, this Act which are in effect on September 30, 2009, shall cease to apply as of the close of September 30, 2009; (2) all provisions of, and amendments made by, this Act which were terminated under clause (1) shall begin to apply again as of October 1, 2009, as provided in each such provision or amendment.

Convention for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic: Ann. V, OSPAR 98/2,98/3,98/4, 98/5

European Union · European Parliament · 23 July 1999

Convention for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic: Ann. V, OSPAR 98/2,98/3,98/4, 98/5

European Union · European Parliament · 23 July 1999

Convention for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic: Ann. V, OSPAR 98/2,98/3,98/4, 98/5

European Union · European Parliament · 23 July 1999

Convention for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic: Ann. V, OSPAR 98/2,98/3,98/4, 98/5

European Union · European Parliament · 23 July 1999

Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2000

United States · United States Congress · 23 July 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Department of Defense Civil Title II: Department of the Interior Title III: Department of Energy Title IV: Independent Agencies Title V: General Provisions Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2000- Title I: Department of Defense - Civil - Makes appropriations to the Department of the Army and its Corps of Engineers for FY 2000 for: (1) authorized civil functions of the Department of the Army relating to rivers and harbors, flood control, beach erosion, and related purposes; (2) expenses necessary for the collection and study of information related to such purposes; (3) the prosecution of authorized water development and related projects; (4) certain flood control projects on the Mississippi River and its tributaries; (5) water development projects operation and maintenance; (6) the navigable waters and wet lands regulatory program; (7) formerly utilized sites remedial action program; and (8) general expenses. Title II: Department of the Interior - Makes FY 2000 appropriations to the Department of the Interior for: (1) the Central Utah Project; (2) the Bureau of Reclamation, water and related resources; (3) Bureau of Reclamation Loan Program Account; (4) Central Valley Project Restoration Fund; (5) California Bay-Delta Restoration; and (6) general administrative expenses. Title III: Department of Energy - Makes appropriations to the Department of Energy (DOE) for FY 2000 for: (1) energy supply; (2) non-defense environmental management; (3) the Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning Fund; (4) general DOE science and research activities; (5) nuclear waste disposal; (6) DOE administration; (7) Office of the Inspector General; (8) atomic energy defense weapons activities; (9) defense environmental restoration and waste management; (10) defense facilities closure projects; (11) defense environmental management privatization; (12) other DOE defense activities; (13) defense nuclear waste disposal; (14) the various geographical power marketing administrations of DOE (including specified costs for the hydroelectric facilities at the Falcon and Amistad Dams under the Western Area Power Administration); and (15) the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. (Sec. 301) Prohibits funds under this Act from being used to: (1) award either a management and operating contract without competitive procedures, or a contract that deviates from the Federal Acquisition Regulation, unless the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) grants a waiver on a case-by-case basis; (2) develop or implement a workforce restructuring plan for DOE employees, or to provide them with enhanced severance payments or other benefits; (3) augment specified funds made available for severance payments and other benefits and community assistance grants under specified law; (4) prepare or initiate Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for a program that has not been funded by the Congress; (5) advance Laboratory Directed Research and Development, or Director's Discretionary Research and Development; (6) cover expenditures under a covered contract unless funds are expended in accordance with a Laboratory Funding Plan approved by the Secretary; (7) to establish or maintain independent centers at a DOE facility unless such funds have been specifically identified in the budget submission; (8) waive overhead or added factor charges for work performed for other Federal agencies or other DOE programs; (9) restart the High Flux Beam Reactor; (10) construct, expand, or upgrade fiber optic telecommunication endeavors by the Federal power marketing administrations (except fiber optic cable necessary for foreseeable future internal management programs); or (11) engage in designated construction-related activities by the Federal power marketing administrations. (Sec. 314) Repeals Federal prohibitions against the use of Federal funds: (1) by Federal public power authorities or other Federal entities (except as specifically authorized by Congress) for studies relating to the possibility of changing from "at cost" to a noncost-based method of pricing hydroelectric power; or (2) by the Executive branch (until specifically authorized by Congress) for soliciting or drafting proposals or preparing or reviewing studies designed to transfer out of Federal ownership, management or control the facilities and functions of the Federal power marketing administrations and the Tennessee Valley Authority. Title IV: Independent Agencies - Makes appropriations for FY 2000 for: (1) the Appalachian Regional Commission; (2) the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board; (3) the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); (4) the NRC Office of the Inspector General; and (5) the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board. Rescinds previous appropriations earmarked for the Denali Commission. Title V: General Provisions - Declares the sense of the Congress that all equipment and products bought with funds under this Act should be American-made. Requires each Federal agency to give notice of this policy to any entity to which it provides financial assistance or contracts. Bars the award of contracts funded under this Act to any person determined by a court or Federal agency to have falsely labeled products as made in America. (Sec. 503) Prohibits the use of any funds made available by this Act to determine the final point of discharge for the interceptor drain for the San Luis Unit until the Secretary of the Interior and the State of California develop a plan which conforms to California water quality standards approved by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and which minimizes any detrimental effect of the San Luis drainage waters. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to classify the costs of the Kesterson Reservoir Cleanup and the San Joaquin Valley Drainage Programs as reimbursable or nonreimbursable and collected until fully repaid pursuant to the "Cleanup Program--Alternative Repayment Plan" and the "SJVDP--Alternative Repayment Plan" described in a specified report. Makes San Luis Unit beneficiaries of drainage service or drainage studies responsible to reimburse the United States fully for any future obligations of Federal funds relating to, or providing for, such service or studies for the San Luis Unit. (Sec. 504) Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to extend from September 30, 1998, through September 30, 2000, the NRC's authority to assess annual charges. (Sec. 505) Amends: (1) the Act Making Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1999, to repeal Title III (Denali Commission Act of 1998) and Title VI (Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, and State of South Dakota Terrestrial Wildlife Habitat Restoration) of division C; and (2) the 1999 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, to repeal specified administrative provisions pertaining to the Denali Commission (including a limitation on administrative expenditures and contractual powers). (Sec. 508) Prohibits the use of appropriations under this Act for regulations designed to implement a certain Kyoto Protocol which has not been submitted to the Senate for advice and consent to ratification.

Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1999

Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act of 1999 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to set forth both civil and criminal penalties for the manufacture, distribution, exportation, or importation of certain quantities of amphetamine. (Sec. 4) Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to amend the Federal sentencing guidelines with respect to any offense relating to the manufacture, importation, exportation, or trafficking in amphetamine or methamphetamine (including an attempt or conspiracy to do any of the foregoing) in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act (CSIEA), or the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act (MDLEA) to increase the base offense level for such offense to the same base offense level for an identical amount of methamphetamine, or, if the offense created a substantial risk of danger to the health and safety of a minor or incompetent, increase the base offense level for the offense by not less than six offense levels above that established for it in this section. Directs the Commission to promulgate amendments pursuant to this Act in accordance with the procedure set forth in the Sentencing Act of 1987, as though the authority of that Act had not expired. (Sec. 5) Amends the CSA to prohibit advertisements for the sale of drug paraphernalia and of schedule I controlled substances. (Sec. 6) Redefines "continuing criminal enterprise" to declare that a person is engaged in a continuing criminal enterprise if he or she violates any U.S. narcotics law the punishment for which is a felony and such violation is a part of a continuing series of three or more acts made punishable by such laws and certain other conditions exist. (Sec. 7) Provides for mandatory restitution for CSA and CSIEA violations. Expands provisions regarding restitution for cleanup of clandestine laboratory sites to cover offenses involving, and reimbursement for costs incurred for the cleanup associated with, the manufacture of amphetamine (currently, limited to methamphetamine), and to include reimbursement to States and local governments, as well as to the United States. Amends the Federal judicial code to provide for the deposit of sums from a reimbursement order into the Department of Justice (DOJ) Assets Forfeiture Fund. (Sec. 8) Amends the CSA to subject a person to both civil and criminal penalties for manufacturing or transporting a controlled substance so as to create a substantial risk of harm to the environment (currently, just to human life). Increases the criminal penalty for establishment of manufacturing operations with respect to controlled substances (including amphetamine and methamphetamine). (Sec. 9) Amends the Federal criminal code to: (1) prohibit and set penalties for teaching or demonstrating the manufacture of a controlled substance, or distributing information pertaining to such manufacture or use, with intent that it be used for or to further activity that constitutes a Federal crime, or knowing that the recipient intends to use it for or to further such activity; and (2) allow the delay of issuance of a warrant to search and seize property that constitutes evidence of a Federal criminal offense pursuant to the standards, terms, and conditions set forth in the code, unless otherwise expressly provided by statute. (Sec. 11) Directs the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to carry out specified programs (advanced mobile clandestine laboratory training teams, basic clandestine laboratory certification training, and clandestine laboratory recertification and awareness training) with respect to the law enforcement personnel of States and localities determined by the Administrator to have significant levels of methamphetamine- or amphetamine-related crime or projected by the Administrator to have potential for such levels of crime in the future. Limits the duration of any such program to three years. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 12) Requires the Director of National Drug Control Policy to use amounts available under this section to combat the trafficking of methamphetamine and amphetamine in areas designated by the Director as high intensity drug trafficking areas. Requires the Director to provide funds for: (1) employing additional Federal law enforcement personnel, or facilitating the employment of additional State and local law enforcement personnel; and (2) such other activities that the Director considers appropriate. Authorizes appropriations. Requires the Director to apportion amounts appropriated for a fiscal year pursuant to such authorization of appropriations for activities under this section among and within areas designated as high intensity drug trafficking areas based on: (1) the number of methamphetamine and amphetamine manufacturing facilities discovered by law enforcement officials in the previous fiscal year; (2) the number of methamphetamine and amphetamine prosecutions in the previous fiscal year; (3) the number of methamphetamine and amphetamine arrests in the previous fiscal year; (4) the amounts of methamphetamine, amphetamine, or listed chemicals seized in the previous fiscal year; and (5) intelligence and predictive data from the DEA and the Department of Health and Human Services showing patterns and trends in abuse, trafficking, and transportation in methamphetamine, amphetamine, and listed chemicals. Requires the Director, before apportioning any funds under this section to high intensity drug trafficking area, to certify that the law enforcement entities responsible for clandestine methamphetamine and amphetamine laboratory seizures in that area are providing laboratory seizure data to the national clandestine laboratory database at El Paso Intelligence Center. Sets limits on administrative costs. (Sec. 13) Authorizes the DEA to: (1) assist State and local law enforcement in small and mid-sized communities in all phases of investigations related to such manufacturing and trafficking; (2) staff additional regional enforcement and mobile enforcement teams related to such manufacturing and trafficking; (3) establish additional resident offices and posts of duty to assist State and local law enforcement in rural areas in combating such manufacturing and trafficking; and (4) provide the Special Operations Division of the DEA with additional agents and staff to collect, evaluate, interpret, and disseminate critical intelligence targeting the command and control operations of major amphetamine and methamphetamine manufacturing and trafficking organizations. Authorizes the Administrator to establish in the DEA not more than 50 full-time positions, including not more than 31 special agent positions, and to appoint personnel to such positions. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 14) Amends the Federal judicial code to make sums in the DOJ Assets Forfeiture Fund available for payment for costs incurred by or on behalf of: (1) DEA in connection with the removal of any hazardous substance or pollutant or contaminant associated with the illegal manufacture of amphetamine or methamphetamine; and (2) a State or local government in connection with such removal in any case in which such State or local government has assisted in a Federal prosecution relating to amphetamine or methamphetamine, to the extent such costs exceed equitable sharing payments made to such State or local government. Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to make funds under the drug control and system improvement (Byrne) grant program available to remove any hazardous substance or pollutant or contaminant associated with the illegal manufacture of amphetamine and methamphetamine. Requires that any sums made available from the DOJ Assets Forfeiture Fund for purposes of this section in a fiscal year supplement and not supplant any other amounts made available to DEA from other sources. (Sec. 15) Requires the head of each Federal department, agency, and establishment to place anti-drug messages on appropriate Internet websites controlled by such department, agency, or establishment, where appropriate with an electronic hyperlink to the Internet website, if any, of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. (Sec. 16) Revises CSA mail order provisions to: (1) require that each regulated person who engages in an export transaction (currently, limited to each regulated person who engages in a transaction with a non-regulated person) report monthly on each such transaction to the Attorney General; and (2) make specified exemptions from such reporting requirement, such as for certain distributions of sample packages of drug products and distributions of drug products pursuant to a valid prescription. Authorizes the Attorney General to revoke any such exemptions if drug products distributed by the regulated person are being used in violation of CSA requirements, subject to specified provisions concerning notification and the right to an expedited hearing.

Cigars are Not a Safe Smoking Alternative Act

United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1999

Cigars Are Not a Safe Smoking Alternative Act - Prohibits any person from selling or distributing a cigar to any individual under 18. Requires that cigar retailers: (1) ensure that all cigars are located in areas where customers do not have direct access; and (2) sell cigars only in face-to-face exchanges. Directs the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to impose restrictions on the sale, advertising, distribution, and marketing of cigars directed at youth as appropriate to limit sale to individuals 18 or over. Prohibits advertising cigars on any form of electronic communication. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Chairman of the FTC to encourage cigar manufacturers to end the practice of paying for, or participating in, the placement of cigars in movies and on television where a substantial segment of the audience is under 18. Mandates health warnings on the labels of cigars, cigar packaging, and advertising and marketing materials and messages. Requires a study and report to Congress and the President on: (1) the health effects of occasional cigar smoking, nicotine dependence demonstrated by cigar smokers, biological uptake of toxic and carcinogenic constituents of cigars, and environmental cigar smoke exposure; and (2) the yields of tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide, and any other additive designated by the Secretary. Requires cigar manufacturers to report to the Secretary on those yields. Requires a study and report to Congress and the President by the Chairman of the FTC on current cigar sales, advertising, and marketing practices. Directs the Secretary to monitor trends in youth access to and use of cigars and, if cigars are inappropriately accessible to, or becoming an attractive alternative to smoking cigarettes for, children and adolescents, to notify Congress and make recommendations.

Coastal Stewardship Act

United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1999

Coastal Stewardship Act - Title I: Ocean and Coast Conservation Fund - Establishes in the U.S. Treasury the Ocean and Coast Conservation Fund and directs the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer to it annually amounts received by the United States as rents, royalties, net profit share payments, and related late-payment interest from natural gas and oil leases under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) for tracts meeting specified requirements. Directs the Secretary, notwithstanding specified provisions of OCSLA and without further appropriations, to make payments from the Fund each year as specified in certain provisions of this Act. (Sec. 102) Prohibits, notwithstanding any other provision of law, counting the receipts and disbursements under this Act as new budget authority, outlays, receipts, or deficit or surplus for purposes of the President's budget, the congressional budget, or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. Makes the receipts and disbursements exempt from any general budget limitation on expenditures and net U.S. lending (budget outlays). Title II: Cooperative Coastal Stewardship - Subtitle A: Coastal Zone Management - Coastal Zone Management Amendments Act of 1999 - Amends the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to revise the purposes of the Act and various definitions. (Sec. 206) Extends provisions authorizing management program development grants. (Sec. 207) Allows grants to States for administering the State's coastal zone management program to be used for developing and implementing a coastal nonpoint pollution control program components (sic). (Sec. 208) Allows resource management improvement grants to be used (among other authorized uses) for: (1) important coastal habitats meeting certain criteria; (2) assistance to communities in assessing and managing growth, public infrastructure, and open space needs toward specified goals; and (3) the coordination and implementation of approved coastal nonpoint pollution control programs. Replaces provisions authorizing grants to any coastal State with provisions: (1) regulating the ratio of Federal to State matching funds for projects under coastal resource improvement program provisions; and (2) requiring that the Federal funding for the project be a portion of that State's annual allocation under administrative grants provisions. (Sec. 209) Modifies provisions relating to the Coastal Zone Management Fund. (Sec. 210) Alters the definition of "coastal zone enhancement objective" for provisions relating to coastal zone enhancement grants. Removes a requirement that, in making those grants, the Secretary consider specified criteria. Removes the maximum limit on the set-aside, for those grants, of amounts appropriated under provisions relating to administrative grants and to coastal resource improvement programs. (Sec. 211) Replaces provisions mandating technical assistance and management-oriented research with provisions authorizing cooperative agreements with State coastal management programs: (1) for local, community-based initiatives; and (2) to strengthen resource protection and restoration while providing for community revitalization and comprehensive growth management strategies. (Sec 212) Directs the Secretary to undertake a program of shared technical assistance, development and implementation of innovative environmental technologies and methodologies, and training and management-oriented research that supports specified activities. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into related contracts or other arrangements. (Sec. 213) Requires inclusion in a currently-mandated review of State performance (regarding coastal management) of an assessment and detailed findings regarding the extent to which the State has coordinated with estuarine research reserves in the State. (Sec. 214) Allows (currently, requires) the conducting of the "Walter B. Jones Awards" program to promote excellence in coastal zone management by identifying and acknowledging outstanding accomplishments in the field. Modifies the source of the funds involved. (Sec. 215) Sets forth the nature of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. Authorizes the Secretary to designate a reserve if (among other criteria) the Secretary finds that designation will provide opportunities for education, interpretation, training, and demonstration projects (currently, for public education and interpretation). Revises the matters required to be included in the Secretary's guidelines for System research, education and resource stewardship (currently, for System research). Includes in the actions the Secretary must take to promote and coordinate System use for research establishing partnerships with other Federal and State estuary management programs to coordinate and collaborate on estuarine research. Authorizes grants for educational, interpretive, or training activities as well as for research and monitoring. Removes the dollar limit on the assistance provided for acquisition of lands and waters for any one reserve and allows certain nonfederal costs to be used to match the Federal share. Modifies other limits on the grants. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) enter into cooperative agreements, financial agreements, grants, contracts, or other agreements authorizing a nonprofit organization to solicit donations to carry out System purposes and policies; and (2) accept donations of funds and services to carry out System purposes and policies. (Sec. 216) Modifies various reporting requirements. (Sec. 217) Authorizes appropriations, subject to limitation, to carry out specified provisions of the Act. Requires that any amounts in grants to States not obligated by the State recipient within a specified period revert to the Secretary and then be available for grants under the Act. Declares that Federal funds allocated under the Act may be used by grantees to purchase Federal products and services not otherwise available. Subtitle B: Coastal Habitat Restoration and Preservation - Requires a coastal State, in order to receive funds under this subtitle, to develop projects that will restore and protect ocean and coastal habitat. Prohibits a State from receiving funds under this subtitle for an activity that includes: (1) mitigation for the adverse effects of an activity governed by Federal or State law; (2) satisfaction of environmental liability; or (3) the acquisition of land or land rights from an unwilling seller. (Sec. 255) Provides for the review, revision, and approval of State project plans. (Sec. 256) Sets forth a formula for the allocation of amounts under this subtitle from the Ocean and Coast Conservation Fund established in this Act. Requires that any Fund amount available for allocation but not paid or obligated because that State does not have an approved plan (or because the amount allocated exceeded the amount obligated or expended under its plan) be retained by the Fund and disposed of according to the law otherwise applicable to revenues from leases on the Outer Continental Shelf. (Sec. 257) Directs the Secretary to maintain a database of information on coastal habitat restoration and preservation projects funded under this subtitle and to submit a report annually to specified congressional committees. (Sec. 259) Authorizes the Secretary, in carrying out this subtitle, to enter into cooperative, financial, grant, contractual, or other agreements. (Sec. 260) Authorizes appropriations: (1) to carry out this subtitle, of any Fund amounts not authorized to be appropriated under the other titles of this Act; and (2) to administer the activities in this subtitle. Title III: Cooperative Ocean Stewardship - Subtitle A: National Marine Sanctuaries - National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act of 1999 - Amends the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to modify the Act's findings, purposes, policies, and definitions. (Sec. 305) Changes sanctuary designation standards and procedures. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to prepare and make publicly available a management plan for the proposed sanctuary. Allows modification of designation terms by following applicable procedures of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (currently, only by the same procedures by which the original designation is made). Applies to changes in the terms of a designation provisions making designations automatically effective. Modifies the circumstances in which the Secretary may withdraw an entire designation. Subjects Federal agency actions (inside or outside a sanctuary) that may destroy (currently, that are likely to destroy) or injure a sanctuary resource to consultation with the Secretary. Requires the agency head, if the agency's action results in a threat of destruction, destruction, or injury to a sanctuary resource (including toxic spills and vessel groundings), to coordinate with the Secretary and take action to prevent, respond to, mitigate, and (if possible) restore, replace, or provide the equivalent of the resource. (Sec. 307) Directs the Secretary to cooperate with other governments, international organizations, and other persons (currently, other governments and international organizations) in furtherance of the Act. (Sec. 308) Adds to the list of unlawful activities: (1) the offering for sale, purchasing, importing, or exporting of any sanctuary resource; and (2) provisions specifying activities that constitute interference with enforcement of the Act. (Current law prohibits enforcement interference without so specifying.) (Sec. 309) Directs the Secretary to conduct enforcement activities as necessary (currently, as necessary and reasonable) to carry out the Act. Empowers officers authorized to enforce the Act to arrest any person on reasonable cause to believe that the person has interfered with enforcement. Makes interference punishable by fine or imprisonment. Increases the limit on fines for Act violations. Makes protecting and enhancing the resources of the sanctuary in which a violation occurred the top priority (after certain costs) in using amounts received under enforcement provisions for civil penalties, forfeiture, and costs. Authorizes the Secretary to subpoena electronic files. (Sec. 311) Directs the Secretary to conduct, support, and coordinate (currently, to conduct) research, monitoring, and education programs. Authorizes the Secretary to undertake, solely or in partnership: (1) efforts to enhance public awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the marine environment; and (2) the development of interpretive facilities. (Sec. 312) Mandates public notice before the Secretary identifies any activity subject to a sanctuary special use permit. Requires a permittee to have insurance or an equivalent bond (currently, to have insurance). Requires that permit fees the Secretary is authorized to assess include an amount representing the fair market value of access to the sanctuary resource. Allows, for nonprofit activities, waiver or reduction of certain fee portions or acceptance of in-kind services in lieu of fees. (Sec. 313) Authorizes the Secretary to use by agreement the personnel, services, or facilities of Federal, State, or local agencies on a reimbursable or non-reimbursable basis to assist in carrying out the Act. (Sec. 314) Makes any person who creates an imminent risk of destruction or injury to a sanctuary resource liable to the United States. Includes in the liability damages resulting from response actions and costs related to seizure, forfeiture, storage, or disposal. Makes any vessel used to destroy or injure any sanctuary resource liable in rem for those amounts. Makes a person not liable if the destruction or injury was specifically authorized by Federal or State law or permit (currently, if the destruction or injury was caused by an activity authorized by Federal or State law), except for actions by any person authorized to enforce the Act in responding to an incident creating liability. Removes provisions making a person not liable if the destruction or injury was negligible. Declares that nothing in specified Federal laws limits the liability of any person or vessel (currently, any person) under the Act. Makes liability joint and several. Authorizes the Attorney General, on request of the Secretary, to begin a civil action for response, seizure, forfeiture, storage, and disposal costs (currently, for response costs and damages). Requires the Secretary to so request whenever a person or vessel (currently, whenever a person) may be liable for such costs or damages. Replaces provisions regulating the use of amounts recovered with provisions requiring the use, without further appropriation, of amounts recovered and interest on those amounts for: (1) past and future response costs and damage assessments; (2) restoration or replacement relating to the resources that were the subject of the action or prevention of threats to the sanctuary involved; and (3) management and improvements to that or other marine sanctuaries. Imposes a statute of limitation on actions. (Sec. 316) Changes the function of sanctuary advisory councils from assisting to giving advice and recommendations to the Secretary. Allows council membership to include persons interested in the conservation (currently, in the protection and multiple use management) of sanctuary resources. (Sec. 317) Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) solicit and collect monetary or in-kind contributions from official sponsors for the manufacture, reproduction, sale, or use of the symbols of the national sanctuary program or an individual sanctuary; and (2) authorize the use of those symbols by any person engaged in a collaborative effort with the national sanctuary program. (Sec. 319) Authorizes appropriations to carry out the Act, including authorizing deriving a specified amount from the Ocean and Coastal Conservation Fund. Subtitle B: Coral Reef Protection - Coral Reef Protection Act of 1999 - Declares that it is U.S. policy to conserve coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems. (Sec. 356) Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to provide: (1) financial assistance for projects that provide for the restoration or conservation of coral reefs or coral reef ecosystems; and (2) technical assistance to any State or Federal agency with coral reef jurisdiction. (Sec. 357) Authorizes: (1) the conducting of activities that conserve coral reefs or coral reef ecosystems or that further public awareness and education; and (2) joint projects with any Federal, State, or local authority or financial assistance to any person for such activities. (Sec. 358) Amends Federal law relating to vessels eligible for documentation to prohibit a vessel that is otherwise qualified to be documented as a vessel of the United States from being documented if the owner has abandoned any vessel on a reef subject to U.S. jurisdiction and the vessel remains on the reef or was removed using funds under this subtitle or any other Act on the same subject enacted after 1998. (Sec. 359) Designates, under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, nine fishing vessels driven by Typhoon Val in 1991 onto coral reefs inside Pago Pago harbor near the villages of Leloaloa and Aua and the reefs they are on as sites at which there is a substantial threat of release of a hazardous substance into the environment. Declares that, for purposes of that Act, the site shall not be considered to have resulted from an act of God. (Sec. 360) Authorizes the Secretary to enter into an agreement with a foundation under which the foundation may receive, hold, and administer amounts to support public-private partnerships that further this subtitle's purposes. Authorizes such a foundation to solicit and accept any gift or donation to further this subtitle's purposes. Authorizes the Secretary to transfer certain funds appropriated under this subtitle to such a foundation. (Sec.361) Authorizes appropriations to carry out this subtitle, including authorizing deriving a specified amount from the Ocean and Coastal Conservation Fund. Title IV: Cooperative Research and Enforcement - Amends the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act of 1986 (IFA) to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to establish cooperative agreements on a side-source basis with any appropriate Marine Fisheries Commission, State, regional, or tribal entities to implement the standardized fishing vessel registration and information management system transmitted under specified provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. (Sec. 403) Directs the Secretary, if requested by the Governor of a State represented on an interstate commission, to enter into an agreement under that Act that authorizes the deputization of State law enforcement officers to perform the Secretary's duties relating to enforcement of the IFA or any other marine resource law enforced by the Secretary. Directs the Secretary, after execution of that agreement and if requested by a State, to enter into an agreement for a joint project on matters of mutual interest. Declares that those joint project agreements will provide a framework for enforcement and prosecution of Federal and State living marine resource laws and regulations in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into a cooperative agreement on a sole-source basis with an appropriate marine fisheries commission to assist in oversight and coordination of the joint project agreement. (Sec. 404) Exempts funds for the joint projects from provisions regulating the apportionment of funds under the Act. (Sec. 405) Authorizes appropriations from the Ocean and Coast Conservation Fund for cooperative agreements with States under provisions added by section 402 of this Act. Directs the Secretary to allocate authorized amounts consistent with a specified report to certain congressional committees. Authorizes appropriations for the joint projects.

District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2000

United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Fiscal Year 2000 Appropriations Title II: Tax Reduction District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2000 - Title I: Fiscal Year 2000 Appropriations - Makes appropriations for the District of Columbia for FY 2000, including amounts for the Federal payments: (1) for District of Columbia Resident Tuition Support; (2) for incentives for adoption of children; (3) to the Citizens Complaint Review Board; (4) to the Department of Human Services; (5) to the District of Columbia Corrections Trustee Operations; (6) to the District of Columbia Courts; (7) for Defender Services in District of Columbia Courts; (9) to the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia; and (10) to the Children's National Medical Center. Appropriates specified sums out of the District's general fund (and other funds, in some cases) for the current fiscal year for: (1) governmental direction and support; (2) economic development and regulation; (3) public safety and justice; (4) the public education system; (5) human support services; (6) public works; (7) receivership programs; (8) workforce investments; (9) a reserve to be established by the Chief Financial Officer of the District and the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority (Authority); (10) the Authority itself; (11) repayment of certain loans and interest; (12) repayment of General Fund Recovery Debt; (13) payment of interest on short-term borrowing; (14) lease payments in accordance with the Certificates of Participation involving the land site underlying the building located at One Judiciary Square; and (15) optical and dental insurance payments. Directs the Chief Financial Officer to: (1) finance projects totaling $20 million in local funds (Productivity Bank) that result in cost savings or additional revenues by an amount equal to such financing; (2) make reductions totaling $20 million in local funds to be allocated to projects funded through the Productivity Bank that produce such cost savings or additional revenues; and (3) make reductions of specified amounts for general supply schedule savings and for management reform savings, in local funds to one or more of the appropriation headings in this Act. Requires quarterly reports by the Mayor on such financial activities to specified congressional committees. Appropriates specified sums for: (1) the Water and Sewer Authority and the Washington Aqueduct; (2) the Lottery and Charitable Games Enterprise Fund; (3) the Sports and Entertainment Commission; (4) the D.C. Health and Hospitals Public Benefit Corporation; (5) the D.C. Retirement Board; (6) the Correctional Industries Fund; (7) the Washington Convention Center Enterprise Fund; and (8) capital outlay (including rescissions). Sets forth authorizations as well as limitations and prohibitions on the uses of appropriations under this Act, and directives to the Mayor, the Council, and the Board of Education identical with or similar to those in the District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 1999. (Sec. 129) Prohibits the expenditure of funds appropriated under this Act for abortions except where the mother's life would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term or in cases of rape or incest. (Sec. 130) Bars the use of funds made available by this Act to implement or enforce: (1) the District of Columbia Health Care Benefits Expansion Act of 1992 (also known as the District Domestic Partner Act); or (2) any system of registration of unmarried, cohabiting couples for purposes of extending them benefits on the same basis as such benefits are extended to legally married couples. (Sec. 137) Requires the Authority and the Superintendent of the District of Columbia Public Schools to report to specified congressional committees by April 1, 2000, on all measures necessary and steps to be taken to ensure that the District's Public Schools open on time to begin the 2000-2001 academic year. (Sec. 142) Requires recipients of funds under this Act to comply with the Buy American Act. Expresses the sense of the Senate that, to the greatest extent practicable, such funds should be used to purchase only American-made equipment and products. Declares a person ineligible to receive any contract made with funds provided under this Act if the person has been judicially determined to have intentionally affixed a "Made in America" label to a product that is not U.S.-made. (Sec. 147) Prohibits the use of funds contained in this Act to transfer or confine inmates classified above the medium security level, as defined by the Federal Bureau of Prisons classification instrument, to the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center located in Youngstown, Ohio. (Sec. 149) Requires the Chief Financial Officer, by November 1, 1999, or within 30 calendar days after the enactment of this Act, to submit to the appropriate congressional committees, the Mayor, and the Authority, a revised appropriated funds operating budget for a District government agencies for such fiscal year that is in the total amount of the approved appropriation and that realigns budgeted data for personal services and other-than-personal-services, respectively, with anticipated actual expenditures. (Sec. 150) Prohibits the use of funds contained in this Act for: (1) any program of distributing sterile needles or syringes for the hypodermic injection of any illegal drug, or to conduct any ballot initiative which seeks to legalize or otherwise reduce penalties associated with the possession, use, or distribution of any schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act or any tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) derivative; or (2) rental payments under a lease for the use of real property by the District government, or to enter a lease, or purchase or manage real property for the District, unless specified conditions are met. (Sec. 154) Amends the Student Loan Marketing Association Reorganization Act of 1996 to provide funding for public charter school construction and repair in the District. (Sec. 155) Requires the Mayor, the Authority, and the Superintendent of Schools to implement a process to dispose of excess public school real property within 90 days of the enactment of this Act. (Sec. 156) Amends the District of Columbia School Reform Act of 1995 to: (1) extend the Act indefinitely; and (2) grant sibling preference to applicants seeking enrollment in public charter schools in the District. (Sec. 158) Transfers from the Authority to the District a specified sum for: (1) severance payments to individuals separated from employment during FY 2000; (2) expanded contracting authority of the Mayor; and (3) the implementation of a system of managed competition among public and private providers of goods and services by and on behalf of the District. (Sec. 159) Requires the Authority, working with the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Director of the National Park Service, to carry out a project to complete all design requirements and all requirements for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act for construction of expanded lane capacity for the Fourteenth Street Bridge. (Sec. 160) Requires the Mayor to carry out, through the Army Corps of Engineers, an Anacostia River environmental cleanup program. (Sec. 161) Amends the Victims of Violent Crime Compensation Act of 1996 (the Act) to: (1) prohibit payment of administrative costs from the Crime Victims Compensation Fund; and (2) limit the use of such Fund to compensation and attorneys' fees awarded under the Act. Transfers any unobligated balance existing in the Fund as of the end of each fiscal year (beginning with FY 2000) to the Treasury. (Sec. 162) Prohibits the use of funds contained in this Act 60 days after its enactment to pay the salary of any chief financial officer of any District government office who has not filed a certification with the Mayor and the Chief Financial Officer of the District that the officer understands the duties and restrictions applicable as a result of this Act or its amendments. (Sec. 163) Requires the proposed FY 2001 budget of the District government to specify potential adjustments that might become necessary in the event that the management savings achieved by the District during the year do not meet the level of management savings projected. (Sec. 164) Requires any document showing the budget for a District government office that contains specified labels categorizing activities to include descriptions of the types of activities covered and a detailed breakdown of the amount allocated for each one. (Sec. 165) Provides that, in using the funds made available for improvements to specified Federal properties in the Southwest Waterfront of the District, any District government entity may place orders for engineering and construction and related services with the Chief of Engineers of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a reimbursable and, if applicable, contractual basis. (Sec. 166) Expresses the sense of Congress that the District should not impose or take into consideration any height, square footage, set-back, or other construction or zoning requirements in authorizing the issuance of industrial revenue bonds for a project of the American National Red Cross at 2025 E Street Northwest, Washington, D.C., because this project is subject to approval of the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts. Title II: Tax Reduction - Commends the District of Columbia for its action to reduce taxes. Ratifies the Service Improvement and Fiscal Year 2000 Budget Support Act of 1999.

Small Business Brownfields Redevelopment Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 21 July 1999

Small Business Brownfields Redevelopment Act of 1999 - Amends the Small Business Act to directs the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), each year, to set aside the lesser of $50 million or ten percent of the amounts authorized for the Small Business Development Company program for use by qualified States and local development companies to finance projects that assist qualified small businesses in: (1) carrying out site assessment and cleanup activities at brownfield sites or sites contaminated with petroleum; and (2) acquiring new, clean technologies and production equipment. Defines as a qualified small business for such assistance one which: (1) has acquired a brownfield site; or (2) uses any hazardous substance during its course of business and has limited or no access to cleanup capital from conventional sources. Amends the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to direct the SBA to promote the establishment of one or more small business investment companies the primary purpose of which is to finance: (1)such cleanup activities; or (2) projects that assist small businesses in cleaning up their facilities and adopting new, clean technologies. Provides a set-aside for such financing of the lesser of $2 million or ten percent of the amount authorized for purchases of participating securities and guarantees of debentures under such Act. Defines a "brownfield site" as an abandoned, idled, or underused commercial or industrial facility, the expansion or redevelopment of which is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.

Land Recycling Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 21 July 1999

Land Recycling Act of 1999 - Prohibits, with exceptions, the President and any person other than a State from using specified authorities of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) or the Solid Waste Disposal Act to commence an administrative or judicial action with respect to a release or threatened release at a facility that is, or has been, the subject of a response action pursuant to a State program submitted to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency together with a certification by the State that: (1) the State has enacted such program into law and committed the necessary financial and personnel resources to carry out the program; and (2) such program will be implemented in a manner protective of human health and the environment. Provides that Federal permit or permit revisions shall not be required for the on-site portion of response actions subject to such prohibition. Requires the Administrator to provide assistance to States for establishing such programs. (Sec. 4) Amends CERCLA to permit the President to add a facility to the National Priorities List only with the concurrence of the Governor of the State in which the facility is located. (Sec. 5) Amends CERCLA, with respect to defenses to liability of an owner of after-acquired property, to deem a person to have made (under current law, "undertaken") appropriate inquiry into the property's previous ownership and uses if the person establishes that an environmental site assessment was conducted which meets specified requirements (compliance with an American Society for Testing and Materials standard or with standards issued by the Administrator) and the person fulfills certain responsibilities concerning information compilation. (Sec. 6) Absolves from liability for response actions bona fide prospective purchasers to the extent liability at a facility for a release or threat thereof is based solely on ownership or operation of a facility. Gives a lien upon a facility to the United States for unrecovered response costs in any case in which there are such unrecovered costs for which the owner is not liable by reason of this section and the facility's fair market value has increased above that which existed six months before the action was taken. (Sec. 7) Absolves of liability for response costs and damages certain owners or operators that are State or local governments that acquired property involuntarily, or through eminent domain or the granting of a license or permit to conduct business, if such governments: (1) acquired the affected facility after the disposal or placement of the hazardous substances for which liability is alleged; (2) did not cause or contribute to the hazardous substance release; and (3) exercised appropriate care with respect to such substances. (Sec. 8) Exempts from liability certain owners or operators of real property contiguous to property on which there has been a release or threat thereof. Authorizes the President to grant such persons an assurance of no enforcement action and protection against cost recovery and contribution actions. (Sec. 9) Revises provisions regarding the degree of cleanup for hazardous substances that will remain on-site to provide that remedial actions for such substances shall require a level or standard of control which achieves Maximum Contaminant Levels (currently, Maximum Contaminant Level Goals) under the Safe Drinking Water Act where such levels are appropriate under the circumstances of the release considering the timing of any anticipated use of water as drinking water and reasonable points of compliance. Removes a requirement regarding achievement of certain water quality criteria under the Clean Water Act by such actions. Requires risk assessments and characterizations conducted for such actions to: (1) provide scientifically objective assessments, estimates, and characterizations which neither minimize nor exaggerate the nature and magnitude of health and environmental risks; (2) be based on the best available scientific and technical information; and (3) be based on an analysis of the weight of scientific evidence that supports conclusions about a problem's potential risks to health and the environment. (Sec. 10) Directs the President to establish a program to provide grants to eligible States or political subdivisions, including Indian tribes, for: (1) inventory and assessment of brownfield facilities; and (2) capitalization of revolving loan funds for remedial actions at such facilities. Defines a "brownfield facility" as real property with respect to which expansion or redevelopment is complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance. Authorizes appropriations.

Cigars Are No Safe Alternative Act

United States · United States Congress · 21 July 1999

Cigars Are No Safe Alternative Act - Prohibits any person from selling or distributing a cigar to any individual under 18. Requires that cigar retailers: (1) ensure that all cigars are located in areas where customers do not have direct access; and (2) sell cigars only in face-to-face exchanges (prohibiting sales through vending machines, mail-order sales, or the Internet). Directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to impose restrictions on the sale, advertising, distribution, and marketing of cigars directed at youth as appropriate to limit sale to individuals 18 or over. Prohibits advertising cigars on any form of electronic communication. Requires cigar manufacturers which pay for, or participate in, the placement of cigars in movies and on television where a substantial segment of the audience is under 18 to report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the FTC each time that occurs. Mandates health warnings on the labels of cigars and cigar packaging. Requires a study and report to Congress and the President on: (1) the health effects of occasional cigar smoking, nicotine dependence demonstrated by cigar smokers, biological uptake of toxic and carcinogenic constituents of cigars, and environmental cigar smoke exposure; and (2) the yields of tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide, and any other additive designated by the Secretary. Requires cigar manufacturers to report to the Secretary on those yields. Requires a study and report to Congress and the President by the FTC on current cigar sales, advertising, and marketing practices. Directs the Secretary to monitor trends in youth access to and use of cigars and, if cigars are inappropriately accessible to children and adolescents, to notify Congress and make recommendations.

Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2000

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Military Personnel Title II: Operation and Maintenance Title III: Procurement Title IV: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Title V: Revolving and Management Funds Title VI: Other Department of Defense Programs Title VII: Related Agencies Title VIII: General Provisions Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2000 - Title I: Military Personnel - Appropriates funds for FY 2000 for active-duty and reserve personnel in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force and for National Guard personnel in the Army and Air Force. Title II: Operation and Maintenance - Appropriates funds for FY 2000 for operation and maintenance (O&M) of the Army, Navy, and Air Force (including a transfer of funds in each case), the Marine Corps, the defense agencies (including a transfer of funds), the reserve components, and the Army and Air National Guards. Appropriates funds for: (1) the Overseas Contingency Operations Transfer Fund (including a transfer of funds); (2) the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces; (3) environmental restoration for the Army, Navy, and Air Force and defense-wide (including a transfer of funds in each case); (4) environmental restoration at formerly used defense sites (including a transfer of funds); (5) overseas humanitarian, disaster, and civic aid programs; (6) former Soviet Union threat reduction; and (7) quality of life enhancements, defense. Title III: Procurement - Appropriates funds for FY 2000 for procurement by the armed forces and reserve components of aircraft, missiles, weapons, tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, and shipbuilding and conversion and for other procurement. Appropriates funds for: (1) defense-wide procurement (including a transfer of funds); (2) National Guard and reserve equipment; and (3) certain procurements under the Defense Production Act of 1950. Title IV: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation - Appropriates funds for FY 2000 for research, development, test, and evaluation by the armed forces and defense agencies. Appropriates funds for the Directors of Test and Evaluation and Operational Test and Evaluation. Title V: Revolving and Management Funds - Appropriates funds for the Defense Working Capital funds and programs under the National Defense Sealift Fund. Title VI: Other Department of Defense Programs - Appropriates funds for: (1) Department of Defense (DOD) medical and health care programs; (2) the destruction of lethal chemical agents and munitions (including a transfer of funds); (3) drug interdiction and counter-drug activities, defense (including a transfer of funds); and (4) the Office of the Inspector General. Title VII: Related Agencies - Appropriates funds for: (1) the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System Fund; (2) the Intelligence Community Management Account (including a transfer of funds); (3) payment to the Kaho'olawe Island Conveyance, Remediation, and Environmental Restoration Fund; and (4) national security scholarships, fellowships, and grants (using funds derived from the National Security Education Trust Fund). Title VIII: General Provisions - Specifies authorized, restricted, and prohibited uses of appropriated funds. (Sec. 8010) Prohibits during FY 2000 the management by end strengths of DOD civilian personnel. (Sec. 8019) Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to establish with host governments of NATO-member countries an account for the deposit of residual value amounts negotiated in the return of U.S. military installations to such countries. (Sec. 8032) Authorizes DOD to incur obligations of up to $350 million for DOD military personnel compensation, military construction projects, and supplies and services in anticipation of receipts of contributions from the Government of Kuwait. (Sec. 8033) Earmarks funds from this Act for the Civil Air Patrol Corporation. (Sec. 8034) Prohibits the use of funds from this Act to establish a new DOD federally funded research and development center (FFRDC). Limits the Federal compensation to be paid to FFRDC members or consultants. Prohibits the use of FY 2000 FFRDC funds for new building construction, cost-sharing payments for projects funded by Government grants, absorption of cost overruns, or certain charitable contributions. Limits the staff years of technical effort that may be funded for FFRDCs from FY 2000 funds. (Sec. 8035) Provides Buy American requirements with respect to the DOD procurement of carbon, alloy or armor steel plating. (Sec. 8038) Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on the amount of DOD purchases from foreign entities in FY 2000. (Sec. 8042) Directs the President to include within each fiscal year budget the amounts requested for administrative activities of DOD, the military departments, and the defense agencies. (Sec. 8050) Earmarks funds appropriated under this Act for the mitigation of adverse environmental impacts on Indian lands resulting from DOD activities. (Sec. 8053) Prohibits the use of funds: (1) by a DOD entity without compliance with the Buy American Act; (2) to establish additional field operating agencies of DOD elements or to hire additional personnel for such agencies, except for those funded within the National Foreign Intelligence Program; (3) for assistance to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea unless specifically appropriated for such purpose; (4) to reduce the civilian medical and medical support personnel assigned to military treatment facilities below the September 30, 1999, level; and (5) to transport chemical munitions to the Johnston Atoll for storage or demilitarization (with an exception and an authorized wartime waiver by the President). (Sec. 8057) Authorizes DOD to lease real and personal property at the Adak Naval Air Facility, Alaska. (Sec. 8058) Rescinds specified funds from various accounts under prior defense appropriations Acts. (Sec. 8065) Prohibits the transfer to any other department or agency, except as specifically provided in an appropriations law, of funds available to DOD or the Central Intelligence Agency for drug interdiction and counter-drug activities. (Sec. 8073) Directs the Secretary to report quarterly to specified congressional committees on all costs incurred by DOD during the preceding quarter in implementing or supporting United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions. (Sec. 8074) Prohibits current fiscal year DOD funds from being obligated or expended to transfer to another nation or international organization defense articles or services for use in any UN peacekeeping or peace enforcement operation, or for any other international peacekeeping, peace enforcement, or humanitarian assistance operation, unless specified congressional committees are given 15 days' advance notice. (Sec. 8075) Authorizes the Secretary, to the extent authorized by law, to issue loan guarantees in support of U.S. defense exports not otherwise provided for, with a contingent liability limit of $15 billion. Requires quarterly reports to specified congressional committees on such loan guarantees. (Sec. 8083) Directs the Secretary, upon the enactment of this Act, to make specified transfers between various DOD accounts. (Sec. 8084) Directs the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) to submit to the defense committees a report identifying any activity for which the FY 2001 budget request was reduced because Congress appropriated funds above the President's budget request for that activity for FY 2000. (Sec. 8086) Authorizes the Secretary to waive reimbursement of certain educational costs of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies for military officers and civilian officials of foreign nations if determined to be in the national security interest. (Sec. 8087) Authorizes the Chief of the National Guard Bureau to permit the use of equipment of the National Guard Distance Learning Project on a space-available, reimbursable basis. (Sec. 8091) Rescinds $452.1 million of the funds provided to various accounts under the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 1999 to reflect savings from revised economic assumptions. (Sec. 8092) Requires the President's budget for FY 2001 and thereafter to separately identify all costs incurred by DOD to support NATO and all Partnership for Peace programs and initiatives. (Sec. 8093) Prohibits the use of funds for approving the license or sale of the F-22 advanced tactical aircraft to any foreign government. (Sec. 8094) Authorizes the Secretary, on a case-by-case basis, to waive limitations on the procurement of defense items from a foreign country if: (1) the Secretary determines that such limitation would invalidate cooperative agreements or reciprocal trade agreements for the procurement of defense items; and (2) such country does not discriminate against the same or similar defense items procured in the United States for that country. Provides exceptions. (Sec. 8099) Appropriates funds for the completion of the "Women in Military Service for America" memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. (Sec. 8100) Prohibits the use of appropriated funds to support a unit of the security forces of a foreign country if credible information exists that such unit has committed a gross violation of human rights, unless all necessary corrective steps have been taken. Requires the monitoring of such information. Authorizes the Secretary to waive such prohibition under extraordinary circumstances. (Sec. 8101) Reduces the total amount appropriated in this Act by $171 million, to reflect savings from favorable foreign currency fluctuations. (Sec. 8104) Makes Navy-appropriated funds available for the replacement of certain lost and canceled checks. (Sec. 8109) Reduces by $100 million the total amount of O&M funds appropriated under this Act, to reflect savings from reviews of DOD missions and functions conducted pursuant to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-76. (Sec. 8110) Directs the Secretary to submit a report which lists all instances since 1995 in which DOD missions or functions have been reviewed by DOD pursuant to the above Circular. Requires such report to also include those instances in which work performed by a contractor has been converted to performance by DOD civilian or military employees. Requires the Comptroller General to determine whether DOD has complied with such report requirements. (Sec. 8111) Requires the President's budget for FY 2001 and thereafter to include separate budget justifications for costs of U.S. military participation in contingency operations for the military personnel accounts, the procurement accounts, and the Overseas Contingency Operations Transfer Fund. (Sec. 8112) Appropriates funds to the Army National Guard for the procurement or lease of firefighting aircraft or systems. (Sec. 8113) Appropriates funds: (1) to initiate and expand DOD activities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to a terrorist attack in the United States involving weapons of mass destruction; and (2) for programs to prevent non-authorized access to information technology and computer systems. (Sec. 8115) Directs the Secretary to submit to the defense committees a report assessing the advantages or disadvantages of deploying a ground-based National Missile Defense system at more than one site. (Sec. 8116) Directs the Secretaries of the Navy and Air Force to submit to the defense committees a detailed description of the dedicated aggressor squadrons used to conduct combat flight training for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force from FY 1990 through the present. (Sec. 8119) Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for certain development, risk reduction, operations, travel, or contributions relating to the Medium Extended Air Defense System. (Sec. 8123) Provides for the crediting during the current fiscal year of certain refunds attributable to the use of Government travel cards and Government Purchase cards. (Sec. 8125) Prohibits, after March 31, 2000, any appropriated funds from being used for an information technology system that is not registered with the DOD Chief Information Officer. Prohibits such a system from receiving a Milestone I, II, or III approval until such Officer provides written certification to the defense committees that such system is being developed in accordance with certain requirements under the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996. Requires certain other information to be included in such certification. (Sec. 8127) Requires charges for DOD administrative services in connection with the foreign military sales program to include recovery of DOD administrative expenses during FY 2000 that are attributable to: (1) salaries of military personnel; and (2) unfunded estimated costs of civilian retirement and other benefits. Makes funds from the Foreign Military Sales Trust Fund available for the reimbursement of applicable military personnel accounts under (1), above. Reduces by specified amounts funds available under titles I and II to reflect amounts expected to be recovered for such administrative expenses. (Sec. 8128) Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to repeal a requirement that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) not commence bidding for commercial licenses for certain reallocated frequency spectrum until after January 1, 2001. Directs the FCC to initiate such bidding during FY 1999 and to ensure that all proceeds of such bidding are deposited no later than September 30, 2000. Provides for the expedited assignment of such frequencies. Requires at least seven days' public notice prior to the granting of an application for an instrument of authorization for any such frequency. Requires two reports each from the OMB Director and the FCC with respect to such bidding process. (Sec. 8129) Requires a report from the Secretary to the defense committees on the conduct of Operations Desert Fox and Allied Force.

Pro-Family, Pro-Growth, Pro-Reform Tax Reduction Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 1999

Pro-Family, Pro-Growth, Pro-Reform Tax Reduction Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish, extend, or modify income tax deductions, exclusions, and credits in a number of areas, including: (1) education; (2) employment; (3) energy; (4) environment; (5) estate tax; (6) health care; (7) housing; (8) research; and (9) retirement income. Establishes the National Commission on Tax Simplification and Reform. Reserves 77 percent of the combined on- and off-budget surpluses for the purposes of ensuring Social Security and Medicare solvency and longevity.