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451 records in 1995
Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 April 1995
12 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for the Environment the criteria he intends to use in the selection of towns and villages for the new Urban and Rural Renewal Programme. [3585/95]
Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 April 1995
83 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for the Environment the reason for the delay in granting approval to the request from Galway Corporation in connection with the purchase of two dwelling houses to accommodate young autistic adults in the Galway Corporation area. [5269/95]
Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 April 1995
11 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for the Environment if he has received a request from Galway Corporation on behalf of the Irish Society for Autism for the provision of a permanent residence for young autistic adults in the Galway area; if so, if he will confirm that the approval sought by Galway Corporation will be granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5058/95]
Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 April 1995
10 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment when he will introduce regulations under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1992, requiring owners of private rented accommodation to register their properties and maintain the properties and the surrounds in good and tidy order; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6478/95]
Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 April 1995
9 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to concerns at the level of pollution in Cork harbour; the proposals, if any, he has for continuous monitoring of water quality in the harbour; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7770/95]
Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 April 1995
8 Miss Harney asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the discrimination, in relation to pay and pension entitlements, against permanent, part-time or half-time town clerks compared to town clerks who are effectively county council permanent staff who moonlight in this capacity; and the action, if any, he proposes to take to remedy this discrimination. [5627/95]
Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 April 1995
7 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to sign or ratify the Council of Europe Charter of Local Self-Government. [6338/95]
Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 April 1995
6 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for the Environment in view of the fact that his Department is taking responsibility for the tidy towns competition, if he will introduce a criterion of recycling in adjudging success in the competition. [7779/95]
Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 April 1995
5 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment the consideration, if any, he will give to the onus and duty of care placed on local authorities in relation to maintenance of local authority housing when considered against the rent levels which apply and recent court decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5251/95]
Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 April 1995
4 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to ensure that routine meetings of local authorities will be open to the public. [5434/95]
Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 April 1995
3 Miss Quill asked the Minister for the Environment the measures, if any, he intends to initiate to tackle the deterioration in water quality in Lough Derg and to implement the findings of the water quality report on Lough Derg. [7650/95]
Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 April 1995
35 Mr. Power asked the Minister for the Environment if he has satisfied himself with the investigative powers and resources available to the Environmental Protection Agency. [3422/95]
Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 April 1995
2 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for the Environment if he has satisfied himself with the investigative powers and resources available to the Environmental Protection Agency. [7833/95]
Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 April 1995
87 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for the Environment if he has received a request from an organisation (details supplied) in Dublin 1 for a meeting to discuss the possibility of having a representative of ICON on the board of the Custom House Docks Development Authority; if he will consider this request favourably; the legislative changes, if any, which are required to facilitate this request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6909/95]
Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 April 1995
31 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for the Environment if he will appoint an additional board member to represent the local Sheriff Street/North Wall community on the Custom House Docks Development Authority in view of the extended plans of that authority to redevelop and revitalise the Sheriff Street Flats area of Dublin. [4945/95]
Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 April 1995
1 Mr. E. Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment the meetings, if any, he has had with ICON; his views on the appropriateness of appointing a member of the local community to the board of CHDDA; and the new developments, if any, which have been planned or undertaken to give special recognition to the needs of communities adjacent to the International Financial Services Centre. [7226/95]
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 1995
Federal Power Act Amendments of 1995 - Directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to: (1) extend, upon request of a certain licensee, the time required to commence construction of specified hydroelectric projects in the State of West Virginia; and (2) reinstate a previously issued license if it has expired before enactment of this Act. Authorizes FERC, upon request of a certain licensee, to extend for a maximum of three consecutive two-year periods the time required for commencement of construction of a certain hydroelectric project in Kentucky. Authorizes FERC, upon request of a certain licensee, to extend until May 31, 2001, the time required for commencement of construction of a certain hydroelectric project in Washington. Directs FERC to reinstate a certain hydroelectric license previously issued for a specified project in Oregon, and extend for four years from enactment of this Act the time required for commencement of construction. Authorizes FERC, upon request of a certain licensee, to extend for a maximum of three consecutive two-year periods the time required for commencement of construction of certain hydroelectric projects in Arkansas. Exempts from FERC licensing requirements certain transmission line facilities associated with the El Vado Hydroelectric Project in New Mexico. Amends the Federal Power Act to prescribe circumstances under which certain hydroelectric projects in Alaska having a power production capacity of 5,000 kilowatts or less shall be subject to the licensing authority of the State in lieu of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Grants the licensee of a currently FERC-licensed project the discretion to subject such project to the State's authorizing authority. Subjects any State authorization for a project located on Federal lands to the approval of the Secretary with jurisdiction over such lands, and to such terms and conditions as that Secretary may prescribe. Declares that nothing shall preempt the application of Federal environment, natural, or cultural resources protection laws according to their terms. Excludes from FERC voluntary licensing jurisdiction any hydroelectric projects upon fresh waters in Hawaii, unless a license would be required because: (1) the waters are navigable; or (2) the projects affect interstate commerce, are located on Federal lands, or use water from a government dam.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 1995
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Procurement Title II: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Title III: Operation and Maintenance Subtitle A: Authorization of Appropriations Subtitle B: Reserve Component Subtitle C: Other Matters Title IV: Military Personnel Authorizations Subtitle A: Active Forces Subtitle B: Reserve Forces Subtitle C: Military Training Student Loads Title V: Military Personnel Policy Subtitle A: Officer Personnel Policy Subtitle B: Reserve Component Matters Subtitle C: Amendments to the Uniform Code of Military Justice Subtitle D: Other Matters Title VI: Compensation and Other Personnel Benefits Subtitle A: Pay and Allowances Subtitle B: Income Tax Matters Subtitle C: Bonuses and Special and Incentive Pays Subtitle D: Travel and Transportation Allowances Subtitle E: Retired Pay, Insurance, and Survivor Benefits Subtitle F: Separation Pay Title VII: Civilian Employees Subtitle A: Civilian Personnel Policy Subtitle B: Compensation and Other Personnel Benefits Subtitle C: Separation Provisions Title VIII: Health Care Provisions Subtitle A: Health Care Management Subtitle B: Other Matters Title IX: Department of Defense Organization and Management Subtitle A: Secretarial Matters Subtitle B: Professional Military Education Subtitle C: Other Matters Title X: General Provisions Subtitle A: Financial Matters Subtitle B: Counter-Drug Activities Subtitle C: Other Matters Title XI: Matters Relating to Allies, Other Nations, and International Organizations Title XII: Acquisition Reform National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996 - Title I: Procurement - Authorizes appropriations for FY 1996 and 1997 to the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and Air Force for aircraft, missiles, weapons and tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, shipbuilding and conversion, and for other procurement. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1996 and 1997 for: (1) defense- wide procurement; (2) the Defense Inspector General; (3) the chemical demilitarization program; and (4) the Defense Health Program. (Sec. 108) Repeals the current requirement for a separate budget request for the procurement of reserve equipment. Title II: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation - Authorizes appropriations for FY 1996 and 1997 for the armed forces for research, development, test, and evaluation. Title III: Operation and Maintenance - Subtitle A: Authorization of Appropriations - Authorizes appropriations for FY 1996 and 1997 for the armed forces and specified activities and agencies of the Department of Defense (DOD) for operation and maintenance. Authorizes appropriations to DOD for FY 1996 and 1997 for working capital and revolving funds. (Sec. 303) Establishes in the Treasury the Civilian Marksmanship Program Fund, to be available for all expenses of the Civilian Marksmanship Program. (Sec. 304) Repeals a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993 which provides certain limitations on the use of funds in the Defense Business Operations Fund. (Sec. 305) Authorizes the use of the National Defense Sealift Fund for expenses of the National Defense Reserve Fleet. Subtitle B: Reserve Component - Amends the National Defense Authorization Act of 1995 to allow a DOD reimbursement official to use funds to provide pay and allowances to reserves engaged in activities in support of cooperative threat reduction with states of the former Soviet Union. Excludes such reserves from inclusion in any active duty end strength limitations for members on active duty. (Sec. 322) Authorizes the use of DOD funds for National Guard participation in joint Army and Air Force exercises concerning civil emergency and disaster response preparedness. Subtitle C: Other Matters - Amends Federal transportation provisions to authorize the Secretary of Defense (Secretary) to transfer from any DOD funds necessary sums to reimburse the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for loss or damage to civil aircraft, death or injury to personnel, and related losses or damages which have been insured at the Secretary's request due to civilian participation in DOD emergency contingency operations. Requires the Secretary to use such funds to promptly reimburse the Aviation Insurance Fund of the FAA within 30 days (for hull damage) or 180 days (for all other valid claims) after presentment of claim by a civilian carrier. Requires the Secretary and the FAA Administrator to notify the Congress within 30 days of any losses, death, injuries, or damages at a cost in excess of $1 million. Amends the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, to empower the Secretary with identical authority to reimburse the Secretary of Transportation for such losses insured by the Marine Insurance Fund. Requires the Secretary and the Secretary of Transportation to report periodically to the Congress on claims paid in excess of $1 million. (Sec. 332) Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 to require additional certifications from the Secretary to the congressional defense committees before proceeding beyond the low-rate initial production stage of a theater missile defense interceptor program. (Sec. 333) Authorizes the Secretary to assign overseas personnel under the defense dependents' education program to schools established under such program in the United States, and vice versa. (Sec. 334) Authorizes the use of funds appropriated to the Central Imagery Office for the design, development, and deployment of the Accelerated Architecture Acquisition Initiative program imagery systems of the military departments and related activities. (Sec. 335) Directs the Secretary to carry out a Department of Defense Laboratory Revitalization Program under which the Secretary may carry out minor military construction projects in order to improve DOD laboratories. Increases the maximum costs of minor construction projects for purposes of the Program. Directs the Secretary to designate the DOD laboratories to be covered by the Program. Requires a report. Prohibits the Secretary from carrying out any program after September 30, 2000. Title IV: Military Personnel Authorizations - Subtitle A: Active Forces - Provides for the authorized end strengths for active- duty forces as of the end of FY 1996 and 1997. Subtitle B: Reserve Forces - Sets forth the authorized end strengths as of the end of FY 1996 and 1997 for members of the Selected Reserve and reserve personnel on active duty in support of the reserves. Subtitle C: Military Training Student Loads - Sets forth the authorized FY 1996 and 1997 military training student loads, allowing for certain adjustments consistent with authorized end strengths. Title V: Military Personnel Policy - Subtitle A: Officer Personnel Policy - Provides, with respect to members of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, that an individual's period of desertion, unexcused absence, confinement, or inability to perform duties, as well as the time required to make up any such absence, may not be counted for purposes of determining the individual's length of service. (Sec. 502) Redesignates certain general officer billet titles within the Marine Corps resulting from a headquarters reorganization. (Sec. 503) Revises the retirement date for warrant officers and certain active-duty officers chosen for selective early retirement. Requires an annual authorization of personnel strength levels for such members whose retirement has been deferred. (Sec. 504) Increases the authorized end strengths for active-duty commissioned Air Force majors, lieutenant colonels, and colonels. Terminates such increase at the end of FY 1997. Provides similar increases, with the same termination date, for commissioned Navy lieutenant commanders, commanders, and captains. (Sec. 506) Revises certain definitions under Federal provisions relating to the promotion of general or flag officers. Subtitle B: Reserve Component Matters - Repeals a Federal provision requiring each member of the National Guard called into or leaving Federal service to be examined for physical fitness. (Sec. 512) Authorizes a Federal employee military leave as a member of the reserve to perform public safety duty. (Sec. 513) Authorizes the Secretary of the military department concerned to prescribe the duration of field training or a practice cruise (currently, either must be no less than six weeks) required for admission to the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) advanced course. (Sec. 515) Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1993 to require the Secretary of the Army to have an objective of increasing the percentage of qualified prior active-duty personnel in the Selected Reserve (currently, in the Army National Guard). (Sec. 516) Requires technicians employed by the Army or Air National Guard to wear the military uniform appropriate for the member's grade and component while performing technician functions. Considers such duty as active duty, thereby permitting a clothing allowance. (Sec. 517) Provides an exception to the prohibition against the involuntary separation from service of military personnel within two years from retirement in the case of reserve personnel performing active duty service for less than 180 days. (Sec. 518) Authorizes the Secretary to provide certain involuntarily separated military reserve technicians with placement consideration through the DOD Priority Placement Program. Subtitle C: Amendments to the Uniform Code of Military Justice - Amends the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) to make subject to its provisions those persons serving with or accompanying an armed force in the field in a time of armed conflict. (Sec. 553) Allows an investigative officer to investigate the subject matter of any uncharged offense against an accused during an investigation, as long as the accused is present, is informed of the nature of the investigation, and is permitted representation, presentation of evidence, and cross-examination. (Sec. 554) Eliminates the $500, six-month fine and imprisonment limits for persons convicted of refusing to testify before a court- martial. Revises provisions concerning the effective date of sentencings as they relate to the forfeiture of military pay and allowances. (Sec. 557) Allows deferment of a sentence of confinement upon application by the accused if the sentence has not been ordered to be carried out. Terminates the deferment at such time as the sentence is ordered to be executed. Allows the accused to submit to the convening authority written matters for consideration with respect to the findings and sentence. (Sec. 559) Allows a proceeding in revision (a proceeding to revise a trial record) to be ordered to correct an erroneously announced sentence. (Sec. 560) Allows the post-trial review of courts-martial in the Office of the Judge Advocate General, unless the accused has waived or withdrawn the right to appeal under the UCMJ. (Sec. 561) Authorizes the United States to appeal an order or ruling which directs the disclosure of classified information, imposes sanctions for nondisclosure of such information, or refuses to issue a protective order seeking to prevent such disclosure. (Sec. 562) Includes flight from arrest as a punishable action under the UCMJ. (Sec. 563) Removes a gender reference with respect to the UCMJ offense of carnal knowledge with a person under 16 years of age. Requires the accused in such a prosecution to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the other person was at least 12 years of age and that the accused reasonably believed the person to be at least 16. (Sec. 564) Requires newly enlisted personnel to be instructed in the UCMJ upon entrance into active or reserve duty. Subtitle D: Other Matters - Authorizes the Secretary concerned to accept at his discretion the reenlistment of members of the armed forces with ten or more years of service. Requires such reenlistment period to be unspecified on a career basis. (Sec. 572) Reduces from three to two years the minimum time in grade required for a chief warrant officer to be considered for promotion. Allows warrant officers below the promotion zone for the grade of chief warrant officer, W-3, to be considered for such a promotion. (Sec. 573) Allows the Secretary of the Army to retire a Director of Admissions of the U.S. Military Academy after 30 years of commissioned officer service. Title VI: Compensation and Other Personnel Benefits - Subtitle A: Pay and Allowances - Waives any FY 1996 military pay increases tied to increases in the General Schedule of Compensation for Government employees. Increases by 2.4 percent, effective on January 1, 1996, the rates of basic pay and the basic allowance for subsistence. Increases by 3.4 percent the basic allowance for quarters, effective on the same date. (Sec. 602) Provides an evacuation allowance to civilian personnel and their dependents officially authorized to evacuate their duty stations. (Currently, such allowance is only paid to military personnel and their dependents who are ordered to evacuate.) (Sec. 603) Provides continuous entitlement to career sea pay for crew members on ships designated as a tender-class ship. (Sec. 604) Increases to $200 monthly the subsistence allowance payable to members of the Senior ROTC. (Sec. 605) Provides a dislocation allowance for those directed to move as a result of a base realignment or closure. (Sec. 607) Authorizes, as of July 1, 1996, the payment of a basic allowance for quarters for enlisted personnel in the pay grade of E-6. Subtitle B: Income Tax Matters - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to limit, after December 31, 1994, the exclusion of combat pay from withholding taxes only to the extent that such pay is excluded from gross income. Subtitle C: Bonuses and Special and Incentive Pays - Reduces from nine to eight of the first 12 years of aviation service the period during which an officer must perform operational flying duties in order to receive aviation career incentive pay. (Sec. 622) Extends specified expiring authorities for certain special pay and bonus programs within the regular and reserve armed forces. Makes permanent: (1) the aviation officer retention bonus; (2) the authority for the temporary promotion of certain Navy lieutenants; and (3) the authority for the DOD specialized treatment facility program. Subtitle D: Travel and Transportation Allowances - Authorizes the Secretary concerned to provide contract quarters as lodging in kind when transient government quarters are unavailable for reserve personnel performing annual training duty or inactive-duty training. (Sec. 632) Deletes a provision limiting to surface transportation the means of shipping a motor vehicle for a member assigned to a permanent change of duty station. (Sec. 633) Includes students who graduate from or cease to be enrolled in a foreign institution of higher education within a provision authorizing the Secretary concerned to return to the United States formerly dependent children of military personnel who attain a nondependent age while overseas. Subtitle E: Retired Pay, Insurance, and Survivor Benefits - Makes ineligible for retired pay those persons convicted under the UCMJ whose sentences include death, dishonorable or bad conduct discharge, or dismissal from service. (Sec. 642) Makes first payable for March 1996 the FY 1996 cost-of- living adjustment for military retirees. (Sec. 643) Increases from $100,000 to $200,000 the amount of Servicemen's Group Life Insurance provided automatically to members assigned to active duty or the Ready or Retired Reserve. (Sec. 644) Authorizes the provision of medical and dental care, and the recovery, care, and disposition of remains, in the case of reserve members on duty other than active duty for more than 30 days, for members requiring such care while remaining overnight at or in the vicinity of a site outside reasonable commuting distance from the member's residence and at which site the member has performed inactive duty training between successive periods of such training. Entitles such individuals to basic pay while performing such service, or, if not entitled to such pay due to other eligibility requirements, to compensation as a member of the National Guard performing inactive- duty training. Subtitle F: Separation Pay - Provides certain transitional compensation for the dependents of any military member separated from the armed forces due to dependent abuse. (Currently, such compensation is only provided to dependents of members separated from active duty.) (Sec. 661) Authorizes the branch, office, or officer designated by the Secretary of the Navy to procure or sell to members of the Navy and Marine Corps specified articles and items of clothing and equipment, under such restrictions as such Secretary may prescribe. Directs such designate to sell to members of other military departments subsistence supplies and serviceable supplies at prices charged to members of the Navy and Marine Corps. Allows an honorably discharged member from any service branch who is receiving care and medical treatment from the Public Health Service or the Department of Veterans Affairs to buy subsistence supplies at prices charged to Navy and Marine Corps personnel. Allows honorably discharged individuals to buy exterior articles of uniform at such prices. Authorizes such Secretary to provide for the procurement and sale of items and articles designated by him to such U.S. civilian officers and employees as he considers proper at military installations: (1) outside the United States; and (2) inside the United States when it is impracticable for such officers and employees to obtain such articles and items from commercial enterprises without impairing the efficient operation of military activities. Requires such sales to be made only to those residing within the installation. Title VII: Civilian Employees - Subtitle A: Civilian Personnel Policy - Provides the legal public holiday days for those Federal employees whose basic workweek is other than Monday through Friday. (Sec. 702) Terminates the 120-day limit on administrative details within executive or military departments. (Sec. 703) Repeals a Federal provision requiring each Federal agency to submit to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) a report concerning part-time career employment activities undertaken by such agency. Subtitle B: Compensation and Other Personnel Benefits - Repeals a Federal provision prohibiting DOD funds from being used to pay lodging expenses of a civilian DOD employee on official business when adequate government quarters are available. (Sec. 712) Includes within the definition of Federal employees the employees of various nonappropriated fund instrumentalities of the service branches. Subtitle C: Separation Provisions - Includes under Federal provisions authorizing continued health insurance coverage for a specified period after military discharge or separation those individuals: (1) voluntarily separating from the armed forces due to a reduction in force; and (2) whose positions are considered surplus due to the closure or realignment of a military installation. (Sec. 722) Entitles any eligible Federal employee to receive severance pay in a lump-sum amount. Requires refunding the pro rata share of a lump-sum payment if an individual is reemployed by the Government or the District of Columbia. Terminates such entitlement at the end of FY 1999. (Sec. 723) Directs OPM to prescribe regulations which permit, until September 30, 1996, DOD employees who are not scheduled for separation due to a reduction-in-force (RIF) to volunteer for RIF separation in place of employees who are so scheduled. Title VIII: Health Care Provisions - Subtitle A: Health Care Management - Amends the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) to increase the health care professional payment limitation requirements under the CHAMPUS physician payment reform program, tying such limits to similar limits under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act. Requires the Secretary to prescribe regulations covering such payment amounts, providing for exceptions in the case of adequate health care access. Provides transitional requirements. (Sec. 802) Amends specified prior national defense authorization Acts to repeal certain limitations on reductions in military medical personnel. Subtitle B: Other Matters - Requires a military medical advance directive (a directive to require or refuse life-support systems or to appoint a person to make such decisions) to be: (1) exempt from any State requirements of form, substance, formality, or recording; and (2) given the same legal effect as a State advanced medical directive. (Sec. 812) Terminates the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, directing the Secretary to phase out such University beginning in FY 1996 and ending at the close of FY 1999. Prohibits any new class of University students after FY 1995, and prohibits awarding degrees after FY 1999. (Sec. 813) Repeals a Federal provision prohibiting DOD funds from being used to perform abortions unless the life of the mother is in danger. Title IX: Department of Defense Organization and Management - Subtitle A: Secretarial Matters - Authorizes a 12th Assistant Secretary of Defense. (Sec. 902) Redesignates the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Atomic Energy as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Chemical Programs. Subtitle B: Professional Military Education - Includes within the National Defense University the Institute for National Strategic Studies (which replaces the Institute for National Strategic Study) and the Information Resources Management College. (Sec. 912) Includes the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies within a Federal provision authorizing the Secretary to employ as many civilian professors, instructors, and lecturers at specified institutions as considered necessary. Subtitle C: Other Matters - Amends various prior national defense authorization Acts and Federal armed forces provisions to reduce or eliminate specified congressional reporting, notification, or certification requirements. (Sec. 922) Repeals the Federal prohibition against contracting out for the fire fighting and security guard functions at military installations. (Sec. 923) Increases to: (1) $1.7 million the unspecified minor construction threshold; and (2) $350,000 the operation and maintenance threshold. (Sec. 924) Changes from February 15 to March 1 annually a required report from the Secretary concerning National Guard and reserve component equipment. (Sec. 925) Revises the annual date for the joint OMB-CBO report on the scoring of national defense budget outlays. (Sec. 926) Repeals a required annual report from the Secretary on payments made to defense contractors for the costs of environmental response actions. Title X: General Provisions - Subtitle A: Financial Matters - Requires the head of the Coast Guard, when such service is not operating as a service within the Navy, to designate disbursing officials within the Coast Guard for the disbursing of public funds. Allows the Secretary to designate deputy disbursing officials within DOD. (Currently, the Secretary of each military department may designate such an official within that department.) Authorizes the Secretary and the Secretary of Transportation, when operating the Coast Guard, to: (1) designate military personnel under their jurisdiction to certify vouchers; and (2) relieve certifying officials from certain liability concerning the certification of the use of public funds under their jurisdiction. Allows for the crediting of a deficiency in an account under the jurisdiction of such officials, in appropriate circumstances. (Sec. 1002) Provides an exception to certain military personnel due process requirements in the case of routine adjustments of military pay attributable to clerical or administrative error or processing delays. (Sec. 1003) Authorizes the Secretary, under specified limitations, to incur necessary obligations to preserve the military readiness in excess of contract authority and amounts available in DOD appropriations. Requires proposals to incur such additional obligations to be accompanied by offsetting rescission proposals, unless emergency conditions exist. Outlines procedures for charging such excess costs to certain DOD accounts which have been funded as subdivisions within an appropriation. Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991 to allow, under certain limitations, an obligation and an adjustment to an obligation to be charged to any current DOD appropriation account that is available for the same purpose as a closed or expired DOD account when the expired or closed account was or may have been in violation of the Anti Deficiency Act (an Act which provides express time limitations on the expenditure and obligation of Federal appropriations or funds). (Sec. 1004) Authorizes the Secretary or the Secretary of a military department to waive certain settlement and payment limitations for claims by military personnel under that Secretary's jurisdiction when such claims arose from an emergency evacuation or from extraordinary circumstances warranting such waiver. Applies such waiver to claims arising on or after June 1, 1991. Subtitle B: Counter-Drug Activities - Authorizes the Secretary, in lieu of providing drug interdiction and counter-drug activities funds to a State, to allocate funds for the pay and related expenses of personnel of the National Guard of such State who perform counter- drug duty pursuant to a plan submitted to the Secretary by the governor of such State. Limits to 4,000 the total number of National Guard personnel who may perform such duty for more than 180 days, with an authorized 20 percent increase when necessary in the national interest. Outlines plan requirements. Requires the Secretary to examine the plan's adequacy in consultation with the Director of National Drug Policy. (Sec. 1012) Authorizes the Secretary to conduct outreach programs to reduce the demand for illegal drugs among youths. Provides funding from drug interdiction and counter-drug funding. Subtitle C: Other Matters - Increases from 90 days to one year the authorized period for the transportation of a Federal employee or official between his or her residence and place of employment in situations presenting a clear and present danger to such individual. Authorizes the Secretary and the Secretaries of the military departments to delegate their authority to choose those positions under their jurisdiction for which such transportation will be permitted. (Sec. 1022) Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1993 to: (1) remove the FY 1993-1995 limit for the National Guard Civilian Youth Opportunities Program; (2) state that the Program shall no longer be considered a pilot program; and (3) authorize the use of government vehicles pursuant to the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 in conducting the Program. Authorizes the use of such government vehicles under such Act for the training and administration of the National Guard. (Sec. 1024) Authorizes the Secretary concerned to trade certain military historical items in exchange for conservation and preservation services and for educational programs, supplies and newly upgraded or renovated conservation equipment, facilities, and systems within existing structures. (Sec. 1025) Amends the DOD Education Loan Repayment Program to authorize the Secretary to repay any loan made under part D of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program) on behalf of the following: (1) enlisted members serving on active duty in certain military specialties; (2) enlisted members of the Selected Reserve with certain critical specialties; and (3) Selected Reserve health professions officers serving under wartime critical medical skill shortages. Title XI: Matters Relating to Allies, Other Nations, and International Organizations - Revises certain accounting procedures with respect to defense burden sharing contributions accepted from the Republic of Korea. (Sec. 1102) Authorizes the Secretary to accept such contributions from Japan and the Republic of Korea in dollars or in the currency of the host nation. Allows such contributions to be used for the relocation of U.S. military personnel in or to such countries. Requires annual reports from the Secretary specifying the amount of contributions accepted and expended. (Sec. 1103) Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the President to assign members of the armed forces to any foreign country to promote rationalization, standardization, interoperability, and other defense cooperation measures. (Currently, such promotion is permitted only among members of NATO and with the armed forces of Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.) (Sec. 1104) Amends the Arms Export Control Act to authorize the Secretaries concerned to use amounts reimbursed to the United States by foreign countries for leased items which have been lost or destroyed to either replace such items or to fund upgrades or modifications of similar systems of the military departments. (Sec. 1105) Amends the Arms Export Control Act to authorize the President, under specified conditions, to acquire from an eligible foreign country or international organization a defense article previously transferred to such country under provisions of such Act, or to undertake an exchange of a defense article in return for a repaired or new article. (Sec. 1106) Limits to any operation which is expected to exceed $10 million in cost or last longer than three months the applicability of a requirement for notification from the President to the Congress when providing disaster assistance outside the United States. (Sec. 1107) Requires an annual report from the Secretary to specified congressional committees concerning the provision of worldwide humanitarian assistance by the United States to be submitted at the same time as the President's annual budget submission. Specifies additional information required to be included in such reports. (Sec. 1108) Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 to authorize during FY 1996 the use of DOD humanitarian assistance funds for activities supporting the clearing of landmines for humanitarian purposes. (Sec. 1109) Authorizes the President to provide personnel, supplies, services, and equipment in support of international peacekeeping and peace enforcement activities and to make contributions to pay the U.S. assessed share for such operations conducted by the United Nations when U.S. combat forces participate. Outlines provisions concerning: (1) appropriate reimbursement to the United States for the costs of such support, subject to specified conditions; (2) the appropriate crediting of reimbursements received; (3) the establishment of the International Peacekeeping and Peace Enforcement Activities Account for appropriate purposes; (4) an annual reporting requirement from the President to the Congress concerning such activities and expenditures; (5) an authorization of appropriations for the payment of assessments for UN operations; and (6) a prohibition on the payment of such UN assessed amounts for such activities when U.S. combat forces do not participate. (Sec. 1110) Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1993 to: (1) continue through FY 1996 the authority of the Secretary to provide assistance to support international nonproliferation activities; (2) change from the On-Site Inspection Agency to DOD the responsibility for certain on-site inspections in support of such activities; (3) add to authorized nonproliferation activities; and (4) continue through FY 1996 certain quarterly reporting requirements with respect to such activities. Title XII: Acquisition Reform - Exempts from Federal provisions requiring the cancellation of appropriated funds if not used by the end of the fifth fiscal year following their appropriation any funding appropriated for: (1) satellite on-orbit incentive fees, to remain until the fee is earned; and (2) government shipbuilding appropriations available for budgeted work that must be performed in the final stage of ship construction, to remain until its purpose is satisfied. (Sec. 1202) Amends the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act to require certain public notice of a proposed Federal contract expected to exceed $10,000 but not to exceed $25,000. (Sec. 1203) Repeals a Federal provision: (1) requiring letters of offer for the sale of defense articles and services from DOD stocks to include appropriate charges for a proportionate amount of any nonrecurring costs of research, development, and production of major defense equipment; and (2) authorizing the waiver of such charges by the President in certain circumstances. (Sec. 1204) Makes Federal provisions disallowing the receipt by a contracting official of any gratuities from the contractor inapplicable to contracts falling within the simplified acquisition threshold. (Sec. 1205) Amends the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 to require the heads of Federal agencies to make management decisions on all Office of Inspector General audits within six months (currently, no time limit) after their issuance. (Sec. 1206) Repeals a Federal provision prohibiting funds appropriated to DOD from being used to transfer to a foreign country a technical data package for a defense item being manufactured or developed in an arsenal, or to assist a country in producing such an item. (Sec. 1207) Makes permanent (currently only permitted during a national emergency) the power of the President to make, amend, or modify contracts to facilitate the national defense. (Sec. 1208) Includes a U.S. territory as a permissible entity to which the Secretary of the Navy may transfer a captured vessel or a vessel stricken from the Naval Vessel Register. (Sec. 1209) Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1990 and 1991 to: (1) require a broad range of the services and supplies acquired by DOD to be included in a test program for negotiating comprehensive subcontracting plans; (2) revise provisions concerning DOD contractors eligible under the test program; and (3) repeal a provision limiting the FY 1994 participants in the program. (Sec. 1210) Removes the requirement of activation of the full Civil Reserve Air Fleet before the Secretary may contract with private aircraft owners for the incorporation of defense features on such aircraft. (Sec. 1211) Prohibits any court or board from exercising jurisdiction over any claim for the adjustment of a shipbuilding contract that was not submitted to the contracting officer within 18 months after the occurrence of the event giving rise to the claim. (Sec. 1212) Authorizes the Secretary of the Navy to acquire or transfer such vessels and equipment for operation by private salvage companies as the Secretary considers necessary. Authorizes such Secretary to settle and receive payment for any U.S. claim for salvage services rendered by the Navy. (Sec. 1213) Authorizes the Secretary or the secretaries of the military departments to have supplies needed for DOD or a military department made in factories, depots, or arsenals owned by the United States. Authorizes any such Secretary to disestablish any U.S. arsenal considered unnecessary. (Sec. 1214) Repeals a Federal provision prohibiting the use of any appropriated funds for documenting the economic or employment impact of DOD acquisition programs for which research, development, testing, and evaluation have not been completed. (Sec. 1216) Repeals a Federal provision authorizing the Secretary of a military department to delegate certain contract authority. (Sec. 1217) Exempts from certain monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and oversight requirements the defense acquisition pilot programs specified under the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 and such future programs as may be authorized by the Congress pursuant to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991. (Sec. 1218) Requires major defense system and munitions programs testing to begin at the component, subsystem, and subassembly level and to culminate with tests of the complete system configured for combat. Revises, generally, language and terms for such programs. (Sec. 1219) Requires any position papers or assessments made with respect to technological issues in defense research to be made part of the record when making acquisition program (currently, milestone O, I, and II) decisions. (Sec. 1220) Repeals a Federal provision which authorizes the head of an agency to waive certain restrictions on undefinitized contractual actions when necessary to support a contingency operation. Excludes from such restrictions contingency operations, peacekeeping and peace enforcement operations, disaster relief operations, and humanitarian assistance. (Sec. 1221) Provides an exception with respect to the requirement of independent cost estimates for major defense acquisition programs when the decision authority for that program has been delegated to an official of a military department, defense agency, or other DOD component. (Sec. 1222) Revises Federal provisions requiring unit cost reports for defense acquisition programs to: (1) remove the definition of "procurement program" for purposes of such reports; and (2) require such a report in certain cases where the current program acquisition unit cost has increased by at least five percent over the 15 percent increase in such cost for the program as shown in its baseline estimate. (Sec. 1223) Repeals Federal provisions requiring certain quality control in the procurement of critical aircraft and ship spare parts. (Sec. 1224) Authorizes funds appropriated to a military department to be used to procure rights to use designs and processes. (Currently, funds are authorized only for technical data and computer software.) (Sec. 1225) Authorizes the Secretary to exclude from certain required post-education duty assignments graduates of the Senior Acquisition Course at the Armed Forces Industrial College if they are assigned upon such graduation to critical acquisition positions. Repeals a Federal provision requiring individuals assigned to critical acquisition positions to so serve for a minimum of three years. (Sec. 1227) Repeals Federal provisions: (1) requiring certain limitations on the performance of depot-level maintenance of material; and (2) prohibiting the contracting-out of DOD depot-level maintenance or repair workload activities previously performed by DOD depot-level activities.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 1995
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Division B (sic): Military Construction Authorizations Title XXI: Army Title XXII: Navy Title XXIII: Air Force Title XXIV: Defense Agencies Title XXV: North Atlantic Treaty Organization Infrastructure Title XXVI: Guard and Reserve Forces Facilities Title XXVII: Expiration and Extension of Authorizations Title XXVIII: General Provisions Subtitle A: Military Construction Program and Military Family Housing Changes Subtitle B: Base Closure and Realignment and Environment Subtitle C: Land Conveyance Subtitle D: Other Matters Division B (sic): Military Construction Authorizations - Military Construction Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996 - Title XXI: Army - Authorizes the Secretary of the Army to acquire real property and carry out military construction projects in specified amounts at specified installations and locations. Authorizes the Secretary to construct or acquire family housing units, to carry out architectural planning and design activities, and to improve existing military family housing in specified amounts. Authorizes appropriations to the Army for fiscal years after 1995 for military construction, land acquisition, and military family housing functions of the Army. Limits the total cost of construction projects authorized by this title. Title XXII: Navy - Provides, with respect to the Navy, authorizations paralleling those provided for the Army under the previous title. Title XXIII: Air Force - Provides, with respect to the Air Force, authorizations paralleling those provided for the Army. Title XXIV: Defense Agencies - Authorizes the Secretary of Defense (Secretary) to acquire real property and carry out military construction projects in specified amounts at specified installations and locations. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into agreements to construct, acquire, and improve family housing units at or near military installations for the purpose of encouraging private investments, in a specified amount. Authorizes the Secretary to improve existing military family housing units and to carry out certain energy conservation projects. Authorizes appropriations to the Department of Defense (DOD) for fiscal years after 1995 for military construction, land acquisition, and military family housing functions of DOD. Limits the total cost of construction projects authorized by this title. Title XXV: North Atlantic Treaty Organization Infrastructure - Authorizes the Secretary to make contributions for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Infrastructure Program and authorizes appropriations for fiscal years after 1995 for such contributions. Title XXVI: Guard and Reserve Forces Facilities - Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years after 1995 for the Guard and Reserve forces for acquisition, architectural and engineering services, and construction of facilities. Title XXVII: Expiration and Extension of Authorizations - Terminates all authorizations contained in the preceding titles of this Act on October 1, 1998, or the date of enactment of an Act authorizing funds for military construction for FY 1999, whichever is later, with exceptions. Extends certain FY 1992 and 1993 military construction projects. Title XXVIII: General Provisions - Subtitle A: Military Construction Program and Military Family Housing Changes - Authorizes the Secretary of the military department concerned to sell military family housing which has deteriorated beyond economical repair, along with the land on which such housing is located. Requires notification to the appropriate congressional committees and a waiting period of 21 days after such notice. Requires sale proceeds to be deposited into military family housing accounts and used for their purposes. (Sec. 2802) Increases from 300 to 450 the number of units of family housing authorized to be leased in foreign countries for U.S. military family housing purposes. (Sec. 2803) Extends permanently the authority of the Secretary to increase the maximum square footage of military family housing units acquired for military personnel of certain pay grades when determined to be cost effective. (Sec. 2804) Authorizes the Secretary of any military department (currently, only the Navy) to enter into limited partnerships with private developers for the construction of military family housing at or near a military installation. Renames the Navy Housing Investment Account (used for partnership purposes) as the Defense Housing Investment Account. Terminates the Navy Housing Investment Board created to oversee such partnerships. Extends through FY 2000 the authority to enter into such partnerships. (Sec. 2805) Provides that certain cost increase limits with respect to military family housing construction projects do not apply to the settlement of a contractor claim. Subtitle B: Base Closure and Realignment and Environment - Amends the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 to allow funds in the Defense Environmental Restoration Account to be used in FY 1996 for environmental restoration activities for military installations approved for closure or realignment in 1995 under such Act. (Sec. 2808) Amends the Defense Authorization Amendments and Base Closure and Realignment Act as well as the above Act to authorize the Secretary to enter into agreements (currently, only contracts) with local governments for the provision of certain services (police, fire, airfield operations) at military installations to be closed under such Acts when determined to be in the best interests of DOD. (Sec. 2809) Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1990 (CERCLA) to: (1) provide that certain environmental cleanup responsibilities of the United States with respect to Federal facilities transferred under such Act shall not apply to leases; and (2) authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency or the governor of the affected State to defer such responsibilities upon determination that the property is suitable for transfer or upon assurance that releases caused by the United States will be otherwise addressed. Subtitle C: Land Conveyance - Authorizes the Secretary of the Army to convey to: (1) Burlington County, New Jersey, all rights and interest to the Fort Dix Resource Recovery Facility; (2) Augusta, Georgia, all rights and interest to several parcels of land containing water and wastewater treatment plants at Fort Gordon, Georgia; and (3) the Southern California Edison Company all rights and interest to the electrical distribution system at Fort Irwin, California. Subtitle D: Other Matters - Authorizes the Secretary concerned to sell to a public or private utility company electricity generated from energy production facilities (currently, only from alternate energy or cogeneration production facilities) that are under the jurisdiction of such Secretary. (Sec. 2815) Requires water conservation savings and water costs of DOD to be included within a required DOD energy performance goal for FY 1991 through 2000. (Sec. 2816) Authorizes the Secretary of the Air Force to convey all rights and interest to the primate research laboratory at Holloman Air Force Base, as well as ownership of certain chimpanzees used in connection with such research, to the Coulston Foundation or another nonprofit entity determined appropriate by the Secretary. Requires the grantee to utilize the laboratory for scientific or medical research and provide adequate care for the chimpanzees. (Sec. 2817) Requires the Secretary to submit annual reports to specified congressional committees with respect to the acquisition of leasehold interests in land for use in special operations activities. (Sec. 2818) Authorizes the Secretary to carry out school facilities activities, including the construction of elementary and secondary schools on military installations, under provisions of Federal law allowing the provision of education by the Federal Government when local educational agencies are unable to provide adequate educational facilities.
Germany · German Bundestag · 26 April 1995
Rückblick auf die Klimakonferenz in Berlin, Mandat zu Verhandlungen über Reduzierung von Treibhausgasen, deutsche Ziele für die Kohlendioxidminderung bis zum Jahr 2005, europäische Energiesteuer, Förderung erneuerbarer Energien, Beitrag der Kernenergie zum Klimaschutz, Energiekonsensgespräche, Reaktorunglück von Tschernobyl, Sicherheitsverbesserungen an osteuropäischen Kernkraftwerken, Mochovce und Temelin, Vorgänge beim Castor-Transport nach Gorleben, lösbare Entsorgungsprobleme, Dank an die Polizei
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 1995
Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, during the one-year period beginning on this Act's enactment date, from initiating or continuing in effect an enforcement action against a State (including the withholding of certain grants, the promulgation of a Federal implementation plan, or the imposition of specified sanctions) with respect to areas classified as Marginal or Moderate ozone nonattainment areas under the Clean Air Act.
European Union · European Commission · 12 April 1995
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1995
Environmental Finance Act of 1995 - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish: (1) an Environmental Financial Advisory Board to provide expert advice on issues affecting the costs and financing of environmental activities at the Federal, State, and local levels; and (2) Environmental Finance Centers in institutions of higher education in each of the regions of the EPA. Authorizes the Centers to: (1) provide training of State and local officials; (2) publish materials relating to financing of environmental infrastructure; (3) conduct conferences and advisory panels on specific environmental finance issues; (4) establish information services; (5) generate case studies and reports; (6) develop surveys of financial issues and needs of State and local governments; (7) identify financial programs and alternative financing mechanisms for training purposes; (8) hold public meetings; and (9) collaborate and exchange information. Permits the Administrator to make grants to institutions of higher education to carry out the Center program. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1995
Oil Recycling Incentives Act - Requires producers or importers of lubricating oil to recycle for a period of ten years an amount of used oil equal to at least the amount determined by multiplying the amount of lubricating oil produced or imported that year by such persons by the recycling percentage established by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Authorizes such individuals to comply with this Act by: (1) recycling (through re-refining) used oil or purchasing re-refined oil for purposes of producing lubricating oil; or (2) purchasing recycling credits under this Act. Requires producers and importers to report annually to the Administrator on the amount of oil produced or imported by such persons. Requires a producer or importer to be treated as having recycled two units of used oil for each unit of re-refined oil or lubricant base stock purchased. Directs the Administrator to establish a recycling percentage that is two points higher than the existing recycling rate for lubricating oil. Provides for increases in such percentage of two points annually for ten years. Requires the Administrator to promulgate regulations allowing recyclers to create credits for used oil recycling and producers or importers of lubricating oil to purchase such credits. Provides that such regulations shall require: (1) specified records to be kept by recyclers and by importers or producers; and (2) recyclers to sell or distribute in commerce such oil as specification used oil, off-specification used oil, industrial specification used oil, or re-refined oil. Applies recycling requirements to persons who import or produce more than 100,000 gallons of lubricating oil annually. Sets the recycling percentage at 40 percent if the Administrator fails to promulgate such regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1995
Newsprint Recycling Incentives Act - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to require producers or importers of newsprint to recycle an amount of newsprint equal to the amount determined by multiplying the amount of newsprint produced or imported annually by the recycling percentage established by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Authorizes compliance with this Act by: (1) recycling (through deinking) newsprint; (2) purchasing recycled newsprint to combine with shipments of virgin newsprint; or (3) purchasing recycling credits under this Act. Requires the recycling percentage to be at least 20 percent. Provides for increases in such percentage of two points annually for the next ten years. Requires the Administrator to promulgate regulations to allow newsprint producers or importers to create or purchase recycling credits. Applies recycling requirements to persons who produce or import more than ten tons of newsprint annually. Sets the recycling percentage at 20 percent if the Administrator fails to promulgate such regulations. Prescribes civil penalties for violations of this Act. Directs the Administrator to submit to the Congress and implement a plan for the recycling of post-consumer high grade paper. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1995
Tire Recycling Incentives Act - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to require tire producers or importers to recycle an amount of scrap tires equal to at least the amount determined by multiplying the amount of tires produced or imported that year by the recycling percentage established by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Authorizes compliance by: (1) recycling scrap tires through reintroducing the recovered rubber into a manufacturing process to produce new tires or retread old tire casings; or (2) purchasing recycling credits. Directs the Administrator to establish a recycling percentage and provides for annual increases in such percentage. Requires the Administrator to allow recyclers to create credits for tire recycling and tire producers or importers to purchase such credits. Directs the Attorney General to report to the Congress on the effects of the credit system on competition within the tire and scrap tire recycling industries. Considers a scrap tire recycling or disposal facility to be a solid waste disposal facility for purposes of Internal Revenue Code provisions concerning exempt facility bonds. Directs the Administrator to: (1) publish minimum requirements for State scrap tire management and procedures to be incorporated into State solid waste management plans; (2) provide for expedited review of State plans which include scrap tire recycling measures; and (3) establish standards to minimize health and environmental damages from the improper disposal and storage of tires. Directs the Administrator to publish guidelines for States for the issuance of permits to scrap tire collection facilities and for facility emergency plans. Requires all regulated facilities to have appropriate financial responsibility or insurance. Exempts specified persons from permitting requirements. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to implement a plan to remediate tire piles. Directs the Administrator to develop a guideline for Federal procurement of items that make use of scrap or used tires. Directs the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, to publish standards for Federal departments to determine the life-cycle costs and benefits of items that make use of rubber from scrap or used tires. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1995
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Women Veterans Health Improvements Title II: Care for Veterans Exposed to Toxic Substances Title III: Readjustment Services Title IV: Services for Mentally Ill Veterans Title V: Construction Planning Title VI: General Health Administration Subtitle A: Health Care Administration Subtitle B: Personnel Administration Subtitle C: Health Care Resource Agreements Subtitle D: Miscellaneous Veterans Health Improvements Act of 1995 - Title I: Women Veterans Health Improvements - Women Veterans Health Improvements Act of 1995 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that each health care facility under the direct jurisdiction of the Department of Veterans Affairs is able to provide in a timely and appropriate manner all authorized health care services to women veterans. Requires the provision of women's health services by direct Department care (rather than by contract or other agreement) when cost effective. Includes women's health services within the medical services authorized to be provided through the Department. Extends through 1998 a reporting requirement under the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 concerning the Department's provision of women's health care services and research and adds to the information required in such report. (Sec. 104) Prohibits mammograms from being performed at a Department facility unless such facility is accredited for such purpose by a private nonprofit organization designated by the Secretary. Directs the Secretary to prescribe mammogram quality assurance and control standards and to perform periodic inspection of Department mammogram equipment and facilities. Requires the Secretary to ensure that mammograms performed for the Department on a contractual basis with a non-Department facility or provider conform to the quality standards for such procedures as prescribed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Public Health Service Act. Provides for: (1) a deadline for prescribing the standards; (2) transition provisions; and (3) a standards implementation report from the Secretary to specified congressional committees. (Sec. 105) Amends the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 to require each coordinator of women's services to serve in such position on a full-time basis. Requires the Secretary to ensure that: (1) sufficient Department funding is provided to allow such coordinators to fully carry out their responsibilities at such facilities; and (2) each coordinator has direct access to the Chief of Staff at their respective facility. (Sec. 106) Directs the Secretary to: (1) conduct a survey to identify deficiencies relating to women patient privacy in Department medical centers; (2) correct any such deficiencies; and (3) report to the Congress annually through 1997. Title II: Care for Veterans Exposed to Toxic Substances - Extends eligibility for hospital, nursing home, or outpatient medical care through the Department to: (1) a herbicide-exposed veteran if the National Academy of Sciences has, in a report issued under the Agent Orange Act of 1991, made specified determinations regarding an association between exposure to a herbicide agent and the occurrence of the veteran's disease; (2) a radiation-exposed veteran if the Secretary, based on the advice of the Advisory Committee on Environmental Hazards, determines that there is credible evidence of a positive association between exposure to ionizing radiation and the veteran's disease; and (3) a veteran who the Secretary finds may have been exposed to a toxic substance or environmental hazard during service in the Persian Gulf War, for any disability that becomes manifest before October 1, 1996. Provides time limits to the provision of such services. Title III: Readjustment Services - Authorizes the Secretary to furnish counseling in a vet center to assist any veteran who served in combat during World War II or the Korean conflict in overcoming the effects of such combat experience. Requires a report. (Sec. 302) Establishes in the Department the Advisory Committee on Veterans Readjustment Counseling to perform advisory services with respect to veterans' readjustment, taking into special account Vietnam era veterans. Requires reports. Title IV: Services for Mentally Ill Veterans - Authorizes the Secretary to establish at any Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facility a nonprofit corporation to: (1) arrange for therapeutic work for patients of such facility or other Department facilities; and (2) provide a funding mechanism to achieve such purposes. Outlines provisions concerning: (1) the establishment of a board of directors for each corporation; (2) the deposit of excess corporation funds; (3) annual reports by the corporation and the Secretary; (4) a prohibition against the establishment of such corporations after FY 1999; and (5) required recognition of such corporation within four years as a tax-exempt organization under Internal Revenue Service rules. (Sec. 402) Extends through FY 1998 (currently 1995) the Department compensated work therapy and therapeutic transitional housing demonstration program. (Sec. 403) Directs the Secretary to establish in the VHA a Committee on Care of Severely Chronically Mentally Ill Veterans to carry out a continual assessment of the Department's ability to meet the treatment and rehabilitation needs of severely, chronically mentally ill veterans and to provide appropriate advice and recommendations after such assessment. Requires annual reports. (Sec. 404) Directs the Secretary to establish and operate centers for mental illness research, education, and clinical activities (centers). Directs the Secretary to ensure that designated centers are located in diverse geographic areas. Limits to five the total number of centers authorized for designation. Requires the prior appropriation of funds for such purpose. Requires interested facilities to submit written proposals containing specified requirements, including an arrangement by the facility with an accredited medical school, school of psychology, or medical training facility for appropriate research, education, and clinical activities. Requires the official within the VHA responsible for mental health and behavioral sciences matters (official) to establish a peer review panel to assess the scientific and clinical merit of proposals submitted to the Secretary. Requires the Under Secretary for Health to ensure that: (1) at least three centers designated under this section emphasize research into means of improving the quality of care for veterans suffering from mental illness through the development of community-based alternatives to institutional treatment; and (2) information produced through such centers that may be useful for other VHA activities is appropriately disseminated. Requires the official to supervise the operation of the centers and provide for ongoing center evaluations. Authorizes appropriations to the Department for the centers for FY 1997 through 2000. Authorizes the Under Secretary to allocate other Department funds for such purpose. Requires annual reports. Requires at least one center to be so designated by January 1, 1997. (Sec. 405) Authorizes the Secretary to provide to homeless, chronically mentally ill veterans currently eligible for hospital and nursing home care additional care and treatment and rehabilitative services in halfway houses, therapeutic communities, psychiatric residential treatment centers, and other community-based treatment facilities. Authorizes the Secretary to also provide such care and services to: (1) veterans being furnished hospital or nursing home care by the Secretary for a chronic mental illness disability; and (2) veterans with service-connected chronic mental illness disabilities. Requires approval by the Secretary of the quality and effectiveness of a program providing such services through non-Department facilities. Authorizes the Secretary to provide in-kind and other forms of assistance to non-Department facilities providing such care, treatment, and services. Title V: Construction Planning - Directs the Secretary to develop and implement a plan to promote the efficient delivery of health care services and to reduce unnecessary duplication of health care resources. Requires an implementation report. (Sec. 502) Adds additional information to be required in a prospectus sent from the Secretary to specified congressional committees concerning proposed medical facilities to be constructed, leased, or acquired by the Department for the provision of Department medical care and services. (Sec. 503) Requires the Secretary to submit to specified congressional committees a report showing the current Department priorities for proposed major medical construction projects. (Sec. 504) Prohibits the appropriation or obligation of funds for the design of major medical facility projects (projects in excess of $5 million) unless such funds have been specifically authorized by law. Title VI: General Health Administration - Subtitle A: Health Care Administration - Includes within authorized Department medical services overnight lodging in Department facilities when necessary for the provision of services on an outpatient basis. (Sec. 602) Extends through FY 1997 the pilot program for noninstitutional alternatives to nursing home care. Extends similarly certain reporting dates with respect to such program. (Sec. 603) Extends through December 31, 1997, the authority of the Secretary to provide treatment and rehabilitation to veterans for alcohol or drug dependence or abuse disabilities. (Sec. 604) Increases the amounts required to be paid by the Secretary to a State per diem for each veteran receiving domiciliary, nursing home, hospital, or adult day health care. (Sec. 605) Includes the provision of adult day health care within authorized purposes for Department assistance to States for the construction of medical facilities for the care of veterans. Subtitle B: Personnel Administration - Places an additional limitation on authorized Department reductions in the number of full-time equivalent positions in the Department before the end of FY 1999. (Sec. 612) Extends permanently (currently expired as of December 31, 1994) the authority of the Secretary to waive certain reductions in retirement pay for Department registered nurses. (Sec. 613) Authorizes the Secretary to employ in the VHA certain persons in health care positions as the Secretary considers necessary. (Sec. 614) Extends to individuals appointed as employees in the VHA certain Federal provisions (whistleblower laws) providing protection against certain prohibited personnel practices. (Sec. 615) Extends through December 31, 1998, the Department's health professional scholarship program (offering educational scholarships to certain health care students in return for post-graduate service in the VHA). Subtitle C: Health Care Resource Agreements - Repeals a provision of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 which terminates at the end of FY 1995 the authority of the Department to expand the availability of health-sharing arrangements between the Department and the Department of Defense. (Sec. 622) Authorizes the director of a Department health care facility located in a State that has established a State health care reform plan to contract with any entity or individual to procure or furnish any health care resource for veterans. Authorizes such director to contract for the procurement of such resources for non-veterans only under specified conditions. Terminates the authority to enter into such contracts at the end of FY 2000. (Sec. 623) Authorizes the Secretary to enter into agreements with medical schools, health-care facilities, and research centers for the shared use of health care resources for the treatment of veterans. (Currently, the Secretary is authorized to enter into such agreements with such entities for the shared use of specialized medical resources.) Changes the payment method under such agreements from reciprocal reimbursement to one which provides appropriate flexibility to negotiate payment which is in the best interest of the Government. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into such agreements for the furnishing of health care services to non-veterans only in certain limited circumstances. Subtitle D: Miscellaneous - Designates various current veterans' committees and boards as veterans' research advisory committees. Prohibits the Secretary from terminating any such committee unless the Secretary: (1) finds that such committee is no longer needed; and (2) notifies specified congressional committees of such intention at least 120 days prior to such termination. (Sec. 633) Changes from December 1 to April 1 of each fiscal year a reporting date concerning Department admission policies with respect to veterans' hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care. (Sec. 634) Authorizes the Secretary to provide for the operation of child care centers at Department facilities when practicable and in the best interests of the Department. Requires priority to be given, in the provision of such services, to employees of: (1) the Department; (2) other Federal departments and agencies; and (3) schools affiliated with the Department and Department research corporations. Allows the Secretary, after such priorities, to provide such services to members of the public when necessary to assure the financial success of the center. Requires the Secretary to establish reasonable charges for all child care services provided, with conditions. (Sec. 635) Authorizes the Secretary to enter into contracts for the provision of utilities (including steam and chilled water) to the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Requires available appropriations. (Sec. 636) Authorizes the Secretary to enter into a long-term lease or similar agreement with The Caring Place at Loyola, Inc., a nonprofit organization, to allow such organization to establish on the grounds of the Edward Hines, Jr., Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital, Hines, Illinois, a facility to provide temporary accommodations for family members of severely ill children who are being treated at the Loyola University of Chicago Medical Center and other hospitals.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1995
Department of Energy Laboratories Efficiency Improvement Act - Prohibits the Department of Energy (DOE) from implementing Federal, State, and local environmental, safety, and health standards with respect to nondefense DOE laboratories. Requires the number of individuals employed at nondefense Government-owned, contractor-operated departmental laboratories to be reduced by one-third within ten years after enactment of this Act. Requires such reductions to be consistent with specified objectives. Requires the Secretary of Energy to transmit to the Congress a report that: (1) identifies the extent to which DOE and departmental laboratory staffs have been reduced; (2) explains the extent to which such reductions have been made consistent with the specified objectives; and (3) along with each presidential annual budget submitted, explains the extent to which such reductions have been made.
United States · United States Congress · 7 April 1995
Lead Battery Recycling Incentives Act - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate regulations for persons who generate, transport, store, recycle, or dispose of spent lead-acid batteries. Sets forth required elements of such regulations, including specific requirements for battery storage and transfers and recordkeeping and management practices. Directs battery retailers to accept from customers spent lead-acid batteries of the same type and quantity as the batteries sold. Requires the Administrator to implement education activities to inform the public about the environmental and safety hazards associated with improper handling and disposal of spent lead-acid batteries. Authorizes appropriations. Applies such requirements to batteries which are transported to or managed by a lead-acid battery recycling facility, a secondary lead smelter, or any facility that prepares batteries for recycling. Requires producers or importers of lead-acid batteries to recycle, for the ten-year period beginning 24 months after this Act's enactment, an amount of spent lead equal to at least the amount determined by multiplying the amount of lead in the batteries produced or imported by such persons by the recycling percentage established by the Administrator. Authorizes compliance with such requirement by: (1) reclaiming lead and using it in the production of new batteries; (2) purchasing reclaimed lead from secondary lead smelters to produce new batteries or shielding; or (3) purchasing recycling credits. Sets the recycling percentage at 80 percent. Increases such percentage by two points annually. Authorizes the Administrator to reduce or waive the two percent increase if the rate exceeds 95 percent. Directs the Administrator to allow: (1) producers of lead-acid batteries to create credits for recycling an amount of batteries greater than required; and (2) producers of new batteries to purchase such credits for purposes of complying with this Act. Applies battery recycling requirements to persons who produce or import more than 10,000 pounds of new lead-acid batteries annually. Sets the recycling percentage at 90 percent if the Administrator fails to promulgate recycling regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1995
Amtrak Restructuring Act of 1995 - Amends Federal transportation law to set forth as a congressional finding that the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) should be available to operate commuter rail passenger transportation under contract with commuter authorities to the extent it is fully reimbursed for costs incurred in operating such services, including a reasonable return on its investment of time and resources. Establishes as an Amtrak goal management of its capital investment to provide its customers with world class service. (Sec. 5) Authorizes appropriations for Amtrak for: (1) operating expenses; (2) capital investment; (3) construction expenses to convert the James A. Farley Post Office, New York City, into a train station and commercial center and for the redevelopment of the Pennsylvania Station, New York City; (4) transition costs associated with long-term restructuring of Amtrak; (5) capital expenditures for the Northeast Corridor improvement project; and (6) certain mandatory payments. (Sec. 6) Declares that certain limits on the contracting out of work by Amtrak shall not bar it and the union representing its employees from negotiating a collective bargaining agreement that permits greater flexibility in such contracting. (Sec. 7) Requires a certain annual report to the Congress concerning Amtrak routes that provide intercity rail passenger transportation to include, among other things, information on the long-term profit or loss. Requires Amtrak to include in its annual report on operations to the President and to the Congress: (1) projections of anticipated and realized benefits of proposed and previously funded projects; (2) identification of improvements in the quality of Amtrak service; (3) facility improvements that demonstrate a productivity gain; (4) equipment improvements that lower operating costs; (5) environmental benefits (including air quality and land use benefits); (6) enhancements to local transportation needs, including mobility of physically and economically disadvantaged persons; (7) improvement of revenue-to-cost ratio; (8) any reduced dependence on Federal operating support; and (9) reductions in the need for alternative transportation investments. (Sec. 8) Revises the composition of the Amtrak board of directors to include two individuals selected by the President from a list of five names submitted by commuter authorities providing service over Amtrak rail properties (currently, one individual nominated by each commuter authority). Authorizes Amtrak to cooperate, upon request, with applicants proposing technology demonstrations financed under U.S. law. Repeals a provision regarding assistance for upgrading of railroad facilities. (Sec. 9) Eliminates the Amtrak Commuter Service Corporation. (Sec. 10) Changes from mandatory to discretionary Amtrak authority to provide cost-effective intercity rail passenger service. Requires Amtrak's decisions regarding the initiation, retention, modification, or elimination of intercity rail passenger service to be made on the basis of available financial resources. Requires any Amtrak agreement with State or local governments or private entity to support such service to be made with the understanding that Federal funding will decrease through time. Sets forth certain financial requirements for the discontinuance of Amtrak rail routes or service. (Sec. 11) Repeals provisions regarding: (1) certain requirements directing Amtrak to provide notice of discontinuance of rail service to State or local authorities or other persons; (2) discontinuance of such service based on lack of appropriations; and (3) exemption of Amtrak Commuter from discontinuance requirements. Authorizes Amtrak and unions representing Amtrak employees to negotiate new employee protective arrangements that differ from the requirements of other portions of this section and the terms of the Appendix C-2 to Basic Agreement between Amtrak and the freight railroads. Declares that any of the provisions of this section and the terms of Appendix C-2 that are inconsistent with a new protective arrangement shall cease to apply to the bargaining unit covered by such new arrangement. (Sec. 12) Repeals specified provisions regarding rail route discontinuance. (Sec. 13) Directs Amtrak to construct an electrification system between Boston, Massachusetts, and New Haven, Connecticut, to accommodate the installation of a third mainline track between Davisville and Central Falls, Rhode Island, to be used for double-stack freight service to and from the Port of Davisville. Requires Amtrak to report to the Congress on its electrification design between Davisville and Central Falls, Rhode Island. (Sec. 14) Prohibits cross-subsidization between intercity rail passenger and commuter rail passenger transportation that crosses over certain rights-of-way. Repeals a specified section of the Northeast Rail Service Act of 1981 relating to compensation to Amtrak for right-of-way costs related to the operation of commuter rail passenger service over the Northeast Corridor. (Sec. 15) Directs Amtrak to make any capital improvements for the Northeast Corridor improvement project program necessary for reliable, high-speed rail passenger service and enhancement of capacity for intercity and commuter passenger service. Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to the State of Rhode Island for the construction of a third track with sufficient clearance to accommodate double stack freight cars on the Northeast Corridor between Davisville and Central Falls, Rhode Island.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1995
Landfill Technological Improvement Act of 1995 - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to provide that regulations governing the presence of certain liquids in landfills shall not prohibit usage in hazardous waste landfills of sorbents manufactured from processed organic materials that are not likely to degrade in an anaerobic environment until the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency issues final regulations concerning anaerobic landfill conditions and the use of organic sorbents.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1995
Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Amendments Act of 1995 - Modifies the boundaries of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor. Requires the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission to revise the Cultural Heritage and Land Management Plan to address the boundary change and include a natural resource inventory of areas or features that should be protected, restored, managed, or acquired because of their contribution to the understanding of national cultural landscape values. Prohibits changes other than minor revisions in the approved plan as amended without the approval of the Secretary of the Interior. Extends the date of termination of the Commission until ten years after this Act's enactment, subject to specified conditions. Directs the Secretary to approve an additional extension if the Secretary finds that: (1) the Governors of Massachusetts and Rhode Island provide adequate assurances of continued tangible contribution and effective policy support toward achieving the purposes of the Corridor; and (2) the Commission is effectively assisting Federal, State, and local authorities to retain, enhance, and interpret the distinctive character and nationally significant resources of the Corridor. Authorizes the Secretary to undertake a limited program of financial assistance for the purpose of providing funds for the preservation and restoration of structures on or eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places within the Corridor which exhibit national significance or provide a wide spectrum of historic, recreational, or environmental education opportunities to the general public. Specifies that nothing in the Act establishing the Corridor shall be construed to affect or authorize the Commission to interfere with: (1) the rights of any person with respect to private property; or (2) any local zoning ordinance or land use plan of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or a political subdivision of such Commonwealth. Increases and extends the authorization of appropriations under the Act.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1995
Amtrak Restructuring Act of 1995 - Amends Federal transportation law to set forth as a congressional finding that the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) should be available to operate commuter rail passenger transportation under contract with commuter authorities to the extent it is fully reimbursed for costs incurred in operating such services, including a reasonable return on its investment of time and resources. Establishes as an Amtrak goal management of its capital investment to provide its customers with world class service. (Sec. 5) Authorizes appropriations for Amtrak for: (1) operating expenses; (2) capital investment; (3) construction expenses to convert the James A. Farley Post Office, New York City, into a train station and commercial center and for the redevelopment of the Pennsylvania Station, New York City; (4) transition costs associated with long-term restructuring of Amtrak; (5) capital expenditures for the Northeast Corridor improvement project; and (6) certain mandatory payments. (Sec. 6) Declares that certain limits on the contracting out of work by Amtrak shall not bar it and the union representing its employees from negotiating a collective bargaining agreement that permits greater flexibility in such contracting. (Sec. 7) Requires a certain annual report to the Congress concerning Amtrak routes that provide intercity rail passenger transportation to include, among other things, information on the long-term profit or loss. Requires Amtrak to include in its annual report on operations to the President and to the Congress: (1) projections of anticipated and realized benefits of proposed and previously funded projects; (2) identification of improvements in the quality of Amtrak service; (3) facility improvements that demonstrate a productivity gain; (4) equipment improvements that lower operating costs; (5) environmental benefits (including air quality and land use benefits); (6) enhancements to local transportation needs, including mobility of physically and economically disadvantaged persons; (7) improvement of revenue-to-cost ratio; (8) any reduced dependence on Federal operating support; and (9) reductions in the need for alternative transportation investments. (Sec. 8) Revises the composition of the Amtrak board of directors to include two individuals selected by the President from a list of five names submitted by commuter authorities providing service over Amtrak rail properties (currently, one individual nominated by each commuter authority). Authorizes Amtrak to cooperate, upon request, with applicants proposing technology demonstrations financed under U.S. law. Repeals a provision regarding assistance for upgrading of railroad facilities. (Sec. 9) Eliminates the Amtrak Commuter Service Corporation. (Sec. 10) Changes from mandatory to discretionary Amtrak authority to provide cost-effective intercity rail passenger service. Requires Amtrak's decisions regarding the initiation, retention, modification, or elimination of intercity rail passenger service to be made on the basis of available financial resources. Requires any Amtrak agreement with State or local governments or private entity to support such service to be made with the understanding that Federal funding will decrease through time. Sets forth certain financial requirements for the discontinuance of Amtrak rail routes or service. (Sec. 11) Repeals provisions regarding: (1) certain requirements directing Amtrak to provide notice of discontinuance of rail service to State or local authorities or other persons; (2) discontinuance of such service based on lack of appropriations; and (3) exemption of Amtrak Commuter from discontinuance requirements. Authorizes Amtrak and unions representing Amtrak employees to negotiate new employee protective arrangements that differ from the requirements of other portions of this section and the terms of the Appendix C-2 to Basic Agreement between Amtrak and the freight railroads. Declares that any of the provisions of this section and the terms of Appendix C-2 that are inconsistent with a new protective arrangement shall cease to apply to the bargaining unit covered by such new arrangement. (Sec. 12) Repeals specified provisions regarding rail route discontinuance. (Sec. 13) Directs Amtrak to construct an electrification system between Boston, Massachusetts, and New Haven, Connecticut, to accommodate the installation of a third mainline track between Davisville and Central Falls, Rhode Island, to be used for double-stack freight service to and from the Port of Davisville. Requires Amtrak to report to the Congress on its electrification design between Davisville and Central Falls, Rhode Island. (Sec. 14) Prohibits cross-subsidization between intercity rail passenger and commuter rail passenger transportation that crosses over certain rights-of-way. Repeals a specified section of the Northeast Rail Service Act of 1981 relating to compensation to Amtrak for right-of-way costs related to the operation of commuter rail passenger service over the Northeast Corridor. (Sec. 15) Directs Amtrak to make any capital improvements for the Northeast Corridor improvement project program necessary for reliable, high-speed rail passenger service and enhancement of capacity for intercity and commuter passenger service. Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to the State of Rhode Island for the construction of a third track with sufficient clearance to accommodate double stack freight cars on the Northeast Corridor between Davisville and Central Falls, Rhode Island.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1995
National Beverage Container Reuse and Recycling Act of 1995 - 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. Requires distributors to collect from retailers the refund value for each beverage sold to retailers and 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 identical 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. Provides for the adjustment for inflation of the ten-cent refund amount at ten-year intervals. Prescribes civil penalties for violations of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 1995
DeLauro-Lowey Water Pollution Control and Estuary Restoration Act - (Sec. 3) Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA) to extend the authorization of appropriations for the State water pollution control revolving fund program through FY 2002. (Sec. 4) Requires a specified percentage (increasing with each succeeding fiscal year) of such appropriations to be used for capitalization grants for estuary plans to qualified States. Makes States that fail to submit approved need estimates ineligible for assistance. Directs States to establish separate Estuary Accounts in their water pollution control revolving funds, to be used for implementing approved estuary plans. Permits loans made with Account funds to be for terms of up to 40 years or for the useful life of a facility constructed with the loan, whichever is less, if the borrower demonstrates financial hardship. Establishes a State matching requirement for deposits into Accounts. (Sec. 5) Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to make grants for the implementation of estuary conservation and management plans. Authorizes appropriations. Permits certain grants under the National Estuary Program to be used for interim actions adopted by management conferences to protect the water and sediment quality of estuaries. (Sec. 6) Extends the authorization of appropriations for management conferences, grants, conservation and management plans, and research under the National Estuary Program through FY 2002. (Sec. 7) Revises National Estuary Program provisions regarding management conference purposes, membership, participation, and duties to, among other things: (1) require conferences to ensure implementation of FWPCA water quality standards; (2) require inclusion as members representatives of Federal fish and wildlife agencies, the agriculture industry, municipalities, and environmental organizations; and (3) direct the Administrator to provide necessary funding, analysis of program needs, and Federal liaison activities for the program. Directs the Administrator to issue a guidance document establishing requirements for: (1) management conferences to follow in developing and monitoring conservation and management plans; (2) the implementation of interim actions to protect water quality of estuaries for which plans are developed; and (3) the Administrator to follow in approving strategies included in such plans. Sets forth conditions under which management conferences may be terminated. Revises approval and implementation procedures for estuary conservation and management plans and establishes procedures for interim actions. Prohibits any activity located in U.S. waters or which serves new development in such waters from being included in a conservation and management plan or a State needs estimate unless specified Federal officials determine that: (1) the activity is essential to reduce the discharge of pollutants into navigable waters; and (2) there is no practicable alternative to the proposed activity that would have a less adverse impact on the aquatic habitat.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 1995
Edible Oil Regulatory Reform Act - Directs Federal agencies, in issuing or enforcing a regulation, an interpretation, or a guideline relating to a fat, oil, or grease under a Federal law, to: (1) differentiate between and establish separate categories for animal fats, vegetable oils, and other oils, including petroleum oil; and (2) apply different standards to different classes of fat and oil, considering differences in physical, chemical, biological, and other properties and in the effects on human health and the environment. Amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to exempt tank vessels carrying animal fat or vegetable oil from liability limits and financial responsibility requirements for tank vessels under such Act.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 1995
National Aquaculture Development, Research, and Promotion Act of 1995 - Amends the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 to establish the Department of Agriculture (Department) as the lead Federal agency for the development of national policy and programs for private aquaculture. (Sec. 5) Authorizes (currently requires) the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) to: (1) establish within the National Agricultural Library a National Aquaculture Information Center; and (2) assign new aquaculture programs to the appropriate Federal agencies. (Sec. 6) Provides for coordination with the aquaculture industry. (Sec. 7) Directs the Secretary to: (1) implement a national policy for private aquaculture; (2) implement a Department Aquaculture Plan; (3) revise the National Aquaculture Development Plan; and (4) treat private aquaculture as a form of agriculture. (Sec. 8) Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out grant and cooperative agreement programs to demonstrate aquaculture's application to environmental enhancement, including a water-borne pollution assessment program. (Sec. 9) Authorizes the Secretary to carry out grant and cooperative agreement programs for Native American fishpond revitalization. (Sec. 10) Authorizes the Secretary to establish aquaculture education programs in secondary and postsecondary vocational schools. (Sec. 11) Authorizes appropriations for aquaculture programs. (Sec. 12) Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to make aquaculture farmers eligible for farm credit assistance. (Sec. 13) Amends the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to authorize the Secretary to establish an international aquaculture information and data collection program. (Sec. 14) Directs the Secretary to report to the Congress with respect to aquaculture information network enhancement. (Sec. 15) Directs the Secretary to develop an aquatic species voluntary quality standards certification plan. (Sec. 16) Directs the Secretary to report to the Congress on progress made in implementing this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 1995
Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Act - Transfers a specified portion of the Fort Devens Military Reservation, Massachusetts, to the Secretary of the Interior for addition to the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge. Directs the Secretary of Defense to convey to Lancaster, Massachusetts, all rights and interest to a portion of such property excluded from the transfer. Provides that the environmental cleanup responsibilities of the Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall not be affected by such transfer and conveyance.
United States · United States Congress · 5 April 1995
Chlorine Zero Discharge Act of 1995 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to require pulp and paper manufacturing facilities to achieve zero discharge into water of organochlorine compounds, byproducts, or metabolites formulated as a result of the use of chlorine or any other chlorinated oxidizing agent in the pulp and paper manufacturing process. Requires permits for paper and pulp mills which use chlorine or chlorinated oxidizing agents to require compliance with the zero discharge requirement. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to: (1) evaluate alternatives to the use of organochlorines in pulp and paper manufacturing and to publish a report on the transfer to chlorine-free technology in the pulp and paper industry as a model for pollution prevention; and (2) provide technical information and support to assist permit applicants in the use of such alternatives.
United States · United States Congress · 4 April 1995
Directs the Secretary of the Army to carry out an environmental restoration project at the Eastern Channel of the Lockwoods Folly River, Brunswick County, North Carolina. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 1995
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Voluntary Environmental Cleanup Title II: National Environmental Business Development Program Title III: National Environmental Response, Remediation, and Restoration Training Programs Subtitle A: National Environmental Response Training Program Subtitle B: National Environmental Remediation and Restoration Training Program Title IV: National Environment-Related Employment Program Comprehensive Economic and Environmental Recovery Act of 1995 - Title I: Voluntary Environmental Cleanup - Authorizes innocent landowners or responsible owners to submit cleanup plans for affected sites to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency for approval. Defines: (1) an "affected site" as a facility that has environmental contamination that could prevent its use, development, reuse, or redevelopment and is limited in scope and can be comprehensively characterized and readily analyzed; (2) an "innocent landowner" as a person who intends to own or who owns an affected site and did not contribute to any contamination or the release of hazardous substances; and (3) a "responsible owner" as a person who owns an affected site on which industrial activities take place. Establishes a Cleanup Loan Fund to provide funding to persons undertaking the development and implementation of approved cleanup plans. Requires liens in favor of the United States to arise on contaminated property subject to a loan. Authorizes civil actions to enforce loan agreements. Provides for the annual transfer of a specified amount of funds from the Hazardous Substance Superfund to the Cleanup Loan Fund. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to include within the tax deduction allowed for trade and business expenses all amounts paid or incurred in preparing and implementing cleanup plans. Title II: National Environmental Business Development Program - Exempts wages paid to an owner-employee (any employee who is a principal shareholder) of an employer which is a new environmental business from social security taxes. Makes such exemption inapplicable to amounts after the first $100,000 paid to such employee. Defines a "new environmental business" as any corporation which: (1) is a small business concern; (2) meets requirements similar to those under the Internal Revenue Code for targeted urban areas; (3) is a new business for the calendar year; and (4) during such year, trains and certifies environmental response employees and emergency responders, employs such individuals, or performs environmental assessments, remediation, or restoration. Provides for a similar exemption from social security taxes for self-employed new environmental businesses. Terminates such exemptions after 2000. Title III: National Environmental Response, Remediation, and Restoration Training Programs - Subtitle A: National Environmental Response Training Program - Directs the Secretary of Labor to establish a National Environmental Response Training Program for purposes of: (1) training and certifying targeted urban area residents who are unemployed and underemployed to become environmental response employees and emergency responders; and (2) providing grants to environmental training providers. Requires the Secretaries of Labor and Education to develop an academic or work-site experience curriculum cooperatively with local educational agencies to enable 11th and 12th grade students to become environmental response employees or emergency responders. Provides for grants to communities for purposes of implementing such curriculum. Subtitle B: National Environmental Remediation and Restoration Training Program - Directs the Administrator to establish an education and training program in qualified institutions of higher education to enable qualified individuals to acquire career training in environmental engineering, environmental sciences, or environmental project management as it relates to hazardous waste response, cleanup, and restoration. Makes eligible for such program persons who have a high school diploma or its equivalence, are enrolled in or accepted into a qualified institution of higher education, and reside in targeted areas. Directs the Secretaries of Defense and Energy and the Administrator to provide grants to qualified institutions of higher education, subject to certain conditions. Requires such institutions to use such funds for purposes of establishing consortium programs to provide education and training in environmental restoration to qualified individuals. Title IV: National Environment-Related Employment Program - Requires Federal agencies authorized to award contracts to carry out environmental or emergency response to give preference to firms that: (1) meet the requirements of the contract; (2) are located in a targeted urban area; and (3) have a payroll in which at least 25 percent of their certified environmental response employees and responders reside in a targeted urban area or, in cases where availability of certified environmental response employees and responders does not allow firms to comply, actively participate in a youth apprenticeship program.
Germany · German Bundestag · 31 March 1995
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 1995
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Reductions in Government Overregulation Subtitle A: The Home Mortgage Process Subtitle B: Community Reinvestment Act Amendments Subtitle C: Consumer Banking Reforms Subtitle D: Equal Credit Opportunity Act Amendments Subtitle E: Consumer Leasing Act Amendments Subtitle F: Federal Home Loan Bank Amendments Title II: Streamlining Government Regulations Subtitle A: Regulatory Approval Issues Subtitle B: Streamlining of Government Regulations; Miscellaneous Provisions Title III: Lender Liability Financial Institutions Regulatory Relief Act of 1995 - Title I: Reductions in Government Overregulation - Subtitle A: The Home Mortgage Process - Amends the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) to transfer regulatory authority to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Board) from the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Eliminates redundant regulators by adding certain administrative enforcement provisions. (Sec. 102) Amends the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and RESPA to provide for comparability of terms. (Sec. 103) Provides for increased regulatory flexibility and exemptive authority for the Board under TILA. (Sec. 104) Provides for reductions in RESPA regulatory burdens with respect to: (1) lenders' disclosures to federally related mortgage loan applicants relating to assignment, sale, or transfer of loan servicing; (2) second mortgages; and (3) consistency of RESPA and TILA exemption of business loans. (Sec. 105) Provides for alternative disclosures for adjustable rate mortgages under TILA. (Sec. 106) Amends TILA with respect to treatment of certain charges, including third party fees, taxes on security instruments or evidences of indebtedness, preparation of loan documents, and fees relating to pest infestations, inspections, and hazards. (Sec. 107) Exempts from rescission, under TILA, certain transactions (other specified types of mortgages) which constitute refinancings or consolidations of existing extensions of credit and which are secured by a first lien. (Sec. 108) Adds to TILA provisions relating to tolerances for accuracy and to the basis of disclosure for per diem interest. (Sec. 109) Amends TILA to establish certain limitations on liability, including: (1) limitations on liability for disclosures relating to certain fees and charges other than finance charges; and (2) an exemption from liability for finance charge disclosures within tolerance limits. (Sec. 111) Sets forth a limitation on the rescission period under TILA. (Sec. 112) Revises TILA provisions for the calculation of actual damages. (Sec. 113) Makes assignees liable, under specified TILA provisions, only if violations are apparent on the face of transaction documents. Provides that a servicer of a consumer credit transaction shall not be treated as: (1) an assignee for liability purposes unless the servicer is the owner of the obligation; or (2) the owner on the basis of an assignment for administrative convenience. (Sec. 114) Revises certain TILA provisions for recovery of fees. (Sec. 115) Repeals a provision of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 for homeownership debt counseling notification. (Sec. 116) Amends the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act of 1975 to revise exemption provisions. Exempts from coverage under such Act specified types of institutions with total assets, in their last full fiscal year, of $50 million or less (currently $10 million or less). Authorizes the Board to exempt those with greater assets where the burden of compliance outweighs the usefulness of the information required to be disclosed. Provides that a depository institution satisfies certain public availability of information requirements if: (1) such information is kept at the home office; (2) notice that such information is available through request to the home office is posted at the specified branch locations; and (3) the information is supplied to the requester in a paper copy or, if acceptable to the requester, via a form of electronic medium. Subtitle B: Community Reinvestment Act Amendments - Amends the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (CRA) to revise the expression of congressional intent. (Sec. 122) Exempts a regulated financial institution from the examination requirements of, or any regulations issued under, CRA if: (1) its main office (and each branch) is located in a local government unit with a population of not more than 30,000, which is not part of a metropolitan statistical area; and (2) the institution and its parent bank holding company have aggregate assets of not more than $100 million (to be adjusted annually by the annual percentage increase in the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers). (Sec. 123) Provides for self-certification of CRA compliance by qualifying financial institutions, with certain public notice requirements. (Sec. 124) Adds provisions for community input and conclusive rating, including requirements for publication of exam schedule, opportunity for comment, evaluation by the appropriate Federal financial supervisory agency, and procedures for requests for reconsideration of rating. (Sec. 125) Directs Federal financial supervisory agencies, in conducting certain CRA assessments, to develop compliance standards consistent with the specific nature of special purpose banks (which do not generally accept retail deposits, such as credit card banks and trust banks). (Sec. 126) Gives institutions credit, for purposes of satisfying CRA requirements, for investments in, and loans, to: (1) minority or women's depository institutions; and (2) joint ventures or other entities or projects providing benefits to distressed communities (whether such institutions or communities are located within or outside of the regulated financial institution's service area. (Sec. 127) Prohibits regulations requiring certain additional recordkeeping and reporting under CRA. (Sec. 128) Applies a requirement of metropolitan area distinctions only to institutions that maintain domestic branches in two or more States. (Sec. 129) Amends the Federal Home Loan Bank Act to make certain reporting requirements inapplicable to members receiving an outstanding or satisfactory grade under specified CRA provisions. Subtitle C: Consumer Banking Reforms - Amends the Truth in Savings Act (TISA) to prohibit depository institutions or deposit broker from making misleading or inaccurate advertisements or disclosures. Repeals TISA provisions relating to disclosure of interest rates and terms of accounts, account schedules, disclosure requirements for certain accounts, distribution of schedules, periodic statements, civil liability, and effect on State law. Revises provisions for regulations and definitions. (Sec. 132) Amends the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA) to revise provisions relating to unauthorized electronic fund transfers. (Sec. 133) Amends TILA to add provisions relating to cardholder liability for unauthorized use of credit cards. (Sec. 134) Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to revise provisions for regulations governing insured banks to allow depository institutions or their affiliates or subsidiaries to transfer information among themselves without any restriction or limitation if such possible information sharing is disclosed and the consumer is given the opportunity to direct that such information not be so communicated, prior to initial communication. (Sec. 135) Revises EFTA definitions of: (1) accepted card or other means of access; and (2) account. Subtitle D: Equal Credit Opportunity Act Amendments - Equal Credit Opportunity Act Amendments of 1995 - Combines and simplifies the adverse action notification requirements of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). (Sec. 143) Revises ECOA requirements for written notifications of, and statements of reasons for, adverse actions to be given to credit applicants. Exempts from liability for a violation of such requirements any persons who show by a preponderance of the evidence that at the time of the alleged violation they maintained reasonable procedures to assure compliance with such requirements. (Sec. 144) Revises specified FCRA requirements on users of consumer reports to eliminate coverage of credit denials and of adverse actions based on reports of persons other than consumer reporting agencies. (Sec. 145) Amends ECOA and the Fair Housing Act to add incentives for self-testing. (Sec. 146) Provides that creditors shall be deemed in compliance with ECOA nondiscrimination requirements with respect to any credit decision based solely on the use of an empirically derived, demonstrably and statistically sound, credit scoring system if such system does not use: (1) any protected category; or (2) any criterion so directly associated as to be a functional equivalent of such a category. (Does not preclude using age as a factor in such a system as otherwise permitted under ECOA.) Subtitle E: Consumer Leasing Act Amendments - Consumer Leasing Act Amendments of 1995 - Amends the Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA) to direct the Board to: (1) write regulations or staff commentary to update and clarify requirements and definitions for lease disclosures, contracts, and other issues related to consumer leasing which would carry out the purposes of the Consumer Leasing Act; and (2) publish model disclosure forms and clauses to facilitate compliance with such disclosure requirements and aid the consumer in understanding the transaction. (Sec. 154) Revises CCPA provisions for consumer lease disclosures to require prior separate leasing disclosures of specified items in a tabular format. (Sec. 155) Revises CCPA provisions relating to consumer lease advertising. Subtitle F: Federal Home Loan Bank Amendments - Amends the Federal Home Loan Bank Act (FHLBA) to revise an FHLB system membership eligibility location requirement to allow institutions to apply for membership in an adjoining district, for the institution's convenience, with Federal Housing Finance Board (FHFB) approval. (Sec. 162) Revises FHLBA audit provisions to: (1) prohibit the FHFB from participating in the hiring of external auditors by banks; (2) permit the FHFB to establish requirements for external audit contracts and accounting standards; and (3) require all 12 banks to contract for an annual audit with a single provider. Title II: Streamlining Government Regulations - Subtitle A: Regulatory Approval Issues - Amends the Bank Holding Company Act (BHCA) to revise and streamline notice and other requirements relating to both nonbanking and bank acquisitions by well-capitalized and well-managed banking organizations. (Sec. 203) Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to eliminate: (1) Bank Merger Act filing and approval requirements for insured depository institutions already controlled by the same holding company; and (2) redundant approval requirements for "Oakar" transactions (generally, conversion, by acquisition or similar means, of a Bank Insurance Fund member to a Savings Association Insurance Fund member, or vice versa). (Sec. 205) Amends the Home Owners' Loan Act to eliminate duplicative requirements imposed on bank holding companies. (Sec. 206) Eliminates a BHCA requirement that approval be obtained for divestitures. (Sec. 207) Eliminates specified requirements for certain branch applications by: (1) national banking associations, under the Revised Statutes relating to banks and banking; (2) State member banks, under the Federal Reserve Act (FRA); and (3) State nonmember banks, under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDIA). (Sec. 208) Eliminates branch applications and requirements for automatic teller machines (ATMs) and similar facilities, under the Revised Statutes and FDIA. (Sec. 209) Eliminates a requirement for approval of investments in bank premises for well-capitalized and well-managed banks. (Sec. 210) Eliminates specified filing requirements under FDIA for officer and director appointments. (Sec. 211) Streamlines the BHCA process for determining new nonbanking activities. Subtitle B: Streamlining of Government Regulations; Miscellaneous Provisions - Eliminates the per-branch capital requirement for national banks and State member banks under the Revised Statutes. (Sec. 222) Revises FDIA requirements relating to notification of branch closures to exempt specified entities under certain conditions. (Sec. 223) Amends the Depository Institutions Management Interlocks Act to exempt management officials of depository institutions or holding companies with small market shares from prohibitions against dual service with unaffiliated institutions or companies in the same area, town, or village. Revises provisions relating to dual service among larger organizations. Extends a specified grandfather exemption which allows certain management officials to continue to serve despite interlocks prohibitions. (Sec. 224) Abolishes the Appraisal Subcommittee established under the Federal Financial Institutions Council Act of 1978, and consolidates its functions into the Financial Institutions Examination Council. Amends the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA) to revise provisions relating to rosters of State certified or licensed appraisers. Provides for reduction of assessments on appraisers. (Sec. 225) Eliminates certain recordkeeping and reporting requirements relating to loans to executive officers under FRA and BHCA. Permits extensions of credit made under certain FRA provisions pursuant to a benefit or compensation program widely available to employees of the member bank. (Sec. 226) Amends FDIA to provide for expanded regulatory discretion for small bank examinations. (Sec. 227) Amends the Right to Financial Privacy Act to revise cost reimbursement provisions to specifically include corporate customers under references to customer records. (Sec. 228) Amends specified Federal law relating to money and finance to eliminate certain provisions requiring depository institutions to identify their nonbank financial institution customers. (Sec. 229) Requires each appropriate Federal banking agency to conduct a paperwork reduction review. (Sec. 230) Repeals certain reporting requirements under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991. (Sec. 231) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to revise a specified regulation under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to provide for daily confirmations for hold-in-custody repurchase transactions. (Sec. 232) Requires the Financial Institutions Examining Council to carry out, and report to the Congress on, a regulatory review of regulations. (Sec. 233) Amends the International Lending Supervision Act to: (1) grant Federal banking agencies discretion in imposing certain country risk requirements with respect to reserves; and (2) repeal certain additional country risk reserve requirements. (Sec. 234) Revises specified FDIA audit provisions with respect to exemptions due to costs. Authorizes the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the appropriate Federal banking agency to designate certain information in such audits as privileged, confidential, and not available to the public. (Sec. 235) Sets forth certain due process protections under FDIA and the Federal Credit Union Act. (Sec. 236) Revises FDIA provisions relating to: (1) culpability standards for outside directors; and (2) rules on deposit taking. (Sec. 238) Amends the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994 to revise the transition period for new regulations. (Sec. 239) Amends the International Banking Act of 1978 to revise provisions relating to foreign bank applications and examinations. (Sec. 241) Amends TILA to revise provisions relating to second mortgages. Title III: Lender Liability - Amends FDIA to add provisions relating to lender, fiduciary, and Government agency environmental liabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 1995
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Authorizations Title II: Personnel Management Improvement Title III: Navigation Safety and Waterway Services Management Title IV: Miscellaneous Title V: Coast Guard Regulatory Reform Title VI: Documentation of Vessels Title VII: Technical and Conforming Amendments Title VIII: Coast Guard Auxiliary Amendments Coast Guard Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996 - Title I: Authorizations - Authorizes appropriations for the Coast Guard for FY 1996 for: (1) operation and maintenance; (2) acquisition, construction, rebuilding, and improvement of aids to navigation, shore and offshore facilities, vessels, and aircraft; (3) research, development, test, and evaluation of technologies, materials, and human factors relating to the performance of the Coast Guard's mission; (4) retired pay, payments under the Retired Serviceman's Family Protection and Survivor Benefit Plans, and payments for medical care of retired personnel and their dependents; (5) alteration or removal of bridges obstructing navigation, and personnel and administrative costs associated with the bridge alteration program; and (6) environmental compliance and restoration. (Sec. 102) Authorizes: (1) an end-of-year strength for active duty personnel of 38,400 as of September 30, 1996; and (2) specified military training student loads for FY 1996. (Sec. 103) Directs the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) to submit to specified congressional committees quarterly reports on drug interdiction. Title II: Personnel Management Improvement - Makes provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 1993 concerning homeowners assistance for certain individuals affected by Hurricane Andrew applicable to the military personnel of the Coast Guard who were assigned to, or employed at or in connection with, any Federal facility or installation in the vicinity of Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, subject to specified limitations. (Sec. 202) Excludes certain reserve members in computing the authorized strength of members on active duty or members in grade. (Sec. 203) Authorizes the Commandant of the Coast Guard to make child development services available to members of the armed forces and Federal civilian employees. (Sec. 204) Requires any officer, chief warrant officer, or enlisted member of the Coast Guard or Coast Guard Reserve to request that all information contained in the National Driver Register pertaining to the individual be made available to the Commandant. Authorizes such individual to request the chief driver licensing official of a State to provide information about the individual to the Commandant. (Sec. 205) Revises provisions regarding officer retention to provide for retention until eligible for retirement under specified conditions. Title III: Navigation Safety and Waterway Services Management - Repeals provision requiring the Secretary of Commerce to collect and pay to the Treasury foreign passenger vessel user fees. (Sec. 302) Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) the Florida Avenue Bridge in Orleans Parish, Louisiana; (2) renewal of the Houston-Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee, the Lower Mississippi River Waterway Advisory Committee, the Navigation Safety Advisory Council, and the Commercial Fishing Industry Vessel Advisory Committee; (3) nondisclosure of port security plans; (4) establishment of a civil penalty to enforce maritime alcohol and dangerous drug testing; (5) withholding vessel clearance for specified violations; (6) increased civil penalties for failure to report a casualty and for operation of an uninspected vessel in violation of manning requirements; and (7) a requirement that vessels operating beyond three nautical miles from the coastline of the Great Lakes carry alerting and locating equipment, including emergency position indicating radio beacons. Title IV: Miscellaneous - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to transfer Coast Guard property in Traverse City, Michigan, and in Ketchikan, Alaska. (Sec. 403) Authorizes electronic filing of commercial instruments. (Sec. 404) Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) Board for Correction of Military Records deadlines; (2) judicial sale of documented vessels to aliens; (3) authority of the Commandant to sell recyclable material; (4) special selection boards; and (5) limits on the use of information from marine casualty investigations. (Sec. 407) Directs: (1) the Commandant to report on the recruitment of women and minorities into the Coast Guard; and (2) the Secretary to report on LORAN-C radionavigation system technology. (Sec. 408) California Cruise Industry Revitalization Act - Amends the Johnson Act to exclude certain voyages from prohibitions against manufacturing, repairing, selling, or possessing gambling devices. (Sec. 409) Revises or adds provisions regarding: (1) vessel financing; (2) availability of extrajudicial remedies for default on preferred mortgage liens on vessels; (3) implementation of water pollution laws with respect to vegetable oil; (4) limited double hull exemptions; and (5) oil spill response vessels. (Sec. 410) Expresses the sense of the Congress that all equipment and products purchased with funds made available under this Act should be American-made. Title V: Coast Guard Regulatory Reform - Coast Guard Regulatory Reform Act of 1995 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to prescribe regulations which establish a safety management system for specified persons and vessels, including: (1) a safety and environmental protection policy; (2) instructions and procedures to ensure safe operation of those vessels and protection of the environment in compliance with international and U.S. law; (3) defined levels of authority and lines of communications between and among personnel on shore and on the vessel; and (4) procedures for reporting accidents and nonconformities with this title, preparing for and responding to emergency situations, and internal audits and management reviews of the system. Requires regulations prescribed to be consistent with the International Safety Management Code with respect to vessels engaged on a foreign voyage. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) implementation of the safety management system; and (2) certification and enforcement. Directs the Secretary to conduct a study of the methods that may be used to implement and enforce the International Management Code for the Safe Operation of ships and for Pollution Prevention under the Annex to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974. (Sec. 503) Authorizes the Secretary to rely, as evidence of compliance with this title, on reports, documents, and records of other persons and on other methods determined by the Secretary to be reliable. (Sec. 504) Revises provisions regarding: (1) equipment approval; (2) frequency of inspection; (3) certificates of inspection; and (4) delegation of authority of the Secretary to classification societies. Title VI: Documentation of Vessels - Authorizes a coastwise endorsement to be issued for a vessel that: (1) is less than 200 gross tons; (2) is eligible for documentation; (3) was built in the United States; and (4) was sold foreign in whole or in part, or placed under foreign registry. (Sec. 602) Authorizes the Secretary to issue a certificate of documentation with a coastwise endorsement for two vessels (both named Gallant Lady), subject to specified limitations on operation and conditions. (Sec. 603) Extends the deadline for conversion of the vessel M-V Twin Drill. (Sec. 604) Authorizes the Secretary to issue a certificate of documentation with appropriate endorsements for employment in the coastwise trade, Great Lakes trade, and the fisheries for the vessel Rainbow's End. Title VII: Technical and Conforming Amendments - Makes technical and conforming amendments to various laws, including the Inland Navigational Rules Act of 1980, the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, the Vessel Bridge-to-Bridge Radio-telephone Act, the Ports and Waterways Safety Act of 1972, the Merchant Marine Acts of 1920 and 1956, the Maritime Education and Training Act of 1980, and title 46 (shipping) of the U.S. Code. Title VIII: Coast Guard Auxiliary Amendments - Revises provisions regarding the Coast Guard Auxiliary to direct the Auxiliary, for command, control, and administrative purposes, to include such organizational elements and units as approved by the Commandant, including a national board and staff. Grants the Auxiliary organization and its officers such rights, privileges, powers, and duties as may be granted to them by the Commandant, consistent with this title and applicable law. Deems each organizational element or unit as an instrumentality of the United States for purposes of various listed statutes, with exceptions. Permits the national board, and any Auxiliary district or region, to form a corporation under State law in accordance with policies established by the Commandant. (Sec. 802) Revises or adds provisions regarding: (1) the purpose of the Auxiliary; (2) members and status of the Auxiliary; (3) assignment and performance of duties; (4) cooperation with other agencies, States, territories, and political subdivisions; (5) vessels deemed public vessels; (6) aircraft deemed public aircraft; and (7) disposal of certain material.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 1995
Requires the Director of the Geological Survey to study and map the marine environment of Anasco Bay, Puerto Rico, and the surrounding ocean area, to determine the feasibility of constructing a deepwater outfall for the treatment works at Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 1995
Amends the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 to mandate a research program to demonstrate the feasibility of disposing of authorized waste by depositing it on the deep seabed by means of a closed container that isolates the waste from the water column through which it passes. Provides for permits to so deposit. Mandates monitoring of environmental conditions at deposit sites.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 1995
Minor Use Crop Protection Act of 1995 - Amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to define "minor use" as the use of a pesticide on an animal or commercial agricultural crop or site or for public health protection where: (1) the total U.S. acreage for the crop is fewer than 300,000 acres; or (2) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency determines that the use does not provide sufficient economic incentive to support the initial or continuing registration of a pesticide for such use and there are insufficient alternatives available for the use, the alternatives pose greater environmental or health risks, or the pesticide plays or will play a significant part in managing pest resistance or in an integrated pest management program. Extends the period of exclusive data use for data submitted to support original registration applications for pesticides for an additional year for each three minor uses registered after this Act's enactment and before the expiration of the period of exclusive use, up to a total of three additional years for all minor uses registered by the Administrator if the Administrator determines that: (1) there are insufficient alternatives available for the use or the alternatives pose greater environmental or health risks; or (2) the pesticide plays or will play a significant part in managing pest resistance or in an integrated pest management program. Requires the Administrator, upon the request of a registrant, to extend the deadline for the production of residue chemistry data required solely to support a minor use subject to specified conditions. Applies the same extension conditions to data for reregistrations. Authorizes the Administrator to modify or revoke such extensions if the use may cause unreasonable adverse environmental effects. Permits the Administrator, in handling the registration of a pesticide for a minor use, to waive applicable data requirements if the absence of data will not prevent the Administrator from determining the risk presented by the pesticide and that the risk would not have an adverse environmental effect. Provides for expedited review (within 12 months of submission) of applications to support minor use pesticide registrations. Sets forth conditions for extensions of registrations for unsupported minor uses. Directs the Administrator to assure coordination of minor use issues through the establishment of a minor use program. Establishes and authorizes funding for a Department of Agriculture minor use matching fund program. Requires the program to be utilized to ensure the continued availability of minor use crop protection chemicals. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 1995
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Water Resources Projects Title II: Project-Related Provisions Title III: General Provisions Water Resources Development Act of 1995 - Title I: Water Resources Projects - Authorizes specified projects throughout the United States for storm damage reduction, flood control, navigation, shoreline erosion protection, hydropower, and bluff stabilization, providing a total cost limit in each case and, in most cases, the estimated Federal and non-Federal share of such cost. Modifies specified projects authorized under previous water resources development Acts. (Sec. 103) Deauthorizes portions of specified water resources development projects (projects). (Sec. 104) Directs the Secretary of the Army to carry out or review certain studies for flood control, navigation, wildlife habitat improvement, and other projects. Title II: Project-Related Provisions - Directs the Secretary to accept certain in-kind contributions for the project at Morgan Point, Arkansas. (Sec. 202) Requires the project for flood control and power generation at White River Basin Lakes, Arkansas and Missouri, to include recreation and fish and wildlife mitigation within project purposes to the extent they do not adversely affect existing project purposes. (Sec. 203) Directs the Secretary to carry out the construction of a turbine bypass at Pine Flat Dam, Kings River, California. (Sec. 204) Modifies the project for Central and Southern Florida to authorize the Secretary to implement a plan of improvement contained in a certain report, at a specified total cost. Provides the Federal share of various costs under the project. (Sec. 205) Modifies the project for flood protection of West Palm Beach, Florida, to provide for the construction of an enlarged stormwater retention area in accordance with a plan of improvement for such project. Requires the additional work authorized under the project to be accomplished at full Federal cost. (Sec. 206) Deems the Greenville Inner Harbor Channel, Mississippi, to be a portion of the navigable waters of the United States, and therefore included among the navigable waters for which the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) maintains a ten-foot navigable channel. (Sec. 207) Directs the Secretary to work cooperatively with Mississippi and the city of Sardis in the management of existing and proposed land leases for the economic development of Sardis Lake, Mississippi. (Sec. 208) Directs the Secretary to undertake certain construction activities at Libby Dam, Montana. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 209) Authorizes the Secretary to expend Federal funds as necessary to complete the small flood control project at Malta, Montana. (Sec. 210) Directs the Secretary to provide periodic beach nourishment for Cliffwood Beach, New Jersey, for a 50-year period. Places at 35 percent the non-Federal share of such cost. (Sec. 211) Directs the Secretary to place sand dredged from the Fire Island Inlet, New York, on a specified shoreline in Suffolk County, New York. (Sec. 212) Directs the Secretary to maintain a specified minimum conservation pool level at the Wister Lake project in LeFlore County, Oklahoma. (Sec. 213) Amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 to direct the Secretary to remove a sunken barge from waters offshore of the Narragansett Town Beach in Narragansett, Rhode Island, at a specified total cost. (Sec. 214) Directs the Secretary to incorporate a specified water channel into the navigation project for Providence River and Harbor, Rhode Island. (Sec. 215) Requires Federal participation in the maintenance of the Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach, Virginia, to continue for the life of the project. (Sec. 216) Amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1990 to direct the Secretary to budget for FY 1996 specified funds to be paid to Virginia Beach, Virginia, for certain beach nourishment activities undertaken by the city from 1986 through 1993. Title III: General Provisions - Amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 to set at 25 percent the non-Federal share of environmental protection and restoration project costs under such Act. (Sec. 302) Amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1988 to require the Secretary to provide appropriate protections for a specified period against the dissemination of information developed as a result of a research or development activity conducted by the Corps that is likely to be subject to a cooperative research and development (R&D) agreement within two years after its development and which would be considered a trade secret or privileged or confidential information if obtained from a non-Federal party participating in a cooperative R&D agreement under the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980. (Sec. 303) Makes permanent (currently ends after FY 1994) the authorization of appropriations for maintaining and periodically updating information relating to a national inventory of dams. (Sec. 304) Authorizes the Secretary, after making specified determinations, to take necessary actions to increase the efficiency of energy production or the capacity, or both, of a hydroelectric power generating facility of a project. (Sec. 305) Authorizes the Secretary to make lump-sum payments of the Federal share of the operation and maintenance (O&M) costs of a Corps project for which the non-Federal interests are responsible for performing the project's operation, maintenance, replacement, and rehabilitation. Requires, before such payments may be made, a binding agreement under which the non-Federal interests agree to perform such functions. (Sec. 306) Requires any proposal submitted to the Congress by the Secretary for the modification of an existing project requiring the removal of one or more project features that would significantly and adversely impact authorized project purposes or outputs to include the recommendation that the non-Federal interests provide 50 percent of the cost of such modification, including the cost of acquiring additional land for such modification. (Sec. 307) Amends the Water Resources Development Act of: (1) 1990 to terminate a technical advisory committee established under such Act to provide recommendations with respect to reservoir management; and (2) 1986 to add project planning and design information to a list of information required to be submitted to certain officials with respect to projects deauthorized under such Act. (Sec. 309) Amends the Flood Control Act of 1950 to repeal a provision authorizing the Secretary to allot certain funds for Corps participation in international engineering and scientific conferences. (Sec. 310) Authorizes the Secretary, in carrying out R&D in support of the Army civil works program, to utilize contracts and cooperative R&D agreements with, and grants to, non-Federal entities. Requires such agreements to have or use the potential for commercial application. (Sec. 311) Authorizes the Secretary to engage in activities in support of other Federal agencies or international organizations to address problems of national significance. Provides funding. (Sec. 312) Amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 to: (1) authorize the Secretary to determine if the operation of a project has contributed to the degradation of environmental quality; (2) repeal provisions limiting the non-Federal share of a project modification, as well as the total cost of an environmental improvement project modification without specific congressional authorization; and (3) authorize the Secretary to carry out environmental restoration measures upon a positive determination of environmental degradation, providing funding for such measures. (Sec. 313) Amends the Water Resources Development Act of: (1) 1990 to repeal a specified termination date with respect to the Secretary's authority to remove contaminated sediments as part of the O&M of a navigation project; and (2) 1986 to limit to 50 percent the non-Federal share of the estimate of the cost of feasibility studies undertaken under such Act. (Sec. 315) Amends the Act commonly referred to as the River and Harbor Act of 1899 to: (1) increase the fines for the wrongful deposit of refuse; and (2) require the owner of a vessel which is blocking navigation in any navigable U.S. waters, within 24 hours after an order to stop or delay navigation there due to such blockage, to begin removal of the vessel using the most expeditious means available. (Sec. 316) Amends Federal flood control provisions to direct the Secretary to prepare and provide to appropriate non-Federal interests a manual describing the maintenance and upkeep responsibilities that the Corps requires of a non-Federal interest in order to receive financial assistance under such Act. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 317) Directs the Secretary to obtain the services of an independent consultant in order to receive a risk-based analysis relating to certain aspects of flood damage reduction studies, minimum engineering and safety standards, and policy changes necessitated by such studies. Directs the Secretary to establish a task force to oversee and review the analysis. Terminates the task force two years after enactment of this Act. Limits the risk-based techniques to be used under the studies. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 318) Amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 to: (1) provide a goal, and require an annual report to the Congress, with respect to a sediments decontamination technology project under such Act; and (2) increase after FY 1995 the authorization of appropriations for such project. (Sec. 319) Amends the River and Harbor Act of 1958 to include the control and eradication of the melaleuca tree within a program for the control of aquatic plant growths. (Sec. 320) Directs the Secretary to design and construct shoreline protection measures for the coastline adjacent to Faulkner Island Lighthouse, Connecticut, at a specified total cost. (Sec. 321) Designates lock and dam four on the Red River Waterway, Louisiana, as the Russell B. Long Lock and Dam. (Sec. 322) Directs the Secretary to transfer a specified sum to Maryland for use in constructing an access road to the William Jennings Randolph Lake in Garrett County, Maryland. (Sec. 323) Directs the Secretary to enter into necessary arrangements, contracts, and leases for purposes of the rehabilitation, renovation, preservation, and maintenance of the New York State canal system and related facilities. Provides estimated Federal and non-Federal shares of the cost of such improvements. (Sec. 324) Directs the Secretary to replace a certain bulkhead at the Quonset Point-Davisville Industrial Park in Rhode Island, at a specified total cost. (Sec. 325) Authorizes the Corps Chief of Engineers to modernize the Washington Aqueduct in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Chief to enter into contracts with public water supply customers under which the customer repays a pro rata share of the principal and interest of the Corps debt for such modernization. Provides contract conditions and borrowing authority. (Sec. 326) Directs the Secretary to establish a pilot program to provide environmental assistance to non-Federal interests in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Requires any project receiving such assistance to be publicly owned, operated and maintained. Requires local cooperation agreements with non-Federal interests before the provision of such assistance. Places at 75 percent the Federal share of total project costs. Prohibits the provision of such assistance from affecting the applicability of other Federal and State laws and agreements that would otherwise apply to a project. Requires the Secretary to establish at least one project for the receipt of such assistance in each of Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Requires a report on program results. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1996. (Sec. 327) Makes technical corrections to the Water Resources Development Act of 1992.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 1995
Insular Development Act of 1995 - Authorizes appropriations for FY 1996 through 2001 for: (1) the Northern Mariana Islands for capital improvement projects in the environmental, health, and public safety areas, administration and enforcement of immigration and labor laws, and contribution toward costs of the compacts of free association (for the same purposes for which funds are provided for Guam by this Act); (2) Guam for costs that result from increased demands for education and social program benefits by immigrants from the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau (currently, amounts as necessary are authorized for FY 1986 and subsequent years for Hawaii, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands as well); and (3) grants for capital infrastructure in American Samoa, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. Sets forth conditions on funding for capital improvement projects, including that the recipient government submit specified capital needs and maintenance plans. Extends funding for such projects for an additional three years, subject to certain conditions. Prohibits, after FY 1995, certain continuing financial assistance to the Northern Mariana Islands.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 1995
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Disposition of Locatable Mineral Deposits Title II: Mineral Activities Title III: Royalties Title IV: Abandoned Locatable Minerals Mine Reclamation Fund Title V: Transition Rules Title VI: Administrative Provisions Locatable Mineral Mining Reform Act of 1995 - Title I: Disposition of Locatable Mineral Deposits - Permits a mining claim to be located, on land owned by the United States open to location, only in accordance with this Act and consistent general mining laws. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) posting a notice of location; (2) use of public land surveys; (3) filing of such notice with the Secretary of the Interior; (4) location fees; (5) date of location; (6) lands and minerals included in claims; (7) mill sites; (8) claim conflicts; and (9) disposition of land encumbered by a prior mining claim located under general mining laws. Specifies that, unless subsequently withdrawn, a mining claim may be located under this Act on Federal land if the land: (1) was open to the location of mining claims under the general mining laws on the day preceding this Act's enactment date; or (2) is opened to the location of mining claims on or after such date by administrative action or by statute. Sets forth provisions regarding annual claim maintenance fees, claim limitations, continuation of mining claims and mill sites, and mineral patents. Title II: Mineral Activities - Prohibits a person from engaging in a mineral activity or claim location activity that: (1) causes a minimal disturbance to the environment without filing a notice of intention to operate with the Secretary; and (2) may cause more than a minimal disturbance to the environment unless the person obtains an exploration permit or a mining permit that authorizes the activity. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) procedures and requirements for permits for exploration activities and for mining permits; (2) financial assurances; (3) transfers, assignments, and sales of rights; (4) persons ineligible for permits (permit violators); (5) operations and reclamation standards and monitoring; (6) Federal and State roles; (7) annual inspections by the Secretary; (8) enforcement (including notices of noncompliance, civil actions, civil and criminal penalties, and liability of corporate officers and agents for violations by a corporation); (9) administrative review; and (10) judicial review. Title III: Royalties - Subjects production of locatable minerals, including mineral concentrates and products derived from locatable minerals, to the payment of a royalty on the gross value of the first marketable product. Sets royalties on gold production and on mineral production other than gold. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) duties of claim holders, operators, and transporters; (2) recordkeeping and reporting requirements; (3) interest assessments; and (4) hearings and investigations. Title IV: Abandoned Locatable Minerals Mine Reclamation Fund - Establishes in the Treasury the Abandoned Locatable Minerals Mine Reclamation Fund. Permits amounts in the Fund to be used for the purpose of conducting reclamation of land and water resources adversely affected by past mineral activity. Sets priorities for making expenditures from the Fund. Directs the Secretary to ensure that reclamation activities under this title are consistent with applicable Federal law. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) eligible lands and waters; (2) fund expenditures; and (3) appropriations and spending authority. Title V: Transition Rules - Sets forth rules with respect to new and preexisting claims. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) qualifications for fee simple patents; and (2) transition rules for surface management. Title VI: Administrative Provisions - Sets forth provisions regarding the effect of this Act with respect to the general mining laws, water quantity laws, laws relating to surface management, other laws, agency responsibilities, and mineral activity. Directs the Secretary, except as otherwise provided in this Act, to adjust all fees, penalties, and other dollar amounts established in this Act for changes in the purchasing power of the dollar every five years following this Act's enactment date by an amount equal to the annual adjustment in the implicit price deflator for the Gross National Product established by the Secretary of Commerce. Amends the Surface Resources Act of 1955 to: (1) include clay among the varieties of minerals not deemed to be valuable mineral deposits and make specified mineral deposits subject to disposal under the terms and conditions of the Materials Act of 1947; and (2) make mineral materials subject to the right of the United States for disposal and severance.