Housing

Native American Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program Consolidation Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999

Native American Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program Consolidation Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary), in cooperation with the Secretaries of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Housing and Urban Development, and Transportation, the Attorney General, and the Director of the National Institutes of Health, upon receiving an acceptable plan from an Indian tribe, to authorize such tribe to coordinate its federally funded alcohol and substance abuse by integrating the program services involved into a single, comprehensive program and reducing administrative costs through the consolidation of administrative functions. Sets forth plan requirements and provisions governing plan review, waivers of statutory requirements for plan implementation, and plan approval. Requires such officials to enter into an interdepartmental memorandum of agreement providing for the implementation of authorized plans. Establishes the Bureau of Indian Affairs as the lead agency with specified responsibilities, including use of a single format report for plans and projects and development of a single system of Federal oversight for the plan. Prohibits any reduction of Federal funds available to a participating tribe as a result of this Act. Provides for interagency fund transfers to carry out this Act. Makes any State with an alcohol and substance abuse program targeted to Indian tribes eligible to receive, at no cost, such Federal personnel assignments as the Secretary may deem appropriate to help ensure the success of such program. Requires the Secretary to permit Alaska Native villages or regional or village corporations to carry out a project under a plan that meets this Act's requirements.

America's Private Investment Companies Act

United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999

America's Private Investment Companies Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to license America's Private Investment Companies (APICs) (for-profit investment companies formed to make equity and credit investments for large-scale business development in low-income communities). Authorizes the Secretary to impose fees and charges for administrative costs and to collect fees for loan guarantee commitments and loans made under this Act. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2000 through 2003 for loan guarantee commitments and for administrative expenses. (Sec. 105) Directs the Secretary to select APICs for licensing on the basis of competitions announced through the Federal Register. Outlines application and licensee selection requirements and criteria, including that each such entity have available at least $25 million in equity capital. (Sec. 106) Requires substantially all investments made by selected APICs to be qualified low-income community investments if such investments are financed by the Secretary under this Act. Outlines investment limits and borrowing and repayment conditions. (Sec. 107) Authorizes the Secretary, consistent with the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, to make commitments to guarantee the timely payment of principal and interest on debentures issued by APICs, to issue trust certificates representing ownership of all or a fractional part of such debentures, and to guarantee the payment of principal and interest on such certificates. (Sec. 108) Authorizes an APIC to request that the Secretary guarantee a debenture that the APIC intends to issue under this Act. Outlines special requirements for: (1) requests which would include funding for initial expenditures for a project or activity; and (2) certification by a State or unit of general local government of responsibility for environmental reviews in connection with authorized projects or activities. (Sec. 109) Directs the Secretary to examine and monitor the operations and activities of APICs for compliance with sound financial management practices and satisfaction of the program and procedural goals of this and related Acts. (Sec. 110) Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) increase the credit subsidy allocated to an APIC as an award for high performance in carrying out its investment strategy and public purpose goals; and (2) penalize APICs for fraud, mismanagement, or noncompliance (allowing for notice and opportunity to respond prior to such penalties).

Homeowners' Emergency Mortgage Assistance Act

United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999

Homeowners' Emergency Mortgage Assistance Act - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a mortgage emergency assistance program for qualifying homeowners with National Housing Act-insured mortgages who are temporarily unable to meet their obligations due to financial hardship beyond their control. Requires homeowner repayment of such assistance and interest.

Housing Opportunities for Migrant Employees

United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999

Housing Opportunities for Migrant Employees - Amends the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act to: (1) exempt farm worker housing which is regulated or approved for health and safety by a Federal or a State agency from regulation under the housing safety and health provisions of such Act; (2) require health and safety compliance with Federal or (currently and) State standards; and (3) exempt an owner from liability for housing conditions caused by the migrant workers.

America's Private Investment Companies Act

United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999

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

Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2684) making appropriations for the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and for sundry independent agencies, boards, commissions, corporations, and offices for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 5 August 1999

Sets forth the rule (open) for the consideration of H.R. 2684 (Departments of Veterans Affairs and of Housing and Urban Development and independent agencies appropriations).

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

United States · United States Congress · 3 August 1999

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

Immigration Restructuring and Accountability Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 3 August 1999

Immigration Restructuring and Accountability Act of 1999 - Title I: National Immigration Bureau - Establishes: (1) in the Department of Justice, the National Immigration Bureau, which shall be headed by a Director; and (2) in the Office of the Director, an Assistant Director for Community Liaison. Transfers all functions, personnel, and funding from the Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service to the Director. Establishes within the Bureau: (1) the Office of Immigration Adjudication, consisting of the Division of Adjudications, the Division of Refugees, Asylum, Parole, and Humanitarian Affairs, and the Division of Community Relations; (2) the Office of Immigration Enforcement, consisting of the Border Patrol Division, the Division of Removal, the Division of Intelligence and Investigations, and the Division of Community Relations; (3) the Office of Prehearing Services, consisting of the Division of Detention, the Division of Alternatives to Detention, the Division of Prehearing Services, and the Division of Community Relations; and (4) the Office of Shared Services. Sets forth related operating and administrative provisions. (Sec. 105) Provides for the transfer and allocation of personnel and appropriations from the Department of Justice to the Bureau. (Sec. 106) States that nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the authorities of the Secretary of State and agents of the Department of State and the Foreign Service to investigate illegal passport or visa activities. (Sec. 107) Directs the Attorney General to submit an implementation plan, which shall address management and other specified issues, within one year of enactment of this Act. Title II: Amendments to Immigration and Nationality Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the restriction that only aliens with preference petitions or labor certifications filed by January 14, 1998, are eligible to adjust to permanent resident status without leaving the United States if they entered without inspection or fall within one of other specified classes (including aliens accepting unauthorized employment and aliens not maintaining legal nonimmigrant status). States that such amendment shall be effective as if included in the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998 (Public Law 105-119). (Sec. 202) States that Congress finds that U.S. policy is generally to fund nationality and naturalization activities through appropriations Acts. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit the imposition of fees on asylum or refugee applicants. Revises adjudication and naturalization fee provisions to replace the current Treasury Immigration Examinations Fee Account with separate Treasury accounts for: (1) fees imposed for lack of appropriations (Naturalization Fee Account); (2) immigrant and nonimmigrant petition fees (Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Fee Account); (3) port of entry fees (Admission Fee Account); (4) other immigration adjudication fees (Miscellaneous Adjudication Fee Account); and (5) specified status adjustment fees (Application Fee Account). Sets forth: (1) a special rule for services provided without charge; (2) prohibited fee uses; and (3) reporting requirements. Title III: General Policy Against Detention of Asylum Seekers - States that Congress finds that U.S. policy is generally not to detain asylum seekers who have established a credible fear of persecution. (Sec. 301) Directs the Attorney General to develop alternatives to detention of asylum seekers, including: (1) noninstitutional settings for minors and a prohibition on their placement in adult facilities; (2) supervised or unsupervised release; (3) supervised shelters or group homes; and (4) alternatives to criminal detention. Title IV: General Provisions - Sets forth effective dates for specified provisions of this Act.

Susan M. Wachter, of Pennsylvania, to be an Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, vice Michael A. Stegman, resigned.

United States · United States Senate · 30 July 1999

Teacher Next Door Act

United States · United States Congress · 30 July 1999

Teacher Next Door Act - Amends the National Housing Act to authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to sell Department of Housing and Urban Development-owned single family properties at a discount to eligible elementary and secondary school teachers for use as their residences. Provides for: (1) mortgage downpayment assistance; (2) direct and indirect sales; and (3) an information outreach program.

Common Sense Family Tax Relief Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 29 July 1999

Common Sense Family Tax Relief Act of 1999 - Title I: Tax Relief for Families - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make the basic standard deduction on a joint return twice that of the deduction on a single return. (Sec. 102) Revises the dependent care tax credit to: (1) amend applicable credit percentages; (2) provide an inflation adjustment; (3) allow a minimum credit for stay at-home parents with a dependent under one year old; and (4) permit a residency-based test rather than a household maintenance-based test under certain circumstances. (Sec. 103) Allows a tax credit for employers who provide qualified day care centers for their employees. (Sec. 104) Reduces individual capital gain tax rates. (Sec. 105) Applies capital gain tax rates to capital gains of designated settlement funds. Title II: Tax Relief for Businesses - Amends the Code to make the research credit permanent. (Sec. 202 ) Eliminates the limitation on the estate tax deduction for family-owned business interests. Title III: Educational Opportunities - Amends the Code to eliminate the 60-month limit on student loan interest deductibility. (Sec. 302) Establishes an employer tax credit for information technology training program expenses. (Sec. 303) States that aggregate tax credits shall not exceed the sum of regular tax liability and minimum tax liability. Eliminates the reduction of the child tax credit for taxpayers subject to the alternative minimum tax. Title IV: Tax Relief for Retirement Savings - Amends the Code to increase annual individual retirement account (IRA) deductible contributions. (Sec. 402) Amends the Social Security Act to revise the monthly exempt amount for purposes of the social security earnings test. Title V: Incentive for Affordable Housing - Amends the Code to increase the State low-income housing credit ceiling. Title VI: Incentives for Health Care and Long-Term Care - Amends the Code to allow the deduction of 100 percent of health insurance costs for self-employed individuals. (Sec. 602) Provides a credit for taxpayers with long-term care needs.

Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 1999

Manufactured Housing Improvement Act - Amends the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 to revise Federal construction and safety provisions for manufactured homes based upon a consensus standards development process. Eliminates the National Manufactured Home Advisory Council. Revises related fee provisions to: (1) apply such fees to manufactured home manufacturers (currently fees apply to manufacturers, distributors, and dealers); and (2) establish in the Treasury the Manufactured Housing Fees Trust Fund.

Waiving points of order against the conference report to accompany the bill (H.R. 2465) making appropriations for military construction, family housing, and base realignment and closure for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 1999

Waives points of order against the consideration of the conference report on H.R. 2465 (Department of Defense appropriations).

Taxpayer Refund Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 26 July 1999

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

Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2000

United States · United States Congress · 23 July 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Export and Investment Assistance Title II: Bilateral Economic Assistance Title III: Military Assistance Title IV: Multilateral Economic Assistance Title V: General Provisions Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2000 - Title I: Export and Investment Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 2000 for: (1) direct loans, loan guarantees, tied-aid grants, insurance, and administrative expenses under Export-Import Bank programs; (2) Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) direct and guaranteed loans and credit and insurance programs, including administrative expenses; and (3) the Trade and Development Agency. Title II: Bilateral Economic Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 2000 for: (1) expenses of the President in carrying out certain programs under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961; (2) the Agency for International Development (AID) for child survival and disease programs, including basic education programs; (3) specified development assistance (allowing availability of limited amounts for the Inter-American Foundation and the African Development Foundation); (4) international disaster assistance; (5) micro and small enterprise development programs; (6) guaranteed loans for the urban and environmental credit program; (7) the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund; (8) operating expenses of AID and the AID Office of Inspector General; (9) Economic Support Fund (ESF) assistance (earmarking amounts for Israel and Egypt); (10) the International Fund for Ireland; (11) economic assistance for Eastern Europe and the Baltic States (earmarking amounts for Bosnia and Herzegovina, but with a prohibition on funds for new housing construction or repair or reconstruction of existing housing in Bosnia and Herzegovina unless directly related to U.S. troop efforts to promote peace there); (12) assistance for the new independent states of the former Soviet Union (subject to specified conditions, and earmarking amounts for Mongolia, the Southern Caucasus (especially the areas of Abkhazia and Nagorno- Karabagh), Georgia, and Armenia); (13) the Peace Corps (but with a prohibition on the use of such funds for abortions); (14) international narcotics control and law enforcement (earmarking amounts for anti-crime programs); (15) migration and refugee assistance; (16) the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund; (17) nonproliferation, anti-terrorism, demining, and related programs and activities (including U.S. contributions to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO), and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Preparatory Commission); (18) debt restructuring of concessional loans, guarantees, and credits made to eligible foreign countries, including sub-Saharan African countries; and (19) the Department of the Treasury for international affairs technical assistance activities. Bars the use of development assistance funds for: (1) coercive abortions or involuntary sterilizations; (2) U.S. private and voluntary organizations which obtain less than 20 percent of annual funding from sources other than the U.S. Government; and (3) any activity which is in contravention to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES). Prohibits the availability of funds for economic revitalization programs in Bosnia and Herzegovina if the President certifies to the Committees on Appropriations: (1) that they have not complied with article III of annex 1-A of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning the withdrawal of foreign forces; and (2) that intelligence cooperation on training, investigations, and related activities between Iranian officials and Bosnian officials has not been terminated. Title III: Military Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 2000 for: (1) expanded international military education and training (IMET) to Indonesia and Guatemala; (2) foreign military financing grants and direct loans (earmarking amounts for Israel and Egypt) ; and (3) international peacekeeping operations (subject to certain conditions). Prohibits: (1) IMET to the School of the Americas unless the Secretary of Defense certifies that such assistance is consistent with U.S. training and doctrine, particularly with respect to the observance of human rights; and (2) foreign military financing for Sudan, Liberia, and Guatemala. Title IV: Multilateral Economic Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 2000 for the U.S. contribution to: (1) the Global Environment Facility of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank); (2) International Development Association (IDA); (3) the Inter-American Development Bank; (4) the Asian Development Bank; (5) the Asian Development Fund; (6) the African Development Fund; and (7) the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Makes appropriations for FY 2000 for international programs and organizations. Sets certain restrictions on international organization funding. Prohibits the use of funds for the KEDO or the IAEA. Title V: General Provisions - Sets forth limits on the use of appropriations, including that no more than 15 percent of such appropriations shall be obligated during the last month of availability. (Sec. 502) Prohibits: (1) the use of funds for bilateral funding of international financial institutions; and (2) the transfer of such funds by the AID directly to such an institution for the purpose of repaying a foreign country's loan obligations to it. (Sec. 503) Sets forth limits on the use of appropriations, including no more than specified maximums for official residence expenses, entertainment expenses, and representation allowances for AID, and for entertainment and representation allowances for the Inter-American Foundation and the Trade and Development Agency. Limits the use of funds for entertainment expenses of the Peace Corps, and of entertainment and representation allowances under the Foreign Military Financing Program. (Sec. 506) Prohibits the use of funds for: (1) the export of nuclear equipment, fuel, or technology (except for nuclear safety purposes); (2) direct assistance or reparations to Cuba, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Iran, Sudan, or Syria; (3) assistance to any country whose duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup or decree; (4) certain transfers between appropriations accounts without prior presidential consultation with Congress; (5) assistance to any country in default in excess of a year on payments on a U.S. loan (except for Nicaragua, Brazil, Liberia and for any narcotics-related assistance for Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru); and (6) assistance (except in certain circumstances) for production of any commodity for export by a foreign country, if the commodity is likely to be in surplus on world markets when the resulting productive capacity is expected to become operative, and if the assistance will cause substantial injury to U.S. producers of a similar commodity. (Sec. 514) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. Executive Directors of specified international financial institutions to: (1) oppose any assistance for the production or extraction of any commodity or mineral for export if it is in surplus on world markets and such assistance will cause substantial injury to U.S. producers of a similar commodity; and (2) support the purchase of American produced agricultural commodities with funds appropriated under this Act. (Sec. 516) Declares that funds appropriated for foreign operations, export financing, and related programs, that are returned or not made available for international organizations and programs shall remain available for obligation until FY 2001. (Sec. 517) Prohibits the availability of assistance for the Independent States of the former Soviet Union to a Government of such an Independent State, unless such Government is making progress in implementing comprehensive economic reforms based on market principles, private ownership, respect for commercial contracts, and equitable treatment of foreign private investment. Prohibits the availability of assistance also: (1) if such a Government applies or transfers U.S. assistance to any entity for the purpose of expropriating or seizing ownership of assets, investments, or ventures (unless the President determines such assistance is in the national interest); (2) if such a Government directs action in violation of the territorial integrity or national sovereignty of any other Independent State of the former Soviet Union; or (3) to enhance its military capability (except for demilitarization, demining, or nonproliferation programs). (Sec. 518) Prohibits the use of development assistance funds for abortions or involuntary sterilizations as methods of family planning or to motivate or coerce any person to practice abortions, or provide any financial incentive to undergo sterilization. (Sec. 519) Limits to no more than five percent the amount of export financing funds (other than for administrative expenses) that can be transferred from one appropriation to another, with no appropriation being increased by more than 25 percent by such transfer. (Sec. 520) Prohibits the use of funds for Colombia, Haiti, Liberia, Pakistan, Panama, Serbia, Sudan, or the Democratic Republic of Congo, except through the regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations. (Sec. 522) Makes funds available to AID for child survival, basic education, and infectious disease activities in developing countries. (Sec. 523) Bars funding for indirect assistance or reparations to Cuba, Iraq, Libya, Iran, Syria, North Korea, or China unless the President certifies that the withholding of such funds is contrary to the U.S. national security interest. (Sec. 524) Requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to notify the Committees on Appropriations before providing excess DOD articles to certain NATO and major non-NATO countries. (Sec. 526) Authorizes the availability of ESF funds to provide general support and grants for nongovernmental organizations located outside China that have as their primary purpose fostering democracy in that country. (Sec. 527) Prohibits bilateral assistance funds to any country which the President determines grants sanctuary from prosecution to any individual or group which has committed an act of international terrorism or otherwise supports such activities. Authorizes a waiver of this prohibition by the President for national security and humanitarian reasons, requiring notification to the Committees on Appropriations. (Sec. 528) Authorizes the commercial leasing of defense articles (instead of government-to-government sale) to Israel, Egypt, NATO, and major non-NATO allies if the President determines that there are compelling foreign policy or national security reasons. (Sec. 529) Requires all AID contracts and subcontracts to include a clause requiring that U.S. insurance companies have a fair opportunity to bid for insurance when insurance is necessary or appropriate. (Sec. 530) Prohibits U.S. sale of Stinger missiles in the Persian Gulf region, with certain exceptions. (Sec. 531) Authorizes nongovernmental organizations which are AID grantees or contractors to place funds made available to them under this Act in interest bearing accounts in order to enhance their participation in economic activities under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, including endowments and debt-for-development and debt-for- nature exchanges. (Sec. 532) Directs the Administrator of AID to require foreign countries that receive foreign assistance which results in the generation of local currencies to deposit such currencies in a separate account to be used to finance foreign assistance activities. (Sec. 533) Prohibits payments to any international financial institution while the U.S. Executive Director to the institution is compensated at a rate in excess of that for Level IV of the Executive Schedule. (Sec. 534) Bars assistance to any country that is not in compliance with the United Nations (UN) sanctions against Iraq, unless the President certifies to the Congress that such assistance: (1) is in the U.S. national interest; (2) will directly benefit the needy people in that country; or (3) will be humanitarian assistance for foreign nationals who have fled Iraq and Kuwait. (Sec. 535) Declares that provisions under this or any other Act authorizing appropriations for foreign operations or export financing shall not be construed to prohibit activities authorized by the Peace Corps Act, the Inter-American Foundation Act, or the African Development Foundation Act. Requires an agency to report to the Committees on Appropriations whenever it is conducting or proposing activities in a country for which such assistance is prohibited. Limits on the availability of funds for international organizations and programs shall not be construed to be applicable to the International Fund for Agricultural Development. (Sec. 536) Prohibits the use of funds to provide: (1) any financial incentive to a business for purposes of inducing it to relocate outside the United States if it will reduce the number of employees in the United States; (2) assistance for establishing or developing in a foreign country an export processing zone or other designated area in which a country's tax, tariff, labor, environment, and safety laws do not apply to activities in the area, unless the President certifies that such assistance is not likely to cause a loss of U.S. jobs; or (3) assistance for any project that contributes to the violation of internationally recognized workers rights in the recipient country. (Sec. 537) Prohibits the availability funds under this Act for the Republic of Serbia (except for Kosova or Montenegro or for assistance to promote democratization). (Sec. 538) Declares that funds appropriated under this Act for Afghanistan, Lebanon, Montenegro, and for victims of war, displaced children, displaced Burmese, humanitarian assistance for Romania, and humanitarian assistance for the peoples of Kosova may be made available notwithstanding any other provision of law. Authorizes the use of foreign assistance funds to support tropical forestry and biodiversity conservation programs, and subject to the regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations, energy programs aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Authorizes AID to employ personal services contractors to administer programs for the West Bank and Gaza. Authorizes the President to waive certain prohibitions with respect to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) if the President determines and certifies to Congress that it is in the national interest. (Sec. 539) Expresses the sense of the Congress with respect to: (1) immediate public renunciation by Arab League countries of the boycott of Israel (reinstated in 1997) and of American firms having commercial ties with Israel; and (2) steps the President should take to encourage such renunciation. (Sec. 540) Authorizes the use of ESF funds to strengthen the administration of justice in countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, and in other regions. (Sec. 541) Declares that restrictions on assistance to foreign countries contained in this Act or any other Act (except those relating to international terrorism or human rights violations) shall not be construed to restrict assistance: (1) in support of certain programs of nongovernmental organizations; or (2) under specified provisions of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954. (Sec. 542) Authorizes the reprogramming of earmarked appropriations for other programs within the same account, provided certain requirements are met. (Sec. 544) Prohibits the use of funds for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States that were not authorized before the enactment of this Act. (Sec. 545) Declares that assistance under this Act should make full use of American resources, including commodities, products, and services, to the maximum extent possible. Declares the sense of Congress that, to the greatest extent practicable, all agricultural commodities, equipment, and products purchased with funds made available in this Act should be American- made. Requires Federal agency heads, in providing financial assistance to or entering into any contract with any entity using funds made available in this Act, to notify such entity of this intention. (Sec. 546) Prohibits the use of funds to pay any assessments, arrearages, or dues of any U.N. member (including costs for attendance of another country's delegation at international conferences). (Sec. 548) Prohibits the provision of funds to a private voluntary organization that fails to provide any document, file, or record necessary to the auditing requirements of AID. (Sec. 549) Prohibits the provision of funds to any foreign government that provides lethal military equipment to a country that the Secretary of State has determined has a terrorist government, unless the President determines that the furnishing of such assistance is in the U.S. national interest. (Sec. 550) Withholds assistance to a foreign country in an amount equal to 110 percent of the total unpaid parking fines and penalties owed by the country to the District of Columbia. (Sec. 551) Prohibits the obligation of any appropriations for the PLO for the West Bank and Gaza unless the President has exercised certain authorities to suspend prohibitions on assistance to the PLO. (Sec. 552) Permits the President to provide up to a specified amount of commodities and services to the UN War Crimes Tribunal if doing so will contribute to a just resolution of charges regarding genocide or other violations of international law in the former Yugoslavia. (Sec. 553) Authorizes disposal on a grant basis in foreign countries of demining equipment used in support of the clearance of land mines and unexploded ordnance for humanitarian purposes. (Sec. 554) Prohibits the obligation of appropriations to create in Jerusalem a new U.S. agency office for the purpose of conducting U.S. business with the Palestinian Authority over Gaza and Jericho (or any successor Palestinian governing entity) provided for in the Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles. (Sec. 555) Prohibits the obligation of certain funds appropriated for Informational Program activities to pay for: (1) alcoholic beverages; (2) food (other than food provided at a military installation) not provided in conjunction with Informational Program trips where students do not stay at a military installation; or (3) entertainment expenses for recreational activities. (Sec. 556) Limits the amount of certain foreign assistance funds to Latin America and the Caribbean region. (Sec. 557) Authorizes the President to reduce amounts owed to the United States by eligible countries as a result of: (1) housing guarantees made pursuant to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961; (2) credits extended or guarantees issued under the Arms Export Control Act; or (3) any obligation for a Latin American country to pay for purchases of U.S. agricultural commodities guaranteed by the Commodity Credit Corporation. Permits exercise of such authority only: (1) to implement multilateral official debt relief and referendum agreements known as the Paris Club Agreed Minutes; and (2) with respect to countries with heavy debt burdens that are eligible to borrow from the International Development Association (but not from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) (IDA-only countries). Prescribes additional conditions for the exercise of such authority. (Sec. 558) Authorizes the President to engage in certain debt buybacks or sales. Authorizes sale, reduction, or cancellation of certain loans to foreign governments, upon receipt of payment from an eligible purchaser that plans to use such loans only for the purposes of engaging in debt-for-equity swaps, debt-for-development swaps, or debt-for-nature swaps. Limits such authority to funds appropriated by this Act under the heading of debt restructuring. (Sec. 559) Urges the President, in providing assistance to Haiti, to place priority on: (1) aggressive action to support the Haitian National Police, including efforts to purge corrupt and politicized elements within the police; (2) steps to ensure that U.S. assisted elections in Haiti are free, fair, and democratic; (3) support for a program to develop an indigenous human rights monitoring capacity; (4) steps to continue privatization of state-owned enterprises; (5) establishment of an economic development fund for Haiti to provide long-term, low interest loans to U.S. investors and businesses that are committed to doing business there; and (6) a substantial agricultural development program. Directs the President to report to specified congressional committees on the status: (1) of each of the governmental institutions envisioned in the 1987 Haitian Constitution; (2) of the privatization of the major public entities; (3) of the Government of Haiti's efforts to conduct thorough investigations of extrajudicial and political killings; (4) of steps being taken to secure ratification of the maritime counter-narcotics agreements signed October 1997; and (5) of the extent to which domestic capacity to conduct free, fair, and democratic elections has been developed in Haiti. (Sec. 560) Requires a specified annual report of the Secretary of State containing the voting record of each foreign member country of the UN to include a side-by-side comparison of each country's overall support for the United States at the UN and the amount of U.S. assistance provided to it in FY 1999. (Sec. 561) Prohibits the United States from paying any voluntary contribution to the UN, including the UN Development Program, unless the President certifies to Congress 15 days in advance of such payment that the UN is not engaged in any effort to implement or impose any taxation on U.S. persons in order to raise revenue for itself or any of its specialized agencies. (Sec. 562) Makes the Government of Haiti eligible to purchase U.S. defense articles and services for the civilian-led Haitian National Police and Coast Guard. (Sec. 563) Prohibits the obligation of any appropriations for the PLO unless the President certifies to Congress that it is in the U.S. national security interests. (Sec. 564) Prohibits the use of funds for the security forces of a foreign country if the Secretary of State believes they have committed gross violations of human rights, unless the Secretary reports to the Committees on Appropriations that such country is taking steps to bring the responsible persons to justice. (Sec. 565) Requires that any agreement between the United States and the Government of Indonesia for the sale of lethal weapons shall state that the United States expects that such items will not be used in East Timor. Declares that nothing in this section shall be construed to limit Indonesia's inherent right to national self- defense. (Sec. 566) Provides for bilateral and multilateral assistance sanctions (with humanitarian, democratization, and certain infrastructure project exceptions) against countries harboring war criminals indicted with respect to the former Yugoslavia. Prohibits the provision of bilateral assistance for programs in which publicly indicted war criminals are known to have any financial interest or communities that are not in compliance with specified sections of the Dayton Agreement relating to war crimes and the Tribunal. (Sec. 567) Prohibits the use of funds for the Government of the Russian Federation unless the President certifies to specified congressional committees that the Federation has not enacted laws or promulgated executive orders that discriminate against religious minorities in violation of international agreements on human rights and religious freedoms to which it is a party. (Sec. 568) Subjects the availability of funds in this Act to support programs or activities promoting country participation in the Kyoto Protocol to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) to the regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations. (Sec. 569) Directs the President to withhold a specified amount of foreign assistance funds (except development or humanitarian assistance) from countries that violate any UN sanction against Libya. (Sec. 570) Bars funds to the central Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo until the President reports to Congress that it is: (1) investigating and prosecuting those responsible for human rights violations there; and (2) implementing a credible democratic transition program. (Sec. 571) Earmarks specified foreign assistance funds for Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza, the Israel-Lebanon Monitoring Group, the Multinational Force and Observers, the Middle East Regional Democracy Fund, Middle East Regional Cooperation, and Middle East Multilateral Working Groups. (Sec. 572) Requires the President to submit to specified congressional committees a plan for the distribution of the assets of an Enterprise Fund before any distribution resulting from liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Fund. (Sec. 573) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. executive directors of international financial institutions to oppose loans to Cambodia (except loans to support basic human needs). Prohibits the availability of funds under this Act for assistance (other than for humanitarian and basic education activities) for the Government of Cambodia. (Sec. 574) Makes specified funds available for bilateral assistance for population planning activities. (Sec. 575) Directs the Secretaries of Defense and of State to report jointly to Congress on all overseas military training provided to, and proposed to be provided to, foreign military personnel under programs administered by the Defense and State Departments during FY 1999 and 2000. (Sec. 576) Earmarks specified funds for KEDO for administrative expenses and heavy fuel oil costs associated with the Agreed Framework (Joint Declaration on Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula). Earmarks other amounts to KEDO if the President certifies to Congress that North Korea is complying with the provisions of the Agreed Framework. (Sec. 577) Authorizes investment of funds made available to grantees of the African Development Foundation pending expenditure for project purposes when authorized by the President of the Foundation. (Sec. 578) Bars the use of funds appropriated under this Act to provide equipment, technical support, consulting services, or any other assistance to the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation. (Sec. 579) Bars the use of AID operating expense funds to finance the construction, purchase, or long-term lease of offices for use by AID, except as provided through regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations. (Sec. 580) Earmarks a specified amount of ESF funds for political, economic, humanitarian, and associated support activities for Iraqi opposition groups. (Sec. 581) Directs AID to submit its annual budgets to the Committees on Appropriations. (Sec. 582) Declares the sense of Congress urging public release of information in Federal agencies about the murders of four American churchwomen in El Salvador on December 2, 1980. Urges the President to direct the Attorney General to review and report to Congress on the circumstances under which individuals involved in either the murders or their cover-up obtained residence in the United States. (Sec. 583) Prohibits the use of funds appropriated under this Act to implement the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (Sec. 584) Limits the U.S. voluntary contributions to international organizations for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Makes such funds available only if: (1) UNFPA maintains funds available to it in a separate account; (2) it does not commingle such funds; and (3) it does not fund abortions. Prohibits the use of funds for UNFPA for a country program in China. Directs the Secretary of State to report to the appropriate congressional committees on the amount of funds that the UNFPA is budgeting for the year for a country program in China. Declares that, if the UNFPA plans to spend funds for a country program in China, an amount equal to that spent in China shall be deducted from funds made available to the UNFPA after March 1 for obligation for the remainder of the fiscal year in which the report is submitted.

Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Consolidation and Reorganization Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 21 July 1999

Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Consolidation and Reorganization Act of 1999 - Title I: Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Administration - Establishes as an independent agency in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Administration, to be headed by an Administrator appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Title II: Programs and Functions of Administration - Subtitle A: Transfers from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; Transfer from Other Agencies - Transfers to the Administration programs and functions: (1) relating to the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Public Health Service Act substance abuse block grants, or the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA); (2) under the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1994; (3) under specified provisions of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 administered by HHS' Administration for Children and Families (relating to drug abuse and youth gangs and or runaway and homeless youth); (4) under the Public and Assisted Housing Drug Elimination Act of 1990; and (5) under the Drug-Free Public Housing Act of 1988. Subtitle B: Additional Provisions Regarding Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse - Mandates a program to coordinate public and nonprofit private entity activities to provide for a nationwide network for substance abuse prevention. Authorizes grants to assist communities in coordinating substance abuse prevention services. (Sec. 212) Mandates coordination of Administration and Office of National Drug Control Policy activities. Subtitle C: Funding - Authorizes appropriations for the Administration. Title III: Advisory Council; Peer Review - Mandates an advisory council and peer review of grants and cooperative agreements. Title IV: Miscellaneous Authorities - Sets forth miscellaneous authorities of the Secretary of HHS and the Administrator, including regarding facilities (acquiring, constructing, improving, etc.) and the use of personnel, consultants, experts, and volunteers. Title V: Disposition of Remaining Programs and Functions of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - Transfers to HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration all functions of SAMHSA not transferred under title II of this Act. Terminates SAMHSA. Title VI: General Provisions - Sets forth transitional and savings provisions and makes conforming amendments.

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

United States · United States Congress · 20 July 1999

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

Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 16 July 1999

Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion Act of 1999 - Requires the U.S. Government to: (1) disable and dismantle all its nuclear weapons and refrain from replacing them at any time with weapons of mass destruction; (2) undertake vigorous good faith efforts to eliminate war, armed conflict, and all military operations; (3) actively promote policies to induce all other countries to join in these commitments for world peace and security; and (4) redirect resources that are currently being used for nuclear weapons programs to constructive, ecologically beneficial peacetime activities and to address human and infrastructure needs such as housing, health care, education, agriculture, and environmental protection. Makes this Act effective when the President certifies to Congress that all foreign countries possessing nuclear weapons have established legal requirements comparable to those set forth in this Act.

An original resolution authorizing expenditures by the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1999

Authorizes expenditures by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs for the 106th Congress.

1999 Omnibus Adoption Act

United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1999

1999 Omnibus Adoption Act - Title I: Expansion of Adoption Tax Credit - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the dollar amount of qualified expenses for the adoption tax credit; (2) double the limit on the amount of a taxpayer's adjusted gross income that is used in computing the income limitation applicable to adoption tax credits; (3) make permanent the adoption tax credit for adoptions of children without special needs; and (4) provide for adjustment of such dollar and income limitations for inflation. Title II: Leave Equity for Adoptive Families - Establishes leave requirements for an employee needing leave because of the placement of a son or daughter with the employee for adoption or foster care, and provides for civil actions against an employer to enforce such requirements, subject to specified limitations. Title III: Adoption Counseling - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish a national adoption counseling program for pregnant women and infertile married couples. Allows for the participation of religious organizations. Directs the Secretary to require that each program providing voluntary family planing services with a grant from the Secretary provide nondirective counseling and referrals regarding prenatal care and delivery, infant and foster care, and adoption. Title IV: Adoption Information for Members of the Armed Forces - Requires the Secretary of each military department and the Secretary of Transportation with respect to the Coast Guard when outside naval jurisdiction to ensure that members of the armed forces under their jurisdiction have information concerning adoption readily available to them. Title V: Federal Prisons - Amends the Federal criminal code to direct the Attorney General to take appropriate action to assure that information regarding the option of planning adoption for the child is made available to each female prisoner who is or may be pregnant. Title VI: Accreditation of Adoption Service Providers - Amends SSA title IV part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) to: (1) require State plans to provide for State laws to prohibit adoption services by unaccredited persons, and require State accreditation of adoption service providers; and (2) require the State to establish standards for such accreditation. Title VII: Adoption and Foster Care Data Collection - Amends SSA title IV part E to provide for State adoption and foster care data collection and reporting systems for HHS. Title VIII: Refundable Credit for Medical Expenses of Pregnancies with Children Placed for Adoption - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for a refundable tax credit of up to $5,000 per child for medical expenses of pregnancies with children placed for adoption. Title IX: Maternal Health Certificates Program - Directs the Secretary to establish a maternal health certificates program to cover maternity and housing services facility expenses incurred by eligible pregnant women. Authorizes appropriations. Title X: Rehabilitation Grants for Maternity Housing and Services Facilities - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to implement a grant program to assist eligible nonprofit entities to rehabilitate buildings for use as housing and services facilities for eligible pregnant women. Allows for the participation of religious organizations. Authorizes appropriations. Title XI: Repeal of National Clearinghouse on Adoption Information - Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 to repeal the National Clearinghouse on Adoption Information. Title XII: National Commission on Adoption - Establishes the National Commission on Adoption to review all adoption programs and related activities. Authorizes appropriations.

Adoption Awareness Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 14 July 1999

Adoption Awareness Act of 1999 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to national adoption organizations for programs to train the staff of eligible health centers in providing adoption counseling to pregnant women and infertile married couples. Makes it a condition for receipt of such a grant that the national adoption organization involved agree to make reasonable efforts to ensure that the eligible health centers with respect to which training under the grant is provided include centers that: (1) receive grants relating to voluntary family planning projects; (2) receive grants relating to community health centers, migrant health centers, and centers regarding homeless individuals and residents of public housing; (3) receive grants for the provision of services in schools; and (4) do not perform or make referrals for abortions, or provide or make referrals for counseling that presents abortion as an option. Directs the Secretary to require programs providing voluntary family planning services with such a grant to provide nondirective counseling and referrals regarding prenatal care and delivery, infant care, foster care, and adoption. Makes religious organizations eligible for such grants without discrimination and mandates their independence from Federal, State, and local governments, providing certain safeguards to ensure such independence. Provides the beneficiaries of assistance from religious organizations with certain rights, including the right not to be discriminated against by the religious organization. Authorizes appropriations.

Natural Disaster Protection and Insurance Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 13 July 1999

Natural Disaster Protection and Insurance Act of 1999 - Amends the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 (the Act) to provide for an expanded Federal program of hazard mitigation, relief, and natural disaster insurance. (Sec. 6) Requires each State to either: (1) develop a statewide strategic mitigation plan (plan) to reduce hazards of future natural disasters; or (2) designate a plan in effect at the time as the applicable plan. Outlines required plan elements, including: (1) ensuring that structures in hazard-prone areas are built with hazard mitigation techniques; and (2) improving the capabilities of emergency response teams to natural disasters. Requires the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to review and approve a plan if it contains the required elements. Requires such plans to be submitted to the Director within two years after enactment of this Act. Outlines procedures regarding plan implementation, plan updates, and noncompliance with plan requirements (including an opportunity to cure). Denies hazard mitigation funds for any State which is still non-compliant 180 days after receiving from the Director notification of noncompliance. Authorizes the Director to allocate funds to States from the Natural Disaster Protection Fund, according to a pro rata formula based on reinsurance coverage premiums. Requires States to use allocated funds to support specified natural disaster hazard mitigation activities. Requires the Director, at least once every three years, to evaluate each State's progress in implementing its plan, and to base future allotments on such evaluation. Directs the Comptroller General to: (1) conduct a study to identify all Federal programs that provide assistance for public facilities and lifelines; and (2) report to Congress on study results. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 7) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to grant loans to a private, non-governmental, and nonprofit membership corporation to be known as the Natural Disaster Insurance Corporation. Requires the Corporation to provide reinsurance coverage for hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, windstorms, and wildfires. Requires Corporation members to own shares in the Corporation and to consist of private insurers and State insurance pools that purchase the reinsurance coverage provided by the Corporation. Outlines Corporation administrative procedures, including: (1) the naming of a Corporation administrator; (2) loans for start-up costs; and (3) the election of a Board of Directors. Requires the Corporation to develop a plan of operation describing Corporation administration and the provision of insurance coverages. Directs the Natural Disaster Insurance Board of Actuaries to review and approve such plan and any amendments thereto. Requires the Board of Directors to report annually to Corporation members and the Independent Board of Actuaries on Corporation operations. Directs the Corporation to carry out a program to make reinsurance coverage available through contracts for such coverage for purchase only: (1) by eligible State programs; and (2) through auctions. Requires each contract to provide insurance coverage against residential property losses to homes and the contents of apartment buildings and to cover all the natural disasters named above. Makes a program eligible to purchase an insurance or reinsurance contract under this section only if such program is a State-operated program that meets specified requirements, including: (1) the offering of residential property and apartment content coverage; and (2) mitigation provisions that require not less than ten percent of the net investment income of the State insurance or reinsurance program to be used to mitigate losses from natural disasters for which the State program was established. Outlines coverage requirements and contract terms and conditions. Directs the Corporation to carry out a program to auction on a regional basis contracts for reinsurance coverage to private insurers and reinsurers, State insurance and reinsurance programs, and other interested entities. Requires the Corporation, in such auction, to set a reserve price as the lowest price for that contract, to be determined based upon specified factors such as risk and administrative costs. Provides auction contract terms and conditions. Requires the Corporation, in making reinsurance coverage available, to provide a conditional minimum level of retained losses (similar to a deductible) and a maximum level of Federal liability for losses from a single covered event. Establishes the Independent Natural Disaster Board of Actuaries to review and approve the Corporation plan of operation and to advise the Corporation regarding the estimated loss costs associated with the contracts for reinsurance coverage and carrying out Corporation functions. Requires the Corporation, within 15 months after enactment of this Act, to submit to the Independent Board a draft plan of operation. Provides for plan approval (with an opportunity to cure if disapproved) and plan amendments. Requires the Independent Board to prepare and submit to the Secretary a report on its findings regarding such plan. Requires the Corporation Board of Directors to submit to the Independent Board for approval proposed prices and reserve prices for reinsurance contracts issued by the Corporation. Provides for Independent Board approval of such prices (with an opportunity to cure if not immediately approved). Directs the Corporation to establish and maintain a Reinsurance Coverage Trust Account to: (1) hold funds collected from insurance payments and investments; and (2) pay claims to entities that have purchased reinsurance coverage. Directs the Secretary to provide direct loans to such Account to the extent that accumulated assets are insufficient to pay reinsurance claims and expenses. Requires recoupment from the Corporation of such direct loans and interest. Prohibits any Federal funds from being authorized or appropriated to fund any Corporation activity. Directs the Comptroller General, every three years, to conduct audits of activities of the Corporation and the Independent Board. Requires audit results to be submitted to Congress. (Sec. 8) Establishes in the Treasury the Natural Disaster Protection Fund and establishes in such Fund a Private Loss Account and a Mitigation Account. Requires the Private Loss Account to be used to provide direct Federal loans to cover shortfalls in the Corporation's reinsurance account. Requires the Mitigation Account to support natural disaster hazard mitigation activities. Authorizes appropriations to the Mitigation Account for FY 2000 and annually thereafter for prenatural disaster mitigation activities conducted under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

Fairness in Trusts and Estates Planning Act

United States · United States Congress · 13 July 1999

Fairness in Trusts and Estates Planning Act - Amends the National Housing Act to authorize cooperative housing mortgage insurance for property held in trust, the beneficiary of which shall occupy the dwelling unit.

Financial Freedom Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 13 July 1999

Financial Freedom Act of 1999 - Title I: Broad-Based Tax Relief - Subtitle A: 10-Percent Reduction in Individual Income Tax Rates - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to provide for the phase-in of a ten percent individual income tax rate. Subtitle B: Marriage Penalty Tax Relief - Phases-in a standard deduction on a joint (married) return equal to twice the deduction of a single (not married) return. (Sec. 112) Makes the modified adjusted gross income limitation applicable in determining the deduction for interest on educational loans on a joint return double the limit of a single return. (Sec. 113) Raises from $100,000 (currently applicable to any filing status) to $160,000 (in the case of a joint return) the adjusted gross income limit applicable to rollovers from regular IRAs to Roth IRAs. Subtitle C: Repeal of Alternative Minimum Tax on Individuals - Phases-in a repeal of the alternative minimum tax for individuals. Title II: Relief from Taxation on Savings and Investments - Excludes from gross income a limited amount of dividends and interest otherwise includible in gross income. (Sec. 202) Reduces the individual capital gains tax rate. (Sec. 203) Applies the capital gains tax rates to capital gains of designated settlement funds. (Sec. 204) Provides, with respect to exclusion of gain from the sale of a principal residence, for the suspension of the five-year ownership and use requirement during the time that a member (or spouse) of the uniformed services or Foreign Service is on qualified official extended duty (as defined by this Act). (Sec. 205) Treats certain dealer derivative financial instruments, hedging transactions, and supplies as ordinary assets. (Sec. 206) Revises provisions concerning the worthless securities of financial institutions. Title III: Incentives for Business Investment and Job Creation - Phases-in a corporate capital gains tax rate reduction. (Sec. 302) Phases- in a repeal of the alternative minimum tax on corporations. Repeals the 90 percent limitation on the utilization of the foreign tax credit. Title IV: Education Savings Incentives - Renames education individual retirement accounts education savings accounts. Increases to $2,000 the maximum annual contribution allowed to such accounts. Permits tax-free expenditures from such accounts for elementary and secondary education expenses required for attendance at a public, private, or religious school, or for homeschooling that meets State requirements. Waives certain age limitations in cases of children with special needs. Permits corporations to contribute to such accounts. (Sec. 402) Permits private educational institutions to maintain qualified tuition programs which are comparable to qualified State tuition programs. Excludes qualified distributions from such accounts from gross income. (Sec. 403) Excludes from gross income certain amounts received under the National Health Corps Scholarship Program, the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship and Financial Assistance Program, the National Institutes of Health Undergraduate Scholarship Program, or any similar State program. (Sec. 404) Increases the amount by which certain governmental bonds used to finance public school capital expenditures may be exempted from specified arbitrage bond provisions. (Sec. 405) Modifies arbitrage rebate rules applicable to public school construction bonds. (Sec. 406) Repeals the 60-month limitation period on the allowance of the interest deduction on loans for higher education expenses. Title V: Health Care Provisions - Phases-in a 100 percent deduction (for both itemizers and nonitemizers) for the health and long- term care insurance costs of individuals not participating in employer-subsidized health plans. (Sec. 502) Permits offering long-term care insurance under cafeteria plans and flexible spending arrangements. (Sec. 503) Revises medical savings accounts provisions to: (1) repeal the limitation on the number of accounts; (2) make all employers (currently limited to small employers) eligible to offer accounts; (3) increase contribution deduction amounts; (4) permit employer and employee contributions; (5) reduce high deductible health plan deductibles; and (6) permit accounts to be offered under cafeteria plans. (Sec. 504) Permits a taxpayer an additional exemption for certain elderly family members who need long-term care and who reside with the taxpayer. (Sec. 505) Expands the time frame for human clinical trials qualifying for the orphan drug credit. (Sec. 506) Adds to the list of taxable vaccines any conjugate vaccine of streptococcus pneumoniae. Title VI: Estate Tax Relief - Subtitle A: Estate, Gift, and Generation-Skipping Taxes; Repeal of Step Up in Basis At Death - Repeals the estate tax, gift tax, and the tax on generation-skipping transfers, effective January 1, 2009. (Sec. 602) Terminates, effective January 1, 2009, the current provisions providing for determining the basis of property the acquired from a decedent and sets forth new provisions for determining the basis of certain property acquired from a decedent dying after December 31, 2008. Subtitle B: Reductions of Estate and Gift Tax Rates Prior to Repeal - Sets forth additional estate and gift tax reductions applicable to the period prior to repeal. Subtitle C: Unified Credit Replaced Unified Exemption Amount - Replaces the unified credit with a unified exemption amount. Subtitle D: Modifications of Generation-Skipping Tax - Amends provisions concerning the special rules for allocation of the generation-skipping tax (GST) exemption to provide, as a general rule, that: (1) if any individual makes an indirect skip during such individual's lifetime, any unused portion of such individual's GST exemption shall be allocated to the property transferred to the extent necessary to make the inclusion ratio for such property zero; and (2) if the amount of the indirect skip exceeds such unused portion, the entire unused portion shall be allocated to the property transferred. Title VII: Tax Relief for Distressed Communities and Industries - Subtitle A: American Community Renewal Act of 1999 - Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to designate (upon local or State nomination) up to 20 renewal communities, of which at least four shall be in rural areas. Requires for nomination purposes that: (1) the area be experiencing high rates of poverty and unemployment and general distress; and (2) State and local governments enter into written contracts with community organizations to promote specified economic growth and employment activities. Excludes from gross income capital gains on the sale or exchange of a qualified community asset (stock, business property, or partnership interest) held for more than five years. Allows a specified deduction for amounts paid into a family development account on behalf of a renewal community resident. Excludes from gross income account distributions used for qualified family development expenses (postsecondary education, first-home purchase, business capitalization, medical, and rollovers). Provides a penalty (with exceptions) in addition to inclusion as gross income for nonqualifying distributions. Provides for designation of up to five qualifying renewal communities as matching demonstration areas eligible to receive family development account matching contributions. Authorizes: (1) designation of earned income tax credit payments for family development account deposit; (2) a commercial building revitalization tax deduction; (3) increased first year expensing for renewal community businesses; (4) extension of environmental remediation cost expensing and the work opportunity credit for renewal communities; and (5) similar tax treatment of renewal communities and enterprise zones for specified youth residence requirements. Permits a deduction for contributions to a family development account whether or not a taxpayer itemizes. (Sec. 705) Makes conforming amendments to provisions respecting: (1) tax on excess contributions and prohibited transactions; (2) trust and annuity information; (3) tax exemption applications; and (4) the commercial revitalization credit. (Sec. 706) Sets forth reporting requirements. Subtitle B: Farming Incentive - Disregards any option to accelerate the receipt of any payment under a production flexibility contract which is payable under the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act, in determining the taxable year for which such payment is properly includible in gross income for purposes of the IRC. Subtitle C: Oil and Gas Incentive - Permits a five-year net operating loss carryback for losses attributable to operating mineral interests of independent oil and gas producers. Subtitle D: Timber Incentive - Increases the maximum permitted amortization of reforestation expenditures. Subtitle E: Steel Industry Incentive - Increases, for steel companies, the credit allowed against the regular tax for prior year minimum tax liability. Title VIII: Relief for Small Businesses - Provides for the deduction of 100 Percent of the health insurance costs of self-employed individuals. (Sec. 802) Increases to $30,000 the amount which may be expensed as section 179 property. (Sec. 803) Makes the 6.2 percent Federal Unemployment Tax Act rate effective through calendar year 2004 (currently, 2007) and the 6.0 percent rate effective through calendar year 2005 (currently, 2008). (Sec. 804) Phases-in an 80 percent meal expenses deduction. Title IX: International Tax Relief - Permits, for interest allocation rule purposes, treating each electing worldwide affiliated group an affiliated group. (Sec. 902) Revises provisions concerning the of application of look-thru rules to dividends from noncontrolled section 902 corporations to provide, in general, that any dividend from a noncontrolled section 902 corporation with respect to the taxpayer shall be treated as income in a separate category in proportion to the ratio of: (1) the portion of earnings and profits attributable to income in such category; to (2) the total amount of earnings and profits. (Sec. 903) Excludes from the definition of "foreign base company oil related income" the pipeline transportation of oil or gas within such foreign country. (Sec. 904) Excludes from the definition of "foreign base company services income" income derived in connection with the performance of services which are related to the transmission of high voltage electricity. (Sec. 905) Defines overall domestic loss and sets forth provisions for determining taxable income for any taxpayer sustaining such a loss. (Sec. 906) Repeals the special rule for military property with respect to exempt foreign trade income. (Sec. 907) Exempts from taxation certain regulated investment company dividends received by nonresident aliens. Treats certain regulated investment company stock owned by nonresident noncitizens as non-U.S. property for estate tax purposes. (Sec. 908) Repeals section 907 (Special Rules In Case of Foreign Oil and Gas Income) of the IRC. (Sec. 909) Requires a study and a report on the feasibility of treating all countries in the European Union as one country under subpart F (Controlled Foreign Corporations) of part III (Income From Sources Without the United States) of subchapter N (Tax Based on Income From Sources Within or Without the United States) of chapter 1 (Normal Taxes and Surtaxes) of the IRC. (Sec. 910) Permits the President to determine that the continued denial of the foreign tax credit with respect to a foreign country is no longer in the national interests of the United States. (Sec. 911) Treats advance pricing agreements as confidential taxpayer information. (Sec. 912) Phases in an increase in the dollar limitation on the section 911 (Citizens or Residents of the United States Living Abroad) exclusion. Title X: Provisions Relating to Tax-Exempt Organizations - Exempts an organization from income tax if it is created by a State to provide property and casualty insurance coverage for property for which such coverage is otherwise unavailable. (Sec. 1002) Amends the Tax Reform Act of 1984 to revise the special arbitrage rule. (Sec. 1003) Amends the IRC to disallow a deduction for the transfer of a charitable contribution to or for the use of a State or charitable tax-exempt organization or trust if in connection with such transfer: (1) the organization directly or indirectly pays, or has previously paid, any premium on any personal benefit contract (life insurance, annuity, or endowment contract, also known as charitable split-dollar life insurance) with respect to the transferor; or (2) there is an understanding (side agreement) that any person will directly or indirectly pay any premium on such contract with respect to such transferor. Imposes on such organization an excise tax equal to the premiums paid by it on the personal benefit contract. Provides that certain persons shall not be treated as indirect beneficiaries: (1) in certain cases in which a charitable organization purchases an annuity contract to fund an obligation to pay a charitable gift annuity; or (2) solely by reason of being a noncharitable recipient of an annuity or unitrust amount paid by a charitable remainder trust that holds a life insurance, annuity or endowment contract. (Sec. 1004) Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a procedure for exemption from the self- dealing tax. (Sec. 1005) Revises provisions concerning: (1) declaratory judgments relating to tax-exempt organizations; and (2) the special rules for certain amounts of unrelated business taxable income received from controlled entities. Title XI: Real Estate Provisions - Subtitle A: Provisions Relating to Real Estate Investment Trusts - Part I: Treatment of Income and Services Provided by Taxable REIT Subsidiaries - Excludes taxable REIT subsidiaries (TRSs) from the five and ten percent asset tests. (Sec. 1102) Allows TRSs to provide non-customary tenant services. (Sec. 1103) Allows a REIT to establish a TRS (as defined). (Sec. 1104) Includes in the definition of "disqualified interest" (Sec. 163 of the IRC) any interest paid or accrued by a TRS to the REIT. (Sec. 1105) Imposes a 100 percent tax on any interest payments by a TRS to the REIT in excess of the commercially reasonable interest rate. Part II: Health Care REITs - Includes within the definition of the term "foreclosure property" any qualified health care property acquired by a REIT as the result of the termination of a lease of such property. Part III: Conformity With Regulated Investment Company Rules - Changes the distribution requirement from 95 percent to 90 percent. Part IV: Clarification of Exception From Impermissible Tenant Service Income - Provides, with respect to the definition of an independent contractor, that in the event that any class of stock of is regularly traded on an established securities market, only owners who own, directly or indirectly, more than five percent of such class of stock shall be taken into account as owning any of the stock of such class for purposes of applying the 35 percent limitation. Part V: Modification of Earnings and Profits Rules - Provides rules for determining whether a Regulated Investment Company (RIC) has earnings and profits form a non-RIC year. Part VI: Study Relating to Taxable REIT Subsidiaries - Directs the: (1) Commissioner of Internal Revenue shall conduct a study to determine how many taxable REIT subsidiaries are in existence and the aggregate amount of taxes paid by such subsidiaries; and (2) the Secretary of the Treasury to submit a report to Congress describing the results of such study. Subtitle B: Modification of At-Risk Rules for Publicly Traded Securities - Revises, with respect to real property, provisions concerning the treatment under the at-risk rules of publicly traded nonrecourse debt. Subtitle C: Treatment of Construction Allowances and Certain Contributions To Capital of Retailers - Amends provisions which exclude from the gross income of a lessee any amount received in cash by a lessee from a lessor under a short-term lease of retail space used for the purpose of such lessee's constructing or improving long-term real property for use in the lessee's business to makes such exclusion inapplicable under a short-term lease if the lessee is a qualified retail business. (Sec. 1172) Defines the term "contribution to the capital of the taxpayer" to include any amount of money or other property received by the taxpayer if: (1) the taxpayer has entered into an agreement to operate a qualified retail business at a particular location for at least 15 years; (2) immediately after the receipt of such money or other property, the taxpayer owns the land and the structure to be used by the taxpayer in carrying on a qualified retail business at such location, or the taxpayer uses such amount to acquire ownership of at least such land and structure; (3) such amount meets the requirements of the expenditure rule; and (4) the contributor of such amount does not hold a beneficial interest in any property located on the premises of such qualified retail business other than de minimis amounts of property associated with the operation of property adjacent to such premises. Defines the terms "expenditure rule" and "qualified retail business." Title XII: Provisions Relating to Pensions - Subtitle A: Expanding Coverage - Increases the $90,000 limit on defined benefit plans to $160,000. Changes the age from which such limit will be reduced from the social security retirement age to 62 and the age from which the limit will be increased from the social security retirement age to 65. Increases the $30,000 limit for defined benefit contribution plans to $40,000. Increases the $150,000 compensation limit to $200,000. Increases the elective deferral limit to $15,000. (Sec. 1202) Eliminates certain current rules concerning plan loans made to an owner-employee. (Sec. 1203) Revises the definition of a top-heavy plan and a key employee for purposes of the special rules for top-heavy plans. Takes into account: (1) matching contributions for minimum contribution requirements; and (2) distributions during the last year before the determination date. (Sec. 1204) Provides that elective deferral contributions are not subject to deduction limits. (Sec. 1205) Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to provide that, during the first five years of a new single-employer plan of a small employer (100 or fewer employees), the flat rate Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PGBC) premium will be five dollars per plan participant. Provides for a reduced additional PGBC variable premium for new and small employers. (Sec. 1207) Repeals specified coordination requirements under the Code for deferred compensation plans of State and local governments and tax-exempt organizations. (Sec. 1208) Eliminates user fee requirements for requests to the IRS concerning the status of pension plans. (Sec. 1209) Revises the definition of compensation, for purposes of the deduction rules, to include salary reduction amounts treated as a participant's compensation. (Sec. 1210) Provides for optional treatment of elective deferrals as plus contributions. Defines such contributions. (Sec. 1211) Phases-in an increase in the minimum annual benefit permitted under a defined benefit contribution plan. Subtitle B: Enhancing Fairness for Women - Allows additional salary reduction catch-up contributions for those approaching retirement under IRC requirements relating to: (1) elective deferrals; (2) simple retirement accounts; and (3) deferred compensation plans of State and local governments and tax-exempt organizations. (Sec. 1222) Sets forth requirements relating to equitable treatment for contributions of employees to defined contribution plans. Requires that certain contributions by church plans are not to be treated as exceeding a specified limit. (Sec. 1223) Provides for faster vesting of certain employer matching contributions. (Sec. 1224) Revises minimum distribution rules under the IRC. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) simplify and finalize the regulations relating to minimum distribution requirements; and (2) modify such regulations to reflect increases in life expectancy, and revise required distribution methods so that, under reasonable assumptions, the amount of the required minimum distribution does not decrease over a participant's life expectancy. Provides that, during the first year that such revised regulations are in effect, required distributions for future years may be redetermined, with the opportunity to choose a new designated beneficiary and to elect a new method of calculating life expectancy. (Sec. 1225) Revises requirements relating to tax treatment of division of section 457 plan benefits upon divorce. Subtitle C: Increasing Portability for Participants - Permits rollovers from and to various types of plans under the IRC. (Sec. 1232) Permits individual retirement plan (IRA) rollovers only if certain conditions are met. (Sec. 1233) Permits rollover of after-tax contributions in an exempt trust under specified conditions. (Sec. 1234) Sets forth a hardship exception to the 60-day rule. (Sec. 1235) Sets forth requirements for treatment of forms of distribution available under transferor and transferee plans, under the IRC. (Sec. 1236) Revises restrictions on distributions, including the same desk exception. (Sec. 1237) Authorizes trustee-to-trustee transfers to purchase permissive service credit with respect to governmental defined benefit plans. (Sec. 1238) Allows employers to disregard rollovers for purposes of cash-out amounts, under retirement plan provisions of the Code and ERISA. (Sec. 1239) Revises minimum distribution and inclusion requirements for section 457 plans. Subtitle D: Strengthening Pension Security and Enforcement - Amends the IRC to revise the percentage of current liability funding limit. (Sec. 1242) Revises maximum contribution deduction rules and applies them to all defined benefit plans under the IRC. (Sec. 1243) Amends ERISA to revise requirements relating to missing participants. Directs the PBGC to prescribe rules relating to missing participants for multiemployer plans covered by the PBGC that terminate. Allows the administrator of a plan not otherwise subject to such PBGC regulation to elect to transfer a missing participant's benefits to the PBGC upon termination of the plan, under specified conditions. (Sec. 1244) Amends the IRC to allow an employer, in determining the amount of nondeductible contributions for any taxable year, to elect not to take into account any contributions to a defined benefit plan except to the extent that they exceed the full-funding limitation. (Sec. 1245) Imposes an excise tax on a plan failing to provide required notice of a significant reduction in the rate of future benefit accrual. Subtitle E: Reducing Regulatory Burdens -Repeals a multiple use test. Directs the Secretary prescribe regulations permitting appropriate aggregation of plans and contributions. (Sec. 1252) Amends the Code and ERISA to revise requirements relating to timing of plan valuations. (Sec. 1253) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to modify regulations in order to expand the ability of a pension plan to demonstrate compliance with the nondiscrimination and line of business requirements. (Sec. 1254) Amends ERISA rules for substantial owners relating to plan terminations to revise: (1) the phase-in of the guarantee; and (2) the allocation of assets. (Sec. 1255) Amends IRC requirements for applicable dividends to allow dividends of employee stock ownership plans to be reinvested without loss of dividend deduction. (Sec. 1256) Revises the notice and consent period regarding distributions. Directs the Secretary to modify certain regulations to provide that the description of a participant's right, if any, to defer receipt of a distribution shall also describe the consequences of failing to defer such receipt. (Sec. 1257) Repeals a transition rule relating to certain highly compensated employees under the Tax Reform Act of 1986. (Sec. 1258) Directs the Secretary to modify certain regulations with respect to certain plan participation by employees of tax-exempt entities under the IRC. (Sec. 1259) Excludes qualified retirement planning services from gross income (as a fringe benefit). (Sec. 1260) Prescribes requirements for plan amendments or annuity contract amendments under the IRC. (Sec. 1261) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to issue model defined contribution and benefit plans that fit the needs of small businesses. (Sec. 1262) Directs the Secretary to provide for the filing of a simplified annual return in the case of a retirement plan covering less than 25 employees. (Sec. 1263) Directs the Secretary to continue to update and improve the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System. Title XIII: Miscellaneous Provisions - Subtitle A: Provisions Primarily Affecting Individuals - Provides that the exclusion of State or local government foster care payments from the gross income of foster care providers shall also apply to payments by qualifying placement agencies. (Sec. 1302) Excludes from an individual's gross income amounts received as reimbursement regarding the use of a passenger automobile for the benefit of a charitable organization. Relieves the organization of certain reporting requirements regarding the reimbursements. (Sec. 1303) Requires a W-2 to include employer Social Security taxes paid. Subtitle B: Provisions Primarily Affecting Businesses - Includes income from publicly traded partnerships as qualifying income of regulated investment companies. Excludes distributions from the source-based inclusion limitation applicable to other partnerships. (Sec. 1312) Applies specified passive activity provisions for publicly traded partnerships to regulated investment companies. (Sec. 1313) Makes certain large electric trucks, vans and buses eligible for the $50,000 deduction clean-fuel property deduction, but not the $4,000 electric vehicle credit. (Sec. 1314) Modifies the special rules concerning nuclear decommissioning costs. (Sec. 1315) Repeals certain provisions concerning the filing of consolidated returns by insurance companies. Subtitle C: Provisions Relating to Excise Taxes - Combines the Hazardous Substance Superfund and the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund (LUST) into the Environmental Remediation Trust Fund (established by this Act). (Sec. 1322) Repeals the: (1) LUST taxes on fuel used in trains; and (2) 4.3-cents- per-gallon General Fund excise tax on diesel fuel used by railroads and on fuels used by barges operating on designated inland waterways. (Sec. 1323) Repeals the excise tax on fishing tackle boxes. Subtitle D: Other Provisions - Amends IRC provisions concerning State private activity bond volume limits to repeal the adjustment for years after 1987. (Sec. 1332) Permits, in general, an electing Alaska Native Settlement Trust to exclude contributions, during the year of contribution, from the gross income of a beneficiary. Subtitle E: Tax Court Provisions - Authorizes the Tax Court to charge a filing fee of up to $60 in all cases commenced by petition. (Sec. 1342) Authorizes the Tax Court to make the $30 practice fee available to pro se taxpayers. (Sec. 1343) Permits the Tax Court to apply the doctrine of equitable recoupment to the same extent that it is available in civil tax cases. Title XIV: Extensions of Expiring Provisions - Extends, for five years, the: (1) research credit; (2) subpart F (Controlled Foreign Corporations) exemption for active income financing; (3) taxable income limit on percentage depletion for marginal oil and gas wells; and (4) work opportunity credit and the welfare-to-work credit. Title XV: Revenue Offsets - Amends provisions involving returns relating to the cancellation of indebtedness by certain entities to include within the definition of "applicable financial entity" any organization a significant trade or business of which is the lending of money. (Sec. 1502) Directs the Secretary to establish a program requiring the payment of user fees for requests to the IRS for ruling letters, opinion letters, determination letters, and other similar requests. Terminates fees October 1, 2007. (Sec. 1503) Modifies rules relating to the exemption of certain ten or more employer plans from welfare benefit fund provisions. (Sec. 1504) Increases the withholding rate for nonperiodic distributions from 10 to 15 percent. (Sec. 1505) Makes a controlled entity ineligible to be a REIT. Defines "controlled entity." (Sec. 1506) Treats a gain as an ordinary gain to the extent such gain exceeds the net underlying long-term capital gain where the taxpayer has gain from a constructive ownership transaction with respect to any financial position and such gain otherwise would be treated as a long-term capital gain. Provides that, to the extent such gain is treated as a long-term capital gain after the application of the previous sentence, the determination of the applicable capital gain rate (or rates) shall be determined on the basis of the respective rate (or rates) that would have been applicable to the net underlying long-term capital gain. Sets forth definitions and exceptions. (Sec. 1507) Prohibits transfers of excess pension assets to retiree health account made after September 30, 2009 (currently, after December 31, 2000), from being treated as qualified transfers. (Sec. 1508) Prohibits, in general, the use of the installment method of accounting for accrual method dispositions. Title XVI: Technical Corrections - Sets forth amendments concerning, among other things: (1) the Tax and Trade Relief Extension Act of 1998; (2) the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998; (3) the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997; (4) the treatment of worthless securities of affiliated corporations; (5) the IRA contribution amount of the lesser earning spouse; (6) modified endowment contracts; (7) lump-sum distributions; and (8) tentative carryback adjustments of losses from section 1256 contracts.

Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2465) making appropriations for military construction, family housing, and base realignment and closure for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 12 July 1999

Sets forth the rule (open) for the consideration of H.R. 2465 (Department of Defense appropriations).

Military Construction Appropriations Act, 2000

United States · United States Congress · 2 July 1999

Military Construction Appropriations Act, 2000 - Appropriates funds for FY 2000 for military construction, family housing, and base realignment and closure functions administered by the Department of Defense (DOD), namely: (1) military construction for the Army, Navy, and Air Force; (2) military construction, DOD (including a transfer of funds); (3) military construction for the Army and Air National Guards; (4) military construction for the Army, Navy, and Air Force Reserves; (5) the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Security Investment Program; (6) family housing for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and Air Force; (7) family housing, DOD; (8) the Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement Fund; and (9) the Base Realignment and Closure Account, Part IV. (Sec. 101) Specifies restrictions and authorizations regarding the use of funds appropriated in this Act and in other military construction appropriations Acts. (Sec. 113) Directs the Secretary of Defense to notify the appropriate congressional committees 30 days in advance of the plans and scope of any military exercise involving U.S. personnel if construction costs are anticipated to exceed $100,000. (Sec. 118) Provides for the transfer of lapsed unobligated military construction and family housing funds into the Foreign Currency Fluctuations, Defense account. (Sec. 119) Directs the Secretary to report to the congressional appropriations committees on actions proposed by DOD to encourage other member nations of NATO, Japan, Korea, and U.S. allies in the Arabian Gulf to assume a greater share of the common defense burden of such nations and the United States. (Sec. 121) Prohibits an entity from expending funds appropriated by this Act unless such entity agrees to comply with the Buy American Act. (Sec. 122) Expresses the sense of Congress that entities receiving assistance under this Act should expend such assistance only on American-made equipment and products. (Sec. 125) Authorizes the transfer of DOD funds for expenses associated with the Homeowners Assistance Program under the Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act of 1966. (Sec. 127) Earmarks funds provided in the 1999 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Security Investment Program. (Sec. 128) Reduces by specified amounts various military construction accounts. (Sec. 129) Directs the four service branches to submit to the appropriate congressional committees by June 1, 2000, a Family Housing Master Plan to address year 2010 housing goals with traditional construction, operation and maintenance support, and privatization initiative proposals.

Promoting Housing Affordability for Working Families Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Removing Barriers to Housing Affordability Title II: Removing Barriers to Use of FHA Single Family Housing Mortgage Insurance Program Title III: Home Investment Partnerships Program Title IV: Community Development Block Grants Promoting Housing Affordability for Working Families Act of 1999 - Title I: Removing Barriers to Housing Affordability - Requires proposed and final agency rules to include analyses of their impact upon affordable housing availability. Requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to develop model housing impact analyses. (Sec. 102) Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 to authorize direct appropriations for State and local grants for regulatory barrier removal. (Consolidates State and local grant provisions.) Authorizes a State or local government to use grants to establish a Barriers to Housing Affordability Council. (Sec. 103) Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to make affordable housing barrier removal eligible for community development block grant assistance. (Sec. 104) States that the regulatory barriers clearinghouse shall be established within the Office of Policy Development of the Department of Housing and Urban Development under the direction of the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research. Title II: Removing Barriers to Use of FHA Single Family Housing Mortgage Insurance Program - Amends the National Housing Act to: (1) authorize the Secretary to enlarge areas and median prices for purposes of single family housing mortgage insurance eligibility; and (2) extend the manufactured home lot loan term. Title III: Home Investment Partnerships Program - Amends the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act to make uniformed employees or teachers who are employees of a participating jurisdiction eligible for the home investment partnerships program. Title IV: Community Development Block Grants - Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to make uniformed employees and teachers who are employees of a participating metropolitan city or urban county eligible for community development block grant home ownership assistance.

Home Ownership Tax Credit Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999

Home Ownership Tax Credit Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish a home ownership tax credit which shall be allocated, through State housing finance agencies, to qualified lenders making qualified home ownership loans to certain low-income households. Sets forth the allocation formula, related rules and definitions.

Save My Home Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999

Save My Home Act of 1999 - Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to renew project-based rental housing contracts under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 at up to market levels. Directs the Secretary to: (1) offer to renew expired section 8 contracts at up to market levels in low-vacancy areas or areas with concentrations of elderly or disabled families; and (2) establish certain market rents. Authorizes ten-year section 8 contract renewals. (Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary to make enhanced voucher assistance (as defined by this Act) available for residents of projects with certain expiring section 8 contracts in low-vacancy areas, and authorizes such assistance for other covered low-income residents. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 6) Sets forth market value rent appraisal requirements. Directs the Secretary to establish an Appraisal Clearinghouse to collect data and develop model appraisal standards. (Sec. 7) Establishes appraisal-related staffing requirements. (Sec. 8) Authorizes the Secretary to contract with State or local housing finance agencies to perform market rental rate determinations. (Sec. 10) Authorizes the Secretary to transfer specified nonrenewed section 8 projects to nonprofit organizations (with preference for tenant organizations).

A bill to amend the Applachian Regional Development Act of 1965 to add Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Perry, and Wayne Counties, Tennessee, to the Appalachian region.

United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999

Amends the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1985 to add Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Perry, and Wayne Counties, Tennessee, to the Appalachian region.

Affordable Housing Preservation Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999

Affordable Housing Preservation Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make matching grants to States to supplement State and local assistance for the preservation and promotion of low-income housing. Sets forth eligibility requirements for: (1) projects with Department of Housing and Urban Development-insured mortgages; (2) projects with section 8 project based assistance; (3) projects purchased by residents; and (4) rural rental assistance projects. Authorizes appropriations.

Guam Omnibus Opportunities Act

United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999

Guam Omnibus Opportunities Act - Guam Land Return Act - Directs the Administrator of General Services, with specified exceptions, to notify the Government of Guam of any excess U.S. real property (including property within the Guam National Wildlife Refuge) in Guam and to transfer such property to the Government of Guam, provided it notifies the Administrator of its intention to acquire it (thus granting the Government of Guam the right-of-first refusal to such property). Guam Foreign Direct Investment Equity Act - Amends the Organic Act of Guam to declare that the Government of Guam's tax treatment of income made in Guam shall be at the same rate that would apply if Guam were a part of the United States for purposes of treaty obligations of the United States. Declares that betel nuts (also known as "areca nuts") shall not be considered to be adulterated for purposes of importation into the United States if such article is possessed by an individual for personal consumption. Amends the Housing Community Development Act of 1980 to revise the conditions for making assisted housing assistance available to a resident alien to declare that such alien may be a lawful resident in the United States and its territories and possessions (under the Compacts of Free Association between the Government of the United States and the Governments of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau). Provides that any such alien within Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands shall not be entitled to a preference in receiving such assistance over any U.S. citizen or national resident therein. Amends the Compact of Free Association Act of 1985 to revise certain reporting requirements with respect to the impact of the Compact on U.S. areas to authorize the Governor of any of the U.S. territories or commonwealths or the State of Hawaii to report annually to the Secretary of the Interior (currently, the President must report to Congress) with respect to the financial and social impacts of the compacts of free association on the Governor's respective jurisdiction. Makes Guam eligible for Department of Justice block grants for State and local law enforcement assistance, including for violent crime reduction programs.

Wartime Violation of Italian American Civil Liberties Act

United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999

Wartime Violation of Italian American Civil Liberties Act - Directs the Inspector General of the Department of Justice to conduct a comprehensive review of the treatment by the Federal Government of Italian Americans during World War II (between September 1, 1939, and December 31, 1945) and to report to Congress on the findings of such review. Requires the findings to include information regarding: (1) Italian Americans who were taken into custody, interned, ordered to move out of designated areas, or arrested for curfew, contraband, or other violations; (2) Federal Bureau of Investigations raids on Italian Americans homes; (3) restrictions on Italian American fishermen and railroad workers; and (4) civil liberties infringements suffered by Italian Americans during World War II as a result of Executive Order 9066. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the story of the treatment of Italian Americans during World War II needs to be told; (2) Federal agencies, including the Department of Education and the National Endowment for the Humanities, should support projects such as conferences, seminars, and lectures to heighten awareness of this unfortunate chapter in our nation's history, the refurbishment and payment of all expenses associated with the traveling exhibit "Una Storia Segreta," and documentaries allowing this issue to be presented to the American public; (3) an advisory committee should be established to assist in the compilation, research, and dissemination of information on the treatment of Italian Americans; and (4) financial support should be provided for educating the American public through the production of a documentary film suited for public broadcast. Requires the President, on behalf of the Government, to formally acknowledge that these events during World War II represented a fundamental injustice against Italian Americans.

Justice in Fair Housing Enforcement Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 1 July 1999

Justice in Fair Housing Enforcement Act of 1999 - Amends the Fair Housing Act to exempt from handicapped accessibility requirements certain multifamily dwellings constructed in compliance with a local or State building code.

Disaster Burden Relief Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 30 June 1999

Disaster Burden Relief Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to set forth special rules for homes which were destroyed as a result of a disaster in a Presidentially declared disaster area, including permitting a tax credit for certain mortgage payments.

Affordable Housing Improvement Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 30 June 1999

Affordable Housing Improvement Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the low-income housing credit, to modify: (1) the criteria for allocating housing credits among projects; (2) the responsibilities of housing credit agencies; and (3) rules concerning the basis of a credit-eligible building.

Revitalizing Cities Through Parks Enhancement Act

United States · United States Congress · 22 June 1999

Revitalizing Cities Through Parks Enhancement Act - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make grants to qualified community organizations to develop as open space municipally owned vacant lots in urban areas. Authorizes appropriations.

Budget Enforcement Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 22 June 1999

Budget Enforcement Act of 1999 - Title I: A Single Budget for the United States Government - Amends Federal law to make an automatic continuing resolution effective immediately if any appropriation Act has not become law by the beginning of a fiscal period. Appropriates an amount equal to 95 percent of budget authority for each program regularly provided for under the appropriation bill in the most recent fiscal period. (Sec. 103) Directs Congress to enact, and the President to sign, a binding budget law in the form of a joint resolution by May 15 of the calendar year in which the beginning of a new fiscal period commences. Requires the law to set, for the budget year and five subsequent years: (1) budget authority and outlays for the major functional categories, except for disbursements of the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability (OASDI) Insurance program under title II of the Social Security Act; (2) annual limits for budget authority and outlays for discretionary and mandatory programs, activities, and accounts, excepting social security disbursements and interest; (3) appropriate levels for receipts and surpluses or deficits, excluding those of OASDI; (4) nonsocial security budget totals; (5) separate annual estimates for disbursements, receipts, and surpluses or deficits for social security; and (6) unified budget totals for budget authority and outlays, receipts, and surpluses or deficits. Authorizes Members of the House of Representatives or the Senate to demand a separate vote on whether to change any expenditure limit if the budget changes such a limit. (Sec. 104) Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to remove exceptions to the requirement that the budget resolution be adopted before budget-related legislation is considered. Provides that consideration in the House or the Senate of any legislation making available budget, entitlement, direct spending, contract, or direct or guaranteed lending authority in the fiscal period concerned in the absence of an enacted joint budget resolution shall only be in order upon a two-thirds vote to waive the requirement that the budget resolution be adopted first. (Sec. 105) Makes it in order to offer an amendment to a bill providing discretionary budget authority or budget outlays that would: (1) only reduce such authority or outlays; and (2) reduce the appropriate caps in the most recently enacted budget resolution for such authority or outlays by an amount less than or equal to the amount of the reduction in the amendment. (Sec. 106) Changes references to the "concurrent resolution on the budget" to the "joint resolution on the budget" in the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, Rules of the House of Representatives, Standing Rules of the Senate, and the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act). (Sec. 107) Sets forth a timetable for completion of certain budget actions by the President, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). (Sec. 108) Directs the President to submit a special message with the OMB Analysis of Actual Spending Levels and Projections for the Upcoming Year that includes proposed legislative changes to: (1) offset the outlay excess; or (2) revise the outlay caps contained in this Act. Sets forth congressional procedures for the consideration of legislation to address excess outlays. (Sec. 109) Requires presidential budgets for FY 1999 through 2003 to be consistent with the spending levels established in this Act or to recommend changes to such levels. Makes it out of order in the House or the Senate to consider any concurrent budget resolution unless it is consistent with the levels established in this Act. (Sec. 110) Requires OMB to submit a report containing account numbers and spending levels for specific entitlement categories to the President and Congress. Applies direct spending caps, effective upon submission of such report, to all entitlement authority except for undistributed offsetting receipts and net interest outlays. Sets forth entitlement categories subject to caps. (Sec. 111) Requires determinations of direct spending caps (as well as any breaches of such caps and actions necessary to remedy such breaches) to be based on certain economic assumptions set forth in the joint explanatory statement of managers accompanying the most recently enacted joint resolution on the budget and subject to periodic reestimation based on changed economic conditions or changes in eligible population. (Sec. 112) Provides for automatic adjustments to caps for entitlements and other mandatory spending to reflect changes in specified economic and other conditions. Title II: Enforcement Provisions - Directs OMB to: (1) compile a statement of actual and projected deficits, revenues, and direct spending for a fiscal year, following the end of that year, and for the current fiscal year, identifying such spending by categories of entitlements and other mandatory spending; and (2) in any year in which actual or projected deficits, revenues, or spending in violation of caps by more than one-tenth of one percent of the applicable direct spending for the year concerned occurs, issue a report to the President and Congress, estimating necessary spending reductions. (Sec. 202) Provides for enforcement of the direct spending caps on categories of spending established under title I of this Act. Applies specified enforcement rules and procedures for any fiscal year in which direct spending exceeds the applicable direct spending cap. (Sec. 203) Sets forth: (1) general rules for the triggering of sequestration to reduce spending for programs subject to direct spending caps; (2) special rules for direct spending programs with certain characteristics; and (3) rules for insurance, loan, and State grant programs. Requires a within session sequester under certain conditions. (Sec. 204) Exempts certain budget accounts, activities within accounts, or income from sequestration. (Sec. 205) Sets forth special rules for sequestration orders for: (1) the child support enforcement program under the Social Security Act; (2) the Commodity Credit Corporation; (3) the earned income tax credit; (4) regular and extended unemployment compensation; (5) the Federal Employees Health Benefits Fund; (6) the Federal Housing Finance Board; (7) Federal pay; (8) Medicare; (9) the Postal Service Fund; (10) Department of Energy power marketing administration funds or the Tennessee Valley Authority fund; and (11) programs which provide a businesslike service in exchange for a fee. (Sec. 206) Directs CBO and OMB to report to the President and Congress the budget baselines for the budget year and the next nine fiscal years. Specifies requirements for the budget baseline. (Sec. 207) Requires amounts to be withheld from allocation to the appropriate congressional committees (within the discretionary caps for each fiscal year) and reserved for natural disasters and other emergency purposes. Provides that such amounts shall be at least one percent of total budget authority and outlays available within those caps for the fiscal year concerned. Bars adjustments to the discretionary spending limits set forth under the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act unless the amount appropriated for discretionary accounts designated as emergency requirements exceeds the amount reserved under this Act. Sets forth conditions under which reserved amounts shall be made available for allocation to appropriate committees. Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to make it out of order in the House or the Senate to consider legislation containing an emergency designation if it also provides an appropriation or direct spending for any other item or contains other matter. Permits such legislation to contain rescissions or spending reductions. (Sec. 208) Amends rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives to require the House Appropriations Committee to report at least once each Congress (currently, from time to time) on recommendations for terminating or modifying provisions of law which provide permanent budget authority. Requires standing committees to review at least once every ten years (currently, from time to time) continuing programs within their jurisdiction for which appropriations are not made annually to ascertain whether such programs should be modified to provide for annual appropriations.

Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 18 June 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Compensation Title II: Memorial Affairs Subtitle A: American Battle Monuments Commission Subtitle B: National Cemeteries Title III: Housing Title IV: Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Title V: Other Matters Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 1999 - Title I: Compensation - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase, as of December 1, 1999, the rates of veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled adult children, and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses and children. Requires each such increase to be the same percentage as the increase in benefits provided under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act, on the same effective date. (Sec. 102) Includes bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma within the list of diseases presumed to be service-connected, in the case of exposure to ionizing radiation, and therefore compensable for purposes of veterans' disability compensation and medical care. (Sec. 103) Authorizes the payment of DIC to the surviving spouse of a veteran who died while totally disabled from a service-connected disability, who was a former prisoner of war who died after September 30, 1999, and who had been diagnosed as having one of the diseases specified as being service-connected and therefore compensable. (Sec. 104) States that the remarriage of the surviving spouse of a veteran shall not bar the furnishing of the following benefits to such person if the remarriage has been terminated by death or divorce unless the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines that the divorce was secured through fraud or collusion: (1) DIC; (2) medical care for survivors and dependents of certain veterans; (3) educational assistance; and (4) housing loans. Title II: Memorial Affairs - Subtitle A: American Battle Monuments Commission - Directs the American Battle Monuments Commission to solicit and accept contributions for establishing the World War II memorial in the District of Columbia or its environs (authorized under prior law). Establishes in the Treasury a fund to hold and expend such contributions. Authorizes the Commission to: (1) borrow up to $65 million from the Treasury to ensure that memorial groundbreaking, construction, and dedication are completed on a timely basis; and (2) accept voluntary services in furtherance of fund-raising activities (authorizing reimbursement of volunteer incidental expenses). Extends until December 31, 2005 (currently May 25, 2000) the authority to construct the memorial. (Sec. 202) Revises current Commission authority to receive State, local, and private amounts for establishing the memorial to: (1) authorize the Commission to solicit ( currently, receive) such contributions; and (2) require the deposit of such amounts in the fund created under this title. Requires the Commission to establish written guidelines for the acceptance of funds and in-kind contributions. (Sec. 203) Authorizes the Commission to adopt, obtain, use, register, and license trademarks, copyrights, and patents in connection with intellectual property and related items. Subtitle B: National Cemeteries - Directs the Secretary to establish a national cemetery in each of four areas of the United States determined to be in most need of such a cemetery to serve the needs of veterans and their families. Obligates FY 2000 funds for such projects. Requires an initial and annual reports to Congress. (Sec. 212) Directs the Secretary to contract with one or more qualified organizations to conduct an independent study of national cemeteries, including repairs needed, additional cemeteries required, and improvement of burial benefits. Requires reports from the organization to the Secretary, and from the Secretary to the congressional veterans' committees. Title III: Housing - Extends permanently (currently ends on September 30, 2003) the eligibility of certain former members of the Selected Reserve for veterans' housing loans. (Sec. 302) Directs the Secretary to conduct, directly or by grant or contract, programs to expedite the reintegration of homeless veterans into the labor force. Authorizes the Secretary to monitor the expenditure of funds under such programs. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2000 through 2004. Title IV: Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims - Authorizes the Court of Veterans Appeals (Court) to prescribe rules and regulations. (Sec. 402) Authorizes a retired judge of the Court to be recalled for further service if such judge, at the time of retirement, had provided written notice of such judge's availability for further service. Allows the Court chief judge to recall such a judge if substantial service is expected to be performed for the recall period. Prohibits a recalled judge from serving for more than 90 days in a calendar year without the judge's consent or for more than 180 days during a calendar year in any event. Requires a chief judge to remove from the recall-eligible list a judge who: (1) is recalled but declines; or (2) becomes permanently disabled and unable to perform judicial services. (Sec. 403) Requires 183 days or more served as a Court judge to be credited toward years of service and less than such period to be disregarded. (Sec. 404) Provides retired pay computation for judges who were recall-eligible but lost such status and for judges who chose not to provide a notice of availability for recall. Allows for a cost-of-living adjustment to the retired pay of a Court judge only up to an amount that would make the retired pay equal to the pay received by a current Court judge. Prohibits the payment of military retired pay for periods served as a Court judge. (Sec. 405) Makes a surviving spouse of a Court judge eligible for a survivor annuity after being married for at least one year (currently, two years) before such judge's death. Allows a Court judge to elect to participate in a survivor annuity within six months after marriage if such judge has retired. Reduces the percentage of pay reduction required of active judges as contributions toward retirement annuities. Prohibits interest payments on retirement pay reductions in the case of Court judges for any period during which such judges: (1) were separated from judicial service or service as a Member of Congress or congressional employee; and (2) were not receiving retired pay or annuities based on such service. Allows a surviving annuity to be paid to the survivors of a judge who dies after having rendered at least 18 months (currently, five years) of creditable civilian service. Allows a survivor annuity without a creditable service requirement in the case of a judge who is assassinated. Repeals a current requirement that a surviving spouse be at least 50 years of age before receiving such annuity. (Sec. 406) States that a recall-eligible retired Court judge who represents a client in a claim for veterans' benefits shall be considered to have declined recall service and be removed from recall-eligible status. (Sec. 407) Allows only one eligible associate judge of the Court to retire under early retirement authority in each of calendar years 1999 through 2003. Provides early retirement requirements. Requires the judge to: (1) notify the President and the Court's chief judge of the intent to retire; and (2) retire during the fiscal year in which notification is provided but not earlier than 90 days following such notification. Makes recall-eligible retired judges and judges who were removed from such eligibility due to disability eligible for annual adjustments in judges' retired pay as provided by law. Title V: Other Matters - Extends permanently: (1) the authority of the Secretary to issue and guarantee principal and interest on certificates or other securities evidencing an interest in a pool of mortgage loans made by the Secretary; (2) procedures applicable to liquidation sales on homes whose loans were defaulted by veterans; and (3) the authority of the Secretary to utilize information from the Secretaries of Health and Human Services or the Treasury for veterans' income verification purposes. (Sec. 502) Directs the Secretary to carry out a quality assurance program in the Veterans Benefits Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs, either through a single division or separate quality assurance entities. Requires: (1) the Under Secretary for Benefits to perform and oversee quality reviews of such division or entities; (2) an adequate number of quality assurance personnel within the Administration; and (3) an annual report from the Secretary to Congress on quality assurance activities. (Sec. 503) Extends through December 31, 2004, the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans. (Sec. 504) Congratulates and commends the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) of the United States on their 100th anniversary. (Sec. 505) Outlines authorized purposes for funds appropriated to the Department for the following accounts: (1) Compensation and Pension; (2) Medical Care; (3) Medical Administration and Miscellaneous Operating Expenses; (4) General Operating Expenses;(5) Construction, Major Projects; and (6) Construction, Minor Projects. Requires that, for the purpose of any law appropriating funds to the Department for the cost of direct or guaranteed loans, the cost of any such loan shall be as defined under title V of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000

United States · United States Congress · 17 June 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Agricultural Programs Title II: Conservation Programs Title III: Rural Economic and Community Development Programs Title IV: Domestic Food Programs Title V: Foreign Assistance and Related Programs Title VI: Related Agencies and Food and Drug Administration Title VII: General Provisions Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000 - Title I: Agricultural Programs - Appropriates funds for FY 2000 for the following Department of Agriculture programs and services: (1) Office of the Secretary of Agriculture; (2) executive operations ; (3) Office of the Chief Information Officer; (4) Office of the Chief Financial Officer; (5) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration; (6) Agriculture buildings and facilities and rental payments; (7) hazardous waste management; (8) departmental administration; (9) outreach for socially disadvantaged farmers; (10) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations; (11) Office of Communications; (12) Office of the Inspector General; (13) Office of the General Counsel; (14) Office of the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics; (15) Economic Research Service; (16) National Agricultural Statistics Service; (17) Agricultural Research Service; (18) Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; (Native American Institutions Endowment Fund); (19) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs; (20) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; (19) Agricultural Marketing Service; (21) Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration; (22) Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety; (23) Food Safety and Inspection Service; (24) Office of the Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services; (25) Farm Service Agency; (26) Risk Management Agency; (27) Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Fund; and (28) Commodity Credit Corporation Fund. Title II: Conservation Programs - Appropriates funds for the: (1) Office of the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment; and (2) Natural Resources Conservation Service. Title III: Rural Economic and Community Development Programs - Appropriates funds for the following: (1) Office of the Under Secretary for Rural Development; (2) Rural Housing Service; (3) Rural Business-Cooperative Service; (4) Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Corporation Revolving Fund; and (5) Rural Utilities Service. Title IV: Domestic Food Programs - Appropriates funds for the following: (1) Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services; and (2) Food and Nutrition Service. Title V: Foreign Assistance and Related Programs - Appropriates funds for the Foreign Agricultural Service and General Sales Manager. Title VI: Related Agencies and Food and Drug Administration - Appropriates funds for the following: (1) Food and Drug Administration; and (2) Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Title VII: General Provisions - Specifies certain uses and limits on or prohibitions against the use of funds appropriated by this Act.

Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2000

United States · United States Congress · 17 June 1999

Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2000 - Title I: Export and Investment Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 2000 for: (1) direct loans, loan guarantees, tied-aid grants, insurance, and administrative expenses under Export-Import Bank programs; (2) Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) direct and guaranteed loans and credit and insurance programs, including administrative expenses; and (3) the Trade and Development Agency. Title II: Bilateral Economic Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 2000 for: (1) expenses of the President in carrying out certain programs under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961; (2) the Agency for International Development (AID) for specified development assistance (allowing availability of amounts for the Inter-American Foundation (pending the outcome of certain civil and criminal investigations) and of limited amounts for the African Development Foundation); (3) specified projects aimed at reunification of Cyprus; (4) democracy and humanitarian activities in Burma; (5) specified assistance for Indonesia; (6) specified assistance for the Charles Darwin Research Station and the Charles Darwin Foundation to support research, conservation, training and other activities to protect the Province of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador; (7) specified assistance for conflict resolution programs involving teenagers of different ethnic, religious, and political backgrounds from the Middle East and other regions of conflict; (8) international disaster assistance; (9) micro and small enterprise development programs; (10) guaranteed loans for the urban and environmental credit program; (11) private and voluntary organizations; (12) the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund; (13) operating expenses of AID and the AID Office of Inspector General; (14) Economic Support Fund (ESF) assistance (earmarking amounts for Israel, Egypt, and Jordan, and to support victims of and programs related to the Holocaust); (15) assistance for Eastern Europe and the Baltic States (earmarking amounts for Kosova, Albania, Romania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, subject to specified conditions); (16) assistance for the new independent states of the former Soviet Union (subject to specified conditions, and earmarking amounts for Mongolia, Ukraine, Georgia, and Armenia); (17) the Peace Corps (but with a prohibition on the use of such funds for abortions); (18) international narcotics control and law enforcement; (19) migration and refugee assistance; (20) the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund; (21) nonproliferation, anti-terrorism, demining, and related programs and activities (specifying conditions on funds for the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO); (22) the Department of the Treasury technical assistance program; and (23) debt restructuring of concessional loans, guarantees, and credits made to eligible Latin American, Caribbean, and sub-Saharan African countries. Bars the use of development assistance funds for: (1) coercive abortions or involuntary sterilizations; and (2) U.S. private and voluntary organizations which obtain less than 20 percent of annual funding from sources other than the U.S. Government. Prohibits funds to: (1) Russia unless the President certifies to the Committees on Appropriations that it has terminated arrangements to provide Iran with technology to develop a nuclear program; (2) Russia unless the Secretary of State certifies to such committees that Russian peacekeeping forces deployed in Kosova have not established a separate zone of operational control and are fully integrated under North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) unified command;(3) Cambodia until the Secretary of State reports to such Committees that specified democratic conditions have been met; and (4) the Government of Azerbaijan until the President reports to Congress that it has ceased all blockades against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. Bars ESF assistance to the KEDO.. Title III: Military Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 2000 for: (1) expanded international military education and training (IMET) to Guatemala; (2) foreign military financing grants and direct loans (earmarking amounts for Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Tunisia (including drawdowns of defense articles and services); and (3) international peacekeeping operations (subject to certain conditions). Prohibits foreign military financing for Sudan, Liberia, and Guatemala. Title IV: Multilateral Economic Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 2000 for the U.S. contribution to: (1) the International Development Association; (2) the Global Environment Facility of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank); (3) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency; (4) the Inter-American Development Bank; (5) the Asian Development Bank; (6) the Asian Development Fund; (7) the African Development Bank; and (8) the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Makes appropriations for FY 2000 for international programs and organizations. Sets certain restrictions on international organization funding, including prohibiting the use of funds made available to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for activities in China. Prohibits the use of funds for the KEDO or the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Title V: General Provisions - Sets forth limits on the use of appropriations, including that no more than 15 percent of such appropriations shall be obligated during the last month of availability. (Sec. 502) Prohibits the use of funds for bilateral funding of international financial institutions. (Sec. 503) Sets forth limits on the use of appropriations, including no more than specified maximums for official residence expenses, entertainment expenses, and representation allowances for AID, and for entertainment and representation allowances for the Inter-American Foundation and the Trade and Development Agency. Limits the use of funds for entertainment expenses of the Peace Corps, and of entertainment and representation allowances under the Foreign Military Financing Program. (Sec. 506) Prohibits the use of funds for: (1) the export of nuclear equipment, fuel, or technology (except for nuclear safety purposes); (2) direct assistance or reparations to Cuba, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Iran, Sudan, or Syria; (3) assistance to any country whose duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup or decree; (4) certain transfers between appropriations accounts without prior presidential consultation with Congress; (5) assistance to any country in default in excess of a year on payments on a U.S. loan (except for any narcotics-related assistance for Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru); and (6) assistance (except in certain circumstances) for production of any commodity for export by a foreign country, if the commodity is likely to be in surplus on world markets when the resulting productive capacity is expected to become operative, and if the assistance will cause substantial injury to U.S. producers of a similar commodity. (Sec. 514) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. Executive Directors of specified international financial institutions to oppose any assistance for the production or extraction of any commodity or mineral for export if it is in surplus on world markets and such assistance will cause substantial injury to U.S. producers of a similar commodity. (Sec. 516) Declares that funds appropriated for foreign operations, export financing, and related programs, that are returned or not made available for international organizations and programs, shall remain available for obligation until FY 2001. (Sec. 517) Prohibits U.S. sale of Stinger missiles in the Persian Gulf region, with certain exceptions. (Sec. 518) Prohibits the use of development assistance funds for abortions or involuntary sterilizations as methods of family planning or to motivate or coerce any person to practice abortions, or provide any financial incentive to undergo sterilization. (Sec. 519) Declares that nongovernmental and multilateral organizations shall not be subjected to requirements more restrictive than requirements applicable to foreign governments in determining eligibility for population planning assistance. (Sec. 520) Directs the Attorney General to report to the Committees on Appropriations on the circumstances under which individuals involved in the December 2, 1980, murders or cover-up of the murders of four American churchwomen in El Salvador obtained residence in the United States. (Sec. 521) Prohibits the use of funds for Colombia, India, Haiti, Liberia, Pakistan, Serbia, Sudan, or the Democratic Republic of Congo, except through the regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations. (Sec. 523) Makes funds available to AID for family planning, health, child survival, environment, and basic education and AIDS research and control in developing countries. (Sec. 524) Bars funding for indirect assistance or reparations to Cuba, Iraq, Libya, Iran, Syria, North Korea, or China unless the President certifies that the withholding of such funds is contrary to the U.S. national security interest. (Sec. 525) Designates the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) (defined as Serbia, but not Montenegro or Kosova) as a terrorist state. Requires all provisions of law that impose sanctions against a country whose government is engaged in a consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights to be fully enforced against the FRY. Urges the President to seek multilateral cooperation to: (1) deny dangerous technologies to the FRY; (2) induce the Government of the FRY to respect internationally recognized human rights; and (3) induce such government to allow appropriate international humanitarian and human rights organizations to have access to the FRY. (Sec. 526) Requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to notify the Committees on Appropriations before providing excess DOD articles to certain NATO and major non-NATO countries. (Sec. 528) Prohibits bilateral assistance funds to any country which the President determines grants sanctuary from prosecution to any individual or group which has committed an act of international terrorism or otherwise supports such activities. Authorizes a waiver of this prohibition by the President for national security and humanitarian reasons, requiring notification to the Committees on Appropriations. (Sec. 529) Authorizes the commercial leasing of defense articles (instead of government-to-government sale) to Israel, Egypt, NATO, and major non-NATO allies if the President determines that there are compelling foreign policy or national security reasons. (Sec. 530) Requires all AID contracts and subcontracts to include a clause requiring that U.S. insurance companies have a fair opportunity to bid for insurance when insurance is necessary or appropriate. (Sec. 531) Authorizes the payment of a $10,000 cash award (distinguished development service award) to a career or non-career AID employee who through extraordinary efforts makes a significant contribution to assisting developing countries to meet the basic needs of their people. (Sec. 532) Authorizes nongovernmental organizations which are AID grantees or contractors to place funds made available to them under this Act in interest bearing accounts in order to enhance their participation in economic activities under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, including endowments and debt-for-development and debt-for-nature exchanges. (Sec. 533) Directs the Administrator of AID to require foreign countries that receive foreign assistance which results in the generation of local currencies to deposit such currencies in a separate account to be used to finance foreign assistance activities. (Sec. 534) Prohibits payments to any international financial institution while the U.S. Executive Director to the institution is compensated at a rate in excess of that for a specified position under the Executive Schedule. (Sec. 535) Bars assistance to any country that is not in compliance with the United Nations (UN) sanctions against Iraq unless the President certifies to the Congress that such assistance: (1) is in the U.S. national interest; (2) will directly benefit the needy people in that country; or (3) will be humanitarian assistance for foreign nationals who have fled Iraq and Kuwait. (Sec. 537) Declares that provisions under this or any other Act authorizing appropriations for foreign operations or export financing shall not be construed to prohibit activities authorized by the Peace Corps Act, the Inter-American Foundation Act, or the African Development Foundation Act. Requires an agency to report to the Committees on Appropriations whenever it is conducting or proposing activities in a country for which such assistance is prohibited. Declares that limits on the availability of funds for international organizations and programs shall not be construed as applying to the International Fund for Agricultural Development. (Sec. 538) Prohibits the use of funds to provide: (1) any financial incentive to a business for purposes of inducing it to relocate outside the United States if it will reduce the number of employees in the United States; (2) assistance for establishing or developing in a foreign country an export processing zone or other designated area in which a country's tax, tariff, labor, environment, and safety laws do not apply to activities in the area, unless the President certifies that such assistance is not likely to cause a loss of U.S. jobs; or (3) assistance for any project that contributes to the violation of internationally recognized workers rights in the recipient country. (Sec. 539) Directs OPIC to establish a $200 million Maritime Fund to support international maritime projects. (Sec. 540) Declares that funds appropriated under this Act for Afghanistan, Lebanon, and for victims of war, displaced children, displaced Burmese, humanitarian assistance for Romania, and humanitarian assistance for the peoples of Kosova may be made available notwithstanding any other provision of law. Authorizes the use of foreign assistance funds to support tropical forestry and biodiversity conservation programs, and (subject to the regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations) energy programs aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Authorizes AID to employ personal services contractors to administer programs for the West Bank and Gaza. (Sec. 541) Expresses the sense of the Congress with respect to: (1) immediate public renunciation by Arab League countries of the boycott of Israel (reinstated in 1997) and of American firms having commercial ties with Israel; and (2) steps the President should take to encourage such renunciation. (Sec. 542) Authorizes the use of ESF funds to strengthen the administration of justice in countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, and in other regions. (Sec. 543) Declares that restrictions on assistance to foreign countries contained in this Act or any other Act (except those relating to international terrorism or human rights violations) shall not be construed to restrict assistance: (1) in support of certain programs of nongovernmental organizations; or (2) under specified provisions of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954. (Sec. 544) Authorizes the reprogramming of earmarked appropriations for other programs within the same account, provided certain requirements are met. (Sec. 546) Prohibits the use of funds for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States that were not authorized before the enactment of this Act. Makes specified funds available to private and voluntary organizations to deal with world hunger problems abroad. (Sec. 547) Declares that assistance under this Act should make full use of American resources, including commodities, products, and services, to the maximum extent possible. Declares the sense of Congress that, to the greatest extent practicable, all agricultural commodities, equipment, and products purchased with funds made available in this Act should be American-made. Requires Federal agency heads, in providing financial assistance to or entering into any contract with any entity using funds made available in this Act, to notify such entity of this intention. (Sec. 548) Prohibits the use of funds to pay any assessments, arrearages, or dues of any U.N. member. (Sec. 550) Prohibits the provision of funds to a private voluntary organization that fails to provide any document, file, or record necessary to the auditing requirements of AID. (Sec. 551) Prohibits the provision of funds to any foreign government that provides lethal military equipment to a country that the Secretary of State has determined has a terrorist government, unless the President determines that the furnishing of such assistance is in the U.S. national interest. (Sec. 552) Withholds assistance to a foreign country in an amount equal to 110 percent of the total unpaid parking fines and penalties owed by the country to the District of Columbia. (Sec. 553) Prohibits the obligation of any appropriations for the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) for the West Bank and Gaza unless the President has exercised certain authorities to suspend prohibitions on assistance to the PLO. (Sec. 554) Permits the President to provide up to a specified amount of commodities and services to the UN War Crimes Tribunal if doing so will contribute to a just resolution of charges regarding genocide or other violations of international law in the former Yugoslavia. (Sec. 555) Authorizes disposal on a grant basis in foreign countries of demining equipment used in support of the clearance of land mines and unexploded ordnance for humanitarian purposes. (Sec. 556) Prohibits the obligation of appropriations to create in Jerusalem a new U.S. agency office for the purpose of conducting U.S. business with the Palestinian Authority over Gaza and Jericho (or any successor Palestinian governing entity) provided for in the Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles. (Sec. 557) Prohibits the obligation of certain funds appropriated for Informational Program activities to pay for: (1) alcoholic beverages; (2) food (other than food provided at a military installation) not provided in conjunction with Informational Program trips where students do not stay at a military installation; or (3) entertainment expenses for recreational activities. (Sec. 558) Authorizes the President to reduce amounts owed to the United States by eligible countries as a result of: (1) housing guarantees made pursuant to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961; (2) credits extended or guarantees issued under the Arms Export Control Act; or (3) any obligation for a Latin American country to pay for purchases of U.S. agricultural commodities guaranteed by the Commodity Credit Corporation. Permits exercise of such authority only: (1) to implement multilateral official debt relief and referendum agreements known as the Paris Club Agreed Minutes; and (2) with respect to countries with heavy debt burdens that are eligible to borrow from the International Development Association (but not from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) (IDA-only countries). Prescribes additional conditions for the exercise of such authority. (Sec. 559) Authorizes the President to engage in certain debt buybacks or sales. Authorizes sale, reduction, or cancellation of certain loans to foreign governments, upon receipt of payment from an eligible purchaser that plans to use such loans only for the purposes of engaging in debt-for-equity swaps, debt-for-development swaps, or debt-for-nature swaps. Limits such authority to funds appropriated by this Act under the heading of debt restructuring. (Sec. 560) Makes funds available for assistance to the central Government of Haiti only if the President reports to specified congressional committees that such Government: (1) has completed privatization of three major public utilities; (2) has signed or is implementing the bilateral Repatriation Agreement with the United States and is cooperating with the United States in halting illegal emigration from Haiti; (3) is conducting thorough investigations of extrajudicial and political killings and has made substantial progress in bringing to justice the persons responsible for such killings in Haiti; (4) has taken action to remove from the Haitian National Police, national palace and residential guard, ministerial guard, and any other public security entity individuals who have committed human rights violations; and (5) has ratified or is implementing the maritime counter-narcotics agreements signed in October 1997. Makes such prohibition inapplicable to funds made available to support elections in Haiti and the Ministry of Justice for the training of judges, prosecutors, judicial mentoring, legal assistance, and case management if the President reports to Congress that specified conditions have been met. Sets forth additional specified exceptions to such prohibitions. (Sec. 561) Requires a specified annual report of the Secretary of State containing the voting record of each foreign member country of the UN to include a side-by-side comparison of each country's overall support for the United States at the UN and the amount of U.S. assistance provided to it in FY 1998. (Sec. 562) Makes the Government of Haiti eligible to purchase U.S. defense articles and services for the civilian-led Haitian National Police and Coast Guard. (Sec. 563) Prohibits the use of funds for the security forces of a foreign country if the Secretary of State believes they have committed gross violations of human rights, unless the Secretary reports to the Committees on Appropriations that such country is taking steps to bring the responsible persons to justice. (Sec. 564) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. Executive Directors of international financial institutions to oppose loans to the Government of Cambodia (except to support basic human needs) unless it has: (1) held free and fair elections in which all political candidates were permitted freedom of speech, assembly and equal access to the media, and the central Election Commission was composed of representatives from all parties; and (2) established a panel and begun prosecution of Khmer Rouge leaders including Ta Mok, Khieu Sampan, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Ke Pauk, and Duch (Kang Khev Leu). (Sec. 565) Requires that any agreement between the United States and the Government of Indonesia for the sale of lethal weapons shall state that such items will not be used in East Timor. (Sec. 566) Prohibits the United States from paying any voluntary contribution to the UN, including the UN Development Program, unless the President certifies to Congress 15 days in advance of such payment that the UN is not engaged in any effort to implement or impose any taxation on U.S. persons in order to raise revenue for itself or any of its specialized agencies. (Sec. 567) Provides for bilateral and multilateral assistance sanctions (with humanitarian, democratization, and certain infrastructure project exceptions) against countries harboring war criminals indicted with respect to the former Yugoslavia. Prohibits the provision of bilateral assistance for programs, projects, or activities: (1) in which publicly indicted war criminals are known to have any financial interest; or (2) in communities that are not in compliance with specified sections of the Dayton Agreement relating to war crimes and the Tribunal. (Sec. 568) Authorizes for FY 1999 and 2000 the use of DOD funds for crating, packing, handling, and transportation of excess defense articles to countries that are eligible to participate in the Partnership for Peace and that are eligible for assistance under the Support for East European Democracy (SEED) Act of 1989. (Sec. 569) Makes funds available for FY 2000 for defense article stockpiles in foreign countries, including the Republic of Korea and Thailand. (Sec. 570) Prohibits the use of funds for the Government of the Russian Federation unless the President certifies to specified congressional committees that the Federation has not enacted laws or promulgated executive orders that discriminate against religious minorities in violation of international agreements on human rights and religious freedoms to which it is a party. (Sec. 571) Subjects the availability of funds in this Act to support programs or activities promoting country participation in the Kyoto Protocol to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) to the regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations. (Sec. 572) Prohibits funds appropriated under this Act from being provided to the Central Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo. (Sec. 574) Bars funds for a Government of the new Independent States of the former Soviet Union: (1) unless it is making progress in implementing economic reforms based on market principles, private ownership, respect for commercial contracts, and equitable treatment of foreign private investment; (2) if it transfers U.S. assistance to any entity for the purpose of expropriating or seizing ownership or control of assets, investments, or ventures; (3) if it directs any action in violation of the territorial integrity or national sovereignty of any other new independent state; or (4) to enhance its military capability. (Sec. 575) Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to declare that the prohibition on the use of funds under such Act to provide law enforcement training to foreign governments within the United States or abroad shall not apply with respect to assistance provided to customs personnel for customs law enforcement. (Sec. 576) Authorizes voluntary separation incentive payments to AID employees to eliminate AID positions and functions contained in a mandatory strategic plan outlining such payments. (Sec. 577) Prohibits the obligation of funds appropriated under this Act for the Palestinian Authority. Provides a waiver for such prohibition if the President certifies to Congress that it is in the national interest. (Sec. 578) Imposes certain economic and political sanctions against Serbia unless the President makes a certain certification with respect to Serbia to specified congressional committees. Exempts the governments of Montenegro and Kosova from such sanctions. (Sec. 579) Urges the export of U.S. clean coal technology.

A concurrent resolution commending the President and the Armed Forces for the success of Operation Allied Force.

United States · United States Congress · 17 June 1999

Commends the armed forces, President Clinton, specified military and administration officials, and the NATO forces on the success of Operation Allied Force. Demands from Slobodan Milosevic the withdrawal of all Yugoslav and Serb forces from Kosovo, a permanent end to hostilities there, the return of Kosovo citizens to their homes, and unimpeded access to Kosovo for humanitarian relief operations. Urges the leadership of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) to ensure KLA compliance with ceasefire and demilitarization obligations. Calls for full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and assistance in bringing indicted war criminals, including Milosevic and other Serb military and political leaders, to justice.

Youngstown Community Center Development Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 15 June 1999

Youngstown Community Center Development Act of 1999 - Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to: (1) increase the community development block grant set aside for special purpose grants; and (2) obligate FY 2000 funds for grants to Youngstown, Ohio, for construction of a community center and renovation of the (South Field House) Sports Complex.

Military Construction Appropriations Act, 2000

United States · United States Congress · 10 June 1999

Military Construction Appropriations Act, 2000 - Appropriates funds for FY 2000 for military construction, family housing, and base realignment and closure functions administered by the Department of Defense (DOD), namely: (1) military construction for the Army, Navy, and Air Force; (2) military construction, DOD (including a transfer of funds); (3) military construction for the Army and Air National Guards; (4) military construction for the Army, Navy, and Air Force Reserves; (5) the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Security Investment Program; (6) family housing for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and Air Force; (7) family housing, DOD; (8) the Family Housing Revitalization Transfer Fund (including a transfer of funds); (9) the Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement Fund; and (10) the Base Realignment and Closure Account, Part IV. (Sec. 101) Specifies restrictions and authorizations regarding the use of funds appropriated in this Act and in other military construction appropriations Acts. (Sec. 113) Directs the Secretary of Defense to notify the appropriate congressional committees 30 days in advance of the plans and scope of any military exercise involving U.S. personnel if construction costs are anticipated to exceed $100,000. (Sec. 118) Authorizes the transfer of lapsed unobligated military construction and family housing funds into the Foreign Currency Fluctuations, Defense account. (Sec. 119) Directs the Secretary to report to the congressional appropriations committees on actions proposed by DOD to encourage other member nations of NATO, Japan, Korea, and U.S. allies in the Arabian Gulf to assume a greater share of the common defense burden of such nations and the United States. (Sec. 123) Authorizes the transfer of DOD funds for expenses associated with the Homeowners Assistance Program under the Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act of 1966. (Sec. 125) Reduces, with specified exceptions, each amount of budget authority provided in this Act for FY 2000 by five percent. (Sec. 126) Directs the Secretary to report to the congressional defense committees examining the adequacy of special education facilities and services available to the dependent children of military personnel stationed in the United States. (Sec. 127) Earmarks funds appropriated under the 1999 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Security Investment Program.

Older Americans Act Amendments of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 10 June 1999

Older Americans Act Amendments of 1999 - Title I: Amendments to the Older Americans Act of 1965 - Part A: Administration on Aging - Amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 to direct the Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Aging to develop and operate, either directly or through contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements, a National Eldercare Locator Service, providing nationwide toll-free information and assistance services to identify community resources for older individuals. (Sec. 103) Requires the Assistant Secretary to develop, in collaboration with a representative group of State and area agencies on aging, according to a specified procedure, and publish by December 31, 2000, a set of performance outcome measures to be used for planning, managing, and evaluating activities performed and services provided by such agencies under the Act. (Sec. 104) Requires the Assistant Secretary to cooperate with the Secretary of Labor under title I (Workforce Investment Systems) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. (Sec. 105) Authorizes the Assistant Secretary to accept, on behalf of the United States, gifts (in cash or in kind, including voluntary and uncompensated services), which shall be available until expended, for: (1) design and implementation of demonstrations of innovative ideas and best practices in programs and services for older individuals; (2) planning and conduct of conferences for exchange of information on programs under this Act and other related programs and services; and (3) development, publication, and dissemination of pertinent informational materials. Requires the Assistant Secretary to establish written ethics guidelines for the acceptance of gifts or donations. (Sec. 106) Makes a permanent authorization of appropriations for the Federal Council on the Aging. Authorizes appropriations for the Administration on Aging through FY 2004. Part B: State and Community Programs on Aging - Restricts the use of Federal funds paid to States under the Act, and cash and in-kind contributions required as the non-Federal share of expenditures, for activities and services to benefit older individuals and other individuals as specifically provided in the Act. (Sec. 112) Revises and consolidates requirements for the area plans of area agencies on aging. Repeals specified procedures for area agencies to follow when requesting State waiver of required assurances that adequate proportions of the area allotment will be expended for priority services. (Sec. 113) Requires area plans to provide assurances that the area agency will coordinate services for older individuals with disabilities, especially severe disabilities, with agencies that develop or provide services for such individuals. (Sec. 114) Requires an area agency to make services under the area plan available to Native Americans age 60 or older to the same extent they are available to older individuals within the service area. (Sec. 115) Revises and consolidates State plan requirements. Requires area agencies to submit area plans for State agency approval in accordance with a uniform format. (Sec. 116) Requires State plans to assure that the State agency will make demonstrable efforts to develop and operate a system providing one or more specified services, or coordinate the provision of such services by other entities in the State, including health care information services, counseling, a health care ombudsman program, and needs identification assistance to nutrition and supportive service providers and acute and chronic health care providers. (Sec. 117) Allows States to elect to require cost sharing by service recipients, but limited to individuals with incomes above a low-income threshold. Requires the State plan to: (1) exempt from cost-sharing any individuals with incomes below the low-income threshold; and (2) waive cost sharing for information and assistance, outreach, or case management services, ombudsman or other protective services, and congregate or home-delivered nutrition services. (Sec. 118) Requires a State plan to specify whether (and if so, with respect to which supportive or nutrition services) the State elects to permit area agencies to provide: (1) services to older individuals through direct contracts with the individuals delivering such services; or (2) vouchers or cash to older individuals to permit them to contract with individuals or entities for the delivery of such (consumer-directed) services (and, if so, any requirements for the setting of payment rates or amounts). (Sec. 119) Requires a State plan to declare whether the State elects to operate a project or projects, in collaboration with one or more area agencies, to develop, test, and implement innovative, cost-effective methods of delivering to older individuals and their families services (service innovation development project). Provides for funding delivery of services but not administrative activities. (Sec. 120) Repeals the Assistant Secretary's discretionary authority to permit a State to transfer additional amounts between congregate and home-delivered meal programs. (Sec. 121) Authorizes the Assistant Secretary to make disaster relief funds available to tribal organizations. (Sec. 122) Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make nutrition services incentive payments, according to a specified formula, to State agencies and tribal organizations with plans for delivering nutritious meals to older Americans. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 123) Authorizes the Assistant Secretary to waive one or more of certain requirements for State programs on aging that meet specified criteria. (Sec. 124) Revises and consolidates specified authorities for supportive services, senior centers, and nutrition services. (Sec. 126) Replaces the current program of in-home services for frail older individuals with a national family caregiver support program. Directs the Assistant Secretary to make grants to States under State plans for multi-faceted systems of support for families and other informal providers of in-home and community care to older individuals. Requires State family caregiver support services to include: (1) provision of information to caregivers about available services; (2) assistance to caregivers in gaining access to such services; (3) individual counseling, organization of support groups, and caregiver training to help families make decisions and solve problems relating to their caregiving roles; (4) respite care to enable families and other informal caregivers to be temporarily relieved from their caregiving responsibilities; and (5) provision of supplemental services, on a limited basis, to complement the care provided by families and other informal caregivers. Allows a State to elect to require cost sharing on a sliding-fee scale based on income (or to require or permit area agencies on aging to require such cost sharing) by service recipients, except those with incomes below the Federal poverty line. Provides for funding, with the Federal share of up to 75 percent of service costs. Declares that Federal funds under this program are in addition to, and may not supplant, any funds that are or would otherwise be expended under any Federal, State, or local law. Directs the Assistant Secretary to make innovation grants on a competitive basis to foster the development and testing of new approaches to: (1) sustaining the efforts of families and other informal caregivers of older individuals: and (2) serving particular groups of such caregivers, including minority caregivers and distant caregivers. Directs the Assistant Secretary, directly or by grant or contract, to carry out activities of national significance to promote quality and continuous improvement in the support provided to family and other informal caregivers of older individuals through program evaluation, training, technical assistance, and research. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 127) Authorizes appropriations for FY 2000 through 2004 for supportive services and senior centers, congregate nutrition services, home-delivered nutrition services, and preventive health services. Part C: State and Local Innovations and Programs of National Significance - Replaces current requirements for training, research, and discretionary projects and programs with new requirements for State and local innovations and programs of national significance. (Sec. 141) Authorizes the Assistant Secretary to make grants to States, public or nonprofit private agencies, organizations, and institutions, and tribal organizations, and to enter into contracts with any agency, organization, institution, or individual for certain discretionary projects and programs, including: (1) education and training to develop an adequately trained workforce to work with and on behalf of older individuals; (2) applied social research and analysis to improve access and delivery of services for older individuals; (3) demonstration of new approaches to design, deliver, and coordinate programs and services for older individuals; (4) technical assistance in planning, development, implementation, and improvement of services and activities; (5) dissemination of information related to longevity and its ramifications for various segments of the elderly population; and (6) life course planning. Authorizes appropriations, making funds available for the national ombudsman and elder abuse centers as well. Part D: Community Service Employment For Older Americans - Directs the Secretary of Labor (the Secretary for this Part) to encourage projects to place participants in unsubsidized employment under the older American community service employment program. (Sec. 152) Requires a community service employment project to include among its methods of recruitment and selection arrangements with the local one-stop delivery system established under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. Repeals the requirement that the project authorize funds for including individuals participating in it under the State unemployment insurance plan. Requires the project to: (1) provide appropriate services for participants through the local one-stop delivery system; and (2) be involved in the planning and operations of such system under a memorandum of understanding with the local workforce investment board. Repeals the Secretary's authority to establish a Senior Environmental Employment Corps. Requires the Secretary to evaluate such projects on a regular basis and monitor programs receiving financial assistance to determine whether the grantees are complying with requirements and regulations. (Sec. 154) Revises requirements for distribution of national grants or contracts and State allotments for projects. Requires the Secretary to study and report to Congress on improvement in the formula for distributing funds for the older American community service employment program. (Sec. 155) Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 157) Declares grantees in the older American community service employment program to be partners under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 in the appropriate local one-stop delivery system. Authorizes the Secretary, upon grantee request, to waive any of the statutory or regulatory requirements of the program except its basic purposes, wage and labor standards, worker rights, participation and protection of workers and participants, grievance procedures, judicial review, and participant eligibility criteria. Requires the Secretary to establish performance measures appropriate to older worker activities, including specified indicators. Part E: Grants for Native Americans - Revises requirements for the Native American grant program to limit a federally recognized tribe to eligibility for only one grant per fiscal year. (Sec. 162) Requires the Assistant Secretary for Aging, in determining whether a tribal grant application complies with nutrition services requirements, to provide maximum flexibility that seeks to take into account subsistence needs, local customs, and other characteristics appropriate to the unique cultural, regional, and geographic needs of the Indian populations to be served. (Sec. 163) Authorizes appropriations. Part F: Vulnerable Elder Rights Protection - Consolidates the authorization of appropriations for specified vulnerable elder rights protection activities. Repeals minimum allotments for ombudsman and elder rights activities. (Sec. 171) Requires a State plan to assure that total State expenditures in any fiscal year for the long-term care ombudsman program shall not be less than total State expenditures for such programs in FY 1999. (Sec. 172) Redesignates the State outreach, counseling, and assistance program a State life course planning program. Defines life course planning as the identification and implementation by an individual of appropriate measures to prepare for the financial, health, and social aspects of longevity, and to ensure the protection of elder rights, including planning for: (1) economic security; (2) options for community participation and social activities; (3) housing options; (4) insurance benefits; and (5) consumer protection, especially defenses against telemarketing scams and fraudulent investment offers. Specifies minimum requirements for a program of outreach, information, counseling, and assistance related to life course planning. (Sec. 173) Authorizes a State to establish a demonstration project for outreach to assist older individuals with greatest economic need in life course planning. Part G: Definitions - Revises certain definitions used in such Act. Part H: Effective Date - Sets forth the effective date of this title. Title II: White House Conference on Aging - Directs the President to convene by December 31, 2005, the White House Conference on Aging, under the direction of the Secretary of Health and Human Services in cooperation with the Assistant Secretary and other Federal agency heads, to: (1) increase the public awareness of the interdependence of generations and the essential contributions of older individuals to society; (2) identify the problems facing older individuals and their commonalities with problems of younger generations; (3) examine the well-being of older individuals; (4) develop specific and comprehensive recommendations for executive and legislative action; (5) develop recommendations for the coordination of Federal policy with State and local needs; and (6) review the status and multigenerational value of recommendations adopted at previous White House Conferences on Aging. (Sec. 203) Establishes a Policy Committee to plan the Conference. (Sec. 206) Authorizes appropriations.

Veterans Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act

United States · United States Congress · 9 June 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Access to Care Title II: Program Administration Title III: Miscellaneous Veterans' Millennium Health Care Act - Title I: Access to Care - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to operate and maintain a program to provide the following extended care services to eligible veterans: (1) geriatric evaluation; (2) nursing home care, either in facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs (Department) or in community-based facilities; (3) domiciliary services; (4) adult day health care; (5) noninstitutional alternatives to nursing home care; and (6) respite care. Makes eligible for such care any veteran in need of such care: (1) for a service-connected disability; or (2) who has a service-connected disability rated at 50 percent or more. Directs the Secretary to give the highest priority to such veterans in making placements for nursing home care in Department facilities. Prohibits the Secretary from furnishing such services for a nonservice-connected disability not rated at least 50 percent unless such veteran agrees to make a copayment for services of more than 21 days in any year. Requires the Secretary to establish a methodology for establishing the copayment amount. Establishes in the Treasury the Department of Veterans Affairs Extended Care Fund for deposits and disbursements to cover such care. Directs the Secretary to develop and begin to implement a plan to carry out the recommendations of the Federal Advisory Committee on the Future of Long-Term Care to increase the options, services, and budget level of community-based care for eligible veterans. Authorizes the Secretary to furnish adult day health care to veterans enrolled in the Department's annual patient enrollment system who would otherwise require nursing home care. Authorizes the Secretary to furnish respite care services: (1) outside of a hospital, nursing home, or Department facility; and (2) through contract arrangements. (Sec. 102) Authorizes the Secretary to reimburse for the reasonable value of emergency treatment furnished in a non-Department facility those veterans who are active Department health-care participants (enrolled in the annual patient enrollment system and recipients of Department hospital, nursing home, or domiciliary care under such system within the last 12-month period) and who are personally liable for such treatment. Provides reimbursement limitations. Provides an independent right of recovery for the United States when a third-party subsequently makes a payment for the same treatment. Requires the veteran to notify the Secretary of any such payment. Authorizes the Secretary to waive recovery of such payment in the best interests of the United States. Requires the Secretary to include in annual budget justification materials a report on implementation of the extended care services. (Sec. 103) Requires the Secretary to furnish hospital and medical services, and authorizes the Secretary to furnish nursing home care, to a veteran who: (1) is wounded in action by an enemy of the United States or by any weapon fire while directly engaged in armed conflict; or (2) is retired from active-duty service, is eligible for care under the TRICARE Program (a Department of Defense managed health care program), and is not otherwise eligible for such care. Requires, in the latter case, a memorandum of understanding between the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs and Defense for reimbursement to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for services provided. (Sec. 105) Authorizes the payment of veterans' disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation for persons disabled by participation in a compensated work therapy program. (Sec. 106) Authorizes the Secretary to carry out a three-year pilot program to provide primary health care services for the spouse or child of a veteran who is enrolled in the annual patient enrollment system and is able to pay for such care or services either directly or through reimbursement or indemnification from a third-party insurer. Authorizes the Secretary to provide such services either through a Department facility or by contract. Prohibits such services from being provided in a Department facility if it would deny or delay access to care for any enrolled veteran at that facility. Entitles the United States to recover from a third-party insurer the reasonable charges for such care or services. Requires the Secretary to designate (under specified criteria) no more than four veterans integrated service networks in which such pilot program shall be carried out. Directs the Comptroller General to: (1) monitor the program; and (2) report to the Secretary on findings and recommendations. (Sec. 107) Directs the Secretary, in providing hospital care and medical services through network-based planning, to establish an enhanced service program at Department medical centers that are so designated by the Secretary (designated centers). Requires such designated centers to improve access and quality of services provided to veterans served by those medical centers. Directs the Secretary to develop a plan for each center to improve access to, and quality of, care and services provided. Outlines designation criteria and plan requirements. Prohibits any such plan from being implemented until at least 45 days after its submission to the appropriate congressional committees. Provides for plan implementation and funds allocation. Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on implementation of the enhanced service program. (Sec. 108) Revises a program providing counseling and treatment for veterans who have experienced sexual trauma to: (1) extend such program through calendar year 2002; (2) require (current law authorizes) the Secretary to provide such care and services to those in need; and (3) ensure that information about such care and services is revised and updated and made available through appropriate means (requiring a report from the Secretary to the veterans' committees on implementation of such outreach efforts). Requires the Secretary: (1) to study, and report to the veterans' committees on, the possibility of extending eligibility for such care and services to former reserve personnel; and (2) report to the veterans' committees on implementation of the sexual trauma program. Requires the Secretary and the Secretary of Defense to jointly report to the appropriate congressional committees describing the efforts of their respective departments to ensure that military personnel, upon separation, are provided appropriate and current information about such counseling and treatment programs, including eligibility requirements and application procedures. Title II: Program Administration - Authorizes the Secretary, with respect to required copayments by veterans for medication furnished by the Department on an outpatient basis for the treatment of a nonservice-connected disability or condition, to: (1) increase the amount of such copayment (currently $2 for each 30-day supply of medication); (2) establish a maximum annual copayment for veterans who have multiple outpatient prescriptions; and (3) require certain veterans to pay a reasonable copayment for sensori-neural aids, electronic equipment, and any other costly item furnished for a nonservice-connected disability (other than a wheelchair or artificial limb). (Sec. 202) Establishes in the Treasury the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Improvement Fund for the deposit and disbursement of funds used for improving various health services to veterans, including services under this Act. (Sec. 203) Establishes in the Treasury the Veterans Tobacco Trust Fund. Provides that if a lawsuit is brought by the United States against tobacco manufacturers for costs incurred due to tobacco- related illnesses, there shall be credited to the Fund, without further appropriation, the amount that bears the same ratio to the amount recovered as the amount of the Department's costs for health care attributable to tobacco-related illnesses bears to the total amount sought in the suit. Makes such amounts available to the Secretary for: (1) furnishing veterans' medical care and services; and (2) conducting medical, rehabilitation, and health systems research, with particular emphasis on research relating to the prevention and treatment of, and rehabilitation from, tobacco addiction and diseases associated with tobacco use. (Sec. 204) Revises provisions establishing nonprofit research corporations at Department medical centers to: (1) authorize such corporations to provide education and training to Veterans Health Administration (VHA) health-care personnel; (2) include additional personnel on its board of directors; and (3) prohibit such corporation from expending funds for an education activity unless it is approved under procedures prescribed by the Department's Under Secretary for Health. (Sec. 205) Extends through: (1) calendar year 2002 the veterans' readjustment counseling program; (2) 2003 required reports concerning the provision of care to severely chronically mentally ill veterans; and (3) March 1, 2000, and February 1, 2001, certain reports concerning the provision of counseling and treatment for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Amends the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Programs Act of 1992 to: (1) extend through FY 2002 the authority to make grants for housing assistance for homeless veterans; and (2) remove a limitation on the number of such programs which may incorporate the procurement of vans as part of such program. (Sec. 206) Directs the Secretary to prescribe for each State the number of nursing home and domiciliary beds for which assistance under veterans' domiciliary, nursing home, and hospital care may be authorized. Requires such regulations to be based on the projected demand for such care ten years after enactment of this Act by veterans who are 65 years old or older. Directs the Secretary, with respect to State applications for the construction or acquisition of new nursing facilities or the replacement or increase of the number of beds at a current facility, to characterize the need of such facility as great, significant, or limited and to grant applications accordingly. Allows financial assistance only for renovation projects for which total construction costs are in excess of $400,000. Outlines State application requirements for such projects or assistance. (Sec. 207) Adds as a required condition to the authority of the Secretary to enter into an enhanced-use lease (the leasing of Department property not currently used by the Department) the Secretary's determination that the business plan proposed by the Under Secretary for Health for applying lease payments to the provision of medical care and services demonstrably improves services to eligible veterans in the geographic service-delivery area within which the leased property is located. Increases to 75 years the authorized term for such leases. Requires funds received under such a lease and remaining after expense deductions to be deposited in the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Improvement Fund and used for authorized purposes. Requires at least 75 percent of such funds to be made available to the designated VHA health care region within which the leased property is located. (Sec. 208) Makes ineligible for employment as a VHA health-care professional an individual who was licensed, registered, or certified to practice in more than one State when any one of those States has since terminated such license, registration, or certification. Title III: Miscellaneous - Prohibits the Secretary from closing in any fiscal year more than 50 percent of the beds within a Department medical center unless the Secretary first submits to the veterans' committees a justification for such closure. Prohibits any such closure until 21 days after submission of the report. Requires the Secretary to report annually to such committees on bed closures during the preceding fiscal year. (Sec. 302) Revises provisions concerning the Veterans Canteen Service to remove a provision limiting such services to the sales of merchandise and services for consumption and use on the premises. (Sec. 303) Directs the Secretary to report to the veterans' committees on the feasibility of establishing a pilot program to assist veterans in receiving assisted living services. (Sec. 304) Requires the Department's Under Secretary for Health to establish a VHA policy regarding the role of chiropractic treatment in the care of veterans.

Family and Medical Leave Enhancement Act

United States · United States Congress · 9 June 1999

Family and Medical Leave Enhancement Act - Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) to expand the Act's coverage by reducing from 50 to 25 the threshold minimum number of employees of an employer necessary to apply the Act. Allows employees covered by FMLA to take up to four hours during any 30-day period, and up to 24 hours during any 12-month period, of parental involvement leave to participate in or attend their children's educational and extracurricular activities. Amends Federal civil service law to apply the same parental involvement leave allowance to Federal employees. Provides that leave under FMLA may be taken to meet: (1) routine family medical needs, including transportation of children for medical and dental appointments for annual checkups and vaccinations; and (2) the routine medical care needs of elderly relatives of the eligible employee, including visits to nursing homes and group homes.

Franz S. Leichter, of New York, to be a Director of the Federal Housing Finance Board for a term expiring February 27, 2006, vice Daniel F. Evans, Jr., term expired.

United States · United States Senate · 8 June 1999

Douglas L. Miller, of South Dakota, to be a Director of the Federal Housing Finance Board for a term expiring February 27, 2002, vice Lawrence U. Costiglio, term expired.

United States · United States Senate · 8 June 1999

Electric Consumers' Power To Choose Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 8 June 1999

Electric Consumers' Power to Choose Act of 1999 - Title I: Consumer Choice and Competition for Electric Utilities - Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) to set forth statutory parameters for retail electric competition. (Sec. 101) Sets a deadline by which each State may elect to require retail electric competition in accordance with prescriptions under this Act for every regulated and nonregulated local distribution company providing local distribution service. Prescribes implementation guidelines. Exempts regulated and nonregulated companies that have: (1) adopted a plan providing open access to local distribution facilities for retail electric suppliers seeking to make retail sales to all classes of retail customers; and (2) have notified the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)accordingly. Cites circumstances under which a State (and a nonregulated electric utility) may prohibit a distribution facility from selling to retail electric consumers energy that is generated by non-competitive facilities in another State (i.e. no retail reciprocity). Permits acquisition of retail electric energy on an aggregate basis by an entity acting on behalf of a group of customers if notice of retail competition has been filed. Denies Federal courts jurisdiction for actions regarding retail competition (except for Supreme Court review). Declares the retail reciprocity provisions applicable to: (1) any foreign person or electric utility which is a citizen of a signatory to the North American Free Trade Agreement; and (2) electric energy imports. Prescribes privacy guidelines governing consumer proprietary information. (Sec.102) Amends the Federal Power Act (FPA) to provide for the establishment and enforcement of mandatory reliability standards to ensure the reliable operation of the bulk-power system. Grants FERC, for purposes of approving and enforcing compliance with such standards, jurisdiction over: (1) the Electric Reliability Organization; (2) all affiliated regional reliability entities (entities to which authority has been delegated to enforce compliance with reliability standards); (3) all system operators; and (4) all users of the bulk-power system. Provides that, prior to the establishment of the Electric Reliability Organization (Organization), any person (including the North American Electric Reliability Council and its member Regional Reliability Councils) may file a proposed reliability standard, guidance, or practice which, subject to FERC approval, shall be mandatory and enforceable. Prescribes procedural guidelines for FERC approval of: (1) applications competing for status as the Electric Reliability Council; and (2) Organization standards. Requires all users of the bulk-power system to comply with such standards. Mandates that: (1) the Organization take all appropriate steps to gain recognition in Canada and Mexico; and (2) the United States use its best efforts to enter into international agreements with the governments of Canada and Mexico to effectuate compliance with Organization standards, and to provide for the effectiveness of the Organization's mission. Requires every system operator to be a member of the Electric Reliability Organization, and of any affiliated regional reliability entity operating under an agreement applicable to the region in which the system operator operates or is responsible for the operation of a bulk-power system facility. Empowers the Organization to take disciplinary and enforcement action. Directs the Organization to assess periodically the reliability and adequacy of the interconnected bulk-power system in North America, and to report its findings and recommendations annually to FERC and to the Secretary of Energy. Provides for the assessment and recovery of implementation and enforcement costs incurred by the Organization and each affiliated regional reliability entity, respectively. Presumes to be in compliance with Federal anti-trust laws those activities undertaken by the Organization, an affiliated regional reliability entity, or members of those entities pursuant to this Act. (Sec. 103) Mandates that a local distribution utility allow interconnection with a facility if the facility owner is an electric customer which is provided local distribution service and complies with a final Federal ruling governing such interconnection. (Sec. 104) Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to promulgate, in consultation with selected Federal agencies, mandatory electric supplier information disclosures governing any electric supplier with a capacity in excess of five megawatts that sells electric energy. Prescribes mandatory disclosures. Prescribes guidelines governing FERC mitigation of electric utility market power domination resulting in electric energy prices that exceed the prices that would be charged in a fully competitive market. Authorizes the States to prescribe additional requirements. Directs the FTC to establish and enforce rules governing unfair trade practices with respect to: (1) selection by a retail electric customer of a retail electric supplier ("slamming"); and (2) express consent by a retail electric customer for the purchase of goods and services ("cramming"). (Sec. 107) Amends the FPA to declare it does not preempt or otherwise affect any authority under State or local municipal law to: (1) require unbundled transmission and local distribution services for electric energy delivery directly to an ultimate consumer; or (2) impose a delivery charge on such consumer's receipt of electric energy. Retains the exclusive jurisdiction of FERC over unbundled transmission in interstate commerce. Authorizes FERC to: (1) require public utilities and transmitting utilities to provide open access transmission services; (2) permit recovery of stranded costs arising from any requirement to provide open access transmission services; and (3) require the transmission of electric energy to an ultimate consumer if a notice of retail competition is in effect with respect to such consumer, or if a distribution utility offers such consumer open access to its delivery facilities. Requires FERC to issue an order requiring the transmission of electric energy upon application of either an Indian tribe, or a Department of Defense military base facility, regardless of whether a notice of retail competition has been filed. Authorizes a State regulatory authority, a transmitting utility; or a local distribution company to apply to FERC for a determination whether a particular facility used for the transportation of electric energy located in the State is: (1) a local distribution facility subject the State regulatory authority; or (2) a transmission facility subject to FERC. (Sec. 108) Cites circumstances under which: (1) FERC may order the establishment of an entity to independently operate and control interconnected transmission facilities and generators, and may order a transmitting utility to relinquish operating control over its transmission facilities to such entity; and (2) designated Federal utilities may participate in a regional transmission system operation. (Sec. 109) Repeals FPA wheeling provisions pertaining to: (1) the Columbia River Transmission System; and (2)the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). (Sec. 110) Conditions electric company mergers and acquisitions upon prior FERC authorization. Subjects generation facilities to FERC jurisdiction. (Sec. 111) Grants the consent of Congress to an interstate compact to establish a regional transmission planning agency subject to specified FERC determinations. (Sec. 112) Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) every consumer should have access to electric energy at reasonable, affordable rates; and (2) FERC and the States should ensure that competition does not result in the loss of service to rural, residential, or low-income consumers. (Sec. 114) Directs FERC to study and report to Congress on the extent to which retail electric customers of certain local distribution companies benefit from adoption of retail electric competition. Title II: Provisions Respecting the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 - Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1999 - Repeals the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, except with respect to a holding company system whose subsidiary public-utility company provides retail electric or gas service in two or more States whose regulatory authority has not: (1) provided notice of retail competition in accordance with statutory guidelines; or (2) required distribution utilities to provide open access service over their distribution facilities. (Sec. 204) Prescribes procedural guidelines for both FERC and State access to records of a public utility or natural gas holding company (including subsidiaries, associates and affiliates). (Sec. 205) Precludes such State access to any person that is a holding company solely by reason of ownership of one or more qualifying facilities under PURPA. (Sec. 206) Instructs FERC to promulgate a final rule to exempt specified holding companies from such access requirements. Requires FERC to exempt any person or transaction from such access requirements if it finds that regulation of such person or transaction is irrelevant to the jurisdictional rates of a public utility or natural gas company. (Sec. 207) Retains the jurisdiction of FERC and State commissions to determine whether a public utility company or natural gas company may recover in rates any costs of affiliate transactions. (Sec. 208) Declares this Act inapplicable to: (1) the United States; (2) a State or its political subdivision; and (3) a foreign governmental authority not operating in the United States. (Sec. 210) Grants FERC certain FPA enforcement powers. (Sec. 213) Transfers from the Securities and Exchange Commission to FERC all books and records that relate primarily to the functions vested in FERC by this Act. (Sec. 214) Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 215) Amends the FPA to repeal its conflict of jurisdiction guidelines. Title III: Provisions Respecting the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 - Ratepayer Protection Act of 1999 - Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to declare that after enactment of this Act, no electric utility shall be required to enter into a new contract or obligation to purchase or sell electric energy or capacity pursuant to PURPA provisions governing cogeneration and small power production. (Sec. 304) Directs FERC to promulgate and enforce regulations to assure that no utility shall be required to absorb the costs (thus allowing a utility to recover all costs) associated with electric energy or capacity purchases from a qualifying facility executed before enactment of this Act, to the extent that the utility cannot otherwise reasonably mitigate such costs. Provides that such regulations shall be treated as a rule enforceable under the FPA. Title IV: Federal Power Marketing Administrations and Tennessee Valley Authority - Subtitle A: Tennessee Valley Authority - Repeals FPA provisions relating to: (1) interconnection or wheeling orders that result in sales or delivery outside the Tennessee Valley Region; and (2) equitability within territory restricted electric systems. (Sec. 402) Amends the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933 to repeal restrictions placed upon the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to sell or deliver power beyond the area for which it was the primary source of power on July 1, 1957. (Sec. 403) Prohibits TVA sales of electric energy to an end use or retail customer that did not have a purchase contract for services to specific facilities on the date of enactment of this Act. Sets forth prerequisites under which sales of TVA wholesale electric energy and services for use outside the Tennessee Valley Region are: (1) restricted to excess electric energy; and (2) subject to FPA and FERC rules and regulations. (Sec. 404) Prohibits TVA acquisition of any new major generating resource: (1) unless financial arrangements have been made to ensure that the customer on whose behalf such acquisition has been made has committed to pay the full costs of the resource; and (2) that it reasonably expects will necessitate use of its authority to recover certain nonrecoverable costs. (Sec. 405) Mandates that TVA and its distributors renegotiate existing long-term contracts with respect to: (1) remaining term; (2) length of termination notice; (3) amount of electric energy that distributors may purchase from non-TVA suppliers, including access to the TVA transmission system; and (4) stranded costs recovery. (Sec. 406) Subjects TVA electric energy transmission and local distribution to the jurisdiction of FERC and the FPA. Mandates FERC approval as a prerequisite to any significant TVA transmission plant investment. Permits any municipality or cooperative organization that is a customer of TVA electric energy to: (1) avoid TVA regulatory authority regarding the rates or terms of its resales of electric energy for profit; and (2) replace TVA oversight authority with that of its own governing body. Amends PURPA to redefine "State regulatory authority" so as to remove TVA as a State agency with ratemaking authority over sales of electric energy by any electric utility (thus terminating TVA jurisdiction under PURPA). (Sec. 408) Directs FERC to promulgate regulations governing recovery of stranded costs imposed on TVA by either a departing power customer, or by a departing transmission customer. Mandates that such regulations shield customers that did not impose stranded costs upon TVA from liability for paying them on behalf of other customers. Conditions TVA recovery of stranded costs upon FERC approval. Precludes FERC from imposing stranded cost recovery charges after FY 2007, without the consent of the person against whom such charges are assessed. Mandates that any TVA stranded costs recovery charges be unbundled from other rates and stated separately on the customer's bill. (Sec. 409) Proscribes TVA participation in a FERC-regulated regional transmission planning agency that would require it, or combined users of TVA's transmission system, to pay a disproportionate share of agency costs. (Sec. 410) Places TVA within Federal antitrust purview. (Sec. 411) Mandates that TVA offer its local distribution facilities for sale pursuant to FERC prescriptions. Permits TVA customers to elect retention of such facilities, but precludes inclusion of the costs of such facilities in TVA transmission rates. Proscribes TVA construction of facilities designed to operate at less than 35 kilovolts. Subtitle B: Bonneville Power Administration - Amends the FPA to prescribe procedural guidelines under which FERC shall provide for the imposition of surcharges for transmission services over the Bonneville Transmission System in order for the Bonneville Administrator to meet certain statutory cost recovery requirements. (Sec. 426) Subjects the Bonneville Power Administration to Federal antitrust jurisdiction. Subtitle C: Other Power Marketing Administrations - Instructs the Secretary of Energy to promulgate procedural guidelines governing the accounting principles and requirements of the Western, Southwestern, and Southeastern Power Administrations, including compliance and administrative reconciliation. (Sec. 433) Sets parameters for participation by the Federal power marketing administrations in a FERC-approved and regulated regional transmission planning agency. Subjects such administrations to Federal antitrust jurisdiction. Title V: Renewable Energy - Amends PURPA to set a deadline by which the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration in the Department of Energy shall publicize the estimated percentage of total domestic electric energy generation to be supplied by renewable energy during calendar year 2004. (Sec. 501) Sets a deadline by which a retail electric supplier shall submit to the Secretary Renewable Energy Credits equal to a certain annual percentage of total electric energy sold to electric consumers in the calendar year. Prescribes implementation guidelines. (Sec. 502) Requires each retail electric supplier to make net metering service available upon request to a retail electric consumer served or solicited by such supplier. Authorizes State imposition of: (1) additional requirements; and (2) a cap limiting the amount of net metering available in the State. Retains State authority to require a retail electric supplier to make net metering service available to a retail electric consumer. Title VI: Provisions Relating to the Internal Revenue Code - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend for five years the tax credit for producing electricity from renewable resources. (Sec. 602) Allows a credit against tax for: (1) certain qualified energy efficiency improvements; (2) construction of new energy efficient homes; and (3) combined heat and power system property. (Sec. 605) Redefines "private business use" to exclude open access transactions with respect to an electric output facility owned by a governmental unit. Permits certain bond issuers to make an irrevocable election to terminate certain tax-exempt financing for electric output facilities.