Housing

Community Character Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2000

Community Character Act of 2000 - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a program to provide grants to States to assist in the development or revision of land use planning legislation and the creation or revision of State comprehensive land use plans or plan elements. Requires grant funds to be used to obtain technical assistance in: (1) drafting such legislation; (2) research and development for land use planning programs and requirements relating to the development of State guide plans; (3) conducting workshops, educating and consulting policy makers, and involving citizens in the planning process; and (4) integrating State and regional concerns and land use plans with such Federal plans. Requires each Federal land management agency to designate, provide information to, and participate in community events as requested by, a coordinator to work with State planning directors on funded projects.

Housing Needs Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2000

Housing Needs Act of 2000 - Title I: Production of New Housing for Low and Very Low-Income Families - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make funds available to State housing finance agencies for low-income housing rehabilitation and development. Requires State submission of an affordable housing expansion plan. Directs the Secretary to carry out a multifamily risk-sharing mortgage insurance program. Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Section 8 Voucher Success Demonstration - Directs the Secretary to establish a voucher success demonstration to increase the section 8 voucher payment standard in order to assist low-and very low-income families in tight rental markets. Title III: Preservation of Low-Income Housing and Miscellaneous Provisions - Amends the United States Housing Act to increase amounts available for section 8 project-based assistance. Authorizes the Secretary to contract for project-based assistance for Department of Housing and Urban Development owned or held multifamily properties that are no longer feasible for continued section 8 rental assistance. Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 to make permanent certain multifamily mortgage credit demonstrations.

A resolution amending paragraphs 2 and 3(a) of Rule XXV and providing for certain appointments to the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, the Finance Committee, the Small Business Committee, and the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2000

Amends rule XXV of the Standing Rules of the Senate to increase the number of Senators on the: (1) Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee from 18 to 20; (2) Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee from 18 to 22; and (3) Veterans' Affairs Committee from 12 to 14. Provides for majority party appointments to the following committees: (1) Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; (2) Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; (3) Finance; (4) Small Business; and (5) Veterans' Affairs. Provides for minority party appointments to the following committees: (1) Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; (2) Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; and (3) Veterans' Affairs.

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief for the conversion of cooperative housing corporations into condominiums.

United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2000

Revises Internal Revenue Code provisions concerning distributions by cooperative housing corporations to provide that: (1) no gain or loss shall be recognized to a cooperative housing corporation on the distribution by such corporation of a dwelling unit to a stockholder in exchange for the stockholder's stock (in such corporation); and (2) no gain or loss shall be recognized to the stockholder as a result of such exchange.

A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief for the conversion of cooperative housing corporations into condominiums.

United States · United States Congress · 5 September 2000

Revises Internal Revenue Code provisions concerning distributions by cooperative housing corporations to provide that: (1) no gain or loss shall be recognized to a cooperative housing corporation on the distribution by such corporation of a dwelling unit to a stockholder in exchange for the stockholder's stock (in such corporation); and (2) no gain or loss shall be recognized to the stockholder as a result of such exchange.

National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2000

National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2000 - Establishes the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund in the Treasury to promote the development of affordable housing.

Community Character Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2000

Community Character Act of 2000 - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a program to provide grants to States to assist in the development or revision of land use planning legislation and the creation or revision of State comprehensive land use plans or plan elements. Requires grant funds to be used to obtain technical assistance in: (1) drafting such legislation; (2) research and development for land use planning programs and requirements relating to the development of State guide plans; (3) conducting workshops, educating and consulting policy makers, and involving citizens in the planning process; and (4) integrating State and regional concerns and land use plans with such Federal plans. Requires each Federal land management agency to designate, provide information to, and participate in community events as requested by, a coordinator to work with State planning directors on funded projects.

Local Housing Opportunities Act

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2000

Local Housing Opportunities Act - Title I: Program Consolidation - Prohibits the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from carrying out any programs not expressly authorized by Federal law. Terminates specified Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs. Establishes the HUD Consolidation Task Force. Title II: Community Empowerment - Amends the Housing and Community Development Act to authorize appropriations for the community development block grant program. Prohibits set-asides unless specifically provided for. Sets forth certain HUD property disposition provisions. Amends the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1966 to make permanent the moving to work program. Title III: Homeless Assistance Reform - Amends the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act to combine specified housing programs into a McKinney Homeless Assistance Performance Fund. Authorizes appropriations. Title IV: Rural Housing - Amends the Housing Act of 1949 to authorize appropriations for mutual and self-help housing technical assistance and training grants. Title V: Voucher Reform - Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to authorize appropriations for rental vouchers for witness and victims of crime relocation. Title VI: Program Modernization - Amends the Housing Opportunity Program Extension Act of 1996 to authorize appropriations for assistance for the self-help home ownership opportunity program. Amends the HUD Demonstration Act of 1993 to authorize and increase appropriations for the capacity building for community development and affordable housing program. Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to establish a public housing work requirement. Amends the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act to permit the use of section 8 assistance in grand family housing assisted with HOME funds. Amends the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation Act to authorize appropriations for the neighborhood reinvestment corporation. Title VII: State Housing Block Grant - Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to authorize States to assume control of Federal housing assistance funds upon execution of a qualifying performance agreement with the Secretary. Title VIII: Private Sector Incentives - Expresses the sense of Congress with respect to low-income housing tax credit State ceilings and private activity bond caps. Title IX: Enforcement - Amends Federal law to prohibit HUD to use appropriated funds for lobbying activities.

Faith-Based and Community-Based Organizations in Housing and Community Development Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2000

Faith-Based and Community-Based Organizations in Housing and Community Development Act of 2000 - Authorizes the Director of the Center for Community and Interfaith Partnerships of the Department of Housing and Urban Development to award grants to private, nonprofit community-based organizations (including social service organizations, and community development corporations) and religious organizations for specified housing and community development purposes. Prohibits sectarian fund use. Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to increase annual community development block grant set asides for special purpose grants. Sets aside annual amounts for grants under this Act.

American Homebuyers Protection Act

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2000

American Homebuyers Protection Act - Prohibits a person engaged in the construction of new homes from: (1) requiring a home purchaser to enter into a mandatory arbitration agreement as a condition precedent to entering into a purchase contract; and (2) offering a home purchaser a contract which includes a mandatory arbitration agreement unless such agreement is a separate agreement.

Rural Housing Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2000

Rural Housing Act of 2000 - Amends the Housing Act of 1949 to revise the provisions regarding rural multifamily housing loan prepayment. Sets forth prepayment alternatives. Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to permit enhanced voucher use for loan prepayments.

Home Ownership Tax Credit Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2000

Home Ownership Tax Credit Act of 2000 - 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.

CONDUCT OF WALES AND WEST HOUSING ASSOCIATION LTD

United Kingdom · UK Parliament · 26 July 2000

That this House notes with extreme concern that, after eight years of denying its obligations to the house-owners on its Cefn Celyn development in Swansea, it took the imminence of a court case which raised the possibility of being in contempt of court, to extract from Wales and West Housing Association (WWHA) documentation showing that they had had on record since November 1988 information 'that the Association had been aware of problems with retaining walls'; is concerned that they failed to reveal this years earlier despite the involvement of solicitors for the house owners, representations from and a meeting with the Right honourable Member for Swansea West in 1991, and inquiries from the Secretary of State for Wales in 1992; observes that with less persistence by the affected residents the truth might never have been revealed, the owners would have suffered legal and improper restoration costs for the wall, and WWHA would have escaped a significant part of the cost of meeting its obligations; regards with cynicism and little surprise that WWHA's internal investigation 'found that the misrepresentation had been the result of poor communication between officers of the Association and found no evidence to suggest that staff had knowingly suppressed relevant documentation at arbitration'; and calls upon the Secretary for Housing and Local Government at the National Assembly for Wales to institute a comprehensive investigation into this case.

Public Safety Act

United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2000

Public Safety Act - Requires an applicant under the violent offender incarceration and truth-in-sentencing incentive grant program to provide assurances to the Attorney General that if selected to receive funds, such applicant shall not contract with a private contractor or vendor to provide core correctional services related to the transportation or the incarceration of an inmate. Amends the Federal criminal code to require the Bureau of Prisons to provide that: (1) any penal or correctional facility or institution (except for nonprofit community correctional confinement such as halfway houses) confining any person convicted of offenses against the United States shall be under the direction of the Director of the Bureau and shall be managed and maintained by Federal, State, or local government employees; and (2) the transportation, housing, safeguarding, protection, and disciplining of any person charged with or convicted of any offense against the United States (with that exception) shall be conducted and carried out by such employees.

Creating New Markets and Empowering America Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2000

Creating New Markets and Empowering America Act of 2000 - Title I: New Markets Tax Credit - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (the Code) to provide a limited new markets tax credit for taxpayers holding a qualified equitable investment for amounts paid to a qualified community development entity for authorized investments. Title II: America's Private Investment Companies - Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to license America's Private Investment Companies (for-profit investment entities qualifying as community development entities). Title III: Community Development and Venture Capita l- Subtitle A: New Markets Venture Capital Program - Amends the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 to establish a New Markets Venture Capital Program under which the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) is authorized to make grants to new market venture capital companies (NMVCs) and specialized small business investment companies and to guarantee debentures issued by NMVCs. Subtitle B: Community Development Venture Capital Assistance - Authorizes the SBA Administrator to: (1) contract with one or more community development organizations to carry out training and research activities for individuals in community development venture capital organizations (privately-controlled organizations which promote community development in low-income communities through investment in private businesses); and (2) make grants to community development organizations for the cost of such training and research activities and to intermediary organizations to provide intense marketing, management, and technical assistance and training to community development venture capital organizations. Subtitle C: Business LINC - Authorizes the Administrator to make grants to, and enter into cooperative agreements with, any coalition of private or public sector participants that: (1) expand business-to-business relationships between large and small businesses; and (2) provide businesses with information about companies interested in mentor-protegee programs or community-based, Statewide, or local business development programs. Title IV: Expansion and Extension of Empowerment Zone Tax Incentives - Provides for the designation of additional empowerment zones and increased empowerment zone tax incentives. Title V: American Community Renewal - Amends the Code to authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to designate (upon local or State nomination) up to 40 renewal communities (based on degree of poverty), of which at least 20 percent shall be in rural areas. Title VI: Homeownership and Revitalization - Revises the low-income housing credit. Establishes 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. Establishes a credit for renovating historic homes. Amends the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1997 to direct the Secretary to transfer ownership of qualified HUD-held properties (substandard or unoccupied multifamily or unoccupied single family properties) to local governments and community development corporations under specified conditions. Title VII: Trade-Affected Communities Relief - Authorizes a trade-affected community, a group of such communities, or the Governor of a State on behalf of such communities to petition the Secretary of Commerce for eligibility certification for community-based economic development assistance. Title VIII: Delta Regional Authority - Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to establish the Delta Regional Authority to: (1) develop comprehensive and coordinated plans and programs, establish priorities, and approve grants for the economic development of the Mississippi Delta region (parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee surrounding such Delta); (2) provide for research, demonstration, investigation, assessment and evaluation of such region's assets and needs; (3) encourage the formation and capacity of local development districts and private investment in industrial, commercial, and other economic development projects; and (4) provide a forum for the consideration of problems and possible solutions of the region. Title IX: Federal Grant Program Participation Expansion - Directs The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure an equal opportunity for religious and other community organizations to provide assistance under the programs administered by such Administration by providing information and contact for such programs to such organizations in a manner similar to that developed by the Office of Community Faith-Based Organizations in the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Title X: New Millennium Classrooms - Establishes a limited credit for the donation of computers to schools, senior centers, public libraries, and other training centers located in a renewal community, empowerment zone or enterprise community, Indian reservation, or defined low-income community.

Restoration of Fairness in Immigration Law Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2000

Restoration of Fairness in Immigration Law Act of 2000 - Title I: Due Process in Immigration Proceedings - Subtitle A: Judicial Review in Immigration Proceedings - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (Act) with respect to judicial review of: (1) administrative hearings and habeas corpus; (2) asylum determinations; (3) alien apprehension and detention; (4) document fraud waivers; (5) orders issued in absentia; and (6) denial of voluntary departure requests. Subtitle B: Fairness in Removal Proceedings - Amends the Act with respect to removal proceeding provisions, including: (1) burden of proof for admissibility; (2) presumption in favor of withdrawal of admission application; (3) emergency absences; and (4) reinstatement of removal orders against illegal reentry. Subtitle C: Fairness in Detention - Amends the Act with respect to specified detention provisions, including the establishment of a detention alternatives pilot program. Subtitle D: Consular Review of Visa Applications - Amends the Act to direct the Secretary of State to establish a Board of Visa Appeals. Title II: Fairness and Equity in Cases Involving Previous and Minor Misconduct - Subtitle A: Increased Fairness and Equity Concerning Removal Proceedings - Amends the Act to revise specified removal proceedings provisions. Subtitle B: Increased Fairness and Equity Concerning 5-Year Bars to Admission and Other Grounds for Exclusion - Amends the Act to authorize admission ban waivers and other restrictions on inadmissibility with respect to aliens who: (1) abuse student visa provisions; (2) fail to attend removal proceedings; (3) make false citizenship claims; and (4) have committed minor criminal offenses. Title III: Encouraging Family Reunification - Subtitle A: Reuniting Family Members - Amends the Act with respect to: (1) visas for spouses and children of permanent residents temporarily waiting for visa numbers; and (2) refugee and asylee status for unmarried sons and daughters of refugees and asylees, respectively. Establishes specified protections against processing delays for children. Subtitle B: Limited Waiver of Grounds of Admissibility - Amends the Act to provide discretionary waivers of inadmissibility with respect to: (1) family members; and (2) unusual circumstances. Subtitle C: Eliminating Unfairness and Waste in Section 245(i) Waivers - Amends the 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. Subtitle D: Equitable Procedures Concerning Voluntary Departure - Amends the Act with respect to voluntary departure to make discretionary: (1) determination of period of voluntary departure; (2) determination of voluntary departure bond based on individual circumstances; and (3) related penalties. Subtitle E: Fairness in Determination of Public Charge - Amends the Act with respect to specified public charge provisions. Title IV: Fairness in Asylum and Public Refugee Proceedings - Subtitle A: Increased Fairness in Asylum Proceedings - Amends the Act to provide for gender-based refugee status. Subtitle B: Increased Fairness sand Rationality in Refugee Consultations - Amends the Act with respect to refugee admission consultations. Title V: Increased Fairness and Equity in Naturalization and Legalization Proceedings - Subtitle A: Naturalization Proceedings - Amends the Act to authorize appropriations for immigration petition processing and backlog reduction. Waives the English language requirement and provides special consideration for the civics requirement with respect to the naturalization of certain aliens who served with special guerilla units operating from Cambodia or Vietnam. Subtitle B: Parity in Treatment for Refugees from Central America and Haiti - Amends the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (Act) to: (1) extend permanent resident status adjustment provisions to qualifying Salvadoran, Guatemalan, Honduran, and Haitian nationals; and (2) extend the application filing deadline. Permits certain pending applications filed by Salvadoran or Guatemalan nationals under the Act or Haitian nationals under the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 1998 to be converted to an application for status adjustment under the Act. Amends such Acts to: (1) authorize the Attorney General to waive certain grounds of inadmissibility; and (2) provide for issuance of immigrant visas to certain spouses and children. Provides for the limited reopening of certain orders of deportation, exclusion, or removal by certain Haitian, Cuban, or Nicaraguan nationals. Subtitle C: Equality of Treatment for Women's Citizenship - Declares as U.S. citizens certain deceased women who lost their U.S. citizenship solely because of marriage to an alien. Subtitle D: Fairness in the Treatment for Refugees from Liberia - Provides for the permanent resident status adjustment of certain Liberian nationals. Subtitle E: Fairness in Review of Previously Granted Amnesty Rights - Amends the Act to eliminate the court jurisdiction limitation with respect to judicial review of denied status adjustment applications for certain (unlawful status) aliens. Subtitle F: Legal Amnesty Restoration - Amends the Act to extend registry benefits to aliens who entered the United States prior to January1, 1986. Subtitle G: Equality of Treatment for Asian American Visa Petitions - Amends the Act to extend preferential immigrant treatment to certain U.S.-fathered aliens born in the Philippines or Japan. Title VI: Fairness and Compassion in the Treatment of Battered Immigrants - Amends the Act to modify procedures and provide special rules for battered spouses and children with respect to: (1) adjustment of status; (2) removal and deportation; (3) implementation of immigration provisions in the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA); (4) waivers and exceptions to inadmissibility for otherwise qualified battered immigrants; (5) calculation of physical presence in VAWA cancellation of removal proceedings and suspension of deportation proceedings; (6) VAWA immigration protections; (7) VAWA cancellation of removal and adjustment of status for certain nonpermanent residents; and (8) good moral character determinations for self-petitioning immediate relatives. Prescribes guidelines for inapplicability of public charge determinations for designated aliens. Amends the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to redefine "qualified alien" to include certain battered aliens for purposes of welfare and public benefits eligibility. Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980 to declare restrictions on the use of assisted housing inapplicable to certain battered aliens. Amends the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998 to provide that requirements and restrictions placed upon Legal Services Corporation funding shall not be construed to prohibit a recipient from providing related legal assistance to certain aliens who have been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty. Directs the Violence Against Women Grants Office in the Department of Justice to report on services for underserved populations. Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (Act) to include legal advocacy for domestic violence in immigration cases under the program of grants to encourage arrest policies. Includes alienage status within the definition of "underserved populations." Amends the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to include immigration-related matters under the program of rural domestic violence and child abuse enforcement grants. Amends the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act to include alienage status within the scope of underserved populations. Amends the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 1999 to obligate funds for grants to combat violence against women, which shall include immigration-related matters. Amends the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 to include immigration-related matters under the program of campus domestic violence grants. Amends the Act to require each branch of the U.S. military to train its supervisory military officers in domestic violence dynamics in military families, and the protections available for battered immigrant women and children. Expands the purposes of training grants to combat violent crimes against women to include: (1) training immigration and asylum officers and judges; and (2) training justice system personnel on the judicial ramifications of the Violence Against Women Act, and the potential immigration consequences for perpetrators of domestic violence. Amends the Act to express the intent of the Congress that statutory constraints upon the powers of immigration personnel not be construed as discouraging crime and domestic violence victims from reporting crimes to the police, from cooperating in criminal prosecutions, or from obtaining the legal relief needed for protection from ongoing violence. Amends the Act to establish a humanitarian-material witness nonimmigrant classification. Extends access for battered spouses and children under the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act, the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 1998, and Federal law relating to Cuban adjustment. Title VII: Unused Employment-Based Immigrant Visas - Provides for the recapture of unused employment-based immigrant visas. Title VIII: Miscellaneous Provisions - Amends the Act with respect to: (1) the Board of Immigration Appeals; (2) asset forfeiture; (3) parole authority; (4) erroneous asylum applications; and (5) use of State personnel to carry out immigration functions. Directs the Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service to establish an Office of Border Patrol Recruitment and Retention. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes appropriations to carry out this Act. Title IX: Effective Dates - Sets forth effective dates.

Homeowners Rebate Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2000

Homeowners Rebate Act of 2000 - Amends the National Housing Act to provide for partial rebates to mortgagors of certain Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund surplus reserves. Requires the General Accounting Office to report respecting the adequacy of Fund capital ratios.

Nursing Home Quality Protection Act

United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2000

Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to provide for: (1) increased sanctions (including refunds and withholding of Federal funds) for substandard care furnished in nursing homes; (2) reinstitution of the Boren Amendment payment methodology repealed in 1997; (3) a Nursing Facility Quality Improvement Account for deposit of all substandard care refunds and withheld amounts; (4) grants to States for improvement of the quality of care; and (5) increased public disclosure of information regarding nursing homes, including availability on the Internet.

Community Renewal and New Markets Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2000

Community Renewal and New Markets Act of 2000 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for the nomination (based on the degree of poverty) of up to 40 areas as renewal communities, of which at least eight must be in rural areas. Provides for increased expensing of business costs and tax credits and deductions with respect to such areas. Provides for the designation of nine additional empowerment zones, an extension of enterprise zone treatment through calendar year 2009, increased expensing in such zones, and other modifications to the treatment of zone investments. Establishes a new markets tax credit for equity investments in qualified community development entities. Modifies the low-income housing credit and the criteria for allocating credits among projects. Provides for an accelerated phase-in of specified increases in the volume cap on private activity bonds. America's Private Investment Companies Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to license community development entities as America's Private Investment Companies (for-profit investment companies formed to make equity and credit investments for large-scale business development in low-income communities). Amends the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1997 to direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to transfer ownership of qualified HUD-held properties (substandard or unoccupied multifamily or unoccupied single family properties) to local governments and community development corporations under specified conditions.

Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 24 July 2000

Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 - Title I: Programs for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities - Subtitle A: General Provisions - Incorporates existing recordkeeping requirements of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (the Act). (Sec. 104) Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to implement an accountability process to monitor entities that received funds under this Act to carry out activities under subtitles B, C, and D and determine the extent to which they have been responsive to this title's purposes and have taken actions consistent with stated policy. Requires the Secretary to develop a process for identifying and reporting on progress achieved through advocacy, capacity building, and systemic change activities undertaken by such entities that resulted in individuals with developmental disabilities and their families participating in the design of and having access to needed community services, individualized supports, and other assistance that promotes self-determination, independence, productivity, and integration in all facets of community life. Provides for development of indicators of progress for each area of emphasis (defined as areas related to quality assurance, education and early intervention, child care, health, employment, housing, transportation, recreation activities and other services offered to individuals in a community). Requires entities to meet such indicators of progress. Directs the Secretary to maintain the interagency committee authorized under the Act, except as otherwise provided by this Act. (Sec. 105) Requires the Secretary, using information submitted in the reports and required under subtitles B, C, D, and E of this Act, to report to the President, Congress, and the National Council on Disability at least biennially on the goals and outcomes of programs supported under such subtitles. (Sec. 107) Conditions assistance under this title on a recipient taking affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities on the same terms required with respect to the employment of such individuals under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. (Sec. 109) Sets forth congressional findings with respect to the rights of individuals with developmental disabilities. Subtitle B: Federal Assistance to State Councils on Developmental Disabilities - Sets forth an allotment formula for assistance to States for services for individuals with developmental disabilities. Establishes minimum allotments. (Sec. 124) Requires States desiring to receive assistance under this subtitle to obtain the Secretary's approval of a five-year strategic plan. Requires plans to: (1) provide for the establishment of State Councils on Developmental Disabilities; (2) identify the State agency designated to support the Council; (3) describe the results of a review and analysis of the extent to which services, supports, and other assistance are available to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families and the extent of unmet needs for such assistance in the State; (4) focus on Council efforts to bring about this subtitle's purposes by specifying five-year goals for advocacy, capacity building, and systemic change related to the areas of emphasis under this Act to be undertaken by the Council; and (5) contain certain assurances and information similar to that required under the Act. Bases plans on public input. (Sec. 125) Requires each State that receives assistance under this subtitle to establish a Council to undertake advocacy, capacity building, and systemic change activities that contribute to a coordinated consumer- and family-centered and directed system of community services, individualized supports, and other assistance that contributes to the achievement of this subtitle's purposes. Sets forth provisions regarding Council appointments and membership rotation similar to those existing under the Act. Requires at least 60 percent of Council membership to consist of: (1) individuals with developmental disabilities; (2) parents or guardians of children with such disabilities; or (3) immediate relatives or guardians of adults with mentally impairing developmental disabilities who cannot advocate for themselves. Incorporates provisions of the Act that bar employees of a State agency that receives funds or provides services under this subtitle or managing employees (as defined in the Social Security Act) of any entity that receives such funds or provides such services from being on Councils. Incorporates provisions similar to those under the Act regarding: (1) Council duties; (2) State agencies designated to provide support to Councils; (3) designated State agency duties; (4) Federal and non-Federal shares of project costs; (5) withholding of payments for certain failures to comply with plan provisions or regulations; and (6) appeals by States of certain actions by the Secretary. (Sec. 129) Authorizes appropriations. Subtitle C: Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights - Sets forth provisions similar to those under the Act regarding allotment to States of funds for protection and advocacy systems to protect the legal and human rights of individuals with developmental disabilities. Establishes minimum allotments. (Sec. 143) Conditions the receipt of an allotment under this subtitle or subtitle B on certain requirements, including that the: (1) State have a system to protect and advocate the rights of individuals with disabilities; and (2) system have certain legal and investigative authorities and meet other specified requirements. Incorporates provisions similar to those under the Act that authorize an American Indian consortium established to provide protection and advocacy services to receive funding to provide such services. (Sec. 144) Requires systems to submit annual reports to the Secretary. (Sec. 145) Authorizes appropriations. Subtitle D: National Network of University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service - Directs the Secretary to make five-year grants to University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service in each State as well as grants for training initiatives related to the unmet needs of individuals with disabilities and their families and technical assistance. (Sec. 153) Requires the Centers to be interdisciplinary education, research, and public service units of universities or public or not-for-profit entities associated with universities that engage in specified core functions. (Sec. 154) Limits the Federal share of Center administration or operation costs or the costs of training initiatives to 75 percent, with exceptions for projects that target individuals in poverty areas. (Sec. 156) Authorizes appropriations. Subtitle E: Projects of National Significance - Requires the Secretary to award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to public or nonprofit private entities for projects of national significance relating to the development of policies that reinforce and promote the self-determination, independence, productivity, and inclusion in community life of individuals with developmental disabilities. Authorizes Federal interagency initiatives to carry out such projects. (Sec. 163) Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Family Support - Families of Children With Disabilities Support Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary to make grants to States on a competitive basis to support systems change activities to assist States in developing or enhancing statewide systems of family support services for families of children with disabilities, including individuals who are not younger than age 18 who have certain significant impairments and reside with and receive assistance from a family member. Limits the Federal share of such assistance to 75 percent of the cost of activities and the award period to three years. (Sec. 209) Requires the Secretary to enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with public or private agencies and organizations to provide technical assistance and information with respect to the development or enhancement of such systems. (Sec. 210) Provides for a national evaluation of the grant program by the Secretary and a report to Congress. (Sec. 211) Requires the Secretary to: (1) review Federal programs to determine the extent to which programs facilitate or impede access to, provision of, and funding for family support services for families of children with disabilities; and (2) make grants or enter into contracts for projects of national significance to support the development of policies related to developing or enhancing family-centered and -directed systems of such services. (Sec. 212) Authorizes appropriations to carry out this title. Title III: Program for Direct Support Workers Who Assist Individuals With Developmental Disabilities - Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to institutions of higher education, State agencies, or a consortium of such agencies on a competitive basis to enable such entities to carry out scholarship programs by providing vouchers for postsecondary education to direct support workers who assist individuals with developmental disabilities residing in diverse settings. Limits the Federal share of the cost of such vouchers to 80 percent. (Sec. 304) Directs the Secretary to award funding, on a competitive basis, to public or private entities for the development, evaluation, and dissemination of a staff development curriculum and related guidelines for computer-assisted, competency-based, multimedia, interactive instruction relating to service as a direct support worker. Requires the curriculum to be developed for individuals who seek to: (1) become direct support workers who assist individuals with developmental disabilities or are such workers; and (2) upgrade their skills and competencies related to being such a worker. (Sec. 305) Authorizes appropriations to carry out this title. Title IV: Repeal - Repeals the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act. Makes conforming amendments to specified laws.

COUNCIL HOUSING (No. 2)

United Kingdom · UK Parliament · 20 July 2000

That this House congratulates all those who attended the Defend Council Housing lobby on 19th July; and notes the strength of feeling against transfers.

Community Reinvestment Modernization Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2000

Community Reinvestment Modernization Act of 2000 - Title I: Modernization of Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 and Community Service Obligations - Amends the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 to subject to the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (CRA) in the same manner as regulated financial institutions all nonbank affiliates of bank holding companies that engage in lending or offer banking products or services. (Sec. 101) Mandates that: (1) the Federal regulatory agency with jurisdiction over the affiliate's bank holding company take into account the record of any such affiliate in meeting community credit, investment, and consumer needs; (2) the Federal financial supervisory agency perform separate evaluations of a depository institution's State, metropolitan, and community service areas; and (3) the CRA rating of a regulated financial institution be reduced to reflect predatory or negative credit practices. (Sec. 104) Places upon each securities company, mortgage bank, and insurance company the affirmative obligation to meet the need for their respective services in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods as regards each community constituting an assessment area of such entities. (Sec. 105) Sets forth a statutory framework within which the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), respectively, shall develop a program to ensure that such financial entities meet their obligations. (Sec. 106) Authorizes the Secretary of HUD to impose specified limitations upon mortgage and insurance companies that engage in practices with negative impacts upon their respective assessment areas. (Sec. 107) Requires all bank holding company affiliates of securities, mortgage, and insurance companies to maintain satisfactory CRA ratings. Title II: Data Disclosure Requirements - Subtitle A: Disclosure of Insurance Availability and Insurer Investment Information - Insurance Disclosure Act - Directs the Secretary of HUD to establish data reporting requirements incumbent upon insurers, rural, and small business insurers in order to ascertain the availability and affordability of insurance by type and coverage in connection with: (1) census tract; (2) low- and moderate-income neighborhoods; (3) race and gender of policyholders; and (4) location of principal place of agents and their termination by race. (Sec. 206) Requires the Financial Institutions Examination Council to determine annually the extent to which each private mortgage insurer makes private mortgage insurance information available to the public and to the appropriate agency in the same manner as mortgage insurance information is required to be reported under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act of 1975 (HMDA). (Sec. 207) Directs the Secretary of HUD to require each insurer that makes an investment in a property or business to submit annually data detailing direct loans and loan purchases in connection with: (1) commercial real estate loans; (2) single-family mortgages; (3) commercial and industrial loans; and (4) other investments. Sets forth civil penalties for violations of such insurance data disclosures. Subtitle B: Improvements in Other Data Disclosure Requirements - Amends the CRA to declare that it may not be construed as authorizing any Federal agency to exempt a depository institution from data disclosure requirements pertaining to farm and small business loans (except an institution that is not an affiliate of a either a bank holding company or savings and loan company). (Sec. 221) Requires regulated financial institutions to collect data regarding farm and small business loan applications that details: (1) applicant race and gender; (2) minority-owned and women-owned enterprises; (3) the revenue of such applicants; and (4) the actual census tract of the applicants' locale. Title III: Regulatory and Structural Reforms - Sets forth antiredlining requirements for financial holding companies. Amends certain bank regulatory Acts to require notice and public comment prior to establishing a financial holding company or transacting bank acquisitions, consolidations, or mergers if regulatory authorities believe there will be a substantial public impact. (Sec. 304) Amends the CRA to reduce the small banks examination schedule by one year. (Sec. 306) Requires the appropriate Federal banking agency to prohibit a financial holding company or insured depository institution from continued engagement in expanded financial activities if any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities has received in a CRA rating of less than "satisfactory record of meeting community credit needs" in its most recent examination. (Sec. 307) Amends the HMDA to prohibit a Federal regulatory agency from exempting a depository institution from HMDA reporting requirements. Mandates expanded data disclosure from depository institutions regarding: (1) prime and subprime mortgage loans; (2) loan pricing and terms; and (3) manufactured home loans that are not treated as real estate loans by depository institutions. Subjects HMDA depository institutions to specified Federal Deposit Insurance Act requirements. Grants the Secretary of HUD enforcement powers regarding compliance with such requirements.

Youth Drug and Mental Health Services Act

United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2000

Youth Drug and Mental Health Services Act - Title I: Substance Abuse Prevention - Amends the Public Health Service Act to replace provisions relating to substance abuse treatment programs for pregnant and postpartum women with provisions authorizing grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts for priority substance abuse prevention needs of regional and national significance. (Sec. 102) Replaces provisions relating to drug and alcohol abuse prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation for high risk youth and to employee assistance programs with provisions mandating grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts for: (1) the replication and implementation of best practices in providing comprehensive substance abuse prevention services to children and youth; and (2) strengthening families. (Sec. 104) Shifts responsibility for an existing program of grants for services for children of substance abusers from the Health Resources and Services Administration to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and modifies various requirements of the program. Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants for the training of professionals to recognize drug and alcohol problems, understand the nature of substance abuse, and obtain early intervention, prevention, and treatment resources. (Sec. 105) Directs the Secretary to make grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts for the planning and execution of school-based (including higher education institutions) and community-based programs to prevent underage drinking. (Sec. 106) Authorizes the Secretary to make grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts for programs relating to the prevention and detection of methamphetamine or inhalant abuse and addiction. Title II: Substance Abuse Treatment - Replaces provisions relating to outpatient treatment programs for pregnant and postpartum women with provisions directing the Secretary, directly or through grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts, to address priority substance abuse treatment needs of regional and national significance. (Sec. 202) Authorizes appropriations to carry out provisions relating to residential treatment programs for pregnant and postpartum women. (Sec. 203) Replaces provisions relating to demonstration projects of national significance and to grants for substance abuse treatment in State and local criminal justice systems with provisions directing the Secretary to make grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts to provide, to people under the age of 22, substance abuse treatment and early intervention substance abuse services. (Sec. 205) Replaces provisions relating to training in the provision of treatment services with provisions directing the Secretary to make grants to provide treatment services to members of Indian tribes and tribal organizations. (Sec. 206) Directs the Secretary to make grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts relating to fetal alcohol syndrome or alcohol-related birth defects to: (1) provide services to people diagnosed with those conditions; and (2) establish up to four centers of excellence to study prevention, adaptations of innovative clinical interventions, and service delivery improvements. (Sec. 207) Removes provisions requiring that at least 35 percent of current formula grants for preventing and treating substance abuse be used for activities relating to alcohol and at least 35 percent for activities relating to other drugs. Authorizes a State to establish a revolving fund to support group homes for recovering substance abusers. (Current law allows the Secretary to make formula grants under existing provisions only if a State establishes such a fund.) Requires a State, in order to receive a formula grant, to establish and maintain a State substance abuse prevention and treatment planning council. Modifies, for territories, requirements regarding and authorizes, for States, waiver of related requirements. Modifies minimum allotment formula provisions. (Sec. 208) Establishes the Commission on Indian and Native Alaskan Health Care. Title III: Mental Health Services - Revises requirements regarding a plan a State must submit in order to receive a grant allotment for providing comprehensive community mental health services to adults with a serious mental illness and to children with a serious emotional disturbance. Modifies requirements regarding waivers for territories and minimum allotments for States. (Sec. 302) Replaces provisions relating to grants for certain mental health demonstration projects with provisions directing the Secretary to make grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to address priority substance abuse mental health needs of regional and national significance. Repeals provisions authorizing grants for mental health research and clinical training in exchange for a period of obligatory service. (Sec. 303) Replaces provisions authorizing grants for counseling and mental health treatment after a positive test result for the etiologic agent for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) with provisions mandating grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to assist local communities in developing ways to help children deal with violence. (Sec. 304) Directs the Secretary to make grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to: (1) establish up to four centers for excellence to study adaptations of innovative clinical intervention and service delivery improvement strategies to provide comprehensive mental health services to children; (2) establish national and regional centers of excellence on psychological trauma response; and (3) develop knowledge regarding evidence-based practices for treating psychiatric disorders resulting from witnessing or experiencing such stress. (Sec. 306) Allows the Secretary to waive, for Indian tribes or tribal organizations, American Samoa, Guam, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the United States Virgin Islands, to waive requirements relating to grants for comprehensive community mental health services to children with a serious emotional disturbance. Makes active grantees eligible to receive a sixth year of funding without peer and Advisory Council review. (Sec. 307) Allows the Secretary to waive, for the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, Palau, American Samoa, the Marshall Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, certain requirements of provisions relating to formula grants to States for services to individuals who have a serious mental illness (with or without substance abuse) and who are, or are at imminent risk of becoming, homeless. Directs the Secretary to make grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts for mental health and substance abuse services for homeless individuals. (Sec. 308) Amends the Protection and Advocacy for Mentally Ill Individuals Act of 1986 to rename it as the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness Act. Adds to the definition of "individual with mental illness" individuals with significant mental illnesses or emotional impairments who live in a community setting, including their own homes. Limits the circumstances in which allotments for systems to protect and advocate the rights of individuals with mental illness and investigate incidents of abuse and neglect of such individuals may be used to provide representation to certain individuals. Authorizes those systems to investigate the death or serious injury of an individual with a mental illness if it occurred at a facility to which the Act applies. Modifies the allotment formula. (Sec. 309) Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to enable State or local juvenile justice agencies to provide aftercare services for youth offenders who have been discharged from facilities in the juvenile or criminal justice system and have serious emotional disturbances or are at risk of developing such disturbances. Directs the Secretary to make grants and contracts to establish up to four research, training, and technical assistance centers regarding youth. Title IV: Performance Partnerships - Directs the Secretary to submit to specified congressional committees a plan, under provisions relating to block grants for the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, for creating more flexibility for States and accountability based on outcome and other performance measures. (Sec. 402) Replaces provisions authorizing grants to States to increase the availability of substance abuse treatment with provisions authorizing the Secretary to make grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to develop and operate substance abuse data collection, analysis, and reporting systems regarding performance measures, process, and outcomes measures. Allows formula grants under existing provisions for comprehensive community mental health services to adults with a serious mental illness and to children with a serious emotional disturbance to be used for data infrastructure development regarding performance data. Allows formula grants under existing provisions for substance abuse prevention and treatment to be used for data infrastructure development regarding performance data. Title V: Cross-Cutting Issues Regarding Mental Health and Substance Abuse - Subtitle A: Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders - Replaces provisions authorizing grants, contracts and cooperative agreements for mental health and substance abuse treatment services for homeless individuals with provisions directing the Secretary to make grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts for comprehensive prevention and treatment services to individuals with, or at risk for, co-occurring substance abuse and mental disorders. (Sec. 502) Allows States to use treatment funds (under provisions relating to formula grants for services to adults with a serious mental illness and to children with a serious emotional disturbance and for substance abuse prevention and treatment) to treat persons with co-occurring substance abuse and mental disorders. Subtitle B: Prevention of Sexual Abuse - Directs the Secretary to make grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to provide services to runaway and homeless and street youth who have been, or are at risk of being, subjected to sexual abuse, prostitution, or sexual exploitation. Title VI: General Provisions - Limits the disclosure of individually identifiable information collected under provisions relating to mental illness and substance abuse. Authorizes the Secretary to use up to three percent of certain funds appropriated under provisions relating to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for noncompetitive grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to address emergency substance abuse or mental health needs (or both) in local communities. (Sec. 602) Modifies grant, cooperative agreement, and contract peer review requirements. (Sec. 603) Makes amounts paid to a State (under provisions relating to formula grants for services to adults with a serious mental illness and to children with a serious emotional disturbance and for substance abuse prevention and treatment) available until the end of the fiscal year following the fiscal year (currently, until the end of the fiscal year) for which the amounts were paid. (Current law makes an availability exception regarding subgrantee noncompliance.) (Sec. 604) Repeals provisions relating to narcotic addicts and other drug abusers. (Sec. 605) Requires a health care facility that receives support in any form from any program supported with Federal funds to protect and promote the rights of the facility's residents, including the rights to be free from physical or mental abuse, corporal punishment, and any restraints or involuntary seclusions imposed as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation. Requires reporting of patient deaths and injuries. (Sec. 607) Authorizes (currently, requires) the existence, in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, of an Associate Administrator for Alcohol Prevention and Treatment Policy and allows (currently, requires) the Administrator to delegate certain functions to that Associate Administrator. (Sec. 608) Adds to the duties of the Directors of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, the Office for Substance Abuse Prevention, and the Center for Mental Health Services certain duties relating to children, adolescents, and youth. Removes requirements that the: (1) Treatment Center Director monitor the use of revolving loan funds under, and evaluate the effect of, provisions relating to the establishment of group homes for individuals recovering from alcohol or drug abuse; and (2) Mental Health Center Director carry out programs under provisions relating to Public Health Service Act section 520A (amended by section 302 of this Act).

American Communities Investment Act of 1999

United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2000

American Communities Investment Act of 1999 - Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to revise requirements for the maximum amount of outstanding loan guarantees for a single issuer in connection with community development. Mandates participation of the major stakeholders in the community in which activities funded with guaranteed obligations will be implemented. Amends the Federal Home Loan Bank Act to set forth parameters within which: (1) Federal home loan banks may make advances to a nonmember mortgagee for community lending purposes; and (2) each Federal home loan bank shall establish a Community Lending Fund to facilitate community lending by its members and nonmember mortgagees.

Kentucky National Forest Land Transfer Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 10 July 2000

Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2001 - Title I: Export and Investment Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 2001 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 2001 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) child survival and infectious disease programs, including basic education programs (earmarking amounts for child survival and maternal health, vulnerable children, HIV-AIDS, other infectious diseases, children's basic education, UNICEF, and U.S. contribution to the Global Fund for Children's Vaccines); (3) specified development assistance (allowing availability of limited amounts for the Inter-American Foundation and the African Development Foundation); (4) specified assistance for Lebanon for scholarships and direct support to the American educational institutions there; (5) international disaster assistance; (6) international disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance to support transition to democracy and to long-term development of countries in crisis (provided AID reports to the Committees on Appropriations at least five days before the beginning of such program assistance); (7) micro and small enterprise development programs; (8) direct loans and loan guarantees under the development credit authority program for development assistance to foreign countries (provided such funds are made available only for urban and environmental programs); (9) the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund; (10) operating expenses of AID and the AID Office of Inspector General; (11) Economic Support Fund (ESF) assistance (earmarking amounts for Israel, Egypt, and Mongolia); (12) the International Fund for Ireland; (13) ESF assistance for Eastern Europe and the Baltic States (earmarking amounts for the Baltic States, Kosovo, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, subject to specified conditions); (14) assistance for the Independent States of the former Soviet Union (subject to specified conditions, and earmarking amounts for Georgia and Armenia and for child survival, environmental health, and to combat infectious diseases); (15) the Peace Corps (with a bar on the use of such funds for abortions); (16) international narcotics control and law enforcement; (17) migration and refugee assistance; (18) the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund; (19) 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), subject to specified conditions, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Preparatory Commission, and the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund); (20) the Department of the Treasury international affairs technical assistance program; and (21) debt restructuring of concessional loans, guarantees, and credits made to eligible countries (including through the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) Trust Fund under the enhanced HIPC initiative). 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 contravening the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES). Prohibits funds to Russia unless the Secretary of State certifies to the Committees on Appropriations that the Russian Federation is in compliance with article V of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe regarding forces deployed in the flank zone in and around Chechnya. Withholds 50 percent of the funds allocated for the Government of the Russian Federation until the President certifies to the Committees on Appropriations that it has terminated arrangements to provide Iran with technology to develop a nuclear program or ballistic missile capability. Title III: Military Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 2001 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). Declares that none of the funds appropriated under this heading may be made available to support grant-financed military education and training at the School of the Americas unless: (1) the Secretary of Defense certifies that the instruction and training provided by the School is fully consistent with training and doctrine, particularly with respect to the observance of human rights, provided by the Department of Defense to U.S. military students at Department of Defense institutions whose primary purpose is to train U.S. military personnel; and (2) the Secretary of State, without delegation, certifies that such instruction and training is consistent with U.S. foreign policy objectives and helps support the observance of human rights in Latin America. Requires the Secretary of Defense to report to a specified congressional committee by January 15, 2001, on the School's training activities and a general assessment regarding the performance of its graduates during 1998 and 1999. Urges Israel to terminate the existing contract to sell an airborne radar system to the People's Republic of China which could threaten both the forces of democratic Taiwan and the United States in the region surrounding the Taiwan Strait. Prohibits foreign military financing for: (1) Sudan, Liberia, and Guatemala; or (2) any non-NATO country participating in the Partnership for Peace Program except through the regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations. Title IV: Multilateral Economic Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 2001 for the U.S. contribution to: (1) the Global Environment Facility of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank); (2) the International Development Association (IDA), subject to specified conditions; (3) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency; (4) the Inter-American Investment Corporation; (5) the Enterprise for the Americas Multilateral Investment Fund; (6) the Asian Development Fund; (7) the African Development Bank; (8) the African Development Fund; (9) the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; and (10) the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Makes appropriations for FY 2001 for international programs and organizations. Sets certain restrictions on international organization funding, including prohibiting the use of funds for the United Nations Fund for Science and Technology, 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 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 any narcotics-related assistance for Colombia, Bolivia, or 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 financial, and related programs, that are returned or not made available for international organizations and programs shall remain available for obligation until FY 2002. (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); or (2) 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, Serbia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, 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, infectious disease activities and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) research and control 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 (including earmarking amounts to such organizations to support activities which preserve cultural traditions and promote sustainable development and environmental conservation in Tibetan communities). Earmarks ESF funds to the Jamestown Foundation (currently the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights) for a project to disseminate information and support research about China, and related activities. (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 the waiver of this prohibition by the President for national security and humanitarian reasons, requiring notification to the Committees on Appropriations. (Sec. 528) Directs the Secretary of State to report quarterly to the Committees on Appropriations on the use of supplemental appropriations for ESF assistance and military assistance to certain countries. (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 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. (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 of funds under this Act for the Republic of Serbia (except for Kosovo 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, and displaced Burmese may be made available notwithstanding any other provision of law. Prohibits the use of funds made available to Cambodia for military or paramilitary purposes. 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 Organizations (PLO) if the President determines and certifies to Congress that it is in the national interest. (Sec. 539) Expresses the sense of Congress with respect to: (1) immediate public renunciation by the Arab League countries of the boycott of Israel (reinstated in 1997) and of American firms having commercial ties with Israel; (2) normalization of relations with Israel by such Arab countries; and (3) 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 the 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. Earmarks specified amounts to private and voluntary organizations to deal with world hunger abroad. (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. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to report annually on the efforts of such agency heads and the U.S. directors of international financial institutions in complying with such requirements. (Sec. 546) Prohibits the use of funds to pay any assessments, arrearages, or dues of any UN 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 from 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; or (2) entertainment expenses for recreational activities. (Sec. 556) 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 to pay for purchases of U.S. agricultural commodities guaranteed by the Commodity Credit Corporation. Permits the 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 IDA (but not from the World Bank) (IDA-only countries). Prescribes additional conditions for the exercise of such authority. (Sec. 557) Authorizes the President to engage in certain debt buybacks or sales. Authorizes the 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. 558) Bars funds appropriated by this Act or any previous appropriations Act for foreign operations, export financing and related programs to be made available for assistance for the Government of Haiti until: (1) the Secretary of State reports to the Committees on Appropriations that Haiti has held free and fair elections to seat a new parliament; and (2) the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy reports to the Committees on Appropriations that such Government is fully cooperating with the US efforts to interdict illicit drug traffic through it to the United States. Earmarks a specified percentage of funds appropriated under this Act for bilateral assistance to Latin America and the Caribbean region. (Sec. 559) 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 2000. (Sec. 560) 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. 561) Makes the Government of Haiti eligible to purchase U.S. defense articles and services for its Coast Guard. (Sec. 562) 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. 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) 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. Requires the Secretary of State to report to the appropriate congressional committees on the location, if known, of publicly indicted war criminals, on country, entity and municipality authorities known to have obstructed the work of the Tribunal, and on sanctioned countries, entities, and municipalities. (Sec. 565) 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. 566) 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. 567) Bars funds to the Central Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo. (Sec. 568) 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. 569) 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. 570) 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 for the Government of Cambodia. (Sec. 571) 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 2000 and 2001. (Sec. 572) 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. 573) 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. 574) 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. 575) Earmarks specified amounts of ESF funds for a political transition in Iraq, Iraqi opposition groups for political, economic, humanitarian, and other activities, and for groups and activities seeking the prosecution of Saddam Hussein and other Iraqi government officials for war crimes. Bars the use of such funds for administrative expenses of the State Department. (Sec. 576) Directs AID to submit an annual budget justification consistent with certain requirements of this Act to the Committees on Appropriations. (Sec. 577) Prohibits the use of funds appropriated under this Act to propose or issue rules, regulations, decrees, or orders for implementation, or in preparation for implementation, of the Kyoto Protocol to the United States Framework Convention on Climate Change, which has not been submitted to the Senate for advice and consent to ratification pursuant to the U.S. Constitution, and which has not entered into force. (Sec. 578) Directs the Secretary of State, 30 days prior to the initial obligation of ESF funds for the bilateral West Bank and Gaza Program, to certify to the appropriate congressional committees that procedures have been established to assure the Comptroller General will have access to appropriate U.S. financial information in order to review the uses of such funds for the Program. (Sec. 579) Makes foreign military financing program funds available for Indonesia if the President determines and reports to the appropriate congressional committees that the Indonesian government and the Indonesian armed forces are taking specified actions to: (1) bring to justice, and cooperate with investigations and prosecutions of, members of the armed forces and militia groups with respect to human rights violations in Indonesia and East Timor; (2) allow safe passage for refugees returning home to East Timor from West Timor; and (3) not impede the United Nations Transitional Authority in East Timor (UNTAET). (Sec. 580) Bars the use of appropriated funds under this Act for the UN Man and the Biosphere Program or the UN World Heritage Fund for programs in the United States. (Sec. 581) Requires the Secretary of State to consult with the appropriate congressional committees and leadership of Congress to devise a mechanism to provide for congressional input before making any determination on the nature or quantity of defense articles and services to be made available to Taiwan. (Sec. 582) Urges funds appropriated by this Act for U.S. assistance for Eastern Europe and the Baltic States to the maximum extent practicable to be used for the procurement of articles and services of U.S. origin. (Sec. 583) Bars the use of funds appropriated by this Act for assistance for the government of any country that has been determined to have: (1) provided lethal or non-lethal military support or equipment, directly or through intermediaries, within the previous six months to the Sierra Leone Revolutionary United Front (RUF), or any other group intent on destabilizing the democratically elected government of the Republic of Sierra Leone; or (2) aided or abetted, within the previous six months, in the illicit distribution, transportation, or sale of diamonds mined in Sierra Leone. (Sec. 584) Authorizes voluntary separation incentive payments to AID employees who voluntarily separate (whether by retirement or resignation) on or before December 31, 2001 to eliminate AID positions and functions contained in a mandatory strategic plan outlining such payments. (Sec. 585) Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to establish a working capital fund for AID expenses of personal and nonpersonal services, equipment and supplies. (Sec. 586) Earmarks a specified amount of international organizations and program funds for the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) (except for any country program in China). Conditions the availability of such funds to UNFPA on specified requirements, including that it does not fund abortions. (Sec. 587) Earmarks a specified amount of funds for population planning activities or other population assistance, with specified restrictions on assistance to foreign organizations that perform or actively promote abortions. (Sec. 588) Requires information relevant to the December 2, 1980, murders of four American churchwomen in El Salvador to be made public to the fullest extent possible. (Sec. 589) Declares that funds shall be appropriated to the HIPC Initiative only when the President of the World Bank and the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) certify to the Secretary of the Treasury that such institutions will not include user fees or service charges through "community financing", "cost sharing", "cost recovery", or any other mechanism for primary education or primary healthcare, including prevention and treatment efforts for AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and infant, child, and maternal well-being in their Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers or any other HIPC-related debt relief or economic reform program or plan or any other IMF or World Bank loan or reform program. (Sec. 590) Bars the use of funds under this Act for abortions or to lobby for or against abortion. (Sec. 591) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to withhold ten percent of the U.S. payment to any international financial institution until the Secretary certifies that such institution has implemented certain procurement and financial management reforms. Title VI: Mozambique, Madagascar, and Southern Africa Rehabilitation and Reconstruction - Authorizes additional appropriations for FY 2000 for international assistance and rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance for Mozambique, Madagascar, and southern Africa.

7 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if, in regard to his Department's document, Action on Housing, he will outline when the series of project offices will be established to fast-track infrastructural development in the proposed SDZs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18643/00]

Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 29 June 2000

7 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if, in regard to his Department's document, Action on Housing, he will outline when the series of project offices will be established to fast-track infrastructural development in the proposed SDZs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18643/00]

5 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has had considerations made, in consultation with other Departments, into the need to introduce legislation or regulations to restrict the cost of escalating professional fees in relation to the transaction of property within the housing market; his views on the need to remove the fixed percentage fee based assessment of cost which solicitors and auctioneers apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18843/00]

Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 29 June 2000

5 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has had considerations made, in consultation with other Departments, into the need to introduce legislation or regulations to restrict the cost of escalating professional fees in relation to the transaction of property within the housing market; his views on the need to remove the fixed percentage fee based assessment of cost which solicitors and auctioneers apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18843/00]

2 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the average price of a new house in Dublin at the end of the first quarter of 1997; the average price of a new house in Dublin at the end of the first quarter of 2000, or on the latest date for which figures are available; when he intends to publish housing statistics for the first quarter of 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18844/00]

Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 29 June 2000

2 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the average price of a new house in Dublin at the end of the first quarter of 1997; the average price of a new house in Dublin at the end of the first quarter of 2000, or on the latest date for which figures are available; when he intends to publish housing statistics for the first quarter of 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18844/00]

Homeowners Rebate Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2000

Homeowners Rebate Act of 2000 - Amends the National Housing Act to provide for partial rebates to mortgagors of certain Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund surplus reserves. Requires the General Accounting Office to report respecting the adequacy of Fund capital ratios.

A bill to amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to make communities with high levels of out-migration or population loss eligible for community facilities grants.

United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2000

Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to make communities with high levels of out-migration or population loss eligible for community facilities grants. Authorizes appropriations.

Federal Property Asset Management Reform Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2000

Title I: Short Title - Federal Property Asset Management Reform Act of 2000. Title II: Definitions - Amends the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 to define "landholding agency" to mean any Federal agency that, by specific or general statutory authority, has jurisdiction, custody, and control (jurisdiction) over real property or interests therein, but excludes agencies when they are acting as the sponsors of real property conveyances for public benefit purposes pursuant to Federal provisions regarding the disposal of surplus property. Title III: Life Cycle Planning and Management - Directs the Administrator of General Services: (1) in collaboration with the heads of affected Federal agencies, to establish and maintain current asset management principles to be used as guidance by such agencies in making major decisions concerning the planning, acquisition, use, maintenance, and disposal of real and personal property assets subject to such Act; and (2) to collect such descriptive information, except for classified information, as the Administrator deems will best describe the nature, use, and extent of the real property holdings of the United States. Authorizes the Administrator to: (1) establish data and other information technology standards for use by Federal agencies in developing or upgrading agency real property information systems; and (2) withhold information, including the location of classified facilities, when it is determined that withholding such information would be in the public interest (but otherwise the listing compiled under this title shall be public record). Directs the head of each landholding agency to appoint, or designate from among its employees, a Senior Real Property Officer. Allows the appointment of a Real Property Officer for any major component of an agency, who shall report to the Senior Real Property Officer. Makes the Senior Real Property Officer for each agency responsible for continuously monitoring agency real property assets to: (1) ensure that the management of each asset is fully consistent with and supportive of the goals and objectives of the agency's Strategic Plan and reflected in an agency asset management plan; (2) identify assets that can benefit from the application of enhanced asset management tools (see Title IV); (3) ensure, in cases where an asset can benefit from application of an enhanced asset management tool, that any resulting transaction will result in a fair return on the Federal Government investment and protect the Government from unreasonable financial or other risks; and (4) ensure that a listing and description of the agency's assets is provided to the Administrator. Title IV: Enhanced Authorities for Real Property Asset Management - Authorizes the head of a landholding agency to apply an enhanced asset management tool to a real property interest when such interest: (1) when used to acquire replacement real property, is not excess property; (2) is used to fulfill or support a continuing mission requirement; and (3) can, by applying an enhanced asset management tool, improve the support of such mission. Requires the agency head, before applying an enhanced asset management tool to such an interest, to determine that such application: (1) supports the agency's Strategic Plan and real property asset management plan; (2) is the most economical and cost effective option available for the use of the real property; and (3) is documented in a business plan which, commensurate with the nature of the selected tool, analyzes all reasonable options for using the property; takes into account applicable provisions of law, including the National Environmental Policy Act; and evidences compliance with the requirements of the Stewart B McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. Authorizes any landholding agency to acquire replacement real property by: (1) transfer or exchange of real property subject to this Act with other Federal agencies under terms mutually agreeable to the agencies involved; and (2) selling or exchanging a real property asset or interests therein with any non-Federal source, provided that the transaction does not conflict with other applicable laws governing the acquisition of real property interests by Federal agencies, the agency first made the property available for transfer or exchange to other Federal agencies, and the transaction results in the agency receiving fair market value consideration for the asset sold or exchanged. Allows the head of any landholding agency to make available to other Federal agencies and to non-Federal entities the unexpired portion of any government lease for real property, provided that the sublease results in the agency receiving fair market rental value for the asset. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) priorities for subleasing; (2) out-leasing agreements; (3) forms of consideration; (4) transactional reports; and (5) annual reports. Title V: Incentives for Real and Personal Property Management Improvement - Authorizes Federal agencies to retain from proceeds from the sales of personal property amounts necessary to recover the full costs of disposing of such property, including the costs for warehousing, storage, environmental services, advertising, appraisal, and transportation. Directs that: (1) such amounts be deposited into an account available for such expenses without regard to fiscal year limitations; and (2) amounts that are not needed to pay such costs be transferred at least annually to the general fund or to a specific account in the Treasury as required by statute. Rewrites provisions regarding the transfer or sale of property to provide for agency retention of the proceeds from real property, and the crediting of monetary proceeds to the agency's capital asset account. Allows agencies to be reimbursed from the monetary proceeds of real property dispositions or from other available resources, including the agency's capital asset account, for the full costs of disposing of such property. Sets forth a schedule for implementing this title. Title VI: Streamlined and Enhanced Disposal Authorities - Authorizes the Administrator to convey the U.S. interest in surplus real and related personal property which the Secretary of the Interior has determined is suitable and desirable for use as a historic monument, for the benefit of the public, to a qualified nonprofit organization established for the primary purpose of preserving historic monuments, provided that the State, political subdivision, instrumentalities thereof, and municipality in which the property is located do not request conveyance to them. Makes the authority of any department, agency, or instrumentality of the executive branch or wholly owned Government corporation to convey or give surplus real and related personal property for public airport purposes subject to the requirements of the Act. Directs that any such surplus real property available for conveyance first be made available to the Administrator for disposal, including conveyance for any public benefit purposes, including public airport use. Amends the Stewart B McKinney Homeless Assistance Act to: (1) direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), on a quarterly basis, to request information from each landholding agency regarding surplus, unutilized, or underutilized public buildings and real property (current law) that have not been previously reported on by the agency; (2) extend to 90 days (currently 60 days) the period during which written notice may be filed of intent to apply for property for use to assist the homeless; (3) direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to give a preference to applications that contain a certification that their proposal is consistent with the local Continuum of Care strategy for homeless assistance; and (4) make such Act inapplicable to buildings and property that are in a secured area for national defense purposes or that are inaccessible by road and can be reached only by crossing private property. Directs the Secretary of HUD: (1) to survey landholding agencies to determine whether the properties included in the last comprehensive list of properties published under such Act remain available for use to assist the homeless; and (2) to publish in the Federal Register a list of all such properties. Title VII: Miscellaneous - Provides that the authorities granted by this Act to Federal agency heads for real and personal property transactions and management shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any existing authorities. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) severability; and (2) judicial review.

Credit Watch Act of 2000

United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2000

Credit Watch Act 2000 - Amends the National Housing Act to direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to review, at least annually, the indicators of portfolio risk for insured single family mortgages originated or underwritten by each mortgagee, and compare such risk with comparable mortgages in the same area. Authorizes the Secretary, based upon such comparison, to terminate the approval of a mortgage as an unacceptable insurance risk. Sets forth termination procedures.

62 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the views recently expressed by the President of the European Central Bank, Wim Duisenberg, that if inflation continued to accelerate, Irish industry would price itself out of the market and first-time buyers would find themselves increasingly excluded from the housing market; his response to the views expressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18167/00]

Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 June 2000

62 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the views recently expressed by the President of the European Central Bank, Wim Duisenberg, that if inflation continued to accelerate, Irish industry would price itself out of the market and first-time buyers would find themselves increasingly excluded from the housing market; his response to the views expressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18167/00]

62 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the views recently expressed by the President of the European Central Bank, Wim Duisenberg, that if inflation continued to accelerate, Irish industry would price itself out of the market and first-time buyers would find themselves increasingly excluded from the housing market; his response to the views expressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18167/00]

Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 27 June 2000

62 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the views recently expressed by the President of the European Central Bank, Wim Duisenberg, that if inflation continued to accelerate, Irish industry would price itself out of the market and first-time buyers would find themselves increasingly excluded from the housing market; his response to the views expressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18167/00]

21st Century Law Enforcement and Public Safety Act

United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2000

21st Century Law Enforcement and Public Safety Act - Title I: Supporting Local Law Enforcement and Promoting Crime-Fighting Technologies - Expands the purpose of the COPS (public safety and community policing) program to increase the number of prosecutors as well as police. Authorizes grants for underserved rural areas of less than 25,000 people. Supports the creation or expansion of community-based justice programs. Extends the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act. Integrated Information Technology Assistance Act of 2000 - Authorizes grants and technical assistance to, or contracts with, public agencies, Indian tribal governments, private entities, and international agencies for the development, implementation, and improvement of justice information systems to achieve greater integration and improved information sharing among criminal justice agencies. Authorizes the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to expand the Combined DNA Identification System to include information from missing persons and criminal offenses and acts of juvenile delinquency committed under Federal law, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and the District of Columbia Code. Title II: Breaking the Cycle of Drugs and Violence - Subtitle A: Zero Tolerance Drug Supervision - Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants for programs that support: (1) developing and implementing comprehensive drug testing policies and practices with regard to criminal justice populations; and (2) establishing appropriate interventions to illegal drug use for offender populations. Reestablishes drug courts. Subtitle B: Anti-Drug Provisions - Requires the Secretary of Transportation to withhold funds from any State that has not enacted and is not enforcing a law that considers as intoxicated a driver with an alcohol concentration level of 0.08 percent or greater. Drug-Free Teenage Drivers Act - Directs the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to establish a demonstration program in several States to provide drug testing for all teenaged applicants (or other first time applicants) for a driver's license. Subtitle C: Anti-Drug and Organized Crime Money Laundering Act - Provides that for purposes of proving a violation of provisions involving an illegal money transmitting business, it shall be sufficient for the Government to prove that the defendant knew that the business lacked a license required by State law or failed to comply with money transmitting business registration requirements. Sets forth provisions regarding restraint of assets of persons arrested abroad and long-arm jurisdiction over foreign money launderers. Includes a foreign bank within the definition of "financial institution" for purposes of money laundering provisions. Expands the definition of "specified unlawful activity" to cover certain listed offenses, including, with respect to a financial transaction occurring in the United States, an offense against a foreign nation involving a crime of violence, fraud, bribery of a public official, smuggling or export control violations involving munitions, and an offense under which the United States would be obligated by a multilateral treaty either to extradite the alleged offender or to submit the case for prosecution if the offender were found within U.S. territory. Sets forth provisions regarding criminal forfeiture for money laundering, venue, bulk cash smuggling, and penalties for violations of geographic targeting orders and record-keeping requirements. Title III: Fighting Terrorism and International Crime - Subtitle A: Investigating and Punishing Violent Crimes Against U.S. Nationals Abroad - Prohibits: (1) extortion against U.S. nationals abroad in furtherance of organized crime; and (2) murder or serious assault of a State or local law enforcement, judicial, or other official abroad. Subtitle B: Strengthening the Air, Land and Sea Borders of the United States - Provides for the death penalty under specified circumstances involving violence committed along the U.S. border. Subtitle C: Denying Safe Haven to International Criminals - Provides for extradition for offenses not covered by a list treaty, or absent a treaty, under specified circumstances. Excludes from entry into the United States persons involved in international alien smuggling. Subtitle D: Seizing and Forfeiting the Assets of International Criminals - Authorizes the U.S. Customs Service to examine outbound mail for contraband. Provides for forfeiture of property used to violate Federal explosives laws. Subtitle E: Responding to Emerging International Crime Threats - Provides for U.S. jurisdiction over certain financial crimes committed abroad. Subtitle F: Promoting Global Cooperation in the Fight Against International Crime - Establishes procedures for execution of mutual legal assistance requests. Authorizes training of foreign law enforcement agencies for anti-terrorism purposes. Subtitle G: Streamlining the Investigation and Prosecution of International Crimes in U.S. Courts - Authorizes: (1) Federal reimbursement of State and local law enforcement agencies in international crime cases; and (2) granting safe conduct for foreign witnesses testifying in U.S. courts. Prohibits fugitives from benefitting from time served abroad. Authorizes the suspension of statutes of limitations for the collection of evidence located abroad. Subtitle H: Terrorism - Prohibits specified conduct with respect to biological agents, toxins, and delivery systems. Rail and Mass Transportation Anti-Terrorism and Violence Prevention Act of 2000 - Prohibits specified terrorist attacks and other acts of violence against railroad carriers and mass transportation systems. Title IV: Protecting Americans and Supporting Victims of Crime - Subtitle A: Violence Against Women - Reauthorizes certain Violence Against Women Act programs. Comprehensive Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2000 - Directs the Secretary of State to establish mechanisms to measure and evaluate global progress in reducing trafficking. Urges the President to promote economic opportunities for women and establish or expand interagency procedures to collect and organize data, including significant research and resource information on domestic and international trafficking in persons. Creates a new "T" non- immigrant visa classification for certain aliens possessing material information concerning unlawful activity. Authorizes assistance to victims of trafficking without regard to immigration status. Establishes new prohibitions against trafficking and criminal exploitation of workers and unlawful possession of documents in furtherance of trafficking, criminal worker exploitation, involuntary servitude, or peonage. Subtitle B: Children Exposed to Violence - Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to provide a sentencing enhancement for violent crimes committed in the presence of children. Subtitle C: Victims Assistance - Expands U.S. jurisdiction over child buying and selling offenses. Subtitle D: Health Care Fraud and Abuse - Directs the Sentencing Commission to study and report on health care fraud sentences. Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Prevention and Punishment Act of 2000 - Prescribes punishment and fines for engaging in a pattern of violations resulting in harm to residents of nursing homes and related facilities. Subtitle E: Consumer Fraud - Provides for the blocking or termination of service in cases of telemarketing scams. Subtitle F: Pension-Welfare and Labor-Management Racketeering Act - Prescribed fines and terms of imprisonment for: (1) fraud in relation to retirement arrangements; and (2) bribery and graft in connection with employee benefit plans. Provides for forfeiture for retirement offenses. Subtitle G: Environmental Crimes and Enforcement Act - Provides for reimbursement by a person convicted of Federal environmental crimes of State, local, or tribal government costs for assistance in Federal investigation and prosecution of such crimes. Establishes within the Environmental Protection Agency a State, local, and tribal environmental enforcement training program. Sets a five year statute of limitations for felony environmental crimes, with exceptions. Provides for environmental crime restitution or remediation. Subtitle H: Hate Crimes Prevention Act - Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2000 - Prescribes punishment to be imposed for certain acts of violence committed because of actual or perceived race, color, religion, or national origin of the victim. Title V: Strengthening Federal Criminal Laws to Combat Violent and White-Collar Crime - Subtitle A: Bolstering Federal Law to Fight Violent Crime and Apprehend Dangerous Fugitives - Authorizes the Attorney General to subpoena witnesses to produce records relevant to an investigation regarding apprehension of a fugitive. Subtitle B: Combatting Crime and Improving Operations in Correction Facilities - Increases penalties and expands jurisdiction for sexual abuse and contraband offenses in correctional facilities. Removes wiretap restrictions from prison communications. Subtitle C: Improvements in Federal Law Relating to White Collar Crime - Eliminates the proof of value requirement for felony theft or conversion of grand jury material. Provides for forfeiture of computers and other devices used for counterfeiting. Increases the maximum corporate penalty for antitrust violations. Subtitle D: Federal Law Enforcement Programs - Authorizes executive agencies, under certain circumstances, to pay extended assignment incentives for civil service positions in U.S. territories, commonwealths, or possessions. Subtitle E: Improvements to Federal Sentencing Laws - Rewrites provisions regarding credit for prior custody. Expands a provision allowing for release of non- dangerous offenders who have served at least 30 years in prison who are at least 70 years old.

American Community Renewal and New Markets Empowerment Act

United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2000

American Community Renewal and New Markets Empowerment Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, the National Housing Act, the Small Business Investment Act, the Public Health Service Act and other acts to provide incentives for low- and moderate-income community development. Provides for the designation of and tax incentives for renewal communities. Provides that the designations shall be based on degree of poverty. Provides a credit for computer donations to schools, senior centers, public libraries and other training centers located in a renewal community, empowerment zone, Indian reservation, or a defined low-income community. Provides for the designation of additional empowerment zones and increased empowerment zone tax incentives. Permits a religious organization to receive Federal funding through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Prohibits funding discrimination against such an organization so long as its program is implemented in a manner consistent with the Establishment Clause of the first amendment to the Constitution. Provides for the transfer of unoccupied and substandard HUD housing to local governments and community development corporations. Authorizes the licensing of community development entities as America's Private Investment Companies which shall promote community and economic development in low-income communities. Establishes a new markets tax credit with respect to specified qualified low-income community investments. Establishes a New Markets Capital Venture Program to encourage venture capital investment in smaller enterprises located in low- and moderate-income urban and rural areas. Provides for bond volume cap and low-income housing credit increases. Provides for the establishment of Individual Development Accounts and Individual Development Account Programs to provide for the accumulation of assets in low-income communities to used to promote education, homeownership, family, community, and business development. Requires the Federal Government, or a State or local government, to consider a religious organization's assistance program on the same basis as other nongovernmental organizations in the distribution of Federal funds so long as the religious organization's assistance program provides assistance in a manner consistent with the Establishment Clause of the first amendment to the Constitution.

HOUSING IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION

United Kingdom · UK Parliament · 20 June 2000

That this House believes that houses in multiple occupation provide an important source of housing for many vulnerable groups of people; notes that many of these properties are in poor condition, with up to 20 per cent. falling below the legal standard of fitness for human habitation; supports proposals to introduce a licensing scheme to improve conditions and increase value for money which would benefit tenants and responsible landlords alike; and hopes the Government will include legislation to implement these proposals in the next Queen's Speech.

Allan I. Mendelowitz, of Connecticut, to be a Director of the Federal Housing Finance Board for a term expiring February 27, 2007, vice Bruce A. Morrison, term expired.

United States · United States Senate · 16 June 2000

Affordable Housing for Seniors and Families Act

United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2000

Affordable Housing for Seniors and Families Act - Title I: Refinancing for Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, respecting projects assisted under section 202 (supportive housing for the elderly) of the Housing Act of 1959, to: (1) approve prepayment of indebtedness, including refinancing under specified conditions, provided the project sponsor continues to operate the project on terms at least as advantageous to tenants as required under the original agreement; and (2) upon refinancing, use at least 50 percent of the resultant savings in a manner that is advantageous to the tenants. Title II: Authorization of Appropriations for Supportive Housing for the Elderly and Persons With Disabilities - Amends the Housing Act of 1959 to authorize appropriations for supportive housing for the elderly. (Sec. 202) Amends the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act to authorize appropriations for supportive housing for persons with disabilities. (Sec. 203) Authorizes appropriations for: (1) grants for service coordinators for elderly and disabled residents of certain federally assisted multifamily housing; and (2) contracts for congregate services for certain federally assisted housing. Title III: Expanding Public Housing Opportunities for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities - Subtitle A: Housing for the Elderly - Amends the Housing Act of 1959, with respect to supportive services for the elderly, to establish a matching capital grant program. Provides for certain numbers of tenants who are elderly but not very low-income persons. (Sec. 302) Makes for-profit limited partnerships eligible program participants. (Sec. 303) Permits owners to use mixed funding sources for amenities and other design features. (Sec. 304) Expands acquisition authority. (Sec. 305) Authorizes low-income eligibility in supportive housing projects with high vacancy rates. (Sec. 306) Authorizes project reserves to be used to reduce the number of dwelling units by retrofitting unmarketable units. (Sec. 307) States that no provision of law shall be construed to prohibit commercial operations in a project location that benefits project residents. (Sec. 308) Directs the Secretary to carry out a pilot program for up to five projects to determine the effectiveness and feasibility of providing section 202 assistance for housing projects that are both for supportive services for the elderly and for other types of housing, including market rate housing. (Sec. 309) Amends the Housing Act of 1959 to authorize the Secretary to make grants for capital repairs of elderly housing projects or their conversion to assisted living facilities. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 310) Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to authorize the Secretary to make grants to public housing agencies for conversion of public housing for the elderly to assisted living facilities. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 311) Directs the Secretary to make an annual inventory of HUD and federally-assisted housing designated for elderly and disabled families. (Sec. 312) Directs the Secretary, in the case of denial of section 202 assistance for failure to provide timely information, to notify and provide opportunity for the applicant to show third party fault. Subtitle B: Housing for Persons with Disabilities - Amends the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act with respect to supportive housing for persons with disabilities to include among assistance forms a capital advance matching grants program. Provides for certain numbers of tenants who are disabled but not very low-income persons. (Sec. 322) Amends the Housing Act of 1959 to make certain for-profit limited partnerships eligible recipients under the supportive housing for persons with disabilities program. (Sec. 323) Amends the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act with respect to the supportive housing for persons with disabilities program to permit owners to use mixed funding sources for amenities and other design features. (Sec. 324) Provides that limited tenant-based assistance may be provided through a qualifying public housing agency or a private nonprofit organization. (Sec. 325) Authorizes project reserves to be used to reduce the number of dwelling units by retrofitting unmarketable units. (Sec. 326) States that no provision of law shall be construed to prohibit commercial operations in a project location that benefits project residents. Subtitle C: Other Provisions - Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 to permit service coordinator services to be provided to low-income or elderly persons living in the vicinity of specified federally assisted housing. Includes telemarketing fraud protection among the services provided to elderly residents of federally assisted housing and under the supportive housing program. Title IV: Preservation of Affordable Housing Stock - Directs the Secretary to make grants to States and localities for low-income housing preservation and promotion. Title V: Mortgage Insurance for Health Care Facilities and Home Equity Conversion Mortgages - Amends the National Housing Act to authorize mortgage insurance for debt refinancing of existing health care facilities. Permits hospital, home, or facility refinancing to prepay a loan that is within five years of maturity. Permits use of refinancing proceeds for related maintenance and equipment. (Sec. 502) Includes within the definition of "assisted living facility" certain unlicenced facilities. Defines "integrated service facility." (Sec. 503) Revises hospital mortgage insurance provisions. (Sec. 504) Authorizes the Secretary to insure refinancing of home equity conversion mortgages.

Elderly Housing Plus Health Support Demonstration Act

United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2000

Elderly Housing Plus Health Support Demonstration Act - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to carry out an elderly housing plus health support demonstration program to provide elderly and disabled families in public housing with supportive and congregate services, and housing rehabilitation. Sets forth public housing authority (PHA) selection provisions. Authorizes appropriations for capital improvements Directs the Secretary to provide PHA grants under the Housing Act of 1937 for service coordinator and congregate services. Authorizes appropriations.

Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4635) 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, 2001, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2000

Sets forth the rule (open) for the consideration of H.R. 4635 (Departments of Veterans Affairs and of Housing and Urban Development and independent agencies appropriations).

COUNCIL HOUSING

United Kingdom · UK Parliament · 12 June 2000

That this House views with alarm the Government's refusal to either fund or allow local authorities to borrow directly to invest in repairing council housing, the Housing Green Paper's aim to transfer 200,000 homes per year over 10 years, the support for PFI, even though it is an expensive way of financing public services, the terms attached to the 'arms-length housing companies' that make them unavailable to all but a handful of authorities and suggest that they will be so 'arms length' as to be effectively privatised, support for 'market forces' that will cause real financial hardship as council rents rise and the amount of money being spent by local authorities to win transfer ballots without equal resources to opponents preventing a fair debate; notes that the Government has recognised the injustice of this but had not yet stopped this tax or returned the money to fund housing repairs; believes that the experience of 'market forces' in housing has caused immense misery and poverty and necessitated that the provision of decent, affordable, secure and accountable housing be an essential component of the comprehensive welfare state and that this policy should be defended today; and resolves to join with council tenants, local authority trade unionists and others to ensure that further privatisation of council housing is halted to allow a proper debate including allowing local authorities to borrow directly and the long-term cost and other consequences of council housing privatisation.

Department of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001

United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2000

Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 - Makes appropriations for FY 2001 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) departmental administration; (8) the National Cemetery Administration; (9) the Office of Inspector General; (10) construction; (11) the parking revolving fund; and (12) 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. (Sec. 112) Repeals a provision of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 that makes inapplicable a certain requirement that veterans' benefits be paid on the Friday immediately preceding a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday in the case of benefit payments otherwise payable on Sunday, October 1, 2000. 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) the Office of Rural Housing and Economic Development; (9) the community development fund; (10) brownfields redevelopment; (11) the HOME investment partnerships program; (12) homeless assistance grants; (13) housing for special populations; (14) the Federal Housing Administration; (15) the Government National Mortgage Association; (16) housing policy development and research; (17) fair housing activities; (18) the Lead Hazard Reduction Program; (19) management and administration; (20) the Office of Inspector General; and (21) 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. 203) Requires the Secretary of HUD, from amounts made available under this title for FY 2001 for housing opportunities for persons with AIDS, to make a grant for any State that: (1) received an allocation in a prior fiscal year due to having a specified number of AIDS cases outside of a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) with a population exceeding 500,000; and (2) is not otherwise eligible for a FY 2001 allocation because the areas outside the MSAs that qualify for funding do not have the number of AIDS cases required. (Sec. 206) Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to require the Secretary of HUD to establish criteria setting forth requirements for treatment of areas as difficult utilization areas with respect to Section 8 vouchers under low-income housing provisions. Authorizes public housing agencies that serve such areas to: (1) increase the payment standard applicable to the area for any size of dwelling unit to up to 150 percent of the fair market rental for the same size of unit in the same market area; and (2) use amounts provided for Section 8 assistance to make payments or provide services to assist families issued such vouchers to lease suitable housing, with a specified cost limitation. 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 Appeals for Veterans Claims; (7) the Department of Defense for Army cemeterial expenses; (8) the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences for carrying out specified activities under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA); and (9) the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry for carrying out specified activities under CERCLA, the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, and the Solid Waste Disposal Act. Appropriates funds for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 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. Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to extend through FY 2001: (1) a certain ceiling on obligations issued under the national flood insurance program; and (2) the authorization of appropriations for certain studies. Makes appropriations for: (1) the General Services Administration for the Federal Consumer Information Center; (2) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 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 Congress that equipment and products purchased with funds made available in this Act should be American-made. (Sec. 421) Prohibits the obligation or expenditure of any of the funds provided in title II of this Act for technical assistance, training, or management improvements unless HUD provides a description of each proposed activity and a detailed budget estimate of costs as part of the budget justifications to the Appropriations Committees. (Sec. 425) Bars the obligation or expenditure of funds provided in title III of this Act to support joint research programs between the Air Force and NASA, specifically the activities of the AF-NASA Council on Aeronautics and the AFSPC-NRO-NASA Partnership Council.

A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the Senate should participate in and support activities to provide decent homes for the people of the United States, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2000

Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) everyone in the United States should have a decent home; (2) Members of the Senate should demonstrate the importance of volunteerism; and (3) Members of the Senate and contributing organizations should sponsor and construct two homes in the District of Columbia, each of which to be known as a "House That the Senate Built."

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001

United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2000

Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 - Makes appropriations for FY 2001 for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and related agencies. Title I: Department of Labor - Department of Labor Appropriations Act, 2001 - Makes appropriations for FY 2001 to the Department of Labor for: (1) training and employment services; (2) community service employment for older Americans; (3) Federal unemployment benefits and allowances; (4) State unemployment insurance and employment service operations; (5) advances to the Unemployment Trust Fund and other trust funds; (6) employment and training program administration; (7) the Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation; (8) the Employment Standards Administration; (9) certain special benefits; (10) the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund; (11) the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); (12) the Mine Safety and Health Administration; (13) the Bureau of Labor Statistics; (14) departmental management; (15) the Assistant Secretary for Veterans Employment and Training; and (16) the Office of Inspector General. Sets forth authorized uses of, and limitations on, funds appropriated under this title. (Sec. 103) Prohibits the use of funds available in this Act by OSHA to promulgate or enforce any proposed, temporary, or final standard on ergonomic protection. Title II: Department of Health and Human Services - Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Act, 2001 - Makes appropriations for FY 2001 to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for: (1) the Health Resources and Services Administration; (2) health education assistance loans; (3) the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Trust Fund; (4) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; (5) the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including amounts for the John E. Fogarty International Center, the National Library of Medicine, the Office of the Director, and buildings and facilities; (6) the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; (7) the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; (8) the Health Care Financing Administration for grants to States for Medicaid, payments to health care trust funds, and program management; (9) the Health Maintenance Organization Loan and Loan Guarantee Fund; (10) the Administration for Children and Families for child support enforcement and family support programs; (11) low income home energy assistance; (12) refugee and entrant assistance; (13) the child care and development block grant; (14) the social services block grant; (15) children and families services programs; (16) promoting safe and stable families pursuant to a specified provision of the Social Security Act; (17) payments to States for foster care and adoption assistance; (18) the Administration on Aging; (19) the Office of the Secretary for general departmental management; (20) the Office of Inspector General; (21) the Office for Civil Rights; (22) policy research; (23) retirement pay and medical benefits for Public Health Service commissioned officers; and (24) the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund. Rescinds FY 2001 funds for a sample study of child welfare. Sets forth authorized uses of, and limitations on, funds appropriated under this title. (Sec. 209) Prohibits funds appropriated in this Act from being made available under title X (population research and voluntary family planning) of the Public Health Service Act unless the award applicant certifies to the Secretary of HHS that it encourages family participation in the decision of minors to seek family planning services and provides counseling to minors on resisting attempts to coerce them into engaging in sexual activities. (Sec. 210) Prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to carry out the Medicare+Choice program if the Secretary of HHS denies participation in such program to an otherwise eligible entity (including a Provider Sponsored Organization) because the entity informs the Secretary that it will not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or provide referrals for abortions. (Sec. 211) Requires allotments for States for substance abuse prevention and treatment under the Public Health Service Act to be no less than the amount a State received for such purposes for FY 2000 increased by 33.33 percent of the percentage by which the amount allotted to the States for FY 2001 exceeds the amount allotted for FY 2000. (Sec. 213) Prohibits funds in any Act from being used to obligate funds for NIH in excess of the total amount identified for NIH for FY 2001 in the President's budget request. Bars funds made available for each institute, center, office, or buildings and facilities from being reduced below the amounts shown in the budget request column of the table printed in the report accompanying the bill making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, HHS, Education, and related agencies for FY 2001. Title III: Department of Education - Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2001 - Makes appropriations for FY 2001 to the Department of Education for: (1) education reform; (2) education for the disadvantaged; (3) impact aid; (4) school improvement activities; (5) reading excellence; (6) Indian education; (7) bilingual and immigrant education; (8) special education; (9) rehabilitation services and disability research; (10) special institutions for persons with disabilities, including the American Printing House for the Blind, the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School, the Model Secondary School for the Deaf, and Gallaudet University; (11) vocational and adult education; (12) student financial assistance; (13) the Federal Family Education Loan program account; (14) higher education; (15) Howard University; (16) the college housing and academic facilities loans program; (17) the historically Black college and university capital financing program account; (18) education research, statistics, and improvement; (19) departmental management; (20) the Office for Civil Rights; and (21) the Office of the Inspector General. Sets forth authorized uses of, and limitations on, funds appropriated under this title. (Sec. 301) Prohibits funds appropriated in this Act from being used to: (1) transport teachers or students in order to overcome racial imbalance in any school or to carry out a racial desegregation plan; or (2) prevent the implementation of programs of voluntary prayer and meditation in public schools. (Sec. 304) Bars the use of funds made available under title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to a local educational agency or elementary or secondary school to purchase computers used to access the Internet, or pay direct costs of accessing the Internet, unless the agency or school has in place technology on such computers which filters material that is obscene or hurtful to minors and child pornography. (Sec. 305) Prohibits the use of funds made available in this Act to carry out activities related to any federally sponsored national test in reading, mathematics, or any other subject that is not specifically and explicitly provided for in authorizing legislation enacted into law, with exceptions for specified international comparative assessments administered only to a representative sample of pupils in the United States and foreign nations. Title IV: Related Agencies - Makes appropriations for FY 2001 to the: (1) Armed Forces Retirement Home; (2) Corporation for National and Community Service; (3) Corporation for Public Broadcasting; (4) Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service; (5) Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission; (6) Office of Library Services; (7) Medicare Payment Advisory Commission; (8) National Commission on Libraries and Information Science; (9) National Council on Disability; (10) National Labor Relations Board; (11) National Mediation Board; (12) Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission; (13) Railroad Retirement Board for the dual benefits payments account, Federal payments to the railroad retirement accounts, administration, and the Office of Inspector General; (14) Social Security Administration for payments to the social security trust funds, special benefits for disabled coal miners, the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program, administrative expenses, and the Office of Inspector General; and (15) U.S. Institute of Peace. Sets forth authorized uses of, and limitations on, funds appropriated under this title. Title V: General Provisions - Sets forth authorized uses of, and limitations on, funds appropriated under this Act. (Sec. 505) Prohibits the use of funds appropriated under this Act for programs to distribute sterile needles or syringes for the injection of illegal drugs. (Sec. 506) Sets forth Buy American requirements. (Sec. 508) Prohibits funds appropriated under this Act from being expended for abortions or for health benefits coverage that includes coverage of abortion, except in cases where the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest or where a woman suffers from a physical condition that would, as certified by a physician, place her in danger of death unless an abortion is performed. (Sec. 510) Prohibits the use of funds made available in this Act for: (1) the creation of a human embryo for research purposes; or (2) research in which a human embryo is destroyed or knowingly subjected to risk of injury or death greater than that allowed for research on fetuses in utero under Federal regulations and the Public Health Service Act. (Sec. 511) Prohibits the use of funds made available in this Act for activities to promote the legalization of a controlled substance unless there is significant medical evidence of a therapeutic advantage to the use of such substance or that federally-sponsored trials are being conducted to determine such advantage. (Sec. 514) Repeals a provision of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 that designates the delivery date for SSI benefit payments under the Social Security Act for October 2000. (Sec. 516) Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act to limit the amount of the FY 2001 State TANF supplemental grant for population increases in certain States to the amount of such grant for FY 1998. (Sec. 517) Amends the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act to apply a certain schedule for the delivery of SSI supplementation payments to months after September 2001 (currently, 2009).

Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2001

United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2000

Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2001 - Title I: Military Personnel - Appropriates funds for FY 2001 for active-duty and reserve personnel in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force and for National Guard personnel in the Army and Air Force. Title II: Operation and Maintenance - Appropriates funds for FY 2001 for operation and maintenance of the Army, Navy, and Air Force (including a transfer of funds in each case), the Marine Corps, the defense agencies (including a transfer of funds), the reserve components, and the Army and Air National Guards. Appropriates funds for: (1) the Overseas Contingency Operations Transfer Fund (including a transfer of funds); (2) the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces; (3) environmental restoration for the Army, Navy, and Air Force and defense-wide (including a transfer of funds in each case); (4) environmental restoration at formerly used defense sites (including a transfer of funds); (5) overseas humanitarian, disaster, and civic aid; (6) former Soviet Union threat reduction; and (7) quality of life enhancements, defense. Title III: Procurement - Appropriates funds for FY 2001 for procurement by the armed forces and reserve components of aircraft, missiles, weapons, tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, and shipbuilding and conversion and for other procurement. Appropriates funds for: (1) defense-wide procurement; and (2) certain procurements under the Defense Production Act of 1950. Title IV: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation - Appropriates funds for FY 2001 for research, development, test, and evaluation by the armed forces and defense agencies. Appropriates funds for the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation. Title V: Revolving and Management Funds - Appropriates funds for the Defense Working Capital funds and programs under the National Defense Sealift Fund. Title VI: Other Department of Defense Programs - Appropriates funds for: (1) Department of Defense (DOD) medical and health care programs; (2) the destruction of lethal chemical agents and munitions; (3) drug interdiction and counter-drug activities, defense (including a transfer of funds); and (4) the Office of the Inspector General. Title VII: Related Agencies - Appropriates funds for: (1) the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System Fund; (2) the Intelligence Community Management Account (including a transfer of funds); (3) payment to the Kaho'olawe Island Conveyance, Remediation, and Environmental Restoration Fund; and (4) national security scholarships, fellowships, and grants (using funds derived from the National Security Education Trust Fund). Title VIII: General Provisions - Specifies authorized, restricted, and prohibited uses of appropriated funds. (Sec. 8008) Authorizes procurement funds to be used for multiyear procurement contracts for the M2A3 Bradley fighting vehicle, the DDG-51 destroyer, and UH-60/CH-60 aircraft. (Sec. 8010) Prohibits during FY 2001 the management by end strengths of DOD civilian personnel. (Sec. 8019) Authorizes the Secretary of Defense (Secretary) to establish, with host governments of NATO-member countries, an account for the deposit of residual amounts negotiated in the return of U.S. military installations to such countries. (Sec. 8030) Authorizes DOD to incur obligations of up to $350 million for DOD military personnel compensation, military construction projects, and supplies and services in anticipation of receipts of contributions from the Government of Kuwait. (Sec. 8031) Prohibits the use of funds from this Act to establish a new DOD federally funded research and development center (FFRDC). Limits the Federal compensation to be paid to FFRDC members or consultants. Prohibits the use of FY 2001 FFRDC funds for new building construction, cost-sharing payments for projects funded by Government grants, absorption of cost overruns, or certain charitable contributions. Limits the staff years of technical effort that may be funded for FFRDCs from FY 2001 funds. (Sec. 8032) Provides Buy American requirements with respect to the DOD procurement of carbon, alloy, or armor steel plating. (Sec. 8035) Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on the amount of DOD purchases from foreign entities in FY 2001. (Sec. 8038) Directs the President to include within each fiscal year budget the amounts requested for administrative activities of DOD, the military departments, and the defense agencies. (Sec. 8046) Earmarks funds appropriated under this Act for the mitigation of adverse environmental impacts on Indian lands resulting from DOD activities. (Sec. 8049) Prohibits the use of funds: (1) by a DOD entity without compliance with the Buy American Act; (2) to establish additional field operating agencies of DOD elements or to hire additional personnel for such agencies, except for those funded within the National Foreign Intelligence Program; (3) for assistance to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea unless specifically appropriated for such purpose; (4) to reduce the civilian medical and medical support personnel assigned to military treatment facilities below the September 30, 2000, level; and (5) to transport chemical munitions to the Johnston Atoll for storage or demilitarization (with an exception and an authorized wartime waiver by the President). (Sec. 8053) Authorizes DOD to lease real and personal property at the Adak Naval Air Facility, Alaska. (Sec. 8054) Rescinds specified funds from various accounts under prior defense appropriations Acts. (Sec. 8061) Prohibits the transfer to any other department or agency, except as specifically provided in an appropriations law, of funds available to DOD or the Central Intelligence Agency for drug interdiction and counter-drug activities. (Sec. 8069) Directs the Secretary to report quarterly to specified congressional committees on all costs incurred by DOD during the preceding quarter in implementing or supporting United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions. (Sec. 8070) Prohibits current fiscal year DOD funds from being obligated or expended to transfer to another nation or international organization defense articles or services for use in any UN peacekeeping or peace enforcement operation, or for any other international peacekeeping, peace enforcement, or humanitarian assistance operation, unless specified congressional committees are given 15 days' advance notice. (Sec. 8071) Authorizes the Secretary, to the extent authorized by law, to issue loan guarantees in support of U.S. defense exports not otherwise provided for, with a contingent liability limit of $15 billion. Requires quarterly reports to specified congressional committees on such loan guarantees. (Sec. 8078) Directs the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) to submit to the defense committees a report identifying any activity for which the FY 2002 budget request was reduced because Congress appropriated funds above the President's budget request for that activity for FY 2001. (Sec. 8080) Authorizes the Secretary, during the current fiscal year, to waive reimbursement of certain educational costs of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies for military officers and civilian officials of foreign nations if determined to be in the national security interest. (Sec. 8081) Authorizes the Chief of the National Guard Bureau to permit the use of equipment of the National Guard Distance Learning Project on a space-available, reimbursable basis. (Sec. 8085) Reduces by $800 million the total amount appropriated in this Act, to reflect working capital fund cash balance and rate stabilization adjustments. (Sec. 8086) Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for approving the license or sale of the F-22 advanced tactical aircraft to any foreign government. (Sec. 8087) Authorizes the Secretary, on a case-by-case basis, to waive limitations on the procurement of defense items from a foreign country if: (1) the Secretary determines that such limitations would invalidate cooperative or reciprocal trade agreements for the procurement of defense items; and (2) such country does not discriminate against the same or similar defense items procured in the United States for that country. Provides exceptions. (Sec. 8091) Prohibits the use of appropriated funds to support a unit of the security forces of a foreign country if credible information exists that such unit has committed a gross violation of human rights, unless all necessary corrective steps have been taken. Requires the monitoring of such information. Authorizes the Secretary to waive such prohibition under extraordinary circumstances (requiring a report to the defense committees on any such waiver). (Sec. 8092) Reduces the total amount appropriated in this Act by 537.6 million, to reflect savings from favorable foreign currency fluctuations. (Sec. 8094) Earmarks funds from this Act to maintain an attrition reserve force of 23 B-52 aircraft. (Sec. 8098) Provides for the crediting during the current fiscal year of certain refunds attributable to the use of Government travel cards and the Government Purchase Card. (Sec. 8099) Prohibits appropriated funds from being used for a mission critical or mission essential information technology system that is not registered with the DOD Chief Information Officer. Prohibits such a system from receiving a Milestone I, II, or III approval until such Officer provides written certification to the defense committees that the system is being developed in accordance with certain requirements under the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1966. Requires certain other information to be included in such certification. (Sec. 8101) Prohibits appropriated funds from being used to transfer to any nongovernmental entity specified armor-piercing ammunition, except to an entity performing demilitarization services for DOD. (Sec. 8102) Authorizes the Chief of the National Guard to waive payment for the lease of non-excess DOD personal property to certain youth, social, or fraternal non-profit organizations. (Sec. 8105) Authorizes the Secretary of the Air Force to convey to Indian tribes in North and South Dakota, Montana, and Minnesota excess relocatable military housing units located at Grand Forks and Minot Air Force Bases. (Sec. 8109) Reduces the total amount appropriated in this Act by $463.4 million, to reflect stabilization of the balance available in the Foreign Currency Fluctuation, Defense account. (Sec. 8111) Requires a report from the Secretary to the defense committees on work-related illnesses in the DOD workforce resulting from exposure to beryllium or beryllium alloys. (Sec. 8115) Requires a specified certification from the Secretary of the Army to the defense committees prior to the procurement of a second brigade set of Interim Armored Vehicles (also known as the Family of Medium Armored Vehicles). Requires a report from such Secretary to such committees with respect to that program. Directs the JCS Chairman to report to such committees on the joint warfighting requirements to be met by the Army new medium brigades. (Sec. 8116) Requires certain testing and certifications by the Secretary prior to the availability of funds to award a full funding contract for low-rate initial production for the F-22 aircraft program. Limits the total amount available for F-22 engineering and manufacturing development and production costs. (Sec. 8118) Directs the Secretary to report to the defense committees on the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft program, especially with regard to program changes or modifications. Requires a second report on the acquisition plan for such program. Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for engineering and manufacturing development for such program until the later of: (1) June 21, 2000, and the submission of the above reports; or (2) a certain certification from the Secretary regarding full funding for such program in the future-years DOD budget.

14 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the recent comments made by a person (details supplied) that the price of housing is now the main financial obstacle to Irish emigrants returning to the State to work; the steps he intends to take to deal with this situation, in view of the implications for the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14664/00]

Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 25 May 2000

14 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the recent comments made by a person (details supplied) that the price of housing is now the main financial obstacle to Irish emigrants returning to the State to work; the steps he intends to take to deal with this situation, in view of the implications for the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14664/00]

13 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the main findings of the survey undertaken by his Department of the number of unfinished housing estates; the potential cost to local authorities of completing the estates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14672/00]

Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 25 May 2000

13 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the main findings of the survey undertaken by his Department of the number of unfinished housing estates; the potential cost to local authorities of completing the estates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14672/00]

12 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the specific steps he proposes to take to meet the commitments in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness in regard to social and affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14678/00]

Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 25 May 2000

12 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the specific steps he proposes to take to meet the commitments in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness in regard to social and affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14678/00]

10 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government when the housing forum promised in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness will be established; the terms of reference of the proposed forum; the proposed membership; when it is expected to report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14676/00]

Ireland · Dáil Éireann · 25 May 2000

10 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government when the housing forum promised in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness will be established; the terms of reference of the proposed forum; the proposed membership; when it is expected to report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14676/00]