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Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 202 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 1994
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) should be a high priority; (2) all FY 1995 appropriations made for LIHEAP should be expended; and (3) LIHEAP expenditures for FY 1996 should ensure the provision of services at or above the level provided in FY 1995.
Bill· SS. 1829 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 February 1994
Small Investors Tax Relief Act of 1994 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide a partial exclusion of dividends or interest received by an individual. Requires indexing of certain assets (corporate stock, certain tangible property, and a principal residence) that have been held for more than one year at the time of sale or other transfer, solely for the purpose of determining gain or loss. Reduces the capital gains tax for individuals. Allows as a capital gains deduction an amount equal to the lesser of: (1) the net capital gain; or (2) $50,000 ($100,000 in the case of a joint return).
Bill· SS. 1824 (103rd)open
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 1994
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Reform of the Senate Title II: Reform of the House of Representatives Title III: Reform of the Congress Subtitle A: Budget Process Subtitle B: Staffing; Administration; and Support Agencies Subtitle C: Abolishing the Joint Committees Subtitle D: Legislative and Executive Relations Title IV: Effective Date Legislative Reorganization Act of 1994 - Title I: Reform of the Senate - Amends rule XXIV of the Standing Rules of the Senate to require appointments to standing and all other committees to be made by the majority and minority leader for each member of their respective parties, subject to any rules adopted by the respective party caucuses. (Sec. 102) Amends rule XXV to revise the structure of the standing, special, and select committees of the Senate (leaving their assignment undesignated). Lists the committees as: (1) Appropriations; (2) Armed Services; (3) Finance; (4) Foreign Relations; (5) Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; (6) Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; (7) Commerce, Science, and Transportation; (8) Energy and Natural Resources; (9) Environment and Public Works; (10) Governmental Affairs; (11) Judiciary; (12) Labor and Human Resources; (13) Aging; (14) Budget; (15) Indian Affairs; (16) Rules and Administration; (17) Small Business; (18) Veterans' Affairs; (19) Ethics; and (20) Intelligence. Modifies the number of: (1) committees and subcommittees on which a Senator may serve as a member or as the chairperson; and (2) subcommittees a committee may establish. Waives these limitations upon the adoption by an affirmative yea and nay vote of a privileged resolution (without an amendment) offered by the majority leader with the minority leader's approval that designates the Senator or Senators receiving the waiver. Limits the debate on the resolution to one hour equally divided. Requires: (1) the majority and minority leaders to notify the chairman of the Committee on Rules and Administration within 30 days after the convening of a Congress if the number of majority and minority members of a Senate committee for such Congress each fall below 50 percent of the number of such members serving on the committee at the end of the 102d Congress; (2) the Committee to report a resolution to the Senate abolishing such committee after receiving the notice; and (3) the majority and minority leaders to adjust the membership of other committees to provide for members of the abolished committee. (Sec. 103) Amends rule XXVI to designate Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday for committee and subcommittee meetings and hearings. Prohibits a subcommittee from meeting at the time its committee is meeting. Requires the consent of the majority and minority leaders before the committee or its subcommittee can conduct business on a day other than the day designated by this Act. (Sec. 104) Prohibits a proxy vote from being cast by a member of any committee if it effects the result of the vote. (Sec. 105) Requires each Senate committee chairman to publish semi-annually in the Congressional Record the committee attendance and voting records of each member of the committee. (Sec. 106) Amends rule XXII to require an affirmative three-fifths vote for post-cloture appeals from the decision of the Presiding Officer, except on a measure or motion to amend the Senate rules, in which case a necessary affirmative vote shall be two-thirds of the Senators present and voting. Amends rule VIII to limit debate to two hours on a motion to proceed to the consideration of a measure made by the majority leader or his designee after the first two hours of a new legislative day. Makes a motion to proceed to any motion, resolution, or proposal to change any of the Standing Rules of the Senate debatable without this limitation. Amends rule XXII to charge the time consumed by a quorum call to the Senator who requested it under cloture. Amends rule XXVIII to dispense with the reading of a conference report (if such report is printed and available one day prior to the motion to consider) before determining a question of proceeding to its consideration. Amends rule XV to prohibit (on a point of order made by any Senator) an amendment expressing the sense of the Senate or the sense of the Congress, or an amendment thereto, from being received unless the amendment is signed by at least ten Senators. (Sec. 107) Directs the Secretary of the Senate: (1) by January 1, 1995, and each year thereafter through 1998, to certify and publish in the Congressional Record a list identifying each Senator who has used less than the amount allocated to his or her personal office during the preceding fiscal year and the amount of such unused allocation; and (2) by January 1, 1999, and each year thereafter, to notify each Senator of the difference between the total obligations incurred by his or her personal office and the allocations for administrative expenses, legislative assistants, and clerk hire available to the Member for the preceding fiscal year. Authorizes the Member to direct the Secretary to submit a rescission request for such amount from unobligated balances for that fiscal year. Requires the Senate committees to include a plan to reduce the disparity between appropriations and allocations to Members when they conduct the performance review required by this Act. Title II: Reform of the House of Representatives - (Bill text to be supplied at a later date.) Title III: Reform of the Congress - Subtitle A: Budget Process - Amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to revise the Federal and congressional budget processes by establishing a two-year budgeting and appropriations cycle and timetable. Defines the budget biennium as the two consecutive fiscal years beginning on October 1 of any odd-numbered year. Devotes the first session of any Congress to the budget resolution and to appropriations decisions, retaining current deadlines in most cases. Changes certain deadlines to conform to the biennial scheme. Devotes each second session to authorization activity, subject to specified deadlines. Conforms provisions governing the President's budget to the biennial framework. Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to conform to the biennial framework. Prohibits the House or Senate from considering any legislation that authorizes appropriations for a period of less than two fiscal years, unless the activity for which the funds are to be spent is of less than two years duration. Requires the Congressional Budget Office to make quarterly budget reports to the House and Senate Committees on the Budget. Provides for permanently extending the rule on extraneous matter in reconciliation legislation and applies such rule to conference reports. Directs the Comptroller General to give priority to congressional requests for audits and evaluations of Government programs and activities during the second session of each Congress. Subtitle B: Staffing; Administration; and Support Agencies - Requires the Senate Committees on Rules and Administration and Appropriations and the appropriate House committees or task force to submit to the leadership of their respective Houses a performance review together with any necessary implementing legislation to achieve efficiencies, economies, and reductions in the total number of full time equivalent (FTE) positions in the legislative branch comparable to those proposed and implemented for the executive branch in the President's National Performance Review. Requires the reductions to be made from a base of the total number of FTEs in the legislative branch on the date of introduction of S.Con. Res. 57 (102d Congress, 1st Session), establishing the Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress. (Sec. 332) Requires the following entities to be authorized by the enactment every eighth year of an Act to authorize appropriations for that office for the next eight fiscal years: (1) the General Accounting Office (GAO) beginning with FY 1997; (2) the Library of Congress (LOC) beginning with FY 1999; (3) the Government Printing Office (GPO) beginning with FY 2001; and (4) the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) beginning with FY 2003. Vests jurisdiction over the required authorizations in the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and the appropriate House committee. Requires each instrumentality of the Congress providing support to the Congress to prepare an annual report by December 31 detailing the cost to the instrumentality of providing support to each Senate committee and Senator. Requires the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and the appropriate House committee to study and report to their respective Houses concerning the feasibility of establishing a voucher allocation system for committees using the services of such instrumentalities. Repeals provisions authorizing appropriations for GAO, CBO, LOC, GPO, and OTA. (Sec. 333) Requires the cost of the service on detail to a congressional committee or the personal office of a Member of Congress of a person who is regularly employed by an instrumentality of the Congress (GAO, CBO, LOC, GPO, or OTA) or an executive agency to be fully reimbursed to the instrumentality or agency by the committee or personal office that receives the service. Subtitle C: Abolishing the Joint Committees - Part I: Joint Economic Committee - Abolishes the Joint Economic Committee and transfers its responsibility to the Senate Budget Committee and the appropriate House committee to review the President's Economic Report. Part II: Joint Committee on Taxation - Abolishes the Joint Committee on Taxation. Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to: (1) require CBO to provide technical guidance to the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Ways and Means with respect to taxation and tax legislation; and (2) perform the responsibilities formerly assigned to the abolished Joint Committee. Requires the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and the appropriate House committee to report to the Congress a plan for the transfer of the Joint Committee's responsibilities and staff. Part III: Joint Committee on the Library of Congress - Abolishes the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress. Transfers the responsibilities of the Joint Committee to the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and the appropriate House committee. Part IV: Joint Committee on Printing - Repeals provisions of Federal law establishing the Joint Committee on Printing. Transfers all duties, authorities, responsibilities, and functions of the Joint Committee to the Public Printer except that the Committee's legislative oversight shall be performed by the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and the Committee on House Administration. (Sec. 372) Revises provisions of Federal law to abolish the position of Deputy Public Printer. Requires the President to nominate and, by and with the consent of the Senate, appoint a Legislative Deputy Public Printer (who shall also serve as the Superintendent of Documents for no additional compensation), an Executive Deputy Public Printer, and a Judicial Deputy Public Printer. Requires all GPO duties relating to the legislative, executive, and judicial branch to be performed by the appropriate Deputy Public Printer. (Sec. 373) Requires the Public Printer to include in the annual business-type budget program for the operations under the GPO revolving fund a report on: (1) the printing costs of each branch of the Government; (2) a cost comparison of specified Government publications; and (3) the cost of all authorized individual printing orders. (Sec. 375) Authorizes an executive department or agency to order individual printing orders if the cost is not more than $1,500 and the work is printed by any executive department or agency or the work is printed under a contract by a non-Federal commercial source. Requires any Federal officer who orders or contracts for an individual printing order to require the printing to deliver a sufficient number of any document printed under such order or contract to the Superintendent of Documents for inclusion in the depository program. (Sec. 376) Requires each Federal department and agency to submit by November 1 of each year to the Public Printer a report of its cost of publishing Government publications in the preceding fiscal year. Exempts GPO and publications published under contract with a non-Federal commercial source. Subtitle D: Legislative and Executive Relations - Makes it the responsibility of each standing congressional committee: (1) by March 1 in the first session of each Congress to submit Committee Review Agendas that list the discretionary programs, entitlement programs, and tax expenditures under the committee's jurisdiction which it intends to review during that Congress and three Congresses thereafter; (2) coordinate with other congressional committees having jurisdiction over related programs; (3) prepare a separate section in its oversight agenda that summarizes what actions and recommendations occurred with respect to implementing the agenda for that Congress; (4) transmit its oversight agenda to the Committee on House Administration and the Committee on Rules and Administration for consideration during the committee funding process; and (5) adopt legislative procedures to assure that any recommendation proposed by the appropriate standing committee is considered by the full Senate or House of Representatives. Requires each congressional committee to hold hearings during each Congress to review appropriate reports relating to executive agency activities over which the Committee has oversight responsibility, including reports of the Inspector General, the GAO, and agency audits. (Sec. 382) Provides that any law requiring an executive agency to report to the Congress shall be effective for not longer than five years. Title IV: Effective Date - Makes this Act effective January 1, 1995, and applicable to bienniums beginning after FY 1995.
Bill· SS. 1826 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 1994
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Rescissions of Fiscal Year 1994 Spending Subtitle A: Agriculture Subtitle B: National Defense Subtitle C: Foreign Relations and Intelligence Subtitle D: Government Employees and Government Operations Subtitle E: Energy and Commerce Title II: Permanent Program Changes for Fiscal Years After 1994 Subtitle A: Agriculture Subtitle B: National Defense Subtitle C: Foreign Relations and Intelligence Subtitle D: Government Employees and Government Operations Subtitle E: Energy and Commerce Deficit Reduction Act of 1994 - Title I: Rescissions of Fiscal Year 1994 Spending - Subtitle A: Agriculture - Rescinds FY 1994 appropriations made available to the Department of Agriculture. Subtitle B: National Defense - Rescinds FY 1994 appropriations made available for nuclear weapons activities, the Selective Service System, the D5 (Trident II) Missile Program, the Follow-On Early Warning System Program, the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization Programs, armed forces recruiting activities, the Titan IV missile launch systems, and the National Aerospace Plane Program. Subtitle C: Foreign Relations and Intelligence - Rescinds FY 1994 appropriations made available for intelligence activities, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and foreign military financing grants. Subtitle D: Government Employees and Government Operations - Rescinds FY 1994 appropriations made available for Senior Executive Service accrued leave upon termination of employment, the acquisition of new Federal buildings, and the Federal Information Center. Subtitle E: Energy and Commerce - Rescinds FY 1994 appropriations made available for the Superconducting Super Collider, the Tennessee Valley Authority Fertilizer Program, the United States Space Station Freedom Program, the modular High-Temperature Gas Reactor Program, and the Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor Program. Title II: Permanent Program Changes for Fiscal Years After 1994 - Subtitle A: Agriculture - Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949 to require producers under an acreage limitation program to pay certain irrigation costs. Amends the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to reduce the funding level for marketing promotion programs. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to take specified actions to restructure and reinvent the Department of Agriculture. Subtitle B: National Defense - Limits the number of nuclear warheads maintained by the United States. Specifies amounts to be expended for nuclear weapons research, development, and testing activities for FY 1995 through 1998. Prohibits enrollment at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences after December 31, 1993. Terminates the Selective Service System. Prohibits additional procurement for the D5 (Trident II) Missile Program and limits test flights of such missiles. Terminates the Follow-on Early Warning System Program. Grants preferential funding treatment to the Theater Missile Defense program element of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. Provides for a consolidation and reduction of recruiting activities of the armed forces. Reduces the number of P-3 aircraft squadrons in the Navy. Limits the number of Titan IV missile launch systems. Terminates the National Aerospace Plane Program. Subtitle C: Foreign Relations and Intelligence - Limits FY 1995 through 1998 intelligence funding to FY 1994 levels. Sets forth terms and conditions for the operation of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty. Subtitle D: Government Employees and Government Operations - Provides for uniform pay adjustments for Members of Congress and civil service employees for FY 1994. Limits the accumulation of annual leave for members of the Senior Executive Service. Imposes a moratorium on the acquisition of new Federal buildings until October 1, 1998. Terminates the Federal Information Center. Subtitle E: Energy and Commerce - Terminates funding for the Superconducting Super Collider, the Tennessee Valley Authority Fertilizer Program, the United States Space Station Freedom Program, the Gas Turbine-Modular Helium Reactor Project, and the Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor Program.
Bill· SS. 1825 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 1994
Tax Fairness for Main Street Business Act of 1994 - Authorizes a State or local jurisdiction to require certain out-of-State businesses to collect sales taxes on tangible personal property sold to residents of the State or local jurisdiction. Provides an in-lieu fee rate where local taxes are not uniform. Requires a State to distribute taxes collected under this Act proportionately to taxes collected separate from this Act. Prohibits a State from requiring out-of-State businesses to file reporting returns more than once every calendar quarter. Requires a State to establish toll-free information services to provide such businesses with necessary forms and instructions.
Bill· HRH.R. 3803 (103rd)open
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 1994
Social Security Individual Retirement Act of 1994 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce the social security taxes on employees, employers, and the self-employed for 1995 and thereafter. Amends title II (Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to require employers to have in effect a social security payroll deduction plan for employees. Requires such plan to provide for employers to deduct the prescribed social security employee contribution for transfer to a social security individual retirement account of the employee. Provides for self-employed individuals to deposit into such accounts the prescribed social security contributions. Requires transfer of the social security individual retirement account of a deceased individual to a similar account maintained by the decedent's eligible survivor. Sets forth penalties for failure to establish and maintain such accounts. Requires amounts deducted from employee wages to be shown on W-2 forms. Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to exempt social security payroll deduction plans which do not provide for employer contributions from provisions governing employee benefit plans. Provides for: (1) adjustments in the primary insurance amounts of employees and self-employed individuals with social security individual retirement accounts under SSA title II; and (2) the tax treatment of such accounts in a manner similar to individual retirement accounts.
Bill· HRH.R. 3801 (103rd)open
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 1994
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: House of Representatives Title II: Senate Title III: Joint House and Senate Matters Subtitle A: Congressional Budget Process Subtitle B: Staffing and Instrumentalities Subtitle C: Application of Federal Laws Subtitle D: Miscellaneous Subtitle E: Budget Control Legislative Reorganization Act of 1994 - Title I: House of Representatives - Amends rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives to require the Speaker, whenever he refers a matter simultaneously to two or more committees, to initially designate one committee as the committee of primary jurisdiction and to place appropriate time and subject-matter limitations for completion of consideration of the matter by any other committee after the committee of primary jurisdiction reports it. (Sec. 102) Limits a Member of the House to service on no more than two standing committees and four subcommittees thereof, with exceptions: (1) for the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct; (2) after notification of the appropriate party caucus and committee and House approval; and (3) with unanimous consent or approval of a privileged motion to waive the limitation with respect to an individual Member. Allows Members serving on the Committee on the Budget to: (1) serve on one other standing committee; and (2) take a leave of absence from service on any other committee or subcommittee without losing their seniority rights as if they had continued to serve on such committee or subcommittee. Requires the Committee on Rules to consider a resolution amending the Rules of the House to eliminate a standing committee and transfer its jurisdiction to one or more other standing committees if its membership for a Congress is below 50 percent of its membership at the end of the 103d Congress. Limits an exclusive or major committee (except the Committee on Appropriations) to five subcommittees and a nonmajor committee to four. Requires authorization by the House before a committee may establish any subunit other than a subcommittee. (Sec. 103) Expresses the sense of the House that there should be established a schedule of legislative activities of the House that: (1) provides for four full days of legislative business per week while the House is in session; (2) sets aside specific periods exclusively for floor proceedings and committee meetings and hearings; (3) rationalizes the scheduling of committee and subcommittee meetings and hearings to minimize conflicts; and (4) encourages and requires that the House Information Systems provide training on the use of computerized scheduling to minimize such conflicts. Amends rule XI to require that the public be notified before a committee or subcommittee holds a meeting or hearing. (Sec. 104) Prohibits a committee's subcommittee from sitting when a meeting or hearings of such committee is in progress without the committee chairman's approval. (Sec. 105) Amends rule XXI to require a report from any committee accompanying any bill authorizing or providing obligational authority or tax expenditures or the joint explanatory statement accompanying a conference report on such bill to contain a concise statement: (1) describing the effect of any provision of the bill or conference report which changes the application of existing law; and (2) to list in a separate and identifiable part of the report or joint explanatory statement, each item in such bill, report, conference report, or joint explanatory statement that earmarks the required use of funds below the appropriation account level or provides a specific tax expenditure. (Sec. 106) Requires: (1) the Committee on Appropriations to immediately notify the appropriate standing committee whenever the Committee orders reported any general appropriations bill that makes appropriations for any unauthorized expenditure, or that reappropriates unexpended balances of appropriations, within the jurisdiction of any other standing committee; (2) a House committee to notify such Committee whenever it reports any bill, resolution, or amendment thereto, carrying an appropriation from a committee not having jurisdiction to report appropriations; (3) such Committee to deliver copies of appropriation bills as passed the House with numbered Senate amendments to the appropriate authorizing committees at least 24 hours before requesting appointment of conferees thereon unless the Speaker determines otherwise; and (4) the Committee to deliver copies of the conference report and accompanying joint explanatory statement to the appropriate authorizing committees at least 24 hours before floor action thereon unless the Speaker determines otherwise. (Sec. 107) Directs the Speaker and the minority leader of the House to appoint 20 independent factfinders at the beginning of each Congress to carry out investigations on behalf of the House as required by the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. Disqualifies any lobbyist required under the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act to register with the Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the Senate. Requires such Committee to adopt specified rules relating to the use of independent factfinders. (Sec. 109) Amends rule XLVIII to prohibit a Member of the House (other than the majority and minority leaders) from serving on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence for more than four Congresses in any period of six successive Congresses. Allows an incumbent chairman or ranking minority member who has served on the Select Committee for four Congresses and has served in such capacity for not more than one Congress to be eligible for reappointment as chairman or ranking minority member for one additional Congress. (Sec. 110) Amends rule X to require each standing committee of the House, by March 1 of the first session of a Congress, to submit (in conjunction with its committee expense resolution) to the Committee on House Administration an oversight agenda for that Congress addressing the Committee's oversight responsibilities with respect to reviewing and studying applicable laws, agencies, and programs within its jurisdiction. Authorizes each committee to request the assistance of the General Accounting Office (GAO) and the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress (LOC) in developing its oversight agenda. Requires the Committee on House Administration, by March 31 in the first session of a Congress, to publish and report to the House the oversight agenda submitted by each committee together with the Committee's recommendations. Requires each House standing committee to hold hearings during each Congress to review appropriate reports relating to the activities of executive agencies over which the committee has oversight responsibility filed during the preceding Congress, including reports of the inspector general, the GAO, and an agency audit. Authorizes the Speaker, with approval of the House, to appoint special ad hoc oversight committees to review specific matters within the jurisdiction of two or more standing committees. Amends rule XI to require each committee's oversight report to the House on its activities during the Congress to include separate sections on legislative and oversight activities, the latter to include a summary of the committee's oversight agenda. (Sec. 111) Expresses the sense of the House that the Committee on House Administration should: (1) review the training and orientation programs currently available for the personal, committee, and administrative staff of the House; (2) evaluate their overall effectiveness and utility; and (3) develop, administer, and coordinate a comprehensive training program for House staff employees. (Sec. 112) Expresses the sense of the House that: (1) the three-day layover requirement for committee reports on legislation and on conference reports may not be waived unless the legislation and any accompanying report have been available to each Member for at least 24 hours before its consideration on the House floor; (2) an amendment to a bill to be considered under suspension of the rules should be printed and available to each Member for at least 24 hours before its consideration; (3) committees and conference committees should endeavor to file reports on word processing computer disks to facilitate availability to Members; (4) an internal cable system, a cable channel, or party specific channels should be developed to provide Members with summaries of the pending legislation and should be available in their offices, committee hearing rooms, and the cloakrooms; and (5) the full text of bills, amendments, reports, Congressional Budget Office (CBO) cost estimates, GAO reports, Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) reports, CRS reports and Issue Briefs, the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and the annotated CFR, the Congressional Record, and the Federal Register should be made available to all Members and congressional staff via computer by the beginning of the 105th Congress and such appropriate legislative information should also be made available to the public and the Depository Libraries through a low-cost computer connection. (Sec. 113) Expresses the sense of the House that specified steps should be taken to improve the public's understanding of the Congress and the legislative process. (Sec. 114) Expresses the sense of the House that the Committee on House Administration and the House Committee on Appropriations should conduct a study of the salary ranges of congressional personal, committee, and administrative staff with a view toward achieving bicameral salary parity for House and Senate staff performing analogous functions. (Sec. 115) Amends rule XXI to make it out of order to consider any provision of a general appropriation bill (except a conference report) that would exceed any applicable authorization level as set forth in any authorization measure as passed by the House. (Sec. 116) Amends rule XI to prohibit the Committee on Rules from reporting any rule or order which would prevent a motion to recommit, including a motion to recommit with amendatory instructions (except in the case of a Senate measure for which the language of a House-passed measure has been proposed to be substituted) if offered by the minority leader (or a designee). Amends rule I to allow the Speaker to postpone for not to exceed two hours the consideration of any motion to recommit. (Sec. 117) Amends rule XIV to revise the scope of debate in the House to include descriptions relating to the rules of the Senate and the effect of such rules on actions concerning measures or matters in the Senate. (Sec. 118) Amends rule XI: (1) with respect to roll call votes on motions to report any public bill, resolution, or matter, to require that the names of those Members voting for and against reporting the measure or matter be included in the committee report; and (2) with respect to each nonrecord vote on such a motion, to require the committee report to include the names of those Members of the committee actually present at the time the measure or matter is ordered reported. (Sec. 119) Requires each committee to keep a complete record of all subcommittee actions, including their roll call votes. Requires the chairman of each committee to publish in the Congressional Record the committee and subcommittee attendance and voting records (by calendar day) of each member of the committee on or before July 1 and on the last day of the session of each calendar year. (Sec. 120) Amends rule XIV to: (1) require the Congressional Record to be a substantially verbatim account of remarks made during the proceedings of the House, subject only to technical, grammatical, and typographical corrections authorized by the Member making the remarks; (2) permit unparliamentary remarks to be deleted only by unanimous consent or by other order of the House; and (3) apply specified provisions of rule X relating to administrative actions by the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct to violations of this rule. (Sec. 121) Requires the Parliamentarian of the House, by the end of the 105th Congress, to recodify the Rules of the House by clarifying conflicting definitions, eliminating anachronisms, and reorganizing the rules into a more coherent and logical structure. Authorizes the Parliamentarian to utilize the services of CRS and GPO personnel to carry out the recodification. Title II: Senate - (Bill language to be supplied at a later date). Title III: Joint House and Senate Matters - Subtitle A: Congressional Budget Process - Amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to revise the Federal and congressional budget processes by establishing a two-year budgeting and appropriations cycle and timetable. Defines the budget biennium as the two consecutive fiscal years beginning on October 1 of any odd-numbered year. Devotes the first session of any Congress to the budget resolution and to appropriations decisions, retaining current deadlines in most cases. Changes certain deadlines to conform to the biennial scheme. Devotes each second session to authorization activity, subject to specified deadlines. (Sec. 303) Conforms provisions governing the President's budget to the biennial framework. (Sec. 305) Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to conform to the biennial framework. (Sec. 306) Prohibits the House or Senate from considering any legislation that authorizes appropriations for a period of less than two fiscal years, unless the activity for which the funds are to be spent is of less than two years duration. (Sec. 321) Requires CBO to make quarterly budget reports to the House and Senate Committees on the Budget. (Sec. 322) Amends the Employment Act of 1946 to require the President to include in the annual economic report a gross national product budget analysis. Requires the President to make fiscal policy reports to the Congress after submission of the annual economic report. (Sec. 323) Directs the Director of CBO to report to the Congress and the President on a review of Government user fees. (Sec. 324) Requires budget resolutions to include revenue losses attributable to tax laws. (Subtitle B: Staffing and Instrumentalities - Requires a House task force (to be appointed by the Speaker) and the appropriate Senate committees to submit to the House and Senate leadership, respectively, recommendations to achieve: (1) economic efficiencies and cost savings in the administrative operations of the legislative branch; and (2) reductions from the level as of September 30, 1992, in the total number of full-time employee positions in the legislative branch, consistent with the reductions for the executive branch implemented pursuant to the Report of the National Performance Review submitted by the Vice President on September 7, 1993. Requires the recommendations approved by the appropriate leadership to be implemented in the regular appropriation bill for the legislative branch for FY 1997, as reported by the House Committee on Appropriations or the Senate Committee on Appropriations, as applicable. (Sec. 342) Provides that GAO, CBO, CRS, the Government Printing Office (GPO), and OTA shall be authorized by the enactment every eighth year beginning for FY 1997 of an Act to authorize appropriations for those offices for the next eight fiscal years. (Sec. 343) Requires the appropriate committees of the House and of the Senate to study and report: (1) recommendations to their leadership providing for better coordination of specified legislative branch services, positions, and entities; and (2) on the feasibility of providing competitive bidding for the right to operate such facilities and to provide legislative branch services such as barber and beauty shops, a gymnasium, health and medical services, restaurants, automobile services, and child care. Subtitle C: Application of Federal Laws - Applies, by a specified conditional date, provisions of the following laws to a congressional employee (an employee of the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Architect of the Capitol): (1) the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938; (2) the Civil Rights Act of 1964; (3) the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990; (4) the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; and (5) the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. Makes applicable to a congressional employee any provision of Federal law to the extent that it relates to: (1) the terms and conditions of employment; (2) protection from discrimination in personnel actions; (3) the health and safety of employees; or (4) the availability of information to the public. (Sec. 353) Establishes in the legislative branch an Office of Compliance to study and report to the Congress on the application of such laws to a congressional employee and an employee of an instrumentality of the legislative branch. Requires the Office's Director to propose regulations governing such applicability which shall be subject to congressional approval under specified procedures. Requires the Board of Directors of the Office to carry out an information program to acquaint Members of the House, Senators, and congressional employees with the provisions, including remedies, of the laws applicable to the Congress under this Act. (Sec. 355) Requires the Office to carry out an education program for Members of Congress and other employing authorities of the Congress respecting the laws made applicable to them. Sets forth procedures for consideration of alleged violations of such laws consisting of the following steps: (1) counseling; (2) mediation; (3) formal complaint and hearing by a hearing board; and (4) judicial review if a congressional employee is aggrieved by a dismissal, final decision, or an order by the hearing board or if a member of Congress is aggrieved by a final decision or would be subject to an order issued by such board. Declares that any intimidation of, or reprisal against, any employee because of the exercise of a right under this Act constitutes an unlawful employment practice that may be remedied in the same manner under this Act as is a violation of a law made applicable to congressional employees. Permits the records and decisions of hearing boards to be made public if required for judicial review. Authorizes the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct and the Senate Select Committee on Ethics to have access to the hearings, deliberations, and decisions of the hearing board only after the board has made a decision with respect to the matter for which such hearings and deliberations of the board were made. (Sec. 365) Limits a congressional employee to the judicial proceeding provided by this Act to redress prohibited practices. Prohibits courts or administrative bodies from having jurisdiction to entertain any civil action concerning or related to such prohibited practices. Subtitle D: Miscellaneous - Directs the Committees on Government Operations in the House and on Governmental Affairs in the Senate to conduct, with the assistance of GAO, a comprehensive survey of all statutory reporting requirements, soliciting the views of the congressional committees, and to report legislation on or before December 31, 1996, to eliminate obsolete, nonessential, or duplicative reports. Requires the Committees to establish a uniform and appropriate procedure for requiring agency reports to the Congress to expire after five years, subject to their specific reauthorization, and to report legislation by December 31, 1996, to sunset statutory reporting requirements. (Sec. 372) Repeals provisions of Federal law and the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 to abolish the Joint Committee on Printing and the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library. Establishes the Joint Committee on Information Management to: (1) coordinate information management for the Congress; (2) establish standards and applications policies for the Congress and its support agencies for information technologies; (3) ensure dissemination of executive branch information to the public; and (4) carry out all functions of the Joint Committee on Printing and the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library. Provides for the transfer of functions to the Joint Committee, except that those related to the supervision of the Botanic Garden and the Capitol art collection shall be transferred to the House Committee on Administration and the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. Subtitle E: Budget Control - Budget Control Act of 1993 - Requires initial direct spending targets for FY 1994 through 1997 to equal total outlays for all direct spending except net interest and deposit insurance. (Sec. 383) Sets forth required actions by the President and the Congress if actual or projected costs exceed targeted levels. (Sec. 390) Requires the President and the Congress to seriously consider other alternatives before proposing reductions in means-tested programs.
Bill· HRH.R. 3800 (103rd)open
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 1994
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Community Participation and Human Health Title II: State Roles Title III: Voluntary Response Title IV: Liability and Allocation Title V: Remedy Selection and Cleanup Standards Title VI: Miscellaneous Title VII: Funding Title VIII: Environmental Insurance Resolution Fund Title IX: Taxes Superfund Reform Act of 1994 - Title I: Community Participation and Human Health - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) to direct the President to provide for community involvement in each significant phase of response activities taken under this Act. (Sec. 103) Requires the President to provide the opportunity to establish a representative public forum, known as a Community Working Group (CWG), to achieve direct and regular consultation with community members throughout all stages of a response action. Requires a CWG to serve as a facility information clearinghouse for the community and authorizes a CWG to offer recommendations to the President on anticipated future land uses. (Sec. 104) Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (Administrator) to ensure that an independent Citizen Information and Access Office is established in each State and on each tribal land affected by a National Priorities List (NPL) facility. (Sec. 106) Requires the Administrator to select at least ten demonstration projects to be implemented over a five-year period that relate to the assessment and management of, and response to, multiple sources of risk in and around designated facilities. Directs the Administrator, if a distinct pattern of adverse health effects is identified in the surrounding community, to consider additional health benefits for the community. Provides for demonstration projects in locations that coincide with areas identified as empowerment zones under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1994. (Sec. 107) Includes standards and procedures for assessing risks posed by the release or threatened release of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants in the list of required elements of the national hazardous substance response plan. (Sec. 114) Requires the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Administrator to develop and distribute educational materials on human health effects of hazardous substances to the public. (Sec. 115) Authorizes the ATSDR Administrator to provide grant or contract assistance to individuals who may be affected by releases or threatened releases when: (1) a public health assessment or related health activity is conducted at a facility on the NPL; or (2) a release is being evaluated for inclusion on the NPL. Title II: State Roles - Authorizes States to apply to the Administrator to carry out response actions and enforcement activities at all facilities listed or proposed for listing on the NPL. Makes this authority inapplicable with respect to Federal facilities listed on the NPL if an interagency agreement for such a facility has been entered into. Grants a State such authority if it possesses the legal authority, technical capability, and resources necessary to conduct response actions in a manner consistent with this Act. Makes such States eligible for response action financing from the Hazardous Substance Superfund (Superfund). Requires States to pay 15 percent of the costs of all response actions and program support or other costs for which the State receives funds from Superfund. Makes such cost-sharing requirement inapplicable to Indian tribes. (Sec. 201) Authorizes a State to select a response action that achieves a level of cleanup that is more stringent than required if it agrees to pay for the incremental increase in response cost attributable to achieving the more stringent level. Provides for the retention of the President's authority to take response actions at facilities listed or proposed for listing on the NPL that are not being addressed by States. (Sec. 206) Provides for public notice and comment before a facility is to be listed on the NPL. Authorizes persons to request a facility to be listed on, or removed from, the NPL. Title III: Voluntary Response - Directs the Administrator to establish a program to provide assistance to the States to establish and expand voluntary response programs. Makes this title applicable to facilities at which a release or threat of release of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant has occurred. Excludes certain facilities. (Sec. 303) Requires the Administrator to establish a program to provide assistance to municipalities to conduct site characterizations for facilities at which voluntary response actions are being conducted or proposed. Title IV: Liability and Allocation - Authorizes the President to issue administrative subpoenas to require the attendance and testimony of witnesses and production of information regarding response actions. Revises confidentiality requirements with respect to such information. (Sec. 403) Absolves of liability for response actions a person who does not impede a response action or natural resource restoration to the extent liability is based solely on: (1) arrangement, transportation, or acceptance provisions relating to the disposal or treatment of hazardous substances and such activities involved fewer than 500 pounds of municipal solid waste (MSW) or sewage sludge or such amount as the Administrator may determine; (2) such provisions and such activities involved fewer than ten pounds or liters of materials containing hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants or such amount as the Administrator may determine; (3) ownership or operation of a vessel or facility and the person is a bona fide prospective purchaser of the facility; (4) ownership by a Federal agency and activities that resulted in a release occurred prior to 1976, the activities were pursuant to a statutory authority, the agency did not cause or contribute to the release, and there are other persons who are potentially liable and fully capable of performing or financing the response action; or (5) ownership by a Federal, State, or local entity of a road or other right of way over which hazardous substances are transported or on the granting of a license or a permit to conduct business. Makes persons who are solely liable under arrangement, transportation, or acceptance provisions regarding disposal or treatment of hazardous substances liable for no more than ten percent of total response costs if such activities only involved MSW or sewage sludge. Applies such limitation only if: (1) acts or omissions giving rise to liability occurred before the date 36 months after enactment of this Act or the person asserting the limitation participates in a qualified household hazardous waste collection program; and (2) the disposal did not occur on lands owned by the United States or on tribal land. Grants the United States a lien upon a facility for unrecovered response costs that inure to the benefit of a potential purchaser. Confers the right of contribution protection on a Federal agency when such agency resolves its share of liability, including liability for all penalties and fines. Applies State laws respecting liability for releases at non-Federal facilities to Federal agencies when such facilities are referred to a State pursuant to this Act or are part of a State-authorized program. Bars immunity for Federal employees from processes or sanctions of State or Federal courts with respect to enforcement of this Act. Entitles the United States to remove any action filed in State court against a Federal agency or employee to the appropriate Federal district court. Absolves Federal employees of personal liability for civil or administrative penalties for acts or omissions within the scope of official duties. (Sec. 404) Makes persons liable under CERCLA liable for other necessary costs of response incurred by any other person, other than the United States, a State, or an Indian tribe (currently, any other person). (Sec. 405) Authorizes adversely affected persons (currently, interested persons) to file petitions for the review of regulations promulgated under CERCLA. Revises contribution provisions to require an action by a potentially responsible party (PRP) against another PRP for recovery of any response costs or damages to be commenced within the later of: (1) three years after completion of a removal action or within six years after initiation of physical on-site construction of the remedial action; or (2) three years after the date of judgment in any action for recovery or the date of any administrative order or judicial settlement for recovery of costs or damages. (Sec. 406) Limits the right to seek contribution from other potentially liable parties where: (1) the person asserting the right has waived such rights in a settlement; (2) the person from whom the contribution is sought is liable solely under provisions regarding arrangement or transportation of hazardous substances for treatment or disposal and contributed fewer than ten pounds or liters of material containing hazardous substances or such amount as the Administrator may determine; or (3) the person from whom the contribution is sought has entered into a final settlement with the United States. Makes any person who commences a contribution action against a person who is not liable pursuant to limitations set forth in this Act or is protected from suits liable to the person against whom the claim is brought for reasonable costs of defending against the claim. Provides that a person who has resolved liability to a State in an administrative or judicially approved settlement shall not be liable for claims to persons other than the United States regarding response costs for damages addressed in the settlement. Provides the same protection for persons who have resolved liability to the United States. Includes protection against all claims that may be asserted against the settling party for recovery of costs or damages paid by another person if addressed in the settlement, except claims based on contractual indemnification. (Sec. 408) Removes provisions regarding guidelines for preliminary allocations of responsibility. Requires (currently, authorizes) the President to offer PRPs (currently, any person) who enter into settlement agreements a final covenant not to sue concerning liability to the United States for response actions or costs, provided that: (1) the settling party agrees to perform a final remedial action for the release that is the subject of the settlement; (2) the agreement has been reached prior to the commencement of litigation against the settling party; (3) the settling party waives all contribution rights against other PRPs at the facility; and (4) the settling party pays a premium that compensates for the risks of remedy failure, unanticipated increases in the cost of any uncompleted action (unless the party is performing the action), and the U.S. litigation risk with respect to persons who have not resolved liability to the United States unless the settlement covers 100 percent of U.S. response costs. Authorizes the President, for all other settlements, to provide any person with a covenant not to sue concerning any liability to the United States if the covenant not to sue is in the public interest. Adds the following to the list of conditions that a PRP must meet in order to be eligible for an expedited settlement: (1) liability must be based solely on provisions regarding arrangement, transportation, or acceptance of MSW or sewage sludge for treatment or disposal; and (2) the PRP must be a small business or a municipality that has demonstrated a limited ability to pay response costs. (Sec. 409) Requires the President to initiate a specified allocation of liability process for remedial actions at multi-party facilities. Establishes a moratorium on the commencement of liability actions regarding response actions for which allocations must be performed or have been initiated. Sets forth allocation procedures, including notice to PRPs and selection of an allocator. Requires the allocator, if the allocation parties do not agree to a negotiated allocation of shares, to prepare a report with a nonbinding, equitable allocation of percentage shares for the facility based on factors including: (1) the amount of hazardous substances contributed by each party; (2) the degree of toxicity and mobility of substances contributed by each party; (3) the degree of involvement of each party in the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, or disposal of the hazardous substance; (4) the degree of care exercised by each party with respect to the substance; and (5) the cooperation of each party in contributing to the response action and providing information. Authorizes the allocator to determine that a percentage share is specifically attributable to an orphan share. Limits orphan shares to specified cases, including shares attributable to identified but insolvent responsible parties who are not affiliated with another allocation party. Requires shares that cannot be attributed to any party to be allocated among the allocation parties. Provides for reimbursements from Superfund to eligible parties for costs attributable to orphan shares. Authorizes the Administrator and the Attorney General to determine not to settle on the basis of the allocator's allocation. Requires settlements based on allocated shares to include: (1) a waiver of contribution rights against all PRPs for the response action; (2) covenants not to sue and provisions regarding performance of such actions; (3) a premium that compensates for the U.S. litigation risk with respect to PRPs who have not resolved liability to the United States, except in cases where the settlement covers 100 percent of costs; (4) contribution protection; and (5) provisions for reimbursement from Superfund for any response costs incurred in excess of the allocated share. Authorizes the United States to commence a liability action against any person who has not resolved liability following allocation on or after 60 days following issuance of the allocator's report. Makes PRPs liable for the unrecovered response costs in such actions. Requires the Administrator and the Attorney General to issue guidelines to ensure that relief sought against de minimis parties under principles of joint and several liability will not be grossly disproportionate to their contribution to the facility. Restricts the admissibility in court of the allocator's report with respect to claims brought by or against the United States, except in its capacity as a nonsettling PRP or for the determination of liability. Title V: Remedy Selection and Cleanup Standards - Revises provisions regarding the degree of cleanup required under remedial actions. Directs the Administrator to promulgate national goals to be applied at all facilities and national generic cleanup levels for specific hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants that: (1) reflect reasonably anticipated future land uses; (2) reflect other variables which can be easily measured at a facility and whose effects are scientifically well-understood to vary on a site-specific basis; and (3) represent concentration levels below which a response action is not required. Authorizes the Administrator to rely on a site-specific risk assessment to determine the proper level of cleanup if a national generic cleanup level has not been developed or to account for particular characteristics of a facility. (Sec. 502) Requires remedial actions to comply with substantive requirements of Federal and State laws and standards. Authorizes the President to select a remedial action that does not attain a level of control equivalent to such standards under certain conditions. (Sec. 503) Revises general rules for remedial actions. Requires the President to establish cost-effective generic remedies for categories of facilities. (Sec. 504) Permits a State to enforce only those Federal and State requirements to which the Administrator has determined the remedial action is required to conform. (Sec. 505) Removes a condition on the President's authority to acquire property needed to conduct a response action that requires the State in which the property is located to agree to accept transfer of the property when the action is completed. (Sec. 506) Alters the criteria for the continuance of obligations for removal actions to provide that actions shall not continue after $6 million (currently, $2 million) has been obligated or three years (currently, 12 months) has elapsed from the date of initial response to a release or threatened release of hazardous substances. Title VI: Miscellaneous - Exempts a Federal agency from actions required for Federal facilities under CERCLA, with the exception of certain reporting requirements, if the agency owned or operated a facility over which it exercised no regulatory or other control over activities that resulted in a release of a hazardous substance if: (1) no Federal agency was the primary or sole source or cause of such release; (2) the activities resulting in the release were pursuant to statutory authority and occurred prior to 1976; and (3) the persons primarily responsible for the release are financially viable and capable of performing or financing the response action. (Sec. 604) Authorizes the Administrator, in order to achieve required levels of response, to reimburse up to 50 percent of response costs incurred by a potentially liable party that employs an alternative or innovative technology that fails to achieve the required level. (Sec. 605) Includes a trust or estate within the definition of "owner or operator" for purposes of determining liability under CERCLA. Excludes from such definition: (1) a person who holds title to a vessel or facility solely in the capacity as fiduciary, provided that the person does not participate in management operations that result in a release of hazardous substances and complies with other requirements; or (2) the United States, a Federal agency, or a conservator or receiver appointed by a Federal agency which acquired ownership of a facility or vessel in connection with receivership, conservatorship, forfeiture, or seizure authority or pursuant to an Act of the Congress provided such entity does not participate in operations that result in a release. Title VII: Funding - Extends the authorization of appropriations to carry out specified Superfund authorities through FY 1999. Title VIII: Environmental Insurance Resolution Fund - Environmental Insurance Resolution and Equity Act of 1994 - Establishes the Environmental Insurance Resolution Fund to provide for the resolution of disputes between certain PRPs and their insurers. Describes eligible persons, costs, and sites. (Sec. 802) Directs eligible persons that accept Fund resolutions to waive existing and future claims against an insurer for eligible costs. Requires the Fund to make pre- and post-resolution payments to eligible persons who accept a resolution. Makes any eligible person who litigates a claim and obtains a judgment that is less favorable than the resolution offered by the Fund liable to the insurer for 20 percent of reasonable legal fees incurred in the litigation. Provides for Fund reimbursements of certain costs incurred by insurers in cases where a person rejected a resolution and obtained a final judgment against an insurer. Deems payments made by the Fund pursuant to a resolution offer to be payments made by an insurer. (Sec. 804) Provides that this title acts as a stay of all pending litigation regarding claims for indemnity or arising from insurance coverage for eligible costs. Bars stays of litigation after May 31, 2000. (Sec. 805) Terminates the Fund's authority to: (1) accept requests for resolution after FY 1999; and (2) offer resolutions after March 31, 2000. Title IX: Taxes - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend the applicability of the environmental tax to tax years before January 1, 2001 (currently, 1996). Extends certain provisions regarding the Superfund financing rate. (Sec. 903) Requires all expenditures of the Resolution Fund to be paid out of fees and assessments imposed by the Internal Revenue Code. Exempts the Fund from Federal, State, and local taxation.
Bill· HRH.R. 3788 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 1994
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to explicitly prohibit State or local governments from taxing OASDI benefits.
Bill· HRH.R. 3789 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 1994
Budget Accountability Act of 1994 - Provides for the termination of Federal programs that are not reauthorized by the Congress. Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit the consideration of legislation that does not contain an authorization period for the use of appropriated amounts. Prohibits the imposition of any tax unless a later date for such tax to terminate is specified by law. Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit the consideration of such legislation. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the House rule concerning the reporting requirements in general appropriations bills should be vigorously applied; (2) laws that affect the Federal revenue should be periodically reviewed by the appropriate congressional committees to determine, based on the health of the economy, whether such laws should continue in effect; and (3) reducing the debt of the Federal Government is critical to the long-term health of the economy.
Bill· HRH.R. 3791 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 February 1994
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the gas guzzler tax automobiles that are lengthened by certain small manufacturers.
Bill· HRH.R. 3765 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 1994
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Sustainable Development Title II: Building Democracy Title III: Promoting Peace Title IV: Providing Humanitarian Assistance Title V: Promoting Growth Through Trade and Investment Title VI: Advancing Diplomacy Title VII: Special Authorities, Restrictions on Assistance, and Reports Title VIII: General Provisions Title IX: Technical and Conforming Provisions Peace, Prosperity, and Democracy Act of 1994 - Repeals the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (with the exception of a few provisions) as well other specified foreign relations and assistance Acts. Sets forth revised foreign assistance policy provisions. Title I: Sustainable Development - Chapter 1: Sustainable Development Authorities - Sets forth policy for sustainable development programs and voluntary cooperation in development. (Sec. 1103) Encourages the President to establish a formal and continuing partnership with private voluntary organizations, cooperatives, and credit unions which have experience working in developing countries, and with colleges and universities, to carry out the objectives of this title. Authorizes the President to use funds in support of this title for: (1) schools and libraries outside the United States that are sponsored by U.S. citizens and that serve as study and demonstration centers for the ideas and practices of the United States; and (2) hospital centers for medical education and research outside the United States that are sponsored by U.S. citizens. (Sec. 1104) Permits the President to provide assistance for credit programs in furtherance of the following sustainable objectives: (1) micro- and small enterprise development; (2) shelter, urban services, and environmental infrastructure; and (3) other programs to carry out the purposes of this chapter. Chapter 2: Development Fund for Africa - Makes funds under chapter 1 available for programs for Subsaharan Africa. Chapter 3: Role of Related Programs - Sets forth U.S. policy regarding: (1) the role of international financial institutions; (2) the Peace Corps; (3) the African Development and Inter-American Foundations; and (4) specified non-emergency food assistance programs. Title II: Building Democracy - Sets forth policy regarding the promotion of democracy. Chapter 1: Promoting Democracy - Subchapter A: Countries in Transition - Authorizes the President to provide assistance for countries: (1) that have recently emerged or are in the process of emerging as democratic societies; (2) that have recently emerged or are emerging from civil strife and either have a democratically-elected government or are making progress toward developing such a government; or (3) where democratic progress or institutions are threatened. (Sec. 2102) Declares that programs under this subchapter should be designed to facilitate the trend toward more open, just, and democratic societies. Permits such assistance to military and law enforcement forces to: (1) orient militaries or law enforcement agencies to their respective roles in a democratic order; (2) enhance the accountability of law enforcement agencies to civil justice institutions; (3) promote demilitarization of society; and (4) meet security challenges on a transitional basis that threaten to impede or reverse democratic reforms or institutions. Subchapter B: Independent States of the Former Soviet Union - Makes funds available for assistance to the independent states of the former Soviet Union as authorized and appropriated to the President each fiscal year. Subchapter C: Central and Eastern Europe - Sets forth policy towards democracy and free enterprise in Central and Eastern Europe. (Sec. 2302) Makes funds available for assistance for Central and Eastern Europe as authorized and appropriated to the President each fiscal year. Chapter 2: Information and Exchange - Sets forth policy with respect to programs administered by the U.S. Information Agency (USIA). Title III: Promoting Peace - Chapter 1: Peacekeeping and Related Programs - Sets forth policy concerning peacekeeping and related programs. (Sec. 3102) Authorizes the President to: (1) pay assessed and other contributions and expenses of international peacekeeping activities; and (2) furnish assistance to foreign countries and international and regional organizations and arrangements for peacekeeping. (Sec. 3103) Authorizes the President to direct the drawdown of up to $100 million (currently, $75 million) worth of defense articles and services in unforeseen emergencies. Authorizes appropriations as necessary to reimburse the applicable appropriation, fund, or account. Chapter 2: Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund - Authorizes assistance to be provided for specified activities to facilitate the dismantlement and nonproliferation of nuclear, biological, chemical, and conventional weapons. Chapter 3: Regional Peace, Security and Defense Cooperation - Authorizes assistance to be provided to: (1) support peace and the development of democratic institutions and to meet economic, political, and security needs in the Near East; (2) meet immediate threats to international peace and security posed by regional and internal conflicts through collective defense efforts; and (3) enhance the ability of countries willing to share the burden of collective security efforts to maintain international peace and security. (Sec. 3303) Declares that the President, in providing such assistance, should take into account the desirability of shifting resources away from the provision of defense articles to economic development purposes as rapidly as is warranted by the easing of threats to regional peace and the need to maintain ongoing defense relations. Chapter 4: International Narcotics Trafficking, Terrorism and Crime Prevention - Authorizes assistance to be provided to: (1) control narcotics and other controlled substances; (2) enhance the rule of law and the ability of law enforcement and defense personnel to combat international criminal activity; (3) enhance anti-terrorism skills of foreign law enforcement and defense personnel; (4) provide anti-crime, -terrorism, and -narcotics assistance to friendly countries; and (5) promote international criminal justice. (Sec. 3403) Incorporates certain existing anti-narcotics assistance and agreement authorities. (Sec. 3404) Prohibits Department of State employees from engaging in the training of law enforcement personnel for anti-terrorism programs, with a specified exception. (Sec. 3405) Makes provisions of law which prohibit assistance to countries in arrears on certain loan commitments to the United States inapplicable with respect to narcotics control assistance. Title IV: Providing Humanitarian Assistance - Chapter 1: Refugee Assistance - Lists purposes of refugee assistance. Incorporates existing provisions of law that provide for the U.S. Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund. Chapter 2: Disaster Assistance - Incorporates existing provisions of law that authorize international disaster assistance. Expands the source of funding from which the disaster account can borrow. Authorizes funds to be used to respond rapidly to reconstruction and institution-building needs arising from natural or manmade disasters. Chapter 3: Emergency Food Assistance - Sets forth U.S. policy regarding emergency food assistance. Title V: Promoting Growth Through Trade and Investment - Chapter 1: Overseas Private Investment Corporation - Incorporates certain existing provisions regarding the purpose and guidelines of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). Raises the ceiling on: (1) per capita income of countries required to receive preferential consideration for OPIC projects; and (2) the maximum contingent liability pursuant to insurance issued. (Sec. 5104) Authorizes OPIC to commit investment financing for direct lending in an amount of up to $5 billion for FY 1995 through 1999. Extends OPIC's authority to carry out investment insurance and financing through FY 1999. (Sec. 5201) Directs the Corporation to refuse to insure, reinsure, or finance an investment for purposes of establishing in a foreign country any export processing zone or area in which the tax, tariff, labor, environment, and safety laws of that country do not apply to activities carried out in the area unless the assistance is not likely to cause a loss of jobs within the United States. Chapter 2: Trade and Development Agency - Incorporates certain existing provisions of law regarding the Trade and Development Agency. Chapter 3: Role of Related Programs - Sets forth policy regarding food security and Export-Import Bank programs. Title VI: Advancing Diplomacy - Sets forth policy regarding the advancement of diplomacy. Title VII: Special Authorities, Restrictions on Assistance, and Reports - Chapter 1: Special Authorities - Revises existing provisions regarding the President's authority to transfer funds between foreign assistance accounts. (Sec. 7102) Sets forth presidential special waiver authorities similar to those under existing law. Raises annual ceilings on the amounts that can be authorized for arms sales or leases or foreign assistance or for the use of foreign currencies under such authorities. (Sec. 7103) Raises the annual ceiling on the amount the President can use for unanticipated contingencies. (Sec. 7104) Provides for assistance for certain law enforcement functions. (Sec. 7106) Provides that restrictions contained in any Act with respect to assistance for a country shall not be construed to restrict assistance in support of programs of nongovernmental or international organizations. (Sec. 7108) Authorizes the functions of this Act to be performed without regard to specified provisions of the Neutrality Act of 1939. (Sec. 7110) Incorporates certain existing provisions regarding the President's authority to conduct reimbursable programs. (Sec. 7111) Raises the ceiling on the amount of defense and services authorized to be drawn down in unforeseen emergencies or special circumstances. (Sec. 7113) Authorizes the use of sustainable development assistance funds to support development education programs. (Sec. 7114) Authorizes assistance to nongovernmental organizations to strengthen their capacity to carry out development programs. (Sec. 7115) Permits the use of certain funds under this Act to support activities of international tribunals, commissions, or panels to investigate or prosecute persons responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity, and other violations of international humanitarian law. Authorizes the President to draw down Federal property or services for such purposes. Chapter 2: Restrictions on Assistance - Incorporates and revises certain existing provisions to prohibit assistance to: (1) Communist countries; (2) human rights violators; (3) countries whose governments have expropriated U.S. property; (4) countries whose elected head of government is deposed by a military coup; (5) terrorist or major illicit drug producing or transit countries; and (6) countries in arrears to the U.S. Government for more than one year on any interest or principal on a loan or credit extended under this Act, the Arms Export Control Act, or the former authorities of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. (Sec. 7201) Provides for waivers of such restrictions if the President submits a certain report and the assistance: (1) is important to the national interest; (2) will directly benefit the needy; (3) is for refugees and displaced persons; or (4) will promote human rights and democracy. Requires the President to designate Communist countries. Prohibits the following with respect to human rights violators: (1) sales of defense articles and services and the issuance of export licenses under the Arms Export Control Act; and (2) the issuance of export licenses required for crime control and detection equipment under the Export Administration Act of 1979. Bars assistance under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954, the Peace Corps Act, and the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to terrorist countries. Prohibits arms sales under the Arms Export Control Act, the provision of agricultural commodities other than food under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954, and assistance under the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to major illicit drug producing and transit countries. (Sec. 7202) 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 developing 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 areas, unless the President certifies that such assistance is not likely to cause a loss of jobs within the United States; or (3) assistance for any project that contributes to the violation of workers' rights. (Sec. 7203) Incorporates existing prohibitions on the use of funds to coerce a person to practice abortions or to perform, or undergo, involuntary sterilization. (Sec. 7204) Declares that the President, in determining whether to provide assistance under this Act, should take into consideration whether assistance would be furnished to support an activity that is specifically designed to increase exports of any agricultural, textile, or apparel commodity from a developing country where such exports: (1) would be in direct competition with U.S. exports; and (2) can reasonably be expected to cause substantial injury to U.S. exporters of the same or a similar commodity. (Sec. 7205) Incorporates restrictions on nuclear enrichment and reprocessing transfers and illegal nuclear exports similar to those under existing law. Retains a requirement that conditions assistance for Pakistan on a certification that Pakistan does not possess a nuclear explosive device. (Sec. 7206) Sets forth prohibitions on assistance to major illicit drug producing and transit countries. Authorizes (current law requires) the President to withhold up to 50 percent of the assistance allocated to such a country until the country has taken adequate steps to control cultivation, smuggling, trafficking, and abuse of illegal drugs. (Sec. 7208) Permits the President to waive a limitation on participation in combatant duties by the armed forces in carrying out assistance programs if such limitation is not in the national interest. (Sec. 7209) Prohibits the use of development assistance for military or paramilitary purposes, with exceptions for military participation in training activities, conferences, and other sustainable development programs. (Sec. 7210) Incorporates certain existing provisions concerning the impact of development assistance programs on the environment. Urges (current law requires) the President to prepare and take into account environmental assessments of proposed programs. Chapter 3: Reports and Notifications to Congress - Sets forth requirements for: (1) congressional presentation documents for programs under titles I, II, and III of this Act; (2) human rights, international narcotics control, and annual allocation reports; (3) notification of program changes; and (4) the establishment of a program within the Agency for International Development (AID) to evaluate and monitor development program performance. Title VIII: General Provisions - Chapter 1: Exercise and Coordination of Functions - Incorporates existing provisions concerning delegation of authorities by the President and the roles of the Secretaries of State and Defense concerning foreign assistance. (Sec. 8104) Requires AID to be under the foreign policy guidance and subject to the supervision of the Secretary of State. Chapter 2: Administrative Authorities - Subchapter A: General Authorities - Incorporates certain existing provisions regarding the allocation of funds and reimbursement among Federal agencies. (Sec. 8202) Authorizes the President to charge fees for guarantees and loans issued in connection with assistance under this Act. Incorporates certain existing general assistance authorities. Authorizes any agency administering assistance under this Act to establish a working capital fund to be used for expenses related to the training of foreign nationals. Removes certain ceilings on the amount of assistance funds available for entertainment expenses, the acquisition of living quarters, schools, and hospitals for personnel, and the education of dependents. Subchapter B: Department of Defense Administrative Authorities - Incorporates certain existing provisions that make funds available for administrative expenses incurred in furnishing assistance through the Department of Defense (DOD). (Sec. 8212) Provides that no prior consent for transfer by a foreign country of defense articles sold by the United States shall be required if: (1) such articles constitute components incorporated into a foreign defense article; (2) the recipient is the government of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) country, Australia, or Japan; (3) the U.S.-origin components were not significant military equipment and are not Missile Technology Control Regime items; and (4) the foreign country or persons transferring the items provide notification to the United States within 30 days following the transfer. Chapter 3: Special Requirements and Authorities Relating to Appropriations and Local Currencies - Subchapter A: Provisions Relating to Appropriations - Incorporates certain existing provisions that require authorization before funds appropriated for foreign assistance are expended. (Sec. 8302) Authorizes funds to remain available until expended. Subchapter B: Local Currencies - Incorporates certain existing provisions concerning the use of, and interest on, local currencies. Chapter 4: Procurement and Disposition of Articles - Requires the President to: (1) carry out assistance programs through private channels to the maximum extent practicable; (2) utilize the products and services of the U.S. private sector to operate projects in cases in which direct private investment is not readily encouraged; and (3) utilize goods and services of private enterprise on a contract basis in providing technical assistance. (Sec. 8403) Incorporates and revises certain existing authorities concerning shipping on U.S. vessels and the use of excess property in furnishing assistance. (Sec. 8405) Sets forth conditions on the transfer of excess defense articles. (Sec. 8407) Authorizes the President to designate countries in which a stockpile may be located. Chapter 5: Personnel and Administrative Expenses - Subchapter A: General - Authorizes the President to appoint 12 officers in AID. (Sec. 8502) Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) the employment of personnel; (2) the use of experts and consultants; and (3) the detail of personnel to foreign governments and international organizations. (Sec. 8511) Authorizes AID to expend funds in advance of appropriations in an amount sufficient to maintain operations at posts abroad for up to three days. Subchapter B: Overseas Management of Assistance and Sales Programs Administered Through the Department of Defense - Authorizes the President to detail members of the armed forces to foreign countries to perform certain functions for the management and sales programs administered through DOD under this Act and the Arms Export Control Act. (Sec. 8521) Requires advisory and training assistance by members of the armed forces to be kept to an absolute minimum. Subchapter C: Administrative Provisions for the Trade and Development Agency - Incorporates certain existing provisions concerning the Trade and Development Agency. Subchapter D: Administrative Provisions for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation - Incorporates certain existing administrative provisions for OPIC. Subchapter E: Definitions and Miscellaneous Provisions - Sets forth specified definitions. Title IX: Technical and Conforming Provisions - States that this Act shall take effect on October 1, 1994. (Sec. 9103) Incorporates certain existing provisions concerning: (1) the Federal Act of State doctrine; (2) accounting and valuation of foreign currencies and expropriated property; and (3) participation in foreign police actions. (Sec. 9104) Makes conforming amendments and repeals specified laws.
Bill· HRH.R. 3771 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 1994
Gun Exchange Tax Incentive Act of 1994 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an itemized tax deduction for charitable contributions of property under qualified gun exchange programs. Directs the Attorney General to develop a written model program for business-sponsored gun exchange programs.
Bill· HRH.R. 3779 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 1994
End Purchase of House Calendars Act - Prohibits funds from being appropriated for the purchase or mailing of House calendars from the Capitol Historical Society or any other source or from being used in administering or distributing calendars for FY 1995 and any future fiscal year.
Bill· HRH.R. 3762 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 1994
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow penalty-free withdrawals from individual retirement plans for expenses related to a federally-declared disaster.
Bill· HRH.R. 3761 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 1994
Small Business Empowerment Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an individual retirement account to be pledged as security for a qualified business loan.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 336 (103rd)passed
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 1994
Sets forth the rule for the consideration of H.R. 3759 (supplemental appropriations for FY 1994).
Bill· SS. 1814 (103rd)open
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1994
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a taxpayer to elect to include in income crop insurance proceeds and disaster payments in the year of the disaster or in the following year.
Bill· HRH.R. 3758 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1994
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow reservists to make penalty-free withdrawals from retirement plans to the extent of lost income while on active duty in support of a contingency operation.
Bill· HRH.R. 3756 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1994
Earthquake Insurance Incentive Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a deduction for amounts paid or incurred for earthquake insurance coverage for U.S. property. Allows such deduction for non-itemizers.
Bill· HRH.R. 3757 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1994
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a taxpayer to elect to include in income crop insurance proceeds and disaster payments in the year of the disaster or in the following year.
Bill· SS. 1812 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1994
Senate Office Savings Act (SOS Act) - Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1973 to authorize a Senator to direct that funds that are appropriated to the Senate for a fiscal year and allocated to the Senator's personal office and that remain unexpended and unobligated be paid into the sinking fund for retiring and canceling bonds and notes at the close of such fiscal year. Provides that such excess funds shall be used to reduce the public debt.
Bill· SS. 1809 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 January 1994
Directs the Secretary of Defense, by June 1, 1994, to report to the Congress on steps that can be taken by the United States to achieve greater cooperation from U.S. allies and international organizations for the payment of the costs involved in the development and production of theater missile defense (TMD) systems. Establishes the annual fiscal year obligational authority, beginning with FY 1995, for research, development, test, and evaluation and for procurement for TMD programs. Limits the annual U.S. contribution for TMD programs, with a waiver by the President for national security purposes. States that the percentage of development and production costs of TMD systems borne by the United States should decrease incrementally for fiscal years after 1995. Authorizes the Secretary to accept from such allies and organizations contributions for such costs. Establishes in the Treasury the Theater Missile Defense Cooperation Account. Requires: (1) the Secretary to report quarterly on any such contributions; and (2) the Comptroller General to conduct and report to the Congress on annual audits of money accepted.
Bill· SS. 1807 (103rd)open
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 1994
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Portable and Permanent Private Health Insurance Subtitle A: Portability Subtitle B: Permanence Title II: Expansion of Health Care Choices Subtitle A: Employer-Provided Health Insurance Subtitle B: Medical Savings Accounts Title III: Equal Tax Treatment for Health Insurance of Self-Employed and Uninsured Title IV: Small Business Health Insurance Pools Title V: Assistance to Individuals With Preexisting Conditions in Purchasing Health Insurance Title VI: Encourage Responsible Behavior by the Financially Capable Title VII: Assistance to Low-Income Workers to Purchase Health Insurance Title VIII: Reward Preventive Medicine and Healthy Lifestyles Title IX: Reform Medicaid and Expand Choices Under Medicare Subtitle A: Medicaid Subtitle B: Medicare Title X: Enhanced Efficiency Through Paperwork Reduction Title XI: Meaningful Medical Liability Reform Title XII: Antitrust Reforms Title XIII: Expenditure Targets for the Medicaid and Medicare Programs Comprehensive Family Health Access and Savings Act - Title I: Portable and Permanent Private Insurance - Subtitle A: Portability - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify required continuation coverage of group health plans by allowing the offering of annual deductibles for such coverage. Terminates such continuation coverage after an individual is eligible for employer-based coverage for more than 90 days. (Sec. 102) Allows penalty-free withdrawals from qualified retirement plans to pay for health insurance during a continuation period. Subtitle B: Permanence - Prohibits an insurer from cancelling an individual or group health insurance plan or denying renewal of coverage except for specified reasons. Prohibits an employer from cancelling a self-insured group health plan or denying renewal of coverage except for similar reasons. (Sec. 112) Requires individual health insurance plans and group health plans to offer insureds the option to purchase new health insurance plans after enactment of this Act. Title II: Expansion of Health Care Choices - Subtitle A: Employer-Provided Health Insurance - Requires an employer-provided health insurance package to include one of the following options: (1) the health insurance coverage provided by the employer on the date of enactment of this Act; (2) coverage in a health maintenance organization, managed care arrangement, or preferred provider organization; or (3) a medical savings account. Subtitle B: Medical Savings Account - Allows a deduction from gross income for medical expenses attributable to coverage under a catastrophic health insurance plan. (Sec. 212) Allows individuals a tax deduction for contributions made to a medical care savings account established for the benefit of an eligible individual or such individual's spouse and dependents. Allows such deduction whether or not an individual itemizes deductions. Disallows distributions from such accounts as medical expense deductions. Excludes employer contributions to such accounts from employment taxes. Establishes an excise tax for excess contributions to medical care savings accounts and for prohibited transactions. Title III: Equal Tax Treatment for Health Insurance of Self-Employed and Uninsured - Allows as an exclusion from gross income such self-employed health insurance costs as do not exceed the national per employee average of the employer-provided contribution excluded from gross income. Excludes certain health insurance costs from employment taxes. Title IV: Small Business Health Insurance Pools - Prohibits: (1) State restrictions on groups purchasing health insurance; (2) State benefit mandates for group health plans; and (3) for five years following enactment, specified State restrictions on managed care. Title V: Assistance to Individuals with Preexisting Conditions in Purchasing Health Insurance - Requires the Secretary to establish and administer a program providing allotments to States for the establishment of State-wide insurance risk pools to provide health insurance coverage to individuals with preexisting conditions. Authorizes appropriations. Title VI: Encourage Responsible Behavior by the Financially Capable - Prohibits any family with an income exceeding 200 percent of the poverty line or who is eligible for a catastrophic health insurance plan as defined in title VII of this Act, but who fails to purchase a plan providing such coverage within one year of enactment from being eligible for the insurance pool program under title V of this Act. Title VII: Assistance to Low-Income Workers to Purchase Insurance - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a refundable tax credit for the cost of premiums for a catastrophic health insurance plan based upon family income and size. Allows the advance payment of such credit. Disallows the use of such credit amount as a medical expense deduction. (Sec. 702) Allows the collection of unpaid debts for medical expenses from individuals who are eligible for such credit but fail to claim it. Title VIII: Reward Preventive Medicine and Healthy Lifestyles - Provides that in the case of any health insurance plan, no provision of State or local law shall apply that restricts the reduction of premiums or the allowance of incentives with respect to such plans for individuals who pursue healthy lifestyles. Title IX: Reform Medicaid and Expand Choices Under Medicare - Subtitle A: Medicaid - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to place a specified formula cap on the Federal payment made each year to a State for furnishing medical assistance to eligible individuals. (Sec. 902) Provides for waivers from Medicaid requirements in order for States to establish innovative and cost-effective programs for furnishing medical assistance to eligible individuals. Subtitle B: Medicare - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to allow an individual to elect health care coverage through either a private health care arrangement or an eligible organization within one year after becoming entitled to benefits under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) or forgoing an employer health benefit plan. Details the election process for current Medicare part A beneficiaries. Provides for payments under Medicare to individuals enrolled with such arrangements or organizations, including additional amounts from the Medicare trust funds for individuals enrolled with such arrangements. Title X: Enhanced Efficiency Through Paperwork Reduction - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to adopt standards to reduce the administrative and paperwork burdens of all Federal health care programs by 50 percent within the two-year period following the date of this Act's enactment (initial reduction), and by an additional 50 percent reduction over a subsequent three-year period (subsequent reduction), for a total reduction of 75 percent over the five-year period following such date. Requires the Secretary, to achieve the initial reduction, to adopt standards for Federal health care programs relating to: (1) data elements for use in paper and electronic claims processing under health insurance plans, as well as for use in utilization review and management of care; (2) uniform claims forms; and (3) uniform electronic transmission of the data elements, including protections to assure the confidentiality of patient-specific information and to protect against the unauthorized use and disclosure of information. Directs the Secretary, to achieve the subsequent reduction, to modify by regulation the standards adopted with respect to the initial reduction. Specifies that such modification may include such recommendations as reported by the Standardized Form Commission or any other provisions necessary to meet the goals for reduction in the paperwork burden of Federal health care programs. (Sec. 1002) Requires each State, to be eligible for Federal funds in connection with any State-administered health care program, to standardize the processing of paper and electronic claims to reduce the administrative and paperwork burdens on such programs by 75 percent during the five-year period following enactment of this Act. Sets forth provisions regarding enforcement of this provision and waivers of payment reductions for noncompliance. (Sec. 1003) Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish a Standardized Forms Commission to make recommendations on the standardization of paper and electronic claims processing to reduce the paperwork burden and enhance the efficiency and productivity of claims processing; and (2) submit recommendations to the Congress in the form of an implementing bill. Sets forth procedures for congressional consideration of such bill. Makes a health care provider or insurer that fails to comply with any enacted recommendations of the Commission ineligible for payments of claims submitted under any provision of the Social Security Act or the Public Health Service Act. Title XI: Meaningful Medical Liability Reform - Makes this title applicable with respect to any medical malpractice liability claim or action (such action) brought in State or Federal court, except with respect to certain claims or actions for damages arising from a vaccine-related injury or death. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) preemption; (2) negotiated liability; (3) effect on sovereign immunity and choice of law or venue; and (4) jurisdiction. (Sec. 1102) Prohibits such action from being initiated after the expiration of: (1) the two-year period that begins on the latter of the date the alleged injury that is the subject of the claim was discovered or the date the injury should reasonably have been discovered; and (2) the four-year period that begins on the date on which the alleged injury occurred. Makes an exception for a minor who has not attained age six. (Sec. 1103) Provides that: (1) the liability of each defendant in such action, with respect to economic and noneconomic damages, shall be several only and not joint; (2) such a defendant shall be liable only for the amount of damages allocated to the defendant in direct proportion to such defendant's percentage of fault or responsibility for the injury; and (3) the trier of fact shall determine and assign a percentage of responsibility for each such defendant. (Sec. 1104) Requires: (1) all requests for discovery pursuant to such action to identify the relevant portion of the complaint, answer, or other pleading to which responses to the discovery requests are expected to relate; and (2) the court, with respect to any motion for an order compelling discovery, to award the prevailing party reasonable fees and expenses incurred in bringing or defending against the motion, including reasonable attorney fees, unless the court finds that the position of the unsuccessful party with substantially justified or that special circumstances make such an award unjust. (Sec. 1105) Limits the total amount of noneconomic damages that may be awarded to a claimant and family members to $250,000, regardless of the number of parties against whom the action is brought or the number of actions brought with respect to the injury. (Sec. 1106) Specifies that a defendant may not be required to pay damages awarded for any economic losses to be incurred after the date on which the judgment is entered exceeding $100,000, in a single, lump-sum payment, but shall be permitted to make such payments periodically based on projections of the amount of damages expected to be incurred by the claimant at appropriate intervals, as determined by the court. Permits the court to require that a defendant purchase an annuity or fund a reversionary trust to make periodic payments if the court determines that a reasonable basis exists for concluding that the defendant may be unable or otherwise fail to make the required periodic payments. Specifies that a court judgment awarding such payments may not be reopened at any time to contest, amend, or modify the schedule or amount of the payments in the absence of fraud or any other basis under which a party may obtain relief from a final judgment. (Sec. 1107) Sets forth provisions regarding costs and fees, including limitations on attorneys charging or collecting contingency fees. Establishes recordkeeping requirements as a prerequisite to the receipt of an award of attorney fees. (Sec. 1108) Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) contribution and indemnification; and (2) collateral sources. (Sec. 1110) Prohibits the award of noneconomic damages with respect to any medical product liability claim alleged against a medical product producer if: (1) the drug or device that is the subject of such claim was subject to specified approval or premarket approval under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); or (2) the drug or device is generally recognized as safe and effective pursuant to conditions established by the FDA and applicable regulations, including packaging and labeling regulations. Makes exceptions in cases of withheld information, misrepresentation, or illegal payment of FDA officials to secure approval. (Sec. 1111) Provides that, in any medical malpractice liability action that is certified as a class action: (1) the share of damages under any final judgment or settlement that is awarded to any party serving as a representative claimant shall be calculated in the same manner as the shares awarded to all other members of the claimant class (but permits the award of reasonable compensation, costs, and expenses relating to the representation of the class); (2) if a party is represented by an attorney who has a beneficial interest in the subject of the litigation, the court shall make a determination of whether such interest constitutes a conflict of interest sufficient to disqualify the attorney; and (3) an attorney may not represent the class if the attorney has paid, or is obligated to pay, a fee to a third party who assisted the attorney in obtaining the representation of any party to the action (and bars an attorney who knowingly violates this provision from representing the party in such action or any action to which this title applies). Title XII: Antitrust Reforms - Directs the Attorney General to promulgate guidelines under which a health care joint venture may submit an application requesting that the Attorney General provide the entities participating in the venture with an exemption under which: (1) monetary recovery on an antitrust claim brought against the entity shall be limited to actual damages if specified conditions are met; and (2) the conduct of the entity in making or performing a contract to carry out the venture shall not be deemed illegal per se. Requires the Attorney General to approve or disapprove the application within a specified time frame and to provide a statement explaining the reasons for any disapproval. Directs the Attorney General to approve the application if an entity participating in the venture submits to the Attorney General an application that contains: (1) the identities of the parties to the venture; (2) the nature, objectives, and planned activities of the venture; and (3) specified assurances and information. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) revocation and renewal of exemptions and withdrawal of an application; (2) requirements relating to notice and publication of exemptions; and (3) issuance of health care certificates of public advantage to each eligible health care joint venture that complies with specified requirements. (Sec. 1203) Establishes the Interagency Advisory Committee on Competition, Antitrust Policy, and Health Care to: (1) discuss and evaluate competition and antitrust policy and their implications regarding the performance of health care markets; (2) analyze the effectiveness of health care joint ventures receiving exemptions in reducing costs and expanding access; and (3) make recommendations to the Congress. Title XIII: Expenditure Targets for the Medicaid and Medicare Programs - Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, not later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal year beginning with FY 1995, to determine the amount of "medicaid excess expenditures" and "medicare excess expenditures" for such fiscal year. Defines such terms for a fiscal year as the amount by which the Federal expenditures under each such program for such fiscal year exceed the target expenditures for each such program. Sets formulas for determining the target expenditures. (Sec. 1302) Provides that if the Director determines that there are Medicaid or Medicare excess expenditures for a fiscal year, specified categories of health insurance benefits (including certain tax credits and exclusions and assistance to individuals with preexisting conditions in purchasing health insurance) that are effective in the applicable taxable or calendar year beginning after such fiscal year may be delayed until the following year. Makes such provision applicable only to so many of such categories in the order in which such categories are listed such that the savings resulting from such delay at least equal the costs of the Medicaid and Medicare excess expenditures.
Resolution· SCONRESS.Con.Res. 58 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1994
Expresses the sense of the Congress that any Government-mandated health care reform should be included on budget and should be subject to the same budget rules as other tax and spending measures.
Bill· HRH.R. 3742 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1994
Welfare Elimination Act of 1994 - Establishes the Commission to Eliminate Welfare. Directs the Commission to design and report to the Congress a plan for transition from certain welfare, child care, food stamps, job training, and targeted jobs tax credit programs to specified new programs and to specified new programs providing temporary financial aid and assistance in locating permanent employment.
Bill· HRH.R. 3746 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1994
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Programs to Exchange Vouchers for Firearms Title II: Tax Deduction for Taxpayers Who Donate Merchandise Vouchers National Firearms Exchange Act - Title I: Programs to Exchange Vouchers for Firearms - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (Omnibus Act) to require the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to establish procedures under which any unit of local government may apply for approval of a program to exchange merchandise vouchers for firearms. Requires the Director to establish criteria and procedures to determine whether any such program should be approved under this title. Prohibits the Director from approving any program that does not provide that all firearms surrendered to the program will be destroyed, but does not require the destruction of a firearm until it is no longer needed for investigatory or evidentiary purposes. Sets forth provisions regarding the timing of the approval process and the duration of approval status. Requires the Director to make every effort to secure from State governments amnesty for certain offenses for persons surrendering firearms. Authorizes the Director to make grants to approved programs. Requires the Director to establish grant application and award procedures for local governments whose programs are approved. Requires the Director to submit to the Congress an assessment of the effectiveness of this title regarding programs to exchange merchandise vouchers for firearms and of approved programs and to establish criteria for evaluating such effectiveness. Authorizes appropriations. Amends the Federal criminal code to grant amnesty to an individual surrendering, or in the process of surrendering, a firearm to an approved program (thus making specified provisions of the Omnibus Act and the National Firearms Act inapplicable with respect to such individual), with exceptions. Title II: Tax Deduction for Taxpayers Who Donate Merchandise Vouchers - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a deduction for the fair market value of certain contributions of property or vouchers to be transferred to individuals surrendering firearms under a qualified gun exchange program.
Bill· HRH.R. 3739 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1994
Capital Formation and Jobs Creation Act of 1994 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a 50 percent income tax deduction for the net capital gain of both corporate and noncorporate taxpayers. Requires indexing, based on the gross national product deflator, of the adjusted basis of certain assets (corporate stock and tangible property that is a capital asset or property used in a trade or business) that have been held for more than one year at the time of sale or other transfer, solely for the purpose of determining gain or loss. Allows an itemized deduction for losses arising from the sale or exchange of a principal residence.
Bill· SS. 1798 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1994
Gun Violence Health Care Costs Prevention Act - Amends the Federal criminal code to increase fees for certain three-year Federal firearms dealer licenses. Appropriates a percentage of such fees to the Gun Violence Trauma Care Trust Fund. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the manufacturer's excise tax on handguns, assault weapons, and the ammunition for such firearms. Establishes a new 30-percent Federal sales and transfer tax to cover sales of these instruments by gun dealers to retail customers. Establishes the Gun Violence Trauma Care Trust Fund to make grants to assist hospitals, trauma centers, or other health care providers that have incurred substantial uncompensated costs in providing medical care to gunshot victims.
Bill· SS. 1792 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1994
Senate Office Savings Act (SOS Act) - Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1973 to authorize a Senator to direct that funds that are appropriated to the Senate for a fiscal year and allocated to the Senator's personal office and that remain unexpended and unobligated be paid into the sinking fund for retiring and canceling bonds and notes at the close of such fiscal year. Provides that such excess funds shall be used to reduce the public debt.
Bill· SS. 1787 (103rd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1994
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income any qualified education savings account. Describes such account as a trust created pursuant to a State educational savings plan and used exclusively to pay the higher education expenses of the designated beneficiary. Treats such State plans as tax-exempt organizations and treats contributions to such plans as charitable contributions. Declares that contributions to such accounts are not subject to the gift tax. Imposes penalty taxes in connection with reporting requirements or prohibited transactions associated with an account. Excludes distributions from such accounts when determining support for dependents.
Bill· HRH.R. 3722 (103rd)open
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1994
Education Savings Assistance Act of 1994 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income any qualified education savings account. Describes such account as a trust created pursuant to a State educational savings plan and used exclusively to pay the higher education expenses of the designated beneficiary. Treats such State plans as tax-exempt organizations and treats contributions to such plans as charitable contributions. Declares that contributions to such accounts are not subject to the gift tax. Imposes penalty taxes in connection with reporting requirements or prohibited transactions associated with an account. Excludes distributions from such accounts when determining support for dependents.
Bill· HRH.R. 3721 (103rd)open
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1994
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Targeting Habitual Repeat and Violent Criminal Offenders Subtitle A: Expanding the Capacity of State Correctional Facilities Subtitle B: Major Offenders Programs and Felony Parole Violators Title II: Ending the Double Victimization of Society Subtitle A: Denial of Federal Benefits Subtitle B: Prison Work Programs Title III: Repeal of Supervised Release Program Title IV: Drug Paraphernalia Tax Title V: Financing Subtitle A: National Security Subtitle B: Physical Capital, Natural Resources, and Science Subtitle C: Government Management Subtite D: Human Resources Subtitle E: Social Services and Retirement Violent and Repeat Offenders Act of 1994 - Title I: Targeting Habitual Repeat and Violent Criminal Offenders - Subtitle A: Expanding the Capacity of State Correctional Facilities - Authorizes the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to make grants to States to construct additional correctional facilities for the purpose of increasing prison capacity to make habitual and violent criminal offenders serve the full term of their sentences. Specifies that such construction should aim to provide sufficient capacity to incarcerate such offenders who exhibit a high risk for continued or violent criminal activity for such terms, including individuals: (1) with three or more arrests by age 18; (2) with a history of violent criminal offenses; and (3) exhibiting a pattern of crimes of premeditation and deliberation for whom a prison stay may have a significant deterrent value. Authorizes the Director to make such grants to States to operate prison facilities including costs for administration and staff. (Sec. 102) Sets forth application requirements. Directs that each State application include a comprehensive plan containing: (1) a description of the correctional facility needs in the State, including relevant supporting data; (2) a description of the resources available to build additional correctional facility capacity, together with an account of the expenses involved that cannot be met with existing resources at the State and local levels; (3) an explanation of how the State will be able to sustain the increased operation and maintenance costs of expanded correctional facility capacity; and (4) an evaluation component, including quantifiable data, that measures progress toward meeting the prison capacity goals under this subtitle. (Sec. 103) Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) fund allocation; (2) grant renewal and limitations; and (3) grant approval and disapproval procedures. Subtitle B: Major Offenders Programs and Felony Parole Violators - Authorizes the Director to make grants to States, for use by the States and units of local government, for purposes of developing and increasing the capacity and the effectiveness of major offenders programs that prioritize the arrest and prosecution of habitual and violent criminal offenders. Specifies that such programs shall include: (1) establishment or expansion of specialized major offender units in law enforcement and criminal prosecutor offices to identify, monitor, arrest, and prosecute major offenders; and (2) establishment or expansion of a State crime information center computer database to include the complete arrest histories of major offenders and parole violator units and other relevant information for use by law enforcement officers and criminal prosecutors. (Sec. 113) Sets forth application requirements. Directs that each State application include a comprehensive plan containing: (1) a description, with supporting data, of the crime problems attributable to major offenders and parole violators that improved law enforcement and prosecution programs may be able to decrease; (2) a description of the resources available to implement or expand major offenders and parole violators programs; and (3) an evaluation component. (Sec. 114) Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) local applications; (2) fund allocation; (3) grant renewal and limitations; and (4) grant approval and disapproval procedures. Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Ending the Double Victimization of Society - Subtitle A: Denial of Federal Benefits - Makes any individual who is convicted of three Federal or State felony offenses ineligible for any Federal benefits. (Sec. 212) Requires: (1) State and Federal courts to send information, as determined necessary by the Director of the Office of Justice Assistance, regarding the conviction of third-time felons to such Office in a timely manner; (2) such Office to maintain a computer listing of individuals convicted of a third Federal or State felony offense and update such list in a timely manner; (3) such Office to transfer the names of such individuals to the General Services Administration for inclusion in the publication "Lists of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement or Nonprocurement Programs"; and (4) representatives of a Government agency that is responsible for the distribution of a Federal benefit to consult such publication before granting such benefit. (Sec. 214) Authorizes appropriations. Subtitle B: Prison Work Programs - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to require a State, in order to avoid a reduction of available funds by 25 percent (for redistribution to other participating States), to implement or continue a prison workfare program that requires an inmate who is physically able (as determined by the State Director of Corrections) to work a portion of each day. Title III: Repeal of Supervised Release Program - Repeals provisions authorizing the court to include a term of supervised release after imprisonment. Title IV: Drug Paraphernalia Tax - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a tax, equal to 100 percent of the price for which sold, on taxable smoking paraphernalia manufactured in or imported into the United States. Increases the tax on cigarette papers. Title V: Financing - Subtitle A: National Security - Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should negotiate with member nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and any other foreign nation with which the United States has a bilateral or multilateral defense agreement, with certain exceptions, to seek an agreement that provides for such nation to pay at least 50 percent of the overseas basing costs incurred by the United States for stationing its members and civilian personnel in that nation. Limits the U.S. share of overseas basing coats for FY 1995 and thereafter, lowering such percentage from 84 percent of such costs for FY 1995 to 50 percent of such costs for FY 1998 and thereafter. (Sec. 502) Directs the Secretary of the Army to reorganize and reduce offices of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in order to achieve at least $50 million in net annual savings by FY 1998. (Sec. 503) Rescinds specified military construction and defense procurement funds during FY 1994, as well as specified funds for the MK-19 grenade launcher program. (Sec. 505) Directs the Secretary of Defense to cancel the C-26 aircraft program and the Mobile In-Shore Undersea Warfare Vans program. (Sec. 507) Rescinds or reduces: (1) FY 1994 defense operation and maintenance funds; (2) funding for the Food for Peace program under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (with a modification of loan terms); (3) funds for the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development; (4) funding for the International Development Association under the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1994; (5) funds for foreign military financing under the same Act; and (6) funds for the Agency for International Development, Department of State, and the United States Information Agency. Subtitle B: Physical Capital, Natural Resources, and Science - Terminates the spacelifter program. (Sec. 522) Department of Science, Space, Energy, and Technology Organization Act of 1993 - Establishes the Department of Science, Space, Energy, and Technology (Department). Transfers the following entities to the Department: (1) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; (2) the National Institute of Standards and Technology; (3) the National Science Foundation; (4) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; (5) the Patent and Trademark Office; (6) the Department of Energy, renamed the National Energy Administration, except for specified facilities to be transferred to the Department of Defense; and (7) the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. (Sec. 523) Amends the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 to eliminate and rescind funding for the magnetic levitation prototype development program. (Sec. 524) Rescinds funding from specified National Institutes of Health, independent agencies, and Department of Defense accounts for federally sponsored university research and development programs. (Sec. 525) Directs the Secretaries of Energy and Commerce to establish procedures for recoupment of certain grants undertaken by their respective Departments. Authorizes the Secretaries to require recoupment as necessary. (Sec. 526) Eliminates the competitive contracting exclusion for contracts involving federally funded research and development centers and Federal executive agencies or the Department of Defense. (Sec. 527) Terminates (and rescinds funding for) the Modular High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor program. (Sec. 528) Establishes the Department of Energy Facilities Closure and Reconfiguration Commission which shall review and recommend (based upon the Secretary of Energy's recommendations) closures and reconfigurations for Department of Energy facilities. Appropriates Commission funds. Terminates the Commission not later than 20 months after enactment of this Act. Sets forth the procedures for facilities closure and reconfiguration, including presidential and congressional review. Establishes in the Treasury a Department of Energy Facility Closure Account. (Sec. 529) Authorizes the Secretary of Energy to sell: (1) the Snettisham Hydroelectric Project to the Alaska Power Authority (now known as the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority) or its successor; and (2) the Eklutna Hydroelectric Project to the Municipality of Anchorage, doing business as Municipal Light and Power, the Chugach Electric Association, Inc., and the Matanuska Electric Association. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary of Energy to assess alternative options before making such sales. (Sec. 531) Rescinds funding for the SPR petroleum account. (Sec. 532) Directs the Secretary of the Interior to study the termination of the helium subsidy. (Sec. 533) Rescinds funding for certain water projects. (Sec. 534) Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act to establish a preference for interim measures rather than permanent treatment technologies in Superfund response actions. Amends the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 to authorize appropriations for the Superfund. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to limit funds from the Superfund to such authorization amounts. (Sec. 535) Establishes in the Office of the Secretary of the Treasury a Disaster Relief Account. Rescinds specified disaster relief funding under the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1994. (Sec. 536) Repeals title VII (weather office closure procedures) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 1992. Rescinds specified National Weather Service funding under the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1994. (Sec. 537) Rescinds specified funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research fleet and certain other activities under the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1994. (Sec. 539) Directs the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of the Army to jointly study the feasibility of merging the Bureau of Reclamation and the United States Army Corps of Engineers. (Sec. 540) Rescinds specified Cooperative State Research Service facilities funding under the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1994. (Sec. 541) Repeals authority for the: (1) airway science program; (2) collegiate training initiative; and (3) air carrier maintenance technician training facility grant program. Rescinds specified funding for Federal Aviation Administration operations and facilities and equipment. (Sec. 542) Repeals the Symms National Recreational Trails Act of 1991. (Sec. 543) Repeals specified Economic Development Administration funding under the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1994. (Sec. 544) Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to eliminate funding for public telecommunications facilities. Rescinds specified telecommunications funding under the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1994. (Sec. 545) Establishes a moratorium on construction or acquisition of new Federal buildings. Subtitle C: Government Management - Transfers the position of Public Printer (PP) and all associated functions (except those of the Superintendent of Documents (SD)) to the executive branch. (Sec. 551) Transfers the SD position and all associated functions to the Library of Congress where they will be carried out by the SD under the direction of the Librarian of Congress (LC). Requires the SD to be appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the LC. Revokes all existing authorized printing plant charters. Requires all Government publications to be available throughout the Government to any department, agency, or entity of the Government for use or redissemination. Requires Government entities to: (1) establish and maintain a comprehensive inventory of their publications; (2) make such inventory available through the electronic directory; and (3) furnish their publications to the SD in the prescribed form and manner. Imposes additional specified responsibilities on: (1) the PP with respect to the executive and judicial branches, including using all necessary measures to remedy duplication and waste in public printing and prescribing publishing standards and procurement requirements; and (2) the SD with respect to dissemination of Government publications, including making publications available to designated depository and State libraries. (Sec. 552) Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the Bureau of Indian Affairs should be reorganized as specified; and (2) such reorganization should be pursued in coordination with the Task Force on Bureau of Indian Affairs reorganization. (Sec. 553) Makes specified rescissions of various executive agencies' FY 1994 funding for printing and reproduction and for supplies and materials. (Sec. 554) Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to streamline HUD, including eliminating a specified number of employee positions and consolidating various offices. (Sec. 555) Terminates the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), transfers all associated functions to the Secretary of Transportation, and rescinds specified FY 1994 ICC funding, and transfers other ICC funding to the Department of Transportation. (Sec. 556) Makes specified rescissions of Tennessee Valley Authority and Appalachian Regional Commission funds. (Sec. 558) Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to implement a prospective payment system for the Veterans Health Administration. (Sec. 559) Makes a specified rescission of FY 1994 funding for the Legal Services Corporation. (Sec. 560) Repeals the State Justice Institute Act of 1984, thereby abolishing the State Justice Institute (SJI), and rescinds a specified amount of FY 1994 SJI funding. (Sec. 561) Reorganizes the U.S. Marshals Service. (Sec. 562) Makes specified rescissions of FY 1994 funds for: (1) the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; (2) construction of Federal offices and courthouses; (3) the Executive Office of the President and the legislative branch (except the Senate); (4) House of Representative franking; and (5) certain official Government travel. (Sec. 568) Eliminates the 1994 calendar year cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Members of Congress, and limits future adjustments for Members to the same percentages as those for Federal employees. (Sec. 569) Ends unlimited accumulation of annual leave for members of the Senior Executive Service and rescinds a specified amount of FY 1994 funds for executive agency accrued leave payments. (Sec. 570) Sets specified limits on the total number of full-time equivalent executive agency positions each fiscal year through FY 1998. Gives the Office of Management and Budget enforcement authority over such limits, and, provides for waivers from such limits under certain conditions. Rescinds a specified amount of FY 1994 funds for executive agency employee compensation. (Sec. 572) Terminates specified Federal advisory committees. (Sec. 573) Increases the threshold for application of the Davis-Bacon Act. Rescinds a specified amount of FY 1994 executive agency funds for construction activities under Davis-Bacon. (Sec. 574) Amends Federal law commonly known as the Copeland Act to require employers on contracts covered by Davis-Bacon to certify compliance with applicable labor law standards at least once a month to the Department of Labor, instead of submitting weekly payroll records. Rescinds a specified amount of FY 1994 funds for executive agency construction activities under Copeland. (Sec. 575) Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a program requiring user fees for applications for alcohol labeling and formula reviews. (Sec. 576) Amends the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to increase registration fees. Requires the amounts collected as registration fees to be deposited into the Treasury for use towards the salaries and expenses of Securities and Exchange Commission employees. (Sec. 577) Requires States participating in marketing activities or tourism promotion abroad through the U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration to pay user fees to fund the Administration. Requires the Secretary of Commerce to establish a program requiring the payment of user fees for all services provided to all non-Federal entities by the International Trade Administration in carrying out its export promotion programs. Subtitle D: Human Resources - Terminates Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) assistance for public housing construction, other than Indian public housing. Reallocates specified rescinded funding to the Section 8 housing voucher program. (Sec. 582) Amends the Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1978 to revise provisions regarding the management and disposition of HUD-held multifamily properties and mortgages. (Sec. 583) Terminates specified annual grant assistance to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands as of September 30, 1993. Subtitle E: Social Services and Retirement - Amends Federal civil service law to add special rules for certain post-1993 new employees and Members of Congress. (Sec. 592) Makes changes with regard to Government contributions to the Thrift Savings Plan. (Sec. 593) Defers until age 62 COLAs for military retirees who first entered military service on or after January 1, 1994. (Sec. 594) Amends title XX (Block Grants to States for Social Services) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to consolidate into a single block grant program various specified social services programs, including the at-risk child care program under SSA title VI part A (Aid to Families with Dependent Children). (Sec. 595) Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit the award of Pell grants to prisoners.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 331 (103rd)passed
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1994
Sets forth the rule for the consideration of H.J. Res. 103 (proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for a balanced budget).