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Bill· HJRESH.J.Res. 159 (104th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1996
Constitutional Amendment - Requires a two-thirds vote of each House of the Congress in order to pass any bill levying a new tax or increasing the rate or base of any tax. Allows the Congress to waive that requirement during war or certain military conflict. Requires all votes under this Amendment to be by yeas and nays and the names of persons voting for and against to be entered in the Journal of each House.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 358 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1996
Amends rules XXVIII, XX, and XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives to make it out of order to consider conference committee reports on bills or joint resolutions that contain appropriations for the legislative branch for any period of a fiscal year, motions to agree to any Senate amendment to such measures with or without amendment, or legislation that contains continuing appropriations for the legislative branch for any period of a fiscal year, unless: (1) all regular appropriations for the fiscal year (other than for the legislative branch) have been enacted into law; or (2) the conference reports, Senate amendments, or continuing appropriation measures also contain continuing appropriations for the same period in lieu of all other regular appropriation bills for the fiscal year that have not been enacted into law. Makes it out of order to consider in the House any report from the Committee on Rules that provides for the consideration of such conference committee reports, motions to agree to the Senate amendments, or continuing appropriation measures notwithstanding such restriction.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 144 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1996
Expresses the sense of the Congress that, not later than March 15, 1996, the Congress should appropriate for FY 1996 for each continuing program or activity of the Department of Education not less than the amount appropriated for FY 1995 for such program or activity.
Bill· HRH.R. 2915 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1996
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Block Grants for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Title II: Supplemental Security Income Subtitle A: Eligibility Restrictions Subtitle B: Benefits for Disabled Children Subtitle C: Studies Regarding Supplemental Security Income Program Subtitle D: National Commission on the Future of Disability Subtitle E: State Supplementation Programs Subtitle F: Retirement Age Eligibility Title III: Food Stamp Program Subtitle A: Food Stamp Reform Subtitle B: Anti-Fraud and Trafficking Title IV: Child Nutrition Programs Subtitle A: Reimbursement Rates Subtitle B: Grant Programs Subtitle C: Other Amendments Subtitle D: Reauthorization Title V: Noncitizens Title VI: Child Care Title VII: Protection of Battered Individuals Title VIII: Adoption Expenses Title IX: Child Support Subtitle A: Eligibility for Services; Distribution of Payments Subtitle B: Locate and Case Tracking Subtitle C: Streamlining and Uniformity of Procedures Subtitle D: Paternity Establishment Subtitle E: Program Administration and Funding Subtitle F: Establishment and Modification of Support Orders Subtitle G: Enforcement of Support Orders Subtitle H: Medical Support Subtitle I: Enhancing Responsibility and Opportunity for Nonresidential Parents Subtitle J: Effect of Enactment Title X: Reform of Public Housing Title XI: Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Subtitle A: General Program Subtitle B: Community-Based Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Grants Subtitle C: Family Violence Prevention and Services Subtitle D: Adoption Opportunities Subtitle E: Abandoned Infants Assistance Act of 1986 Subtitle F: Reauthorization of Various Programs Title XII: Reductions in Federal Government Positions Title XIII: Miscellaneous Provisions Work Opportunity Act of 1995 - Title I: Block Grants For Temporary Assistance For Needy Families - Replaces the current Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA), and the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training Program (JOBS) under part F as well, with a single program of block grants to eligible States with plans approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) for operating statewide temporary assistance (TEA) programs for helping welfare recipients make the transition into the work world, and for preventing and reducing the incidence of teenage pregnancies. (Sec. 101) Includes within the general program framework certain mandatory work, education, and job preparation requirements, as well as certain optional community service requirements, outlined in detail, as the primary program components for providing needy families either already having or expecting a child with the specific assistance and support services (including child care) they need to overcome any unique circumstances and become self-sufficient. Requires families to achieve such independence within a certain negotiated time-limited period (generally no more than five years except in certain cases involving minor children and hardship situations) pursuant to either a limited benefit plan or personal responsibility contract. Requires such instruments to be entered into with the particular participating State and to outline the steps for families to take to get off welfare after receiving an appropriate assessment by the relevant State agency's case manager of the family member's skills, prior work experience, and employability. Provides, additionally, within the general program framework for the following by participating States as subsidiary matters: (1) establishment of annual goals and institution of actions to prevent and reduce out-of-wedlock pregnancies, with special emphasis on teenage pregnancies, with respect to FY 1996 through 2000; (2) strategic plans for assessing program outcomes over a three-year period and estimating the total amount of State and local expenditures under the program for the fiscal year in which such plan is submitted; and (3) certain certifications that the State will, among other things, operate a child support enforcement program under SSA title IV part D, operate a child protection program under SSA title IV part B, and operate a foster care and adoption assistance program under SSA title IV part E. Allows States to determine the treatment of aliens and families moving inter-State under their respective State TEA plans. Details grant administrative provisions, including those for: (1) determining the amounts of State and Indian tribe grants under the TEA program; (2) outlining grant uses, with a limit on how much of the grant may be used for administrative purposes; (3) setting up a Federal loan program using the newly established Treasury Federal Loan Fund for State Welfare Programs for State TEA program anti-fraud and other specified activities; (4) providing for job placement performance bonuses for States based on the number of families that became ineligible for TEA program assistance as a result of unsubsidized employment; and (5) establishing a Contingency Fund for State Welfare Programs in the Treasury for payments to certain eligible States; (6) providing supplemental grant amounts for population increases in certain States; and (7) increasing grants for States that reduce out-of-wedlock births. Authorizes appropriations, including additional amounts for certain current SSA title IV part A demonstrations and for the cost of developing and evaluating innovative approaches for reducing welfare dependency and increasing the well-being of minor children, among other things. Penalizes States and individual families for specified grant and program violations, respectively, through reduced grants and assistance payments, allowing States to terminate such payments to certain adult family members without small children needing child care who refuse to engage in the required number of hours per week in mandatory program work and other activities. Limits the amount of any penalty reduction in the State's quarterly grant payment. Denies TEA assistance in certain cases, for example where an individual family member is a fugitive felon or a probation or parole violator, and suspends it for ten years in certain other cases where an individual is found to have fraudulently misrepresented residence in order to obtain TEA assistance in two or more States. Provides for the exchange of TEA program information with law enforcement agencies under certain conditions. Outlines congressional findings with regard to the importance of marriage in a successful society and the negative consequences of out-of-wedlock births and the raising of children in single-parent homes. Expresses the sense of the Congress that prevention of out-of-wedlock pregnancy and reduction in out-of-wedlock births are important Government interests and that the policy in this title is intended to address such interests. Gives States certain options for promoting responsible parenting, including the ability to deny assistance for a child born out-of- wedlock to an individual who has not attained 18 years of age, or for the individual, until the individual attains such age, and for a minor child who is born to a recipient of assistance under the TEA program or an individual who received such benefits at any time during the ten-month period ending with the birth of the child. Requires, in addition, certain mandatory adult-supervised living arrangements for unmarried teenage parents, with certain exceptions, and the participation of certain teenage parents with a minor child at least 12 weeks of age in high school or approved alternative educational activities in order to receive full TEA assistance (or, with regard to the latter, and at the option of the State, reduced assistance). Authorizes appropriations to provide States with assistance for providing or locating adult-supervised living arrangements for unmarried teenage parents. Provides for a separate reduction in State TEA grant payments for States failing to comply with Federal requirements under SSA title IV part D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity). Expresses the sense of the Congress that State TEA programs should assign the highest priority to requiring adults in two-parent families and in single-parent families with older preschool or school-age children to be engaged in required program activities. Outlines specific program audit, data collection and reporting requirements as well as certain research, evaluation, and study requirements, among other things requiring quarterly reports by the States on family case record information and research by the HHS Secretary on the benefits, effects, and costs of operating different State TEA programs. Directs the Bureau of the Census to expand the Survey of Income and Program Participation as necessary to obtain information that will enable interested persons to evaluate the impact of the changes made by this title on a random national sample of recipients of assistance under State programs funded under this title, and on other appropriate low-income families. Provides for the treatment of certain State AFDC waivers in effect or approved by the HHS Secretary as of October 1, 1995. Provides that nothing in SSA title IV part A shall be construed as limiting a State's ability to conduct demonstration projects for the purpose of identifying innovative or effective program designs in one or more political subdivisions of the State, provided that such State contains more than one county with a population of greater than 500,000. Requires the HHS Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture to enter jointly into negotiations with all counties having a population greater than 500,000 which desire to conduct such a demonstration project for the purpose of establishing appropriate rules to govern the establishment and operation of such project. Provides for direct funding, by way of three-year tribal family assistance grants, to Indian tribes (including Indian tribes in Alaska) for tribal administration of TEA programs. Makes the HHS Assistant Secretary for Family Support the official responsible for administering SSA title IV part A and D programs. Sets forth the mechanism for State appeal of Federal adverse decisions with respect to State TEA plans or imposition of penalties, providing for notification of any program violation. Discusses performance bonuses and high performance bonuses for States making the most progress in certain measurement categories, such as a reduction in the average length of time families in the State receive TEA assistance during a fiscal year, and an increase in the percentage of families receiving such assistance that receive child support payments under SSA title IV part D. Authorizes appropriations. Specifies amounts for child care allocations to the States to be used to provide child care assistance as a support service under the State TEA program. Requires determination of eligibility for such assistance by the appropriate State agency in accordance with State- determined criteria. Authorizes appropriations. Outlines the mechanism for collecting the amount of any overpayments under an approved State TEA plan from Federal tax refunds. (Sec. 102) Allows States to contract with charitable, religious, and private organizations to provide services and administer programs established or modified under titles I, II, and X of this Act. Prohibits the expenditure of financial assistance under such programs for sectarian worship or instruction, except where such assistance is provided to or on behalf of beneficiaries of assistance in the form of certificates, vouchers, or other forms of disbursement, if such beneficiary may choose where such assistance shall be redeemed. (Sec. 104) Provides for the continued application of AFDC standards under the Medicaid program. (Sec. 105) Directs the Secretary of Commerce to expand census data collection efforts to enable the Bureau of the Census to collect statistically significant data on grandparent caregivers. (Sec. 105A) Directs the Commissioner of Social Security to: (1) develop a prototype of a counterfeit-resistant social security-card that also provides proof of citizenship or legal resident alien status; and (2) conduct a study and report to the Congress on different methods of improving the social security card application process. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 106) Makes conforming amendments to SSA, the Food Stamp Act of 1977, and related provisions of other specified Federal laws. (Sec. 109) Directs the HHS Secretary to study and report to the Congress on the impact of the amendments of this Act on grandparents who have assumed the responsibility of providing care to their grandchildren. (Sec. 110) Requires any organization accepting Federal funds under this Act to disclose that fact in any communication it makes that in any way intends to promote public support or opposition to any Federal, State, or local government policy through any broadcasting station, periodical, or other specified type of general public advertising. Makes any organization failing to make such a disclosure ineligible to receive Federal funds under this Act. (Sec. 110A) Amends the Family Support Act of 1988 to remove the "demonstration" status of the Job Opportunities for Certain Low-Income Individuals (JOLI) program and give it an increased annual authorization for any fiscal year. (Sec. 110B) Directs the Secretary of Education to make demonstration grants to States to enable them to increase the number of hours during each day when existing public school facilities are available for use in expanding the scope of student programs offered before and after pre-existing school hours and for making school facilities available for educational, recreational, and social activities. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 110C) Requires the Federal Government, prior to assessing a penalty against a State under any program established or modified under this Act, to: (1) notify the State of the violation of law for which such penalty would be assessed; and (2) allow the State the opportunity to enter into a corrective compliance plan outlining how it will correct any violations for which such penalty would be assessed, and how it will insure continuing compliance with the requirements of such program. Provides that if a State has not corrected the violation in a timely manner under the plan, some or all of the penalty shall be assessed. (Sec. 110D) Details specifics of parental responsibility contracts, as well as penalties for noncompliance with such contracts. (Sec. 110E) Sets forth provisions similar to those for corrective compliance plans with regard to corrective action plans, giving States specified grace periods from notification of law violation to submission of a proposed corrective action plan, and from Federal Government acceptance of such a plan till imposition of any penalty if the State corrects the violation. Title II: Supplemental Security Income - Subtitle A: Eligibility Restrictions - Amends SSA title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) (SSI) to: (1) deny SSI by reason of disability to drug addicts and alcoholics if addiction or alcoholism is a contributing factor material to the disability determination; (2) revise representative payee requirements; (3) provide for treatment services for individuals with a substance abuse condition; (4) provide for limited eligibility of certain noncitizens for SSI benefits; (5) deny SSI benefits for ten years to individuals found to have fraudulently misrepresented residence in order to obtain benefits simultaneously in two or more States; (6) deny SSI benefits for fugitive felons and probation and parole violators; and (7) provide for exchange of SSI information with law enforcement agencies. Provides for certain supplemental funding for alcohol and substance abuse treatment programs. Subtitle B: Benefits for Disabled Children - Revises the rules with respect to childhood eligibility, with corresponding changes to childhood SSI regulations modifying the medical criteria for evaluation of mental and emotional disorders, and discontinuing the use of individualized functional assessments for children. Requires the Commissioner of Social Security to redetermine the eligibility of any individual under age 18 who is receiving SSI benefits based on a disability as of enactment of this Act, and whose eligibility for such benefits may terminate by reason of the above amendments. (Sec. 212) Provides that not less frequently than once every three years the Commissioner shall review the continued SSI eligibility of each individual who has not attained 18 years of age, and is eligible for such benefits by reason of an impairment (or combination of impairments) which may improve (or, which is unlikely to improve, at the option of the Commissioner). Requires a parent or guardian of a recipient whose case is so reviewed to present, at the time of review, evidence demonstrating that the recipient is, and has been, receiving treatment, to the extent considered medically necessary and available, of the condition which was the basis for providing benefits under the SSI program. Provides that if an individual is eligible for SSI benefits by reason of disability for the month preceding the month in which the individual attains age 18, the Commissioner shall redetermine such eligibility: (1) during the one year period beginning on the individual's 18th birthday; and (2) by applying the criteria used in determining the initial eligibility for applicants who have attained age 18. Outlines specific requirements governing: (1) continuing disability reviews for low birth weight babies; and (2) benefit payments through representative payees to eligible individuals and their spouses. Subtitle C: Studies Regarding Supplemental Security Income Program - Requires the Commissioner of Social Security to report annually to the President and the Congress regarding the SSI program. (Sec. 222) Requires the Commissioner to issue a request for comments in the Federal Register regarding improvements to the disability evaluation and determination procedures for individuals under age 18 to ensure a comprehensive assessment of such individuals. Directs the Commissioner to review such comments and issue regulations implementing any necessary changes not later than 18 months after this Act is enacted. (Sec. 223) Requires the Commissioner to make arrangements with the National Academy of Sciences, or other independent entity, to study the disability determination process under SSA titles II and XVI for reports to the President and the Congress. (Sec. 224) Directs the Comptroller General to study and report on the impact of the amendments made by, and the provisions of, this title on the SSI program. Subtitle D: National Commission on the Future of Disability - Establishes the National Commission on the Future of Disability to make a comprehensive study of all matters related to the nature, purpose, and adequacy of all Federal programs serving individuals with disabilities, including the programs under SSA titles II and XVI, with resulting recommendations for appropriate action submitted to the President and the Congress. Subtitle E: State Supplementation Programs - Repeals maintenance of effort requirements applicable to optional State programs for supplementation of SSI benefits. Subtitle F: Retirement Age Eligibility - Provides that, for purposes of determining an aged individual under SSI, the age used shall be the retirement age used under the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program under SSA title II. Title III: Food Stamp Program - Subtitle A: Food Stamp Reform - Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (Act) to establish a maximum 24- month food stamp program (program) authorization period for households whose adult members are elderly or disabled. (Sec. 302) Treats children who are themselves parents living with their children and married children living with their spouses as part of an existing household rather than as a separate household. (Sec. 303) Authorizes States to establish additional criteria for separate household determinations. (Sec. 304) Revises thrifty food plan adjustment provisions. (Sec. 305) Revises the definition of "homeless individual" to limit the length of time a person may temporarily live in another person's residence. (Sec. 307) Revises household income exclusion provisions regarding: (1) students; and (2) Federal energy assistance. (Sec. 309) Revises household income deduction provisions regarding: (1) standard deductions; (2) earned income; (3) dependent care; (4) child support payments; (5) homeless shelter assistance; (6) excess medical expenses; and (7) excess shelter expenses. (Sec. 310) Eliminates a specified auto asset increase. (Sec. 311) Increases the income and resources attribution period for sponsored aliens. (Sec. 312) Revises provisions regarding disqualification for refusal to register for or accept employment. (Sec. 314) Revises work requirement and employment and training provisions. Extends employment and training authorizations. (Sec. 315) Authorizes comparable program disqualification based upon welfare or public assistance disqualification. (Sec. 316) Requires at State option: (1) cooperation with child support agencies in order to maintain program eligibility; and (2) program disqualification for child support arrears. (Sec. 318) Disqualifies permanently an individual who participates in the program in two or more States. (Sec. 319) Defines "work program." Makes nonexempt persons ineligible for program benefits if during the preceding 12-monyh period they received food stamps for four months or more without working at least 20 hours per week, or participating in a workfare program. Sets forth exempted persons and situations. (Sec. 319A) Disqualifies a fleeing felon from program participation. (Sec. 320) Authorizes States to implement electronic benefit transfer systems. (Sec. 321) Eliminates annual minimum allotment adjustments. (Sec. 323) Authorizes a combined allotment for expedited households. (Sec. 324) Authorizes program reductions for failure to comply with a public assistance reduction requirement. (Sec. 325) Authorizes program assistance for households residing in a homeless shelter or drug or alcohol treatment center. (Sec. 326) Revises: (1) food stamp office operating provisions; and (2) expedited coupon service requirements. (Sec. 327) Eliminates certain certification personnel training requirements. (Sec. 328) Provides for the exchange of information with law enforcement or Immigration and Naturalization Service personnel. (Sec. 330) Authorizes a family to withdraw a fair hearing request. (Sec. 331) Permits States to use income, and immigration eligibility verification systems other than a specified system under the Social Security Act. (Sec. 332) Includes among the means that States shall use to collect coupon overissuances: (1) withholding of unemployment compensation; and (2) recovery from Federal pay or Federal tax refund. Establishes family hardship and maximum reduction provisions. (Sec. 333) Terminates Federal matching requirements for program recruitment activities. (Sec. 335) Authorizes States to use funds otherwise available to a participating household for a work supplementation or support program. (Sec. 336) Authorizes waiver of program requirements as necessary to conduct related pilot projects. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 337) Authorizes States to carry out private sector employment initiatives. Sets forth program provisions. (Sec. 340) Authorizes appropriations for: (1) program operations; and (2) Puerto Rico block grants. (Sec. 342) Authorizes States to carry out a Simplified Food Stamp Program in lieu of existing program requirements. Sets forth Program provisions. (Sec. 343) Establishes an optional State food assistance block grant program in lieu of the food stamp program. Sets forth program provisions. Subtitle B: Anti-Fraud and Trafficking - Expands the definition of "coupon." (Sec. 352) Increases penalties for specified program violations. (Sec. 353) Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) to establish specific time periods for: (1) retail food stores and wholesale food concerns (stores) to apply for food stamp program (program) participation; and (2) prohibition of program participation based on lack of business integrity. (Sec. 355) Includes income and sales tax information among the types of eligibility verification information which may be requested. (Sec. 356) Establishes a six-month reapplication waiting period for a store that does not meet participation requirements. (Sec. 358) Authorizes suspension of a store pending administrative and judicial review. (States that the Secretary shall not be liable for lost sales during such period.) (Sec. 359) Provides for disqualification of a store that is disqualified from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). (Sec. 360) Provides for permanent disqualification of a store that knowingly submits a falsified application. (Sec. 361) Expands civil and criminal forfeiture for specified violations of the Act. Title IV: Child Nutrition Programs - Subtitle A: Reimbursement Rates - Amends the National School Lunch Act (NSLA) to terminate the additional lunch payment for schools with high percentages of free or reduced price lunches. (Sec. 402) Revises NSLA annual adjustment provisions for: (1) value of food assistance; and (2) lunches, breakfasts, and supplements. (Sec. 404) Revises NSLA service institution payment provisions for the summer food service program for children. (Sec. 405) Amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (CNA) to revise annual adjustment provisions for: (1) the special milk program; and (2) the school breakfast program. (Sec. 407) Conforms reimbursement for CNA school breakfasts with that for NSLA school lunches. Subtitle B: Grant Programs - Amends CNA to: (1) terminate school breakfast startup grants; and (2) reduce annual authorization of appropriations for nutrition education and training programs. Subtitle C: Other Amendments - Amends NSLA and CNA to set forth free and reduced price policy statements for the school lunch program and the school breakfast program. (Sec. 422) Revises NSLA provisions for the summer food service program for children. Allows participating school food authorities to permit a child to refuse not more than one item of a meal that the child does not intend to consume. Provides that a refusal of an offered food shall not affect the amount of payments to a school for the meal. Removes a requirement that States submit a plan or schedule as part of notice to institutions. (Sec. 423) Revises NSLA provisions for the child and adult care food program with respect to payments to certain sponsor employees. Revises provisions regarding day care home reimbursements. Requires reservation of certain funds for grants to States for assistance for family or group day care homes. Requires Federal and State provision of certain data to family or group day care home sponsoring organizations. Disallows certain meal claims. Eliminates certain requirements involving State paperwork and outreach. Requires States to provide training, technical assistance, and monitoring. Sets deadlines for the Secretary's issuance of specified interim and final regulations. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, in conjunction with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to study the impact of amendments made by this section on various aspects of program participation and family day care licensing, and to submit a report on such study to specified congressional committees. (Sec. 424) Requires a review of all NSLA and CNA reporting requirements and a report recommending elimination of any that impose a paperwork burden on agencies and schools which cannot be justified by their contribution to program effectiveness. Subtitle D: Reauthorization - Amends the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 to reauthorize appropriations for the commodity distribution program. (Sec. 432) Amends the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 and the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 to extend authority and reauthorize appropriations for the emergency food assistance program. (Sec. 433) Amends the Hunger Prevention Act of 1988 to reauthorize appropriations for the soup kitchens program. (Sec. 434) Amends the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 to extend authority for processing of agricultural commodities into food products. (Sec. 435) Amends the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 to extend authority for the commodity supplemental food program. Title V: Noncitizens - Authorizes States to prohibit use of Federal funds received for any means-tested public assistance program for noncitizens (with specified exceptions). (Sec. 502) Includes a sponsor's and spouse's income and resources actually provided to a sponsored alien as part of such alien's income and resources for purposes of Federal and federally funded assistance program eligibility. Makes such provision inapplicable to: (1) certain emergency medical services; (2) short-term emergency disaster relief; (3) National School Lunch Act or Child Nutrition Act of 1966 benefits; (4) public health immunization and communicable disease assistance; (5) Head Start; and (6) specified community services. (Sec. 503) Requires a sponsor affidavit of support to be legally enforceable. (Sec. 504) Amends the Social Security Act to limit noncitizen eligibility for supplemental security income (SSI). (Sec. 505) Prohibits any need-based Federal or federally-funded assistance (with specified exceptions) to be given to a noncitizen for the first five years after such person's entry into the United States. (Sec. 506) Amends the Social Security Act and the United States Housing Act of 1937 to provide for State reporting of certain illegal alien information to the Immigration and Naturalization Service. (Sec. 507) Prohibits Federal benefits to be paid or provided to any person not lawfully in the United States. Specifies exceptions for: (1) certain emergency medical services; (2) short-term emergency disaster relief; (3) National School Lunch Act or Child Nutrition Act of 1966 benefits; and (4) public health immunization and communicable disease assistance. Authorizes appropriations. Title VI: Child Care - Child Care and Development Block Grant Amendments Act of 1995 - Amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to authorize appropriations for FY 1996 through 2000. Revises program implementation requirements. Repeals the mandate for State early childhood development and before- and after-school services; but allows States to offer such services. (Sec. 602) Prescribes guidelines under which an Indian tribal organization may use for facility construction or renovation Federal financial assistance earmarked for child care and development services, subject to certain conditions. (Sec. 603) Repeals: (1) the State Dependent Care Development Grants Act; and (2) the Child Development Associate Scholarship Assistance Act of 1985. Title VII: Protection of Battered Individuals - Provides for administrative exemption of battered individuals from specified requirements of this Act, the Social Security Act and the Food Stamp Act, if the physical, mental, or emotional well-being of the individual would be endangered by compliance with such requirements. Title VIII: Adoption Expenses - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow up to $5,000 of qualified adoption expenses as a tax credit to certain income-level individuals; (2) exclude from gross income employee or military adoption assistance benefits; and (3) permit individual retirement account (IRA) withdrawals without penalty for qualified adoption expense purposes. Title IX: Child Support - Subtitle A: Eligibility for Services; Distribution of Payments - Amends part D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity) of SSA title IV to require State plans for child and spousal support to provide: (1) certain services relating to paternity establishment or enforcement of child support obligations; and (2) continuation of services for families ceasing to receive assistance under Aid to Families with Dependent Children. (Sec. 902) Revises payment distribution guidelines for support obligations collected by the State on behalf of a family. (Sec. 903) Requires State plans to establish procedural guidelines for: (1) notification of all proceedings and orders affecting child support obligations; and (2) privacy safeguards regarding paternity and child support actions. Subtitle B: Locate and Case Tracking - Mandates that single statewide automated data systems include a State case registry containing records of: (1) each case in which services are provided by the State agency; and (2) each support order established on or after a specified date. Permits the linking of local registries to establish such a State registry. (Sec. 912) Requires State plans to include a centralized, automated State disbursement unit for the collection and disbursement of support payments. (Sec. 913) Requires State plans to: (1) provide for an automated State Directory of New Hires containing prescribed information furnished by employers on new personnel; and (2) transmit such information to the National Directory of New Hires. (Sec. 914) Revises the requirement for State procedures for mandatory income withholding for support payments subject to enforcement. Requires procedures under which child support orders issued before October 1, 1996, shall become subject to withholding from wages if arrearages occur, without the need for a judicial or administrative hearing. Revises the procedural guidelines for such income withholding. (Sec. 915) Requires the States to have statutorily prescribed procedures to ensure that Federal and State agencies conducting income-withholding activities have access to State locator systems for motor vehicle or law enforcement purposes. (Sec. 916) Revises the Federal Parent Locator Service to provide for additional information which may be transmitted to locate individuals and assets for purposes of: (1) establishing parentage; (2) executing child support obligations; and (3) enforcing visitation orders. (Sec. 917) Requires States to have statutorily prescribed procedures requiring recordation on such documents of the Social Security number of: (1) specified driver's, marriage, and occupational, and professional license applicants; (2) individuals subject to certain domestic relations orders; and (3) death records. Subtitle C: Streamlining and Uniformity of Procedures - Requires each State to have the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act in effect as of January 1, 1997. Amends the Federal judicial code to revise the procedures for the court to apply when determining which State order to recognize for purposes of continuing, exclusive jurisdiction and enforcement for child support orders. (Sec. 923) Requires the States to have statutorily prescribed procedures requiring: (1) expedited administrative enforcement in interstate cases and support orders; and (2) expedited administrative and judicial procedures for establishing paternity and enforcing support obligations. Subtitle D: Paternity Establishment - Revises the guidelines for State laws governing paternity establishment. Requires State procedures under which the name of the father shall be included on the birth certificate only: (1) if the mother and father have signed a voluntary acknowledgement of paternity; or (2) pursuant to a judicial or administrative order. (Sec. 933) Requires State plans for child and spousal support to provide that the State agency administering the plan will make a determination as to whether a program recipient is cooperating in good faith with State efforts to establish paternity and secure support. Subtitle E: Program Administration and Funding - Revises the guidelines for Federal performance-based incentive payments to the States for effective child support enforcement programs. (Sec. 942) Requires a State plan for child and spousal support to include prescribed procedures for State reviews and audits. Revises the guidelines for Federal evaluation and audit of State programs governing paternity, child and spousal support, and parent location. (Sec. 944) Revises the automated data processing requirements for State plans to mandate a single statewide automated data processing and information retrieval system which can perform specified tasks. (Sec. 945) Makes funds available to the Secretary for: (1) training of Federal and State staff, research and demonstration programs, and special projects of regional and national significance; and (2) operation of the Federal Parent Locator Service. Subtitle F: Establishment and Modification of Support Orders - Establishes the National Child Support Guidelines Commission to determine the need for consideration by the Congress of national child support guidelines. (Sec. 952) Revises the requirements for State plan procedures for the review and adjustment of support orders. (Sec. 953) Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to authorize a consumer agency to furnish a consumer report: (1) in response to a request by a governmental child support enforcement agency; or (2) to the State administrative agency which sets child support awards. (Sec. 954) Shields a depository institution from Federal or State liability for disclosing any financial record of an individual to a State child support enforcement agency. Prohibits such agency from disclosing such a financial record except for the purpose of, and to the extent necessary in, establishing, modifying, or enforcing a child support obligation. Sets forth civil penalties for any person knowingly or negligently violating such prohibition. Subtitle G: Enforcement of Support Orders - Amends Internal Revenue Code procedural guidelines for the collection of arrearages to provide that no additional fee may be assessed for adjustments to a previously certified amount. (Sec. 962) Amends part D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity) of SSA title IV to revise procedural guidelines for: (1) consent by the United States to income withholding, garnishment, and similar proceedings for enforcement of child support and alimony obligations of current and retired Federal employees; and (2) enforcement of child support obligations of members of the Armed Forces. (Sec. 964) Requires a State plan for child and spousal support to have in effect the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act of 1981, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act of 1984, or a similar law, as well as certain procedures governing the voiding of fraudulent transfers by a child support debtor. (Sec. 965) Requires a State plan for child and spousal support to include specified procedures: (1) to ensure that persons owing past-due support work or participate in work activities the court deems appropriate; (2) to report to credit bureaus the name of the parent in arrears for child support; (3) to provide for liens against real and personal property for the support arrearages of an absent parent; and (4) to implement the restriction of driver's, professional, occupational, and recreational licenses of individuals owing support arrearages. (Sec. 970) Requires the Secretary of State to deny, revoke, or limit a passport upon certification of nonpayment of child support. (Sec. 971) Authorizes the Secretary of State to negotiate reciprocal agreements with foreign nations: (1) regarding international enforcement of child support obligations; and (2) designating the Department of Health and Human Services as the central authority for such enforcement. (Sec. 972) Denies means-tested Federal benefits to a non-custodial parent who is more than two months delinquent in paying child support. (Sec. 973) Requires a State plan for child and spousal support to provide that such State will make reasonable efforts to enter into cooperative agreements with an Indian tribe or tribal organization having an established tribal court system with child support enforcement powers for the cooperative delivery of child support enforcement services. Authorizes the Secretary to make direct payments (analogous to payments to a State plan for spousal and child support) to an Indian tribe or tribal organization with an approved child support enforcement plan. (Sec. 974) Requires States to have statutorily prescribed procedures under which a State agency shall enter agreements with financial institutions doing business within the State to develop and operate a data match system to provide identifying information for each absent parent targeted by the State who maintains an account at the institution, and to encumber such parent's assets at the institution pursuant to a lien or levy. Subtitle H: Medical Support - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to include within the definition of medical child support order an order issued through a State administrative process. (Sec. 976) Amends part D of SSA title IV to mandate statutorily prescribed procedures under which all enforced child support orders shall include a provision for the health care coverage of the child. (Sec. 977) Requires States to have statutorily prescribed procedures under which child support orders relating to the child of minor parents, where the mother is receiving assistance, are enforceable against the child's paternal grandparents. Subtitle I: Enhancing Responsibility and Opportunity for Nonresidential Parents - Amends part D of SSA title IV to prescribe guidelines under which the Administration for Children and Families shall make grants to enable States to establish and administer access and visitation programs to facilitate absent parents' access to their children. Subtitle J: Effect of Enactment - Sets forth effective dates for the provisions of this title. Title X: Reform of Public Housing - Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to revise public housing rent provisions, including: (1) ceiling rents; and (2) definition of adjusted income. (Sec. 1003) Prohibits increased public housing assistance based upon reduced family income resulting from a failure to comply with other welfare or public assistance programs. (Sec. 1004) Makes the provisions of this title applicable to Indian housing. (Sec. 1006) Makes the "take-one-take-all" requirement (acceptance of one voucher holder requires acceptance of all similar applicants) under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 inapplicable to a specified housing project in Madison, Wisconsin. (Sec. 1007) Prohibits an assistance increase to a person based upon reduced income resulting from a fraud reduction in benefits from another means-tested assistance program. Title XI: Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment - Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act Amendments of 1995 - Subtitle A: General Program - Revises the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to replace provisions directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect with provisions authorizing the Secretary to establish an Office on Child Abuse and Neglect to execute and coordinate functions and activities under the Act. (Sec. 1114) Changes from mandatory to discretionary the Secretary's authority to appoint the Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect. Requires the Advisory Board to report to the Secretary and the appropriate congressional committees its: (1) recommendations on coordinating Federal, State, and local child abuse and neglect activities with similar activities pertaining to family violence prevention; (2) specific modifications needed in Federal and State laws and programs to reduce the number of unfounded or unsubstantiated reports of child abuse or neglect; and (3) recommendations for modifications needed to facilitate coordinated national data collection. (Sec. 1115) Repeals the mandate to establish an Interagency Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect. (Sec. 1116) Requires the Secretary to establish the National Clearinghouse for Information Relating to Child Abuse either through the Department of HHS (currently, through the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect) or by one or more contracts let through competition (currently, by one contract only). Requires the HHS Secretary to develop a Federal data collection which: (1) includes data on false and unsubstantiated reports and data on deaths resulting from child abuse and neglect; and (2) collects and makes available State child abuse and neglect reporting information which is universal and case specific, and integrated with other case-based foster care and adoption data. (Sec. 1117) Directs the Secretary to restructure the interdisciplinary program of research to provide information needed to better protect children from abuse or neglect and to improve the well-being of abused or neglected children, with at least a portion of such research being field initiated. Directs the Secretary to require research on additional specific issues, including research on: (1) the causes, prevention, assessment, identification, treatment, cultural and socio-economic distinctions, and consequences of child abuse and neglect; (2) incidence of substantiated and unsubstantiated reported child abuse cases; (3) number of unsubstantiated cases that result in a judicial finding of child abuse or neglect or related criminal court convictions; and (4) the extent to which the lack of adequate resources and adequate training of reporters has contributed to the inability of a State to respond effectively to serious cases of child abuse and neglect. Expands the types of technical assistance which may be provided to State and local public and nonprofit agencies to include, among other things, ways to mitigate psychological trauma to the child victim. Allows the Secretary of disseminate information. Revises requirements for peer review. (Sec. 1118) Changes from mandatory to discretionary the program of grants to, and contracts with, public or nonprofit private agencies or organizations for time limited, child abuse prevention and treatment demonstration programs and projects, especially grants for the establishment of resource centers. Revises the requirements for certain innovative projects to: (1) eliminate specified programs, but provide, instead, for collaborative partnerships between the State child protective service agency, community social service agencies and family support programs, schools, churches and synagogues, and other community agencies to allow for establishment of a triage system of report assessment; and (2) provide for kinship care and supervised visitation centers for families. (Sec. 1119) Revises the program of mandatory development and operation grants to assist States in improving their child protective service systems in specified ways, including grant purposes (especially services to disabled infants), eligibility requirements (especially provision for prompt expungement of public records in unsubstantiated or false cases), and State program plan elements. Directs the Secretary within six months after receiving the State reports, to prepare and submit an annual report to the Secretary. (Sec. 1120) Repeals provisions regarding: (1) technical assistance to States for child abuse prevention and treatment programs; and (2) the requirement that the Secretary ensure that a majority of assistance under the Act is available for discretionary research and demonstration grants. (Sec. 1122) Redefines "child abuse and neglect" to mean, at a minimum, any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker, which results in death or serious physical, sexual, or emotional harm, or presents an imminent risk of serious harm. (Sec. 1123) Authorizes appropriations for FY 1996 through 2000 to carry out child abuse and neglect program activities, including specified allocations for discretionary activities and demonstration projects. (Sec. 1124) Declares that nothing in such Act shall be construed: (1) as establishing a Federal requirement that a parent or legal guardian provide a child any medical service or treatment against the religious beliefs of the parent or legal guardian; or (2) requiring that a State find, or prohibiting a State from finding, abuse or neglect in cases in which a parent or legal guardian relies solely or partially upon spiritual means rather than medical treatment, in accordance with the religious beliefs of the parent or legal guardian. Requires a State, at a minimum, to have in place authority under State law to permit the State child protective service system to pursue any legal remedies, including the authority to initiate legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction, to provide medical care or treatment for a child when such care or treatment is necessary to prevent or remedy serious harm to the child, or to prevent the withholding of medically indicated treatment from children with life threatening conditions. Places case by case determinations concerning the exercise of such authority within the sole discretion of the State. Subtitle B: Community-Based Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Grants - Revises the Act with regard to community-based family resource and support formula grants. (Sec. 1131) Revises program purposes to emphasize: (1) developing, operating, expanding, and enhancing statewide networks of community-based, prevention-focused, family resource and support programs that provide specified services (statewide networks); (2) fostering the development of a continuum of preventive services for children and families through State and community-based collaborations and partnerships; (3) financing the start-up, maintenance, expansion, or redesign of specific family resource and support program services identified as an unmet need, and integrated with the network of community-based family resource and support program to the extent practicable given funding levels and community priorities; (4) maximizing funding for specified activities for establishing, operating, or expanding a statewide network; and (5) financing specified public information activities. Revises requirements for: (1) grant eligibility (repealing the requirement of a State trust fund, but requiring the State to designate an existing public, quasi-public, or nonprofit private entity as lead entity to administer the funds involved and create or enhance a Statewide network of programs); (2) grant amounts; (3) existing and continuation grants; (4) grant applications; (5) local programs; and (6) performance measures. Authorizes the Secretary to allocate funds to support the activities of the lead entity in the State to: (1) create, operate, and maintain a peer review process, an information clearinghouse, and a computerized communication system between lead entities; (2) fund a yearly symposium on State system change efforts that result from the operation of the Statewide networks; and (3) fund State-to-State technical assistance through biannual conferences. Authorizes appropriations for such grant programs through FY 2000. (Sec. 1132) Repeals the Temporary Child Care for Children with Disabilities and Crisis Nurseries Act of 1986 and provisions of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act regarding family support centers. Subtitle C: Family Violence Prevention and Services - Revises the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act to prohibit a grant to an entity other than a State or an Indian tribe unless the entity provides for a non-Federal matching local share: (1) of not less than 20 percent with respect to an entity operating an existing program; and (2) of not less than 35 percent with respect to an entity intending to operate a new program. (Sec. 1143) Requires that each State be allotted not less than one percent of amounts available for grants for the fiscal year in which the allotment is made or $400,000 (currently, $200,000), whichever is the lesser amount. (Sec. 1144) Requires that, of amounts appropriated for family violence prevention and services in a fiscal year, not less than: (1) 70 (currently, 80) percent be used for making grants to States; and (2) ten percent be used by the Secretary for making grants for State domestic violence coalitions. Requires that Federal funds made available to a State be used to supplement and not supplant other Federal, State, and local public funds expended. Subtitle D: Adoption Opportunities - Amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform Act of 1978, revising the findings and purposes, and directing the Secretary to study: (1) the nature, scope, and effects of the placement of children in kinship care arrangements or pre-adoptive as well as in (as currently) adoptive homes; and (2) the efficacy of States contracting with public or private nonprofit agencies, organizations, or sectarian institutions to recruit potential adoptive and foster families and to provide assistance in the placement of children for adoption. (Sec. 1153) Requires each State entering into an agreement regarding grants for improving State efforts to increase the placement of foster care children legally free for adoption to submit an application that describes the manner in which the State will use funds during the three fiscal years subsequent to the date of the application to accomplish the purposes of the Act. Directs the Secretary to provide: (1) technical assistance and resource and referral information to assist State or local governments with termination of parental rights issues, in recruiting and retaining adoptive families, in successful placement of children with special needs, and in the provision of pre- and post-placement services; and (2) other assistance to help State and local governments replicate successful adoption-related projects from other areas in the United States. (Sec. 1154) Authorizes appropriations for FY 1996 through 2000. Subtitle E: Abandoned Infants Assistance Act of 1986 - Extends the authorization of appropriations for the Abandoned Infants Assistance Act of 1988 through FY 2000. Subtitle F: Reauthorization of Various Programs - Extends the authorization of appropriations through FY 1997 for the Missing Children's Assistance Act (and directs that not more than five percent of the amount appropriated for a fiscal year be used to evaluate the effectiveness of specified programs and activities established and operated under the Act). (Sec. 1172) Extends the authorization of appropriations for the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 for two years. Title XII: Reductions in Federal Government Positions - Outlines the mechanism for various specified Federal executive agency workforce reductions, requiring submission to specified congressional committees of certain determinations about the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) positions of their respective departments by the Secretaries of Agriculture, of Education, of Labor, of Housing and Urban Development, and of HHS. Requires the Secretaries to make FTE reductions, including reductions-in-force, resulting from such determinations. Requires the Comptroller General to analyze and report to such committees on such determinations, with recommendations for further FTE reductions, if appropriate. (Sec. 1202) Requires the HHS Secretary to reduce the Federal workforce within HHS: (1) by 75 percent of the FTE positions relating to any direct spending program, or any program funded through discretionary spending, that has been converted into a block grant program by this Act; and (2) by 75 percent of a proportionate number of the total FTE departmental management positions. Requires reduction of FTE positions in HHS: (1) by 245 FTE positions related to the Aid to Families With Dependent Children (AFDC) program converted by this Act into TEA block grants; and (2) by 60 FTE managerial positions. (Sec. 1203) Encourages the HHS Secretary to reduce personnel in the Washington, D.C., area office (agency headquarters) before reducing field personnel. Title XIII: Miscellaneous Provisions - Provides, among other things, for: (1) the expenditure of Federal funds received by a State under TEA and certain other Federal programs only in accordance with laws and procedures applicable to expenditures of the State's own revenues; (2) elimination of housing assistance under the United States Housing Act of 1937 with respect to fugitive felons and probation and parole violators; (3) certain options for State consideration of the income and resources of an ineligible household member when determining under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 the food stamp eligibility and allotment of such individual's household; and (4) an increase in funding for sexual abstinence education under SSA title XX. (Sec. 1302) Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to provide for the exchange of housing information with law enforcement agencies. (Sec. 1303) Expresses the sense of the Senate that the Congress should adopt enterprise zone legislation in the 104th Congress providing for various specified incentives, regulatory reforms, and school reform pilot projects. (Sec. 1304) Expresses the sense of the Senate that States: (1) should diligently continue their efforts to enforce child support payments by the non-custodial parent; and (2) are encouraged to pursue pilot programs in which the parents of a non-adult, non-custodial parent who refuses to or is unable to pay child support must pay or contribute to the child support owed by the non-custodial parent or otherwise fulfill all financial obligations and meet all conditions imposed on the non-custodial parent, such as participation in a work program or other related activity. (Sec. 1306) Expresses the sense of the Senate that before the Senate acts on the conference report on either H.R. 4 or any other legislation including welfare reform provisions, the Congressional Budget Office shall prepare an analysis of the conference report to include estimates of the costs to States of requirements imposed on them by such legislation, the resources available to meet such requirements, and the amount of any additional revenue needed by the States to meet such requirements. (Sec. 1307) Expresses the sense of the Senate that any legislation enacted by the Congress should not eliminate or in any way weaken the present competitive bidding requirements for the purchase of infant formula with respect to any program supported wholly or in part by Federal funds. (Sec. 1308) Directs the HHS Secretary to: (1) implement a certain strategy for preventing out-of-wedlock teenage pregnancies and assuring that at least 25 percent of U.S. communities have teenage pregnancy prevention programs; and (2) report to the Congress on the State programs so implemented to determine their progress. Provides under SSA title XX (Block Grants to States for Social Services) for a study to determine the effectiveness of State out-of- wedlock and teenage pregnancy prevention programs for a report to the Congress. (Sec. 1309) Expresses the sense of the Senate that States and local jurisdictions should aggressively enforce statutory rape laws. (Sec. 1310) Declares that States shall not be prohibited by the Federal Government from sanctioning welfare recipients who test positive for use of controlled substances. (Sec. 1311) Amends SSA title V (Maternal and Child Health Services) to provide for a set-aside for sexual abstinence education.
Bill· HRH.R. 2919 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1996
Brownfields Remediation and Economic Development Act of 1996 - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to certify any State program for brownfields (abandoned industrial sites in need of hazardous waste remediation before they may be returned to productive use) if the program: (1) covers only sites that have been contaminated prior to enactment of this Act and are not listed on the National Priorities List; (2) provides for public participation prior to a landowner's release from liability upon completion of site remediation (carried out under a certified program) under State law and under abatement and response provisions of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA); (3) provides for a reopening of a cleanup proposal under specified conditions; (4) contains standards for the sites that protect public health and the environment; and (5) includes coordination among State agencies for environmental protection and economic development. Provides (in addition to the release of landowners from liability described above) for the release from liability under State law and under CERCLA, upon completion of remediation, of lenders and developers (except with respect to pollution directly caused by them), prospective purchasers, and local governments not involved in the management of a site. Allows the Administrator to waive Federal permit requirements if the State program includes a waiver of State permit requirements. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an income tax deduction for payments into a tax-exempt Hazardous Waste Remediation Reserve to be used exclusively to pay costs of the taxpayer to: (1) assess the extent of a site's environmental contamination and its expected remediation cost; and (2) remediate the contamination.
Bill· HRH.R. 2910 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1996
Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax-exempt status of churches (and certain auxiliaries or associations of churches and members of an affiliated group whose membership includes such an organization) to state that: (1) in the case of a church organization whose activities consist substantially of attempting to influence legislation, such status shall be denied only if the organization normally makes lobbying expenditures for each taxable year in an amount in excess of 20 percent of its gross revenues for the year; and (2) in the case of a church organization that participates or intervenes in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate for public office, such status shall be denied only if the organization normally makes such expenditures for each taxable year in excess of five percent of its gross revenues. (Under current law, church organizations are considered "disqualified" and excluded from operation of provisions governing expenditures by public charities to influence legislation.) Combines these limits for an aggregate limit of 20 percent where expenditures of both types are made.
Bill· HRH.R. 2911 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1996
Small Business Investment and Growth Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish a maximum small business tax rate on taxable small business income for S corporations. Describes such income as taxable income of the taxpayer from the active conduct of an eligible trade or small business. Requires each S corporation to establish a qualified retained earnings account. Allows qualified distributions from such a qualified retained earnings account to the owners to enable the S corporation shareholder to pay income taxes. Requires regulations to establish a presumption that distributions are to pay income taxes if such distributions do not exceed 34 percent of small business income. Provides for an additional tax on nonqualified distributions.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 351 (104th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1996
Waives points of order against the consideration of the conference report on H.R. 2546 (District of Columbia appropriations).
Bill· SS. 1541 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1996
Agricultural Market Transition Act of 1996 - Subtitle A: Agricultural Market Transition Program - Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) to enter into production flexibility contracts through crop year 2002 with eligible agricultural operators and owners with respect to conservation, wetlands, and planting flexibility requirements. Requires contracts to be entered into by April 15, 1996, with certain exceptions for conservation reserve lands. Defines eligible "owners and operators" and "farmland." Sets forth: (1) contract payment amounts for each of FY 1996 through 2002 and allocation amounts for wheat, corn, grain sorghum, barley, oats, upland cotton, and rice; and (2) annual payment rate factors. Permits any commodity or crop to be planted on contract acreage with special provisions and limitations for fruit and vegetables, haying and grazing, alfalfa, and legumes. (Sec. 14) Directs the Secretary to make nonrecourse marketing assistance loans for crop years 1996 through 2002 to producers of wheat, feed grains (corn, grain sorghum, barley, and oats), upland and extra long staple cotton, and oilseeds (sunflower, canola, rapeseed, safflower, mustard, flaxseed, and other oilseeds). Sets forth commodity loan rate, term, and repayment provisions. Directs the Secretary to make loan deficiency payments to producers (of other than extra long staple cotton) who forego obtaining such nonrecourse loans in an amount equal to the difference between a commodity's loan rate and repayment level. Establishes special marketing loan provisions for upland cotton, including: (1) cotton user marketing certificates; (2) a special import quota; and (3) a limited global import quota for upland cotton. (Sec. 15) Establishes fiscal year payment limitations for individuals of: (1) $40,000 for flexibility contracts; and (2) $75,000 for marketing loan and loan deficiency payments. (Sec. 16) Directs the Secretary to: (1) make nonrecourse loans available to quota peanut producers at $610 per ton and to additional peanut producers at appropriate rates; (2) make related warehouse storage loans available; (3) provide for marketing area pools for quota and additional peanuts, with separate pools for New Mexico-produced Valencia peanuts; (4) require that all domestic and export peanuts comply with specified quality standards; and (5) provide for a nonrefundable marketing assessment. Provides that: (1) net gains from each marketing pool shall be distributed only to pool producers; and (2) losses in quota pools shall be covered using a specified order of priority. Prohibits the Secretary from making quota peanut loans if producers have disapproved poundage quotas. Amends the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 with regard to the peanut program to: (1) extend peanut quota provisions through crop year 2002; (2) eliminate the minimum national poundage quota; (3) eliminate seed peanuts from the national poundage quota determination; (4) create a temporary quota allocation for seed peanuts; (5) eliminate the Texas increased quota allocation; and (5) authorize transfers of additional peanuts to the quota pool where natural disasters prevented quota poundage harvesting and marketing. (Sec. 17) Directs the Secretary to make recourse loans available to processors of domestically grown sugarcane and sugar beets at 18 cents per pound and 22.9 cents per pound, respectively. Sets loan terms at the earlier of nine months or the end of the fiscal year, with supplemental loans available for loans made in the last three months of a fiscal year. Authorizes the Secretary to provide nonrecourse loans when the imported tariff rate quota for sugar imports exceeds 1.5 million short tons raw value. Sets forth first processor sugarcane and sugar beet marketing assessment rates for FY 1996 through 2003, which shall be collected monthly and remitted to the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). Sets forth enforcement and reporting provisions. Amends the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 to repeal marketing allotment provisions. Makes this section applicable to the 1996 through 2002 crops of sugarcane and sugar beets. (Sec. 18) Directs the Secretary to carry out the provisions of this subtitle through the CCC. (Sec. 19) Repeals the Agricultural Act of 1949, with specified sections transferred to the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938. (Eliminates permanent price support authority.) Makes conforming amendments to the Agricultural Act of 1938. Subtitle B: Conservation - Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to provide mandatory FY 1996 through 2002 funding through the CCC for the conservation reserve and wetlands programs, and the livestock environmental assistance program. Establishes the livestock environmental assistance program to provide FY 1996 through 2002 technical assistance and cost-sharing and incentive payments to livestock producers who enter into land management and structural contracts to protect water, soil, and related resources from livestock-related degradation. (Makes waste management facility construction ineligible for cost-sharing payments.) Replaces wetlands reserve program permanent easement authority with 15-year easement authority. Limits conservation reserve program total acreage enrollment to 36.4 million acres. Authorizes producers to terminate program participation. Prohibits new acreage enrollment in 1997. Subtitle C: Agricultural Promotion and Export Programs - Amends the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to: (1) authorize specified FY 1996 through 2002 appropriations for the market promotion program; and (2) authorize specified FY 1996 through 2002 funding from the CCC for the export enhancement program. Subtitle D: Miscellaneous - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to authorize the Secretary, in consultation with insurance providers, to offer catastrophic risk protection in a State (or portion of a State) through local Department of Agriculture offices if the Secretary determines insufficient coverage is otherwise available. Provides for the transfer of current policies to private insurers. States that beginning with the spring-planted 1996 crop catastrophic coverage shall not be required for agricultural program benefits if the producer signs a written emergency crop loss assistance waiver. Extends crop insurance provisions to seed crops. (Sec. 52) Amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to authorize the Secretary to collect fees to cover the costs of providing import quarantine and inspection services. Establishes in the Treasury the Agricultural Quarantine Inspection User Fee Account. (Sec. 53) Increases the CCC interest rate applicable to agricultural commodity loans by 100 basis points.
Bill· SS. 1535 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1996
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Border Enforcement Title II: Visa Departure-Date Enforcement Title III: Alien Smuggling; Document Fraud Title IV: Criminal Aliens Title V: Welfare Eligibility Title VI: Effective Dates Illegal Immigration Control and Enforcement Act of 1996 - Title I: Border Enforcement - Provides for an increased number of Border Patrol and support positions. (Sec. 102) Authorizes the Attorney General to acquire Federal equipment for border use. Title II: Visa Departure-Date Enforcement - Directs the Attorney General to implement an automated (alien) entry-exit control system. (Sec. 202) Sets forth penalty provisions for failure to depart. (Sec. 203) Authorizes appropriations for increased numbers of Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) investigators and support personnel. Title III: Alien Smuggling; Document Fraud - Amends Federal criminal law to: (1) authorize wiretaps for alien smuggling or document fraud investigations; and (2) bring alien smuggling or document fraud offenses under the purview of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) provisions. (Sec. 303) Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (Act) to: (1) increase criminal penalties for alien smuggling; and (2) permit videotaped witness testimony. (Sec. 305) Increases forfeiture authority for alien smuggling or document fraud. (Sec. 307) Makes it unlawful to bring in illegal aliens from foreign contiguous territory. Increases penalties for unlawful bringing of aliens into the United States. (Sec. 308) Amends Federal criminal law to increase penalties for fraudulent use of Government-issued identification documents. Sets forth criminal penalties for specified immigration-related document violations and fraud. (Sec. 312) Amends the Act to revise employment-verification document provisions, including social security number requirements. Title IV: Criminal Aliens - Amends the Act to expand the definition of "aggravated felony." (Sec. 402) Revises certain deportation defenses and related procedures, including judicial deportation of criminal aliens. Provides for a stipulated exclusion or deportation order. (Sec. 409) Amends Federal criminal law to provide for deportation as a condition of probation under specified circumstances. (Sec. 411) Authorizes the use of INS appropriations for undercover investigations. (Sec. 412) Authorizes the Secretary of State together with the Attorney General to enter into prisoner transfer treaties. (Sec 415) Makes technical corrections to the Violent Crime Control Act of 1994 and the Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994. Title V: Welfare Eligibility - Makes certain aliens (as defined by this Act) ineligible for public assistance and benefits, with specified exceptions. (Sec. 502) Amends the Act to define "public charge" for deportation purposes. (Sec. 503) Sets forth requirements for sponsor's affidavit of support, including legal enforceability. Attributes a sponsor's income and resources to the sponsored individual for purposes of assistance eligibility. (Sec. 505) Authorizes States and localities to limit assistance to aliens or to classes of aliens. (Sec. 506) Denies the earned income tax credit to an individual not a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident alien for the entire tax year. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require a person claiming the earned income tax credit to provide his or her (and spouse's) social security number. (Sec. 507) Increases penalties for forging or counterfeiting the seal of a Federal department or agency to facilitate benefit fraud by an unlawful alien. (Sec. 508) Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to permit high illegal immigration States to place Medicaid anti-fraud investigators in State, county, and private hospitals. (Sec. 509) Amends Federal law to permit court costs, fees, or expenses to be awarded in cases brought by or against the United States or its agencies only to U.S. citizens, nationals, or lawful permanent resident aliens. Title VI: Effective Dates - Sets for the effective dates of provisions of this Act.
Bill· SS. 1533 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1996
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Economic Opportunity Subtitle A: Tax Incentives Subtitle B: Contracting Set-Aside Reform Subtitle C: Small Business Mentor Program Title II: Community Infrastructure Title III: Safe Streets Subtitle A: Mandatory Restitution Subtitle B: Asset Forfeiture Assistance Title IV: Educational Opportunity Title V: Family Opportunity Title VI: Volunteer Protection Title VII: Spectrum Auction Community Renewal and Economic Opportunity Act - Title I: Economic Opportunity - Subtitle A: Tax Incentives - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a general ten percent tax credit for qualifying businesses in empowerment zones and enterprise communities. (Sec. 102) Permits an enterprise zone business to elect a ten percent flat tax option. (Sec. 103) Excludes from gross income capital gains from the sale or exchange of a qualified zone asset (as defined by this Act) held for more than five years. (Sec. 104) Increases expensing limits for qualified zone property. (Sec. 105) Excludes from gross income dividends received from zone businesses. (Sec. 106) Increases the work opportunity tax credit and the categories of eligible individuals. Subtitle B: Contracting Set-Aside Reform - Amends the Small Business Act to revise the section 8(a) set-aside program to give preference to economically disadvantaged individuals and small business concerns (as defined by this Act). (Sec. 112) Makes technical and conforming amendments to: (1) specified Federal law; (2) the Federal Home Loan Bank Act; (3) the Small Business Economic Policy Act of 1980; (4) the Small Business Investment Act of 1958; (5) the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act; (6) the Energy Policy Act of 1992; and (7) the Defense Production Act of 1950. Subtitle C: Small Business Mentor Program - Directs the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to establish a small business mentor program to aid businesses owned by economically disadvantaged individuals. Title II: Community Infrastructure - Exempts construction projects in empowerment zones, enterprise communities, and enterprise zones from Davis-Bacon Act (union) wage requirements. (Sec. 202) Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to increase community development block grant assistance to low- and moderate-income families. Reduces administrative and planning costs. Requires specified matching funds from wealthy areas. Title III: Safe Streets - Subtitle A: Mandatory Restitution - Amends Federal criminal law to require mandatory restitution for certain violent crimes. Makes such restitution a condition of probation. Sets forth: (1) an order of restitution for other crimes, including sexual exploitation and other abuse of children, and telemarketing fraud; and (2) a procedure for issuance and enforcement of a restitution order. Directs the United States Sentencing Commission and the Attorney General to promulgate related guidelines. (Sec. 310) Amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to prohibit payments to delinquent debtors by State crime victim compensation programs. (Sec. 311) Authorizes grants to States for assistance and compensation to victims of terrorism or mass violence. Subtitle B: Asset Forfeiture Assistance - Amends the Controlled Substances Act and the Tariff Act of 1930 to provide high-crime communities with additional assets from forfeited property. Title IV: Educational Opportunity - Makes specified funding available for demonstration projects to provide low-income families in high poverty areas with educational certificates. Title V: Family Opportunity - Prohibits racial, religious, or ethnic adoption placement discrimination. Sets forth penalties. Provides for a private right of action. States that this title shall not effect application of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978. (Sec. 503) Repeals specified provisions of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994. Title VI: Volunteer Protection - Encourages States to provide volunteers with protection from lawsuits. Limits tort liability for volunteers, with specified exceptions. Increases specified block grant allotments to certifying States with volunteer protections. Title VII: Spectrum Auction - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to repeal existing electromagnetic spectrum allocation provisions. Requires competitive bidding for such contracts, with specified exceptions.
Bill· SS. 1529 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1996
Team Relocation Taxpayer Protection Act of 1996 - Prohibits specified entities or persons (entities) from benefiting from any expenditure of Federal funds or from being allowed any Federal tax exclusion, deduction, credit, exemption, or allowance in connection with the relocation of a National Football League (NFL) franchise of such entity. Specifies that the interest paid or accrued on any bond from which proceeds are used or to be used to provide facilities for any such entity shall not be exempt from Federal tax. Makes such provision applicable: (1) to any entity that has conducted regular season home football games through ownership of a franchise in the NFL in facilities which are owned by a State or local government or financed by a Federal, State, or local governmental unit, has publicly announced that it intends to conduct such football games outside such facilities before the expiration of the period during which such governmental unit has authorized the entity to use such facilities, has publicly announced that it intends to conduct such football games in facilities to be owned by a State or local government or to be financed by a Federal, State, or local governmental unit; (2) if in the NFL season preceding the announcement of the entity's intention to relocate, attendance at the regular season home football games of such entity averaged at least 75 percent of normal capacity as previously published by the NFL with respect to such season; and (3) if within one year before or after such announcement, an election or referendum has been held by the State or local government and the voters have approved a tax increase or extension of a tax, or have failed to repeal any such increase or extension, intended to be used as part of the financing for improved facilities or new facilities for such football games of such entity. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) preemption (no preemption of State or local actions); (2) who constitutes a "related person" for tax purposes; and (3) bankruptcy venue.
Bill· SS. 1542 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1996
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a taxpayer to elect to treat any environmental remediation cost as an expense not chargeable to capital account and therefore allowable as a deduction for the taxable year in which it is paid or incurred. Defines "environmental remediation cost" as a cost which is: (1) chargeable to capital account; (2) paid or incurred in connection with environmental contaminant abatement or control at a site in an empowerment zone or enterprise community; and (3) certified by the applicable Federal or State authority as one required by and in compliance with applicable law governing such abatement and control. Excludes from such costs amounts paid or incurred: (1) for equipment of a character subject to a depreciation or amortization allowance; or (2) in connection with a site on the National Priorities List under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980.
Bill· SS. 1538 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1996
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) prohibit applying certain provisions concerning the maximum amount which may be deferred under deferred compensation plans of State and local governments and tax-exempt organizations to any qualified excess benefit arrangement of a qualified medical entity; and (2) exclude benefits provided under such an arrangement from being used to determine whether any other plan is an eligible deferred compensation plan and the amount which may be deferred under such other plan. Exempts plans maintained by tax-exempt qualified medical entities from the reduction of the limit under such provisions for other elective deferrals. Limits the maximum amount of compensation of any one participant which may be deferred under a qualified excess benefit arrangement to an amount not to exceed the lesser of: (1) $25,000; or (2) 33 and one-third percent of the participant's includible compensation. Defines "qualified excess benefit arrangement."
Bill· SS. 1530 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1996
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Establishment of the Naval Petroleum Reserves Corporation Title II: Privatization of the Corporation Naval Petroleum Reserves and Naval Oil Shale Reserves Corporation Act of 1996 - Title I: Establishment of the Naval Petroleum Reserves Corporation - Establishes as a for-profit Government corporation the Naval Petroleum Reserves and Naval Oil Shale Reserves Corporation to have exclusive jurisdiction and control over all U.S. naval petroleum and naval oil shale reserves (reserves). Outlines provisions concerning: (1) general and specific powers and functions of the Corporation, including the exploration, prospecting, development, use, production, and operation of the reserves; (2) the naming of a Chief Executive Officer for the Corporation; (3) the appointment of Corporation officers and employees, as well as the transfer to the Corporation from the Department of Defense (DOD) of officers and employees performing functions transferred to the Corporation; (4) Corporation payment to appropriate Government funds and accounts for the provision of employee benefits; (5) Corporation exemption from State and local taxes; (6) the nonapplicability of Federal laws governing acquisition and disposal; (7) Corporation exemption from Federal administrative procedure requirements; (8) transfer to the Corporation of appropriate DOD assets and liabilities; and (9) Corporation interest payments to the Treasury for the use of Federal financial capital. Title II: Privatization of the Corporation - Requires the Corporation, within five years after its establishment, to prepare and transmit to the President and the Congress a strategic plan for transferring Corporation ownership to private investors. Requires such plan to include the consideration of alternative means for such transfer. Allows a phased transfer. Authorizes the Corporation to implement the plan if it determines that such privatization will result in a return to the United States at least equal to the Corporation's net present value. Requires the plan to be approved by the President and requires the Corporation to notify the Congress of its intent to implement the plan. Directs the Comptroller General, within 30 days after such notification, to report to the Congress an evaluation of the plan, including ongoing obligations and revenues gained. Prohibits the Corporation from implementing such plan until at least 60 days after congressional notification. Requires proceeds from the sale of Corporation capital stock to be deposited in the general fund of the Treasury.
Bill· HRH.R. 2903 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1996
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Banking, Housing, and Related Provisions Title II: Spectrum Allocation Provisions Title III: Medicaid Title IV: Medicare Title V: Welfare Reform Title VI: Federal Retirement Provisions Title VII: Veterans and Related Provisions Title VIII: Assets Sales, User Fees, and other Mandatory Provisions Title IX: Revenues Title X: Budget Enforcement Balanced Budget Act of 1995 for Economic Growth and Fairness - Title I: Banking, Housing, and Related Provisions - Subtitle A: Financial Institutions - Directs the Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to impose a special assessment on the Savings Association Insurance Fund (SAIF)-assessable deposits of each insured depository institution at a rate applicable to all such institutions that the Board, in its sole discretion, determines will cause the SAIF to achieve the designated reserve ratio on the first business day of January 1996. Allows the Board to exempt weak institutions from such assessment. Mandates exemption from such assessment for certain newly chartered and other specified institutions, but requires such institutions to pay semiannual assessments at certain former rates during calendar years 1996 through 1999. (Sec. 2011) (sic) Authorizes certain institutions facing hardship as a result of the special assessment to elect to pay it in two assessments, plus a third supplemental special assessment, determined according to specified formulae. Prescribes adjustments of the special assessment for Bank Insurance Fund (BIF) member banks and certain savings associations. (Sec. 2012) Amends the Federal Home Loan Bank Act (FHLBA) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDIA) to revise the assessment authority of the Financing Corporation (FICO), extending FICO assessments to all depository institutions insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) instead of SAIF members only. Repeals specified limits on the amount that may be assessed. (Sec. 2013) Declares that the SAIF and the BIF shall be merged into the Deposit Insurance Fund, which shall have a Special Reserve for any excess of the SAIF reserve ratio over the designated reserve ratio. Makes conforming amendments to FHLBA and FDIA. (Sec. 2015) Prescribes procedural guidelines with respect to the refund of assessed payments in a deposit insurance fund in excess of the designated reserve amount. (Sec. 2016) Amends the FDIA to declare that assessment rates for SAIF members may not be less than assessment rates for BIF members. (Sec. 2017) Prohibits the FDIC Board of Directors from setting semi-annual assessments in excess of the amount needed to maintain or achieve the designated reserve ratio of a deposit insurance fund. (Sec. 2018) Terminates as of December 31, 1995, the authority of the Thrift Depositor Protection Oversight Board to establish positions for and pay compensation and benefits to officers and employees, except for 18 individuals to carry out Board functions through May 1, 1996. Subtitle B: Housing - Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 with respect to section 8 low-income housing rental increases (including considerations of operating costs, certificate program participation, and same-family occupancy). (Sec. 2052) Amends the National Housing Act to authorize: (1) insurance benefits to mortgagees for foreclosure avoidance activities; and (2) mortgagor assistance activities (mortgage payments or mortgage assignment to the Secretary of Housing and Human Development). Title II: Communications and Spectrum Allocation Provisions - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 (the Act) to state that certain competitive bidding requirements shall not apply to licenses or construction permits issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC): (1) that, as the result of the FCC carrying out specified obligations, are not mutually exclusive; (2) for public safety radio services, including Government uses that protect the safety of life, health, and property and that are not made commercially available to the public; or (3) for initial licenses or construction permits for new terrestrial broadcast digital television (TV) services assigned by the FCC to existing terrestrial broadcast licensees to replace their current TV licenses, unless specified conditions are met. Prohibits the FCC from assigning initial licenses or construction permits to terrestrial commercial TV broadcast licensees to replace their existing broadcast licenses before November 15, 1996, except as provided pursuant to this Act. Extends through FY 2002 the authority of the FCC to grant such licenses or permits. (Sec. 3001) (sic) Requires the FCC to complete all actions necessary to permit the assignment, by September 30, 2002, by competitive bidding of licenses for the use of bands of frequencies that: (1) individually span not less than 25 megahertz (mhz.), unless a combination of smaller bands can reasonably be expected to product greater receipts; (2) in the aggregate span not less than 100 mhz.; (3) are located below three gigahertz (ghz.); and (4) as of this Act's enactment date have not been designated by FCC regulation for assignment, identified by the Secretary of Commerce pursuant to provisions of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act (NTIAO), or reserved for Government use pursuant to the Act. Directs the FCC to conduct competitive bidding for not less than one-half of such aggregate spectrum by September 30, 2000. Requires the FCC, in making available bands of frequencies for competitive bidding, to: (1) promote the most efficient use of the spectrum; (2) take into account the cost to incumbent licensees of relocating existing uses to other bands of frequencies or other means of communication and the needs of public safety radio services; (3) comply with the requirements of international agreements concerning spectrum allocations; and (4) take into account the costs to satellite service providers that could result from multiple auctions of like spectrum internationally for global satellite systems. Directs the FCC to notify the Secretary if the FCC: (1) is unable to provide for the effective relocation of incumbent licensees to frequencies available for assignment; and (2) has identified bands of frequencies that are suitable for the relocation of such licensees and that are allocated for Government use but that could be reallocated pursuant to the NTIAO Act. Amends the NTIAO Act to require the Secretary, upon receiving a notice from the FCC pursuant to this Act, to prepare and submit to the President and the Congress a report recommending for reallocation for use other than by Government stations of bands of frequencies that are suitable for the uses identified in the FCC's notice. Authorizes any Federal entity which operates a Government station to accept payment in advance or in-kind reimbursement of costs, or a combination thereof, from any person to defray entirely the expenses of relocating the Federal entity's operations from one or more radio spectrum frequencies to other frequencies. Directs that any such payment be deposited in the account of such Federal entity in the Treasury. Authorizes any person seeking to relocate a Government station that has been assigned a frequency within a band allocated for mixed Federal and non-Federal use to submit a petition for such relocation to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Directs NTIA to limit or terminate the Government station's operating license when certain requirements are met. Specifies that if, within one year after the relocation, the Government station demonstrates to the FCC that the new facilities or spectrum are not comparable to those from which the Government station was relocated, the person seeking such relocation must take reasonable steps to remedy any defects or pay the Federal entity for the costs of returning the Government station to the spectrum from which such station was relocated. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) Federal action to expedite spectrum transfer; (2) identification and reallocation of auctionable frequencies; and (3) allocation and assignment of frequencies identified in the second reallocation report. (Sec. 3002) Prohibits any analog TV license from being renewed for a period that extends beyond the earlier of December 31, 2005, or one year after the FCC finds, based on annual surveys, that at least 95 percent of households in the United States have the capability to receive and display TV signals, other than TV signals transmitted pursuant to an analog TV license. Requires that, following such date, only advanced TV licenses be issued. Requires the Department of Commerce, for each calendar year from 1998 to 2005, to conduct a survey to estimate the percentage of U.S. households that have the capability to receive and display TV signals other than those transmitted pursuant to an analog TV license. Directs that licensees for new services be selected by competitive bidding. Requires the FCC to: (1) ensure that, as analog TV licenses expire, spectrum previously used for the broadcast of analog TV is reclaimed and organized in such manner as to maximize the deployment of new and existing services; and (2) complete the competitive bidding procedure by March 1, 2002. Requires the FCC to establish procedures to ensure that, within the year prior to the reversion date, the advanced TV licensees provide each requesting household without the capability to receive and display TV signals other than those transmitted pursuant to an analog TV license with the capability to receive and display advanced TV service. Mandates that each advanced TV service licensee provide, each day for the duration of its license, at least one non-subscription TV service that meets or exceeds minimum technical and other standards established by the FCC, as well as any other regulations pursuant to the Act and the Children's TV Act of 1990. Directs the FCC: (1) in setting such minimum technical standards, to ensure that picture and audio quality are at least as good as provided to recipients under current FCC rules for National Television Systems Committee signals and to adopt other requirements to assure the quality of the signal used to provide advanced TV services; and (2) revoke the license of any advanced TV licensee who fails to meet this condition of the license. Requires the FCC to promulgate regulations to assure the dissemination of converter boxes or devices necessary to ensure access to digital TV to all households that desire such access at a reasonable cost. Title III: Medicaid - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) for the following purposes. (Sec. 201) (sic) Sets a prescribed limit on the total amount of payments in grant awards to a State under Medicaid for FY 1997 through 2002 for each separate group of listed Medicaid beneficiaries in the State based on the total net matchable Medicaid expenditures for the State for the fiscal year, with certain exceptions for States providing medical assistance pursuant to an approved waiver and for certain Medicare cost-sharing, information system, Indian health and other specified expenditures. Declares that such limitation shall not be construed as applying to payments for the purchase and delivery of qualified pediatric vaccines. Details enforcement-related provisions for assuring actual payments to States consistent with such limitation. Provides for application of enhanced matching under State payment provisions for development of certain information reporting systems. Title IV: Medicare Savings - Amends SSA title XVIII (Medicare) part A to outline various specified changes related to the Hospital Insurance program under it that are designed to achieve Medicare savings through such measures involving, among other things: (1) adjustments for estimated case mix increase when recalibrating diagnosis-related group (DRG) prospective payment system (PPS) rates for inpatient hospital services; (2) temporary additional reduction in PPS capital and hospital-specific rates; (3) reductions in adjustments for disproportionate share hospitals (DSH) and indirect medical education (IME); (4) elimination of DSH and IME payments attributable to outlier payments; (5) reductions to capital payments for PPS-exempt hospitals; (6) basing updates to per diem cost limits effective for FY 1996 for skilled nursing facilities on limits for FY 1993, with payment for such facilities made on an interim prospective basis until FY 1999 when a full PPS is to be implemented; (7) salary equivalency guidelines for various specified therapy services; (8) removal of graduate medical education (GME), IME, and DSH payments from the calculation of the adjusted average per capita cost; (9) additional payments to hospitals for managed care enrollees; (10) rebasing the target amount and eliminating the volume adjustment for sole community hospitals; (11) expanding the essential access community hospitals (EACH) program (renamed the rural primary care hospital program) to all States with an end to new EACH designations, a limitation on length of inpatient stays, and certain payment-related changes; and (12) changes in the treatment of certain transfer cases. (Sec. 11105) (sic) Establishes within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the National Commission on Medical Education and Workforce Priorities to develop and recommend to the HHS Secretary specific policies concerning health centers and the health care workforce. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 11118) Outlines various specified changes in certain provisions related to Medicare's Supplementary Medical Insurance program under SSA title XVIII part B that are designed to achieve Medicare savings and provide for coverage of additional benefits through such measures involving, among other things: (1) limited program coverage of respite services (the temporary care provided to individuals for the purpose of ensuring periodic time-off for co-resident primary informal caregivers); (2) new updates for physician services; (3) incentives to control high volume for in-hospital physicians' services; (4) reduced payment increases for ambulatory surgical center services for FY 1996 through 2002; (5) reductions in monthly payment amounts for oxygen and oxygen equipment; (6) payment limits for health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and competitive medical plans (CMPs); and (7) program coverage of annual screening mammography for women over age 49, and of colorectal screening. (Sec. 11128) Waives cost-sharing for mammography. (Sec. 11131) Establishes set payment amounts for certain vaccines and ties annual increases in them to increases in the yearly update for physicians' services for the particular year involved. Eliminates coinsurance and deductible for hepatitis B vaccine. (Sec. 11141) Directs the HHS Secretary to use a competitive process to contract with centers of excellence for cataract surgery, coronary artery by-pass surgery, and such other services as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, with payment for such services to be made on the basis of specified negotiated or all-inclusive rates. Requires the amount of payment made by the HHS Secretary to the center for covered services to be less than the aggregate amount of payments that would have otherwise been made to it had not such process been in effect. Requires that a portion of such savings be rebated to each individual to whom such services are furnished. (Sec. 11142) Restructures payment policy for home health services, among other things: (1) temporarily basing updates to per visit cost limits on pre-July 1, 1994 levels; (2) providing interim reduced cost limits for FY 1997 through 1999; (3) directing the HHS Secretary, for cost reporting periods beginning on or after FY 2000, to provide for payments for the services in accordance with a PPS which pays home health agencies on a per episode basis; (4) basing payment on the location where they are furnished; and (5) establishing a post-hospital home health benefit under Medicare part A while transferring other home health services to Medicare part B. (Sec. 11148) Provides for permanent extension of certain secondary payer provisions under Medicare, including those for the working disabled. (Sec. 11161) Modifies Medicare part B premium provisions, directing the HHS Secretary, during each September, to determine and promulgate a monthly premium rate for the succeeding calendar year equal to 50 percent of the monthly actuarial rate for enrollees age 65 and over for that succeeding calendar year. Subtitle B: Expanded Medicare Choice - Gives Medicare a managed care component under a new part C (Managed Care Organizations) under which every individual entitled to benefits under Medicare part A and enrolled under Medicare part B (or enrolled under part B only) shall be eligible to enroll with any eligible organization contracting with the HHS Secretary to serve the geographic area in which the individual resides. Extends to such individuals a broader choice of managed care coverage through qualified HMOs, CMPs, preferred provider organizations, or provider sponsored organizations (PSOs). Delineates the types of benefits offered by each managed care organization or plan, requiring certain minimum services, with supplemental benefits subject to the Secretary's approval and provided at the enrollees' option. Outlines other program particulars regarding internal quality assurance, payment for services, and sanctions for noncompliance with program requirements. (Sec. 11203) Directs the HHS Secretary to develop standards for fiscal soundness and requirements against the risk of insolvency for PSOs that have entered into contracts under Medicare part C. (Sec. 11204) Provides for the applicability of Medicare rates to enrollees who use an out-of-plan provider of services. (Sec. 11205) Directs the HHS Secretary to provide for regulations requiring the collection, analysis, and reporting of data that will permit measurement of outcomes and other indices of the quality of managed care plans under contract with the Secretary. (Sec. 11206) Allows the HHS Secretary to waive certain HMO- and CMP-related requirements under Medicare with regard to certain described experiments and demonstration projects under provisions for economy while maintaining or improving quality in health services (competitive pricing demonstrations). Requires the HHS Secretary to report to the Congress specific recommendations for a new payment methodology for eligible organizations, with contracts under Medicare part C to be based on the results of such demonstrations. (Sec. 11207) Eliminates the health care prepayment plan option for entities eligible to participate under Medicare part C. (Sec. 11208) Provides various specified changes under the Medicare supplemental policy (Medigap) program, including uniform enrollment periods and community-rated premiums. (Sec. 11209) Directs the HHS Secretary to develop a standard package of benefits (in addition to those already covered under Medicare) that may be offered by eligible organizations under Medicare part C. Requires the HHS Secretary to request the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to examine the standard benefit packages for Medigap policies and recommend any restructuring needed in order to facilitate to the maximum extent feasible comparison across such policies and benefits offered by eligible organizations. Requires the HHS Secretary, after taking into account any such recommendations, to restructure such packages as needed. Provides during FY 1996 through 2000 for Medicaid payments to certain States with large populations of illegal immigrants to pay health care providers for services to such populations. (Sec. 11303) Revises Medicaid provisions regarding a State's erroneous excess payments for medical assistance, replacing references to such payments with references to erroneous enrollments, among other changes. (Sec. 11311) Gives States the option of making medical assistance under Medicaid available to certain groups of individuals who would otherwise be ineligible for such assistance. Provides for the disregard of such additional enrollees in calculating the Federal payment limit. (Sec. 11312) Places restrictions on certain authority under SSA title XI for new Medicaid eligibility expansion demonstrations. (Sec. 11313) Provides for an upper income limit on "less restrictive" eligibility methodologies. (Sec. 11321) Includes the provision of Medicaid items and services through a primary care case management system as a State Medicaid plan option. (Sec. 11322) Allows States to require Medicaid-eligible individuals to enroll with an HMO or a primary care case manager provided certain guidelines are followed. (Sec. 11323) Eliminates certain Medicaid restrictions on risk contracts. (Sec. 11324) Provides six-month guaranteed eligibility for all individuals enrolled in Medicaid managed care. (Sec. 11325) Requires State Medicaid plan requirements to ensure quality of and access to care under managed care plans. (Sec. 11331) Provides for home- and community-based services as a State option under Medicaid without need for a waiver. (Sec. 11332) Repeals Medicaid provisions for the enrollment of individuals under group health plans. Gives States the option of purchasing health insurance, or paying the costs of health insurance, for enrollees in providing medical assistance under the Medicaid program. (Sec. 11333) Modifies provisions for an extension of eligibility for medical assistance under Medicaid that concern the State "wrap-around" option, in which a State may pay a family's expenses for premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and similar costs for health insurance or other health coverage offered by an employer of the caretaker relative or by an employer of the absent parent of a dependent child. Provides that, in the case of such coverage offered by an employer of the caretaker relative, the State may limit the amount of any deductible or copayment for any health care item or service to the applicable portion of the amount the State would pay if such item or service had been furnished by a provider participating in the program under the State Medicaid plan. Eliminates the premium limit under provisions allowing a State to impose a premium for a family for additional extended coverage. Makes reporting requirements under provisions concerning an additional six-month extension optional. Gives States the option to terminate the benefits under such extension for a failure to report pursuant to such requirements. (Sec. 11341) Requires with respect to State Medicaid plans a public process for determining the rates of payment for nursing facility services and services of intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded. Requires the HHS Secretary to study and report to the Congress with regard to such rate setting and other specified matters. (Sec. 11343) Repeals Medicaid provisions for assuring certain payment levels for obstetrical and pediatric services. (Sec. 11351) Modifies Medicaid mechanized claims processing and information retrieval system requirements. (Sec. 11352) Eliminates certain personnel requirements under State Medicaid plan administrative provisions. (Sec. 11353) Repeals requirements under such provisions for cooperative arrangements with State health and vocational rehabilitation services agencies. (Sec. 11355) Requires appropriate State review of mentally ill or mentally retarded nursing facility residents under Medicaid upon a significant change in the resident's physical or mental condition. (Sec. 11356) Modifies certain provisions for approving nurse aide training and competency evaluation programs. (Sec. 11357) Allows a State to submit to the HHS Secretary for approval a single State plan to carry out: (1) the long-term care grant program established by subtitle E (sic); (2) the program of health insurance for the temporarily unemployed established by subtitle G (sic); and (3) the Medicaid program. (Sec. 11358) Requires State Medicaid plans to provide for a public process for developing State plan amendments. Subtitle D (sic): Fraud and Abuse - Federal Health Care Payment Integrity Act of 1995 - Amends SSA title XI civil monetary penalty provisions, with changes: (1) extending the applicability of such provisions to any Federal health care program; (2) outlining additional instances in which the HHS Secretary may impose civil money penalties, including for offering inducements to individuals enrolled under Federal health programs; and (3) modifying the amounts of various penalties and assessments. (Sec. 11403) Modifies provisions for the exclusion of certain individuals and entities from participation in Medicare and State health care programs, establishing certain minimum periods of exclusion for certain individuals and entities subject to permissive exclusion from Medicare and State health care programs, among other changes. (Sec. 11404) Amends Federal criminal laws to cover illegal remuneration with respect to health care benefit programs. (Sec. 11405) Repeals the prerequisite that a health care practitioner or person be determined "unwilling or unable" to comply substantially with a corrective action plan before sanctions may be imposed (thus permitting the HHS Secretary to exclude such practitioner or person from eligibility to provide services for failure to comply with a corrective action plan, regardless of circumstances). (Sec. 11406) Directs the HHS Secretary to establish a national health care fraud and abuse data collection program for the reporting of final adverse actions against health care providers, suppliers, or practitioners by government agencies and Federal health care programs. Provides that the information in the program database shall be available to Federal and State government agencies, health plans, and the public pursuant to procedures that the HHS Secretary shall provide, with certain fees allowed for disclosure. (Sec. 11407) Expands the various authorities of State Medicaid fraud control units, including to allow them to investigate and prosecute patient abuse in non-Medicaid board and care facilities. (Sec. 11408) Provides for the recovery of Medicare overpayments from bankrupt providers. (Sec. 11409) Authorizes the HHS Secretary to make grants to States for the revocation of licenses of unqualified providers. (Sec. 11410) Amends Federal criminal laws to provide for the authorization of interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications in connection with health care fraud. (Sec. 11421) Establishes under SSA title XI the new Medicare Anti-Fraud and Abuse Program to provide funding out of the Medicare trust funds for the activities of the HHS Inspector General related to preventing and detecting fraud and abuse in the programs under SSA title XVIII and determining the accuracy and appropriateness of expenditures under such programs. (Sec. 11422) Establishes the Medicare beneficiary integrity system for the review of the activities of service providers, audits, and education of service providers and others with respect to payment issues under Medicare. (Sec. 11423) Establishes the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Account for covering the costs of activities designed to prevent and detect health care fraud and abuse and to promote economy and efficiency in Federal health care programs. (Sec. 11431) Makes various specified criminal law amendments covering matters relating to health care fraud through allowing fines or imprisonment for health care fraud violations, property forfeitures for certain Federal health care offenses, and certain sanctions for false statements relating to health care matters. Authorizes investigative demand procedures under certain conditions. (Sec. 11441) Provides for certain technical changes for coordinating Medicare benefits with those under primary plans, addressing such matters as when to file a claim and associated time limitations as well as claims between parties other than the United States. Revises Medicare secondary payer provisions concerning actions by the United States for double damages to condition such damages upon the entity's failure to demonstrate that it did not know, and could not have known, of its obligation to pay with respect to an item or service under a primary plan. (Sec. 11445) Repeals the excise tax under the Internal Revenue Code. (Sec. 11446) Mandates the provision by group health plans of certain information to HHS with respect to covered individuals entitled to Medicare benefits. Outlines similar requirements with respect to employers and employee organizations. (Sec. 11447) Makes certain technical changes under Medicare concerning minimum sizes of group health plans. (Sec. 11451) Provides for increased flexibility in contracting for Medicare claims processing by, among other means: (1) allowing carriers to include entities that are not insurance companies; (2) repealing cost reimbursement requirements; and (3) permitting initial contracts to be entered into without regard to any competition requirements. (Sec. 11461) Replaces the reasonable charge methodology under Medicare part B with fee schedules. (Sec. 11462) Provides, under Medicare part B, for the application of: (1) inherent reasonableness to surgical dressings; and (2) the competitive acquisition process to certain items and services, including laboratory services. (Sec. 11465) Makes certain changes in payments for clinical laboratory tests under Medicare part B. (Sec. 11471) Amends SSA title XI to authorize the HHS Secretary to require disclosing Medicare part A and B providers to provide the Secretary with their taxpayer identification numbers and other information for verification by the Secretary of the Treasury. (Sec. 11472) Amends SSA title XVIII to provide for the use of a wage index for an area in which home health services are furnished. Allows an individual to purchase or rent from a supplier an item of upgraded durable medical equipment for which payment would be made if the item was a standard one. Title V: Welfare Reform - Subtitle A: Temporary Employment Assistance - Replaces the current Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program under SSA title IV part A with the Temporary Employment Assistance (TEA) program for the purpose of providing assistance to families with needy children and assisting parents of such children to obtain and retain private sector work to the extent possible, and public sector or volunteer work if necessary, through the Work First Employment Block Grant (WORK FIRST) program established below. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 9101) Sets forth the elements for State TEA plans to be approved by the HHS Secretary, and effective in all political subdivisions in the State, including limits on the length of time for cash assistance, with specified exceptions for teen parents and individuals exempt from certain work requirements under this title because of illness or other specified reasons. Includes among such elements requirements for the State to: (1) assess the skills, prior work experience, and employability of each applicant for, or recipient of, TEA assistance who is age 18 or without a high school education and is not attending secondary school; (2) develop an individual responsibility plan (IRP) setting forth their job search, work, and educational obligations (including, at State option, appropriate substance abuse treatment) in order to receive the full amount of program assistance, with assistance denied after the third act of noncompliance with the plan; (3) place recipients of TEA assistance who have not become employed in the private sector within one year after signing an IRP in the first available slot in the State WORK FIRST program with certain exceptions for recipients who are ill, incapacitated, or of advanced age or who are enrolled in school or in educational or training programs that will lead to private sector employment; (4) require all applicants for, and recipients of, TEA assistance to cooperate in the establishment and enforcement of paternity and child support obligations; and (5) promote family preservation and stability. Denies TEA assistance for: (1) ten years to a person found to have fraudulently misrepresented residence in order to obtain assistance in two or more States; and (2) fugitive felons and probation and parole violators. Provides for the exchange of certain State TEA plan information with law enforcement agencies for the purpose of locating or apprehending such individuals. Outlines State TEA plan administrative elements, including requirements for a quality assurance system making use of a data collection and reporting system to promote accountability, continuous improvement, and integrity in State TEA and WORK FIRST programs. (Sec. 9201) Extends the applicability of Medicare eligibility for medical assistance to families that cease to be eligible for aid under SSA title IV part A after FY 2002. (Sec. 9202) Requires the applicable State agency to provide notice of the availability of the earned income tax credit to applicants and former recipients of TEA assistance, food stamps, and Medicaid. (Sec. 9203) Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to require inclusion on the W-4 form of a notice of availability of earned income tax and dependent care tax credit. (Sec. 9204) Provides for advance payment of the earned income tax credit through certain State demonstration programs under which participating residents shall receive advance earned income payments from a responsible State agency pursuant to a State Advance Payment Program in lieu of receiving earned income advance amounts from an employer. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 9205) Amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to make various specified changes, including provisions to: (1) reauthorize the child care and development block grant program through FY 2002; (2) give priority in the use of funds under such program to families with an individual receiving TEA assistance while participating in education-, job-, or work-related programs under such program, and to families no longer qualifying for other child care because their TEA assistance was terminated because of increased income from employment; (3) authorize separate appropriations of Federal matching funds for child care services for eligible children out of which the State will be entitled to payments under a grant determined according to a specified formula; (4) decrease certain set-asides for improving the quality of child care and increasing the availability of early childhood development and before- and after-school care services, while repealing other related set-asides for conducting or expanding such services; and (5) direct the Secretary to establish a child care quality improvement incentive initiative to make funds available to States which have enhanced child care quality standards and licensing procedures or have progressed in implementing innovative teacher training programs. Eliminates State dependent care grants under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981. Repeals the Child Development Associate Scholarship Assistance Act of 1985. (Sec. 9206) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to include as gross income Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits received by taxpayers under SSA title XVI, and make such benefits reportable. Provides that SSI benefits will not be taken into account for purposes of the earned income tax credit, and that adjusted gross income shall be determined without regard to any amount includable in gross income solely by reason of this paragraph. (Sec. 9207) Makes the dependent care credit refundable and phases it out for certain higher income taxpayers. Subtitle C: Work First (sic) - Replaces the current Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training Program (JOBS) under SSA title IV part F with the WORK FIRST program (the Work First Employment Block Grant program) under which States have the option of providing a wide variety of time-limited work-related assistance, pursuant to an approved State plan, to TEA recipients through certain minimum hours of participation in any of various specified program components ranging from microenterprise initiatives to separate workfare and job placement voucher programs established by the State under new SSA title IV parts G and H (but not both), with the goal of enabling the participant to find and hold a full-time unsubsidized position, preferably in the private sector, in a cost-effective fashion. (Sec. 9301) Outlines in detail WORK FIRST program components, including community service and subsidized private sector job initiatives under the workfare program for helping participants move into the private labor market, and job placement voucher programs' funding of subsidized temporary jobs out of the funds that would otherwise be used to provide individuals with TEA assistance or food stamps. Requires participating States to achieve certain outlined participation rates over a specified fiscal year period through 2003 and later. Expresses the sense of the Congress that States should target individuals who have not attained age 25 for participation in the WORK FIRST program in order to break the cycle of welfare dependency. Subtitle D: Family Responsibility and Improved Child Support Enforcement - Amends SSA title IV part D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity) with regard to eligibility and other matters concerning part D program clients, and includes among the changes made the following. (Sec. 9401) Requires each State to have in effect laws requiring procedures under which every child support order established or modified in the State on or after October 1, 1998, is recorded in a single centralized automated case registry established pursuant to this subtitle for the collection from income withholding, and prompt disbursement (including interstate collection and disbursement), of amounts payable as support under orders in all cases being enforced by the State unless the parties to the order opt out of such payment arrangement. Provides for such system to be coordinated with the automated data system established above. (Sec. 9402) Establishes procedures governing the distribution of child support payments where the family is, and is not, on TEA assistance, with certain alternative distributions provided for. (Sec. 9403) Adds State child and spousal support plan requirements for due process rights and privacy safeguards for affected parties in child support and paternity establishment cases. (Sec. 9411) Amends SSA title IV part D with regard to program administration and funding, and includes among the changes made: (1) an increased Federal matching rate for the total amounts expended by the State per quarter for operation of its part D plan; (2) new performance-based incentive adjustments to such rate as well as new penalties in the form of reduced State payments for, among other reasons, States failing to achieve the paternity establishment percentage or the appropriate level of overall performance in child support enforcement; (3) new Federal and State reviews and audits of State child support and paternity establishment program accomplishments with respect to applicable performance indicators; (4) the establishment of procedures to be followed by States for collecting and reporting information required to be provided under SSA title IV part D as well as uniform definitions to be applied in following such procedures; and (5) requirements for appropriate State agencies to have in operation a single statewide automated data processing and information retrieval system for use in program management. (Sec. 9416) Requires the HHS Secretary to study and report to the Congress on the staffing of each State child support enforcement program to examine staffing practices used by the States. (Sec. 9417) Provides certain funding for secretarial assistance to State child support enforcement programs. (Sec. 9421) Makes various specified changes under SSA title IV part D with regard to locate and case tracking through the newly provided for central case registry, including exchanges of data with an expanded Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) (containing among other things a directory of information supplied by employers on newly hired individuals) and State agencies administering TEA and Medicaid programs. (Sec. 9423) Revises income withholding, providing that all child support orders issued (or modified) before October 1, 1996, which are not otherwise subject to withholding, shall become subject to withholding from wages if arrearages occur without the need for a judicial or administrative hearing. (Sec. 9425) Provides for an expanded FPLS, including an automated Data Bank of Child Support Orders and an automated Directory of New Hires. (Sec. 9426) Adds State law requirements for procedures requiring the recording of social security numbers of both parents on marriage licenses and divorce decrees and on birth records and child support and paternity orders. (Sec. 9431) Requires State adoption, with certain modifications and additions, of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, as approved by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws in August, 1992, for use in the State on and after January 1, 1997. (Sec. 9432) Modifies the Federal judicial code with respect to full faith and credit for child support orders, among other changes specifying rules for courts to follow if one or more child support orders have been issued in the State (or another State) with regard to an obligor and a child in determining which order to recognize for purposes of continuing, exclusive jurisdiction and enforcement. (Sec. 9433) Adds State law requirements for expedited procedures for ordering genetic testing, entering default orders, and other specified purposes connected with paternity establishment and the establishment or modification of support obligations. (Sec. 9441) Expresses the sense of the Congress that social services should be provided in hospitals to women who have become pregnant as a result of rape or incest. (Sec. 9442) Makes various specified changes with regard to paternity establishment, making it a requirement under the State plan for outreach activities aimed at voluntary paternity establishment, and providing for an increased base matching rate for payments to the States, among other changes. Modifies the cooperation requirement and good cause exception. (Sec. 9451) Establishes the National Child Support Guidelines Commission to develop a national child support guideline for congressional consideration that is based on a study of various guideline models. (Sec. 9452) Restructures procedures for the review and adjustment of child support orders. (Sec. 9461) Makes a variety of changes under SSA title IV part D for the enforcement (including international enforcement) of child support orders, including: (1) elimination of disparities in the treatment of assigned and non-assigned arrearages under SSA title IV part D provisions for the collection of past-due support from Federal tax refunds; (2) certain actions by the State, such as the placement of liens on motor vehicle titles of individuals owing arrears of child support, voiding of fraudulent transfers by individuals to avoid payment to a child support creditor, and withholding or suspension of driver's and professional and occupational licenses of individuals owing overdue child support, in order to ensure compliance with support orders; (3) an extended statute of limitations for collection of support arrearages as well as the imposition of charges for such arrearages; (4) action by the Department of State denying or otherwise restricting passports for individuals with an arrearage of child support in excess of $5,000; (5) treatment by the State of international child support cases as interstate cases; and (6) making grandparents liable for the financial support of the children of their minor children. Revises and consolidates the authorities under SSA title IV part D for collecting support from Federal employees, and outlines the framework for a centralized personnel locator service for the Department of Defense for enforcement of the child support obligations of members of the armed forces. (Sec. 9468) Revises procedures for State reporting of support arrearages to credit bureaus. (Sec. 9472) Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the United States should ratify the United Nations Convention of 1956; and (2) the States should develop programs, such as the State of Wisconsin's Children's First Program, designed to work with noncustodial parents who are unable to meet their child support obligations. (Sec. 9481) Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to include within the definition of "medical child support order" an order issued through a State administrative process. (Sec. 9491) Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to: (1) give the applicable State administrative agencies the option of requiring the cooperation of custodial and non-custodial parents with child support agencies in establishing paternity or providing support, except for certain good cause reasons, before they can participate in the food stamp program; and (2) provide States with a similar option with regard to individual family members delinquent in making any monthly child support payment. Subtitle E: Teen Pregnancy and Family Stability - Gives States the option of denying TEA assistance to families having additional children (other than as a result of rape or incest) while being a recipient of such aid or during the six month period ending with the date the family applied for such aid. (Sec. 9502) Requires State TEA plans to require any unmarried individual under age 18 who is pregnant or has a needy child in his or her care to reside in an adult-supervised living arrangement in order to receive TEA assistance (such aid to be provided to the parent, legal guardian, or other adult relative on behalf of such individual and child) unless the State agency determines that the individual's current living arrangement is appropriate for an individual with no parent or legal guardian of his or her own who is living and whose whereabouts are known. (Sec. 9503) Amends title XX (Block Grants to States for Social Services) to require the Secretaries of Education and of HHS and the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service to establish the National Clearinghouse on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Programs to serve as a national information and data clearinghouse and as a training, technical assistance, and material development source for adolescent pregnancy prevention programs. (Sec. 9504) Requires completion of high school or other educational training for teen parents required under the TEA program to participate in the WORK FIRST program. Gives the States the option of providing additional incentives and penalties to encourage teen parents to complete high school and participate in parenting activities. (Sec. 9505) Denies Federal housing benefits to minor heads of household who bear children out-of-wedlock until they attain age 18 unless: (1) after the birth of the child the individual marries the child's biological father, or, if the biological parent has legal custody of the child, an individual who legally adopts the child; (2) the individual is a biological and custodial parent of another child who was not born out-of-wedlock; (3) eligibility for such Federal housing assistance is based in whole or in part on any disability or handicap of a member of the household; or (4) the State deems it necessary. (Sec. 9506) Gives States the option to deny TEA assistance to minor parents, while still preserving each family member's Medicaid eligibility, and allowing the State to provide the family with vouchers, in amounts not exceeding the value of any such reduction in assistance, that may be used only to pay for goods and services suitable for the care of the child and the costs of the adult-supervised supportive living arrangement in which the parent and child live. Subtitle F: SSI Reform - Revises the eligibility rules for children, with corresponding changes to childhood SSI regulations: (1) modifying the medical criteria for evaluation of mental and emotional disorders by eliminating references to maladaptive behavior in the domain of personal-behavioral function; and (2) discontinuing the use of individualized functional assessments for children. Requires the Commissioner of Social Security to redetermine the eligibility of any individual under age 18 who is receiving SSI benefits based on a disability as of the date of the enactment of this Act, and whose eligibility for such benefits may terminate by reason of this subtitle. (Sec. 9602) Provides that at least every three years the Commissioner shall review the continued SSI eligibility of each individual who has not attained age 18 and is eligible for such benefits by reason of an impairment (or combination of impairments) which may improve (or, if the Commissioner chooses, which is unlikely to improve). Requires a parent or guardian of a recipient whose case is so reviewed to present, at the time of review, evidence demonstrating that the recipient is, and has been, receiving treatment, to the extent considered medically necessary and available, of the condition which was the basis for providing benefits under the SSI program. Provides that, if an individual is eligible for SSI benefits by reason of disability for the month preceding the month in which the individual attains age 18, the Commissioner shall redetermine such eligibility: (1) during the one year period beginning on the individual's 18th birthday; and (2) by applying the criteria used in determining the initial eligibility for applicants who have attained age 18. Outlines specific requirements governing: (1) continuing disability reviews for low birth weight babies; and (2) benefit payments through representative payees to eligible individuals and their spouses. (Sec. 9604) Amends SSA title XVI to provide for the denial of SSI benefits for drug addicts and alcoholics whose alcoholism or drug addiction would be a contributing factor towards the individual's disability. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to provide funding to the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse to expand the availability of drug treatment and for expenditure on the medication development project to improve drug abuse and drug treatment research. (Sec. 9605) Denies SSI benefits for: (1) ten years to individuals found to have fraudulently misrepresented residence in order to obtain benefits simultaneously in two or more States; and (2) fugitive felons and probation and parole violators. Provides for the exchange of certain SSI information with law enforcement agencies for locating or apprehending recipients who are fugitive felons or probation and parole violators. Subtitle D (sic): Supplemental Security Income - Provides that if the Commissioner determines that an individual, age 18 or older, is eligible to receive SSI benefits as a result of a disability, the Commissioner shall, at the time of the determination, either exempt the individual from an eligibility review or establish a schedule for reviewing the individual's continuing eligibility in accordance with specified guidelines. (Sec. 9607) Allows the Commissioner to revise such a determination and schedule a review if he or she obtains credible evidence that an individual may no longer be eligible for benefits or the Commissioner determines that a review is necessary to maintain the integrity of the SSI program. Provides that such reviews may be conducted by the applicable State agency or the Commissioner, whichever is appropriate. Subtitle H (sic): Treatment of Aliens - Extends the period of sponsor attribution of income and resources (to an alien) under the statewide TEA, SSI, and food stamp programs through the date (if any) of such alien's citizenship. Sets forth exceptions based upon age, military or veteran status, family status, domestic violence, or taxpayer status. (Permits Medicaid eligibility.) Amends the Social Security Act to set forth TEA rules regarding income and resource attribution. (Sec. 9802) Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to set forth rules for sponsor affidavits of support. (Sec. 9803) Extends affidavit of support requirements to family-related and diversity immigrants. (Sec. 6102) (sic) Amends the Social Security Act to extend (and reduce from current levels) appropriations for State block grants for social services. (Sec. 120011) The Food Stamp Act Amendments of 1995 - Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1997 to treat children who are at least 18 years old and are themselves parents living with their children or married and living with their spouse as part of an existing household rather than as a separate household. (Sec. 12012) (sic) Revises thrifty food plan provisions. (Sec. 12013) Reduces the age for excluding student earnings from food stamp program (program) household income determinations. Includes energy assistance payments in household income determinations. (Sec. 12015) Revises and extends on a declining scale standard deduction provisions. (Sec. 12016) Authorizes States to make standard utility allowances mandatory. (Sec. 12017) Eliminates the October 1, 1996, specified auto asset increase. (Sec. 12018) Authorizes States to require cooperation with child support enforcement agencies as a prerequisite for program participation. (Sec. 12020) Eliminates the minimum allotment annual adjustment provision. (Sec. 12022) Prohibits allotment increases based upon household income reductions resulting from public assistance program penalties. (Sec. 12023) Permits States to use income and eligibility verification systems other than specified methods under the Social Security Act. (Sec. 12024) Expands claims collection methods. (Sec. 12031) Amends the National School Lunch Act to revise day care reimbursement provisions, including sponsor payments. (Sec. 12032) Revises reimbursement rate adjustment provisions for: (1) commodities; (2) special assistance funds; (3) the summer food service program; (4) family or group day care sponsors; (5) the special milk program; and (6) the breakfast program. (Sec. 12033) Amends the Child Nutrition Act to eliminate start-up and expansion grants. (Sec. 12034) Authorizes appropriations through FY 2002 for nutrition education and training. (Current authorization is permanent.) (Sec. 12035) Amends the National School Lunch Act to reduce the minimum amount of commodity assistance. Title X (sic): Food Stamps and Commodity Distribution - Food Stamp Reform and Commodity Distribution Act of 1995 - Subtitle A: Food Stamp Program - Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to establish a program certification period of up to 24 months for households whose adult members are elderly or disabled. (Sec. 1012) (sic) Expands the definition of "coupon". (Sec. 1016) Revises the definition of "homeless individual" to limit the length of time a person may temporarily live in another person's residence. (Sec. 1023) Increases penalties for certain program violations. (Sec. 1024) Disqualifies permanently an individual convicted of specified coupon violations. (Sec. 1027) Revises employment and training provisions. Extends funding authorizations. (Sec. 1030) Disqualifies a fleeing felon from program participation. (Sec. 1034) Directs (with a waiver for unusual difficulties) States to implement electronic benefit transfer systems. (Sec. 1035) Eliminates the minimum allotment annual adjustment provision. (Sec. 1037) Authorizes an optional combined allotment for expedited households. (Sec. 1038) Prohibits allotment increases based upon household income reductions resulting from means-tested public assistance program penalties. (Sec. 1039) Authorizes benefits for households residing in drug or alcohol treatment centers. (Sec. 1046) Authorizes program information to be shared with law enforcement agencies under specified circumstances. (Sec. 1047) Revises expedited coupon service provisions. (Sec. 1048) Authorizes a family to withdraw a fair hearing request. (Sec. 1049) Permits States to use income, eligibility, and immigration status verification systems other than a specified method under the Social Security Act. (Sec. 1059) Extends pilot program authority. Subtitle B: Commodity Distribution Programs - Amends the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 to extend the commodity distribution and commodity supplemental food programs, including cheese and nonfat dry milk provisions. (Sec. 1073) Amends the Charitable Assistance and Food Bank Act of 1987 to repeal the food bank demonstration project. (Sec. 1074) Amends the Hunger Prevention Act of 1988 to eliminate provisions regarding: (1) soup kitchens and other emergency food aid; (2) food processing and distribution; and (3) food bank demonstration projects. Title VI (sic): Federal Retirement and Related Provisions - Subtitle A: Civil Service and Postal Service Provisions - Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 to extend the delay in cost-of-living adjustments in Federal employee retirement benefits through FY 2002. (Sec. 6002) Revises Federal civil service law with respect to the Civil Service (CSRS) and Federal Employees (FERS) Retirement Systems regarding deductions, contributions, and deposits, increasing agency contributions under CSRS during calendar years 1996 through 2002, and providing for a phased-in increase under both systems of the amounts of individual deductions, deposits, and withholdings until 2003 when, in certain cases, the percentage of basic pay subject to such withholding reverts back to the current 1995 rate. (Sec. 6003) Makes additional retirement-related changes under both systems with regard to Members of Congress and congressional employees and their years of service for purposes of computing an annuity. (Sec. 6004) Provides under CSRS for treatment similar to that of congressional service with respect to accrual rates relating to certain Federal judges and other judicial personnel. (Sec. 6005) Amends Federal postal law to repeal the authorization of transitional appropriations for the U.S. Postal Service and make certain other changes to provide that liabilities formerly paid pursuant to such repealed authorization remain payable by the Postal Service. (Sec. 13103) (sic) Requires each Federal executive agency, the receipts and disbursements of which are not generally included in the totals of the Federal budget submitted by the President, to prepay the Government contributions which are or will be required in connection with providing health-benefits coverage for annuitants of such agency. Title VII: Veterans and Related Provisions - Veterans Reconciliation Act of 1995 - Subtitle A: Extension of Temporary Authorities - Extends through FY 2002: (1) the requirement that non-service disabled veterans having incomes above a specified level make copayments in exchange for hospital and medical care received through the Department of Veterans Affairs (Department, for purposes of this title); (2) the authority for collection of a $2 copayment from veterans earning above a minimum income level for prescription medication furnished for outpatient treatment of a nonservice-connected condition; (3) certain Department authority for veterans' medical care cost recovery; (4) the authority under Federal veterans' benefits provisions and the Internal Revenue Code to verify a veteran's income for purposes of eligibility for needs-based benefits; (5) a pension payment limitation of $90 monthly to Medicaid-eligible veterans and surviving spouses who have no dependents and who are in Medicaid-participating nursing homes; (6) the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to charge and collect a home loan fee for housing loans guaranteed by the Department; (7) the procedures applicable upon the default of such guaranteed loans; and (8) the authority of the Secretary to issue and guarantee the timely payment of certificates evidencing an interest in a pool of mortgage loans made in connection with the sale of defaulted properties. Subtitle B: Other Matters - Directs the Secretary, as of December 1, 1995, to round down to the next lower whole dollar any cost-of-living adjustments in veterans' disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation rates. Prohibits any such rates from being increased during FY 1997 through 2002 by a percentage which is more than the percentage increase for benefits under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act. (Sec. 10023) (sic) Revises the Government's liability standard for injuries or death resulting from Department treatment to allow compensation to be awarded for the additional disability in the same manner as if the disability or death were service-connected. Provides proximate cause requirements. Makes such revision effective for claims received by the Secretary on or after October 1, 1995. (Sec. 10024) Prohibits the withholding of any payments normally made to a veteran or their survivor because of any liability to the Secretary arising out of any loan made to, or insured or guaranteed on account of, such veteran unless the Secretary provides written notice through certified mail of the authority to waive the payment of the indebtedness. Outlines procedures to be followed when the Secretary does not waive the entire amount of such indebtedness. Subtitle C: Educational Benefits - Provides that the cost-of-living adjustments in the rates of veterans' educational assistance payments through FY 2002 shall be 50 percent of the amount by which such payments would have been increased otherwise. Title VIII: Asset Sales; User Fees and Other Mandatory Programs - Subtitle A: United States Enrichment Corporation - USEC Privatization Act - Directs the Board of Directors of the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) to transfer USEC ownership to a private corporation established under this Act. Mandates the inclusion of sale proceeds in the budget baseline required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act), and its inclusion as an offset to direct spending. (Sec. 3005) (sic) Requires USEC directors to establish a private for-profit corporation under the laws of a State for the purpose of receiving the assets and obligations of USEC at privatization and continuing USEC business operations following privatization. (Sec. 3007) Directs USEC to transfer the lease of gaseous diffusion plants and related property at Paducah, Kentucky, and Piketon, Ohio, to the private corporation concurrent with such privatization. Prohibits the Secretary of Energy (the Secretary) from leasing to the private corporation facilities necessary for the production of highly enriched uranium. (Sec. 3008) Prescribes procedural guidelines for: (1) transfer of contracts to the private corporation, including the right to purchase power from the Secretary under previous power purchase contracts for the gaseous diffusion plants; (2) retention by the United States of pre-privatization liabilities; (3) pension, post-retirement health benefit, and collective bargaining agreement protections for contractor employees at the two gaseous diffusion plants; and (4) retention of Federal retirement and health benefits by former Federal employees. (Sec. 3011) Prohibits USEC directors, officers, or employees from acquiring any securities (or rights to acquire any securities) of the private corporation on terms more favorable than those offered to the general public in specified circumstances. (Sec. 3012) Requires the U.S. Executive Agent under the Russian HEU Agreement to transfer to the Secretary without charge title to an amount of uranium hexafluoride (based on a tails assay of 0.30 U235) equivalent to the natural uranium component of low-enriched uranium derived from at least 18 metric tons of highly enriched uranium purchased from the Russian Executive Agent under such Agreement. Deems such uranium hexafluoride to be of Russian origin. Requires the Secretary to sell, and receive payment for, the transferred uranium hexafluoride for: (1) overfeeding in the operations of enrichment facilities in the United States; (2) end use outside the United States; or (3) consumption by end users in the United States during calendar year 2001, according to a specified schedule beginning in 1998. Requires the U.S. Executive Agent, upon request of the Russian Executive Agent, to deliver concurrently to such Agent, an amount of uranium hexafluoride equivalent to the natural uranium component of such low-enriched uranium. Provides for auction of such uranium hexafluoride, or U308 (in the event that the conversion component of such hexafluoride has previously been sold), if the Russian Executive Agent does not exercise its right to agree to take delivery of the natural uranium component of any low-enriched uranium within 90 days after delivery of such low-enriched uranium to the U.S. Executive Agent. Grants the Secretary of Commerce responsibility for administration and enforcement of the limitations set forth in this section. Exempts from certain provisions of the Tariff Act of 1930 highly enriched uranium and low-enriched uranium derived from highly enriched uranium (including the natural uranium component and any uranium products delivered pursuant to enrichment contracts affected by such imports), if the President determines that a waiver with respect to the importation of such uranium, which is derived from highly enriched uranium extracted from nuclear weapons dismantled in the Russian Federation and purchased from the Russian Federation under a government-to-government agreement, is in the U.S. national security interest. Requires the Secretary of Energy to transfer to USEC without charge up to 50 metric tons of enriched uranium and up to 7,000 metric tons of natural uranium from the Department of Energy (DOE) stockpile. Prohibits USEC from delivering for commercial end use in the United States: (1) any of such uranium before January 1, 1998; (2) more than ten percent of such uranium or more than 4 million pounds, whichever is less, in any calendar year after 1997; or (3) more than 800,000 separative work units contained in low-enriched uranium transferred in any calendar year. Authorizes the Secretary to sell, from time to time, natural and low-enriched uranium from the DOE stockpile, subject to specified conditions. Permits DOE transfer or sale of enriched uranium to: (1) Federal agencies; (2) any person for national security purposes; or (3) any State or local agency or non-profit, charitable, or educational institution for use other than the commercial generation of electricity. (Sec. 3013) Prescribes guidelines under which the Secretary shall accept low-level radioactive waste (including depleted uranium if ultimately determined to be such waste) for disposal at the request and expense (by reimbursement) of the generator. (Sec. 3014) Grants USEC exclusive commercial rights to deploy and use any federally owned or controlled Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation (AVLIS) patents, processes and technical information, upon completion of a royalty agreement with the Secretary. Instructs the President to transfer related AVLIS property (except those related to the gaseous diffusion, gas centrifuge, and uranium enrichment programs) to USEC upon its request. (Sec. 3017) Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to: (1) repeal the mandate and authority of USEC as of the privatization date; and (2) exclude from the definition of "production facility" the construction and operation of a uranium enrichment facility using AVLIS technology, and make such a facility eligible for one-step licensing. Prohibits issuance of any license or certificate of compliance to USEC or its successor if its issuance would, in the opinion of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), be inimical to: (1) the common defense and security of the United State; or (2) maintenance of a reliable and economical domestic source of enrichment services because of the nature and extent of USEC ownership, control or domination by a foreign corporation or government or any other relevant factors or circumstances. Provides for periodic application of USEC for NRC certification at least once every five years (instead of annually). Revises the purview of judicial review of NRC actions to include: (1) any final order establishing standards to govern DOE gaseous diffusion uranium enrichment facilities, including facilities leased to a corporation established under this Act; and (2) any final determination relating to whether such facilities comply with such standards. Provides for civil money penalties for violations of licensing or certification requirements. Subtitle B: Naval Petroleum Reserves Privatization - Naval Petroleum Reserves Privatization Act - Sets a deadline for the Secretary of Energy (the Secretary) to prepare, and submit for the President's approval, a plan for selling Naval Petroleum Reserve Numbered 1 (NPR 1), and for selling or leasing the remaining Reserves out of Federal ownership in FY 2002. Directs the President to approve the plan with or without modifications by a specified date. (Sec. 4121) Delineates guidelines within which: (1) the Secretary shall finalize equity interests of the known oil and gas zones in NPR 1; and (2) the Secretary of the Treasury shall pay to the State of California (to be credited by the State to the Supplemental Benefits Maintenance Account within the Teachers' Retirement Fund) seven percent of proceeds from the NPR 1 sale. Instructs the Secretary to exercise certain termination procedures so that specified contracts with Bechtel Petroleum Operations, Inc., and Chevron U.S.A, respectively, terminate not later than the closing date of the sale of such Reserve. Authorizes the Secretary to transfer to the purchaser of NPR 1 the incidental take permit regarding the reserve issued to the Secretary by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (Sec. 4122) States that if the President so designates, the net proceeds from privatizing the Reserves shall be included in the budget baseline required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings), and counted as an offset to direct spending. (Sec. 4123) Reduces, upon sale of NPR 1, certain discretionary spending limits set forth in the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. (Sec. 4131) Transfers to the Secretary of the Interior the functions vested in the Secretary of Energy with regard to Oil Shale Reserve Numbered 2 (located in Utah). (Sec. 4132) Instructs the Secretary of the Interior to study and report to the President on the appropriateness of including the Green River area within the national wild and scenic rivers system. (Sec. 4133) States that nothing in this subtitle affects any interest in, or right or obligation respecting, the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation. (Sec. 4151) Amends Federal law governing Naval Petroleum Reserves to revise jurisdictional, administrative, and product disposition guidelines in order to reflect the privatization of such Reserves under this Act. Repeals the requirement for the Secretary to obtain the President's approval before: (1) executing land purchases and condemnation proceedings; (2) entering into agreements with private interests; (3) changing the rate of prospecting and development. Eliminates the statutory guidelines governing the Secretary's authority to contract with private interests for exploration, prospecting and development of NPR 1. Restricts the amount of funds collected under the Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act of 1973 that may be used to enhance production from the Reserves for FY 1996. Authorizes the Secretary to mine and remove oil shale or oil shale products from Oil Shale Reserves for national defense or research. (Sec. 5221) Instructs the Secretary of Energy (the Secretary) to: (1) conduct an asset management and disposition program that will result in specified receipts and savings by the end of FY 2000; and (2) draw down and sell 32 million barrels of oil contained in the Weeks Island (Louisiana) Strategic Petroleum Reserve Facility. (Sec. 5223) Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to authorize the Secretary to store petroleum product owned by a foreign government in underutilized Strategic Petroleum Reserve facilities. Permits exportation of such product without license. Subtitle C: Natural Resources - Helium Act of 1995 - Amends the Helium Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) enter into agreements with private parties for the recovery and disposal of helium on Federal lands; (2) grant leasehold rights to such helium; (3) store, transport, and sell crude helium; and (4) maintain and operate existing crude helium storage facilities at the Bureau of Mines Cliffside Field. (Sec. 5313) Directs the Secretary to: (1) cease producing, refining, and marketing refined helium; and (2) dispose of all facilities, equipment, and Federal property interests relating to refined helium activities. Requires the Secretary to impose fees for helium storage, withdrawal, or transportation services. (Sec. 5314) Prescribes guidelines for: (1) the purchase of helium by Federal agencies from certain private persons; and (2) the sale of crude helium by the Secretary. Requires the Secretary to make crude helium sales in amounts necessary to carry out this Act with minimum market disruption. Mandates that proceeds from helium sales be paid to the Treasury. (Sec. 5315) Instructs the Secretary to eliminate helium stockpiles by a certain deadline. Repeals the Secretary's authority to borrow under the Helium Act. (Sec. 5317) Directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the Texas Plains Girl Scout Council for consideration of one dollar specified lands in Potter County, Texas, reserving easements to the United States for pipeline rights-of-way. (Sec. 5421) Outer Continental Shelf Deep Water Royalty Relief Act - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to reduce or eliminate any royalty or net profit share set forth in existing leases for oil or gas resources in certain areas of deep water on the Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of Mexico. (Sec. 5422) Declares that, with specified exceptions, no royalty payments shall be due on new production from any lease or unit located in specified water depths in the Western and Central Planning Areas of the Gulf until certain volumes of oil equivalent are produced. (Sec. 5423) Provides for new leases and lease sales on the basis of a cash bonus bid meeting certain criteria. (Sec. 5424) Suspends royalties for a seven-year period for new leases in specified water depths in the Gulf. Subjects sales of such leases to such cash bonus bidding system. Subtitle C (sic): GSA Property Sales - Instructs the Administrator of General Services (the Administrator) to sell: (1) all Federal interests in and to Governors Island, New York, granting rights of first refusal to the State and the City of New York, respectively; and (2) the air rights adjacent to the Washington Union Station. (Sec.6022) Directs Amtrak to convey specified air rights to the Administrator as a condition of future Federal financial assistance. Prohibits Amtrak from obligating Federal funds for failure to comply. Title V: Energy and Natural Resources Provisions - Subtitle A: Nuclear Regulatory Commission Annual Charges - Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to extend from September 30, 1998, to September 30, 2002, the authority of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to assess and collect annual user fees and charges. Subtitle B: Department of Energy Assets - Amends specified Federal law to increase the annual charge to San Francisco and other municipalities or water districts granted water rights-of-way from the Hetch Hetchy Dam. Makes annual operation of Yosemite National Park (currently, the building and maintenance of roads and trails in Yosemite and other California national parks) the highest priority use of the proceeds from such charges, with the remainder of any funds to be used for operations of the other California national parks. (Sec. 5402) Prescribes guidelines under which the Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) shall refinance a certain appropriated debt by determining with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury: (1) a new principal amount for such debt; (2) a new interest rate for such debt based on the Treasury rate for the old capital investment; and (3) a $100 million limit on prepayments of old capital investments before a certain date. (Sec. 5406) Prescribes guidelines for interest rates for new capital investments. (Sec. 5408) Amends the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Grand Coulee Dam Settlement Act to credit specified amounts to the Administrator in certain fiscal years so long as the Administrator makes annual payments to the Tribes under a certain settlement agreement. (Sec. 5409) Directs the Administrator to offer to include provisions in future electric power service contracts that preclude further increases in the principal amount or interest rate obligations to the Government. (Sec. 5411) Alaska Power Administration Asset Sale and Termination Act - Sets forth definitions. (No further text provided in bill.) (Sec. 5451) Amends the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (the Act) to revise admission guidelines, and increase special recreation use fees for the National Park System (NPS), and National Recreation Areas, respectively. Restricts lifetime admission permits to U.S. citizens, or persons permanently domiciled in the United States, who are permanently disabled (currently, blind or permanently disabled). Repeals the proscription against admission fees for the following NPS units: (1) U.S.S. Arizona Memorial; (2) Independence National Historical Park; (3) District of Columbia NPS units; (4) Arlington House-Robert E. Lee National Memorial; (5) San Juan National Historic Site; and (6) Canaveral National Seashore. Repeals the limitation imposed upon single-visit permit fees for the Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Grand Canyon National Parks. Revises guidelines governing recreation use fees. Removes the maximum statutory fine for violations. Revises guidelines governing covering of fees collected into a special NPS account. Revises commercial tour use fee guidelines to instruct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a commercial tour use fee in lieu of a per person admission fee imposed on each commercial tour vehicle. (Sec. 5452) Covers increased fees into special accounts for FY 1997 through 2005, specifying four percent annual increases thereafter. (Sec. 5453) Provides for allocation and use of receipts in each agency's special account. Subtitle F: National Defense Stockpile - Requires the President to dispose of all cobalt and specified materials listed in a certain National Defense Stockpile disposal schedule. (Sec. 9002) Amends the Act of August 5, 1909 to extend higher vessel tonnage duties through FY 2002. (Sec. 9003) Authorizes the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assess and collect fees applicable to persons subject to radiological emergency preparedness regulations. (Sec. 6011 (sic)) Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to extend Patent and Trademark Office surcharges through FY 2002. (Sec. 11161) (sic) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through FY 2002 the mandatory disclosure of return information to governmental agencies administering certain veterans programs. Subtitle F (sic): Taxpayer Bill of Rights 2 Provisions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to limit the Secretary of the Treasury's authority to abate interest attributable to error by Internal Revenue Service (IRS) personnel to unreasonable error only. (Sec. 6105) Amends Federal civil service law to redefine Federal service in the armed forces or the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with respect to the denial of unemployment insurance to individuals who voluntarily leave military service. Title IX: Limitations on Corporate Welfare and Other Revenue Provisions - Subtitle A: Expatriation - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that if a U.S. citizen relinquishes citizenship, all property held by such citizen at the time immediately before relinquishment shall be treated as sold at such time for its fair market value and any gain or loss shall be subject to U.S. income tax. (Sec. 101) (sic) Permits an expatriate to elect to continue to be taxed as a United States citizen, in which case the provisions applicable to other expatriates will not apply. Excludes $600,000 in gain from taxation, except for allocable gain from interest in a beneficiary's qualified trust. Allows an expatriate to elect to have property made subject to tax in the same manner as if the individual were a U.S. citizen if the individual: (1) provides security for payment of tax; (2) consents to waiver of treaty rights that would preclude tax assessment or collection; and (3) complies with other requirements prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury. Conditions that the election shall apply to all of the expatriate's property and shall be irrevocable. Directs that if an election is made to defer tax: (1) no amount shall be required to be includible in gross income; and (2) the expatriate's tax for the taxable year in which such property is disposed of, shall be increased by the deferred tax amount, regardless of whether gain or loss is recognized in whole or in part. States that these provisions apply to: (1) any interest in property held on the expatriation date the gain from which would be includible in gross income if sold for fair market value on such date; and (2) any other interest to which special rules applicable to beneficiaries' interests in trust apply. Excepts certain interests in U.S. real property interests and retirement plans. Prescribes such special rules applicable to beneficiaries' interests in trust. Terminates, on the date on which property held by an individual is treated as sold under this Act, any deferral of recognition of income or gain and any extension of time for payment of tax. Imposes a tentative tax, immediately before the expatriation date, on income required to be included equal to the amount that would be imposed if the taxable year were a short taxable year ending on the expatriation date. Disallows the exclusion from gross income of the value of any property acquired as a gift, bequest, devise, or inheritance received from a covered expatriate after the expatriation date. (Sec. 102) Requires the filing of certain information by expatriates. Subtitle B: Corporate Reforms - Provides, with respect to a corporate shareholder's basis in stock reduced by the nontaxed portion of extraordinary dividends, that if the nontaxed portion of such dividend exceeds such basis, such excess shall be treated as gain from the sale or exchange of such stock for the taxable year in which the extraordinary dividend is received. (Sec. 202) Requires the organizer of a corporate tax shelter to register the shelter. Sets forth penalties for failure to file. (Sec. 203) Prohibits a deduction for interest paid on life insurance policies or annuities which cover a company officer or employee. (Sec. 205) Revises the Puerto Rico and possession tax credit for years beginning after December 31, 1995. Provides for a five-year phasedown with respect to such credit. (Sec. 206) Directs that personal property used predominately within the U.S. exchanged and held for productive use or investment not be treated like personal property used predominately outside the U.S. (Sec. 207) Repeals the transition rule for a financial corporation with respect to rules allocating interest to foreign source income. (Sec. 208) Treats the conversion of a large corporations into an S corporation as a complete liquidation. (Sec. 209) Modifies the number of taxable years to which the net operating loss deduction may be carried. (Sec. 210) Treats an appreciated financial position as sold for its fair market value on the date of its constructive sale (and any gain for the taxable year which includes such date) if there is a constructive sale of such a position. (Sec. 211) Modifies the rules for allocating interest expense to tax-exempt interest. Makes such rules applicable to corporations (currently, financial institutions). (Sec. 212) Reduces the 70 percent dividends reduction to 50 percent. (Sec. 213) Modifies the holding period applicable to the dividends received deduction. (Sec. 214) Treats certain nonqualified preferred stock as boot (not as stock or securities) for the purposes of property transfers to a corporation controlled by the transferor. (Sec. 215) Disallows the deduction for any interest paid or accrued on certain debt instruments of a corporation. (Sec. 216) Defers the interest deduction on convertible indebtedness of a corporation until the taxable year in which it is paid. Subtitle C: Foreign Provisions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the requirements regarding information that must be reported regarding certain foreign trusts. (Sec. 302) Modifies the circumstances (with regard to foreign trusts having one or more U.S. beneficiaries) in which a transferor is treated as the owner. (Sec. 303) Replaces provisions setting forth a special rule applicable to foreign grantors with provisions declaring that provisions relating to treating grantors and others as substantial owners shall apply only when that application results in an amount being currently taken into account in computing the income of a U.S. citizen or resident or a domestic corporation. (Sec. 304) Requires a United States person to report information regarding foreign gifts or bequests when the gifts' aggregate value during a taxable year exceeds $10,000. (Sec. 305) Modifies requirements regarding the interest charge on accumulation distributions from foreign trusts. (Sec. 306) Changes the circumstances in which an estate or trust is included in the definition of "United States person." Modifies the definition of "foreign estate" and "foreign trust." Requires (for provisions relating to the imposition of a tax on transfers to avoid income tax) treating a trust which is not a foreign trust and which becomes a foreign trust as having transferred, immediately before becoming a foreign trust, all of its assets to a foreign trust. (Sec. 311) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the definition of "foreign personal holding company income" to include income from a notional principal contract entered into for the purposes of hedging certain transactions and income. (Sec. 312) Disallows the foreign tax credit to any country for foreign oil and gas extraction income and eliminates the deferral for all foreign oil and gas extraction income with respect to foreign base company oil related income. (Sec. 313) Limits the exclusion on foreign earned income of U.S. citizens or residents living abroad for any taxable year at the lowest tax rate. Subtitle D: Accounting Provisions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the reserve method of accounting for determining deductions for bad debts by thrift institutions, effective for taxable years beginning after 1995. Repeals, with respect to thrift institutions to which such accounting method applied, provisions relating to: (1) the denial of a portion of certain tax credits to a thrift institution; (2) special rules regarding the foreclosure of property securing loans of a thrift institution; (3) the reduction in the dividends received deduction of a thrift institution; and (4) the ability of a thrift institution to use a net operating loss to offset its income from a residential interest in a real estate mortgage investment conduit. Provides rules to implement the change in the method of accounting required by the repeal. (Sec. 401) Defines applicable excess reserves. Sets forth provisions for thrifts which become small banks. Provides for the suspension of recapture if the taxpayer meets the residential loan requirement. Defines the term residential loan requirement. Allows in cases where the taxpayer is not a large bank, for the purposes of determining the net amounts of adjustments, that only the excess of the reserve for bad debts as of the close of the last taxable year before the disqualification year over the balance of reserves shall be taken into account. Provides for the treatment of reserves for bad debts under the elective cut-off method. Prohibits the inclusion of a portion of reserve in gross income under the elective cut-off method. Provides for continued application of provisions respecting distributions to stockholders, but the amount of the reserve accounted for by the taxpayer shall be the balance of the amount of the applicable excess reserves. Provides for the treatment of the balance of the applicable excess reserves and the balance of reserves accounted for by a taxpayer as carryovers in certain corporate acquisitions. (Sec. 402) Revises provisions concerning the income forecast method of determining depreciation deductions. (Sec. 403) Repeals the lower-of-cost-or-market method of accounting for inventories. Subtitle E: Administrative Provisions - Repeals the credit for purchasers of diesel-powered automobiles and light trucks. (Sec. 502) Increases the amount of penalty for any failure to file information returns if less than 97 percent of the aggregate amount of items are reported correctly. Subtitle F: Casualty and Involuntary Conversion Provisions - Revises provisions concerning the involuntary conversion of property into either similar property or money. Subtitle G: Excise Tax on Amounts of Private Excess Benefits - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a 25 percent tax (which shall be paid by the disqualified person) on any transaction from which an economic benefit is provided by a tax-exempt organization directly or indirectly to a disqualified person, if the value of the benefit provided exceeds the value of the consideration. Sets forth additional reporting requirements for 501(c)(3) organizations. Requires any solicitation of an organization that refers to itself as nonprofit, when it is not exempt from tax, to contain an express statement that it is not exempt from tax. Imposes a penalty for failure to disclose. Subtitle H: Extension of Certain Taxes - Extends: (1) the environmental tax until January 1, 1997; (2) the Hazardous Superfund Financing rate until October 1, 1996; (3) the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate until October 1, 2002; and (4) the Federal unemployment tax at the present rates through 2002 and 2003, respectively. Subtitle I: Provisions Relating to Individuals - Prohibits the nonrecognition of gain on the sale of a principal residence which is attributable to depreciation adjustments. (Sec. 852) Requires withholding from winnings of more than $5,000 from bingo or keno. (Sec. 853) Repeals the provision which provides for the exclusion from income of rent from the rental of a vacation home for less than 15 days. Subtitle J: Reform of the Earned Income Credit - Denies the earned income credit to individuals not authorized to be employed in the U.S. (Sec. 902) Modifies the definition of "disqualified income" to include capital gain net income for purposes of the denial of the earned income credit for individuals having excessive income. Title IX: Middle Class Bill of Rights - Middle Class Bill of Rights Tax Relief Act of 1996 - Subtitle A: Middle Class Tax Relief - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individuals a tax credit of $300 per eligible child under the age of 13 years. Increases such credit to $500 per eligible child after December 31, 1998. Reduces such credit for incomes of $60,000 or more. Provides an inflation adjustment for such amounts beginning in 1999. (Sec. 2) (sic) Allows individuals a tax deduction for the qualified higher education expenses of the taxpayer and the taxpayer's spouse and dependents. Limits such deduction to $10,000 ($5,000 for years 1996, 1997, and 1998). Reduces such limitation for modified adjusted gross incomes of $70,000 or more ($100,000 for a joint return). Allows such deduction in computing adjusted gross income. Subtitle B: Provisions Relating to Individual Retirement Plans - Increases the income limitations on retirement savings deductions and provides a cost-of-living adjustment after 1994 for such limitations. (Sec. 12) Provides a cost-of-living adjustment for deductible retirement amounts after 1995. (Sec. 13) Coordinates the limit on such deduction with the elective deferral limit under other pension provisions. (Sec. 21) Establishes special individual retirement accounts that are nondeductible. Makes such accounts nontaxable if earnings on contributions are held for at least five years. Applies the early withdrawal penalty to distributions made before the end of the five-year period. (Sec. 21) (sic) Allows distributions from certain retirement plans without penalty to purchase first homes, pay higher education expenses and financially devastating medical expenses (including qualified long-term care services), and assist certain unemployed individuals. (Sec. 22) Requires contributions to such plans to be held for at least five years prior to such distributions. Subtitle C: Increase in Deduction for Health Care Costs of Self-Employed Individuals - Increases the deduction for health insurance costs of self-employed individuals by specified applicable percentages for taxable years beginning in 1996. Title X (sic): Budget Enforcement - Specifies discretionary spending limits for new budget authority and outlays for FY 1996 through 2002. Limits the amount of funding available for the Internal Revenue Service compliance initiative in any fiscal year not to exceed $405 billion each for additional new budget authority and in outlays. (Sec. 10003) (sic) Continues the enforcement of the pay-as-you-go provisions. (Sec. 10004) Defines the term "fiscal dividend " to mean the amount by which the deficit target exceeds the actual deficit. Provides for the use of the fiscal dividend in the congressional budget process for the current fiscal year.
Bill· SS. 1527 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1996
Environmental Infrastructure Financing Act of 1995 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat qualified recycling facilities as solid waste disposal facilities for the purposes of allowing qualified recycling facilities to issue tax-exempt private activity bonds.
Bill· HRH.R. 2886 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1996
Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 regarding impact aid payments. Provides hold-harmless payment amounts for impact-aid payments relating to Federal acquisition of real property. Provides that no eligible local educational agency shall receive less than 85 percent of the preceding year's amount in such a payment for any fiscal year. Provides for ratable reductions and increases in certain types of impact-aid payments in specified circumstances. Allows two specified school districts in South Dakota to claim eligibility as heavily-impacted districts for the current year, and amend their applications for increased payments. Revises provisions with respect to maximum payments for certain heavily impacted local educational agencies.
Bill· HRH.R. 2887 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1996
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the tax relating to heavy trucks and trailers sold at retail, truck trailer and semitrailer bodies designed to: (1) perform off-highway tasks connected with the seasonal harvesting of agricultural commodities; and (2) transport the harvested commodities.
Bill· HRH.R. 2879 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1996
Provides that any individual who performs Joint Endeavor services (United Nations-sponsored peacekeeping activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina) shall be entitled to the same tax benefits under specified provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that are provided to U.S. military personnel who perform service in an area designated by the President as a combat zone. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to limit the exclusion of combat pay from Federal withholding to the remuneration for such service excludable from gross income. Makes this Act effective on November 21, 1995.
Bill· HRH.R. 2884 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1996
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury, if a law is enacted which is projected to balance the Federal budget in seven fiscal years, to include in income tax instruction booklets: (1) an explanation of such law; and (2) a pie- shaped graph showing the projected relative sizes of the major outlay categories for each of such seven fiscal years. Limits the requirement to apply only to instruction booklets for taxable years beginning more than six months after enactment.
Bill· HRH.R. 2875 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 1996
Taxpayers' Cancer Research Funding Act of 1996 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow certain individuals to designate that five dollars (ten dollars in the case of joint returns) be paid over to the Breast and Prostate Cancer Research Fund. Establishes a trust fund to be known as the Breast and Prostate Cancer Research Fund into which such designated amounts shall be deposited.
Bill· HRH.R. 2877 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 1996
Higher Education Tax Relief Act of 1996 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax deduction for the sum of qualified higher education expenses and interest on qualified higher education loans. Provides limitations on both amounts. Allows such deduction in computing adjusted gross income.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 342 (104th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 1996
Waives provisions of rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives that require a two-thirds vote to consider a report from the Committee on Rules on the same day it is presented to the House with respect to resolutions reported by such Committee before March 16, 1996, to provide for the consideration or disposition of any of the following measures, including any amendment, conference report, or any amendment from conference in disagreement thereon: (1) a bill making general appropriations for FY 1996; or (2) a bill or joint resolution making further continuing appropriations for such fiscal year or increasing or waiving (for a temporary period or otherwise) the public debt limit.
Bill· HRH.R. 2867 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1996
Prohibition on United Nations Taxation Act of 1996 - Prohibits the U.S. from paying any voluntary or assessed contributions to the United Nations (U.N.) or any of its agencies if the U.N.: (1) attempts to impose a tax on any U.S. person; or (2) borrow funds from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank), International Monetary Fund, or any other similar or regional international financial institution. Prohibits the U.S. from paying any voluntary or assessed contributions to the U.N. or any of its agencies, including the U.N. Development Program, unless the President certifies to the Congress 15 days in advance of such payment that the U.N. or such agency is not engaged in any effort to develop or promote any taxation proposals in order to raise revenue for the U.N. or any such agency.
Bill· HRH.R. 2865 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1996
Firearm Victims Prevention Act of 1996 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the excise tax on manufacturers of certain handguns, assault weapons, and ammunition. Imposes a retail excise tax on the sale, transfer, or other disposition of such weapons and ammunition. Establishes the Health Care Trust Fund to make grants to facilities providing medical care to gunshot victims. Amends the Federal criminal code to increase the license application fees for dealers in firearms. Appropriates to the Trust Fund certain revenue from the excise taxes and the increased fees.
Bill· HRH.R. 2864 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1996
Nonprofit Organizations Tax-Exempt Bond Reform Act of 1996 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for the tax treatment of bonds of certain nonprofit tax-exempt organizations in a manner similar to governmental bonds.
Bill· HJRESH.J.Res. 157 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1996
Extends the law making further continuing appropriations for FY 1996.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 340 (104th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 1996
Waives points of order against the consideration of the conference report on S. 1124 (national defense authorization).
Bill· SS. 1519 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 1996
Prohibition on United Nations Taxation Act of 1996 - Prohibits the U.S. from paying any voluntary or assessed contributions to the United Nations (U.N.) or any of its agencies if the U.N.: (1) attempts to impose a tax on any U.S. person; or (2) borrow funds from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank), International Monetary Fund, or any other similar or regional international financial institution. Prohibits the U.S. from paying any voluntary or assessed contributions to the U.N. or any of its agencies, including the U.N. Development Program, unless the President certifies to the Congress 15 days in advance of such payment that the U.N. or such agency is not engaged in any effort to develop or promote any taxation proposals in order to raise revenue for the U.N. or any such agency.
Bill· HRH.R. 2863 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 1996
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Export and Investment Assistance Title II: Bilateral Economic Assistance Title III: Military Assistance Title IV: Multilateral Economic Assistance Title V: General Provisions Title VI: Middle East Peace Facilitation Act of 1995 Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1996 - Title I: Export and Investment Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for: (1) direct loans, loan guarantees, tied-aid grants, insurance, and administrative expenses under Export-Import Bank programs; (2) Overseas Private Investment Corporation direct and guaranteed loans and administrative expenses; and (3) the Trade and Development Agency. Title II: Bilateral Economic Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for the U.S. contribution to: (1) the Agency for International Development (AID) for child survival and disease programs, specified development assistance (including for the Inter-American Foundation and development assistance for Sub-Saharan Africa), specified projects aimed at reunification of Cyprus, democracy and humanitarian activities in Burma, private and voluntary cooperative development organizations obtaining less than 20 percent of their funding for international activities from sources other than the U.S. Government, international disaster relief, emergency humanitarian assistance to the former Yugoslavia,debt restructuring, direct loans and loan guarantees for micro and small enterprise development programs, administrative expenses of the worldwide housing guarantees program, the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund, operating expenses of AID and the AID Office of Inspector General, economic support fund (ESF) assistance, the International Fund for Ireland, economic assistance for Eastern Europe and the Baltic States, and assistance for the independent states of the former Soviet Union (including the establishment of a Trans-Caucasus Enterprise fund); (2) the Peace Corps (but with a prohibition on the use of such funds for abortions); (3) international narcotics control; (4) migration and refugee assistance, including refugee resettlement assistance; (5) the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund; (6) antiterrorism assistance; and (7) the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund. Bars the use of development assistance funds for: (1) abortions or involuntary sterilizations; and (2) U.S. private and voluntary organizations, except those which obtain less than 20 percent of annual funding for international activities from sources other than the U.S. Government. Permits humanitarian assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan, if the President determines that nongovernmental assistance is not adequate to address the suffering of refugees and internally displaced persons. Title III: Military Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for: (1) international military education and training, but bars such assistance to Zaire and Guatemala and allows funding to Indonesia only for expanded military education and training; (2) foreign military financing and direct loans; and (3) international peacekeeping operations. Prohibits foreign military financing for: (1) any non-NATO country participating in the Partnership for Peace Program except through the regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations; and (2) Zaire, Sudan, Peru, Liberia, and Guatemala. Prohibits such assistance to Colombia or Bolivia until the Secretary of State certifies that such funds will be used primarily for counternarcotics activities there. Title IV: Multilateral Economic Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for the U.S. contribution to the: (1) International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank); (2) International Development Association; (3) International Financial Corporation; (4)Inter-American Development Bank; (5) Enterprise for the Americas Multilateral Investment Fund; (6) Asian Development Bank; (7) Asian Development Fund; (8) European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; and (8) North American Development Bank. Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for international programs and organizations. Limits certain callable subscriptions. Sets certain restrictions on international organization funding, including prohibiting the use of funds made available to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for activities in China. Prohibits foreign assistance funds to the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) unless the President makes a certain certification to the Committees on Appropriations. Title V: General Provisions - Sets forth limits on the use of appropriations, including no more than: (1) 15 percent of such appropriations shall be obligated during the last month of availability; (2) $126,500 for official residence expenses of AID; (3) $5,000 for entertainment expenses of AID; (4) $95,000 for representation allowances for AID; (5) $2,000 for entertainment and representation allowances for the Inter-American Foundation; or (6) $4,000 for entertainment expenses for the Peace Corps. (Sec. 502) Prohibits the use of funds for: (1) bilateral funding of international financial institutions; (2) the export of nuclear equipment, fuel, or technology; (3) direct assistance or reparations to Cuba, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Iran, Serbia, Sudan, or Syria; (4) assistance to any country whose elected head of government is deposed by military coup; (5) certain transfers between appropriations accounts without consultation with Congress; (6) assistance to any country in default in excess of a year on payments on a U.S. loan (except for Nicaragua and narcotics-related assistance for Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru); and (7) assistance for certain commodities which are in surplus on world markets and could injure U.S. producers of a similar commodity, with specified exceptions. (Sec. 514) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. Executive Directors of specified international financial institutions to oppose any assistance for the production or extraction of any commodity or mineral for export if it is in surplus on world markets and such assistance will cause substantial injury to U.S. producers of a similar commodity. (Sec. 516) Prohibits the use of international organization funds for the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Libya, Iran, or certain Communist countries. (Sec. 517) Declares it is U.S. policy that funds allocated to Israel from the ESF shall not be less than the annual debt repayment from Israel to the United States. (Sec. 518) Prohibits the use of development assistance funds for abortions or involuntary sterilizations. (Sec. 519) Requires the President to report to the Committees on Appropriations on annual arms sales proposals covering major weapons under the Arms Export Control Act. (Sec. 520) Prohibits the use of funds for Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Indonesia, Liberia, Nicaragua, Peru, Russia, Sudan, or Zaire, except through the regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations. (Sec. 522) Makes funds available to AID for family planning, health, child survival, and AIDS research and control in developing countries. (Sec. 523) Bars funding for indirect assistance to Cuba, Iraq, Libya, Iran, Syria, North Korea, or China unless the President certifies that the withholding of such funds is contrary to the national interest. (Sec. 524) Amends the Arms Export Control Act to extend the President's waiver authority with respect to reciprocal leasing through FY 1996. (Sec. 525) Requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to notify the Committees on Appropriations before providing excess DOD articles to certain NATO and major non-NATO countries. (Sec. 527) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. Executive Director of each international financial institution, and the Administrator of the Agency for International Development to instruct the U.S. Executive Director of the International Fund for Agriculture Development, to oppose any bilateral assistance to any country that supports terrorism. (Sec. 528) Authorizes the commercial leasing of defense articles to Israel, Egypt, NATO, and major non-NATO allies if the President determines that there are compelling foreign policy or national security reasons. (Sec. 529) Prohibits the sale of Stinger missiles to any country bordering the Persian Gulf. (Sec. 530) Authorizes nongovernmental organizations which are grantees or contractors of AID to place funds made available to them under this Act in interest bearing accounts in order to enhance their participation in economic activities under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, including endowments and debt-for-development and debt-for- nature exchanges. (Sec. 531B) Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to make funds available for FY 1996 and FY 1997 for defense article stockpiles in the Republic of Korea and Thailand. (Sec. 532) Directs the Administrator of the AID to require foreign countries that receive foreign assistance which results in the generation of local currencies to deposit such currencies in a separate account to be used to finance foreign assistance activities. (Sec. 533) Prohibits payments to any international financial institution while the U.S. Executive Director to the institution is compensated at a rate in excess of that for a specified position under the Executive Schedule. (Sec. 534) Bars assistance to any country that is not in compliance with the United Nations sanctions against Iraq, Serbia, or Montenegro unless the President certifies to the Congress that such assistance: (1) is in the national interest; (2) will directly benefit the needy people in that country; or (3) will be humanitarian assistance for foreign nationals who have fled Iraq and Kuwait. Authorizes the President to prohibit the importation into the United States of any product of a foreign country that has not prohibited the importation of Iraq's, Serbia's, or Montenegro's products into its customs territory and the export of its products to such countries. (Sec. 535) Authorizes the drawdown of defense articles, services, and training to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos to assist in efforts to locate members of the armed forces and U.S. civilians who remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. (Sec. 537) Requires the Committees on Appropriations to be notified of each country that has been approved for cash flow financing for the procurement of defense articles in excess of $100 million. (Sec. 538) Declares that provisions under this or any other Act authorizing appropriations for foreign operations or export financing shall not be construed to prohibit activities authorized by the Peace Corps Act, the Inter-American Foundation Act, or the African Development Foundation Act. Directs an agency to report to the Committees on Appropriations whenever it is conducting or proposing activities in a country for which such assistance is prohibited. (Sec. 539) 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 in a foreign country an export processing zone or other designated area in which a country's tax, tariff, labor, environment, and safety laws do not apply to activities in the area, unless the President certifies that such assistance is not likely to cause a loss of U.S. jobs; or (3) assistance for any project that contributes to the violation of internationally recognized workers rights in such country. (Sec. 540) Authorizes the President, pursuant to a lifting of the United Nations arms embargo against Bosnia-Herzegovina, to transfer defense articles to such country's government without reimbursement if he certifies to the Congress that the transfer of such articles would assist that nation in self-defense and promote the security and stability of the region. (Sec. 541) Declares that funds appropriated under this Act for Haiti, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Cambodia, and for victims of war, displaced children, displaced Burmese, humanitarian assistance for Romania, and humanitarian assistance for the peoples of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Kosova, may be made available notwithstanding any other provision of law. Directs the President to terminate assistance to any country that the President determines is cooperating with the military activities of the Khmer Rouge. Authorizes the use of foreign assistance funds to support: (1) tropical forestry and energy programs aimed at reducing emissions of greenhouse gases; and (2) biodiversity conservation activities. Authorizes AID to employ personal services contractors to administer programs for the West Bank and Gaza. (Sec. 542) Expresses the sense of the Congress with respect to steps the President should take to encourage renunciation of the Arab boycott of Israel. (Sec. 543) Authorizes the use of ESF funds to strengthen the administration of justice in countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. (Sec. 544) Declares that restrictions on assistance to foreign countries contained in this Act or any other Act shall not be construed to restrict assistance in support of programs of nongovernmental organizations as long as it is in the national interest of the United States. (Sec. 546) Authorizes for FY 1996 the provision of nonlethal excess defense articles, without regard to certain restrictions, to countries for which U.S. foreign assistance has been requested and for which receipt of such articles was separately justified for the fiscal year. (Sec. 547) Prohibits the use of funds for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States that were not authorized before the enactment of this Act. (Sec. 548) Sets forth Buy American requirements. (Sec. 549) Prohibits the use of funds to pay any assessments, arrearages, or dues of any U.N. member. (Sec. 551) Prohibits the provision of funds to a private voluntary organization that fails to provide any document, file, or record necessary to the auditing requirements of AID. (Sec. 552) Prohibits the provision of funds to any foreign government that provides lethal military equipment to a country that the Secretary of State has determined has a terrorist government, unless the President determines that the furnishing of such assistance is in the national interest. (Sec. 553) Withholds assistance to a foreign country in an amount equal to 110 percent of the total unpaid parking fines and penalties owed by the country to the District of Columbia. (Sec. 554) Prohibits the obligation of any appropriations for the PLO for the West Bank and Gaza unless the President has exercised certain authorities to suspend prohibitions on assistance to the PLO. (Sec. 556) Permits the President to provide a specified amount of commodities and services to the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal if doing so will contribute to a resolution of charges regarding genocide or other violations of international law in the former Yugoslavia. (Sec. 557) Authorizes the use of funds made available to DOD for crating, packing, handling, and transportation of nonlethal excess defense articles transferred to countries eligible to participate in the Partnership for Peace and to receive assistance under the Program of Support for East European Democracy (SEED). (Sec. 558) Authorizes demining equipment used in support of the clearing of landmines for humanitarian purposes to be disposed of on a grant basis in foreign countries. (Sec. 559) Amends provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, with respect to nuclear non-proliferation conditions on assistance to Pakistan, to prohibit military assistance equipment or technology to be furnished to Pakistan unless there is certification that Pakistan does not possess a nuclear explosive device, except for any assistance or transfer provided for: (1) international narcotics control; (2) facilitating military-to-military contact, humanitarian, and civic projects; (3) peacekeeping and other multilateral operations, except for lethal military equipment provided on a lease or loan basis only; and (4) antiterrorism assistance or any provision of law available for antiterrorism assistance. Maintains restrictions on contracts for the delivery of F-16 aircraft to Pakistan. Allows military equipment, technology, and defense services, except for F-16 aircraft, to be transferred to Pakistan with respect to contracts entered into before October 1, 1990. (Sec. 560) Prohibits the obligation of appropriations to create in Jerusalem a new U.S. agency office for the purpose of conducting U.S. business with the Palestinian Authority over Gaza and Jericho (or any successor Palestinian governing entity) provided for in the Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles. (Sec. 561) Prohibits certain funds appropriated for Informational Program activities from being obligated to pay for: (1) alcoholic beverages; (2) food (other than food provided at a military installation) not provided in conjunction with Program trips where students do not stay at a military installation; or (3) entertainment expenses. (Sec. 562) Prohibits the use of funds for assistance in support of any country that restricts transport or delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance, except in the national security interest of the United States. (Sec. 563) Directs the President to withhold funds made available under this Act equal to the sum of assistance and credits, if any, provided by a foreign, country, or any entity in that country, in support of the completion of the Cuban nuclear facility at Juragua, near Cienfuegos, Cuba, with specified exceptions. (Sec. 564) Bars funding to Haiti if the Government of Haiti is controlled by a regime holding power through means other than the democratic elections to be held in 1995. (Sec. 566) Limits ESF assistance to Turkey. (Sec. 566A) Limits the use of funds for the North American Development Bank only for purposes set out in the binational agreement establishing the bank. (Sec. 567) Bars the use of funds for International Narcotics Control or Crop Substitution in Burma. (Sec. 568) Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to subscribe to an increase in the authorized capital stock of the Asian Development Bank (the fourth general capital increase). Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 569) Authorizes appropriations for the International Development Association (the tenth replenishment). (Sec. 570) Authorizes the President to reduce amounts owed to the United States by eligible countries as a result of: (1) housing guarantees made pursuant to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961; or (2) credits extended or guarantees issued under the Arms Export Control Act. Permits such authority only: (1) to implement multilateral official debt relief and referendum agreements known as the Paris Club Agreed Minutes; and (2) with respect to countries with heavy debt burdens that are eligible to borrow from the International Development Association, but not from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IDA-only countries). Prescribes additional conditions for the exercise of such authority. (Sec. 572) Authorizes the President to direct the drawdown for Jordan of defense articles and services from DOD, and military education and training up to a specified dollar amount provided certain conditions are met. (Sec. 576) Amends the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 to require an additional report be made in 1996 respecting conditions in Hong Kong of interest to the United States and directs that such report include detailed information on the status of, and other developments affecting, implementation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong, including the: (1) Basic Law and its consistency with the Joint Declaration; (2) openness and fairness of elections to the legislature; (3) openness and fairness of election of the chief executive and the executive's accountability to the legislature; (4) treatment of political parties; (5) independence of the judiciary and its ability to exercise the power of final judgement over Hong Kong; (6) Bill of Rights. (Sec. 579) Amends the Import-Export Bank Act of 1945 to extend funding for the Tied-Aid Credit Program through FY 1997. Authorizes appropriations to the Tied-Aid Credit Fund for FY 1996 and 1997. (Sec. 581) Amends the Eisenhower Exchange Fellowship Act of 1990 to extend the Au Pair Program. (Sec. 583) Bars assistance to Haiti until the President reports to the Congress that: (1) the Haitian Government is conducting thorough investigations of extrajudicial and political killings; and (2) the Government is cooperating with the United States authorities in the investigations of such killings. Excludes from the limitation provision of humanitarian or electoral assistance. Permits the President to waive the requirements of the limitation if he determines and certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the waiver is: (1) in the national interest; or (2) necessary to assure the safe and timely withdrawal of American forces from Haiti. (Sec. 584) Prescribes that funding for activities in the internationally-recognized borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina, other than refugee and disaster assistance and assistance for the restoration of infrastructure, including power grids, water supplies and natural gas, be limited only to activities in the territory of the Bosniac-Croat Federation. (Sec. 585) Amends the NATO Participation Act of 1994 to authorize the President to: (1) evaluate the degree to which any country emerging from communist domination which has expressed interest in joining NATO meets the specified criteria; and (2) to designate one or more of these countries as eligible to receive assistance under the program to facilitate an eligible country's transition to NATO membership. Permits the President at any time to designate other such European countries for assistance under the program and at the time of designation, to determine and report to the House Committees on International Relations and Appropriations and the Senate Committees on Foreign Relations and Appropriations that each country so designated meets the criteria. Title VI: Middle East Peace Facilitation Act of 1995 - Middle East Peace Facilitation Act of 1995 - Declares the sense of the Congress specifying additional steps the PLO must take to demonstrate an irrevocable denunciation of terrorism and ensure a peaceful settlement of the Middle East dispute. (Sec. 604) Authorizes the President to suspend specified provisions of law which prohibit the U.S. share of foreign and United Nations assistance to the PLO, the receipt or expenditure of PLO funds, and PLO membership in the International Monetary Fund, upon certification to specified congressional committees that: (1) such waiver is in the national interest; (2) the PLO continues to abide by commitments made in letters to Israel and the Foreign Minister of Norway and under the Declaration of Principles signed in September 1993; and (3) specified funds provided under this Act and other Acts have been used for the purposes for which they were intended. Makes such suspensions effective for up to six months.
Bill· SS. 1517 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1996
Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, including certain transfers of payments, to fund benefits under the Black Lung Disability Program (administered by the Department of Labor). Provides additional amounts for making repayable advances to such Fund in the current fiscal year after September 15, 1996, for costs incurred by such Fund in the current fiscal year. Makes appropriations for FY 1996 and through the first quarter of FY 1997 for special benefits for disabled coal miners under the Black Lung Program (administered by the Social Security Administration) under title IV of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.
Bill· SS. 1516 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1996
Appropriates funds for: (1) retirement pay and medical benefits of Public Health Service commissioned officers; (2) payments under the Retired Serviceman's Family Protection Plan and Survivor Benefits Plan; (3) medical care of dependents and retired personnel under specified provisions of Federal law relating to the armed forces; and (4) payments under provisions of title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act relating to benefits in the case of members of the uniformed services.
Bill· HRH.R. 2852 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1996
Repeals the following requirements with respect to the operation of Department of Defense (DOD) depots: (1) that not more than 40 percent of the funds made available in a fiscal year to a military department or defense agency for depot-level maintenance and repair workload activities may be used to hire non-Government personnel to perform such workload; and (2) that the Secretary of Defense ensure that the performance of such activities by current defense personnel is not changed to performance by a contractor or by another DOD depot-level activity unless such change is made using merit-based selection procedures or competitive procedures.
Law· HRH.R. 2854 (104th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1996
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Agricultural Market Transition Program Title II: Conservation Title III: Agricultural Promotion and Export Programs Title IV: Miscellaneous Title V: Commission on 21st Century Production Agriculture Title I: Agricultural Market Transition Program - Agricultural Market Transition Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) to enter into production flexibility contracts through crop year 2002 with eligible agricultural operators and owners with respect to conservation, wetlands, and planting flexibility requirements. Requires contracts to be entered into by April 15, 1996, with certain exceptions for conservation reserve lands. Defines eligible "owners and operators" and "farmland." Sets forth: (1) contract payment amounts for each of FY 1996 through 2002 and allocation amounts for wheat, corn, grain sorghum, barley, oats, upland cotton, and rice; and (2) annual payment rate factors. Permits any commodity or crop to be planted on contract acreage with special provisions and limitations for haying and grazing, alfalfa, and legumes. (Sec. 104) Directs the Secretary to make nonrecourse marketing assistance loans for crop years 1996 through 2002 to producers of wheat, feed grains (corn, grain sorghum, barley, and oats), upland and extra long staple cotton, and oilseeds (sunflower, canola, rapeseed, safflower, mustard, flaxseed, and other oilseeds). Sets forth commodity loan rate, term, and repayment provisions. Directs the Secretary to make loan deficiency payments to producers (of other than extra long staple cotton) who forego obtaining such nonrecourse loans in an amount equal to the difference between a commodity's loan rate and repayment level. Establishes special marketing loan provisions for upland cotton, including: (1) first handler marketing certificates; (2) cotton user marketing certificates; (3) a special import quota; and (4) a limited global import quota for upland cotton. (Sec. 105) Establishes fiscal year payment limitations for individuals of: (1) $40,000 for flexibility contracts; and (2) $75,000 for marketing loan and loan deficiency payments. (Sec. 106) Directs the Secretary to: (1) make nonrecourse loans available to quota peanut producers at $610 per ton and to additional peanut producers at appropriate rates; (2) make related warehouse storage loans available; (3) provide for marketing area pools for quota and additional peanuts, with separate pools for New Mexico-produced Valencia peanuts; (4) require that all domestic and export peanuts comply with specified quality standards; and (5) provide for a nonrefundable marketing assessment. Provides that: (1) net gains from each marketing pool shall be distributed only to pool producers; and (2) losses in quota pools shall be covered using a specified order of priority. Prohibits the Secretary from making quota peanut loans if producers have disapproved poundage quotas. Amends the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 with regard to the peanut program to: (1) extend peanut quota provisions through crop year 2002; (2) eliminate the minimum national poundage quota; (3) eliminate seed peanuts from the national poundage quota determination; (4) create a temporary quota allocation for seed peanuts; (5) eliminate the Texas increased quota allocation; and (5) authorize transfers of additional peanuts to the quota pool where natural disasters prevented quota poundage harvesting and marketing. (Sec. 107) Directs the Secretary to make recourse loans available to processors of domestically grown sugarcane and sugar beets at 18 cents per pound and 22.9 cents per pound, respectively. Sets loan terms at the earlier of nine months or the end of the fiscal year, with supplemental loans available for loans made in the last three months of a fiscal year. Authorizes the Secretary to provide nonrecourse loans when the imported tariff rate quota for sugar imports exceeds 1.5 million short tons raw value. Sets forth first processor sugarcane and sugar beet marketing assessment rates for FY 1996 through 2003, which shall be collected monthly and remitted to the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). Sets forth enforcement and reporting provisions. Amends the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 to repeal marketing allotment provisions. Makes this section applicable to the 1996 through 2002 crops of sugarcane and sugar beets. (Sec. 108) Directs the Secretary to carry out the provisions of this subtitle through the CCC. (Sec. 109) Repeals the Agricultural Act of 1949, with specified sections transferred to the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938. (Eliminates permanent price support authority.) Makes conforming amendments to the Agricultural Act of 1938. Title II: Conservation - Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to provide mandatory FY 1996 through 2002 funding through the CCC for the conservation reserve and wetlands programs, and the livestock environmental assistance program. Establishes the livestock environmental assistance program to provide FY 1996 through 2002 technical assistance and cost-sharing and incentive payments to livestock producers who enter into land management and structural contracts to protect water, soil, and related resources from livestock-related degradation. (Makes waste management facility construction ineligible for cost-sharing payments.) Replaces wetlands reserve program permanent easement authority with 15-year easement authority. Limits conservation reserve program total acreage enrollment to 36.4 million acres. Authorizes producers to terminate program participation. Prohibits new acreage enrollment in 1997. Title III: Agricultural Promotion and Export Programs - Amends the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to: (1) authorize specified FY 1996 through 2002 appropriations for the market promotion program; and (2) authorize specified FY 1996 through 2002 funding from the CCC for the export enhancement program. Title IV: Miscellaneous - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to authorize the Secretary, in consultation with insurance providers, to offer catastrophic risk protection in a State (or portion of a State) through local Department of Agriculture offices if the Secretary determines insufficient coverage is otherwise available. Provides for the transfer of current policies to private insurers. States that beginning with the spring-planted 1996 crop catastrophic coverage shall not be required for agricultural program benefits if the producer signs a written emergency crop loss assistance waiver. Extends crop insurance provisions to seed crops. (Sec. 402) Amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to authorize the Secretary to collect fees to cover the costs of providing import quarantine and inspection services. Establishes in the Treasury the Agricultural Quarantine Inspection User Fee Account. (Sec. 403) Increases the CCC interest rate applicable to agricultural commodity loans by 100 basis points. Title V: Commission on 21st Century Production Agriculture - Establishes the Commission on 21st Century Production Agriculture which shall assess: (1) the changes in U.S. production agriculture resulting from this Act; and (2) the current and future condition of U.S. production agriculture and the appropriate agricultural role of the Government. Terminates the Commission upon submission of a required report.
Bill· HRH.R. 2861 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1996
Private Sector Job Creation and Economic Growth Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income 100 percent of long-term capital gain recognized on the sale or exchange of property.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 336 (104th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 5 January 1996
Provides for taking from the Speaker's table H.J. Res. 134 (continuing appropriations) and agreeing to the Senate amendment with an amendment. Adopts H. Con. Res. 131 (conditions for consideration of H.J. 134).
Bill· SJRESS.J.Res. 46 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 1996
Makes continuing appropriations for the Passport Office of the bureau of Consular Affairs, Department of State, at the current rate, the rate passed by the House of Representatives, or the rate passed by the Senate, whichever is least, until an applicable appropriation is enacted into law or September 30, 1996, whichever is first.
Bill· HRH.R. 2844 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 1996
Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the President, for FY 1997 through 2001, to issue up to $1 billion in guarantees (up to $200 million per fiscal year) assuring against losses incurred in connection with loans to Ireland and to the United Kingdom to promote economic development and job creation activities in the Republic of Ireland, especially in, but not limited to, the six border counties of such Republic, and in the six counties of Northern Ireland. Sets forth guarantee amounts for such period. Requires the President to notify the appropriate congressional committees near the end of each fiscal year of his intentions regarding the exercise of such authority during the next fiscal year. Prescribes security guarantee terms and conditions.
Bill· HRH.R. 2847 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 1996
Economic Revitalization Act of 1996 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide a tax-exemption for distressed community economic development bonds. Excepts 50 percent of such bonds from the volume cap. Allows a deduction for such bonds as qualified tax-exempt obligations.
Bill· HRH.R. 2846 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 1996
Brownfields Redevelopment Act of 1996 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a credit that is 50 percent of the costs: (1) paid or incurred by the taxpayer for environmental remediation of any qualified contaminated site which is owned by the taxpayer; and (2) incurred by the taxpayer pursuant to an environmental remediation plan for such site which was approved by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency or by the head of any State or local government agency designated by the Administrator. Disallows the environmental remediation credit from being determined unless the Administrator or the Administrator's designee certifies that the remediation plan has been completed. Provides that if the Administrator certifies that such plan has been completed, the credit shall be taken into account ratably over the five-year taxable period. Permits a taxpayer to cease such remediation if: (1) the cost of completing the remediation plan exceeds 200 percent of the estimated costs of completing such plan; and (2) the State or local official administering the remediation credit program agrees with such determination. Prohibits certain taxpayers with respect to a qualified contamination site from being eligible for the credit. Makes the environmental remediation credit part of the sum of the current year general business credit and allows any unused portion as a deduction for certain unused business credits. Allows for the use of redevelopment bonds for the costs of environmental remediation incurred pursuant to an environmental remediation plan. Sets forth provisions concerning certain requirements not to apply in the case of any redevelopment bond issued as part of an issue 95 percent or more of the proceeds which are to finance environmental remediation. Prohibits a deduction for interest on such financing during any period during which there is a determination by the Administrator or the Administrator's designee that the remediation plan was not satisfactorily completed.
Bill· HJRESH.J.Res. 156 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 1996
Makes continuing appropriations for activities under the account heading "Dual Benefits Payment Account" under the Railroad Retirement Board at the current rate, the rate passed by the House of Representatives, or the rate passed by the Senate, whichever is least, until an applicable appropriation is enacted into law or September 30, 1996, whichever is first. Sets forth requirements and limitations.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 333 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 4 January 1996
Sets forth the rule for the consideration of H.R. 2530 (Federal budget revisions).
Bill· HJRESH.J.Res. 155 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1996
Amends a specified Federal law making continuing appropriations to extend the specific termination date of appropriations and authority under that Act to January 19, 1996 (currently, December 15, 1995). Modifies the definition of minimal level (to which operations would be reduced in certain circumstances) to mean a reduction of ten (currently, 25) percent from the current rate. Mandates compensation at standard rates for any U.S. or District of Columbia officer or employee furloughed because of a lapse in appropriations after December 15, 1995. Ratifies certain types of obligations incurred in anticipation of the appropriations made and authority granted by this resolution.
Law· HJRESH.J.Res. 153 (104th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1996
Makes continuing appropriations for FY 1996, at a level that is to be no more than the current level, for the District of Columbia. (Sec. 106) Makes appropriations in this title available, unless otherwise provided for in this title or an applicable appropriations Act, until the first of the following events: (1) enactment of an appropriation for any project or activity of this title; (2) enactment of the applicable appropriations Act without any provision for such project or activity; or (3) January 25, 1996. (Sec. 111) Provides that if funding is not provided for an ongoing project or the projects's rate of operations is significantly reduced it may be continued at a minimal level. Defines minimal level as the current rate reduced by 25 percent. (Sec. 116) Prohibits the use of funds appropriated under this title to implement any system of registration of unmarried cohabiting couples, whether homosexual, lesbian, or heterosexual.
Bill· HJRESH.J.Res. 154 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1996
Appropriates funds for FY 1996 for such amounts as may be necessary under the authority and conditions provided in the District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 1995 (the Act) for continuing the operations of the District of Columbia (D.C.) government and other activities chargeable against D.C. revenues that were conducted in FY 1995 and for which appropriations, funds, or other authority would be available in the District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 1996. Prohibits the making of any obligations or expenditures until the Mayor of D.C. has provided to the D.C. Council, the D.C. Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority, the President, and the House and Senate Appropriations Committees prior written notification and a description of the effect of such obligations or expenditures on the current spending plans. Appropriates such amounts as necessary under the authority and conditions provided in the Act for continuing the Federal payment to D.C. and the Federal contribution to retirement funds for FY 1996. Requires the pertinent project or activity to be continued at a rate not exceeding the lowest of the current rate, the rate under the 1996 Act as passed by the House or Representatives, or the rate under the 1996 Act as passed by the Senate. (Sec. 2) Provides that appropriations and funds made available and authority granted pursuant to this Act shall be available until whichever of the following first occurs: (1) the enactment of an appropriation for any project or activity provided for in this Act; (2) the enactment of the District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 1996 without any provision for such project or activity; or (3) September 30, 1996. (Sec. 3) Specifies additional requirements and limitations regarding appropriations made available or authority granted under this Act.
Bill· HJRESH.J.Res. 151 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1996
Amends a specified Federal law making continuing appropriations to extend (for activities for which funding would be available under the appropriations Act for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies for 1996) the specific termination date of appropriations and authority under the continuing appropriations Act to January 12, 1996 (currently, December 15, 1995).
Bill· HJRESH.J.Res. 150 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1996
Extends the law making further continuing appropriations for FY 1996.
Bill· HJRESH.J.Res. 147 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1996
Extends the law making further continuing appropriations for FY 1996.
Bill· HJRESH.J.Res. 146 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 January 1996
Extends the law making further continuing appropriations for FY 1996.
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