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Bill· SS. 1203 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 1991
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit a taxpayer aged 55 or older to qualify for the one-time income tax exclusion of gain from the sale of a principal residence even if the taxpayer's spouse already took advantage of the exclusion before marrying the taxpayer.
Bill· HRH.R. 2535 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 1991
Pepper Commission Health Care Access and Reform Act of 1991 - Title I: Access To Private or Public Health Insurance For Basic Health Services Through Employment - Amends the Social Security Act to add a new title XXI entitled "Access to Private or Public Health Insurance For Basic Health Services Through Employment." Requires, under the new title, that employers enroll their employees and family members in a qualified employer health plan or in the public health insurance plan discussed in title II of this Act. Sets forth requirements relating to employee premiums and cost-sharing. Title II: Access to Health Insurance for Basic Health Services Through a Public Health Insurance Plan - Amends the Social Security Act to add a new title XXII entitled "Access to Health Insurance for Basic Health Services Through a Public Health Insurance Plan." Provides, under title XXII, for a new public health insurance program to be administered by the Health Care Financing Administration through the use of fiscal agents in the same manner as under Medicare (title XVIII of the Social Security Act) to process claims. Requires program coverage of basic health services, including preventive services, subject, except with respect to preventive services, to specified deductible and coinsurance requirements, with an overall annual limit on cost-sharing of $3,000. Makes U.S. residents and citizens who are not Medicare beneficiaries or enrolled under the qualified employer health plan described under title I or any other qualified health insurance plan eligible to enroll in the public health insurance program. Makes low-income individuals enrolling in the program eligible for assistance to limit or eliminate their financial obligations under the program. Requires the program to provide early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment services (EPSDT) services for children. Allows Medicare beneficiaries to obtain Medicare supplemental (Medigap) coverage under the public health insurance program. Prohibits payment under title XXII for services furnished which are not reasonable and medically necessary. Allows provision of covered services without limitation, except as specified under prescribed guidelines. Provides for the use of Medicare payment rules for purposes of benefit payments under title XXII. Sets forth provisions for: (1) determining the amount of premiums to be charged individuals and employers for enrollment under title XXII; and (2) collecting premiums. Creates in the Treasury the Public Health Insurance Trust Fund to support the public health insurance program through the premiums charged under this Act. Authorizes appropriations each fiscal year to cover the Government's share of program costs. Outlines requirements established under part F (Qualified Health Plans) of title XXII respecting basic benefits, limits on pre-existing condition exclusions and on cost-sharing, and other protections which private health insurance plans must afford consumers in order to be certified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services as qualified for issuance or sale. Outlines administrative provisions. Directs the Secretary to provide information via a toll-free telephone number on low-income assistance and other information concerning the public health insurance program. Authorizes the Secretary to conduct demonstration projects under this title. Title III: Quality Assurance and Cost Containment - Authorizes the Secretary to waive the requirements of titles XVIII and XXII of the Social Security Act insofar as they prevent the use of State uniform payment rates, under prescribed conditions. Requires the Administrator for Health Care Policy and Research to design, implement, and evaluate studies on medical malpractice issues and demonstration projects related to medical malpractice reform for the purpose of making recommendations to the Congress respecting: (1) incentives to improve the quality of care; and (2) cost-effective methods of providing efficient and appropriate compensation to individuals injured in adverse medical occurrences. Authorizes appropriations. Title IV: Group Health Insurance Reform - Subtitle A: General Reforms - Amends the Public Health Service Act to add a new title XXVII entitled "Group Health Insurance Standards." Requires States to enforce the minimum Federal standards required to be established under the new title for employment-related health plans. Requires the Secretary to certify such plans as meeting such requirements if the applicable State has not established a regulatory program to enforce the standards. Prohibits employment-related health plans from denying or limiting coverage of basic health services on the basis of an individual's health status or lack of insurability. Sets forth additional requirements applicable to all employment-related health plans. Requires small employer health plans to offer a basic benefit package, use community rating, guarantee issue and renewal of policies, and meet certain information disclosure and recordkeeping requirements. Subtitle B: Encouraging Establishment of Managed Care - Preempts State law restricting the use of network plans and utilization review programs that meet Federal standards. Subtitle C: Repeal of COBRA Continuation Requirements under the Public Health Service Act - Repeals title XXII of the Public Health Service Act. Title V: Expansion of Primary Care and Public Health Delivery Capacity in Meeting Health Objectives - Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend the authorization of appropriations for programs related to immunization, tuberculosis, lead poisoning, sexually transmitted diseases, migrant health centers, community health centers, health services for the homeless, health services for residents of public housing, family planning, and HIV disease. Amends title XXII (Access to Health Insurance for Basic Health Services Through a Public Health Insurance Plan) of the Social Security Act, as added by title II of this Act, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, from amounts in the Public Health Insurance Trust Fund established by this Act, to make grants to plan and develop primary care centers and public health clinics, defined as migrant or community health centers or other entities qualified to receive a grant under specified provisions of the Public Health Service Act. Directs the Secretary to report to the Congress every five years on the impact of this Act in meeting the goals in the report "Healthy People, 2000." Requires each report to include recommendations regarding changes in qualified health plan benefits and payment policies to promote achievement of national health promotion and disease prevention goals and objectives. Title VI: Financing and Tax-Related Provisions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) provide a full deduction for qualified health plan insurance costs of self-employed individuals; (2) make such deduction permanent; (3) repeal provisions imposing an excise tax for the failure of group health plans to satisfy coverage requirements; and (4) impose a surtax on individual and corporate income tax liability. Title VII: Medicare and Medicaid Amendments - Subtitle A: Medicare - Amends the Medicare program to assure coordination of enrollment with qualified health plans and to provide coverage of colon rectal cancer screening services. Subtitle B: Medicaid - Amends the Medicaid program (title XIX of the Social Security Act) to continue Medicaid benefits not covered under such public health insurance program and to discontinue those benefits covered under the program. Title VIII: Conforming Changes to ERISA - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to repeal provisions regarding continuation coverage under group health plans and to make other conforming changes to assure coordination with the amendments made by this Act.
Law· HRH.R. 2521 (102nd)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 1991
Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 1992 - Title I: Military Personnel - Appropriates funds for FY 1992 for military and reserve personnel in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force and for National Guard personnel in the Army and Air Force. Title II: Operation and Maintenance - Appropriates funds for FY 1992 for the operation and maintenance of the Army, (including a transfer of funds) Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, the defense agencies (including a transfer of funds), the respective reserve components, and the Army and Air National Guards. Appropriates funds for the Army's National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice, the Court of Military Appeals, environmental restoration (including a transfer of funds), humanitarian assistance, and for support and services for the World University Games. Title III: Procurement - Appropriates funds for FY 1992 for the procurement by the Army of aircraft, missiles, weapons, tracked combat vehicles, and ammunition and for other procurement. Appropriates funds to the Navy for the procurement of aircraft, (including a transfer of funds) weapons, and shipbuilding and conversion and for other procurement. Appropriates funds for Marine Corps procurement. Appropriates funds for procurement by the Air Force of aircraft and missiles and for other procurement. Appropriates funds for: (1) National Guard and Reserve equipment; (2) procurement by the defense agencies; (3) Defense Production Act purchases; and (4) procurement of prepositioning equipment. Title IV: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation - Appropriates funds for FY 1992 for research, development, test, and evaluation by the Army, Navy, Air Force, and defense agencies (including a transfer of funds). Appropriates funds for the expenses of the Deputy Director of Defense Research and Engineering (Test and Evaluation) and the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation. Title V: Defense Business Operations Fund - Establishes in the Treasury the Defense Business Operations Fund and appropriates specified amounts to such fund. Title VI: Other Department of Defense Programs - Appropriates funds for: (1) the destruction of lethal chemical agents and munitions; (2) drug interdiction and counter-drug activities, defense (including a transfer of funds); and (3) expenses and activities of the Office of the Inspector General for carrying out the Inspector General Act of 1978. Title VII: Related Agencies - Appropriates funds for: (1) the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System Fund; and (2) the Intelligence Community Staff. Title VIII: General Provisions - Prohibits the use of appropriations for unauthorized publicity or propaganda. Exempts during FY 1992 Department of Defense (DOD) personnel from provisions of law prohibiting the employment of non-U.S. citizens. Provides that no part of any appropriation contained in this Act may remain available for obligation beyond the current fiscal year, unless expressly so provided. Prohibits the obligation of more than 20 percent of the funds appropriated by this Act during the last two months of the fiscal year, except as specified. Prohibits the use of appropriations for the procurement of any food, clothing, specified cloth (including cotton, silk, and wool) or synthetic fabrics, or specified metals not grown, produced, or processed within the United States, with specified exceptions. Authorizes the Secretary of Defense, in the national interest and with the approval of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to transfer and merge specified working capital funds. Directs the Secretary to notify the Congress of all such transfers. Limits the cash balances which may be maintained in such funds. Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for: (1) the purchase of coal or coke from foreign nations for use at U.S. defense facilities when U.S. coal is available; (2) heating plant fuel conversion at defense facilities in Europe; (3) the conversion of any heating facility at military installations in the Kaiserslautern Military Community in Germany, except as provided under Federal law and after a certain notification from the Secretary to the Senate and House Committees on Appropriations; (4) the initiation of a special access program without prior notification to the appropriations and armed services committees; (5) the preparation of a request to the appropriations committees for a reprogramming of funds, except as specified; (6) certain claims for physician or provider reimbursement for medical services provided under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) in excess of those allowed for FY 1991; (7) programs of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) beyond FY 1992, with a specified exception; (8) initiating a multiyear contract that employs economic order quantity procurement in excess of specified amounts, unless proper congressional notification is given; (9) any intelligence or special activity different from an activity previously justified to the Congress unless the Secretary has notified the appropriations committees of the intent to make such funds available for such activity; or (10) converting certain military technician positions to positions to be held by persons in active Guard or Reserve status if such conversion would reduce the number of military technicians below a specified amount. Prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to include civilian military technicians in any administratively imposed freeze on civilian positions. Eliminates during FY 1992 the requirement that the Congress must authorize by law the end-strengths for civilian personnel in DOD. Prohibits setting any end-strength limitations for such personnel during FY 1992. Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for: (1) congressional lobbying; (2) the pay of certain nonmilitary Army Reserve technicians; (3) purchasing of dogs or cats to study the medical treatment of wounds; and (4) floating storage for petroleum products in non-U.S. vessels. Permits the appropriation of funds for humanitarian and civic assistance costs incident to authorized operations of the armed forces. Authorizes the Secretaries of the Army and the Air Force to retain in active status until age 60 certain officers who need such status in order to maintain employment as a National Guard or Reserve technician. Permits the use of operation and maintenance funds provided under this Act for studies and demonstration projects relating to the delivery of military health and medical care. Prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to make contributions to the Department of Defense Education Benefits Fund for educational assistance for a member of the armed forces who enlists for less than three years or receives an enlistment bonus. Prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act for the basic pay and allowances of a member of the Army participating as a full-time student and receiving benefits through the Secretary of Veterans Affairs when time spent as a full-time student is credited toward completion of a service commitment. Limits the availability of appropriations to specified percentages of postsecondary educational costs for off-duty training of military personnel. Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for conversion to contractor performance of an activity or function of DOD that is currently performed by more than ten civilian DOD employees until a cost-analysis on such performance is completed and certified to the appropriations committees. Prohibits the use of funds for the procurement of 120mm mortars or ammunition for such mortars if manufactured outside the United States. Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for the payment of salaries of any persons who authorize the transfer of unobligated or deobligated funds into the Reserve for Contingencies of the CIA. Requires funds appropriated under this Act for CIA construction projects to remain available until expended. Authorizes the Secretary of the Navy to use specified funds to charter ships for use as auxiliary minesweepers, under specified conditions. Limits the amount of funds available from this Act for the execution of a contract for the CHAMPUS Reform Initiative. Permits the use of appropriated funds to fully utilize the facilities at the U.S. Army Engineer's Waterways Experiment Station, with a specified exception. Prohibits this Act's funds from being used by a military department to modify an aircraft, weapon, ship, or other item of equipment if such item is to be retired or otherwise disposed of within five years after completion of the modification, with specified exceptions. Specifies the definition of "program, project, and activity" for appropriations contained in this Act for purposes of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act). Earmarks specified funds appropriated to the Army under this Act for the Reserve Component Automation System (RCAS), with certain expenditure limitations. Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for fixed-price contracts exceeding $10,000,000 for the development of a major defense system or subsystem, unless the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and the Secretary of Defense take certain action. Provides that monetary limitations on the purchase price of passenger motor vehicles shall not apply to vehicles purchased for certain intelligence activities. Earmarks specified funds for the construction of classified military projects within the continental United States. Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for the procurement of welded shipboard anchor and mooring changes manufactured outside the United States. Authorizes DOD to transfer prior-year unobligated balances to the operations and maintenance appropriations of the reserve components in order to provide military technician and DOD medical personnel pay and medical programs the same exemption from the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act as is currently granted to other military personnel accounts, with specified exceptions. Prohibits any funds available to the Department of the Navy from being used to enter into any contract for the overhaul, repair, or maintenance of any naval vessel on the west coast which includes interport differential charges as a factor for the award of such contract. Prohibits funds appropriated by this Act for CHAMPUS programs from being used to reimburse any health care provider for inpatient mental health services in excess of specified periods (depending on one's age), or for care received when a patient is referred to a provider of such care by a medical or health care professional having an economic interest in the facility to which the patient is referred, with specified exceptions. Requires the designs of specified military aircraft to incorporate certain standard avionics specifications by no later than 1998. Provides for the accounting treatment of expenses incurred by the United States in monitoring Soviet implementation of the INF Treaty. Reduces the total amount appropriated to DOD by this Act to reflect savings resulting from the decreased use of consulting services by DOD. Provides funds from this Act for transportation to annual meeting in the United States. of individuals who have been prisoners of war or missing in action from the Vietnam era. Requires limited funds to be available to the Air Force to execute the cleanup of uncontrolled hazardous waste contamination affecting a sale parcel of land at Hamilton Air Force Base, California. Provides for the return of deposit if the purchaser of such parcel exercises the option to withdraw from its sale. Provides reimbursement to the Air Force after a sale is completed for cleanup expenditures in excess of a specified amount. Prohibits funds available to the Department of the Navy from being used to implement certain automated data processing or information technology facility consolidation plans or to make reductions or transfers of personnel in connection with such plans until a congressional notification requirement has been met by the Secretary. Prohibits funds from this Act from being obligated or expended to prepare, or to assist any defense contractor in preparing, any material with respect to economic or employment impact in a State of an acquisition program for which all research, development, testing and evaluation has not been completed. Prohibits funds appropriated by this Act from being available for a contract for studies, analyses, or consulting services entered into without competition on the basis of an unsolicited proposal unless the head of the activity responsible for the procurement makes certain determinations with respect to such contract. Prohibits the use of DOD funds under this Act to dispose of specified unserviceable M1 rifles and carbines. Prohibits this Act's funds from being used to pay more than 50 percent of a lump-sum reenlistment bonus. Prohibits this Act's funds from being used to assign a supervisor's title or grade when the number of people he or she supervises is considered as a basis for such determination. Prohibits funds appropriated in this Act for the CHAMPUS program from being used for the payment of certain deductible charges required for medical care authorized for spouses and children of members of the armed forces on active duty for 30 days or more and received on an outpatient basis after April 1, 1991, with specified exceptions and limitations. Prohibits Navy funds appropriated by this or any other Act from being used to carry out an electromagnetic pulse program in the Chesapeake Bay area in connection with the Electromagnetic Pulse Radiation Environment Simulator for Ships (EMPRESS) program until the Secretary has made certain certifications to the Congress concerning the importance of such program. Limits the funds available for a health care demonstration project regarding chiropractic care required by the Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1985. Prohibits this Act's funds from being used to pay health care providers under CHAMPUS for services determined to be not medically or psychologically necessary. Requires sums for FY 1992 pay raises for programs funded by this Act to be absorbed within the levels appropriated in this Act. Prohibits funds available in this Act from being used for: (1) payments under a DOD contract with the Louisiana State University Medical Center involving the use of cats for wound research; or (2) conducting bone trauma research at the Letterman Army Institute of Research until the Secretary of the Army makes certain certifications. Requires the Secretary to include in any base closure and realignment plan submitted to the Congress a complete review for FY 1991 through 1995, which includes specified information relating to force structures and cost savings after such closure or realignment. Prohibits funds appropriated by this Act from being used to reduce the FY 1992 two and a half or five-ton truck maintenance workload at letterkenny Army Depot as a result of the consolidation of truck maintenance activities or an increase of such maintenance at any other depot. Prohibits funds from being used to transfer towed and self-propelled artillery maintenance from such Depot. Limits the amount of funds to be used for any single relocation of an organization, unit, activity, or function of DOD into or within the National Capital Region. Provides for the waiver of such limitation in certain cases. Prohibits this Act's funds from being used for: (1) producing more than two-thirds of the liquid gas requirements in-house at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam; (2) reducing the end strength and force structure of DOD reserve components below the levels funded in this Act; or (3) reducing or disestablishing the operation of reserve units below those in existence on April 15, 1991. Allows appropriated funds to be used for the pay, allowances, and benefits of Federal or District of Columbia employees who are members of the reserve or National Guard, who perform Federal or military service to enforce the law or provide assistance to civil authorities in the protection or saving of life or property, and who request and are granted leave. Prohibits funds appropriated by this Act from being used to: (1) initiate or continue any cost study pursuant to Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76; or (2) begin closing a military treatment facility unless the Secretary notifies the appropriations committees. Prohibits funds appropriated by this Act for the American Forces Information Service from being used for any national or international political or psychological activities. Prohibits this Act's funds from being used for the recruitment or enrollment of new students at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences for any class commencing after September 30, 1991. Requires all DOD software to be written in the programming language Ada after June 1, 1991, in the absence of a special exemption. Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to adjust the wage rates of certain civilian employees hired for certain health care occupations as authorized for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the direct care of veterans in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Prohibits funds available to DOD from being used for the training or utilization of psychologists in the prescription of drugs, except upon the findings and recommendations of a specified Army Blue Ribbon Panel. Prohibits funds appropriated by this Act from being used for reducing the military and civilian work force at any military medical facility or medical support facility below the level maintained or authorized for FY 1990. Rescinds specified funds as provided in DOD appropriation Acts. Amends the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 1991 to terminate the National Commission on Defense and National Security 30 days after submission of its final report. Removes the requirement that such Commission submit five annual reports, instead requiring only an initial and final report. Authorizes the Chairman of the Commission to obtain necessary information from Federal departments or agencies. Earmarks funds made available in this Act for the Civil Air Patrol. Prohibits funds appropriated or made available in this Act from being used to reduce or disestablish the operation of the 815th Tactical Airlift Squadron of the Air Force Reserve if such action would reduce the WC-130 weather reconnaisance mission below the levels funded in this Act. Earmarks DOD operation and maintenance funds made available in this Act for transporting beef for resale in DOD commissaries in foreign countries. Requires, in the use of funds for the procurement of supplies or services appropriated by this Act, that qualified nonprofit agencies for the blind or other severly handicapped be afforded the maximum opportunity to participate as subcontractors and suppliers in the performance of DOD contracts. Earmarks specified funds for the National Drug Intelligence Center. Provides that certain numerical restrictions on the number of flag or general officers serving on active duty shall not apply in the case of such officers serving as full-time practicing physicians. Authorizes any CHAMPUS medical provider to voluntarily waive the patient copayment required for medical services provided to dependents of active-duty personnel from August 2, 1990, until the return of the troops from the Persian Gulf theater, as long as the Government's share of such services is not increased during such period. Limits the sources of funding for the Mitchell Field Health Care Facility in New York. Authorizes the Navy, during FY 1992, to provide notice to exercise options under the LEASAT program for the next fiscal year. Establishes the Foreign National Employees Separation Pay Account, Defense, to provide separation pay to foreign national employees of DOD. Places certain spending limitations on intelligence program funds which are transferred from DOD to another Federal agency for execution. Earmarks specified Navy R&D funds for the V-22 aircraft program. Specifies the manner in which prior-year appropriations for the V-22 program shall be expended. Directs the Secretary to provide the Congress with the total funding plan and schedule to complete the Phase II V-22 full-scale engineering development program. Provides that, during FY 1992, third party payments for health care provided in a military medical facility shall be available for the use of such facility and shall be over and above its direct budget amount. Directs the Secretary to transfer specified funds within DOD accounts. Authorizes the President, during FY 1992 through 1994, to acquire not less than 50,000 kilograms of germanium from current domestic sources to be held in the National Defense Stockpile. Prohibits funds appropriated in this Act from being used to: (1) procure a Multibeam Sonar Mapping System not manufactured in the United States; (2) implement more than 15 catchment area management demonstration sites; or (3) fill the commander's position at any military medical facility with a medical doctor unless such person is a trained professional administrator. Earmarks specified funds to CHAMPUS for the payment of expenses of former members of the armed forces who are 100 percent disabled as well as their dependents notwithstanding their coverage for health insurance benefits under Parts A and B of Title XVII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act. Authorizes certain prior-year funds to be used for the purchase of passenger motor vehicles. Authorizes the Secretary, during FY 1992, to accept burdensharing contributions from the Republic of Korea for the cost of local national employees, supplies, and services of DOD. Exempts the Coast Guard from the assessment of surcharges against stock and industrial fund customers with respect to transactions between the stock and industrial funds of the Coast Guard and DOD. Repeals a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991 which requires a 20 percent reduction in the defense acquisition workforce by the end of FY 1995. Prohibits during FY 1992 the incurring of obligations against DOD stock funds in excess of 90 percent of sales from such funds during such fiscal year. Prohibits funds appropriated in this Act from being used for: (1) the compensation of military and civilian personnel assigned to specified naval systems and engineering commands in excess of 75 percent of the number assigned to such commands as of the end of FY 1991; and (2) reducing or disestablishing the operation of the P-3 squadrons of the Navy Reserve below the levels funded in this Act. Directs the Secretary of the Navy to obligate and expend funds appropriated during FY 1991 and 1992 for the modernization of P-3B aircraft of the Navy Reserve. Prohibits funds made available to the Army for FY 1990 through 1992 for C-23 aircraft which remain available for obligation from being used except to maintain commonality with C-23 Sherpa aircraft already in the Army National Guard. Prohibits funds appropriated in this Act from being used for: (1) any contract or grant with a university or other institution of higher learning unless such contract undergoes certain audit procedures and the institution responds fully to all requests for financial information; (2) costs associated with a federally funded research and development center if a member of the Board of Directors of such center simultaneously serves on the Board of Directors of a company under contract to DOD; (3) paying the salaries of more than four senior executives within the Navy Comptroller organization, or for compensation to such individuals at more than a specified rate; (4) paying the salaries of debarment/suspension officials unless such officials are assigned to a consolidated office of debarment and suspension within the Office of the Inspector General; and (5) procuring for use in any Government-owned facility or property under DOD control carbon, alloy, or armor steel plate which were not melted and rolled in the United States or Canada. Provides for the (waiver of such rule on a case-by-case basis). Repeals a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991 which authorizes the Secretary of the Army to lease aircraft for helicopter pilot training and to determine if such leasing arrangement is more cost-effective than operating and maintaining Army aircraft for such purpose. Makes funds appropriated under such Act available during FY 1992 to establish an Executive Committee under the auspices of the Critical Technologies Institute. Makes the Secretaries of Defense and Commerce co-chairmen of the Committee. Requires the Committee to prepare and deliver to specified congressional committees: (1) a listing of those products determined to be a critical technology; (2) summaries of general economic conditions of domestic industries producing a product used in a critical technology, as well as current and prospective trends in such industries; (3) reviews of domestic and foreign policies, programs, and activities affecting the economic health of domestic industries using or producing critical technologies; and (4) appropriate recommendations regarding future actions to minimize adverse effects of policies, programs, and activities of domestic and foreign industries on critical technologies. Prohibits any funds available to the Secretary from being used to purchase bridge or machinery control systems or interior communications equipment for the Sealift Program, unless certain Buy American requirements are met with respect to such systems or equipment. Authorizes the waiver of such requirements on a case-by-case basis. Transfers specified operation and maintenance funds to the Radiation Exposure Compensation Trust Fund established under prior law to be available for the Fund's purposes. Earmarks specified funds for a grant to the Naval Undersea Museum Foundation for the completion of an undersea museum at Keyport, Washington. Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for: (1) procuring SQQ-89 systems which do not have the enhanced modular signal processor; (2) procuring vessels which were constructed in foreign shipyards; (3) the Army's acquisition of four-ton dolly jacks if such equipment is or would be manufactured outside the United States; or (4) implementing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Reorganization Study until the reorganization proposed is specifically authorized by law after the enactment of this Act. Authorizes the Secretary to acquire the modification, depot maintenance, and repair of aircraft, vehicles and vessels, as well as the production of components and other defense-related articles, through competition between DOD depot maintenance activities and private firms. Prohibits funds appropriated by this Act from being used to implement provisions of the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 (providing for the establishment of chief financial officers to oversee the financial management of the Federal Government). Requires funds appropriated by this Act to be made available for the Overseas Workload Program. Allows a contract awarded to a firm under such Program during FY 1992 to be performed in the country where the equipment or firm is located. Requires the Secretary to report to the appropriations committees on the nature of the maintenance, repair, and overhaul work of DOD performed under the Program. States that, for purposes of this provision, Israel shall be considered to be in the European Theater in every respect, with its firms fully eligible for non-restrictive, non-discriminatory competition under the Program. Directs the Secretary to work with Israel to identify new specialized capabilities in depot maintenance and repair for which it is uniquely suited. Prohibits FY 1992 funds under the Program from being used for contracts awarded during such fiscal year unless such contracts have been awarded under open competition conditions as described under these provisions. Entitles a member of the armed forces on duty at a foreign station (as well as any dependents of such member) to the provision of any reproductive health service in a military medical facility of the United States serving that duty station in the same manner as any other type of medical care. Requires the member to pay the full cost of such services in the case of any such reproductive health service for which appropriated funds may not be used.
Bill· HRH.R. 2531 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 1991
Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to revise and retitle title XI as Urban Community Service. Establishes an Urban Community Service program to provide incentives to urban institutions (including academic, private, and civic bodies) to work together to devise and implement solutions to the most pressing and severe problems in their communities. Requires applications for such urban community service program grants to contain a plan agreed to by the members of a consortium that includes a public or private four-year institution of higher education (and, where possible and appropriate, a community college) in partnership with an urban school system, a local government, a private business, or a nonprofit institution. Allows the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to waive this consortium requirement for applicants with an appropriate integrated and coordinated plan. Gives priority to applications that: (1) include plans agreed to by a consortium of several members of the specified categories; and (2) propose to conduct joint projects supported by other local, State, and Federal programs. Requires grant funds to be used for planning, applied research, training, resource exchanges, technology transfers, delivery of services, or other activities to design and implement programs to assist urban communities to meet and address their most pressing problems. Includes the following problem areas among those for which such activities are authorized: (1) urban poverty and its alleviation; (2) health care including delivery and access; (3) under-performing school systems and students; (4) problems faced by the elderly in urban settings; (5) crime prevention and alternative interventions; (6) urban housing; (7) urban infrastructure; (8) economic development; and (9) other problem areas which the participants agree are of high priority for that urban area. Establishes an Urban College, University, and School Partnerships program to encourage partnerships of urban institutions of higher education (or consortia of such institutions) and secondary schools and school systems serving low-income and disadvantaged urban students to support programs to improve school retention and graduation rates, student academic skills, opportunities to continue education beyond high school, and prospects for productive employment. Requires an urban institution of higher education (or consortium), to be eligible for such a university-school partnership grant, to enter a written partnership agreement with a local education agency (LEA). Allows such partnership to include businesses, labor organizations, professional associations, community-based organizations, or other public or private agencies or organizations. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to university-school partnerships to support the authorized program activities. Requires that grant preference be given to: (1) programs to serve predominantly low-income neighborhoods; (2) partnerships to run programs during the regular school year and during the summer; and (3) programs to serve educationally disadvantaged students, potential dropouts, pregnant adolescents, and teen-aged parents. Requires maintenance of fiscal effort by LEAs participating in such partnership agreements. Requires such grant applications to assure: (1) establishment of a partnership governing body including one representative from each participant; (2) a gradually declining specified Federal share of project costs; and (3) use of such Federal grant funds to supplement and not supplant non-Federal funds. Provides for: (1) peer review panels for title XI grant applications; and (2) multiyear disbursement of Urban Community Service program grant funds, under specified conditions. Authorizes appropriations.
Bill· HRH.R. 2523 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 1991
American Competitiveness Act - Title I: Tax Provisions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish a method of computing the credit for increasing research activities based on aggregate research expenses, as an alternative to the method based on qualified research expenses. Establishes a variable capital gains deduction whose formulas on a sliding scale range from 50 percent for assets held for two years up to 100 percent for assets held for five years. Allows a deduction of 50 percent of the capital gain from stock investments by non-corporate taxpayers in start-up companies where initial stock offerings are held for two years. Allows such deduction in addition to the variable capital gains deduction. Requires indexing, based on the gross national product deflator, of the adjusted basis of certain assets (corporate stock and tangle property that is a capital asset of property used in a trade or business) that have been held for more than one year at the time of sale or other disposition, solely for the purpose of determining gain or loss. Permits an income tax deduction in the amount of dividends paid by domestic corporations, except S corporations, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, and personal holding companies. Repeals the income tax deductions currently permitted in connection with: (1) dividends received by a corporation; (2) dividends received by a corporation on the preferred stock of a public utility; and (3) dividends paid by a public utility on its preferred stock. Increases the deductible percentage of amounts received by a corporation from a qualified ten-percent owned foreign corporation. Allows a charitable deduction for corporate contributions of employee volunteer services to an educational organization. Title II: Trade Provisions - Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to prescribe conditions under which the U.S. International Trade Commission must temporarily exclude from entry into the United States patent, copyright, trademark, or mask work articles which it is investigating for alleged infringement and unfair import trade practices. Title III: Labor Provisions - Amends the National Labor Relations Act to allow the formation or operation of quality circles or joint production teams composed of labor and management, with or without the participation of representatives of labor organizations. Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to allow pension plan fiduciaries to reject tender offers for stock at prices greater than the market price.
Bill· HRH.R. 2530 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 1991
National Health Care and Cost Containment Act - Title I: Federal Contributions and Payments - Requires an annual Federal payment comprising payments under the Medicare and Medicaid programs (titles XVIII and XIX respectively of the Social Security Act) and a payment in the form of a block grant to States which have been certified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services as having established a universal, comprehensive health plan which meets the terms and conditions set forth in title II of this Act. Title II: State Health Care Insurance Plans - Outlines criteria concerning administration, comprehensiveness, universality, portability, and accessibility that the State's health care insurance plan must satisfy in order to receive the Federal payment under title I of this Act. Title III: Budget-Neutral Financing of the Federal Block Grant - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a surtax, on both the regular income tax and the minimum tax, to replace revenues used for block grants under this Act. Creates in the Treasury the National Health Care Block Grant Trust Fund to finance the block grants made available under title I of this Act.
Bill· HRH.R. 2533 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 1991
Presidential Election Campaign Fund Protection Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase from $1 to $3, and from $2 to $6, respectively, the Presidential Election Campaign Fund income tax checkoff amounts for single and joint returns. Provides for an inflation adjustment in such amounts in calendar years after 1992. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to make specified expenditures from the Fund only if sufficient amounts are available. Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to repeal the limitation on expenditures in a single State by certain Presidential election candidates who accept amounts from the Presidential primary matching payment account. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the Secretary to take into account the amounts estimated to be transferred to the Fund during the calendar year of the election before determining whether to make pro rata reductions in such payments. Increases from $5,000 to $12,500 the contribution threshold for eligibility for payments from the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account. Declares that candidates with felony convictions relating to presidential election campaign financing are ineligible for further financing.
Bill· HRH.R. 2532 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 1991
Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to the tax treatment of S corporations (small business corporations) and their shareholders to make certain rules regarding qualified subchapter S trusts inapplicable where the income beneficiary is a family member or spouse of a family member.
Bill· HRH.R. 2528 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 1991
Older Americans Long-Term Care Insurance Act of 1991 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require that, for the purpose of determining the income tax liability of issuers of qualified long-term insurance, the contracts be treated as accident or health insurance. Applies this provision to policies covering at least 12 consecutive months of necessary diagnostic, preventive, therapeutic, rehabilitative, or personal care services that are provided in a setting other than an acute care unit of a hospital. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) submit to the Congress before 1993 a study on long-term insurance policies; and (2) report annually to the Congress regarding the certification of qualified long-term care insurance. Treats qualified long-term care insurance as accident or health insurance and its benefits as benefits for personal injuries or sickness for purposes of determining appropriate tax exclusions for employer contributions or employee benefits. Permits qualified long-term care insurance to be offered in cafeteria plans. Excludes from gross income: (1) distributions or payments from individual retirement plans that are used during the year to pay the premiums for qualified long-term care coverage of individuals aged 59 1/2 or older; and (2) amounts received upon surrender, cancellation, or exchange of a life insurance contract and used during the year to pay the premiums for qualified long-term care insurance. Provides that payments under a life insurance contract to an individual who is terminally ill or permanently confined to a nursing home shall be treated as death benefits, making such payments eligible for exclusion from gross income. Requires any reference to a life insurance contract to be treated as including a reference to a qualified accelerated death benefit rider on such contract. Describes such a rider as one which provides for payments to a terminally ill individual or one who is permanently confined to a nursing home.
Bill· HRH.R. 2527 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 1991
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to grant tax-exempt status to health insurance organizations that meet specified criteria, including that the organization provide continuous open enrollment for individuals and small groups. Declares that an existing organization meets the requirement that ten-percent of its coverage is provided to individuals and small groups if: (1) 50 percent of its health insurance is provided to Federal, State, and local government employees; and (2) the organization publicizes and promotes by widely accessible means the availability of health insurance to individuals and small groups. Modifies treatment of Blue Cross and Blue Shield organizations with respect to reorganizations and premium stabilization reserves. Repeals the current income tax deduction available to such organizations.
Bill· HJRESH.J.Res. 265 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 1991
Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits fiscal year expenditures from exceeding receipts, unless the Congress approves a specific excess by three-fifths rollcall vote in each House. Authorizes the Congress to waive such prohibition when a declaration of war is in effect.
Bill· HRH.R. 2507 (102nd)open
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 1991
National Institutes of Health Revitalization Amendments of 1991 - Title I: General Provisions Regarding Title IV of Public Health Service Act - Subtitle A: Research Freedom - Part I: Review of Proposals for Biomedical and Behavioral Research - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require review and approval, by an Institutional Review Board, a peer review group, or other entity, before the Secretary of Health and Human Services may approve research or fund applications. Prohibits the Secretary from withholding funding, on ethical grounds, from research which has been so approved unless an ethics advisory board recommends withholding. Part II: Research on Transplantation of Fetal Tissue - Allows the Secretary to conduct or support research on the transplantation of human fetal tissue for therapeutic purposes, regardless of whether the tissue is obtained from a spontaneous abortion, an induced abortion, or a stillbirth, in accordance with State and local law. Establishes criminal penalties for knowingly acquiring, receiving, or otherwise transferring any human fetal tissue for valuable consideration. Excludes from the term "valuable consideration" reasonable payments associated with the transportation, implantation, processing, preservation, quality control, or storage of human fetal tissue. Prohibits any official of the executive branch from imposing a policy that prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from conducting or supporting any research on the transplantation of human fetal tissue for therapeutic purposes. Prohibits the Secretary from withholding funds for research which meets requirements of this subtitle. Deems a specified report of the Human Fetal Tissue Transplantation Research Panel to: (1) be issued by an ethics advisory board under provisions of this subtitle; and (2) find that there are no ethical grounds for withholding funds for research on transplantation of human fetal tissue for therapeutic purposes. Part III: Technical and Conforming Amendments - Removes provisions requiring a study of the nature, advisability, and biomedical and ethical implications of exercising any waiver of a specified risk standard relating to fetal research. Subtitle B: Clinical Research Equity Regarding Women and Minorities - Part I: Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research - Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Administrator of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA) in conducting and supporting research, to ensure that: (1) women and minorities are included as subjects in each project; and (2) research is conducted so as to provide for a valid analysis of whether the variables being tested affect women or minorities differently than other research subjects. Requires technical and scientific peer review to include an evaluation of compliance with these requirements. Part II: Offices of Research on Women's Health - Establishes within each of the Office of the Director of NIH and the Office of the ADAMHA Administrator an Office of Research on Women's Health to identify projects of women's health (and, for ADAMHA, mental health) research and promote sufficient resource allocation for the conduct or support of the projects by NIH and ADAMHA. Requires the Directors of each Office to establish a Coordinating Committee on Research on Women's Health and an Advisory Committee on Research on Women's Health. Includes in the Coordinating Committee's duties determining the extent women are represented among senior physicians and scientists of NIH and ADAMHA and among physicians and scientists conducting research with NIH or ADAMHA funding and carrying out activities to increase such representation. Requires the Director of NIH to: (1) establish a single data system regarding research on women's health conducted or supported by NIH or ADAMHA; and (2) establish and operate a program to provide information on research and prevention activities of NIH and ADAMHA relating to research on women's health (and, for ADAMHA, mental health) and gender differences. Mandates a biennial report by each Director with specified contents, including analyzing the professional status of women physicians and scientists at NIH and ADAMHA and identifying advancement barriers. Directs the Secretary: (1) through the Directors of the Offices of Research on Women's Health, to contract for a study of how research on women's health can be facilitated by the NIH Director and the ADAMHA Administrator; and (2) to request the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences to enter into the contract. Subtitle C: Scientific Integrity - Amends provisions relating to scientific fraud or scientific misconduct to establish within the Office of the Director of NIH the Office on Scientific Integrity. Provides for termination and recovery of financial assistance, provided for certain biomedical or behavioral research, if there is retaliation against a scientific misconduct whistleblower. Prohibits grants to or cooperative agreements or contracts with entities that fail to follow procedures to prevent or respond to such retaliation. Directs the Secretary, with regard to any entity receiving assistance for research to evaluate the safety or effectiveness of a drug, medical device, or treatment, to establish criteria for preventing or responding to any financial interests which will or may create a conflict of interest. Requires the criteria to be uniformly applicable to each entity. Allows individual variation in implementation. Prohibits allowing each entity to develop individual criteria. Allows the Secretary, where such a conflict of interest exists, to take certain actions, including disapproving an application, terminating assistance, and recovering assistance obligated while the conflict exists. Directs the Secretary to require the entity to disclose the conflict in each public presentation of the research results. Prohibits the Secretary, in fiscal years after regulations establishing the criteria are issued, from making a grant, cooperative agreement, or contract for biomedical or behavioral research unless the entity seeking assistance agrees to be subject to the regulations. Mandates a study by the Comptroller General on the extent to which the activities of the Director of the Office of Scientific Integrity have been effective in investigating and preventing scientific fraud and other misconduct. Directs the Secretary, through the National Library of medicine, to develop guidelines for use by scientific and medical journals to protect against publication of manuscripts involving scientific misconduct. Subtitle D: Indirect Costs - Allows the Secretary, in providing financial assistance through NIH for a research project, to authorize an entity to make expenditures from the assistance for administrative and nonadministrative indirect costs. Limits indirect cost expenditures to a percentage of direct costs. Requires a separate approval for certain building and equipment expenditures. Requires the NIH Director to establish a program of supporting biomedical or behavioral research projects whose principal researchers have not previously been principal researchers in such projects supported by the Director. Title II: Protection of Health Facilities - Prohibits stealing or otherwise converting personal property or damaging real property of a health facility assisted under the Public Health Service Act, or deterring, through physical restraint, any individual from entering or exiting the facility. Includes in the prohibitions various acts interfering with the use of animals for research. Provides for fines, imprisonment, restitution, and private civil actions. Title III: National Institutes of Health in General - Directs the Secretary to establish in the Office of the Director of NIH the Advisory Committee on Health Sciences to periodically review the missions of each of the agencies of NIH for the purpose of advising the NIH Director, the Secretary, and the Congress on any modifications in the organizational structure of NIH. Requires the approval of the Committee in order for the Secretary to establish, reorganize, or abolish a national research institute. Mandates preparation and implementation of a plan, regarding biomedical research and experimentation conducted or supported by NIH, for methods that: (1) do not require the use of animals; (2) reduce the number of animals used; and (3) produce less pain and distress in animals. Requires measures to encourage acceptance and training in such methods. Establishes the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Use of Animals in Research. Repeals similar provisions, relating to a plan on animal research and a coordinating committee, of the Health Research Extension Act of 1985. Removes provisions of the Public Health Service Act allowing members of advisory councils to serve after the expiration of their terms until successors have taken office. Title IV: General Provisions Respecting National Research Institutes - Requires that the Secretary, through the director of each of the national research institutes, receive directly all funds appropriated for the institute. Removes provisions allowing the Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to directly receive NCI funds. Excludes peer review groups under specified provisions from the application of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Requires the Director of NIH to: (1) carry out a program to expand and intensify research on osteoporosis, Paget's disease, and related bone disorders in addition to research authorized under other Federal law; (2) establish the Advisory Board on Osteoporosis, Paget's Disease, and Related Bone Disorders; and (3) enter into a grant, cooperative agreement, or contract to establish an information clearinghouse on osteoporosis and related bone disorders. Authorizes appropriations. Title V: National Cancer Institute - Authorizes appropriations for the National Cancer Institute. Title VI: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - Authorizes the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to conduct programs of training and education, including continuing education and laboratory and clinical research training. Title VII: National Institute on Aging - Transfers provisions of the Health Research Extension Act of 1985 establishing an Alzheimer's disease registry to provisions of the Public Health Service Act relating to the National Institute on Aging (NIA). Transfers provisions of the Health Research Extension Act of 1985 establishing an Alzheimer's disease registry to provisions of the Public Health Service Act relating to the National Institute on Aging (NIA). Authorizes appropriations for the NIA. Title VIII: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - Authorizes the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to make grants or enter into contracts for the development and operation of centers to conduct basic and clinical research on chronic fatigue syndrome. Title IX: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - Subtitle A: Research Centers With Respect to Contraception and Research Centers With Respect to Infertility - Requires the Director of the NICHHD to make grants and enter into contracts for the development and operation of centers to conduct contraception research and centers to conduct infertility research. Directs the Secretary to establish a program of educational loan repayments for health professionals who agree to conduct research on contraception or on infertility. Subtitle B: Program Regarding Obstetrics and Gynecology - Requires the Director of the NICHHD to establish and maintain an intramural laboratory and clinical research program in obstetrics and gynecology. Subtitle C: Child Health Research Centers - Requires the Director of the NICHHD to develop and support centers for conducting research on child health, giving priority to clinical applications of basic research findings. Title X: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - Requires the Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to conduct and support research on multiple sclerosis. Title XI: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences - Establishes in the National Institute of Environmental Health Science the Applied Toxicological Research and Testing Program. Title XII: National Library of Medicine - Subtitle A: General Provisions - Adds to the list of functions of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) that of publicizing NLM products and services and promoting the use of computers and telecommunications by health professionals. Authorizes appropriations to carry out provisions relating to: (1) the NLM and to other medical libraries, including regional medical libraries; (2) training in medical library sciences; and (3) biomedical publications. Subtitle B: Financial Assistance - Directs the Secretary to make grants for research on, and development and demonstration of, new education technologies. Subtitle C: National Center for Biotechnology Information - Authorizes appropriations for the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Subtitle D: National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology - Establishes in the NLM the National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology. Removes similar provisions from provisions relating to the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. Title XIII: Other Agencies of National Institutes of Health - Subtitle A: Division of Research Resources - Redesignates the Division of Research Resources as the National Center for Research Resources. Authorizes the Director of NIH to reserve up to a specified sum to improve regional centers for research on primates. Subtitle B: National Center for Human Genome Research - Adds the National Center for Human Genome Research to the list of agencies of NIH. Declares that the purpose of the Center is to characterize the structure and function of the human genome, including the mapping and sequencing of individual genes. Requires the Director of the Center to make available a minimum percentage of funds for carrying out provisions relating to ethical issues associated with the genome project. Title XIV: Awards and Training - Subtitle A: National Research Service Awards - Directs the Secretary to make grants for comprehensive programs to recruit women and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds into fields of biomedical or behavioral research and to provide research training to women and such individuals. Authorizes appropriations for payments and grants under National Research Service Awards. Subtitle B: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome - Allows the Secretary, under a loan repayment program for research with respect to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) established by existing provisions, to enter into a repayment agreement with a health professional who agrees to conduct AIDS research at NIH for at least three years, provided other conditions are met. Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Commissioner of Food and Drugs to carry out for the Food and Drug Administration a similar loan repayment program with respect to the review of applications concerning AIDS that are submitted to the Commissioner. Subtitle C: Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs Regarding Professional Skills Needed by Certain Agencies - Directs the Secretary, through the Director of NIH and the Administrator of ADAMHA, to establish programs of scholarships for undergraduate education for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who are underrepresented in professions needed by NIH and ADAMHA in return for the scholarship recipients agreeing to serve as an employee of NIH or ADAMHA for a prescribed period. Requires that the Director and the Administrator: (1) carry out activities to facilitate the interest of the individuals in pursuing careers as employees of NIH and ADAMHA; and (2) approve the academic program of each individual. Directs the Secretary, through the Director and the Administrator, to establish programs of repaying educational loans for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who have a substantial amount of education loans relative to income in return for the repayment recipients agreeing to conduct clinical research as employees of NIH or ADAMHA. Limits the NIH scholarship and loan programs to an aggregate of 40 contracts and the ADAMHA programs to an aggregate of 10 contracts. Title XV: Research with Respect to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome - Modifies the duties of the AIDS Clinical Research Review Committee, including requiring the Committee to give advice to other agencies of NIH as well as to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). States that the requirement that the clinical evaluation units at the National Cancer Institute and NIAID conduct evaluations of treatments for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) includes evaluations of treatments for opportunistic cancers and infectious diseases. Authorizes appropriations for model protocols for the clinical care of individuals infected with the etiologic agent for AIDS. Requires the Director of NIH to develop and implement a comprehensive plan for the conduct and support of AIDS research by NIH agencies. Title XVI: Miscellaneous Provisions - Directs the Secretary to report to specified congressional committees on the appropriateness and impact of NIH assuming responsibility for all Federal research, development, testing, and evaluation functions relating to the medical aspects of biological agents in the development of defenses against biological warfare. Renames the Senior Biomedical Research Service as the Silvio Conte Senior Biomedical Research Service. Increases the maximum number of members of the Service. Declares that the authority regarding the number of members in the Service is in addition to the numbers authorized for the Regular Corps, the Reserve Corps, and the Senior Executive Service. Renames the AIDS clinical Research Review Committee as the AIDS Research Advisory Committee. Title XVII: Effective Date - Sets forth the effective date of this Act.
Bill· HRH.R. 2512 (102nd)open
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 1991
Customs Informed Compliance and Automation Act of 1991 - Title I: Improvements in Customs Enforcement - Amends Federal Law with respect to administrative rulemaking and procedure with respect to U.S. customs laws. Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 (the Act), with respect to unlawful acts, to cover forged, altered, false documents papers or manifests in electronic or other form as well as written. Permits the master of a vessel, person in charge of a vehicle, or aircraft pilot, in order to avoid a civil penalty and seizure and forfeiture of merchandise imported into the United States, to comply with reporting requirements by electronic or other means as well as written. Provides for: (1) accreditation of private testing laboratories; (2) regulatory audit procedures; and (3) avoidance of protest and protest review denials. Repeals a provision of the Act relating to the reliquidation of merchandise where there is probable cause it is fraudulently imported into the United States. Prohibits any person through fraud, gross negligence, or negligence from importing merchandise by means of electronically transmitted data or information which is material and false. Provides as an exception to such prohibition inadvertences which result from electronic transmissions unless they are part of a pattern of negligent conduct. Defines "clerical errors" or "mistakes of fact" to include nonintentional entry of merchandise otherwise then in accordance with a binding ruling of the Customs Service to the person making entry. Declares that mere repetition of such clerical errors, mistakes of fact or other inadvertences throughout an import activity summary statement, other electronic transmissions or in connection with other entries, shall not constitute a pattern of negligent conduct. Defines fraud, gross negligence, and negligence with respect to customs violations. Exempts from certain forfeiture and seizure sanctions for unlawful importation, instances in which article owners are liable for penalties for the falsity or lack of manifests, or for unlading duties. Authorizes the: (1) seizure or forfeiture of prohibited merchandise (currently, any merchandise) that is imported or attempted to be imported into the United States contrary to law; and (2) denial of entry of restricted merchandise imported or attempted to be imported into the United States contrary to law (except that any such merchandise imported by fraud, gross negligence, or negligence may be seized and forfeited). Defines "prohibited merchandise" and "restricted merchandise." Provides for a five year statute of limitations on actions to recover duties accruing under the customs laws. Sets forth certain publishing requirements with respect to: (1) the promulgation and modification of interpretive rulings or decisions; (2) decisions limiting the application of a court decision; and (3) public information necessary for importers and exporters to comply with the customs laws. Title II: National Customs Automation Program - National Customs Automation Act - Subtitle A: General Program Provisions - Establishes the National Customs Automation Program for the modernization of customs laws, regulations, and procedures to permit the transmission, on a periodic basis, by electronic and other means, of information and payments associated with the entry and release of merchandise into the United States. Requires the Customs Service to implement the Program within one year of enactment of this Act and to report to the Congress within one year of such implementation. Makes participation of importers in the Program optional. Requires the Customs Service to apply all regulations and rulings with regard to the Program in a manner which is consistent and nonintrusive upon the normal flow of business activity. Subtitle B: Amendments to Implement Program - Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to revise the method for determining the effective date with respect to the imposition of duties on imported merchandise. Provide for electronic data transmission relating to: (1) merchandise manifests; (2) imported merchandise invoices; (3) entry and release of imported merchandise; (4) admissibility in administrative and judicial proceedings of electronically transmitted information; (5) the payment of duties; (6) administrative recordkeeping; (7) protests of Customs Service decisions; (8) refunds and errors; and (9) customhouse brokers. Repeals specified provisions of the Act relating to: (1) production of bills of lading; (2) certification by owner of carrier; (3) acceptance of duplicate bills of lading; and (4) release of merchandise. Requires the Customs Service to complete, within one year of enactment of this Act, implementation of the National Customs Automation Program. Declares that the documentation or information required with respect to imported merchandise shall be filed with the Customs Service: (1) in advance of the arrival of such merchandise, or (as currently) at the time of entry or within ten working days after entry; and (2) periodically, with the approval of the Commissioner of Customs, by transmitting a monthly activity report within ten working days after entry; and (2) periodically, with the approval of the Commissioner of Customs, by transmitting a monthly activity report within 15 working days following the end of the month in which the entry was made. Requires an import activity summary statement which incorporates such monthly reports to be transmitted thereafter to the Service at specified intervals. Requires the Customs Service to liquidate the entry of merchandise (as under current law) or reconcile an import summary statement. Declares certain limitations on the liquidation of merchandise shall not apply to entries that are subject to an import activity summary statement. Deems any such statement not reconciled within one year from its filing to be reconciled at rates of duty, values, quantities, and amount of duty contained in the statement. Authorizes the Secretary to refund duties whenever it is determined on reconciliation or revision of reconciliation of such statements that more money has been deposited or paid as duties than was required by law. Title III: Miscellaneous Amendments to the Tariff Act of 1930 - Amends the Act to authorize the Secretary to disregard the difference, but not less than $20 (currently ten dollars), between the total estimated duties deposited with respect to imported merchandise and the total amount actually due on such merchandise. Authorizes the Secretary to admit duty-free: (1) gifts from persons in foreign countries to persons in the United States whose value does not exceed $100 (currently, $50), or $200 (currently, $100) in the case of gifts from persons in the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa; (2) articles accompanying persons for personal or household use whose value does not exceed $200 (currently, $25); or (3) articles whose value does not exceed $200 (currently, five dollars) in other cases. Authorizes the Secretary to waive collection of duties due on merchandise that are less than $20, or such greater amount as the Secretary may prescribe. Requires masters of vessels that have visited a hovering vessel or received merchandise while outside the U.S. territorial sea to report their arrival to the nearest customs facility. Provides for the electronic transmission of vessel documentation to the Customs Service. Requires the following vessels to report to the nearest Customs Service facility within 48 hours after arrival to a U.S. port: (1) vessels from a foreign port; (2) foreign vessels from a domestic port; (3) U.S. vessels having bonded or foreign merchandise for which entry has not been made; or (4) vessels which visited a hovering vessel or received merchandise outside the U.S. territorial sea. Permits masters of vessels to make preliminary entry of their vessel with the Customs Service in lieu of or before formal entry is made. Requires U.S. and foreign vessels to obtain clearance from the Customs Service before proceeding from a U.S. port for: (1) a foreign port; (2) another U.S. port (for foreign vessels only), or (for U.S. vessels only) another U.S. port if the vessel has bonded or foreign merchandise for which entry has not been made; or (3) outside the U.S. territorial sea to visit a hovering vessel or to receive merchandise. Exempts from entry and clearance requirements U.S. documented vessels with recreational endorsement or (as under current law) undocumented U.S. pleasure vessels not engaged in trade, except such vessels must comply upon arrival with specified customs reporting requirements and navigation laws and must not have visited any hovering vessel. Prohibits merchandise, passengers, or baggage from being unladen from any vessel required to make entry or vehicle required to report its arrival until such entry or report of arrival is made and a permit for unlading has been issued by the Customs Service. Authorizes the issuance of such permits through electronic data transmission. Requires every importer of record of merchandise to make and file electronically or otherwise a declaration stating whether such merchandise is imported pursuant to a purchase or purchase agreement and that all other required documents are true and correct. Provides for electronic data transmission of entry information to complete any incomplete entry of imported merchandise. Declares entered or unentered merchandise that remains in customs custody for six months, with an extension at the importer's request of up to a year (currently, for merchandise that remains in custody for one year), and in which duties, taxes, fees, storage, and other charges have not been paid, to be unclaimed merchandise which shall be appraised and sold by the Customs Service at public auction. Authorizes the sale of imported gunpowder and other explosive merchandise that if permitted to remain in a bonded warehouse for six months (currently, one year) would depreciate in value to the extent that its sale is insufficient to pay such duties, taxes, fees, storage, and other charges. Authorizes the Customs Service, in lieu of sale, to provide notice to interested parties that, unless, within 30 days of such notice, the subject merchandise is entered or withdrawn for consumption and payment made of all duties, taxes, and fees, transfer and storage charges and other expenses that title to such merchandise shall be deemed to vest in the United States. Authorizes the Secretary to pay to a party that has lost a substantial interest in merchandise by virtue of title vesting in the United States, and can establish that it did not receive a vesting notice, an amount from the Customs Forfeiture Fund equal to what such party would have received if such merchandise had been sold and a proper claim filed. Requires any surplus of the proceeds from the sale of such merchandise to be deposited into the Fund if a claim for such surplus is not filed with the Customs Service. Authorizes the Secretary to prescribe regulations for the declaration and entry of merchandise whose value does not exceed a certain amount, not less than $2,500 (currently not greater than $1,250), and/or when different commercial facilitation and risk considerations that may vary for different classes or kinds of merchandise or different classes of transactions may dictate. Directs the Secretary to promulgate procedures for the issuance of binding classification rulings issued prior to entry of merchandise which obligate the importer whose entry is the subject of such ruling, or his authorized agent, and the Customs Service to enter such merchandise in accordance with such ruling. Authorizes the Secretary to direct any customs officer to: (1) go from one port of entry to another to appraise or classify merchandise imported at any port; and (2) review entries of such merchandise at any other port. Repeals the declaration that no customs duty ruling of the Secretary shall be reversed or modified adversely to the United States except in concurrence with the Attorney General's recommendation or the final decision of certain international bodies. Revises provisions of the Act with respect to allowances made in the estimation and liquidation of duties for imported merchandise that has been abandoned or damaged. Provides for electronic filing of invoiced descriptions and vessel information to the Customs Service with respect to imported fruit or other perishable merchandise that has been condemned at a port of entry. Prohibits a customs officer from being liable to any person: (1) on account of any fees and taxes charged or collected on merchandise; or (2) with respect to the delivery of merchandise released from Customs custody. Makes the Customs Service liable for merchandise lost or damaged while in its custody. Requires the Secretary upon seizure and forfeiture of imported merchandise bearing a counterfeit mark to dispose such merchandise more than 90 days (currently, one year) after such forfeiture. Requires the Customs Service to be reimbursed for the administrative costs and expenses incurred in collecting fees on behalf of other Federal agencies. Authorizes withdrawal of imported merchandise from a warehouse for transfer to a foreign trade zone. Subjects to specified civil penalties the master of a hovering vessel, or a vessel which has received merchandise while outside the U.S. territorial sea who allows merchandise (including sea stores): (1) to be unladen from such vessel before it has come to the proper place to discharge and before such master has received permission to unlade such merchandise; and (2) which is prohibited from being imported, or which consists of spirits, wines, or other alcoholic liquors, to be unladen from such vessel while at sea to be transshipped to another vessel for introduction into the United States. Authorizes the Customs Service to order the destruction or other appropriate disposition of vessels, vehicles, aircraft, merchandise, or baggage that has been seized under the customs laws if it determines that the expense of keeping such items is disportionate to their value (currently applies only to items of less than $1,000 in value).
Bill· HRH.R. 2508 (102nd)failed
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 1991
International Cooperation Act of 1991 - Title I: Economic Assistance - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to revise policy provisions concerning economic assistance. Sets forth the objectives of U.S. development cooperation policy and economic assistance programs as the: (1) promotion of broad based economic growth; (2) improvement of resource management to bring about environmentally and economically sustainable patterns of development; (3) alleviation of poverty through the development of human resources; and (4) promotion of democracy, respect for human rights, and social and economic pluralism. Requires the President to use the authorities of this Act to provide assistance to meet long-term development needs in developing countries. Authorizes the President to provide such assistance to promote specified activities contributing to broad based, sustainable, and participatory development and economic growth. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 and 1993 for development assistance. Earmarks specified amounts for health improvement, child survival activities, prevention and control of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and reducing vitamin A deficiency. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 and 1993 for population planning assistance. Earmarks a specified amount for the United Nations Population Fund if: (1) the Fund maintains such funds in a separate account, without commingling; (2) none of the funds are made available for China; and (3) any agreement to obligate such funds expressly states that funds will be refunded to the United States if used for family planning in China or abortions in any country. Prohibits the denial of funds for population activities to nongovernmental or multilateral organizations on the basis of any criterion that is not applicable to foreign governments. Authorizes the President to use development and economic support assistance and assistance from the Development Fund for Africa to support human rights and activities to improve the performance of democratic institutions and to promote democracy. Requires a substantial portion of such assistance to be provided to nongovernmental organizations. Prohibits such assistance from being used to influence the outcome of an election in any country. Permits Development Fund for Africa assistance to be used only for countries in Subsaharan Africa. Authorizes the use of such assistance for: (1) development education programs to educate U.S. citizens about developing countries; and (2) nongovernmental organizations to carry out programs concerned with the economic and social development of such countries. Authorizes the President, acting through the administrator of the agency responsible for administering this title (administering agency), to provide assistance for microenterprises in developing countries. Directs the agency to establish specified criteria for determining the financial intermediaries that will receive such assistance. Requires a significant portion of such assistance to be used to support direct credit assistance by, and the institutional development of, financial intermediaries with a primary emphasis on assisting people living in absolute poverty, especially women. Outlines funding sources for such assistance. Permits the President, in order to generate local currencies for providing such assistance, to use development and economic support assistance or assistance from the Development Fund for Africa to provide assistance to developing countries on a loan basis repayable in local currencies. Sets forth minimum levels of assistance to be provided under this Act. Requires the administrator to develop a monitoring system to evaluate the administering agency's microenterprise development activities. Earmarks amounts out of funds for development assistance and assistance for the Development Fund for Africa for private voluntary organizations for FY 1992 and 1993. Requires agencies responsible for environmental programs in developing countries to prepare initial examinations to ensure that such programs are environmentally sustainable. Declares that beneficiary countries should bear a share of the costs of development assistance programs under this Act. Prohibits funds made available under this title from being used for military or paramilitary purposes. Authorizes the President to furnish economic support assistance to countries and organizations to promote economic or political stability. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 and 1993 for such assistance. Declares that economic support assistance should be provided through commodity import programs, project assistance, sector programs, or the provision of U.S. goods and services. Permits such assistance to be provided as a cash transfer only pursuant to an agreement requiring that the country spend an amount equal to such transfer to purchase U.S. goods and services. Requires such agreements to include provisions to ensure that representatives of the U.S. Comptroller General have access to necessary records and personnel for monitoring and auditing purposes. Exempts from such requirements countries which: (1) receive less than $25,000,000 cash transfer assistance annually; or (2) have certain agreements with the United States. Authorizes the President to waive the requirements of this section when it is in the national interest. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 and 1993 for contributions to international organizations. Earmarks specified amounts of such funds for: (1) the United Nations Development Program; (2) the United Nations Children's Fund; (3) the United Nations Environmental Program; (4) the International Fund for Agricultural Development; (5) the Special Program for Africa of the International Fund for Agricultural Development; (6) the United Nations University; and (7) the Organization of American States (OAS) for purposes of establishing an electronic network for the exchange of science and technology information among universities in OAS member countries. Authorizes funds to be earmarked for the International Atomic Energy Agency only if the Secretary of State reports to the appropriate congressional committees that Israel is not being denied the right to participate in the Agency. Applies evaluation and auditing procedures for the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Asian Development Bank to the International Development Association, the International Finance Corporation, the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Inter-American Investment Corporation, the African Development Bank, the African Development Fund, and the Asian Development Fund. Revises provisions concerning the housing and urban development guarantee program. Raises the limit on: (1) the face value of guarantees with respect to any country; (2) the average face value of guarantees; and (3) the total principal amount of guarantees issued. Authorizes appropriations for the program for FY 1992 and 1993. Terminates authorities with respect to housing guarantees after FY 1993. Authorizes assistance to be provided to developing countries to support private sector activities meeting specified criteria. Permits the President to issue guarantees assuring against losses incurred in connection with loans made for such activities. Sets forth terms and conditions for such guarantees. Authorizes the President to make direct loans for such activities, subject to certain conditions. Establishes ceilings for direct loans and for contingent liability for guarantees. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 and 1993. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 and 1993 for: (1) international disaster assistance; and (2) American schools, libraries, and hospital centers abroad. Permits the President to use development or economic support assistance or assistance from the Development Fund for Africa for grants to, or contracts with, nongovernmental organizations to enable such organizations to: (1) purchase debt obligations owned by developing countries to commercial lending institutions or other private parties; and (2) cancel such obligations subject to the President's approval, to the extent that such countries make available assets or policy commitments to promote the objectives of this title. Authorizes grantees or contractees to retain interest earned on the proceeds of debt-for-development or debt-for-environment purchases or exchanges pending the disbursement of such proceeds and interest for the purposes for which assistance was provided. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 and 1993 for operating expenses of the administering agency and of the Office of the Inspector General of such agency. Permits development or economic support assistance or assistance from the Development Fund for Africa to be used for such expenses, subject to a specified limitation. Requires the President to establish a program performance evaluation capacity to: (1) develop a program performance information system to afford the administering agency's managers a means for monitoring achievement of impact and interim performance of the agency's major programs; (2) prepare and disseminate reports on the agency's progress in meeting development objectives for major assistance categories and recipient countries; (3) strengthen the implementation of foreign assistance projects; and (4) coordinate with the Inspector General of such agency to ensure complementarity of efforts. Directs the President to report annually to the Congress on: (1) progress toward achieving the four basic objectives set forth under this title; and (2) a country-by-country analysis of the impact on economic development in each country during the preceding three to five years of U.S. economic assistance programs, with a discussion of U.S. interests that were served by such assistance. Requires the President to maintain within the administering agency a Center for University Cooperation in Development and a Center for Voluntary Cooperation in Development. Provides that the respective purposes of such centers shall be to strengthen the partnership for development between the U.S. Government and: (1) U.S. and developing country institutions of higher education engaged in education, research, and public service programs relevant to developing countries; and (2) U.S. private voluntary organizations, cooperatives, and credit unions engaged in activities relevant to such countries. Authorizes funds from development assistance and assistance from the Development Fund for Africa to be made available for the Centers. Requires the agency administrator to establish a permanent Advisory Committee on Voluntary Cooperation in Development. Title II: Military Assistance, Related Assistance, and Military Sales Programs - Chapter 1: Consolidation and Revision of Assistance Authorities - Revises policy provisions concerning military assistance. Revises the President's authority to furnish military assistance to friendly countries to permit the President to: (1) finance the sale of defense articles or services; or (2) finance the procurement of such articles (under certain circumstances) by any member country of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or any major non-NATO ally through leases from U.S. commercial suppliers. Requires sales under the Defense Trade and Export Control Act (formerly, the Arms Export Control Act) which are wholly paid from funds made available on a grant basis under this Act or were transferred or made available under former authorities prior to this Act's enactment to be priced to exclude the costs of salaries of members of the U.S. armed forces (other than members of the Coast Guard) and unfunded estimated costs of civilian retirement and other benefits. Prohibits assistance from being furnished under this chapter in any case involving coproduction or licensed production outside the United States of any defense article of U.S. origin unless the President furnishes full information on the proposed transaction to the appropriate congressional committees. Prohibits the obligation of certain assistance for the procurement of: (1) any vessel of war built pursuant to a prime contract awarded to a foreign shipyard; or (2) any weapons system or other major system for a vessel of war built pursuant to such a contract awarded to a foreign rather than a U.S. shipyard because of unfair foreign competition. Exempts from such prohibition vessels of war built in the foreign country which is the recipient of such assistance or built pursuant to a prime contract signed before the effective date of this Act. Permits military assistance to be provided for civic action in Africa. Authorizes assistance provided under this chapter to be on a grant, credit, or guarantee basis. Outlines criteria to be considered by the President in determining the terms of assistance. Requires repayment in U.S. dollars within 12 years of the signature of a loan agreement for credit assistance. Provides that the interest rate on such loans shall be at least five percent annually. Outlines disbursement procedures for funds used to finance the procurement of defense articles and services. Makes such assistance available to a foreign country to make payments to the United States for credits or loans for defense articles or services granted under predecessor military sales or assistance legislation. Revises provisions concerning eligibility for the receipt of defense articles or services and makes them applicable to the financing of such articles or services. Makes defense articles sold or leased under the Defense Trade and Export Control Act or furnished under predecessor foreign assistance or military sales legislation subject to the eligibility provisions of this title. Directs the President to establish controls to make financed commercial arms sales subject to monitoring and auditing requirements no less stringent in accountability than requirements of Federal Acquisition Regulation applicable to sales under the Defense Trade and Export Control Act relating to improper business practices and personal conflict of interest. Incorporates provisions of the Arms Export Control Act concerning the opinion of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency with respect to furnishing assistance. Authorizes appropriations for military assistance and sales for FY 1992 and 1993. Sets aside two percent of appropriations for military financing for assistance to eligible countries for which the Congress has not specified an amount of assistance. Revises provisions concerning transfers of excess defense articles for the modernization of defense capabilities. Requires excess defense articles to be made available to maintain the military balance in the Eastern Mediterranean. Requires the President to ensure, over a three-year period beginning in FY 1992, that the ratio of the value of such articles made available for Turkey to those made available for Greece closely approximates the ratio of the amount of foreign military financing provided for Turkey to the amount provided for Greece. Revises provisions concerning the transfer of excess defense articles to: (1) eligible major drug producing or transit countries (currently, major drug producing countries in Latin America and the Caribbean); and (2) eligible countries, international organizations, or private voluntary organizations for natural resources and wildlife management. Makes provisions concerning transportation and related costs of such articles under provisions governing transfers for the modernization of military capabilities applicable to transfers for counternarcotics or natural resource and wildlife management purposes. Adds to the list of conditions for such transfers that the transfer of articles is preferable to selling them. Sets forth congressional notification requirements. Permits transfers for natural resource and wildlife management purposes to be made available without cost to the recipient. Excludes certain excess defense articles from the annual ceiling on transfers. Revises provisions concerning military personnel detailed overseas for management of military assistance programs. Requires at least one person assigned to each country to be responsible for monitoring international security assistance. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 and 1993 for: (1) international military education and training; and (2) peacekeeping operations. Revises provisions concerning the location of stockpiles. Places a ceiling on the value of additions to stockpiles during FY 1992 and 1993. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 and 1993 for antiterrorism assistance. Revises provisions concerning special drawdown authorities. Authorizes the President to direct the drawdown of Department of Defense commodities or services for: (1) international narcotics control assistance; (2) international disaster assistance; or (3) assistance under the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962. Places a ceiling on articles and services provided for such assistance. Raises the ceiling on the value of defense articles and services authorized to be provided under existing emergency authorities. Makes the Secretary of Defense responsible for establishing priorities in the procurement, delivery, and allocation of defense articles and services. Requires the President to appoint one officer to coordinate security assistance programs. Prohibits personnel overseeing the management of assistance programs or providing defense services or military education and training overseas from performing combatant duties. Makes technical and conforming amendments to the Arms Export Control Act. Revises a provision regarding the Guaranty Reserve Fund and redesignates the Fund as the Foreign Military Loan Liquidating Account. Repeals a provision concerning the availability of funds for procurement of defense articles and services outside the United States. Permits the President to waive requirements under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 concerning the disposition of defense articles and services furnished before the effective date of this title. Chapter 2: Foreign Military Sales Program - Amends the Arms Export Control Act to rename such Act as the Defense Trade and Export Control Act. Repeals a provision concerning purposes for military sales or leases. Deems references to the Arms Export Control Act to be references to the Defense Trade and Export Control Act. Requires the President to take the following steps to address financial management problems with respect to payments on account of foreign military sales: (1) establish a new account for the deposit of funds for sales entered into after September 30, 1992, to isolate such financial transactions from previous sales; (2) establish a centralized accounting system; (3) improve coordination and conformity among the accounting and billing systems of each of the military services; and (4) reconcile the discrepancies between reported disbursements and reported performance with respect to such sales. Directs the President to notify the Congress before: (1) designating a country as a major non-NATO ally; or (2) terminating such a designation. Deems Australia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, and the Republic of Korea to have been so designated by the President. Raises the threshold on the dollar amount of defense equipment or services on which the President is required to submit specified certifications. Revises provisions concerning presidential certifications and congressional procedures for certain arms transfers. Sets forth conditions under which New Zealand is eligible for shorter congressional review procedures. Adds to the list of information required in the President's quarterly report on military exports information on all concluded defense coproduction agreements. Imposes sanctions on foreign parties to coproduction agreements that violate restrictions concerning unauthorized third party transfers or unauthorized dispositions of defense articles or services or technical data if the President so notifies the Congress or the Congress so determines by joint resolution. Lists such sanctions as: (1) the suspension of authority to produce defense articles abroad pursuant to such agreements; and (2) a prohibition on the issuance and approval of licenses with respect to the foreign party. Disqualifies for financing under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 for 12 months any contracts of a person convicted or debarred for a violation of international traffic in arms regulations under the Defense Trade and Export Control Act. Exempts international organizations from a prohibition on the issuance of export licenses for items on the U.S. Munitions List to foreign persons. Requires the President to review biennially and revise, as necessary, international traffic in arms regulations. Provides that charges for defense articles that are not major defense equipment sold or licensed for export under the Defense Trade and Export Control Act shall exclude nonrecurring costs of research on or development or production of such articles. Repeals provisions concerning: (1) discrimination; (2) restraint in arms sales to Subsaharan Africa; (3) foreign military sales credit standards; (4) foreign military sales to less developed countries; and (5) the crediting of registration fees. Chapter 3: Other Provisions - Prohibits funds authorized by any Act from being made available to facilitate the sale of M-833 antitank shells or comparable shells containing a depleted uranium penetrating component to any country other than a NATO member or major non-NATO ally. Sets forth U.S. policy with respect to arms transfers to the Middle East and Persian Gulf region. Requires the President to seek negotiations among, and undertake efforts to convene a conference of, the five members of the United Nations Security Council and other nations, as appropriate, to establish a multilateral arms transfer and control regime with respect to the Middle East and Persian Gulf region. Declares that the purpose of such regime should be to: (1) limit the proliferation of conventional weapons and ballistic missile technologies and systems and halt the proliferation of unconventional weapons; (2) maintain the military balance in the region through the reduction of conventional weapons and the elimination of unconventional weapons; and (3) promote regional arms control in such region. Directs the President to submit to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs: (1) a U.S. plan for establishing a multilateral regime to restrict transfers of arms to the Middle East; and (2) an analysis of the feasibility and potential elements of such regime. Prohibits the United States from agreeing to any transfers of major military equipment to the Middle East and Persian Gulf region unless the President submits such plan and analysis and reports that there has been agreement by another major arms supplier on or after May 21, 1991, to transfer such equipment to any nation in the region. Exempts from such prohibition emergency or replacement transfers or transfers pursuant to agreements entered into before May 21, 1991. Requires the President to report to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee on: (1) all transfers of conventional and unconventional arms to the Middle East; (2) the current military balance in the region; (3) the operation of any agreements comprising the arms transfer and control regime; and (4) supplier nations that have refused to participate in such a regime or that have engaged in conduct that violates or undermines the regime. Title III: Trade and Development Agency and Overseas Private Investment Corporation - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to revise the authorities of the Director of the Trade and Development Agency (replaces the Trade and Development Program). Requires the Agency to disseminate information about its activities to the private sector. Sets forth the duties of the Inspector General of the Agency for International Development (AID) with respect to the Agency. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 and 1993. Revises provisions concerning the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). Requires OPIC, in determining whether to provide insurance, reinsurance, guarantees, or financing for a project, to ensure that the project is consistent with objectives concerning resource sustainable development. Prohibits OPIC payments from being issued in connection with losses resulting from violations of foreign trade practices under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Raises the ceiling on the maximum contingent liability for outstanding OPIC guarantees. Authorizes OPIC to draw specified amounts from a noncredit account revolving fund to pay estimated subsidy costs of program levels for the loan guarantee and direct loan programs. Permits OPIC to: (1) establish a revolving fund to be available solely for the equity finance program; and (2) make a one-time transfer to such fund from the noncredit account revolving fund. Revises provisions concerning OPIC's insurance reserves. Authorizes OPIC to draw a specified amount from the noncredit account revolving fund for administrative expenses of the direct loan and loan guarantee programs. Makes provisions concerning income and revenues applicable to income and revenues from OPIC's noncredit activities (currently, revenues and income from any source). Authorizes (currently, requires) OPIC to charge fees for its services. Provides for annual (currently, triennial) audits of OPIC. Removes OPIC's exemption from Federal taxation. Title IV: International Narcotics Control - Revises provisions concerning international narcotics control. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 and 1993 for international narcotics control. Makes a prohibition on the use of narcotics control funds for the procurement of weapons or ammunition inapplicable (subject to congressional notification requirements) to: (1) weapons or ammunition for the defensive arming of aircraft used for narcotics control purposes; or (2) firearms and related ammunition provided to Department of State employees for narcotics control activities. Requires the President (currently, the Secretary of State) to maintain records on aircraft use under this title. Authorizes foreign military financing assistance under the Defense Trade and Export Control Act to be made available to finance the leasing of aircraft. Removes a prohibition on the use of narcotics control funds by foreign countries to acquire real property for military or law enforcement forces if the President notifies the appropriate congressional committees. Permits funds for economic support assistance, foreign military financing, or international military education and training to be transferred and consolidated with funds for international narcotics control if: (1) such assistance is withheld from the country for which it was allocated because of laws that require the withholding of assistance from countries that have not cooperated with the United States or taken steps to halt illicit drug production and trafficking; and (2) such funds are used for assistance to countries that have taken significant steps to halt illicit drug production or trafficking. Makes provisions of law that restrict assistance to countries inapplicable with respect to narcotics-related assistance, provided that the President notifies the appropriate congressional committees. Revises congressional reporting and certification requirements with respect to international narcotics control. Requires the President to notify the appropriate congressional committees annually of countries determined to be major drug transit or illicit drug producing countries. Makes prohibitions on the provision of assistance to foreign law enforcement agencies inapplicable, during FY 1992 and 1993, to: (1) transfers of defense articles and services for counternarcotics purposes; and (2) foreign military financing and international military education and training for narcotics-related purposes. Title V: Special Assistance Initiatives and Other Region or Country Specific Provisions - Authorizes the President to provide project and program assistance for long-term development in Subsaharan Africa. Designates such assistance as the Development Fund for Africa. Requires the purpose of such assistance to be to help the poor majority of men and women in Subsaharan Africa to participate in a process of long-term development through economic growth that is equitable, participatory, environmentally sustainable, and self-reliant. Provides that such assistance should also promote sustained economic growth, encourage private sector development, promote individual initiatives, and help to reduce the role of central governments in areas more appropriate for the private sector. Requires the local-level perspective of the rural and urban poor in Subsaharan Africa to be taken into account during the planning process for project assistance. Declares that consultations should be undertaken with private and voluntary organizations which have demonstrated effectiveness in or commitment to the promotion of local grassroots activities on behalf of development in Subsaharan Africa. Requires: (1) local people to be consulted and involved in projects that have a local focus; and (2) development activities to expand the participation and integration of African women in certain critical sectors. Requires assistance provided by this Act to emphasize projects to address critical sectoral priorities for development. Authorizes assistance to promote economic policy reforms. Requires such reforms to include provisions to protect vulnerable groups from possible negative consequences of such reforms. Designates as the critical sectoral priorities for long-term development: (1) increased agricultural production and the maintenance and restoration of renewable natural resources; (2) improved health conditions and the prevention and control of AIDS; (3) voluntary family planning services; (4) improved relevance, equity, and efficiency of education; and (5) development of income generating opportunities for the unemployed and underemployed. Imposes minimum levels of assistance for certain critical sectors. Requires assistance provided under this Act to be concentrated in countries that will make the most effective use of such assistance. Allows assistance to be made available to: (1) assist Subsaharan African countries to increase their capacity to participate in donor coordination mechanisms at the country, regional, and sector levels; and (2) assist sector projects supported by the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC). Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) there should be periodic evaluations of the progress of the administering agency in achieving assistance goals in Subsaharan Africa; and (2) the period of availability of funds appropriated for such assistance should be extended whenever appropriate. Authorizes appropriations. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the United States should participate with multilateral financial institutions and other bilateral donors in an economic reform and development program in the Philippines; and (2) a commitment of resources by the United States, donors, and such institutions and a reform effort and leadership role by the Government of the Philippines will be necessary to ensure economic growth in the Philippines and enhanced participation of the Filipino people in the democratic process. Authorizes the President to provide assistance to promote the goals of this Act. Links such assistance to progress by the Government of the Philippines in implementing its economic, structural, judicial, and administrative reform program. Authorizes appropriations. Limits the amount of appropriations for FY 1992. Expresses the sense of the Congress that prior to requesting additional amounts to carry out this Act, the President should take into account: (1) the progress being made by the Philippines toward achieving reform objectives; (2) the extent of participation by the bilateral donors and multilateral financial institutions; and (3) the efforts to coordinate the assistance program. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the coordination of objectives and programs by donors, institutions, and the Government of the Philippines is critical to the success of the multilateral assistance program; (2) all donors should simplify procurement and disbursement procedures to ensure that conditions on the provision or use of assistance are complementary; and (3) the Philippines should establish internal procedures that will ensure the most effective use of such assistance. Sets forth the Caribbean Regional Development Act of 1991. Sets forth U.S. policy with respect to development and economic assistance for the Caribbean. Provides that priority in providing development assistance should be given to supporting indigenous democratic Caribbean institutions that represent and benefit the poor. Requires priority in the allocation of assistance to the Caribbean to be given to: (1) increased food production; (2) rural development; (3) community-based agro-industries; (4) small- and medium-sized farm and manufacturing enterprises; (5) the expansion of tourism; (6) regional integration; (7) the upgrading of technical and managerial skills; (8) support for renewable natural resources; (9) private sector development; (10) democratic development and the administration of justice; and (11) human services and human resources development. Directs the President, in providing assistance to a Caribbean country, to take into account whether the government of such country has failed to protect worker rights and is taking steps to implement laws that demonstrate advancement in providing such rights. Prohibits the administering agency from providing assistance for the use of any substance in a Caribbean country if such use is prohibited under the country's or U.S. public health laws. Declares that the agency should: (1) ensure the active participation of women in the development process; and (2) take into account the perspectives of the poor in the development process. Establishes in the Department of the Treasury the Enterprise for the Americas Facility to support improvement in the lives of the people of Latin America and the Caribbean through market-oriented reforms and economic growth with actions to promote debt reduction, investment reforms, and community based conservation and sustainable use of the environment. Makes eligible for Facility benefits Latin American or Caribbean countries that: (1) have in effect, received approval for, or are making progress toward, specified International Monetary Fund arrangements and structural or sectoral adjustment loans from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development or the International Development Association; (2) have put in place major investment reforms in conjunction with an Inter-American Development Bank loan or are implementing or making progress toward an open investment regime; and (3) have agreed with commercial bank lenders on a financing program for debt or debt service reduction. Authorizes the President to reduce the amount owed to the United States (as a result of concessional loans made pursuant to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 or predecessor foreign economic assistance legislation) by any country eligible for Facility benefits. Sets forth requirements with respect to the exchange of obligations, repayment of principal, and interest on new obligations issued by beneficiary countries. Requires beneficiary countries that enter into Environmental Framework Agreements to establish Enterprise for the Americas Environmental Funds. Authorizes the Secretary of State to enter into Environmental Framework Agreements concerning the operation and use of Environmental Funds with countries eligible for Facility benefits. Directs administering bodies in each beneficiary country to administer the Environmental Funds and to make grants for environmental activities. Requires grants from the Funds to be used for activities that link the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources with local community development. Subjects grants of more than $100,000 to veto by the U.S. Government or the government of the beneficiary country. Establishes an Environment for the Americas Board to: (1) advise the Secretary on the negotiations of Environmental Framework Agreements; (2) ensure that a suitable administering body is identified for each Environmental Fund; and (3) review the programs, operations, and fiscal audits of administering bodies. Declares that the President should encourage other official creditors of beneficiary countries whose debt is reduced under this Act to provide debt reduction to such countries. Requires the President to ensure that Environmental Funds are able to receive donations from private and public entities and private creditors of beneficiary countries. Permits military assistance and sales to be delivered to the armed forces of any Latin American or Caribbean country only with the prior approval of such a country's civilian government. Earmarks a specified amount of funds from economic support and development assistance and assistance from the Development Fund for Africa for assistance for disadvantaged South Africans. Prohibits support to organizations financed or controlled by the Government of South Africa. Requires priority in providing such assistance to be given to South African nongovernmental organizations whose staff are selected on a nonracial basis and which have the support of the disadvantaged communities being served. Extends a certain waiver of a prohibition on assistance to Pakistan if the President certifies that Pakistan does not possess a nuclear explosive device and that the proposed U.S. assistance program will reduce the risk that Pakistan will possess such device. Prohibits the allocation of assistance or the sale or transfer of defense articles or services for Pakistan for FY 1992 and 1993 unless such certification is made. Amends the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 to increase the number of representatives on the Environment for the Americas Board. Title VI: Special Authorities, Restrictions, Reports, General Provisions, and Technical and Conforming Amendments - Chapter 1: Special Authorities, Restrictions, and Reports - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to revise provisions concerning the transfer of funds between accounts. Prohibits: (1) transfers to increase amounts for foreign military financing; and (2) the transfer of funds for the housing and urban development guarantee program and funds for development assistance or assistance under the Development Fund for Africa. Raises the ceilings on the amounts of assistance provided under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 that may be provided to any one country. Exempts from such limitation assistance for countries that are the victims of active (currently, Communist or Communist-supported) aggression. Revises provisions concerning assistance for unanticipated contingencies. Prohibits such assistance from being provided for foreign military financing or international military education and training. Raises the annual ceiling on such assistance. Authorizes the President to transfer unobligated funds (without regard to the 20 percent increase limitation) to provide assistance to a country that has recently emerged or is in the process of emerging: (1) as a democracy; or (2) from civil strife and has a democratically elected government or is making progress toward a democratic form of government. Authorizes the President to adopt as a U.S. contract or obligation any contract with a U.S. or third-country contractor that had been funded with assistance prior to the termination of such assistance. Applies assistance termination provisions to any provision of law concerning such terminations. Exempts from restrictions on foreign assistance (except for countries that support terrorism) assistance for: (1) child survival activities; (2) the prevention and control of AIDS; (3) the needs of displaced children; (4) environmentally sound, sustainable resource management; and (5) efficient energy systems. Revises prohibitions concerning restrictions on assistance. Adds to the list of restrictions prohibitions on assistance for: (1) a country whose government engages in a consistent pattern of human rights violations; (2) a country whose elected head of government is deposed by a military coup; (3) projects designed to increase exports of agricultural, textile, or apparel commodities from developing countries if such exports would be in competition with U.S. exports or be expected to cause injury to U.S. exporters of the same or a similar commodity; and (4) a country that provides lethal military equipment to a terrorist government. Exempts from such prohibition assistance: (1) that is important to U.S. national interests, provided that such assistance will further U.S. nonproliferation objectives; (2) for the alleviation of suffering resulting from a natural or manmade disaster; (3) that benefits poor people; and (4) that will be furnished through nongovernmental organizations to promote respect for human rights and democracy. Prohibits the provision of such assistance until the President reports to the appropriate congressional committees. Requires the President to maintain a list of Communist countries for purposes of restricting assistance. Authorizes the President to remove or exempt a country from the list or prohibitions on assistance, provided that such removal or exemption is reported to the appropriate congressional committees. Prohibits assistance to any country which is more than one year in arrears to the U.S. Government on loan payments under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 or former authorities of the Arms Export Control Act. Applies prohibitions on the use of development assistance for abortions or involuntary sterilizations to the use of assistance for Subsaharan Africa or the Philippines for such purposes. Requires funds for voluntary family planning services to be available only for projects which offer a broad range of family planning methods and services. Consolidates and revises provisions concerning prohibitions on assistance to countries engaged in transfers of nuclear materials. Outlines required elements of annual congressional presentation documents on foreign assistance. Revises provisions regarding: (1) U.S. assistance policies and human rights; and (2) congressional notification for program changes. Requires the President to submit quarterly reports to the appropriate congressional committees on the funds obligated for development and economic support assistance. Directs the President to report triennially to the Speaker of the House and the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on: (1) the percentage of the budget of each country receiving development or economic assistance that is devoted to military purposes; and (2) the degree to which such country is using its foreign exchange or other resources to acquire military equipment. Chapter 2: Administrative and General Provisions - Revises provisions regarding presidential authorities under this Act. Authorizes the President to designate an agency to administer foreign assistance programs. Revises provisions concerning the allocation of funds and reimbursement among agencies. Permits funds to be used for programs under the Agricultural Act of 1949 and the Food for Progress Act of 1985. Removes funding limitations on assistance for the construction of living quarters, offices, schools, and hospitals abroad and for assistance to schools educating dependents of personnel abroad. Permits economic and development assistance funds to be used to reimburse Federal or State agencies or institutions of higher education that detail employees for economic or development assistance programs that require special technical skills. Excludes such employees from applicable personnel ceilings during the detail period. Provides that if an amount appropriated for any fiscal year pursuant to this Act is less than the authorization amount and the provision calls for earmarked funds, such funds shall be deemed to be reduced to an amount bearing the same ratio to such funds as the amount appropriated bears to the authorization amount. Exempts funds for Israel and Egypt from such reduction. Sets forth provisions concerning the generation and use of local currencies. Revises provisions concerning the use of local currencies owned by the United States. Authorizes nongovernmental organizations to invest local currencies accrued as a result of economic assistance provided by this Act and other specified Acts and to use interest earned on investments for assistance purposes. Revises provisions concerning the use of private enterprise for the procurement of commodities and defense articles. Authorizes the use of Federal facilities for technical assistance purposes when such facilities are not competitive with private enterprise. Revises provisions concerning procurement standards and procedures. Allows (currently, requires) the use of excess personal property or property already owned by a Federal agency (if a substantial savings would occur) in lieu of, or supplementary to, the procurement of new items for U.S.-assisted programs. Revises provisions concerning the use of excess property. Removes a ceiling on the amount of domestic excess property that may be held. Prohibits excess property from being used for economic assistance purposes unless approval is given and the President makes specified determinations regarding such property. Authorizes the use of economic assistance funds to pay transportation charges on shipments by the American National Red Cross and by registered U.S. private voluntary organizations. Revises provisions concerning personnel. Permits personnel detailed to foreign governments or international organizations to be assigned on a leave without pay status. Authorizes the detailing of Department of Defense personnel to any civil office to carry out this Act. Revises provisions concerning discrimination against U.S. personnel. Chapter 3: Technical and Conforming Provisions - Incorporates provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 concerning the Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs into another Act. Prohibits U.S. courts from declining on the ground of the Federal Act of State Doctrine to make a determination on the merits of international law in any case in which claim of title or right to property is asserted by any party, based upon a confiscation after January 1, 1959, by a state in violation of international law. Exempts from such prohibition cases in which: (1) an act of a foreign state is not contrary to international law or cases with respect to a right to property acquired pursuant to an irrevocable letter of credit issued in good faith prior to the time of taking; or (2) the President determines that application of such doctrine is required by U.S. foreign policy interests. Amends Federal provisions governing coins and currency to grant the Secretary of the Treasury: (1) responsibility with respect to foreign credits owed to or by the United States; and (2) sole authority to establish for all foreign currencies or credits the exchange rates at which such currencies are to be reported by Federal agencies. Authorizes the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, at the request of the President, to report on the value of any property of any U.S. person expropriated by a foreign government. Redesignates the Trade and Development Program as the Trade and Development Agency. Makes technical and conforming amendments to specified Acts. Repeals specified Acts. Title VII: Latin America and the Caribbean - Chapter 1: El Salvador - Reserves this portion of the bill for provisions relating to El Salvador. Chapter 2: Other Provisions Pertaining to Central America - Declares that it shall be U.S. policy to: (1) support Central American countries in efforts to build democracy, restore peace, establish respect for human rights, expand economic opportunities, and improve living conditions; (2) support dialogue as the proper means of resolving armed conflicts in Central America; (3) assist in the implementation of, and secure international cooperation and support for, recommendations of the International Commission on Central American Recovery and Development; (4) support the United Nations Development Program for its Special Plan of Economic Cooperation for Central America; (5) organize a partnership among donor countries and Central American countries to mobilize resources and promote a forum for dialogue on issues of development, democracy, social justice, and human rights; and (6) support and promote the Enterprise for the Americas Initiative to assist Central American countries in opening their economies and managing their foreign debt. Prohibits the provision of military aircraft to Central American countries during FY 1992 and 1993 unless the appropriate congressional committees are notified in advance. Requires the Secretary of State to notify such committees whenever any helicopters or other military aircraft are provided to such countries by any foreign country. Prohibits the provision of foreign military financing to Guatemala during FY 1992 and 1993 except as provided by this Act. Establishes the Demobilization and Transition Fund for Guatemala. Authorizes the President to transfer amounts made available for foreign military financing to the Fund. Makes funds available only upon notification to the appropriate congressional committees that the Guatemalan Government and the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unit have agreed to a ceasefire. Permits such funds to be available only for: (1) costs of demobilization, retraining, relocation, and reemployment in civilian pursuits of former combatants; and (2) costs of monitoring the ceasefire and permanent settlement. Prohibits the authorities of the Defense Trade and Export Control Act from being used to sell to the Guatemalan Government, or issue licenses for the export to Guatemala of: (1) weapons or ammunition; or (2) aircraft, unless the aircraft are unarmed and the Guatemalan Government has agreed that they will not be armed. Permits FY 1992 and 1993 development and economic support assistance and assistance under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 for Guatemala to be used only by civilian agencies and nongovernmental organizations. Requires such assistance to be targeted for: (1) programs that address poverty, basic human needs, and environmental concerns; (2) the improvement of democratic institutions and the promotion of political pluralism; (3) the National Reconciliation Commission; (4) fiscal reform and administration; or (5) programs that promote trade and investment. Prohibits such assistance from being used for partisan political purposes or as an instrument of counterinsurgency. Waives assistance target requirements if the President notifies the appropriate congressional committees that Guatemala has made progress in eliminating human rights violations and in bringing to trial those responsible for major human rights cases. Declares that the President should: (1) take into account the extent to which the Nicaraguan Government has brought the armed forces under civilian control and undertaken investigations into, and prosecution of those responsible for, human rights violations prior to providing assistance for FY 1992 and 1993; and (2) consider the extent to which foreign military financing for Nicaragua will further the goals of strengthening civilian control over the military, ending human rights abuses, and stemming the export of lethal military equipment prior to providing such financing for such fiscal years. Prohibits foreign assistance for any member of the Nicaraguan resistance who has not disarmed or is not abiding by the terms of the cease-fire agreement and the addenda to the Toncontin Agreement. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Nicaraguan Government should expedite the processing of claims by private citizens based on expropriation of property by the Sandinista government. Earmarks a specified amount of FY 1992 and 1993 economic support assistance for Central America for the Concerted Plan of Action in Favor of Central American Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons. Expresses the sense of the Congress with respect to strengthening democratic legislatures in Central America. Chapter 3: The Caribbean - Congratulates Haiti on its transition to democracy. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States should: (1) provide significant and sustained assistance to the Haitian Government so long as it abides by the Haitian Constitution and respects freedom of expression and human rights; (2) continue to provide substantial assistance to Haitian private voluntary organizations to institutionalize democracy and promote economic development; and (3) provide a specified amount of economic assistance to Haiti during FY 1992 and 1993. Encourages the Government of the Dominican Republic to improve respect for the human rights of Haitian laborers engaged in the sugar cane harvesting industry in the Dominican Republic. Withholds a specified amount of economic support assistance from the Dominican Republic until the President notifies the appropriate congressional committees of the steps taken by the Government of the Dominican Republic to improve such human rights. Permits assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 to be provided to the Government of Guyana only if the President reports to the appropriate congressional committees that such government is in power as a result of free and fair elections. Exempts from such restriction international narcotics control assistance or assistance for the holding of free and fair elections. Expresses the sense of the Congress that following the submission of the report regarding Guyana, the United States should provide significant and sustained assistance for Guyana under such Acts. Earmarks a specified amount of such assistance for basic human needs. Condemns the armed forces of Suriname for the December 1990 coup and for disregard for civilian authority. Urges the armed forces to permit a peaceful transfer of power to the elected civilian government. Calls upon the President to withhold assistance from Suriname until a peaceful transfer of power has taken place and to use assistance to bolster civilian rule. Chapter 4: Andean Initiative - Authorizes appropriations for development and economic support assistance for FY 1992 and 1993 for Andean countries. Requires priority in the use of funds for Bolivia and Peru to be given to support programs that focus on providing coca farmers with alternative sources of income. Declares that specified amounts of such assistance should be used for law enforcement assistance, protection against narco-terrorist attacks, and assistance for human rights offices in Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 and 1993 for foreign military financing assistance for Andean countries. Requires such assistance to be designed to: (1) enhance the ability of the recipient government to control illicit narcotics production and trafficking; (2) strengthen respect for human rights and the rule of law to control narcotics production and trafficking; and (3) assist the armed forces of the Andean countries in their support roles for such countries' law enforcement agencies. Permits the provision of such assistance only if: (1) such country has a democratic government; and (2) the government of such country does not engage in a consistent pattern of human rights violations. Permits such assistance to be used for certain law enforcement training and equipment for purposes of narcotics control efforts. Limits the amount of military and law enforcement assistance for Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru. Prohibits Peru's Sinchi Police from being considered as a law enforcement unit. Permits assistance or the transfer of excess defense articles under this Act to an Andean country only if the President determines that: (1) such country is implementing programs to reduce the flow of cocaine to the United States; and (2) the armed forces and law enforcement agencies of such country are not engaged in a consistent pattern of human rights violations and the government of such country has made progress in protecting human rights. Exempts from the human rights condition assistance for programs providing coca farmers with alternative sources of income. Waives provisions of law that prohibit assistance to countries in arrears on loan payments to the United States with respect to narcotics-related assistance to Andean countries. Chapter 5: Other Provisions Pertaining to the Region - Makes assistance available for countries with democratically-elected governments in Latin America and the Caribbean. Prohibits the use of such funds for: (1) lethal equipment; and (2) the participation of Department of Defense personnel and members of the U.S. armed forces in law enforcement training. Permits law enforcement training in the Caribbean to be provided only by the Department of Justice International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program. Makes specified amounts available for such assistance. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1969 to authorize appropriations for the Inter-American Foundation for FY 1992 and 1993. Revises provisions concerning the composition of the Foundation's Board of Directors and the principal office. Prohibits foreign military financing or sales to Chile under the Defense Trade and Export Control Act during FY 1992 and 1993 unless the appropriate congressional committees are notified in advance. Earmarks development and economic support assistance for the Central American Journalism Program and Regional Administration of Justice Program's Center for the Administration of Justice to support democracy building activities in the region. Title VIII: Europe and the Middle East - Chapter 1: Middle East - Earmarks funds for economic support assistance, foreign military financing grants, and assistance for stockpiles for Israel for FY 1992 and 1993. Makes certain amounts of military financing available for advanced weapon systems research and development and the procurement of defense articles and services. Permits the drawdown of a specified amount of defense articles and services from the Department of Defense and military education and training for Israel. Reduces such amount by the value of articles, services, and education and training provided to Israel under the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1991. Requires such drawdowns, to the maximum extent feasible, to be made from units withdrawn from Europe. Earmarks funds for economic support assistance and foreign military financing for Egypt for FY 1992 and 1993. Permits such assistance to include support for law enforcement training. Requires specified amounts of amounts allocated by the Agency for International Development (AID) during FY 1992 and 1993 for democratic initiatives and human rights to be made available for the growth of indigenous nongovernmental organizations that contribute to pluralism, democracy, and respect for human rights and the rule of law in the Middle East. Earmarks specified amounts of FY 1992 and 1993 economic support assistance for the West Bank and Gaza Program and for regional cooperative projects in the Middle East. Earmarks specified amounts of FY 1992 and 1993 development assistance to finance projects under the Cooperative Development Program and cooperative development research among the United States, Israel, and developing countries. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States should support educational, cultural, and humanitarian activities that bring Israelis together with Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza. Sets forth U.S. policy with respect to Lebanon. Earmarks funds for economic support and development assistance for Lebanon for FY 1992 and 1993. Prohibits the sale of defense articles and services under the Defense Trade and Export Control Act and suspends the delivery of such articles and services to Lebanon unless the President submits to the appropriate congressional committees a report that: (1) sets forth the purpose and value of the articles and services to be provided; (2) identifies the intended end-user within the Lebanese Government of such articles and services; and (3) states that such articles and services will assist the Lebanese Government in establishing effective control of Lebanese territory and that sufficient safeguards exist to ensure that such articles and services will not benefit the Government of Syria. Prohibits assistance to Syria until the President reports to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the Goverment of Syria: (1) has demonstrated willingness to enter into negotiations with Israel; (2) does not deny its citizens the right to emigrate and does not impose taxes with respect to emigration; (3) is assisting the U.S. Government in obtaining the release of American hostages in Lebanon; (4) no longer supports international terrorist groups; (5) is withdrawing its armed forces from Lebanon; (6) is no longer acquiring chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons and will not use weapons currently in its arsenal to threaten its neighbors; (7) is cooperating with U.S. antinarcotics efforts and taking steps to remove members of the government who are involved in the drug trade; (8) has made progress in improving human rights; and (9) has extradited the Nazi war criminal Alois Brunner. Requires the President to report to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on third country transfers of weapons and military equipment to Syria. Permits the transfer of equipment, supplies, or material captured from Iraq by U.S forces in Operation Desert Storm to the government of any Middle Eastern country only if specified congressional committees are notified in advance. Expresses the sense of the Congress that under international law and the terms of specified United Nations resolutions: (1) Iraq is liable for loss, damage, or injury to foreign governments, nationals, and corporations as a result of its invasion and occupation of Kuwait; and (2) Israel suffered damage as a result of Iraq's aggression and should be able to receive compensation from Iraq commensurate with damage suffered. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States should work with its Arab coalition partners to: (1) encourage their support for efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East and to settle the Arab-Israeli conflict; and (2) take specific steps with respect to Israel and terrorism. Requires the President to submit to the appropriate congressional committees an analysis of: (1) the Middle East arms balance based upon the cumulative impact of transfers of defense articles and services to the region by all countries; (2) how U.S. policy goals are advanced by U.S. transfers; (3) what type of military or economic compensation is required to countries whose qualitative edge the United States is committed to maintaining, how such compensation is to be funded, and the steps taken to preserve such qualitative edge and areas requiring attention due to a decline in comparative advantage; and (4) defense articles and services obtained by Middle East countries from sources other than the United States. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States should obtain rescission by the United Nations General Assembly of Resolution 3379 (maintains that Zionism is a form of racism) and calls upon the General Assembly to rescind such resolution. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the 1981 Israeli preemptive strike against the Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak was a legitimate and justifiable exercise of self-defense which also reduced the threat of Iraqi nuclear aggression against countries bordering Iraq; and (2) the United States should seek the repeal of United Nations Security Council Resolution 487 which condemned the strike. Prohibits sales from being made to Kuwait under the Defense Trade and Export Control Act and licenses from being issued for the export to Kuwait of any item on the U.S. Munitions List unless the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the Kuwaiti Government has: (1) put an end to arbitrary arrest, torture, and extrajudicial killing by Kuwaiti armed forces and is making an effort to stop such acts by nongovernmental resistance groups; (2) clarified the legal basis for arrest and detention; (3) ensured that those detained have access to legal counsel and to human rights groups; (4) ensured the rights to a speedy trial, due process, and an appeal of any sentence to detainees; (5) the intention to extend the right to vote to all citizens irrespective of sex or literacy; and (6) established a date for parliamentary elections. Chapter 2: Eastern Mediterranean - Earmarks funds for economic support assistance for Cyprus for FY 1992 and 1993. Permits such assistance to be used only for scholarships or bicommunal projects. Earmarks funds for foreign military financing assistance for Greece and Turkey for FY 1992 and 1993. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should support Turkey's inclusion in the full range of political, economic, and military institutions in Europe. Supports the United Nations Secretary General's peace initiatives regarding Cyprus and encourages both parties on Cyprus to cooperate with the Secretary General. Chapter 3: Support for East Europe Democracy - Amends the Support for East European Democracy (SEED) Act of 1989 to make eligible for SEED benefits any Eastern European country taking steps toward: (1) political pluralism and economic reform; (2) respect for human rights; and (3) a willingness to build a friendly relationship with the United States. (Currently, most SEED programs target Hungary and Poland.) Extends specified structural adjustment, debt reduction, and stabilization assistance to such countries. Authorizes AID to provide assistance to support private sector development in Eastern Europe and U.S. participation in capital projects. Permits the President, acting through the AID Administrator, to use funds for labor market transition assistance to eligible Eastern European countries. Extends technical assistance and training for labor market transition assistance to eligible Eastern European countries. Removes a provision authorizing appropriations for Peace Corps programs in Poland and Hungary. Extends assistance for the development of Peace Corps and credit unions to eligible Eastern European countries. Applies provisions governing the use of Polish currency generated by agricultural assistance to local Eastern European currencies generated by such assistance. Repeals provisions concerning: (1) OPIC support for Poland and Hungary; (2) Trade and Development Program activities in Poland and Hungary; (3) tax treatment of loans with below market interest rates for Poland and Israel; and (4) the trade credit insurance program for Poland. Extends Export-Import Bank programs to Czechoslovakia. Urges the President to seek bilateral investment treaties with eligible Eastern European countries to establish a legal framework for U.S. investment in such countries. Extends educational and cultural exchange programs and the scholarship partnership program to eligible Eastern European countries. Removes funding provisions concerning the scholarship partnership program. Authorizes the AID Administrator to use funds available for the scholarship partnership program for scholarships to enable Eastern European students to study at American institutions of higher education in Europe. Extends assistance for the support of democratic institutions and environmental protection and energy efficiency activities to eligible Eastern European countries. Authorizes the President, acting through the AID Administrator and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, to provide assistance for environmental and energy activities in eligible Eastern European countries, with emphasis on assistance for policies encouraging and providing incentives for end-use energy efficiency and conservation and reliance on renewable energy resources. Requires the President to work with officials of the Government of Czechoslovakia to establish a regional program to facilitate cooperative activities to address the public health aspects of environmental degradation. Earmarks funds for such program. Revises provisions concerning medical assistance to Poland. Authorizes the President, acting through the AID Administrator, to: (1) provide medical training, health care planning assistance, and other assistance to improve health care to eligible Eastern European countries; and (2) provide assistance to support the infrastructure for a housing sector in such countries. Redesignates the SEED Information Center System as the Eastern European Business Information Center System. States that the System should develop special information on business opportunities in the communications, broadcasting, and information field for use by U.S. industry and the SEED Program coordinator. Repeals a provision concerning economic and commercial officers at U.S. embassies and missions in Hungary and Poland. Authorizes and allocates appropriations for SEED programs for FY 1992 and 1993. Sets forth provisions concerning the reallocation or reduction of such funds. Chapter 4: Other Provisions Relating to Europe - Amends the Anglo-Irish Agreement Support Act of 1986 to make economic support funds available for U.S. contributions to the International Fund. Removes a certification requirement under such Act and revises reporting requirements. Earmarks economic support assistance for FY 1992 and 1993 for assistance to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and to eligible recipients in the Soviet Union that request U.S. technical assistance in support of democratic or market-oriented reforms. Permits such assistance to be provided only through the government of such state or republic or through nongovernmental organizations. Defines an "eligible recipient in the Soviet Union" as the government of any republic or local government that was elected through free and fair elections or any indigenous nongovernmental organization that promotes democratic and market-oriented reforms. Authorizes additional appropriations for FY 1992 and 1993 for disaster assistance to Armenia and to carry out the Soviet-East European Research and Training Act of 1983. Revises reporting requirements under such Act. Expresses the sense of the Congress with respect to U.S. policy toward Yugoslavia and the situation in Kosovo province. Expresses the sense of the Congress that regulations issued pursuant to the Defense Trade and Export Control Act should be amended to allow the importation into the United States of sporting and hunting rifles and shotguns manufactured in Poland, Hungary, or Czechoslovakia. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) President Bush should place Soviet cessation of aid to Cuba high on the list of objectives of the upcoming U.S.-Soviet summit; (2) a Soviet cutoff of aid to Cuba should remain a high priority in U.S.-Soviet relations until the Soviet Union ends its economic and military support for the Castro regime; and (3) a democratically-elected government in Cuba should remain a goal of American foreign policy. Title IX: Asia and the Pacific - Chapter 1: East Asia and the Pacific - Requires the President, in determining whether to furnish assistance or make sales of defense articles or services to Burma (Myanmar) during FY 1992 and 1993, to make a specified certification with respect to international narcotics control in Burma and to take into account whether the Burmese Government has: (1) ceded legal authority to a civilian government as mandated by the 1990 elections; (2) released persons arrested for the peaceful expression of their political views; and (3) ceased harassment of persons and political parties attempting to exercise freedoms of expression, association, and assembly. Sets forth notification requirements with respect to certain assistance for Burma. Declares that the Congress would welcome decisions by the President to: (1) impose economic sanctions on Burma under the Customs and Trade Act of 1990; and (2) call upon industrialized countries to impose similar sanctions upon Burma. Expresses the sense of the Congress with respect to the settlement of the Cambodian conflict and genocide. Makes available FY 1992 and 1993 economic support assistance for humanitarian and development assistance for Cambodians along the Thai-Cambodia border and throughout Cambodia. Sets forth conditions on the disbursement of such assistance. Prohibits any funds from being used to promote or augment the capacity of the Khmer Rouge to conduct military or paramilitary operations in Cambodia or Indochina. Earmarks funds for FY 1992 and 1993 for humanitarian assistance to children and war victims in Cambodia. Authorizes the President to use funds under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 for: (1) nonmilitary training of noncommunist Cambodians in the United States; and (2) an international relief and reconstruction program in Cambodia. Prohibits the provision of FY 1992 and 1993 foreign military financing assistance and assistance for international military education and training to Fiji unless the President certifies to the Congress that Fiji has held elections in which there has been broad participation by all communities. Sets forth provisions concerning Malaysia's policy of denying first asylum to Indochinese asylum-seekers. Requires the President to allocate the amount of funds requested in the congressional presentation materials for the South Pacific regional program for FY 1992 unless he notifies the appropriate congressional committees in accordance with reprogramming procedures. Makes available specified amounts of economic support, development, and international disaster assistance for such program. Earmarks development assistance funds for scholarships for study at postsecondary institutions in the United States. Commends Taiwan for sharing in the responsibilities associated with Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Calls on the President to accept future contributions from Taiwan for multinational operations regardless of the positions of China. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the United States should give the highest priority to accounting for Americans missing in Southeast Asia and to negotiating the return of any Americans still held captive in Southeast Asia; (2) the United States should heighten public awareness of the missing Americans through dissemination of factual data; (3) progress on accounting for missing Americans and other humanitarian issues will affect the process of normalizing relations between the United States and Vietnam; and (4) the President should provide specified amounts to support humanitarian projects in Laos for efforts to resolve questions concerning Vietnam prisoners of war or those missing in action. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should encourage the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to consider for OECD membership the Governments of South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Makes available specified amounts of economic support, development, and international disaster assistance for humanitarian assistance for displaced Burmese nationals in Thailand and Burma. Prohibits the sale, and the issuance of licenses for export, to China of any item on the U.S. Munitions List for military end-users if the President determines that: (1) any U.S. defense article or technology was used in certain missiles or aircraft transferred to Iran, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, or Syria by China in contravention of the Defense Trade and Export Control Act; and (2) any chemical weapon or nuclear equipment or materials were transferred to such countries by China. Makes such prohibition inapplicable to the sale or export of systems or components designed for inclusion in civil products and controlled as defense articles only for purposes of export to a controlled country, unless the President determines that the intended recipient is the Chinese military or security forces. Chapter 2: South Asia - Authorizes the President to make available development and economic support assistance for humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people and for reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan and the establishment of a broad-based freely-elected Afghan Government. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) land mines in Afghanistan; and (2) the termination of military assistance to, and a political settlement in, Afghanistan. Congratulates Bangladesh on the transition to a democratically-elected government and welcomes the economic adjustment program being implemented in coordination with the International Monetary Fund. Urges the President to provide debt relief under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 to Bangladesh. Requires the President to allocate the amount of funds requested in the congressional presentation materials for Nepal for FY 1992 unless he notifies the appropriate congressional committees in accordance with reprogramming procedures. Makes available specified amounts of economic support, development, and international disaster assistance for Nepal if a democratically-elected government assumes office pursuant to free and fair elections. Sets forth provisions concerning human rights abuses in Sri Lanka. Requires the President, in determining whether to provide assistance or make sales of defense articles or services to Sri Lanka during FY 1992 and 1993, to take into account whether the Government of Sri Lanka has: (1) established a public register of detainees and ensured that detainees have access to lawyers and family members; (2) taken steps to deter disappearances and killings of civilians by persons under control of government forces; (3) taken measures to minimize civilian casualties in combat operations in the north and the east; and (4) made serious efforts to investigate and prosecute those involved in the murder of journalist Richard DeZoysa. Encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to provide human rights education and training. Chapter 3: Industrial Cooperation Projects in China and Tibet - Expresses the sense of the Congress that U.S. nationals conducting industrial cooperation projects in China or Tibet should adhere to specified principles, including to: (1) suspend the use of merchandise manufactured by convict or forced labor; (2) seek to ensure political and religious freedom without fear of one's employment status; (3) ensure that methods of production do not pose a danger to project employees and the surrounding environment; (4) strive to use business enterprises that are not controlled by China; (5) promote human rights in China; and (6) prohibit compulsory population control activities on the premises of such projects. Requires the Secretary of State to forward a copy of such principles to member nations of the OECD and encourage them to promote such principles. Requires each U.S. national to register with the Secretary and indicate whether they agree to implement such principles. Sets forth specified reporting requirements. Title X: Africa - Chapter 1: Authorizations of Assistance for Africa - Amends the African Development Foundation Act to authorize appropriations for the African Development Foundation for FY 1992 and 1993. Requires funds from the Development Fund for Africa to be used to assist sector projects supported by the SADCC. Urges the President to use diplomatic means to protect the security of SADCC projects and urges the Government of South Africa to respect the territorial integrity of SADCC states and to refrain from military aggression across its borders. Earmarks funds for FY 1992 and 1993 for economic support assistance for Subsaharan Africa. Welcomes the commitment of several governments in Subsaharan Africa to move toward democratic and multiparty systems of government. Urges the President to increase assistance to promote the development of democratic institutions in Africa. Directs the admninistrator of the administering agency to provide for the establishment of an African Center for Conflict Resolution to analyze, research, and resolve conflicts in Africa. Requires funds from the Development Fund for Africa to be made available for the Center. Chapter 2: Provisions Relating to Specific Countries - Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the Government of Angola and the Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) should be commended for their willingness to enter into negotiations to reach a ceasefire agreement in the Angolan conflict and to reach agreement on a date for national elections; and (2) the United States should continue to support negotiations between the leaders of the Angolan Government and UNITA to achieve an agreement for a process of reconciliation among Angolans. Requires the President, in determining whether to provide assistance to Burundi during FY 1992 and 1993, to take into account that the Government of Burundi has: (1) made progress in reforming its military by engaging in a massive Hutu recruitment program; (2) taken steps to reverse discrimination against the Hutu; and (3) embarked on a major repatriation to accommodate the return of Hutu. Sets forth U.S. policy with respect to Ethiopia. Urges the President to impose diplomatic and economic pressures upon the Ethiopian Government if such Government fails to act in good faith to resolve its internal wars peacefully and to improve respect for human rights. Requires the President to report to the appropriate congressional committees every 90 days on Ethiopia's actions with respect to internal wars, human rights, and economic reform. Sets forth U.S. policy with respect to Kenya. Suspends economic and military assistance and sales to Kenya. Waives such suspension if the President reports to the appropriate congressional committees that the Government of Kenya is taking steps to: (1) charge and try or release all prisoners; (2) cease physical abuse or mistreatment of prisoners; (3) respect the independence of the judiciary; and (4) respect freedom of expression. Declares that it is U.S. policy to commit heightened diplomatic resources to resolving the fundamental political conflicts in Liberia. Makes available international disaster assistance funds for civil strife, rehabilitation, and general recovery in Liberia. Permits the President to transfer funds obligated for economic support assistance for Liberia to fund peacekeeping efforts in Liberia by the Economic Community of West Africa Monitoring Group. Authorizes assistance to Liberia under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 only if the President reports to the appropriate congressional committees that the Government of Liberia has achieved progress toward reconciliation among parties to the conflict in Liberia. Commends the Malawi Government's response to the influx of refugees from Mozambique. Condemns the abuse of human rights of Malawian citizens. Urges President Banda to release prisoners of conscience, end incommunicado detention and torture of prisoners, and permit freedom of speech and association in Malawi. Prohibits foreign military financing for the Malawi Young Pioneers and permits such assistance only for the Malawian military's effort to secure the Nacala Railroad and for activities to assist in the Mozambique peace process. Sets forth U.S. policy with respect to Mozambique. Conditions the provision of economic support assistance and foreign military financing for FY 1992 and 1993 for Mozambique on steps by the Government of Mozambique to increase respect for human rights and promote a political settlement to the conflict in such country. Encourages a peaceful and democratic solution to the problems in Somalia. Declares that it is U.S. policy to commit heightened diplomatic resources to resolving the fundamental political conflicts in Somalia. Permits foreign military financing, international military education and training, and economic support assistance for FY 1992 and 1993 to be provided to Somalia only if the President reports to the appropriate congressional committees that the Government of Somalia has made progress toward democratization and respect for human rights. Declares that the President, in providing assistance for refugees in Somalia under the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954, should ensure that: (1) an impartial counting of eligible beneficiaries of food assistance by donors has been completed; (2) none of the beneficiaries belong to military or paramilitary units; and (3) the amount of such assistance does not significantly exceed the number of beneficiaries of such assistance. Permits international disaster assistance for Somalia to be used for civil strife relief, rehabilitation, and general recovery in Somalia. Sets forth U.S. policy toward South Africa. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the United States should support the elimination of apartheid and the establishment of democratic majority rule in South Africa through a policy to bring about a nonracial democracy; (2) U.S. firms and the Government should provide specified assistance to disadvantaged South Africans; and (3) the President should seek the cooperation of U.S. allies in Western Europe and Japan to join in multilateral initiatives to aid disadvantaged South Africans. Requires funds to be made available from the Development Fund for Africa for assistance for the development and financing of low-cost housing in South Africa. Declares that it is U.S. policy to encourage negotiations between the Government of Sudan and the Sudanese People's Liberation Army to end the conflict between these factions. Prohibits economic support assistance (except for basic human needs) and foreign military financing and for Sudan during FY 1992 and 1993. Makes such prohibition inapplicable if the President reports to the appropriate congressional committees that the Government of Sudan is making progress toward respect for human rights and democratization. Prohibits the provision of foreign military financing, international military education and training, and economic support and development assistance to Zaire during FY 1992 and 1993 unless the President reports to the appropriate congressional committees that free and fair elections have been held in Zaire. Chapter 3: United States Commission on Southern Africa - United States Commission on Southern Africa Act - Establishes the United States Commission on Southern Africa to solicit private sector funds to develop skilled personnel in South Africa and Namibia, particularly in middle management business and government positions, by providing for the training of disadvantaged South Africans and Namibians in the fields of education, health care, law, and housing. Authorizes the Commission to establish and provide funds for human resource development programs and to provide scholarships and internships for appropriate study and training. Prohibits the use of such funds for programs conducted by or through South African organizations which are financed or controlled by the Government of South Africa. Authorizes the use of such funds only for programs which clearly reflect the objective of an end to apartheid. Provides for the annual audit of the Commission by certified public accountants. Authorizes the U.S. Comptroller General to carry out an annual audit of the Commission. Directs the Commission to ensure that: (1) recipients of Commission assistance keep separate accounts of such assistance and records to facilitate effective audits; and (2) the Commission has access to such records. Makes Development Fund for Africa assistance available for a grant to the Commission. Chapter 4: Other Provisions - Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) special efforts should be undertaken to reduce trade barriers and to promote economic interchange between the United States and developing countries in Subsaharan Africa; and (2) the countries of Subsaharan Africa are to be applauded for their stance during the Persian Gulf conflict and commended for their support of the United States. Permits international military education and training to be provided to a Subsaharan African country only if the President considers whether: (1) that country has a government that was democratically-elected as the result of free and fair elections or is committed to respecting human rights and permitting freedom of expression and has achieved progress in a process of democratization; (2) the armed forces of such country are involved in human rights violations or the government of the country fails to respect human rights; and (3) the armed forces of such country or other elements of the government of that country are engaged in destabilization efforts aimed at any other country. Requires the President, when obligating funds for countries that do not meet such conditions, to report to the appropriate congressional committees on the reasons for providing such assistance. Provides for the transfer of a specified amount of funds from the Development Fund for Africa for contributions to the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the United Nations Educational and Training Program for Southern Africa. Exempts international narcotics control assistance or assistance provided through nongovernmental organizations for the holding of free and fair elections from the restrictions on assistance under this title. Provides that any sanction imposed by any State or governmental subdivision that is directed at South Africa or persons engaging in commercial or financial transactions in or with South Africa and that also applies to Namibia shall be null and void with respect to Namibia unless such sanction is consistent with Federal law. Title XI: Other Provisions - Amends the Peace Corps Act to extend the authorization of appropriations for the Peace Corps through FY 1993. United States Environmental Security and Foreign Policy Act of 1991 - Sets forth U.S. policy with respect to global environmental security. Gives the Secretary of State primary responsibility for overseeing environmental agreements and activities between the United States and foreign countries and international organizations and commissions. Requires the Secretary to report biennially to the Congress on: (1) multilateral environmental initiatives and negotiations concluded or in process; (2) bilateral agreements on the environment; (3) U.S. participation in, and support of, environment programs in international organizations and multilateral development banks; (4) international cooperation activities with respect to research and monitoring of environmental and natural resource conditions; and (5) environmental policies and activities of the United States in providing foreign assistance. Expresses the sense of the Congress with respect to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. Expresses the sense of the Congress that a major effort should be made to strengthen the right to food in international law to assure the access of all persons to adequate food supplies. Declares that the Secretary, through the U.S. representative to the United Nations, should propose to the United Nations General Assembly that a Declaration and a Convention concerning the right to food be adopted and submitted to countries for ratification. Expresses the sense of the Congress that a major effort should be made to reform and restructure the United Nations mechanism for responding to international disasters and other humanitarian emergencies. Requires the Secretary, through the U.S. representative to the United Nations, to develop a proposal for strengthening the United Nations response to such emergencies. Directs the AID Administrator to release the Institute Centroamericano de Administration de Empresas from its obligation to make payments to the U.S. Government on a loan made pursuant to a specified Alliance for Progress Loan Agreement.
Law· HRH.R. 2519 (102nd)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 1991
Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1992 - Title I: Department of Veterans Affairs - Makes appropriations for FY 1991 to the Department of Veterans Affairs for: (1) the Veterans Benefits Administration; (2) the Veterans Health Administration; and (3) departmental administration, including the Office of the Inspector General. Authorizes the transfer of funds among specified appropriations. Authorizes the use of appropriations to procure consultant services. Authorizes the use of certain appropriations to pay prior year accrued obligations for certain benefits. Title II: Department of Housing and Urban Development - Makes appropriations for FY 1992 for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for: (1) housing programs; (2) community planning and development; (3) research and technology; (4) fair housing activities; and (5) management and administration, including the Office of the Inspector General and personal services and travel of departmental headquarters. Limits the amounts of specified loan obligations, including guarantee commitments of the Government National Mortgage Association. Makes funds available for the renewal of expiring low-income subsidy contracts. Makes funds available for grants to public housing agencies for use in eliminating drug-related crime in public housing projects. Makes funds available for the low-income moderate rehabilitation program to be used to assist homeless individuals. Transfers assets and liabilities of the revolving fund for rehabilitation loans to the revolving fund for liquidating programs under the Independent Offices Appropriation Act, 1955. Allows the following municipalities to retain land disposition proceeds from certain financially closed-out projects not paid to HUD: (1) the city of Vallejo, California; (2) the city of New London, Connecticut; and (3) the Housing Authority of the city of Jefferson, Missouri. Allows the cities of Newburyport and Malden, Massachusetts, to retain categorical settlement grant funds or urban renewal grant funds after the financial closeout of specified projects. Cancels the indebtedness of Calhoun Falls, South Carolina, relating to a public facilities loan. Limits the number of Senior Executive Service positions other than career-appointees in HUD. Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to establish a separate fair market rental rate for Monroe County, Pennsylvania. Amends the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act and the Housing Act of 1959 to allow service coordinators in housing for the elderly projects. Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to give priority to public housing applications for new construction, acquisition, or acquisition and rehabilitation in areas with an adequate supply of housing for low-income families. Title III: Independent Agencies - Makes appropriations for FY 1992 to the: (1) American Battle Monuments Commission; (2) Consumer Product Safety Commission; (3) Court of Veterans Appeals; (4) Department of Defense-Civil for cemeterial expenses, Army; (5) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); (6) Executive Office of the President for the Council on Environmental Quality and the Office of Environmental Quality, the National Space Council, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy; (7) Federal Emergency Management Agency; (8) General Services Administration for the Consumer Information Center; (9) Department of Health and Human Services for the Office of Consumer Affairs; (10) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); (11) National Credit Union Administration for the obligations of the Central Liquidity Facility; (12) National Institute of Building Sciences; (13) National Science Foundation; (14) Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation; and (15) Selective Service System. Sets forth limitations on average employment in EPA headquarters. Makes funds available to the Interagency Council on the Homeless as authorized under the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. Prohibits the use of funds by NASA to fund grants, contracts, or other agreements with an expected duration of more than one year when a primary effect of such grant, contract, or agreement is to provide a guaranteed customer base for or establish an anchor tenancy in new commercial space hardware or services unless an appropriations Act approves such new hardware or services. Authorizes the use of income derived from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Endeavor Teacher Fellowship Trust Fund to award fellowships to U.S. nationals who are undergraduate students pursuing teaching degrees in elementary and secondary education in mathematics, science or technology disciplines. Prohibits the use of funds by NASA to administer, execute, or implement specified Federal regulations with respect to the liability of aerospace contractors in connection with poor workmanship. Title IV: Corporations - Authorizes certain corporations and agencies of HUD to make commitments without regard to fiscal year limitations as necessary to carry out provisions under the Government Corporation Control Act. Allows any collections by such corporations and agencies to be used for new loan or mortgage purchase commitments to the extent provided under this Act, with specified exceptions. Makes funds available for payment of expenditures of the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation (FSLIC) Resolution Fund and for the Office of Inspector General of the Resolution Trust Corporation. Title V: General Provisions - Specifies certain uses, limitations, and prohibitions on uses of funds appropriated by this Act. Requires FY 1992 pay raises to be absorbed within the levels appropriated in this Act. Prohibits the use of funds by HUD for first class travel of officials or employees unless required by medical necessity or on airplane flights longer than seven hours. Prohibits the use of funds by the Department of Veterans Affairs for any new lease of real property above a specified amount unless a report is submitted to the congressional Committees on Appropriations and a period of 30 days expires after submission of such report. Directs the Resolution Trust Corporation to report to the Congress at least once a month on its review of certain insolvent institution cases resolved by the FSLIC. Prohibits the use of funds to implement the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-576). Amends Federal law with respect to veterans medical care to extend from September 30, 1991 to September 30, 1992, the requirement for veterans to make copayments for medications. Amends the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1990 to extend through FY 1992 the amendments made to modify health care categories and copayments for veterans. Increases the amount made available for veterans medical care for use only for procurement of medical equipment. Provides that such veterans medical care provisions shall not take effect if the amount provided for medical care to the Department of Veterans Affairs is less than a specified amount plus reimbursements.
Bill· HRH.R. 2518 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 1991
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit of $500 for purchase of 1994 or later model year automobiles equipped with a driver-side airbag, and a tax credit of $1,000 for such vehicles equipped with a passenger-side airbag. Makes such credit effective for trucks for 1995 or later models. Imposes an excise tax on the sale by the manufacturer, importer, or producer of each 1994 or later model year automobile that is not an airbag-equipped automobile. Declares the amount of tax on each automobile to be: (1) $500 for the 1994 model year; (2) $500 for 1995 or later model years which are only equipped with a driver-side airbag; and (3) $1,000 for 1995 or later model years which are not equipped with airbags. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe higher rates if the excise tax does not approximate the loss in revenues due to the tax credit. Imposes such excise tax on trucks beginning with the 1995 model year. Provides for a reduction in the basis of an automobile on which such excise tax is imposed for purposes of determining gain or loss. Provides for the taxation of leases of automobiles subject to such excise tax. Declares that provisions for tax-free sales to a State or local government for the exclusive use of such State or local government or to a nonprofit educational organization for its exclusive use do not apply to sales of automobiles that are not equipped with airbags.
Law· HRH.R. 2506 (102nd)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 1991
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1992 - Title I: Congressional Operations - Congressional Operations Appropriations Act, 1992 - Appropriates funds for FY 1992 for the operations of the House of Representatives for the following: (1) mileage of Members; (2) House leadership offices; (3) Members' clerk hire; (4) committee employees; (5) studies by the Committee on the Budget; (6) contingent expenses of the House, including salaries and expenses of standing, special, and select committees; (7) salaries and expenses and temporary personal services of House Information Systems, under the direction of the Committee on House Administration; (8) allowances and expenses; (9) studies and investigations by the Committee on Appropriations; (10) official mail costs; and (11) salaries of officers and employees. Allows the transfer of amounts among specified House accounts upon the approval of the Committee on Appropriations. Increases authorized salary ceilings for certain positions established for the Democratic caucus and the Republican conference. Authorizes the Clerk of the House to receive payments of assessments for monthly equipment charges incurred by organizations authorized by the Committee on House Administration. Makes appropriations for the following joint items: (1) contingent expenses of the Senate for the Joint Economic Committee and the Joint Committee on Printing; (2) contingent expenses of the House for the Joint Committee on Taxation; (3) the Office of the Attending Physician; (4) the Capitol Police Board; (5) the Capitol Guide Service; (6) the Special Services Office; and (7) the preparation of required statements of appropriations. Appropriates funds for the following congressional offices: (1) the Office of Technology Assessment; (2) the Congressional Budget Office; (3) the Architect of the Capitol; (4) the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress; and (5) the Government Printing Office (GPO). Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1991, to provide for an increase in the pay ceiling of certain senior employees of the Architect of the Capitol. Authorizes the Architect, with the approval of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and the House Office Building Commission, to lease and occupy space in the Judiciary Office Building. Authorizes appropriations for such occupancy, including furniture and furnishings and the planning, acquisition, and installation of telecommunications equipment and services. Authorizes performance awards for the Superintendent of Garages. Title II: Other Agencies - Appropriates funds for the following congressional agencies: (1) the Botanic Garden; (2) the Library of Congress; (3) the Architect of the Capitol for Library buildings and grounds; (4) the Copyright Royalty Tribunal; (5) GPO for the Office of Superintendent of Documents; and (6) the General Accounting Office. Makes funds available to the Library of Congress for expenses of attendance at certain meetings, of which a specified amount is set aside for the Congressional Research Service. Prohibits the Library from using appropriated funds to administer a flexible or compressed work schedule for certain managers or supervisors. Limits the number of employees which the Library may employ with appropriated funds from other Federal agencies to cover general and administrative overhead costs generated by performing reimbursable work for such agencies. Limits the expenditures by the Library on official representation and reception expenses for the incentive awards program and the Overseas Field Offices. Title III: General Provisions - Sets forth various specified requirements for and prohibitions or limitations on the use of appropriations. Directs the Architect of the Capitol to develop an overall telecommunications plan for the other agencies of the legislative branch. Authorizes the transfer of funds from the Library of Congress for salaries and expenses to the Architect of the Capitol for the purpose of rental, lease, or other agreement respecting temporary storage and warehouse space for use by the Library during FY 1992. Prohibits the use of funds to implement the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-576). Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to maintain and operate a child care center to furnish pre-school child care for children of officers and employees of the House of Representatives (to be known as the House of Representatives Child Care Center). Establishes an advisory board for such Center. Repeals previous legislation which established such a center.
Bill· HRH.R. 2499 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 1991
Section 457 Reform and Simplification Act of 1991 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to state that the accounting provisions applicable to the deferred compensation plans of State and local governments and of private tax-exempt organizations shall not apply to nonelective deferred compensation. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to promulgate regulations defining nonelective deferred compensation. Applies such provisions retroactively to tax year 1988 and thereafter.
Bill· HRH.R. 2503 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 1991
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit candidates for a House of Representatives election from accepting contributions: (1) from any multicandidate political committee (PAC), individual, or other source not located within the candidate's district; or (2) that in the aggregate exceeds $200 from the same source. Precludes such candidates from making contributions from personal funds totaling more than $200. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow income tax credits for contributions to House of Representatives candidates (but not by an estate or trust). Prohibits House of Representatives candidates from: (1) accepting contributions during the 14-day period before an election; (2) establishing, financing, or controlling a political committee other than the candidate's principal campaign committee; or (3) carrying forward from one election cycle to the next a total of more than $25,000 in all campaign accounts. Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to prohibit the House from considering business other than pro forma matters between Labor Day and election day of each year in which a regularly scheduled Federal general election is held (except in a case of national emergency). Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to mandate that, whenever any person makes an expenditure for an advertisement expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate, prior public notice shall be provided with respect to: (1) advertisement contents; (2) the identity of the purchaser of the advertisement; and (3) the names of officers and members of a purchasing organization's board of directors.
Bill· HRH.R. 2495 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 1991
Teacher Leadership Act of 1991 - Title I: Teacher Recruitment - Part A: University Partnerships for Classroom Leadership - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to create University Partnerships for Classroom Leadership. Authorizes the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to make grants to qualifying institutions (including institutions with large enrollments of minority or disadvantaged and historically Black colleges or universities) to establish partnerships with local education agencies (LEAs) to support: (1) mentorship or tutoring programs; (2) cultural, recreational, or athletic activities; (3) programs of college students as teacher aides; (4) seminars or workshops to advise college students about child development, child psychology, teaching methods, or the teaching profession; and (5) other appropriate activities to establish a presence of minority role models in the classroom or encourage minority students to enter the teaching field. Requires equitable distribution of such grants throughout the Nation and among a variety of communities. Permits the use of grant funds for: (1) training of college students and professors and school teachers; (2) instructional or curriculum materials; (3) transportation or incidental costs associated with participation; and (4) any other appropriate expenses of planning, implementing, or operating the partnership with the LEA. Authorizes appropriations. Part B: Community Partnerships for Classroom Leadership - Creates a National Mini Corps Program for higher education institution partnerships with the migrant community. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to such institutions to establish partnerships to provide certain migrant college students with training to help them serve as student or teacher role models, links to the community, and tutors and teachers of migrant children. Provides for equitable distribution of grants. Allows the use of grant funds for program planning, implementation, and operation, but limits the portion that may be used for administrative expenses. Authorizes appropriations. Part C: National Job Bank for Teacher Recruitment Study and Demonstration - Establishes a National Job Bank for Teacher Recruitment. Directs the Secretary, through the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI), to study the feasibility of establishing: (1) a clearinghouse to operate a national teacher job bank; and (2) regional clearinghouses. Directs the Secretary, through OERI, to contract with one or more State entities, nonprofit organizations, or higher education institutions to pay the Federal share of costs of establishing a Teacher Job Bank Clearinghouse to help: (1) public and private education agencies locate qualified applicants for teaching-related positions; and (2) individuals locate teaching-related jobs or training necessary to enter the teaching profession. Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Broadening the Diversity of Skills and Expertise of Teachers - Part A: Business Partnerships for Classroom Leadership - Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to LEAs to establish model partnerships with business community representatives to sponsor programs for: (1) local business representatives to work with teachers to provide supplementary instruction in the classroom; (2) classroom teacher internships working in local businesses to gain practical experience or new skills or expertise; (3) local business representatives to work with school administrators to develop instructional material; and (4) other appropriate activities for forming a working relationship between business and classroom leaders. Provides for equitable distribution of grants. Gives priority to partnerships focusing on mathematics or science expertise of classroom teachers, particularly at the elementary level. Allows awards only to partnerships of sufficient size and scope to be models. Allows use of funds for partnership planning, implementation, and operation, but limits the portion which may be used for administrative costs. Authorizes appropriations. Part B: Teacher Certification and Licensure - Establishes Standards for Teacher Certification programs to provide Federal support and technical assistance to States to: (1) review their teacher certification and licensure requirements; and (2) determine what new standards or alternative routes need to be developed. Directs the Secretary to make State allotments based on population of children ages five through 17. Directs the Secretary to reserve a portion of funds to provide technical assistance to States which are developing new standards or alternative routes for teacher certification and licensure. Allows States to use assistance for review of existing standards and development of new standards and alternative routes for teacher certification and licensure. Allows States to carry out such activities directly or through grants to appropriate agencies, institutions, or organizations. Authorizes appropriations. Title III: Innovations in the Practice of Teaching - Part A: CLASS (Classroom Leaders Assisting Students to Succeed) Academies - Replaces professional development resource centers for teachers with CLASS (Classroom Leaders Assisting Students to Succeed) Academies. Directs the Secretary to award grants to LEAs, State educational agencies, higher education institutions, private management organizations, or nonprofit organizations, or consortia of such entities, to establish and operate a CLASS Academy in each State. Requires that special consideration in awarding grants be given to entities receiving Leadership in Educational Administration Development assistance which can meet specified requirements. Sets forth grantee obligations and general criteria for grants. Requires each grant to be for five years, with possible renewal for one additional five-year period. Allows the use of grant funds for: (1) developing and implementing preservice and in-service training programs and professional development activities for prospective and practicing teachers, including summer institutes; (2) providing support services, consultation, and technical assistance for school-based training and professional development activities; (3) disseminating information about Academy programs and the latest research findings on teaching and learning; and (4) other appropriate expenses related to development and implementation of teacher programs and activities and Academy operation. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary, from appropriations for this part for FY 1992 or any succeeding fiscal year, to make available a necessary amount for establishing and operating a CLASS Academy in each State. Sets the non-Federal matching amount at 25 percent of the award to a grantee in FY 1992, and 50 percent in succeeding fiscal years. Part B: Research, Evaluation, and Dissemination - Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to and contracts with higher education institutions and other public or private organizations for research and evaluation of alternative teaching strategies, including ones designed to reach particular student populations (such as those who are disadvantaged or who have disabilities or limited English proficiency), and innovative programs for teacher education and training. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary, through the National Diffusion Network, to disseminate information and technical assistance with respect to alternative teaching strategies to LEAs, higher education institutions' teacher training programs, and CLASS Academies. Authorizes appropriations.
Bill· HRH.R. 2496 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 1991
Job Training Partnership Act Amendments of 1991 - Title I: Amendments to the Job Training Partnership Act - Amends the Job Training Partnership Act (the Act) to authorize appropriations for: (1) Training Services for the Disadvantaged, Adult Opportunity Program; (2) the Youth Opportunity Program; (3) Employment and Training Assistance for Dislocated Workers (other than provisions for clean air employment transition assistance); (4) Federally Administered Programs (Employment and Training Programs for Native Americans and Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers; Veterans' Employment Programs; National Activities; Labor Market Information; National Commission for Employment Policy; Training to Fulfill Affirmative Action Obligations); and (5) Job Corps. Authorizes appropriations for the new Youth Opportunities Unlimited Progam. Defines "basic skills deficient" as reading or computing skills at or below 8th grade level. Adds organizations serving older workers to the list of community-based organizations. Strikes from such list the National Urban Indian Council. Revises the definition of "economically disadvantaged" to refer to income guidelines promulgated each year by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Revises the definition of "supportive services" to include drug and alcohol abuse counseling and referral and individual and family counseling. Includes representatives of local welfare agencies on private industry councils (PICs). Revises requirements for service delivery area (SDA) job training plans. Revises requirements for performance standards to add measurement of increased basic education attainment and occupational skills (as well as the current measurement of increased employment and earnings and reduced welfare dependency). Provides for the following additional factors in performance standards for youth programs: (1) attainment of employment competencies; (2) secondary and postsecondary school completion or its equivalent; and (3) enrollment in other training programs or apprenticeships, or enlistment in the armed forces. Authorizes the Secretary of Labor (the Secretary) to prescribe variations on such standards for youth programs to reflect the differences between in-school and out-of-school programs. Requires PIC's to determine levels for competency standards, based on factors such as entry skill levels and other hiring requirements. Directs Governors to award incentive funds to SDAs for achieving performance standard levels. Changes from discretionary to mandatory the authority of State Governors to prescribe variations in performance standards within certain parameters. Requires selection of service providers on a competitive basis to the maximum extent possible. Requires such selection process to include: (1) determination of the service provider's ability to meet program design specifications; and (2) documentation of compliance with procurement standards. Requires, with specified exceptions, that all expenditures under the Act be charged to appropriate cost categories. Establishes new cost categories and cost limitations for the Adult Opportunity and Youth Opportunity Programs. Requires the Governor's coordination and special services plan to include descriptions of State coordination measures and projected grant uses. Renames the State job training coordinating council the State human resource investment council. Revises specified provisions for State education coordination and grants. Repeals specified provisions for training programs for older workers. Revises program requirements for service delivery systems. Exempts normal tuition charges for training or education from certain requirements for a breakdown of cost components. Limits the duration of on-the-job training to a period not in excess of that generally required for acquisition of skills needed for that position, but never exceeding six months. Requires on-the-job contracts to: (1) specify types and duration of training and other services; and (2) if an intermediary brokering contractor is used for placements, specify certain additional services and factors. Allows a public or private nonprofit entity to retain any income earned under any program under the Act if it is used to carry out the program, even though financial assistance has expired. Requires States to establish fiscal control and fund accounting procedures to ensure proper disbursal and accounting of Federal funds. Requires the Governor to establish procurement standards for States, local areas, and SDA's to ensure that specified criteria are met. Revises reporting and recordkeeping requirements. Requires recipients to maintain and provide to the Secretary standardized records of a sufficient number of individual participants to provide an adequate sample size to allow for preparation of national estimates to meet specified requirements. Requires States, administrative entities conducting the program, and recipients (other than sub-recipients) to monitor the performance of service providers. Requires Governors to ensure that requirements are established for retention of records for specified periods. Revises training services for disadvantaged adults and renames them the Adult Opportunity Program. Sets forth new eligibility requirements and a new formula for the allotment of funds to the disadvantaged adult program. Requires that the following features be included in all individual adult programs: (1) assessment of skill levels and service needs; (2) service strategy; (3) progress review; and (4) where appropriate, basic and occupational skills training. Requires SDAs to link with: (1) other specified Federal programs; and (2) State, local, and private programs, as appropriate. Allows an SDA to transfer up to ten percent of adult program funds to the youth program under certain conditions. Revises training services for disadvantaged youth and renames them the Youth Opportunity Program. Sets forth new eligibility requirements and a new formula for the allotment of funds to the disadvantaged youth program. Requires that the following features be included in all individual youth programs: (1) assessment of skill levels and service needs; (2) service strategy; (3) progress review; and (4) where appropriate, training in basic, occupational, pre-employment, and work maturity skills, work experience combined with skills training, and supportive services. Requires SDAs to link the youth program with: (1) other specified Federal programs; and (2) as appropriate, State, local, and private programs. Allows an SDA to transfer up to ten percent of youth program funds to the adult program under certain conditions. Provides, with respect to employment and training assistance for dislocated workers, that an eligible dislocated worker participating in training (except on-the-job training) shall be deemed to be in training with the approval of the State agency for purposes of unemployment compensation. Increases from ten to 20 percent of total enrollment the allowable number of nonresidential participants enrolled in the Job Corps in any year. Requires that, in enrolling nonresident participants, priority be given to those eligible individuals who are single parents with dependent children. Establishes a new Youth Opportunities Unlimited Program. Authorizes the Secretary to establish such national progam of Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU) grants to pay 50 percent of of the cost of comprehensive education, training, and supportive services for youth in high poverty areas in urban and rural areas. Requires such grants to be awarded to the local service delivery area (on behalf of the participating community) in which the target area is located (or to designated grantees if the target area is in a migrant worker community, Indian reservation, or Alaskan native village). Authorizes the Secretary to select as grant recipients up to 25 communities in the first year after the program is in effect. Makes such grants cover a three-year period, with each year conditional upon compliance. Authorizes participating communities to apply for grants for use on behalf of target areas. Requires that a designated target area have not more than 25,000 population. Requires that program funds be used for services to youth ages 14 through 21. Title II: State Human Resource Investment Council - Requires each State which receives assistance under applicable programs to establish a single State human resource investment council to review and advise on coordination of applicable programs under: (1) the Adult Education Act; (2) the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act; (3) the Job Training Partnership Act; (4) the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; (5) the Wagner-Peyser Act; (6) the JOBS program of the Social Security Act; and (7) specified provisions of the Food Stamp Act of 1977.
Bill· HRH.R. 2493 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 1991
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to apply the special rule for principal campaign committees on graduated tax rates to candidates for any Federal, State, or local elective public office. (Currently, such rule applies only to congressional candidates.)
Bill· HRH.R. 2492 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 May 1991
Repeals provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that include unemployment compensation in the gross income of an individual and require information reporting with respect to such compensation.
Bill· HRH.R. 2482 (102nd)reported
United States · United States Congress · 29 May 1991
New Columbia Admission Act - Declares the State of New Columbia (presently the District of Columbia) to be a State of the United States of America. Admits New Columbia into the Union on an equal footing with the other States in all respects. Reserves Federal title to certain lands and property. Directs the Governor to submit the Governor's request regarding the amount of an annual Federal payment to the Congress not less than seven months before the beginning of a fiscal year for which a request is made. Requires the request to contain a report on services rendered to the Federal Government, potential revenues lost because of the presence of the Federal Government, and potential revenues gained because of the presence of the Federal Government. Sets forth election protocol for popular ratification of statehood. Provides for election of one member of the House of Representatives as well as two Senators. Maintains the laws that were territorially in effect. Continues any lawsuits already pending in District of Columbia courts. Establishes a Statehood Transition Commission.
Bill· HRH.R. 2486 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 May 1991
Ground Transportation Consumer Protection Act of 1991 - Declares the rights of air passengers: (1) to information about ground transportation services at airports; and (2) to access to courtesy vehicles if they are customers of off-airport operators (including rental vehicle, parking lot, hotel, amusement park, or other business). Authorizes an airport operator to charge a fee to off-airport operators provided it is reasonable, nondiscriminatory, and related to the use of the roadways and facilities built primarily to meet the operator's special needs. Amends the Clayton Act to make it unlawful for any city or governmental unit operating an airport that receives Federal assistance or issues tax-exempt airport improvement bonds to impose an unreasonable discriminatory fee on non-tenant, non-aeronautical commercial users of such airport where the effect of the fee substantially lessens competition or tends to create a monopoly in any line of commerce.
Bill· HRH.R. 2476 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 May 1991
House of Representatives Election Campaign Act of 1991 - Title I: Public Financing of House of Representatives General Election Campaigns - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to provide for public financing of House of Representatives general election campaigns. Sets forth conditions of eligibility for, and entitlement to, payments. Establishes the formula for determining such payments, based upon popular votes received by the candidate and whether a candidate is of a minor or major political party. Sets limits on: (1) the expenditures of participating candidates; (2) contributions to nonparticipating candidates; and (3) financial activities of primary election candidates. Declares that eligible candidates are entitled to such payments only to defray qualified campaign expenses. Authorizes additional entitlements to opponents of nonpublicly financed candidates to match contributions or expenditures raised, incurred, or expended which are in excess of the opponent's entitlement. Requires the Federal Election Commission to certify to the Secretary of the Treasury the full amount to which an eligible candidate is entitled. Directs the Secretary to maintain in the Presidential Election Campaign Fund the House of Representatives General Election Campaign Fund for the deposit of funds for payments to eligible candidates. Directs the Commission, after each election, to audit the campaign expenses of publicly financed candidates. Requires such candidates to repay any excess amounts received. Establishes criminal penalties for violations of this Act. Directs the Commission to report to the House after each election on actions taken under this Act. Provides for judicial review of such Commission actions. Title II: Expenditures and Contributions - Subtitle A: Independent Expenditures - Declares that the term "independent expenditure" does not include any cooperative expenditure. Declares that a cooperative expenditure shall be treated as an expenditure of the candidate for whose benefit the expenditure was made, and as a contribution from the person making such expenditure. Defines "cooperative expenditure." Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to revise the equal broadcast guidelines for persons who incur independent expenditures to reserve broadcast time. Subtitle B: Provisions Relating to Soft Money of Political Parties - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to set forth expenditure guidelines for national, state, and local party committees. Sets forth restrictions on fundraising by Federal candidates and officeholders, including those affiliated with tax-exempt organizations. Prescribes receipt and disbursement reporting requirements for: (1) political committees (including reporting requirements for exempt contributions and expenditures; (2) State committees; and (3) large contributors. Subtitle C: Contributions - Prohibits a congressional campaign committee of a political party (or a national committee of a political party) from accepting contributions during an election cycle from multicandidate political committees and separate segregated funds which in the aggregate exceed specified formula amounts. Describes circumstances under which contributions made through an intermediary or conduit shall be treated as contributions from such conduit or intermediary to the particular candidate. Treats contributions by dependents not of voting age as having been made by the persons upon whom they are dependent. Revises the guidelines for the disposition of excess contributions to: (1) authorize their allocation to the House of Representatives Election Campaign Account; and (2) authorize the retention of a specified percentage for future campaign purposes. Title III: Inducements for Participating in Public Financing - Amends Federal postal law to provide reduced postal rates for campaign matter mailed by an eligible candidate for the House of Representatives. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to declare that broadcast rates for a House of Representatives candidate shall not exceed a certain percentage of the station's lowest unit charge.
Bill· HRH.R. 2478 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 May 1991
Individual Retirement Account Restoration and Improvement Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to remove limitations on the deductibility of contributions to individual retirement plans by active participants in employer-maintained plans. Allows penalty-free withdrawals from such plans for catastrophic expenses for personal, custodial, and medical care of an ill individual if such individual is a beneficiary or the spouse, parent, or dependent of such beneficiary.
Bill· HRH.R. 2487 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 May 1991
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the luxury tax on boats. Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to repeal provisions concerning modifications of the percentage depletion allowance on oil and gas properties.
Bill· HRH.R. 2479 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 May 1991
Investment Tax Relief Act of 1991 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require indexing, based on the gross national product deflator, of the adjusted basis of certain assets (corporate stock and tangible property that is a capital asset of property used in a trade or business) that have been held for more than one year at the time of sale or other transfer, solely for the purpose of determining gain or loss.
Bill· HRH.R. 2480 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 May 1991
Provides for the valuation of certain stock issued to an employee on March 24, 1981, to determine the amount to be included in the gross income of such employee as property transferred in connection with the performance of services.
Bill· SS. 1190 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 1991
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the standard mileage rate deduction for charitable use of a passenger automobile. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury, not later than December 15, 1992, and each subsequent calendar year, to prescribe an increase in such deduction for taxable years beginning in the succeeding calendar year.
Bill· SS. 1177 (102nd)open
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1991
Pepper Commission Health Care Access and Reform Act of 1991 - Title I: Access To Private or Public Health Insurance For Basic Health Services Through Employment - Amends the Social Security Act to add a new title XXI entitled "Access to Private or Public Health Insurance For Basic Health Services Through Employment". Requires, under the new title, that employers enroll their employees and family members in a qualified employer health plan or in the public health insurance plan discussed in title II of this Act. Sets forth requirements relating to employee premiums and cost-sharing. Title II: Access to Health Insurance for Basic Health Services Through a Public Health Insurance Plan - Amends the Social Security Act to add a new title XXII entitled "Access to Health Insurance for Basic Health Services Through a Public Health Insurance Plan." Provides, under title XXII, for a new public health insurance program to be administered by the Health Care Financing Administration through the use of fiscal agents in the same manner as under Medicare (title XVIII of the Social Security Act) to process claims. Requires program coverage of basic health services, including preventive services, subject, except with respect to preventive services, to specified deductible and coinsurance requirements, with an overall annual limit on cost-sharing of $3,000. Makes U.S. residents and citizens who are not Medicare beneficiaries or enrolled under the qualified employer health plan described under title I or any other qualified health insurance plan eligible to enroll in the public health insurance program. Makes low-income individuals enrolling in the program eligible for assistance to limit or eliminate their financial obligations under the program. Requires the program to provide early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment services (EPSDT) services for children. Allows Medicare beneficiaries to obtain Medicare supplemental (Medigap) coverage under the public health insurance program. Prohibits payment under title XXII for services furnished which are not reasonable and medically necessary. Allows provision of covered services without limitation, except as specified under prescribed guidelines. Provides for the use of Medicare payment rules for purposes of benefit payments under title XXII. Sets forth provisions for: (1) determining the amount of premiums to be charged individuals and employers for enrollment under title XXII; and (2) collecting premiums. Creates in the Treasury the Public Health Insurance Trust Fund to support the public health insurance program through the premiums charged under this Act. Authorizes appropriations each fiscal year to cover the Government's share of program costs. Outlines requirements established under part F (Qualified Health Plans) of title XXII respecting basic benefits, limits on pre-existing condition exclusions and on cost-sharing, and other protections which private health insurance plans must afford consumers in order to be certified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services as qualified for issuance or sale. Outlines administrative provisions. Directs the Secretary to provide information via a toll-free telephone number on low-income assistance and other information concerning the public health insurance program. Title III: Quality Assurance and Cost Containment - Authorizes the Secretary to waive the requirements of titles XVIII and XXII of the Social Security Act insofar as they prevent the use of State uniform payment rates, under prescribed conditions. Requires the Administrator for Health Care Policy and Research to design, implement, and evaluate studies on medical malpractice issues and demonstration projects related to medical malpractice reform for the purpose of making recommendations to the Congress respecting: (1) incentives to improve the quality of care; and (2) cost-effective methods of providing efficient and appropriate compensation to individuals injured in adverse medical occurrences. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary to submit to the Congress a report on requiring use of uniform claims forms. Title IV: Group Health Insurance Reform - Subtitle A: General Reforms - Amends the Social Security Act to add a new title XXIII entitled "Group Health Insurance Standards." Requires States to enforce the minimum Federal standards required to be established under the new title for employment-related health plans. Requires the Secretary to certify such plans as meeting such requirements if the applicable State has not established a regulatory program to enforce the standards. Prohibits employment-related health plans from denying or limiting coverage of basic health services on the basis of an individual's health status or lack of insurability. Sets forth additional requirements applicable to all employment-related health plans. Requires small employer health plans to offer a basic benefit package, use community rating, guarantee issue and renewal of policies, and meet certain information disclosure and recordkeeping requirements. Subtitle B: Reinsurance Systems - Directs the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to develop several models of legislation for the enactment of reinsurance systems that may be used by States with respect to health insurance policies (including small employer health plans). Subtitle C: Encouraging Establishment of Managed Care - Preempts State law restricting the use of managed care plans and utilization review programs that meet Federal standards. Title V: Expansion of Primary Care and Public Health Delivery Capacity in Meeting Health Objectives - Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend the authorization of appropriations for programs related to immunization, tuberculosis, lead poisoning, sexually transmitted diseases, migrant health centers, community health centers, health services for the homeless, health services for residents of public housing, family planning, and HIV disease. Amends title XXII (Access to Health Insurance for Basic Health Services Through a Public Health Insurance Plan) of the Social Security Act, as added by title II of this Act, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, from amounts in the Public Health Insurance Trust Fund established by this Act, to make grants to plan and develop primary care centers and public health clinics, defined as migrant or community health centers or other entities qualified to receive a grant under specified provisions of the Public Health Service Act. Directs the Secretary to report to the Congress every five years on the impact of this Act in meeting the goals in the report "Healthy People, 2000." Requires each report to include recommendations regarding changes in qualified health plan benefits and payment policies to promote achievement of national health promotion and disease prevention goals and objectives. Title VI: Financing and Tax-Related Provisions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) provide a full deduction for qualified health plan insurance costs of self-employed individuals; (2) make such deduction permanent; (3) impose an excise tax on entities for willful and uncorrected violations of requirements applicable to employment-related health plans under title XXIII of the Social Security Act; (4) allow very small businesses a refundable credit against income taxes for qualified employer health plan costs; and (5) repeal provisions imposing an excise tax for the failure of group health plans to satisfy coverage requirements. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to review and report to the Congress on the impact of this Act, and the tax credits provided above, on employers of ten or fewer full-time employees. Requires the public health insurance plan to be funded through one or more funding means in a manner which is: (1) progressive in the aggregate; (2) sufficient, each year, over time, and in the aggregate, to cover the net costs of the plan; and (3) not derived from any one age group of society. Title VII: Medicare and Medicaid Amendments - Subtitle A: Medicare - Amends the Medicare program to assure coordination of enrollment with qualified health plans. Subtitle B: Medicaid - Amends the Medicaid program (title XIX of the Social Security Act) to continue Medicaid benefits not covered under such public health insurance program and to discontinue those benefits covered under the program. Title VIII: Conforming Changes to ERISA - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to repeal provisions regarding continuation coverage under group health plans.
Bill· SS. 1166 (102nd)open
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1991
Telephone Consumer Assistance Act - Directs: (1) the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to establish a system for registration by providers of pay-per-call (PPC) services; and (2) the FTC and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a system for oversight and regulation of PPC services to protect consumers. Sets forth minimum standards for PPC services which require that such services: (1) include an introductory disclosure message that describes the service being provided and the maximum charge per minute or per call and other charges, and informs the caller of the option to hang up before the end of the introductory message without incurring any charge; (2) in fact allow the caller to hang up before the end of such message without charge; (3) after the institution of any increase in charges for the service, disable any bypass mechanism which allows frequent callers to avoid listening to the complete introductory disclosure message for a period sufficient to give frequent callers adequate notice of the increase; (4) stop the assessment of time-based charges immediately upon disconnection by the caller; (5) only be offered from certain telephone number prefixes; and (6) not be aimed at children under age 16, except in the case of a bona fide educational service. Bars common carriers from either disconnecting a subscriber's telephone service because of nonpayment of charges for any PPC service or contracting with a PPC service provider for carriage of such service if the provider has not registered with the FTC. Requires common carriers that provide local exchange services, where technically feasible, to offer telephone subscribers: (1) the option of blocking access from their telephone number to all prefixes used by PPC services at no charge for a specified period or at a reasonable fee; and (2) in combination with a blocking option, the option of presubscribing to specific PPC services for a reasonable one-time charge. Requires common carriers that engage in billing and collection of charges for PPC services to: (1) give telephone subscribers the option of cancelling charges for PPC services in instances of unauthorized use or misunderstanding of such charges at the time of use, subject to reasonable limitations; (2) include, in the first billing to telephone subscribers subscribing to a new telephone number and at least annually therafter, a disclosure statement that sets forth all rights and obligations held by the subscriber and the carrier with respect to the use and payment for PPC services and which describes the applicable blocking options; (3) display any PPC service charges on a telephone subscriber's bill separately from the parts relating to local and long distance telephone charges, including the name of the service, the amount of the charge, and the date, time, and duration of the call; (4) obtain from the provider, in instances when such carriers contract for the collection and distribution of charges by PPC services that solicit charitable contributions, proof of tax exempt status; (5) withhold payment of charges to any PPC provider where the carrier reasonably believes that such provider is not in compliance with rules or regulations issued under this Act; and (6) have the right to recover such carrier's costs of complying with specified provisions of this Act from the PPC provider. Sets forth requirements concerning the advertising of PPC services. Specifies: (1) matters for FCC and FTC consideration in conducting rulemaking proceedings, such as whether a PPC service should be required to automatically disconnect a call after one full cycle of the program or if no activity occurs within a reasonable, specified time period; (2) that this Act shall have no effect on election laws, dial-a-porn prohibitions, gambling laws, or unfair trade laws, and shall not preclude any State from enacting and enforcing additional and complementary oversight and regulatory systems or procedures, or both; (3) that any violation of FCC regulations issued under this Act shall be treated as a violation of the rules and regulations under the Communications Act of 1934, subjecting violators to specified criminal and forfeiture penalties; and (4) that any violation of FTC rules prescribed under this Act shall be treated as a violation of the Federal Trade Commission Act regarding unfair or deceptive acts or practices, subjecting violators to penalties under such Act. Authorizes State attorneys general to seek damages or other appropriate relief against PPC service providers believed to have engaged, or be engaging, in acts which violate any FTC or FCC rule or regulation under this Act which threaten the interests of residents of the State. Grants the Federal district courts exclusive jurisdiction over such civil actions. Requires the State to serve prior written notice of any such action upon the FTC or FCC, as appropriate. Grants the FTC or FCC the right to intervene, be heard, and file petitions for appeal. Sets forth provisions with respect to venue, investigatory powers of the State attorney general, effect on State court proceedings, and other limitations. Requires the FTC to: (1) conduct a study of the acquisition and use by PPC service providers of callers' telephone numbers to generate, compile, and sell or lease lists of such numbers, investigate the extent to which such numbers are obtained with or without the knowledge or consent of the caller, and identify methods by which callers could be given the opportunity to grant or withhold that consent; and (2) report to the Congress and the FCC on the results of such study, together with any recommendations for changes to prevent abuses.
Bill· SS. 1178 (102nd)open
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1991
Alternative Fuels Incentive Act of 1991 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax deduction for the costs of qualified clean-burning (natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, or alcohol) motor vehicle fuel property or refueling property. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to make equivalent payments to States and to local governments in connection with qualified property.
Bill· SS. 1157 (102nd)open
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1991
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit the investment tax credit in connection with depreciable solar energy property and geothermal property against the taxpayer's entire regular tax liability and minimum tax liability.
Bill· SS. 1158 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1991
Veterans' Claims Administrative Equity Act of 1991 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, if a claim for compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation, or pension is not decided by the Secretary within 180 days of the date on which the claim is filed, to pay benefits in acordance with the claim until the claim is adjudicated. Requires the Secretary, in cases in which a claim is denied, the claimant files a Notice of Disagreement with the Secretary, and the Secretary does not certify the case to the Board of Veterans' Appeals within 180 days of the date of the filing of the Notice, to pay the benefits for which the claim was filed. Directs the Secretary, whenever the Board or the Court of Veterans Appeals remands a case to the Secretary involving a claim for benefits, to pay benefits in accordance with the claim retroactive to the first day of the first month after the month in which the decision appealed was made. Directs the Secretary to report annually to the veterans' committees on the operation of such provisions during the preceding fiscal year. Sets forth provisions applying this Act to claims filed before this Act's enactment. Directs the Secretary to provide vocational rehabilitation and counseling services through an accredited agency or institution other than the Department of Veterans Affairs on a fee basis in any case in which the Secretary fails to: (1) develop an individualized written plan of vocational rehabilitation for a veteran within 60 days after initial evaluation; or (2) provide an extended evaluation of certain other veterans within 60 days after initial evaluation. Requires the rehabilitation and counseling services to continue until the development of the individualized written plan or an extended evaluation occurs. Requires the Secretary to report to the Congress on the operation of such provisions during the preceding fiscal year.
Bill· SS. 1141 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1991
AMERICA 2000 Excellence in Education Act - Title I: New American Schools - Authorizes financial assistance for creating New American Schools (NAS) in communities that have been designated AMERICA 2000 Communities (A2Cs). Provides that such NAS shall reflect the best thinking about teaching and learning, employ the highest-quality instructional materials and technologies, and be designed to meet the National Educational Goals as well as the particular needs of their students and communities. Directs the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to reserve certain funds for a national program evaluation. Directs the Secretary to allocate the remaining funds among the States (and specified territories) in proportion to their respective numbers of members of Congress. Directs the Governor to nominate A2Cs to create NAS, for at least as many communities as there are members in the State's congressional delegation and at least one community in each congressional district of the State. Requires the Governor's nominations to be based on criteria established by the Secretary on the basis of expert panel advice, including: (1) the community's level of commitment and activity in the A2C initiative; (2) the community's schools' need for new and innovative educational programs; and (3) the quality of their application to the Governor. Sets forth conditions for the Secretary's approval, and for alternative nominations. Directs the Secretary to make NAS grants to selected agencies, organizations, and institutions on behalf of the selected communities. Limits any award to $1,000,000. Encourages grantees to adapt and implement one or more NAS designs developed by research and development teams funded by the NAS Development Corporation. Restricts use of such grant funds to certain special start-up costs associated with the creation and establishment of a NAS. Prohibits the use of such funds for construction or for the grantee's general administrative expenses. Requires each NAS to have obtained necessary State recognition or accreditation and to be fully operating by the start of the 1996-97 school year. Directs the Secretary, within 90 days, to convene an expert panel of educators, representatives of private business, and public representatives to advise on NAS program administration, including criteria for nomination of communities. Directs the Secretary to use reserved funds to conduct a national evaluation of NAS program impact on schools and communities and on education generally. Requires reports to the President and the Congress. Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Merit Schools - Authorizes appropriations for Merit School awards to reward public and private elementary and secondary schools and faculties that make documented progress in attaining the National Education Goals, particularly the goal of increasing students' mastery of the core academic subjects. Directs the Secretary to allocate specified funds among the States on the same basis as allocations for education of disadvantaged children under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (the ESEA chapter 1 program). Requires Governors to submit State grant applications for a three-year period, which may be followed by an application for a two-year period. Makes specified provisions of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) inapplicable to this title. Specifies State use of funds for administrative costs (five percent) and Merit School awards (95 percent), with at least 20 percent of the latter earmarked for schools that demonstrate exceptional progress in improving students' performance in mathematics and science. Requires each Governor to: (1) establish a State review panel to assist in selection of Merit Schools; (2) submit annual program reports to the Secretary; and (3) apply specified national and State criteria in selecting schools. Requires each Merit School to use its award for activities to further its educational program, including staff bonus payments, college scholarships for secondary school students, special programs, equipment and materials, parental involvement, community outreach, and program replication. Prohibits State or local reduction of other assistance to the Merit School or its local educational agency. Title III: Teachers and School Leaders - Part A: Governor's Academies for Teachers - Directs the Secretary to make a one-time, five-year grant to each State to establish and operate Governor's Academies for Teachers and to recognize outstanding teachers. Requires a Governor to use the State's grant to make competitive awards to the State educational agency (SEA), local education agencies (LEAs), institutions of higher education, and other public and private organizations or consortia, to establish and operate such Academies. Allows such Academies to be operated in cooperation or consortium with those of other States. Requires each Academy to conduct a program of intensive instruction for current elementary and secondary school teachers, during the summer or the school year, focusing on the core academic disciplines of English, mathematics, science, history, and geography. Directs the Governor to allocate to each Academy funds for a program of cash awards and recognition to outstanding teachers in the core academic subject or subjects covered by the Academy program. Requires Academies to select such teachers from nominations received from various groups. Limits any such award to $5,000, but allows the recipient to choose how to use it. Authorizes appropriations. Part B: Governors' Academies for School Leaders - Directs the Secretary to make a one-time, five-year grant to each State to establish and operate a Governor's Academy for School Leaders. Requires the Governor to make competitive awards to the SEA, LEAs, institutions of higher education, and other public and private organizations or consortia, to establish and operate such an Academy. Allows such academies to be operated in cooperation or consortium with those of other States. Directs each Academy to carry out specified activities relating to school leadership training and development. Authorizes appropriations. Part C: Alternative Certification of Teachers and Principals - Authorizes appropriations to assist States to develop and implement alternative certification requirements to improve the supply of well-qualified elementary and secondary school teachers and principals. Makes certain GEPA provisions inapplicable to this part. Requires States to use such funds to support programs, projects, or activities that develop and implement new, or expand and improve existing, alternative teacher and principal certification requirements. Authorizes States to do so directly, through contracts, or through subgrants to LEAs, intermediate educational agencies, institutions of higher education, or consortia of such agencies. Title IV: Educational Reform and Flexibility - Part A: Educational Reform Through Flexibility and Accountability - Amends the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) to establish a program for flexibility and accountability in education and related services. Directs the Secretary to assist projects for elementary and secondary schools and other service providers to improve achievement of all students and other participants, but particularly disadvantaged individuals, by authorizing waivers by which Governors, SEAs, LEAs, and other service providers can improve performance of schools and programs by increasing their flexibility in use of resources while holding them accountable for achieving educational gains. Authorizes the Secretary, in support of such projects, to waive, with specified exceptions, any statutory or regulatory requirement applicable to any program administered by the Department of Education that may impede a school or service provider from meeting the special needs of such students and other individuals. Authorizes other Federal agency heads, with the Secretary's agreement, to make similar waivers for their programs. Limits duration of projects and associated waivers to a maximum of three years; but authorizes the Secretary to extend a project and any associated waivers for an additional two years if it is making substantial progress in meeting its goals. Requires the Secretary to terminate a project and its associated waivers at any time if acceptable progress is not being made. Grants other Federal agency heads authority to determine extension or termination of their waivers. Grants the Secretary exclusive authority to extend or terminate a project. Requires each project that involves elementary or secondary schools to include participation of an SEA and at least one LEA and two schools. Requires, to the extent possible, project participation by each grade and academic program, including ESEA chapter 1 programs, in a participating school. Prohibits unreasonable concentration of available resources in participating schools, if fewer than all schools in an LEA participate. Requires each project that does not involve elementary or secondary schools to involve at least two programs, at least one of which is administered by the Secretary. Prohibits waiver of requirements: (1) in awarding new competitive grants to agencies participating in such projects; (2) relating to maintenance of effort, comparability, or equitable participation of private school students; and (3) under specified provisions of GEPA, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Sets forth requirements for reports and evaluations. Provides for the budget neutrality of such program. Part B: Amendments to Chapter 2 - Amends chapter 2 (Federal, State, and Local Partnership for Educational Improvement) of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA chapter 2) to provide that part A funding for educational reform and improvement shall be divided equally between State and local programs (50 percent to each, while the current allocation formula requires at least 80 percent to go to local programs and not more than 20 percent to State programs). Reduces the portions of such State-level funds which: (1) may be used for State administration (from 25 to ten percent); and (2) must be used for the effective schools programs (from 20 to eight percent). Revises State application requirements to require approval by the Governor before submission to the Secretary. Includes educational choice programs among local targeted assistance programs of SEAs and LEAs. Includes, among authorized activities of such programs, any activities or expenses directly related to planning, implementing, operating, evaluating, and disseminating information about the LEA's educational choice program, including expenses of parents and children resulting from their program participation. Title V: Parental Choice of Schools - Part A: Findings - Sets forth congressional findings relating to parental choice in education. Part B: Parental Choice and Chapter 1 - Amends chapter 1 Financal Assistance to Meet Special Educational Needs of Children) of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA chapter 1) to provide for chapter 1 services for children participating in educational choice programs. Requires the LEA to provide such services in the form of: (1) supplementary compensatory education services; or (2) if that is not feasible or efficient, payment to parents of a per-child share of the LEA's basic chapter 1 grant. Allows parents to use such funds only for: (1) purchase of supplementary compensatory education services that meet the child's special educational needs from any elementary or secondary school, or any other public or private agency, organization, or institution that the LEA designates; and/or (2) transportation costs related to the child's participation in the choice program. Excludes such payments from the gross income of parents for Federal income tax purposes. Allows an LEA to use chapter 1 funds for the additional transportation costs of children receiving chapter 1 services who are in an educational choice program. Requires that LEAs with educational choice programs explain to parents of chapter 1 participating children: (1) the availability of compensatory education services under various available options; and (2) options available under the educational choice program and the chapter 1 program. Part C: Assistance for Parental Choice Programs - Directs the Secretary to make one-year grants to LEAs that carry out educational choice programs. Authorizes appropriations. Makes an LEA eligible for such a grant if it: (1) will carry out an educational choice program during the year for which assistance is sought; and (2) carried out such a program during the preceding year. Defines an educational choice program, as one adopted by a State or an LEA under which: (1) parents select the school, including private schools, in which their children will be enrolled; and (2) sufficient financial support is provided to enable a significant number or percentage of parents to enroll their children in a variety of schools and educational programs, including private schools. Requires LEAs to use grant funds only for student educational services and parental involvement activities in addition to those that would otherwise be provided from State or local funds. Prohibits use of grant funds for LEA general administrative expenses. Part D: Parental Choice Programs of National Significance - Directs the Secretary to make five-year grants to SEAs, LEAs, and other agencies, institutions, and organizations to conduct and demonstrate nationally significant model programs of educational choice. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary, in any fiscal year for which funds are available to make new awards, to announce the approaches to educational choice that will be considered in the competition for such funding. Requires grant recipients to use such funds only for activities directly related to planning, implementing, operating and evaluating, and disseminating information about, the educational choice demonstration program. Allows such funds to be used to meet expenses of parents and children resulting from their participation in such program. Title VI: National Assessment of Educational Progress - Amends the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) to extend through FY 1996 the authorization of appropriations for the National Center for Educational Statistics and its programs, including the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Requires the NAEP to collect representative data on a national and State basis for those States that choose to participate. Repeals a requirement for data collection on a regional basis. Requires the NAEP to collect and report data: (1) at least once every four years in the core academic areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, history, and geography; and (2) annually on students at specified ages and in specified grade levels. (Current law varies such deadlines for the different academic subjects and sets a biennial deadline for the age and grade levels.) Removes a confidentiality restriction on NAEP information with respect to individual schools. Removes a prohibition against use of NAEP test items and data to rank, compare, or otherwise evaluate individual students, schools, or school districts. Requires States which choose to enter NAEP agreements to conduct such Assessment at the school level for all schools in the State sample and coordinate within the State, subject to a minimum State contribution of $100,000. Directs the Secretary to pay the State a certain amount for the costs of conducting such Assessment in excess of the minimum State contribution. Title VII: National Commission on Time, Study, Learning, and Teaching - Establishes a National Education Commission on Time, Study, Learning, and Teaching (the Commission). Requires the Commission to examine the quality and adequacy of the study and learning time of U.S. elementary and secondary students in an era when World Class Standards of achievement need to be met, including issues regarding: (1) the length of the school day and year; (2) the extent and role of homework; (3) how time is currently being used for academic subjects (especially the five core subjects of English, mathematics, science, history, and geography); (4) year-round professional opportunities for teachers; and (5) the use of school facilities for extended learning programs. Directs the Commission, within one year after it concludes its first meeting, to subject a final report to the Congress and the President. Requires such report, in addition to the primary issues, to analyze and make recommendations about: (1) use of incentives for students to increase educational achievement in available instructional time; (2) how children spend time outside school; and (3) if appropriate, a model plan for adopting a longer academic day and year for U.S. elementary and secondary schools by the end of this decade, including mechanisms to assist in such transition. Terminates the Commission 90 days after it submits its final report. Authorizes appropriations. Title VIII: Regional Literacy Resource Centers - Amends the Adult Education Act to direct the Secretary to make grants or contracts for operation of regional literacy resource centers in appropriate regions. Makes eligible for such grants or contracts SEAs, LEAs, State literacy offices, volunteer-organizations, community-based organizations, institutions of higher education, or other nonprofit entities. Provides that the Federal share of activity costs shall decline over a five-year period from a maximum of 80 percent to 60 percent. Authorizes appropriations. Title IX: General Provisions - Sets forth definitions for this Act. Makes specified provisions of Federal law permitting consolidation of grants to the Insular Areas inapplicable to funds received by such an area under this Act.
Bill· HRH.R. 2453 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1991
Small Employer Health Insurance Incentive Act of 1991 - Exempts small employer purchasing groups organized for the purpose of obtaining health insurance for employer members from State insurance mandates, State taxes on premiums, and State laws relating to managed care. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow self-employed individuals participating in small employer purchasing groups an itemized deduction of 100 percent for health insurance costs (25 percent for nonparticipants). Makes such deduction permanent law.
Bill· HRH.R. 2473 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1991
Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to limit to: (1) ten percent the percentage of discretionary funds which may be used by the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to provide financial assistance to Federal entities to carry out programs and projects under such Act; and (2) 75 percent the percentage of Federal funding of Justice System Improvement grants for any fiscal year (currently, 75 percent for FY 1991, but only 50 percent for subsequent fiscal years). Establishes an advisory committee for each of the following: (1) the BJA; (2) the National Institute of Justice; (3) the Bureau of Justice Statistics; and (4) the Office for Victims of Crime. Sets forth provisions with respect to the duties and membership of, and reporting requirements by, such committees (as well as reporting requirements by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention).
Bill· HRH.R. 2470 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1991
Family Farm Tax Relief and Savings Act of 1991 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to nontaxable exchanges to allow the rollover of gain from the sale of a qualified farm asset into one or more individual retirement plans, to be known as asset rollover accounts. Denies an itemized deduction for contributions to such accounts and sets forth contribution limitations. Provides that rollover contributions to an asset rollover account may be made only from other such accounts. Sets forth reporting requirements for individuals making contributions to such accounts and taxes excess contributions.
Bill· HRH.R. 2458 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1991
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that home equity indebtedness does not include any indebtedness which is also secured by property other than a qualified residence for purposes of determining the deductibility of personal interest.
Bill· HRH.R. 2472 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1991
Requires the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service to report to the Congress on the program to prevent abuses of taxpayers' rights by the Service. Directs the Commissioner to establish a group of individuals to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of such program. Requires the Comptroller General to report to the Congress on: (1) an investigation of past instances in which the Service has abused taxpayers' rights, has been used for political purposes, has improperly targeted taxpayers for investigation, has promoted overzealous agents on the strength of collections, has maintained illegal dossiers on taxpayers, or has conducted investigations for political purposes; and (2) an assessment and evaluation of the implementation and effectiveness of the program to prevent such abuses.
Bill· HRH.R. 2464 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1991
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that certain revenue received by tax-exempt organizations that conduct amateur athletic events shall not be treated as taxable unrelated business income.
Bill· HRH.R. 2452 (102nd)open
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1991
Federal Energy Savings Incentives Act of 1991 - Amends the National Energy Conservation Policy Act to direct the Secretary of Energy (the Secretary) to designate additional energy performance goals for each Federal agency for the years 1996 through 2000 so that Federal building energy consumption during FY 2000 is at least 20 percent less than that during FY 1985. Requires the head of each Federal agency (except the Department of Defense) to provide that two-thirds of the portion of its annual fiscal year appropriations which is equal to the energy cost savings the agency realized during such fiscal year shall remain available for obligation through the end of the following fiscal year, without additional authorization or appropriation. Directs the Secretary to permit each agency to participate in gas or electric utility incentive programs for either the management of electricity demand or for energy conservation. Grants the Secretary authority to permit the agencies to accept utility energy incentives to adopt technologies and practices that are cost-effective for the Federal Government. Directs the Secretary to adopt a simplified contracting method for shared energy savings contract services that will expedite their use with respect to Federal agencies, and will reduce the Federal administrative effort and cost. Sets forth implementation guidelines. Requires the President to submit to the Congress simultaneously with submission of the budget a statement of the amount of appropriations requested on an individual agency basis for: (1) utility fuel costs; and (2) compliance with specified Federal laws and regulations. Authorizes appropriations.
Bill· HRH.R. 2460 (102nd)open
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1991
AMERICA 2000 Excellence in Education Act - Title I: New American Schools - Authorizes financial assistance for creating New American Schools (NAS) in communities that have been designated AMERICA 2000 Communities (A2Cs). Provides that such NAS shall reflect the best thinking about teaching and learning, employ the highest-quality instructional materials and technologies, and be designed to meet the National Educational Goals as well as the particular needs of their students and communities. Directs the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to reserve certain funds for a national program evaluation. Directs the Secretary to allocate the remaining funds among the States (and specified territories) in proportion to their respective numbers of members of Congress. Directs the Governor to nominate A2Cs to create NAS, for at least as many communities as there are members in the State's congressional delegation and at least one community in each congressional district of the State. Requires the Governor's nominations to be based on criteria established by the Secretary on the basis of expert panel advice, including: (1) the community's level of commitment and activity in the A2C initiative; (2) the community's schools' need for new and innovative educational programs; and (3) the quality of their application to the Governor. Sets forth conditions for the Secretary's approval, and for alternative nominations. Directs the Secretary to make NAS grants to selected agencies, organizations, and institutions on behalf of the selected communities. Limits any award to $1,000,000. Encourages grantees to adapt and implement one or more NAS designs developed by research and development teams funded by the NAS Development Corporation. Restricts use of such grant funds to certain special start-up costs associated with the creation and establishment of a NAS. Prohibits the use of such funds for construction or for the grantee's general administrative expenses. Requires each NAS to have obtained necessary State recognition or accreditation and to be fully operating by the start of the 1996-97 school year. Directs the Secretary, within 90 days, to convene an expert panel of educators, representatives of private business, and public representatives to advise on NAS program administration, including criteria for nomination of communities. Directs the Secretary to use reserved funds to conduct a national evaluation of NAS program impact on schools and communities and on education generally. Requires reports to the President and the Congress. Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Merit Schools - Authorizes appropriations for Merit School awards to reward public and private elementary and secondary schools and faculties that make documented progress in attaining the National Education Goals, particularly the goal of increasing students' mastery of the core academic subjects. Directs the Secretary to allocate specified funds among the States on the same basis as allocations for education of disadvantaged children under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (the ESEA chapter 1 program). Requires Governors to submit State grant applications for a three-year period, which may be followed by an application for a two-year period. Makes specified provisions of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) inapplicable to this title. Specifies State use of funds for administrative costs (five percent) and Merit School awards (95 percent), with at least 20 percent of the latter earmarked for schools that demonstrate exceptional progress in improving students' performance in mathematics and science. Requires each Governor to: (1) establish a State review panel to assist in selection of Merit Schools; (2) submit annual program reports to the Secretary; and (3) apply specified national and State criteria in selecting schools. Requires each Merit School to use its award for activities to further its educational program, including staff bonus payments, college scholarships for secondary school students, special programs, equipment and materials, parental involvement, community outreach, and program replication. Prohibits State or local reduction of other assistance to the Merit School or its local educational agency. Title III: Teachers and School Leaders - Part A: Governor's Academies for Teachers - Directs the Secretary to make a one-time, five-year grant to each State to establish and operate Governor's Academies for Teachers and to recognize outstanding teachers. Requires a Governor to use the State's grant to make competitive awards to the State educational agency (SEA), local education agencies (LEAs), institutions of higher education, and other public and private organizations or consortia, to establish and operate such Academies. Allows such Academies to be operated in cooperation or consortium with those of other States. Requires each Academy to conduct a program of intensive instruction for current elementary and secondary school teachers, during the summer or the school year, focusing on the core academic disciplines of English, mathematics, science, history, and geography. Directs the Governor to allocate to each Academy funds for a program of cash awards and recognition to outstanding teachers in the core academic subject or subjects covered by the Academy program. Requires Academies to select such teachers from nominations received from various groups. Limits any such award to $5,000, but allows the recipient to choose how to use it. Authorizes appropriations. Part B: Governors' Academies for School Leaders - Directs the Secretary to make a one-time, five-year grant to each State to establish and operate a Governor's Academy for School Leaders. Requires the Governor to make competitive awards to the SEA, LEAs, institutions of higher education, and other public and private organizations or consortia, to establish and operate such an Academy. Allows such academies to be operated in cooperation or consortium with those of other States. Directs each Academy to carry out specified activities relating to school leadership training and development. Authorizes appropriations. Part C: Alternative Certification of Teachers and Principals - Authorizes appropriations to assist States to develop and implement alternative certification requirements to improve the supply of well-qualified elementary and secondary school teachers and principals. Makes certain GEPA provisions inapplicable to this part. Requires States to use such funds to support programs, projects, or activities that develop and implement new, or expand and improve existing, alternative teacher and principal certification requirements. Authorizes States to do so directly, through contracts, or through subgrants to LEAs, intermediate educational agencies, institutions of higher education, or consortia of such agencies. Title IV: Educational Reform and Flexibility - Part A: Educational Reform Through Flexibility and Accountability - Amends the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) to establish a program for flexibility and accountability in education and related services. Directs the Secretary to assist projects for elementary and secondary schools and other service providers to improve achievement of all students and other participants, but particularly disadvantaged individuals, by authorizing waivers by which Governors, SEAs, LEAs, and other service providers can improve performance of schools and programs by increasing their flexibility in use of resources while holding them accountable for achieving educational gains. Authorizes the Secretary, in support of such projects, to waive, with specified exceptions, any statutory or regulatory requirement applicable to any program administered by the Department of Education that may impede a school or service provider from meeting the special needs of such students and other individuals. Authorizes other Federal agency heads, with the Secretary's agreement, to make similar waivers for their programs. Limits duration of projects and associated waivers to a maximum of three years; but authorizes the Secretary to extend a project and any associated waivers for an additional two years if it is making substantial progress in meeting its goals. Requires the Secretary to terminate a project and its associated waivers at any time if acceptable progress is not being made. Grants other Federal agency heads authority to determine extension or termination of their waivers. Grants the Secretary exclusive authority to extend or terminate a project. Requires each project that involves elementary or secondary schools to include participation of an SEA and at least one LEA and two schools. Requires, to the extent possible, project participation by each grade and academic program, including ESEA chapter 1 programs, in a participating school. Prohibits unreasonable concentration of available resources in participating schools, if fewer than all schools in an LEA participate. Requires each project that does not involve elementary or secondary schools to involve at least two programs, at least one of which is administered by the Secretary. Prohibits waiver of requirements: (1) in awarding new competitive grants to agencies participating in such projects; (2) relating to maintenance of effort, comparability, or equitable participation of private school students; and (3) under specified provisions of GEPA, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Sets forth requirements for reports and evaluations. Provides for the budget neutrality of such program. Part B: Amendments to Chapter 2 - Amends chapter 2 (Federal, State, and Local Partnership for Educational Improvement) of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA chapter 2) to provide that part A funding for educational reform and improvement shall be divided equally between State and local programs (50 percent to each, while the current allocation formula requires at least 80 percent to go to local programs and not more than 20 percent to State programs). Reduces the portions of such State-level funds which: (1) may be used for State administration (from 25 to ten percent); and (2) must be used for the effective schools programs (from 20 to eight percent). Revises State application requirements to require approval by the Governor before submission to the Secretary. Includes educational choice programs among local targeted assistance programs of SEAs and LEAs. Includes, among authorized activities of such programs, any activities or expenses directly related to planning, implementing, operating, evaluating, and disseminating information about the LEA's educational choice program, including expenses of parents and children resulting from their program participation. Title V: Parental Choice of Schools - Part A: Findings - Sets forth congressional findings relating to parental choice in education. Part B: Parental Choice and Chapter 1 - Amends chapter 1 Financal Assistance to Meet Special Educational Needs of Children) of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA chapter 1) to provide for chapter 1 services for children participating in educational choice programs. Requires the LEA to provide such services in the form of: (1) supplementary compensatory education services; or (2) if that is not feasible or efficient, payment to parents of a per-child share of the LEA's basic chapter 1 grant. Allows parents to use such funds only for: (1) purchase of supplementary compensatory education services that meet the child's special educational needs from any elementary or secondary school, or any other public or private agency, organization, or institution that the LEA designates; and/or (2) transportation costs related to the child's participation in the choice program. Excludes such payments from the gross income of parents for Federal income tax purposes. Allows an LEA to use chapter 1 funds for the additional transportation costs of children receiving chapter 1 services who are in an educational choice program. Requires that LEAs with educational choice programs to explain to parents of chapter 1 participating children: (1) the availability of compensatory education services under various available options; and (2) options available under the educational choice program and the chapter 1 program. Part C: Assistance for Parental Choice Programs - Directs the Secretary to make one-year grants to LEAs that carry out educational choice programs. Authorizes appropriations. Makes an LEA eligible for such a grant if it: (1) will carry out an educational choice program during the year for which assistance is sought; and (2) carried out such a program during the preceding year. Defines an educational choice program, as one adopted by a State or an LEA under which: (1) parents select the school, including private schools, in which their children will be enrolled; and (2) sufficient financial support is provided to enable a significant number or percentage of parents to enroll their children in a variety of schools and educational programs, including private schools. Requires LEAs to use grant funds only for student educational services and parental involvement activities in addition to those that would otherwise be provided from State or local funds. Prohibits use of grant funds for LEA general administrative expenses. Part D: Parental Choice Programs of National Significance - Directs the Secretary to make five-year grants to SEAs, LEAs, and other agencies, institutions, and organizations to conduct and demonstrate nationally significant model programs of educational choice. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary, in any fiscal year for which funds are available to make new awards, to announce the approaches to educational choice that will be considered in the competition for such funding. Requires grant recipients to use such funds only for activities directly related to planning, implementing, operating and evaluating, and disseminating information about, the educational choice demonstration program. Allows such funds to be used to meet expenses of parents and children resulting from their participation in such program. Title VI: National Assessment of Educational Progress - Amends the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) to extend through FY 1996 the authorization of appropriations for the National Center for Educational Statistics and its programs, including the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Requires the NAEP to collect representative data on a national and State basis for those States that choose to participate. Repeals a requirement for data collection on a regional basis. Requires the NAEP to collect and report data: (1) at least once every four years in the core academic areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, history, and geography; and (2) annually on students at specified ages and in specified grade levels. (Current law varies such deadlines for the different academic subjects and sets a biennial deadline for the age and grade levels.) Removes a confidentiality restriction on NAEP information with respect to individual schools. Removes a prohibition against use of NAEP test items and data to rank, compare, or otherwise evaluate individual students, schools, or school districts. Requires States which choose to enter NAEP agreements to conduct such Assessment at the school level for all schools in the State sample and coordinate within the State, subject to a minimum State contribution of $100,000. Directs the Secretary to pay the State a certain amount for the costs of conducting such Assessment in excess of the minimum State contribution. Title VII: National Commission on Time, Study, Learning, and Teaching - Establishes a National Education Commission on Time, Study, Learning, and Teaching (the Commission). Requires the Commission to examine the quality and adequacy of the study and learning time of U.S. elementary and secondary students in an era when World Class Standards of achievement need to be met, including issues regarding: (1) the length of the school day and year; (2) the extent and role of homework; (3) how time is currently being used for academic subjects (especially the five core subjects of English, mathematics, science, history, and geography); (4) year-round professional opportunities for teachers; and (5) the use of school facilities for extended learning programs. Directs the Commission, within one year after it concludes its first meeting, to subject a final report to the Congress and the President. Requires such report, in addition to the primary issues, to analyze and make recommendations about: (1) use of incentives for students to increase educational achievement in available instructional time; (2) how children spend time outside school; and (3) if appropriate, a model plan for adopting a longer academic day and year for U.S. elementary and secondary schools by the end of this decade, including mechanisms to assist in such transition. Terminates the Commission 90 days after it submits its final report. Authorizes appropriations. Title VIII: Regional Literacy Resource Centers - Amends the Adult Education Act to direct the Secretary to make grants or contracts for operation of regional literacy resource centers in appropriate regions. Makes eligible for such grants or contracts SEAs, LEAs, State literacy offices, volunteer-organizations, community-based, organizations, institutions of higher education, or other nonprofit entities. Provides that the Federal share of activity costs shall decline over a five-year period from a maximum of 80 percent to 60 percent. Authorizes appropriations. Title IX: General Provisions - Sets forth definitions for this Act. Makes specified provisions of Federal law permitting consolidation of grants to the Insular Areas inapplicable to funds received by such an area under this Act.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 159 (102nd)passed
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1991
Waives points of order against the consideration of H.R. 2426 (armed forces funding).
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 160 (102nd)passed
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 1991
Waives points of order against the consideration of H.R. 2427 (energy and water development funding).
Bill· SS. 1130 (102nd)open
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 1991
Family Farm Tax Relief and Savings Act of 1991 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to nontaxable exchanges to allow the rollover of gain from the sale of a qualified farm asset into one or more individual retirement plans, to be known as asset rollover accounts. Denies an itemized deduction for contributions to such accounts and sets forth contribution limitations. Provides that rollover contributions to an asset rollover account may be made only from other such accounts. Sets forth reporting requirements for individuals making contributions to such accounts and taxes excess contributions.
Bill· SS. 1122 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 1991
Long-Term Care Incentives Act of 1991 - Title I: Tax Treatment of Qualified Long-Term Care Insurance Policies - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for the treatment of qualified long-term care insurance as accident and health insurance for purposes of insurance company taxation. Provides for the exclusion as a death benefit of any amount paid to an individual under a life insurance contract because such individual is terminally ill, has a dread disease, or has been permanently confined to a nursing home. Title II: Tax Incentives for Purchase of Qualified Long-Term Care Insurance - Allows a tax credit for a percentage of qualified long-term care premiums. Allows a deduction for expenses relating to long-term care and an exclusion from gross income of benefits received from long-term care insurance. Allows a deduction for employers of contributions made for long-term care insurance if any refund or premium is applied to reduce the future costs of the plan or increase its benefits. Allows the inclusion of such insurance in cafeteria plans. Excludes from gross income amounts withdrawn from individual retirement accounts and certain employer cash or deferred arrangements to pay long-term care premiums and expenses. Increases the amounts of deductible contributions to individual retirement plans. Excludes from gross income amounts received from the surrender, cancellation, or exchange of any life insurance contract if such amounts are used to pay premiums for long-term care insurance. Authorizes the tax-free use of the gain from the sale of a principal residence for the purchase of long-term health care insurance. Title III: Medicaid Amendments - Amends title XIX of the Social Security Act (Medicaid) to set forth eligibility requirements for long-term care benefits and to require coverage of home and community-based long-term care.
Bill· SS. 1125 (102nd)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 1991
Rural Primary Care Act of 1991 - Title I: Tax Provisions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a nonrefundable personal income tax credit for any physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner who provides primary health services to residents of a rural health professional shortage area and who does not have certain connections with the National Health Service Corps loan repayment or scholarship programs. Excludes from gross income any payments made on behalf of a taxpayer by the National Health Service Corps loan repayment program. Amends provisions relating to election to expense certain depreciable business assets to specify a higher maximum aggregate cost to be taken into account for property used by a physician in providing primary health services in a rural health professional shortage area. Mandates a study to determine the present number of, and future need for, physician and nonphysician primary care providers in medically underserved urban areas. Requires that the determination form the basis for a study of the feasibility of extending the tax credit provided under this title. Title II: Public Health Service Provisions - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize appropriations to carry out provisions relating to area health education centers. Requires set-aside of a minimum amount of funds currently authorized for preventive health and health services block grants for the county health department grants mandated by this title. Requires grants to county health departments for preventive health services in areas within the county that are not urbanized. Requires such grants to be used to: (1) provide immunization services; (2) improve maternal and infant health; (3) reduce adolescent pregnancy and improve reproductive health; and (4) provide other appropriate services. Title III: State Health Service Corps Demonstration Projects - State Health Service Corps Demonstration Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a State Health Service Corps Demonstration Project. Directs the Secretary to make grants under the Project to up to ten States for the Federal share of training and employment of physician and nonphysician providers serving health professional shortage areas. Requires a recipient State to enter into an agreement with an area health education center for the planning, development, and operation of a program of training and employing such providers. Sets forth the responsibilities of a center. Authorizes appropriations. Requires each State carrying out a Project to establish a State Health Service Corps Scholarship Program involving a period of service in the service area or on the clinical staff of an area health education center or a medical school in return for a scholarship. Authorizes the official heading the State agency administering the Program to contract with an educational institution for the payment of scholarship or loan amounts.
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