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Bill· SS. 1428 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1999
Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act of 1999 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to set forth both civil and criminal penalties for the manufacture, distribution, exportation, or importation of certain quantities of amphetamine. (Sec. 4) Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to amend the Federal sentencing guidelines with respect to any offense relating to the manufacture, importation, exportation, or trafficking in amphetamine or methamphetamine (including an attempt or conspiracy to do any of the foregoing) in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act (CSIEA), or the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act (MDLEA) to increase the base offense level for such offense to the same base offense level for an identical amount of methamphetamine, or, if the offense created a substantial risk of danger to the health and safety of a minor or incompetent, increase the base offense level for the offense by not less than six offense levels above that established for it in this section. Directs the Commission to promulgate amendments pursuant to this Act in accordance with the procedure set forth in the Sentencing Act of 1987, as though the authority of that Act had not expired. (Sec. 5) Amends the CSA to prohibit advertisements for the sale of drug paraphernalia and of schedule I controlled substances. (Sec. 6) Redefines "continuing criminal enterprise" to declare that a person is engaged in a continuing criminal enterprise if he or she violates any U.S. narcotics law the punishment for which is a felony and such violation is a part of a continuing series of three or more acts made punishable by such laws and certain other conditions exist. (Sec. 7) Provides for mandatory restitution for CSA and CSIEA violations. Expands provisions regarding restitution for cleanup of clandestine laboratory sites to cover offenses involving, and reimbursement for costs incurred for the cleanup associated with, the manufacture of amphetamine (currently, limited to methamphetamine), and to include reimbursement to States and local governments, as well as to the United States. Amends the Federal judicial code to provide for the deposit of sums from a reimbursement order into the Department of Justice (DOJ) Assets Forfeiture Fund. (Sec. 8) Amends the CSA to subject a person to both civil and criminal penalties for manufacturing or transporting a controlled substance so as to create a substantial risk of harm to the environment (currently, just to human life). Increases the criminal penalty for establishment of manufacturing operations with respect to controlled substances (including amphetamine and methamphetamine). (Sec. 9) Amends the Federal criminal code to: (1) prohibit and set penalties for teaching or demonstrating the manufacture of a controlled substance, or distributing information pertaining to such manufacture or use, with intent that it be used for or to further activity that constitutes a Federal crime, or knowing that the recipient intends to use it for or to further such activity; and (2) allow the delay of issuance of a warrant to search and seize property that constitutes evidence of a Federal criminal offense pursuant to the standards, terms, and conditions set forth in the code, unless otherwise expressly provided by statute. (Sec. 11) Directs the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to carry out specified programs (advanced mobile clandestine laboratory training teams, basic clandestine laboratory certification training, and clandestine laboratory recertification and awareness training) with respect to the law enforcement personnel of States and localities determined by the Administrator to have significant levels of methamphetamine- or amphetamine-related crime or projected by the Administrator to have potential for such levels of crime in the future. Limits the duration of any such program to three years. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 12) Requires the Director of National Drug Control Policy to use amounts available under this section to combat the trafficking of methamphetamine and amphetamine in areas designated by the Director as high intensity drug trafficking areas. Requires the Director to provide funds for: (1) employing additional Federal law enforcement personnel, or facilitating the employment of additional State and local law enforcement personnel; and (2) such other activities that the Director considers appropriate. Authorizes appropriations. Requires the Director to apportion amounts appropriated for a fiscal year pursuant to such authorization of appropriations for activities under this section among and within areas designated as high intensity drug trafficking areas based on: (1) the number of methamphetamine and amphetamine manufacturing facilities discovered by law enforcement officials in the previous fiscal year; (2) the number of methamphetamine and amphetamine prosecutions in the previous fiscal year; (3) the number of methamphetamine and amphetamine arrests in the previous fiscal year; (4) the amounts of methamphetamine, amphetamine, or listed chemicals seized in the previous fiscal year; and (5) intelligence and predictive data from the DEA and the Department of Health and Human Services showing patterns and trends in abuse, trafficking, and transportation in methamphetamine, amphetamine, and listed chemicals. Requires the Director, before apportioning any funds under this section to high intensity drug trafficking area, to certify that the law enforcement entities responsible for clandestine methamphetamine and amphetamine laboratory seizures in that area are providing laboratory seizure data to the national clandestine laboratory database at El Paso Intelligence Center. Sets limits on administrative costs. (Sec. 13) Authorizes the DEA to: (1) assist State and local law enforcement in small and mid-sized communities in all phases of investigations related to such manufacturing and trafficking; (2) staff additional regional enforcement and mobile enforcement teams related to such manufacturing and trafficking; (3) establish additional resident offices and posts of duty to assist State and local law enforcement in rural areas in combating such manufacturing and trafficking; and (4) provide the Special Operations Division of the DEA with additional agents and staff to collect, evaluate, interpret, and disseminate critical intelligence targeting the command and control operations of major amphetamine and methamphetamine manufacturing and trafficking organizations. Authorizes the Administrator to establish in the DEA not more than 50 full-time positions, including not more than 31 special agent positions, and to appoint personnel to such positions. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 14) Amends the Federal judicial code to make sums in the DOJ Assets Forfeiture Fund available for payment for costs incurred by or on behalf of: (1) DEA in connection with the removal of any hazardous substance or pollutant or contaminant associated with the illegal manufacture of amphetamine or methamphetamine; and (2) a State or local government in connection with such removal in any case in which such State or local government has assisted in a Federal prosecution relating to amphetamine or methamphetamine, to the extent such costs exceed equitable sharing payments made to such State or local government. Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to make funds under the drug control and system improvement (Byrne) grant program available to remove any hazardous substance or pollutant or contaminant associated with the illegal manufacture of amphetamine and methamphetamine. Requires that any sums made available from the DOJ Assets Forfeiture Fund for purposes of this section in a fiscal year supplement and not supplant any other amounts made available to DEA from other sources. (Sec. 15) Requires the head of each Federal department, agency, and establishment to place anti-drug messages on appropriate Internet websites controlled by such department, agency, or establishment, where appropriate with an electronic hyperlink to the Internet website, if any, of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. (Sec. 16) Revises CSA mail order provisions to: (1) require that each regulated person who engages in an export transaction (currently, limited to each regulated person who engages in a transaction with a non-regulated person) report monthly on each such transaction to the Attorney General; and (2) make specified exemptions from such reporting requirement, such as for certain distributions of sample packages of drug products and distributions of drug products pursuant to a valid prescription. Authorizes the Attorney General to revoke any such exemptions if drug products distributed by the regulated person are being used in violation of CSA requirements, subject to specified provisions concerning notification and the right to an expedited hearing.
Bill· SS. 1425 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1999
Biotechnology Tax Credit Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend the credit for increasing research activities until June 30, 2009; and (2) establish a biotechnology investment credit equal to ten percent of the annual qualified investment.
Bill· SS. 1413 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the deduction from the estate tax for qualified family-owned business interests.
Bill· SS. 1424 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1999
Tax Exempt Military Pay Orders (TEMPO) Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that, for tax purposes, a special pay area shall be treated in the same manner as if it were a combat zone.
Bill· SS. 1412 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1999
Higher Education Reporting Relief Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit the Secretary of the Treasury from imposing additional tuition-related reporting requirements on institutions of higher education prior to 2002. Directs the Secretary to modernize the Internal Revenue Service computers by January 1, 2003, in order to match individual taxpayer information numbers with any person claiming such individual as a dependent.
Bill· SS. 1414 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1999
Medicare Home Health Beneficiary Equity and Payment Simplification Act of 1999 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Tax and Trade Relief Extension Act of 1998, to: (1) revise the interim prospective payment system (PPS) for home health services that was enacted under the Balanced Budget Act of 1997; and (2) base the payment rates for such services on the location of the home health agency rather than on the location at which such service is furnished. Divides patients, and PPS payments, into four categories: (1) post-hospital, short stay beneficiaries ($2,603); (2) medically stable, long-stay beneficiaries ($3,335); (3) medically complex, long-stay beneficiaries ($4,228); and (4) medically unstable and complex, extremely high use beneficiaries ($21,864). Specifies a formula for annual payment updates. Amends the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 to repeal the 15 percent reduction in Medicare home health reimbursement currently scheduled to go into effect on October 1, 2000.
Bill· HRH.R. 2590 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1999
Older American's Protection From Violence Act of 1999 - Title I: Violence Against Women Act of 1994 - Amends the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 to direct the Attorney General to: (1) make grants to law school clinical programs to fund inclusion of cases addressing issues of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including domestic violence and sexual assault against older or disabled individuals; and (2) develop curricula and training programs to assist prosecutors and Federal and State law enforcement personnel (including local courts) in recognizing, investigating, and prosecuting instances of such abuse. (Sec. 101) Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Family Violence Prevention and Services Act - Amends the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act to instruct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to include, within grants for State domestic violence coalitions, funds to develop outreach, support groups, and counseling targeted towards victims of elder domestic abuse. (Sec. 204) Expands the eligibility criteria for community initiative demonstration grants to include adult protective services entities. Title III: Older Americans Act of 1965 - Amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 to direct the Assistant Secretary for Aging to consider the importance of research about the sexual assault of women who are older or disabled individuals when establishing research priorities. (Sec. 304) Expands the scope of eligible demonstration projects to include domestic violence shelters and programs for elder and disabled individuals. (Sec. 305) Authorizes appropriations without fiscal year limitation to implement the ombudsman program and the elder abuse prevention program. (Sec. 306) Directs the Secretary to: (1) make grants to nonprofit private organizations to support local community initiatives to coordinate activities concerning intervention and prevention of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including domestic violence and sexual assault against older or disabled individuals; (2) develop and implement outreach programs for assisting older or disabled victims of such abuse; and (3) implement continuing education training programs for adult protective service workers, persons carrying out a State Long-Term Care Ombudsman program, health care providers, and community-based social service providers to improve recognition and treatment of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including domestic violence and sexual assault against older or disabled individuals. Title IV: Public Health Service Act - Elder Abuse Identification and Referral Act of 1998 (sic) - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary, in awarding grants or contracts to health professions entities under such Act, to give preference to an entity that has in effect a requirement that each student receiving a degree or certificate from such entity has had significant training as a provider of health care in the identification and referral of victims of elder abuse and neglect. Title V: Right to Financial Privacy Act of 1978 - Amends the Right to Financial Privacy Act of 1978 to ensure that nothing in title XI of the Act shall preclude a financial institution, officer, employee, or agent from reporting suspected financial exploitation of an older or disabled individual to State, Federal, or local law enforcement authorities, or to government-regulated adult protective services entities. Protects such individuals from liability for such disclosures.
Bill· HRH.R. 2587 (106th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Fiscal Year 2000 Appropriations Title II: Tax Reduction District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2000 - Title I: Fiscal Year 2000 Appropriations - Makes appropriations for the District of Columbia for FY 2000, including amounts for the Federal payments: (1) for District of Columbia Resident Tuition Support; (2) for incentives for adoption of children; (3) to the Citizens Complaint Review Board; (4) to the Department of Human Services; (5) to the District of Columbia Corrections Trustee Operations; (6) to the District of Columbia Courts; (7) for Defender Services in District of Columbia Courts; (9) to the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia; and (10) to the Children's National Medical Center. Appropriates specified sums out of the District's general fund (and other funds, in some cases) for the current fiscal year for: (1) governmental direction and support; (2) economic development and regulation; (3) public safety and justice; (4) the public education system; (5) human support services; (6) public works; (7) receivership programs; (8) workforce investments; (9) a reserve to be established by the Chief Financial Officer of the District and the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority (Authority); (10) the Authority itself; (11) repayment of certain loans and interest; (12) repayment of General Fund Recovery Debt; (13) payment of interest on short-term borrowing; (14) lease payments in accordance with the Certificates of Participation involving the land site underlying the building located at One Judiciary Square; and (15) optical and dental insurance payments. Directs the Chief Financial Officer to: (1) finance projects totaling $20 million in local funds (Productivity Bank) that result in cost savings or additional revenues by an amount equal to such financing; (2) make reductions totaling $20 million in local funds to be allocated to projects funded through the Productivity Bank that produce such cost savings or additional revenues; and (3) make reductions of specified amounts for general supply schedule savings and for management reform savings, in local funds to one or more of the appropriation headings in this Act. Requires quarterly reports by the Mayor on such financial activities to specified congressional committees. Appropriates specified sums for: (1) the Water and Sewer Authority and the Washington Aqueduct; (2) the Lottery and Charitable Games Enterprise Fund; (3) the Sports and Entertainment Commission; (4) the D.C. Health and Hospitals Public Benefit Corporation; (5) the D.C. Retirement Board; (6) the Correctional Industries Fund; (7) the Washington Convention Center Enterprise Fund; and (8) capital outlay (including rescissions). Sets forth authorizations as well as limitations and prohibitions on the uses of appropriations under this Act, and directives to the Mayor, the Council, and the Board of Education identical with or similar to those in the District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 1999. (Sec. 129) Prohibits the expenditure of funds appropriated under this Act for abortions except where the mother's life would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term or in cases of rape or incest. (Sec. 130) Bars the use of funds made available by this Act to implement or enforce: (1) the District of Columbia Health Care Benefits Expansion Act of 1992 (also known as the District Domestic Partner Act); or (2) any system of registration of unmarried, cohabiting couples for purposes of extending them benefits on the same basis as such benefits are extended to legally married couples. (Sec. 137) Requires the Authority and the Superintendent of the District of Columbia Public Schools to report to specified congressional committees by April 1, 2000, on all measures necessary and steps to be taken to ensure that the District's Public Schools open on time to begin the 2000-2001 academic year. (Sec. 142) Requires recipients of funds under this Act to comply with the Buy American Act. Expresses the sense of the Senate that, to the greatest extent practicable, such funds should be used to purchase only American-made equipment and products. Declares a person ineligible to receive any contract made with funds provided under this Act if the person has been judicially determined to have intentionally affixed a "Made in America" label to a product that is not U.S.-made. (Sec. 147) Prohibits the use of funds contained in this Act to transfer or confine inmates classified above the medium security level, as defined by the Federal Bureau of Prisons classification instrument, to the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center located in Youngstown, Ohio. (Sec. 149) Requires the Chief Financial Officer, by November 1, 1999, or within 30 calendar days after the enactment of this Act, to submit to the appropriate congressional committees, the Mayor, and the Authority, a revised appropriated funds operating budget for a District government agencies for such fiscal year that is in the total amount of the approved appropriation and that realigns budgeted data for personal services and other-than-personal-services, respectively, with anticipated actual expenditures. (Sec. 150) Prohibits the use of funds contained in this Act for: (1) any program of distributing sterile needles or syringes for the hypodermic injection of any illegal drug, or to conduct any ballot initiative which seeks to legalize or otherwise reduce penalties associated with the possession, use, or distribution of any schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act or any tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) derivative; or (2) rental payments under a lease for the use of real property by the District government, or to enter a lease, or purchase or manage real property for the District, unless specified conditions are met. (Sec. 154) Amends the Student Loan Marketing Association Reorganization Act of 1996 to provide funding for public charter school construction and repair in the District. (Sec. 155) Requires the Mayor, the Authority, and the Superintendent of Schools to implement a process to dispose of excess public school real property within 90 days of the enactment of this Act. (Sec. 156) Amends the District of Columbia School Reform Act of 1995 to: (1) extend the Act indefinitely; and (2) grant sibling preference to applicants seeking enrollment in public charter schools in the District. (Sec. 158) Transfers from the Authority to the District a specified sum for: (1) severance payments to individuals separated from employment during FY 2000; (2) expanded contracting authority of the Mayor; and (3) the implementation of a system of managed competition among public and private providers of goods and services by and on behalf of the District. (Sec. 159) Requires the Authority, working with the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Director of the National Park Service, to carry out a project to complete all design requirements and all requirements for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act for construction of expanded lane capacity for the Fourteenth Street Bridge. (Sec. 160) Requires the Mayor to carry out, through the Army Corps of Engineers, an Anacostia River environmental cleanup program. (Sec. 161) Amends the Victims of Violent Crime Compensation Act of 1996 (the Act) to: (1) prohibit payment of administrative costs from the Crime Victims Compensation Fund; and (2) limit the use of such Fund to compensation and attorneys' fees awarded under the Act. Transfers any unobligated balance existing in the Fund as of the end of each fiscal year (beginning with FY 2000) to the Treasury. (Sec. 162) Prohibits the use of funds contained in this Act 60 days after its enactment to pay the salary of any chief financial officer of any District government office who has not filed a certification with the Mayor and the Chief Financial Officer of the District that the officer understands the duties and restrictions applicable as a result of this Act or its amendments. (Sec. 163) Requires the proposed FY 2001 budget of the District government to specify potential adjustments that might become necessary in the event that the management savings achieved by the District during the year do not meet the level of management savings projected. (Sec. 164) Requires any document showing the budget for a District government office that contains specified labels categorizing activities to include descriptions of the types of activities covered and a detailed breakdown of the amount allocated for each one. (Sec. 165) Provides that, in using the funds made available for improvements to specified Federal properties in the Southwest Waterfront of the District, any District government entity may place orders for engineering and construction and related services with the Chief of Engineers of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a reimbursable and, if applicable, contractual basis. (Sec. 166) Expresses the sense of Congress that the District should not impose or take into consideration any height, square footage, set-back, or other construction or zoning requirements in authorizing the issuance of industrial revenue bonds for a project of the American National Red Cross at 2025 E Street Northwest, Washington, D.C., because this project is subject to approval of the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts. Title II: Tax Reduction - Commends the District of Columbia for its action to reduce taxes. Ratifies the Service Improvement and Fiscal Year 2000 Budget Support Act of 1999.
Bill· HRH.R. 2593 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 July 1999
National Mental Health Parity Act of 1999 - Title I: Parity for Treatment of Mental Illness - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose on the applicable issuer a tax equal to 25 percent of a health plan's premiums received during the calendar year if the plan imposes additional applications, preadmission screenings, or other procedural restrictions for services, or imposes treatment limitations or financial requirements on the coverage of benefits provided with respect to any of specified psychiatric disorders (described in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual), while similar limitations or requirements are not imposed on coverage of benefits with respect to other conditions. Provides similar obligations and sanctions with respect to group health plan parity for treatment of mental illness. Title II: Medicare Mental Health Improvement - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to restructure the mental health benefit, including: (1) coverage under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) of inpatient hospital services furnished primarily for the diagnosis or treatment of mental illness or substance abuse for up to 60 days during a year, as well as coverage of intensive residential services furnished to an individual for up to 120 days during a year; (2) lower co-payments for certain outpatient mental health and substance abuse services; (3) waiver of co-payment for case management services furnished to a seriously mentally ill adult, a seriously emotionally disturbed child, or an adult or child with serious substance abuse disorder; (4) case management services for an unlimited duration for such individuals; and (5) provision of items and services furnished under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) for the treatment of mental illness or emotional disturbances according to standards established by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Bill· SS. 1407 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 1999
Technology Administration Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2000, 2001, and 2002 - Authorizes appropriations to the Department of Commerce for FY 2000 through 2002 for: (1) the Scientific and Technical Research and Services laboratory activities of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); (2) construction and maintenance of NIST facilities; (3) activities of the Under Secretary of Technology, the Office of Technology Policy, and the Office of Space Commercialization; and (4) NIST industrial technology services activities. (Sec. 6) Authorizes appropriations for FY 2000 for the National Technical Information Service. Prohibits any such funds from being obligated until the Secretary of Commerce has submitted to the congressional technology committees a plan on the future of such Service. (Sec. 7) Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act with respect to the Advanced Technology Program to: (1) require each applicant for a contract or award to certify that the applicant has made an effort to secure private market funding for the research project involved; (2) permit a large business to participate in a research project that is the subject of a contract or award only as a member of a joint venture that includes one or more small businesses as members; (3) authorize the Secretary to vest title to tangible personal property in any recipient of financial assistance, under specified conditions; and (4) require all amounts appropriated for grants to be used for grants awarded on the basis of general open competition. (Sec. 8) Requires the: (1) NIST Director to report to the technology committees on manufacturing in the digital age; (2) Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy to report to such committees on issues concerning the national laboratories; and (3) NIST Director to report to such committees on issues concerning technical standards.
Bill· SS. 1411 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 1999
Fish Oil Heat Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to add fish oil to the "qualified energy resources" eligible for the credit for producing electricity from renewable resources. Extends to July 1, 2005, the July 1, 1999, placed-in-service date for a "qualified facility" producing electricity from renewable resources.
Bill· SS. 1409 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce from 24 to 12 months the holding period used to determine whether horses are section 1231 (property used in the trade or business and involuntary conversions) assets.
Bill· SS. 1410 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat as a nontaxable fringe benefit the value of transportation provided to any person on a noncommercially operated aircraft if: (1) provided in the ordinary course of the owner-taxpayer's business at no substantial additional cost; and (2) the flight would have been made whether or not the person was so transported.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 257 (106th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 1999
Sets forth the rule (open) for the consideration of H.R. 2561 (Department of Defense appropriations).
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 256 (106th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 1999
Sets forth the rule (modified closed ) for the consideration of H.R. 2488 (taxpayer refund and relief).
Bill· SS. 1396 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 1999
Directs the Secretary of the Army to submit annually to Congress an estimate of the funds required in the next fiscal year to cover any overhead costs at factories and arsenals owned by the United States that are unused or underused due to low Army production requirements.
Law· HRH.R. 2559 (106th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Strengthening the Farm Safety Net Title II: Improving Program Efficiencies Title III: Administration Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 1999 - Title I: Strengthening the Farm Safety Net - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to revise the crop insurance premium schedule for additional coverage, including elimination of the separate coverage-based premium criteria. Requires plans to disclose premium amounts paid by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. (Sec. 102) Establishes a premium schedule for other insurance plans based upon a percentage of the total premium used to define loss ratio and certain dollar amounts to be paid by the Corporation. (Sec. 103) States that if the Corporation uses actual production history to determine insurable yields for a commodity, a producer may elect to exclude certain years of production history depending upon whether the producer has a ten or five year consecutive production history. (Sec. 104) Directs the Corporation to periodically review crop insurance plan rating methodologies. (Sec. 105) Repeals authority for the cost of production risk protection and the assigned yield for new producer pilot programs. Authorizes the Corporation to offer pilot programs: (1) on a regional, State, or national basis; and (2) on a three-year, renewable, basis. Provides for the expedited consideration of certain limited-scope pilot programs. Directs the Corporation to conduct one or more livestock (cattle, sheep, swine, goats, poultry) pilot programs, including the use of futures and options contracts and insurance plans. Sets forth specified fiscal year expenditure caps. Authorizes the use of Corporation insurance fund amounts for such programs. (Sec. 106) Authorizes the Corporation to provide a cost of production price election under a production cost-based insurance plan. (Sec. 107) Authorizes the Corporation to provide performance-based discounts to producers of a commodity with good insurance or production experience relative to other producers in the same area. (Sec. 108) Directs the Corporation to offer an alternative risk protection coverage that indemnifies on an area yield and loss basis and provides, on a uniform national basis, a higher combination of yield and price protection. (Sec. 109) Authorizes cooperatives and other nonprofit trade associations to pay catastrophic insurance fees. (Sec. 110) Provides, with respect to prevented planting coverage, that: (1) a producer may elect out of coverage, with a corresponding premium reduction; (2) the Corporation shall offer an equal percentage of coverage for each commodity; and (3) substitute commodity planting shall be permitted, under specified conditions. (Sec. 112) Amends the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to authorize noninsured crop disaster assistance to producers in certain declared disaster areas. (Sec. 113) Makes noninsured crop disaster assistance available only to persons with adjusted gross incomes of two million dollars or less. Title II: Improving Program Efficiencies - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to prohibit issuance of more than one insurance policy on the same acreage during a crop year unless such coverage is limited to catastrophic risk protection insurance, with an exception for areas with customary double-cropping practices. (Sec. 202) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to improve program compliance and integrity through development of plans to: (1) reconcile producer information received by the Corporation and the Farm Service Agency (FSA); and (2) use FSA field infrastructure to identify and eliminate waste and fraud. Provides for related Corporation consultation with State FSA committees. (Sec. 203) Authorizes the Corporation to impose specified fines and program disqualifications upon an agent, producer, loss adjuster, insurance provider, or other person for willful and intentional false information provided with respect to an insurance plan or policy. (Sec. 204) Provides for protection of confidential information, including application of specified (confidentiality) penalties under the Food Security Act of 1985. Title III: Administration - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to revise the composition of the Corporation Board of Directors. (Sec. 302) Directs the Corporation to reimburse applicants for research, development, and maintenance costs for insurance policies that are approved and offered for producer sale. (Sec. 303) Directs the Corporation to contract with qualified parties to research and develop insurance policies for underserved commodities, including specialty crops Prohibits the Corporation from conducting its own policy research and development. (Sec. 304) Provides specified funding for research and development on specialty crops and under-served communities and authorizes appropriations for reimbursement for research development and maintenance costs. (Sec. 305) Authorizes an approved insurance provider, university, or trade association or cooperative, or other person to submit a policy or plan for Board approval. States that if the Board does not approve or disapprove an application within 120 days it shall be deemed approved. (Sec. 306) Directs the Corporation to contract for rating insurance plans.
Law· HRH.R. 2561 (106th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 1999
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Military Personnel Title II: Operation and Maintenance Title III: Procurement Title IV: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Title V: Revolving and Management Funds Title VI: Other Department of Defense Programs Title VII: Related Agencies Title VIII: General Provisions Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2000 - Title I: Military Personnel - Appropriates funds for FY 2000 for active-duty and reserve personnel in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force and for National Guard personnel in the Army and Air Force. Title II: Operation and Maintenance - Appropriates funds for FY 2000 for operation and maintenance (O&M) of the Army, Navy, and Air Force (including a transfer of funds in each case), the Marine Corps, the defense agencies (including a transfer of funds), the reserve components, and the Army and Air National Guards. Appropriates funds for: (1) the Overseas Contingency Operations Transfer Fund (including a transfer of funds); (2) the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces; (3) environmental restoration for the Army, Navy, and Air Force and defense-wide (including a transfer of funds in each case); (4) environmental restoration at formerly used defense sites (including a transfer of funds); (5) overseas humanitarian, disaster, and civic aid programs; (6) former Soviet Union threat reduction; and (7) quality of life enhancements, defense. Title III: Procurement - Appropriates funds for FY 2000 for procurement by the armed forces and reserve components of aircraft, missiles, weapons, tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, and shipbuilding and conversion and for other procurement. Appropriates funds for: (1) defense-wide procurement (including a transfer of funds); (2) National Guard and reserve equipment; and (3) certain procurements under the Defense Production Act of 1950. Title IV: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation - Appropriates funds for FY 2000 for research, development, test, and evaluation by the armed forces and defense agencies. Appropriates funds for the Directors of Test and Evaluation and Operational Test and Evaluation. Title V: Revolving and Management Funds - Appropriates funds for the Defense Working Capital funds and programs under the National Defense Sealift Fund. Title VI: Other Department of Defense Programs - Appropriates funds for: (1) Department of Defense (DOD) medical and health care programs; (2) the destruction of lethal chemical agents and munitions (including a transfer of funds); (3) drug interdiction and counter-drug activities, defense (including a transfer of funds); and (4) the Office of the Inspector General. Title VII: Related Agencies - Appropriates funds for: (1) the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System Fund; (2) the Intelligence Community Management Account (including a transfer of funds); (3) payment to the Kaho'olawe Island Conveyance, Remediation, and Environmental Restoration Fund; and (4) national security scholarships, fellowships, and grants (using funds derived from the National Security Education Trust Fund). Title VIII: General Provisions - Specifies authorized, restricted, and prohibited uses of appropriated funds. (Sec. 8010) Prohibits during FY 2000 the management by end strengths of DOD civilian personnel. (Sec. 8019) Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to establish with host governments of NATO-member countries an account for the deposit of residual value amounts negotiated in the return of U.S. military installations to such countries. (Sec. 8032) Authorizes DOD to incur obligations of up to $350 million for DOD military personnel compensation, military construction projects, and supplies and services in anticipation of receipts of contributions from the Government of Kuwait. (Sec. 8033) Earmarks funds from this Act for the Civil Air Patrol Corporation. (Sec. 8034) Prohibits the use of funds from this Act to establish a new DOD federally funded research and development center (FFRDC). Limits the Federal compensation to be paid to FFRDC members or consultants. Prohibits the use of FY 2000 FFRDC funds for new building construction, cost-sharing payments for projects funded by Government grants, absorption of cost overruns, or certain charitable contributions. Limits the staff years of technical effort that may be funded for FFRDCs from FY 2000 funds. (Sec. 8035) Provides Buy American requirements with respect to the DOD procurement of carbon, alloy or armor steel plating. (Sec. 8038) Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on the amount of DOD purchases from foreign entities in FY 2000. (Sec. 8042) Directs the President to include within each fiscal year budget the amounts requested for administrative activities of DOD, the military departments, and the defense agencies. (Sec. 8050) Earmarks funds appropriated under this Act for the mitigation of adverse environmental impacts on Indian lands resulting from DOD activities. (Sec. 8053) Prohibits the use of funds: (1) by a DOD entity without compliance with the Buy American Act; (2) to establish additional field operating agencies of DOD elements or to hire additional personnel for such agencies, except for those funded within the National Foreign Intelligence Program; (3) for assistance to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea unless specifically appropriated for such purpose; (4) to reduce the civilian medical and medical support personnel assigned to military treatment facilities below the September 30, 1999, level; and (5) to transport chemical munitions to the Johnston Atoll for storage or demilitarization (with an exception and an authorized wartime waiver by the President). (Sec. 8057) Authorizes DOD to lease real and personal property at the Adak Naval Air Facility, Alaska. (Sec. 8058) Rescinds specified funds from various accounts under prior defense appropriations Acts. (Sec. 8065) Prohibits the transfer to any other department or agency, except as specifically provided in an appropriations law, of funds available to DOD or the Central Intelligence Agency for drug interdiction and counter-drug activities. (Sec. 8073) Directs the Secretary to report quarterly to specified congressional committees on all costs incurred by DOD during the preceding quarter in implementing or supporting United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions. (Sec. 8074) Prohibits current fiscal year DOD funds from being obligated or expended to transfer to another nation or international organization defense articles or services for use in any UN peacekeeping or peace enforcement operation, or for any other international peacekeeping, peace enforcement, or humanitarian assistance operation, unless specified congressional committees are given 15 days' advance notice. (Sec. 8075) Authorizes the Secretary, to the extent authorized by law, to issue loan guarantees in support of U.S. defense exports not otherwise provided for, with a contingent liability limit of $15 billion. Requires quarterly reports to specified congressional committees on such loan guarantees. (Sec. 8083) Directs the Secretary, upon the enactment of this Act, to make specified transfers between various DOD accounts. (Sec. 8084) Directs the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) to submit to the defense committees a report identifying any activity for which the FY 2001 budget request was reduced because Congress appropriated funds above the President's budget request for that activity for FY 2000. (Sec. 8086) Authorizes the Secretary to waive reimbursement of certain educational costs of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies for military officers and civilian officials of foreign nations if determined to be in the national security interest. (Sec. 8087) Authorizes the Chief of the National Guard Bureau to permit the use of equipment of the National Guard Distance Learning Project on a space-available, reimbursable basis. (Sec. 8091) Rescinds $452.1 million of the funds provided to various accounts under the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 1999 to reflect savings from revised economic assumptions. (Sec. 8092) Requires the President's budget for FY 2001 and thereafter to separately identify all costs incurred by DOD to support NATO and all Partnership for Peace programs and initiatives. (Sec. 8093) Prohibits the use of funds for approving the license or sale of the F-22 advanced tactical aircraft to any foreign government. (Sec. 8094) Authorizes the Secretary, on a case-by-case basis, to waive limitations on the procurement of defense items from a foreign country if: (1) the Secretary determines that such limitation would invalidate cooperative agreements or reciprocal trade agreements for the procurement of defense items; and (2) such country does not discriminate against the same or similar defense items procured in the United States for that country. Provides exceptions. (Sec. 8099) Appropriates funds for the completion of the "Women in Military Service for America" memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. (Sec. 8100) Prohibits the use of appropriated funds to support a unit of the security forces of a foreign country if credible information exists that such unit has committed a gross violation of human rights, unless all necessary corrective steps have been taken. Requires the monitoring of such information. Authorizes the Secretary to waive such prohibition under extraordinary circumstances. (Sec. 8101) Reduces the total amount appropriated in this Act by $171 million, to reflect savings from favorable foreign currency fluctuations. (Sec. 8104) Makes Navy-appropriated funds available for the replacement of certain lost and canceled checks. (Sec. 8109) Reduces by $100 million the total amount of O&M funds appropriated under this Act, to reflect savings from reviews of DOD missions and functions conducted pursuant to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-76. (Sec. 8110) Directs the Secretary to submit a report which lists all instances since 1995 in which DOD missions or functions have been reviewed by DOD pursuant to the above Circular. Requires such report to also include those instances in which work performed by a contractor has been converted to performance by DOD civilian or military employees. Requires the Comptroller General to determine whether DOD has complied with such report requirements. (Sec. 8111) Requires the President's budget for FY 2001 and thereafter to include separate budget justifications for costs of U.S. military participation in contingency operations for the military personnel accounts, the procurement accounts, and the Overseas Contingency Operations Transfer Fund. (Sec. 8112) Appropriates funds to the Army National Guard for the procurement or lease of firefighting aircraft or systems. (Sec. 8113) Appropriates funds: (1) to initiate and expand DOD activities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to a terrorist attack in the United States involving weapons of mass destruction; and (2) for programs to prevent non-authorized access to information technology and computer systems. (Sec. 8115) Directs the Secretary to submit to the defense committees a report assessing the advantages or disadvantages of deploying a ground-based National Missile Defense system at more than one site. (Sec. 8116) Directs the Secretaries of the Navy and Air Force to submit to the defense committees a detailed description of the dedicated aggressor squadrons used to conduct combat flight training for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force from FY 1990 through the present. (Sec. 8119) Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for certain development, risk reduction, operations, travel, or contributions relating to the Medium Extended Air Defense System. (Sec. 8123) Provides for the crediting during the current fiscal year of certain refunds attributable to the use of Government travel cards and Government Purchase cards. (Sec. 8125) Prohibits, after March 31, 2000, any appropriated funds from being used for an information technology system that is not registered with the DOD Chief Information Officer. Prohibits such a system from receiving a Milestone I, II, or III approval until such Officer provides written certification to the defense committees that such system is being developed in accordance with certain requirements under the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996. Requires certain other information to be included in such certification. (Sec. 8127) Requires charges for DOD administrative services in connection with the foreign military sales program to include recovery of DOD administrative expenses during FY 2000 that are attributable to: (1) salaries of military personnel; and (2) unfunded estimated costs of civilian retirement and other benefits. Makes funds from the Foreign Military Sales Trust Fund available for the reimbursement of applicable military personnel accounts under (1), above. Reduces by specified amounts funds available under titles I and II to reflect amounts expected to be recovered for such administrative expenses. (Sec. 8128) Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to repeal a requirement that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) not commence bidding for commercial licenses for certain reallocated frequency spectrum until after January 1, 2001. Directs the FCC to initiate such bidding during FY 1999 and to ensure that all proceeds of such bidding are deposited no later than September 30, 2000. Provides for the expedited assignment of such frequencies. Requires at least seven days' public notice prior to the granting of an application for an instrument of authorization for any such frequency. Requires two reports each from the OMB Director and the FCC with respect to such bidding process. (Sec. 8129) Requires a report from the Secretary to the defense committees on the conduct of Operations Desert Fox and Allied Force.
Bill· HRH.R. 2566 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 1999
Directs the President to take all necessary steps to renew U.S. membership in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Authorizes appropriations for each fiscal year for payment of assessed and voluntary contributions to UNESCO.
Bill· HRH.R. 2575 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce the income tax rates imposed on individual taxpayers by three percentage points.
Bill· HRH.R. 2574 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 1999
Pro-Family, Pro-Growth, Pro-Reform Tax Reduction Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish, extend, or modify income tax deductions, exclusions, and credits in a number of areas, including: (1) education; (2) employment; (3) energy; (4) environment; (5) estate tax; (6) health care; (7) housing; (8) research; and (9) retirement income. Establishes the National Commission on Tax Simplification and Reform. Reserves 77 percent of the combined on- and off-budget surpluses for the purposes of ensuring Social Security and Medicare solvency and longevity.
Bill· SS. 1391 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1999
Filipino Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1999 - Authorizes payment of compensation for the service-connected disability of members of the Philippine Commonwealth Army who served with U.S. armed forces during World War II in the amount of one dollar for each dollar authorized, as long as each such individual resides in the United States and is a U.S. citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish hospital and nursing home care and medical services to such veterans and new Philippine Scouts in the same manner as furnished to U.S. veterans. Directs the Secretary to furnish care and services to veterans, Commonwealth Army veterans, and new Philippine Scouts for the treatment of service-connected disabilities and non-service-connected disabilities of such veterans and scouts residing in the Republic of the Philippines on an outpatient basis at the Manila VA Outpatient Clinic. Limits to $500,000 the amount to be expended during a fiscal year for such services.
Bill· SS. 1392 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1999
Species Conservation Tax Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income payments received under the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. Allows, as a charitable deduction, a qualified conservation contribution which provides for the conservation of a designated endangered species. Excludes from the estate tax certain real property subject to an endangered species conservation agreement. Repeals specified property location restrictions on the estate tax exclusion for property subject to a qualified conservation easement.
Bill· SS. 1390 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1999
Drug-Free Families Act of 1999 - Directs the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration to make a grant to the Parents Collaboration (a tax-exempt entity aimed at helping parents prevent drug use, abuse, and addiction within their communities, that meets specified requirements) to conduct a national campaign to build a new parent and family movement to help prevent drug abuse among children. Terminates such grant after five years. Authorizes appropriations. Limits administrative costs to five percent.
Bill· HRH.R. 2551 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1999
Federal Prison Industries Competition in Contracting Act of 1999 - Amends the Federal criminal code to replace provisions regarding the purchase of prison-made products by Federal departments with provisions establishing a Government-wide procurement policy relating to purchases from Federal Prison Industries (FPI). Provides that: (1) when a procurement activity of a Federal department or agency has a requirement for a specific product or service (product) that is authorized to be offered for sale by FPI and is listed in a catalog of FPI products, such activity shall solicit an offer from FPI if the purchase is expected to be in excess of the micro-purchase threshold; and (2) a contract award for such product or service shall be made using competitive procedures, except where FPI cannot expect to receive the contract award on a competitive basis and that award is necessary to maintain work opportunities to prevent circumstances expected to significantly endanger penal or correctional facility administration. Requires a contract to be awarded to FPI if the contracting officer determines that: (1) the prison-made product will meet the requirements of the procurement activity; (2) timely performance can be reasonably expected; and (3) the contract price does not exceed a current market price. Sets forth provisions regarding determinations by the Attorney General, competitive offers from FPI, performance by FPI, finality of the contracting officer's decision, reporting of purchases, and publication, maintenance, and revision of the catalog. (Sec. 3) Modifies provisions regarding: (1) FPI administration to require that a decision to authorize FPI to offer a new specific product or to expand the production of an existing product be made by its board of directors, in conformance with specified requirements; and (2) an analysis of the probable impact of a proposed expansion of inmate-work activities by FPI on private sector firms and their non-inmate workers whenever FPI proposes to authorize the sale of a new specific product or service or to expand production of a current product or service. Requires such analysis to identify and consider specified factors, such as whether: (1) the specific product is an import-sensitive product; and (2) authorizing the production of the new product or performance of a new service will provide inmates with the maximum opportunity to acquire knowledge and skill in trades and occupations that will provide them with a means of earning a livelihood upon release. Prohibits the board of directors from approving a proposal for inmates to provide a service in which an inmate worker has access to: (1) personal or financial information about individual private citizens, including information relating to such person's real property, however described, without giving prior notice to such persons; or (2) data that is classified, or that will become classified after being merged with other data. Sets forth public comment requirements. Requires that the board of directors: (1) solicit comments on the required analysis from trade associations representing vendors and labor unions representing private sector workers who could reasonably be expected to be affected by approval of the proposal; and (2) be provided copies of all comments received on the expansion proposal. Authorizes the Chief Operating Officer of FPI, based on the comments received on the initial expansion proposal, to provide the board a revised expansion proposal. Makes such revised proposal subject to public comment requirements of this Act if it provides for expansion of inmate work opportunities in an industry different from that initially proposed. (Sec. 4) Prohibits FPI from offering products or services as a subcontractor or supplier to a private for-profit business concern, notwithstanding that the product or service being furnished by such concern will ultimately be supplied to the U.S. Government, the government of the District of Columbia, an agency of a State government or any political subdivision thereof, or an eligible not-for-profit organization. (Sec. 5) Amends the Federal criminal code to require that wages earned by an inmate worker of FPI be paid in the name of such worker, and that deductions aggregating to not more than 80 percent of gross wages be taken from the wages due for: (1) applicable taxes; (2) payment of fines and restitution pursuant to court order; (3) payment of additional restitution for victims of the inmate's crimes (at a rate not less than ten percent of gross wages); (4) allocations for support of the inmate's family pursuant to statute, court order, or agreement with the inmate; (5) allocations to a fund in the inmate's name to facilitate such inmate's assimilation into society, payable at the conclusion of incarceration; and (6) such other deductions as may be specified by the Director of the Bureau of Prisons. (Sec. 6) Amends the code to require that not less than 20 percent of the gross profits of the corporation at the end of each fiscal year be allocated to fund vocational training for inmates without regard to the type of work activities to which they are assigned. (Sec. 7) Revises requirements for reporting by the board to Congress to: (1) include additional information within its annual reports, such as certain analyses of sales and purchases and of the inmate workforce, and data concerning employment obtained by released inmates; and (2) require that copies of such reports be made available to the public at a price not exceeding the cost of printing. (Sec. 9) Sets forth provisions regarding revisions to the Government-wide Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement this Act, including requirements of public participation.
Bill· HRH.R. 2553 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1999
Family Investment Retirement Savings Tax (FIRST) Credit Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Act to allow an individual an annual credit ($1,000 maximum) for 50 percent of his or her deductible IRA contribution and the amount of specified retirement plan employer contributions not included in the individual's gross income. Limits such credit based upon adjusted gross income. Provides a five-year increased penalty period, with specified exceptions, for early distributions from such plans and increases the penalty tax to 60 percent (currently, ten percent).
Bill· HRH.R. 2554 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 1999
Meal Tax Reduction Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase (from 50 percent), in increments, the meals and entertainment deduction to 80 percent for calendar years 2008 and thereafter.
Bill· SS. 1389 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 1999
United States-Caribbean Basin Trade Enhancement Act - Title I: Trade Benefits for Caribbean Basin Countries - Amends the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) to accord, for a specified period, the same tariff and quota treatment (duty-free treatment, free of any quantitative limitations) given certain textile and apparel articles imported from North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) countries to such articles from U.S.- Caribbean Basin Trade Enhancement Act (CBTEA) beneficiary countries which have demonstrated commitments to: (1) undertake their obligations under the World Trade Organization on or ahead of schedule; (2) participate in negotiations toward completion of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), or comparable trade agreement; or (3) undertake other steps necessary for it to become a party to the FTAA or comparable trade agreement. Directs the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to report biennially to Congress concerning CBTEA beneficiary countries. Directs the United States International Trade Commission to report biennially to Congress and the President on the economic impact of this Act on U.S. industries (including Puerto Rico and U.S. insular possessions) and consumers and on the economy of CBTEA beneficiary countries, including its effectiveness in promoting drug-related crop eradication and crop substitution efforts of such beneficiary countries. Authorizes the President to determine that a country is not providing adequate protection of intellectual property rights under its laws, even if it is in compliance with the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. Title II: Revenue Provisions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to suspend, between June 30, 1999, and October 1, 1999, the limitation on the amount of distilled liquor taxes covered over to the treasury of Puerto Rico. Requires the treasury of Puerto Rico to make a Conservation Trust Fund transfer in a certain amount within 30 days from the date of each such cover-over payment made during such period. Prohibits, in general, the use of the installment method of accounting for accrual method dispositions.
Bill· SS. 1386 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 1999
Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to authorize appropriations: (1) to the Departments of Labor and of Commerce through FY 2001 for trade adjustment assistance (TAA) for workers and firms, respectively, that have been adversely affected by import competition; and (2) for TAA for training of such workers under the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) transitional program. Postpones termination of the TAA programs until the end of FY 2001. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a tax on any conjugate vaccine against streptococcus pneumoniae sold by its manufacturer, producer, or importer. Increases from ten percent to 15 percent of a nonperiodic distribution the withholding rate for nonperiodic distributions from deferred compensation plans.
Bill· SS. 1383 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 1999
Bipartisan Social Security Reform Act of 1999 - Title I: Individual Savings Accounts - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) establish in the Treasury the Individual Savings Fund (ISF), and an ISF Board to manage it in a manner similar to that in which the Thrift Savings Plan for Federal employees is administered; and (2) require the Commissioner of Social Security to establish in the ISF tax-exempt Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) for eligible individuals electing to contribute to one, and KidSave Accounts (KSAs) for individuals born on or after January 1, 1995. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 101) Excludes ISF receipts and disbursements (and any ISF accounts) from the Federal budget, and exempts them from statutory limitations on Federal budgetary outlays. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for reductions in OASDI taxes and contribution of resulting savings to ISAs. Entitles ISA holders to a specified tax credit. (Sec. 102) Specifies Federal contributions to individual KSAs. (Sec. 103) Amends SSA title II to provide for adjustments to primary insurance amounts under the old OASDI program (redesignated as part A (Insurance Benefits) of SSA title II). Title II: Social Security System Adjustments - Amends SSA title II with regard to: (1) adjustments to bend points in determining primary insurance amounts; (2) adjustment of widows' and widowers' insurance benefits; (3) elimination of the limitation on the amount of outside income which a beneficiary who has attained early retirement age may earn (earnings test) without incurring a reduction in benefits; (4) gradual increase in the number of benefit computation years, and the use of all years in computation; (5) maintenance of benefit and contribution base; (6) actuarial adjustment for retirement; (7) modification of the increase in normal retirement age; and (8) modification of primary insurance amount factors to reflect change in life expectancy. (Sec. 203) Requires the Commissioner of Social Security to report to Congress on: (1) a study on the effect of taking earnings into account in determining substantial gainful activity of individuals receiving disability insurance benefits; and (2) a detailed study plan for evaluating the effects of increases in life expectancy as well as an evaluation of the implications of the trends studied, along with appropriate recommendations. (Sec. 206) Amends the Social Security Amendments of 1983 to provide for a reduction in the amount of certain transfers to the Medicare trust funds. (Sec. 208) Directs the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to publish annually in the Federal Register an estimate of the upper level substitution bias, quality-change bias, and new-product bias retained in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Makes appropriations to BLS for specified actions to improve the CPI. Directs BLS to establish an administrative advisory committee regarding CPI revisions. Amends SSA title VII (Administration) to prescribe a mechanism for remedying unforeseen deterioration in social security solvency.
Bill· HRH.R. 2546 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 16 July 1999
Preserve Access to Care in the Home (PATCH) Act of 1999 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) and the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA '97) to eliminate the scheduled automatic 15 percent reduction in payment amounts to home health agencies furnishing home health services under the Medicare program. Amends SSA title XVIII to: (1) create outlier provisions for home health services; (2) revise the definition of homebound; and (3) restructure the review process for claims submitted by home health agencies. Amends BBA '97 for the stated purpose of restoring periodic interim payments for home health agencies. Expresses the sense of the Senate that the Secretary of Health and Human Services should: (1) ensure that the prospective payment system (PPS) for home health services provides for appropriate payment of services provided to beneficiaries at rates that include incentives to provide services efficiently to all beneficiaries and do not create unintentional incentives to discriminate against beneficiaries with complex medical conditions; (2) ensure that the establishment of the case mix adjustment for such services does not penalize agencies that serve such beneficiaries, provides some predictive value, and accounts for appropriate variables, such as age and health status; (3) establish a nationally uniform process to ensure that fiscal intermediaries have the training and ability to provide timely and accurate coverage and payment information to Medicare home health agencies; (4) assess home health agency regulatory costs associated with the PPS for home health services and consider the cost impact on the agency's ability to provide such services; and (5) provide periodic updates to Congress and home health agencies on the Secretary's progress in implementing such PPS.
Bill· SS. 1378 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1999
Small Business Paperwork Reduction Act Amendments of 1999 - Amends the Paperwork Reduction Act to require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to: (1) publish annually in the Federal Register a list of requirements applicable to small business concerns with respect to collection of information by agencies (requiring the first such publication within one year after enactment of this Act); and (2) make such list available on the Internet (again within one year after enactment). Requires each Federal agency, with respect to the collection of information and the control of paperwork, to establish one agency point of contact to act as a liaison with small businesses. Requires each such agency, in the case of a first-time information collection violation by a small business, to impose no civil fine on such business unless: (1) the head of the agency determines that the violation has the potential to cause serious harm to the public, or that failure to impose a fine would impede the detection of criminal activity, or presents a danger to public health or safety; or (2) the violation concerns the collection of a tax or is not corrected within six months after violation notification. Authorizes each agency, if a violation presents a danger to public health or safety, to impose no civil fine if the violation is corrected within 24 hours after violation notification, taking into account specified factors. Prohibits a State from imposing a civil penalty on a small business for a first-time violation of Federal information collection requirements in a manner inconsistent with this Act. Requires each agency to make efforts to further reduce the paperwork burden for small businesses with fewer than 25 employees. Establishes a task force to study and report to specified congressional committee members on the feasibility of streamlining requirements with respect to small businesses regarding the collection of information.
Bill· SS. 1379 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1999
Share the Surplus Tax Reduction and Simplification Act - Title I: Tax Relief - Amends the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to: (1) phase-in a reduction of the 15 percent tax rate to 13.5 percent for taxable years 2006 and beyond; (2) expand such bracket and the 28 percent bracket to include more taxpayers (thus, lowering taxes for those included in the expansion); and (3) phase-out and repeal the alternative minimum tax on individuals. Title II: Saving and Investment Provisions - Provides for the: (1) partial exclusion from gross income of dividends and interest; (2) limited deduction of capital gains for individuals; and (3) increase of the contribution limit and provide cost-of-living adjustments for individual retirement accounts. Title III: Business Investment Provisions - Repeals the: (1) alternative minimum tax on corporations; and (2) 90 percent limitation on the foreign tax credit. Increases, by tenfold, the limit on the election to expense certain depreciable business assets. Title IV: Estate and Gift Tax Relief - Phases-out and repeals subtitle B (Estate and Gift Taxes) of the IRC. Title V: Research Credit Extension and Modification - Permanently extends and modifies the credit for increasing research activities. Permits a taxpayer to elect an alternative incremental credit. Permits a credit for expenses attributable to a qualified research consortium. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to provide assistance to small and start-up businesses in complying with requirements for the credit for increasing research activities. Title VI: Energy Independence - Provides a credit for producing oil and gas from marginal wells. Provides a ten-year carryback for: (1) unused energy minimum tax credits; (2) losses attributable to oil servicing companies and mineral interests of oil and gas producers. Provides for a waiver of limitations. Permits a taxpayer to treat geological and geophysical expenses incurred in connection with the exploration for, or development of, oil or gas within the United States as expenses which are not chargeable to capital account. Title VII: Revenue Provision - Extends the period during which the four year income averaging for conversion of traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs is permitted.
Bill· SS. 1381 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to classify petroleum storage facilities as five-year property for depreciation purposes.
Bill· SS. 1376 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1999
Deficit and Debt Reduction and Social Security Solvency Act of 1999 - Title I: Value Added Tax - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to add a new chapter which imposes a tax on each taxable transaction. Defines such transactions as: (1) the sale of property or services in the United States by a taxable person in connection with a business; (2) the import of property or services for use or consumption in the United States; (3) the (a) sale of property or services (not included in (b)) in the United States other than in connection with business for a consideration that exceeds $1,000, or (b) lease of property in the United States other than in connection with a business, if the fair market value of the leased property exceeds $1,000; and (4) the sale of property or services exported from the United States for use or consumption outside the United States. Sets forth further provisions: (1) concerning taxable transactions; (2) taxable amount, rate of tax and exemption from tax for certain transactions and certain entities, and credits; (3) administration; and (4) definitions and special rules. Title I: Surplus Revenues - Establishes in the U.S. Treasury the Debt Reduction and Social Security Solvency Trust Fund into which amounts received from the taxes imposed under title I of this Act will be deposited. Requires the Trust Fund to be used to: (1) pay the administrative costs of collecting such taxes; (2) pay at maturity, or to redeem or buy before maturity, an obligation of the Government included in the public debt; and (3) if any moneys remain after all obligations in (2) are paid, redeemed, or bought, to transfer such moneys to the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund.
Bill· HRH.R. 2531 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1999
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 - Title I: Authorization - Authorizes appropriations from the Nuclear Waste Fund for FY 2000 for: (1) the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC); and (2) the NRC Office of Inspector General. (Sec. 102) Allocates such appropriations among: (1) Nuclear Reactor Safety; (2) Nuclear Materials Safety; (3) Nuclear Waste Safety; (4) the International Nuclear Safety Support Program; and (5) Management and Support. Prohibits the NRC from using more than one percent of such allocations to make grants and enter into cooperative agreements with organizations such as universities, State and local governments, and not-for-profit institutions. Mandates NRC notification to the Congress as a prerequisite to specified reallocations. Restricts the use of Nuclear Waste Fund appropriations solely to NRC high-level nuclear waste activities. (Sec. 104) Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to extend through FY 2004 NRC authority to assess and collect user fees and annual charges. (Sec. 105) Authorizes the NRC, beginning in FY 2001, to assess and collect fees for full cost recovery from other Federal agencies in return for services rendered by the NRC (rather than recover these costs through the annual fees assessed to all NRC licensees). Title II: Other Provisions - Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to prescribe guidelines for the carrying of firearms and the authority to make arrests by employees or contractors of NRC licensees or certificate holders for the protection of property of significance to the common defense and security located at facilities owned or operated by an NRC licensee or certificate holder or being transported to or from such facilities. (Sec. 202) Authorizes the NRC to issue trespass regulations relating to the introduction of dangerous weapons, explosives, or other dangerous instruments or materials likely to produce substantial personal injury or damage to property subject to its licensing or certification authority. (Sec. 203) Revises the crime of sabotage of Federal nuclear facilities to cover any production, utilization, waste storage, treatment, disposal, uranium enrichment, or nuclear fuel fabrication facility subject to licensing or certification under this Act during its construction where the destruction or damage caused or attempted could affect public health and safety during facility operation. (Sec. 204) Provides that the initial duration of a combined construction and operating license for a production or utilization facility may not exceed 40 years from the date on which the NRC finds, prior to facility operation, that specified statutory acceptance criteria have been met. (Sec. 205) Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to: (1) to limit to production facilities the proscription against issuance of a license to an alien or entity whom the NRC believes to be owned, controlled or dominated by a foreign entity or government (thus allowing licensure of foreign-owned utilization facilities); and (2) declare certain antitrust review procedures inapplicable to pending or future license applications to construct or operate utilization facilities for either commercial or medical therapy and research and development purposes. (Sec. 207) Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to: (1) redefine "federally permitted release" as any release of source, byproduct, and special nuclear material in accordance with NRC regulations following termination of an NRC or State-issued license; and (2) limit commencement of administrative or judicial actions to those requested by either a State Governor or the NRC with respect to such material that is subject to either NRC or State decontamination regulations for license termination. (Sec. 209) Amends the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 to prescribe guidelines for temporary continuation of service by an NRC commissioner whose term has expired. (Sec. 210) Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to authorize the NRC to accept, hold, utilize, sell, and administer gifts, bequests, or donations of real and personal property for the purpose of aiding or facilitating its work. Establishes in the Treasury a fund for deposit of any gift of money accepted pursuant to such authority, to be held in trust by the Secretary of the Treasury and appropriated, without fiscal year limitation, to the Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission without further appropriations action. (Sec. 211) Repeals the requirement that the NRC maintain an office for the service of process and papers within the District of Columbia.
Bill· HRH.R. 2532 (106th)open
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1999
National Heritage Areas Policy Act of 1999 - Allows an area to be designated a national heritage area only if: (1) it meets specified criteria, including having natural, cultural, or historic features and its residents, local nonprofit organizations and entities, and governments are willing to support such designation and manage it; and (2) it is so designated by an Act of Congress. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to submit to specified congressional committees a study on the feasibility of designating any such area. Limits the Federal share of costs for such studies to 50 percent. Directs the Secretary to annually submit to Congress a prioritized list of projects at such areas, based on submissions from governors of affected States. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to local coordinating entities for reports, studies, interpretive exhibits and programs, historic preservation projects, and operating expenses at an area. Limits such grants to a ten-year period beginning on the date of designation. Prohibits such grants after three years unless the local coordinating entity submits a Heritage Plan for such area and each affected governor approves the Plan. Authorizes the Secretary to provide grants and technical assistance for an area previously designated by an Act of Congress, under certain conditions. Protects private property owners from provisions of this Act. Authorizes appropriations, with a $10 million annual limit and a limit of $1 million for any one area during a fiscal year.
Bill· HRH.R. 2540 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1999
1999 Omnibus Adoption Act - Title I: Expansion of Adoption Tax Credit - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the dollar amount of qualified expenses for the adoption tax credit; (2) double the limit on the amount of a taxpayer's adjusted gross income that is used in computing the income limitation applicable to adoption tax credits; (3) make permanent the adoption tax credit for adoptions of children without special needs; and (4) provide for adjustment of such dollar and income limitations for inflation. Title II: Leave Equity for Adoptive Families - Establishes leave requirements for an employee needing leave because of the placement of a son or daughter with the employee for adoption or foster care, and provides for civil actions against an employer to enforce such requirements, subject to specified limitations. Title III: Adoption Counseling - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish a national adoption counseling program for pregnant women and infertile married couples. Allows for the participation of religious organizations. Directs the Secretary to require that each program providing voluntary family planing services with a grant from the Secretary provide nondirective counseling and referrals regarding prenatal care and delivery, infant and foster care, and adoption. Title IV: Adoption Information for Members of the Armed Forces - Requires the Secretary of each military department and the Secretary of Transportation with respect to the Coast Guard when outside naval jurisdiction to ensure that members of the armed forces under their jurisdiction have information concerning adoption readily available to them. Title V: Federal Prisons - Amends the Federal criminal code to direct the Attorney General to take appropriate action to assure that information regarding the option of planning adoption for the child is made available to each female prisoner who is or may be pregnant. Title VI: Accreditation of Adoption Service Providers - Amends SSA title IV part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) to: (1) require State plans to provide for State laws to prohibit adoption services by unaccredited persons, and require State accreditation of adoption service providers; and (2) require the State to establish standards for such accreditation. Title VII: Adoption and Foster Care Data Collection - Amends SSA title IV part E to provide for State adoption and foster care data collection and reporting systems for HHS. Title VIII: Refundable Credit for Medical Expenses of Pregnancies with Children Placed for Adoption - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for a refundable tax credit of up to $5,000 per child for medical expenses of pregnancies with children placed for adoption. Title IX: Maternal Health Certificates Program - Directs the Secretary to establish a maternal health certificates program to cover maternity and housing services facility expenses incurred by eligible pregnant women. Authorizes appropriations. Title X: Rehabilitation Grants for Maternity Housing and Services Facilities - Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to implement a grant program to assist eligible nonprofit entities to rehabilitate buildings for use as housing and services facilities for eligible pregnant women. Allows for the participation of religious organizations. Authorizes appropriations. Title XI: Repeal of National Clearinghouse on Adoption Information - Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 to repeal the National Clearinghouse on Adoption Information. Title XII: National Commission on Adoption - Establishes the National Commission on Adoption to review all adoption programs and related activities. Authorizes appropriations.
Bill· HRH.R. 2537 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 July 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt the installment sale of depreciable farm property from the requirement of year-of-sale gain (recapture) recognition.
Bill· SS. 1363 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 1999
Provides that the renunciation of U.S. citizenship by a named individual in order to become the President of the Republic of Lithuania shall not: (1) be treated under Federal law as having as one of its purposes the avoidance of any Federal tax; (2) result in the denial of any social security benefit; or (3) result in any restriction on the right of such individual to travel or be admitted to the United States.
Bill· SS. 1370 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 1999
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that, in the case of an interest in a qualified timber property which is included in determining the gross estate of a decedent, the executor may elect to pay part or all of the estate tax (subject to a limitation) on or before the date which is the earliest of: (1) the date the property is no longer qualified timber property; (2) the date the individual who inherited the interest in the qualified timber property either transfers the interest or dies; or (3) the date which is 25 years after the date of death of the decedent.
Bill· HRH.R. 2503 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 1999
Tobacco Smuggling Eradication Act of 1999 - Title I: Amendments to Internal Revenue Code of 1986 - Amends chapter 52 (Cigars, Cigarettes, Smokeless Tobacco, and Cigarette Papers and Tubes) of the Internal Revenue Code to require all packages of tobacco products to carry a unique legibly printed serial number by which the Secretary of the Treasury can identify the manufacturer or importer and the location and date of manufacture or importation. Requires tobacco products sold on Indian reservations to be labeled as such. Requires a tobacco wholesaler to have a permit and to maintain certain records. Requires export warehouse proprietors to file certain reports with the Secretary. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into certain tobacco related information agreements with foreign countries. Establishes new offenses relating to the distribution of tobacco. Raises the $1,000 civil penalty under chapter 52 to $10,000. Title II: Amendments Relating to the Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act - Amends Federal criminal code provisions concerning contraband cigarette trafficking to: (1) expand the applicability of such Act from cigarettes only to "tobacco product" (cigars, cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and pipe tobacco); (2) define "contraband tobacco product" as a quantity of tobacco product that is equivalent to or more than 30,000 cigarettes (currently, 60,000) which bear no evidence of the payment of applicable State tobacco taxes; (3) establish new unlawful acts; and (4) require additional recordkeeping. Repeals Federal law provisions concerning reports required to State tobacco tax administrators by individuals engaged in interstate cigarette commerce.
Bill· HRH.R. 2507 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 1999
Charitable Giving Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish, for all taxpayers, a charitable contribution tax credit of up to $200. States that such credit shall be in lieu of any deduction otherwise allowed for such contribution.
Bill· HRH.R. 2525 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 1999
Fair Tax Act of 1999 - Title I: Repeal of the Income Tax, Payroll Taxes, and Estate and Gift Taxes - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal subtitle A (Income Taxes), B (Estate and Gift Taxes), and C (Employment Taxes) of the Internal Revenue Code. Title II: Sales Tax Enacted - Imposes a tax on the use or consumption in the United States of taxable property or services. Sets the tax rate at 23 percent for the calendar year 2001. Sets the rate, for years after 2001, at the combined sum of the general revenue rate (14.91 percent), the old-age survivors and disability rate, and the hospital insurance rate. Sets forth provisions concerning, among other things; (1) imports and exports; (2) definitions; (3) credits and refunds; (4) a "family consumption allowance"; (5) Federal and State cooperative tax administration; (6) administrative matters; (7) collections, appeals, and taxpayer rights; (8) special rules (hobbies, gaming, government purchases, non-profits, and etc.); (9) financial intermediation services; and (10) additional matters. Title III: Other Matters - Sets forth provisions concerning the: (1) phase-out of administration of repealed taxes; (2) administration of other taxes (establishes an Excise Tax Bureau and a Sales Tax Bureau); and (3) sales tax inclusive social security benefits indexation.
Bill· HRH.R. 2514 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 1999
Public School Construction Partnership Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for the treatment of qualified public educational facility bonds as exempt facility bonds. Defines a "qualified public educational facility" as any school facility which is: (1) part of a public elementary school or a public secondary school; and (2) owned by a private, for-profit corporation pursuant to a public-private partnership agreement with a State or local educational agency. Provides for an exception from the State volume cap. Sets forth provisions concerning: (1) time-related spending requirements for public school construction bonds and doubling the arbitrage rebate exception for governmental bonds used to finance education facilities; and (2) the treatment of public school construction bonds as qualified tax-exempt obligations.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 247 (106th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 1999
Sets forth the rule (modified closed) for the consideration of H.R. 2415 (U.S. embassy security and Department of State authorization).
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 246 (106th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 1999
Sets forth the rule (open) for the consideration of H.R. 2490 (Treasury Department, U.S. Postal Service, Executive Office of the President, and certain Independent Agencies appropriations).
Bill· SS. 1357 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 1999
Retirement Account Portability Act of 1999 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit rollovers from State and tax-exempt instrumentalities and from and to public school retirement plans. (Sec. 3) Permits individual retirement plan (IRA) rollovers only if the entire amount is deposited into an eligible retirement plan not later than the 60th day after which the individual receives the distribution or payment. (Sec. 4) Removes certain restrictions on the rollover of after-tax contributions. Provides a hardship exception to the 60-day transfer requirement. (Sec. 5) Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to extend single employer missing participant provisions to multiemployer plans. (Sec. 6) Permits distributions upon severance from employment (currently upon separation from employment). (Sec. 7) States that a transferee defined contribution plan shall not be treated as having failed to meet certain requirements because it does not provide for some or all of the distribution options available under a transferor defined contribution plan. (Sec. 8) Authorizes employers to disregard rollovers for purposes of employee cash-out amounts under the Code and ERISA. (Sec. 9) Authorizes trustee-to-trustee transfers to purchase permissive service credit with respect to Federal or public school and State and tax-exempt instrumentality pension plans.
Bill· SS. 1358 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 1999
Preserve Access to Care in the Home (PATCH) Act of 1999 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) and the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA '97) to eliminate the scheduled automatic 15 percent reduction in payment amounts to home health agencies furnishing home health services under the Medicare program. Amends SSA title XVIII to: (1) create outlier provisions for home health services; (2) revise the definition of homebound; and (3) restructure the review process for claims submitted by home health agencies. Amends BBA '97 for the stated purpose of restoring periodic interim payments for home health agencies. Expresses the sense of the Senate that the Secretary of Health and Human Services should: (1) ensure that the prospective payment system (PPS) for home health services provides for appropriate payment of services provided to beneficiaries at rates that include incentives to provide services efficiently to all beneficiaries and do not create unintentional incentives to discriminate against beneficiaries with complex medical conditions; (2) ensure that the establishment of the case mix adjustment for such services does not penalize agencies that serve such beneficiaries, provides some predictive value, and accounts for appropriate variables, such as age and health status; (3) establish a nationally uniform process to ensure that fiscal intermediaries have the training and ability to provide timely and accurate coverage and payment information to Medicare home health agencies; (4) assess home health agency regulatory costs associated with the PPS for home health services and consider the cost impact on the agency's ability to provide such services; and (5) provide periodic updates to Congress and home health agencies on the Secretary's progress in implementing such PPS.
Bill· HRH.R. 2489 (106th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 1999
African Growth and Opportunity Act - Declares the support of Congress for the economic self-reliance of sub-Saharan African countries committed to economic and political reform, market incentives and private sector growth, eradication of poverty, and the importance of women to economic growth and development. (Sec. 4) Makes a sub-Saharan African country eligible to participate in programs, projects, or activities, or receive assistance or other benefits under this Act if the President determines, according to specified evidence, that it does not engage in gross violations of internationally recognized human rights, and has established, or is making continual progress toward establishing, a market-based economy. Directs the President to monitor and review the progress of sub-Saharan African countries to determine their current or potential eligibility under the requirements of this Act. Makes ineligible to participate in programs or receive assistance or other benefits under this Act any countries that have not made progress in meeting such requirements. (Sec. 5) Directs the President to convene annual high-level meetings between U.S. Government officials and officials of the governments of sub-Saharan African countries to foster close economic ties between them. Directs the President to establish a United States-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum, which shall, among other things, encourage joint ventures between small and large businesses. Directs the United States Information Agency (USIA), in order to assist the Forum, to disseminate economic information in support of the free market economic reforms contained in this Act. Authorizes appropriations (but with a bar on the use of funds to create or support any nongovernmental organization whose aim is to facilitate trade between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa). (Sec. 6) Directs the President to develop a plan meeting certain requirements to enter into one or more trade agreements with certain eligible sub-Saharan African countries to establish a United States-Sub-Saharan Africa Free Trade Area. (Sec. 7) Expresses the sense of Congress that reform of trade policies in sub-Saharan Africa that removes structural impediments to trade, consistent with the World Trade Organization (WTO), can lay the groundwork for sustained growth there in both textile and apparel exports. Directs the United States, pursuant to the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, to eliminate the existing quotas on textile and apparel exports to the United States from Kenya and Mauritius, provided they adopt a visa system to guard against the unlawful transshipment of such goods and the use of counterfeit documents. Directs the President to: (1) continue the existing no quota policy for sub-Saharan African countries; and (2) report to Congress on the growth in textiles and apparel exports to the United States from such countries in order to protect U.S. consumers, workers, and textile manufacturers from economic injury on account of the no quota policy. Sets forth enforcement procedures (including penalties) for violations of the requirements contained in this Act. (Sec. 8) Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to authorize the President to provide duty-free treatment for any non-import-sensitive article that is the growth, product, or manufacture of an eligible sub-Saharan African beneficiary developing country. Waives the competitive need limitation with respect to eligible countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Extends duty-free treatment to sub-Saharan African beneficiary developing countries through June 30, 2009. (Sec. 9) Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Secretary of the Treasury should instruct the U.S. Executive Directors of specified international financial institutions to use their votes to encourage their institutions to develop enhanced mechanisms which further economic and trade reforms and deep debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt initiative in eligible sub-Saharan African countries; and (2) relief provided to such countries under the HIPC debt initiative should primarily be made through grants rather than through extended-term debt, with interim financing for eligible countries that establish a strong record of macroeconomic reform. (Sec. 10) Expresses the sense of Congress that the stated policy of the executive branch in the 1997 Partnership for Growth and Opportunity in Africa initiative is a step toward the establishment of a comprehensive trade and development policy for sub-Saharan Africa and is a companion to the policy goals set forth in this Act. Directs the President, in addition to continuing bilateral and multilateral economic and development assistance, to target technical assistance toward: (1) developing relationships between U.S. firms and firms in sub-Saharan Africa; (2) providing assistance to sub-Saharan African countries to liberalize trade and promote exports, bring their regimes into compliance with WTO standards, make financial and fiscal reforms, and promote greater agribusiness linkages; (3) addressing critical agricultural policy issues as market liberalization, agricultural export development, and agribusiness investment in processing and transporting agricultural commodities; (4) increasing the number of reverse trade missions to growth-oriented sub-Saharan African countries; (5) increasing trade in services; and (6) encouraging greater sub-Saharan participation in future WTO negotiations on services and making further commitments in their schedules to the General Agreement on Trade in Services in order to encourage the removal of tariff and nontariff barriers. (Sec. 11) Expresses the sense of Congress that the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) should exercise its authorities to initiate, in addition to any existing fund, an equity fund or funds in support of projects (including infrastructure projects) in sub-Saharan African countries, particularly projects that expand opportunities for women entrepreneurs and employment for the poor. (Sec. 12) Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to direct the Board of Directors of OPIC to increase financial assistance in sub-Saharan Africa. Amends the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to make similar changes with respect to the Export-Import Bank of the United States. (Sec. 13) Directs the President to establish the position of Assistant United States Trade Representative for African Affairs within the Office of the United States Trade Representative to direct and coordinate interagency activities on U.S.-Africa trade policy and investment matters. (Sec. 14) Directs the Secretary of Commerce, subject to the availability of appropriations, to take steps to ensure that at least 20 full-time U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service employees are stationed in sub-Saharan Africa, including full-time Service employees stationed in not less than ten different sub-Saharan African countries. Directs the Service to take specified action to encourage the export of U.S. goods and services to sub-Saharan African countries. (Sec. 16) Expresses the sense of Congress that, to the extent appropriate, the U.S. Government should make every effort to donate to governments of eligible sub-Saharan African countries air traffic control equipment that is no longer in use, including appropriate related reimbursable technical assistance for such equipment. (Sec. 17) Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) sustained economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa depends in large measure upon the development of a receptive environment for trade and investment, and that to achieve this objective the United States Agency for International Development should continue to support programs which help create this environment; and (2) investments in human resources, development, and implementation of free market policies, including policies to liberalize agricultural markets and improve food security, and the support for the rule of law and democratic governance should continue to be encouraged and enhanced on a bilateral and regional basis. Sets forth congressional declarations with respect to the Development Fund for Africa in providing development assistance to sub-Saharan Africa. (Sec. 19) Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to the special accounting rule allowing a taxpayer (otherwise required to use the accrual method) not to accrue any portion of amounts received for qualified personal services which (on the basis of experience) will not be collected, so long as the taxpayer does not charge interest or a penalty for failure to timely pay the amount charged. Limits this exception to the accrual accounting requirement to services in the fields of health, law, engineering, architecture, accounting, actuarial science, performing arts, or consulting. (Sec. 20) Adds to the list of taxable vaccines any conjugate vaccine of streptococcus pneumoniae. Directs the Comptroller General to report to specified congressional committees on the adequacy of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund to meet future claims made against it.