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Bill· HRH.R. 3162 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 March 1996
National Infrastructure Development Act of 1996 - Establishes as a wholly owned Government corporation: (1) the National Infrastructure Development Corporation (NIDC), which shall make new sources of financing (including public benefit bonds) available for the development of infrastructure facilities; and (2) the National Infrastructure Insurance Corporation (NIIC), which shall be a subsidiary of NIDC issuing insurance, reinsurance and related undertakings with respect to obligations for development of such facilities. Requires NIDC and NIIC to conduct their respective businesses as self-supporting entities. Directs the boards of directors of each to establish criteria for determining eligibility for financial assistance. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) initial targeting of ready-to-go projects; (2) development risk insurance; (3) discretion of NIDC and NIIC to provide assistance; (4) final decisions regarding providing assistance to be made by an independent investment committee; and (5) capitalization, organization, and management of NIDC and NIIC. Requires the NIDC to prepare and revise as necessary a strategic plan for the transition of NIDC and all its subsidiaries to a government-sponsored enterprise, and for the sale or transfer to investors other than the Federal Government of NIDC's voting securities. Authorizes appropriations.
Bill· HRH.R. 3153 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 1996
Amends Federal law to exempt from hazardous material transportation regulation certain vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less, unless the Secretary of Transportation determines that the hazardous material involved poses a significant risk to health and safety or property.
Bill· SS. 1633 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 1996
Omnibus School Transportation Safety Act of 1996 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations establishing proficiency standards for school bus drivers (including drivers of school-chartered buses) required by State law to possess a commercial driver's license to operate a school bus. Permits equally rigorous State proficiency standards in lieu of Federal standards if issued before the Federal standards. Requires each school bus driver to demonstrate driving proficiency in accordance with such standards to employer, local educational agency (LEA), State licensing agency, or any other person or agency responsible for regulating school bus drivers. Prohibits employment of any school bus driver before completion of a national criminal history background check to determine whether the individual has been convicted of a crime warranting barring from driving duties. Amends the Intelligent Vehicle-Highway Systems Act of 1991 to require the Secretary of Transportation, in deciding which intelligent vehicle-highway systems operational testing projects to fund, to ensure that one or more operational tests advance the use and reduce the cost of technologies that alert school bus drivers of pedestrians or vehicles in, or approaching, the school bus' path. Requires the National Transportation Safety Board to study and report to the Congress on the safety consequences of the New Jersey requirement for lap belts in school buses. Requires the Secretary to ensure that each State receiving highway safety program aid may utilize a portion of it to conduct traffic engineering activities to improve safe operation of school buses. Directs the Secretary to carry out a rulemaking process to determine the feasibility of: (1) a requirement for a decrease in the flammability of materials used in constructing school bus interiors; (2) a requirement that sellers in the secondary market of school buses that may be used in interstate commerce inform purchasers that they may not meet Federal safety standards; and (3) the establishment of construction and design standards for wheelchairs used in school buses. Directs the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop and disseminate guidelines for ensuring safe transportation in school buses of children under age five. Directs the Secretary to provide for improvement of training materials on school bus safety and their distribution. Directs the Secretary to study and report to specified congressional committees on public transit vehicles engaged in school bus operations. Amends Federal transportation law to require the Secretary to apply Federal motor carrier safety regulations to interstate school bus operations, and inform all LEAs of compliance requirements, particularly for any interstate school bus transportation. Authorizes appropriations.
Bill· HRH.R. 3141 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 1996
Amends Federal aviation law to declare that it shall not be considered unreasonable or unjust discrimination, nor shall it be a violation of certain requirements with respect to the approval of airport project grant applications, for the owner or operator of a reliever airport to deny access to any person providing scheduled passenger air service if the airport is located within 25 miles of a hub airport and if no scheduled passenger air service was provided at the reliever airport in January 1996.
Bill· HRH.R. 3127 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 1996
Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act of 1996 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to dispose of certain Federal lands within the area under the jurisdiction of the Director of the Bureau of Land Management in Clark County, Nevada. Allows a unit of local government in whose jurisdiction the lands are located (Clark County, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, or Henderson, Nevada) to elect to obtain, without consideration, up to 12 percent of the lands for local public purposes. Sets forth provisions concerning: (1) withdrawal of such lands from mining laws and from operation under the mineral leasing and geothermal leasing laws; and (2) joint selection of such lands for sale or exchange by the Secretary and the respective unit of local government. Provides for allocation of proceeds from the land sales and exchanges to: (1) the general education program of Nevada; (2) the Southern Nevada Water Authority; (3) Clark County, Nevada, for development of parks and trails and for public recreation purpose; and (4) a special account in the Treasury for direct payments where lands are exchanged under this Act and for the acquisition of environmentally sensitive land in Nevada and for infrastructure needs associated with recreation and resource protection programs in Federal areas in Clark County. Requires the Secretary to transfer the airport environs overlay district lands identified in the Interim Cooperative Management Agreement between the United States Department of the Interior-Bureau of Land Management and Clark County, dated November 4, 1992, to Clark County upon request, without consideration, and subject to specified conditions. (Sec. 5) Allows the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to acquire environmentally sensitive land with the owner's consent. Provides that such acquired land that is within the boundaries of a unit of the National Forest System, the National Park System, the National Wildlife Refuge System, the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, the National Trails System, the National Wilderness Preservation System, or any other system or national conservation or recreation area established by Act of Congress shall: (1) become part of the unit or area without further action by the respective Secretary; and (2) be managed in accordance with all laws and regulations and land use plans applicable to the unit or area. States that nothing in this Act or any other shall be construed to constitute Federal reservation of water or water rights for any purpose arising from the acquisition of lands or interests in lands. Includes lands acquired by the Secretaries under this Act within the definition of entitlement lands with respect to Federal payments to a local unit of government in which such land is located (payments in lieu of taxes). (Sec. 7) Authorizes the Secretary, upon request by a grantee of lands within Clark County, Nevada, that are subject to a lease or patent issued under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act (RPPA) or a unit of local government making an election to obtain land for local public purposes under this Act, to enter into an exchange of lands on an equal value basis. Requires the Secretary: (1) to make land available under the RPPA to the Southern Nevada Water Authority; and (2) in consultation with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Clark County Nevada Regional Flood Control District in Nevada, to make land available to the District, in accordance with the RPPA, for flood control purposes. (Sec. 8) Amends the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Establishment Act of 1990 to modify the boundaries of the Area.
Bill· HRH.R. 3131 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 1996
Airport Community Representation Act - Amends Federal aviation law to authorize the Secretary of Transportation to approve the application for an airport development project grant located within five miles of a State boundary only if: (1) a policymaking committee has been established consisting of a specified number of members from each State located within five miles of the airport and the State in which the airport is located; and (2) the sponsor has fully considered the findings of the committee with respect to the project. Authorizes the Secretary to approve an eligible agency's application to impose a passenger facility fee to finance an airport- related project located within five miles of a State boundary only if, among other things, the eligible agency has complied with the requirements of this Act to the same extent as an airport development project sponsor is required to comply.
Bill· SS. 1626 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 19 March 1996
Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act of 1996 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to dispose of certain Federal lands within the area under the jurisdiction of the Director of the Bureau of Land Management in Clark County, Nevada. Allows a unit of local government in whose jurisdiction the lands are located (Clark County, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, or Henderson, Nevada) to elect to obtain, without consideration, up to 12 percent of the lands for local public purposes. Sets forth provisions concerning: (1) withdrawal of such lands from mining laws and from operation under the mineral leasing and geothermal leasing laws; and (2) joint selection of such lands for sale or exchange by the Secretary and the respective unit of local government. Provides for allocation of proceeds from the land sales and exchanges to: (1) the general education program of Nevada; (2) the Southern Nevada Water Authority; (3) Clark County, Nevada, for development of parks and trails and for public recreation purpose; and (4) a special account in the Treasury for direct payments where lands are exchanged under this Act and for the acquisition of environmentally sensitive land in Nevada and for infrastructure needs associated with recreation and resource protection programs in Federal areas in Clark County. Requires the Secretary to transfer the airport environs overlay district lands identified in the Interim Cooperative Management Agreement between the United States Department of the Interior-Bureau of Land Management and Clark County, dated November 4, 1992, to Clark County upon request, without consideration, and subject to specified conditions. (Sec. 5) Allows the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to acquire environmentally sensitive land with the owner's consent. Provides that such acquired land that is within the boundaries of a unit of the National Forest System, the National Park System, the National Wildlife Refuge System, the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, the National Trails System, the National Wilderness Preservation System, or any other system or national conservation or recreation area established by Act of Congress shall: (1) become part of the unit or area without further action by the respective Secretary; and (2) be managed in accordance with all laws and regulations and land use plans applicable to the unit or area. Includes lands acquired by the Secretaries under this Act within the definition of entitlement lands with respect to Federal payments to a local unit of government in which such land is located (payments in lieu of taxes). (Sec. 7) Authorizes the Secretary, upon request by a grantee of lands within Clark County, Nevada, that are subject to a lease or patent issued under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act (RPPA) or a unit of local government making an election to obtain land for local public purposes under this Act, to enter into an exchange of lands on an equal value basis. Requires the Secretary: (1) to make land available under the RPPA to the Southern Nevada Water Authority; (2) in consultation with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Clark County Nevada Regional Flood Control District in Nevada, to make land available to the District, in accordance with the RPPA, for flood control purposes; and (3) in consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, to make land available in the State of Nevada, in accordance with the RPPA, for affordable housing purposes. Limits availability of such lands to State or local governmental entities, including local public housing authorities. Considers such housing to be affordable housing if it is assisted under the United States Housing Act of 1937. (Sec. 8) Amends the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Establishment Act of 1990 to modify the boundaries of the Area.
Bill· HRH.R. 3106 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 March 1996
Rail Safety Act of 1996 - Amends Federal transportation law to direct the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate regulations concerning limitations on duty hours of train employees that are no less stringent than those under specified existing Federal transportation law. Directs the Secretary to study and report to the Congress on: (1) the feasibility of requiring satellite-based positive train control systems in the United States by January 1, 2001; and (2) the technical, structural, and economic feasibility of installing in rail passenger cars devices which, in the event of a collision, would automatically provide passenger escape access. Directs the Secretary, to the extent feasibility is determined, to promulgate regulations requiring installation of such control systems and train escape devices by specified dates. Directs the Secretary to: (1) determine what regulations are necessary to increase the ability of passengers to escape from a rail car in the event of an emergency; and (2) if necessary, promulgate them, to take effect as soon as practicable. Directs the Secretary to establish, by regulation, minimum safety standards for fuel tanks of locomotives of rail passenger trains that take into consideration environmental protection and public safety. Directs the Secretary to determine, and report to the appropriate congressional committees, whether to promulgate regulations for public safety purposes to: (1) require crash posts at the corners of rail passenger cars; (2) require safety locomotives on rail passenger trains; (3) establish minimum crash-worthiness standards for passenger cab cars; or (4) carry out any combination of the above. Directs the Secretary to: (1) study whether to promulgate regulations requiring placement of rail signals along railways in specified positions; and (2) promulgate such regulations if the requirement is determined necessary. Requires a report to the Congress if such placement is determined unnecessary.
Bill· SS. 1615 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 1996
Requires the Secretary of the Army, as part of the operations and maintenance segment of the project for navigation, Mississippi River Ship Channel, Gulf to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to assume responsibility for periodic maintenance dredging of the Chalmette Slip to a depth of minus 33 feet mean low gulf.
Bill· SS. 1605 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 1996
Energy Policy and Conservation Act Amendment Act - Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to: (1) restate its purpose so as to grant the President authority to fulfill Federal obligations under the international energy program (currently, standby authority, subject to congressional review, to impose rationing and implement energy conservation plans); (2) repeal the loan guarantee program for the development of underground coal mines; and (3) limit only to instances when the Secretary determines before any lease sale that such bidding would adversely affect competition or the receipt of fair market value the current prohibition on certain lease bidding with respect to Outer Continental Shelf lands by persons partly but significantly owned by more than one major oil company or affiliate. Repeals requirements for oil or gas production at the maximum efficient rate and temporary emergency production rate. (Sec. 3) Repeals the mandate for: (1) a Strategic Petroleum Reserve Plan; (2) an Early Storage Reserve; and (3) a Regional Petroleum Reserve. Revises the guidelines for the maintenance of the SPR. Authorizes the Secretary to use underutilized facilities to store petroleum product owned by a foreign government. Repeals guidelines for the use of interim storage facilities, and environmental considerations for existing facilities. Mandates submission of an expansion plan to the Congress when the Secretary determines that a 750 million barrel inventory can reasonably be expected in the Reserve within five years. Makes the Secretary of Energy's authority to acquire petroleum products for the SPR contingent on the availability of funds. Repeals guidelines governing storage, transport, or exchange of petroleum products with respect to: (1) prescriptions for fill operations by the President (minimum fill rates); (2) withdrawals from Naval Petroleum Reserve Numbered 1; (3) fill operations suspensions during emergencies; and (4) a test program of refined petroleum products storage. Instructs the Secretary to sell SPR petroleum at public sale to the highest qualified bidder without regard to Federal, State or local regulations. Makes SPR status reports annual instead of quarterly. Authorizes appropriations for the SPR. Extends the authorities relating to the SPR through FY 2001. (Sec. 4) Repeals general emergency authorities, including energy emergency preparedness authority. Revises guidelines governing: (1) international voluntary agreements affecting emergency responses (including the applicability of the Defense Production Act of 1950); and (2) antitrust defenses applicable to international voluntary agreements (only if the International Energy Agency's Emergency Sharing System has been activated). Extends the authorization of appropriations for interagency working groups to promote exports of renewable energy and energy efficiency products and services through FY 2001. Extends other emergency energy authorities through FY 2001. (Sec. 5) Extends authorizations of appropriations through FY 2001 for: (1) State energy conservation programs; (2) the energy conservation program for schools and hospitals; and (3) the alternative fuels truck commercial application program. (Sec. 6) Modifies the statutory mandate that the President collect certain petroleum product information.
Bill· HRH.R. 3071 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 1996
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Criminal Acts Title II: Increased Penalties Title III: Investigative Tools Title IV: Nuclear Materials Title V: Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives Title VI: Removal Procedures for Alien Terrorists Title VII: Authorization and Funding Title VIII: Miscellaneous Effective Counterterrorism Act of 1996 - Title I: Criminal Acts - Amends the Federal criminal code to set penalties for: (1) killing or attempting to kill any U.S. officer engaged in, or on account of, the performance of official duties or any person assisting such an officer or employee; and (2) threats to assault, kidnap, or murder former Federal officers and employees. (Sec. 102) Sets penalties for providing material support to terrorist organizations. Defines "terrorist organization" as a foreign organization designated in the Federal Register as a terrorist organization by the Secretary of State based upon a finding that the organization engages in, or has engaged in, terrorist activity that threatens U.S. national security. Establishes a process for making such designation. Sets forth provisions regarding judicial review, congressional and other authority to remove such designation, and sunset provisions. (Sec. 103) Modifies a provision setting penalties for providing material support to terrorists, including by: (1) eliminating language that excludes from the definition of "material support or resources" humanitarian assistance to persons not directly involved in violations; and (2) adding language to exclude from such definition medicine or religious materials. (Sec. 104) Sets penalties for: (1) receiving material support from terrorist organizations or countries supporting terrorism; (2) acts of terrorism against children; and (3) conspiring to kill kidnap, maim, or injure people in (currently, limited to injuring property of) a foreign government. (Sec. 107) Makes penalties for an individual committing an offense on an aircraft in flight outside the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States applicable regardless of whether such individual is later found in the United States. Grants jurisdiction over such an offense if: (1) a U.S. national was or would have been on board the aircraft; (2) an offender is a U.S. national; or (3) an offender is found in the United States. Provides that if the victim of specified offenses is an internationally protected person outside the United States, the United States may exercise jurisdiction if: (1) the victim is a representative, officer, employee, or agent of the United States; (2) an offender is a U.S. national; or (3) an offender is found in the United States. (Sec. 108) Modifies provisions regarding the use of weapons of mass destruction to include threats to use such weapons and to specify that: (1) to violate such provisions, such use must be without lawful authority; and (2) the results of such use must affect interstate or foreign commerce. Includes within the definition of "weapon of mass destruction" any weapon designed to cause death or serious bodily injury through the release, dissemination, or impact of toxic or poisonous chemicals or their precursors. Sets penalties (of up to life imprisonment) for any U.S. national who, without lawful authority and outside the United States, uses or threatens, attempts, or conspires to use a weapon of mass destruction. (Sec. 109) Adds terrorism offenses to the money laundering statute. (Sec. 110) Expands Federal jurisdiction over bomb threats. (Sec. 111) Provides that there is U.S. jurisdiction over specified maritime violence: (1) regardless of whether the activity is prohibited by the State in which it takes place; and (2) committed by a U.S. national or by a stateless person whose habitual residence is in the United States, regardless of whether the activity takes place on a ship flying the flag of a foreign country or outside the United States. (Sec. 112) Prohibits the possession, or pledge or acceptance as security for a loan, of stolen explosive materials moving in interstate or foreign commerce. Title II: Increased Penalties - Revises provisions of the Federal criminal code regarding mandatory minimum sentences for certain explosives offenses to eliminate the malice requirement and increase penalties. Extends the statute of limitations to seven years for specified arson and explosives offenses. (Sec. 202) Increases penalties for explosives conspiracies. (Sec. 203) Sets penalties for conspiring to commit various terrorism-related offenses. (Sec. 204) Subjects whoever knowingly transfers explosive materials, knowing that such materials will be used to commit a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime, to the same penalties as may be imposed for a first conviction for the use or carrying of the explosive materials. Title III: Investigative Tools - Requires the Secretary of the Treasury (Secretary) to conduct a study concerning: (1) the tagging of explosive materials for purposes of detection and identification; (2) technology for devices to improve the detection of explosives materials; (3) whether common chemicals used to manufacture explosive materials can be rendered inert and whether it is feasible to require it; and (4) whether controls can be imposed on certain precursor chemicals used to manufacture explosive materials and whether it is feasible to require it. Prohibits such study from including black powder or smokeless powder among the materials it concerns. (Sec. 302) Amends the Federal criminal code to require providers of wire or electronic communication services to preserve record evidence. (Sec. 303) Provides that, except for good cause, a continuance on motion of: (1) the person in a detention hearing may not exceed five days; and (2) the attorney for the Government may not exceed three days (as under current law), excluding any intermediate Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday. (Sec. 304) Repeals Federal criminal code provisions regarding rewards. Authorizes the Attorney General to pay rewards and receive from any department or agency funds for the payment of rewards to any individual who provides any information unknown to the Government leading to the arrest or prosecution of any individual for Federal felony offenses. Requires the Attorney General to give notice to the Senate and House of Representatives if the reward exceeds $100,000. Specifies that the Attorney General's decision whether to authorize an award shall not be subject to judicial review. Sets forth provisions regarding protection of the identity of the recipient of a reward or of the members of the recipient's immediate family. Bars any officer or employee of any governmental entity from receiving a reward for conduct in performance of official duties. Permits the participation of any individual (and his or her immediate family) who furnishes information which would justify a reward, at the Attorney General's discretion, in the witness security program. (Sec. 305) Authorizes the Attorney General to prohibit: (1) vehicles from parking or standing on any street or roadway adjacent to any building in the District of Columbia which is wholly or partly owned, possessed, used by, or leased to the Federal Government, and used by Federal law enforcement authorities; and (2) any person or entity from conducting business on any property immediately adjacent to any such building. (Sec. 306) Directs the Attorney General to study and report to the Congress on the extent of thefts from military arsenals of firearms, explosives, and other materials that are potentially useful to terrorists. Title IV: Nuclear Materials - Amends the Federal criminal code to expand the scope of provisions regarding prohibited transactions involving nuclear materials (for example, to include nuclear byproduct material) and the jurisdictional bases (such as to cover a situation where an offender or a victim is a U.S. national or a U.S. corporation or other legal entity). Title V: Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit (with exceptions) the manufacture, importation, exportation, shipment, transport, transfer, receipt, or possession of any plastic explosive which does not contain a detection agent. Prohibits any person (other than a U.S. agency or the National Guard of any State) possessing any plastic explosive on the effective date of this title from failing to report to the Secretary the quantity of such explosives possessed, the manufacturer or importer, any identification marks, and such other information as the Secretary may prescribe. (Sec. 503) Sets forth: (1) penalties for violations of this title; and (2) affirmative defenses. Title VI: Removal Procedures for Alien Terrorists - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to establish procedures for the removal of alien terrorists. Requires the Chief Justice of the United States to publicly designate five district court judges to constitute a court with jurisdiction to conduct all special removal proceedings. Makes provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 applicable to proceedings under this title. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) applications for initiation of a special removal proceeding; (2) consideration of the applications; (3) the conduct of special removal hearings, including provision for a public hearing, the right of aliens to counsel, and rules of evidence; (4) treatment of classified information; and (5) appeals. Title VII: Authorization and Funding - Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to provide specialized training or equipment to enhance the capability of metropolitan fire and emergency service departments to respond to terrorist attacks. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1996. (Sec. 702) Authorizes appropriations for FY 1996 and 1997 to the President to provide to foreign countries facing an imminent danger of terrorist attack that threatens the U.S. national interest or puts U.S. nationals at risk assistance in: (1) obtaining explosive detection devices and other counter-terrorism technology; and (2) conducting research and development projects on such technology. (Sec. 703) Authorizes appropriations to the National Institute of Justice Science and Technology Office to: (1) develop technologies that can be used to combat terrorism and standards to ensure the adequacy of products produced and compatibility with relevant national systems; and (2) identify and assess requirements for technologies to assist State and local law enforcement in the national program to combat terrorism. (Sec. 704) Authorizes appropriations for each of FY 1996 through 2000 to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to: (1) hire additional personnel and procure equipment to support expanded investigations of domestic and international terrorism activities; (2) establish a Domestic Counterterrorism Center to coordinate and centralize Federal, State, and local law enforcement efforts in response to major terrorist incidents and to serve as a clearinghouse for all domestic and international terrorism information and intelligence; and (3) cover costs associated with providing law enforcement coverage of public events offering the potential of being targeted by domestic or international terrorists. Title VIII: Miscellaneous - Directs the Secretary to study and report to the Congress on State licensing requirements for the purchase and use of commercial high explosives. (Sec. 802) Amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to provide for the compensation of victims of terrorism. (Sec. 803) Amends the Federal judicial code to make an exception to foreign sovereign immunity in certain cases in which money damages are sought against a foreign state for personal injury or death caused by an act of torture, extrajudicial killing, aircraft sabotage, hostage taking, or the provision of material support or resources for such an act, where undertaken by an official, employee, or agent of a foreign country while acting within the scope of his office, employment, or agency. Makes an exception to immunity from attachment where the judgement relates to a claim for which the foreign state is not immune under such provision, regardless of whether the property is or was involved with the act upon which the claim is based. (Sec. 804) Directs the Attorney General to: (1) acquire data, for the calendar year 1990 and each succeeding calendar year, about crimes and incidents of threats and acts of violence against Federal, State, and local government employees in performance of their lawful duties; (2) establish guidelines for the collection of such data; and (3) publish an annual summary of the data, which shall otherwise be used only for research and statistical purposes. Specifies that the United States Secret Service is not required to participate in any statistical reporting activity regarding any threats made against any individual for whom the Service is authorized to provide protection. (Sec. 805) Amends the Federal criminal code to require (current law authorizes) the court to order restitution of the victim when a convicted defendant is being sentenced for specified offenses. Specifies that such requirement does not affect the power of the court to impose any other penalty authorized by law. Permits the court, in the case of a misdemeanor, to impose restitution in lieu of any other penalty authorized by law. Authorizes a court to order restitution of any person who, as shown by a preponderance of the evidence, was harmed physically, emotionally, or pecuniarily by unlawful conduct of the defendant during the offense or during the course of a scheme, conspiracy, or pattern of unlawful activity related to the offense. Mandates that a restitution order require the defendant to reimburse the victim for necessary child care, transportation, and other expenses related to participation in the investigation or prosecution of the offense or attendance at related proceedings. Directs the court: (1) to order restitution in the full amount of the victim's losses without consideration of the economic circumstances of the offender or the fact that a victim is entitled to receive compensation from insurance or any other source; and (2) upon determination of the amount owed to each victim, to specify in the restitution order the manner of, and schedule for, restitution in consideration of the financial resources and other assets, projected earnings and other income, and financial obligations of the offender. Specifies that: (1) a restoration order may direct the offender to make a single, lump-sum payment, partial payments at specified intervals, or such in-kind payments as may be agreeable to the victim and the offender and shall direct the offender to give appropriate notice to victims and other persons in cases where there are multiple victims or other persons who may receive restitution and where the identity of such victims and other persons can be reasonably determined; and (2) such in-kind payments may be in the form of the return or replacement of property or the provision of services to the victim or another person or organization. Provides that when the court finds that: (1) more than one offender has contributed to the loss of a victim, the court may make each offender liable for payment of the full amount or may apportion liability among the offenders to reflect the level of contribution and economic circumstances of each offender; and (2) more than one victim has sustained a loss requiring restitution by an offender, the court shall order full restitution of each victim but provide for different payment schedules to reflect the economic circumstances of each victim. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) compensation with respect to losses from insurance or other sources; (2) set-offs against amounts later recovered as compensatory damages by the victim in Federal and State civil proceedings; and (3) payment by the offender to an entity designated by the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts for accounting and payment in accordance with this section. Specifies that a restitution order shall constitute a lien against all property of the offender. Makes compliance with a restitution order a condition of any probation, parole, or other form of release of an offender. Specifies actions the court may take, including revocation of probation or supervised release, if a defendant fails to comply. Provides for enforcement of restitution orders. Authorizes: (1) a victim or the offender to petition the court to modify a restitution order in view of a change in the economic circumstances of the offender; and (2) the court to refer any issue arising in connection with a proposed restitution order to a magistrate or special master for proposed findings of fact and recommendations as to disposition, subject to a de novo determination of the issue by the court.
Bill· SS. 1594 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 1996
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Omnibus Appropriations Title I (sic): Department of Justice Title II: Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Title III: The Judiciary Title IV: Department of State and Related Agencies Title V: Related Agencies Title VI: General Provisions Title VII: Rescissions Title VIII: Prison Litigation Reform Title I (sic): Fiscal Year 1996 Appropriations Title II: District of Columbia School Reform Subtitle A: District of Columbia Reform Plan Subtitle B: Public Charter Schools Subtitle C: Even Start Subtitle D: World Class Schools Task Force, Core Curriculum, Content Standards, Assessments and Promotion Gates Subtitle E: Per Capita District of Columbia Public School and Public Charter School Funding Subtitle F: School Facilities Repair and Improvement Subtitle G: Residential School Subtitle H: Progress Reports and Accountability Subtitle I: Partnerships with Business Subtitle J: Management and Fiscal Accountability Subtitle K: Personal Accountability and Preservation of School-Based Resources Subtitle L: Establishment and Organization of the Commission on Consensus Reform in the District of Columbia Public Schools Subtitle M: Parent Attendance at Parent-Teacher Conferences Title I (sic): Department of the Interior Title II: Related Agencies Title III: General Provisions Title I (sic): Department of Labor Title II: Department of Health and Human Services Title III: Department of Education Title IV: Related Agencies Title V: General Provisions Title I (sic): Department of Veterans Affairs Title II: Department of Housing and Urban Development Title III: Independent Agencies Title IV: Corporations Title V: General Provisions Title II (sic): Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 1996 Title III: Miscellaneous Provisions Title IV: Contingency Appropriations Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996 - Title I (sic): Omnibus Appropriations - Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 - Title I: Department of Justice - Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 1996 - Makes FY 1996 appropriations to the Department of Justice, including funding for the Community Relations Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the Federal Prison System. (Sec. 114) Revises provisions of subtitle A (Violent Offender Incarceration and Truth in Sentencing Incentive Grants) of title II (Prisons) of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. Directs the Attorney General to provide grants to eligible States to build or expand: (1) correctional facilities to increase the prison bed capacity for the confinement of persons convicted of a "part 1 violent crime" (murder, non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) or adjudicated delinquent for an act which, if committed by an adult, would be a part 1 violent crime; (2) temporary or permanent correctional facilities, including facilities on military bases, prison barges, and boot camps, for the confinement of convicted nonviolent offenders and criminal aliens for the purpose of freeing suitable existing prison space for the confinement of persons convicted of a part 1 violent crime; and (3) jails. Authorizes States to enter into regional compacts to carry out such provisions, subject to specified limitations. Specifies that an eligible State may receive either a general grant or a truth-in- sentencing incentive grant, with an exception. Sets forth general eligibility requirements. Requires a State, to be eligible for a general grant, to submit an application to the Attorney General that provides assurances that such State has, since 1993, increased the percentage of persons convicted of a part 1 violent crime sentenced to prison, the average prison time actually to be served in prison by such persons, and the average percentage of time of the sentence to be actually served in prison by persons convicted of a part 1 violent crime and sentenced to prison (with an indeterminant sentencing exception). Requires a State, to be eligible for a truth-in-sentencing incentive grant, to submit such an application providing assurances that: (1) such State has implemented truth-in-sentencing laws that require (or has enacted but has not yet implemented such laws that, within three years, will require) persons convicted of a part 1 violent crime to serve not less than 85 percent of the sentence imposed; or (2) if the State practices indeterminate sentencing, such State demonstrates that the average time served equals at least 85 percent of the sentences established for such crimes under the State's sentencing and release guidelines (with exceptions for geriatric prisoners or those whose medical condition precludes them from posing a threat to the public after a public hearing in which representatives of the public and the prisoner's victims have had an opportunity to be heard regarding a proposed release). Sets forth special rules regarding State: (1) sharing of funds with counties and other units of local government; (2) policies providing for the recognition of the rights and needs of crime victims; (3) use of funds to build or expand juvenile correctional facilities or pretrial detention facilities for juvenile offenders; and (4) use of funds for the privatization of correctional facilities. Sets forth: (1) formulas for the Attorney General to apply in determining the amount of funds that may be granted to each eligible State; and (2) accountability requirements. Authorizes appropriations. Sets forth provisions regarding the distribution, limitations on the use of, and matching requirements with respect to, grant funds. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) payments for incarceration on tribal lands; (2) payments to eligible States for incarceration of criminal aliens (and authorizes appropriations); (3) support of Federal prisoners in non-Federal institutions (and authorizes appropriations); and (4) reports by the Attorney General to the Congress. Title II: Department of Commerce and Related Agencies - Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for the Department of Commerce (Department) and related agencies and activities, including: (1) the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; (2) the International Trade Commission and international trade activities; (3) export administration; (4) the Economic Development Administration; (5) minority business development; (6) economic and statistical analysis and administration; (7) the Bureau of the Census and related activities; (8) the National Telecommunications and Information Administration; (9) public broadcasting facilities, planning, and construction; (10) the Patent and Trademark Office; (11) the National Institute of Standards and Technology and related services and activities; (12) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (including a transfer of funds); (13) various government trust funds related to ocean and water resources development and activities; (14) technology policy and administration; and (15) the Office of the Inspector General. Rescinds $75 million of amounts available to the National Institute of Standards and Technology for the construction of research facilities. (Sec. 201) Allows advance payments to be made for authorized Department activities only upon certification by Department officials that such payments are in the public interest. (Sec. 206) Directs the Secretary or other appropriate agency head, if legislation is enacted to dismantle or reorganize the Department, to report to the appropriations committees within 90 days thereafter a plan for transferring funds provided to the Department in this Act to the appropriate successor organizations. Authorizes the Secretary to use any available funds to carry out the legislation, including voluntary separation incentives if duly authorized. (Sec. 207) Prohibits the use of funds appropriated under this title to implement specified provisions of the Endangered Species Act relating to the determination of endangered or threatened species, except to delist or reclassify species. (Sec. 208) States that the transfer of title of the Rutland City Industrial Complex to Hilinex, Vermont, shall not require compensation to the Government for its share of such property. (Sec. 209) Directs the Secretary to: (1) commence and complete a demolition of existing structures and an environmental cleanup of the Central Foundry Property in Holt, Alabama; and (2) transfer such property to the Tuscaloosa County Industrial Development Authority. (Sec. 210) Requires any costs incurred by a department or agency funded under this title resulting from personnel actions taken in response to funding reductions included in this title to be absorbed within the total budgetary resources available to such department or agency. Title III: The Judiciary - Judiciary Appropriations Act, 1996 - Appropriates FY 1996 funds for activities of the Judiciary, including: (1) the Supreme Court; (2) the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; (3) the U.S. Court of International Trade; (4) the Courts of Appeals, district courts, and other judicial services; (5) the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (Administrative Office); (6) the Federal Judicial Center; (7) Judicial Retirement Funds; and (8) the United States Sentencing Commission. (Sec. 305) Revises provisions regarding judicial conferences of the circuits to allow (current law requires) the chief judge to summon judges to and preside at, and every judge to attend and remain throughout, such conferences. Title IV: Department of State and Related Agencies - Department of State and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 - Appropriates funds for FY 1996 for the Department of State and related agencies, activities, and programs, including: (1) diplomatic and consular programs; (2) the Capital Investment Fund; (3) the Office of the Inspector General; (4) payments to the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund; (5) contributions to international organizations, peacekeeping activities, conferences and commissions; (6) a grant to the Asia Foundation; (7) the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA); (8) the United States Information Agency (USIA); (9) the Eisenhower Exchange Fellowship Program Trust Fund; (10) the Israeli Arab Scholarship Program; (11) the American Studies Collections Endowment Fund; (12) international broadcasting operations, including broadcasting to Cuba; and (13) the National Endowment for Democracy. (Sec. 401) Sets forth authorized and prohibited uses of funds appropriated under this Act. (Sec. 404) Requires the Secretary of State and the Directors of USIA and ACDA, within 90 days after the enactment of legislation consolidating, reorganizing, or downsizing the functions of such department and agencies, to submit to the appropriations committees a proposal for transferring or rescinding funds appropriated herein for such consolidated functions. Authorizes such officials to use any available funds to cover the consolidation costs required by such legislation, including voluntary separation incentives duly authorized. (Sec. 407) Amends the Eisenhower Exchange Fellowship Act to extend its Au Pair programs through FY 1999. (Sec. 408) Repeals Federal provisions limiting the use of endowment trust income under the Eisenhower Exchange Fellowship Act. (Sec. 409) Expresses the sense of the Senate that no funds made available under this Act should be used for the deployment of combat- equipped U.S. military personnel for any ground operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, except in specific limited circumstances. Title V: Related Agencies - Appropriates funds for FY 1996 for: (1) the Maritime Administration of the Department of Transportation; (2) the Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad; (3) the Commission on Civil Rights; (4) the Commission on Immigration Reform; (5) the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe; (6) the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; (7) the Federal Communications Commission; (8) the Federal Maritime Commission; (9) the Federal Trade Commission; (10) the Japan- United States Friendship Commission; (11) the Legal Services Corporation; (12) the Marine Mammal Commission; (13) the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Commission; (14) the Securities and Exchange Commission; (15) the Small Business Administration; (16) certain accounts and revolving funds; and (17) the State Justice Institute. (Sec. 501) Places limitations on the use of funds by the Legal Services Corporation. Directs the Corporation to: (1) implement a system of competitive awards of grants and contracts that will apply to all contracts for the delivery of legal assistance awarded by the Corporation after March 31, 1996; and (2) promulgate regulations to implement a competitive selection process for the recipients of such grants and contracts. Prohibits the Corporation from: (1) engaging in litigation that is in any way intended to or has the effect of altering or revising any legislative, judicial, or elective district; (2) attempting in any way to influence the issuance of any executive order or regulation or the passage or defeat of any legislation; (3) bringing a class action suit against the Federal Government or any State; (4) providing assistance to any alien unless the alien is lawfully present in this country or meets other specified requirements; (5) supporting or conducting programs to advocate particular public policies or encourage political activities; or (6) participating in any litigation with respect to abortion or any prisoner. Sets forth prohibited uses of funds appropriated to the Corporation. Directs the Corporation to report every 60 days to the appropriations committees setting forth the status of certain legal assistance cases and matters brought through the Corporation. Requires an audit (containing specified information) to be conducted of each person or entity receiving financial assistance from the Corporation. Allows the Corporation access to appropriate legal and financial documents for purposes of such audits, while requiring appropriate confidentiality. Requires such audits for fiscal years beginning on or after January 1, 1996. (Sec. 510) Provides authorized funds transfers, and transfer limits, for appropriations made to the Small Business Administration. Title VI: General Provisions - Sets forth authorized and prohibited uses of funds appropriated by this Act. (Sec. 607) Expresses the sense of the Congress that equipment and products purchased with funds from this Act should be American-made. (Sec. 611) Prohibits the use of funds from this Act to provide specified amenities or personal comforts in the Federal prison system. (Sec. 614) Amends the Federal criminal code to terminate the Advisory Corrections Council. (Sec. 615) Requires costs incurred by a department or agency funded under this title resulting from personnel actions taken in response to funding reductions included in this title to be absorbed within the total budgetary resources available to such department or agency. (Sec. 616) Repeals provisions of the Balanced Budget Downpayment Act, I which, among other things: (1) appropriate necessary amounts at a rate of operations provided for in the conference report on the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996, subject to exceptions; and (2) stipulate that, notwithstanding any other provision of such Act, the rate of operations only for program administration and the continuation of grants awarded in FY 1995 and prior years may be increased up to a level of 75 percent of the final FY 1995 appropriated amount for the Advanced Technology Program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Ounce of Prevention Council, Drug Courts, Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment, and Cops on the Beat Program. Title VII: Rescissions - Rescinds specified funds from unobligated balances within certain accounts of: (1) the Department of Justice; (2) the State Department; and (3) USIA. Title VIII: Prison Litigation Reform - Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995 - Revises Federal criminal code provisions regarding remedies for prison crowding to substitute provisions regarding remedies for prison conditions. Prohibits: (1) prospective relief in any civil action regarding prison conditions from extending further than necessary to correct the violation of the Federal right of particular plaintiffs; and (2) the court from granting or approving any such relief unless that relief is narrowly drawn, extends no further than necessary to correct the violation of the Federal right, and is the least intrusive means necessary to correct the violation. Directs the court to give substantial weight to any adverse impact on public safety or the operation of a criminal justice system caused by the relief. Prohibits the court from ordering prospective relief that requires or permits a government official to exceed his or her authority under, or that otherwise violates, State or local law, unless: (1) Federal law permits such relief to be ordered in violation of State or local law; (2) the relief is necessary to correct the violation of a Federal right; and (3) no other relief will correct the violation of the Federal right. Authorizes the court to enter a temporary restraining order or an order for preliminary injunctive relief, which shall automatically expire 90 days after its entry, with exceptions. Directs the court to give substantial weight to any adverse impact on public safety or operation of a criminal justice system caused by the preliminary relief, and to respect principles of comity in tailoring any such relief. Prohibits a prisoner release order from being entered unless: (1) a court has previously entered an order for less intrusive relief that has failed to remedy the deprivation of the Federal right and the defendant has had a reasonable amount of time to comply with the previous court orders; and (2) it is entered by a three-judge court, which finds by clear and convincing evidence that crowding is the primary cause of the violation and no other relief will remedy it. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) termination or modification of relief; (2) settlements; (3) State law remedies; (4) procedure for motions affecting prospective relief; and (5) the use of special masters. (Sec. 803) Amends the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act to require the Attorney General to personally sign any complaint filed, or any certification or motion to intervene made, to initiate a civil action under the Act. Revises provisions of the Act to prohibit any action from being brought by a prisoner with respect to prison conditions until available administrative remedies are exhausted. Specifies that the failure of a State to adopt or adhere to an administrative grievance procedure shall not constitute the basis for an action. Directs the court to dismiss any such action if satisfied that the action is frivolous or malicious, fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, or seeks monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief (and authorizes the court, in such instances, to dismiss the underlying claim without first requiring exhaustion of administrative remedies). Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) limits on the award of attorney's fees; (2) limits on recovery; (3) hearings; and (4) waiver of reply. (Sec. 804) Amends the Federal judicial code to require a prisoner: (1) of a Federal, State, or local institution seeking to bring a civil action or appeal a judgment in a civil action or proceeding without prepayment of fees or security to submit a certified copy of the prisoner's trust fund account statement for the six-month period immediately preceding the filing of the complaint or notice of appeal, obtained from the appropriate official of each institution at which the prisoner is or was confined; and (2) who brings a civil action or files an appeal in forma pauperis to pay the full amount of a filing fee (and directs the court to assess and, when funds exist, to collect, as a partial payment of any court fees required by law, an initial partial filing fee of 20 percent of the greater of the average monthly deposits to the prisoner's account or the average monthly balance in the prisoner's account for such six-month period). Sets forth similar provisions regarding the payment of costs by the prisoner. Revises provisions regarding the appointment of counsel in forma pauperis proceedings to require the court to dismiss the case at any time if the allegation of poverty is untrue or if the action or appeal is frivolous or malicious, fails to state a claim on which relief may be granted, or seeks monetary relief against a defendant who is immune from such relief. Makes an exception to the discharge of debt in a bankruptcy proceeding for a fee imposed by a court for the filing of a case, motion, complaint, or appeal, or for other costs and expenses assessed with respect to such filing, regardless of an assertion of poverty by the debtor or the debtor's status as a prisoner. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) successive claims; (2) judicial screening of complaints in civil actions brought by prisoners against governmental entities; and (3) limits of Federal tort claims by prisoners. (Sec. 807) Requires any compensatory damages award to a prisoner in connection with a civil action brought against any Federal, State, or local correctional facility or official or agent thereof to be paid directly to satisfy any outstanding restitution orders pending against the prisoner, with the remainder forwarded to the prisoner. (Sec. 808) Provides for notice to crime victims of pending damage awards. (Sec. 809) Authorizes the court to revoke earned release credit under specified circumstances. Amends the Federal criminal code to: (1) direct the Bureau of Prisons, in awarding credit towards service of sentence for satisfactory behavior, to consider whether the prisoner has earned or is making satisfactory progress toward earning a high school diploma or an equivalent degree; and (2) provide that credit awarded after the date of enactment of this Act shall vest on the date the prisoner is released from custody. Title I (sic): Fiscal Year 1996 Appropriations - District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 1996 - Makes appropriations for the District of Columbia Government for FY 1996, including funds for: (1) the Federal payment ($660 million); (2) the Federal contribution to the Police Officers and Fire Fighters', Teachers', and Judges' Retirement Funds ($52.07 million); and (3) the Federal contribution to education reform ($14.93 million). Appropriates specified sums for the District of Columbia out of the District of Columbia general fund 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) education reform; (6) human support services; (7) public works; (8) repayment of specified loans and interest; (9) repayment of the general fund recovery debt; (10) repayment of interest on short-term borrowing; (11) the Rainy Day Fund; (12) the incentive buyout program; (13) outplacement services; (14) capital outlay (including rescissions); (15) the Water and Sewer Enterprise Fund and construction projects; (16) the Lottery and Charitable Games Enterprise Fund; (17) the Cable Television Enterprise Fund; (18) the Starplex Fund; (19) D.C. General Hospital; (20) the D.C. Retirement Board; (21) the Correctional Industries Fund; (22) the Washington Convention Center Enterprise Fund; and (23) the D.C. Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority (Authority). Prohibits the use of revenues from Federal sources to support the Statehood Commission and Statehood Compact Commission. Requires the District to operate a free, 24-hour telephone information service where residents of the area surrounding Lorton prison can obtain information about all prison disturbances. Requires the Mayor of the District to reduce appropriations and expenditures in specified amounts for: (1) nonpersonal services and personal services, including by decreasing rates of compensation for District government employees through the renegotiation of existing collective bargaining agreements and otherwise, if necessary; and (2) boards and commissions. Requires the Chief Financial Officer of the District, on behalf of the Mayor, to adjust appropriations and expenditures for personal and nonpersonal services, together with the related full-time equivalent positions, in accordance with the direction of the Authority to obtain a specified net reduction within or among one or several of the various appropriation headings in this Act. (Sec. 101) Sets forth certain uses of and restrictions on the expenditure of appropriations made by this Act. (Sec. 110) Requires that the annual budget for the District of Columbia government for FY 1997 be transmitted to the Congress by April 15, 1996, or as provided under the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Act of 1995. (Sec. 123) Directs the Mayor to submit to the D.C. Council, within 30 days after the end of the first quarter of FY 1996, the FY 1996 revenue estimates. (Sec. 130) Prohibits: (1) Federal funds provided under this Act from being used by the District to provide for salaries, expenses, or other costs associated with the offices of U.S. Senator or U.S. Representatives under the District of Columbia Statehood Constitutional Convention Initiatives of 1979; (2) any funds appropriated under this from being expended for any abortion unless it is necessary to save the life of the mother or if the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest; or (3) any funds made available pursuant to this Act from being used to implement or enforce the District Domestic Partner Act (also called the District of Columbia Health Care Benefits Expansion Act of 1992) or any registration system for unmarried, cohabitating couples whether they are homosexual, lesbian, or heterosexual, including registration for the extension of employment, health, or governmental benefits to such couples on the same basis that such benefits are extended to legally married couples. (Sec. 135) Amends the District of Columbia Real Property Tax Revision Act of 1974 to require the D.C. Council, if it extends the time to establish rates of taxation on real property for a tax year, to establish such rates by permanent legislation. Changes the date by which the Council should establish the rates from July 15 to October 15. Applies, during a tax year, the rates of taxation for the prior year if the rates are not established and the Council does not extend the time. Makes the real property tax rates for taxable real property in the District for FY 1996 the same rates in effect for FY 1994. Repeals provisions of the Act which require such rates to be those submitted by the Mayor or the D.C. Council. (Sec. 137) Specifies reporting requirements for: (1) the Mayor (with respect to actions to effect the directives of the Council in this Act with respect to certain spending reductions); (2) the Board of Education; and (3) the University of the District of Columbia. (Sec. 144) Prohibits an agency from filling a position wholly funded by appropriations authorized by this Act which is vacant on October 1, 1995, or which becomes vacant during FY 1996, unless the Mayor or the independent agency submits a proposed resolution of intent to fill the vacant position to the D.C. Council for approval or disapproval. Prohibits any reduction in the number of full-time equivalent positions or any reduction-in-force due to privatization or contracting out if the Authority disallows the full-time equivalent position reduction provided in this Act in meeting the specified ceiling of 35,984 for FY 1996. Allows the appropriate personnel authority to fill a vacant position with a District government employee currently occupying a position that is funded with appropriated funds. Exempts local school-based teachers, officers, teachers' aides, or certain D.C. court personnel. (Sec. 147) Precludes the use of the funds provided in this Act for the renovation of property at 227 7th Street Southeast, Washington, D.C. (commonly known as Eastern Market), except for the regular maintenance and upkeep of its current structure and grounds. (Sec. 149) Modifies D.C. reductions-in-force procedures to allow a personnel authority to establish lesser competitive areas within an agency on the basis of all or a clearly identifiable segment of an agency's mission or a division or major subdivision of an agency. Authorizes each agency head to identify positions for abolishment. Outlines procedures for abolishment of such positions for FY 1996. (Sec. 150) Prohibits the total amount appropriated in this Act under the caption "Division of Expenses" for District operating expenses for FY 1996 from exceeding $4.994 billion, of which $165.339 million shall be from intra-District funds. Allows the Mayor to accept, obligate, and expend Federal, private, and other grants received by the District government that are not reflected in the amounts appropriated in this Act. Prohibits acceptance, obligation, and expenditure of such grants until: (1) the Chief Financial Officer submits to the Authority a report setting forth detailed information regarding such grant; and (2) the Authority reviews and approves such action. Prohibits obligation or expenditure from the general fund or other funds of the District government in anticipation of approval or receipt of such grants not subject to this Act. Requires the Chief Financial Officer to report monthly to the D.C. Council and specified congressional committees on detailed information regarding all of such grants subject to this Act. (Sec. 151) Requires the District, by March 15, 1996, to develop a series of alternative plans for the use and operation of the Lorton Correctional Complex, including plans under which the Complex will be closed, will remain in operation under the District's management, or will be operated under Federal or private management (Sec. 152) Prohibits a person from joining in a petition to a District court for a decree of adoption unless the person is the petitioner's spouse. Allows an unmarried person to file a petition for adoption when no other person joins in the petition or where the co-petitioner is the natural parent of the child. (Sec. 154) Establishes in the Water and Sewer Enterprise Fund: (1) the Operation and Maintenance Account to be used solely for funding the operation and maintenance of the Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Facility and related waste water treatment works; and (2) an Environmental Protection Agency Grant Account to be used solely for purposes specified under the terms of the grants and appropriations involved. Title II: District of Columbia School Reform - District of Columbia School Reform Act of 1995 - Subtitle A: District of Columbia Reform Plan - Requires the Superintendent of the District of Columbia public schools, with the approval of the Board of Education, to submit a long-term reform plan for the District's school system to the Mayor, the D.C. Council, the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority, the Commission on Consensus Reform in the District of Columbia public schools (established under subtitle L), and the appropriate congressional committees within 90 days after this Act's enactment and each February 15 thereafter. Requires each plan to be consistent with the financial plan and budget for the District for FY 1996 and each subsequent fiscal year, as the case may be, required under the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Act of 1995. Specifies areas to be addressed, measurement and deadline requirements, and goals for the plans, including: (1) improving the health and safety of students; and (2) providing after-school programs offering such activities as arts classes, physical fitness programs, and community service. Subtitle B: Public Charter Schools - Prescribes the process for filing charter petitions with respect to an eligible applicant seeking to: (1) convert an existing District public, private, or independent school into a public charter school; or (2) establish a public charter school in the District. (Sec. 2202) Lists the contents of public charter school petitions, including a description of the proposed scope and size of the school's program, any special area of focus for the school, the employment relationship between the school and its employees, and assurances that the school will seek and maintain accreditation and licensing. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) the process for approving or denying petitions (permits approval of up to ten petitions for the 1996-1997 academic year and up to five for each year thereafter); (2) duties, powers, and other requirements of such schools (prohibits the schools from charging tuition, fees, or other mandatory payments, except to nonresident students or for field trips or similar activities and requires the schools to be nonsectarian and unaffiliated with a sectarian school or religious institution); (3) the Boards of Trustees of such schools; (4) student admission, enrollment, and withdrawal; (5) transfers, creditable service, and retirement concerns of District public school employees who work for public charter schools; (6) reduced fares on public transportation for the schools' students; and (7) the provision of services, such as facilities maintenance, to public charter schools by the Superintendent of D.C. schools. (Sec. 2210) Considers a public charter school, for any fiscal year, to be a local educational agency (LEA) for purposes of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) and makes the school eligible for assistance under ESEA if the ratio of low-income students to all students in the school equals or exceeds the lowest of such ratio for an eligible public school. Provides for the allocation of ESEA assistance between eligible District public charter schools and public schools for FY 1996 through 1998. Requires the Secretary of Education to calculate such allocations for FY 1999 and there after according to a specified formula based on the numbers of low-income students served. Prohibits the Board of Education from directing a public charter school in the school's use of such funds. Exempts the public charter schools from specified ESEA provisions and from District property and sales taxes. Directs each public charter school to elect to be treated as an LEA or a District public school for purposes of specified provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. (Sec. 2211) Outlines the powers and duties of eligible chartering authorities. (Sec. 2212) Requires a charter granted to a public charter school to be in force for a five-year period. Allows renewal of such charter for an unlimited number of times (each for a five-year period). (Sec. 2213) Permits an eligible chartering authority that has granted a charter to a public charter school to revoke the charter if the authority determines that the school has committed a violation of applicable laws or a material violation of the conditions, terms, standards, or procedures set forth in the charter. (Sec. 2214) Establishes a Public Charter School Board within the District government. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1996 through 2000. (Sec. 2215) Encourages the following Federal agencies and federally established entities to explore whether it is feasible for the agency or entity to establish one or more public charter schools and to report such determination on the feasibility to the appropriate congressional committees: (1) the Library of Congress; (2) the National Aeronautics and Space Museum; (3) the Drug Enforcement Administration; (4) the National Science Foundation; (5) the Department of Justice; (6) the Department of Defense; (7) the Department of Education; and (8) the Smithsonian Institution, including the National Zoological Park, the National Museum of American History, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the National Gallery of Art. Subtitle C: Even Start - Amends ESEA to authorize appropriations for FY 1996 through 2000 for the purpose of carrying out Even Start programs in the District. Requires the Secretary to provide grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to enable them to carry out District Even Start programs that build on the findings of the National Evaluation of the Even Start Family Literacy Program, such as providing intensive services in early childhood education, parent training, and adult literacy or education. Limits such grants to eight for FY 1996, 14 for FY 1997, 20 for each of FY 1998 and 1999, and 20 or such number as the Secretary determines appropriate for FY 2000, taking into account the results of evaluations described in ESEA. Defines "eligible entity" as a partnership composed of at least: (1) a District public school: (2) the LEA in existence on September 1, 1995, for the District, any other public organization, or an institution of higher education as defined in the Higher Education Act of 1965; and (3) a private nonprofit community-based organization. Directs the Secretary to allocate specified amounts of authorized appropriations for District Even Start programs to: (1) enter into a contract with the National Center for Family Literacy for the provision of technical assistance to eligible entities; and (2) provide for evaluations to determine the effectiveness of such programs in providing high quality family literacy services. Subtitle D: World Class Schools Task Force, Core Curriculum, Content Standards, Assessments, and Promotion Gates - Part 1: World Class Schools Task Force, Core Curriculum, Content Standards, and Assessments - Authorizes the Superintendent to award a grant to a World Class Schools Task Force to enable the Task Force to recommend to the Superintendent, the Board of Education, and the District of Columbia Goals Panel: (1) content standards in the core academic subjects that are developed by working with the District community (requires such standards to be developed within 12 months after this Act's enactment); (2) a core curriculum (which includes the teaching of computer skills) developed by working with the D.C. community; (3) district-wide assessments for measuring student achievement in accordance with such content standards; and (4) model professional development programs for teachers using the standards and curriculum. Encourages the Task Force, to the extent practicable, to develop district-wide assessments that permit comparison among: (1) individual D.C. public schools and public charter schools and individual students attending such schools; and (2) students of other nations. (Sec. 2415) Authorizes appropriations for FY 1996. Part 2: Promotion Gates - Requires the Superintendent, within one year of the adoption of the assessments, to establish and implement promotion gates: (1) for mathematics, reading, and writing for at least one grade level from kindergarten through grade four, including at least grade four, and to establish dates for establishing such other promotion gates for other subject areas; (2) with respect to at least one grade level from grades five through eight, including at least grade eight; and (3) with respect to at least one grade level from grades nine through 12, including grade 12. Subtitle E: Per Capita District of Columbia Public School and Public Charter School Funding - Requires the Mayor, for FY 1997 and each fiscal year thereafter, to make annual payments to the Board of Education for the operating expenses of the District public schools and charter schools from the general fund of the District in accordance with a specified formula based on the number of students in public schools and public charter schools. (Sec. 2502) Sets forth provisions which require reports by: (1) each public school and charter school to the Mayor and the Board of Education of the calculation of the number of students enrolled in each grade from kindergarten through grade 12; (2) the Board of Education to the Authority, the Mayor, the D.C. Council, the Consensus Commission, the Comptroller General of the United States, and appropriate congressional committees which summarize the most recent calculations; and (3) the Authority on an independent audit of such initial calculations. (Sec. 2503) Sets forth provisions providing for transition funding for District public charter schools. Subtitle F: School Facilities Repair and Improvement - Part 1: School Facilities - Requires the Administrator of the General Services Administration to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement or Understanding with the Superintendent regarding the terms under which the Administrator will provide technical assistance and related services with respect to District public schools facilities management. Authorizes the Administrator to accept and use a conditioned gift made for the express purpose of repairing or improving the District public schools, except that the Administrator shall not be required to carry out such repairs or improvements unless he or she accepts a donation sufficient to cover the costs of the repairs or improvements. (Sec. 2552) Requires the Mayor and the D.C. Council, within 24 months after the Agreement is signed and in consultation with the Administrator, the Authority, the Board of Education, and the Superintendent to: (1) design and implement a comprehensive long-term program for the repair and improvement, and maintenance and management, of the District public school facilities; and (2) designate a new or existing agency or authority within the District government to administer the program. (Sec. 2553) Authorizes appropriations to the Administrator for FY 1996 for the costs of engineering plans. Part 2: Waivers - Allows voluntary donation of materials and services for the repair and improvement of District school facilities. Waives, with respect to any contractor, subcontractor, and any other group, entity, or individual who donates materials and services for the repair or improvement of a District public school facility, all District fees and all requirements contained in the document entitled "District of Columbia Public Schools Standard Contract Provisions" published by the District public schools for use with construction or maintenance projects for purposes of repair and improvement of such facilities for a period beginning on this Act's enactment date and ending 24 months after such date. Part 3: Gifts, Donations, Bequests, and Devises - Allows a District public school or public charter school to accept directly from any person a gift, donation, bequest, or devise of any property, real or personal, without regard to any District law or regulation. Subtitle G: Residential School - Authorizes the Superintendent to develop a plan that meets specified requirements to establish for the District a residential school for academic year 1997-1998 and to assist in the startup of such school. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1996 to develop the plan and for 1997 for capital costs associated with the startup of the school, including the purchase of real and personal property and the renovation or construction of facilities. Makes the school an eligible institution for the purposes of scholarships awarded under this Act. Subtitle H: Progress Reports and Accountability - Requires the Superintendent to report to the appropriate congressional committees, the Board of Education, the Mayor, the Consensus Commission, and the D.C. Council on the progress of the District public schools toward achieving the goals of the long-term reform plan. (Sec. 2652) Requires the Chairperson of the D.C. Council to report to such committees on legislative and other actions the Council has taken or will take to facilitate the implementation of the goals of such plan. Subtitle I: Partnerships with Business - Requires the Superintendent to provide a grant to a private, nonprofit corporation which shall: (1) establish the District Education and Learning Technologies Advancement Council; (2) in conjunction with the Superintendent, students, parents, and teachers, implement strategies to ensure access to state-of-the-art educational technology within the District public schools and public charter schools; (3) assist the Superintendent in acquiring the necessary equipment, including computer hardware and software, to establish an electronic data transfer system and in training District public school employees in using such equipment; (4) establish the District Employment and Learning Center to serve as a regional institute providing job training and employment assistance; (5) establish initiatives with the District public schools and public charter schools, appropriate governmental agencies, and businesses and other private entities to facilitate the integration of rigorous academic studies with workforce preparation programs in District public schools and public charter schools; (6) establish a consortium for the purpose of establishing a program for the professional development of teachers and school administrators employed by the District public schools and public charter schools; (7) provide matching funds, or in-kind contributions, or a combination thereof, for the purposes of carrying out such duties; and (8) establish the Jobs for District of Columbia Graduates Program to assist District public schools and public charter schools in organizing and implementing a school-to-work transition system to give priority to providing assistance to at-risk and disadvantaged youths. (Sec. 2705) Requires the corporation, to the extent practicable, to provide matching funds, or in-kind contributions, or a combination thereof, for the purposes of carrying out such duties. (Sec. 2708) Authorizes appropriations for FY 1996 through 1998. (Sec. 2709) Terminates on October 1, 1998, the authority to provide assistance to the corporation or any other entity established by it. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the corporation's activities under this Act should continue to be carried out after such date with resources made available from the private sector; and (2) the corporation should provide oversight and coordination for such activities after such date. Subtitle J: Management and Fiscal Accountability - Requires the Board of Education: (1) to enter into a contract for academic year 1995 through 1996 and each succeeding academic year for the provision of all food services operations and security services for District public schools, unless the Superintendent determines that it is not feasible and provides such reasons in writing to the Board and to the Authority; and (2) for academic year 1995 through 1996, to consult with the Authority on the development of new management and data systems, as well as training of personnel to use and manage the systems in areas of budget, finance, personnel and human resources, management information services, procurement, supply management, and other systems recommended by the Authority. (Sec. 2752) Sets forth provisions with respect to the Board of Education regarding: (1) annual reporting requirements on positions and employees of the D.C. public school system; (2) annual budgets and budget revisions; (3) read-only access to its internal financial management systems and all other data bases to designated staff of the Mayor, the Council, the Authority, and appropriate congressional committees; and (4) development of its FY 1997 budget request. Subtitle K: Personal Accountability and Preservation of School- Based Resources - Prohibits a reduction in the full-time equivalent positions for school-based teachers, principals, counselors, librarians, or other school-based educational positions that were established as of the end of FY 1995, unless the Authority determines, based on student enrollment that: (1) fewer school-based positions are needed to maintain established pupil-to-staff ratios; or (2) reductions in positions for other than school-based employees are not practicable. Defines "school-based educational position" as a position located at a District public school or other position providing direct support to students at such a school such as a position for a clerical, stenographic, or secretarial employee, but not any part-time educational aide position. (Sec. 2802) Amends the District of Columbia Government Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 1978 to modify the Board of Education's reduction-in-force procedures to prohibit the Board from requiring or permitting nonschool-based personnel or school administrators to be assigned or reassigned to the same competitive level as classroom teachers. (Sec. 2803) Makes the evaluation process and instruments for evaluating District public school employees a nonnegotiable item for collective bargaining purposes. (Sec. 2804) Provides that such an employee shall be: (1) classified as an educational service employee; (2) placed under the Board's personnel authority; and (3) subject to all Board rules. Subtitle L: Establishment and Organization of the Commission on Consensus Reform in the District of Columbia Public Schools - Establishes within the District government a Commission on Consensus Reform in the District of Columbia Public Schools to: (1) identify and suggest ways to remove obstacles to implementation of the long- term reform plan; (2) assist in developing programs that lower the dropout rate and that ensure that public school students achieve basic literacy, critical thinking, and communication skills; (3) assist in developing district-wide skills assessments; (4) make recommendations to improve community, parent, and business involvement in public schools; (5) recommend ways to increase student involvement and attention; and (6) assist in establishing procedures that ensure that every student is provided necessary employment skills, including the development of individual career paths. (Sec. 2854) Requires any student who is required to serve a suspension from classes at a District public school outside the school, to perform community service. (Sec. 2855) Allows the Commission to examine and request the Inspector General of the District of Columbia or the Authority to audit: (1) Board of Education records to ensure, monitor, and evaluate the Board's performance with respect to compliance with the long-term reform plan and such plan's overall educational achievement; and (2) records of any public charter school to assure, monitor and evaluate the performance of the school with respect to the content standards and district-wide assessment. Subtitle M: Parent Attendance at Parent-Teacher Conferences - Authorizes the Mayor to implement a policy which encourages all District residents with children attending a District public school to attend and participate in at least one parent-teacher conference every 90 days during the academic year. Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 - Title I (sic): Department of the Interior - Makes appropriations for the FY 1996 operation of the Department of the Interior. Prohibits this Act's funds being spent by the National Park Service for activities in direct response to the United Nations Biodiversity Initiative in the United States. Authorizes the National Park Service (NPS) to transfer NPS funds to State, local, and tribal governments, other public entities, educational institutions, and private nonprofit organizations to carry out NPS programs. Directs the National Park Service to conduct a Feasibility Study for a northern access route into Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Restricts or regulates: (1) the use of this Act's research resources funds regarding the Endangered Species Act; and (2) activities and funding relating to the National Biological Survey. Provides funding for the closure of the U.S. Bureau of Mines, transferring specified functions to the Secretary of Energy. Sets forth the uses and limitations for such appropriations, including use of Bureau of Indian Affairs school system funds. Provides for a report concerning Indian tribes and their compliance with provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. (Sec. 109) Repeals the Outer Banks Protection Act. (Sec. 118) Sets forth provisions affecting the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands concerning infrastructure assistance. Title II: Related Agencies - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for the Department of Agriculture for the Forest Service. Prohibits the use of funds to implement any reorganization or "reinvention" of the Forest Service. Makes appropriations for the Department of Energy for, among other things, fossil energy research and development, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), and the SPR Account. Makes appropriations to the Department of Health and Human Services for the Indian Health Service for Indian health services and facilities. Appropriates funds to: (1) the Department of Education for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education for Indian Education; (2) the Office of Navajo and Hopi Relocation; (3) the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development; (4) the Smithsonian Institution; (5) construction and improvements at the National Zoological Park; (6) restoration and repair of buildings owned or occupied by the Smithsonian Institution; (7) the National Gallery of Art; (8) the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; and (9) the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Makes appropriations for: (1) the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities; (2) the Institute of Museum Services; (3) the Commission of Fine Arts; (4) National Capital arts and cultural affairs; (5) the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; (6) the National Capital Planning Commission; (7) the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Commission; and (8) the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. Requires that funds made available in previous years for the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation be available for operating and administrative expenses and for the orderly closure of the Corporation. Rescinds $2.172 million. Sets forth uses and prohibitions on such funds. Title III: General Provisions - Sets forth uses and limitations of funds appropriated by this Act. (Sec. 307) Requires expenditures under this Act to comply with the Buy American Act. Expresses the sense of the Congress that entities receiving Federal assistance should purchase only American-made equipment and products. Prohibits Federal contracts with persons found to have falsely labeled a product with a "Made in America" inscription. (Sec. 312) Prohibits any funds from this Act from being used for the AmeriCorps program. (Sec. 313) Mandates dissolution of the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation. (Sec. 314) Regulates use of any Act's funds for the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project. (Sec. 315) Directs the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to implement a fee program to demonstrate the feasibility of user-generated cost recovery for the operation and maintenance of recreation areas or sites and habitat enhancement projects on Federal lands. (Sec. 322) Prohibits, with exceptions, use of this Act's funds to accept or process applications for a patent for any mining or mill site claim located under the general mining laws. (Sec. 324) Prohibits funding the Office of Forestry and Economic Development after December 31, 1995. (Sec. 326) Provides for a land exchange in Washington State. Authorizes appropriations as necessary to carry out this Act. (Sec. 327) Provides for the establishment of the Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration Fund. (Sec. 328) Places limitations on the type of grant awards that can be made by the National Endowment for the Arts. (Sec. 329) Delays the implementation of regulations concerning livestock grazing on lands administered by the Forest Service. (Sec. 330) Increases penalties for the use of a hazardous or injurious device on Federal or Indian lands. (Sec. 331) Prohibits, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the use of funds available to the National Endowment for the Arts pursuant to this Act to promote, disseminate, sponsor, or produce any material or performance that: (1) denigrates the religious objects or religious beliefs of the adherents of a particular religion; or (2) depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual or excretory activities or organs. Requires that this prohibition be strictly applied without regard to the content or viewpoint of the material or performance. (Sec. 333) Prohibits using this Act's funds to review or modify sourcing areas previously approved under specified provisions of the Forest Resources Conservation and Shortage Relief Act of 1990 or to enforce or implement specified Federal regulations. Prohibits adoption of policies that would restrain domestic transportation or processing of timber from private lands or impose additional accountability requirements on any timber. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 - Title I (sic): Department of Labor - Department of Labor Appropriations Act, 1996 - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for agencies within the Department of Labor. Rescinds unobligated advances to the Employment Security Administration account of the Unemployment Trust Fund. Title II: Department of Health and Human Services - Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Act, 1996 - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services. Rescinds existing and makes new appropriations for low income home energy assistance, designating certain of the new appropriations as emergency requirements under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 and making those funds available only on a formal presidential budget request that designates the request as an emergency requirement under that Act. Provides limitations on the use of appropriated funds. (Sec. 207) Requires a transfer of funds for the security protection of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. (Sec. 209) Rescinds amounts for Disease Control, Research, and Training under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Title III: Department of Education - Department of Education Appropriations Act, 1996 - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for agencies and programs within the Department of Education. Sets forth general provisions relating to the use of appropriated funds. (Sec. 301) Prohibits appropriated funds from being used to transport teachers or students in order to: (1) overcome racial imbalance in any school or school system; or (2) carry out a racial desegregation plan. (Sec. 303) Prohibits the use of funds to prevent the implementation of programs of voluntary prayer and meditation in the public schools. Title IV: Related Agencies - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for the following agencies or programs: (1) Armed Forces Retirement Home; (2) Corporation for National and Community Service; (3) Corporation for Public Broadcasting; (4) Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service; (5) Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission; (6) National Commission on Libraries and Information Science; (7) National Council on Disability; (8) National Education Goals Panel; (9) National Labor Relations Board; (10) National Mediation Board; (11) Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission; (12) Physician Payment Review Commission; (13) Prospective Payment Assessment Commission; (14) Social Security Administration; (15) Railroad Retirement Board; and (16) United States Institute of Peace. Title V: General Provisions - Sets forth provisions on the use of the appropriated funds. (Sec. 505) Prohibits the use of funds to carry out any program of distributing sterile needles for the hypodermic injection of any illegal drug unless the Surgeon General determines that such programs are effective in preventing the spread of HIV and do not encourage the use of illegal drugs. (Sec. 506) Expresses the sense of the Congress that, to the greatest extent practicable, all equipment and funds purchased under this Act should be American-made. (Sec. 507) Imposes a disclosure requirement on grantees receiving Federal funds. (Sec. 508) Prohibits the use of funds to perform abortions except to save the life of the mother or where the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. (Sec. 509) Permits States to not perform abortions, except where the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term. (Sec. 510) Sets forth limitations on the use of appropriated funds. Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 - Title I (sic): Department of Veterans Affairs - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Provides for the use of such appropriations. Sets forth various administrative provisions, including specified limitations, with respect to availability, transfers, and use of such appropriations. (Sec. 103) Prohibits availability of such appropriations for: (1) purchase of any site for or toward the construction of any new hospital or home (except the appropriations for construction of major or minor projects or the parking revolving fund); and (2) hospitalization or examination of any persons except beneficiaries entitled under the laws bestowing such benefits to veterans, unless reimbursement is made to the appropriation at rates fixed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. (Sec. 108) Authorizes the Secretary to transfer jurisdiction and control of certain land in Wichita, Kansas, to the Secretary of Transportation. Title II: Department of Housing and Urban Development - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Provides for the use of such appropriations. (Sec. 201) Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 (USHA), as amended by the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Additional Disaster Assistance, for Anti-terrorism Initiatives, for Assistance in the Recovery from the Tragedy that Occurred at Oklahoma City, and Rescissions Act, 1995, to authorize public housing agencies to provide modernization assistance to mixed-income developments. (Sec. 203) Provides for conversion of certain public housing to vouchers. Requires each PHA to: (1) identify any distressed public housing developments that meet specified criteria; and (2) develop and carry out a plan in conjunction with the Secretary for their removal from the PHA inventory and the annual contributions contract, over a period of up to five years (with possible extensions for up to another five years in certain circumstances). Directs the Secretary to make authority available to a PHA to provide section 8 tenant-based assistance to families residing in any development that is removed from the PHA inventory and the annual contributions contract. Requires each conversion plan to require the PHA to notify and counsel families residing in such a development, and ensure that they are offered tenant-based or project-based assistance and relocated, as necessary, to other decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing which is, to the maximum extent practicable, housing of their choice. (Sec. 204) Repeals a "take one-take all" requirement under USHA that a housing owner who accepts a Section 8 voucher holder as a tenant must accept all others. Exempts housing unit owners participating in the certificate and voucher programs from certain notice requirements relating to rent increases or termination of their assistance payment contracts with a PHA. Limits certain requirements to the duration of a lease. (Sec. 206) Directs the Secretary to conduct a demonstration program under which up to 30 selected PHAs (including Indian housing authorities) may administer the public or Indian housing program and the section 8 housing assistance payments program in ways which are designed to reduce costs and achieve greater cost-effectiveness in Federal expenditures, provide incentives for heads of households to become economically self-sufficient, and increase housing choices for lower-income families. (Sec. 208) Amends the Multifamily Housing Finance Improvement Act, under the housing and Community Development Act of 1992, to extend the risk-sharing and housing finance agency pilot demonstration programs but reduce the number of units involved in such programs during FY 1996. (Sec. 209) Authorizes the Secretary of HUD to delegate, during FY 1996, to one or more entities the authority to carry out some or all of the Secretary's responsibilities and functions in connection with the foreclosure of HUD-held mortgages under the National Housing Act (NHA). (Sec. 210) Authorizes the Secretary, during FY 1996, to sell or otherwise transfer multifamily mortgages held by the Secretary under the National Housing Act to State housing finance agencies, in connection with the risk-sharing or the housing finance agency pilot demonstration program under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, without regard to certain unit limitations. (Sec. 211) Amends section 8 of the USHA to provide for the transfer of budget authority. Directs the Secretary, if a section 8 assistance contract, other than a contract for tenant-based assistance, is terminated, not renewed, or expires, to transfer any budget authority remaining in that contract to another contract, in order to provide continued assistance to eligible families, including those receiving the benefit of the project-based assistance at the time of the termination. (Sec. 212) Makes certain amendments (made by the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1995) relating to documentation of multifamily refinancings under the National Housing Act effective during FY 1996 and thereafter. (Sec. 213) Directs the Secretary, in FY 1996 and 1997, to initiate a demonstration program with respect to multifamily projects: (1) whose owners agree to participate; (2) whose mortgages are insured under the NHA and assisted under section 8 of the USHA; and (3) whose present section 8 rents are, in the aggregate, exceed the fair market rent of the locality in which the project is located. Requires these programs to be designed to test the feasibility and desirability of the goal of ensuring, to the maximum extent practicable, that the debt service and operating expenses, including adequate reserves, attributable to such multifamily projects can be supported with or without mortgage insurance under the NHA and with or without above-market rents and utilizing project-based assistance or, with the consent of the property owner, tenant-based assistance, while taking into account the need for assistance of low and very low-income families in such projects. Authorizes the Secretary to use arrangements with third parties, under which the Secretary may provide for their assumption of some or all of the Secretary's functions, obligations, and benefits. Sets forth goals and demonstration approaches for such programs. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) manage and dispose of multifamily properties and multifamily mortgages for properties assisted under section 8 with rents above 110 percent of fair market rents; and (2) delegate to one or more entities the authority to carry out some or all of the Secretary's functions and responsibilities in connection with the foreclosure of mortgages held under the NHA. Authorizes the Secretary, subject to the consent of specified parties, to: (1) remove, relinquish, extinguish, modify, or agree to the removal of any mortgage, regulatory agreement, project-based assistance contract, use agreement, or restriction that had been imposed or required by the Secretary, including restrictions on distributions of income which would interfere with the ability of the project to operate without above market rents; (2) require an owner of a property assisted under the section 8 new construction-substantial rehabilitation program to apply any accumulated residual receipts toward effecting program purposes; (3) enter into contracts to purchase reinsurance, or enter into participations or otherwise transfer economic interest in contracts of insurance or in the premiums paid, or due to be paid, on such insurance to third parties; (4) offer project-based assistance with rents at or below fair market rents for the locality and negotiate other terms acceptable to the Secretary and the project owner; (5) offer to pay all or a portion of the project's debt service, including payments monthly from the appropriate Insurance Fund, for the full remaining term of the insured mortgage; (6) forgive and cancel any mortgage debt insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) that a demonstration program property cannot carry at market rents while bearing full operating costs; and (7) for demonstration program properties that cannot carry full operating costs (excluding debt service) at market rents, approve project-based rents sufficient to carry such full operating costs (and offer to pay the full debt service in the specified manner). Directs the Secretary to develop procedures to provide appropriate and timely notice to local government officials, the community, and the tenants of the project. Limits such demonstration program authority with respect to mortgages to not more than 15,000 units. Prohibits the expansion of such demonstration until specified reports are submitted to the Congress. Appropriates funds for the cost of modifying loans held or guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). (Sec. 217) Requires all remaining obligated and unobligated balances in the Renewal of Expiring Section 8 Subsidy Contracts account on September 30, 1995, to be transferred to and merged with the obligated and unobligated balances, respectively, of the Annual Contributions for Assisted Housing account. (Sec. 218) Directs the Secretary to cancel the indebtedness of the Hubbard Hospital Authority of Hubbard, Texas, of the Groveton Texas Hospital Authority, and of the Hepzibah Public Service District of Hepzibah, West Virginia, relating to specified public facilities loans under title II of the Housing Amendments of 1955. (Sec. 219) Determines the Paul Mirabile Center, San Diego, California, to satisfy HUD continuum care requirements. Treats such Center as entirely residential rental property consisting solely of residential units used exclusively to facilitate the transition of homeless individuals to independent living within 24 months. (Sec. 220) Limits to no more than seven Assistant Secretaries and 77 schedule C and 20 non-career senior executive service employees the number of such Assistant Secretaries and employees in HUD by the end of FY 1996. (Sec. 221) Requires specified funds to be made available to: (1) the County of San Bernardino in California to assist with the expansion of the Los Padrinos Gang Intervention Program and the Unity Home Domestic Violence Shelter (from remaining funds made available to Bethlehem House in Highland, California, for site planning and loan acquisition); and (2) the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio, for the renovation and rehabilitation of an industrial building (from specified funds for removal of asbestos from an abandoned public school building in that city). (Sec. 222) Amends the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 to revise eligibility criteria to determine which housing qualifies for lead-based paint abatement grants. (Sec. 223) Amends USHA to repeal the six-year limitation on the extension period for Federal sharing of utility cost savings with PHAs under the program of annual contributions for operation of low-income housing. (Sec. 223A) Amends NHA, with respect to the housing program for moderate income and displaced families, to extend through FY 1996 the period for mortgage note sales. (Sec. 223B) Amends the Department of Housing and Urban Development-Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1988 to repeal the prohibition (Frost-Leland) against the use of funds for demolishing certain historic buildings in Dallas and Houston, Texas. (Sec. 223D) Prohibits the use of any funds in this Act: from being used: (1) by the Secretary to impose any sanction or penalty because of the enactment of any State or local law or regulation declaring English as the official language; or (2) for lobbying activities as prohibited by law. (Sec. 223E) Transfers to the Department of Justice all HUD functions, activities, and responsibilities relating to title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended by the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, and the Fair Housing Act, including any rights guaranteed under the Fair Housing Act and any functions relating to the Fair Housing Initiatives program under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1987, along with adequate personnel and resources allocated to any such activity. (Sec. 224) Prohibits the use of any funds provided in this Act during FY 1996 to investigate or prosecute under the Fair Housing Act any otherwise lawful activity engaged in by one or more persons, including the filing or maintaining of non-frivolous legal action, that is engaged in solely for the purposes of achieving or preventing action by a Government official, entity, or court of competent jurisdiction. (Sec. 225) Prohibits the use of any funds provided in this Act to take any enforcement action with respect to a complaint of discrimination under the Fair Housing Act on the basis of familial status and which involves an occupancy standard established by the housing provider, except to the extent that it is found that there has been discrimination in contravention of the standards provided a specified HUD Memorandum, or until such time that HUD issues a final rule. (Sec. 226) Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 with respect to the eligibility of housing reconstruction costs for expenditure of Community Development Block Grant funds. Title III: Independent Agencies - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 to the: (1) American Battle Monuments Commission; (2) Community development Financial Institutions Fund; (3) Consumer Product Safety Commission; (4) Corporation for National and Community Service (including transfer of funds); (5) Court of Veterans Appeals; (6) Department of Defense-Civil for cemeterial expenses, Army; (7) Environmental Protection Agency; (8) Executive Office of the President for the Office of Science and Technology Policy; (9) Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Environmental Quality; (10) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); (11) General Services Administration for the Consumer Information Center; (12) National Aeronautics and Space Administration; (13) National Credit Union Administration for the obligations of the Central Liquidity Facility; (14) National Science Foundation; (15) Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation; and (16) Selective Service System. Authorizes exemption from categorical pretreatment standards under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, if specified conditions are met, of an industrial discharger that is a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility which discharged to the Kalamazoo Water Reclamation Plant (an advanced wastewater treatment plant with activated carbon) before enactment of this Act. Requires the Director of FEMA to promulgate a methodology, based on specified criteria, for assessment and collection of fees applicable to persons subject to the FEMA radiological emergency preparedness regulations. Authorizes such fee assessment and collection only during FY 1996. (Sec. 301) Prohibits EPA use of any funds provided in this Act to: (1) carry out any final action by the EPA Administrator or delegate for promulgation of a rule concerning any new standard for radon in drinking water; (2) sign, promulgate, implement or enforce a proposed regulation relating to individual foreign refinery baseline requirements for reformulated gasoline; (3) implement a provision of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (or any pending EPA action to implement such provision) for denial or restriction of the use of defined areas as disposal sites for dredged or fill material; or (4) implement specified requirements of the Clean Air Act with respect to any moderate nonattainment area in which the average daily winter temperature is below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Declares that this last prohibition does not preclude EPA assistance to the State of Alaska to make progress toward meeting the carbon monoxide standard in such areas and to resolve remaining issues regarding the use of oxygenated fuels in such areas. (Sec. 305) Provides for the transfer of property and the making of a grant for the creation of the Center for Ecology, Research, and Training in Bay City, Michigan. Title IV: Corporations - Authorizes certain corporations and agencies of HUD to make commitments without regard to fiscal year limitations as necessary to carry out provisions under the Government Corporation Control Act. Allows any collections by such corporations and agencies to be used for new loan or mortgage purchase commitments to the extent provided under this Act, with specified exceptions. Makes funds available for the Office of Inspector General of the Resolution Trust Corporation. Title V: General Provisions - Specifies certain uses, limitations, and prohibitions on uses of funds appropriated by this Act. (Sec. 514) Requires FY 1996 pay raises to be absorbed within the levels appropriated in this Act. (Sec. 516) Expresses the sense of the Congress that, to the greatest extent practicable, all equipment and products purchased with funds made available under this Act should be American-made. (Sec. 517) Prohibits the use of funds to implement any cap on reimbursements to grantees for indirect costs, except as published in a specified Office of Management and Budget Circular. (Sec. 519) Requires the Director of FEMA to sell the disaster housing inventory of mobile homes and trailers, and deposit the proceeds in the Treasury. (Sec. 520) Requires that funds necessary to terminate the Office of Consumer Affairs be made available from funds appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services for FY 1996. Title II (sic): Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 1996 - Makes supplemental appropriations to: (1) the Department of Agriculture for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Consolidated Farm Service Agency, the Rural Housing and Community Development Service, and the Rural Utilities Service; (2) the Department of Commerce for the Economic Development Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; (3) the Small Business Administration; (4) the Department of the Army for the Corps of Engineers-Civil; (5) the Department of the Interior for the Bureau of Reclamation, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Service, and the Bureau of indian Affairs; (6) the Department of Agriculture for the National Forest System; (7) the Department of Transportation for the Office of the Secretary, the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration, and the Federal Transit Administration; (8) the Department of Housing and Urban Development for Community development grants; (9) the Federal Emergency Management Agency for disaster relief; (10) the President for assistance for Eastern Europe and the Baltic States and for foreign military financing for grants for Jordan; (11) the Department of Defense for military personnel, operation and maintenance, procurement, and for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization security investment program. Rescinds specified funds for: (1) missile procurement, other procurement, and research, development, test and evaluation, Air Force. Title III: Miscellaneous Provisions - Permits the President to make available funds for population planning programs under titles II and IV of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1996, under specified circumstances. (Sec. 3002) Amends the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act of 1986 to revise provisions relating to Department of Commerce grants to commercial fishermen for losses resulting from Hurricanes, Hugo, Andrew, or Iniki. (Sec. 3003) Sets forth provisions concerning Bonneville Power Administration refinancing. (Sec. 3005) Sets forth provisions concerning funds apportioned to the State of Vermont for a specified surface transportation program. Title IV: Contingency Appropriations - Makes appropriations, in addition to funds provided elsewhere in this Act to: (1) the Department of Commerce for the National Institute of Standards and Technology; (2) the Department of State for administration of foreign affairs, contributions to international organizations, and contributions for international peacekeeping activities; (3) the Legal Services Corporation; (4) the Department of the Interior for the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs; (5) the Department of Energy for energy conservation; (6) the Department of Labor under specified headings found elsewhere in this Act; (7) the department of Veterans Affairs; (8) the Department of Housing and Urban Development; (9) the Environmental Protection Agency; (10) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and (11) the National Science Foundation.
Bill· HRH.R. 3037 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 March 1996
Rural Air Service Survival Act - Amends Federal aviation law to direct the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to begin collecting fees for the following FAA-provided services: (1) services (other than air traffic control) provided to a foreign government; and (2) air traffic control services for flights over the United States or its territories by air carriers that neither arrive at nor depart from a U.S. airport (other than such flights by foreign government aircraft engaged in official business). Directs the FAA to deposit the proceeds from such fees in a separate account in the Treasury. Makes the FAA, instead of the Secretary of Transportation, the administrator of the essential air service program. Authorizes the FAA to require an eligible public agency that controls a commercial service airport to provide for basic essential air service matching funds of up to ten percent of the amount of Federal compensation received.
Law· HRH.R. 3019 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 1996
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Department of Justice Title II: Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Title III: The Judiciary Title IV: Department of State and Related Agencies Title V: Related Agencies Title VI: General Provisions Title VII: Rescissions Title VIII: Prison Litigation Reform Title I (sic): Department of the Interior Title II: Related Agencies Title III: General Provisions Title I (sic): Department of Labor Title II: Department of Health and Human Services Title III: Department of Education Title IV: Related Agencies Title V: General Provisions Title VI: Additional Appropriations Title I (sic): Department of Veterans Affairs Title II: Department of Housing and Urban Development Title III: Independent Agencies Title IV: Corporations Title V: General Provisions Title II (sic): Emergency Peacekeeping Appropriations Title III: Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Title IV: Contingent Supplemental Appropriations Balanced Budget Down Payment Act, II - Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 - Title I: Department of Justice - Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 1996 - Makes FY 1996 appropriations to the Department of Justice, including funding for the Community Relations Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the Federal Prison System. (Sec. 114) Revises provisions of subtitle A (Violent Offender Incarceration and Truth in Sentencing Incentive Grants) of title II (Prisons) of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. Directs the Attorney General to provide grants to eligible States to build or expand: (1) correctional facilities to increase the prison bed capacity for the confinement of persons convicted of a "part 1 violent crime" (murder, non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) or adjudicated delinquent for an act which, if committed by an adult, would be a part 1 violent crime; (2) temporary or permanent correctional facilities, including facilities on military bases, prison barges, and boot camps, for the confinement of convicted nonviolent offenders and criminal aliens for the purpose of freeing suitable existing prison space for the confinement of persons convicted of a part 1 violent crime; and (3) jails. Authorizes States to enter into regional compacts to carry out such provisions, subject to specified limitations. Specifies that an eligible State may receive either a general grant or a truth-in- sentencing incentive grant, with an exception. Sets forth general eligibility requirements. Requires a State, to be eligible for a general grant, to submit an application to the Attorney General that provides assurances that such State has, since 1993, increased the percentage of persons convicted of a part 1 violent crime sentenced to prison, the average prison time actually to be served in prison by such persons, and the average percentage of time of the sentence to be actually served in prison by persons convicted of a part 1 violent crime and sentenced to prison (with an indeterminant sentencing exception). Requires a State, to be eligible for a truth-in-sentencing incentive grant, to submit such an application providing assurances that: (1) such State has implemented truth-in-sentencing laws that require (or has enacted but has not yet implemented such laws that, within three years, will require) persons convicted of a part 1 violent crime to serve not less than 85 percent of the sentence imposed; or (2) if the State practices indeterminate sentencing, such State demonstrates that the average time served equals at least 85 percent of the sentences established for such crimes under the State's sentencing and release guidelines (with exceptions for geriatric prisoners or those whose medical condition precludes them from posing a threat to the public after a public hearing in which representatives of the public and the prisoner's victims have had an opportunity to be heard regarding a proposed release). Sets forth special rules regarding State: (1) sharing of funds with counties and other units of local government; (2) policies providing for the recognition of the rights and needs of crime victims; (3) use of funds to build or expand juvenile correctional facilities or pretrial detention facilities for juvenile offenders; and (4) use of funds for the privatization of correctional facilities. Sets forth: (1) formulas for the Attorney General to apply in determining the amount of funds that may be granted to each eligible State; and (2) accountability requirements. Authorizes appropriations. Sets forth provisions regarding the distribution, limitations on the use of, and matching requirements with respect to, grant funds. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) payments for incarceration on tribal lands; (2) payments to eligible States for incarceration of criminal aliens (and authorizes appropriations); (3) support of Federal prisoners in non-Federal institutions (and authorizes appropriations); and (4) reports by the Attorney General to the Congress. Title II: Department of Commerce and Related Agencies - Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for the Department of Commerce (Department) and related agencies and activities, including: (1) the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; (2) the International Trade Commission and international trade activities; (3) export administration; (4) the Economic Development Administration; (5) minority business development; (6) economic and statistical analysis and administration; (7) the Bureau of the Census and related activities; (8) the National Telecommunications and Information Administration; (9) public broadcasting facilities, planning, and construction; (10) the Patent and Trademark Office; (11) the National Institute of Standards and Technology and related services and activities; (12) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (including a transfer of funds); (13) various government trust funds related to ocean and water resources development and activities; (14) technology policy and administration; and (15) the Office of the Inspector General. Rescinds $75 million of amounts available to the National Institute of Standards and Technology for the construction of research facilities. (Sec. 201) Allows advance payments to be made for authorized Department activities only upon certification by Department officials that such payments are in the public interest. (Sec. 206) Directs the Secretary or other appropriate agency head, if legislation is enacted to dismantle or reorganize the Department, to report to the appropriations committees within 90 days thereafter a plan for transferring funds provided to the Department in this Act to the appropriate successor organizations. Authorizes the Secretary to use any available funds to carry out the legislation, including voluntary separation incentives if duly authorized. (Sec. 207) States that the transfer of title of the Rutland City Industrial Complex to Hilinex, Vermont, shall not require compensation to the Government for its share of such property. (Sec. 208) Directs the Secretary to: (1) commence and complete a demolition of existing structures and an environmental cleanup of the Central Foundry Property in Holt, Alabama; and (2) transfer such property to the Tuscaloosa County Industrial Development Authority. (Sec. 219) Requires any costs incurred by a department or agency funded under this title resulting from personnel actions taken in response to funding reductions included in this title to be absorbed within the total budgetary resources available to such department or agency. (Sec. 210) Prohibits funds to develop new fishery management plans approved by a Regional Fishery Management Council until the payment of specified offsetting fees. Title III: The Judiciary - Judiciary Appropriations Act, 1996 - Appropriates FY 1996 funds for activities of the Judiciary, including: (1) the Supreme Court; (2) the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; (3) the U.S. Court of International Trade; (4) the Courts of Appeals, district courts, and other judicial services; (5) the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (Administrative Office); (6) the Federal Judicial Center; (7) Judicial Retirement Funds; and (8) the United States Sentencing Commission. (Sec. 305) Revises provisions regarding judicial conferences of the circuits to allow (current law requires) the chief judge to summon judges to and preside at, and every judge to attend and remain throughout, such conferences. Title IV: Department of State and Related Agencies - Department of State and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 - Appropriates funds for FY 1996 for the Department of State and related agencies, activities, and programs, including: (1) diplomatic and consular programs; (2) the Capital Investment Fund; (3) the Office of the Inspector General; (4) payments to the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund; (5) contributions to international organizations, peacekeeping activities, conferences and commissions; (6) a grant to the Asia Foundation; (7) the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA); (8) the United States Information Agency (USIA); (9) the Eisenhower Exchange Fellowship Program Trust Fund; (10) the Israeli Arab Scholarship Program; (11) the American Studies Collections Endowment Fund; (12) international broadcasting operations, including broadcasting to Cuba; and (13) the National Endowment for Democracy. (Sec. 401) Sets forth authorized and prohibited uses of funds appropriated under this Act. (Sec. 404) Requires the Secretary of State and the Directors of USIA and ACDA, within 90 days after the enactment of legislation consolidating, reorganizing, or downsizing the functions of such department and agencies, to submit to the appropriations committees a proposal for transferring or rescinding funds appropriated herein for such consolidated functions. Authorizes such officials to use any available funds to cover the consolidation costs required by such legislation, including voluntary separation incentives duly authorized. (Sec. 407) Repeals Federal provisions limiting the use of endowment trust income under the Eisenhower Exchange Fellowship Act. (Sec. 408) Expresses the sense of the Senate that no funds made available under this Act should be used for the deployment of combat- equipped U.S. military personnel for any ground operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, except in specific limited circumstances. (Sec. 409) Requires costs incurred by a department or agency funded under this title resulting from personnel actions taken in response to funding reductions included in this title to be absorbed within the total budgetary resources available to such department or agency. Title V: Related Agencies - Appropriates funds for FY 1996 for: (1) the Maritime Administration of the Department of Transportation; (2) the Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad; (3) the Commission on Civil Rights; (4) the Commission on Immigration Reform; (5) the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe; (6) the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; (7) the Federal Communications Commission; (8) the Federal Maritime Commission; (9) the Federal Trade Commission; (10) the Japan-United States Friendship Commission; (11) the Legal Services Corporation; (12) the Marine Mammal Commission; (13) the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Commission; (14) the Securities and Exchange Commission; (15) the Small Business Administration; (16) certain accounts and revolving funds; and (17) the State Justice Institute. (Sec. 501) Places limitations on the use of funds by the Legal Services Corporation. Directs the Corporation to: (1) implement a system of competitive awards of grants and contracts that will apply to all contracts for the delivery of legal assistance awarded by the Corporation after March 31, 1996; and (2) promulgate regulations to implement a competitive selection process for the recipients of such grants and contracts. Prohibits the Corporation from: (1) engaging in litigation that is in any way intended to or has the effect of altering or revising any legislative, judicial, or elective district; (2) attempting in any way to influence the issuance of any executive order or regulation or the passage or defeat of any legislation; (3) bringing a class action suit against the Federal Government or any State; (4) providing assistance to any alien unless the alien is lawfully present in this country or meets other specified requirements; (5) supporting or conducting programs to advocate particular public policies or encourage political activities; or (6) participating in any litigation with respect to abortion or any prisoner. Sets forth prohibited uses of funds appropriated to the Corporation. Directs the Corporation to report every 60 days to the appropriations committees setting forth the status of certain legal assistance cases and matters brought through the Corporation. Requires an audit (containing specified information) to be conducted of each person or entity receiving financial assistance from the Corporation. Allows the Corporation access to appropriate legal and financial documents for purposes of such audits, while requiring appropriate confidentiality. Requires such audits for fiscal years beginning on or after January 1, 1996. (Sec. 510) Provides authorized funds transfers, and transfer limits, for appropriations made to the Small Business Administration. Title VI: General Provisions - Sets forth authorized and prohibited uses of funds appropriated by this Act. (Sec. 607) Expresses the sense of the Congress that equipment and products purchased with funds from this Act should be American-made. (Sec. 609) Prohibits funds from this Act from being used to pay for costs incurred for: (1) opening or operating any U.S. diplomatic or consular post (post) in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam that was not operating on July 11, 1995; (2) expanding any such post that was in operation on such date; or (3) increasing the number of personnel assigned to such post above the level existing on such date, unless the President certifies that the Vietnamese Government is fully cooperating with the United States in activities relating to the investigation and recovery of missing U.S. military personnel from the Vietnam area. (Sec. 611) Prohibits the use of funds from this Act to provide specified amenities or personal comforts in the Federal prison system. (Sec. 614) Amends the Federal criminal code to terminate the Advisory Corrections Council. (Sec. 615) Requires costs incurred by a department or agency funded under this title resulting from personnel actions taken in response to funding reductions included in this title to be absorbed within the total budgetary resources available to such department or agency. Title VII: Rescissions - Rescinds specified funds from unobligated balances within certain accounts of: (1) the Department of Justice; (2) the State Department; and (3) USIA. Title VIII: Prison Litigation Reform - Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995 - Revises Federal criminal code provisions regarding remedies for prison crowding to substitute provisions regarding remedies for prison conditions. Prohibits: (1) prospective relief in any civil action regarding prison conditions from extending further than necessary to correct the violation of the Federal right of particular plaintiffs; and (2) the court from granting or approving any such relief unless that relief is narrowly drawn, extends no further than necessary to correct the violation of the Federal right, and is the least intrusive means necessary to correct the violation. Directs the court to give substantial weight to any adverse impact on public safety or the operation of a criminal justice system caused by the relief. Prohibits the court from ordering prospective relief that requires or permits a government official to exceed his or her authority under, or that otherwise violates, State or local law, unless: (1) Federal law permits such relief to be ordered in violation of State or local law; (2) the relief is necessary to correct the violation of a Federal right; and (3) no other relief will correct the violation of the Federal right. Authorizes the court to enter a temporary restraining order or an order for preliminary injunctive relief, which shall automatically expire 90 days after its entry, with exceptions. Directs the court to give substantial weight to any adverse impact on public safety or operation of a criminal justice system caused by the preliminary relief, and to respect principles of comity in tailoring any such relief. Prohibits a prisoner release order from being entered unless: (1) a court has previously entered an order for less intrusive relief that has failed to remedy the deprivation of the Federal right and the defendant has had a reasonable amount of time to comply with the previous court orders; and (2) it is entered by a three-judge court, which finds by clear and convincing evidence that crowding is the primary cause of the violation and no other relief will remedy it. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) termination or modification of relief; (2) settlements; (3) State law remedies; (4) procedure for motions affecting prospective relief; and (5) the use of special masters. (Sec. 803) Amends the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act to require the Attorney General to personally sign any complaint filed, or any certification or motion to intervene made, to initiate a civil action under the Act. Revises provisions of the Act to prohibit any action from being brought by a prisoner with respect to prison conditions until available administrative remedies are exhausted. Specifies that the failure of a State to adopt or adhere to an administrative grievance procedure shall not constitute the basis for an action. Directs the court to dismiss any such action if satisfied that the action is frivolous or malicious, fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, or seeks monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief (and authorizes the court, in such instances, to dismiss the underlying claim without first requiring exhaustion of administrative remedies). Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) limits on the award of attorney fees; (2) limits on recovery; (3) hearings; and (4) waiver of reply. (Sec. 804) Amends the Federal judicial code to require a prisoner: (1) of a Federal, State, or local institution seeking to bring a civil action or appeal a judgment in a civil action or proceeding without prepayment of fees or security to submit a certified copy of the prisoner's trust fund account statement for the six-month period immediately preceding the filing of the complaint or notice of appeal, obtained from the appropriate official of each institution at which the prisoner is or was confined; and (2) who brings a civil action or files an appeal in forma pauperis to pay the full amount of a filing fee (and directs the court to assess and, when funds exist, to collect, as a partial payment of any court fees required by law, an initial partial filing fee of 20 percent of the greater of the average monthly deposits to the prisoner's account or the average monthly balance in the prisoner's account for such six-month period). Sets forth similar provisions regarding the payment of costs by the prisoner. Revises provisions regarding the appointment of counsel in forma pauperis proceedings to require the court to dismiss the case at any time if the allegation of poverty is untrue or if the action or appeal is frivolous or malicious, fails to state a claim on which relief may be granted, or seeks monetary relief against a defendant who is immune from such relief. Makes an exception to the discharge of debt in a bankruptcy proceeding for a fee imposed by a court for the filing of a case, motion, complaint, or appeal, or for other costs and expenses assessed with respect to such filing, regardless of an assertion of poverty by the debtor or the debtor's status as a prisoner. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) successive claims; (2) judicial screening of complaints in civil actions brought by prisoners against governmental entities; and (3) limits of Federal tort claims by prisoners. (Sec. 807) Requires any compensatory damages award to a prisoner in connection with a civil action brought against any Federal, State, or local correctional facility or official or agent thereof to be paid directly to satisfy any outstanding restitution orders pending against the prisoner, with the remainder forwarded to the prisoner. (Sec. 808) Provides for notice to crime victims of pending damage awards. (Sec. 809) Authorizes the court to revoke earned release credit under specified circumstances. Amends the Federal criminal code to: (1) direct the Bureau of Prisons, in awarding credit towards service of sentence for satisfactory behavior, to consider whether the prisoner has earned or is making satisfactory progress toward earning a high school diploma or an equivalent degree; and (2) provide that credit awarded after the date of enactment of this Act shall vest on the date the prisoner is released from custody. Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 - Title I: Department of the Interior - Makes appropriations for the FY 1996 operation of the Department of the Interior. Prohibits this Act's funds being spent by the National Park Service for activities in direct response to the United Nations Biodiversity Initiative in the United States. Authorizes the National Park Service (NPS) to transfer NPS funds to State, local, and tribal governments, other public entities, educational institutions, and private nonprofit organizations to carry out NPS programs. Directs the National Park Service to conduct a Feasibility Study for a northern access route into Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Restricts or regulates: (1) the use of this Act's research resources funds regarding the Endangered Species Act; and (2) activities and funding relating to the National Biological Survey. Provides funding for the closure of the U.S. Bureau of Mines, transferring specified functions to the Secretary of Energy. Sets forth the uses and limitations for such appropriations, including use of Bureau of Indian Affairs school system funds. Provides for a report concerning Indian tribes and their compliance with provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. (Sec. 109) Repeals the Outer Banks Protection Act. (Sec. 118) Sets forth provisions affecting the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands concerning infrastructure assistance. Title II: Related Agencies - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for the Department of Agriculture for the Forest Service. Prohibits the use of funds to implement any reorganization or "reinvention" of the Forest Service. Makes appropriations for the Department of Energy for, among other things, fossil energy research and development, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), and the SPR Account. Makes appropriations to the Department of Health and Human Services for the Indian Health Service for Indian health services and facilities. Appropriates funds to: (1) the Department of Education for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education for Indian Education; (2) the Office of Navajo and Hopi Relocation; (3) the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development; (4) the Smithsonian Institution; (5) construction and improvements at the National Zoological Park; (6) restoration and repair of buildings owned or occupied by the Smithsonian Institution; (7) the National Gallery of Art; (8) the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; and (9) the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Makes appropriations for: (1) the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities; (2) the Institute of Museum Services; (3) the Commission of Fine Arts; (4) National Capital arts and cultural affairs; (5) the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; (6) the National Capital Planning Commission; (7) the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Commission; and (8) the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. Requires that funds made available in previous years for the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation be available for operating and administrative expenses and for the orderly closure of the Corporation. Sets forth uses and prohibitions on such funds. Title III: General Provisions - Sets forth uses and limitations of funds appropriated by this Act. (Sec. 307) Requires expenditures under this Act to comply with the Buy American Act. Expresses the sense of the Congress that entities receiving Federal assistance should purchase only American-made equipment and products. Prohibits Federal contracts with persons found to have falsely labeled a product with a "Made in America" inscription. (Sec. 312) Prohibits any funds from this Act from being used for the AmeriCorps program. (Sec. 313) Mandates dissolution of the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation. (Sec. 314) Regulates use of any Act's funds for the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project. (Sec. 315) Directs the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to implement a fee program to demonstrate the feasibility of user-generated cost recovery for the operation and maintenance of recreation areas or sites and habitat enhancement projects on Federal lands. (Sec. 322) Prohibits, with exceptions, use of this Act's funds to accept or process applications for a patent for any mining or mill site claim located under the general mining laws. (Sec. 324) Prohibits funding the Office of Forestry and Economic Development after December 31, 1995. (Sec. 326) Provides for a land exchange in Washington State. Authorizes appropriations as necessary to carry out this Act. (Sec. 327) Provides for the establishment of the Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration Fund. (Sec. 328) Places limitations on the type of grant awards that can be made by the National Endowment for the Arts. (Sec. 329) Delays the implementation of regulations concerning livestock grazing on lands administered by the Forest Service. (Sec. 330) Increases penalties for the use of a hazardous or injurious device on Federal or Indian lands. (Sec. 331) Prohibits, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the use of funds available to the National Endowment for the Arts pursuant to this Act to promote, disseminate, sponsor, or produce any material or performance that: (1) denigrates the religious objects or religious beliefs of the adherents of a particular religion; or (2) depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual or excretory activities or organs. Requires that this prohibition be strictly applied without regard to the content or viewpoint of the material or performance. (Sec. 333) Prohibits using this Act's funds to review or modify sourcing areas previously approved under specified provisions of the Forest Resources Conservation and Shortage Relief Act of 1990 or to enforce or implement specified Federal regulations. Prohibits adoption of policies that would restrain domestic transportation or processing of timber from private lands or impose additional accountability requirements on any timber. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 - Title I: Department of Labor - Department of Labor Appropriations Act, 1996 - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for agencies within the Department of Labor. Rescinds unobligated advances to the Employment Security Administration account of the Unemployment Trust Fund. (Sec. 102) Amends the Job Training Partnership Act to repeal the prohibition on using appropriated funds to carry out any contract with a nongovernmental entity to administer or manage a Civilian Conservation Center of the Jobs Corps. Title II: Department of Health and Human Services - Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Act, 1996 - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services. Rescinds appropriations made to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for immunization activities. Rescinds appropriations for low income home energy assistance. Provides limitations on the use of appropriated funds. (Sec. 207) Requires a transfer of funds for the security protection of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Title III: Department of Education - Department of Education Appropriations Act, 1996 - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for agencies and programs within the Department of Education. Sets forth general provisions relating to the use of appropriated funds. (Sec. 301) Prohibits appropriated funds from being used to transport teachers or students in order to: (1) overcome racial imbalance in any school or school system; or (2) carry out a racial desegregation plan. (Sec. 303) Prohibits the use of funds to prevent the implementation of programs of voluntary prayer and meditation in the public schools. Title IV: Related Agencies - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for the following agencies or programs: (1) Armed Forces Retirement Home; (2) Corporation for National and Community Service; (3) Corporation for Public Broadcasting; (4) Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service; (5) Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission; (6) National Commission on Libraries and Information Science; (7) National Council on Disability; (8) National Education Goals Panel; (9) National Labor Relations Board; (10) National Mediation Board; (11) Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission; (12) Physician Payment Review Commission; (13) Prospective Payment Assessment Commission; (14) Social Security Administration; (15) Railroad Retirement Board; and (16) United States Institute of Peace. Title V: General Provisions - Sets forth provisions on the use of the appropriated funds. (Sec. 505) Prohibits the use of funds to carry out any program of distributing sterile needles for the hypodermic injection of any illegal drug unless the Surgeon General determines that such programs are effective in preventing the spread of HIV and do not encourage the use of illegal drugs. (Sec. 506) Expresses the sense of the Congress that, to the greatest extent practicable, all equipment and funds purchased under this Act should be American-made. (Sec. 507) Imposes a disclosure requirement on grantees receiving Federal funds. (Sec. 508) Prohibits the use of funds to perform abortions except to save the life of the mother or where the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. (Sec. 509) Permits States to not perform abortions, except where the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term. (Sec. 511) Sets forth limitations on the use of appropriated funds. (Sec. 515) Prohibits appropriated funds being used by any Federal program or to assist any State when such Federal program or State discriminates against any health care entity that refuses to undergo training in the performance of abortions. Title VI: Additional Appropriations - Makes supplemental appropriations for the Health Care Financing Administration, the Office of the Secretary, and the Social Security Administration. Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 - Title I: Department of Veterans Affairs - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Provides for the use of such appropriations. Sets forth various administrative provisions, including specified limitations, with respect to availability, transfers, and use of such appropriations. (Sec. 103) Prohibits availability of such appropriations for: (1) purchase of any site for or toward the construction of any new hospital or home (except the appropriations for construction of major or minor projects or the parking revolving fund); and (2) hospitalization or examination of any persons except beneficiaries entitled under the laws bestowing such benefits to veterans, unless reimbursement is made to the appropriation at rates fixed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. (Sec. 107) Authorizes the Secretary to transfer jurisdiction and control of certain land in Wichita, Kansas, to the Secretary of Transportation. Title II: Department of Housing and Urban Development - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Provides for the use of such appropriations. (Sec. 201) Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 (USHA), as amended by the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Additional Disaster Assistance, for Anti-terrorism Initiatives, for Assistance in the Recovery from the Tragedy that Occurred at Oklahoma City, and Rescissions Act, 1995, to authorize public housing agencies to provide modernization assistance to mixed-income developments. (Sec. 202) Provides for conversion of certain public housing to vouchers. Requires each PHA to: (1) identify any distressed public housing developments that meet specified criteria; and (2) develop and carry out a plan in conjunction with the Secretary for their removal from the PHA inventory and the annual contributions contract, over a period of up to five years (with possible extensions for up to another five years in certain circumstances). Directs the Secretary to make authority available to a PHA to provide section 8 tenant-based assistance to families residing in any development that is removed from the PHA inventory and the annual contributions contract. Requires each conversion plan to require the PHA to notify and counsel families residing in such a development, and ensure that they are offered tenant-based or project-based assistance and relocated, as necessary, to other decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing which is, to the maximum extent practicable, housing of their choice. (Sec. 203) Repeals a "take one-take all" requirement under USHA that a housing owner who accepts a Section 8 voucher holder as a tenant must accept all others. Exempts housing unit owners participating in the certificate and voucher programs from certain notice requirements relating to rent increases or termination of their assistance payment contracts with a PHA. Limits certain requirements to the duration of a lease. (Sec. 204) Directs the Secretary to conduct a demonstration program under which up to 30 selected PHAs (including Indian housing authorities) may administer the public or Indian housing program and the section 8 housing assistance payments program (for a total number of public housing units up to 25,000) in ways which are designed to reduce costs and achieve greater cost-effectiveness in Federal expenditures, provide incentives for heads of households to become economically self-sufficient, and increase housing choices for lower- income families. (Sec. 205) Amends the Multifamily Housing Finance Improvement Act, under the housing and Community Development Act of 1992, to extend the risk-sharing and housing finance agency pilot demonstration programs but reduce the number of units involved in such programs during FY 1996. (Sec. 206) Authorizes the Secretary of HUD to delegate, during FY 1996, to one or more entities the authority to carry out some or all of the Secretary's responsibilities and functions in connection with the foreclosure of HUD-held mortgages under the National Housing Act (NHA). (Sec. 207) Authorizes the Secretary, during FY 1996, to sell or otherwise transfer multifamily mortgages held by the Secretary under the National Housing Act to State housing finance agencies, in connection with the risk-sharing or the housing finance agency pilot demonstration program under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, without regard to certain unit limitations. (Sec. 211) Amends section 8 of the USHA to provide for the transfer of budget authority. Directs the Secretary, if a section 8 assistance contract, other than a contract for tenant-based assistance, is terminated, not renewed, or expires, to transfer any budget authority remaining in that contract to another contract, in order to provide continued assistance to eligible families, including those receiving the benefit of the project-based assistance at the time of the termination. (Sec. 209) Makes certain amendments (made by the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1995) relating to documentation of multifamily refinancings under the National Housing Act effective during FY 1996 and thereafter. (Sec. 210) Directs the Secretary, in FY 1996 and 1997, to initiate a demonstration program with respect to multifamily projects: (1) whose owners agree to participate; (2) whose mortgages are insured under the NHA and assisted under section 8 of the USHA; and (3) whose present section 8 rents are, in the aggregate, exceed the fair market rent of the locality in which the project is located. Requires these programs to be designed to test the feasibility and desirability of the goal of ensuring, to the maximum extent practicable, that the debt service and operating expenses, including adequate reserves, attributable to such multifamily projects can be supported with or without mortgage insurance under the NHA and with or without above-market rents and utilizing project-based assistance or, with the consent of the property owner, tenant-based assistance, while taking into account the need for assistance of low and very low-income families in such projects. Authorizes the Secretary to use arrangements with third parties, under which the Secretary may provide for their assumption of some or all of the Secretary's functions, obligations, and benefits. Sets forth goals and demonstration approaches for such programs. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) manage and dispose of multifamily properties and multifamily mortgages for properties assisted under section 8 with rents above 110 percent of fair market rents; and (2) delegate to one or more entities the authority to carry out some or all of the Secretary's functions and responsibilities in connection with the foreclosure of mortgages held under the NHA. Authorizes the Secretary, subject to the consent of specified parties, to: (1) remove, relinquish, extinguish, modify, or agree to the removal of any mortgage, regulatory agreement, project-based assistance contract, use agreement, or restriction that had been imposed or required by the Secretary, including restrictions on distributions of income which would interfere with the ability of the project to operate without above market rents; (2) require an owner of a property assisted under the section 8 new construction-substantial rehabilitation program to apply any accumulated residual receipts toward effecting program purposes; (3) enter into contracts to purchase reinsurance, or enter into participations or otherwise transfer economic interest in contracts of insurance or in the premiums paid, or due to be paid, on such insurance to third parties; (4) offer project-based assistance with rents at or below fair market rents for the locality and negotiate other terms acceptable to the Secretary and the project owner; (5) offer to pay all or a portion of the project's debt service, including payments monthly from the appropriate Insurance Fund, for the full remaining term of the insured mortgage; (6) forgive and cancel any mortgage debt insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) that a demonstration program property cannot carry at market rents while bearing full operating costs; and (7) for demonstration program properties that cannot carry full operating costs (excluding debt service) at market rents, approve project-based rents sufficient to carry such full operating costs (and offer to pay the full debt service in the specified manner). Directs the Secretary to develop procedures to provide appropriate and timely notice to local government officials, the community, and the tenants of the project. Limits such demonstration program authority with respect to mortgages to not more than 15,000 units. Prohibits the expansion of such demonstration until specified reports are submitted to the Congress. Appropriates funds for the cost of modifying loans held or guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). (Sec. 212) Requires all remaining obligated and unobligated balances in the Renewal of Expiring Section 8 Subsidy Contracts account on September 30, 1995, to be transferred to and merged with the obligated and unobligated balances, respectively, of the Annual Contributions for Assisted Housing account. (Sec. 213) Directs the Secretary to cancel the indebtedness of the Hubbard Hospital Authority of Hubbard, Texas, of the Groveton Texas Hospital Authority, and of the Hepzibah Public Service District of Hepzibah, West Virginia, relating to specified public facilities loans under title II of the Housing Amendments of 1955. (Sec. 214) Determines the Paul Mirabile Center, San Diego, California, to satisfy HUD continuum care requirements. Treats such Center as entirely residential rental property consisting solely of residential units used exclusively to facilitate the transition of homeless individuals to independent living within 24 months. (Sec. 215) Limits to no more than seven Assistant Secretaries and 77 schedule C and 20 non-career senior executive service employees the number of such Assistant Secretaries and employees in HUD by the end of FY 1996. (Sec. 216) Requires specified funds to be made available to: (1) the County of San Bernardino in California to assist with the expansion of the Los Padrinos Gang Intervention Program and the Unity Home Domestic Violence Shelter (from remaining funds made available to Bethlehem House in Highland, California, for site planning and loan acquisition); and (2) the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio, for the renovation and rehabilitation of an industrial building (from specified funds for removal of asbestos from an abandoned public school building in that city). (Sec. 217) Amends the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 to revise eligibility criteria to determine which housing qualifies for lead-based paint abatement grants. (Sec. 218) Amends USHA to repeal the six-year limitation on the extension period for Federal sharing of utility cost savings with PHAs under the program of annual contributions for operation of low-income housing. (Sec. 219) Amends NHA, with respect to the housing program for moderate income and displaced families, to extend through FY 1996 the period for mortgage note sales. (Sec. 220) Amends the Department of Housing and Urban Development-Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1988, to repeal the prohibition (Frost-Leland) against the use of funds for demolishing certain historic buildings in Dallas and Houston, Texas. (Sec. 222) Prohibits the use of any funds in this Act: from being used: (1) by the Secretary to impose any sanction or penalty because of the enactment of any State or local law or regulation declaring English as the official language; or (2) for lobbying activities as prohibited by law. (Sec. 223) Transfers to the Department of Justice all HUD functions, activities, and responsibilities relating to title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended by the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, and the Fair Housing Act, including any rights guaranteed under the Fair Housing Act and any functions relating to the Fair Housing Initiatives program under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1987, along with adequate personnel and resources allocated to any such activity. (Sec. 224) Prohibits the use of any funds provided in this Act during FY 1996 to investigate or prosecute under the Fair Housing Act any otherwise lawful activity engaged in by one or more persons, including the filing or maintaining of non-frivolous legal action, that is engaged in solely for the purposes of achieving or preventing action by a Government official, entity, or court of competent jurisdiction. (Sec. 225) Prohibits the use of any funds provided in this Act to take any enforcement action with respect to a complaint of discrimination under the Fair Housing Act on the basis of familial status and which involves an occupancy standard established by the housing provider, except to the extent that it is found that there has been discrimination in contravention of the standards provided a specified HUD Memorandum, or until such time that HUD issues a final rule. (Sec. 226) Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 with respect to the eligibility of housing reconstruction costs for expenditure of Community Development Block Grant funds. Title III: Independent Agencies - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 to the: (1) American Battle Monuments Commission; (2) Consumer Product Safety Commission; (3) Court of Veterans Appeals; (4) Department of Defense-Civil for cemeterial expenses, Army; (5) Environmental Protection Agency; (6) Executive Office of the President for the Office of Science and Technology Policy; (7) Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Environmental Quality; (8) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); (9) General Services Administration for the Consumer Information Center; (10) National Aeronautics and Space Administration; (11) National Credit Union Administration for the obligations of the Central Liquidity Facility; (12) National Science Foundation; (13) Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation; and (14) Selective Service System. Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for necessary expenses for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to terminate all programs, activities, and initiatives under the National and Community Service Act of 1990, and to resolve all responsibilities and obligations in connection with the CNCS and its Office of Inspector General. Authorizes exemption from categorical pretreatment standards under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, if specified conditions are met, of an industrial discharger that is a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility which discharged to the Kalamazoo Water Reclamation Plant (an advanced wastewater treatment plant with activated carbon) before enactment of this Act. Requires the Director of FEMA to promulgate a methodology, based on specified criteria, for assessment and collection of fees applicable to persons subject to the FEMA radiological emergency preparedness regulations. Authorizes such fee assessment and collection only during FY 1996. (Sec. 301) Prohibits EPA use of any funds provided in this Act to: (1) carry out any final action by the EPA Administrator or delegate for promulgation of a rule concerning any new standard for radon in drinking water; (2) sign, promulgate, implement or enforce a proposed regulation relating to individual foreign refinery baseline requirements for reformulated gasoline; (3) implement a provision of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (or any pending EPA action to implement such provision) for denial or restriction of the use of defined areas as disposal sites for dredged or fill material; or (4) implement specified requirements of the Clean Air Act with respect to any moderate nonattainment area in which the average daily winter temperature is below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Declares that this last prohibition does not preclude EPA assistance to the State of Alaska to make progress toward meeting the carbon monoxide standard in such areas and to resolve remaining issues regarding the use of oxygenated fuels in such areas. Title IV: Corporations - Authorizes certain corporations and agencies of HUD to make commitments without regard to fiscal year limitations as necessary to carry out provisions under the Government Corporation Control Act. Allows any collections by such corporations and agencies to be used for new loan or mortgage purchase commitments to the extent provided under this Act, with specified exceptions. Makes funds available for the Office of Inspector General of the Resolution Trust Corporation. Title V: General Provisions - Specifies certain uses, limitations, and prohibitions on uses of funds appropriated by this Act. (Sec. 514) Requires FY 1996 pay raises to be absorbed within the levels appropriated in this Act. (Sec. 516) Expresses the sense of the Congress that, to the greatest extent practicable, all equipment and products purchased with funds made available under this Act should be American-made. (Sec. 517) Prohibits the use of funds to implement any cap on reimbursements to grantees for indirect costs, except as published in a specified Office of Management and Budget Circular. (Sec. 519) Requires the Director of FEMA to sell the disaster housing inventory of mobile homes and trailers, and deposit the proceeds in the Treasury. (Sec. 520) Requires that funds necessary to terminate the Office of Consumer Affairs be made available from funds appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services for FY 1996. (Sec. 111)(sic) Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to allow the import of a drug, food, or food additive if it is to be incorporated into a product that will be exported as specified. Title II: Emergency Peacekeeping Appropriations (sic) - Makes supplemental appropriations for: (1) the Department of State for the administration of foreign affairs; (2) the United States Information Agency for salaries and expenses; (3) the President for the Agency For International development for assistance for Eastern Europe and Baltic States and for the Foreign Military Financing Program; (4) the Export- Import Bank of the United States; and (5) the Department of Defense for military construction, military personnel, operation and maintenance, and procurement. Rescinds funds appropriated for: (1) missile and other procurement, Air Force; (2) research, development, test and evaluation, for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Defense-Wide. Title III: Emergency Supplemental Appropriations - Makes supplemental appropriations to the Department of Agriculture for: (1) the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Consolidated Farm Service Agency, the Rural Housing and Community Development Service, and the Rural Utilities Service. Makes supplemental appropriations to: (1) the Small Business Administration for the Disasters Loans Program Account; (2) the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers-Civil; and (3) the Department of the Interior for the Bureau of Reclamation. Provides for a transfer of funds to the Alaska Power Administration. Makes supplemental appropriations to the Department of the Interior for the Bureau of land Management, the U.S. Fish and wildlife service, the national Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and for territorial and international affairs. Makes supplemental appropriations to the Department of Agriculture for the Forest Service. Makes supplemental appropriations to the Department of Transportation for the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration. Makes supplemental appropriations to the Panama Canal Commission. Makes supplemental appropriations to the Federal emergency Management Agency for disaster relief. Title IV: Contingent Supplemental Appropriations - Makes contingent supplemental appropriations to: (1) the Department of Commerce for the National Institute of Standards and Technology; (2) the Department of State for international organizations and conferences, including contributions for international peacekeeping activities; (3) the Department of Labor for the Employment and Training Administration; (4) the Department of Health and Human Services for substance abuse and mental health services; (5) the Department of Education for education reform, education for the disadvantaged, school improvement programs, and education research, statistics and improvement; (6) the Department of Veterans Affairs for departmental administration; (7) the Department of Housing and Urban Development for housing programs, community planning and development grants, the Corporation for National and Community Service, and the Office of the Inspector General; (8) the Environmental Protection Agency programs and management, buildings and facilities, the Hazardous Substance Superfund, State and tribal assistance grants; (9) the Executive Office of the President for the Council on and Office of Environmental Quality; (10) the National Science Foundation; and (11) the Department of the Treasury for community development financial institutions.
Bill· HRH.R. 3008 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 1996
Helium Privatization Act of 1996 - Amends the Helium Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) enter into agreements with private parties for the recovery and disposal of helium on Federal lands; (2) grant leasehold rights to such helium; (3) store and transport crude helium; and (4) maintain and operate existing crude helium storage at the Bureau of Mines Cliffside Field. Directs the Secretary to: (1) cease producing, refining, and marketing refined helium; and (2) dispose of all facilities, equipment, and Federal property interests relating to refined helium activities. Requires the Secretary to impose fees for helium storage, withdrawal, or transportation services. Prescribes guidelines for: (1) the purchase of helium by Federal agencies from certain private persons; and (2) the sale of crude helium by the Secretary. Requires the Secretary to make crude helium sales in amounts that will cause minimum market disruption. Mandates that proceeds from helium sales be paid to the Treasury. (Sec. 5) Instructs the Secretary to eliminate helium stockpiles by a prescribed deadline. Repeals the Secretary's authority to borrow under the Helium Act. (Sec. 7) Directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the Texas Plains Girl Scout Council for consideration of one dollar specified lands in Potter County, Texas, reserving easements to the United States for pipeline rights-of-way.
Bill· HRH.R. 3014 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 1996
Barge Safety Act of 1996 - Amends Federal shipping law to require a tank barge carrying oil or hazardous material on U.S. lakes, bays, or sounds to be equipped with an operable anchor system and manned. Excludes tank barges equipped with double hulls from such requirements.
Bill· HRH.R. 3000 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 February 1996
Highway Rail Grade Crossing Safety Formula Enhancement Act of 1996 - Amends the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 to direct the Secretary of Transportation, for FY 1997, to set aside five percent of the funds authorized for the surface transportation program to be apportioned among the States for railway-highway crossings based on a formula which takes into account the number of accidents and fatalities at public railway-highway crossings over a three-year period, the number of such crossings, and the number of such crossings with passive warning devices in each State relative to all States. Provides for exclusive availability of specified apportioned funds for railway-highway crossings and for hazard elimination programs in FY 1997.
Bill· HRH.R. 2987 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 1996
Declares a certain portion of Long Island City, Queens County, New York, to be nonnavigable U.S. waters. Requires the improvement of such area. Provides that such declaration shall expire if improvements are not made within 20 years after enactment of this Act, or if such work is not commenced within five years after the issuance of any permit.
Bill· HRH.R. 2986 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 1996
Financial Crimes Prevention Act of 1996 - Amends the Federal criminal code to increase penalties for making, possessing, using, or selling materials or devices for counterfeiting U.S. obligations or securities and for possessing distinctive paper or a distinctive counterfeit deterrent adopted by the Secretary of the Treasury for U.S. obligations or securities. Sets penalties for: (1) possessing, drawing, printing, processing, or otherwise making or passing, presenting, or selling any fictitious obligation within the United States; (2) using an instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce to transmit or transport any fictitious obligation to, from, or through the United States; or (3) attempting to commit an such offense. Grants the United States Secret Service authority to investigate such offenses. Provides for the forfeiture of counterfeit access devices, device-making equipment, and scanning receivers possessed with intent to defraud in violation of Federal law.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 367 (104th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 1996
Designates minority party membership on the following House Committees: (1) Transportation and Infrastructure; (2) Science; (3) International Relations; and (4) Banking and Financial Services.
Bill· SS. 1575 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 1996
Rail Safety Act of 1996 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate regulations concerning limitations on the duty hours of train employees that are no less stringent than similar duty hour requirements under specified existing Federal transportation law, which are hereby repealed. Directs the Secretary to study: (1) the feasibility of requiring satellite-based train control systems to provide positive train control for railroad systems in the United States by January 1, 2001; and (2) the technical, structural, and economic feasibility of automatic train escape devices. Directs the Secretary, to the extent feasibility is determined, to promulgate regulations requiring installation of such control systems and train escape devices by specified dates. Directs the Secretary to establish, by regulation, minimum safety standards for fuel tanks of locomotives of rail passenger trains that take into consideration environmental protection and public safety. Directs the Secretary to determine, and report to the appropriate congressional committees, whether to promulgate regulations for public safety purposes to: (1) require crash posts at the corners of rail passenger cars; (2) require safety locomotives on rail passenger trains; (3) establish minimum crash-worthiness standards for passenger cab cars; or (4) carry out any combination of the above. Directs the Secretary to: (1) study whether to promulgate regulations requiring placement of rail signals along railways in specified positions; and (2) promulgate such regulations if the requirement is determined necessary. Requires a report to the Congress if such placement is determined unnecessary.
Bill· SS. 1572 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 1996
Railroad Crossing Safety Act of 1996 - Increases to 100 percent the Federal share of rail-highway crossing closure costs. Authorizes a State to make incentive payments from Federal funds appropriated for railway-highway crossings to local governments upon the permanent closure by such governments of public at-grade railway highway crossings. Bars a State from making such a payment unless the railroad owning the tracks on which the crossing is located makes an incentive payment to the government with respect to the closure. Limits the amount of the incentive payment to a local government to the lesser of the amount of the payment to the government by the railroad concerned or $7,500. Requires such government to use the incentive payment from the State for transportation safety improvements. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to prescribe guidelines to assist the States in analyzing the costs and benefits to the public of new railway-highway grade crossings.
Bill· SS. 1552 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1996
Railroad Retirement Amendment Act of 1996 - Amends the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 to prevent the canceling of annuities to certain divorced wives of workers if, through an administrative error, they received such benefits otherwise precluded by the making of a lump sum payment to a widow. Requires such survivor benefits to be paid to such a divorced wife who elects to repay the lump sum payment to the Railroad Retirement Board. Authorizes the Board to: (1) withhold up to ten percent of each benefit amount paid after the date of the enactment of this Act toward such reimbursement; and (2) waive such repayment to the extent it would cause an unjust financial hardship for the beneficiary. Makes such amendment applicable to such benefits paid in the past, present, or future.
Bill· HRH.R. 2940 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1996
Deepwater Port Modernization Act - Amends the Deepwater Port Act of 1974 to revise the term "deepwater port" to include a fixed or floating manmade structure (other than a vessel) that is located beyond the territorial sea and off the U.S. coast which is used as a port or terminal for the transportation of oil from the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. Eliminates: (1) certain utilization and transfer restrictions on deepwater ports; and (2) a certain antitrust precondition with respect to the licensing of such ports. Declares that certain deepwater port licensing conditions may include reasonable environmental monitoring requirements. Repeals the restriction on the issuance of a deepwater port license requiring that the Secretary of Transportation first receive opinions from the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission as to whether such action would adversely affect competition, restrain trade, promote monopolization, or otherwise contravene the antitrust laws. Requires a deepwater port, among other things, to accept, transport, or convey without discrimination all oil delivered to it. Directs the Secretary to publish guidance regarding preparation by a licensee of an operations manual which shall address deepwater port facility description, tanker navigation procedures, safety and fire protection, maintenance procedures and emergency drills.
Bill· HRH.R. 2941 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1996
Housing Improvement Act for Land Management Agencies - Authorizes the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to make rental housing available to their respective land management field employees. Authorizes in furtherance of such purpose: (1 joint public- private sector housing programs; (2) joint employee-agency housing programs; (3) leasing of seasonal employee quarters; and (4) cooperative ventures for related utilities and infrastructure facilities. Authorizes appropriations.
Bill· HRH.R. 2957 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1996
Deauthorizes a specified channel portion of the project for navigation, Weymouth-Fore and Town Rivers, Massachusetts, previously authorized by the River and Harbor Act of 1965.
Bill· HRH.R. 2949 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1996
Railroad and Transit Sabotage Prevention Act of 1995 - Prohibits and sets penalties for: (1) interference with railroad signal systems; (2) hazardous materials transportation sabotage (provides for the death penalty in certain cases); and (3) carrying or possessing a firearm or any explosive aboard a passenger train or in a rail passenger terminal facility without previously obtaining the permission of the owner of such train or facility, with exceptions. Revises a Federal criminal code provision regarding wrecking trains to: (1) expand such provision to cover sabotage of any mass transit operation; and (2) subject perpetrators to the death penalty.
Bill· HRH.R. 2946 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1996
Directs the Secretary of Transportation not to approve any application of a Mexican motor carrier of property to provide service across the U.S.-Mexico boundary line or by a Mexican owned enterprise established in the United States to transport cargo in foreign commerce, until: (1) certain certifications are made to the Congress regarding Mexico's attempt to combat international narcotics trafficking, and Mexican motor carrier compliance with certain U.S. safety and insurance requirements; and (2) a joint resolution of approval is enacted.
Bill· HRH.R. 2942 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1996
Railroad Retirement Amendment Act of 1996 - Amends the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 to prevent the canceling of annuities to certain divorced wives of workers if, through an administrative error, they received such benefits otherwise precluded by the making of a lump sum payment to a widow. Requires such survivor benefits to be paid to such a divorced wife who elects to repay the lump sum payment to the Railroad Retirement Board. Authorizes the Board to: (1) withhold up to ten percent of each benefit amount paid after the date of the enactment of this Act toward such reimbursement; and (2) waive such repayment to the extent it would cause an unjust financial hardship for the beneficiary. Makes such amendment applicable to such benefits paid in the past, present, or future.
Bill· HRH.R. 2947 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1996
Declares that the President should not certify, pursuant to provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 denying U.S. or multilateral development bank assistance to major illicit drug producing drug-transit countries, that: (1) Mexico has cooperated fully with the United States in controlling narcotic and psychotropic drugs and other controlled substances and activities relating to such drugs and substances; and (2) vital U.S. national interests require such assistance for Mexico.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 362 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 1996
Declares that the President should not certify, pursuant to provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 denying U.S. or multilateral development bank assistance to major illicit drug producing drug-transit countries, that: (1) Mexico has cooperated fully with the United States in controlling narcotic and psychotropic drugs and other controlled substances and activities relating to such drugs and substances; and (2) vital U.S. national interests require such assistance for Mexico.
Bill· HRH.R. 2916 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 1996
Towing Vessel Safety Act of 1996 - Amends Federal marine safety law to require the Secretary of Transportation, in prescribing regulations for towing vessels, to: (1) consider the characteristics and nature of the service of towing vessels; (2) consult with the Towing Safety Advisory Committee; and (3) require the installation of certain navigational safety equipment on each towing vessel (other than one used only for towing disabled vessels). Revises the marine casualty reporting deadline to require that marine casualties be reported as soon as practicable, but in no case later than within five days (currently, within five days). Increases from $1,000 to up to $25,000 the civil penalty for vessel owners and operators for failing to report marine casualties. Requires the Secretary to report to the Congress on the feasibility of establishing a differential global positioning satellite navigation system and creating electronic charts for U.S. inland waterways. Revises antidiscrimination provisions to prohibit a vessel owner or operator from temporarily removing a seaman because he or she refuses in good faith to violate marine safety regulations. Requires towing vessels to be: (1) manned by a licensed master; and (2) operated by a licensed individual. Directs the Secretary to prescribe regulations which establish licenses for masters and mates of such vessels, subject to specified conditions. Subjects towing vessels to Federal inspection laws, with specified exceptions. Increases civil penalties for violations of licensing (from $5,000 to $25,000) and manning (from $1,000 to up to $25,000) requirements committed by owners and operators of uninspected towing vessels.
Bill· SS. 1548 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 1996
Directs the Secretary of Transportation not to approve any application of a Mexican motor carrier of property to provide service across the U.S.-Mexico boundary line or by a Mexican owned enterprise established in the United States to transport cargo in foreign commerce, until: (1) certain certifications are made to the Congress regarding Mexico's attempt to combat international narcotics trafficking, and Mexican motor carrier compliance with certain U.S. safety and insurance requirements; and (2) a joint resolution of approval is enacted.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 218 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 1996
Declares that the President should not certify, pursuant to provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 denying U.S. or multilateral development bank assistance to major illicit drug producing drug-transit countries, that: (1) Mexico has cooperated fully with the United States in controlling narcotic and psychotropic drugs and other controlled substances and activities relating to such drugs and substances; and (2) vital U.S. national interests require such assistance for Mexico.
Bill· HRH.R. 2906 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 1996
Helium Privatization Act of 1996 - Amends the Helium Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) enter into agreements with private parties for the recovery and disposal of helium on Federal lands; (2) grant leasehold rights to such helium; (3) store and transport crude helium; and (4) maintain and operate existing crude helium storage at the Bureau of Mines Cliffside Field. Directs the Secretary to: (1) cease producing, refining, and marketing refined helium; and (2) dispose of all facilities, equipment, and Federal property interests relating to refined helium activities. Requires the Secretary to impose fees for helium storage, withdrawal, or transportation services. Prescribes guidelines for: (1) the purchase of helium by Federal agencies from certain private persons; and (2) the sale of crude helium by the Secretary. Requires the Secretary to make crude helium sales in amounts that will cause minimum market disruption. Mandates that proceeds from helium sales be paid to the Treasury. Instructs the Secretary to eliminate helium stockpiles by a prescribed deadline. Repeals the Secretary's authority to borrow under the Helium Act.
Bill· SS. 1534 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1996
Clinical Research Enhancement Act of 1996 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the President to establish the President's Clinical Research Panel, as part of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), to evaluate the status of the U.S. clinical research environment. Authorizes appropriations. Requires the Advisory Committee to the Director (of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)) on Clinical Research to report to the Director and to the Panel and to implement recommendations as the Committee determines necessary to remedy NIH clinical research deficiencies. Terminates the Committee five years after enactment of this Act. Requires the OSTP to review the compositions, functions, and outcomes of study section activities at all Federal agencies as such activities relate to clinical research proposals for investigator-initiated support. Authorizes appropriations. Requires the Director to undertake activities to: (1) support and expand NIH's clinical research involvement; (2) support and expand available resources; and (3) establish certain peer review mechanisms. Mandates grants for: (1) the establishment of general clinical research centers to provide the infrastructure for clinical research training and career enhancement; (2) clinical research career enhancement awards; and (3) innovative medical science awards to support individual clinical research projects. Authorizes appropriations. Increases the maximum aggregate number of contracts that may be made under existing provisions relating to: (1) undergraduate scholarships regarding professions needed by NIH; and (2) loan repayments regarding clinical researchers (currently, clinical researchers from disadvantaged backgrounds). Authorizes appropriations for the loan repayment program. Requires a health plan to cover the participation of individuals in investigational therapy in specified circumstances.
Bill· SS. 1533 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1996
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Economic Opportunity Subtitle A: Tax Incentives Subtitle B: Contracting Set-Aside Reform Subtitle C: Small Business Mentor Program Title II: Community Infrastructure Title III: Safe Streets Subtitle A: Mandatory Restitution Subtitle B: Asset Forfeiture Assistance Title IV: Educational Opportunity Title V: Family Opportunity Title VI: Volunteer Protection Title VII: Spectrum Auction Community Renewal and Economic Opportunity Act - Title I: Economic Opportunity - Subtitle A: Tax Incentives - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a general ten percent tax credit for qualifying businesses in empowerment zones and enterprise communities. (Sec. 102) Permits an enterprise zone business to elect a ten percent flat tax option. (Sec. 103) Excludes from gross income capital gains from the sale or exchange of a qualified zone asset (as defined by this Act) held for more than five years. (Sec. 104) Increases expensing limits for qualified zone property. (Sec. 105) Excludes from gross income dividends received from zone businesses. (Sec. 106) Increases the work opportunity tax credit and the categories of eligible individuals. Subtitle B: Contracting Set-Aside Reform - Amends the Small Business Act to revise the section 8(a) set-aside program to give preference to economically disadvantaged individuals and small business concerns (as defined by this Act). (Sec. 112) Makes technical and conforming amendments to: (1) specified Federal law; (2) the Federal Home Loan Bank Act; (3) the Small Business Economic Policy Act of 1980; (4) the Small Business Investment Act of 1958; (5) the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act; (6) the Energy Policy Act of 1992; and (7) the Defense Production Act of 1950. Subtitle C: Small Business Mentor Program - Directs the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to establish a small business mentor program to aid businesses owned by economically disadvantaged individuals. Title II: Community Infrastructure - Exempts construction projects in empowerment zones, enterprise communities, and enterprise zones from Davis-Bacon Act (union) wage requirements. (Sec. 202) Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to increase community development block grant assistance to low- and moderate-income families. Reduces administrative and planning costs. Requires specified matching funds from wealthy areas. Title III: Safe Streets - Subtitle A: Mandatory Restitution - Amends Federal criminal law to require mandatory restitution for certain violent crimes. Makes such restitution a condition of probation. Sets forth: (1) an order of restitution for other crimes, including sexual exploitation and other abuse of children, and telemarketing fraud; and (2) a procedure for issuance and enforcement of a restitution order. Directs the United States Sentencing Commission and the Attorney General to promulgate related guidelines. (Sec. 310) Amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to prohibit payments to delinquent debtors by State crime victim compensation programs. (Sec. 311) Authorizes grants to States for assistance and compensation to victims of terrorism or mass violence. Subtitle B: Asset Forfeiture Assistance - Amends the Controlled Substances Act and the Tariff Act of 1930 to provide high-crime communities with additional assets from forfeited property. Title IV: Educational Opportunity - Makes specified funding available for demonstration projects to provide low-income families in high poverty areas with educational certificates. Title V: Family Opportunity - Prohibits racial, religious, or ethnic adoption placement discrimination. Sets forth penalties. Provides for a private right of action. States that this title shall not effect application of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978. (Sec. 503) Repeals specified provisions of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994. Title VI: Volunteer Protection - Encourages States to provide volunteers with protection from lawsuits. Limits tort liability for volunteers, with specified exceptions. Increases specified block grant allotments to certifying States with volunteer protections. Title VII: Spectrum Auction - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to repeal existing electromagnetic spectrum allocation provisions. Requires competitive bidding for such contracts, with specified exceptions.
Bill· HRH.R. 2903 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 1996
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Banking, Housing, and Related Provisions Title II: Spectrum Allocation Provisions Title III: Medicaid Title IV: Medicare Title V: Welfare Reform Title VI: Federal Retirement Provisions Title VII: Veterans and Related Provisions Title VIII: Assets Sales, User Fees, and other Mandatory Provisions Title IX: Revenues Title X: Budget Enforcement Balanced Budget Act of 1995 for Economic Growth and Fairness - Title I: Banking, Housing, and Related Provisions - Subtitle A: Financial Institutions - Directs the Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to impose a special assessment on the Savings Association Insurance Fund (SAIF)-assessable deposits of each insured depository institution at a rate applicable to all such institutions that the Board, in its sole discretion, determines will cause the SAIF to achieve the designated reserve ratio on the first business day of January 1996. Allows the Board to exempt weak institutions from such assessment. Mandates exemption from such assessment for certain newly chartered and other specified institutions, but requires such institutions to pay semiannual assessments at certain former rates during calendar years 1996 through 1999. (Sec. 2011) (sic) Authorizes certain institutions facing hardship as a result of the special assessment to elect to pay it in two assessments, plus a third supplemental special assessment, determined according to specified formulae. Prescribes adjustments of the special assessment for Bank Insurance Fund (BIF) member banks and certain savings associations. (Sec. 2012) Amends the Federal Home Loan Bank Act (FHLBA) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDIA) to revise the assessment authority of the Financing Corporation (FICO), extending FICO assessments to all depository institutions insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) instead of SAIF members only. Repeals specified limits on the amount that may be assessed. (Sec. 2013) Declares that the SAIF and the BIF shall be merged into the Deposit Insurance Fund, which shall have a Special Reserve for any excess of the SAIF reserve ratio over the designated reserve ratio. Makes conforming amendments to FHLBA and FDIA. (Sec. 2015) Prescribes procedural guidelines with respect to the refund of assessed payments in a deposit insurance fund in excess of the designated reserve amount. (Sec. 2016) Amends the FDIA to declare that assessment rates for SAIF members may not be less than assessment rates for BIF members. (Sec. 2017) Prohibits the FDIC Board of Directors from setting semi-annual assessments in excess of the amount needed to maintain or achieve the designated reserve ratio of a deposit insurance fund. (Sec. 2018) Terminates as of December 31, 1995, the authority of the Thrift Depositor Protection Oversight Board to establish positions for and pay compensation and benefits to officers and employees, except for 18 individuals to carry out Board functions through May 1, 1996. Subtitle B: Housing - Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 with respect to section 8 low-income housing rental increases (including considerations of operating costs, certificate program participation, and same-family occupancy). (Sec. 2052) Amends the National Housing Act to authorize: (1) insurance benefits to mortgagees for foreclosure avoidance activities; and (2) mortgagor assistance activities (mortgage payments or mortgage assignment to the Secretary of Housing and Human Development). Title II: Communications and Spectrum Allocation Provisions - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 (the Act) to state that certain competitive bidding requirements shall not apply to licenses or construction permits issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC): (1) that, as the result of the FCC carrying out specified obligations, are not mutually exclusive; (2) for public safety radio services, including Government uses that protect the safety of life, health, and property and that are not made commercially available to the public; or (3) for initial licenses or construction permits for new terrestrial broadcast digital television (TV) services assigned by the FCC to existing terrestrial broadcast licensees to replace their current TV licenses, unless specified conditions are met. Prohibits the FCC from assigning initial licenses or construction permits to terrestrial commercial TV broadcast licensees to replace their existing broadcast licenses before November 15, 1996, except as provided pursuant to this Act. Extends through FY 2002 the authority of the FCC to grant such licenses or permits. (Sec. 3001) (sic) Requires the FCC to complete all actions necessary to permit the assignment, by September 30, 2002, by competitive bidding of licenses for the use of bands of frequencies that: (1) individually span not less than 25 megahertz (mhz.), unless a combination of smaller bands can reasonably be expected to product greater receipts; (2) in the aggregate span not less than 100 mhz.; (3) are located below three gigahertz (ghz.); and (4) as of this Act's enactment date have not been designated by FCC regulation for assignment, identified by the Secretary of Commerce pursuant to provisions of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act (NTIAO), or reserved for Government use pursuant to the Act. Directs the FCC to conduct competitive bidding for not less than one-half of such aggregate spectrum by September 30, 2000. Requires the FCC, in making available bands of frequencies for competitive bidding, to: (1) promote the most efficient use of the spectrum; (2) take into account the cost to incumbent licensees of relocating existing uses to other bands of frequencies or other means of communication and the needs of public safety radio services; (3) comply with the requirements of international agreements concerning spectrum allocations; and (4) take into account the costs to satellite service providers that could result from multiple auctions of like spectrum internationally for global satellite systems. Directs the FCC to notify the Secretary if the FCC: (1) is unable to provide for the effective relocation of incumbent licensees to frequencies available for assignment; and (2) has identified bands of frequencies that are suitable for the relocation of such licensees and that are allocated for Government use but that could be reallocated pursuant to the NTIAO Act. Amends the NTIAO Act to require the Secretary, upon receiving a notice from the FCC pursuant to this Act, to prepare and submit to the President and the Congress a report recommending for reallocation for use other than by Government stations of bands of frequencies that are suitable for the uses identified in the FCC's notice. Authorizes any Federal entity which operates a Government station to accept payment in advance or in-kind reimbursement of costs, or a combination thereof, from any person to defray entirely the expenses of relocating the Federal entity's operations from one or more radio spectrum frequencies to other frequencies. Directs that any such payment be deposited in the account of such Federal entity in the Treasury. Authorizes any person seeking to relocate a Government station that has been assigned a frequency within a band allocated for mixed Federal and non-Federal use to submit a petition for such relocation to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Directs NTIA to limit or terminate the Government station's operating license when certain requirements are met. Specifies that if, within one year after the relocation, the Government station demonstrates to the FCC that the new facilities or spectrum are not comparable to those from which the Government station was relocated, the person seeking such relocation must take reasonable steps to remedy any defects or pay the Federal entity for the costs of returning the Government station to the spectrum from which such station was relocated. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) Federal action to expedite spectrum transfer; (2) identification and reallocation of auctionable frequencies; and (3) allocation and assignment of frequencies identified in the second reallocation report. (Sec. 3002) Prohibits any analog TV license from being renewed for a period that extends beyond the earlier of December 31, 2005, or one year after the FCC finds, based on annual surveys, that at least 95 percent of households in the United States have the capability to receive and display TV signals, other than TV signals transmitted pursuant to an analog TV license. Requires that, following such date, only advanced TV licenses be issued. Requires the Department of Commerce, for each calendar year from 1998 to 2005, to conduct a survey to estimate the percentage of U.S. households that have the capability to receive and display TV signals other than those transmitted pursuant to an analog TV license. Directs that licensees for new services be selected by competitive bidding. Requires the FCC to: (1) ensure that, as analog TV licenses expire, spectrum previously used for the broadcast of analog TV is reclaimed and organized in such manner as to maximize the deployment of new and existing services; and (2) complete the competitive bidding procedure by March 1, 2002. Requires the FCC to establish procedures to ensure that, within the year prior to the reversion date, the advanced TV licensees provide each requesting household without the capability to receive and display TV signals other than those transmitted pursuant to an analog TV license with the capability to receive and display advanced TV service. Mandates that each advanced TV service licensee provide, each day for the duration of its license, at least one non-subscription TV service that meets or exceeds minimum technical and other standards established by the FCC, as well as any other regulations pursuant to the Act and the Children's TV Act of 1990. Directs the FCC: (1) in setting such minimum technical standards, to ensure that picture and audio quality are at least as good as provided to recipients under current FCC rules for National Television Systems Committee signals and to adopt other requirements to assure the quality of the signal used to provide advanced TV services; and (2) revoke the license of any advanced TV licensee who fails to meet this condition of the license. Requires the FCC to promulgate regulations to assure the dissemination of converter boxes or devices necessary to ensure access to digital TV to all households that desire such access at a reasonable cost. Title III: Medicaid - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) for the following purposes. (Sec. 201) (sic) Sets a prescribed limit on the total amount of payments in grant awards to a State under Medicaid for FY 1997 through 2002 for each separate group of listed Medicaid beneficiaries in the State based on the total net matchable Medicaid expenditures for the State for the fiscal year, with certain exceptions for States providing medical assistance pursuant to an approved waiver and for certain Medicare cost-sharing, information system, Indian health and other specified expenditures. Declares that such limitation shall not be construed as applying to payments for the purchase and delivery of qualified pediatric vaccines. Details enforcement-related provisions for assuring actual payments to States consistent with such limitation. Provides for application of enhanced matching under State payment provisions for development of certain information reporting systems. Title IV: Medicare Savings - Amends SSA title XVIII (Medicare) part A to outline various specified changes related to the Hospital Insurance program under it that are designed to achieve Medicare savings through such measures involving, among other things: (1) adjustments for estimated case mix increase when recalibrating diagnosis-related group (DRG) prospective payment system (PPS) rates for inpatient hospital services; (2) temporary additional reduction in PPS capital and hospital-specific rates; (3) reductions in adjustments for disproportionate share hospitals (DSH) and indirect medical education (IME); (4) elimination of DSH and IME payments attributable to outlier payments; (5) reductions to capital payments for PPS-exempt hospitals; (6) basing updates to per diem cost limits effective for FY 1996 for skilled nursing facilities on limits for FY 1993, with payment for such facilities made on an interim prospective basis until FY 1999 when a full PPS is to be implemented; (7) salary equivalency guidelines for various specified therapy services; (8) removal of graduate medical education (GME), IME, and DSH payments from the calculation of the adjusted average per capita cost; (9) additional payments to hospitals for managed care enrollees; (10) rebasing the target amount and eliminating the volume adjustment for sole community hospitals; (11) expanding the essential access community hospitals (EACH) program (renamed the rural primary care hospital program) to all States with an end to new EACH designations, a limitation on length of inpatient stays, and certain payment-related changes; and (12) changes in the treatment of certain transfer cases. (Sec. 11105) (sic) Establishes within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the National Commission on Medical Education and Workforce Priorities to develop and recommend to the HHS Secretary specific policies concerning health centers and the health care workforce. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 11118) Outlines various specified changes in certain provisions related to Medicare's Supplementary Medical Insurance program under SSA title XVIII part B that are designed to achieve Medicare savings and provide for coverage of additional benefits through such measures involving, among other things: (1) limited program coverage of respite services (the temporary care provided to individuals for the purpose of ensuring periodic time-off for co-resident primary informal caregivers); (2) new updates for physician services; (3) incentives to control high volume for in-hospital physicians' services; (4) reduced payment increases for ambulatory surgical center services for FY 1996 through 2002; (5) reductions in monthly payment amounts for oxygen and oxygen equipment; (6) payment limits for health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and competitive medical plans (CMPs); and (7) program coverage of annual screening mammography for women over age 49, and of colorectal screening. (Sec. 11128) Waives cost-sharing for mammography. (Sec. 11131) Establishes set payment amounts for certain vaccines and ties annual increases in them to increases in the yearly update for physicians' services for the particular year involved. Eliminates coinsurance and deductible for hepatitis B vaccine. (Sec. 11141) Directs the HHS Secretary to use a competitive process to contract with centers of excellence for cataract surgery, coronary artery by-pass surgery, and such other services as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, with payment for such services to be made on the basis of specified negotiated or all-inclusive rates. Requires the amount of payment made by the HHS Secretary to the center for covered services to be less than the aggregate amount of payments that would have otherwise been made to it had not such process been in effect. Requires that a portion of such savings be rebated to each individual to whom such services are furnished. (Sec. 11142) Restructures payment policy for home health services, among other things: (1) temporarily basing updates to per visit cost limits on pre-July 1, 1994 levels; (2) providing interim reduced cost limits for FY 1997 through 1999; (3) directing the HHS Secretary, for cost reporting periods beginning on or after FY 2000, to provide for payments for the services in accordance with a PPS which pays home health agencies on a per episode basis; (4) basing payment on the location where they are furnished; and (5) establishing a post-hospital home health benefit under Medicare part A while transferring other home health services to Medicare part B. (Sec. 11148) Provides for permanent extension of certain secondary payer provisions under Medicare, including those for the working disabled. (Sec. 11161) Modifies Medicare part B premium provisions, directing the HHS Secretary, during each September, to determine and promulgate a monthly premium rate for the succeeding calendar year equal to 50 percent of the monthly actuarial rate for enrollees age 65 and over for that succeeding calendar year. Subtitle B: Expanded Medicare Choice - Gives Medicare a managed care component under a new part C (Managed Care Organizations) under which every individual entitled to benefits under Medicare part A and enrolled under Medicare part B (or enrolled under part B only) shall be eligible to enroll with any eligible organization contracting with the HHS Secretary to serve the geographic area in which the individual resides. Extends to such individuals a broader choice of managed care coverage through qualified HMOs, CMPs, preferred provider organizations, or provider sponsored organizations (PSOs). Delineates the types of benefits offered by each managed care organization or plan, requiring certain minimum services, with supplemental benefits subject to the Secretary's approval and provided at the enrollees' option. Outlines other program particulars regarding internal quality assurance, payment for services, and sanctions for noncompliance with program requirements. (Sec. 11203) Directs the HHS Secretary to develop standards for fiscal soundness and requirements against the risk of insolvency for PSOs that have entered into contracts under Medicare part C. (Sec. 11204) Provides for the applicability of Medicare rates to enrollees who use an out-of-plan provider of services. (Sec. 11205) Directs the HHS Secretary to provide for regulations requiring the collection, analysis, and reporting of data that will permit measurement of outcomes and other indices of the quality of managed care plans under contract with the Secretary. (Sec. 11206) Allows the HHS Secretary to waive certain HMO- and CMP-related requirements under Medicare with regard to certain described experiments and demonstration projects under provisions for economy while maintaining or improving quality in health services (competitive pricing demonstrations). Requires the HHS Secretary to report to the Congress specific recommendations for a new payment methodology for eligible organizations, with contracts under Medicare part C to be based on the results of such demonstrations. (Sec. 11207) Eliminates the health care prepayment plan option for entities eligible to participate under Medicare part C. (Sec. 11208) Provides various specified changes under the Medicare supplemental policy (Medigap) program, including uniform enrollment periods and community-rated premiums. (Sec. 11209) Directs the HHS Secretary to develop a standard package of benefits (in addition to those already covered under Medicare) that may be offered by eligible organizations under Medicare part C. Requires the HHS Secretary to request the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to examine the standard benefit packages for Medigap policies and recommend any restructuring needed in order to facilitate to the maximum extent feasible comparison across such policies and benefits offered by eligible organizations. Requires the HHS Secretary, after taking into account any such recommendations, to restructure such packages as needed. Provides during FY 1996 through 2000 for Medicaid payments to certain States with large populations of illegal immigrants to pay health care providers for services to such populations. (Sec. 11303) Revises Medicaid provisions regarding a State's erroneous excess payments for medical assistance, replacing references to such payments with references to erroneous enrollments, among other changes. (Sec. 11311) Gives States the option of making medical assistance under Medicaid available to certain groups of individuals who would otherwise be ineligible for such assistance. Provides for the disregard of such additional enrollees in calculating the Federal payment limit. (Sec. 11312) Places restrictions on certain authority under SSA title XI for new Medicaid eligibility expansion demonstrations. (Sec. 11313) Provides for an upper income limit on "less restrictive" eligibility methodologies. (Sec. 11321) Includes the provision of Medicaid items and services through a primary care case management system as a State Medicaid plan option. (Sec. 11322) Allows States to require Medicaid-eligible individuals to enroll with an HMO or a primary care case manager provided certain guidelines are followed. (Sec. 11323) Eliminates certain Medicaid restrictions on risk contracts. (Sec. 11324) Provides six-month guaranteed eligibility for all individuals enrolled in Medicaid managed care. (Sec. 11325) Requires State Medicaid plan requirements to ensure quality of and access to care under managed care plans. (Sec. 11331) Provides for home- and community-based services as a State option under Medicaid without need for a waiver. (Sec. 11332) Repeals Medicaid provisions for the enrollment of individuals under group health plans. Gives States the option of purchasing health insurance, or paying the costs of health insurance, for enrollees in providing medical assistance under the Medicaid program. (Sec. 11333) Modifies provisions for an extension of eligibility for medical assistance under Medicaid that concern the State "wrap-around" option, in which a State may pay a family's expenses for premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and similar costs for health insurance or other health coverage offered by an employer of the caretaker relative or by an employer of the absent parent of a dependent child. Provides that, in the case of such coverage offered by an employer of the caretaker relative, the State may limit the amount of any deductible or copayment for any health care item or service to the applicable portion of the amount the State would pay if such item or service had been furnished by a provider participating in the program under the State Medicaid plan. Eliminates the premium limit under provisions allowing a State to impose a premium for a family for additional extended coverage. Makes reporting requirements under provisions concerning an additional six-month extension optional. Gives States the option to terminate the benefits under such extension for a failure to report pursuant to such requirements. (Sec. 11341) Requires with respect to State Medicaid plans a public process for determining the rates of payment for nursing facility services and services of intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded. Requires the HHS Secretary to study and report to the Congress with regard to such rate setting and other specified matters. (Sec. 11343) Repeals Medicaid provisions for assuring certain payment levels for obstetrical and pediatric services. (Sec. 11351) Modifies Medicaid mechanized claims processing and information retrieval system requirements. (Sec. 11352) Eliminates certain personnel requirements under State Medicaid plan administrative provisions. (Sec. 11353) Repeals requirements under such provisions for cooperative arrangements with State health and vocational rehabilitation services agencies. (Sec. 11355) Requires appropriate State review of mentally ill or mentally retarded nursing facility residents under Medicaid upon a significant change in the resident's physical or mental condition. (Sec. 11356) Modifies certain provisions for approving nurse aide training and competency evaluation programs. (Sec. 11357) Allows a State to submit to the HHS Secretary for approval a single State plan to carry out: (1) the long-term care grant program established by subtitle E (sic); (2) the program of health insurance for the temporarily unemployed established by subtitle G (sic); and (3) the Medicaid program. (Sec. 11358) Requires State Medicaid plans to provide for a public process for developing State plan amendments. Subtitle D (sic): Fraud and Abuse - Federal Health Care Payment Integrity Act of 1995 - Amends SSA title XI civil monetary penalty provisions, with changes: (1) extending the applicability of such provisions to any Federal health care program; (2) outlining additional instances in which the HHS Secretary may impose civil money penalties, including for offering inducements to individuals enrolled under Federal health programs; and (3) modifying the amounts of various penalties and assessments. (Sec. 11403) Modifies provisions for the exclusion of certain individuals and entities from participation in Medicare and State health care programs, establishing certain minimum periods of exclusion for certain individuals and entities subject to permissive exclusion from Medicare and State health care programs, among other changes. (Sec. 11404) Amends Federal criminal laws to cover illegal remuneration with respect to health care benefit programs. (Sec. 11405) Repeals the prerequisite that a health care practitioner or person be determined "unwilling or unable" to comply substantially with a corrective action plan before sanctions may be imposed (thus permitting the HHS Secretary to exclude such practitioner or person from eligibility to provide services for failure to comply with a corrective action plan, regardless of circumstances). (Sec. 11406) Directs the HHS Secretary to establish a national health care fraud and abuse data collection program for the reporting of final adverse actions against health care providers, suppliers, or practitioners by government agencies and Federal health care programs. Provides that the information in the program database shall be available to Federal and State government agencies, health plans, and the public pursuant to procedures that the HHS Secretary shall provide, with certain fees allowed for disclosure. (Sec. 11407) Expands the various authorities of State Medicaid fraud control units, including to allow them to investigate and prosecute patient abuse in non-Medicaid board and care facilities. (Sec. 11408) Provides for the recovery of Medicare overpayments from bankrupt providers. (Sec. 11409) Authorizes the HHS Secretary to make grants to States for the revocation of licenses of unqualified providers. (Sec. 11410) Amends Federal criminal laws to provide for the authorization of interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications in connection with health care fraud. (Sec. 11421) Establishes under SSA title XI the new Medicare Anti-Fraud and Abuse Program to provide funding out of the Medicare trust funds for the activities of the HHS Inspector General related to preventing and detecting fraud and abuse in the programs under SSA title XVIII and determining the accuracy and appropriateness of expenditures under such programs. (Sec. 11422) Establishes the Medicare beneficiary integrity system for the review of the activities of service providers, audits, and education of service providers and others with respect to payment issues under Medicare. (Sec. 11423) Establishes the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Account for covering the costs of activities designed to prevent and detect health care fraud and abuse and to promote economy and efficiency in Federal health care programs. (Sec. 11431) Makes various specified criminal law amendments covering matters relating to health care fraud through allowing fines or imprisonment for health care fraud violations, property forfeitures for certain Federal health care offenses, and certain sanctions for false statements relating to health care matters. Authorizes investigative demand procedures under certain conditions. (Sec. 11441) Provides for certain technical changes for coordinating Medicare benefits with those under primary plans, addressing such matters as when to file a claim and associated time limitations as well as claims between parties other than the United States. Revises Medicare secondary payer provisions concerning actions by the United States for double damages to condition such damages upon the entity's failure to demonstrate that it did not know, and could not have known, of its obligation to pay with respect to an item or service under a primary plan. (Sec. 11445) Repeals the excise tax under the Internal Revenue Code. (Sec. 11446) Mandates the provision by group health plans of certain information to HHS with respect to covered individuals entitled to Medicare benefits. Outlines similar requirements with respect to employers and employee organizations. (Sec. 11447) Makes certain technical changes under Medicare concerning minimum sizes of group health plans. (Sec. 11451) Provides for increased flexibility in contracting for Medicare claims processing by, among other means: (1) allowing carriers to include entities that are not insurance companies; (2) repealing cost reimbursement requirements; and (3) permitting initial contracts to be entered into without regard to any competition requirements. (Sec. 11461) Replaces the reasonable charge methodology under Medicare part B with fee schedules. (Sec. 11462) Provides, under Medicare part B, for the application of: (1) inherent reasonableness to surgical dressings; and (2) the competitive acquisition process to certain items and services, including laboratory services. (Sec. 11465) Makes certain changes in payments for clinical laboratory tests under Medicare part B. (Sec. 11471) Amends SSA title XI to authorize the HHS Secretary to require disclosing Medicare part A and B providers to provide the Secretary with their taxpayer identification numbers and other information for verification by the Secretary of the Treasury. (Sec. 11472) Amends SSA title XVIII to provide for the use of a wage index for an area in which home health services are furnished. Allows an individual to purchase or rent from a supplier an item of upgraded durable medical equipment for which payment would be made if the item was a standard one. Title V: Welfare Reform - Subtitle A: Temporary Employment Assistance - Replaces the current Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program under SSA title IV part A with the Temporary Employment Assistance (TEA) program for the purpose of providing assistance to families with needy children and assisting parents of such children to obtain and retain private sector work to the extent possible, and public sector or volunteer work if necessary, through the Work First Employment Block Grant (WORK FIRST) program established below. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 9101) Sets forth the elements for State TEA plans to be approved by the HHS Secretary, and effective in all political subdivisions in the State, including limits on the length of time for cash assistance, with specified exceptions for teen parents and individuals exempt from certain work requirements under this title because of illness or other specified reasons. Includes among such elements requirements for the State to: (1) assess the skills, prior work experience, and employability of each applicant for, or recipient of, TEA assistance who is age 18 or without a high school education and is not attending secondary school; (2) develop an individual responsibility plan (IRP) setting forth their job search, work, and educational obligations (including, at State option, appropriate substance abuse treatment) in order to receive the full amount of program assistance, with assistance denied after the third act of noncompliance with the plan; (3) place recipients of TEA assistance who have not become employed in the private sector within one year after signing an IRP in the first available slot in the State WORK FIRST program with certain exceptions for recipients who are ill, incapacitated, or of advanced age or who are enrolled in school or in educational or training programs that will lead to private sector employment; (4) require all applicants for, and recipients of, TEA assistance to cooperate in the establishment and enforcement of paternity and child support obligations; and (5) promote family preservation and stability. Denies TEA assistance for: (1) ten years to a person found to have fraudulently misrepresented residence in order to obtain assistance in two or more States; and (2) fugitive felons and probation and parole violators. Provides for the exchange of certain State TEA plan information with law enforcement agencies for the purpose of locating or apprehending such individuals. Outlines State TEA plan administrative elements, including requirements for a quality assurance system making use of a data collection and reporting system to promote accountability, continuous improvement, and integrity in State TEA and WORK FIRST programs. (Sec. 9201) Extends the applicability of Medicare eligibility for medical assistance to families that cease to be eligible for aid under SSA title IV part A after FY 2002. (Sec. 9202) Requires the applicable State agency to provide notice of the availability of the earned income tax credit to applicants and former recipients of TEA assistance, food stamps, and Medicaid. (Sec. 9203) Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to require inclusion on the W-4 form of a notice of availability of earned income tax and dependent care tax credit. (Sec. 9204) Provides for advance payment of the earned income tax credit through certain State demonstration programs under which participating residents shall receive advance earned income payments from a responsible State agency pursuant to a State Advance Payment Program in lieu of receiving earned income advance amounts from an employer. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 9205) Amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to make various specified changes, including provisions to: (1) reauthorize the child care and development block grant program through FY 2002; (2) give priority in the use of funds under such program to families with an individual receiving TEA assistance while participating in education-, job-, or work-related programs under such program, and to families no longer qualifying for other child care because their TEA assistance was terminated because of increased income from employment; (3) authorize separate appropriations of Federal matching funds for child care services for eligible children out of which the State will be entitled to payments under a grant determined according to a specified formula; (4) decrease certain set-asides for improving the quality of child care and increasing the availability of early childhood development and before- and after-school care services, while repealing other related set-asides for conducting or expanding such services; and (5) direct the Secretary to establish a child care quality improvement incentive initiative to make funds available to States which have enhanced child care quality standards and licensing procedures or have progressed in implementing innovative teacher training programs. Eliminates State dependent care grants under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981. Repeals the Child Development Associate Scholarship Assistance Act of 1985. (Sec. 9206) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to include as gross income Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits received by taxpayers under SSA title XVI, and make such benefits reportable. Provides that SSI benefits will not be taken into account for purposes of the earned income tax credit, and that adjusted gross income shall be determined without regard to any amount includable in gross income solely by reason of this paragraph. (Sec. 9207) Makes the dependent care credit refundable and phases it out for certain higher income taxpayers. Subtitle C: Work First (sic) - Replaces the current Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training Program (JOBS) under SSA title IV part F with the WORK FIRST program (the Work First Employment Block Grant program) under which States have the option of providing a wide variety of time-limited work-related assistance, pursuant to an approved State plan, to TEA recipients through certain minimum hours of participation in any of various specified program components ranging from microenterprise initiatives to separate workfare and job placement voucher programs established by the State under new SSA title IV parts G and H (but not both), with the goal of enabling the participant to find and hold a full-time unsubsidized position, preferably in the private sector, in a cost-effective fashion. (Sec. 9301) Outlines in detail WORK FIRST program components, including community service and subsidized private sector job initiatives under the workfare program for helping participants move into the private labor market, and job placement voucher programs' funding of subsidized temporary jobs out of the funds that would otherwise be used to provide individuals with TEA assistance or food stamps. Requires participating States to achieve certain outlined participation rates over a specified fiscal year period through 2003 and later. Expresses the sense of the Congress that States should target individuals who have not attained age 25 for participation in the WORK FIRST program in order to break the cycle of welfare dependency. Subtitle D: Family Responsibility and Improved Child Support Enforcement - Amends SSA title IV part D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity) with regard to eligibility and other matters concerning part D program clients, and includes among the changes made the following. (Sec. 9401) Requires each State to have in effect laws requiring procedures under which every child support order established or modified in the State on or after October 1, 1998, is recorded in a single centralized automated case registry established pursuant to this subtitle for the collection from income withholding, and prompt disbursement (including interstate collection and disbursement), of amounts payable as support under orders in all cases being enforced by the State unless the parties to the order opt out of such payment arrangement. Provides for such system to be coordinated with the automated data system established above. (Sec. 9402) Establishes procedures governing the distribution of child support payments where the family is, and is not, on TEA assistance, with certain alternative distributions provided for. (Sec. 9403) Adds State child and spousal support plan requirements for due process rights and privacy safeguards for affected parties in child support and paternity establishment cases. (Sec. 9411) Amends SSA title IV part D with regard to program administration and funding, and includes among the changes made: (1) an increased Federal matching rate for the total amounts expended by the State per quarter for operation of its part D plan; (2) new performance-based incentive adjustments to such rate as well as new penalties in the form of reduced State payments for, among other reasons, States failing to achieve the paternity establishment percentage or the appropriate level of overall performance in child support enforcement; (3) new Federal and State reviews and audits of State child support and paternity establishment program accomplishments with respect to applicable performance indicators; (4) the establishment of procedures to be followed by States for collecting and reporting information required to be provided under SSA title IV part D as well as uniform definitions to be applied in following such procedures; and (5) requirements for appropriate State agencies to have in operation a single statewide automated data processing and information retrieval system for use in program management. (Sec. 9416) Requires the HHS Secretary to study and report to the Congress on the staffing of each State child support enforcement program to examine staffing practices used by the States. (Sec. 9417) Provides certain funding for secretarial assistance to State child support enforcement programs. (Sec. 9421) Makes various specified changes under SSA title IV part D with regard to locate and case tracking through the newly provided for central case registry, including exchanges of data with an expanded Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) (containing among other things a directory of information supplied by employers on newly hired individuals) and State agencies administering TEA and Medicaid programs. (Sec. 9423) Revises income withholding, providing that all child support orders issued (or modified) before October 1, 1996, which are not otherwise subject to withholding, shall become subject to withholding from wages if arrearages occur without the need for a judicial or administrative hearing. (Sec. 9425) Provides for an expanded FPLS, including an automated Data Bank of Child Support Orders and an automated Directory of New Hires. (Sec. 9426) Adds State law requirements for procedures requiring the recording of social security numbers of both parents on marriage licenses and divorce decrees and on birth records and child support and paternity orders. (Sec. 9431) Requires State adoption, with certain modifications and additions, of the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, as approved by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws in August, 1992, for use in the State on and after January 1, 1997. (Sec. 9432) Modifies the Federal judicial code with respect to full faith and credit for child support orders, among other changes specifying rules for courts to follow if one or more child support orders have been issued in the State (or another State) with regard to an obligor and a child in determining which order to recognize for purposes of continuing, exclusive jurisdiction and enforcement. (Sec. 9433) Adds State law requirements for expedited procedures for ordering genetic testing, entering default orders, and other specified purposes connected with paternity establishment and the establishment or modification of support obligations. (Sec. 9441) Expresses the sense of the Congress that social services should be provided in hospitals to women who have become pregnant as a result of rape or incest. (Sec. 9442) Makes various specified changes with regard to paternity establishment, making it a requirement under the State plan for outreach activities aimed at voluntary paternity establishment, and providing for an increased base matching rate for payments to the States, among other changes. Modifies the cooperation requirement and good cause exception. (Sec. 9451) Establishes the National Child Support Guidelines Commission to develop a national child support guideline for congressional consideration that is based on a study of various guideline models. (Sec. 9452) Restructures procedures for the review and adjustment of child support orders. (Sec. 9461) Makes a variety of changes under SSA title IV part D for the enforcement (including international enforcement) of child support orders, including: (1) elimination of disparities in the treatment of assigned and non-assigned arrearages under SSA title IV part D provisions for the collection of past-due support from Federal tax refunds; (2) certain actions by the State, such as the placement of liens on motor vehicle titles of individuals owing arrears of child support, voiding of fraudulent transfers by individuals to avoid payment to a child support creditor, and withholding or suspension of driver's and professional and occupational licenses of individuals owing overdue child support, in order to ensure compliance with support orders; (3) an extended statute of limitations for collection of support arrearages as well as the imposition of charges for such arrearages; (4) action by the Department of State denying or otherwise restricting passports for individuals with an arrearage of child support in excess of $5,000; (5) treatment by the State of international child support cases as interstate cases; and (6) making grandparents liable for the financial support of the children of their minor children. Revises and consolidates the authorities under SSA title IV part D for collecting support from Federal employees, and outlines the framework for a centralized personnel locator service for the Department of Defense for enforcement of the child support obligations of members of the armed forces. (Sec. 9468) Revises procedures for State reporting of support arrearages to credit bureaus. (Sec. 9472) Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the United States should ratify the United Nations Convention of 1956; and (2) the States should develop programs, such as the State of Wisconsin's Children's First Program, designed to work with noncustodial parents who are unable to meet their child support obligations. (Sec. 9481) Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to include within the definition of "medical child support order" an order issued through a State administrative process. (Sec. 9491) Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to: (1) give the applicable State administrative agencies the option of requiring the cooperation of custodial and non-custodial parents with child support agencies in establishing paternity or providing support, except for certain good cause reasons, before they can participate in the food stamp program; and (2) provide States with a similar option with regard to individual family members delinquent in making any monthly child support payment. Subtitle E: Teen Pregnancy and Family Stability - Gives States the option of denying TEA assistance to families having additional children (other than as a result of rape or incest) while being a recipient of such aid or during the six month period ending with the date the family applied for such aid. (Sec. 9502) Requires State TEA plans to require any unmarried individual under age 18 who is pregnant or has a needy child in his or her care to reside in an adult-supervised living arrangement in order to receive TEA assistance (such aid to be provided to the parent, legal guardian, or other adult relative on behalf of such individual and child) unless the State agency determines that the individual's current living arrangement is appropriate for an individual with no parent or legal guardian of his or her own who is living and whose whereabouts are known. (Sec. 9503) Amends title XX (Block Grants to States for Social Services) to require the Secretaries of Education and of HHS and the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service to establish the National Clearinghouse on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Programs to serve as a national information and data clearinghouse and as a training, technical assistance, and material development source for adolescent pregnancy prevention programs. (Sec. 9504) Requires completion of high school or other educational training for teen parents required under the TEA program to participate in the WORK FIRST program. Gives the States the option of providing additional incentives and penalties to encourage teen parents to complete high school and participate in parenting activities. (Sec. 9505) Denies Federal housing benefits to minor heads of household who bear children out-of-wedlock until they attain age 18 unless: (1) after the birth of the child the individual marries the child's biological father, or, if the biological parent has legal custody of the child, an individual who legally adopts the child; (2) the individual is a biological and custodial parent of another child who was not born out-of-wedlock; (3) eligibility for such Federal housing assistance is based in whole or in part on any disability or handicap of a member of the household; or (4) the State deems it necessary. (Sec. 9506) Gives States the option to deny TEA assistance to minor parents, while still preserving each family member's Medicaid eligibility, and allowing the State to provide the family with vouchers, in amounts not exceeding the value of any such reduction in assistance, that may be used only to pay for goods and services suitable for the care of the child and the costs of the adult-supervised supportive living arrangement in which the parent and child live. Subtitle F: SSI Reform - Revises the eligibility rules for children, with corresponding changes to childhood SSI regulations: (1) modifying the medical criteria for evaluation of mental and emotional disorders by eliminating references to maladaptive behavior in the domain of personal-behavioral function; and (2) discontinuing the use of individualized functional assessments for children. Requires the Commissioner of Social Security to redetermine the eligibility of any individual under age 18 who is receiving SSI benefits based on a disability as of the date of the enactment of this Act, and whose eligibility for such benefits may terminate by reason of this subtitle. (Sec. 9602) Provides that at least every three years the Commissioner shall review the continued SSI eligibility of each individual who has not attained age 18 and is eligible for such benefits by reason of an impairment (or combination of impairments) which may improve (or, if the Commissioner chooses, which is unlikely to improve). Requires a parent or guardian of a recipient whose case is so reviewed to present, at the time of review, evidence demonstrating that the recipient is, and has been, receiving treatment, to the extent considered medically necessary and available, of the condition which was the basis for providing benefits under the SSI program. Provides that, if an individual is eligible for SSI benefits by reason of disability for the month preceding the month in which the individual attains age 18, the Commissioner shall redetermine such eligibility: (1) during the one year period beginning on the individual's 18th birthday; and (2) by applying the criteria used in determining the initial eligibility for applicants who have attained age 18. Outlines specific requirements governing: (1) continuing disability reviews for low birth weight babies; and (2) benefit payments through representative payees to eligible individuals and their spouses. (Sec. 9604) Amends SSA title XVI to provide for the denial of SSI benefits for drug addicts and alcoholics whose alcoholism or drug addiction would be a contributing factor towards the individual's disability. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to provide funding to the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse to expand the availability of drug treatment and for expenditure on the medication development project to improve drug abuse and drug treatment research. (Sec. 9605) Denies SSI benefits for: (1) ten years to individuals found to have fraudulently misrepresented residence in order to obtain benefits simultaneously in two or more States; and (2) fugitive felons and probation and parole violators. Provides for the exchange of certain SSI information with law enforcement agencies for locating or apprehending recipients who are fugitive felons or probation and parole violators. Subtitle D (sic): Supplemental Security Income - Provides that if the Commissioner determines that an individual, age 18 or older, is eligible to receive SSI benefits as a result of a disability, the Commissioner shall, at the time of the determination, either exempt the individual from an eligibility review or establish a schedule for reviewing the individual's continuing eligibility in accordance with specified guidelines. (Sec. 9607) Allows the Commissioner to revise such a determination and schedule a review if he or she obtains credible evidence that an individual may no longer be eligible for benefits or the Commissioner determines that a review is necessary to maintain the integrity of the SSI program. Provides that such reviews may be conducted by the applicable State agency or the Commissioner, whichever is appropriate. Subtitle H (sic): Treatment of Aliens - Extends the period of sponsor attribution of income and resources (to an alien) under the statewide TEA, SSI, and food stamp programs through the date (if any) of such alien's citizenship. Sets forth exceptions based upon age, military or veteran status, family status, domestic violence, or taxpayer status. (Permits Medicaid eligibility.) Amends the Social Security Act to set forth TEA rules regarding income and resource attribution. (Sec. 9802) Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to set forth rules for sponsor affidavits of support. (Sec. 9803) Extends affidavit of support requirements to family-related and diversity immigrants. (Sec. 6102) (sic) Amends the Social Security Act to extend (and reduce from current levels) appropriations for State block grants for social services. (Sec. 120011) The Food Stamp Act Amendments of 1995 - Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1997 to treat children who are at least 18 years old and are themselves parents living with their children or married and living with their spouse as part of an existing household rather than as a separate household. (Sec. 12012) (sic) Revises thrifty food plan provisions. (Sec. 12013) Reduces the age for excluding student earnings from food stamp program (program) household income determinations. Includes energy assistance payments in household income determinations. (Sec. 12015) Revises and extends on a declining scale standard deduction provisions. (Sec. 12016) Authorizes States to make standard utility allowances mandatory. (Sec. 12017) Eliminates the October 1, 1996, specified auto asset increase. (Sec. 12018) Authorizes States to require cooperation with child support enforcement agencies as a prerequisite for program participation. (Sec. 12020) Eliminates the minimum allotment annual adjustment provision. (Sec. 12022) Prohibits allotment increases based upon household income reductions resulting from public assistance program penalties. (Sec. 12023) Permits States to use income and eligibility verification systems other than specified methods under the Social Security Act. (Sec. 12024) Expands claims collection methods. (Sec. 12031) Amends the National School Lunch Act to revise day care reimbursement provisions, including sponsor payments. (Sec. 12032) Revises reimbursement rate adjustment provisions for: (1) commodities; (2) special assistance funds; (3) the summer food service program; (4) family or group day care sponsors; (5) the special milk program; and (6) the breakfast program. (Sec. 12033) Amends the Child Nutrition Act to eliminate start-up and expansion grants. (Sec. 12034) Authorizes appropriations through FY 2002 for nutrition education and training. (Current authorization is permanent.) (Sec. 12035) Amends the National School Lunch Act to reduce the minimum amount of commodity assistance. Title X (sic): Food Stamps and Commodity Distribution - Food Stamp Reform and Commodity Distribution Act of 1995 - Subtitle A: Food Stamp Program - Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to establish a program certification period of up to 24 months for households whose adult members are elderly or disabled. (Sec. 1012) (sic) Expands the definition of "coupon". (Sec. 1016) Revises the definition of "homeless individual" to limit the length of time a person may temporarily live in another person's residence. (Sec. 1023) Increases penalties for certain program violations. (Sec. 1024) Disqualifies permanently an individual convicted of specified coupon violations. (Sec. 1027) Revises employment and training provisions. Extends funding authorizations. (Sec. 1030) Disqualifies a fleeing felon from program participation. (Sec. 1034) Directs (with a waiver for unusual difficulties) States to implement electronic benefit transfer systems. (Sec. 1035) Eliminates the minimum allotment annual adjustment provision. (Sec. 1037) Authorizes an optional combined allotment for expedited households. (Sec. 1038) Prohibits allotment increases based upon household income reductions resulting from means-tested public assistance program penalties. (Sec. 1039) Authorizes benefits for households residing in drug or alcohol treatment centers. (Sec. 1046) Authorizes program information to be shared with law enforcement agencies under specified circumstances. (Sec. 1047) Revises expedited coupon service provisions. (Sec. 1048) Authorizes a family to withdraw a fair hearing request. (Sec. 1049) Permits States to use income, eligibility, and immigration status verification systems other than a specified method under the Social Security Act. (Sec. 1059) Extends pilot program authority. Subtitle B: Commodity Distribution Programs - Amends the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 to extend the commodity distribution and commodity supplemental food programs, including cheese and nonfat dry milk provisions. (Sec. 1073) Amends the Charitable Assistance and Food Bank Act of 1987 to repeal the food bank demonstration project. (Sec. 1074) Amends the Hunger Prevention Act of 1988 to eliminate provisions regarding: (1) soup kitchens and other emergency food aid; (2) food processing and distribution; and (3) food bank demonstration projects. Title VI (sic): Federal Retirement and Related Provisions - Subtitle A: Civil Service and Postal Service Provisions - Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 to extend the delay in cost-of-living adjustments in Federal employee retirement benefits through FY 2002. (Sec. 6002) Revises Federal civil service law with respect to the Civil Service (CSRS) and Federal Employees (FERS) Retirement Systems regarding deductions, contributions, and deposits, increasing agency contributions under CSRS during calendar years 1996 through 2002, and providing for a phased-in increase under both systems of the amounts of individual deductions, deposits, and withholdings until 2003 when, in certain cases, the percentage of basic pay subject to such withholding reverts back to the current 1995 rate. (Sec. 6003) Makes additional retirement-related changes under both systems with regard to Members of Congress and congressional employees and their years of service for purposes of computing an annuity. (Sec. 6004) Provides under CSRS for treatment similar to that of congressional service with respect to accrual rates relating to certain Federal judges and other judicial personnel. (Sec. 6005) Amends Federal postal law to repeal the authorization of transitional appropriations for the U.S. Postal Service and make certain other changes to provide that liabilities formerly paid pursuant to such repealed authorization remain payable by the Postal Service. (Sec. 13103) (sic) Requires each Federal executive agency, the receipts and disbursements of which are not generally included in the totals of the Federal budget submitted by the President, to prepay the Government contributions which are or will be required in connection with providing health-benefits coverage for annuitants of such agency. Title VII: Veterans and Related Provisions - Veterans Reconciliation Act of 1995 - Subtitle A: Extension of Temporary Authorities - Extends through FY 2002: (1) the requirement that non-service disabled veterans having incomes above a specified level make copayments in exchange for hospital and medical care received through the Department of Veterans Affairs (Department, for purposes of this title); (2) the authority for collection of a $2 copayment from veterans earning above a minimum income level for prescription medication furnished for outpatient treatment of a nonservice-connected condition; (3) certain Department authority for veterans' medical care cost recovery; (4) the authority under Federal veterans' benefits provisions and the Internal Revenue Code to verify a veteran's income for purposes of eligibility for needs-based benefits; (5) a pension payment limitation of $90 monthly to Medicaid-eligible veterans and surviving spouses who have no dependents and who are in Medicaid-participating nursing homes; (6) the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to charge and collect a home loan fee for housing loans guaranteed by the Department; (7) the procedures applicable upon the default of such guaranteed loans; and (8) the authority of the Secretary to issue and guarantee the timely payment of certificates evidencing an interest in a pool of mortgage loans made in connection with the sale of defaulted properties. Subtitle B: Other Matters - Directs the Secretary, as of December 1, 1995, to round down to the next lower whole dollar any cost-of-living adjustments in veterans' disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation rates. Prohibits any such rates from being increased during FY 1997 through 2002 by a percentage which is more than the percentage increase for benefits under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act. (Sec. 10023) (sic) Revises the Government's liability standard for injuries or death resulting from Department treatment to allow compensation to be awarded for the additional disability in the same manner as if the disability or death were service-connected. Provides proximate cause requirements. Makes such revision effective for claims received by the Secretary on or after October 1, 1995. (Sec. 10024) Prohibits the withholding of any payments normally made to a veteran or their survivor because of any liability to the Secretary arising out of any loan made to, or insured or guaranteed on account of, such veteran unless the Secretary provides written notice through certified mail of the authority to waive the payment of the indebtedness. Outlines procedures to be followed when the Secretary does not waive the entire amount of such indebtedness. Subtitle C: Educational Benefits - Provides that the cost-of-living adjustments in the rates of veterans' educational assistance payments through FY 2002 shall be 50 percent of the amount by which such payments would have been increased otherwise. Title VIII: Asset Sales; User Fees and Other Mandatory Programs - Subtitle A: United States Enrichment Corporation - USEC Privatization Act - Directs the Board of Directors of the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) to transfer USEC ownership to a private corporation established under this Act. Mandates the inclusion of sale proceeds in the budget baseline required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act), and its inclusion as an offset to direct spending. (Sec. 3005) (sic) Requires USEC directors to establish a private for-profit corporation under the laws of a State for the purpose of receiving the assets and obligations of USEC at privatization and continuing USEC business operations following privatization. (Sec. 3007) Directs USEC to transfer the lease of gaseous diffusion plants and related property at Paducah, Kentucky, and Piketon, Ohio, to the private corporation concurrent with such privatization. Prohibits the Secretary of Energy (the Secretary) from leasing to the private corporation facilities necessary for the production of highly enriched uranium. (Sec. 3008) Prescribes procedural guidelines for: (1) transfer of contracts to the private corporation, including the right to purchase power from the Secretary under previous power purchase contracts for the gaseous diffusion plants; (2) retention by the United States of pre-privatization liabilities; (3) pension, post-retirement health benefit, and collective bargaining agreement protections for contractor employees at the two gaseous diffusion plants; and (4) retention of Federal retirement and health benefits by former Federal employees. (Sec. 3011) Prohibits USEC directors, officers, or employees from acquiring any securities (or rights to acquire any securities) of the private corporation on terms more favorable than those offered to the general public in specified circumstances. (Sec. 3012) Requires the U.S. Executive Agent under the Russian HEU Agreement to transfer to the Secretary without charge title to an amount of uranium hexafluoride (based on a tails assay of 0.30 U235) equivalent to the natural uranium component of low-enriched uranium derived from at least 18 metric tons of highly enriched uranium purchased from the Russian Executive Agent under such Agreement. Deems such uranium hexafluoride to be of Russian origin. Requires the Secretary to sell, and receive payment for, the transferred uranium hexafluoride for: (1) overfeeding in the operations of enrichment facilities in the United States; (2) end use outside the United States; or (3) consumption by end users in the United States during calendar year 2001, according to a specified schedule beginning in 1998. Requires the U.S. Executive Agent, upon request of the Russian Executive Agent, to deliver concurrently to such Agent, an amount of uranium hexafluoride equivalent to the natural uranium component of such low-enriched uranium. Provides for auction of such uranium hexafluoride, or U308 (in the event that the conversion component of such hexafluoride has previously been sold), if the Russian Executive Agent does not exercise its right to agree to take delivery of the natural uranium component of any low-enriched uranium within 90 days after delivery of such low-enriched uranium to the U.S. Executive Agent. Grants the Secretary of Commerce responsibility for administration and enforcement of the limitations set forth in this section. Exempts from certain provisions of the Tariff Act of 1930 highly enriched uranium and low-enriched uranium derived from highly enriched uranium (including the natural uranium component and any uranium products delivered pursuant to enrichment contracts affected by such imports), if the President determines that a waiver with respect to the importation of such uranium, which is derived from highly enriched uranium extracted from nuclear weapons dismantled in the Russian Federation and purchased from the Russian Federation under a government-to-government agreement, is in the U.S. national security interest. Requires the Secretary of Energy to transfer to USEC without charge up to 50 metric tons of enriched uranium and up to 7,000 metric tons of natural uranium from the Department of Energy (DOE) stockpile. Prohibits USEC from delivering for commercial end use in the United States: (1) any of such uranium before January 1, 1998; (2) more than ten percent of such uranium or more than 4 million pounds, whichever is less, in any calendar year after 1997; or (3) more than 800,000 separative work units contained in low-enriched uranium transferred in any calendar year. Authorizes the Secretary to sell, from time to time, natural and low-enriched uranium from the DOE stockpile, subject to specified conditions. Permits DOE transfer or sale of enriched uranium to: (1) Federal agencies; (2) any person for national security purposes; or (3) any State or local agency or non-profit, charitable, or educational institution for use other than the commercial generation of electricity. (Sec. 3013) Prescribes guidelines under which the Secretary shall accept low-level radioactive waste (including depleted uranium if ultimately determined to be such waste) for disposal at the request and expense (by reimbursement) of the generator. (Sec. 3014) Grants USEC exclusive commercial rights to deploy and use any federally owned or controlled Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation (AVLIS) patents, processes and technical information, upon completion of a royalty agreement with the Secretary. Instructs the President to transfer related AVLIS property (except those related to the gaseous diffusion, gas centrifuge, and uranium enrichment programs) to USEC upon its request. (Sec. 3017) Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to: (1) repeal the mandate and authority of USEC as of the privatization date; and (2) exclude from the definition of "production facility" the construction and operation of a uranium enrichment facility using AVLIS technology, and make such a facility eligible for one-step licensing. Prohibits issuance of any license or certificate of compliance to USEC or its successor if its issuance would, in the opinion of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), be inimical to: (1) the common defense and security of the United State; or (2) maintenance of a reliable and economical domestic source of enrichment services because of the nature and extent of USEC ownership, control or domination by a foreign corporation or government or any other relevant factors or circumstances. Provides for periodic application of USEC for NRC certification at least once every five years (instead of annually). Revises the purview of judicial review of NRC actions to include: (1) any final order establishing standards to govern DOE gaseous diffusion uranium enrichment facilities, including facilities leased to a corporation established under this Act; and (2) any final determination relating to whether such facilities comply with such standards. Provides for civil money penalties for violations of licensing or certification requirements. Subtitle B: Naval Petroleum Reserves Privatization - Naval Petroleum Reserves Privatization Act - Sets a deadline for the Secretary of Energy (the Secretary) to prepare, and submit for the President's approval, a plan for selling Naval Petroleum Reserve Numbered 1 (NPR 1), and for selling or leasing the remaining Reserves out of Federal ownership in FY 2002. Directs the President to approve the plan with or without modifications by a specified date. (Sec. 4121) Delineates guidelines within which: (1) the Secretary shall finalize equity interests of the known oil and gas zones in NPR 1; and (2) the Secretary of the Treasury shall pay to the State of California (to be credited by the State to the Supplemental Benefits Maintenance Account within the Teachers' Retirement Fund) seven percent of proceeds from the NPR 1 sale. Instructs the Secretary to exercise certain termination procedures so that specified contracts with Bechtel Petroleum Operations, Inc., and Chevron U.S.A, respectively, terminate not later than the closing date of the sale of such Reserve. Authorizes the Secretary to transfer to the purchaser of NPR 1 the incidental take permit regarding the reserve issued to the Secretary by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (Sec. 4122) States that if the President so designates, the net proceeds from privatizing the Reserves shall be included in the budget baseline required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings), and counted as an offset to direct spending. (Sec. 4123) Reduces, upon sale of NPR 1, certain discretionary spending limits set forth in the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. (Sec. 4131) Transfers to the Secretary of the Interior the functions vested in the Secretary of Energy with regard to Oil Shale Reserve Numbered 2 (located in Utah). (Sec. 4132) Instructs the Secretary of the Interior to study and report to the President on the appropriateness of including the Green River area within the national wild and scenic rivers system. (Sec. 4133) States that nothing in this subtitle affects any interest in, or right or obligation respecting, the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation. (Sec. 4151) Amends Federal law governing Naval Petroleum Reserves to revise jurisdictional, administrative, and product disposition guidelines in order to reflect the privatization of such Reserves under this Act. Repeals the requirement for the Secretary to obtain the President's approval before: (1) executing land purchases and condemnation proceedings; (2) entering into agreements with private interests; (3) changing the rate of prospecting and development. Eliminates the statutory guidelines governing the Secretary's authority to contract with private interests for exploration, prospecting and development of NPR 1. Restricts the amount of funds collected under the Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act of 1973 that may be used to enhance production from the Reserves for FY 1996. Authorizes the Secretary to mine and remove oil shale or oil shale products from Oil Shale Reserves for national defense or research. (Sec. 5221) Instructs the Secretary of Energy (the Secretary) to: (1) conduct an asset management and disposition program that will result in specified receipts and savings by the end of FY 2000; and (2) draw down and sell 32 million barrels of oil contained in the Weeks Island (Louisiana) Strategic Petroleum Reserve Facility. (Sec. 5223) Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to authorize the Secretary to store petroleum product owned by a foreign government in underutilized Strategic Petroleum Reserve facilities. Permits exportation of such product without license. Subtitle C: Natural Resources - Helium Act of 1995 - Amends the Helium Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to: (1) enter into agreements with private parties for the recovery and disposal of helium on Federal lands; (2) grant leasehold rights to such helium; (3) store, transport, and sell crude helium; and (4) maintain and operate existing crude helium storage facilities at the Bureau of Mines Cliffside Field. (Sec. 5313) Directs the Secretary to: (1) cease producing, refining, and marketing refined helium; and (2) dispose of all facilities, equipment, and Federal property interests relating to refined helium activities. Requires the Secretary to impose fees for helium storage, withdrawal, or transportation services. (Sec. 5314) Prescribes guidelines for: (1) the purchase of helium by Federal agencies from certain private persons; and (2) the sale of crude helium by the Secretary. Requires the Secretary to make crude helium sales in amounts necessary to carry out this Act with minimum market disruption. Mandates that proceeds from helium sales be paid to the Treasury. (Sec. 5315) Instructs the Secretary to eliminate helium stockpiles by a certain deadline. Repeals the Secretary's authority to borrow under the Helium Act. (Sec. 5317) Directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the Texas Plains Girl Scout Council for consideration of one dollar specified lands in Potter County, Texas, reserving easements to the United States for pipeline rights-of-way. (Sec. 5421) Outer Continental Shelf Deep Water Royalty Relief Act - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to reduce or eliminate any royalty or net profit share set forth in existing leases for oil or gas resources in certain areas of deep water on the Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of Mexico. (Sec. 5422) Declares that, with specified exceptions, no royalty payments shall be due on new production from any lease or unit located in specified water depths in the Western and Central Planning Areas of the Gulf until certain volumes of oil equivalent are produced. (Sec. 5423) Provides for new leases and lease sales on the basis of a cash bonus bid meeting certain criteria. (Sec. 5424) Suspends royalties for a seven-year period for new leases in specified water depths in the Gulf. Subjects sales of such leases to such cash bonus bidding system. Subtitle C (sic): GSA Property Sales - Instructs the Administrator of General Services (the Administrator) to sell: (1) all Federal interests in and to Governors Island, New York, granting rights of first refusal to the State and the City of New York, respectively; and (2) the air rights adjacent to the Washington Union Station. (Sec.6022) Directs Amtrak to convey specified air rights to the Administrator as a condition of future Federal financial assistance. Prohibits Amtrak from obligating Federal funds for failure to comply. Title V: Energy and Natural Resources Provisions - Subtitle A: Nuclear Regulatory Commission Annual Charges - Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to extend from September 30, 1998, to September 30, 2002, the authority of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to assess and collect annual user fees and charges. Subtitle B: Department of Energy Assets - Amends specified Federal law to increase the annual charge to San Francisco and other municipalities or water districts granted water rights-of-way from the Hetch Hetchy Dam. Makes annual operation of Yosemite National Park (currently, the building and maintenance of roads and trails in Yosemite and other California national parks) the highest priority use of the proceeds from such charges, with the remainder of any funds to be used for operations of the other California national parks. (Sec. 5402) Prescribes guidelines under which the Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) shall refinance a certain appropriated debt by determining with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury: (1) a new principal amount for such debt; (2) a new interest rate for such debt based on the Treasury rate for the old capital investment; and (3) a $100 million limit on prepayments of old capital investments before a certain date. (Sec. 5406) Prescribes guidelines for interest rates for new capital investments. (Sec. 5408) Amends the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Grand Coulee Dam Settlement Act to credit specified amounts to the Administrator in certain fiscal years so long as the Administrator makes annual payments to the Tribes under a certain settlement agreement. (Sec. 5409) Directs the Administrator to offer to include provisions in future electric power service contracts that preclude further increases in the principal amount or interest rate obligations to the Government. (Sec. 5411) Alaska Power Administration Asset Sale and Termination Act - Sets forth definitions. (No further text provided in bill.) (Sec. 5451) Amends the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (the Act) to revise admission guidelines, and increase special recreation use fees for the National Park System (NPS), and National Recreation Areas, respectively. Restricts lifetime admission permits to U.S. citizens, or persons permanently domiciled in the United States, who are permanently disabled (currently, blind or permanently disabled). Repeals the proscription against admission fees for the following NPS units: (1) U.S.S. Arizona Memorial; (2) Independence National Historical Park; (3) District of Columbia NPS units; (4) Arlington House-Robert E. Lee National Memorial; (5) San Juan National Historic Site; and (6) Canaveral National Seashore. Repeals the limitation imposed upon single-visit permit fees for the Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Grand Canyon National Parks. Revises guidelines governing recreation use fees. Removes the maximum statutory fine for violations. Revises guidelines governing covering of fees collected into a special NPS account. Revises commercial tour use fee guidelines to instruct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a commercial tour use fee in lieu of a per person admission fee imposed on each commercial tour vehicle. (Sec. 5452) Covers increased fees into special accounts for FY 1997 through 2005, specifying four percent annual increases thereafter. (Sec. 5453) Provides for allocation and use of receipts in each agency's special account. Subtitle F: National Defense Stockpile - Requires the President to dispose of all cobalt and specified materials listed in a certain National Defense Stockpile disposal schedule. (Sec. 9002) Amends the Act of August 5, 1909 to extend higher vessel tonnage duties through FY 2002. (Sec. 9003) Authorizes the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assess and collect fees applicable to persons subject to radiological emergency preparedness regulations. (Sec. 6011 (sic)) Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to extend Patent and Trademark Office surcharges through FY 2002. (Sec. 11161) (sic) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through FY 2002 the mandatory disclosure of return information to governmental agencies administering certain veterans programs. Subtitle F (sic): Taxpayer Bill of Rights 2 Provisions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to limit the Secretary of the Treasury's authority to abate interest attributable to error by Internal Revenue Service (IRS) personnel to unreasonable error only. (Sec. 6105) Amends Federal civil service law to redefine Federal service in the armed forces or the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with respect to the denial of unemployment insurance to individuals who voluntarily leave military service. Title IX: Limitations on Corporate Welfare and Other Revenue Provisions - Subtitle A: Expatriation - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that if a U.S. citizen relinquishes citizenship, all property held by such citizen at the time immediately before relinquishment shall be treated as sold at such time for its fair market value and any gain or loss shall be subject to U.S. income tax. (Sec. 101) (sic) Permits an expatriate to elect to continue to be taxed as a United States citizen, in which case the provisions applicable to other expatriates will not apply. Excludes $600,000 in gain from taxation, except for allocable gain from interest in a beneficiary's qualified trust. Allows an expatriate to elect to have property made subject to tax in the same manner as if the individual were a U.S. citizen if the individual: (1) provides security for payment of tax; (2) consents to waiver of treaty rights that would preclude tax assessment or collection; and (3) complies with other requirements prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury. Conditions that the election shall apply to all of the expatriate's property and shall be irrevocable. Directs that if an election is made to defer tax: (1) no amount shall be required to be includible in gross income; and (2) the expatriate's tax for the taxable year in which such property is disposed of, shall be increased by the deferred tax amount, regardless of whether gain or loss is recognized in whole or in part. States that these provisions apply to: (1) any interest in property held on the expatriation date the gain from which would be includible in gross income if sold for fair market value on such date; and (2) any other interest to which special rules applicable to beneficiaries' interests in trust apply. Excepts certain interests in U.S. real property interests and retirement plans. Prescribes such special rules applicable to beneficiaries' interests in trust. Terminates, on the date on which property held by an individual is treated as sold under this Act, any deferral of recognition of income or gain and any extension of time for payment of tax. Imposes a tentative tax, immediately before the expatriation date, on income required to be included equal to the amount that would be imposed if the taxable year were a short taxable year ending on the expatriation date. Disallows the exclusion from gross income of the value of any property acquired as a gift, bequest, devise, or inheritance received from a covered expatriate after the expatriation date. (Sec. 102) Requires the filing of certain information by expatriates. Subtitle B: Corporate Reforms - Provides, with respect to a corporate shareholder's basis in stock reduced by the nontaxed portion of extraordinary dividends, that if the nontaxed portion of such dividend exceeds such basis, such excess shall be treated as gain from the sale or exchange of such stock for the taxable year in which the extraordinary dividend is received. (Sec. 202) Requires the organizer of a corporate tax shelter to register the shelter. Sets forth penalties for failure to file. (Sec. 203) Prohibits a deduction for interest paid on life insurance policies or annuities which cover a company officer or employee. (Sec. 205) Revises the Puerto Rico and possession tax credit for years beginning after December 31, 1995. Provides for a five-year phasedown with respect to such credit. (Sec. 206) Directs that personal property used predominately within the U.S. exchanged and held for productive use or investment not be treated like personal property used predominately outside the U.S. (Sec. 207) Repeals the transition rule for a financial corporation with respect to rules allocating interest to foreign source income. (Sec. 208) Treats the conversion of a large corporations into an S corporation as a complete liquidation. (Sec. 209) Modifies the number of taxable years to which the net operating loss deduction may be carried. (Sec. 210) Treats an appreciated financial position as sold for its fair market value on the date of its constructive sale (and any gain for the taxable year which includes such date) if there is a constructive sale of such a position. (Sec. 211) Modifies the rules for allocating interest expense to tax-exempt interest. Makes such rules applicable to corporations (currently, financial institutions). (Sec. 212) Reduces the 70 percent dividends reduction to 50 percent. (Sec. 213) Modifies the holding period applicable to the dividends received deduction. (Sec. 214) Treats certain nonqualified preferred stock as boot (not as stock or securities) for the purposes of property transfers to a corporation controlled by the transferor. (Sec. 215) Disallows the deduction for any interest paid or accrued on certain debt instruments of a corporation. (Sec. 216) Defers the interest deduction on convertible indebtedness of a corporation until the taxable year in which it is paid. Subtitle C: Foreign Provisions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the requirements regarding information that must be reported regarding certain foreign trusts. (Sec. 302) Modifies the circumstances (with regard to foreign trusts having one or more U.S. beneficiaries) in which a transferor is treated as the owner. (Sec. 303) Replaces provisions setting forth a special rule applicable to foreign grantors with provisions declaring that provisions relating to treating grantors and others as substantial owners shall apply only when that application results in an amount being currently taken into account in computing the income of a U.S. citizen or resident or a domestic corporation. (Sec. 304) Requires a United States person to report information regarding foreign gifts or bequests when the gifts' aggregate value during a taxable year exceeds $10,000. (Sec. 305) Modifies requirements regarding the interest charge on accumulation distributions from foreign trusts. (Sec. 306) Changes the circumstances in which an estate or trust is included in the definition of "United States person." Modifies the definition of "foreign estate" and "foreign trust." Requires (for provisions relating to the imposition of a tax on transfers to avoid income tax) treating a trust which is not a foreign trust and which becomes a foreign trust as having transferred, immediately before becoming a foreign trust, all of its assets to a foreign trust. (Sec. 311) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the definition of "foreign personal holding company income" to include income from a notional principal contract entered into for the purposes of hedging certain transactions and income. (Sec. 312) Disallows the foreign tax credit to any country for foreign oil and gas extraction income and eliminates the deferral for all foreign oil and gas extraction income with respect to foreign base company oil related income. (Sec. 313) Limits the exclusion on foreign earned income of U.S. citizens or residents living abroad for any taxable year at the lowest tax rate. Subtitle D: Accounting Provisions - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the reserve method of accounting for determining deductions for bad debts by thrift institutions, effective for taxable years beginning after 1995. Repeals, with respect to thrift institutions to which such accounting method applied, provisions relating to: (1) the denial of a portion of certain tax credits to a thrift institution; (2) special rules regarding the foreclosure of property securing loans of a thrift institution; (3) the reduction in the dividends received deduction of a thrift institution; and (4) the ability of a thrift institution to use a net operating loss to offset its income from a residential interest in a real estate mortgage investment conduit. Provides rules to implement the change in the method of accounting required by the repeal. (Sec. 401) Defines applicable excess reserves. Sets forth provisions for thrifts which become small banks. Provides for the suspension of recapture if the taxpayer meets the residential loan requirement. Defines the term residential loan requirement. Allows in cases where the taxpayer is not a large bank, for the purposes of determining the net amounts of adjustments, that only the excess of the reserve for bad debts as of the close of the last taxable year before the disqualification year over the balance of reserves shall be taken into account. Provides for the treatment of reserves for bad debts under the elective cut-off method. Prohibits the inclusion of a portion of reserve in gross income under the elective cut-off method. Provides for continued application of provisions respecting distributions to stockholders, but the amount of the reserve accounted for by the taxpayer shall be the balance of the amount of the applicable excess reserves. Provides for the treatment of the balance of the applicable excess reserves and the balance of reserves accounted for by a taxpayer as carryovers in certain corporate acquisitions. (Sec. 402) Revises provisions concerning the income forecast method of determining depreciation deductions. (Sec. 403) Repeals the lower-of-cost-or-market method of accounting for inventories. Subtitle E: Administrative Provisions - Repeals the credit for purchasers of diesel-powered automobiles and light trucks. (Sec. 502) Increases the amount of penalty for any failure to file information returns if less than 97 percent of the aggregate amount of items are reported correctly. Subtitle F: Casualty and Involuntary Conversion Provisions - Revises provisions concerning the involuntary conversion of property into either similar property or money. Subtitle G: Excise Tax on Amounts of Private Excess Benefits - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a 25 percent tax (which shall be paid by the disqualified person) on any transaction from which an economic benefit is provided by a tax-exempt organization directly or indirectly to a disqualified person, if the value of the benefit provided exceeds the value of the consideration. Sets forth additional reporting requirements for 501(c)(3) organizations. Requires any solicitation of an organization that refers to itself as nonprofit, when it is not exempt from tax, to contain an express statement that it is not exempt from tax. Imposes a penalty for failure to disclose. Subtitle H: Extension of Certain Taxes - Extends: (1) the environmental tax until January 1, 1997; (2) the Hazardous Superfund Financing rate until October 1, 1996; (3) the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate until October 1, 2002; and (4) the Federal unemployment tax at the present rates through 2002 and 2003, respectively. Subtitle I: Provisions Relating to Individuals - Prohibits the nonrecognition of gain on the sale of a principal residence which is attributable to depreciation adjustments. (Sec. 852) Requires withholding from winnings of more than $5,000 from bingo or keno. (Sec. 853) Repeals the provision which provides for the exclusion from income of rent from the rental of a vacation home for less than 15 days. Subtitle J: Reform of the Earned Income Credit - Denies the earned income credit to individuals not authorized to be employed in the U.S. (Sec. 902) Modifies the definition of "disqualified income" to include capital gain net income for purposes of the denial of the earned income credit for individuals having excessive income. Title IX: Middle Class Bill of Rights - Middle Class Bill of Rights Tax Relief Act of 1996 - Subtitle A: Middle Class Tax Relief - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individuals a tax credit of $300 per eligible child under the age of 13 years. Increases such credit to $500 per eligible child after December 31, 1998. Reduces such credit for incomes of $60,000 or more. Provides an inflation adjustment for such amounts beginning in 1999. (Sec. 2) (sic) Allows individuals a tax deduction for the qualified higher education expenses of the taxpayer and the taxpayer's spouse and dependents. Limits such deduction to $10,000 ($5,000 for years 1996, 1997, and 1998). Reduces such limitation for modified adjusted gross incomes of $70,000 or more ($100,000 for a joint return). Allows such deduction in computing adjusted gross income. Subtitle B: Provisions Relating to Individual Retirement Plans - Increases the income limitations on retirement savings deductions and provides a cost-of-living adjustment after 1994 for such limitations. (Sec. 12) Provides a cost-of-living adjustment for deductible retirement amounts after 1995. (Sec. 13) Coordinates the limit on such deduction with the elective deferral limit under other pension provisions. (Sec. 21) Establishes special individual retirement accounts that are nondeductible. Makes such accounts nontaxable if earnings on contributions are held for at least five years. Applies the early withdrawal penalty to distributions made before the end of the five-year period. (Sec. 21) (sic) Allows distributions from certain retirement plans without penalty to purchase first homes, pay higher education expenses and financially devastating medical expenses (including qualified long-term care services), and assist certain unemployed individuals. (Sec. 22) Requires contributions to such plans to be held for at least five years prior to such distributions. Subtitle C: Increase in Deduction for Health Care Costs of Self-Employed Individuals - Increases the deduction for health insurance costs of self-employed individuals by specified applicable percentages for taxable years beginning in 1996. Title X (sic): Budget Enforcement - Specifies discretionary spending limits for new budget authority and outlays for FY 1996 through 2002. Limits the amount of funding available for the Internal Revenue Service compliance initiative in any fiscal year not to exceed $405 billion each for additional new budget authority and in outlays. (Sec. 10003) (sic) Continues the enforcement of the pay-as-you-go provisions. (Sec. 10004) Defines the term "fiscal dividend " to mean the amount by which the deficit target exceeds the actual deficit. Provides for the use of the fiscal dividend in the congressional budget process for the current fiscal year.
Bill· SS. 1527 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1996
Environmental Infrastructure Financing Act of 1995 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat qualified recycling facilities as solid waste disposal facilities for the purposes of allowing qualified recycling facilities to issue tax-exempt private activity bonds.
Bill· HRH.R. 2900 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1996
National Motor Vehicle Safety, Anti-Theft, Title Reform, and Consumer Protection Act of 1995 - Amends Federal transportation law to require States, in licensing a passenger motor vehicle whose ownership has been transferred, to disclose on the certificate of title whenever records indicate that such vehicle was previously issued a title that contained a word or symbol signifying that it was "salvage," "unrebuildable," "parts only," "scrap," "junk," "nonrepairable," "reconstructed," "rebuilt," or that it has been damaged by flood. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations requiring each State in licensing such vehicles to apply uniform standards, procedures, and methods for the issuance and control of motor vehicle titles and for information to be contained on such titles. Authorizes States to use Federal highway safety funds to defray the costs of establishing new procedures to comply with such requirements. Makes it unlawful for any person knowingly and willfully to: (1) make false statements on an application for a motor vehicle title; (2) fail to apply for a salvage title when such application is required; (3) alter, forge, or counterfeit a certificate of title, a nonrepairable vehicle certificate, a certificate verifying an anti-theft inspection or an anti-theft and safety inspection, or a required decal affixed to a passenger motor vehicle; (4) falsify the results of an inspection; (5) offer to sell any salvage vehicle or nonrepairable vehicle as a rebuilt salvage vehicle; or (6) conspire to commit any of the above acts. Sets forth civil and criminal penalties for violations of this Act. Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to prohibit customs officers from allowing the export of self-propelled vehicles from the United States by transport (current law permits the export of used self-propelled vehicles provided ownership information is given), unless the exporter presents proof of ownership to such officer. Sets forth a civil penalty for violations of this requirement.
Bill· HRH.R. 2899 (104th)open
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1996
National Center for Excellence in Research and Development Act of 1996 - Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of Energy for FY 1995 and beyond to maintain the operational readiness of the underground nuclear testing facilities and infrastructure of the Nevada Test Site. Establishes within the Department of Energy a national Test and Demonstration Center of Excellence at the Nevada Test Site, Nevada, to implement testing and demonstration activities related to: (1) certain alternative and renewable energy sources, including solar and geothermal energy, as well as natural gas, electricity, and hydrogen as components of a National Alternative-Fueled Vehicles Program; (2) certain changes in the U.S. military as a result of the end of the Cold War, including demilitarization and disarmament activities and the nonmilitary application of military technologies and resources; (3) stewardship of the Federal nuclear stockpile; (4) non-proliferation and counter-proliferation of nuclear weapons; and (5) development of certain environmental technologies, including technologies for remediation of toxic and hazardous chemicals, and activities pertaining to emergency response to hazardous and toxic accidents.
Bill· HRH.R. 2881 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1996
Small Community Air Service Act of 1996 - Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to permit a State to impose a community air service fee on passengers of domestic and foreign air carriers boarding aircraft at an airport in the State to finance any of its small community air service programs. Sets forth certain limits on imposition of such fees and general requirements for a small community air service program.
Bill· HRH.R. 2887 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 1996
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt from the tax relating to heavy trucks and trailers sold at retail, truck trailer and semitrailer bodies designed to: (1) perform off-highway tasks connected with the seasonal harvesting of agricultural commodities; and (2) transport the harvested commodities.
Bill· SS. 1524 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 1996
Airliner Cabin Air Quality Act of 1996 - Amends Federal transportation law to prohibit smoking on all scheduled airline flight segments (currently, just on certain airline flight segments) in interstate or intrastate air transportation. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to require all domestic and foreign air carriers to prohibit smoking on any scheduled airline flight within the United States or between a place in the United States and a place outside of it.
Bill· HRH.R. 2863 (104th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 January 1996
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Export and Investment Assistance Title II: Bilateral Economic Assistance Title III: Military Assistance Title IV: Multilateral Economic Assistance Title V: General Provisions Title VI: Middle East Peace Facilitation Act of 1995 Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1996 - Title I: Export and Investment Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for: (1) direct loans, loan guarantees, tied-aid grants, insurance, and administrative expenses under Export-Import Bank programs; (2) Overseas Private Investment Corporation direct and guaranteed loans and administrative expenses; and (3) the Trade and Development Agency. Title II: Bilateral Economic Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for the U.S. contribution to: (1) the Agency for International Development (AID) for child survival and disease programs, specified development assistance (including for the Inter-American Foundation and development assistance for Sub-Saharan Africa), specified projects aimed at reunification of Cyprus, democracy and humanitarian activities in Burma, private and voluntary cooperative development organizations obtaining less than 20 percent of their funding for international activities from sources other than the U.S. Government, international disaster relief, emergency humanitarian assistance to the former Yugoslavia,debt restructuring, direct loans and loan guarantees for micro and small enterprise development programs, administrative expenses of the worldwide housing guarantees program, the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund, operating expenses of AID and the AID Office of Inspector General, economic support fund (ESF) assistance, the International Fund for Ireland, economic assistance for Eastern Europe and the Baltic States, and assistance for the independent states of the former Soviet Union (including the establishment of a Trans-Caucasus Enterprise fund); (2) the Peace Corps (but with a prohibition on the use of such funds for abortions); (3) international narcotics control; (4) migration and refugee assistance, including refugee resettlement assistance; (5) the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund; (6) antiterrorism assistance; and (7) the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund. Bars the use of development assistance funds for: (1) abortions or involuntary sterilizations; and (2) U.S. private and voluntary organizations, except those which obtain less than 20 percent of annual funding for international activities from sources other than the U.S. Government. Permits humanitarian assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan, if the President determines that nongovernmental assistance is not adequate to address the suffering of refugees and internally displaced persons. Title III: Military Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for: (1) international military education and training, but bars such assistance to Zaire and Guatemala and allows funding to Indonesia only for expanded military education and training; (2) foreign military financing and direct loans; and (3) international peacekeeping operations. Prohibits foreign military financing for: (1) any non-NATO country participating in the Partnership for Peace Program except through the regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations; and (2) Zaire, Sudan, Peru, Liberia, and Guatemala. Prohibits such assistance to Colombia or Bolivia until the Secretary of State certifies that such funds will be used primarily for counternarcotics activities there. Title IV: Multilateral Economic Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for the U.S. contribution to the: (1) International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank); (2) International Development Association; (3) International Financial Corporation; (4)Inter-American Development Bank; (5) Enterprise for the Americas Multilateral Investment Fund; (6) Asian Development Bank; (7) Asian Development Fund; (8) European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; and (8) North American Development Bank. Makes appropriations for FY 1996 for international programs and organizations. Limits certain callable subscriptions. Sets certain restrictions on international organization funding, including prohibiting the use of funds made available to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for activities in China. Prohibits foreign assistance funds to the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) unless the President makes a certain certification to the Committees on Appropriations. Title V: General Provisions - Sets forth limits on the use of appropriations, including no more than: (1) 15 percent of such appropriations shall be obligated during the last month of availability; (2) $126,500 for official residence expenses of AID; (3) $5,000 for entertainment expenses of AID; (4) $95,000 for representation allowances for AID; (5) $2,000 for entertainment and representation allowances for the Inter-American Foundation; or (6) $4,000 for entertainment expenses for the Peace Corps. (Sec. 502) Prohibits the use of funds for: (1) bilateral funding of international financial institutions; (2) the export of nuclear equipment, fuel, or technology; (3) direct assistance or reparations to Cuba, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Iran, Serbia, Sudan, or Syria; (4) assistance to any country whose elected head of government is deposed by military coup; (5) certain transfers between appropriations accounts without consultation with Congress; (6) assistance to any country in default in excess of a year on payments on a U.S. loan (except for Nicaragua and narcotics-related assistance for Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru); and (7) assistance for certain commodities which are in surplus on world markets and could injure U.S. producers of a similar commodity, with specified exceptions. (Sec. 514) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. Executive Directors of specified international financial institutions to oppose any assistance for the production or extraction of any commodity or mineral for export if it is in surplus on world markets and such assistance will cause substantial injury to U.S. producers of a similar commodity. (Sec. 516) Prohibits the use of international organization funds for the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Libya, Iran, or certain Communist countries. (Sec. 517) Declares it is U.S. policy that funds allocated to Israel from the ESF shall not be less than the annual debt repayment from Israel to the United States. (Sec. 518) Prohibits the use of development assistance funds for abortions or involuntary sterilizations. (Sec. 519) Requires the President to report to the Committees on Appropriations on annual arms sales proposals covering major weapons under the Arms Export Control Act. (Sec. 520) Prohibits the use of funds for Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Indonesia, Liberia, Nicaragua, Peru, Russia, Sudan, or Zaire, except through the regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations. (Sec. 522) Makes funds available to AID for family planning, health, child survival, and AIDS research and control in developing countries. (Sec. 523) Bars funding for indirect assistance to Cuba, Iraq, Libya, Iran, Syria, North Korea, or China unless the President certifies that the withholding of such funds is contrary to the national interest. (Sec. 524) Amends the Arms Export Control Act to extend the President's waiver authority with respect to reciprocal leasing through FY 1996. (Sec. 525) Requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to notify the Committees on Appropriations before providing excess DOD articles to certain NATO and major non-NATO countries. (Sec. 527) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. Executive Director of each international financial institution, and the Administrator of the Agency for International Development to instruct the U.S. Executive Director of the International Fund for Agriculture Development, to oppose any bilateral assistance to any country that supports terrorism. (Sec. 528) Authorizes the commercial leasing of defense articles to Israel, Egypt, NATO, and major non-NATO allies if the President determines that there are compelling foreign policy or national security reasons. (Sec. 529) Prohibits the sale of Stinger missiles to any country bordering the Persian Gulf. (Sec. 530) Authorizes nongovernmental organizations which are grantees or contractors of AID to place funds made available to them under this Act in interest bearing accounts in order to enhance their participation in economic activities under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, including endowments and debt-for-development and debt-for- nature exchanges. (Sec. 531B) Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to make funds available for FY 1996 and FY 1997 for defense article stockpiles in the Republic of Korea and Thailand. (Sec. 532) Directs the Administrator of the AID to require foreign countries that receive foreign assistance which results in the generation of local currencies to deposit such currencies in a separate account to be used to finance foreign assistance activities. (Sec. 533) Prohibits payments to any international financial institution while the U.S. Executive Director to the institution is compensated at a rate in excess of that for a specified position under the Executive Schedule. (Sec. 534) Bars assistance to any country that is not in compliance with the United Nations sanctions against Iraq, Serbia, or Montenegro unless the President certifies to the Congress that such assistance: (1) is in the national interest; (2) will directly benefit the needy people in that country; or (3) will be humanitarian assistance for foreign nationals who have fled Iraq and Kuwait. Authorizes the President to prohibit the importation into the United States of any product of a foreign country that has not prohibited the importation of Iraq's, Serbia's, or Montenegro's products into its customs territory and the export of its products to such countries. (Sec. 535) Authorizes the drawdown of defense articles, services, and training to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos to assist in efforts to locate members of the armed forces and U.S. civilians who remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. (Sec. 537) Requires the Committees on Appropriations to be notified of each country that has been approved for cash flow financing for the procurement of defense articles in excess of $100 million. (Sec. 538) Declares that provisions under this or any other Act authorizing appropriations for foreign operations or export financing shall not be construed to prohibit activities authorized by the Peace Corps Act, the Inter-American Foundation Act, or the African Development Foundation Act. Directs an agency to report to the Committees on Appropriations whenever it is conducting or proposing activities in a country for which such assistance is prohibited. (Sec. 539) Prohibits the use of funds to provide: (1) any financial incentive to a business for purposes of inducing it to relocate outside the United States if it will reduce the number of employees in the United States; (2) assistance for developing in a foreign country an export processing zone or other designated area in which a country's tax, tariff, labor, environment, and safety laws do not apply to activities in the area, unless the President certifies that such assistance is not likely to cause a loss of U.S. jobs; or (3) assistance for any project that contributes to the violation of internationally recognized workers rights in such country. (Sec. 540) Authorizes the President, pursuant to a lifting of the United Nations arms embargo against Bosnia-Herzegovina, to transfer defense articles to such country's government without reimbursement if he certifies to the Congress that the transfer of such articles would assist that nation in self-defense and promote the security and stability of the region. (Sec. 541) Declares that funds appropriated under this Act for Haiti, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Cambodia, and for victims of war, displaced children, displaced Burmese, humanitarian assistance for Romania, and humanitarian assistance for the peoples of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Kosova, may be made available notwithstanding any other provision of law. Directs the President to terminate assistance to any country that the President determines is cooperating with the military activities of the Khmer Rouge. Authorizes the use of foreign assistance funds to support: (1) tropical forestry and energy programs aimed at reducing emissions of greenhouse gases; and (2) biodiversity conservation activities. Authorizes AID to employ personal services contractors to administer programs for the West Bank and Gaza. (Sec. 542) Expresses the sense of the Congress with respect to steps the President should take to encourage renunciation of the Arab boycott of Israel. (Sec. 543) Authorizes the use of ESF funds to strengthen the administration of justice in countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. (Sec. 544) Declares that restrictions on assistance to foreign countries contained in this Act or any other Act shall not be construed to restrict assistance in support of programs of nongovernmental organizations as long as it is in the national interest of the United States. (Sec. 546) Authorizes for FY 1996 the provision of nonlethal excess defense articles, without regard to certain restrictions, to countries for which U.S. foreign assistance has been requested and for which receipt of such articles was separately justified for the fiscal year. (Sec. 547) Prohibits the use of funds for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States that were not authorized before the enactment of this Act. (Sec. 548) Sets forth Buy American requirements. (Sec. 549) Prohibits the use of funds to pay any assessments, arrearages, or dues of any U.N. member. (Sec. 551) Prohibits the provision of funds to a private voluntary organization that fails to provide any document, file, or record necessary to the auditing requirements of AID. (Sec. 552) Prohibits the provision of funds to any foreign government that provides lethal military equipment to a country that the Secretary of State has determined has a terrorist government, unless the President determines that the furnishing of such assistance is in the national interest. (Sec. 553) Withholds assistance to a foreign country in an amount equal to 110 percent of the total unpaid parking fines and penalties owed by the country to the District of Columbia. (Sec. 554) Prohibits the obligation of any appropriations for the PLO for the West Bank and Gaza unless the President has exercised certain authorities to suspend prohibitions on assistance to the PLO. (Sec. 556) Permits the President to provide a specified amount of commodities and services to the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal if doing so will contribute to a resolution of charges regarding genocide or other violations of international law in the former Yugoslavia. (Sec. 557) Authorizes the use of funds made available to DOD for crating, packing, handling, and transportation of nonlethal excess defense articles transferred to countries eligible to participate in the Partnership for Peace and to receive assistance under the Program of Support for East European Democracy (SEED). (Sec. 558) Authorizes demining equipment used in support of the clearing of landmines for humanitarian purposes to be disposed of on a grant basis in foreign countries. (Sec. 559) Amends provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, with respect to nuclear non-proliferation conditions on assistance to Pakistan, to prohibit military assistance equipment or technology to be furnished to Pakistan unless there is certification that Pakistan does not possess a nuclear explosive device, except for any assistance or transfer provided for: (1) international narcotics control; (2) facilitating military-to-military contact, humanitarian, and civic projects; (3) peacekeeping and other multilateral operations, except for lethal military equipment provided on a lease or loan basis only; and (4) antiterrorism assistance or any provision of law available for antiterrorism assistance. Maintains restrictions on contracts for the delivery of F-16 aircraft to Pakistan. Allows military equipment, technology, and defense services, except for F-16 aircraft, to be transferred to Pakistan with respect to contracts entered into before October 1, 1990. (Sec. 560) Prohibits the obligation of appropriations to create in Jerusalem a new U.S. agency office for the purpose of conducting U.S. business with the Palestinian Authority over Gaza and Jericho (or any successor Palestinian governing entity) provided for in the Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles. (Sec. 561) Prohibits certain funds appropriated for Informational Program activities from being obligated to pay for: (1) alcoholic beverages; (2) food (other than food provided at a military installation) not provided in conjunction with Program trips where students do not stay at a military installation; or (3) entertainment expenses. (Sec. 562) Prohibits the use of funds for assistance in support of any country that restricts transport or delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance, except in the national security interest of the United States. (Sec. 563) Directs the President to withhold funds made available under this Act equal to the sum of assistance and credits, if any, provided by a foreign, country, or any entity in that country, in support of the completion of the Cuban nuclear facility at Juragua, near Cienfuegos, Cuba, with specified exceptions. (Sec. 564) Bars funding to Haiti if the Government of Haiti is controlled by a regime holding power through means other than the democratic elections to be held in 1995. (Sec. 566) Limits ESF assistance to Turkey. (Sec. 566A) Limits the use of funds for the North American Development Bank only for purposes set out in the binational agreement establishing the bank. (Sec. 567) Bars the use of funds for International Narcotics Control or Crop Substitution in Burma. (Sec. 568) Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to subscribe to an increase in the authorized capital stock of the Asian Development Bank (the fourth general capital increase). Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 569) Authorizes appropriations for the International Development Association (the tenth replenishment). (Sec. 570) Authorizes the President to reduce amounts owed to the United States by eligible countries as a result of: (1) housing guarantees made pursuant to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961; or (2) credits extended or guarantees issued under the Arms Export Control Act. Permits such authority only: (1) to implement multilateral official debt relief and referendum agreements known as the Paris Club Agreed Minutes; and (2) with respect to countries with heavy debt burdens that are eligible to borrow from the International Development Association, but not from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IDA-only countries). Prescribes additional conditions for the exercise of such authority. (Sec. 572) Authorizes the President to direct the drawdown for Jordan of defense articles and services from DOD, and military education and training up to a specified dollar amount provided certain conditions are met. (Sec. 576) Amends the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 to require an additional report be made in 1996 respecting conditions in Hong Kong of interest to the United States and directs that such report include detailed information on the status of, and other developments affecting, implementation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong, including the: (1) Basic Law and its consistency with the Joint Declaration; (2) openness and fairness of elections to the legislature; (3) openness and fairness of election of the chief executive and the executive's accountability to the legislature; (4) treatment of political parties; (5) independence of the judiciary and its ability to exercise the power of final judgement over Hong Kong; (6) Bill of Rights. (Sec. 579) Amends the Import-Export Bank Act of 1945 to extend funding for the Tied-Aid Credit Program through FY 1997. Authorizes appropriations to the Tied-Aid Credit Fund for FY 1996 and 1997. (Sec. 581) Amends the Eisenhower Exchange Fellowship Act of 1990 to extend the Au Pair Program. (Sec. 583) Bars assistance to Haiti until the President reports to the Congress that: (1) the Haitian Government is conducting thorough investigations of extrajudicial and political killings; and (2) the Government is cooperating with the United States authorities in the investigations of such killings. Excludes from the limitation provision of humanitarian or electoral assistance. Permits the President to waive the requirements of the limitation if he determines and certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the waiver is: (1) in the national interest; or (2) necessary to assure the safe and timely withdrawal of American forces from Haiti. (Sec. 584) Prescribes that funding for activities in the internationally-recognized borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina, other than refugee and disaster assistance and assistance for the restoration of infrastructure, including power grids, water supplies and natural gas, be limited only to activities in the territory of the Bosniac-Croat Federation. (Sec. 585) Amends the NATO Participation Act of 1994 to authorize the President to: (1) evaluate the degree to which any country emerging from communist domination which has expressed interest in joining NATO meets the specified criteria; and (2) to designate one or more of these countries as eligible to receive assistance under the program to facilitate an eligible country's transition to NATO membership. Permits the President at any time to designate other such European countries for assistance under the program and at the time of designation, to determine and report to the House Committees on International Relations and Appropriations and the Senate Committees on Foreign Relations and Appropriations that each country so designated meets the criteria. Title VI: Middle East Peace Facilitation Act of 1995 - Middle East Peace Facilitation Act of 1995 - Declares the sense of the Congress specifying additional steps the PLO must take to demonstrate an irrevocable denunciation of terrorism and ensure a peaceful settlement of the Middle East dispute. (Sec. 604) Authorizes the President to suspend specified provisions of law which prohibit the U.S. share of foreign and United Nations assistance to the PLO, the receipt or expenditure of PLO funds, and PLO membership in the International Monetary Fund, upon certification to specified congressional committees that: (1) such waiver is in the national interest; (2) the PLO continues to abide by commitments made in letters to Israel and the Foreign Minister of Norway and under the Declaration of Principles signed in September 1993; and (3) specified funds provided under this Act and other Acts have been used for the purposes for which they were intended. Makes such suspensions effective for up to six months.