datamatters24/research-document-archive huggingface dataset:
HR 2684 PP
ance Fund (38 U.S.C. 1923), and the United States Gov-
ernment Life Insurance Fund (38 U.S.C. 1955), reim-
burse the ‘‘General operating expenses’’ account for the
cost of administration of the insurance programs financed
through those accounts: Provided, That reimbursement
shall be made only from the surplus earnings accumulated
in an insurance program in fiscal year 2000, that are
available for dividends in that program after claims have
been paid and actuarially determined reserves have been
set aside: Provided further, That if the cost of administra-
tion of an insurance program exceeds the amount of sur-
plus earnings accumulated in that program, reimburse-
ment shall be made only to the extent of such surplus
earnings: Provided further, That the Secretary shall deter-
mine the cost of administration for fiscal year 2000, which
is properly allocable to the provision of each insurance pro-
gram and to the provision of any total disability income
insurance included in such insurance program.
SEC. 108. Beginning in fiscal year 2000 and there-
after, funds available in any Department of Veterans Af-
fairs appropriation or fund for salaries and expenses shall
also be available to reimburse the Office of Resolution
Management and the Office of Employment Discrimina-
tion Complaint Adjudication for all services provided by
such office at rates which will recover actual costs. Pay-
I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2769
To amend the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permit
individuals to continue health coverage of services while participating
in approved clinical studies.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 5, 1999
Mrs. LOWEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education
and the Workforce, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Re-
tirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 to permit individuals to continue
health coverage of services while participating in ap-
proved clinical studies.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Improved Patient Ac-
cess to Clinical Studies Act of 1999’’.
181
HR 3081 PCS
paragraph (C) as subparagraph (D) and by inserting after
subparagraph (B) the following new subparagraph:
‘‘(C) 
RENEWAL
COMMUNITIES
IN-
CLUDED.—Except as provided in subparagraph
(B), such term shall include a renewal commu-
nity (as defined in section 1400E) with respect
to expenditures paid or incurred after Decem-
ber 31, 2000.’’.
(b) EXTENSION OF TERMINATION DATE FOR RE-
NEWAL COMMUNITIES.—Subsection (h) of section 198 is
amended by inserting before the period ‘‘(December 31,
2007, in the case of a renewal community, as defined in
section 1400E).’’.
SEC. 404. EXTENSION OF WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT
FOR RENEWAL COMMUNITIES.
(a) EXTENSION.—Subsection (c) of section 51 (relat-
ing to termination) is amended by adding at the end the
following new paragraph:
‘‘(5) EXTENSION
OF
CREDIT
FOR
RENEWAL
COMMUNITIES.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In the case of an indi-
vidual who begins work for the employer after
the date contained in paragraph (4)(B), for
purposes of section 38—
182
HR 3081 PCS
‘‘(i) in lieu of applying subsection (a),
the amount of the work opportunity credit
determined under this section for the tax-
able year shall be equal to—
‘‘(I) 15 percent of the qualified
first-year wages for such year; and
‘‘(II) 30 percent of the qualified
second-year wages for such year;
‘‘(ii) subsection (b)(3) shall be applied
by substituting ‘$10,000’ for ‘$6,000’;
‘‘(iii) paragraph (4)(B) shall be ap-
plied by substituting for the date contained
therein the last day for which the designa-
tion under section 1400E of the renewal
community referred to in subparagraph
(B)(i) is in effect; and
‘‘(iv) rules similar to the rules of sec-
tion 51A(b)(5)(C) shall apply.
‘‘(B) QUALIFIED
FIRST- AND
SECOND-
YEAR WAGES.—For purposes of subparagraph
(A)—
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘quali-
fied wages’ means, with respect to each 1-
year period referred to in clause (ii) or
(iii), as the case may be, the wages paid or
HR 2684 RFS
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That the following sums are appropriated, out of any
money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the
Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban
Development, and for sundry independent agencies,
boards, commissions, corporations, and offices for the fis-
cal year ending September 30, 2000, and for other pur-
poses, namely:
TITLE I—DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION
COMPENSATION AND PENSIONS
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
For the payment of compensation benefits to or on
behalf of veterans and a pilot program for disability ex-
aminations as authorized by law (38 U.S.C. 107, chapters
11, 13, 18, 51, 53, 55, and 61); pension benefits to or
on behalf of veterans as authorized by law (38 U.S.C.
chapters 15, 51, 53, 55, and 61; 92 Stat. 2508); and bur-
ial benefits, emergency and other officers’ retirement pay,
adjusted-service credits and certificates, payment of pre-
miums due on commercial life insurance policies guaran-
teed under the provisions of Article IV of the Soldiers’
and Sailors’ Civil Relief Act of 1940, as amended, and
for other benefits as authorized by law (38 U.S.C. 107,
1312, 1977, and 2106, chapters 23, 51, 53, 55, and 61;
HR 2691 IH
the Administrator of the Health Care Financing
Administration may disclose to the appropriate
officials of a State responsible for administra-
tion of a State plan under title XIX of the So-
cial Security Act the name, address, and TIN
of the preliminary eligibility determination.
‘‘(C) SPECIAL RULES.—
‘‘(i) 
RESTRICTIONS
ON
DISCLO-
SURE.—Information 
may 
be 
disclosed
under this paragraph only for purposes of,
and to the extent necessary in, determining
the extent to which an individual bene-
ficiary is entitled to medical assistance
under a State plan under title XIX of the
Social Security Act for some or all medi-
care cost-sharing.
‘‘(ii) TIMELY
RESPONSES
TO
RE-
QUESTS.—Any request made under sub-
paragraph (A) shall be complied with as
soon as possible but in no event later than
60 days after the date the report was
made.’’.
HR 2691 IH
any instance in which the facility determines
that a skilled nursing facility worker has com-
mitted an act of resident neglect or abuse or
misappropriation of resident property in the
course of employment by the facility.
‘‘(D) USE OF INFORMATION.—
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—A skilled nursing
facility that obtains information about a
skilled nursing facility worker pursuant to
clauses (iii) and (iv) of subparagraph (A)
may use such information only for the pur-
pose of determining the suitability of the
worker for employment.
‘‘(ii) IMMUNITY FROM LIABILITY.—A
skilled nursing facility that, in denying em-
ployment for an applicant, reasonably re-
lies upon information about a skilled nurs-
ing facility worker provided by the State
pursuant to subsection (e)(6) or section
1128E shall not be liable in any action
brought by the worker based on the em-
ployment determination resulting from the
information.
‘‘(iii) CRIMINAL
PENALTY.—Whoever
knowingly violates the provisions of clause
‘‘(4) any amounts which may be appropriated
for the Fund, which are authorized to be appro-
priated in amounts not exceeding $50,000,000 in
each of fiscal years 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003,
which amounts shall be used only under section
1366 for mitigation activities for properties for
which repetitive flood insurance claim payments have
been made, such sums to remain available until ex-
pended.’’.
SEC. 4. CONSOLIDATION OF AUTHORIZATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The National Flood Insurance
Act of 1968 is amended as follows:
(1) BORROWING AUTHORITY.—In the first sen-
tence of section 1309(a) (42 U.S.C. 4016(a)), by
striking ‘‘through September’’ and all that follows
through ‘‘, and’’ and inserting the following:
‘‘through the date specified in section 1319, and’’.
(2) AUTHORITY
FOR
CONTRACTS.—In section
1319 (42 U.S.C. 4026), by striking ‘‘after’’ and all
that follows and inserting ‘‘after September 30,
2004.’’.
(3) EMERGENCY IMPLEMENTATION.—In section
1336(a) (42 U.S.C. 4056(a)), by striking ‘‘during
the period’’ and all that follows through ‘‘in accord-
manner which will ensure such an increase. Such
withdrawals shall be made in accordance with sec-
tion 41714 of title 49, United States Code, and
other applicable laws and regulations.
(d) LIMITATION ON SLOT WITHDRAWALS.—
(1) INITIAL AUCTION.—The Secretary may not
withdraw for redistribution under this Act more
than 10 percent of the total number of slots held at
a high-density airport by a dominant air carrier for
auction pursuant to section 3(a).
(2) SUBSEQUENT
AUCTIONS.—The Secretary
may not withdraw for redistribution under this Act
more than 5 percent of the total number of slots
held at a high-density airport by a dominant air car-
rier for auction pursuant to section 3(b).
(3) CALCULATION
OF
PERCENTAGE.—In cal-
culating under this subsection the total number of
slots held at a high-density airport by a dominant
air carrier, the Secretary shall not take into account
slots used by the carrier for direct flights between
the high-density airport and low-competition air-
ports.
(e) PROHIBITION
ON CERTAIN SLOT WITHDRAW-
ALS.—The Secretary may not withdraw for redistribution
190
HR 3081 PCS
Subtitle B—Timber Incentives
SEC. 411. TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF MAXIMUM AMOUNT
OF AMORTIZABLE REFORESTATION EXPENDI-
TURES.
(a) INCREASE IN DOLLAR LIMITATION.—Paragraph
(1) of section 194(b) (relating to amortization of reforest-
ation expenditures) is amended by striking ‘‘$10,000
($5,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$25,000 ($12,500’’.
(b) TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF INCREASED DOL-
LAR LIMITATION.—Subsection (b) of section 194(b) (re-
lating to amortization of reforestation expenditures) is
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph:
‘‘(5) SUSPENSION
OF
DOLLAR
LIMITATION.—
Paragraph (1) shall not apply to taxable years be-
ginning after December 31, 2000, and before Janu-
ary 1, 2004.
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Paragraph (1) of
section 48(b) is amended by striking ‘‘section 194(b)(1)’’
and inserting ‘‘section 194(b)(1) and without regard to
section 194(b)(5)’’.
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after
December 31, 2000.
121
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Fees authorized under this
section shall be available for obligation only to the
extent and in the amounts provided in advance in
appropriations Acts. Such fees are authorized to be
appropriated to remain available until expended sole-
ly for the review of device applications. Such fees
shall be credited to the appropriation account for
salaries and expenses of the Food and Drug Admin-
istration. Any amount of fees collected for a fiscal
year under this subsection that exceeds the amount
of fees made available in appropriations Acts for
such fiscal year may be credited to the appropriation
account for salaries and expenses of the Food and
Drug Administration. Excess fees may be retained
but are not available for obligation until appro-
priated. Such sums as may be necessary may be
transferred from the Food and Drug Administration
salaries and expenses appropriation account without
fiscal year limitation to such appropriation account
for salaries and expenses with such fiscal year limi-
tation.
‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—The fees authorized by this
section shall only be available to defray increases in
the costs of the resources allocated for the process
for the review of device applications (including in-
I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2685
To guarantee the right of all active duty military personnel, merchant
mariners, and their dependents to vote in Federal, State, and local elections.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 3, 1999
Mr. BONILLA (for himself and Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administra-
tion, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs, and the Ju-
diciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned
A BILL
To guarantee the right of all active duty military personnel,
merchant mariners, and their dependents to vote in Fed-
eral, State, and local elections.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Military Voting Rights
Act of 1999’’.
SEC. 2. GUARANTEE OF RESIDENCY.
Article VII of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief
Act of 1940 (50 U.S.C. App. 590 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
‘‘SEC. 704. (a) For purposes of voting for an office
of the United States or of a State, a person who is absent
from a State in compliance with military or naval orders
shall not, solely by reason of that absence—
‘‘(1) be deemed to have lost a residence or
domicile in that State;
‘‘(2) be deemed to have acquired a residence or
domicile in any other State; or
‘‘(3) be deemed to have become resident in or
a resident of any other State.
‘‘(b) In this section, the term ‘State’ includes a terri-
tory or possession of the United States, a political subdivi-
sion of a State, territory, or possession, and the District
of Columbia.’’.
SEC. 3. STATE RESPONSIBILITY TO GUARANTEE MILITARY
VOTING RIGHTS.
(a) REGISTRATION AND BALLOTING.—Section 102 of
the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act
(42 U.S.C. 1973ff–1) is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘(a) ELECTIONS FOR FEDERAL
OFFICES.—’’ before ‘‘Each State shall—’’; and
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
‘‘(b) ELECTIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL OFFICES.—
Each State shall—
‘‘(1) permit absent uniformed services voters to
use absentee registration procedures and to vote by
absentee ballot in general, special, primary, and run-
off elections for State and local offices; and
‘‘(2) accept and process, with respect to any
election described in paragraph (1), any otherwise
valid voter registration application from an absent
uniformed services voter if the application is received
by the appropriate State election official not less
than 30 days before the election.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The heading for
title I of such Act is amended by striking ‘‘FOR FED-
ERAL OFFICE’’.
Æ
a complaint described in such paragraph, if the Attorney
General has a reasonable basis for such initiation.
‘‘(6)(A) It is a violation of this subparagraph for an
employer who has filed a petition under subsection
(c)(10)(A) to intimidate, threaten, restrain, coerce, black-
list, discharge, or in any other manner discriminate
against an employee (which term, for purposes of this sub-
paragraph, includes a former employee and an applicant
for employment) because the employee has disclosed infor-
mation to the employer, or to any other person, that the
employee reasonably believes evidences a failure to meet
a condition specified in the petition or a misrepresentation
of material facts in the petition, or any rule or regulation
pertaining to such subsection, or because the employee co-
operates or seeks to cooperate in an investigation or other
proceeding concerning the employer’s compliance with the
requirements of such subsection or any rule or regulation
pertaining to such subsection.
‘‘(B) The Attorney General shall devise a process
under which a nonimmigrant described in section
101(a)(15)(T) who files a complaint regarding a violation
of subparagraph (A) and is otherwise eligible to remain
and work in the United States may be allowed to seek
other appropriate employment in the United States for a
(b) ASSISTANCE FROM THE OFFICE OF PERSONNEL
MANAGEMENT.—The Office of Personnel Management
shall, on request, assist any individual referred to in sub-
section (a) in obtaining from any department, agency, or
other instrumentality of the United States such informa-
tion possessed by such instrumentality as may be nec-
essary to verify the entitlement of such individual to have
any service credited under section 8332(o) of title 5,
United States Code (as amended by this Act) or to have
any amounts recomputed under section 2.
(c) ASSISTANCE FROM OTHER AGENCIES.—Any de-
partment, agency, or other instrumentality of the United
States which possesses any information with respect to
any service of an individual described in section 8332(o)
of title 5, United States Code (as amended by this Act)
shall—
(1) at the request of such individual (or an ap-
propriate survivor), furnish such information to that
individual (or survivor); and
(2) at the request of the Office of Personnel
Management, furnish such information to the Office.
Æ
I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2712
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase the percentage
of the national rate payable for inpatient hospitals services applicable
to hospitals located in Puerto Rico to 100 percent.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 4, 1999
Mr. ROMERO-BARCELO´ (for himself, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr.
YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. TOWNS, and Mr. MCCRERY) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase
the percentage of the national rate payable for inpatient
hospitals services applicable to hospitals located in Puer-
to Rico to 100 percent.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Medicare Puerto Rico
Hospital Payment Parity Act of 1999’’.
SEC. 2. INCREASE IN BASE PAYMENT AMOUNTS TO PUERTO
RICO HOSPITALS.
Section 1886(d)(9) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(9)) is amended—
(1) in subparagraph (A)(i), to read as follows:
‘‘(i) for discharges beginning on or after Octo-
ber 1, 2000, the Puerto Rico percentage (as defined
in subparagraph (E)) (and for discharges occurring
on or after October 1, 1997, and before October 1,
2000, 50 percent) of the Puerto Rico adjusted DRG
prospective payment rate (determined under sub-
paragraph (B) or (C)) for such discharges, and’’;
(2) in subparagraph (A)(ii) in the matter pre-
ceding subclause (I) to read as follows:
‘‘(ii) for discharges beginning in a fiscal year
beginning on or after October 1, 2000, the national
percentage (as defined in subparagraph (E)) (and
for discharges occurring on or after October 1,
1997, and before October 1, 2000, 50 percent) of
the discharge-weighted average of—’’; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph:
‘‘(E) For purposes of this subparagraph (A), for dis-
charges beginning—
not less than the level of the expenditures maintained by
the jurisdiction for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year
for which the funds are received.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—There is authorized to
be appropriated to carry out this Act $300,000 for each
of fiscal years 2000 through 2002, of which not less
than—
(1) $100,000 shall be used by the Board for
salaries and administrative expenses of experts in fi-
nancing and developing interstate compacts or
agreements; and
(2) $200,000 shall be used by the Board to
support a collaborative planning process, to dissemi-
nate information to the public, and to pay the sala-
ries and administrative expenses of public outreach
staff.
(b) INCENTIVE GRANTS.—There is authorized to be
appropriated $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002
through 2004 to provide up to 25 percent of the cost of
regional projects agreed to by the signatories under sec-
tion 5(d).
Æ
I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2689
To impose a one-year moratorium on promulgation of new rules by the
Health Care Financing Administration.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 3, 1999
Mr. NEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Commerce,
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
A BILL
To impose a one-year moratorium on promulgation of new
rules by the Health Care Financing Administration.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Halting HCFA Act
of 1999’’.
SEC. 2. ONE-YEAR MORATORIUM ON NEW HCFA RULES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Health
Care Financing Administration (directly or through the
Secretary of Health and Human Services) shall not pro-
mulgate any rules or regulations that impose new require-
ments under the Social Security Act (other than require-
ments explicitly imposed under such Act, such as updates
and adjustments to annual payment amounts) during the
one-year period beginning on the date of the enactment
of this Act, unless the Secretary finds that they are needed
to preserve health and safety of individuals in the United
States (such as in the case of lifesaving emergencies).
(b) HEARINGS.—During such one-year period, such
Administrator shall gather the new rules or regulations
that the Administrator would like to promulgate and dur-
ing the first six months of that period hold public hearings
in all regions throughout the United States regarding such
rules and regulations and the costs and benefits of promul-
gating them.
(c) REPORT.—After conducting such public hearings,
in the seventh month of such one-year period, the Admin-
istrator shall submit to Congress a report regarding such
proposed rules and regulations, including the costs and
benefits associated with them. In promulgating any rules
and regulations after the end of such one-year period, the
Administrator shall consider any comments submitted by
the Congress in response to such report.
Æ
I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2690
To prohibit States from imposing a family cap under the program of
temporary assistance to needy families.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 3, 1999
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself and Mr. PAYNE) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
A BILL
To prohibit States from imposing a family cap under the
program of temporary assistance to needy families.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON IMPOSITION OF A FAMILY
CAP UNDER THE TANF PROGRAM.
(a) PROHIBITION.—Section 408(a) of the Social Se-
curity Act (42 U.S.C. 608(a)) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
‘‘(12) BAN ON FAMILY CAP.—A State to which
a grant is made under section 403 may not, under
the State program funded under this part, deny as-
sistance to a family in respect of an individual be-
cause the individual was born after the family be-
came eligible for or began receiving assistance under
the program.’’.
(b) PENALTY.—Section 409(a) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 609(a)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(15) NO TANF FUNDS FOR PROGRAM WITH
FAMILY CAP.—Notwithstanding any other provision
of this part, a State that violates section 408(a)(12)
during a fiscal year shall remit to the Secretary all
funds paid to the State under this part for the fiscal
year, and no payment shall be made under this part
to a State that has in effect a program that would
be funded under this part but for a law, regulation,
or policy that is inconsistent with such section.’’.
Æ