In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

Ex Input:
SECTION 1. AMENDMENT TO MAKE CHAPTER 12 OF TITLE 11, UNITED STATES 
              CODE, PERMANENT.

    (a) Reenactment.--Chapter 12 of title 11, United States Code, as 
reenacted by section 149 of division C of the Omnibus Consolidated and 
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999 (Public Law 105-277), 
and amended by this Act, is reenacted.
    (b) Effective Date.--Subsection (a) shall take effect on April 1, 
1999.
    (c) Conforming Amendment.--Section 302 of the Bankruptcy, Judges, 
United States Trustees, and Family Farmer Bankruptcy Act of 1986 (28 
U.S.C. 581 note) is amended by striking subsection (f).

SEC. 2. FAMILY FISHERMEN.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 101 of title 11, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by inserting after paragraph (7) the following:
            ``(7A) `commercial fishing operation' includes--
                    ``(A) the catching or harvesting of fish, shrimp, 
                lobsters, urchins, seaweed, shellfish, or other aquatic 
                species or products; and
                    ``(B) aquaculture activities consisting of raising 
                for market any species or product described in 
                subparagraph (A);'';
            ``(7B) `commercial fishing vessel' means a vessel used by a 
        fisherman to carry out a commercial fishing operation;'';
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (19) the following:
            ``(19A) `family fisherman' means--
                    ``(A) an individual or individual and spouse 
                engaged in a commercial fishing operation--
                            ``(i) whose aggregate debts do not exceed 
                        $1,500,000 and not less than 80 percent of 
                        whose aggregate noncontingent, liquidated debts 
                        (excluding a debt for the principal residence 
                        of such individual or such individual and 
                        spouse, unless such debt arises out of a 
                        commercial fishing operation), on the date the 
                        case is filed, arise out of a commercial 
                        fishing operation owned or operated by such 
                        individual or such individual and spouse; and
                            ``(ii) who receive from such commercial 
                        fishing operation more than 50 percent of such 
                        individual's or such individual's and spouse's 
                        gross income for the taxable year preceding the 
                        taxable year in which the case concerning such 
                        individual or such individual and spouse was 
                        filed; or
                    ``(B) a corporation or partnership--
                            ``(i) in which more than 50 percent of the 
                        outstanding stock or equity is held by--
                                    ``(I) 1 family that conducts the 
                                commercial fishing operation; or
                                    ``(II) 1 family and the relatives 
                                of the members of such family, and such 
                                family or such relatives conduct the 
                                commercial fishing operation; and
                            ``(ii)(I) more than 80 percent of the value 
                        of its assets consists of assets related to the 
                        commercial fishing operation;
                            ``(II) its aggregate debts do not exceed 
                        $1,500,000 and not less than 80 percent of its 
                        aggregate noncontingent, liquidated debts 
                        (excluding a debt for 1 dwelling which is owned 
                        by such corporation or partnership and which a 
                        shareholder or partner maintains as a principal 
                        residence, unless such debt arises out of a 
                        commercial fishing operation), on the date the 
                        case is filed, arise out of a commercial 
                        fishing operation owned or operated by such 
                        corporation or such partnership; and
                            ``(III) if such corporation issues stock, 
                        such stock is not publicly traded;''; and
            (3) by inserting after paragraph (19A) the following:
            ``(19B) `family fisherman with regular annual income' means 
        a family fisherman whose annual income is sufficiently stable 
        and regular to enable such family fisherman to make payments 
        under a plan under chapter 12 of this title;''.
    (b) Who May Be a Debtor.--Section 109(f) of title 11, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting ``or family fisherman'' after ``family 
farmer''.
    (c)  Chapter 12.--Chapter 12 of title 11, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in the chapter heading, by inserting ``OR FISHERMAN'' 
        after ``FAMILY FARMER'';
            (2) in section 1201, by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for purposes 
of this subsection, a guarantor of a claim of a creditor under this 
section shall be treated in the same manner as a creditor with respect 
to the operation of a stay under this section.
    ``(2) For purposes of a claim that arises from the ownership or 
operation of a commercial fishing operation, a co-maker of a loan made 
by a creditor under this section shall be treated in the same manner as 
a creditor with respect to the operation of a stay under this 
section.'';
            (3) in section 1203, by inserting ``or commercial fishing 
        operation'' after ``farm'';
            (4) in section 1206, by striking ``if the property is 
        farmland or farm equipment'' and inserting ``if the property is 
        farmland, farm equipment, or property of a commercial fishing 
        operation (including a commercial fishing vessel)''; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 1232. Additional provisions relating to family fishermen
    ``(a)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except as 
provided in subsection (c), with respect to any commercial fishing 
vessel of a family fisherman, the debts of that family fisherman shall 
be treated in the manner prescribed in paragraph (2).
    ``(2)(A) For purposes of this chapter, a claim for a lien described 
in subsection (b) for a commercial fishing vessel of a family fisherman 
that could, but for this subsection, be subject to a lien under 
otherwise applicable maritime law, shall be treated as an unsecured 
claim.
    ``(B) Subparagraph (A) applies to a claim for a lien resulting from 
a debt of a family fisherman incurred on or after the date of enactment 
of this chapter.
    ``(b) A lien described in this subsection is--
            ``(1) a maritime lien under subchapter III of chapter 313 
        of title 46, United States Code, without regard to whether that 
        lien is recorded under section 31343 of title 46, United States 
        Code; or
            ``(2) a lien under applicable State law (or the law of a 
        political subdivision thereof).
    ``(c) Subsection (a) shall not apply to--
            ``(1) a claim made by a member of a crew or a seaman 
        including a claim made for--
                    ``(A) wages, maintenance, or cure; or
                    ``(B) personal injury; or
            ``(2) a preferred ship mortgage that has been perfected 
        under subchapter II of chapter 313 of title 46, United States 
        Code.
    ``(d) For purposes of this chapter, a mortgage described in 
subsection (c)(2) shall be treated as a secured claim.''.
    (d) Clerical Amendments.--
            (1) Table of chapters.--In the table of chapters for title 
        11, United States Code, the item relating to chapter 12, is 
        amended to read as follows:

``12. Adjustments of Debts of a Family Farmer or Family         1201''.
                            Fisherman with Regular Annual 
                            Income.
            (2) Table of sections.--The table of sections for chapter 
        12 of title 11, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
        end the following new item:

``1232. Additional provisions relating to family fishermen.''.

Ex Output:
Amends the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999 to reenact permanently chapter 12 of the Federal Bankruptcy Code (Adjustments of Debts of a Family Farmer). 
Amends Federal bankruptcy provisions to include family fishermen as authorized debtors. 
Requires a guarantor of a claim of a creditor to be treated in the same manner as a creditor with respect to the operation of a stay under such provisions.  Treats, with respect to the ownership or operation of a commercial fishing operation, a co-maker of a loan made by a creditor in the same manner as a creditor with respect to such a stay. 
Includes a commercial fishing operation under provisions concerning debtor rights and powers. 
Treats a claim for a lien for a commercial fishing vessel of a family fisherman as an unsecured claim.  States that such treatment shall not apply to: (1) a claim made by a crewmember or seaman for wages or personal injury; or (2) a preferred ship mortgage that has been perfected under provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code.


Ex Input:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Immigration Services and 
Infrastructure Improvements Act of 2000''.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Applications for naturalization have increased 
        dramatically in recent years, outpacing the Immigration and 
        Naturalization Service's ability to process them.
            (2) The dramatic increase in applications for 
        naturalization and the inability of the Immigration and 
        Naturalization Service to deal with them adequately has 
        resulted in an unacceptably large backlog in naturalization 
        adjudications.
            (3) The processing times in the Immigration and 
        Naturalization Service's other immigration benefits have been 
        unacceptably long. Applicants for family- and employment-based 
        visas are waiting as long as 3 to 4 years to obtain a visa or 
        an adjustment to lawful permanent resident status.
            (4) In California, the delays in processing adjustment of 
        status applications have averaged 52 months. In Texas, the 
        delays have averaged 69 months. Residents of New York have had 
        to wait up to 28 months; in Florida, 26 months; in Illinois, 37 
        months; in Oregon, 31 months; and in Arizona, 49 months. Most 
        other States have experienced unacceptably long processing and 
        adjudication delays.
            (5) Applicants pay fees to have their applications 
        adjudicated in a timely manner. These fees have increased 
        dramatically in recent years without a commensurate increase in 
        the capability of that Immigration and Naturalization Service 
        to process and adjudicate these cases in an efficient manner.
            (6) Processing these applications in a timely fashion is 
        critical. Each 12-month delay in adjudicating an adjustment of 
        status application requires the alien to file applications to 
        extend employment authorization to work and advance parole 
        documents to travel.
            (7) The enormous delays in processing applications for 
        families and businesses have had a negative impact on the 
        reunification of spouses and minor children and the ability of 
        law-abiding and contributing members of our communities to 
        participate fully in the civic life of the United States.
            (8) United States employers have also experienced 
        debilitating delays in hiring employees who contribute to the 
        economic growth of the United States. These delays have forced 
        employers to send highly skilled and valued employees out of 
        the United States because their immigrant petitions were not 
        approved in a timely fashion. Such disruptions seriously 
        threaten the competitive edge of the United States in the 
        global marketplace.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to--
            (1) provide the Immigration and Naturalization Service with 
        the mechanisms it needs to eliminate the current backlog in the 
        processing of immigration benefit applications within 1 year 
        after enactment of this Act and to maintain the elimination of 
        the backlog in future years; and
            (2) provide for regular congressional oversight of the 
        performance of the Immigration and Naturalization Service in 
        eliminating the backlog and processing delays in immigration 
        benefits adjudications.
    (c) Policy.--It is the sense of Congress that the processing of an 
immigration benefit application should be completed not later than 180 
days after the initial filing of the application, except that a 
petition for a nonimmigrant visa under section 214(c) of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act should be processed not later than 30 
days after the filing of the petition.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Backlog.--The term ``backlog'' means, with respect to 
        an immigration benefit application, the period of time in 
        excess of 180 days that such application has been pending 
        before the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
            (2) Immigration benefit application.--The term 
        ``immigration benefit application'' means any application or 
        petition to confer, certify, change, adjust, or extend any 
        status granted under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

SEC. 4. IMMIGRATION SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT ACCOUNT.

    (a) Authority of the Attorney General.--The Attorney General shall 
take such measures as may be necessary to--
            (1) reduce the backlog in the processing of immigration 
        benefit applications, with the objective of the total 
        elimination of the backlog not later than one year after the 
        date of enactment of this Act;
            (2) make such other improvements in the processing of 
        immigration benefit applications as may be necessary to ensure 
        that a backlog does not develop after such date; and
            (3) make such improvements in infrastructure as may be 
        necessary to effectively provide immigration services.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Department of Justice from time to time such sums as may be 
        necessary for the Attorney General to carry out subsection (a).
            (2) Designation of account in treasury.--Amounts 
        appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1) may be referred to as 
        the ``Immigration Services and Infrastructure Improvements 
        Account''.
            (3) Availability of funds.--Amounts appropriated pursuant 
        to paragraph (1) are authorized to remain available until 
        expended.
            (4) Limitation on expenditures.--None of the funds 
        appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1) may be expended until 
        the report described in section 5(a) has been submitted to 
        Congress.

SEC. 5. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

    (a) Backlog Elimination Plan.--
            (1) Report required.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
        of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall submit a 
        report to the Committees on the Judiciary and Appropriations of 
        the Senate and the House of Representatives concerning--
                    (A) the backlogs in immigration benefit 
                applications in existence as of the date of enactment 
                of this Act; and
                    (B) the Attorney General's plan for eliminating 
                such backlogs.
            (2) Report elements.--The report shall include--
                    (A) an assessment of the data systems used in 
                adjudicating and reporting on the status of immigration 
                benefit applications, including--
                            (i) a description of the adequacy of 
                        existing computer hardware, computer software, 
                        and other mechanisms to comply with the 
                        adjudications and reporting requirements of 
                        this Act; and
                            (ii) a plan for implementing improvements 
                        to existing data systems to accomplish the 
                        purpose of this Act, as described in section 
                        2(b);
                    (B) a description of the quality controls to be put 
                into force to ensure timely, fair, accurate, and 
                complete processing and adjudication of such 
                applications;
                    (C) the elements specified in subsection (b)(2);
                    (D) an estimate of the amount of appropriated funds 
                that would be necessary in order to eliminate the 
                backlogs in each category of immigration benefit 
                applications described in subsection (b)(2); and
                    (E) a detailed plan on how the Attorney General 
                will use any funds in the Immigration Services and 
                Infrastructure Improvements Account to comply with the 
                purposes of this Act.
    (b) Annual Reports.--
            (1) In general.--Beginning 90 days after the end of the 
        first fiscal year for which any appropriation authorized by 
        section 4(b) is made, and 90 days after the end of each fiscal 
        year thereafter, the Attorney General shall submit a report to 
        the Committees on the Judiciary and Appropriations of the 
        Senate and the House of Representatives concerning the status 
        of--
                    (A) the Immigration Services and Infrastructure 
                Improvements Account including any unobligated balances 
                of appropriations in the Account; and
                    (B) the Attorney General's efforts to eliminate 
                backlogs in any immigration benefit application 
                described in paragraph (2).
            (2) Report elements.--The report shall include--
                    (A) State-by-State data on--
                            (i) the number of naturalization cases 
                        adjudicated in each quarter of each fiscal 
                        year;
                            (ii) the average processing time for 
                        naturalization applications;
                            (iii) the number of naturalization 
                        applications pending for up to 6 months, 12 
                        months, 18 months, 24 months, 36 months, and 48 
                        months or more;
                            (iv) estimated processing times 
                        adjudicating newly submitted naturalization 
                        applications;
                            (v) an analysis of the appropriate 
                        processing times for naturalization 
                        applications; and
                            (vi) the additional resources and process 
                        changes needed to eliminate the backlog for 
                        naturalization adjudications;
                    (B) the status of applications or, where 
                applicable, petitions described in subparagraph (C), by 
                Immigration and Naturalization Service district, 
                including--
                            (i) the number of cases adjudicated in each 
                        quarter of each fiscal year;
                            (ii) the average processing time for such 
                        applications or petitions;
                            (iii) the number of applications or 
                        petitions pending for up to 6 months, 12 
                        months, 18 months, 24 months, 36 months, and 48 
                        months or more;
                            (iv) the estimated processing times 
                        adjudicating newly submitted applications or 
                        petitions;
                            (v) an analysis of the appropriate 
                        processing times for applications or petitions; 
                        and
                            (vi) a description of the additional 
                        resources and process changes needed to 
                        eliminate the backlog for such processing and 
                        adjudications; and
                    (C) a status report on--
                            (i) applications for adjustments of status 
                        to that of an alien lawfully admitted for 
                        permanent residence;
                            (ii) petitions for nonimmigrant visas under 
                        section 214 of the Immigration and Nationality 
                        Act;
                            (iii) petitions filed under section 204 of 
                        such Act to classify aliens as immediate 
                        relatives or preference immigrants under 
                        section 203 of such Act;
                            (iv) applications for asylum under section 
                        208 of such Act;
                            (v) registrations for Temporary Protected 
                        Status under section 244 of such Act; and
                            (vi) a description of the additional 
                        resources and process changes needed to 
                        eliminate the backlog for such processing and 
                        adjudications.
            (3) Absence of appropriated funds.--In the event that no 
        funds are appropriated subject to section 4(b) in the fiscal 
        year in which this Act is enacted, the Attorney General shall 
        submit a report to Congress not later than 90 days after the 
        end of such fiscal year, and each fiscal year thereafter, 
        containing the elements described in paragraph (2).

Ex Output:
Authorizes appropriations which shall be designated in the Treasury as the Immigration Services and Infrastructure Improvements Account.
Directs the Attorney General to make specified backlog elimination reports.


Ex Input:
to repeal sections 2, 3, and 6 of 
        the Neutrality Act of 1939, and for other purposes (Public Law 
        77-294; 55 Stat. 764) repealed section 6 of the Neutrality Act 
        of 1939 (related to the arming of United States vessels) and 
        authorized the President during the national emergency to arm 
        or permit to arm any United States vessel.
            (4) On February 7, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 
        through Executive Order Number 9054, established the War 
        Shipping Administration that was charged with building or 
        purchasing, and operating the civilian shipping vessels needed 
        for the war effort.
            (5) During World War II, United States merchant mariners 
        transported goods and materials through ``contested waters'' to 
        the various combat theaters.
            (6) At the conclusion of World War II, United States 
        merchant mariners were responsible for transporting several 
        million members of the United States Armed Forces back to the 
        United States.
            (7) The GI Bill Improvement Act of 1977 (Public Law 95-202) 
        provided that the Secretary of Defense could determine that 
        service for the Armed Forces by organized groups of civilians, 
        or contractors, be considered ``active service'' for benefits 
        administered by the Veterans Administration.
            (8) Department of Defense Directive 1000.20 directed that 
        the determination be made by the Secretary of the Air Force, 
        and established the Civilian/Military Service Review Board and 
        Advisory Panel.
            (9) In 1987, three merchant mariners along with the AFL-CIO 
        sued Edward C. Aldridge, Secretary of the Air Force, 
        challenging the denial of their application for veterans 
        status. In Schumacher v. Aldridge (665 F. Supp. 41 (D.D.C. 
        1987)), the Court determined that Secretary Aldridge had failed 
        to ``articulate clear and intelligible criteria for the 
        administration'' of the application approval process.
            (10) During World War II, women were repeatedly denied 
        issuance of official documentation affirming their merchant 
        marine seamen status by the War Shipping Administration.
            (11) Coast Guard Information Sheet #77 (April 1992) 
        identifies the following acceptable forms of documentation for 
        eligibility meeting the requirements set forth in GI Bill 
        Improvement Act of 1977 (Public Law 95-202) and Veterans 
        Programs Enhancement Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-368):
                    (A) Certificate of shipping and discharge forms.
                    (B) Continuous discharge books (ship's deck or 
                engine logbooks).
                    (C) Company letters showing vessel names and dates 
                of voyages.
            (12) Coast Guard Commandant Order of 20 March, 1944, 
        relieved masters of tugs, towboats, and seagoing barges of the 
        responsibility of submitting reports of seamen shipped or 
        discharged on forms, meaning certificates of shipping and 
        discharge forms are not available to all eligible individuals 
        seeking to document their eligibility.
            (13) Coast Guard Information Sheet #77 (April 1992) states 
        that ``deck logs were traditionally considered to be the 
        property of the owners of the ships. After World War II, 
        however, the deck and engine logbooks of vessels operated by 
        the War Shipping Administration were turned over to that agency 
        by the ship owners, and were destroyed during the 1970s'', 
        meaning that continuous discharge books are not available to 
        all eligible individuals seeking to document their eligibility.
            (14) Coast Guard Information Sheet #77 (April 1992) states 
        ``some World War II period log books do not name ports visited 
        during the voyage due to wartime security restrictions'', 
        meaning that company letters showing vessel names and dates of 
        voyages are not available to all eligible individuals seeking 
        to document their eligibility.

SEC. 3. METHODS FOR VALIDATING CERTAIN SERVICE CONSIDERED TO BE ACTIVE 
              SERVICE BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--For the purposes of verifying that an individual 
performed service under honorable conditions that satisfies the 
requirements of a coastwise merchant seaman who is recognized pursuant 
to section 401 of the GI Bill Improvement Act of 1977 (Public Law 95-
202; 38 U.S.C. 106 note) as having performed active duty service for 
the purposes described in subsection (c)(1), the Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall accept the following:
            (1) In the case of an individual who served on a coastwise 
        merchant vessel seeking such recognition for whom no applicable 
        Coast Guard shipping or discharge form, ship logbook, merchant 
        mariner's document or Z-card, or other official employment 
        record is available, the Secretary shall provide such 
        recognition on the basis of applicable Social Security 
        Administration records submitted for or by the individual, 
        together with validated testimony given by the individual or 
        the primary next of kin of the individual that the individual 
        performed such service during the period beginning on December 
        7, 1941, and ending on December 31, 1946.
            (2) In the case of an individual who served on a coastwise 
        merchant vessel seeking such recognition for whom the 
        applicable Coast Guard shipping or discharge form, ship 
        logbook, merchant mariner's document or Z-card, or other 
        official employment record has been destroyed or otherwise 
        become unavailable by reason of any action committed by a 
        person responsible for the control and maintenance of such 
        form, logbook, or record, the Secretary shall accept other 
        official documentation demonstrating that the individual 
        performed such service during period beginning on December 7, 
        1941, and ending on December 31, 1946.
            (3) For the purpose of determining whether to recognize 
        service allegedly performed during the period beginning on 
        December 7, 1941, and ending on December 31, 1946, the 
        Secretary shall recognize masters of seagoing vessels or other 
        officers in command of similarly organized groups as agents of 
        the United States who were authorized to document any 
        individual for purposes of hiring the individual to perform 
        service in the merchant marine or discharging an individual 
        from such service.
    (b) Treatment of Other Documentation.--Other documentation accepted 
by the Secretary of Homeland Security pursuant to subsection (a)(2) 
shall satisfy all requirements for eligibility of service during the 
period beginning on December 7, 1941, and ending on December 31, 1946.
    (c) Benefits Allowed.--
            (1) Burial benefits eligibility.--Service of an individual 
        that is considered active duty pursuant to subsection (a) shall 
        be considered as active duty service with respect to providing 
        burial benefits under chapters 23 and 24 of title 38, United 
        States Code, to the individual.
            (2) Medals, ribbons, and decorations.--An individual whose 
        service is recognized as active duty pursuant to subsection (a) 
        may be awarded an appropriate medal, ribbon, or other military 
        decoration based on such service.
            (3) Status of veteran.--An individual whose service is 
        recognized as active duty pursuant to subsection (a) shall be 
        honored as a veteran but shall not be entitled by reason of 
        such recognized service to any benefit that is not described in 
        this subsection.
    (d) Determination of Coastwise Merchant Seaman.--The Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall verify that an individual performed service 
under honorable conditions that satisfies the requirements of a 
coastwise merchant seaman pursuant to this section without regard to 
the sex, age, or disability of the individual during the period in 
which the individual served as such a coastwise merchant seaman.
    (e) Definition of Primary Next of Kin.--In this section, the term 
``primary next of kin'' with respect to an individual seeking 
recognition for service under this section means the closest living 
relative of the individual who was alive during the period of such 
service.
    (f) Effective Date.--This Act shall take effect 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act.

Ex Output:

World War II Merchant Mariner Service Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to accept additional documentation for verifying that an individual performed honorable service as a coastwise merchant seaman during the period beginning on December 7, 1941, and ending on December 31, 1946, for purposes of eligibility for veterans' benefits under the GI Bill Improvement Act of 1977. Requires such documentation to include Social Security Administration (SSA) records and validated testimony in the case of the absence of Coast Guard shipping or discharge forms, ship logbooks, documents, or other official employment records. Requires the Secretary, when determining whether to recognize service allegedly performed during such period, to recognize masters of seagoing vessels or other command officers who were authorized to document an individual for purposes of hiring for or discharging from the merchant marine. Considers any service so recognized as active-duty service for purposes of veterans' burial benefits. Makes such veterans eligible for any appropriate military medals, ribbons, and decorations. Requires the Secretary to verify that an individual performed such service under honorable conditions without regard to their sex, age, or disability during the service period.