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

That section 4 of 
Public Law 94-456 (43 U.S.C. 1611 note) is amended--
            (1) by striking out ``subsection (a)'' in subsection (c) 
        and inserting in lieu thereof ``subsections (a) and (d)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d)(1) In order to convey to the Village Corporations named in 
this subsection certain lands the Villages have selected under section 
12(a) of the Settlement Act, the Secretary shall convey all right, 
title, and interest of the United States in and to the surface estate 
of the lands described in paragraph (2) to the Village Corporations 
within Cook Inlet Region named in paragraph (2) in partial satisfaction 
of each Village Corporation's statutory entitlement under section 12(a) 
of the Settlement Act. Conveyances shall be made pursuant to sections 
12(a) and 14(f) of the Settlement Act. The conveyances described in 
paragraph (2) shall be made within 90 days after the date of enactment 
of this subsection.
    ``(2) The lands described in this paragraph are to be conveyed to 
Village Corporations as follows:
    To Chickaloon-Moose Creek Native Association, Inc.:

                        seward meridian, alaska

            Township 1 North, Range 20 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Sections 24, 25, and 36 (fractional).
    To Knikatnu, Inc.:

                        seward meridian, alaska

            Township 1 South, Range 20 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Section 1 (fractional).
            Township 3 South, Range 20 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Section 3 (fractional);
                    Sections 4 and 9.
            Township 1 North, Range 20 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Section 9 (fractional).
    To Ninilchik Native Association, Inc.:

                        seward meridian, alaska

            Township 1 South, Range 19 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Sections 29 and 32 (fractional).
            Township 2 South, Range 19 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Sections 6 and 18 (fractional).
            Township 2 South, Range 20 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Section 1 (fractional);
                    Sections 6 and 14;
                    Sections 23, 24, and 26 (fractional);
                    Sections 32 and 33;
                    Sections 34 and 35 (fractional).
            Township 3 South, Range 20 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Section 10 (fractional).
            Township 3 South, Range 21 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Sections 13 and 19 through 24, inclusive;
                    Section 25 (fractional);
                    Sections 32 and 34 (fractional).
            Township 1 North, Range 20 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Sections 6 through 8 (fractional), inclusive;
                    Section 16;
                    Sections 22 and 23 (fractional);
                    Section 26.
            Township 4 North, Range 19 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Sections 20 and 36.
    To Seldovia Native Association, Inc.:

                        seward meridian, alaska

            Township 2 South, Range 20 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Section 13 (fractional).
            Township 3 South, Range 20 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Sections 7 and 8;
                    Section 16 (fractional);
                    Sections 17 and 18;
                    Sections 19 and 20 (fractional).
    To Tyonek Native Corporation:

                        seward meridian, alaska

            Township 1 South, Range 20 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Section 2 (fractional);
                    Section 3.
            Township 2 South, Range 21 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Section 36.
            Township 2 South, Range 20 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Section 12 (fractional);
                    Section 31.
            Township 3 South, Range 20 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Sections 15, 21, and 30 (fractional).
            Township 3 South, Range 21 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Section 26;
                    Sections 27 and 28 (fractional);
                    Sections 29 through 31 (fractional), inclusive;
                    Sections 33, 35, and 36 (fractional).
            Township 1 North, Range 20 West (Unsurveyed)
                    Section 15 (fractional);
                    Section 35.
Aggregating approximately 29,900 acres, more or less.
    ``(3) No later than 180 days following the completion of the 
conveyances required by paragraph (1), Cook Inlet Region, Inc., shall 
convey to each of the Village Corporations referred to in paragraph (2) 
the surface estate in such lands described in Appendix A of that 
certain Agreement dated August 31, 1976, known as the Deficiency 
Agreement, as the Village Corporations have identified, and in the 
order they identified in their priority selection rounds, to satisfy 
each Village Corporation's section 12(a) entitlement under the 
Settlement Act.
    ``(4) If the Secretary does not convey the lands in paragraph (2) 
within 90 days of the date of the enactment of this subsection, then 
all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the 
surface estate of such lands shall nevertheless pass immediately to the 
Village Corporations named in paragraph (2).
    ``(5) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to increase or 
decrease the entitlement under the Settlement Act of any of the Village 
Corporations named in this subsection or of Cook Inlet Region, Inc.''.
Amends Federal law to provide for conveyance of certain Alaskan lands under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to:  (1) Chickaloon-Moose Creek Native Association, Inc.; (2) Knikatnu, Inc.; (3) Ninilchik Native Association, Inc.; (4) Seldovia Native Association, Inc.; and (5) Tyonek Native Corporation.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Pension Assistance and Counseling 
Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. PENSION COUNSELING PROGRAMS.

    Title VII of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3058 et 
seq.) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subtitle C as subtitle D;
            (2) by redesignating sections 761 through 764 as sections 
        791 through 794, respectively; and
            (3) by inserting after subtitle B the following:

                    ``Subtitle C--Pension Counseling

``SEC. 761. PENSION COUNSELING PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Pension and other retirement benefits.--The term 
        `pension and other retirement benefits' means private, civil 
        service, and other public pensions and retirement benefits, 
        including benefits provided under--
                    ``(A) the Social Security program carried out under 
                title II of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et 
                seq.);
                    ``(B) the railroad retirement program carried out 
                under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 (45 U.S.C. 
                231 et seq.);
                    ``(C) the government retirement benefits programs 
                carried out under--
                            ``(i) the Civil Service Retirement System 
                        set forth in subchapter III of chapter 83 of 
                        title 5, United States Code;
                            ``(ii) the Federal Employees Retirement 
                        System set forth in chapter 84 of title 5, 
                        United States Code;
                            ``(iii) title 10, United States Code; or
                            ``(iv) any other government retirement 
                        system, including any Government pension plan 
                        as such term is defined under section 9502 of 
                        title 31, United States Code; or
                    ``(D) the Employee Retirement Income Security Act 
                of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.).
            ``(2) Pension counseling program.--The term `pension 
        counseling program' means a program described in subsection 
        (c).
    ``(b) Establishment.--The Assistant Secretary shall establish and 
carry out pension counseling projects. In carrying out the projects, 
the Assistant Secretary shall award grants under subsection (c) and 
(d).
    ``(c) Pension Counseling Programs.--
            ``(1) Use of funds.--In carrying out the projects specified 
        in subsection (b), the Assistant Secretary shall award grants 
        to eligible entities to establish programs that create or 
        continue a sufficient number of pension assistance and 
        counseling projects to provide outreach, information, 
        counseling, referral, and other assistance regarding pension 
        and other retirement benefits, and rights related to such 
        benefits, to individuals throughout the United States.
            ``(2) Award of grants.--
                    ``(A) Type of entity.--The Assistant Secretary 
                shall award under this subsection--
                            ``(i) grants to State agencies or area 
                        agencies on aging; and
                            ``(ii) grants to nonprofit organizations 
                        with a proven record of providing--
                                    ``(I) services related to 
                                retirement of older individuals; or
                                    ``(II) specific pension counseling.
                    ``(B) Panel.--In awarding grants under this 
                subsection, the Assistant Secretary shall use a citizen 
                advisory panel that shall include representatives of 
                business, labor, national senior advocates, and 
                national pension rights advocates.
                    ``(C) Criteria.--In awarding grants under this 
                subsection, the Assistant Secretary, after consultation 
                with the panel, shall use as criteria--
                            ``(i) evidence of commitment of an agency 
                        or organization to carry out a proposed pension 
                        counseling program;
                            ``(ii) the ability of the agency or 
                        organization to perform effective outreach to 
                        affected populations, particularly populations 
                        identified as in need of special outreach;
                            ``(iii) reliable information that the 
                        population to be served by the agency or 
                        organization has a demonstrable need for the 
                        services proposed to be provided under the 
                        program; and
                            ``(iv) evidence of ability of the agency or 
                        organization to provide services under the 
                        program on a statewide or regional basis.
            ``(3) Application.--
                    ``(A) In general.--To be eligible to receive a 
                grant under this subsection, an entity shall submit an 
                application to the Assistant Secretary at such time, in 
                such manner, and containing such information as the 
                Assistant Secretary may require, including, at a 
                minimum--
                            ``(i) a plan for the establishment of a 
                        pension counseling program to serve a specific 
                        geographic area; and
                            ``(ii) an assurance that staff members 
                        (including volunteer staff members) have no 
                        conflict of interest in providing the services 
                        described in the plan.
                    ``(B) Plan.--The plan described in subparagraph (A) 
                shall provide for a program that--
                            ``(i) establishes or continues a State or 
                        area pension counseling service;
                            ``(ii) provides counseling (including 
                        direct counseling and assistance to individuals 
                        needing information) and information that may 
                        assist individuals in establishing rights to, 
                        obtaining, and filing claims or complaints 
                        related to, pension and other retirement 
                        benefits;
                            ``(iii) provides information on sources of 
                        pension and other retirement benefits, 
                        including the benefits under programs described 
                        in subsection (a)(1);
                            ``(iv) makes referrals to legal services 
                        and other advocacy programs;
                            ``(v) establishes a system of referral to 
                        Federal, State, and local departments or 
                        agencies related to pension and other 
                        retirement benefits;
                            ``(vi) provides a sufficient number of 
                        staff positions (including volunteer positions) 
                        to ensure information, counseling, referral, 
                        and assistance regarding pension and other 
                        retirement benefits;
                            ``(vii) provides training programs for 
                        staff members, including volunteer staff 
                        members of the programs described in subsection 
                        (a)(1);
                            ``(viii) makes recommendations to the 
                        Administration, the Department of Labor, and 
                        other Federal, State, and local agencies 
                        concerning issues for older individuals related 
                        to pension and other retirement benefits; and
                            ``(ix) establishes or continues to provide 
                        projects to provide outreach, information, 
                        counseling, referral, and other assistance 
                        regarding pension and other retirement 
                        benefits, with particular emphasis on outreach 
                        to women, minorities, and low-income retirees.
    ``(d) Training and Technical Assistance Program.--
            ``(1) Use of funds.--In carrying out the projects described 
        in subsection (b), the Assistant Secretary shall award a grant 
        to an eligible entity to establish a training and technical 
        assistance program to provide--
                    ``(A) information and technical assistance to the 
                staffs of entities operating pension counseling 
                programs; and
                    ``(B) assistance to the entities, including 
                assistance in designing program evaluation tools.
            ``(2) Eligible entity.--Entities eligible to receive grants 
        under this subsection include nonprofit private organizations 
        with records of providing national information, referral, and 
        advocacy in matters related to pension and other retirement 
        benefits.
            ``(3) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this subsection, an entity shall submit an application to the 
        Assistant Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
        containing such information as the Assistant Secretary may 
        require.
    ``(e) Pension Assistance Hotline and Interagency Coordination.--The 
Assistant Secretary shall enter into interagency agreements for the 
establishment and operation of, and dissemination of information about, 
a telephone hotline for individuals seeking outreach, information, 
counseling, referral, and assistance regarding pension and other 
retirement benefits, and rights related to such benefits. The Assistant 
Secretary shall also enter into agreements with the Secretary of Labor 
and with the heads of other Federal agencies that regulate the 
provision of pension and other retirement benefits, as the Assistant 
Secretary determines to be appropriate, in order to carry out this 
subsection and to develop a nationwide public-private pension 
assistance system.
    ``(f) Report to Congress.--
            ``(1) Preparation.--The Assistant Secretary shall prepare a 
        report that--
                    ``(A) summarizes the distribution of funds 
                authorized for grants under this section and the 
                expenditure of such funds;
                    ``(B) summarizes the scope and content of training 
                and assistance provided under a program carried out 
                under this section and the degree to which the training 
                and assistance can be replicated;
                    ``(C) outlines the problems that individuals 
                participating in programs funded under this section 
                encountered concerning rights related to pension and 
                other retirement benefits; and
                    ``(D) makes recommendations regarding the manner in 
                which services provided in programs funded under this 
                section can be incorporated into the ongoing programs 
                of State agencies, area agencies on aging, multipurpose 
                senior centers, and other similar entities.
            ``(2) Submission.--Not later than 30 months after the date 
        of enactment of this section, the Assistant Secretary shall 
        submit the report described in paragraph (1) to the Committee 
        on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives 
        and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of 
        the Senate.
    ``(g) Administrative Expenses.--Of the funds appropriated under 
subsection (h) to carry out this section for a fiscal year, not more 
than $100,000 may be used by the Administration for administrative 
expenses in carrying out this section.
    ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for each of fiscal years 2000 through 2003.''.

SEC. 3. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Repealer.--Section 429J of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 
U.S.C. 3035r) is repealed.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Subsection (b) of section 794 of the 
Older Americans Act of 1965 (as redesignated in section 2(2)) is 
amended by striking ``entities described in section 751(c)'' and 
inserting ``persons and entities described in section 793(b)''.
Specifies that such grants shall be awarded to: (1) State agencies or area agencies on aging; (2) nonprofit organizations with a proven record of providing services related to retirement of older individuals or specific pension counseling; and (3) an eligible entity to establish a training and technical assistance program to provide information and technical assistance to the staffs of entities operating pension counseling programs and assistance to such entities, including assistance in designing program evaluation tools. Makes nonprofit private organizations with records of providing national information, referral, and advocacy in matters related to pension and other retirement benefits eligible to receive training and technical assistance grants.
Requires the Assistant Secretary to enter into: (1) interagency agreements for the establishment and operation of, and dissemination of information about, a telephone hotline for individuals seeking outreach, information, counseling, referral, and assistance regarding pension and other retirement benefits, and rights related to such benefits; and (2) agreements with the Secretary of Labor and with the heads of other Federal agencies that regulate the provision of pension and other retirement benefits, as appropriate, in order to carry out this Act and to develop a nationwide public-private pension assistance system.
Authorizes appropriations.
Repeals provisions of the Act that establish pension rights demonstration projects.

SECTION 1. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR RURAL HEALTH RESEARCH, EDUCATION, 
              AND CLINICAL ACTIVITIES.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 73 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 7330B. Centers of excellence for rural health research, 
              education, and clinical activities
    ``(a) Establishment of Centers.--The Secretary, through the 
Director of the Office of Rural Health, shall establish and operate not 
less than one and not more than five centers of excellence for rural 
health research, education, and clinical activities, which shall--
            ``(1) conduct research on the provision of health services 
        in rural areas;
            ``(2) develop specific models to be used by the Department 
        in furnishing health services to veterans in rural areas;
            ``(3) provide education and training for health care 
        professionals of the Department on the furnishing of health 
        services to veterans in rural areas; and
            ``(4) develop and implement innovative clinical activities 
        and systems of care for the Department for the furnishing of 
        health services to veterans in rural areas.
    ``(b) Geographic Dispersion.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
centers established under this section are located at health care 
facilities that are geographically dispersed throughout the United 
States.
    ``(c) Selection Criteria.--The Secretary may not designate a health 
care facility as a location for a center under this section unless--
            ``(1) the peer review panel established under subsection 
        (d) determines that the proposal submitted by such facility 
        meets the highest competitive standards of scientific and 
        clinical merit; and
            ``(2) the Secretary determines that such facility has, or 
        may reasonably be anticipated to develop, the following:
                    ``(A) An arrangement with an accredited medical 
                school to provide residents with education and training 
                in health services for veterans in rural areas.
                    ``(B) The ability to attract the participation of 
                scientists who are capable of ingenuity and creativity 
                in health care research efforts.
                    ``(C) A policymaking advisory committee, composed 
                of appropriate health care and research representatives 
                of the facility and of the affiliated school or 
                schools, to advise the directors of such facility and 
                such center on policy matters pertaining to the 
                activities of such center during the period of the 
                operation of such center.
                    ``(D) The capability to conduct effectively 
                evaluations of the activities of such center.
    ``(d) Panel To Evaluate Proposals.--(1) The Director of the Office 
of Rural Health shall establish a panel--
                    ``(A) to evaluate the scientific and clinical merit 
                of proposals submitted to establish centers under this 
                section; and
                    ``(B) to provide advice to the Director regarding 
                the implementation of this section.
            ``(2) The panel shall review each proposal received from 
        the Secretary and shall submit its views on the relative 
        scientific and clinical merit of each such proposal to the 
        Secretary.
            ``(3) The panel established under paragraph (1) shall be 
        comprised of experts in the fields of public health research, 
        education, and clinical care.
            ``(4) Members of the panel shall serve as consultants to 
        the Department for a period not to exceed two years.
            ``(5) The panel shall not be subject to the Federal 
        Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).
    ``(e) Reports.--Not later than April 1 of each year, the Secretary 
shall submit to Congress a report on the centers established under this 
section. Such report shall include--
            ``(1) the results of research conducted under subsection 
        (a)(1);
            ``(2) an evaluation of models related to furnishing health 
        services to veterans in rural areas developed under subsection 
        (a)(2);
            ``(3) an evaluation of the education and training provided 
        under subsection (a)(3); and
            ``(4) an evaluation of clinical activities or systems of 
        care related to furnishing health services to veterans in rural 
        areas developed under subsection (a)(4).
    ``(f) Funding.--(1) There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Medical Care Account and the Medical and Prosthetics Research Account 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs such sums as may be necessary for 
the support of the research and education activities of the centers 
operated under this section.
            ``(2) There shall be allocated to the centers operated 
        under this section, from amounts authorized to be appropriated 
        to the Medical Care Account and the Medical and Prosthetics 
        Research Account by paragraph (1), such amounts as the Under 
        Secretary of health considers appropriate for such centers. 
        Such amounts shall be allocated through the Director of the 
        Office of Rural Health.
            ``(3) Activities of clinical and scientific investigation 
        at each center operated under this section--
                    ``(A) shall be eligible to compete for the award of 
                funding from funds appropriated for the Medical and 
                Prosthetics Research Account; and
                    ``(B) shall receive priority in the award of 
                funding from such account to the extent that funds are 
                awarded to projects for research in the care of rural 
                veterans.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 73 of such title is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 7330A the following new item:

``7330B. Centers of excellence for rural health research, education, 
                            and clinical activities.''.

Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish and operate at least one, and up to five, centers of excellence for rural health research, education, and clinical activities. Requires the submission of annual reports on those centers.