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

Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Small Business Fair Treatment Act of 
1995''.

SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
      TITLE I--REGULATORY SIMPLIFICATION AND VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE

Sec. 101. Definitions.
Sec. 102. Compliance guides.
Sec. 103. No action letter.
Sec. 104. Voluntary self-audits.
                   TITLE II--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Sec. 201. Performance measures.
Sec. 202. Grace period for correction of violations of Environmental 
                            Protection Agency regulations.
Sec. 203. Waiver of punitive fines for small entities.

      TITLE I--REGULATORY SIMPLIFICATION AND VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE

SEC. 101. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act, the following definitions shall apply:
            (1) Compliance guide.--The term ``compliance guide'' means 
        a publication made by a covered agency under section 102(a).
            (2) Covered agency.--The term ``covered agency'' means any 
        agency that, on the date of enactment of this Act, has 
        promulgated any rule for which a regulatory flexibility 
        analysis was required under section 605 of title 5, United 
        States Code, and any other agency that promulgates any such 
        rule, as of the date of enactment of this Act.
            (3) No action letter.--The term ``no action letter'' means 
        a written determination from a covered agency stating that, 
        based on a no action request submitted to the agency by a small 
        entity, the agency will not take enforcement action against the 
        small entity under the rules of the covered agency.
            (4) No action request.--The term ``no action request'' 
        means a written correspondence submitted by a small entity to a 
        covered agency--
                    (A) stating a set of facts; and
                    (B) requesting a determination by the agency of 
                whether the agency would take an enforcement action 
                against the small entity based on such facts and the 
                application of any rule of the agency.
            (5) Rule.--The term ``rule'' has the same meaning as in 
        section 601(2) of title 5, United States Code.
            (6) Small entity.--The term ``small entity'' has the same 
        meaning as in section 601(6) of title 5, United States Code.
            (7) Small business concern.--The term ``small business 
        concern'' has the same meaning as in section 3 of the Small 
        Business Act.
            (8) Voluntary self-audit.--The term ``voluntary self-
        audit'' means an audit, assessment, or review of any operation, 
        practice, or condition of a small entity that--
                    (A) is initiated by an officer, employee, or agent 
                of the small entity; and
                    (B) is not required by law.

SEC. 102. COMPLIANCE GUIDES.

    (a) Compliance Guide.--
            (1) Publication.--If a covered agency is required to 
        prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis for a rule or group 
        of related rules under section 603 of title 5, United States 
        Code, the agency shall publish a compliance guide for such rule 
        or group of related rules.
            (2) Requirements.--Each compliance guide published under 
        paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) contain a summary description of the rule or 
                group of related rules;
                    (B) contain a citation to the location of the 
                complete rule or group of related rules in the Federal 
                Register;
                    (C) provide notice to small entities of the 
                requirements under the rule or group of related rules 
                and explain the actions that a small entity is required 
                to take to comply with the rule or group of related 
                rules;
                    (D) be written in a manner to be understood by the 
                average owner or manager of a small entity; and
                    (E) be updated as required to reflect changes in 
                the rule.
    (b) Dissemination.--
            (1) In general.--Each covered agency shall establish a 
        system to ensure that compliance guides required under this 
        section are published, disseminated, and made easily available 
        to small entities.
            (2) Small business development centers.--In carrying out 
        this subsection, each covered agency shall provide sufficient 
        numbers of compliance guides to small business development 
        centers for distribution to small businesses concerns.
    (c) Limitation on Enforcement.--
            (1) In general.--No covered agency may bring an enforcement 
        action in any Federal court or in any Federal administrative 
        proceeding against a small entity to enforce a rule for which a 
        compliance guide is not published and disseminated by the 
        covered agency as required under this section.
            (2) Effective dates.--This subsection shall take effect--
                    (A) 1 year after the date of the enactment of this 
                Act with regard to a final regulation in effect on the 
                date of the enactment of this Act; and
                    (B) on the date of the enactment of this Act with 
                regard to a regulation that takes effect as a final 
                regulation after such date of enactment.

SEC. 103. NO ACTION LETTER.

    (a) Application.--This section applies to all covered agencies, 
except--
            (1) the Federal Trade Commission;
            (2) the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and
            (3) the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
    (b) Issuance of No Action Letter.--Not later than 90 days after the 
date on which a covered agency receives a no action request, the agency 
shall--
            (1) make a determination regarding whether to grant the no 
        action request, deny the no action request, or seek further 
        information regarding the no action request; and
            (2) if the agency makes a determination under paragraph (1) 
        to grant the no action request, issue a no action letter and 
        transmit the letter to the requesting small entity.
    (c) Reliance on No Action Letter or Compliance Guide.--In any 
enforcement action brought by a covered agency in any Federal court or 
Federal administrative proceeding against a small entity, the small 
entity shall have a complete defense to any allegation of noncompliance 
or violation of a rule if the small entity affirmatively pleads and 
proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the act or omission 
constituting the alleged noncompliance or violation was taken in good 
faith with and in reliance on--
            (1) a no action letter from that agency; or
            (2) a compliance guide of the applicable rule published by 
        the agency under section 102(a).

SEC. 104. VOLUNTARY SELF-AUDITS.

    (a) Procedures.--Each agency shall establish voluntary self-audit 
procedures for small entities regulated by the agency.
    (b) Inadmissibility of Evidence and Limitation on Discovery.--If 
action to address a violation is taken not later than 180 days after 
the date on which a voluntary self-audit is concluded, the evidence 
described in subsection (c)--
            (1) shall not be admissible, unless agreed to by the small 
        entity, in any enforcement action brought against a small 
        entity by a Federal agency in any Federal--
                    (A) court; or
                    (B) administrative proceeding; and
            (2) may not be the subject of discovery in any enforcement 
        action brought against a small entity by a Federal agency in 
        any Federal--
                    (A) court; or
                    (B) administrative proceeding.
    (c) Application.--For purposes of subsection (b), the evidence 
described in this subsection is--
            (1) a voluntary self-audit made in good faith; and
            (2) any report, finding, opinion, or any other oral or 
        written communication made in good faith relating to such 
        voluntary self-audit.
    (d) Exceptions.--Subsection (b) shall not apply if--
            (1) the act or omission that forms the basis of the 
        enforcement action is a violation of criminal law; or
            (2) the voluntary self-audit or the report, finding, 
        opinion, or other oral or written communication was prepared 
        for the purpose of avoiding disclosure of information required 
        for an investigative, administrative, or judicial proceeding 
        that, at the time of preparation, was imminent or in progress.

                   TITLE II--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. 201. PERFORMANCE MEASURES.

    No covered agency shall establish or enforce agency personnel 
practices that reward agency employees, directly or indirectly, based 
on the number of contacts made with small entities in pursuit of 
enforcement actions or on the amount of fines levied against small 
entities to enforce agency regulations.

SEC. 202. GRACE PERIOD FOR CORRECTION OF VIOLATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL 
              PROTECTION AGENCY REGULATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), for violations of 
regulations identified on or after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall afford 
small entities 180 days after the date on which the violation is 
identified to correct such violation.
    (b) Exception.--Subsection (a) shall not apply--
            (1) if the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
        Agency determines that there is an imminent risk to public 
        health or worker safety; or
            (2) to a violation of a regulation for which criminal 
        liability may be imposed.

SEC. 203. WAIVER OF PUNITIVE FINES FOR SMALL ENTITIES.

    Notwithstanding any other law, policy, or practice, a covered 
agency may waive all or part of a punitive fine that would otherwise be 
imposed on a small entity if--
            (1) the fine is for a first time violation of a law or 
        regulation; and
            (2) the small entity acts quickly and in good faith to 
        correct the violation.

A: TABLE OF CONTENTS: 
     Title I:  Regulatory Simplification and Voluntary Compliance 
     Title II:  Miscellaneous Provisions 
Small Business Fair Treatment Act of 1995 - 
Title I:  Regulatory Simplification and Voluntary Compliance
 - Directs a Federal regulatory agency that is required to prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis for a rule or group of related rules to publish a compliance guide which:  (1) contains a summary of the rules and a citation as to their location; (2) provides a notice to small businesses (small entities) of such rules as well as an understandable explanation of actions necessary for compliance; and (3) is updated as required. Requires such guide to be disseminated to small entities, as well as to small business development centers.  Prohibits any covered agency from bringing an action against a small entity to enforce a rule for which such a guide has not been published and disseminated. 
(Sec. 103) Requires covered agencies other than the Federal Trade Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission to determine within 90 days whether to grant or deny a request by a small entity that no action be taken against such entity with respect to the enforcement of a rule (no action request).  Allows a small entity to rely on a no action response from a covered agency in any subsequent action brought against the small entity for a rule's enforcement. 
(Sec. 104) Requires each covered agency to establish voluntary self-audit procedures for small entities regulated by the agency. Makes inadmissible as evidence in an action, as well as outside the bounds of discovery, any information compiled by a small entity in a voluntary self-audit, as long as an action to address such violation is brought within 180 days after the conclusion of the self-audit. 
Title II:  Miscellaneous Provisions
 - Prohibits any covered agency from establishing personnel practices that reward its employees based on the number of contacts made with small entities in pursuit of enforcement actions or the levy of fines to enforce agency regulations. 
(Sec. 202) Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to afford small entities a 180-day grace period for the correction of EPA violations, with exceptions. 
(Sec. 203) Authorizes a covered agency to waive all or part of any punitive fine that would otherwise be imposed on a small entity:  (1) for a first time violation; and (2) if the small entity acts quickly and in good faith to correct the violation.
****
Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Child Support Enforcement 
Improvements Act of 1993''.

SEC. 2. NONLIABILITY FOR DEPOSITORY INSTITUTIONS PROVIDING FINANCIAL 
              RECORDS TO STATE CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN 
              CHILD SUPPORT CASES.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal or 
State law, a depository institution shall not be liable under any 
Federal or State law to any person for disclosing any financial record 
of an individual to a State child support enforcement agency attempting 
to establish, modify, or enforce a child support obligation of such 
individual.
    (b) Prohibition of Disclosure of Financial Record Obtained by State 
Child Support Enforcement Agency.--A State child support enforcement 
agency which obtains a financial record of an individual from a 
financial institution pursuant to subsection (a) may disclose such 
financial record only for the purpose of, and to the extent necessary 
in, establishing, modifying, or enforcing a child support obligation of 
such individual.
    (c) Civil Damages for Unauthorized Disclosure.--
            (1) Disclosure by state officer or employee.--If any 
        officer or employee of a State knowingly, or by reason of 
        negligence, discloses a financial record of an individual in 
        violation of subsection (b), such individual may bring a civil 
        action for damages against such State in a district court of 
        the United States.
            (2) No liability for good faith but erroneous 
        interpretation.--No liability shall arise under this subsection 
        with respect to any disclosure which results from a good faith, 
        but erroneous, interpretation of subsection (b).
            (3) Damages.--In any action brought under paragraph (1), 
        upon a finding of liability on the part of the defendant, the 
        defendant shall be liable to the plaintiff in an amount equal 
        to the sum of--
                    (A) the greater of--
                            (i) $1,000 for each act of unauthorized 
                        disclosure of a financial record with respect 
                        to which such defendant is found liable; or
                            (ii) the sum of--
                                    (I) the actual damages sustained by 
                                the plaintiff as a result of such 
                                unauthorized disclosure; plus
                                    (II) in the case of a willful 
                                disclosure or a disclosure which is the 
                                result of gross negligence, punitive 
                                damages; plus
                    (B) the costs of the action.
    (d) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            (1) The term ``depository institution'' means--
                    (A) a depository institution, as defined by section 
                3(c) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act;
                    (B) an institution-affiliated party, as defined by 
                section 3(u) of such Act; and
                    (C) any Federal credit union or State credit union, 
                as defined by section 101 of the Federal Credit Union 
                Act, including an institution-affiliated party of such 
                a credit union, as defined by section 206(r) of such 
                Act.
            (2) The term ``financial record'' has the meaning given 
        such term by section 1101 of the Right to Financial Privacy Act 
        of 1978.
            (3) The term ``State child support enforcement agency'' 
        means a State agency which administers a State program for 
        establishing and enforcing child support obligations.

SEC. 3. ACCESS TO AND USE OF CONSUMER REPORTS BY STATE CHILD SUPPORT 
              ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN CHILD SUPPORT CASES.

    (a) In General.--Section 604 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 
U.S.C. 1681b) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) To a State child support enforcement agency that is 
        seeking to establish, modify, or enforce a child support 
        obligation against the consumer, if--
                    ``(A) the paternity of the consumer for the child 
                to which the obligation relates has been established or 
                acknowledged by the consumer in accordance with State 
                laws under which the obligation arises (if required by 
                those laws); and
                    ``(B) the State child support enforcement agency--
                            ``(i) before obtaining the consumer report, 
                        provides written notice to the consumer that 
                        the State agency intends to obtain a consumer 
                        report on the consumer; and
                            ``(ii) certifies to the consumer reporting 
                        agency that--
                                    ``(I) the requirement in 
                                subparagraph (A) has been fulfilled (if 
                                applicable); and
                                    ``(II) the notice required by 
                                clause (i) has been provided.''.
    (b) State Child Support Enforcement Agency Defined.--Section 603 of 
such Act (15 U.S.C. 1681a) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subsection:
    ``(j) The term `State child support enforcement agency' means a 
State agency which administers a State program for establishing and 
enforcing child support obligations.''.

SEC. 4. HEALTH CARE SUPPORT.

    (a) Inclusion in Child Support Orders.--
            (1) In general.--Section 466(a) of the Social Security Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 666(a)) is amended by inserting after paragraph (10) 
        the following:
            ``(11) Not later than the beginning of the 9th calendar 
        month that begins after the date the Secretary prescribes final 
        regulations as provided for in section 467(d)(2):
                    ``(A) Procedures which require any child support 
                order, issued or modified by a court or administrative 
                agency of the State on or after the effective date of 
                guidelines established by the State under section 
                467(d), to provide for coverage of the health care 
                costs of the child in accordance with such guidelines.
                    ``(B) Procedures which require the expedited 
                consideration and disposition of any allegation of 
                noncompliance with an obligation to cover the health 
                care costs of a child imposed under a child support 
                order issued or modified in the State.''.
            (2) State guidelines.--Section 467 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
        667) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d)(1) Not later than the beginning of the 9th calendar month 
that begins after the date the Secretary prescribes final regulations 
in accordance with paragraph (2), each State, as a condition for having 
its State plan approved under this part, must establish guidelines for 
the coverage of the health care costs of children pursuant to child 
support orders issued or modified in the State, which guidelines shall 
create a streamlined process that meets the minimum standards 
established by the Secretary in such regulations.
    ``(2)(A) The Secretary shall promulgate regulations which set forth 
minimum standards that any set of guidelines established pursuant to 
paragraph (1) must meet in providing for the coverage of the health 
care costs of children pursuant to child support orders issued or 
modified in the State, including--
            ``(i) the contents of such an order with respect to the 
        coverage of such costs;
            ``(ii) the distribution of responsibility for such costs;
            ``(iii) to the extent that such costs are to be covered 
        through health insurance--
                    ``(I) the provision of such insurance;
                    ``(II) the payment of insurance claims; and
                    ``(III) the rights of the noncustodial parent and 
                the custodial parent to insurance information;
            ``(iv) the circumstances under which a provider of health 
        insurance may or may not deny coverage to a child who is the 
        subject of such an order;
            ``(v) penalties to be imposed on providers of health 
        insurance who fail to comply with the guidelines; and
            ``(vi) how changes in the circumstances of the noncustodial 
        parent and the custodial parent are to be taken into account 
        with respect to the coverage of such costs.
    ``(B) In developing such standards, the Secretary shall ensure 
that, in establishing guidelines pursuant to paragraph (1), the State 
considers the following matters in the following order of importance:
            ``(i) The best interests of the child.
            ``(ii) The financial and other circumstances of the parents 
        of the child.
            ``(iii) Cost-effectiveness.
    ``(3) The preceding subsections of this section shall apply in like 
manner to the guidelines established pursuant to this subsection.''.
            (3) Regulations.--
                    (A) Proposed regulations.--Within 9 months after 
                the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
                Health and Human Services shall issue proposed 
                regulations to implement the amendments made by this 
                subsection.
                    (B) Final regulations.--Within 14 months after the 
                date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
                Health and Human Services shall issue final regulations 
                to implement the amendments made by this subsection.
    (b) Inclusion in Incentive Payments Program of Dependent Health 
Insurance Provided Due to Successful Enforcement.--
            (1) In general.--Section 458(b) of the Social Security Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 658(b)) is amended by adding at the end the 
        following:
    ``(5)(A) For purposes of this section, the successful enforcement 
by the State of a provision of a support order requiring an absent 
parent to obtain health insurance for 1 or more children shall be 
considered the collection of support from the absent parent, without 
regard to the means by which such support is provided.
    ``(B) The amount of support collected in any case in which the 
State successfully enforces a provision of a support order requiring an 
absent parent to obtain health insurance for 1 or more children shall 
be the savings to the State from the provision of such health insurance 
to such children, as determined in accordance with a health insurance 
savings methodology adopted by the State in accordance with regulations 
prescribed by the Secretary.''.
            (2) Regulations.--Within 6 months after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human 
        Services shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary 
        to implement the amendment made by paragraph (1).
            (3) Study; report.--
                    (A) Study.--The Secretary of Health and Human 
                Services shall conduct a study to determine the 
                incentives that should be provided to encourage States 
                to enforce obligations of noncustodial parents to pay 
                (and obtain medical insurance coverage with respect to) 
                the reasonable and necessary health and dental expenses 
                of the children to whom the noncustodial parents owe 
                such obligations.
                    (B) Report.--Not later than 12 months after the 
                date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
                Health and Human Services shall submit to the Committee 
                on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and 
                the Committee on Finance of the Senate the results of 
                the study required by subparagraph (A).

SEC. 5. ANNUAL REPORTS ON STATE COMPLIANCE WITH TIME LIMITS WITHIN 
              WHICH STATE MUST PROVIDE CERTAIN CHILD SUPPORT 
              ASSISTANCE.

    Section 452(a)(10) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
652(a)(10)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (H), by striking ``and'';
            (2) in subparagraph (I), by striking the period and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (I) the following:
                    ``(J) compliance, by State, with the standards 
                established pursuant to subsections (h) and (i).''.

SEC. 6. WAGES WITHHELD BY EMPLOYERS TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT OBLIGATIONS 
              REQUIRED TO BE PAID TO STATE WITHIN 10 DAYS; LATE PAYMENT 
              PENALTY IMPOSED ON EMPLOYERS.

    (a) In General.--Section 466(b)(6)(A) of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 666(b)(6)(A)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (i), by inserting ``within 10 days after the 
        payment of such wages'' before ``to the appropriate agency''; 
        and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(iii) The State must require any employer who fails to 
        make any payment required in accordance with clause (i) within 
        the 10-day period described therein to pay the State a $1,000 
        penalty. The State must expend all penalties collected in 
        accordance with this clause for the operation of the State plan 
        approved under section 454, not later than the end of the 
        calendar quarter following the calendar quarter in which 
        collected.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2) of 
        this subsection, the amendments made by subsection (a) of this 
        section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this 
        Act and apply to wages paid on or after such date and payments 
        under part D of title IV of the Social Security Act for 
        calendar quarters beginning on or after such date.
            (2) Delay permitted if state legislation required.--In the 
        case of a State plan approved under section 454 of the Social 
        Security Act which the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
        determines requires State legislation (other than legislation 
        appropriating funds) in order for the plan to meet the 
        additional requirements imposed by the amendments made by 
        subsection (a) of this section, the State plan shall not be 
        regarded as failing to comply with the requirements of such 
        section 454 solely on the basis of the failure of the plan to 
        meet such additional requirements before the 1st day of the 1st 
        calendar quarter beginning after the close of the 1st regular 
        session of the State legislature that begins after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act. For purposes of the previous 
        sentence, in the case of a State that has a 2-year legislative 
        session, each year of such session shall be deemed to be a 
        separate regular session of the State legislature.

SEC. 7. NATIONAL PARENT LOCATOR NETWORK.

    Section 453 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 653) is amended 
by adding at the end the following:
    ``(g) The Secretary shall expand the Parent Locator Service to 
establish a national network based on the comprehensive statewide child 
support enforcement systems developed by the States, to--
            ``(1) allow each State to--
                    ``(A) locate any absent parent who owes child 
                support, for whom a child support obligation is being 
                established, or for whom an order for visitation is 
                being enforced, by--
                            ``(i) accessing the records of other State 
                        agencies and sources of locate information 
                        directly from one computer system to another; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) accessing Federal sources of locate 
                        information in the same fashion;
                    ``(B) access the files of other States to determine 
                whether there are other child support orders involving 
                the same absent parent, and obtain the details of any 
                such order;
                    ``(C) provide for both on-line and batch processing 
                of locate requests, with on-line access restricted to 
                cases in which the information is needed immediately 
                (for such reasons as court appearances) and batch 
                processing used to `troll' data bases to locate 
                individuals or update information periodically; and
                    ``(D) direct locate requests to individual States 
                or Federal agencies, broadcast requests to selected 
                States, or broadcast cases to all States when there is 
                no indication of the source of needed information;
            ``(2) provide for a maximum of 48-hour turnaround time for 
        information to be broadcast and returned to a requesting State; 
        and
            ``(3) provide ready access to courts of the information on 
        the network by location of a computer terminal in each 
        court.''.

                                 

HR 2396 IH----2

A: Child Support Enforcement Improvements Act of 1993 - Makes depository institutions not liable under any Federal or State law to any person for disclosing any financial record of an individual to a State child support enforcement agency attempting to establish, modify, or enforce a child support obligation of such individual.  Prohibits such an agency from disclosing such a record for any other purpose and provides for civil damages for unauthorized disclosures. 
Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to permit credit reporting agencies to grant access to certain consumer reports to a State child support enforcement agency that is seeking to establish, modify, or enforce a child support obligation against the consumer. 
Amends part D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity) of title IV of the Social Security Act to:  (1) require State laws to provide for the use of procedures requiring child support orders to provide for coverage of the health care costs of the child in accordance with State guidelines; (2) include under the incentive payments program any dependent medical insurance coverage which is provided due to the successful application of such procedures; (3) direct HHS' Office of Child Support Enforcement to report to the Congress annually on State compliance with specified standards establishing time limits for State response to certain child support assistance requests; (4) require States to assess a penalty against any employer who fails to make timely payment of withheld wages to pay child support obligations of an employee; and (5) direct the Office to develop a national parent locator network which would build on comprehensive statewide child support enforcement systems to allow States to carry out specified parent locator activities. 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to study and report to specified congressional committees on how the successful efforts of States in enforcing obligations of absent parents to pay (and obtain medical insurance coverage with respect to) the health and dental expenses of their children should be rewarded through an incentive payments program.
****
Q: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Advanced Manufacturing Fellowship 
Act of 1998''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF ADVANCED MANUFACTURING FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

      Title IX of the Higher Education Act of 1965 is amended by adding 
after part G (20 U.S.C. 1134u et seq.) the following new part:

          ``PART H--ADVANCED MANUFACTURING FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

``SEC. 981. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    ``(a) Contract Authorized.--From the funds appropriated to carry 
out this part, the Secretary, by contract, shall establish an advanced 
manufacturing fellowship program in accordance with the requirements of 
this part. In carrying out such contract, the Secretary shall establish 
a competition to select a manufacturing association to establish such 
program,
    ``(b) Additional Contract Requirements.--The contract required by 
subsection (a) shall contain such provisions as are necessary to ensure 
that the advanced manufacturing fellowship program is conducted in 
accordance with the requirements of this part, including--
            ``(1) provisions to ensure that any small business 
        manufacturing enterprise that obtains an advanced manufacturing 
        fellowship program will provide 80 percent of the cost of the 
        salary and related benefits of the fellowship recipient; and
            ``(2) provisions to require such enterprises to submit, 
        after each year of participation in the program, an evaluation 
        of the value and benefits obtained from participation in the 
        program.

``SEC. 982. PROGRAM OPERATIONS.

    ``(a) Fellowship Awards.--The advanced manufacturing fellowship 
program shall provide fellowships to eligible individuals to cover 20 
percent of the costs of salary and related benefits, not to exceed the 
salary and related benefits available to similar individuals in similar 
employment, for fellowship recipients for one year of employment with a 
small business manufacturing enterprise.
    ``(b) Selection Procedure.--
            ``(1) Advertising fellowship.--The contractor shall take 
        such steps as may be necessary to advertise the availability of 
        fellowships under this part.
            ``(2) Enterprise Application.--Any small business 
        manufacturing enterprise that desires to obtain an advanced 
        manufacturing fellowship program for an eligible individual 
        shall file an application with the contractor, containing or 
        accompanied by such information as the contractor may require.
            ``(3) Competitive selection.--The contractor shall award 
        advanced manufacturing fellowships on the basis of a 
        competitive review of the applications received in accordance 
        with paragraph (2). In conducting such review, the contractor 
        shall use the following criteria (and such other criteria as 
        may be established by the contractor consistent with the 
        contract under section 981):
                    ``(A) the academic record of the fellowship 
                applicant;
                    ``(B) the recommendations submitted in support of 
                the applicant; and
                    ``(C) evidence indicating the nature of the 
                contribution the applicant will make to the 
                manufacturing enterprise.
            ``(4) Geographic limitation.--Not more than 20 advanced 
        manufacturing fellowships shall be awarded for employment in 
        any single State.
            ``(5) Fellowship awards.--The contractor shall provide for 
        an appropriate public ceremony or ceremonies for, or other 
        means of publicizing, the announcement of fellowship awards.
    ``(c) Eligibility.--
            ``(1) Eligible individuals.--An individual shall be 
        eligible for an advanced manufacturing fellowship if--
                    ``(A) such individual has received a masters or 
                doctorate degree within the 5 years preceding the award 
                in a science or engineering field of study;
                    ``(B) such individual is a citizen of the United 
                States; and
                    ``(C) such individual is or will be employed by a 
                small business manufacturing enterprise.
            ``(2) Small business manufacturing enterprise.--A business 
        corporation, partnership, or other business organization shall 
        be an eligible small business manufacturing enterprise for 
        purposes of subsection (b)(2) if such corporation, partnership, 
        or organization--
                    ``(A) has not more than 1,000 employees; and
                    ``(B) is engaged in the manufacture of a product, 
                or in the active development of a product that the 
                enterprise will manufacture.

``SEC. 983. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part 
$14,000,000 for fiscal year 1999 and such sums as may be necessary for 
each of the four succeeding fiscal years.''.

A:
Advanced Manufacturing Fellowship Act of 1998 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education, by competitively selected contract, to establish an Advanced Manufacturing Fellowship program. 
Requires any small business manufacturing enterprise that obtains an advanced manufacturing fellowship program to:  (1) provide 80 percent of the cost of the salary and related benefits of the fellowship recipient; and (2) submit a yearly evaluation of the value and benefits obtained from program participation. 
Requires fellowships to cover 20 percent of the costs of salary and related benefits of recipients, not to exceed the salary and related benefits available to similar individuals in similar employment, for one year of employment with a small business manufacturing enterprise. 
Prescribes a competitive procedure for selection of fellowship recipients. 
Limits to 20 the maximum number of such fellowships which may be awarded for employment in any single State. 
Directs the contractor to provide for an appropriate public ceremony or ceremonies for, or other means of publicizing, the announcement of fellowship awards. 
Makes individuals eligible for such fellowships if they are U.S. citizens who:  (1) have received a masters or doctorate degree within the five years preceding the award in a science or engineering field of study; and (2) are or will be employed by a small business manufacturing enterprise.  Makes an enterprise eligible if it:  (1) has not more than 1,000 employees; and (2) is engaged in the manufacture of a product, or in the active development of a product that the enterprise will manufacture. 
Authorizes appropriations.
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