Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
26413817
label
(Child Care) Pending Parental Legislation
core
doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
26413817
sourceUrl
contentType
document
title
(Child Care) Pending Parental Legislation
citationUrl
collections
Records of the First Lady's Office (Clinton Administration)
Bobbie Greene's Files
imageCount
1
hasImages
yes
source
import
hasTranscription
no
Source extras
naId
26413817
levelOfDescription
fileUnit
otherTitles
42-t-7763273-20120872S-003-018-2015
recordType
description
ocrSource
nara-archive
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
document
mediaId
bdf747c2f302b69c
ocrText
3 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
FULL REPORT DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES
MEASURE:
S183
SPONSOR:
Dodd (D-CT)
BRIEF TITLE:
Family and Medical Leave Fairness Act of 1997.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act
of
1993 to apply the act to a greater percentage of the U.S.
work force, and for other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Expand Family and Medical Leave Act
INTRODUCED:
01/22/97
COSPONSORS:
10 (Dems: 10 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
Senate Labor and Human Resources
RELATED BILLS:
See HR109, HR191, HR234, HR1113
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
By Marc Birtel, CQ Staff Writer
S183 would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act to lower its
coverage threshold to include companies with 25 or more workers.
Current law guarantees employees 12 weeks of unpaid leave annually
for family reasons, including the birth or adoption of a child or the
placement of a foster child, or in times of serious medical emergency
for a child, spouse or parent. But it only applies to companies of 50
employees or more.
Bill sponsor Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., said 43 percent of
private-sector employees remain unprotected by the statute because their
employers do not meet the current 50 or more employee threshold. Dodd
said his bill would offer benefits to 13 million additional workers,
raising the total percentage of the private-sector workforce covered by
current law to 71 percent.
The Family and Medical Leave Commission, a bipartisan group
established by the family-leave law to examine its impact on workers
and
businesses, determined that 12 million workers took advantage of the
leave policy during the 18 months of its study, which was released in
May 1996. The commission also found that more than 94 percent of the
businesses they studied reported little or no additional costs
associated with the administration of the law.
Several Democrats have introduced related measures (HR109, HR191,
HR234, S280).
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
No action has been scheduled on S183, which was referred to the Senate
Labor and Human Resources Committee.
During his State of the Union address Feb. 4, 1997, President Clinton
advocated the expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act but did
not
specifically endorse S183.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Family and Medical Leave Fairness Act of 1997
CRS DIGEST:
Family and Medical Leave Fairness Act of 1997 - Amends the F
amily
and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to extend coverage to employees at
worksites where the employer employs at least 25 (currently 50)
employees at the worksite and within 75 miles of that worksite.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Labor
Budgets
Business
Communications
Families
Family leave
Sick leave
Small business
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR191) introduced in House. ***
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR109) introduced in House. ***
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR234) introduced in House. ***
01/22/97 Referred to Committee on Labor and Human Resources (CR p.
S633) (WR p. 371)
01/22/97
DODD, D-Conn., Senate speech: Introduces the Family and
Medical Leave Fairness Act of 1997. (Colloquy with
SPECTER, R-Pa.) (CR p. S641-S642)
01/22/97 Original cosponsor (s) : 4
Daschle (D-SD)
Kennedy, E. (D-MA)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Kerry, J. (D-MA)
01/30/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Moseley-Braun (D-IL)
02/05/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 3
Akaka (D-HI)
Murray (D-WA)
Wellstone (D-MN)
02/10/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Harkin (D-IA)
02/12/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Mikulski (D-MD)
03/18/97 *** Related measure (HR1113) introduced in House. ***
4 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT - - DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
S280
SPONSOR:
Murray (D-WA)
BRIEF TITLE:
Time For Schools Act of 1997.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act
of
1993 to allow employees to take school involvement
leave to participate in the school activities of their
children or to particpate in literacy training, and for
other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Expand Family and Medical Leave Act
INTRODUCED:
02/05/97
COSPONSORS:
10 (Dems: 10 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
Senate Labor and Human Resources
RELATED BILLS:
See HR191, HR234
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
By Marc Birtel, CQ Staff Writer
S280 would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act to allow paren
ts
24 hours of unpaid leave per year to participate in activities at their
children's schools.
Current law guarantees employees of private sector companies
(employing 50 or more) 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the birth or
adoption of a child, placement of a foster child, or a major medical
emergency. S280 would entitle parents to 24 additional hours to attend
parent-teacher conferences, interview officials at a new school for
their child or participate in family literacy training.
Bill sponsor Patty Murray, D-Wash., said she introduced the bill
because many dual-income families and single parents lack the time to
become more involved at their children's schools. She cited a 1996
national Parent Teacher Association (PTA) poll finding that 86 percent
of people favor legislation that would grant workers unpaid leave to
attend parent-teacher conferences or take other actions to improve
learning for their children.
Several Democrats have introduced related legislation (HR109, HR191,
HR234, S183).
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
No action has been scheduled on S280, which was referred to the Senate
Labor and Human Resources Committee.
During a March 5, 1997, markup of an unrelated bill (HR1) to allow
workers to choose comp time instead of overtime pay, the and the
Workforce Committee rejected an amendment offered by ranking Democrat
William L. Clay, D-Mo., that would have given workers an additional 24
hours of unpaid leave to use to serve as teacher's aides at their
children's schools or attend parent-teacher conferences.
Vermont Republican James M. Jeffords, chairman of the Senate Labor
committee, said a deal on comp time measures and family-leave langua
ge
is likely between congressional Republicans and Democrats and the White
House.
In his State of the Union address Feb. 4, 1997, President Clinton
advocated expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act to allow worker
S to
grant unpaid leave to parents so they can attend parent-teacher
conferences and their children's medical checkups. However, Clinton did
not explicitly endorse S280.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Time for Schools Act of 1997
CRS DIGEST:
Time for Schools Act of 1997 - Amends the Family and Medical Leave
Act of 1993 to allow employees covered by such Act to take up to 24
hours, during any 12-month period, of school involvement leave to
participate in: (1) an activity of their child's school; or (2)
literacy training under a family literacy program.
Amends Federal civil service law to apply the same school
involvement leave allowance to Federal employees.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Labor
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Families
Family leave
Federal employees
Government employees
Government information
Government paperwork
Home schooling
Literacy programs
Parent-teacher relationships
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR191) introduced in House. ***
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR234) introduced in House. ***
02/05/97 Referred to Committee on Labor and Human Resources (CR p.
S1017)
02/05/97
MURRAY, D-Wash., Senate speech: Introduces the Time for
Schools Act of 1997. (CR p. S1027)
02/05/97 Original cosponsor (s) : : 10
Akaka (D-HI)
Inouye (D-HI)
Moseley-Braun (D-IL)
Daschle (D-SD)
Kennedy, E. (D-MA)
Wellstone (D-MN)
Dodd (D-CT)
Kerry, J. (D-MA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
04/16/97
KENNEDY, D-Mass., Senate speech: On the need to improve
childhood development and learning, including
accessible health insurance and extending the Family
and Medical Leave Act. (CR p. S3243-S3245)
8 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
S756
SPONSOR:
Kerry (D-MA)
BRIEF TITLE:
Early Childhood Development Act of 1997.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide for the health, education, and welfare
of children under six years of age.
QUICK REFERENCE: Improve general health, education and welfare of children
INTRODUCED:
05/15/97
COSPONSORS:
8 (Dems: 8 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
Senate Labor and Human Resources
CQ. BILLWATCH BRIEF:
S756 would try to improve the general health, education and welfare of
children younger than six.
The bill would authorize a number of grants for new and continuing
programs that all would try to enhance children's physical, social,
emotional and intellectual development.
The programs would include assistance to young children, child care
for families and continuing and upgraded support of Head Start education
programs.
The legislation also would expand the definition of acceptable leave
under the Family and Medical Leave Act to include parent participati
on
in school or day-care-center activities, such as a parent-teacher
conference.
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
S756 was referred to the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee. No
action has been scheduled.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Early Childhood Development Act of 1997
Time for Schools Act of 1997
CRS DIGEST:
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I: Assistance for Young Children
Title II: Child Care for Families
Title III: : Loan Repayment for Child Care Workers
Title IV: Full Funding for the Women, Infants, and Children
Program
Title V: Amendments to the Head Start Act
Title VI: School Involvement Leave
Early Childhood Development Act of 1997
*Title I: Assistance for Young Children - Directs the Secretary of
Health and Human Services to make allotments to eligible States to pay
for the Federal share of the cost of enabling them to make competitive
grants to local collaboratives for young child assistance activities.
(Sec. 104) Authorizes appropriations.
*Title II: Child Care for Families - Amends the Child Care and
Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to establish a Zero-to-Six program
of formula payments to States for child care assistance on behalf of
children under six years of age.
(Sec. 201) Makes appropriations for such grants.
*Title III: Loan Repayment for Child Care Workers - Amends the
Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a program of student loan
repayment for child care workers. Directs the Secretary of Education to
assume the obligation to repay specified types of student loans for any
borrower who is: (1) awarded an associate degree, or a baccalaureate or
graduate degree, in early childhood development; and (2) employed, for
not less than 2 years, in a child care facility serving low-income
children who are primarily age birth through three.
Directs the Secretary to determine the maximum amount of loans that
may be repaid under such program.
(Sec. 301) Authorizes appropriations.
*Title IV: Full Funding for the Women, Infants, and Children
Program - Amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to authorize
appropriations for full funding of the Women, Infants, and Children
Program (WIC) Makes appropriations for such purpose.
*Title V : Amendments to the Head Start Act - Amends the Head Start
Act to extend the authorization of appropriations and revise
requirements for allotment of funds.
*Title VI: School Involvement Leave - Time for Schools Act of 1997 -
Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to allow covered
employees to take up to 24 hours, during any 12-month period, of school
involvement leave to participate in: (1) an activity of their child's
school; or (2) literacy training under a family literacy program. (Sec.
603) Amends Federal civil service law to apply the same school
involvement leave allowance to Federal employees.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Children
Appropriations
Authorization
Budgets
Child care block grants
Child care workers
Child development
Child health services
Community health services
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Day care
Disabled
Disabled children
Drug abuse
Drug abuse treatment
Education
Education of disadvantaged children
Elementary and secondary education
Families
Family leave
Federal aid to child welfare
Federal aid to day care centers
Federal aid to disability services
Federal aid to education
Federal aid to higher education
Federal aid to Indians
Federal employees
Food
Government employees
Health education
Health policy
Higher education
Indian children
Infants
Labor
Literacy programs
Medical care
Medical screening
Medicine
Minorities
Parent and child
Parent-school relationships
Parent-teacher relationships
Poor children
Preschool education
Preventive medicine
Social services
State and local government
State politics and government
Student loan funds
Vaccination
Welfare
Women
WIC program
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
05/15/97 Referred to Committee on Labor and Human Resources (Text
of bill appears on pgs. S4606-S4611 of the May 15, 1997,
Congressional Record) (CR p. S4588)
05/15/97
KERRY, D-Mass. Senate speech: Introduces the Early
Childhood Development Act of 1997. (Text of bill) (CR
p. S4606-S4611)
05/15/97 Original cosponsor (s) : 7
Harkin (D-IA)
Moseley-Braun (D-IL)
Wellstone (D-MN)
Hollings (D-SC)
Murray (D-WA)
Kennedy, E. (D-MA)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
06/09/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Moynihan (D-NY)
9 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
S883
SPONSOR:
Gregg (R-NH)
BRIEF TITLE:
Retirement Income, Security, and Savings Act of 1997.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to
encourage savings and investment through individual
retirement accounts, to provide pension security,
portability, and simplification, and for other purposes.
INTRODUCED:
06/11/97
COSPONSORS:
8 (Dems: 0 Reps: 8 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
Senate Finance
RELATED BILLS:
See S957
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Retirement Income Security and Savings Act of 1997
CRS DIGEST:
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I: Retirement Savings Incentives
Subtitle A: Restoration of IRA Deduction
Subtitle B: Nonductible Tax-Free IRAs
Title II: Women's Retirement Security
Title III: Expansion of Pension Coverage for Small Business
Title IV: Portability
Title V: Pension Security
Subtitle A: Economically Targeted Investments
Subtitle B: Other Provisions
Title VI: Simplification of Plan Requirements
Digest will follow.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Pensions
Administrative procedure--Department of the Treasury
Administrative procedure--Department of Labor
Aged
Annuities
Business
Children
Civil service pensions
Collection of accounts
Collective bargaining agreements
Consent decrees
Cost of living adjustments
Data banks
Defined benefit pension plans
Depreciation and amortization
Dividends
Economic policy
Electronic data interchange
Employee ownership
Excise tax
Executive compensation
Executive departments
Families
Family leave
Federal preemption
Finance
Fines (Penalties)
Government employees
Government information
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Income tax
Indexing (Economic policy)
Individual retirement accounts
Investments
Labor
Law
Loans
Local employees
Married people
Maternity leave
Payroll deductions
Pension funds
Personal income tax
Public contracts
Self-employed
Small business
State and local government
State employees
State laws
Tax deductions
Tax exclusion
Tax penalties
Tax-deferred compensation plans
Tax-exempt organizations
Taxation
Technology
Trusts and trustees
Women
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
06/11/97 Referred to Committee on Finance (CR p. S5508) (WR p.
1926)
06/11/97
GREGG, R-N.H., Senate speech: Introduces the Retirement
Income Security and Savings Act of 1997. (CR p.
S5528-S5530)
06/11/97 Original cosponsor (s) : 6
Collins (R-ME)
Hutchison, K. (R-TX)
Roth (R-DE)
Faircloth (R-NC)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Santorum (R-PA)
06/12/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
Coverdell (R-GA)
Hatch (R-UT)
06/25/97 *** Related measure (S957) introduced in Senate. ***
13 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT - - DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
HR191
SPONSOR:
Hastings (D-FL)
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act
of
1993 to apply the act to a greater percentage of the U.S.
work force and to allow employees to take parental
involvement leave to participate in or attend their
children's educational and extra-curricular activities,
and for other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Expand Family and Medical Leave Act
INTRODUCED:
01/07/97
COSPONSORS:
5 (Dems: 5 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
House Government Reform and Oversight
House Oversight
House Education and the Workforce
RELATED BILLS:
See S183, S280, HR1113
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
By Marc Birtel, CQ Staff Writer
HR191 would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover more
private-sector employees and grant an additional 24 hours of leave
annually for parents to participate in school activities of their
children.
Current law guarantees employees 12 weeks of unpaid leave annually
for family reasons, including the birth or adoption of a child,
placement of a foster child, or in times of serious medical emergency
for a child, spouse or parent. But it only applies to private-sector
companies of 50 or more employees. HR191 would lower the threshold to 25
employees.
The bill also would allow workers to take up to an additional four
hours of unpaid leave per month (24 hours each year) to participate in
activities sponsored by their children's school or community
organizations. Coverage includes extracurricular activities,
parent-teacher conferences and community events.
Bill sponsor Alcee L. Hastings, D-Fla., said the measure would expand
coverage to 15 million additional American workers.
Several Democrats have introduced related measures (HR109, HR234,
S183, S280).
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
No action has been scheduled on HR191, which was referred to the House
Education and the Workforce Committee, House Oversight Committee, and
Government Reform and Oversight Committee.
During a March 5, 1997, markup of an unrelated bill (HR1) to allow
workers to choose comp time instead of overtime pay, the committee
rejected an amendment offered ranking Democrat William L. Clay, D-Mo.
that would have given workers an additional 24 hours of unpaid leave to
use to serve as teacher's aides at their children's schools or attend
parent-teacher conferences.
Vermont Republican James M. Jeffords, chairman of the Senate Labor
and Human Resources Committee, said a deal on the comp time measures and
family-leave language is likely between congressional Republicans,
Democrats and the White House.
In his State of the Union speech Feb. 4, 1997, President Clinton
advocated the expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act, to gran
t
additional unpaid leave for parent-teacher conferences and medical
checkups for an employee's children. However, he did not explicitly
endorse HR191.
No action occurred in the 104th Congress on a related bill introduced
by former Rep. Patricia Schroeder, D-Colo.
CRS DIGEST:
Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to extend cover
age
to employees at worksites where the employer employs at least
25 (currently 50) employees at the worksite and within 75 miles of that
worksite.
Allows employees covered by such Act to take up to four hours during
any 30-day period, and up to 24 hours during any 12-month period, of
parental involvement leave to participate in or attend their children's
educational and extracurricular activities.
Amends Federal civil service law to apply the same parental
involvement leave allowance to Federal employees.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Labor
Business
Children
Community organization
Day care
Education
Education of disadvantaged children
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary school students
Employee vacations
Families
Family leave
Federal employees
Foster parents
Government employees
Government information
Government paperwork
Leave of absence
Parent-school relationships
Preschool education
Secondary school students
Sick leave
Small business
Student activities
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
01/07/97 Referred to Committee on Education and the Workforce,
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, Committee
on House Oversight (for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned) (CR p. H145)
01/22/97 *** Related measure (S183) introduced in Senate. ***
02/05/97 *** Related measure (S280) introduced in Senate. ***
03/18/97 *** Related measure (HR1113) introduced in House. ***
04/29/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 5
Hinchey (D-NY)
Maloney, C. (D-NY)
Yates (D-IL)
Lewis, John (D-GA)
Owens (D-NY)
14 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
HR234
SPONSOR:
Maloney (D-NY)
BRIEF TITLE:
Family and Medical Leave Enhancement Act.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act
of
1993 to allow employees to take, as additional leave,
parental involvement leave to participate in or attend
their children's educational and extracurricular
activities and to clarify that leave may be taken for
routine medical needs and to assist elderly relatives,
and for other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Expand Family and Medical Leave Act
INTRODUCED:
01/07/97
COSPONSORS:
44 (Dems: 43 Reps: 1 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
House Government Reform and Oversight
House Oversight
House Education and the Workforce
RELATED BILLS:
See S183, S280, HR1113
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
By Marc Birtel, CQ Staff Writer
HR234 would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover more
private-sector employees, allow leave for routine medical needs, and
grant an additional 24 hours of annual leave for parental participation
in school activities.
Current law guarantees employees 12 weeks of unpaid leave annually
for family reasons, including the birth or adoption of a child or the
placement of a foster child, or in times of serious medical emergency
for a child, spouse or parent. HR234 would expand coverage of the law to
include routine family medical needs, including the transportation of
children to medical or dental appointments and the professional care of
elderly relatives.
The statute currently applies to private-sector companies of 50 or
more employees. HR234 would lower the threshold to 25 employees.
The bill also would allow workers, including federal employees, to
take up to an additional 24 hours (four hours per month) of unpaid
"parental involvement leave" to participate in their children's
educational, extracurricular or community activities.
Bill sponsor Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y., said more than 12 million
workers have benefited from the family-leave law since it became law
She said she introduced HR234 because it is a way to help workers
balance the competing demands of job and family.
Several Democrats have introduced related measures (HR109, HR191,
S283, S280).
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
No action has been scheduled on HR234, which was referred to the House
Education and the Workforce, House Oversight, and Government Reform and
Oversight committees.
During a March 5, 1997, markup of an unrelated bill (HR1) to allow
workers to choose comp time instead of overtime pay, the committee
rejected an amendment offered by ranking Democrat William L. Clay, Mo.
that would have given workers an additional 24 hours of unpaid leave to
use to serve as teacher's aides at their children's schools or attend
parent-teacher conferences.
Vermont Republican James M. Jeffords, chairman of the Senate Labor
and Human Resources Committee, said a deal is likely on the comp time
measures and family-leave language between congressional Republicans
Democrats and the White House.
In his State of the Union address on Feb. 4, 1997, President Clinton
advocated the expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act to grant
employees additional unpaid leave for parent-teacher conferences and
medical checkups for their children. Though these provisions are
included in HR234, the president did not explicitly endorse the bill.
No action occurred in the 104th Congress on a related bill introduced
by former Rep. Patricia Schroeder, D-Colo.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Family and Medical Leave Enhancement Act
CRS DIGEST:
Family and Medical Leave Enhancement Act - Amends the Family
and
Medical Leave Act of 1993 to extend coverage to employees at worksites
where the employeremploys at least 25 (currently 50) employees at the
worksite and within 75 miles of that worksite.
Allows employees covered by such Act to take up to four hours during
any 30-day period, and up to 24 hours during any 12-month period, of
parental involvement leave to participate in or attend their children's
educational and extracurricular activities.
Amends Federal civil service law to apply the same parental
involvement leave allowance to Federal employees.
Provides that leave under such Act may be taken to meet: (1) routine
family medical needs, including transportation of children for medical
and dental appointments for annual checkups and vaccinations; and (2)
the routine medical care needs of elderly relatives of the eligible
employee, including visits to nursing homes and group homes.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Labor
Aged
Business
Caregivers
Child health
Children
Community organization
Day care
Dental care
Education
Education of disadvantaged children
Educational policy
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary school students
Employee vacations
Families
Family leave
Federal employees
Foster parents
Geriatrics
Government employees
Government information
Government paperwork
Group homes
Health policy
Leave of absence
Medical care
Medicine
Nursing homes
Parent-school relationships
Preschool education
Secondary school students
Sick leave
Small business
Student activities
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
01/07/97 Referred to Committee on Education and the Workforce,
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, Committee
on House Oversight (for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned) (CR p. H147)
01/07/97 Original Cosponsor (s) : 8
Ackerman (D-NY)
Lowey (D-NY)
Pelosi (D-CA)
Brown, C. (D-FL)
Millender-McDona (D-CA)
Rush (D-IL)
Lofgren (D-CA)
Norton (D-DC)
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Hours of labor
Illegal aliens
Immigrants
Job training
Labor
Language and languages
Law
Liability (Law)
Migrant labor
Minimum wages
Personnel records
Politics and government
Public assistance programs
Recruiting of employees
Right of privacy
Seasonal labor
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Subpoena
Technology
Torts
Unfair labor practices
Victims of crimes
Visas
Welfare
Welfare eligibility
Wife abuse
Women
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
01/21/97 Referred to Committee on the Judiciary (CR p. S161)
01/21/97 *** Related measure (HR470) introduced in House. ***
01/28/97
KENNEDY, D-Mass., Senate speech: Introduces legislation
to deter employers from hiring illegal immigrants.
(Text of bill) (CR p. S704-S709)
3 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
S183
SPONSOR:
Dodd (D-CT)
BRIEF TITLE:
Family and Medical Leave Fairness Act of 1997.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act
of
1993 to apply the act to a greater percentage of the U.S.
work force, and for other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Expand Family and Medical Leave Act
INTRODUCED:
01/22/97
COSPONSORS:
10 (Dems: 10 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
Senate Labor and Human Resources
RELATED BILLS:
See HR109, HR191, HR234, HR1113
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
By Marc Birtel, CQ Staff Writer
S183 would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act to lower its
coverage threshold to include companies with 25 or more workers.
Current law guarantees employees 12 weeks of unpaid leave annually
for family reasons, including the birth or adoption of a child or the
placement of a foster child, or in times of serious medical emergency
for a child, spouse or parent. But it only applies to companies of 50
employees or more.
Bill sponsor Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., said 43 percent of
private-sector employees remain unprotected by the statute because their
employers do not meet the current 50 or more employee threshold. Dodd
said his bill would offer benefits to 13 million additional workers,
raising the total percentage of the private-sector workforce covered by
current law to 71 percent.
The Family and Medical Leave Commission, a bipartisan group
established by the family-leave law to examine its impact on workers
and
businesses, determined that 12 million workers took advantage of the
leave policy during the 18 months of its study, which was released in
May 1996. The commission also found that more than 94 percent of the
businesses they studied reported little or no additional costs
associated with the administration of the law.
Several Democrats have introduced related measures (HR109, HR191,
HR234, S280).
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
No action has been scheduled on S183, which was referred to the Senate
Labor and Human Resources Committee.
During his State of the Union address Feb. 4, 1997, President Clinton
advocated the expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act but did
not
specifically endorse S183.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Family and Medical Leave Fairness Act of 1997
CRS DIGEST:
Family and Medical Leave Fairness Act of 1997 - Amends the F
amily
and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to extend coverage to employees at
worksites where the employer employs at least 25 (currently 50)
employees at the worksite and within 75 miles of that worksite.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Labor
Budgets
Business
Communications
Families
Family leave
Sick leave
Small business
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR191) introduced in House. ***
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR109) introduced in House. ***
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR234) introduced in House. ***
01/22/97 Referred to Committee on Labor and Human Resources (CR p.
S633) (WR p. 371)
01/22/97
DODD, D-Conn., Senate speech: Introduces the Family and
Medical Leave Fairness Act of 1997. (Colloquy with
SPECTER, R-Pa.) (CR p. S641-S642)
01/22/97 Original cosponsor (s) : 4
Daschle (D-SD)
Kennedy, E. (D-MA)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Kerry, J. (D-MA)
01/30/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Moseley-Braun (D-IL)
02/05/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 3
Akaka (D-HI)
Murray (D-WA)
Wellstone (D-MN)
02/10/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Harkin (D-IA)
02/12/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Mikulski (D-MD)
03/18/97 *** Related measure (HR1113) introduced in House. ***
4 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
S280
SPONSOR:
Murray (D-WA)
BRIEF TITLE:
Time For Schools Act of 1997.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act
of
1993 to allow employees to take school involvement
leave to participate in the school activities of their
children or to particpate in literacy training, and for
other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Expand Family and Medical Leave Act
INTRODUCED:
02/05/97
COSPONSORS:
10 (Dems: 10 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
Senate Labor and Human Resources
RELATED BILLS:
See HR191, HR234
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
By Marc Birtel, CQ Staff Writer
S280 would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act to allow paren
ts
24 hours of unpaid leave per year to participate in activities at their
children's schools.
Current law guarantees employees of private sector companies
(employing 50 or more) 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the birth or
adoption of a child, placement of a foster child, or a major medical
emergency. S280 would entitle parents to 24 additional hours to attend
parent-teacher conferences, interview officials at a new school for
their child or participate in family literacy training.
Bill sponsor Patty Murray, D-Wash., said she introduced the bill
because many dual-income families and single parents lack the time to
become more involved at their children's schools. She cited a 1996
national Parent Teacher Association (PTA) poll finding that 86 percent
of people favor legislation that would grant workers unpaid leave to
attend parent-teacher conferences or take other actions to improve
learning for their children.
Several Democrats have introduced related legislation (HR109, HR191,
HR234, S183).
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
No action has been scheduled on S280, which was referred to the Senate
Labor and Human Resources Committee.
During a March 5, 1997, markup of an unrelated bill (HR1) to allow
workers to choose comp time instead of overtime pay, the and the
Workforce Committee rejected an amendment offered by ranking Democrat
William L. Clay, D-Mo., that would have given workers an additional 24
hours of unpaid leave to use to serve as teacher's aides at their
children's schools or attend parent-teacher conferences.
Vermont Republican James M. Jeffords, chairman of the Senate Labor
committee, said a deal on comp time measures and family-leave langua
ge
is likely between congressional Republicans and Democrats and the White
House.
In his State of the Union address Feb. 4, 1997, President Clinton
advocated expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act to allow worker
S to
grant unpaid leave to parents SO they can attend parent-teacher
conferences and their children's medical checkups. However, Clinton did
not explicitly endorse S280.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Time for Schools Act of 1997
CRS DIGEST:
Time for Schools Act of 1997 - Amends the Family and Medical Leave
Act of 1993 to allow employees covered by such Act to take up to 24
hours, during any 12-month period, of school involvement leave to
participate in: (1) an activity of their child's school; or (2)
literacy training under a family literacy program.
Amends Federal civil service law to apply the same school
involvement leave allowance to Federal employees.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Labor
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Families
Family leave
Federal employees
Government employees
Government information
Government paperwork
Home schooling
Literacy programs
Parent-teacher relationships
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR191) introduced in House. ***
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR234) introduced in House. ***
02/05/97 Referred to Committee on Labor and Human Resources (CR p.
04/17/97 Original cosponsor (s) : 18
Bond (R-MO)
Hagel (R-NE)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Collins (R-ME)
Hutchison, K. (R-TX)
Nickles (R-OK)
Craig (R-ID)
Jeffords (R-VT)
Roberts (R-KS)
DeWine (R-OH)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Roth (R-DE)
Faircloth (R-NC)
Mack (R-FL)
Santorum (R-PA)
Grassley (R-IA)
McConnell (R-KY)
Snowe (R-ME)
04/22/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Hutchinson, T. (R-AR)
04/23/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
Hatch (R-UT)
Thomas, C. (R-WY)
04/25/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Cochran (R-MS)
04/30/97 *** Related measure (HR1496) introduced in House. ***
05/08/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Gorton, S. (R-WA)
05/12/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Coverdell (R-GA)
8 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT - - DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
S756
SPONSOR:
Kerry (D-MA)
BRIEF TITLE:
Early Childhood Development Act of 1997.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide for the health, education, and welfare
of children under six years of age.
QUICK REFERENCE: Improve general health, education and welfare of children
INTRODUCED:
05/15/97
COSPONSORS:
8 (Dems: 8 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
Senate Labor and Human Resources
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
S756 would try to improve the general health, education and welfare of
children younger than six.
The bill would authorize a number of grants for new and continuing
programs that all would try to enhance children's physical, social,
emotional and intellectual development.
The programs would include assistance to young children, child care
for families and continuing and upgraded support of Head Start education
programs.
The legislation also would expand the definition of acceptable leave
under the Family and Medical Leave Act to include parent participati
on
in school or day-care-center activities, such as a parent-teacher
conference.
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
S756 was referred to the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee. No
action has been scheduled.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Early Childhood Development Act of 1997
Time for Schools Act of 1997
CRS DIGEST:
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I: Assistance for Young Children
Title II: Child Care for Families
Title III: Loan Repayment for Child Care Workers
Title IV: Full Funding for the Women, Infants, and Children
Program
Title V : Amendments to the Head Start Act
Title VI: School Involvement Leave
Early Childhood Development Act of 1997
*Title I: Assistance for Young Children - Directs the Secretary of
Health and Human Services to make allotments to eligible States to pay
for the Federal share of the cost of enabling them to make competitive
grants to local collaboratives for young child assistance activities.
(Sec. 104) Authorizes appropriations.
*Title II: Child Care for Families - Amends the Child Care and
Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to establish a Zero-to-Six program
of formula payments to States for child care assistance on behalf of
children under six years of age.
(Sec. 201) Makes appropriations for such grants.
*Title III: Loan Repayment for Child Care Workers - Amends the
Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish a program of student loan
repayment for child care workers. Directs the Secretary of Education to
assume the obligation to repay specified types of student loans for any
borrower who is: (1) awarded an associate degree, or a baccalaureate or
graduate degree, in early childhood development; and (2) employed, for
not less than 2 years, in a child care facility serving low-income
children who are primarily age birth through three.
Directs the Secretary to determine the maximum amount of loans that
may be repaid under such program.
(Sec. 301) Authorizes appropriations.
*Title IV: Full Funding for the Women, Infants, and Children
Program - Amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to authorize
appropriations for full funding of the Women, Infants, and Children
Program (WIC) Makes appropriations for such purpose.
*Title V: Amendments to the Head Start Act - Amends the Head Start
Act to extend the authorization of appropriations and revise
requirements for allotment of funds.
*Title VI: School Involvement Leave - Time for Schools Act of 1997 -
Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to allow covered
employees to take up to 24 hours, during any 12-month period, of school
involvement leave to participate in: (1) an activity of their child's
school; or (2) literacy training under a family literacy program. (Sec.
603) Amends Federal civil service law to apply the same school
involvement leave allowance to Federal employees.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Children
Appropriations
Authorization
Budgets
Child care block grants
Child care workers
Child development
Child health services
Community health services
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Day care
Disabled
Disabled children
Drug abuse
Drug abuse treatment
Education
Education of disadvantaged children
Elementary and secondary education
Families
Family leave
Federal aid to child welfare
Federal aid to day care centers
Federal aid to disability services
Federal aid to education
Federal aid to higher education
Federal aid to Indians
Federal employees
Food
Government employees
Health education
Health policy
Higher education
Indian children
Infants
Labor
Literacy programs
Medical care
Medical screening
Medicine
Minorities
Parent and child
Parent-school relationships
Parent-teacher relationships
Poor children
Preschool education
Preventive medicine
Social services
State and local government
State politics and government
Student loan funds
Vaccination
Welfare
Women
WIC program
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
05/15/97 Referred to Committee on Labor and Human Resources (Text
of bill appears on pgs. S4606-S4611 of the May 15, 1997,
Congressional Record) (CR p. S4588)
05/15/97
KERRY, D-Mass., Senate speech: Introduces the Early
Childhood Development Act of 1997. (Text of bill) (CR
p. S4606-S4611)
05/15/97 Original cosponsor (s) : 7
Harkin (D-IA)
Moseley-Braun (D-IL) -
Wellstone (D-MN)
Hollings (D-SC)
Murray (D-WA)
Kennedy, E. (D-MA)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
06/09/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Moynihan (D-NY)
9 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
HR109
SPONSOR:
Clay (D-MO)
BRIEF TITLE:
Family and Medical Leave Improvements Act of 199
7.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act
of
1993, and for other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Expand Family and Medical Leave Act
INTRODUCED:
01/07/97
COSPONSORS:
4 (Dems: 4 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
House Government Reform and Oversight
House Oversight
House Education and the Workforce
RELATED BILLS:
See S183, HR140, HR1113
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
By Marc Birtel, CQ Staff Writer
HR109 would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover more
private-sector employees and grant an additional 24 hours of leave
annually for routine family educational and medical needs.
Current law guarantees employees 12 weeks of unpaid leave annually
for family reasons, including the birth or adoption of a child,
placement of a foster child, or in times of serious medical emergency
for a child, spouse or parent. But it only applies to private-sector
companies of 50 or more employees. HR109 would lower the threshold to 25
employees.
The bill also would allow workers to take up to an additional 24
hours of unpaid leave annually to participate in their children's school
activities or accompany them to routine medical or dental appointments.
Workers also could use the annual 24 hours to accompany an elderly
relative to medical or professional services.
Bill sponsor William L. Clay, D-Mo., said 15 million additional
employees would be covered by lowering the threshold under the statute.
"The fact that an employee may work for an employer of 40 rather than
50 does not immunize that employee from the vicissitudes of life, nor
diminish that employee's need for the protections afforded by the
[law], Clay said.
Several Democrats have introduced related measures (HR191, HR234,
S183, S280.)
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
No action has been scheduled on HR109, which was referred to the House
Education and the Workforce Committee, House Oversight Committee, and
Government Reform and Oversight Committee.
During a March 5 markup of an unrelated bill (HR1) to allow workers
to choose comp time instead of overtime pay, the committee rejected an
amendment offered by HR109 sponsor William L. Clay, D-Mo., that would
have given workers an additional 24 hours of unpaid leave to use to
serve as teacher's aides at their children's schools or attend
parent-teacher conferences.
Vermont Republican James M. Jeffords, chairman of the Senate Labor
and Human Resources Committee, said a deal on the comp time measures and
family-leave language is likely between congressional Republicans,
Democrats and the White House.
In his State of the Union address Feb. 4, 1997, President Clinton
advocated the expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act to grant
employees additional unpaid leave for parent-teacher conferences and
medical checkups for their children. Though these provisions are
included in HR109, the president did not explicitly endorse the bill.
No action occurred in the 104th Congress on a similar bill introduced
by former Rep. Patricia Schroeder, D-Colo.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Family and Medical Leave Improvements Act of 1997
CRS DIGEST:
Family and Medical Leave Improvements Act of 1997 - Amends the
Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to extend coverage to employees
at
worksites where the employer employs at least 25 (currently 50)
employees at the worksite and within 75 miles of that worksite.
Allows employees covered by such Act to take up to four hours during
any 30-day period, and up to 24 hours during any 12-month period, of
parental involvement and elder care leave to: (1) participate in or
attend their children's educational and extracurricular activities; (2)
accompany the child to routine medical or dental appointments; and (3)
accompany an elderly relative to routine medical or dental appointments
or appointments for other professional services related to the elder's
care, such as interviewing at nursing or group homes.
Amends Federal civil service law to apply the same parental
involvement and elder care leave allowance to Federal employees.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Labor
Aged
Business
Caregivers
Child health
Children
Day care
Dental care
Education
Education of disadvantaged children
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary school students
Employee vacations
Families
Family leave
Federal employees
Geriatrics
Government employees
Government information
Government paperwork
Group homes
Health policy
Leave of absence
Medical care
Medicine
Nursing homes
Parent-school relationships
Preschool education
Secondary school students
Sick leave
Small business
Student activities
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
01/07/97 Referred to Committee on Education and the Workforce,
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, Committee
on House Oversight (for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned) (CR p. H142)
01/07/97
CLAY, D-Mo., House speech: Introduces legislation to
expand the protections of the Family and Medical Leave
Act. (CR p. E57)
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR140) introduced in House. ***
01/22/97 *** Related measure (S183) introduced in Senate. ***
03/18/97 *** Related measure (HR1113) introduced in House. ***
03/18/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Nadler (D-NY)
06/26/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 3
Bonior (D-MI)
Borski (D-PA)
Lewis, John (D-GA)
13 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
HR191
SPONSOR:
Hastings (D-FL)
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act
of
1993 to apply the act to a greater percentage of the U.S.
work force and to allow employees to take parental
involvement leave to participate in or attend their
children's educational and extra-curricular activities,
and for other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Expand Family and Medical Leave Act
INTRODUCED:
01/07/97
COSPONSORS:
5 (Dems: 5 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
House Government Reform and Oversight
House Oversight
House Education and the Workforce
RELATED BILLS:
See S183, S280, HR1113
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
By Marc Birtel, CQ Staff Writer
HR191 would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover more
private-sector employees and grant an additional 24 hours of leave
annually for parents to participate in school activities of their
children.
Current law guarantees employees 12 weeks of unpaid leave annually
for family reasons, including the birth or adoption of a child,
placement of a foster child, or in times of serious medical emergency
for a child, spouse or parent. But it only applies to private-sector
companies of 50 or more employees. HR191 would lower the threshold to 25
employees.
The bill also would allow workers to take up to an additional four
hours of unpaid leave per month (24 hours each year) to participate in
activities sponsored by their children's school or community
organizations. Coverage includes extracurricular activities,
parent-teacher conferences and community events.
Bill sponsor Alcee L. Hastings, D-Fla., said the measure would expand
coverage to 15 million additional American workers.
Several Democrats have introduced related measures (HR109, HR234,
S183, S280).
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
No action has been scheduled on HR191, which was referred to the House
Education and the Workforce Committee, House Oversight Committee, and
Government Reform and Oversight Committee.
During a March 5, 1997, markup of an unrelated bill (HR1) to allow
workers to choose comp time instead of overtime pay, the committee
rejected an amendment offered ranking Democrat William L. Clay, D-Mo.,
that would have given workers an additional 24 hours of unpaid leave to
use to serve as teacher's aides at their children's schools or attend
parent-teacher conferences.
Vermont Republican James M. Jeffords, chairman of the Senate Labor
and Human Resources Committee, said a deal on the comp time measures and
family-leave language is likely between congressional Republicans,
Democrats and the White House.
In his State of the Union speech Feb. 4, 1997, President Clinton
advocated the expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act, to gran
t
additional unpaid leave for parent-teacher conferences and medical
checkups for an employee's children. However, he did not explicitly
endorse HR191.
No action occurred in the 104th Congress on a related bill introduced
by former Rep. Patricia Schroeder, D-Colo.
CRS DIGEST:
Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to extend cover
age
to employees at worksites where the employer employs at least
25 (currently 50) employees at the worksite and within 75 miles of that
worksite.
Allows employees covered by such Act to take up to four hours during
any 30-day period, and up to 24 hours during any 12-month period, of
parental involvement leave to participate in or attend their children's
educational and extracurricular activities.
Amends Federal civil service law to apply the same parental
involvement leave allowance to Federal employees.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Labor
Business
Children
Community organization
Day care
Education
Education of disadvantaged children
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary school students
Employee vacations
Families
Family leave
Federal employees
Foster parents
Government employees
Government information
Government paperwork
Leave of absence
Parent-school relationships
Preschool education
Secondary school students
Sick leave
Small business
Student activities
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
01/07/97 Referred to Committee on Education and the Workforce,
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, Committee
on House Oversight (for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned) (CR p. H145)
01/22/97 *** Related measure (S183) introduced in Senate. ***
02/05/97 *** Related measure (S280) introduced in Senate. ***
03/18/97 *** Related measure (HR1113) introduced in House. ***
04/29/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 5
Hinchey (D-NY)
Maloney, C. (D-NY)
Yates (D-IL)
Lewis, John (D-GA)
Owens (D-NY)
14 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT - - DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
HR234
SPONSOR:
Maloney (D-NY)
BRIEF TITLE:
Family and Medical Leave Enhancement Act.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act
of
1993 to allow employees to take, as additional leave,
parental involvement leave to participate in or attend
their children's educational and extracurricular
activities and to clarify that leave may be taken for
routine medical needs and to assist elderly relatives,
and for other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Expand Family and Medical Leave Act
INTRODUCED:
01/07/97
COSPONSORS:
44 (Dems: 43 Reps: 1 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
House Government Reform and Oversight
House Oversight
House Education and the Workforce
RELATED BILLS:
See S183, S280, HR1113
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
By Marc Birtel, CQ Staff Writer
HR234 would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover more
private-sector employees, allow leave for routine medical needs, and
grant an additional 24 hours of annual leave for parental participation
in school activities.
Current law guarantees employees 12 weeks of unpaid leave annually
for family reasons, including the birth or adoption of a child or the
placement of a foster child, or in times of serious medical emergency
for a child, spouse or parent. HR234 would expand coverage of the law to
include routine family medical needs, including the transportation of
children to medical or dental appointments and the professional care of
elderly relatives.
The statute currently applies to private-sector companies of 50 or
more employees. HR234 would lower the threshold to 25 employees.
The bill also would allow workers, including federal employees, to
take up to an additional 24 hours (four hours per month) of unpaid
"parental involvement leave" to participate in their children's
educational, extracurricular or community activities.
Bill sponsor Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y., said more than 12 million
workers have benefited from the family-leave law since it became law
She said she introduced HR234 because it is a way to help workers
balance the competing demands of job and family.
Several Democrats have introduced related measures (HR109, HR191,
S283, S280).
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
No action has been scheduled on HR234, which was referred to the House
Education and the Workforce, House Oversight, and Government Reform and
Oversight committees.
During a March 5, 1997, markup of an unrelated bill (HR1) to allow
workers to choose comp time instead of overtime pay, the committee
rejected an amendment offered by ranking Democrat William L. Clay, Mo
that would have given workers an additional 24 hours of unpaid leave to
use to serve as teacher's aides at their children's schools or attend
parent-teacher conferences.
Vermont Republican James M. Jeffords, chairman of the Senate Labor
and Human Resources Committee, said a deal is likely on the comp time
measures and family-leave language between congressional Republicans
Democrats and the White House.
In his State of the Union address on Feb. 4, 1997, President Clinton
advocated the expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act to grant
employees additional unpaid leave for parent-teacher conferences and
medical checkups for their children. Though these provisions are
included in HR234, the president did not explicitly endorse the bill.
No action occurred in the 104th Congress on a related bill introduced
by former Rep. Patricia Schroeder, D-Colo.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Family and Medical Leave Enhancement Act
CRS DIGEST:
Family and Medical Leave Enhancement Act - Amends the Family
and
Medical Leave Act of 1993 to extend coverage to employees at worksites
where the employeremploys at least 25 (currently 50) employees at the
worksite and within 75 miles of that worksite.
Allows employees covered by such Act to take up to four hours during
any 30-day period, and up to 24 hours during any 12-month period, of
parental involvement leave to participate in or attend their children's
educational and extracurricular activities.
Amends Federal civil service law to apply the same parental
involvement leave allowance to Federal employees.
Provides that leave under such Act may be taken to meet: (1) routine
family medical needs, including transportation of children for medical
and dental appointments for annual checkups and vaccinations; and (2)
the routine medical care needs of elderly relatives of the eligible
employee, including visits to nursing homes and group homes.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Labor
Aged
Business
Caregivers
Child health
Children
Community organization
Day care
Dental care
Education
Education of disadvantaged children
Educational policy
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary school students
Employee vacations
Families
Family leave
Federal employees
Foster parents
Geriatrics
Government employees
Government information
Government paperwork
Group homes
Health policy
Leave of absence
Medical care
Medicine
Nursing homes
Parent-school relationships
Preschool education
Secondary school students
Sick leave
Small business
Student activities
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
01/07/97 Referred to Committee on Education and the Workforce,
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, Committee
on House Oversight (for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned) (CR p. H147)
01/07/97 Original Cosponsor (s) : 8
Ackerman (D-NY)
Lowey (D-NY)
Pelosi (D-CA)
Brown, C. (D-FL)
Millender-McDona (D-CA)
Rush (D-IL)
Lofgren (D-CA)
Norton (D-DC)
01/22/97 *** Related measure (S183) introduced in Senate. ***
02/04/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 11
Barrett, T. (D-WI)
Hinchey (D-NY)
Moran, James (D-VA)
Dellums (D-CA)
Jackson-Lee, S. (D-TX)
Torres (D-CA)
Evans (D-IL)
McDermott (D-WA)
Velazquez (D-NY)
Ford (D-TN)
McKinney (D-GA)
02/05/97 *** Related measure (S280) introduced in Senate. ***
02/13/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 3
Filner (D-CA)
Hastings, A. (D-FL)
McGovern (D-MA)
03/12/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 5
Kilpatrick (D-MI)
Roybal-Allard (D-CA)
Watt, M. (D-NC)
Owens (D-NY)
Towns (D-NY)
03/18/97 *** Related measure (HR1113) introduced in House. ***
03/19/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 5
Carson (D-IN)
Olver (D-MA)
Woolsey (D-CA)
Manton (D-NY)
Vento (D-MN)
04/14/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
Gejdenson (D-CT)
Gonzalez (D-TX)
Recidivists
Right of asylum
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Sick leave
Subpoena
Terrorism
Unfair labor practices
Visas
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR7) introduced in House. ***
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR347) introduced in House. ***
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR225) introduced in House. ***
01/09/97 *** Related measure (HJRES26) introduced in House. ***
01/21/97 Referred to Committee on Education and the Workforce,
Committee on the Judiciary (for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned) (CR p. H243)
01/21/97 *** Related measure (S103) introduced in Senate. ***
17 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
HR851
SPONSOR:
Roybal-Allard (D-CA)
BRIEF TITLE:
Battered Women's Employment Protection Act.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act
of
1993 to allow leave to address domestic violence and
its effects, and for other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Aid battered women by helping them retain employment and
gain financial independence
INTRODUCED:
02/26/97
COSPONSORS:
14 (Dems: 13 Reps: 1 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
House Ways and Means
House Government Reform and Oversight
House Oversight
House Education and the Workforce
RELATED BILLS:
See S367
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
HR851 would amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to req
uire
employers to provide leave to employees for the purpose of dealing with
domestic violence and its aftermath.
The bill also would ensure eligibility for unemployment compensation
to women who are separated from their jobs as a direct result of
domestic violence. The bill also would provide for specialized training
of personnel involved in assessing such umemployment compensation
claims.
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
No action has been scheduled on HR851, which has been referred to House
Ways and Means, House Government Reform and Oversight, House Oversight
and House Education and the Workforce committees.
Similar legislation (S367) has been introduced in the House. It is
possible that the legislation may be offered as an amendment to the
compensatory time bill (HR1)
Five related bills also have been introduced (HR109, HR191, HR234,
S183 and S280).
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Battered Women's Employment Protection Act
CRS DIGEST:
Battered Women's Employment Protection Act - Amends the Internal
Revenue Code with respect to unemployment tax to require appropriate
State laws to provide for unemployment compensation for an individual
separated from employment due to circumstances directly resulting from
the individual's experience of domestic violence.
Amends the Social Security Act to require State laws approved under
the Federal Unemployment Tax Act to provide for training for claims
reviewers and hearing personnel in the nature of domestic violence, and
in methods of ascertaining its existence, SO that employment
separations stemming from domestic violence are reliably screened,
identified, and adjudicated.
(Sec. 4) Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act to entitle an
employee to such leave: (1) in order to care for the employee's child
or parent, if such child or parent is addressing domestic violence and
its effects; or (2) because the employee is addressing domestic
violence and its effects, the employee is unable to perform any of the
functions of the employee's position. Allows leave, in such cases, to
be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule. Allows the
employee to elect, or the employer to require, substitution of accrued
paid leave for such leave. Sets forth provisions Provides for
certification and confidentiality of domestic violence information
involved in such cases.
(Sec. 5) Amends specified Federal law to provide for entitlement to
leave for Federal employees in such domestic violence situations.
(Sec. 6) Allows unemployment compensation or leave benefits under
other laws, collective bargaining agreements, or employment benefit
programs greater then those provided by this Act; but prohibits
diminishment of the rights and benefits established by this Act.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Labor
Assault
Child abuse
Child sexual abuse
Children
Civil liberties
Claims
Collective bargaining agreements
Confidential communications
Counseling
Court records
Crimes against women
Criminal justice
Criminal justice information
Employee training
Employment at will
Evidence (Law)
Executive departments
Families
Family leave
Family violence
Federal employees--Department of Health and Human Services
Government employees
Government information
Job hunting
Job training
Law
Leave of absence
Medical care
Medicine
Parents
Personnel records
Relocation of employees
Right of privacy
Sex crimes
Sick leave
Social services
Social workers
Stalking
State and local government
State laws
Stress (Psychology)
Unemployment insurance
Wife abuse
Women
Women's shelters
CRS SIMILAR BILLS:
S367
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
02/26/97 Referred to Committee on Education and the Workforce,
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, Committee
on House Oversight, Committee on Ways and Means (for a
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned) (CR
p. H669)
02/26/97 *** Related measure (S367) introduced in Senate. ***
02/26/97 Original Cosponsor (s) : 14
Ackerman (D-NY)
Jackson, J. (D-IL)
Norton (D-DC)
Baldacci (D-ME)
Lewis, John (D-GA)
Pelosi (D-CA)
Conyers (D-MI)
Lofgren (D-CA)
Slaughter (D-NY)
Frost (D-TX)
Maloney, C. (D-NY)
Torres (D-CA)
Gutierrez (D-IL)
Morella (R-MD)
18 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
HR983
SPONSOR:
Markey (D-MA)
BRIEF TITLE:
Civil Rights Procedures Protection Act of 1997.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend certain federal civil rights statutes to
prevent the involuntary application of arbitration to
claims that arise from unlawful employment discrimination
based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age
or disability, and for other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Prohibit use of mandatory arbitration in employment
discrimination cases
INTRODUCED:
03/06/97
COSPONSORS :
47 (Dems: 46 Reps: 1 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
House Judiciary
Woolsey (D-CA)
04/30/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
DeLauro (D-CT)
05/14/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Hinchey (D-NY)
06/10/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 3
Lofgren (D-CA)
McCarthy, K. (D-MO)
Poshard (D-IL)
06/12/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Kleczka (D-WI)
06/19/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Kildee (D-MI)
07/11/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Maloney, J. (D-CT)
07/17/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Rangel (D-NY)
07/22/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
McGovern (D-MA)
07/24/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Christian-Green, (D-VI)
07/28/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Bonior (D-MI)
09/04/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Maloney, C. (D-NY)
19 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
HR1113
SPONSOR:
Norton (D-DC)
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide that if an employer provides additional
leave to a parent for the birth of a child, such
employer shall provide the same leave to a parent for
an adopted child or a foster child.
QUICK REFERENCE: Mandate paid leave for foster or adoptive parents equa
1
to that of birth parents
INTRODUCED:
03/18/97
COSPONSORS:
0 (Dems: 0 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
House Government Reform and Oversight
House Oversight
House Education and the Workforce
RELATED BILLS:
See S183, HR109, HR191, HR234
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
HR1113 would mandate that employees who become foster or adoptive
parents be afforded the same leave policy - - including paid leave
as
their coworkers who are birth parents. The bill would not require that
employers provide leave benefits that are beyond those existing in law.
But rather, if the employer chooses to provide such benefits, they must
do SO for all parents equitably.
The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) mandates that
employers must grant up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for
adoptive, birth or foster parents to care for a new child. Some
employers exceed FMLA and offer such benefits as paid leave or paid sick
leave to be used by employees with a new child, but often only extend
such benefits to birth parents. HR1113 would mandate that an employer
must provide the same leave and compensation to all parents - birth,
foster or adoptive.
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
No action has been scheduled on HR1113, which was referred to House
Government Reform and Oversight, House Oversight and House Education and
the Workforce committees.
Four related bills also have been introduced in the 105th Congress
(S183, HR109, HR191, HR234)
CRS DIGEST:
Requires an employer to provide an employee who is a parent of an
adopted child or a foster child with the same leave the employer
provides (in addition to leave required by the Family and Medical
Leave
Act of 1993) an employee who is on parental leave for the birth of a
child.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Labor
Adopted children
Adoption
Adoptive parents
Children
Families
Family leave
Foster home care
Foster parents
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR234) introduced in House. ***
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR191) introduced in House. ***
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR109) introduced in House. ***
01/22/97 *** Related measure (S183) introduced in Senate. ***
03/18/97 Referred to Committee on Education and the Workforce,
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, Committee
on House Oversight (for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned) (CR p. H1111)
03/18/97
NORTON, D-D.C., House speech: Introduces the Parental
Leave Equity Act of 1997. (CR p. E500-E501)
20 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT - - DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
HR1373
SPONSOR:
DeLauro (D-CT)
BRIEF TITLE:
Early Learning and Opportunity Act of 1997.
OFFICIAL TITLE:
A bill to establish a grant program to improve the
quality and expand the availability of child care
services, and of family support services, for
families with children less than three years of age; to
amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the
taxation of income of controlled foreign corporations
attributable to imported property; to amend the Family
and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to cover employers that
have more than 20 employees; to amend the Head Start Act
to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 1999
through 2002 and to increase the funds reserved for
services for families with children less than 3 years
of age; and for other purposes.
INTRODUCED:
04/17/97
COSPONSORS:
36 (Dems: 36 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
House Ways and Means
House Education and the Workforce
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Early Learning and Opportunity Act of 1997
CRS DIGEST:
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I: Early Learning and Opportunity Grants
Title II: Amendment to Internal Revenue Code of 1986
Title III: Amendment to Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993
Title IV: Amendments to the Head Start Act
Early Learning and Opportunity Act of 1997
*Title I: Early Learning and Opportunity Grants - Authorizes the
Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to eligible
States to improve the quality and increase the availability of child
care services, and of family support services, for families with
children less than three years of age.
(Sec. 103) Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop a voluntary model
training program for employees of child care providers; (2) make
available to Head Start agencies and child care providers the code
developed for such model training program; and (3) provide technical
assistance to such agencies and providers to implement it.
(Sec. 105) Authorizes appropriations.
*Title II: Amendment to Internal Revenue Code of 1986 - Amends the
Internal Revenue Code to include imported property income (except for
foreign oil and gas related income, or property subsequently exported)
as foreign base company income in the gross income of a U.S.
shareholder of a controlled foreign corporation.
*Title III: Amendment to Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 -
Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to extend its covera
ge
to employers with more than 20 employees (current law applies only to
employers with more than 50 employees).
*Title IV: Amendment to the Head Start Act - Amends the Head Start
Act to extend the authorization of appropriations.
(Sec. 402) Revises a formula for allotment of certain training and
technical assistance funds under such Act. Increases the amount of
funds reserved for services to families with children less than three
years of age (programs for families with infants and toddlers).
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Children
Authorization--Department of Health and Human Services
Budgets
Business
Business income tax
Caregivers
Child care block grants
Day care - Standards
Education
Education of disadvantaged children
Elementary and secondary education
Employee training
Executive departments
Families
Family leave
Federal aid to child welfare
Federal aid to day care centers
Federal aid to education
Foreign corporations
Foreign tax credit
Imports
Income tax
Infants
International finance
Job training
Labor
Licenses
Parent and child
Poor children
Preschool education
Salaries
Sick leave
Small business
State and local government
Taxation
Taxation of foreign income
Trade
Transportation
Welfare
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
04/17/97 Referred to Committee on Education and the Workforce,
Committee on Ways and Means (for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned) (CR p. H1704)
04/17/97 Original Cosponsor (s) : 2
Hoyer (D-MD)
McGovern (D-MA)
04/23/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Gephardt (D-MO)
04/24/97
MCGOVERN, D-Mass., House speech: Urges colleagues to
support the Early Learning and Opportunity Act. (CR p.
Ehrlich (R-MD)
LoBiondo (R-NJ)
05/06/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Weller (R-IL)
05/08/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Nethercutt (R-WA)
05/13/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Shays (R-CT)
05/14/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Molinari (R-NY)
05/19/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
McKeon (R-CA)
Radanovich (R-CA)
05/20/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
Graham, L. (R-SC)
Ney (R-OH)
05/22/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Bilbray (R-CA)
06/03/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Baker, R. (R-LA)
06/05/97 *** Related measure (HR1796) introduced in House. ***
06/10/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
Evans (D-IL)
Fox (R-PA)
22 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
HR1573
SPONSOR:
Oberstar (D-MN)
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide equal leave benefits for parents who
adopt a child or provide foster care for a child.
INTRODUCED:
05/08/97
COSPONSORS:
50 (Dems: 44 Reps: 5 Ind: 1)
COMMITTEES:
House Education and the Workforce
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Leave Equity for Adoptive Families Act of 1997
CRS DIGEST:
Leave Equity for Adoptive Families Act of 1997 - Entitles any
employee who needs it, because of placement of a child with the
employee for adoption or foster care, to any leave benefit provided by
the employer for care of an employee's newborn biological child or for
recovery from the employee's own illness, injury, or disability.
Requires that such leave commence no later than 12 months after such
placement.
Authorizes civil actions to enforce this Act.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Labor
Actions and defenses
Adoption
Adoptive parents
Children
Civil rights
Damages
Discrimination in employment
Employee rights
Families
Family leave
Finance
Foster home care
Injunctions
Interest
Law
Legal fees
Sick leave
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
05/08/97 Referred to Committee on Education and the Workforce (CR
p. H2445)
05/08/97 Original Cosponsor (s) : 19
Ackerman (D-NY)
Gejdenson (D-CT)
Norton (D-DC)
Burton, D. (R-IN)
Gutierrez (D-IL)
Peterson, C. (D-MN)
Clement (D-TN)
Hyde (R-IL)
Rahall (D-WV)
Conyers (D-MI)
Klug (R-WI)
Sanders (I-VT)
Dellums (D-CA)
Lofgren (D-CA)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Frank, Barney (D-MA)
Maloney, C. (D-NY)
Frost (D-TX)
McDermott (D-WA)
05/16/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 6
Evans (D-IL)
Lewis, John (D-GA)
Sabo (D-MN)
LaFalce (D-NY)
Meek (D-FL)
Slaughter (D-NY)
05/22/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
Rivers (D-MI)
Smith, C. (R-NJ)
06/04/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 8
1 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT -- LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
S2
SPONSOR:
Grassley (R-IA)
BRIEF TITLE:
Congressional Accountability Act of 1995.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
01/23/95 Signed by the president. (WR pp. 193, 197, 263, 336, 580,
910, 913, 991, 1613, 2623, 3729; 1996 WR pp. 18, 193,
2096)
01/23/95 PL 104-1 109 Stat. 3
2 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT - - LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
HR3857
SPONSOR:
Morella (R-MD)
BRIEF TITLE:
Economic Equity Act of 1996.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
07/18/96 Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Committee on
Banking and Financial Services, Committee on Commerce,
Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities,
Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, Committee
on International Relations, Committee on the Judiciary,
Committee on National Security, Committee on House
Oversight, Committee on Resources, Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, Committee on Ways and
Means (for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned) (CR p. H8029)
3 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT - -- LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
HR1
SPONSOR:
Shays (R-CT)
BRIEF TITLE:
Congressional Accountability Act of 1995.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
01/12/95 Considered and amended by the Senate. (CR p. S918)
01/12/95 LOTT, R-Miss., unanimous consent request that the Senate
strike all after the enacting clause of HR1, and insert
in lieu thereof the text of S2 (Senate companion
measure), as passed by the Senate, agreed to by unanimous
consent. (CR p. S918)
01/12/95 Measure, as amended, passed Senate by unanimous consent.
(CR p. S918) (WR pp. 136, 137, 197, 580, 910, 991, 2623;
1996 WR p. 18)
4 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT : - - LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
HR3296
SPONSOR:
Nethercutt (R-WA)
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave
Act of
1993 to apply the same employer requirements to all
persons.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
04/23/96 Referred to Committee on Economic and Educational
Opportunities, Committee on Government Reform and
Oversight (for a period to be subsequently determined by
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned) (CR p. H3730)
5 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT -- LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
S1896
SPONSOR:
Dodd (D-CT)
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave
Act of
1993 to apply the Act to a greater percentage of the U.S.
workforce and to allow employees to take parental
involvement leave to participate in or attend their
children's educational and extracurricular activities, and
for other purposes.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
06/21/96 Referred to Committee on Labor and Human Resources (Text
of bill appears on pgs. S6662-S6664 of the June 21, 1996,
Congressional Record) (CR p. S6662)
6 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT -- LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
S10
SPONSOR:
Daschle (D-SD)
BRIEF TITLE:
Comprehensive Congressional Reform Act of 1995.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
01/04/95 Referred to Committee on Governmental Affairs (Text of
bill appears on pgs. S130-S163 of the January 4, 1995,
Congressional Record, Part II) (CR p. S47) (WR p. 21)
7 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT -- LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
S2145
SPONSOR:
Harkin (D-IA)
BRIEF TITLE:
Strengthen Families, Strengthen Education Act.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
09/27/96 Referred to Committee on Labor and Human Resources (CR p.
S11539-S11540)
8 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT -- LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
S2000
SPONSOR:
Coats (R-IN) -
BRIEF TITLE:
White House Accountability Act.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
07/30/96 Referred to Committee on Governmental Affairs (CR p.
S9159)
9 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT -- LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
HR3836
SPONSOR:
Roybal-Allard (D-CA)
BRIEF TITLE:
Tax Incentives for Family-Friendly Workplaces Act of
1996.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
07/17/96 Referred to Committee on Ways and Means (CR p. H7779)
10 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT -- LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
HR3452
SPONSOR:
Mica (R-FL)
BRIEF TITLE:
Presidential and Executive Office Accountability Act.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
10/26/96 Signed by the president.
10/26/96 PL 104-331 110 Stat. 4053
11 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT -- LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
e
MEASURE:
HR3704
SPONSOR:
Schroeder (D-CO)
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave
Act of
1993 to apply the act to a greater percentage of the U.S.
workforce and to allow employees to take parental
involvement leave to participate in or attend their
children's educational and extracurricular activities, and
for other purposes.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
06/24/96 Referred to Committee on Economic and Educational
Opportunities, Committee on Government Reform and
Oversight, Committee on House Oversight (for a period to
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned) (CR p. H6711)
12 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT - - LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
SConRes51
SPONSOR:
Warner (R-VA)
OFFICIAL TITLE: A concurrent resolution to provide for the approval of
final regulations that are applicable to employing offices
that are not employing offices of the House of
Representatives or the Senate, and to covered employees
who are not employees of the House of Representatives or
the Senate, and that were issued by the Office of
Compliance on January 22, 1996, and for other purposes.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
04/15/96 Considered by the Senate. (CR p. S3327)
04/15/96 Resolution agreed to in Senate by unanimous consent. (CR
p. S3327)
04/15/96 THOMAS, R-Calif., motion to suspend the rules and concur
in the Senate resolution. (CR p. H3343-H3384)
04/15/96 Measure, agreed to in House by voice vote, under
suspension of the rules (two-thirds vote required). (see
CR p.. H3384) (CR p. H3343-H3384)
04/15/96 Measure has now cleared both chambers. (Text of
resolution appears on pgs. S4519-S4560 of the May 1,
1996, Congressional Record) (CR p. H3384)
13 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT -- LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
SRes242
SPONSOR:
Warner (R-VA)
OFFICIAL TITLE: A resolution to provide for the approval of final
regulations that are applicable to the Senate and the
employees of the Senate, and that were issued by the
Office of Compliance on January 22, 1996, and for other
purposes.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
04/23/96 Text of the resolution, as agreed to by the Senate on
April 15, 1996, appears on pgs. S3959-S3997. (CR p.
S3959-S3997)
14 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT -- LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
S366
SPONSOR:
Feingold (D-WI)
BRIEF TITLE:
Civil Rights Procedures Protection Act of 1995.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
02/07/95 Referred to Committee on Labor and Human Resources (Text
of bill appears on pgs. S2271-S2272 of the February 7,
1995, Congressional Record) (CR p. S2268)
15 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT - - LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
HR309
SPONSOR:
Klink (D-PA)
BRIEF TITLE:
Equity for Congress Act.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
06/15/95 Subcommittee hearings held by the House Transportation &
Infrastructure Committee, Subcommittee on Public
Buildings and Economic Development. (CR p. D742)
16 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT -- LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
HR3681
SPONSOR:
Norton (D-DC)
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide that if an employer provides additional
leave to a parent for the birth such employer shall
provide the same leave to a parent for an adopted child
or a foster child.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
06/19/96 Referred to Committee on Economic and Educational
Opportunities, Committee on Government Reform and
Oversight, Committee on House Oversight (for a period to
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned) (CR p. H6532)
17 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT -- LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
HRes400
SPONSOR:
Thomas (R-CA)
OFFICIAL TITLE: Resolution approving regulations to implement the
Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 with respect to
employing offices and covered employees of the House of
Representatives.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
04/15/96 Referred to Committee on House Oversight (CR p. H3387)
04/15/96 THOMAS, R-Calif., motion to suspend the rules and agree
to the resolution. (CR p. H3339-H3341)
04/15/96 Measure, agreed to in House by voice vote, under
suspension of the rules (two-thirds vote required). (see
CR p. H3341) (CR p. H3339-H3341)
18 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT -- LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
HR3657
SPONSOR:
Velazquez (D-NY)
BRIEF TITLE:
Contingent Work Force Equity Act of 1996.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
06/13/96 Referred to Committee on Economic and Educational
Opportunities, Committee on Government Reform and
Oversight, Committee on House Oversight, Committee on
Ways and Means (for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned) (CR p. H6414)
19 of 19 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** STATUS REPORT -- LATEST MAJOR ACTION ***
MEASURE:
HR3748
SPONSOR:
Schroeder (D-CO)
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend certain federal civil rights statutes to
prevent the involuntary application of arbitration to
claims that arise from unlawful employment discrimination
based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age,
or disability; and for other purposes.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
06/27/96 Referred to Committee on Economic and Educational
Opportunities, Committee on the Judiciary (for a period
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each
case for consideration of such provisions as fall within
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned) (CR p.
H7106)
There are no more items to display.
Results: 19 items in BILLTRACK
Search criteria used:
FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE
Clyburn (D-SC)
Hilliard, E. (D-AL)
Shays (R-CT)
Delahunt (D-MA)
Johnson, E.B. (D-TX)
Towns (D-NY)
Gordon, B. (D-TN)
Rush (D-IL)
06/05/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 4
Barrett, T. (D-WI)
Poshard (D-IL)
Bonior (D-MI)
Smith, Adam (D-WA)
06/17/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 5
Carson (D-IN)
Kleczka (D-WI)
Payne, D. (D-NJ)
Davis, D. (D-IL)
Miller, G. (D-CA)
07/10/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
Snyder (D-AR)
Vento (D-MN)
07/31/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 3
Engel (D-NY)
Faleomavaega (D-AS)
Strickland (D-OH)
09/11/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Brown, G. (D-CA)
23 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT - - DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
HR1726
SPONSOR:
Furse (D-OR)
BRIEF TITLE:
Children's National Security Act.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to establish as an element of the national
security of the United States the importance of providing
for the health, safety, and education of children in the
United States.
QUICK REFERENCE: Omnibus children's bill
INTRODUCED:
05/22/97
COSPONSORS:
18 (Dems: 18 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
House Banking and Financial Services
House Budget
House Judiciary
House Transportation and Infrastructure
House Ways and Means
House Commerce
House Education and the Workforce
RELATED BILLS: See HR2418
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
By Pherabe Kolb, CQ Staff Writer
HR1726 combines a number of bills on children's issues into one
omnibus measure.
It would cover a broad array of topics, from children's health and
child-care tax credits to welfare and gun control directed at children.
Bill sponsor Elizabeth Furse, D-Ore., and 14 other Democratic women
introduced the measure, calling it the "Children's National Security
Act." Supporters said most of the bill's provisions would be funded with
savings generated from undetermined defense budget cuts.
The measure would:
- - Encourage states to offer health insurance to uninsured children
by expanding the eligibility for Medicaid coverage. Supporters said more
than 3 million children nationwide have little or no access to health
care because they are uninsured. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., introduced a
similar stand-alone bill (HR1564) ;
Require private insurance companies to provide an affordable
"kids-only" policy to cover children from birth to age 16;
-- Prohibit companies from denying children access to health
insurance if their parents change jobs. Furse introduced a similar
stand-alone measure (HR1159) ;
Double funding for diabetes research at the National Institutes of
Health to more than $300 million annually;
- - Increase funding for the National Bone Marrow Registry (NBMR) to
more than $16 million in fiscal 1998 and require the registry to begin
tracking marrow samples for people of mixed racial ancestry. More than
30,000 people each year are diagnosed with diseases, such as leukemia or
aplastic anemia, that must be treated with bone marrow transplants.
Donated marrow must match the recipient's genetic make-up in order to be
compatible. The NBMR tracks blood samples of potential donors.
-- Prohibit genetic information from being used to deny health
coverage to individuals or their family members. Recently developed
scientific tests can determine a person's predisposition to diseases
such as cystic fibrosis, breast cancer and multiple sclerosis. Louise
Slaughter, sponsor of a similar stand-alone measure (HR306) , said
legislation is needed because 22 percent of people with known genetic
conditions already have been denied health insurance;
Authorize $2 million in fiscal 1998 to establish a national
awareness and prevention program on eating disorders. Slaughter
introduced a similar stand-alone measure (HR556) i
-- Increase the number of medical professionals choosing
general-practice medicine, as opposed to specialist care, by reimbursing
medical students for the cost of education for combined general-practice
degrees (such as pediatrics and internal medicine). Slaughter introduced
a similar stand-alone measure (HR689) ;
- - Exempt grandparents or non-parent primary child-care providers
from work requirements and time-limits imposed by a 1996 welfare law (PL
104-193) States would be reimbursed for any amount spent supporting
these individuals beyond the five-year benefit cutoff. California
Democrat Maxine Waters introduced a similar stand-alone bill (HR1646)
-- Provide grants to fund mentoring programs that pair senior
citizens with foster children. The grants would be funded with existing
foster care and housing funds controlled by the Health and Human
Services Department;
-- Increase the day-care tax credit to working parents;
-- Ensure that employees who choose to care for a foster child or
adopt a child benefit from the same family-leave policies as natural
birth parents. Eleanor Holmes-Norton, D-D.C., introduced a similar
measure (HR1113) i
Allow parents to appoint "standby" guardians before they are
declared unable to care for their children because of illness;
- - Require states to locate and notify the biological father if a
child is removed from the mother's care;
Require child welfare workers to take and pass written exams on
child development before they can work;
Authorize $1.4 billion to pay for child-care services of people
who leave welfare because of employment but are at risk of returning to
public assistance because of low wages and child-care needs. Lynn
Woolsey, D-Calif., introduced a similar stand-alone bill (HR899) ;
- - Increase criminal penalties for selling or possessing the drugs
Ketamine and gamma y-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) The drugs are widely known
as "date rape" drugs because they can cause victims to lose
consciousness, making them highly vulnerable to sexual assault. Texas
Democrat Sheila Jackson-Lee introduced a similar stand-alone bill
(HR1530) ;
- - Allow courts to seize money from private pension accounts to cover
damage award payments levied against convicted child abusers. Carolyn B.
Maloney, D-N.Y., introduced a similar stand-alone bill (HR1142) ;
-- Establish federal prosecution and life-prison sentences for repeat
sex offenders. Slaughter introduced a similar stand-alone bill (HR305) ;
Require all firearms sold in the United States to be equipped with
a child-safety lock. The issue of child safety locks took center stage
during floor debate of the House and Senate youth crime bills (HR3, S10)
in 1997. Juanita Millender-McDonald, D-Calif., introduced a similar
stand-alone measure (HR1044) ;
- - Withhold 5 percent of a state's federal highway funds if it does
not lower the legal blood alcohol level of intoxication to .08 percent
and impose mandatory-minimum sentences for drunken driving. Nita M.
Lowey, D-N.Y., , introduced two similar measures (HR981, HR982)
-- Expand the tax credit for caring for elderly dependents;
- - Grant a tax credit to employers that provide child-care benefits
to their employees;
-- Grant a tax credit in the amount of any unpaid child support
payments to the primary caregiver of a child; Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif.,
introduced a similar bill (HR1735) i
Allow participants in workfare or community service jobs to
qualify for the earned income-tax credit (EITC) In practice, any unpaid
work required by welfare laws would be counted as wages for purposes of
calculating the EITC. Patsy T. Mink, D-Hawaii, introduced a similar bill
(HR1498) ;
- - And provide $5 billion to local school districts to construct and
renovate public schools. Lowey introduced a similar stand-alone bill
(HR1104)
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
No action has been scheduled on HR1726, which was referred to seven
different House committees.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Children's National Security Act
CRS DIGEST:
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I: Healthy Future
Title II: Caring for Families
Title III: Family Safety
Title IV: Economic Security
Title V: Educating Our Children
Title VI: Budgeting Provisions
Children's National Security Act
*Title I: Healthy Future - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social
Security Act (SSA) to allow State plans to provide for making Medicaid
assistance available to low-income children.
(Sec. 102) Amends the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) to provide
guaranteed availability of individual health insurance coverage to
uninsured children.
(Sec. 103) Authorizes additional appropriations for diabetes-related
research by the National Institutes of Health, particularly the
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
(Sec. 104) Amends PHSA to extend the authorization of appropriations
for the bone marrow program. Requires the National Bone Marrow Donor
Registry to increase the representation in the pool of potential donors
of children of mixed ancestry.
(Sec. 105) Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974 (ERISA), PHSA, SSA title XVIII (Medicare), and the Internal
Revenue Code (IRC) to prohibit discrimination on the basis of genetic
information in group health insurance plans, individual market health
insurance policies, and Medicare supplemental (Medigap) policies.
Prohibits such plans or their issuers from requiring participants,
beneficiaries, or applicants to disclose genetic information. Requires
participant, beneficiary, or applicant authorization before such plans
or insurers may disclose such genetic information. Makes violators of
such prohibitions and requirements liable for compensatory,
consequential, and punitive damages.
(Sec. 106) Amends PHSA to direct the Secretary of Health and Human
Services (HHS), to carry out, through the Director of the Center for
Mental Health Services, a public information and education program on
eating disorders, including toll-free telephone information and
referral services. Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 107) Amends SSA to set forth a special rule for Medicare
reimbursement for primary care combined residency programs, including
obstetrics and gynecology.
(Sec. 108) Amends SSA title IV part A (Temporary Assistance to Needy
Families) (TANF), as added by the Personal Responsibility and Work
Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRAWORA), to exempt families
headed by an adult nonparental relative caregiver from certain welfare
assistance work requirements and time limits. Requires work
participation rates to be determined without regard to such families.
Prohibits States from imposing work requirements or time limits on such
families, and reduces a State's grant if it violates such prohibitions.
Entitles eligible States to grants for assistanceto adult
nonparental caregivers. Makes appropriations for such grants.
*Title II: Caring for Families - Directs the Secretaries of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD) and of HHS to carry out a program of grants
to demonstrate the effectiveness of providing assistance to private
nonprofit organizations for development of intergenerational foster
care housing and for providing foster care services in such housing.
Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 202) Amends the IRC with respect to the child care tax credit
to increase the amount of employment-related expenses taken into
account and the amount at which phase-down of percentage begins.
Offsets the cost of such changes by eliminating the following tax
provisions regarding foreign sales corporations: (1) an exclusion for
certain exempt foreign trade income; and (2) a deduction for dividends
received from certain foreign corporations.
(Sec. 203) Requires an employer to provide an employee who is a
parent of an adopted child or a foster child with the same leave the
employer provides (in addition to leave required by the Family and
Medical Leave Act of 1993) an employee who is on parental leave for
the
birth of a child.
(Sec. 204) Amends SSA title IV part E (Foster Care and Adoption
Assistance) to require States to have certain standby guardianship laws
and procedures as a condition of eligibility for Federal funds for
foster care and adoption assistance.
(Sec. 205) Amends SSA title IV part E to require States to: (1)
administer qualifying examinations to all State employees with new
authority to make decisions regarding child welfare services; and (2)
establish certain procedures to expedite the permanent placement of
foster children. Provides for placement of foster children in permanent
kinship care arrangements. Gives States an option, for adoption
assistance payment purposes, to deem kinship placement as adoption.
Provides for consideration of the kinship placement option at the
dispositional hearing. Makes Federal funds for foster care and adoption
assistance available only to States that require State agencies to give
preference to adoption applications of a foster parent or caretaker
relative of the child.
(Sec. 206) Amends the Child Care Development Block Grant Act of 1990
to authorize appropriations for FY 1997 through 2002 for: (1) child
care for low-income working families; and (2) child care supply
shortages. Requires States and the Secretary of HHS to report on access
to child-care by low-income working families.
*Title III: Family Safety - Directs the Attorney General, as part of
the prevention of date rape, to: (1) reschedule Gamma y-hydroxybutyrate
in schedule I and Ketamine in schedule II of the Controlled Substances
Act; (2) establish nationwide programs and disseminate materials to
provide young people in highschool and college with education about the
use of controlled substances in the furtherance of rape and sexual
assault; and (3) assist law enforcement personnel in the prevention of
abuse of controlled substances for such purpose.
(Sec. 302) Amends ERISA and the IRC to allow the creation or
assignment of rights to employee pension benefits, under a qualified
child abuse order, if this is necessary to satisfy a judgment against
an employee benefit plan participant or beneficiary for physically,
sexually, or emotionally abusing a child.
(Sec. 303) Expresses the sense of the Congress with respect to
protection from sexual predators. Amends Federal criminal law relating
to punishment of sexual predators. Amends the Violent Crime Control and
Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to condition State eligibility for certain
grants on a State's having in effect laws which allow the court to
impose a sentence of life in prison without parole on a criminal
defendant convicted of a State offense for specified types of sexually
predatory conduct. Requires the National Institute of justice to study
and report to the Congress and the President on persistent sexual
predators.
(Sec. 304) Establishes requirements relating to child safety locks
for firearms. Sets forth prohibitions, and civil penalties,
against: (1) the manufacture of handguns as well as the transfer of
firearms without locking devices attached; (2) and (2) the transfer of
firearms by licensees without notice and warning. Includes loss of a
Federal dealer's license among civil penalties for such violations.
Sets forth criminal penalties for an adult's leaving a firearm and
ammunition with an unsupervised minor.
Directs the National Institute of Justice and the Consumer Product
Safety Commission each to study, and report to the Attorney General and
the Secretary of the Treasury on, the feasibility of developing minimum
quality standards for locking devices for firearms. Requires the
Director of the Centers for Disease Control to study and report on the
results. Authorizes appropriations to the Attorney General and the
Secretary of HHS for public service announcements and counter
advertisements designed to educate the public on the proper storage of
firearms. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to issue regulations
which prescribe minimum quality standards for locking devices.
(Sec. 305) Amends Federal transportation law to require the
Secretary of Transportation to withhold five percent of the funds
authorized for Federal aid highway programs for FY 2001, and ten
percent of such amounts for subsequent fiscal years, from any State
that has not enacted and is not enforcing: (1) a law that considers as
intoxicated an individual with an alcohol concentration level of 0.08
percent or greater while operating a motor vehicle; and (2) a law that
provides, for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol,
revocation of driver's license for at least six months for a first
conviction, revocation for at least one year for a second conviction,
and permanent revocation for a third or subsequent conviction.
(Sec. 307) Amends Federal criminal law to define firearm locking
device. Makes it unlawful for a licensed manufacturer, importer, or
dealer to sell, deliver, or transfer a handgun (with law enforcement
and government exceptions) without a locking device or a specified
related warning. Sets forth civil (in addition to any administrative)
penalties for related violations, including suspension or loss of
license.
*Title IV: Economic Security - Amends the IRC to provide for a
refundable credit for household and dependent care services necessary
for gainful employment. Increases the amount of a taxpayer's
employment-related expenses taken into account and the amount at which
phase-down of percentage begins.
(Sec. 401) Allows an employer-provided child care credit for
businesses.
Amends the Child Care Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to extend
the authorization of appropriations for grants to States for child care
services for low-income working families. Authorizes appropriations for
child care supply shortages, and requires States to use such funds in
certain areas for specified types of activities. Requires States and
the Secretary of HHS to report on access to child- care by low-income
working families.
(Sec. 402) Amends the IRC to allow an individual an income tax
credit equal to the unpaid child support such individual is entitled to
receive for the taxable year. Requires the taxpayer to identify each
individual required to pay support. Increases by the amount of such
credit the tax of the individual failing to make required support
payments. Prohibits treating any such increase in tax as a tax for
purposes of determining a credit or the minimum tax.
*Title V: Educating Our Children - Establishes a program to provide
Federal interest subsidies, or similar assistance, to States and
localities to help them bring all public school facilities up to an
acceptable construction standard and build the additional public
schools needed in the next decade.
(Sec. 503) Makes appropriations to the Secretary of Education to
carry out this title.
(Sec. 504) Reserves specified funds for Indian school construction
by the Secretary of the Interior and ofor grants to outlying areas.
(Sec. 511) Sets forth requirements for formula grants to States and
for direct grants to local educational agencies (LEAs)
(Sec. 531) Sets forth general requirements relating to technical
employees, wage rates, non-liability of the Federal Government, and
consultation with Secretary of the Treasury.
*Title VI: Budgeting Provisions - Provides for: (1) an increase in
budget functions for domestic programs resulting from this Act; and (2)
offsetting reductions in the defense budget function.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Children
Accident prevention
Actions and defenses
Adopted children
Adoption
Adoptive parents
Aged
Aid to dependent children
Alcohol and youth
Ammunition
Annuities
Architecture and the disabled
Armed forces
Authorization--Department of Health and Human Services
Bone banks
Budgets
Building construction
Business
Business income tax
Caregivers
Charter schools
Child abuse
Child care block grants
Child health services
Child sexual abuse
Child support
Chronically ill
Civil liberties
Civil rights
Collection of accounts
Communications
Community schools
Congress
Congressional budget
Congressional reporting requirements
Construction industries
Construction workers
Consumer education
Consumers
Crime prevention
Criminal justice
Critically ill
Damages
Day care--Costs
Defense budgets
Defense economics
Delinquency prevention
Depressed areas
Diabetes
Disabled
Discrimination in insurance
Discrimination in medical care
Dividends
Driver licenses
Drug abuse
Drug abuse prevention
Drug traffic
Drugs and youth
Drunk driving
Earnings
Eating disorders
Economic policy
Education
Educational facilities
Educational finance
Educational technology
Elementary and secondary education
Emergency management
Employee health benefits
Employee training
Employment tests
Energy
Energy conservation in buildings
Environmental health
Environmental protection
Executive departments
Families
Family leave
Federal aid highway program
Federal aid to child welfare
Federal aid to day care centers
Federal aid to education
Federal aid to housing
Federal aid to medical research
Federal aid to territories
Federal aid to youth services
Federal aid to Indians
Federal employees--Department of Education
Federal preemption
Finance
Fines (Penalties)
Firearms control
Firearms injuries
Firearms--Safety measures
Foreign corporations
Foster home care
Foster parents
Genetic screening
Government contractors
Government employees
Government information
Government lending
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Government securities
Government spending reductions
Government trust funds
Guardian and ward
Gynecology
Health insurance
Health insurance industry
Health policy
Higher education
Hospitals
Housing
Housing subsidies
Identification devices
Income
Income tax
Indian education
Infrastructure
Infrastructure (Economics)
Insurance companies
Insurance premiums
Interest
Intergenerational relations
International finance
Investment of public funds
Job training
Judicial review of administrative acts
Juvenile delinquency
Kinship care
Labor
Law
Legislative resolutions
Licenses
Life imprisonment
Maintenance and repair
Mandatory sentences
Married people
Medicaid
Medical care
Medical education
Medical genetics
Medical residents
Medically uninsured
Medicare
Medicine
Medigap
Minorities
Nonprofit organizations
Obstetrics
Parent and child
Parole
Patients' rights
Pensions
Personal income tax
Pleas (Criminal procedure)
Poor
Poor children
Product safety
Prospective payment systems (Medical care)
Public buildings
Public contracts
Public service advertising
Punitive damages
Quality of products--Standards -
Rape
Recidivists
Rent subsidies
Rental housing
Research grants
Retail trade
Revolving funds
Right of privacy
Rural affairs
Rural education
School districts
Science policy
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Sex offenders
Social services
State and local government
State employees
State laws
Storage
Students
Subcontractors
Surveys
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Tax exclusion
Tax refunds
Tax returns
Tax-deferred compensation plans
Taxation
Taxation of foreign income
Technology
05/14/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 3
Davis, D. (D-IL)
Engel (D-NY)
Lewis, John (D-GA)
06/18/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 4
Borski (D-PA)
Underwood (D-GU)
Frost (D-TX)
Yates (D-IL)
07/17/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Fox (R-PA)
07/31/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
Bonior (D-MI)
Christian-Green, (D-VI)
15 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT - - DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
HR304
SPONSOR:
Slaughter (D-NY)
BRIEF TITLE:
HHS Women Scientist Employment Opportunity Act.
OFFICIAL TITLE:
A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act with
respect to employment opportunities in the Department of
Health and Human Services for women who are scientists,
and for other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Encourage advancement of female scientists in federal
agencies
INTRODUCED:
01/07/97
COSPONSORS :
21 (Dems: 21 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
House Commerce
RELATED BILLS: :
See S487
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
HR304 would encourage equal advancement for female scientists who work
at federal agencies within the Health and Human Services (HHS)
Department.
Under the bill, HHS would have to require its agencies to establish
equal-opportunity employment policies that designed to ensure equal
treatment of male and female scientists. The policies would have to
focus on career opportunities, including research and conference
assignments, recognition of accomplishments and opportunities for
publishing research work.
The measure would require that the agencies be monitored and that a
report on pay equity between male and female scientists be completed.
Proponents said they hope the bill would serve as a model for the
private sector.
Similar Senate legislation (S487) was introduced.
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
HR304 was referred to the House Commerce Committee. No action has been
scheduled.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
HHS Women Scientist Employment Opportunity Act
CRS DIGEST:
HHS Women Scientist Employment Opportunity Act - Directs the
Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) establish policies for
the Department of Health and Human Services on matters relating to the
employment of women scientists; and (2) monitor compliance and take
appropriate action if policies have been violated. Mandates
implementation of the recommendations of the Task Force on the Status
of NIH (National Institutes of Health) Intramural Women Scientists.
Provides for a study and report on pay equity. Authorizes
appropriations.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Women
Civil rights
Communications
Conferences
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Executive departments
Families
Family leave
Federal employees--Department of Health and Human Services
Government employees
Government information
Government paperwork
Health policy
Labor
Medical care
Medical research
Medicine
Minorities
Minorities in medicine
Minority employment
Minority women
Pay equity
Recruiting of employees
Research centers
Science policy
Scientists in government
Sex discrimination in employment
Women in government
Women in medicine
Women scientists
Women's employment
CRS SIMILAR BILLS:
S487
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
01/07/97 Referred to Committee on Commerce (CR p. H149)
02/13/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 3
Frost (D-TX)
Jackson-Lee, S. (D-TX)
Meek (D-FL)
02/25/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 4
Brown, C. (D-FL)
Furse (D-OR)
Clayton, E. (D-NC)
Jefferson (D-LA)
03/12/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 3
Ackerman (D-NY)
Evans (D-IL)
McGovern (D-MA)
03/20/97 *** Related measure (S487) introduced in Senate. ***
04/08/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Dellums (D-CA)
04/17/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Lewis, John (D-GA)
06/03/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Christian-Green, (D-VI)
06/04/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 3
Kennelly (D-CT)
Lofgren (D-CA)
McNulty (D-NY)
06/11/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
Hilliard, E. (D-AL)
Johnson, E.B. (D-TX)
06/20/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Eshoo (D-CA)
07/25/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
Maloney, C. (D-NY)
Rush (D-IL)
16 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
HR470
SPONSOR:
Filner (D-CA)
BRIEF TITLE:
Eliminate the Magnet for Illegal Immigration Act of 1997.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to curtail illegal immigration through increased
enforcement of the employer sanctions provisions in the
Immgration and Nationality Act and related laws.
QUICK REFERENCE: Enforce sanctions on employers who hire illegal
immigrants
INTRODUCED:
01/21/97
COSPONSORS:
0 (Dems: 0 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
House Judiciary
House Education and the Workforce
RELATED BILLS:
See S103, HR7, HR225, HR347, HJRes26
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
By Eugene Laney Jr., CQ Staff Writer
HR470 would seek to curtail illegal immigration by improving
enforcement of employer sanctions.
The 1996 Immigration and Naturalization Act (PL104-208) calls for
sanctions against employers who hire illegal immigrants. The law
provides for the enforcement of these sanctions by Immigration and
Naturalization (INS) and Department of Labor investigators.
The bill would authorize INS and the Department of Labor to hire more
investigators. Part of this beefed-up force would include a joint
INS-Department of Labor task force with subpoena authority, which would
be called.upon to investigate employer sanctions and labor standards.
In addition, the bill would direct the attorney general to conduct a
national employer education program and a study of immigration-related
discrimination.
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
No action has been scheduled on HR470, which was referred to the House
Judiciary and Education and the Workforce committees.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Eliminate the Magnet for Illegal Immigration Act of 1997
CRS DIGEST:
Eliminate the Magnet for Illegal Immigration Act of 1997 -
Authorizes additional appropriations for increases in: (1) Immigration
and Naturalization Service (INS) investigators to enforce employer
sanctions; (2) Department of Labor investigators to enforce labor
standards; and (3) Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related
Unfair Employment Practices (Department of Justice) investigators to
enforce antidiscrimination provisions.
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to grant specified
subpoena authority to designated immigration officers and to the
Secretary of Labor.
Increases specified penalties for: (1) document fraud; (2) hiring,
recruiting, and referral violations; (3) labor standards violations;
and (4) unfair immigration-related employment practices.
Provides for joint INS-Department of Labor efforts to investigate
violations of employer sanctions and labor standards. Directs the
Attorney General to conduct: (1) a national employer education program;
and (2) a study of immigration-related discrimination.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Immigration
Agricultural labor
Agriculture
Alien labor
Aliens
Authorization--Department of Justice
Budgets
Civil rights
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and criminals
Criminal investigation
Criminal justice
Deportation
Discrimination in employment
Drug abuse
Drug traffic
Employee training
Employer sanctions
Executive departments
Families
Family leave
Federal employees--Department of Labor
Federal law enforcement officers
Fines (Penalties)
Foreign policy
Fraud
Government employees
Government information
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Hours of labor
Identification devices
Illegal aliens
International affairs
Job training
Labor
Law
Migrant labor
Minimum wages
Passports
01/07/97 *** Related measure (HR304) introduced in House. ***
7 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES
MEASURE:
S620
SPONSOR:
Gregg (R-NH)
BRIEF TITLE:
Women's Investment and Savings Equity Act of 1997.
OFFICIAL TITLE:
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to
provide greater equity in savings opportunities for
families with children, and for other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Encourage increased retirement savings by women
INTRODUCED:
04/17/97
COSPONSORS:
24 (Dems: 0 Reps: 24 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
Senate Finance
RELATED BILLS:
See HR1496
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
By Lara C. Hearnburg, CQ Staff Writer
S620 would encourage increased retirement savings by women by
amending the tax code to permit savings in their own names.
The bill would allow homemakers and workers without pension plans to
make tax-deductible contributions to an Individual Retirement Account
(IRA) regardless of whether her spouse has a retirement plan. Although
women, who take parental leave more often than men, would be the main
beneficiaries, the legislation would apply to any parent saving for
retirement while not working outside the home.
Under current law, a spouse's participation in a pension plan can
limit eligibility for an IRA, and married women who do not work outside
the home cannot make tax-deductible contributions to their own IRAs.
The measure also would allow parents who miss time from work for
maternity and paternity leave, and thus miss payments into their pension
plans, to make "catch-up" contributions. The payments would equal those
that would have been made if the employee had not been on leave.
Such catch-up payments currently are allowed for workers returning
from military leave but not for individuals on leave for other reaso
ns.
The catch-up contributions also would be legal for parents returning
to work after a long period of not participating in a pension plan.
Because current law limits annual contributions to retirement funds,
people who work a limited number of years retire with little money
saved.
The bill is a part of a larger plan by a Republican task force to
promote retirement savings and expand security for pension plans.
New Hampshire Republican Judd Gregg, who is both the legislation's
sponsor and the chairman of the task force, said the measure is
necessary because women are almost twice as likely as men to spend
retirement years in poverty.
Similar House legislation (HR1496) was introduced.
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
S620 was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. No action has been
scheduled.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Women's Investment and Savings Equity Act of 1997
CRS DIGEST:
Women's Investment and Savings Equity Act of 1997 - Amends the
Internal Revenue Code with respect to limitations on the deduction for
active participants in certain pension plans to provide that an
individual's participation in a plan is not treated as participation by
the individual's spouse.
Permits retirement contributions to be made for periods during which
individuals were on leave for maternity or paternity leave.
Permits "catchup contributions" by parents returning to work after
periods of nonparticipation in a plan. Defines "catchup contributions."
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Taxation
Children
Families
Family leave
Finance
Labor
Loans
Maternity leave
Tax deferral
Tax-deferred compensation plans
Women
CRS SIMILAR BILLS:
HR1496
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
04/17/97 Referred to Committee on Finance (CR p. S3349)
04/17/97
GREGG, R-N.H., Senate speech: Introduces the Women's
Investment and Savings Equity Act. (Colloquy with ROTH,
R-Del.) (CR p. S3370-S3371)
*** FULL REPORT - - DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
S883
SPONSOR:
Gregg (R-NH)
BRIEF TITLE:
Retirement Income, Security, and Savings Act of 1997.
OFFICIAL TITLE:
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to
encourage savings and investment through individual
retirement accounts, to provide pension security,
portability, and simplification, and for other purposes.
INTRODUCED:
06/11/97
COSPONSORS:
8 (Dems: 0 Reps: 8 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
Senate Finance
RELATED BILLS:
See S957
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Retirement Income Security and Savings Act of 1997
CRS DIGEST:
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I: Retirement Savings Incentives
Subtitle A: Restoration of IRA Deduction
Subtitle B: Nonductible Tax-Free IRAs
Title II: Women's Retirement Security
Title III: Expansion of Pension Coverage for Small Business
Title IV: Portability
Title V : Pension Security
Subtitle A: Economically Targeted Investments
Subtitle B: Other Provisions
Title VI: Simplification of Plan Requirements
Digest will follow.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Pensions
Administrative procedure--Department of the Treasury
Administrative procedure--Department of Labor
Aged
Annuities
Business
Children
Civil service pensions
Collection of accounts
Collective bargaining agreements
Consent decrees
Cost of living adjustments
Data banks
Defined benefit pension plans
Depreciation and amortization
Dividends
Economic policy
Electronic data interchange
Employee ownership
Excise tax
Executive compensation
Executive departments
Families
Family leave
Federal preemption
Finance
Fines (Penalties)
Government employees
Government information
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Income tax
Indexing (Economic policy)
Individual retirement accounts
Investments
Labor
Law
Loans
Local employees
Married people
Maternity leave
Payroll deductions
Pension funds
Personal income tax
Public contracts
Self-employed
Small business
State and local government
State employees
State laws
Tax deductions
Tax exclusion
Tax penalties
Tax-deferred compensation plans
Tax-exempt organizations
Taxation
Technology
Trusts and trustees
Women
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
06/11/97 Referred to Committee on Finance (CR p. S5508) (WR p.
1926)
06/11/97
GREGG, R-N.H., Senate speech: Introduces the Retirement
Income Security and Savings Act of 1997. (CR p.
S5528-S5530)
06/11/97 Original cosponsor (s) : 6
Collins (R-ME)
Hutchison, K. (R-TX)
Roth (R-DE)
Faircloth (R-NC)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Santorum (R-PA)
06/12/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
Coverdell (R-GA)
Hatch (R-UT)
06/25/97 *** Related measure (S957) introduced in Senate. ***
10 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
S889
SPONSOR:
Graham (D-FL)
BRIEF TITLE:
Retirement Security for the 21st Century Act.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to provide for pension reform, and for other
purposes.
INTRODUCED:
06/12/97
COSPONSORS:
4 (Dems: 1 Reps: 3 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
Senate Finance
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Retirement Security for the 21st Century Act
CRS DIGEST:
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I: Expanding Small Business Coverage
Title II: Enhancing Fairness for Women and Families
Title III: Increasing Portability for Participants
Title IV: Strengthening Pension Security and Enforcement
Title V: Reducing Regulatory Burdens
Retirement Security for the 21st Century Act
*Title I: Expanding Small Business Coverage - Amends Internal
Revenue Code (IRC) deferred compensation provisions to prohibit
treating as an elective deferral any matching contribution made on
behalf of a self- employed individual.
(Sec. 102) Exempts from prohibited transaction taxes certain
transactions regarding a trust forming part of a stock bonus, pension,
or profit-sharing plan involving loans to, payments for services
rendered by, or acquisitions from or sales to an owner-employee. Amends
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to exempt
such transactions from provisions: (1) limiting plan holding of
employer securities and employer real property; (2) prohibiting certain
fiduciary actions, benefits, and compensation; and (3) relating to
certain plan transactions involving employer securities or employer
real property.
(Sec. 103) Allows an employer to establish payroll deductions for
contributions to employee individual retirement plans without incurring
ERISA liability.
(Sec. 104) Amends the IRC to allow an eligible employer to establish
and maintain a SAFE annuity (an individual retirement annuity) or a
SAFE trust (a trust forming part of a defined benefit plan), both to be
funded by the employer. Makes the employer contributions deductible
without limitation and otherwise provides for the treatment of
contributions and distributions. Mandates a penalty for early
withdrawals. Requires simplified employer reports for SAFE annuities
and simplified actuarial reports for SAFE trusts.
Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to exempt
SAFE trusts from coverage requirements and SAFE annuities from certain
employer reporting requirements.
(Sec. 105) Amends the IRC to modify definitions applicable to
special rules for top-heavy plans. Requires consideration of employer
matching contributions in determining whether a defined contribution
plan meets minimum contribution requirements.
*Title II: Enhancing Fairness for Women and Children - Removes a
requirement that an individual's spouse's participation in certain
pension plans reduce the individual's dollar limitations on retirement
contribution deductions.
(Sec. 202) Makes the salary percentage limitations on additions to
defined contribution plans inapplicable to elective deferrals.
(Sec. 203) Permits participants on maternity or paternity leave to
make additional elective deferrals. Provides for the treatment and
timing of the contributions and sets forth other definitions and rules.
(Sec. 204) Amends the IRC and ERISA to set three- and five-year
vesting periods for matching contributions under a qualified cash or
deferred arrangement. Provides for the treatment of matching
contributions.
(Sec. 205) Amends Federal civil service retirement and Federal
employees' retirement system provisions to entitle a former spouse of a
deceased former employee to a deferred annuity in certain
circumstances.
(Sec. 206) Amends the IRC to provide for the circumstances in which
a distribution or payment from an eligible deferred compensation plan
must be treated as made pursuant to a qualified domestic relations
order.
*Title III: Increasing Portability for Participants - Excludes from
gross income any portion of an individual's eligible retirement plan
rolled over or transferred into another eligible retirement plan.
Sets forth related rules.
(Sec. 302) Allows plans to accept rollover contributions.
(Sec. 303) Amends the IRC and ERISA to set forth the circumstances
in which a defined contribution plan will not be treated as failing to
meet requirements merely because the transferee plan does not provide
some or all the forms of distribution previously available under
another defined contribution plan.
(Sec. 304) Amends the IRC to allow amounts in a qualified cash or
deferred arrangement to be distributed after: (1) severance from
employment (currently, after separation from service) ; or (2) a plan
termination (currently, a plan termination, a disposition of assets, or
a disposition of a subsidiary).
*Title IV: Strengthening Pension Security and Enforcement - Amends
the IRC and ERISA to modify the definition of "full-funding limitation"
and set forth a special amortization rule. Amends the IRC to change
deductibility requirements regarding an employer's contributions to an
employees' trust annuity plan and compensation under a deferred-payment
plan.
(Sec. 402) Amends ERISA to modify requirements regarding missing
participants.
(Sec. 403) Amends ERISA and the IRC to exempt from a requirement
that plans prohibit the assignment or alienation of benefits any offset
of a benefit against an amount a participant is ordered or required to
pay under certain criminal or civil judgements or settlements.
(Sec. 404) Amends ERISA to increase the maximum civil penalty
authorized for certain prohibited transactions.
(Sec. 405) Modifies the definition of "eligible individual account
plan" for provisions regarding the acquisition and holding of employer
securities and employer real property by certain plans.
(Sec. 406) Requires that pension benefit statements be furnished
annually (once every three years for defined benefit plans) or on
request. Allows written or electronic statements. Requires
multiemployer plans to furnish a statement (written or electronic) on
request.
(Sec. 407) Allows (currently, requires) civil monetary penalties of
up to (currently, equal to) specified amounts regarding certain
breaches of fiduciary responsibility. Modifies the amounts and makes
the liability joint and severable.
(Sec. 408) Amends the IRC to modify requirements regarding the tax
on nondeductible contributions.
(Sec. 409) Prohibits plans from making loans to beneficiaries
through any revolving credit arrangement.
*Title V: Reducing Regulatory Burdens - Makes certain
nondiscrimination and participation requirements inapplicable to a
governmental plan.
(Sec. 502) Declares that a trust does not fail to be qualified if it
made good faith efforts but failed to satisfy requirements and
substantially corrected the failure. Allows, in some circumstances, the
plan to be required to make a payment bearing a reasonable relationship
to the severity of the plan's failure to satisfy requirements. Modifies
requirements regarding the taxability of the beneficiary of a nonexempt
trust. (Sec. 503) Amends ERISA to remove a requirement to file a
summary plan description, a plan description, modifications and
changes, and documents relating to the employee benefit plan.
Authorizes a civil monetary penalty for failure to furnish such
material on request.
(Sec. 504) Mandates issuance of coordinated guidance to: (1) modify
operational and time requirements to permit the use of new
technologies; and (2) clarify the extent to which State paper
transaction laws are preempted and the extent to which IRC requirements
shall be interpreted to permit paperless transactions.
(Sec. 505) Amends the IRC and ERISA to increase the dollar amount
that, if exceeded, requires a participant's consent for immediate
distribution.
(Sec. 506) Amends the IRC to modify requirements regarding plan
valuation timing.
(Sec. 507) Amends ERISA to change requirements, in the case of a
terminated single-employer plan, regarding the guarantee of benefits
and the allocation of assets.
(Sec. 508) Amends the IRC to modify the definition of "applicable
dividend" for provisions relating to deductions for dividends paid on
certain employer securities.
(Sec. 509) Changes the definition of "includible compensation" for
provisions relating to the taxability of beneficiaries under annuities
purchased by section 501 (c) (3) organizations or public schools.
Mandates a change in the regulations regarding the exclusion allowance
to reflect an amendment made by the Small Business Job Protection Act
of 1996.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Pensions
Administrative procedure--Department of Labor
Annuities
Business
Capital gains tax
Civil service pensions
Clergy
Consumers
Corporations
Cost of living adjustments
Credit cards
Defined benefit pension plans
Depreciation and amortization
Dividends
Divorcees
Economic policy
Employee ownership
Excise tax
Executive compensation
Executive departments
Families
Family leave
Federal employees
Finance
Financial statements
Fines (Penalties)
Government employees
Government information
Government paperwork
Housing
Income tax
Indexing (Economic policy)
Individual retirement accounts
Investments
Labor
Law
Loans
Maternity leave
Partnerships
Payroll deductions
Pension funds
Pension trust guaranty insurance
07/08/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Leahy (D-VT)
2 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
S103
SPONSOR:
Kennedy (D-MA)
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to
provide additional measures for the control of illegal
immigration.
QUICK REFERENCE: Curb illegal immigration
INTRODUCED:
01/21/97
COSPONSORS:
0 (Dems: 0 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
Senate Judiciary
RELATED BILLS:
See HR470
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
By Eugene Laney Jr., CQ Staff Writer
S103 aims to decrease the number illegal immigrants employed in the
U.S. by increasing the number of federal investigators and boosting
penalties for companies that hire illegal immigrants.
The bill would increase the number of Department of Labor wage and
hour investigators who would target employers who hire illegal
immigrants to evade labor standards. The measure also would provide for
funding for additional Immigration and Naturalization Service personnel
to enforce immigration laws in the workplace.
Employers who hire illegal workers would face stiffer penalties
under the measure, and judges would be allowed to double an employer's
penalty if they have violated both immigration and labor laws.
In addition, the bill would require the president to create a new
employment verification system. Currently, employers must verify whether
their employees are authorized to work in the U.S. -- but often
companies do not make such reports. The bill would require the president
to propose a plan to Congress within three years for an improved
employment verification system.
S103 also aims to prevent employers from discriminating against
American and legal immigrant workers. And it seeks to provide protection
for battered immigrants and protect their ability to qualify for green
cards and jobs.
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
No action has occurred on S103, which was referred to the Senate
Judiciary Committee.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
United States Worker Protection and Illegal Immigrant Deterrence Act
of
1997
CRS DIGEST:
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I: Enforcement
Title II: Employer Sanctions Penalties and Authorities
Title III: Presidential Plan for Employment Verification
Title IV: Unfair Immigration-Related Employment Practices
Title V: Protections for Battered Immigrants
United States Worker Protection and Illegal Immigrant Deterrence Act
of 1997
*Title I: Enforcement - Authorizes the Secretary of
Labor (Secretary) to hire additional Wage and Hour Division staff to
enforce employer compliance with wage and hour and immigration-related
provisions, with preference given to bilingual inspectors.
(Sec. 102) Obligates specified funds for Immigration and
Naturalization Service (INS) workplace inspectors.
*Title II: Employer Sanctions Penalties and Authorities - Amends the
Immigration and Nationality Act (Act) to revise and increase specified
civil and criminal employer sanctions provisions.
(Sec. 203) Retains collected employer fines above a specified amount
for related INS enforcement activities.
(Sec. 204) Directs the Attorney General to establish a Justice
Department task force to provide guidelines with respect to unlawful
employment of aliens and unfair immigration-related employment
practices, and assist employers in related compliance.
(Sec. 205) Grants the Secretary immigration-related subpoena
authority.
*Title III: Presidential Plan for Employment Verification - Directs
the President to develop an employment eligibility and immigrant status
confirmation plan. Sets forth related provisions regarding; (1) privacy
remedies and document restrictions; (2) liability protections; and (3)
tort remedies for improper employment dismissal or denial.
*Title IV: Unfair Immigration-Related Employment Practices - Amends
the Act to include an educational component in the mandatory contents
of an unfair immigration-related discrimination order.
(Sec. 402) Treats certain documentary practices as lawful employment
practices.
*Title V : Protections for Battered Immigrants - Amends the Act with
respect to battered immigrants to: (1) authorize waiver of certain
status adjustment fees; (2) provide an exemption from summary
exclusion; (3) authorize waiver of continuous presence requirement; (4)
continue immigrant status eligibility subsequent to removal of the
abuser spouse or parent; and (5) waive certain document fraud
provisions.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Immigration
Actions and defenses
Administrative fees
Agricultural labor
Agriculture
Alien labor--Standards
Aliens
Appropriations
Business
Child abuse
Children
Civil liberties
Civil rights
Computers and government
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Counterfeiting
Criminal justice
Data banks
Discrimination in employment
Dismissal of employees
Employee training
Evidence (Law)
Executive departments
Executive reorganization
Families
Family leave
Family violence
Federal advisory bodies
Federal law enforcement officers-Department of Labor
Fines (Penalties)
Forgery
Fraud
Government and business
Government employees
Government information
Government liability
Government paperwork
6 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
S487
SPONSOR:
Mikulski (D-MD)
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act with
respect to employment opportunities in the Department of
Health and Human Services for women who are scientists,
and for other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Encourage advancement of female scientists in federal
agencies
INTRODUCED:
03/20/97
COSPONSORS:
3 (Dems: 3 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
Senate Labor and Human Resources
RELATED BILLS:
See HR304
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
S487 would try to encourage equal advancement of female scientists
within federal agencies.
The legislation would require agencies within the Health and Human
Services Department to establish equal-opportunity employment policies
that would ensure equal treatment of male and female scientists. The
policies would have to focus on career opportunities for women,
including research and conference assignments, recognition of
accomplishments and opportunities to publish research work.
The bill would require that the agencies be monitored and that a
report on pay equity between men and women be compiled. Proponents said
they hope the measure would serve as a model for the private sector.
Similar House legislation (HR304) was introduced.
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
S487 was referred to the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee. No
action has been scheduled.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
HHS Women Scientist Employment Opportunity Act
CRS DIGEST:
HHS Women Scientist Employment Opportunity Act - Directs the
Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) establish policies for
the Department of Health and Human Services on matters relating to the
employment of women scientists; and (2) monitor compliance and take
appropriate action if policies have been violated. Mandates
implementation of the recommendations of the Task Force on the Status
of NIH (National Institutes of Health) Intramural Women Scientists.
Provides for a study and report on pay equity. Authorizes
appropriations.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Women
Civil rights
Communications
Conferences
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Executive departments
Families
Family leave
Federal employees--Department of Health and Human Services
Government employees
Government information
Government paperwork
Health policy
Labor
Medical care
Medical research
Medicine
Minorities
Minorities in medicine
Minority employment
Minority women
Pay equity
Recruiting of employees
Research centers
Science policy
Scientists in government
Sex discrimination in employment
Women in government
Women in medicine
Women scientists
Women's employment
CRS SIMILAR BILLS:
HR304
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
03/20/97 Referred to Committee on Labor and Human Resources (CR p.
S2646)
03/20/97
MIKULSKI, D-Md., Senate speech: Introduces the HHS
Women Scientist Employment Opportunity Act. (CR p.
S2651)
03/20/97 Original cosponsor (s) : 3
Boxer (D-CA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Moseley-Braun (D-IL)
Personal income tax
Real estate business
Religion
Self-employed
Small business
Survivors' benefits
Tax exclusion
Tax penalties
Tax-deferred compensation plans
Taxation
Trusts and trustees
Women
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
06/12/97 Referred to Committee on Finance (CR p. S5595) (WR p.
1927)
06/12/97
GRAHAM, D-Fla., Senate speech: Introduces the
Retirement Security for the 21st Century Act. (CR p.
S5601-S5604)
06/12/97 Original cosponsor (s) : 4
Boxer (D-CA)
Hatch (R-UT)
Grassley (R-IA)
Jeffords (R-VT)
11 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
S1019
SPONSOR:
Bennett (R-UT)
OFFICIAL TITLE:
An original bill making appropriations for the
legislative branch for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30,
1998, and for other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Provide $1.5 billion for legislative branch operations in
fiscal 1998
INTRODUCED:
07/15/97
COSPONSORS:
0 (Dems: 0 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
Senate Appropriations
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
By Peter H. King, CQ Staff Writer
Passed by the Senate, S1019 would provide $1.5 billion in fiscal 1998
for Senate expenses and legislative branch agencies.
The annual bill funds the operations of Congress, including staff
salaries and maintenance of the Capitol Hill complex, as well as
congressional agencies like the Library of Congress and Congressional
Budget Office.
Though the final version of the legislation will contain funding for
House expenses, the Senate-passed version does not because each chamber
defers to the other to draft its own budget. Language to fund House
operations is included in a companion spending measure (HR2209).
Under S1019, the fiscal 1998 total would allocate almost $52 million
more than in fiscal 1997 but would fall about $65 million less than
President Clinton's request.
Most of the bill's spending increase would arise from cost of living
adjustments (COLAs) to various congressional and agency staff, including
a provision supporters said would eliminate the disparity between Senate
staff salaries and other government employees -- including House staff
salaries. The COLA for fiscal 1998 will be 2.8 percent, according to
Clinton.
The legislation also would:
Reduce the amount for official mail costs from $10 million to $8
million and combine the franking allowance with the personnel and office
allowance in order to allow members greater flexibility. Senators could
spend the extra $2 million on personal office operations;
-- Provide almost $347 million to the General Accounting Office
(GAO), an increase of $14 million over current levels, which would
stabilize the GAO budget and staff level after a two-year reduction of
25 percent;
Provide $77 million for Senate employee salaries, an increase of
$2.6 million;
- - Provide $79 million for Capitol Police salaries and expenses,
which would comprise an increase of almost $4 million over current
levels; -- And request that the GAO conduct a management review of the
Government Printing Office and report results to the House and Senate
Appropriations committees and the Joint Committee on Printing.
The bill would not increase pay for members of Congress, which is
done through a separate spending bill (S1023).
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
The Senate passed S1019 by voice vote July 16, 1997. No further action
is likely because the Senate passed the House companion bill (HR2209)
after inserting the text of S1019, a step necessary to begin a
House-Senate conference.
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved S1019 on a 27-0 vote
July 15.
Its Legislative Branch Subcommittee held hearings on fiscal 1998
spending proposals May 6, May 20, June 5 and June 10.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1998
Congressional Operations Appropriations Act, 1998
SHORT TITLE AS PASSED IN SENATE:
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1998
Congressional Operations Appropriations Act, 1998
CRS DIGEST:
07/16/97 (Passed Senate, amended ) TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I: Congressional Operations
Title II: Other Agencies
Title III: General Provisions
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1998 - Makes appropriations
for the legislative branch for FY 1998.
*Title I: Congressional Operations - Congressional Operations
Appropriations Act, 1998 - Makes appropriations for the Senate for: (1)
expense allowances; (2) representation allowances for the Majority and
Minority leaders; (3) salaries of specified officers, employees, and
committees; (4) agency contributions for employee benefits; (5)
inquiries and investigations; (6) the U.S. Senate Caucus on
International Narcotics Control; (7) the Offices of the Secretary,
Sergeant at Arms, and Doorkeeper of the Senate; (8) miscellaneous
items; (9) the Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense
Account; (10) stationery; and (11) official mail costs.
(Sec. 1) Authorizes the Secretary of the Senate to make advance
payments under contracts to provide services or deliver articles for
the U.S. Government without regard to requirements governing advances
under Federal public finance law.
(Sec. 3) Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1973 to raise
the limit on authorized mail, telegraph, telephone, stationery, office
supplies, and home State office and travel expenses for Senators.
Amends Federal law to make the Senators' Official Personnel and
Office Expense Account available for the payment of franked mail
expenses of Senators, beginning in FY 1998. Repeals a provision of the
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1991 which authorized transfers
of a limited amount of funds for mass mail to such Account.
(Sec. 4) Increases the aggregate amount authorized for Senate
committees by S. Res. 54, 105th Congress.
(Sec. 5) Provides for increases in the aggregate compensation paid
to employees in Senate offices.
Makes appropriations for: (1) the Joint Economic, Printing, and
Taxation Committees; (2) the Office of the Attending Physician; and (3)
the Capitol Police Board.
(Sec. 101) Sets forth administrative provisions regarding the
Capitol Police Board and requires the Board to establish unified
schedules of rates of basic pay and a unified leave system for members
and civilian employees.
Appropriates funds for the Capitol Guide Service and Special
Services Office and for statements of appropriations.
Makes appropriations for: (1) the Office of Compliance; (2) the
Congressional Budget Office; (3) the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) for
salaries and expenses, Capitol buildings and grounds, Senate office
buildings, and the Capitol power plant; (4) the Library of Congress for
the Congressional Research Service's (CRS) salaries and expenses;
and (5) the Government Printing Office (GPO) for congressional printing
and binding.
*Title II: Other Agencies - Appropriates funds for: (1) the Botanic
Garden; and (2) the Library of Congress for salaries and expenses, the
Copyright Office, books for the blind and physically handicapped, and
furniture and furnishings.
(Sec. 201) Provides a limited amount of funds for the Library and
CRS for attendance at meetings concerned with the function for which an
appropriation is made.
(Sec. 202) Prohibits the use of funds by the Library to administer
any flexible or compressed work schedule which: (1) applies to any
manager or supervisor in a position equal to or higher than a GS-15
grade; and (2) grants such individual the right to not be at work on a
workday because of time worked on another workday.
(Sec. 203) Establishes limits on: (1) the number of employees hired
by the Library to perform reimbursable work for other agencies; and (2)
funds for representation and reception expenses associated with the
Library incentive awards program and overseas field offices.
(Sec. 207) Establishes the Cooperative Acquisitions Program
Revolving Fund for financing a Library program to acquire foreign
publications and research materials on behalf of participating
institutions on a cost-recovery basis.
Makes appropriations for: (1) the AOC for Library buildings and
grounds; (2) GPO for salaries and expenses of the Office of the
Superintendent of Documents; and (3) the General Accounting
Office (GAO)
Earmarks a specified amount of GAO funds for studies and assessments
by not-for-profit scientific, technological, or educational
institutions to carry out functions formerly performed by the Office of
Technology Assessment.
Sets forth authorized uses of, and limits on, such funds.
*Title III: General Provisions - Sets forth prohibitions on the use
of funds appropriated by this Act.
(Sec. 305) Authorizes appropriations as necessary to an account for
awards and settlements authorized under the Congressional
Accountability Act of 1995.
(Sec. 308) Amends Federal law to treat Members of the Congress and
their spouses, dependents, and staff as permanent residents and
domiciliaries of the State represented by the Member even if such
individuals are absent from, or maintain an abode outside of, such
State. Confers the same rights and responsibilities on such persons as
apply to other State residents.
(Sec. 309) Amends Federal civil service law to apply severance pay
provisions to employees of the Senate restaurants, other than temporary
employees. Sets forth early retirement provisions with respect to such
employees and entitles them to annuities.
Requires the AOC to establish a program under which voluntary
separation incentive payments may be offered to up to 50 eligible
Senate restaurant employees for voluntary separation, through
resignation or retirement, through FY 1999.
Treats any AOC service of certain Senate restaurant employees who
are involuntarily separated before FY 2000 as competitive service in
the case of employees who apply for executive branch positions.
Authorizes the AOC to establish a program to provide retraining, job
placement, and counseling services to current and former Senate
restaurant employees (other than reemployed annuitants or temporary
employees)
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Budgets
Aged
Americans employed in foreign countries
Annuities
Appropriations
Awards, medals, prizes
Blind
Books
Botanical gardens
Capitol (Washington, D.C.)
Civil service pensions
Commemorations
Communications
Congress
Congressional agencies - Congressional Budget Office
Congressional agencies Congressional Research Service
Congressional agencies--General Accounting Office
Congressional agencies Library of Congress
Congressional allowances
Congressional caucuses
Congressional chaplains
Congressional employees
Congressional investigations
Congressional joint committees Joint Economic
Congressional joint committees Joint Printing
Congressional joint committees Joint Taxation
Congressional legal counsel
Congressional mail
Congressional officers
Congressional publications
Copyright
Criminal justice
Disabled
Dismissal wage
Drug abuse
Drug law enforcement
Drug traffic
Early retirement
Employee rights
Employee vacations
Executive departments
Families
Family leave
Federal employees
Federal libraries
Flexible work hours
Food
Foreign policy
Franking privilege
Government buyouts
Government employees
Government information
Government publications
Government service contracts
House of Representatives
Humanities
Intellectual property
International affairs
International cooperation
Job hunting
Job training
Labor
Law
Layoffs
Leave of absence
Medical care
Medicine
Members of Congress
Occupational retraining
Pensions
Physicians
Police
Politicians' families
Presidents
Printing
Public contracts
Rating of employees
Recruiting of employees
Religion
Residence requirements
Restaurants
Revolving funds
Salaries
Senate
Senate leadership
Sick leave
State and local government
State taxation
Taxation
Technology
Technology assessment
Vice Presidents
Vocational guidance
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
05/06/97 Subcommittee hearings held by the Senate Appropriations
Committee, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch.
05/20/97 Subcommittee hearings held by the Senate Appropriations
Committee, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch.
06/05/97 Subcommittee hearings held by the Senate Appropriations
Committee, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch.
06/10/97 Subcommittee hearings held by the Senate Appropriations
Committee, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch.
07/15/97 Committee consideration and markup session held by the
Senate Appropriations Committee. (CR p. D756)
07/15/97
** COMMITTEE VOTE ** S1019. FY98 Legislative Branch
Appropriations/Substitute. Bennett, R-Utah, substitute
amendment that would make minor changes to the underlying
bill; provide $370,000 for the Council on International
Narcotics Control; require a review of the GAO's
inventory management policy. Adopted without objection
July 15, 1997.
07/15/97
** COMMITTEE VOTE ** S1019. FY98 Legislative Branch
Appropriations/Vote to Report. Provide $1.5 billion for
the legislative branch; provide $130 million for the
Capitol architect to perform improvement projects;
provide $346 million for the General Accounting Office
for salaries and expenses; provide a pay increase to
legislative staff. Approved en bloc with other
legislation 27-0: R 14-0; D 13-0, July 15, 1997.
07/15/97 Ordered to be reported by the Senate Appropriations
Committee. (CR p. D756)
07/15/97 Reported to the Senate as an original bill by the Senate
Committee on Appropriations and placed on the Senate
Legislative Calendar. SRpt 105-47 (CR p. S7485)
07/16/97
BENNETT, R-Utah (for BINGAMAN, D-N.M.) amendment
introduced in Senate: number 920 (text) (CR p. S7615)
07/16/97 Considered and amended by the Senate. (CR p. S7593-S7602)
07/16/97
BENNETT, R-Utah, and BINGAMAN, D-N.M., amendment no. 920,
to provide funds for a pilot program of studies of
scientific and technological issues to assist the
Congress in anticipating, understanding and considering
such issues in the course of determining public policy on
existing and emerging national problems, agreed to by
unanimous consent. (see CR p. S7594) (CR p. S7593-S7602)
07/16/97 Measure, as amended, passed Senate by unanimous consent.
(Text of bill, as passed by the Senate, appears on pgs.
S7596-S7601 of the July 16, 1997, Congressional Record.)
(CR p. S7596) (WR p. 1679)
07/16/97 BENNETT, R-Utah, unanimous consent request, that when the
House companion measure is received in the Senate, all
after the enacting clause be stricken, except
appropriations for the House of Representatives and House
Office Buildings, and that the text of the bill, as
passed, be inserted in lieu thereof, the Senate insist on
its amendments, and request a conference with the House,
and, finally, the Chair be authorized to appoint
conferees on the part of the Senate; that when the House
bill is passed, pursuant to the previous order, the
passage of the Senate bill be vitiated, and that the bill
be indefinitely postponed, agreed to by unanimous
consent. (see CR p.S7602) (CR p. S7601-S7602)
07/17/97
MCCAIN, R-Ariz., Senate speech: Supports the fiscal
year 1998 legislative branch appropriations bill. (CR
p. S7737-S7738)
07/29/97 Considered by the Senate. (CR p. S8216)
07/29/97 Pursuant to the order of July 16, 1997, the Senate
proceeded to strike all after the enacting clause of
HR2209 (House companion measure), and insert in lieu
thereof the text of S1019, as amended, by the Senate. (CR
p. S8216)
07/29/97 Other measure HR2209, as amended by the Senate, passed
the Senate in lieu. (CR p. S8216)
07/29/97 Measure indefinitely postponed by Senate by unanimous
consent. (CR p. S8216) (WR p. 1990, 2039)
12 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
House Education and the Workforce
RELATED BILLS:
See S63
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
HR983 would amend civil rights law to prevent employers from using
mandatory arbitration on claims that arise from discrimination.
Bill sponsor Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., said the legislation would
stem the growing tendency of companies, particularly securities firms,
to require arbitration as a condition of hiring or promoting employees.
It would apply to discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex,
national origin, age or disability.
"Voluntary arbitration in an impartial setting can be a fair and
inexpensive way to resolve a wide range of disputes, " Markey said. "But
when it is forcibly imposed on one party with inherently less bargaining
power, it ceases to be of value."
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
No action has been scheduled on HR983, which was referred to the House
Education and the Workforce Committee and the Judiciary Committee.
Similar legislation was introduced in the 104th Congress.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Civil Rights Procedures Protection Act of 1996
CRS DIGEST:
Civil Rights Procedures Protection Act of 1996 - Amends specified
Federal civil rights statutes (including title VII of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans With Disabilities Act of
1990, the equal pay requirement under the Fair Labor Standards Act of
1938, and the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993) to prevent the
involuntary application of arbitration to claims that arise from
unlawful employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex,
national origin, age, or disability.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Civil rights
Age discrimination in employment
Aged
Alternative dispute resolution
Civil liberties
Civil rights enforcement
Contracts
Disabled
Discrimination against the disabled
Discrimination in employment
Employment of the disabled
Equal pay for equal work
Equality before the law
Families
Family leave
Labor
Law
Mediation
Minimum wages
Minorities
Racial discrimination
Religion
Religious liberty
Sex discrimination in employment
Sick leave
Women
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
01/21/97 *** Related measure (S63) introduced in Senate. ***
03/06/97 Referred to Committee on Education and the Workforce,
Committee on the Judiciary (for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned) (CR p. H803)
03/06/97
MARKEY, D-Mass., House speech: Introduces the Civil
Rights Procedures Protection Act of 1997. (CR p.
E407-E408)
03/06/97 Original Cosponsor (s) : 22
Berman (D-CA)
Furse (D-OR)
Pelosi (D-CA)
Dellums (D-CA)
Gonzalez (D-TX)
Romero-Barcelo (D-PR)
Eshoo (D-CA)
Jackson, J. (D-IL)
Rush (D-IL)
Faleomavaega (D-AS)
Johnson, E.B. (D-TX)
Stark (D-CA)
Fattah (D-PA)
Morella (R-MD)
Tierney (D-MA)
Flake (D-NY)
Nadler (D-NY)
Vento (D-MN)
Frank, Barney (D-MA)
Norton (D-DC)
Frost (D-TX)
Olver (D-MA)
03/12/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 3
DeGette (D-CO)
Evans (D-IL)
Neal, R. (D-MA)
03/18/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
Jefferson (D-LA)
Martinez (D-CA)
03/21/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Davis, D. (D-IL)
04/08/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Miller, G. (D-CA)
04/15/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
Filner (D-CA)
Lewis, John (D-GA)
04/23/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
Watt, M. (D-NC)
Yates (D-IL)
04/24/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
1 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
S63
SPONSOR:
Feingold (D-WI)
BRIEF TITLE:
Civil Rights Procedures Protection Act of 1997.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend certain federal civil rights statutes to
prevent the involuntary application of arbitration to
claims that arise from unlawful employment discrimination
based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin,
age, or disability, and for other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Prohibit employers from soliciting agreement to mandatory
arbitration
INTRODUCED:
01/21/97
COSPONSORS :
3 (Dems: 3 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
Senate Labor and Human Resources
RELATED BILLS:
See HR983
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
S63 would prohibit employers from discouraging employees to use the
court system as a remedy to claims of discrimination or harassment.
Bill supporters said employers recently have been encouraging,
through promises of employment or advancement, potential employees to
sign contracts in which they relinquish their rights to use the courts
to resolve claims of discrimination or harassment. Instead, they agree
to pursue such claims through arbitration or mediation, a practice that
is known as "mandatory arbitration".
The bill would prohibit mandatory arbitration but would not prohibit
arbitration as an option for employees.
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
No action has been scheduled on S63, which was referred to the Senate
Labor and Human Resources Committee.
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on affirmative action
programs and discrimination June 16, 1997.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Civil Rights Procedures Protection Act of 1997
CRS DIGEST:
Civil Rights Procedures Protection Act of 1997 - Amends specified
Federal civil rights statutes (including title VII of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans With Disabilities Act of
1990, the equal pay requirement under the Fair Labor Standards Act of
1938, and the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993) to prevent the
involuntary application of arbitration to claims that arise from
unlawful employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex,
national origin, age, or disability.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Civil rights
Age discrimination in employment
Aged
Alternative dispute resolution
Civil liberties
Civil rights enforcement
Contracts
Disabled
Discrimination against the disabled
Discrimination in employment
Employment of the handicapped
Equal pay for equal work
Equality before the law
Families
Family leave
Handicapped
Labor
Law
Mediation
Minimum wages
Minorities
Racial discrimination
Religion
Religious liberty
Sex discrimination in employment
Sick leave
Women
LEGISLATIVE ACTION: :
01/21/97 Referred to Committee on Labor and Human Resources (Text
of bill appears on pgs. S438-S439 of the Jan. 21, 1997,
Congressional Record, Part II) (CR p. S160)
01/21/97
FEINGOLD, D-Wis., Senate speech: Introduces the Civil
Rights Procedures Protection Act of 1997. (Text of
bill) (CR p. S438-S439)
03/06/97 *** Related measure (HR983) introduced in House. ***
05/14/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Kennedy, E. (D-MA)
06/24/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Torricelli (D-NJ)
S1017)
02/05/97
MURRAY, D-Wash., Senate speech: Introduces the Time for
Schools Act of 1997. (CR p. S1027)
02/05/97 Original cosponsor (s) : 10
Akaka (D-HI)
Inouye (D-HI)
Moseley-Braun (D-IL)
Daschle (D-SD)
Kennedy, E. (D-MA)
Wellstone (D-MN)
Dodd (D-CT)
Kerry, J. (D-MA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
04/16/97
KENNEDY, D-Mass. Senate speech: On the need to improve
childhood development and learning, including
accessible health insurance and extending the Family
and Medical Leave Act. (CR p. S3243-S3245)
5 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
S367
SPONSOR:
Wellstone (D-MN)
BRIEF TITLE:
Battered Women's Employment Protection Act.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act
of
1993 to allow leave to address domestic violence and
its effects, and for other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Aid battered women by helping them retain employment and
gain financial independence
INTRODUCED:
02/26/97
COSPONSORS:
0 (Dems: 0 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
Senate Finance
RELATED BILLS:
See HR851
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
S367 would amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to requ
ire
employers to provide leave to employees for the purpose of dealing with
domestic violence and its aftermath.
The bill also would ensure eligibility for unemployment compensation
to women who are separated from their jobs as a direct result of
domestic violence. It also would provide for specialized training of
personnel involved in assessing such umemployment compensation claims.
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
No action has been scheduled on S367, which has been referred to Senate
Finance Committee. Similar legislation (HR851) has been introduced in
the House.
It is possible the legislation may be offered as an amendment to the
compensatory time bill (S4) Five related bills have also been introduced
(HR109, HR191, HR234, S183 and S280).
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Battered Women's Employment Protection Act
CRS DIGEST:
Battered Women's Employment Protection Act - Amends the Internal
Revenue Code with respect to unemployment tax to require appropriate
State laws to provide for unemployment compensation for an individual
separated from employment due to circumstances directly resulting from
the individual's experience of domestic violence.
Amends the Social Security Act to require State laws approved under
the Federal Unemployment Tax Act to provide for training for claims
reviewers and hearing personnel in the nature of domestic violence, and
in methods of ascertaining its existence, SO that employment
separations stemming from domestic violence are reliably screened,
identified, and adjudicated.
(Sec. 4) Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act to entitle an
employee to such leave: (1) in order to care for the employee's child
or parent, if such child or parent is addressing domestic violence and
its effects; or (2) because the employee is addressing domestic
violence and its effects, the employee is unable to perform any of the
functions of the employee's position. Allows leave, in such cases, to
be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule. Allows the
employee to elect, or the employer to require, substitution of accrued
paid leave for such leave. Sets forth provisions Provides for
certification and confidentiality of domestic violence information
involved in such cases.
(Sec. 5) Amends specified Federal law to provide for entitlement to
leave for Federal employees in such domestic violence situations.
(Sec. 6) Allows unemployment compensation or leave benefits under
other laws, collective bargaining agreements, or employment benefit
programs greater then those provided by this Act; but prohibits
diminishment of the rights and benefits established by this Act.
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Labor
Assault
Child abuse
Child sexual abuse
Children
Civil liberties
Claims
Collective bargaining agreements
Confidential communications
Counseling
Court records
Crimes against women
Criminal justice
Criminal justice information
Employee training
Employment at will
Evidence (Law)
Executive departments
Families
Family leave
Family violence
Federal employees--Department of Health and Human Services
Government employees
Government information
Job hunting
Job training
Law
Leave of absence
Medical care
Medicine
Parents
Personnel records
Relocation of employees
Right of privacy
Sex crimes
Sick leave
Social services
Social workers
Stalking
State and local government
State laws
Stress (Psychology)
Unemployment insurance
Wife abuse
Women
Women's shelters
CRS SIMILAR BILLS:
HR851
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
02/26/97 Referred to Committee on Finance (Text of bill appears on
pgs. S1678-S1681 of the Feb. 27, 1997, Congressional
Record) (CR p. S1659)
02/26/97 *** Related measure (HR851) introduced in House. ***
02/26/97
WELLSTONE, D-Minn., Senate speech: Introduces the
Battered Women's Employment Protection Act. (Text of
bill) (CR p. S1678-S1681)
Telecommunication
Telephone
Transportation
Volunteer workers
Volunteer workers in social service
Wages
Welfare
Welfare eligibility
Welfare work participation
Women
Working poor
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
05/22/97 Referred to Committee on Banking and Financial Services,
Committee on the Budget, Committee on Commerce, Committee
on Education and the Workforce, Committee on the
Judiciary, Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, Committee on Ways and Means (for a period
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each
case for consideration of such provisions as fall within
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned) (CR p.
H3202)
05/22/97 Original Cosponsor (s) : 14
Clayton, E. (D-NC)
Lowey (D-NY)
Norton (D-DC)
DeGette (D-CO)
Maloney, C. (D-NY)
Slaughter (D-NY)
Hooley (D-OR)
McKinney (D-GA)
Waters (D-CA).
Jackson-Lee, S. (D-TX)
Millender-McDona (D-CA)
Woolsey (D-CA)
Lofgren (D-CA)
Mink (D-HI)
05/21/97
FURSE, D-Ore., House speech: Introduces the Children's
National Security Act. (CR p. H3148)
06/19/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 3
Davis, D. (D-IL)
Faleomavaega (D-AS)
Thompson, B. (D-MS)
07/30/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Owens (D-NY)
09/05/97 *** Related measure (HR2418) introduced in House. ***
24 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
HR2209
SPONSOR:
Walsh (R-NY)
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill making appropriations for the legislative branch
for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 1998, and for other
purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Provide $2.2 billion for legislative branch spending in
fiscal 1998
INTRODUCED:
07/22/97
COSPONSORS:
0 (Dems: 0 Reps: 0 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
House Appropriations
Conference Committee
RELATED BILLS:
See HRes197
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
By Peter H. King, CQ Staff Writer
Passed by the House and Senate, HR2209 would provide funding in
fiscal 1998 for congressional expenses and legislative branch agencies.
While the House version would provide $1.7 billion and the Senate
version $1.5 billion, neither would fund the other chamber's operations
because lawmakers defer to the other chamber to draft its own budget.
Together the versions would provide about $2.2 billion for all
legislative branch operations.
The annual bill funds the operations of Congress, including staff
salaries and maintenance of the Capitol Hill complex, as well as
congressional agencies like the Library of Congress, Government Printing
Office and Congressional Budget Office.
Under the House version, the fiscal 1998 total would be about $10
million less than was provided in fiscal 1997, in effect freezing
legislative spending. When House conservatives objected in early 1997 to
allocation levels in resolutions (HRES91, HRES129) to fund House
committees for the 105th Congress, House GOP leaders told the members
that the leadership would freeze legislative branch spending in fiscal
1998 in exchange for their vote. The Senate version would increase
funding levels by $52 million.
Both versions would provide less money than contained in President
Clinton's budget request. The House version would provide $143 million
less, while the Senate version would fall $65 million short of the
request.
The House version contains a controversial provision that would
provide $5.9 million to the Joint Committee on Taxation for an increase
in full-time staff from 61 to 66. Republicans said the increase is
needed to study the effects of the fiscal 1998 budget reconciliation
measures (HR2014, HR2015) and prepare for a major rewrite of the tax
code. Democrats said the increase in committee staff, which was amended
from 12 to five by the committee, would advance partisan GOP goals.
Both versions would provide money for cost of living adjustments
(COLAs) to various congressional and agency staff but would not increase
pay for lawmakers. The COLA for fiscal 1998 will be 2.8 percent,
according to Clinton.
The House version also would:
Allocate $323 million to the General Accounting Office (GAO) The
Senate version would provide more than $350 million to stabilize the GAO
budget and staff level after a two-year reduction of 25 percent;
Provide $1.5 million for the first phase of Capitol dome
rehabilitations designed to fix assorted leaks in the structure;
-- And eliminate 309 full-time legislative branch employees.
Legislative Branch Subcommittee Chairman James T. Walsh, R-N.Y., said
Congress has eliminated 3,807 full-time employees since 1994.
The Senate version would reduce the amount for official mail costs
from $10 million to $8 million and combine the franking allowance with
the personnel and office allowance to give members greater flexibility.
Senators could spend the extra $2 million on personal office operations.
The House adopted an amendment before passing the bill that would
require House members to return any funds remaining in their office
allowances at the end of the year to the Treasury Department for deficit
reduction. A similar stand-alone measure (HR80) was introduced.
The House also adopted an amendment that would allow the chamber to
donate surplus computer equipment to District of Columbia elementary and
secondary public schools.
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
The Senate passed HR2209 by voice vote July 29, 1997, after inserting
the text of the Senate companion bill (S1019), a step necessary to begin
a House-Senate conference.
Conferees are expected to meet in September after Congress returns
from a monthlong August recess.
The House passed its version of HR2209 by a vote of 214-203 on July
28. Its Appropriations Committee approved the legislation on a
party-line vote of 29-24 on July 17.
During House consideration, lawmakers rejected, by a vote of 199-213,
an amendment that would have stripped the bill's provision to increase
by five the staff level at the Joint Committee on Taxation.
Members also defeated, by a vote of 198-220, a Democratic attempt to
eliminate a $7.9 million reserve fund for congressional committees.
Democrats labeled the fund as a "slush fund" for partisan activities,
while the GOP said it is necessary to provide additional money if
committees face unforeseen costs. Both issues are likely to surface in
the conference.
The Legislative Branch Subcommittee approved a draft of the bill by
voice vote June 24 and held hearings on fiscal 1998 funding proposals on
Feb. 4, Feb. 11, Feb. 12 and Feb. 13.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Congressional Operations Appropriations Act, 1998
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1998
SHORT TITLE AS PASSED IN SENATE:
Congressional Operations Appropriations Act, 1998
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1998
CRS DIGEST:
07/29/97 (Passed Senate, amended ) TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I: Congressional Operations
Title II: Other Agencies
Title III: General Provisions
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1998 - Makes appropriations
for the legislative branch for FY 1998.
*Title I: Congressional Operations - Congressional Operations
Appropriations Act, 1998 - Makes appropriations for the House of
Representatives for: (1) House leadership offices; (2) Members'
representational allowances; (3) committee employees; (4) officers and
employees; (5) specified allowances and expenses; and (6) the House
Child Care Center.
(Sec. 101) Makes permanent certain laws establishing the Calendar
Corrections Office and providing a lump sum allowance for the Office.
(Sec. 103) Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1996 to
authorize lump sum payments to House employees upon approval of the
employing continued authority. (Current law authorizes such payments
for accrued annual leave of separated employees.)
(Sec. 104) Amends the House of Representatives Administrative Reform
Technical Corrections Act to authorize the hiring of clerk hire interns
in Members' offices outside of the District of Columbia.
(Sec. 106) Amends the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1987 to
authorize the Chief Administrative Officer of the House to donate
computer-related equipment to public elementary and secondary schools
in the District of Columbia in FY 1998 without regard to certain
requirements governing donations. Limits the total amount of
workstations donated to 1,000.
Makes appropriations for the Senate for: (1) expense allowances; (2)
representation allowances for the Majority and Minority leaders; (3)
salaries of specified officers, employees, and committees; (4) agency
contributions for employee benefits; (5) inquiries and
investigations; (6) the U.S. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics
Control; (7) the Offices of the Secretary, Sergeant at Arms, and
Doorkeeper of the Senate; (8) miscellaneous items; (9) the Senators'
Official Personnel and Office Expense Account; (10) stationery;
and (11) official mail costs.
(Sec. 1) Authorizes the Secretary of the Senate to make advance
payments under contracts to provide services or deliver articles for
the U.S. Government without regard to requirements governing advances
under Federal public finance law.
(Sec. 3) Amends the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1973, to raise
the limit on authorized mail, telegraph, telephone, stationery, office
supplies, and home State office and travel expenses for Senators.
Amends Federal law to make the Senators' Official Personnel and
Office Expense Account available for the payment of franked mail
expenses of Senators, beginning in FY 1998. Repeals a provision of the
Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1991, which authorized transfers
of a limited amount of funds for mass mail to such Account.
(Sec. 4) Increases the aggregate amount authorized for Senate
committees by S. Res. 54, 105th Congress.
(Sec. 5) Provides for increases in the aggregate compensation paid
to employees in Senate offices.
Makes appropriations for: (1) the Joint Economic, Printing, and
Taxation Committees; (2) the Office of the Attending Physician; and (3)
the Capitol Police Board.
(Sec. 101) Sets forth administrative provisions regarding the
Capitol Police Board and requires the Board to establish unified
schedules of rates of basic pay and a unified leave system for members
and civilian employees.
Appropriates funds for the Capitol Guide Service and Special
Services Office and for statements of appropriations.
Makes appropriations for: (1) the Office of Compliance; (2) the
Congressional Budget Office; (3) the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) for
salaries and expenses, Capitol buildings and grounds, House and Senate
office buildings, and the Capitol power plant; (4) the Library of
Congress for the Congressional Research Service's (CRS) salaries and
expenses; and (5) the Government Printing Office (GPO) for
congressional printing and binding.
*Title II: Other Agencies - Appropriates funds for: (1) the Botanic
Garden; and (2) the Library of Congress for salaries and expenses, the
Copyright Office, books for the blind and physically handicapped, and
furniture and furnishings.
(Sec. 201) Provides a limited amount of funds for the Library and
CRS for attendance at meetings concerned with the function for which an
appropriation is made.
(Sec. 202) Prohibits the use of funds by the Library to administer
any flexible or compressed work schedule which: (1) applies to any
manager or supervisor in a position equal to or higher than a GS-15
grade; and (2) grants such individual the right to not be at work on a
workday because of time worked on another workday.
(Sec. 203) Establishes limits on: (1) the number of employees hired
by the Library to perform reimbursable work for other agencies; and (2)
funds for representation and reception expenses associated with the
Library incentive awards program and overseas field offices.
(Sec. 207) Establishes the Cooperative Acquisitions Program
Revolving Fund for financing a Library program to acquire foreign
publications and research materials on behalf of participating
institutions on a cost-recovery basis.
Makes appropriations for: (1) the AOC for Library buildings and
grounds; (2) GPO for salaries and expenses of the Office of the
Superintendent of Documents; and (3) the General Accounting
Office (GAO)
Earmarks a specified amount of GAO funds for studies and assessments
by not-for-profit scientific, technological, or educational
institutions to carry out functions formerly performed by the Office of
Technology Assessment.
Sets forth authorized uses of, and limits on, such funds.
*Title III: General Provisions - Sets forth prohibitions on the use
of funds appropriated by this Act.
(Sec. 305) Authorizes appropriations as necessary to an account for
awards and settlements authorized under the Congressional
Accountability Act of 1995.
(Sec. 308) Amends Federal law to treat Members of the Congress and
their spouses, dependents, and staff as permanent residents and
domiciliaries of the State represented by the Member even if such
individuals are absent from, or maintain an abode outside of, such
State. Confers the same rights and responsibilities on such persons as
apply to other State residents.
(Sec. 309) Amends Federal civil service law to apply severance pay
provisions to employees of the Senate restaurants, other than temporary
employees. Sets forth early retirement provisions with respect to such
employees and entitles them to annuities.
Requires the AOC to establish a program under which voluntary
separation incentive payments may be offered to up to 50 eligible
Senate restaurant employees for voluntary separation, through
resignation or retirement, through FY 1999.
Treats any AOC service of certain Senate restaurant employees who
are involuntarily separated before FY 2000 as competitive service in
the case of employees who apply for executive branch positions.
Authorizes the AOC to establish a program to provide retraining, job
placement, and counseling services to current and former Senate
restaurant employees (other than reemployed annuitants or temporary
employees).
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Budgets
Aged
Americans employed in foreign countries
Annuities
Appropriations
Awards, medals, prizes
Blind
Books
Botanical gardens
Capitol (Washington, D.C.)
Children
Civil service pensions
Commemorations
Communications
Computer-assisted instruction
Computers in education
Congress
Congressional agencies--Congressional Budget Office
Congressional agencies - - Congressional Research Service
Congressional agencies--General Accounting Office
Congressional agencies--Library of Congress
Congressional allowances
Congressional caucuses
Congressional chaplains
Congressional employees
Congressional investigations
Congressional joint committees- - Joint Economic
Congressional joint committees - Joint Printing
Congressional joint committees - Joint Taxation
Congressional legal counsel
Congressional mail
Congressional officers
Congressional publications
Copyright
Criminal justice
Day care
Disabled
Dismissal wage
Drug abuse
Drug law enforcement
Drug traffic
Early retirement
Education
Elementary and secondary education--District of Columbia
Employee rights
Employee vacations
Executive departments
Families
Family leave
Federal employees
Federal libraries
Flexible work hours
Food
Foreign policy
Franking privilege
Government buyouts
Government employees
Government information
Government publications
Government service contracts
House of Representatives
Humanities
Intellectual property
International affairs
International cooperation
Job hunting
Job training
Labor
Law
Layoffs
Leave of absence
Medical care
Medicine
Members of Congress
Occupational retraining
Pensions
Physicians
Police
Politicians' families
Presidents
Printing
Public contracts
Rating of employees
Recruiting of employees
Religion
Residence requirements
Restaurants
Revolving funds
Salaries
Senate
Senate leadership
Sick leave
State and local government
State taxation
Surplus government property
Taxation
Technology
Technology assessment
Vice Presidents
Vocational guidance
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
02/04/97 Subcommittee hearings held by the House Appropriations
Committee, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch.
02/11/97 Subcommittee hearings held by the House Appropriations
Committee, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch.
02/12/97 Subcommittee hearings held by the House Appropriations
Committee, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch.
02/13/97 Subcommittee hearings held by the House Appropriations
Committee, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch.
06/24/97 Subcommittee consideration and markup held by the House
Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on the Legislative
Branch.
06/24/97
** SUBCOMMITTEE VOTE ** HR2209. FY98 Legislative Branch
Appropriations/Approval Authorize to appropriate $1.7
billion for the legislative branch of the federal
government, which includes a $47.4 million for mandatory
costs (COLA of 2.8 percent) ; increase Members'
Representational Allowance funding by $13 million due to
COLA; decrease funding for the Office of Compliance by
$130,000; provide $1.5 million for the rehabilitation of
the Capitol Dome and about $13 million for the Architect
of the Capitol; increase funding for the Library of
Congress by $10.5 million and decrease funding for the
General Accounting Office by $9 million. Approved for
full committee consideration by voice vote June 24, 1997.
06/24/97 Approved for full committee action by the House
Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on the Legislative
Branch.
07/17/97 Committee consideration and markup session held by the
House Appropriations Committee.
07/17/97
** COMMITTEE VOTE ** HR2209. FY98 Legislative Branch
Appropriations/En bloc amendments. Walsh, R-N.Y., en bloc
amendment that would make minor and technical changes to
the underlying bill. Approved by voice vote July 17,
1997.
07/17/97
** COMMITTEE VOTE ** HR2209. FY98 Legislative Branch
Appropriations/Joint Tax Committee staff. Fazio,
D-Calif., amendment that would eliminate funding in the
bill for 12 extra staff persons on the Joint Committee on
Taxation. Rejected 24-28: R 0-28; D 24-0, July 17, 1997.
07/17/97
** COMMITTEE VOTE ** HR2209. FY98 Legislative Branch
Appropriations/Joint Tax Committee Staffing. Walsh,
R-N.Y., amendment that would increase the number of staff
on the Joint Committee on Taxation from 61 to 68 instead
of from 61 to 73. Approved by voice vote July 17, 1997.
07/17/97
** COMMITTEE VOTE ** HR2209. FY98 Legislative Branch
Appropriations/House barbers. Kaptur, D-Ohio, amendment
adding report language requesting a study of the wage and
benefits of the congressional barbers. Approved by voice
vote July 17, 1997.
07/17/97
** COMMITTEE VOTE ** HR2209. FY98 Legislative Branch
Appropriations/Reserve Fund. Hoyer, D-Md., amendment that
would block extra funding for House committees from a
special reserve fund designed to provide mid-year funding
to committees in case "unanticipated" circumstances
arise. Rejected 24-27: R 0-27; D 24-0, July 17, 1997.
07/17/97
** COMMITTEE VOTE ** HR2209. FY98 Legislative Branch
Appropriations/INS reimbursement. Hoyer, D-Md., amendment
that would reimburse the Immigration and Naturalization
Service for costs incurred by the investigation into the
contested election in California between former Rep.
Robert Dornan, R-Calif., and Rep. Loretta Sanchez,
D-Calif. Rejected 24-29: R 0-29; D 24-0, July 17, 1997.
07/17/97
** COMMITTEE VOTE ** HR2209. FY98 Legislative Branch
Appropriations/CAO Report. Hoyer, D-Md., amendment that
would provide $1,000 for the Inspector General to prepare
a report on the Chief Accounting Officer, Scott Faulkner.
Approved by voice vote July 17, 1997.
07/17/97
** COMMITTEE VOTE ** HR2209. FY98 Legislative Branch
Appropriations/Vote to Report. Provide $1.7 billion for
congressional operations and other agencies; provide
$47.4 million for a 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment
for federal employees in the legislative branch, not
including members of Congress; reduce the total number of
legislative federal employees by 309; provide $1.5
million for improvement of the Capitol Dome; and fund 85
full-time positions at the General Accounting Office,
which have not been funded vbecause of earlier budget
cuts. Approved 29-24: R 29-0; D 0-24, July 17, 1997.
07/17/97 Ordered to be reported by the House Appropriations
Committee.
07/22/97 Reported to the House as an original bill by the House
Committee on Appropriations HRpt 105-196 (CR p. H5569)
07/22/97 Placed on the Union Calendar by unanimous consent. (CR p.
H5569)
07/23/97
ROEMER, D-Ind., amendment introduced in House: number 1
(text) (CR p. H5665)
07/24/97 Hearing held by the House Committee on Rules. (CR p.
D822)
07/24/97 House Rules Committee granted a modified closed rule
providing one hour of debate on the bill; the rule waives
section 302 (prohibiting consideration of legislation
which exceeds a committee's allocation of new entitlement
authority) of the Budget Act against the bill; the rule
waives clause 2 (prohibiting unauthorized appropriations
and legislation on general appropriations bills) and
clause 6 (prohibiting reappropriations on general
appropriations bills) of rule XXI against the bill; the
rule makes in order only those amendments printed in the
report of the Rules Committee; the rule provides that
each amendment will be debatable for the time specified
in the report equally divided between the proponent and
an opponent, will not be subject to amendment except as
specified in the report, and will be protected from all
points of order; the rule allows the chair to postpone
all recorded votes and reduce to five minutes the minimum
time for voting on any postponed question, provided that
the voting time on the first of any series of votes is
not less than 15 minutes; the rule provides one motion to
recommit, with or without instructions. (CR p. D822)
07/24/97 Rules Committee Resolution HRes197 reported to the House.
(CR p. D822) (WR p. 1801)
07/25/97 House rule, HRes197, agreed to by yea-nay vote: 218-203.
(see CR p.H5793) (House Vote 325) (CR p. H5783-H5793)
07/25/97
JOHNSON, D-Texas, House speech: Personal explanation of
roll call vote no. 325. (CR p. H5793)
07/28/97 Considered and amended by the House. (CR p. H5868-H5895)
07/28/97
DAVIS, R-Va., amendment no. 1, to allow the Chief
Administrative Officer of the House to donate surplus
computer equipment to public elementary and secondary
schools of the District of Columbia, agreed to by voice
vote. (see CR p. H5885) (CR p. H5868-H5885)
07/28/97
FAZIO, D-Calif., amendment no. 2, to reduce funding for
the Joint Committee on Taxation by $283,000 for five
additional staff members, rejected by yea-nay vote:
199-213. (see CR p.H5892) (House Vote 332) (CR p.
H5885-H5889, H5892)
07/28/97
KLUG, R-Wis., amendment no. 3, to reduce the Government
Printing Office workyears by 350, rejected by yea-nay
vote: 170-242. (see CR .H5893) (House Vote 333) (CR p.
H5889-H5890, H5892-H5893)
07/28/97
ROEMER, D-Ind., amendment no. 4, to require unexpended
office funds in the Salaries and Expenses -- Members'
Representational Allowances account to be returned to the
U.S. Treasury at the end of each fiscal year for deficit
reduction, agreed to by voice vote. (see CR p. H5891) (CR
p. H5890-H5891)
07/28/97 GEJDENSON, D-Conn., motion to recommit the bill to the
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE with instructions to report it
back to the House with an amendment to ensure that all
funds in the bill to support the reserve fund providing
for the hiring of additional committee staff and other
related expenses pursuant to clause 5 (a) of rule XI are
deleted, rejected by yea-nay vote: 198-220. (see CR
p. H5895) (House Vote 334) (CR p. H5893-H5895)
07/28/97 Measure, as amended, passed in House by yea-nay vote:
214-203. (House Vote 335) (CR p. H5895)
07/29/97 Considered and amended by the Senate. (CR p. S8216)
07/29/97 Pursuant to the order of July 16, 1997, the Senate
proceeded to strike all after the enacting clause of
HR2209, and insert in lieu thereof the text of S1019
(Senate companion measure) as amended, by the Senate. (CR
p. S8216)
07/29/97 Measure, as amended, passed Senate pursuant to the order
of July 16, 1997. (CR p. S8216)
07/29/97 Pursuant to the order of July 16, 1997, the Senate
insisted on its amendments and requested a conference
with the House. (CR p. S8216)
07/29/97 Senate conferees named: BENNETT, R-Utah; STEVENS,
R-Alaska; CRAIG, R-Idaho; COCHRAN, R-Miss.; DORGAN,
D-N.D.; BOXER, D-Calif.; and BYRD, D-W.Va. (CR p. S8216)
(WR pp. 1857, 1990, 2038)
07/29/97
WHITE, R-Wash., House speech: Personal explanation of
roll call vote nos. 332, 333, 334, and 335. (CR p.
E1558)
07/29/97
METCALF, R-Wash., House speech: Personal explanation of
roll call vote nos. 332, 333, 334, and 335. (CR p.
H5985)
07/29/97
MCDERMOTT, D-Wash., House speech: Personal explanation
of roll call vote nos. 332, 333, 334, and 335. (CR p.
H5985)
07/31/97
FORBES, R-N.Y., House speech: Personal explanation of
roll call vote nos. 332-335. (CR p. E1577)
09/03/97 WALSH, R-N.Y., unanimous consent request that the House
disagree to the Senate amendments and agree to a
conference with the Senate. (CR p. H6755)
09/03/97 SERANNO, D-N.Y. motion to instruct the House conferees to
agree to the position in the Senate amemdment numbered
one with respect to the account "Joint Committee on
Taxation" providing not more than a 4.64% increase for
the Joint Committee on Taxation compared to an 8%
increase in the house, rejected by yea-nay vote: 202-208.
(see CR p. H6758) (House Vote 352) (CR p. H6755-H6758)
09/03/97 House conferees named: WALSH, R-N.Y.; YOUNG, R-Fla.;
CUNNINGHAM, R-Calif.; WAMP, R-Tenn.; LATHAM, R-Iowa;
LIVINGSTON, R-La.; SERRANO, D-N.Y.; FAZIO, D-Calif.;
OBEY, D-Wis.; and KAPTUR, D-Ohio. (CR p. H6758)
09/03/97
ENGEL, D-N.Y., House speech: Personal explanation of
roll call vote no. 352. (CR p. E1643)
09/17/97 Conferees agreed to file a conference report. (WR p.
2204)
09/18/97 Conference report filed in the House. HRpt 105-254 (CR p.
H7599)
09/18/97
Conference report printed in Congressional Record. (CR p.
H7580-H7589)
09/25/97 ** Scheduled action ** House floor: Conference report on:
may begin consideration
There are no more items to display.
Results: 24 items in BILLTRACK
Search criteria used:
INDEX: Family leave
H1850)
04/30/97
PALLONE, D-N.J., House speech: On the Democratic
education agenda, including the Early Learning and
Opportunity Act of 1997. (Colloquy with several
representatives) (CR p. H2060-H2067)
06/04/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 11
Clayton, E. (D-NC)
Frost (D-TX)
Slaughter (D-NY)
Dellums (D-CA)
Gejdenson (D-CT)
Tierney (D-MA)
Filner (D-CA)
Lofgren (D-CA)
Weygand (D-RI)
Ford (D-TN)
Pelosi (D-CA)
06/05/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Moakley (D-MA)
06/10/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
Davis, D. (D-IL)
Lewis, John (D-GA)
06/19/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 5
Allen (D-ME)
Evans (D-IL)
Stark (D-CA)
Brown, G. (D-CA)
Faleomavaega (D-AS)
06/25/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
DeGette (D-CO)
Jefferson (D-LA)
07/08/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
Brown, S. (D-OH)
Thompson, B. (D-MS)
07/11/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 1
Gutierrez (D-IL)
07/31/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 2
Christian-Green, (D-VI) Kucinich
(D-OH)
09/04/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 7
Abercrombie (D-HI)
Payne, D. (D-NJ)
Underwood (D-GU)
Johnson, E.B. (D-TX)
Rush (D-IL)
Mink (D-HI)
Towns (D-NY)
21 of 24 items
CQ's WASHINGTON ALERT 09/24/97
*** FULL REPORT -- DIGEST, LEGISLATIVE ACTION, COSPONSORS, SPEECHES ***
MEASURE:
HR1496
SPONSOR:
McCollum (R-FL)
BRIEF TITLE:
Women's Investment and Savings Equity Act of 1997.
OFFICIAL TITLE: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to
provide greater equity in savings opportunities for
families with children, and for other purposes.
QUICK REFERENCE: Encourage increased retirement savings among women
INTRODUCED:
04/30/97
COSPONSORS:
34 (Dems: 4 Reps: 30 Ind: 0)
COMMITTEES:
House Ways and Means
RELATED BILLS:
See S620, HR1796
CQ BILLWATCH BRIEF:
By Lara C. Hearnburg, CQ Staff Writer
HR1469 seeks to encourage women to save more money for retirement by
allowing homemakers to invest money in their own individual retirement
accounts (IRAs).
The bill would allow people who do not work outside the homes and
other workers without pensions to make make tax-deductible contributions
to (IRAs), regardless of any retirement plan a spouse may have.
Under current law, a spouse's participation in a pension plan can
limit eligibility for an IRA, and married women who do not work outside
the home cannot make tax-deductible contributions to their own IRAs.
The bill also would allow parents who miss time from work for
maternity or paternity leave, and thus miss payments into their pension
plans, to make "catch-up" contributions. The payments would represent an
employee's contributions that would have been made had he not been on
leave.
Such "catch-up" payments currently are allowed for people returning
from military leave, but not from individuals on leave for other
reasons.
The "catch-up" contributions also would be legal for parents
returning to work after a long period of not participating in a pension
plan. Because current law limits annual contributions to retirement
funds, people who work a limited number of years retire with little
money saved.
The bill is a part of a larger plan crafted by a Republican task
force in an attempt to encourage more retirement savings and expand the
security of such plans.
New Hampshire Republican Judd Gregg, who sponsored similar Senate
legislation (S620) and serves as a chairman of the GOP task force, said
the bill is necessary because women are almost twice as likely as men to
spend their retirement years in poverty.
Gregg also noted that although women, who take leave to raise or care
for a child more often than men, would be the main beneficiaries, the
measure would apply to any parent saving for retirement while not
working outside the home.
CQ BILLWATCH INSIGHT:
HR1469 was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee. No action has
been scheduled.
SHORT TITLE AS INTRODUCED:
Women's Investment and Savings Equity Act of 1997
CRS DIGEST:
Women's Investment and Savings Equity Act of 1997 - Amends the
Internal Revenue Code with respect to limitations on the deduction for
active participants in certain pension plans to provide that an
individual's participation in a plan is not treated as participation by
the individual's spouse.
Permits retirement contributions to be made for periods during which
individuals were on leave for maternity or paternity leave.
Permits "catchup contributions" by parents returning to work after
periods of nonparticipation in a plan. Defines "catchup contributions. "
CRS SUBJECT INDEX TERMS:
Taxation
Children
Families
Family leave
Finance
Income tax
Labor
Loans
Maternity leave
Personal income tax
Tax deferral
Tax-deferred compensation plans
Women
CRS SIMILAR BILLS:
S620
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
04/17/97 *** Related measure (S620) introduced in Senate. ***
04/30/97 Referred to Committee on Ways and Means (CR p. H2090)
04/30/97
MCCOLLUM, R-Fla., House speech: Introduces the Women's
Investment and Savings Equity Act of 1997. (CR p. E796)
04/30/97 Original Cosponsor (s) : 17
Bachus, S. (R-AL)
Granger (R-TX)
Ryun (R-KS)
Boehner (R-OH)
Green, G. (D-TX)
Snowbarger (R-KS)
Cooksey, J. (R-LA)
Johnson, N. (R-CT)
Walsh (R-NY)
Dunn (R-WA)
Kelly (R-NY)
Weldon, D. (R-FL)
Ewing (R-IL)
Knollenberg (R-MI)
White (R-WA)
Frost (D-TX)
Northup (R-KY)
05/01/97 Cosponsor (s) added: 5
Blunt (R-MO)
Furse (D-OR)
Watkins (R-OK)