Making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1997, and for other purposes.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I: Department of Justice
Title II: Department of Commerce and Related Agencies
Title III: The Judiciary
Title IV: Department of State and Related Agencies
Title V: Related Agencies
Title VI: General Provisions
Title VII: Rescissions (Department of Justice)
Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1997 - Title I: Department of Justice - Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 1997 - Makes FY 1997 appropriations to the Department of Justice.
Sets forth requirements and limitations relating to use of such funds.
(Sec. 103) Prohibits the use of funds to pay for an abortion, except where the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term, or in the case of rape.
(Sec. 104) Prohibits the use of funds to require any person to perform, or facilitate the performance of, any abortion.
(Sec. 109) Amends the Federal judicial code to revise: (1) quarterly bankruptcy fees; and (2) the formulae for the deposit of portions of such fees in the United States Trustee System Fund.
(Sec. 110) Amends specified Federal law to establish in the Treasury the Department of Justice Telecommunications Carrier Compliance Fund, which shall be available to the Attorney General to make specified payments to telecommunications carriers, equipment manufacturers, and providers of telecommunications support services.
(Sec. 111) Amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to authorize use of specified funds to make supplemental grants to U.S. Attorneys Offices to provide assistance to victims of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, to facilitate their observation or participation at related trial proceedings, and to pay other related expenses.
(Sec. 112) Amends the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 with respect to the Secretary of the Treasury's mandated study of taggants marking, rendering inert, and licensing of explosive materials. Repeals: (1) the exclusion of black or smokeless powder from such study; and (2) the requirement for congressional review of such study and congressional hearings on the Secretary's recommendations. Shortens, from 270 to 90 days, the period before proposed regulations for the addition of tracer elements to explosive materials become effective (unless modified or disapproved by an Act of Congress).
(Sec. 113) Revises standards for Federal criminal law enforcement applications to judges for multipoint wiretaps and procedures for interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications. Authorizes approval of such wiretaps where there is an adequate showing of intent to thwart interception or actions and conduct that would have that effect.
(Sec. 114) Amends Federal criminal law to authorize interceptions of communications in cases of certain terrorism related offenses.
Title II: Department of Commerce and Related Agencies - Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1997 - Makes FY 1997 appropriations to the Department of Commerce and related agencies, including the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the International Trade Commission.
Sets forth requirements and limitations relating to use of such funds.
Rescinds a specified amount of unobligated balances for operations, research, and facilities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
(Sec. 206) Provides for transfer of appropriations to successor organizations in the event the Department of Commerce is dismantled or reorganized.
(Sec. 208) Prohibits the use of any funds appropriated under this or any other Act henceforth to develop new fishery management plans, amendments, or regulations which create new individual fishing quota, individual transferable quota, or new individual transferable effort allocation programs, or to implement any such plans, amendments, or regulations approved by a Regional Fishery Management Council or the Secretary of Commerce after January 4, 1995, until offsetting fees to pay for administrative costs are expressly authorized under the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Makes such restriction inapplicable to the North Pacific halibut and sablefish, South Atlantic wreckfish, or the Mid-Atlantic surfclam and ocean (including mahogany) quahog individual quota programs.
(Sec. 210) Establishes the Bureau of the Census Working Capital Fund to cover costs of maintenance and operation of services and projects that the Director of the Census Bureau determines may be performed more advantageously when centralized.
(Sec. 211) Prohibits the use of funds under this or any previous Act, or hereinafter made available to the Department of Commerce, to develop, implement or collect any user fee for any activity within the Hawaiian Islands National Humpback Whale Sanctuary or for any use of the Sanctuary or its resources.
Title III: The Judiciary - Judiciary Appropriations Act, 1997 - Appropriates FY 1997 funds for activities of the Judiciary, including: (1) the Supreme Court; (2) the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; (3) the U.S. Court of International Trade; (4) Courts of Appeals, district courts, and other judicial services; (5) the Administrative Office of the United States Courts; (6) the Federal Judicial Center; (7) Judicial Retirement Funds; and (8) the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
Sets forth requirements and limitations relating to use of such funds.
(Sec. 305) Extends the Judiciary Automation Fund and related authorities through FY 1998.
(Sec. 306) Prohibits the use of funds available to the Judiciary for certain costs related to the appointment of Special Masters before April 26, 1996.
(Sec. 307) Establishes a Commission on Structural Alternatives for the Federal Courts of Appeals, which shall report its recommendations to the President and the Congress. Authorizes appropriations.
Title IV: Department of State and Related Agencies - Department of State and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1997 - Appropriates FY 1997 funds for the Department of State and related agencies, programs, and trust funds (including the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the U.S. Information Agency).
Sets forth requirements and limitations relating to use of such funds.
Provides specified funds for: (1) broadcasting to Cuba; (2) the Center for Cultural and Technical Interchange Between East and West, in Hawaii; and (3) the North-South Center, in Florida.
Title V: Related Agencies - Appropriates FY 1997 funds for: (1) the Maritime Administration of the Department of Transportation; (2) the Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad; (3) the Commission on Civil Rights; (4) the Commission on Immigration Reform; (5) the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe; (6) the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; (7) the Federal Communications Commission; (8) the Federal Maritime Commission; (9) the Federal Trade Commission; (10) the Legal Services Corporation; (11) the Marine Mammal Commission; (12) National Bankruptcy Review Commission; (13) the Securities and Exchange Commission; (14) the Small Business Administration; (15) the Gambling Impact Study Commission; (16) the Japan-United States Friendship Commission; and (17) the State Justice Institute.
Continues certain requirements and restrictions with respect to use of funds by the Legal Services Corporation.
Title VI: General Provisions - Sets forth limitations and prohibitions on the use of funds appropriated by this Act.
(Sec. 606) Prohibits the use of funds for the construction, repair, overhaul, conversion, or modernization of vessels for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in shipyards located outside of the United States.
(Sec. 607) Expresses the sense of the Congress that equipment and products purchased under this Act should be American-made.
Declares ineligible to receive any Federal contract or subcontract made with funds under this Act any person finally determined by a court or Federal agency to have intentionally affixed a false "Made in America" label to any product sold in or shipped to the United States that is not made in the United States.
(Sec. 608) Prohibits the use of funds to implement, administer, or enforce any guidelines of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission covering harassment based on religion, when it is made known that such guidelines do not differ from certain proposed guidelines.
(Sec. 610) Prohibits the use of funds in this Act for any United Nations peacekeeping mission involving U.S. forces under the command or control of a foreign national, if the President's military advisors have not recommended that such involvement is in the U.S. national security interest, and the President has not submitted such a recommendation to the Congress.
(Sec. 611) Prohibits the use of funds in this Act to provide specified amenities or personal comforts in the Federal prison system.
(Sec. 615) Prohibits funds in this Act for the Federal Bureau of Prisons from being used to distribute or make available to a prisoner any commercially published information or material that is sexually explicit or features nudity.
(Sec. 620) Amends the Department of Justice Appropriation Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1980 to repeal the mandate that Department of Justice organizations notify congressional committees before reprogramming funds or taking certain other administrative actions.
(Sec. 621) Prohibits any Federal agency from using funds to pay administrative expenses or compensation of any Federal officer or employee to deny certain qualified applications for permits to import U.S. origin "curios or relics" firearms, parts, or ammunition.
(Sec. 622) Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to provide a guarantee or commitment to guarantee, under the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, for shipyard infrastructure development and modernization and for vessels integral to the reactivation and modernization of an eligible shipyard that receives such a guarantee.
Title VII: Rescissions (Department of Justice) - Rescinds specified amounts from unobligated balances under the following headings for the Department of Justice: (1) general administration, working capital fund; and (2) Immigration and Naturalization Service, Immigration Emergency Fund.
Became Public Law No: 104-208.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the unanimous consent agreement of July 23, 1996, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Norton amendment.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the unanimous consent agreement of July 23, 1996, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 15 minutes of debate on the Collins (GA) amendment.
At the conclusion of debate, the Chair put the question on the Collins (GA) amendment and announced that, by voice vote, the amendment was not agreed to. Mr. Collins (GA) requested a recorded vote and further proceedings were postponed.
The Chair announced the unfinished business to be further consideration of those amendments on which recorded votes had been requested and postponed in the following order: Frank (MA), Ganske, Gutknecht, and Collins (GA).
The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 3814.
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
The House adopted the amendments en gross as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
Mr. Obey moved to recommit with instructions to Appropriations.
DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Obey amendment.
The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.
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On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by voice vote. (consideration: CR H8293)
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 246 - 179 (Roll no. 352).
Roll Call #352 (House)On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 246 - 179 (Roll no. 352).
Roll Call #352 (House)Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and read twice and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State. Approved for full committee consideration with amendments favorably.
Committee on Appropriations. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
Committee on Appropriations. Reported to Senate by Senator Gregg under the authority of the order of Aug 2, 96 with amendments. With written report No. 104-353.
Committee on Appropriations. Reported to Senate by Senator Gregg under the authority of the order of Aug 2, 96 with amendments. With written report No. 104-353.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 568.