Public Assistance Amendments

(Measure indefinitely postponed in Senate, H.R. 13750 passed in lieu)

Sugar Stabilization Act - =Title I: International Sugar Agreement= - Authorizes the President to limit the entry, or withdrawal from warehouse, for consumption in the United States, of sugar from any country not a member of the International Sugar Organization, and otherwise to regulate foreign trade in sugar to implement the International Sugar Agreement. Establishes civil penalties for the violation of such regulations. Requires the President to submit to Congress an annual report on the Agreement.

Makes this Title effective as of the effective date of the Agreement.

=Title II: Domestic Sugar Program= - Requires the market price objective for raw sugar during the supply year 1978 to be one cent less than the median of the price range for free trade sugar under the International Sugar Agreement. Requires adjustment of such objective semiannually according to a specified formula.

Directs the Secretary to impose on each pound of sugar entered during a specified semiannual period of any sugar supply year a fee computed according to a specified formula, if the Secretary determines that the simple average of the daily price for imported raw sugar during such period will be less than the market price objective. Directs the Secretary to impose a quantitative restriction on the total amount of sugar which may be entered during a semiannual period, if he determines that the import fee imposed will not achieve its purpose.

Prohibits the entry of any direct-consumption sugar into the United States, unless, upon determination that a shortage of such sugar is imminent due to a lack of raw sugar refining capacity within the country, the Secretary imposes a quantitative restriction permitting the entry of such an amount as is necessary to meet the shortage; but requires a Presidential proclamtion of national emergency to authorize a suspension of the general prohibition on the entry of direct-consumption sugar.

Specifies circumstances under which quantitative restrictions may be suspended or adjusted.

Authorizes the Secretary to impose limits or quantitative restrictions, under certain circumstances, upon the entry of specified sugar-containing products.

Prohibits: (1) the entry into the Virgin Islands of certain sugar grown outside the United States in excess of 100 pounds annually; and (2) the exportation to any foreign country of certain sugar grown in the United States. Specifies exceptions to these prohibitions.

Prohibits the making of price support payments to producers and processors of sugarcane or sugar beets while the provisons of this Title concerning fees and quantitative restrictions are in force and have effect.

=Title III: General Provisions= - Requires every producer of sugar beets and sugarcane for sugar to pay a specified minimum wage to each person employed on the farm in the production, cultivation, and harvesting of such crops. Establishes a civil cause of action against any producer who fails to pay minimum wages, allowing the employees affected to collect the amount of unpaid wages, plus an equal amount as liquidated damages. Prohibits a producer from discharging or discriminating against any employee who has participated in any way in an investigation or proceeding against the producer under this title. Prohibits a producer from charging farm employees any amount in excess of the reasonable cost of furnishing goods or services customarily furnished to employees engaged in the production.

Directs the Secretary to issue regualtions to assure that producers furnish workmen's compensation insurance to such employees.

Requires persons engaged in the manufacture, marketing, transport, or industrial use of sugar to furnish the Secretary with specified information. Prohibits investment in sugar by officials engaged in the administration of this Act, and establishes penalties for the violation of such prohibition.

Authorizes the Secretary: (1) to conduct surveys and investigations to carry out this Act; and (2) to announce a daily spot price for a raw sugar in specified circumstances.

Authorizes the President to suspend the operation of Title II in a national emergency with respect to sugar or liquid sugar.

=Title IV: Countervailing Duty Waiver Extendion= - Amends the Traffic Act of 1930 to extend the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury to waive countervailing duties under specified conditions. Terminates such waiver authority upon the defeat or enactment of the domestic implementing legislation on an agreement or agreements on internal and export subsidies, or on February 15, 1979, whichever is earlier. States that existing waivers, which would continue in effect, and any future waivers made during the period of the waiver authority extension are subject to the existing conditions in the law for granting waivers.

Authorizes the President to contribute up to 5,000 long tons of tin to the Tin Buffer Stock established under the Fifth International Tin Agreement (ITA). Authorizes the Administrator of the General Services to transfer to the International Tin Council an amount of tin specified by the President.

Requires the President to report to Congress on the impact of the transfer or sale of tin metal by the United States as a participant in the Fifth ITA.

Authorizes the General Services Administration to dispose of an additional 30,000 long tons of tin currently in the national and supplemental stockpiles which have been declared excess to out national defense requirements.

Establishes a special fund in the United States Treasury to receive revenues from sales of materials under this Act.