Department of Housing and Urban Development-Independent Agencies Appropriation Act, 1985

(House receded and concurred in certain Senate amendments with an amendment)

Department of Housing and Urban Development - Independent Agencies Appropriation Act, 1985 - Title I: Department of Housing and Urban Development - Makes appropriations to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for FY 1985 for: (1) housing programs, including programs providing for congregate housing services, payments for the operation of low-income housing projects, housing counseling assistance, operating subsidies for troubled multifamily housing projects, and payments to cover losses of the Special Risk Insurance Fund and the General Insurance Fund; (2) the Government National Mortgage Association for the payment of participation sales insufficiencies; (3) the Solar Energy and Conservation Bank for assistance for solar and conservation improvements; (4) community development grants, urban development action grants (with a specified amount earmarked for technical assistance grants), and the urban homesteading program; (5) policy development and research; (6) fair housing assistance; and (7) salaries and expenses.

Requires a specified amount of the funds appropriated for community development grants under the Department of Housing and Urban Development-Independent Agencies Appropriation Act of 1984 to be available immediately to carry out the Neighborhood Development Demonstration Program.

Provides indefinite appropriations to be available currently and permanently for: (1) annual contributions for assisted housing; (2) college housing grants; (3) the rent supplement program; and (4) homeownership and rental housing assistance.

Increases the contract and budget authority for annual contributions for assisted housing. Earmarks specified amounts of such budget authority for: (1) financing public housing for Indian families; (2) the modernization of existing public housing projects; (3) assistance under the housing voucher program; (4) assistance for projects for the elderly or handicapped; (5) the existing lower income rental housing assistance program; (6) the moderate-income housing rehabilitation program; and (7) the construction of new public housing or the acquisition, with or without rehabilitation, of existing dwelling units for use as public housing. Prohibits the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from approving the use of any such budget authority not specifically earmarked for assistance under the housing voucher program for such program. Rescinds budget authority recaptured during FY 1985.

Amends the Department of Housing and Urban Development-Independent Agencies Appropriation Act of 1984 to make supplemental appropriations to HUD for FY 1984 for annual contribution contracts for assisted housing. Makes the following changes in the budget authority obligated under such contracts: (1) increases the budget authority provided for the modernization of public housing; (2) reserves a specified amount of budget authority for the housing voucher demonstration program; (3) releases a specified amount of deferred budget authority; (4) increases the budget authority provided for rent subsidies for existing housing; (5) requires any recaptured budget authority exceeding a specified amount to be available only for modernization assistance for existing public housing projects; and (6) makes specified amounts of such budget authority available as appropriations of funds for rental housing rehabilitation and development grants for FY 1984 and 1985.

Rescinds a specified amount of FY 1985 contract authority for: (1) rent supplement payments; and (2) rental housing assistance.

Authorizes a specified amount for loans in FY 1985 to qualified nonprofit sponsors for the development of housing for the elderly or handicapped. Limits the maximum interest rate on such loans to 9.25 percent.

Authorizes gross obligations for direct loans under the National Housing Act during FY 1985. Limits the additional commitments to guarantee loans, the gross obligations for the principal amounts of direct loans, and the amount of loan guarantee commitments on the mortgage-backed securities programs under such Act for FY 1985.

Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to transfer all assets acquired and liabilities incurred by the Government National Mortgage Association pursuant to its authority to purchase home mortgages to the management and liquidating functions fund established under the Federal National Mortgage Association Charter Act. Cancels on October 1, 1984, each outstanding obligation issued by the Secretary to the Secretary of the Treasury to finance such purchases.

Authorizes the use of amounts in the rehabilitation loan fund for loans, operating costs, and the capitalization of delinquent interest during FY 1985.

Earmarks a specified amount of the funds appropriated for policy development and research for: (1) the energy analysis and program evaluation component of the public housing modernization study; and (2) the design and implementation of the evaluation of the housing voucher demonstration program.

Title II: Independent Agencies - Makes appropriations for FY 1985 to the: (1) American Battle Monuments Commission for salaries and expenses; (2) Consumer Product Safety Commission for salaries and expenses; (3) Department of Defense-Civil for Army cemetery expenses; (4) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for salaries and expenses, research and development, abatement, control and compliance activities, buildings and facilities, the Hazardous Substance Response Trust Fund, necessary expenses to carry out the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, and construction grants; (5) Executive Office of the President for the Council on Environmental Quality, the Office of Environmental Quality, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy; (6) Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA) for disaster relief, salaries and expenses, emergency management planning and assistance, and the National Flood Insurance Fund; (7) General Services Administration for the Consumer Information Center; (8) Department of Health and Human Services for the Office of Consumer Affairs; (9) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for research and development, space flight, control, and data communications, the construction of facilities, and research and program management; (10) National Science Foundation (NSF) for research, the U.S. Antarctic Program, scientific education, and overseas scientific activities (special foreign currency program); (11) Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation; (12) Selective Service System for salaries and expenses; (13) Department of the Treasury for the Local Government Fiscal Assistance Trust Fund and the Office of Revenue Sharing; and (14) Veterans Administration (VA) for compensation and pensions, readjustment benefits, veterans insurance and indemnities, medical care, medical and prosthetic research, medical administration and miscellaneous expenses, general operating expenses, construction of major and minor projects, grants for the construction of State extended care facilities and veterans cemeteries, and grants to the Republic of the Philippines for assisting in rehabilitating the Veterans Memorial Medical Center.

Limits the obligations of the Central Liquidity Facility of the National Credit Union Administration for new loans for member credit unions and the amount of its administrative expenses for FY 1985.

Prohibits the expenditure of EPA appropriations for Resource Conservation and Recovery Panels or for support to State, regional, local, and interstate agencies in the development of solid waste plans. Prohibits the obligation of EPA building and facility funds for the construction of new facility projects without the prior approval of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.

Limits the amount available for expenditure from the Consumer Information Fund.

Requires NASA to use research and development appropriations to: (1) study an option which phases in the permanently manned features of the space station as one of the reference configurations to be examined in space station systems definition studies; and (2) report the results of such study to specified congressional committees before NASA's Administrator selects the configuration for the permanently manned space station. Requires a specified amount of such appropriations to be withheld from obligation or expenditure until April 1, 1985. Prohibits the use of NASA appropriations for leasing or constructing a contractor-funded facility when NASA would be required to amortize the contractor's investment, unless specifically authorized in an appropriation Act or approved by the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. Permits NASA to use funds appropriated for research and development and for space flight, control, and data communications to enter into a contract with the California Institute of Technology to amortize the Central Engineering Building. Permits NASA to test a flat per diem system for employee travel allowances. Directs the Administrator of NASA to establish an Advanced Technology Advisory Committee which shall prepare a report identifying space station systems which advance automation and robotic technologies. Authorizes NASA to provide NSF with Class VI Computers on a fully reimbursable basis. Authorizes NSF to sell such computers to institutions of higher education.

Prohibits limited NSF appropriations available for the very long baseline array from being obligated before April 1, 1985. Authorizes NSF to indemnify grantees, contractors, and subcontractors associated with the ocean drilling program. Prohibits the use of funds appropriated to the U.S. Antarctic Program for the purchase of aircraft.

Prohibits the expenditure of any funds appropriated to the Selective Service for the induction of any person into the U.S. Armed Forces.

Establishes a personnel limitation for specified offices within the Department of Medicine and Surgery of the VA which may not be exceeded without the approval of the Committees on Appropriations. Prohibits the use of VA appropriations for major construction projects that have not been approved by Congress, except for the advance planning of projects funded through the advance planning fund and the design of projects funded through the Design Fund. Prohibits the use of funds provided under this Act or any other Act for the Design Fund in FY 1984. Limits the amount available for such Fund in FY 1985. Prohibits the obligation of funds from any other account for a project which was approved in the budget process and funded under the VA account for major construction projects until one year after final acceptance by the VA. Provides that the director of the affected VA medical facility must certify that the design of a major project is acceptable from a patient care standpoint before the bidding document for any construction contract for such project is issued.

Authorizes obligations on the part of the Loan Guaranty Revolving Fund and the Direct Loan Revolving Fund of the VA. Permits, in specified circumstances, the transfer of funds appropriated to the VA. Prohibits the use of appropriations for purchasing any site for, or constructing, any new hospital or home, including any hospital to replace the Allen Park VA Hospital prior to the receipt by the Administrator of Veterans Affairs of the General Accounting Office study of such replacement project. Requires reimbursement if any persons, other than eligible beneficiaries, are hospitalized or examined at veterans facilities.

Requires that one or more pilot programs be conducted to determine the effectiveness of utilizing private contractual services to assist in the collection of funds owed to the Government.

Title III: Corporations - Authorizes certain corporations and agencies of HUD and the Federal Home Loan Bank Board to make commitments without regard to fiscal year limitations, with specified exceptions. Limits, with specified exceptions, new loan or mortgage purchase commitments to the extent expressly provided in this Act. Makes appropriations for fiscal year 1985 to the Federal Home Loan Bank Board for administrative and nonadministrative expenses and the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation (FSLIC) for administrative expenses. Sets specified limitations on such expenses.

Title IV: General Provisions - Limits travel expenditures for the agencies listed in this Act to the amounts set forth in the budget estimate, with specified exceptions. Permits the use of HUD and Selective Service System appropriations for: (1) uniforms; (2) the hire of passenger vehicles; and (3) the employment of experts and consultants. Allows the use of HUD funds to pay for legal services and facilities provided by specified agencies.

Prohibits, with specified exceptions, the use of appropriated funds: (1) beyond the current fiscal year; (2) without a voucher describing the payees and services or specific statutory authorization; (3) for transportation between the domicile and place of employment of any officer or employee; (4) for payments to recipients that do not share in the cost of conducting research not specifically solicited by the Government; (5) for consultants paid in excess of the GS-18 rate; and (6) for compensation of non-Federal parties intervening in regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. Prohibits the use of funds appropriated for personnel compensation and benefits for other object classifications in the budget estimates without congressional approval.

Limits expenditures for consulting services to contracts which are a matter of public record and included in a publicly available list of: (1) contracts entered into within the past two years; and (2) contracts on which performance has not been completed.

Prohibits any executive agency from expending appropriations under this Act for a contract for services unless the agency: (1) complies with the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act; and (2) requires reports prepared pursuant to such contract to disclose information about the contract and the contractor.

Prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to: (1) administer any regulation which has been vetoed by Congress; (2) provide a personal cook, chauffeur, or other personal servant to any officer or employee of any agency or department; or (3) procure automobiles with an EPA estimated miles per gallon average of less than 22 miles per gallon.