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Title
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Analysis and critique of National Organization for Raw Materials' (NORM) proposed National Economic Stability Act (NESA)
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Date
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1985
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Summary
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The purpose of this report is to explain, analyze, and critique the National Economic Stability Act proposed by the National Organization of Ray Materials (N.O.R.M.). N.O.R.M. believes that most of today's economic problems, such as high rates of bankruptcy, the negative balance of trade, unemployment, and spiraling public and private debt, are related to our Nation's treatment of agriculture and other raw material producers over a long period of time. When raw material prices are cheap, below "full honest parity," rural America is short of buying power, and urban businesses are unable to operate at full capacity without the economy going into debt. N.O.R.M. proposes replacing existing farm programs with a law prohibiting the sale of certain basic agricultural commodities at less than their parity price.
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Title
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Explanation of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985--Public Law 99-177 (The Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act)
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Date
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1985
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Summary
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This report explains briefly the major features of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Public Law 99-177), commonly referred to as the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act. Following a short overview of the deficit of fiscal years 1987-1991 (and the accelerated timetable for fiscal year 1986), compute the required spending reductions, and summarizes the sequestration exempted from emergency deficit reduction procedures and those that have special rules for making reductions.
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Title
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Summary and analysis of the Parental and Disability Leave Act of 1985, H.R. 2020, 99th Congress
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Date
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1985
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Summary
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Due to changes in the labor force behavior of women with young children, new employee benefits related to parenthood have been proposed. The establishment of a non-discriminatory parental leave benefit is intended to address the issue of limited availability of childcare; the establishment of a non-discriminatory leave for all temporary, nonoccupational medical reasons would create a standard disability benefit for all workers. This report summarizes and analyzes legislation proposed in the 99th Congress to create these benefits.
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Title
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Agricultural trade: Selected references, 1983-1984
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Date
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1985
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Summary
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This bibliography lists recent articles, reports, books, and congressional documents on U.S. agricultural trade. The references are annotated and are arranged into three topical sections: the U.S. as an agricultural trading nation; factors affecting agricultural trade; and agricultural trade policy options. The Congressional Research Service bibliographic database was the source of the bibliography.
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Title
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Labor issues in the 99th Congress: An update
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Date
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1985
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Summary
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During the first several months of the 99th Congress, a number of labor issues have received considerable attention. This paper gives a brief description and analysis of these labor and labor-related issues as well as others that are likely to receive some attention in the remainder of the 99th Congress. This paper is an update of Labor Issues in the 99th Congress: Potential Topics of Discussion, Report 85-525 E, January 29, 1985.
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Title
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Import restrictions on meat: History and current issues
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Date
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1985
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Summary
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Throughout the 20th century, imports of meat into the United States have been subject to qualitative and quantitative restrictions as well as to tariffs. The former developed as a result of health and safety concerns, and the latter as a direct response to increasing meat imports and deteriorating economic conditions in the domestic cattle industry. These two concerns still motivate periodic efforts to change the Meat Import Act of 1979 and the Federal Meat Inspection Act. This report traces the development of meant import restrictions and analyzes current proposals for change in meat import requirements. Since the Meat Import Act (which relates to imports of fresh or frozen beef, veal, mutton, and goat meat) is the focus of this paper, issues related to pork imports receive only brief mention.
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Title
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An examination of farm commodity promotion programs
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Date
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1985
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Summary
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Representatives of a number of commodity groups have asked Congress in recent years for statutory authority to establish national generic promotion programs for their products. A key feature is a mandatory assessment paid by all producers to support such activities. Federal legislation has authorized nine such national promotion programs, and lawmakers now are considering whether to create new initiatives for beef, pork, and watermelons. Critics believe that such programs represent unwarranted Government interference, pit one commodity group against another for limited consumer dollars, and lack adequate evidence of success. Proponents, on the other hand, contend that the programs do work, cost the Federal Government virtually nothing, and benefit producers and consumers alike. This report discusses programs that have already been enacted by Congress and examines their records to date.
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Title
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Federal efforts to improve America's teaching force
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Date
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1985
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Summary
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The current interest in reform of public elementary and secondary schools has resulted in renewed attention being focused on pre-service and in-service training for elementary and secondary school teachers. This paper reviews past and current Federal programs providing such assistance and summarizes current program options.
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Title
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Comparable worth and equal pay: Editorial commentary (January 12, 1984 - January 7, 1985)
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Date
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1985
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Summary
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This compilation presents editorials printed during January 1, 1984 to January 7, 1985 on comparable worth and equal pay. The editorials represent all those appearing on that subject in 55 newspapers monitored by the Congressional Research Service. The editorials are arranged by region (East, South, Midwest and West) to illustrate the concerns and responses in various parts of the country, and chronologically within each regional section. In addition, several articles, presenting press coverage of the issues, introduce the compilation and provide background information.
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Title
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Protecting visibility under the Clean Air Act
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Date
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1985
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Summary
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The Clean Air Act prevents visibility impairment - changes in visual range, contrast, and coloration caused by human activities - in three distinct programs: (1) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS), (2) prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) in areas cleaner than the national standards, and (3) visibility protection in pristine areas such as National Parks. The 1970 amendments to the Act authorized the first program; the 1977 amendments made the second an express statutory requirement and authorized the third program. Since the Clean Air Act drew attention to visual air quality, researchers have defined the various aspects of visibility, determined visibility trends in different regions of the country, described its value, identified regions where visibility has special significance and thus where it must receive immediate regulatory attention. Regulators, moreover, have initiated the first phase of what will be a comprehensive visibility protection program for pristine parts of the country, mandatory Class I areas. This program extends some of the features found in the NAAQS and PSD programs and may have implications for visibility protection nationwide.
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