[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1785 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1785

          To make various budget cuts and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 21, 1993

   Mr. Knollenberg introduced the following bill; which was referred 
 jointly to the Committees on Public Works and Transportation, Energy 
and Commerce, House Administration, Natural Resources, Banking, Finance 
and Urban Affairs, Government Operations, Agriculture, Ways and Means, 
 Post Office and Civil Service, Education and Labor, and Appropriations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
          To make various budget cuts and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Deficit Reduction Act of 1993''.

SEC. 2. REDUCTION IN TRAVEL BUDGETS.

    The annual travel budget for each non-defense executive branch 
agency (excluding the Postal Service) for fiscal year 1994 shall not 
exceed an amount equal to 90 percent of the budget level available to 
such agency for fiscal year 1993.

SEC. 3. ABOLITION OF THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION.

    (a) In General.--The Interstate Commerce Commission is abolished.
    (b) Transfer of Functions.--
            (1) Chairman and members.--The functions, powers, and 
        duties of the Chairman or the members of the Interstate 
        Commerce Commission are transferred to and vested in the 
        Secretary of Transportation.
            (2) Commission.--The functions, powers, and duties of the 
        Interstate Commerce Commission are transferred to the 
        Department of Transportation.
    (c) Administrative Provisions.--
            (1) Reorganization.--The Secretary of Transportation is 
        authorized to allocate or reallocate any function transferred 
        under subsection (b) among the officers of the Department of 
        Transportation, and to establish, consolidate, alter, or 
        discontinue such organizational entities in the Department of 
        Transportation as may be necessary or appropriate.
            (2) Rules.--The Secretary of Transportation is authorized 
        to prescribe, in accordance with the provisions of chapters 5 
        and 6 of title 5, United States Code, such rules and 
        regulations as are necessary or appropriate to administer and 
        manage the functions of the Department of Transportation.
            (3) Transfer and allocations of appropriations and 
        personnel.--Except as otherwise provided in this section, the 
        personnel employed in connection with, and the assets, 
        liabilities, contracts, property, records, and unexpended 
        balances of appropriations, authorizations, allocations, and 
        other funds employed, used, held, arising from, available to, 
        or to be made available in connection with the functions 
        transferred by this section, subject to section 1531 of title 
        31, United States Code, shall be transferred to the Department 
        of Transportation. Unexpended funds transferred pursuant to 
        this section shall be used only for the purposes for which the 
        funds were originally authorized and appropriated.
            (4) Incidental transfers.--The Director of the Office of 
        Management and Budget, at such time or times as the Director 
        shall provide, is authorized to make such determinations as may 
        be necessary with regard to the functions transferred by this 
        section, and to make such additional incidental dispositions of 
        personnel, assets, liabilities, grants, contracts, property, 
        records, and unexpended balances of appropriations, 
        authorizations, allocations, and other funds held, used, 
        arising from, available to, or to be made available in 
        connection with such functions, as may be necessary to carry 
        out the provisions of this section. The Director of the Office 
        of Management and Budget shall provide for the termination of 
        the affairs of all entities terminated by this section and for 
        such further measures and dispositions as may be necessary to 
        effectuate the purposes of this section.
            (5) Effect on personnel.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as otherwise provided by 
                this section, the transfer pursuant to this section of 
                full-time personnel (except special Government 
                employees) and part-time personnel holding permanent 
                positions shall not cause any such employee to be 
                separated or reduced in grade or compensation for 1 
                year after the date of transfer of such employee under 
                this section.
                    (B) Executive schedule positions.--Except as 
                otherwise provided in this section, any person who, on 
                the day preceding the effective date of this section, 
                held a position compensated in accordance with the 
                Executive Schedule prescribed in chapter 53 of title 5, 
                United States Code, and who, without a break in 
                service, is appointed in the Department of 
                Transportation to a position having duties comparable 
                to the duties performed immediately preceding such 
                appointment shall continue to be compensated in such 
                new position at not less than the rate provided for 
                such previous position, for the duration of the service 
                of such person in such new position.
                    (C) Termination of certain positions.--Positions 
                whose incumbents are appointed by the President, by and 
                with the advice and consent of the Senate, the 
                functions of which are transferred by this section, 
                shall terminate on the effective date of this section.
            (6) Savings provisions.--
                    (A) Continuing effect of legal documents.--All 
                orders, determinations, rules, regulations, permits, 
                agreements, grants, contracts, certificates, licenses, 
                registrations, privileges, and other administrative 
                actions--
                            (i) which have been issued, made, granted, 
                        or allowed to become effective by the 
                        President, any Federal agency or official 
                        thereof, or by a court of competent 
                        jurisdiction, in the performance of functions 
                        which are transferred under this section, and
                            (ii) which are in effect at the time this 
                        section takes effect, or were final before the 
                        effective date of this section and are to 
                        become effective on or after the effective date 
                        of this section,
                shall continue in effect according to their terms until 
                modified, terminated, superseded, set aside, or revoked 
                in accordance with law by the President, the Secretary 
                of Transportation or other authorized official, a court 
                of competent jurisdiction, or by operation of law.
                    (B) Proceedings not affected.--The provisions of 
                this section shall not affect any proceedings, 
                including notices of proposed rulemaking, or any 
                application for any license, permit, certificate, or 
                financial assistance pending before the Interstate 
                Commerce Commission at the time this section takes 
                effect, with respect to functions transferred by this 
                section but such proceedings and applications shall be 
                continued. Orders shall be issued in such proceedings, 
                appeals shall be taken therefrom, and payments shall be 
                made pursuant to such orders, as if this section had 
                not been enacted, and orders issued in any such 
                proceedings shall continue in effect until modified, 
                terminated, superseded, or revoked by a duly authorized 
                official, by a court of competent jurisdiction, or by 
                operation of law. Nothing in this subsection shall be 
                deemed to prohibit the discontinuance or modification 
                of any such proceeding under the same terms and 
                conditions and to the same extent that such proceeding 
                could have been discontinued or modified if this 
                section had not been enacted.
                    (C) Suits not affected.--The provisions of this 
                section shall not affect suits commenced before the 
                effective date of this section, and in all such suits, 
                proceedings shall be had, appeals taken, and judgments 
                rendered in the same manner and with the same effect as 
                if this section had not been enacted.
                    (D) Nonabatement of actions.--No suit, action, or 
                other proceeding commenced by or against the Interstate 
                Commerce Commission, or by or against any individual in 
                the official capacity of such individual as an officer 
                of the Interstate Commerce Commission, shall abate by 
                reason of the enactment of this section.
                    (E) Administrative actions relating to promulgation 
                of regulations.--Any administrative action relating to 
                the preparation or promulgation of a regulation by the 
                Interstate Commerce Commission relating to a function 
                transferred under this section may be continued by the 
                Department of Transportation with the same effect as if 
                this section had not been enacted.
            (7) Transition.--The Secretary of Transportation is 
        authorized to utilize--
                    (A) the services of such officers, employees, and 
                other personnel of the Interstate Commerce Commission 
                with respect to functions transferred to the Department 
                of Transportation by this section; and
                    (B) funds appropriated to such functions for such 
                period of time as may reasonably be needed to 
                facilitate the orderly implementation of this section.
            (8) References.--
                    (A) In general.--Reference in any other Federal 
                law, Executive order, rule, regulation, or delegation 
                of authority, or any document of or relating to--
                            (i) the Chairman or the Commissioners of 
                        the Interstate Commerce Commission with regard 
                        to functions transferred under subsection (b), 
                        shall be deemed to refer to the Secretary of 
                        Transportation; and
                            (ii) the Interstate Commerce Commission 
                        with regard to functions transferred under 
                        subsection (b), shall be deemed to refer to the 
                        Department of Transportation.
                    (B) Positions.--Chapter 53 of title 5, United 
                States Code is amended--
                            (i) in section 5314, by striking 
                        ``Chairman, Interstate Commerce Commission.''; 
                        and
                            (ii) in section 5315, by striking 
                        ``Members, Interstate Commerce Commission.''.
            (9) Additional conforming amendments.--
                    (A) Recommended legislation.--After consultation 
                with the appropriate committees of the Congress and the 
                Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the 
                Secretary of Transportation shall prepare and submit to 
                the Congress recommended legislation containing 
                technical and conforming amendments to reflect the 
                changes made by this section.
                    (B) Submission to the congress.--No later than 6 
                months after the effective date of this section, the 
                Secretary of Transportation shall submit the 
                recommended legislation referred to under subparagraph 
                (A).
            (11) Repealer.--Chapter 103 of title 49, United States 
        Code, is repealed.
            (12) Effective date.--This section shall take effect 180 
        days after the date of enactment.

SEC. 4. REDUCTION IN LEGISLATIVE BRANCH.

    The outlays for the legislative branch for fiscal year 1993 shall 
not exceed an amount equal to 85 percent of the outlays for the 
legislative branch for fiscal year 1993.

SEC. 5. HELIUM RESERVES.

    (a) Requirement To Sell.--Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the 
Secretary of the Interior shall sell to one or more joint ventures as 
described in subsection (d) all right, title, and interest of the 
United States in and to--
            (1) the helium reserves established pursuant to the Helium 
        Act (50 U.S.C. 167 et seq.); and
            (2) the facilities and accessories to the helium reserves.
    (b) Consideration.--The Secretary of the Interior may not convey 
any interest in a helium reserve pursuant to subsection (a) for less 
than the fair market value of the interest conveyed, as determined by 
the Secretary of the Interior.
    (c) Retention for Defense Purposes.--In consultation with the 
Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Interior shall retain such 
helium reserves and facilities and accessories to helium reserves as 
are necessary to provide for the defense and security of the United 
States in time of war or national emergency.
    (d) Joint Venture.--Participants in the joint venture referred to 
in subsection (a) shall consist of--
            (1) employees at the helium reserves and facilities and 
        accessories to helium reserves on the date of enactment of this 
        Act; and
            (2) other persons.

SEC. 6. REDUCTION IN FEDERAL ADMINISTRATIVE AND OVERHEAD COSTS 
              EXCLUDING TRAVEL.

    The administrative and overhead budget (excluding travel expenses) 
for each non-defense executive branch agency (excluding the Postal 
Service) for fiscal year 1995 shall not exceed an amount equal to 99 
percent of the budget level available to such agency for fiscal year 
1994.

SEC. 7. REPEAL OF DAVIS-BACON ACT.

    The Act of March 3, 1931 (known as the Davis-Bacon Act) (40 U.S.C. 
276a et seq.) is repealed.

SEC. 8. ELIMINATION OF HONEY PRICE SUPPORT AND WOOL AND MOHAIR PRICE 
              SUPPORT PROGRAMS.

    (a) Elimination of Programs.--
            (1) Honey program.--Sections 207 and 405A of the 
        Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 1446h and 1425a) are 
        repealed.
            (2) Wool and mohair program.--The National Wool Act of 1954 
        (7 U.S.C. 1781 et seq.) is repealed.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Automatic spending increases.--Section 256(a) of the 
        Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 
        U.S.C. 906(a)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking paragraph (1); and
                    (B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 
                paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively.
            (2) Marketing orders.--Section 8c(2)(B) of the Agricultural 
        Adjustment Act (7 U.S.C. 608c(2)(B)), reenacted with amendments 
        by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, is amended 
        by striking ``honey'' and ``wool, mohair,''.
            (3) Payment limitations.--Section 1001(2) of the Food 
        Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308(2)) is amended--
                    (A) in subparagraph (B)(iii), by striking ``(other 
                than honey)''; and
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (C).
            (4) Designated nonbasic agricultural commodities.--Section 
        201(a) of the Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 1446(a)) is 
        amended by striking ``honey,''.
            (5) Other nonbasic agricultural commodities.--Section 301 
        of the Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 1447) is amended by 
        inserting after ``nonbasic agricultural commodity'' the 
        following: ``(other than honey, wool, or mohair)''.
            (6) Definitions.--Section 408(k) of the Agricultural Act of 
        1949 (7 U.S.C. 1428(k)) is amended by striking ``honey,'' each 
        place it appears.
            (7) Powers of commodity credit corporation.--Section 5(a) 
        of the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 
        714c(a)) is amended by inserting after ``agricultural 
        commodities'' the following: ``(other than honey, wool, or 
        mohair)''.
    (c) Transition.--The amendments made by this section shall not 
affect the liability of any person under any provision of law as in 
effect before the application of the amendments in accordance with 
subsection (d).
    (d) Application of Amendments.--The amendments made by this section 
shall apply beginning with the marketing year that begins after the 
date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 9. SUBSTITUTION OF RENTAL VOUCHERS FOR PUBLIC HOUSING 
              CONSTRUCTION.

    (a) Termination of Assistance for Public Housing.--
            (1) Loan authority.--After September 30, 1993, the 
        Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may not enter into 
        any new commitment to make loans under section 4 of the United 
        States Housing Act of 1937 to public housing agencies for the 
        development or acquisition of public housing projects by such 
        agencies.
            (2) Contribution authority.--After September 30, 1993, the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and 
        Urban Development may not enter into any new contract to make 
        contributions under section 5 of the United States Housing Act 
        of 1937 to public housing agencies for the development or 
        acquisition of public housing projects by such agencies.
            (3) Existing commitments.--After September 30, 1993, the 
        Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may make 
        contributions and loans for the development or acquisition of 
        public housing projects only pursuant to legally binding 
        commitments to make such loans or contracts for such 
        contributions entered into on or before such date and for which 
        amounts were appropriated before such date.
            (4) Inapplicability to indian housing.--The provisions of 
        this subsection shall not apply to public housing developed 
        pursuant to a contract between the Secretary of Housing and 
        Urban Development and an Indian housing authority.
    (b) Increase of Voucher Authority.--Any budget authority available 
under section 5(c) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 for voucher 
assistance under section 8(o) of such Act is authorized to be increased 
on or after October 1, 1993, by the amount necessary to provide voucher 
assistance under such section for the same number of families to be 
provided dwelling units in public housing pursuant to amounts 
appropriated for fiscal year 1993 for public housing construction. 
Vouchers for rental assistance provided with the amounts made available 
under this subsection may be used for the rental of dwelling units or 
costs of residency, as determined by qualified voucher recipients.
    (c) Definitions.--For purposes of this section, the terms ``Indian 
housing authority'', ``project'', ``public housing'', and ``public 
housing agency'' have the meanings given the terms in section 3(b) of 
the United States Housing Act of 1937.

SEC. 10. PROHIBITION OF HUD SPECIAL PURPOSE GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other law, the Secretary of 
Housing and Urban Development may not obligate or expend any budget 
authority provided in any appropriation Act for projects or activities 
of the Department of Housing and Urban Development not previously 
authorized in law, including any budget authority provided for special 
projects that are specified only in the joint explanatory statement for 
the conference report accompanying the bill that was approved as such 
appropriations Act. Any budget authority provided for any such project 
or activity shall be considered to be rescinded immediately upon the 
enactment of the Act providing such budget authority, unless the 
provision of law providing such budget authority explicitly provides 
that this section shall not apply.
    (b) Fiscal Year 1993 Amounts.--Of the $260,000,000 available for 
special projects in accordance with the terms and conditions specified 
for such grants in the committee of conference report and statement of 
the managers (H. Rept. 102-902) accompanying H.R. 5679, and reserved 
from amounts appropriated under the heading ``Housing Programs--annual 
contributions for assisted housing'' under title II of the Departments 
of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent 
Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993 (Public Law 102-389; 106 Stat. 1584), 
any amounts not obligated or expended before the date of the enactment 
of this Act are hereby rescinded. No amounts appropriated by such Act 
may be obligated or expended for any such special project on or after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 11. COMPETITIVE BIDDING FOR PUBLIC HOUSING MODERNIZATION 
              ACTIVITIES.

    Section 14 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
1437l) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(5) a description of the competitive bidding procedures 
        to be used by the public housing agency for contracts for 
        acquiring supplies and services using assistance provided 
        pursuant to subsection (b).'';
            (2) in subsection (e)(1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (G), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) by redesignating subparagraph (H) as 
                subparagraph (I); and
                    (C) by inserting after subparagraph (G) the 
                following new subparagraph:
            ``(H) a description of the competitive bidding procedures 
        to be used by the public housing agency for contracts for 
        acquiring supplies and services using assistance provided 
        pursuant to subsection (b).'';
            (3) by striking the 2d sentence of subsection (e)(3)(A) and 
        inserting the following new sentence: ``A public housing agency 
        may expend assistance for any activities and work consistent 
        with the approved plan as the agency determines appropriate, 
        but shall comply with the competitive bidding procedures of the 
        agency established in accordance with the standards issued by 
        the Secretary under subsection (g)(2).''; and
            (4) in subsection (g)--
                    (A) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``(g)'';
                    (B) by inserting ``(A)'' after ``that such 
                agency'';
                    (C) by inserting before the period at the end the 
                following: ``, and (B) in acquiring supplies and 
                services using assistance provided pursuant to 
                subsection (b), has established and complied with 
                competitive bidding procedures in accordance with the 
                standards issued by the Secretary under paragraph 
                (2)''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
    ``(2) Each public housing agency that receives assistance under 
subsection (b) shall establish competitive bidding procedures for 
expending such assistance for activities, work, supplies, and services 
for the purpose under such subsection and shall expend such assistance 
in accordance with the procedures. The Secretary shall issue 
regulations requiring and establishing standards for such competitive 
bidding procedures.''.

SEC. 12. DISCLOSURE OF TENANT INCOME FOR PURPOSES OF ADMINISTRATING 
              INCOME-BASED RENT SUBSIDY PROGRAMS.

    Subparagraph (D) of section 6103(l)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986 (relating to disclosure of return information) is amended by 
striking ``and'' at the end of clause (vii), by striking the period at 
the end of clause (viii) and inserting ``; and'' and by inserting after 
clause (viii) the following new clause:
                            ``(ix) any program of assistance for 
                        housing administered by the Secretary of 
                        Housing and Urban Development (I) that provides 
                        assistance in the form of a grant, contract, 
                        loan, loan guarantee, cooperative agreement, 
                        interest subsidy, insurance, or direct 
                        appropriation, and (II) under which rent 
                        payments, with respect to all or some of the 
                        units in the housing assisted, are limited, 
                        restricted, or determined under law or 
                        regulation based on the income of the occupying 
                        families.''.

SEC. 13. REDUCTION IN GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE THRIFT SAVINGS 
              PLAN.

    Section 8432(c) of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)(A) by inserting ``one-half of'' before 
        ``1 percent'';
            (2) in paragraph (2)(B)(i) by inserting ``one-half of'' 
        before ``such portion''; and
            (3) in paragraph (2)(B)(ii) by striking ``one-half'' and 
        inserting ``one-fourth''.

SEC. 14. COMPETITIVE BIDDING FOR RADIO SPECTRUM.

    (a) Competitive Bidding Authorized.--Section 309 of the 
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 309) is amended by adding at the 
end the following new subsection:
    ``(j)(1)(A) The Commission shall use competitive bidding for 
awarding all initial licenses or new construction permits, subject to 
the exclusions listed in subsection (j)(2). The Commission shall 
require potential bidders to file a first-stage application indicating 
an intent to participate in the competitive bidding process and 
containing such other information as the Commission finds necessary. 
After conducting the bidding, the Commission shall require the winning 
bidder to submit a second-stage application. Upon determining that such 
application is acceptable for filing and that the applicant is 
qualified pursuant to subsection (j)(1)(B), the Commission shall grant 
a permit or license.
    ``(B) No construction permit or license shall be granted to an 
applicant selected pursuant to subparagraph (A) unless the Commission 
determines that such applicant is qualified pursuant to section 308(b) 
and section 309(a) of the Communications Act, on the basis of the 
information contained in the first- and second-stage applications 
submitted under subparagraph (A).
    ``(C) Each participant in the competitive bidding process is 
subject to the schedule of changes contained in section 8 of the 
Communications Act (47 U.S.C. 158).
    ``(D) The Commission shall have the authority in awarding 
construction permits or licenses under competitive bidding procedures 
to (i) define the geographic and frequency limitations and technical 
requirements, if any, of such permits or licenses; (ii) establish 
minimum acceptable competitive bids; and (iii) establish other 
appropriate conditions on such permits and licenses that will serve the 
public interest.
    ``(E) The Commission shall, within eighteen months after the date 
of enactment of this subsection, following public notice and comment 
proceedings, adopt rules establishing competitive bidding procedures 
under this subsection, including the method of bidding and the basis 
for payment (such as flat fees, fixed or variable royalties, 
combinations of flat fees and royalties, or other reasonable forms of 
payment).
    ``(2) Competitive bidding shall not apply to--
            ``(A) license renewals;
            ``(B) the United States Government and State or local 
        government entities;
            ``(C) amateur operator services, public radio broadcast 
        services, public television broadcast services, public safety 
        services, and radio astronomy services;
            ``(D) private radio end-user licenses, such as Specialized 
        Mobile Radio Service (SMRS), maritime, and aeronautical end-
        user licenses;
            ``(E) any license grant to a non-United States Government 
        licensee being moved from its current frequency assignment to a 
        different one by the Commission in order to implement the goals 
        and objectives underlying the `Emerging Telecommunications 
        Technologies Act of 1991';
            ``(F) any other service, class of services, or assignments 
        that the Commission determines, after conducting public comment 
        and notice proceedings, should be exempt from competitive 
        bidding because of public interest factors warranting an 
        exemption.
    ``(3) Monies received from competitive bidding pursuant to this 
subsection shall be deposited in the general fund of the United States 
Treasury, pursuant to the provisions enacted in appropriations acts.''.
    (b) Random Selection Not To Apply When Competitive Bidding 
Required.--Section 309(i)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
U.S.C. 309(i)(1)) is amended by inserting after ``selection'' the 
following: ``, except in instances where competitive bidding procedures 
are required under section 309(j)''.
    (c) Spectrum Allocation Decisions.--Section 303 of the 
Communications Act is amended to add a new subsection (v):
    ``(v) In making spectrum allocation decisions among services that 
are subject to competitive bidding, the Commission is authorized to 
consider as one factor among others taken into account in making its 
determination, the relative economic values and other public interest 
benefits of the proposed uses as reflected in the potential revenues 
that would be collected under its competitive bidding procedures.''.

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<star>HR 1785 IH1S----2