Back from spring recess, Congress faces full legislative agenda

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government

Back from spring recess, Congress faces full legislative agenda

T

he 105th Congress has a few notable legislative achievements to its credit, but they are few and far between in a session that so far has been marked more by what has not been accomplished than by what has. On the plus side is the plan worked out between the Republican-dominated Congress and the Democratic Administration for bringing the federal budget into balance by 2003. It turns out that, by most projections, the soaring economy will result in not just a balanced budget, but an actual surplus this year. Yet it was still a notable achievement, as was the enactment—after several years of effort—updating and reforming the law under which the Food & Drug Administration operates. It seemed for a while last winter that legislation renewing the President's fast-track authority to negotiate trade agreements, those that are voted up or down by the Senate but not amended, would join that short list. But after moving swiftly through congressional trade committees, the legislation ran into a filibuster—led mainly by Democrats—in the Senate, as well as opposition in the House, and was pulled from the floor without coming to a vote. However, some legislative initiatives are showing signs of life after a long hibernation. For example, legislation passed by the House that would establish the Patent & Trademark Office as an independent government corporation has been approved by the Senate committee that deals with patent matters. And legislation that would limit the liability of suppliers of biomedical materials from harm caused by implants has recently been reported for floor action in the House. Divorced from a major overhaul of all product liability law, it stands a decent chance of being enacted. Legislation to rewrite the Superfund hazardous waste site cleanup program has also moved to the committee markup stage in both the House and Senate. But it still has a long way to go before it can become law. Congress' top priority is enacting the 13 appropriations bills needed to keep the government functioning in fiscal 1999, but there is still time for the 105th Congress to add a few other items to its list of legislative accomplishments. Since January 1997, when Congress convened, President Bill Clinton has signed 157 pieces of legislation into law. Twenty-two of those new laws name federal buildings, such as P.L. 105-97, which designates the U.S. Post Office located at 150 North 3rd St. in Steubenville, Ohio, as the "Douglas Applegate Post Office." Another 15 of the new laws have to do with conveying federal lands to new owners or changing various boundaries, and 20-plus laws deal with the federal budget. Still others deal with housekeeping matters, such as P.L. 105-8, which extends the effective date of the Investment Advisers Supervision Coordination Act. So there is room on the legislative accomplishments lists, but time is short. Oct. 9 is Congress' target adjournment date. And Congress normally isn't in session on the weekends or even Mondays and Fridays. It has scheduled a monthlong recess in August and will take seven to 10 days for both the Memorial Day and Independence Day holidays. Janice Long 24 APRIL 27, 1998 C&EN

WÊÈ:

Legislation (H.R. 1119) Authorizes $36.6 billion for Defense research, defense, training, and education programs in fiscal 1998, earmarks $3.9 billion for basic and applied research, $475 million for dual-use technology programs (S. 610) Authorizes Administration to set record-keeping and reporting requirements for persons who produce, process, consume, export, or import substances subject to the convention banning such weapons (S. 830) Streamlines approval process for new drugs and medical devices, allows approvals based on one well-controlled clinical study

(S. 648) Sets national standards for product liability judgments, sets limits on time within which action can be brought, regulates punitive damage amounts and sets limits on their award (H.R. 872, S. 648) Exempt biomaterial suppliers from liability for harm caused by an implant unless the supplier is also a manufacturer or furnished defective materials (H.R. 1270, S. 104) Allow construction of an interim high-level nuclear waste storage facility at Yucca Mountain, Nev., ahead of a permanent repository

(H.R. 400, S. 507) Establish the Patent & Trademark Office as an independent government corporation, require publication of patent applications 18 months after filing, amend reexamination procedures (H.R. 2534, S. 1150). Require Department of Agriculture to set priorities, management principles for research activities, scientific peer review of research programs conducted or funded by the department (H.R. 1702, S. 1473) Open up reentry vehicles and reentry operations to commercial space service providers, require NASA to study roles they can play in building international space station (H.R. 2727, H.R. 3000, S. 8) Revise remedial action selection procedures, create exemptions for and set limitation on liability for cleanup costs

(H.R. 2621, S. 1269) Extend President's ability to enter into fast-track trade agreements to Oct. 1, 2001; set conditions for negotiating such agreements, which Congress cannot amend

House committee National Security. Reported, amended 6/16/97 (H. Rept. 105-32)

House floor Amended, passed 6/25/97

Referred to International Relations and Judiciary 6/10/97

Commerce. Reported, amended 10/7/97 (H. Rept. 105-310)

Passed 10/7/97

Senate committee

Senate floor

Armed Services. Reported 6/17/97 (S. Rept. 105-29)

Amended, passed 7/11/97

Judiciary. Reported, amended 5/22/97 (No written report). Began hearings on CW threat to U.S. 4/21/98

Amended, passed 5/23/97

Labor & Human Resources. Reported, amended 7/7/97 (S. Rept. 105-43)

Amended, passed 9/24/97

Commerce. Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade & Consumer Protection completed second hearing 4/30/97

Commerce, Science & Transportation. Reported 6/9/97 (S. Rept. 105-32)

Judiciary. Ordered reported, amended 4/1/98

Commerce, Science & Transportation. Reported 6/9/97 (S. Rept. 105-32)

Commerce. Reported, amended 10/1/97. Resources. Reported unfavorably 10/8/97 (H. Rept. 105-290)

Amended, passed 10/30/97

Energy & Natural Resources. Reported, amended 3/14/97 (S. Rept. 105-10)

Judiciary. Reported, amended 3/20/97 (H. Rept. 105-39)

Amended, passed 4/23/97

Judiciary. Reported, amended 5/23/97 (S. Rept. 105-42). Re-' ported H.R. 400, amended 3/20/98

Agriculture. Reported, amended 11/4/97 (H. Rept. 105-376)

Amended, passed 11/8/97

Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry. Reported, amended 9/5/97 (S. Rept. 105-73)

Science. Reported, amended 10/24/97 (H. Rept. 105-347)

Amended, passed 11/4/97

Commerce, Science & Transportation. Subcommittee on Science, Technology & Space held hearings 3/5/98

Transportation. Subcommittee on Water Resources & the Environment approved, amended 3/11/98. Commerce. Subcommittee on Finance & Hazardous Materials resumed hearings 3/5/98

Environment & Public Works. Ordered reported, amended 3/26/98

Ways & Means. Reported, amended 10/23/97 (H. Rept. 105-341)

Finance. Reported, amended 10/8/97 (S. Rept. 105-102)

Conference action Report filed 10/23/97 (H. Rept. 105-340)

Outcome Signed 11/18/97 P.L. 105-85

Report filed Signed 11/9/97 11/21/97 (K. Rept. P.L. 105-115 105-399)

Amended, passed 4/15/97

Amended, passed 10/29/97

Last conferees appointed 2/27/98

Pulled from Senate floor 11/8/97

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