An act to amend title 5, United States Code, to allow Federal annuitants to make contributions for health benefits through direct payments rather than through annuity withholdings, to make a technical correction relating to the life insurance program, and to provide for the termination of life insurance coverage uniformly.
Public Law 101-303 · H.R. 1805 · 101st Congress · began in the House
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on May 29, 1990 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY-7)
Cosponsors (2): Rep. John Myers, Rep. Paul Kanjorski
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Allows a Federal annuitant whose annuity is insufficient to cover withholdings for health benefits to make direct payments to the Employees Health Benefits Fund.
Directs the Office of Personnel Management and the U.S. Postal Service to make a specified contribution from authorized appropriations for basic life insurance coverage on behalf of individuals who retire after December 31, 1989, are under 65 years of age, and are receiving workers' compensation.
Eliminates provisions providing for the termination of coverage under the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program for Federal employees 12 months after discontinuance of pay under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act.
Reduces from 60 to 55 years old the age requirement for widows and widowers who remarry who would otherwise be eligible for compensation under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Post Office and Civil Service Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Compensation and Employee Benefits Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 23 actions.
- May 29, 1990Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-303.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- May 17, 1990PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- May 14, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House title amendment to the Senate title amendment by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate receded from its amendment no.2 by Voice Vote.
- May 8, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion to agree to Senate amendments Nos. 1 and 3, disagree to Senate amendment No. 2, and agree to the Senate amendment to the title with an amendment Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Ackerman asked unanimous consent that the House agree to Senate amendments Nos. 1 and 3, disagree to Senate amendment No. 2, and agree to the Senate amendment to the title with an amendment.
- Apr 26, 1990FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 1539 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 1538 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Nov 6, 1989FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Ackerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Nov 2, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Oct 25, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Sep 26, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Compensation and Employee Benefits Subcommittee of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Compensation and Employee Benefits Subcommittee of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Apr 24, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Compensation and Employee Benefits Subcommittee of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Apr 12, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.