Savings are Vital to Everyone's Retirement Act of 1997
Public Law 105-92 · H.R. 1377 · 105th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Nov 19, 1997 · Labor and Employment
Sponsor: Rep. Harris Fawell (R-IL-13)
Cosponsors (35): Rep. Donald Payne, Rep. William Goodling,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
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.
Savings Are Vital to Everyone's Retirement Act of 1997 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to direct the Secretary of Labor to maintain an ongoing program of outreach to the public to effectively promote retirement income savings by workers through: (1) public service announcements; (2) public meetings; (3) educational materials; and (4) a permanent site on the Internet. Includes among the information to be disseminated through such program: (1) a description of the common types of retirement income savings arrangements available to both individuals and employers, including small businesses; (2) a means for individuals to calculate their estimated retirement savings needs; and (3) an explanation for employers of how to establish and maintain different retirement savings arrangements for their workers.
Directs the President to convene a National Summit on Retirement Income Savings, no later than July 15, 1998, and again in September 2001 and September 2005. Authorizes appropriations. Limits the Department of Labor's FY 1998 obligation for the National Summit to one-half its costs, or $250,000, whichever is less, with the balance to be made up by an organization of private sector businesses and associations partnered with Government entities to promote long-term financial security in retirement through savings.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Education and Workforce Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions 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. 20 actions.
- Nov 19, 1997Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-92.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 10, 1997PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 9, 1997Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Fawell moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
- Nov 7, 1997FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 1612 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- May 22, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- May 21, 1997FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Fawell moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- May 20, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Education and Workforce Committee
- May 14, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Education and Workforce Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee of the House Education and Workforce Committee
- May 9, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee of the House Education and Workforce Committee
- Apr 17, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Education and Workforce 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.