Congress · Laws

A bill to increase the contribution of the Government to the costs of health benefits for Federal employees, and for other purposes.

Public Law 93-246 · H.R. 9256 · 93rd Congress · began in the House

Signed by Richard Nixon (R) on Jan 31, 1974 · Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor: Rep. Jerome Waldie (D-CA-14)

Cosponsors (6): Rep. Frank Brasco, Rep. Dominick Daniels,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 307 yea, 82 nay307–82
SenateMethod not stated

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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Increases the contribution of the Federal Government to the costs of health benefits to Federal employees to 50 percent beginning in 1974 and 60 percent beginning in 1975.

Provides that the Civil Service Commission shall determine the average of the subscription charges in effect on the beginning date of each contract year with respect to self alone or self and family enrollment as applicable for the highest level of health benefits offered by the service benefit plan, the indemnity benefit plan, the two employee organization plans with the largest number of enrollments and the two comprehensive medical plans with the largest number of enrollments.

Provides that, except as otherwise stated in this Act, the biweekly Government contribution for health benefits for an employee enrolled in a health plan under this chapter shall be adjusted to an amount equal to the following percentage of the average subscription charge: 50 percent during 1974; and 60 percent during 1975, and each year thereafter.

Permits an annuitant who is participating or who is eligible to participate in the health benefit program offered under the Retired Federal Employees Health Benefit Act, to elect coverage instead under the Government employees Health Insurance Program established by the United States Civil Service Commission.

Provides that each contract with a carrier for a health plan shall require the carrier to agree to pay for a health service or supply in an individual case if the Commission finds that the employee, annuitant, or family member is entitled thereto under the terms of the contract.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 93rd Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 307 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

307 yea82 nay49 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(190)

Rep. John ConyersD-MI-1
Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-7
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-9
Rep. John MossD-CA-3
Rep. Elizabeth HoltzmanD-NY-16
Rep. Bella AbzugD-NY-20
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-30
Rep. Herman BadilloD-NY-21
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-21
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. Shirley ChisholmD-NY-12
Rep. Jerome WaldieD-CA-14
Rep. Ralph MetcalfeD-IL-1
Rep. Andrew YoungD-GA-5
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
Rep. Michael HarringtonD-MA-6
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-35
Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
Rep. Barbara JordanD-TX-18
Rep. George BrownD-CA-38
Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
Rep. Robert NixD-PA-2
Rep. Floyd HicksD-WA-6
Rep. Charles DiggsD-MI-13
Rep. Charles WilsonD-CA-31
Rep. James O’HaraD-MI-12
Rep. Charles CarneyD-OH-19
Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
Rep. Bertram PodellD-NY-13
Rep. William BarrettD-PA-1
Rep. Henry HelstoskiD-NJ-9
Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
Rep. James CormanD-CA-22
Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-29
Rep. Donald FraserD-MN-5
Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. Robert TiernanD-RI-2
Rep. Tip O’NeillD-MA-8
Rep. Wayne HaysD-OH-18
Rep. Brock AdamsD-WA-7
Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
Rep. Paul SarbanesD-MD-3
Rep. Edward KochD-NY-18
Rep. Spark MatsunagaD-HI-1
Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Thomas ReesD-CA-26
Rep. Chester HolifieldD-CA-19
Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. Frank DenholmD-SD-1
Rep. Kenneth GrayD-IL-24
Rep. John MelcherD-MT-2
Rep. William GreenD-PA-3
Rep. Frank BrascoD-NY-11
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Douglas OwensD-UT-2
Rep. John PatmanD-TX-1
Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-2
Rep. William HungateD-MO-9
Rep. Ray MaddenD-IN-1
Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
Rep. John McFallD-CA-15
Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. Edward MezvinskyD-IA-1
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. Peter KyrosD-ME-1
Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. Leonor SullivanD-MO-3
Rep. Robert BerglandD-MN-7
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. John KluczynskiD-IL-5
Rep. Richard FultonD-TN-5
Rep. Thomas MorganD-PA-22
Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
Rep. Kenneth HechlerD-WV-4
Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
Rep. Harold DonohueD-MA-3
Rep. Dominick DanielsD-NJ-14
Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
Rep. Joseph VigoritoD-PA-24
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
Rep. Torbert MacdonaldD-MA-7
Rep. Robert JonesD-AL-5
Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. Edward PattenD-NJ-15
Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Frank EvansD-CO-3
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. James SymingtonD-MO-2
Rep. John YoungD-TX-14
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. Frank ClarkD-PA-25
Rep. William CotterD-CT-1
Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Robert GiaimoD-CT-3
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
Rep. Ella GrassoD-CT-6
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. John CulverD-IA-2
Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
Rep. Jerry LittonD-MO-6
Rep. Koln McKayD-UT-1
Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
Rep. John BreauxD-LA-7
Rep. George ShipleyD-IL-22
Rep. John RoushD-IN-4
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
Rep. John DavisD-GA-7
Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
Rep. William RandallD-MO-4
Rep. Williamson StuckeyD-GA-8
Rep. William RoyD-KS-2
Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
Rep. Frank StubblefieldD-KY-1
Rep. Thaddeus DulskiD-NY-37
Rep. Robert StephensD-GA-10
Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. James StantonD-OH-20
Rep. Robert CaseyD-TX-22
Rep. David HendersonD-NC-3
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. Bill GunterD-FL-5
Rep. Thomas GettysD-SC-5
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. Richard IchordD-MO-8
Rep. Roy TaylorD-NC-11
Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
Rep. Robert SikesD-FL-1
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. William DornD-SC-3
Rep. Edith GreenD-OR-3
Rep. Lawrence FountainD-NC-2
Rep. Paul RogersD-FL-11
Rep. Marvin MathisD-GA-2
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Thomas DowningD-VA-1
Rep. James HaleyD-FL-8
Rep. Ovie FisherD-TX-21

Republicans who voted yea(116)

Rep. Donald RiegleR-MI-7
Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
Rep. Gilbert GudeR-MD-8
Rep. Robert SteeleR-CT-2
Rep. Peter PeyserR-NY-23
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
Rep. Edward BiesterR-PA-8
Rep. Paul CroninR-MA-5
Rep. Mark AndrewsR-ND
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Pete McCloskeyR-CA-17
Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
Rep. Charles MosherR-OH-13
Rep. William WidnallR-NJ-7
Rep. William CohenR-ME-2
Rep. Bob MathiasR-CA-18
Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. Marvin EschR-MI-2
Rep. Charles SandmanR-NJ-2
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
Rep. Henry HeinzR-PA-18
Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-1
Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. Donald BrotzmanR-CO-2
Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
Rep. Charles ThoneR-NE-1
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Joseph MarazitiR-NJ-13
Rep. William HarshaR-OH-6
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. Garner ShriverR-KS-4
Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Lawrence WilliamsR-PA-7
Rep. Orval HansenR-ID-2
Rep. Angelo RoncalloR-NY-3
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. Jerry PettisR-CA-33
Rep. Vernon ThomsonR-WI-3
Rep. John ZwachR-MN-6
Rep. Lawrence HoganR-MD-5
Rep. Albert QuieR-MN-1
Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
Rep. Dick ShoupR-MT-1
Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
Rep. James GroverR-NY-2
Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-40
Rep. Albert JohnsonR-PA-23
Rep. Alan SteelmanR-TX-5
Rep. Edwin EshlemanR-PA-16
Rep. Philip RuppeR-MI-11
Rep. Louis FreyR-FL-9
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Dan KuykendallR-TN-8
Rep. Joel BroyhillR-VA-10
Rep. Burt TalcottR-CA-12
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. Vinegar Bend MizellR-NC-5
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
Rep. Elford CederbergR-MI-10
Rep. Louis WymanR-NH-1
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. John HuntR-NJ-1
Rep. Robert BaumanR-MD-1
Rep. William BrayR-IN-6
Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-17
Rep. Charles ChamberlainR-MI-6
Rep. John McCollisterR-NE-2
Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
Rep. William KeatingR-OH-1
Rep. Roger ZionR-IN-8
Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
Rep. Richard MallaryR-VT
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. Charles TeagueR-CA-13
Rep. Howard RobisonR-NY-27
Rep. William MinshallR-OH-23
Rep. Robert HanrahanR-IL-3
Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. Alphonzo BellR-CA-28
Rep. Andrew HinshawR-CA-39
Rep. Robert DanielR-VA-4
Rep. Harold FroehlichR-WI-8
Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-42
Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. Ancher NelsenR-MN-2
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. John WydlerR-NY-5
Rep. John WareR-PA-5
Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-27
Rep. Harold CollierR-IL-6
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
Rep. William KetchumR-CA-36
Rep. William ArmstrongR-CO-5
Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
Rep. John ConlanR-AZ-4

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 517 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. 1 yea vote was cast by members of neither major party and is highlighted on the compass but not listed. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Post Office and Civil Service Committee · House · referred to, reported by
Post Office and Civil Service Committee · Senate · referred to, reported by

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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 18 actions.

Jan 31, 1974Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public law 93-246.
Jan 21, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
Dec 18, 1973Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report, roll call #697 (307-82).House roll call 697
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report, roll call #697 (307-82).House roll call 697
Dec 7, 1973Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 93-706.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 93-706.
Nov 28, 1973Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
Nov 27, 1973Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
Nov 16, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
Nov 15, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Post Office and Civil Service Committee
Sep 21, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Post Office and Civil Service Committee
Sep 20, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #474 (217-155).House roll call 474
Sep 11, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
Jul 12, 1973CommitteeCommittee · 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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.