An Act to amend certain provisions of law defining widow and widower under the civil service retirement system, and for other purposes.
Public Law 93-260 · S. 2174 · 93rd Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Richard Nixon (R) on Apr 9, 1974 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Sen. Hiram Fong (R-HI)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- 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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Redefines the terms widow and widower for purposes of the civil service retirement system by reducing from two years to one year the period for which that widow or widower must have been married in order to qualify for a survivor's annuity.
Provides that the pay of the leaders of Congress who are receiving more than $42,500 be included in determining the Members' highest 3-year salary for retirement purposes.
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 11 actions.
- Apr 9, 1974Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-260.
- Mar 28, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Mar 27, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- Mar 19, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- Mar 7, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Sep 24, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Sep 20, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- Sep 18, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Jul 13, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.