An Act to provide for access to all duly licensed clinical psychologists and optometrists without prior referral in the Federal employee health benefits program.
Public Law 93-363 · H.R. 9440 · 93rd Congress · began in the House
Signed by Richard Nixon (R) on Jul 30, 1974 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. Jerome Waldie (D-CA-14)
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.
Provides that if Federal employee health insurance contract benefits include services which may be provided by a licensed psychologist or optometrist, then the employee beneficiary, annuitant or family member covered by such contract shall be free to select such psychologist or optometrist of his or her choice, shall have direct access to the same, without supervision or referral by another health practitioner, and shall be entitled under such contract to have benefits paid to him or on his behalf for such service or services. States that the provision of this Act shall not apply to group practice prepayment plans.
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 · discharged from, referred to
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.
- Jul 30, 1974Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-363.
- Jul 18, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Jul 17, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendment.
- Jul 15, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 2619.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Mar 6, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Mar 5, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- Feb 27, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Jul 19, 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.