A bill to amend chapter 83 of title 5, United States Code, to eliminate the annuity reduction made, in order to provide a surviving spouse with an annuity, during periods when the annuitant is not married.
Public Law 93-474 · S. 628 · 93rd Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Oct 26, 1974 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Sen. Frank Moss (D-UT)
Cosponsors (5): Sen. Hubert Humphrey, Sen. John Sparkman,
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.
Revises the present procedures for payment of retirement annuities to Federal employees.
Authorizes the payment of a single life rate annuity. Eliminates the present provisions of Federal law which provide for a reduction in the annuity of a retired Federal employee or Member of Congress who acquires a spouse after retirement and who elects to provide a survivor annuity for that spouse in lieu of the survivor benefit which he previously elected for a person having an insurable interest.
Provides that when an annuitant dies and is survived by a spouse, the spouse is entitled to an annuity equal to 55 percent of the maximum annuity to which the annuitant was entitled. Provides that no annuity is payable to the surviving spouse of an annuitant who failed to elect to provide a survivor annuity for his spouse in lieu of a survivor benefit for a person having an insurable interest. Defines the term "spouse" for civil service retirement purposes as meaning the surviving wife or husband of any employee, Member, or annuitant who was married to the employee, Member, or annuitant for at least one year immediately before the death of the employee, Member or annuitant or who is the parent of issue by that marriage.
Repeals the requirement for reducing an annuity of a retired Federal employee or Member of Congress in order to provide a survivor annuity for a spouse and eliminates the provisions under which the married retiree may either deny his spouse a survivor benefit or provide an amount less than that based upon his maximum rate. Revises the supplemental annuity provisions to grant a reemployed annuitant an unreduced annuity benefit earned during reemployment, and an automatic increase in the survivor benefit attributable to such reemployment.
Reduces the existing two-year marriage requirement for spouses of Federal employees or Members to one year for the purpose of qualifying for civil service retirement and survivor benefits.
Provides that the annuity payable to an eligible spouse shall be equal to 55 percent of the annuity otherwise payable to the annuitant who retires or is separated on or after the date of enactment of this Act, and who dies on or after such enactment.
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. 21 actions.
- Oct 26, 1974Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-474.
- Oct 17, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Oct 15, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.
- Oct 7, 1974Resolving 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 Senate, S. Rept. 93-1241.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in Senate, S. Rept. 93-1241.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 93-1431.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 93-1431.
- Jul 11, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- Jun 18, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
- May 29, 1974FloorFloor · Senate disagreed to House amendments.
- Apr 24, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #178 (296-102).House roll call 178
- Mar 19, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Aug 1, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Jul 31, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- Jul 27, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Jan 31, 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.