Congress · Laws

Veterans and Survivors Pension Adjustment Act of 1974

Public Law 93-527 · S. 4040 · 93rd Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Dec 21, 1974 · Armed Forces and National Security

Sponsor: Sen. Rupert Hartke (D-IN)

Cosponsors (16): Sen. Clifford Hansen, Sen. Herman Talmadge,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 357 yea, 1 nay357–1
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.

Report a correction

Summary

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

Veterans and Survivors Pension Adjustment Act - Increases disability and death pensions and dependency and indemnity compensation for veterans and their survivors. Increases the income limitations for such pension payments.

Directs the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs to carry out a thorough study and investigation of the economic needs and problems of veterans and their widows seventy-two years of age or older.

Provides that the marriage of a child of a veteran shall not bar the recognition of such child as the child of the veteran for benefit purposes if the marriage has been terminated by death or has been dissolved by a court with basic authority to render divorce decrees.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 93rd Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 357 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

357 yea1 nay76 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(199)

Rep. John ConyersD-MI-1
Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-7
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-8
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. Phillip BurtonD-CA-5
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
Rep. John BurtonD-CA-6
Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-21
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
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. Yvonne BurkeD-CA-37
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-35
Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
Rep. Barbara JordanD-TX-18
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. William BarrettD-PA-1
Rep. John DentD-PA-21
Rep. Henry HelstoskiD-NJ-9
Rep. James CormanD-CA-22
Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-29
Rep. Donald FraserD-MN-5
Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
Rep. Richard Vander VeenD-MI-5
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. Brock AdamsD-WA-7
Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
Rep. Julia HansenD-WA-3
Rep. Paul SarbanesD-MD-3
Rep. Edward KochD-NY-18
Rep. Spark MatsunagaD-HI-1
Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Thomas ReesD-CA-26
Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. Jerome TraxlerD-MI-8
Rep. Frank DenholmD-SD-1
Rep. John MelcherD-MT-2
Rep. John BlatnikD-MN-8
Rep. William GreenD-PA-3
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
Rep. Richard HannaD-CA-34
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. Ogden ReidD-NY-24
Rep. Ray MaddenD-IN-1
Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
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. John MurphyD-NY-17
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. Bernice SiskD-CA-16
Rep. Joseph KarthD-MN-4
Rep. John KluczynskiD-IL-5
Rep. Richard FultonD-TN-5
Rep. Thomas MorganD-PA-22
Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
Rep. Kenneth HechlerD-WV-4
Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
Rep. Dominick DanielsD-NJ-14
Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-41
Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
Rep. Joseph VigoritoD-PA-24
Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
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. Lester WolffD-NY-6
Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. John CulverD-IA-2
Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
Rep. James DelaneyD-NY-9
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. John RoushD-IN-4
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
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. Ed JonesD-TN-7
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. Olin TeagueD-TX-6
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. James JonesD-OK-1
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. Bill GunterD-FL-5
Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
Rep. Thomas GettysD-SC-5
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. George MahonD-TX-19
Rep. Herbert RobertsD-TX-4
Rep. Harold RunnelsD-NM-2
Rep. Roy TaylorD-NC-11
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. William PoageD-TX-11
Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
Rep. Robert SikesD-FL-1
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. William DornD-SC-3
Rep. Lawrence FountainD-NC-2
Rep. Marvin MathisD-GA-2
Rep. Felix HébertD-LA-1
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Thomas DowningD-VA-1
Rep. James MannD-SC-4
Rep. Dale MilfordD-TX-24
Rep. Joseph WaggonnerD-LA-4
Rep. James HaleyD-FL-8
Rep. John FlyntD-GA-6
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Omar BurlesonD-TX-17
Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5
Rep. John JarmanD-OK-5
Rep. David SatterfieldD-VA-3

Republicans who voted yea(157)

Rep. Donald RiegleR-MI-7
Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
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. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
Rep. Charles MosherR-OH-13
Rep. William WidnallR-NJ-7
Rep. William WalshR-NY-33
Rep. Wendell WyattR-OR-1
Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
Rep. Marvin EschR-MI-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. Charles ThoneR-NE-1
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Pierre du PontR-DE
Rep. William HarshaR-OH-6
Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. Garner ShriverR-KS-4
Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Lawrence WilliamsR-PA-7
Rep. Orval HansenR-ID-2
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. Jerry PettisR-CA-33
Rep. Vernon ThomsonR-WI-3
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. Jim JohnsonR-CO-4
Rep. John ZwachR-MN-6
Rep. Joe SkubitzR-KS-5
Rep. Albert QuieR-MN-1
Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
Rep. Dick ShoupR-MT-1
Rep. Herbert BurkeR-FL-12
Rep. Thad CochranR-MS-4
Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. James HastingsR-NY-39
Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-40
Rep. Albert JohnsonR-PA-23
Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
Rep. Alan SteelmanR-TX-5
Rep. Louis FreyR-FL-9
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
Rep. Dan KuykendallR-TN-8
Rep. Samuel YoungR-IL-10
Rep. Joel BroyhillR-VA-10
Rep. Burt TalcottR-CA-12
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Charles GubserR-CA-10
Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
Rep. Victor VeyseyR-CA-43
Rep. Elford CederbergR-MI-10
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. John HuntR-NJ-1
Rep. William BrayR-IN-6
Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-17
Rep. John DellenbackR-OR-4
Rep. John McCollisterR-NE-2
Rep. Robert PriceR-TX-13
Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
Rep. Henry SmithR-NY-36
Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
Rep. Roger ZionR-IN-8
Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
Rep. Richard MallaryR-VT
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. Robert HanrahanR-IL-3
Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. Manley ButlerR-VA-6
Rep. William ScherleR-IA-5
Rep. Alphonzo BellR-CA-28
Rep. Andrew HinshawR-CA-39
Rep. Robert DanielR-VA-4
Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
Rep. Harold FroehlichR-WI-8
Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-42
Rep. Earl RuthR-NC-8
Rep. Robert McEwenR-NY-30
Rep. Wiley MayneR-IA-6
Rep. Carleton KingR-NY-29
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. William HudnutR-IN-11
Rep. Ancher NelsenR-MN-2
Rep. Edward YoungR-SC-6
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. John ErlenbornR-IL-14
Rep. John WydlerR-NY-5
Rep. John WareR-PA-5
Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
Rep. William SteigerR-WI-6
Rep. Leslie ArendsR-IL-15
Rep. LaMar BakerR-TN-3
Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
Rep. Peter FrelinghuysenR-NJ-5
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-20
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-27
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
Rep. Robin BeardR-TN-6
Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-13
Rep. John CampR-OK-6
Rep. David MartinR-NE-3
Rep. Donald ClancyR-OH-2
Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
Rep. William KetchumR-CA-36
Rep. David TreenR-LA-3
Rep. William ArmstrongR-CO-5
Rep. Edward HutchinsonR-MI-4
Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
Rep. Walter PowellR-OH-8
Rep. Charles WigginsR-CA-25
Rep. Benjamin BlackburnR-GA-4
Rep. Craig HosmerR-CA-32
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. Sam SteigerR-AZ-3
Rep. Robert HuberR-MI-18
Rep. Glenn DavisR-WI-9
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. David DennisR-IN-10
Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. John ConlanR-AZ-4
Rep. George GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. John RousselotR-CA-24
Rep. James CollinsR-TX-3
Rep. Steven SymmsR-ID-1
Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-12
Rep. Harold GrossR-IA-3

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 1026 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.

Report a correction

Committees

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

Veterans' Affairs Committee · House · referred to, reported by
Veterans' Affairs 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.

Report a correction

Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 11 actions.

Dec 21, 1974Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public law 93-527.
Dec 11, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
Dec 10, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
Dec 9, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #660 (357-1).House roll call 660
Nov 26, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Veterans' Affairs Committee
Nov 21, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Veterans' Affairs Committee
Oct 7, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
Oct 3, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
Sep 24, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Veterans' Affairs 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.

Report a correction

Official record

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