National Productivity and Quality of Working Life Act of 1975
Public Law 94-136 · S. 2195 · 94th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Nov 28, 1975 · Economics and Public Finance
Sponsor: Sen. Samuel Nunn (D-GA)
Cosponsors (6): Sen. Charles Percy, Sen. Jacob Javits,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 208 yea, 188 nay208–188
- 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.
National Productivity and Quality of Working Life Act - Title I: Findings, Purpose, and Policy Definitions - Declares it to be the finding of Congress that the rate of productivity growth has declined during four of the past six years in the United States, and that such decline is detrimental to the social and economic welfare of the American people. States that there is a national need to identify the factors which affect adversely the productivity growth, to improve productivity, and to increase employment security.
Declares it to be the purpose of this Act: (1) to establish a national policy which will encourage productivity growth consistent with needs of the economy, the natural environment, and the needs, rights, and best interests of management, the work force, and consumers; and (2) to establish as an independent establishment of the executive branch a National Center for Productivity and Quality of Working Life to focus, coordinate, and promote efforts to improve the rate of productivity growth.
Title II: National Center for Productivity and Quality of Working Life Established - Creates as an independent establishment of the executive branch of the Government the National Center for Productivity and Quality of Working Life.
Sets forth provisions for the establishment of the Board of Directors of the Center. Includes specified cabinet members and Federal officials ex officio, and provides for the appointment of other members by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.
Enumerates the functions of the Center, including: (1) the development and establishment of a national policy for productivity growth in the public and private sectors of the United States; (2) the stimulation of the maximum participation of the public and private sectors of the Nation's economy in efforts to improve the rate of productivity growth; (3) the recommendation of legislation and revision of regulations as appropriate to achieve the purposes of this Act; and (4) the dissemination of information collected through surveys and studies conducted under this Act.
Defines the powers of the Center, including the power to organize and contract for studies pursuant to the purposes of this Act.
Requires the Center to report annually to the President and to the Congress on its activities during the preceding fiscal year.
Title III: Federal Agency Coordination and Liaison with Center - Directs each department, agency, and independent establishment of the Federal Government to designate an individual to serve as liaison with the Center. Directs such offices to keep the Center informed of all programs and initiatives relevant to this Act, and to provide the Center with any information and material which it may request.
Title IV: Administrative Provisions - Authorizes the Executive Director of the Center to carry out such actions as are necessary for effective operation pursuant to this Act.
Title V: Evaluation by the Comptroller General - Directs the Comptroller General of the United States to audit, review, and evaluate the implementation of the provisions of this Act by the Center and to report the results of such inspection to Congress within 30 to 36 months of the enactment of this Act.
Title VI: Repeal and Transfer - Transfers the functions and staff of the National Commission on Productivity and Work Quality to the Center.
Title VII: Authorization of Appropriations - Authorizes the appropriation of funds to carry out the purposes of this Act for fiscal years 1976, 1977, and 1978.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 94th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 212 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
212 yea192 nay29 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(153)
Rep. John ConyersD-MI-1- Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9- Rep. Bella AbzugD-NY-20
- Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
- Rep. James CormanD-CA-21
- Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-8
- Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
- Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
- Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-6
- Rep. Andrew YoungD-GA-5
- Rep. Yvonne BurkeD-CA-28
- Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
- Rep. Elizabeth HoltzmanD-NY-16
- Rep. Shirley ChisholmD-NY-12
- Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24- Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19- Rep. Ralph MetcalfeD-IL-1
- Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8- Rep. Herman BadilloD-NY-21
- Rep. Charles DiggsD-MI-13
- Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
- Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
- Rep. Barbara JordanD-TX-18
- Rep. Robert NixD-PA-2
- Rep. Frederick RichmondD-NY-14
- Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-1
- Rep. Charles CarneyD-OH-19
- Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
- Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
- Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
- Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-11
- Rep. John McFallD-CA-14
- Rep. Tip O’NeillD-MA-8
- Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
- Rep. Edward KochD-NY-18
- Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
- Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
- Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
- Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
- Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
- Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
- Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
- Rep. Henry HelstoskiD-NJ-9
- Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
- Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
- Rep. Ray MaddenD-IN-1
- Rep. William BrodheadD-MI-17
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7- Rep. Michael HarringtonD-MA-6
- Rep. Thomas MorganD-PA-22
- Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
- Rep. John MurphyD-NY-17
- Rep. Dominick DanielsD-NJ-14
- Rep. Spark MatsunagaD-HI-1
- Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
- Rep. Floyd HicksD-WA-6
- Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
- Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
- Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
- Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
- Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
- Rep. Joseph KarthD-MN-4
- Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
- Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
- Rep. Charles WilsonD-CA-31
- Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
- Rep. Robert BerglandD-MN-7
- Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
- Rep. Paul SarbanesD-MD-3
- Rep. John PatmanD-TX-1
- Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
- Rep. Paul TsongasD-MA-5
- Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-24
- Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
- Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-42
- Rep. Philip HayesD-IN-8
- Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
- Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
- Rep. Torbert MacdonaldD-MA-7
- Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
- Rep. Donald RiegleD-MI-7
- Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
- Rep. Wayne HaysD-OH-18
- Rep. Tim HallD-IL-15
- Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
- Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
- Rep. William CotterD-CT-1
- Rep. Herbert HarrisD-VA-8
- Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-24
- Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
- Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-27
- Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
- Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
- Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
- Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
- Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
- Rep. John MelcherD-MT-2
- Rep. Robert CornellD-WI-8
- Rep. Gene MaguireD-NJ-7
- Rep. Thomas ReesD-CA-23
- Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
- Rep. James BlanchardD-MI-18
- Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
- Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
- Rep. Alvin BaldusD-WI-3
- Rep. Gladys SpellmanD-MD-5
- Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
- Rep. George ShipleyD-IL-22
- Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-37
- Rep. Joseph FisherD-VA-10
- Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
- Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
- Rep. Mark HannafordD-CA-34
- Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
- Rep. John KrebsD-CA-17
- Rep. Joseph EarlyD-MA-3
- Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
- Rep. Robert GiaimoD-CT-3
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12- Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
- Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
Rep. Christopher DoddD-CT-2- Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
- Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
- Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
- Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
- Rep. Jerome AmbroD-NY-3
- Rep. Wilbur MillsD-AR-2
- Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
- Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-36
- Rep. Theodore RisenhooverD-OK-2
- Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
- Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
- Rep. Kenneth HollandD-SC-5
- Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
- Rep. Floyd FithianD-IN-2
- Rep. John RoushD-IN-4
- Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
- Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
- Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
- Rep. Robert KruegerD-TX-21
- Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
- Rep. David EvansD-IN-6
- Rep. Ronald MottlD-OH-23
- Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
- Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
- Rep. Olin TeagueD-TX-6
- Rep. James HaleyD-FL-8
- Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Republicans who voted yea(59)
- Rep. Peter PeyserR-NY-23
- Rep. Gilbert GudeR-MD-8
- Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
- Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
- Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
- Rep. Henry HeinzR-PA-18
- Rep. Larry PresslerR-SD-1
- Rep. Mark AndrewsR-ND
- Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
- Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
- Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
- Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
- Rep. William CohenR-ME-2
- Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
- Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
- Rep. Millicent FenwickR-NJ-5
- Rep. William HarshaR-OH-6
- Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
- Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
- Rep. Charles MosherR-OH-13
- Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
- Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
Rep. Thad CochranR-MS-4- Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
- Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
- Rep. Albert JohnsonR-PA-23
- Rep. Garner ShriverR-KS-4
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16- Rep. Philip RuppeR-MI-11
- Rep. Joe SkubitzR-KS-5
- Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-41
- Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
- Rep. Charles ThoneR-NE-1
- Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
- Rep. William MooreR-LA-6
- Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
- Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
- Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
- Rep. James HastingsR-NY-39
- Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
- Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
- Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
- Rep. John WydlerR-NY-5
- Rep. Robert McEwenR-NY-30
- Rep. William SteigerR-WI-6
- Rep. Edwin EshlemanR-PA-16
- Rep. Alan SteelmanR-TX-5
- Rep. Manley ButlerR-VA-6
- Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
- Rep. David TreenR-LA-3
- Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
- Rep. John ErlenbornR-IL-14
- Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-1
- Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
- Rep. Thomas KindnessR-OH-8
- Rep. Richard KellyR-FL-5
- Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
- Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 478 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. 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.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
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. 14 actions.
- Nov 28, 1975Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-136.
- Nov 18, 1975PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Nov 17, 1975PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Nov 14, 1975Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- Oct 28, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #644 (208-188).House roll call 644
- Oct 8, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Financial Services Committee
- Sep 5, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Financial Services Committee
- Sep 4, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #379 (66-15).Senate roll call 379
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Jul 28, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.