An Act to provide for an exclusive remedy against the United States in suits based upon medical malpractice on the part of medical personnel of the armed forces, the Defense Department, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and for other purposes.
Public Law 94-464 · H.R. 3954 · 94th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Oct 8, 1976 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. Henry González (D-TX-20)
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.
Stipulates that a tort action against the United States shall be an individual's exclusive remedy to negligence or malpractice by medical personnel of the Armed Forces, the Department of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Coast Guard, and the National Guard (if the action arises out of a medical act or omission during specified National Guard training exercises).
Directs the Attorney General to defend against such negligence or malpractice suits, in accordance with procedures set forth in this Act.
Authorizes the head of the agency concerned or his designee to hold harmless or to provide liability insurance against such suits to medical personnel assigned to a foreign country or detailed for service with other than a Federal agency or institution, or if the circumstances are such as are likely to preclude the remedies of third persons against the United States.
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. 13 actions.
- Oct 8, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-464.
- Oct 1, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Sep 30, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Sep 27, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- Sep 24, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Sep 20, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Armed Services Committee
- Jul 22, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Armed Services Committee
- Jul 21, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- Jun 27, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Armed Services Committee
- Feb 27, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Armed Services 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.