Fair Labor Standards Amendments of 1977
Public Law 95-151 · H.R. 3744 · 95th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Nov 1, 1977 · Labor and Employment
Major law
Sponsor: Rep. John Dent (D-PA-21)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 236 yea, 187 nay236–187
- 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.
Fair Labor Standards Amendments - Raises the minimum wage to $2.65 an hour for calendar year 1978, $2.90 an hour for calendar year 1979, $3.10 an hour for calendar year 1980, and $3.35 an hour after December 31, 1980.
Makes such wage rates applicable to agricultural workers and to employees covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act by the 1966 amendments. Provides increases in the minimum wage rates for employees in puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Establishes a Minimum Wage Study Commission to study the social, political, and economic impact of the minimum wage.
Changes the definition of tipped employees to include only those employees who regularly receive more than $30 a month in tips. Reduces the tip credit from the present 50 percent of the minimum wage to 40 percent of the minimum wage, effective January 1, 1980, by reducing the maximum tip credit by five percent each year, beginning January 1, 1979.
Excludes from the minimum wage and overtime exemption, which presently applies to all employees of certain seasonal recreation establishments, employees of concessioners in the national parks and forests and National Wildlife Refuge System, as well as employees of private entities engaging in providing services and facilities directly related to skiing.
Includes shade-grown tobacco employees under the overtime provisions of such Act.
Exempts cotton ginning employees from the overtime requirements for a period of 14 weeks in any 52 consecutive week period.
Permits waiver of the minimum wage between June 1 and October 15 for children under 12, but not less than 10, in hand-harvested agriculture, under certain circumstances. Stipulates that such waiver may not exceed a period of 8 weeks in any one calendar year.
Exempts an enterprise with an annual gross volume of sales of less than $275,000, from the provisions of this Act, beginning July 1, 1978. Increases the dollar volume test of such exemption to $325,000, beginning July 1, 1980, and to $362,500, beginning December 31, 1981.
Provides individual employees the right to sue if they have been discriminated against for filing a complaint or otherwise seeking to enforce their rights under the Act, or for cooperating with the Secretary of Labor in enforcing the Act.
Exempts from the minimum wage provisions of the Act organized camps or religious or nonprofit educational centers.
Increases from four to six the number of full-time students which an employer may hire at 85 percent of the prevailing minimum wage.
Provides for simplified application forms to be used by small businesses that want to hire six students, or less.
Requires that hotel, motel, and restaurant employees receive overtime compensation for employment: (1) in excess of 44 hours per week in calendar year l978; and (2) in excess of 40 hours per week in all other years.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 95th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 240 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
240 yea185 nay9 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(221)
- Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
- Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
- Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
- Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-6
- Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
- Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-23
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19- Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
- Rep. James CormanD-CA-21
- Rep. Frederick RichmondD-NY-14
- Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
Rep. John ConyersD-MI-1- Rep. Yvonne BurkeD-CA-28
- Rep. John MossD-CA-3
- Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9- Rep. Shirley ChisholmD-NY-12
- Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
- Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-8
- Rep. Robert NixD-PA-2
- Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
- Rep. John McFallD-CA-14
- Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
- Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
- Rep. Theodore WeissD-NY-20
- Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
- Rep. Herman BadilloD-NY-21
- Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
- Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-30
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8- Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
- Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24- Rep. Charles DiggsD-MI-13
- Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
- Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
- Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-24
- Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. Richard NolanD-MN-6- Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
- Rep. Barbara JordanD-TX-18
- Rep. David BoniorD-MI-12
- Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
- Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
- Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
- Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
- Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
- Rep. Edward PattenD-NJ-15
- Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
- Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-1
- Rep. Charles WilsonD-CA-31
Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7- Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
- Rep. Michael HarringtonD-MA-6
- Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16- Rep. William BrodheadD-MI-17
- Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
- Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7- Rep. Elizabeth HoltzmanD-NY-16
- Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-11
- Rep. Donald FraserD-MN-5
- Rep. Ozzie MyersD-PA-1
- Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
- Rep. Edward KochD-NY-18
- Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
- Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
- Rep. John FaryD-IL-5
- Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
- Rep. Charles CarneyD-OH-19
- Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
- Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
- Rep. John MurphyD-NY-17
- Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
- Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
- Rep. Abner MikvaD-IL-10
- Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
Rep. Barbara MikulskiD-MD-3- Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
- Rep. Raymond LedererD-PA-3
- Rep. Alvin BaldusD-WI-3
- Rep. Harold FordD-TN-8
- Rep. Robert DuncanD-OR-3
- Rep. Jerry PattersonD-CA-38
- Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
- Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
- Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-42
- Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
- Rep. Joseph LeFanteD-NJ-14
- Rep. Frank EvansD-CO-3
- Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7- Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
- Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
- Rep. Helen MeynerD-NJ-13
- Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
- Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
- Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
- Rep. Gene MaguireD-NJ-7
- Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
- Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
- Rep. John BurtonD-CA-5
- Rep. George ShipleyD-IL-22
- Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
- Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
- Rep. Robert GiaimoD-CT-3
- Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
- Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
- Rep. John JenretteD-SC-6
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4- Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
- Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
- Rep. Paul TsongasD-MA-5
- Rep. Edward BeardD-RI-2
- Rep. John DentD-PA-21
- Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
- Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
- Rep. Toby MoffettD-CT-6
- Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
- Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
- Rep. Bernice SiskD-CA-15
- Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
- Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
- Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6- Rep. James DelaneyD-NY-9
- Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
- Rep. Leo RyanD-CA-11
- Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
- Rep. James TuckerD-AR-2
- Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
- Rep. William CotterD-CT-1
- Rep. Edward PattisonD-NY-29
- Rep. James BlanchardD-MI-18
- Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
- Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
- Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
- Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7- Rep. Mary OakarD-OH-20
- Rep. Robert CornellD-WI-8
- Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
- Rep. Cecil HeftelD-HI-1
- Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
- Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
- Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
- Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-37
- Rep. Joseph AmmermanD-PA-23
- Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
- Rep. Robert YoungD-MO-2
- Rep. Herbert HarrisD-VA-8
- Rep. Gladys SpellmanD-MD-5
- Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
- Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
- Rep. Mark HannafordD-CA-34
- Rep. Joseph FisherD-VA-10
- Rep. Koln McKayD-UT-1
- Rep. John KrebsD-CA-17
- Rep. Michael BlouinD-IA-2
- Rep. Albert GoreD-TN-4
- Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
- Rep. Adam BenjaminD-IN-1
- Rep. Jerome TraxlerD-MI-8
- Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
- Rep. Leo ZeferettiD-NY-15
- Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
- Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
- Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
- Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
- Rep. Douglas ApplegateD-OH-18
- Rep. James LloydD-CA-35
- Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-36
Rep. Max BaucusD-MT-1- Rep. Clifford AllenD-TN-5
- Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
- Rep. Austin MurphyD-PA-22
- Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
- Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
- Rep. John CavanaughD-NE-2
- Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
- Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
- Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
- Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
- Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4- Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
- Rep. Wyche FowlerD-GA-5
- Rep. Martha KeysD-KS-2
- Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
- Rep. Joseph EarlyD-MA-3
- Rep. Jerome AmbroD-NY-3
- Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
- Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
- Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
- Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
- Rep. Peter KostmayerD-PA-8
- Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
- Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-10
- Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
- Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
- Rep. Norman D’AmoursD-NH-1
- Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
- Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
- Rep. Floyd FithianD-IN-2
- Rep. Vonno GudgerD-NC-11
- Rep. Robert KruegerD-TX-21
- Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
- Rep. Allen ErtelD-PA-17
- Rep. Charles WhitleyD-NC-3
- Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
- Rep. James SantiniD-NV
- Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-2
- Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
- Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
- Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
- Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
- Rep. Lawrence FountainD-NC-2
- Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-11
Republicans who voted yea(19)
- Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
- Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
- Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
- Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
- Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
- Rep. Marc MarksR-PA-24
- Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
- Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
- Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
- Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
- Rep. William CohenR-ME-2
- Rep. Albert QuieR-MN-1
- Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
Rep. Don YoungR-AK- Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
- Rep. Bruce CaputoR-NY-23
- Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5- Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 622 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. 25 actions.
- Nov 1, 1977Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-151.
- Oct 25, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Oct 21, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Oct 20, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report, roll call #676 (236-187).House roll call 676
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report, roll call #676 (236-187).House roll call 676
- Oct 19, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
- Oct 17, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-711.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-711.
- Oct 14, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in Senate, S. Rept. 95-497.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in Senate, S. Rept. 95-497.
- Oct 12, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House, division vote (91-41).
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to disagree to the Senate amendment passed House, division vote (91-41).
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to table motion to disagree to Senate amendment and request conference rejected in House, roll call #642 (138-266).House roll call 642
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- Oct 7, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 1871, roll call #549 (63-24).Senate roll call 549
- Sep 21, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Sep 16, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Sep 15, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #555 (309-96).House roll call 555
- FloorFloor · Motion to recommit to the Committee on Education and Labor rejected in House.
- Jul 22, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Education and Workforce Committee
- Feb 22, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Education and Workforce 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.