Congress · Laws

An Act to amend title 5, United States Code, to authorize the Civil Service Commission to comply with the terms of a court decree, order, or property settlement in connection with the divorce, annulment or legal separation of a Federal employee who is under the Civil Service Retirement System, and for other purposes.

Public Law 95-366 · H.R. 8771 · 95th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Sep 15, 1978 · Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor: Rep. Gladys Spellman (D-MD-5)

Cosponsors (6): Rep. Cecil Heftel, Rep. William Ford,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 369 yea, 7 nay369–7
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.

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Summary

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

Permits civil service pension payments made to an employee, Member of Congress, or annuitant to be made to another person if and to the extent expressly provided for in any court decree of divorce, annulment, or legal separation or court ordered property settlement incident to such decree.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 95th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 370 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

370 yea7 nay55 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(245)

Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
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 MossD-CA-3
Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9
Rep. Shirley ChisholmD-NY-12
Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
Rep. Robert NixD-PA-2
Rep. Ralph MetcalfeD-IL-1
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. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-30
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-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. 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. William MoorheadD-PA-14
Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
Rep. John FaryD-IL-5
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. 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. Richard OttingerD-NY-24
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
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. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
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. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. Toby MoffettD-CT-6
Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
Rep. Bernice SiskD-CA-15
Rep. Christopher DoddD-CT-2
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. John YoungD-TX-14
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Leo RyanD-CA-11
Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
Rep. William CotterD-CT-1
Rep. Edward PattisonD-NY-29
Rep. James BlanchardD-MI-18
Rep. Stanley LundineD-NY-39
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. Matthew McHughD-NY-27
Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
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. James HanleyD-NY-32
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. David CornwellD-IN-8
Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
Rep. Douglas ApplegateD-OH-18
Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
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. Bo GinnD-GA-1
Rep. George MahonD-TX-19
Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
Rep. John CavanaughD-NE-2
Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
Rep. Tom HarkinD-IA-5
Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
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. Ed JenkinsD-GA-9
Rep. Jerome AmbroD-NY-3
Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. Jack HightowerD-TX-13
Rep. Theodore RisenhooverD-OK-2
Rep. James MattoxD-TX-5
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
Rep. Peter KostmayerD-PA-8
Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-10
Rep. Paul RogersD-FL-11
Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
Rep. Norman D’AmoursD-NH-1
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
Rep. Floyd FithianD-IN-2
Rep. Robert SikesD-FL-1
Rep. Billy EvansD-GA-8
Rep. Vonno GudgerD-NC-11
Rep. Robert KruegerD-TX-21
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. Allen ErtelD-PA-17
Rep. Druie BarnardD-GA-10
Rep. Charles WhitleyD-NC-3
Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
Rep. James SantiniD-NV
Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-2
Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
Rep. Goodloe ByronD-MD-6
Rep. Andy IrelandD-FL-8
Rep. Marvin MathisD-GA-2
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
Rep. Wes WatkinsD-OK-3
Rep. Thomas HuckabyD-LA-5
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Dale MilfordD-TX-24
Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. Sam HallD-TX-1
Rep. Joseph WaggonnerD-LA-4
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-11
Rep. Ronald MottlD-OH-23
Rep. Richard IchordD-MO-8
Rep. Harold RunnelsD-NM-2
Rep. Omar BurlesonD-TX-17
Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5
Rep. David SatterfieldD-VA-3
Rep. Lawrence McDonaldD-GA-7

Republicans who voted yea(125)

Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
Rep. Newton SteersR-MD-8
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Pete McCloskeyR-CA-12
Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
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. Tim CarterR-KY-5
Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
Rep. Millicent FenwickR-NJ-5
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. Mark AndrewsR-ND
Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. Jim JohnsonR-CO-4
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
Rep. William CohenR-ME-2
Rep. Larry PresslerR-SD-1
Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
Rep. Carl PursellR-MI-2
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
Rep. Harold SawyerR-MI-5
Rep. Bruce CaputoR-NY-23
Rep. Elford CederbergR-MI-10
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-17
Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-2
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. Shirley PettisR-CA-37
Rep. Thomas EvansR-DE
Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
Rep. Robert McEwenR-NY-30
Rep. Charles ThoneR-NE-1
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Thad CochranR-MS-4
Rep. Ronald MarleneeR-MT-2
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
Rep. Paul TribleR-VA-1
Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Herbert BurkeR-FL-12
Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-43
Rep. Virginia SmithR-NE-3
Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Robin BeardR-TN-6
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-1
Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Robert KastenR-WI-9
Rep. Thomas CorcoranR-IL-15
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
Rep. Charles WigginsR-CA-39
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-41
Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
Rep. Manley ButlerR-VA-6
Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
Rep. Arlan StangelandR-MN-7
Rep. David TreenR-LA-3
Rep. David MarriottR-UT-2
Rep. William KetchumR-CA-18
Rep. Robert DanielR-VA-4
Rep. Gary MyersR-PA-25
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-20
Rep. John CunninghamR-WA-7
Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. Chuck GrassleyR-IA-3
Rep. John WydlerR-NY-5
Rep. William SteigerR-WI-6
Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
Rep. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. David StockmanR-MI-4
Rep. Thomas KindnessR-OH-8
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-22
Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
Rep. Robert DornanR-CA-27
Rep. Samuel DevineR-OH-12
Rep. Eldon RuddR-AZ-4
Rep. William ArmstrongR-CO-5
Rep. Robert BadhamR-CA-40
Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16
Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. Richard KellyR-FL-5
Rep. Dan QuayleR-IN-4
Rep. Delwin ClawsonR-CA-33
Rep. Robert BaumanR-MD-1
Rep. John AshbrookR-OH-17
Rep. John RousselotR-CA-26
Rep. George HansenR-ID-2
Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-12
Rep. Steven SymmsR-ID-1

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 710 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.

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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
Homeland Security and Governmental 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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 13 actions.

Sep 15, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-366.
Sep 7, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
Aug 17, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
Aug 16, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
Aug 10, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Jan 24, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Jan 23, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed House, roll call #6 (369-7).House roll call 6
FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
Oct 17, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
Aug 4, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service 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.

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Official record

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