An Act to amend chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, to establish uniformity in Federal employee health benefits and coverage by preempting certain State or local laws which are inconsistent with such contracts, and for other purposes.
Public Law 95-368 · H.R. 2931 · 95th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Sep 17, 1978 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. Gladys Spellman (D-MD-5)
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.
(House agreed to certain Senate amendments with amendments)
Renders inapplicable any provision of or regulation under State and local law which related to health insurance plans to the extent that such law or regulation is inconsistent with any contractual provision of a Federal employee health benefits plan.
Provides for the treatment of any particular health condition if such service is properly provided by a person licensed under State law to provide such service and the individual served is a member of a medically underserved population.
Provides that the provisions of this Act shall apply to services provided under any contract entered into or renewed after December 31, 1979, except such provisions shall not apply to services provided after December 31, 1984.
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
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. 15 actions.
- Sep 17, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-368.
- Sep 6, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Aug 25, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments to certain Senate amendments.
- Aug 10, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to certain Senate amendments with amendments.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to certain Senate amendments.
- Jun 5, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- May 18, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Jun 21, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Jun 20, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- May 10, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Feb 1, 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.