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Departments of Labor and Health, Education, and Welfare Appropriations Act, 1979

Public Law 95-480 · H.R. 12929 · 95th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 18, 1978 · Economics and Public Finance

Sponsor: Rep. Daniel Flood (D-PA-11)

Cosponsors: None

Passage votesYeaNay

  • HouseRecorded vote: 198 yea, 195 nay198–195
  • 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.

(Senate receded and concurred in House amendment with an amendment)

Departments of Labor and Health, Education, and Welfare Appropriations Act - =Title I: Department of Labor= - Department of Labor Appropriation Act - Makes appropriations for fiscal year 1979 for the following: Employment and Training Administration; Labor- Management Services Administration; Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation; Employment Standards Administration; Occupational Safety and Health Administration; Mine Safety and Health Administration; Bureau of Labor Statistics; Departmental Management; Grants to States for Unemployment Insurance and Employment Services; and Black Lung Disability Trust Fund. Stipulates that none of the funds appropriated by this Title may be used to carry out activities for or on behalf of any illegal alien in the United States.

=Title II: Department of Health, Education, and Welfare= - Department of Health, Education, and Welfare Appropriation Act - Appropriates funds for fiscal year 1979 for the following: Health Services Administration; Center for Disease Control; National Institutes of Health; Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration; Health Resources Administration; Assistant Secretary of Health; Health Care Financing Administration; Education Division for the Office of Education; the National Institute of Education; and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Education; Social Security Administration; Special Institutions; Assistant Secretary for Human Development; and Departmental Management.

Stipulates that funds be used to achieve specified staffing levels for the following health programs: (1) 9,258 fulltime permanent positions for the Health Services Administration; (2) 3,982 fulltime permanent positions for the Preventive Health Services of the Center for Disease Control; (3) 2,062 fulltime permanent positions for the National Cancer Institute; (4) 788 fulltime permanent positions for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; (5) 287 fulltime permanent positions for the National Institute of Dental Research; (6) 642 fulltime permanent positions for the National Institute of Arthritis, Metabolism, and Digestive Diseases; (7) 567 fulltime permanent positions for the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke; (8) 649 fulltime permanent positions for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; (9) 179 fulltime permanent positions for the National Institute of General Medical Sciences; (10) 400 fulltime permanent positions for the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; (11) 258 fulltime permanent positions for the National Institute on Aging; (12) 186 fulltime permanent positions for the National Eye Institute; (13) 405 fulltime permanent positions for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; (14) 80 fulltime permanent positions for Research Resources; (15) 503 fulltime permanent positions for the National Library of Medicine; (16) 4,780 fulltime permanent positions for the Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health; (17) 1,275 fulltime permanent positions for Health Resources of the Health Resources Administration; and (18) 1,921 fulltime permanent positions for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.

Reduces appropriations to the Department by $1,000,000,000. Stipulates that such reduction shall be achieved by the reduction of fraud, abuse, and waste as defined and cited in the annual report, dated March 31, 1978, of the Inspector General of such Department.

Places limitations on the utilization of funds appropriated by this Act. Includes a prohibition on the use of such funds to force the busing of students for desegregation purposes. Prohibits the use of such funds to perform abortions except: (1) where the life of the mother is in danger; (2) for victims of rape or incest where such incident has been promptly reported to a law enforcement agency or public health service; or (3) in instances where severe and long-lasting damage to the mother would result from the pregnancy when so determined by two physicians. Permits the use of drugs or devices to prevent implantation of the fertilized ovum. Permits payments for medical procedures necessary for the termination of an ectopic pregnancy.

=Title III: Related Agencies= - Makes appropriations to the following for fiscal year 1979: Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service; Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission; National Commission on Libraries and Information Science; National Labor Relations Board; National Mediation Board; Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission; Railroad Retirement Board; and Soldiers' and Airmen's Home.

=Title IV: General Provisions= - States that no part of any appropriation contained in this Act shall remain available for obligation beyond the current fiscal year unless expressly so provided. Places limitations on the utilization of funds appropriated by this Act. Prohibits the use of such funds to pay the salary or expenses of any grant or contract recipient or agent acting for such recipient to engage in any activity designed to influence legislation or appropriations pending before the Congress.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 95th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 200 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

200 yea195 nay35 present or did not vote

Dimension 2
Economic left–right
More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(168)

  • 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. 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. 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. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
  • Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24
  • Rep. Charles DiggsD-MI-13
  • Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
  • Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-24
  • Rep. William FordD-MI-15
  • Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
  • Rep. Barbara JordanD-TX-18
  • Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
  • Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
  • Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
  • Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
  • Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-1
  • Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2
  • Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
  • Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
  • 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. William MoorheadD-PA-14
  • Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
  • Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
  • 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. Alvin BaldusD-WI-3
  • Rep. Harold FordD-TN-8
  • Rep. Robert DuncanD-OR-3
  • Rep. Jerry PattersonD-CA-38
  • Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-42
  • Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
  • Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
  • Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-24
  • Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
  • Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
  • Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
  • Rep. Gene MaguireD-NJ-7
  • Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
  • Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
  • Rep. John BurtonD-CA-5
  • Rep. Robert GiaimoD-CT-3
  • Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
  • Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
  • Rep. John JenretteD-SC-6
  • Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4
  • Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
  • Rep. Paul TsongasD-MA-5
  • Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
  • Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
  • Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
  • Rep. Toby MoffettD-CT-6
  • Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
  • Rep. Bernice SiskD-CA-15
  • Rep. Christopher DoddD-CT-2
  • Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
  • Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
  • 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. Edward PattisonD-NY-29
  • Rep. James BlanchardD-MI-18
  • Rep. Stanley LundineD-NY-39
  • Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
  • Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
  • Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
  • 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. Herbert HarrisD-VA-8
  • Rep. Gladys SpellmanD-MD-5
  • Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
  • Rep. Mark HannafordD-CA-34
  • Rep. Joseph FisherD-VA-10
  • Rep. John KrebsD-CA-17
  • Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
  • Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
  • Rep. Kenneth HollandD-SC-5
  • Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
  • Rep. David CornwellD-IN-8
  • Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
  • Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
  • Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
  • Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
  • Rep. James LloydD-CA-35
  • Rep. Max BaucusD-MT-1
  • Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
  • Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
  • Rep. George MahonD-TX-19
  • Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
  • Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
  • 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. Jake PickleD-TX-10
  • Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
  • Rep. Wyche FowlerD-GA-5
  • Rep. Martha KeysD-KS-2
  • Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
  • Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
  • Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
  • Rep. Jack HightowerD-TX-13
  • Rep. Theodore RisenhooverD-OK-2
  • Rep. James MattoxD-TX-5
  • Rep. Peter KostmayerD-PA-8
  • Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
  • Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-10
  • Rep. Paul RogersD-FL-11
  • Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
  • Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
  • Rep. Robert SikesD-FL-1
  • Rep. Vonno GudgerD-NC-11
  • Rep. Robert KruegerD-TX-21
  • Rep. James MannD-SC-4
  • Rep. Charles WhitleyD-NC-3
  • Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
  • Rep. James SantiniD-NV
  • Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
  • Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
  • Rep. Herbert RobertsD-TX-4
  • Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
  • Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
  • Rep. Andy IrelandD-FL-8
  • Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
  • Rep. Marvin MathisD-GA-2
  • Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
  • Rep. Lawrence FountainD-NC-2
  • Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
  • Rep. Dale MilfordD-TX-24
  • Rep. William PoageD-TX-11
  • Rep. Andrew JacobsD-IN-11

Republicans who voted yea(32)

  • Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-18
  • Rep. Newton SteersR-MD-8
  • Rep. Pete McCloskeyR-CA-12
  • Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
  • Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
  • Rep. Harold HollenbeckR-NJ-9
  • Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
  • Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
  • Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
  • Rep. Millicent FenwickR-NJ-5
  • Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
  • Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
  • Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
  • Rep. Jim JohnsonR-CO-4
  • Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
  • Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
  • Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
  • Rep. Carl PursellR-MI-2
  • Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
  • Rep. Thomas EvansR-DE
  • Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
  • Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
  • Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
  • Rep. Charles WigginsR-CA-39
  • Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
  • Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-41
  • Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
  • Rep. Manley ButlerR-VA-6
  • Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
  • Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
  • Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
  • Rep. David StockmanR-MI-4
Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 1521 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.

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. 28 actions.

  1. Oct 18, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  2. PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-480.
  3. Oct 16, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
  4. Oct 14, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
  5. PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendment, roll call #922 (198-195).House roll call 922
  7. OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: House agreed to Senate amendment, roll call #922 (198-195).House roll call 922
  8. Oct 13, 1978FloorFloor · House returned Measure to Senate, division vote (28-3).
  9. Oct 12, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate receded and concurred in House amendment with an amendment.
  10. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate receded from certain of its amendment.
  11. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
  12. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
  13. Resolving differencesResolving differences · House insisted on its disagreement to certain Senate amendment.
  14. Resolving differencesResolving differences · House receded and concurred in certain Senate amendments with an amendment.
  15. Resolving differencesResolving differences · House receded and concurred in certain Senate amendments.
  16. Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report.
  17. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.
  18. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to recommit conference report to the Committee of Conference with instructions rejected in House, roll call #892 (187-200).House roll call 892
  19. Oct 6, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-1746.
  20. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-1746.
  21. Sep 29, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
  22. Sep 27, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
  23. FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #419 (71-13).Senate roll call 419
  24. Aug 16, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Appropriations Committee
  25. Jun 14, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Appropriations Committee
  26. Jun 13, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #448 (338-61).House roll call 448
  27. Jun 1, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Appropriations Committee
  28. 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.