A bill to amend title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit sex discrimination on the basis of pregnancy.
Public Law 95-555 · S. 995 · 95th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 31, 1978 · Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Sponsor: Sen. Harrison Williams (D-NJ)
Cosponsors (31): Sen. Birch Bayh, Sen. Edward Brooke,
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.
Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to specifically encompass pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions within the prohibition against sex discrimination in employment, including discrimination with respect to fringe benefit plans. Requires where benefit costs are apportioned between employers and employees, that additional costs required by this Act be made in the same proportion.
Exempts employers from paying for health insurance benefits for abortions, except where the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term, or where medical complications have arisen from an abortion.
Prohibits the reduction of existing benefits as a means of compliance with this Act within one year from the date of enactment of this Act, or prior to the expiration of any applicable collective bargaining agreement.
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. 21 actions.
- Oct 31, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-555.
- Oct 23, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Oct 14, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.
- Oct 13, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-1786.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-1786.
- Jul 18, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
- FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H. R. 6075.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Education and Workforce Committee
- Sep 19, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Education and Workforce Committee
- Sep 16, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #385 (75-11).Senate roll call 385
- Sep 15, 1977FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Jul 6, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Mar 15, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.