An Act to amend subchapter III of chapter 83 of title 5, United States Code, to provide that employees who retire after 5 years of service, in certain instances, may be eligible to retain their life and health insurance benefits, and for other purposes.
Public Law 95-583 · H.R. 4319 · 95th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Nov 2, 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 Senate amendments with amendments)
Provides that life and health insurance coverage of insured Federal employees who retire on an immediate annuity, or become entitled to receive workmen's compensation and are determined to be unable to return to duty may be continued if they have been insured for five years or from the first opportunity to elect coverage if less than five years. Sets forth the effective date as the date of enactment of this Act.
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.
- Nov 2, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-583.
- Oct 25, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Oct 13, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- Oct 10, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments with amendments.
- Aug 18, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Aug 10, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Jul 19, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Jul 18, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #430 (373-37).House roll call 430
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- May 10, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Mar 2, 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.