A bill to amend Civil Service retirement provisions as they apply to certain employees of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and of the Indian Health Service who are not entitled to Indian employment preference and to modify the application of the Indian employment preference laws as it applies to those agencies.
Public Law 96-135 · H.R. 1885 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 5, 1979 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. Morris Udall (D-AZ-2)
Cosponsors (6): Rep. Mark Andrews, Rep. Manuel Luján,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 175 yea, 120 nay175–120
- 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.
(Measure passed House, amended, roll call #611 (175-120))
Entitles certain employees of Indian tribal organizations, the Indian Health Service (IHS), or the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to an annuity if separated from service after completing 25 years of service or after attaining 50 years of age and completing 20 years of service, if such employee is not an Indian entitled to an employment preference by law.
Sets forth formulae for calculating such employees' annuities. Provides for a reduction in such annuities under specified circumstances.
States that employees entitled to Indian preference and military preference shall be retained in preference to employees entitled to only military preference during reductions in force within the BIA or the IHS.
Declares that reassignments of individuals within the BIA or the IHS shall not be subject to the Indian preference laws when the Commissioner of Indian Affairs determines that the reassignment is necessary: (1) to assure the health or safety of an individual or his family; (2) in the course of a reduction in force; or (3) because the employee's working relationship with a tribe has so deteriorated that the employee cannot provide effective service.
Forbids the application of Indian preference laws to any personnel action respecting an individual if the tribal organization served by the unit in which the position exists grants a waiver of those laws.
Requires the Secretaries of the Interior and of Health, Education, and Welfare to report annually to Congress on their actions to recruit and train Indians for positions subject to Indian preference laws and to place non-Indian employees of the BIA and the IHS in other Federal positions.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 96th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 180 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
180 yea120 nay133 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(149)
- Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
- Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-6
- Rep. Robert GarciaD-NY-21
- Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
- Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-8
- Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19- Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
- Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
- Rep. Mickey LelandD-TX-18
- Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
- Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-24
- Rep. William GrayD-PA-2
- Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
- Rep. Shirley ChisholmD-NY-12
- Rep. Bennett StewartD-IL-1
- Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
- Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
- Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
- Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
- Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
- Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-30
- Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
- Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
- Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
- Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
- Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
- Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
- Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
- Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8- Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-24
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16- Rep. William BrodheadD-MI-17
- Rep. James ShannonD-MA-5
- Rep. John FaryD-IL-5
- Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
- Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
- Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
- Rep. Victor FazioD-CA-4
Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2- Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24- Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-3
- Rep. Harold FordD-TN-8
- Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
- Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
- Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
- Rep. James BlanchardD-MI-18
- Rep. Alvin BaldusD-WI-3
- Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-1
- Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
- Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7- Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
- Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
- Rep. Jerry PattersonD-CA-38
- Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
- Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. Barbara MikulskiD-MD-3- Rep. Edward StackD-FL-12
- Rep. Allan SwiftD-WA-2
- Rep. Michael LowryD-WA-7
- Rep. Michael BarnesD-MD-8
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7- Rep. Ozzie MyersD-PA-1
- Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
- Rep. Raymond LedererD-PA-3
- Rep. Peter PeyserD-NY-23
- Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
- Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
- Rep. Geraldine FerraroD-NY-9
- Rep. Howard WolpeD-MI-3
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12- Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
- Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
- Rep. William RatchfordD-CT-5
- Rep. Albert GoreD-TN-4
- Rep. Herbert HarrisD-VA-8
- Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
Rep. Christopher DoddD-CT-2- Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
- Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7- Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-37
- Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6- Rep. John JenretteD-SC-6
- Rep. Donald BaileyD-PA-21
- Rep. Joseph FisherD-VA-10
- Rep. Gladys SpellmanD-MD-5
- Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
- Rep. Robert YoungD-MO-2
- Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
- Rep. Stanley LundineD-NY-39
- Rep. Cecil HeftelD-HI-1
- Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
- Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
- Rep. Raymond KogovsekD-CO-3
- Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
- Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
- Rep. Peter KostmayerD-PA-8
- Rep. Michael SynarD-OK-2
- Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
- Rep. Beryl AnthonyD-AR-4
- Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
- Rep. Donald AlbostaD-MI-10
- Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
- Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
- Rep. William BonerD-TN-5
- Rep. James LloydD-CA-35
- Rep. John WilliamsD-MT-1
Rep. Tom HarkinD-IA-5- Rep. Brian DonnellyD-MA-11
- Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
- Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
- Rep. Earl HuttoD-FL-1
- Rep. Allen ErtelD-PA-17
- Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
- Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
- Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
- Rep. Tom DaschleD-SD-1
- Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
- Rep. Vonno GudgerD-NC-11
- Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
- Rep. Edward BeardD-RI-2
- Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
- Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
- Rep. Daniel MicaD-FL-11
- Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-2
- Rep. Jerome AmbroD-NY-3
Rep. Bill NelsonD-FL-9- Rep. Austin MurphyD-PA-22
- Rep. Joseph WyattD-TX-14
- Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
- Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
- Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
- Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
- Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
- Rep. Druie BarnardD-GA-10
- Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
- Rep. Eugene AtkinsonD-PA-25
- Rep. Marvin MathisD-GA-2
- Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. Richard ShelbyD-AL-7- Rep. David EvansD-IN-6
- Rep. Sam HallD-TX-1
- Rep. Harold RunnelsD-NM-2
- Rep. Robert StumpD-AZ-3
Republicans who voted yea(31)
- Rep. Harold HollenbeckR-NJ-9
- Rep. Marc MarksR-PA-24
- Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
- Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
- Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
- Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
- Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
- Rep. Jim JohnsonR-CO-4
- Rep. Robert DavisR-MI-11
- Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-2
- Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
- Rep. William ClingerR-PA-23
- Rep. Mark AndrewsR-ND
- Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
- Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. Don YoungR-AK- Rep. David MarriottR-UT-2
- Rep. Arlen ErdahlR-MN-1
- Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
- Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
- Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
- Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
- Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
- Rep. Robert WhittakerR-KS-5
- Rep. Ronald MarleneeR-MT-2
- Rep. Jon HinsonR-MS-4
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5- Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
- Rep. Arlan StangelandR-MN-7
- Rep. Mickey EdwardsR-OK-5
- Rep. Delbert LattaR-OH-5
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 548 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.
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. 14 actions.
- Dec 5, 1979Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-135.
- Nov 27, 1979PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Nov 26, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- Oct 26, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #611 (175-120).House roll call 611
- Sep 11, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Appropriations Committee
- Jul 20, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Appropriations Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Feb 5, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · 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.