A bill to amend the Retired Federal Employees Health Benefits Act, as amended, with respect to the Government contribution toward subscription charge.
Public Law 96-156 · S. 716 · 96th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 27, 1979 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Sen. David Pryor (D-AR)
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.
Amends the Retired Federal Employees Health Benefits Act to change the amount of the Government's contribution toward the subscription charge for the health benefits plan of a retired Federal employee to a monthly contribution equal to: (1) the current monthly premium for supplementary medical insurance under part B of Title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, for an employee enrolled as an individual; and (2) twice such amount for an employee enrolled for self and family coverage.
Prohibits a retired employee from receiving a Government contribution for more than one health plan or from receiving a contribution if such employee is covered under a plan of another individual.
Provides that the amendments made by this Act shall apply to Government contributions on or after the later of the first day of the first month beginning after the enactment of this Act, or October 1, 1979.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Post Office and Civil Service Committee · House · referred to
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. 12 actions.
- Dec 27, 1979Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-156.
- Dec 18, 1979PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Dec 17, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- May 24, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- May 22, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- May 15, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Mar 21, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 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.