An act to amend chapter 5 of title 37, United States Code, to revise the special pay provisions for medical officers in the uniformed services and to extend the special pay provisions for other health professionals in the uniformed services, and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-284 · S. 2460 · 96th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Jun 28, 1980 · Health
Sponsor: Sen. Gary Hart (D-CO)
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.
Uniformed Services Health Professionals Special Pay Act of 1980 - Provides special and additional pay for physicians in the Armed Forces who are on active duty for a period of not less than one year. Sets forth a schedule for such special pay providing that: (1) physicians below pay grade 0-7 are to receive between $1,200 and $10,000 per year based on years of creditable service; and (2) physicians above pay grade 0-6 are to receive $1,000 per year.
Entitles a physician eligible for special pay to an additional $10,000 annual payment for any 12 month period during which he or she is not undergoing medical internship or initial residency training, based on years of creditable service, upon the execution of a written agreement under which the officer agrees to remain on active duty for at least one year.
Authorizes additional special pay (from $2,000 to $5,000 based on years of creditable service) for those physicians eligible for special pay who are board certified (under regulations prescribed by this Act).
Allows a qualified medical officer an incentive special pay not to exceed $8,000 for any 12 month period during which the officer is not undergoing medical internship or initial residency training. Limits the amount paid in special pay in any fiscal year to an amount equal to six percent of the total amount paid in such year for special pay.
States that such a physician must agree in writing to remain on active duty for a period of not less than one year beginning on the date the officer accepts the award of such special pay. Permits the Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of the military department concerned, to terminate at any time any officer's entitlement to special pay.
Includes, in the computation of creditable service: (1) all periods which the officer spent in medical internship or residency training during which the officer was not on active duty; and (2) all periods of active service in the Medical Corps of the Army or Navy, as medical officer of the Air Force, or as a Public Health Service (PHS) medical officer.
Entitles a medical officer of the Public Health Service who is on active duty for a period of at least one year to special pay at specified rates.
Allows a qualified medical officer an incentive special pay not to exceed $8,000 for any 12 month period during which the officer is not undergoing medical internship or initial residency training. Limits the amount paid in special pay in any fiscal year to an amount equal to six percent of the total amount paid in such year for special pay.
States that such a physician must agree in writing to remain on active duty for a period of not less than one year beginning on the date the office accepts the award of such special pay. Permits the Secretary of Health and Human Services to terminate, pursuant to regulations, at any time a PHS officer's entitlement to special pay.
Directs that such pay be paid annually at the beginning of the twelve-month period of entitlement. Provides that any such officer who terminates active duty service within the twelve-month period shall reimburse to the United States any amount applicable to the unserved portion of such duty. Provides for special pay for dentists, optometrists, and veterinarians. Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to pay four months basic pay to dental officers of the Army, Navy, or Air Force, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide such pay to medical officers (including dental officers) of the Public Health Service, when such officers: (1) serve on active duty in a critical specialty; (2) complete initial active duty obligations; and (3) enter into a written agreement to remain on active duty for one additional year. Allows each Secretary to determine the method of such payments.
Prohibits the amount of special pay to which an officer is entitled to be included in computing the amount of any increase in pay, retirement pay, severance pay, or readjustment pay.
Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to conduct a review every two years of the special pay for health professionals. Requires a report to Congress on the results of such review.
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. 12 actions.
- Jun 28, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-284.
- Jun 27, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Jun 26, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment.
- Jun 23, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H. R. 6982.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- May 28, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- May 15, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Armed Services Committee
- Mar 20, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Armed Services 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.