An act to amend title 5, United States Code, to permit Federal employees to obtain review of certain disability determinations made by the Office of Personnel Management under the civil service retirements and disability system.
Public Law 96-500 · H.R. 2510 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 5, 1980 · 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.
Permits a Federal employee who is found by the Office of Personnel Management to be mentally disabled pursuant to an application by such employee's agency for the diaability retirment of such employee: (1) to appeal such finding for review by the Merit Systems Protection Board; and (2) to appeal an adverse decision of the Board for review by a United States Court of Appeals or the Court of Claims.
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, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-500.
- Nov 26, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Nov 25, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Nov 21, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendment.
- Nov 14, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Sep 29, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Jun 18, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Jun 17, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #336 (362-48).House roll call 336
- Jun 16, 1980FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Jun 10, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Feb 28, 1979CommitteeCommittee · 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.