An act to amend title 37, United States Code, to improve certain special pay and allowance benefits for members of the uniformed services, and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-579 · H.R. 7626 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 23, 1980 · Armed Forces and National Security
Sponsor: Rep. William Nichols (D-AL-3)
Cosponsors (14): Rep. Donald Mitchell, Rep. Charles Bennett,
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.
Military Pay and Allowances Benefits Act of 1980 - Increases special pay to naval officers for nuclear duty who extend their period of active service for four years, and authorizes the payment of a nuclear career accession bonus for such officers who successfully complete nuclear training. Extends the authority for such pay until September 30, 1987.
Increases the annual incentive bonus for naval officers who have successfully completed or received training for nuclear duty. Extends the authority for such bonuses until October 1, 1987. Eliminates requirements for such service to have begun after September 30, 1975. Amends the definition of "nuclear service year" to mean any fiscal year beginning before October 1, 1987.
Provides an incentive pay for submarine duty based on years of service in the Navy and under regulations prescribed by the President. Directs the Secretary of Defense to report annually to Congress on the numbers of personnel receiving such pay in specified categories.
Increases career sea pay for enlisted members and authorizes such pay for warrant officers and commissioned officers based on years of service.
Entitles qualified enlisted members who enter into an agreement with the Secretary concerned to extend their duty at designated locations overseas to periods of rest and recuperation absence at Government expense in lieu of such special pay.
Revises entitlement provisions for basic allowances for quarters to allow members above above the pay grade of E-6 (presently commissioned officers above the pay grade D-3) to elect not to cccupy quarters and instead to receive such allowance according to the applicable pay grade. Provides that a member below the pay grade of E-7 is not entitled to such allowance while on sea duty and a member below the pay grade of E-6 is not entitled to such allowance while on sea duty for a period in excess of 90 days.
States that parking facilities provided for such homes not owned by the Government shall not be considered quarters for purposes of the basic allowance for quarters. Allows the Government to establish a fee for the use of any such facility and to amortize the cost of construction for such facility 15 years after the completion of construction.
Provides permanent authority for subsistence allowances for members of the Marine Corps officer candidate program and repeals an Act which provided authority to that effect until September 30, 1982.
Repeals the authority of the Secretary of Defense to waive the limitations on the enlistment and induction of persons whose Armed Forces Qualification Test scores fall below a prescribed level for any fiscal year, because of national security reasons.
Authorizes members assigned to a deployable ship, mobile unit, or such other duty prescribed by regulation, to accrue annual leave in excess of 60 days.
Includes any variable housing allowance or station housing allowance in the definition of regular compensation or regular military compensation.
Authorizes the Board of Visitors of the service academies to continue to serve when their terms of office have expired until successors are appointed.
Revises the terms of office of judges of the United States Court of Military Appeals and makes the judges and employees of the Court subject to the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
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. 14 actions.
- Dec 23, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-579.
- Dec 11, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 10, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Dec 5, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendment.
- Dec 4, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Dec 3, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Armed Services Committee
- Sep 17, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Armed Services Committee
- Sep 15, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Aug 19, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Armed Services Committee
- Jun 19, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Armed Services 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.