Health Services Amendments Act of 1986
Public Law 99-280 · S. 1282 · 99th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Apr 24, 1986 · Health
Sponsor: Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Cosponsors (6): Sen. Claiborne Pell, Sen. Howard Metzenbaum,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
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.
Health Services Amendments Act of 1986 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to prescribe criteria for determining the specific shortages of personal health services of an area or population group. Prohibits the Secretary from designating a medically underserved population or removing such designation unless the following are given notice and provided an opportunity for comment: (1) the chief executive officer of the State; (2) the local officials in the State; and (3) the State organization which represents a majority of community health centers in the State.
Permits the Secretary to enter into a memorandum of agreement with a State. Provides that such memorandum may include provisions permitting the State to: (1) analyze the need for primary health services for medically underserved populations; (2) assist in the planning and development of new community health centers; (3) review and comment upon annual program plans and budgets of community health centers; (4) assist community health centers in the development of clinical practices and fiscal and administrative systems; and (5) share information and data. Authorizes appropriations through FY 1988 for such purposes. Limits the expenditure of such appropriations.
Repeals the primary care block grant program.
Authorizes appropriations for FY 1987 through 1988 for migrant health centers.
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. 10 actions.
- Apr 24, 1986Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 99-280.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Apr 15, 1986PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Apr 11, 1986Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendments. By Voice Vote.
- Mar 5, 1986FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- Jul 19, 1985FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- Jul 8, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Jun 12, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 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.