94th Congress

Unless specified in the statute, legislation is effective upon enactment.

PL 94-7 (2/28/75 – 6/30/75) (enacted 3/14/75)
Making continuing appropriations for FY 1975 at FY 1974 levels until enactment of permanent FY 1975 appropriations.

Title VII – Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 702(a) allows a $50 payment to each individual who for the month of 3/75, was entitled to a monthly insurance benefit payable under Title II or Title XVI. Such $50 payment shall be made only to individuals who were paid a benefit for 3/75 in a check issued no later than 8/31/75. No such $50 payment shall be made to any individual who is not a resident of the U.S. This payment is not considered income for SSI purposes.

Section 2(a) expands the definition of "employee," for purposes of travel, subsistence and mileage allowances, to include experts and consultants who are intermittently employed by the Federal Government, and those who serve the Government without pay or for $1 a year.

Section 3 sets the per diem travel allowance at $35 for travel within the continental U.S., and authorizes the President to set the per diem allowance by locality for travel outside the continental U.S. Raises the maximum reimbursement rate for travel to high rate geographical areas and for travel under unusual circumstances.

Section 4 provides that an employee serving intermittently in Government service as an expert or consultant and paid on a daily when-actually-employed basis, or serving without pay or at $1 a year, may be allowed travel or transportation expenses, while away from his/her home or regular place of business and at the place of employment or service.

Section 5 raises the mileage allowances for the use of privately owned motorcycles, automobiles and airplanes when such modes of transportation have been approved as most advantageous to the Government.

Section 6 states that regulations related to this statute shall be issued no later than 30 days after date of enactment.

Title I
Chapter VI
Social Security Administration
Provides an additional amount of $80,844,000 for “Special benefits for disabled coal miners” and provides an additional $83,102,000 for the SSI program. The appointments of ALJs for this program shall terminate no later than 12/31/76.

Title II – Increased Pay Costs for the FY 1975
Social Security Administration
Provides an increase of $42,590,000 in the limitation on salaries and expenses paid from Trust Funds and $807,000 for disabled coal miners.

Making continuing appropriations for FY 1976 at FY 1975 levels until enactment of permanent FY 1976 appropriations. Effective 7/1/75 – 12/19/75.

Section 3 extends through 6/30/76, the eligibility of SSI recipients to receive food stamps.

Increases the temporary public debt limit until 11/15/75, by $177,000,000,000.

Section 1 stipulates that any individual for the month of 8/72, receiving or eligible for Title XVI benefits, and who for such month was entitled to monthly benefits under Title II shall be deemed to be eligible for financial aid or assistance for any month thereafter if such individual would have been eligible for financial aid or assistance had the increase in monthly insurance benefits under Title II resulting from enactment of PL 92-336 not been applicable to such individual.

Title II - Executive Salary Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act Section 202(a) provides a new method for annual adjustment of rates of pay for each level of the Executive Schedule. States that the adjustment would become effective whenever a comparability adjustment is made under present provisions in the statutory salary systems (normally in October of each year). Provides that the amount of the adjustment would equal the percentage of the comparability adjustment, rounded to the nearest $100.

Section 207 provides safeguards which restrict the use or disclosure of information concerning applicants or recipients to purposes directly connected with the SSI program. Effective 8/1/75.

Section 6 excludes income and gross receipts from property held in trust by the United States for Indian tribes from being utilized as the basis for denying or reducing the financial assistance or other benefits to which such member or his household would otherwise be entitled to under the Social Security Act or any other Federal or federally-assisted program.

Increases the temporary public debt limit until 3/15/76, by $195,000,000,000.

Title III- Federal Agency Coordination and Liaison with Center
Section 301(a) directs each Federal agency to designate an individual to serve as liaison with the National Center for Productivity and Quality of Working Life.
Section 301(b) directs each Federal agency to keep the Center informed of all programs and initiatives relevant to this Act.
Section 301(c) directs each Federal agency to provide the Center with any information and materials which it may request.
Section 302 directs each Federal agency to study and review the promulgation and implementation of its statutory authority, policies, and regulations, and shall identify those which adversely affect productivity growth in the public or private sector.
Section 303 directs each Federal agency to make advice, information, and support, including financial, available to State and local governments, labor organizations, industry, and public institutions, in order to enhance productivity in the public and private sectors.
Section 304 directs each Federal agency to identify, initiate, and support appropriate programs, systems, procedures, policies, and techniques to improve productivity.
Section 305 provides that nothing in this Title affects any specific obligation of any Federal agency (1) to coordinate or consult with any other Federal or State agency or (2) to act, or to refrain from acting, contingent upon the recommendations or certification of any other Federal or State agency.

Making appropriations for FY 1976 and such sums as may be necessary to conduct programs and activities for which funding was authorized on 6/30/76. Effective 7/1/76 – 9/30/76.

PL 94-159 (12/20/75 – 3/31/76) (enacted 12/20/75)
Making continuing appropriations for FY 1976 at FY 1975 levels until enactment of permanent FY 1976 appropriations.

Section 1(a) provides that an employee of an agency found, on or after 3/30/66, to have undergone an unjustified or unwarranted personnel action shall be deemed to have performed service for the agency during the period of such action. Allows the restoration of annual leave in excess of the maximum leave accumulation permitted by law. Credits such leave to a separate account which shall be available for use by the employee within the time limits prescribed by Civil Service regulation.
Section 2 provides for liquidation by lump-sum payment of leave which was not credited to a former employee if such employee is not on the rolls on the date of the enactment of this Act.

Amends Title 5 U.S.C. Section 8345 to provide that: (1) no payment shall be made from the civil service retirement fund unless an application for benefits based on the service of a Federal employee is received in the CSC before the one hundred and fifteenth anniversary of his birth; (2) that after the death of a Federal employee, or annuitant, no benefit based on his service shall be paid from the fund unless an application thereafter is received in the CSC within 30 years after the death or other event which gives rise to title to the benefit.

Section 1 directs the HEW Sec. to make findings of fact and decisions as to the rights of any individual applying for SSI payment under Title XVI, and to provide notice and opportunity for a hearing to eligible individuals under such Title who disagree with a decision of the HEW Sec. as to eligibility.
Section 3 authorizes SSI hearing examiners to serve as hearing examiners under Titles II, XVI, and XVIII, until 12/31/78, if the HEW Sec. finds such action will promote the objectives of such Titles.
Section 4 allows 60 days for an individual to request review of a decision regarding Social Security or Medicare eligibility. Effective with respect to decisions or determinations of which notice is received, by the individual requesting the hearing, after 2/29/76.
Section 6(a) authorizes modification, at any time prior to 1977, of an agreement with West Virginia to permit policemen and firemen of such State to be covered by Title II.
Section 7 provides that no regulation, and no modification of any regulation promulgated by the HEW Sec. after date of enactment that pertains, directly or indirectly, to the frequency or due dates for payments and reports required under Section 218(e) of the Social Security Act, shall become effective prior to the end of the 18 month period which begins with the first day of the first calendar month which begins after the date of publication in the Federal Register.
Section 8(b) directs the Treasury Sec. to make available information returns filed by employers pursuant to the IRS (reporting wages paid subject to Social Security taxes) to the HEW Sec. for the purposes of Titles II and XI. Authorizes the two Secretaries to enter into an agreement for the processing by the HEW Sec. of such information returns. (This change permits the shift to annual wage reporting of worker’s wages directly to SSA.) Effective with respect to statements reporting income received after 1977. Section 8(h) provides that the determination of increases in the maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security taxes and of the amount of annual earnings allowed a beneficiary before deductions from benefits occur under the retirement test provisions shall be computed with reference to the increases in average annual wages of all employees (rather than increases in first quarter wages for all employees).
Section 9 provides that periodic payments received pursuant to a State program established prior to 7/1/73, shall not be considered income for purposes of OASDI if such payments are made by the State of which the individual receiving such payments is a resident, and if eligibility of any individual for such payments is not based on need and is based solely on attainment of age 65 and duration of residence in such State by such individual.

Title II
Social Security Administration
Provides an additional amount of $880,940,000 for “Payments to the Social Security Trust and Other Funds” for the period 7/1/76 – 9/30/76.

Increases the public debt limit until 6/30/76, by $227,000,000,000.

Article VI – Revenue and Taxation Section 606(a) directs that the Trust Territory Social Security Retirement Fund attributable to the Northern Mariana Islands be transferred to the U.S. Treasury, to be held in trust as a separate fund and to be known as the "Northern Mariana Islands Social Security Retirement Fund." Provides that the Fund will be administered by the U.S. in accordance with the Social Security laws of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

PL 94-254 (3/31/76 – 9/30/76) (enacted 3/31/76)
Making continuing appropriations for FY 1976 at FY 1975 levels until enactment of permanent FY 1976 appropriations.

Section 2 excludes section 228 of Title II and Title XVI of the Social Security Act from applying in Guam.

Revises the Fiscal Year provisions of specified public laws in order to bring them into conformance with the October - September Fiscal Year.

Provides numerous technical changes to a variety of statutes that provide for the orderly transition to the new 10/1 - 9/30 Fiscal Year.

Title II – Increased Pay Costs for the FY 1976
Social Security Administration
Provides an increase of $22,597,000 in the limitation on salaries and expenses paid from Trust Funds.

Title III – Increased Pay Costs for the period 7/1/76 – 9/30/76
Social Security Administration
Provides an increase of $15,300,000 in the limitation on salaries and expenses paid from Trust Funds.

Grants court leave to Federal employees when called as witnesses in certain judicial proceedings. Effective 10/1/76.

Makes refugees from Laos eligible for resettlement, health care, education, public assistance, including SSI, and other benefits of the Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act.

Section 2 excludes from countable income under the SSI program assistance received under the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 or other assistance under a major disaster declared by the President. Effective 6/1/76 – 12/31/76.
Section 4 amends the Social Security Act to provide that SSI recipients who leave their households because of a major disaster will not be charged with any support maintenance in their new living arrangement. Effective 6/1/76 – 12/31/76.

Increases the temporary public debt limit for the period 7/1/76 – 9/30/76, by $236,000,000,000. Increases the temporary public debt limit for the period 10/1/76 – 3/31/77, by $282,000,000,000. Increases the temporary public debt limit for the period 4/1/77 – 9/30/77, by $300,000,000,000.

Section 1(a) permits a surviving spouse whose civil service annuity was terminated due to remarriage to enroll in a civil service health benefits plan upon restoration of such spouse's annuity if the spouse was covered by a health benefits plan at the time the annuity was terminated. Effective 10/1/76.

Makes permanent the authority (under PL 93-368) to reimburse States for interim assistance to SSI applicants.