A bill to declare a national policy goal of national population stabilization, and to establish an Office of Population Policy.
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Government Operations.
Declares eventual population stabilization to be a national goal. States that it is the continuing policy of Government to use all practicable means to stabilize the nation's population voluntarily at a level consistent with a high standard of living relative to available resources at the earliest possible time. Creates in the Executive Office of the President an Office of Population Policy (Office) to: (1) submit to the President and Congress studies on the current conditions and trends in changes affecting population; (2) review legislation and Government regulations to determine the extent to which they contribute to the population policy set forth in this Act; (3) recommend national policies to plan for population changes and to promote population stabilization; and (4) document, define, and analyze changes in the nation's population. Sets forth the powers of the Director of the Office who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Authorizes appropriations to carry out this Act. Requires the policies, regulations, and public laws of the United States to be interpreted and administered in accordance with the policies set forth in this Act. Directs each Federal agency to: (1) develop methods to ensure that population changes and the goal of population stabilization are considered in decisionmaking; (2) make available information which is useful to population planning; (3) assist the Office; (4) review its statutory authority; regulations, and current policies and procedures to determine whether they comply with the policies of this Act; and (5) propose to Congress and the President such measures as may be necessary to bring the agency into compliance. Requires the President to transmit to Congress annually a National Population Change and Planning Report. Specifies that such report set forth: (1) the status and trends of population changes; (2) the adequacy of available natural resources for fulfilling national requirements considering current and foreseeable population change; (3) a review of all legislation, regulations, programs, and activities affecting planning for population change and stabilization; and (4) a program for remedying the deficiencies of such legislation, regulations, programs, and activities.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on August 1, 1979. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on August 1, 1979: Referred to House Committee on Government Operations.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
RICHARD OTTINGER (D-NY) introduced it on August 1, 1979, and 26 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 23 Democrats, 3 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on August 1, 1979, 17254 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17254 days ago, on August 1, 1979.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers