Emergency Wage-Price Control Act of 1980
Latest action. Referred to Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.
Emergency Wage-Price Control Act of 1980 - Directs the President to issue orders and regulations necessary to impose a ceiling on prices, profits, rents, wages, salaries, interest rates, corporate dividends, and similar transfers at levels not in excess of those prevailing during the 30-day period ending on the date of enactment or on such earlier date as the Council on Wage and Price Stability may determine or at the level prevailing on the nearest date on which, in the judgment of the Council, the level was generally representative. Requires that such ceilings remain in effect until the earlier of: (1) 180 days after the enactment; or (2) the date on which the President prescribes orders and regulations to limit such increases to those which are consistent with the specified purposes of this Act and orderly economic growth. Sets forth guidelines for such orders and regulations. Prohibits limitation of wage increases for individuals with substandard earnings and members of the working poor. Prohibits preclusion of payments for wage increases: (1) under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938; (2) pursuant to Federal agency wage determinations for specified Government contract or assistance work or for work performed by specified aliens; or (3) paid in conjunction with existing or newly established employee incentive programs designed to reflect directly increases in employee productivity. Authorizes the President to exempt from any such order or regulation rates charged by common carriers and utilities and any other rates, charges, fees, or other transfers determined to be adequately regulated by appropriate Federal, State, or local authorities. Requires that such orders and regulations provide for the making of adjustments to prevent gross inequities or to avoid undue or severe hardship. Exempts raw agricultural commodities and imports from such orders or regulations. Excludes employer contributions to specified pension, profit sharing, or annuity and savings plans and to any group insurance or disability and health plan from "wages" and "salaries" for purposes of this Act, unless the President determines that such contributions are inconsistent with the purposes of this Act and orderly economic growth. Directs the President to delegate the performance of any functions under this Act to the Council and to appoint a Pay Board and a Price Administrator to assist the Director of the Council in carrying out this Act. Provides for: (1) confidentiality of information; (2) subpoena power; (3) administrative procedure; (4) criminal fines and civil penalties; (5) injunctions and other relief; (6) damages or other relief; (7) judicial review; (8) compensation and appointment of personnel; (9) employment of experts and consultants; (10) reports to Congress; (11) authorization of appropriations; and (12) expiration of authority as of midnight September 30, 1982.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on April 3, 1980. 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 April 3, 1980: Referred to Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- 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?
EDWARD KENNEDY (D-MA) introduced it on April 3, 1980. No cosponsors are recorded.
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 April 3, 1980, 16961 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 16961 days ago, on April 3, 1980.
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
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers