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Title 29 — LaborRelease 119-73not60

§1143 Research, Studies, and Reports

Title 29 › Chapter 18— EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY PROGRAM › Subchapter I— PROTECTION OF EMPLOYEE BENEFIT RIGHTS › Subtitle Subtitle B— Regulatory Provisions › Part 5— administration and enforcement › § 1143

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary can do research and gather, study, and publish data about employee benefit plans, like retirement, deferred pay, and welfare plans, including plans not covered by this law. The Secretary must do studies on pension plans — for example, how the law affects plan rules and costs, the role of private pensions for the nation’s economic security, how plans work (benefits, portability, financial and actuarial features), and ways to help private pensions grow. The Secretary may do other related studies as needed, and can do the work directly or by using grants or contracts. The Secretary must also work with Congress. That means giving Congress the data, information, staff, and services it needs for any Congressional study or report about pension plans run by States or local governments.

Full Legal Text

Title 29, §1143

Labor — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The Secretary is authorized to undertake research and surveys and in connection therewith to collect, compile, analyze and publish data, information, and statistics relating to employee benefit plans, including retirement, deferred compensation, and welfare plans, and types of plans not subject to this chapter.
(2)The Secretary is authorized and directed to undertake research studies relating to pension plans, including but not limited to (A) the effects of this subchapter upon the provisions and costs of pension plans, (B) the role of private pensions in meeting the economic security needs of the Nation, and (C) the operation of private pension plans including types and levels of benefits, degree of reciprocity or portability, and financial and actuarial characteristics and practices, and methods of encouraging the growth of the private pension system.
(3)The Secretary may, as he deems appropriate or necessary, undertake other studies relating to employee benefit plans, the matters regulated by this subchapter, and the enforcement procedures provided for under this subchapter.
(4)The research, surveys, studies, and publications referred to in this subsection may be conducted directly, or indirectly through grant or contract arrangements.
(b)
(c)The Secretary is authorized and directed to cooperate with the Congress and its appropriate committees, subcommittees, and staff in supplying data and any other information, and personnel and services, required by the Congress in any study, examination, or report by the Congress relating to pension benefit plans established or maintained by States or their political subdivisions.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 93–406, known as the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. Titles I, III, and IV of such Act are classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1001 of this title and Tables. Codification Subsec. (b) of this section, which required the Secretary to submit annually a report to Congress on the administration of this subchapter, terminated, effective May 15, 2000, pursuant to section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance. See, also, page 123 of House Document No. 103–7.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Regulations

Secretary authorized, effective Sept. 2, 1974, to promulgate

Regulations

wherever provisions of this subchapter call for the promulgation of

Regulations

, see section 1031 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

29 U.S.C. § 1143

Title 29 — Labor

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60