PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

§1231 Congressional Study

Title 29 › CHAPTER 18 — EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY PROGRAM › SUBCHAPTER II — JURISDICTION, ADMINISTRATION, ENFORCEMENT; JOINT PENSION TASK FORCE, ETC. › Subtitle B — Joint Pension, Profit-Sharing, and Employee Stock Ownership Plan Task Force; Studies › part 2 — other studies › § 1231

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Four Congressional committees must study retirement plans run or paid for by the U.S. government, any State (including the District of Columbia), local governments, or their agencies. The study must look at who joins the plans, when workers earn the right to benefits, how the plans are funded, the rules for plan managers, and whether Federal rules are needed. When judging funding, they must consider minimum funding rules and the taxing power of the government that runs the plan. By December 31, 1976, each House committee must send its study results and any recommendations to the House, and each Senate committee must send its results and recommendations to the Senate by the same date.

Title 29, §1231

Labor, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Committee on Education and Labor and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare of the Senate shall study retirement plans established and maintained or financed (directly or indirectly) by the Government of the United States, by any State (including the District of Columbia) or political subdivision thereof, or by any agency or instrumentality of any of the foregoing. Such study shall include an analysis of—

(1)the adequacy of existing levels of participation, vesting, and financing arrangements,

(2)existing fiduciary standards, and

(3)the necessity for Federal legislation and standards with respect to such plans.

In determining whether any such plan is adequately financed, each committee shall consider the necessity for minimum funding standards, as well as the taxing power of the government maintaining the plan.

(b)Not later than December 31, 1976, the Committee on Education and Labor and the Committee on Ways and Means shall each submit to the House of Representatives the results of the studies conducted under this section, together with such recommendations as they deem appropriate. The Committee on Finance and the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare shall each submit to the Senate the results of the studies conducted under this section together with such recommendations as they deem appropriate not later than such date.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on Education and Labor of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Education and the Workforce of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Eighteenth Congress, Jan. 9, 2023. Committee on Labor and Public Welfare of Senate abolished and replaced by Committee on Human Resources of Senate, effective Feb. 11, 1977. See Rule XXV of Standing Rules of Senate, as amended by Senate Resolution No. 4 (popularly cited as the “Committee System Reorganization

Amendments

of 1977”), approved Feb. 4, 1977. Committee on Human Resources of Senate changed to Committee on Labor and Human Resources of Senate, effective Mar. 7, 1979, by Senate Resolution No. 30, 96th Congress. See, also, Rule XXV of Standing Rules of Senate adopted Nov. 14, 1979. Committee on Labor and Human Resources of Senate changed to Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of Senate by Senate Resolution No. 20, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 19, 1999.