An Act to amend the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 to provide a 15-percent increase in annuities and to change the method of computing interest on investments of the railroad retirement accounts
PL 91-377 (H.R.15733), enacted 08/12/1970

increase. 
82 Stat. 17. 
45 u s e 228c. 
84 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 91-377-AUG. 12, 1970 
791 
Public Law 91-377 
AN ACT 
August 12, 1970 
To amend the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 to provide a temporary 15 per 
[H. R. 15733] 
centum increase in annuities, to change for a temporary period the method 
of computing interest on investments of the railroad retirement accounts, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Rejyref^entatives of the 
Uinted State-H of America in Congress assembled. That section 3(a) 
Rauroad Re-
of the Railroad Retirement iVct of 1937 is amended by inserting at the "gl^f a'mfuuiel, 
end thereof the following paragraph: 
"(3) The amiuity computed under paragraphs (1) and (2) of this 
subsection and that part of subsection (e) of this section which pre-
cedes the first proviso shall be increased by 15 per centum but not by 
more than $50. If the individual entitled to such annuity is also entitled 
to a benefit for the same month under title II of the Social Security 
Act, there shall be offset against the increase herein provided for any 
49 stat. 622. 
amount by which such individual's social security benefit was increased 
"
^
^ ^^^ 40 w^29. 
by the Social Security Amendments of 1969, but in no case shall such 
83 stat. 737. 
offset operate to reduce the increase below $10." 
"^^ "^^ ^^^ "°*^' 
SEC. 2. (a) Section 2(e) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 is 
65 stat. ess. 
amended by inserting "without regard to section 3(a) (3) of this Act" 
'*^ "^*^ ^^^''" 
after "of such individual's aimuity" and by inserting "as in effect 
before 1970'' after "or pension" and by inserting at the end thereof the 
following paragraph: 
"The spouse's annuity computed under other provisions of this sec-
tion shall be increased by 15 per centum but not by more than $25. 
If the individual entitled to such annuity is also entitled to a benefit 
for the same month under title II of the Social Security Act, there 
shall be offset against the increase herein provided for any amount 
by which such individual's social security benefit was increased by the 
Social Security Amendments of 1969, but in no case shall such offset 
operate to reduce the increase below $5. The two preceding sentences 
shall not operate to increase the annuity to an amount in excess of the 
maximum amount of a spouse's annuity as provided in the first sentence 
of this subsection." 
(b) Section 2(i) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 is amended 
8° stat. 1075; 
by inserting "without regard to the last paragraph of such subsection 
45 use 228b. 
(e)" after "subsections (e) and (h) of this section". 
SEC. 3. Section 5 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 is amended 
82 stat. 21. 
by striking from subsection (m) the words "other provisions" w^herever 
they appear in such subsection and substituting in lieu thereof in each 
instance the words "preceding provisions", and by inserting at the 
end thereof the following subsection: 
"(n) The annuity coniDuted under the preceding provisions of this 
section shall be increased by 15 per centum but not by more than $25. 
If the individual entitled to such annuity is also entitled to a benefit 
for the same month under title II of the Social Security Act, there 
shall be offset against the incre;ise herein provided for any amount 
by which such individual's social security benefit was increased by the 
Social Security Amendments of 1969, but in no case shall such offset 
operate to reduce the increase below $5." 
SEC. 4. (a) The provisions of this Act shall be effective with respect 
Effective date. 
to annuities accruing for months after December 1969 and with respect 
to ]>ensions due in calendar months after January 1970. For the pur-
poses of this Act, (i) any increase in an individual's social security 
benefit based on recomputations other than for the correction of errors 
after the first adjustment, or derived from legislation enacted after 
the Social Security Amendments of 1969, shall be disregarded, and 
47-348 0 - 7 2 - 5 4 (Pt. 1) 
792 
PUBLIC LAW 91-377-AUG. 12, 1970 
[84 STAT. 
50 Stat. 312. 
45 u s e 228f. 
49 Stat. 967. 
45 u s e 215-228 
notes. 
60 Stat. 729; 
82 Stat. 19; 
80 Stat. 1082. 
45 u s e 228e. 
49 Stat. 622. 
42 u s e 401-429. 
83 Stat. 737. 
42 u s e 401 
note. 
Ante, p. 791. 
81 Stat. 821. 
42 u s e 302 
note. 
77 Stat. 220; 
80 Stat. 1074. 
45 u s e 228o. 
Annuity in-
crease, ter-
mination date. 
eommission on 
Railroad Retire-
ment. 
50 Stat. 314; 
82 Stat. 21. 
45 u s e 228j. 
(ii) tlie increases, offsets and reductions provided for lierein, shall 
apply before any reduction in an annuity on account of age. 
(b)(1) All pensions under section 6 of the Railroad Retirement 
Act of 1937, and all annuities under the Railroad Retirement Act of 
1935 shall be increased by 15 i)er centum; all survivor annuities deriv-
ing from joint and survivor annuities under the Railroad Retirement 
Act of 1987 and all widows' and widowers' insurance annuities which, 
in accordance with the proviso in section 5(a) or section 5(b) of the 
Railroad Retirement Act of 1987 are payable in the amount of the 
spouse's annuity to which the widow or widower was entitled shall, 
in cases where the employee died in or before the month in which the 
increases in ammities provided in section 1 are effective, be increased by 
15 per centum: Provided, however. That in cases where the individual 
entitled to such a pension or annuity is entitled also to a benefit under 
title II of the Social Security Act, the additional amount payable by 
reason of this subsection shall be reduced by the difference between 
the amount the individual is entitled to in such a benefit and the 
amount to which such individual would have been entitled had the 
Social Security Amendments of 1969 not been enacted: And 
provided 
further. That (i) the offset required by this subsection shall not operate 
to reduce the increase herein provided in an annuity under the Railroad 
Retirement Act of 1985 or a pension to an amount less than $10, and 
(ii) the offset required by this section shall not operate to reduce the 
increase herein provided in such a survivor annuity derived from a 
joint and survivor annuity and such a widow's or widower's annuity in 
an amount formerly received as a spouse's annuity to an amount less 
than $5. Joint and survivor annuities shall be computed under section 
8(a) of the Railroad Retirement Act and reduced by the percentage 
determined in accordance with the election of such annuity, 
(2) All recertifications required by reason of the amendments made 
by this title shall be made by the Railroad Retirement Board without 
ap])lication therefor. 
(c) For the i)urposes of this Act, the amount of a social security 
benefit computed under the Social Security Amendments of 1967 
shall be deemed to be an amount equal to 87 per centum of such benefit 
computed under the Social Security Amendments of 1969, and the 
amount by which an individual's social security benefit was increased 
by reason of the Social Security Amendments of 1969 shall be deemed 
to l)e 18 per centum of such individual's social security benefit as 
computed under the Social Security Amendments of 1969. 
SEC. 5. The fifth sentence of section 15(c) of the Railroad Retire-
ment Act of 1987 is amended by striking out "obligations" the second 
place it appears and inserting in lieu thereof "notes"'. 
SEC. 6. The first four sections of this Act, and the amendments made 
by such sections, shall cease to apply as of the close of June 80, 1972. 
Annuities accruing for months after June 80,1972, and pensions due in 
calendar months after June 80, 1972, shall be comjnited as if the first 
four sections of this Act, and the amendment made thereby, had not 
been enacted. 
SEC. 7. (a) (1) There is hereby established a Commission on Rail-
road Retirement (hereinafter in this section referred to as the "Com-
mission'') which shall be com])osed as follows: 
(A) Three members shall be appointed by the President in 
the same manner as ])rovided by section 10(a) of the Railroad 
Retirement Act of 1987 for the appointment of members of the 
Railroad Retirement Board: Provided, however. That such ap-
pointments to the Commission shall not be by and with the advice 
and consent of the Senate; 
84 STAT.] 
PUBLIC LAW 91-377-AUG. 12, 1970 
793 
(B) One i)ul)lic member shall be appointed by the Speaker of 
the House of Representatives, after consultation with the Com-
mittee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce of the House of 
Representatives; 
(C) One public member shall be appointed by the President 
pro tempore of the Senate, after consultation with the Senate 
Committee on Labor and Public Welfare. 
(2) The President shall designate one member of the Commission 
to serve as (liairman thereof and one member of the Commission to 
ser\e as Vice (Chairman thereof. 
(3) A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute 
a quorum, but a lesser number may conduct hearings. 
(b) Members of the Commission shall each receive a per diem rate 
equivalent to that authorized for (xS-18 by section 5332 of title 5, 
TTnited States Code, for days when engaged ni the actual performance 
of duties vested in the Commission, and shall be allowed travel 
expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by 
section 5703 of title 5, Ignited States Code, for pereons in the Govern-
ment sei-vice employed intermittently. 
(c) (1) The Commission shall conduct a stiidy of the railroad retire-
ment system and its financing for the purpose of recommending to the 
Congress on or before July 1, 1971, changes in such system to provide 
adequate levels of benefits thereunder on an actuarially sound basis. 
(2) Such study shall take into account— 
(A) the necessity of providing benefit increases in such system 
commensurate with past and future benefit increases under title 
II of the Social Security Act; 
(B) the necessity of revising benefits under the railroad retire-
ment system to meet increases in the cost of living; 
(C) the question of the adequacy of levels of benefits for the 
various classes of beneficiaries covered under such system; 
(D) the possibility of restructuring benefits under title II of the 
Social Security Act and under the railroad retirement system so 
as to provide coverage under such title of various classes of bene-
ficiaries presently covered under the railroad retirement system; 
(E) the necessary changes to provide for a continuation of the 
increased level of benefits provided under the amendments made 
by the first four sections of this Act; 
(F) the possibility of changes in the financing system used to 
fund railroad retirement benefits including, witliout limitation, 
adjustment of the rate of tax, adjustment of the tax base, the use 
of general revenue financing, and revision of the investment policy 
of the railroad retirement fund; 
(G) the relationsliip between social security and railroad re-
tirement in the areas of benefits, tax rates, and tax base including, 
without limitation, the desirability and feasibility of a merger of 
the two systems; and 
(H) such other matters relating to the railroad retirement 
system as the Commission considers necessary. 
(d) (1) The Commission shall appoint an Executive Director and 
such other personnel as the Commission deems necessary without 
regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing 
appointments in the competitive service and shall fix the compensation 
of such personnel -without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and 
subtitle I I of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and 
General Schedule pay rates, except that no personnel so appointed 
shall receive compensation in excess of the rate authorized for GS-18 
by section 5332 of such title. 
Ante, 
p. 198-1, 
80 Stat. 499;; 
83 Stat. 190. 
Study. 
49 Stat. 622. 
42 u s e 401" 
429. 
Executive 
Director, etc. 
appointment. 
443, 
80 Stat 
459. 
5 u s e 5101 
5311. 
794 
PUBLIC LAW 91-378-AUG. 13, 1970 
[84 STAT. 
Experts and con-
sultants. 
80 Stat. 416. 
Ante, p. 198-1. 
Actuarial con-
sultant. 
80 Stat. 443, 
467. 
5 u s e 5101, 
5331. 
Report to 
President and 
Congress. 
Termination. 
(2) (A) The Executive Director, with the approval of the Coiruiiiis-
sion, is authorized to obtain services of experts and consultants on a 
temporary or intermittent basis in accordance with the provisions of 
section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, but at rates for individuals 
not to exceed the per diem equivalent of the rate authorized for GS-18 
by section 5382 of such title. 
(B) The Commission shall employ the services of an actuarial 
consultant holding membership in the American Academy of Actu-
aries and qualified in the evaluation of pension plans. Such consultant 
may be appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, United 
States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and 
may be paid without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and sub-
chapter I I I of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and 
General Schedule pay rates. 
(e) The Railroad Retirement I^oard and any other department, 
agency, or instrumentality of the Federal Government is authorized 
to cooperate with and assist the Commission, at its request, in carry-
ing out its duties by furnishing services, information, data, or other 
material which the Commission feels will be helpful in carrying out 
its duties. 
(f) Funds appropriated to the President shall be available to defray 
the expenses of the Commission, other than expenses incurred pursuant 
to subparagraph (e) of this section. 
(g) The Commission shall, not later than July 1,1971, submit to the 
President and the Congress a full and complete report of the study 
authorized by this section together with its recommendations for 
changes in the railroad retirement system designed to provide adequate 
levels of benefits thereunder on an actuarially sound basis. The Com-
mission shall cease to exist sixty days after the date of the submission 
of such report. 
Approved August 12, 1970. 
August 13, 1970 
[S. 1076] 
Public Law 91-378 
AN ACT 
To establish a pilot program in the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture 
designated as the Youth Conservation Corps, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatires 
of the 
Youth Conserve- J'jiited States of Ametwa 
in Congress 
assembled, 
tion Corps. 
•' 
c? 
7 
^orps 
Establishment. 
POLKJY AND PURPOSE 
SECTION 1. The Congress finds that the gainful employment during 
the summer months of American youth, representing all segments of 
society, in the healthful outdoor atmosphere afforded in the national 
park system, the national forest system, the national wildlife refuge 
system, and other public land and water areas administered by the Sec-
retary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture creates an 
opportunity for understanding and appreciation of the Nation's 
natural environment and heritage. Accordingly, it is the purpose of 
this Act to further the development and maiiltenance of the natural 
resources of the United States by the youth, upon whom will fall the 
ultimate responsibility for maintaining and managing these resources 
for the American people.