[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2733 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2733

  To amend title 5, United States Code, to allow Federal agencies to 
        reimburse their employees for certain adoption expenses.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 5, 1999

  Mr. Bliley (for himself and Mr. Oberstar) introduced the following 
     bill; which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 5, United States Code, to allow Federal agencies to 
        reimburse their employees for certain adoption expenses.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Employees Adoption 
Assistance Act''.

SEC. 2. REIMBURSEMENT FOR ADOPTION EXPENSES.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 79 of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 7906. Reimbursement for adoption expenses
    ``(a) In General.--The head of each agency shall carry out a 
program under which an employee of such agency may be reimbursed, as 
provided in this section, for qualified adoption expenses incurred by 
such employee.
    ``(b) Treatment of Other Benefits.--A benefit may not be paid under 
this section for any expense paid to or for an employee under any other 
adoption benefits program administered by the Federal Government or 
under any such program administered by a State or local government.
    ``(c) Per Child Dollar Limitation.--In no event may more than 
$2,000 be paid under this section for expenses incurred in connection 
with the adoption of any one child (including if both adopting parents 
are employees).
    ``(d) Funding.--Any amount payable under this section to an 
employee shall be paid from the appropriation or fund used to pay such 
employee.
    ``(e) Guidelines, Regulations, Etc.--
            ``(1) Guidelines.--The Office of Personnel Management may 
        issue any general guidelines which the Office considers 
        necessary to promote the uniform administration of this 
        section.
            ``(2) Regulations.--The head of each agency shall prescribe 
        regulations to carry out this section. Any regulations 
        prescribed by an agency within the executive branch to carry 
        out this section shall be consistent with any guidelines issued 
        under paragraph (1).
            ``(3) Technical assistance.--Upon the request of any 
        agency, the Office may provide consulting, technical, and other 
        similar assistance to carry out this section.
    ``(f) Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
            ``(1) the term `qualified adoption expenses', as used with 
        respect to an employee, means reasonable and necessary adoption 
        fees, court costs, attorney fees, and other expenses--
                    ``(A) which are directly related to, and the 
                principal purpose of which is for, the legal adoption 
                of an eligible child by the employee;
                    ``(B) which are not incurred in violation of State 
                or Federal law or in carrying out any surrogate 
                parenting arrangement; and
                    ``(C) which are not expenses in connection with the 
                adoption by an individual of a child who is the child 
                of such individual's spouse;
            ``(2) the term `eligible child' means any individual who--
                    ``(A) has not attained age 18; or
                    ``(B) is physically or mentally incapable of caring 
                for himself;
            ``(3) the term `agency' means--
                    ``(A) an Executive agency; and
                    ``(B) the judicial branch; and
            ``(4) the head of the agency is, in the case of the 
        judicial branch, the Director of the Administrative Office of 
        the United States Courts.''.
    (b) Applicability to the United States Postal Service and the 
Postal Rate Commission.--Section 1005(d)(2) of title 39, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting ``section 7906,'' after ``5532,''.
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 79 of 
title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``7906. Reimbursement for adoption expenses.''.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to 
expenses incurred on or after October 1, 1999, or the date of enactment 
of this Act, whichever is later.
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