[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3340 Received in Senate (RDS)]

  2d Session
                                H. R. 3340


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 8, 2002

                                Received

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
    To amend title 5, United States Code, to allow certain catch-up 
contributions to the Thrift Savings Plan to be made by participants age 
 50 or over; to reauthorize the Merit Systems Protection Board and the 
           Office of Special Counsel; and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN CATCH-UP CONTRIBUTIONS.

    (a) Civil Service Retirement System.--Paragraph (2) of section 
8351(b) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following:
    ``(C) Notwithstanding any limitation under this paragraph, an 
eligible participant (as defined by section 414(v) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986) may make such additional contributions to the 
Thrift Savings Fund as are permitted by such section 414(v) and 
regulations of the Executive Director consistent therewith.''.
    (b) Federal Employees' Retirement System.--
            (1) Provision applicable to employees generally.--
        Subsection (a) of section 8432 of title 5, United States Code, 
        is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(3) Notwithstanding any limitation under this subsection, an 
eligible participant (as defined by section 414(v) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986) may make such additional contributions to the 
Thrift Savings Fund as are permitted by such section 414(v) and 
regulations of the Executive Director consistent therewith.''.
            (2) Provision applicable to certain other individuals.--
        Section 8440f of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``The maximum'' and inserting ``(a) 
                The maximum''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Notwithstanding any limitation under this section, an 
eligible participant (as defined by section 414(v) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986) may make such additional contributions to the 
Thrift Savings Fund as are permitted by such section 414(v) and 
regulations of the Executive Director consistent therewith.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect as of the earliest practicable date, as determined by the 
Executive Director (appointed under section 8474(a) of title 5, United 
States Code) in regulations.

SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF MERIT SYSTEM PROTECTION BOARD AND OFFICE OF 
              SPECIAL COUNSEL.

    (a) Merit Systems Protection Board.--Section 8(a)(1) of the 
Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 (5 U.S.C. 5509 note) is amended by 
striking ``1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002'' and inserting ``2003, 
2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007''.
    (b) Office of Special Counsel.--Section 8(a)(2) of the 
Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 (5 U.S.C. 5509 note) is amended by 
striking ``1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997,'' and inserting ``2003, 
2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007''.
    (c) Effective Date.--This section shall be effective as of October 
1, 2002.

SEC. 3. DISCLOSURE OF VIOLATIONS OF LAW; RETURN OF DOCUMENTS.

    Section 1213(g) of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking the last sentence; and
            (2) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
    ``(3) If the Special Counsel does not transmit the information to 
the head of the agency under paragraph (2), the Special Counsel shall 
inform the individual of--
            ``(A) the reasons why the disclosure may not be further 
        acted on under this chapter; and
            ``(B) other offices available for receiving disclosures, 
        should the individual wish to pursue the matter further.''.

SEC. 4. CONTINUATION OF HEALTH BENEFITS COVERAGE FOR INDIVIDUALS 
              ENROLLED IN A PLAN ADMINISTERED BY THE OVERSEAS PRIVATE 
              INVESTMENT CORPORATION.

    (a) Enrollment in Chapter 89 Plan.--For purposes of the 
administration of chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, any period 
of enrollment under a health benefits plan administered by the Overseas 
Private Investment Corporation before the effective date of this Act 
shall be deemed to be a period of enrollment in a health benefits plan 
under chapter 89 of such title.
    (b) Continued Coverage.--
            (1) In general.--Any individual who, as of the enrollment 
        eligibility date, is covered by a health benefits plan 
        administered by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation may 
        enroll in an approved health benefits plan described under 
        section 8903 or 8903a of title 5, United States Code--
                    (A) either as an individual or for self and family, 
                if such individual is an employee, annuitant, or former 
                spouse as defined under section 8901 of such title; and
                    (B) for coverage effective on and after such date.
            (2) Individuals currently under continued coverage.--An 
        individual who, as of the enrollment eligibility date, is 
        entitled to continued coverage under a health benefits plan 
        administered by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation--
                    (A) shall be deemed to be entitled to continued 
                coverage under section 8905a of title 5, United States 
                Code, for the same period that would have been 
                permitted under the plan administered by the Overseas 
                Private Investment Corporation; and
                    (B) may enroll in an approved health benefits plan 
                described under section 8903 or 8903a of such title in 
                accordance with section 8905a of such title for 
                coverage effective on and after such date.
            (3) Unmarried dependent children.--An individual who, as of 
        the enrollment eligibility date, is covered as an unmarried 
        dependent child under a health benefits plan administered by 
        the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and who is not a 
        member of family as defined under section 8901(5) of title 5, 
        United States Code--
                    (A) shall be deemed to be entitled to continued 
                coverage under section 8905a of such title as though 
                the individual had ceased to meet the requirements for 
                being considered an unmarried dependent child under 
                chapter 89 of such title as of such date; and
                    (B) may enroll in an approved health benefits plan 
                described under section 8903 or 8903a of such title in 
                accordance with section 8905a for continued coverage 
                effective on and after such date.
    (c) Transfers to the Employees Health Benefits Fund.--
            (1) In general.--The Overseas Private Investment 
        Corporation shall transfer to the Employees Health Benefits 
        Fund established under section 8909 of title 5, United States 
        Code, amounts determined by the Director of the Office of 
        Personnel Management, after consultation with the Overseas 
        Private Investment Corporation, to be necessary to reimburse 
        the Fund for the cost of providing benefits under this section 
        not otherwise paid for by the individuals covered by this 
        section.
            (2) Availability of funds.--The amounts transferred under 
        paragraph (1) shall be held in the Fund and used by the Office 
        in addition to amounts available under section 8906(g)(1) of 
        title 5, United States Code.
    (d) Administration and Regulations.--The Office of Personnel 
Management--
            (1) shall administer this section to provide for--
                    (A) a period of notice and open enrollment for 
                individuals affected by this section; and
                    (B) no lapse of health coverage for individuals who 
                enroll in a health benefits plan under chapter 89 of 
                title 5, United States Code, in accordance with this 
                section; and
            (2) may prescribe regulations to implement this section.
    (e) Enrollment Eligibility Date.--For purposes of this section, the 
term ``enrollment eligibility date'' means the last day on which 
coverage under a health benefits plan administered by the Overseas 
Private Investment Corporation is available. Such date shall be 
determined by the Office of Personnel Management in consultation with 
the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.

            Passed the House of Representatives October 7, 2002.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.