[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 140 (Thursday, October 8, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H10190-H10193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            FEDERAL EMPLOYEES LIFE INSURANCE IMPROVEMENT ACT

  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the 
Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 2675) to require that the Office of 
Personnel Management submit proposed legislation under which group 
universal life insurance and group variable universal life insurance 
would be available under chapter 87 of title 5, United States Code, and 
for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Senate amendments:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Employees Life 
     Insurance Improvement Act''.

     SEC. 2. STUDY AND REPORT ON CERTAIN LIFE INSURANCE OPTIONS 
                   OFFERED TO FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.

       (a) In General.--Not later than July 31, 1998, the Office 
     of Personnel Management shall conduct a study on life 
     insurance options for Federal employees described under 
     subsection (b) and submit a report to Congress.
       (b) Study and Report.--The study and report referred to 
     under subsection (a) shall--
       (1) survey and ascertain the interest of Federal employees 
     in an offering under chapter 87 of title 5, United States 
     Code, of insurance coverage options relating to--
       (A) group universal life insurance;
       (B) group variable universal life insurance; and
       (C) additional voluntary accidental death and dismemberment 
     insurance; and
       (2) include any comments, analysis, and recommendations of 
     the Office of Personnel Management relating to such options.

     SEC. 3. REPEAL OF MAXIMUM LIMITATION ON EMPLOYEE INSURANCE.

       Chapter 87 of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in section 8701(c), in the first sentence, by striking 
     the comma immediately following ``$10,000'' and all that 
     follows and inserting a period; and
       (2) in section 8714b(b), in the first sentence, by striking 
     ``except'' and all that follows and inserting a period.

     SEC. 4. FOSTER CHILD COVERAGE.

       Section 8701(d)(1)(B) of title 5, United States Code, is 
     amended by inserting ``or foster child'' after ``stepchild'' 
     both places it appears.

     SEC. 5. INCONTESTABILITY OF ERRONEOUS COVERAGE.

       Section 8706 of title 5, United States Code, as amended by 
     section 5(2), is further amended by adding at the end the 
     following new subsection:
       ``(g) The insurance of an employee under a policy purchased 
     under section 8709 shall not be invalidated based on a 
     finding that the employee erroneously became insured, or 
     erroneously continued insurance upon retirement or 
     entitlement to compensation under subchapter I of chapter 81 
     of this title, if such finding occurs after the erroneous 
     insurance and applicable withholdings have been in force for 
     2 years during the employee's lifetime.''.

     SEC. 6. DIRECT PAYMENT OF INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS.

       Chapter 87 of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in section 8707--
       (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``(a) During'' and 
     inserting ``(a) Subject to subsection (c)(2), during'';
       (B) in subsection (b), by striking ``(b)(1) Whenever'' and 
     inserting ``(b)(1) Subject to subsection (c)(2), whenever''; 
     and
       (C) in subsection (c), by inserting ``(1)'' immediately 
     after ``(c)'' and by adding at the end the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(2) An employee who is subject to withholdings under this 
     section and whose pay, annuity, or compensation is 
     insufficient to cover such withholdings may nevertheless 
     continue insurance if the employee arranges to pay currently 
     into the Employees' Life Insurance Fund, through the agency 
     or retirement system that administers pay, annuity, or 
     compensation, an amount equal to the withholdings that would 
     otherwise be required under this section.'';
       (2) in section 8714a(d), by adding at the end the following 
     new paragraph:
       ``(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), an employee who is 
     subject to withholdings under this subsection and whose pay, 
     annuity, or compensation is insufficient to cover such 
     withholdings may nevertheless continue optional insurance if 
     the employee arranges to pay currently into the Employees' 
     Life Insurance Fund, through the agency or retirement system 
     which administers pay, annuity, or compensation, an amount 
     equal to the withholdings that would otherwise be required 
     under this subsection.'';
       (3) in section 8714b(d), by adding at the end the following 
     new paragraph:
       ``(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), an employee who is 
     subject to withholdings under this subsection and whose pay, 
     annuity, or compensation is insufficient to cover such 
     withholdings may nevertheless continue additional optional 
     insurance if the employee arranges to pay currently into the 
     Employees' Life Insurance Fund, through the agency or 
     retirement system which administers pay, annuity, or 
     compensation, an amount equal to the withholdings that would 
     otherwise be required under this subsection.''; and
       (4) in section 8714c(d), by adding at the end the following 
     new paragraph:
       ``(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), an employee who is 
     subject to withholdings under this subsection and whose pay, 
     annuity, or compensation is insufficient to cover such 
     withholdings may nevertheless continue optional life 
     insurance on family members if the employee arranges to pay 
     currently into the Employees' Life Insurance Fund, through 
     the agency or retirement system that administers pay, 
     annuity, or compensation, an amount equal to the withholdings 
     that would otherwise be required under this subsection.''.

     SEC. 7. ADDITIONAL OPTIONAL LIFE INSURANCE CONTINUATION AND 
                   PORTABILITY.

       (a) In General.--Section 8714b of title 5, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (1) in subsection (c)--
       (A) by striking the last 2 sentences of paragraph (2); and
       (B) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(3) The amount of additional optional insurance continued 
     under paragraph (2) shall be continued, with or without 
     reduction, in accordance with the employee's written election 
     at the time eligibility to continue insurance during 
     retirement or receipt of compensation arises, as follows:
       ``(A) The employee may elect to have withholdings cease in 
     accordance with subsection (d), in which case--
       ``(i) the amount of additional optional insurance continued 
     under paragraph (2) shall be reduced each month by 2 percent 
     effective at the

[[Page H10191]]

     beginning of the second calendar month after the date the 
     employee becomes 65 years of age and is retired or is in 
     receipt of compensation; and
       ``(ii) the reduction under clause (i) shall continue for 50 
     months at which time the insurance shall stop.
       ``(B) The employee may, instead of the option under 
     subparagraph (A), elect to have the full cost of additional 
     optional insurance continue to be withheld from such 
     employee's annuity or compensation on and after the date such 
     withholdings would otherwise cease pursuant to an election 
     under subparagraph (A), in which case the amount of 
     additional optional insurance continued under paragraph (2) 
     shall not be reduced, subject to paragraph (4).
       ``(C) An employee who does not make any election under the 
     preceding provisions of this paragraph shall be treated as if 
     such employee had made an election under subparagraph (A).
       ``(4) If an employee makes an election under paragraph 
     (3)(B), that individual may subsequently cancel such 
     election, in which case additional optional insurance shall 
     be determined as if the individual had originally made an 
     election under paragraph (3)(A).
       ``(5)(A) An employee whose additional optional insurance 
     under this section would otherwise stop in accordance with 
     paragraph (1) and who is not eligible to continue insurance 
     under paragraph (2) may elect, under conditions prescribed by 
     the Office of Personnel Management, to continue all or a 
     portion of so much of the additional optional insurance as 
     has been in force for not less than--
       ``(i) the 5 years of service immediately preceding the date 
     of the event which would cause insurance to stop under 
     paragraph (1); or
       ``(ii) the full period or periods of service during which 
     the insurance was available to the employee, if fewer than 5 
     years,
     at group rates established for purposes of this section, in 
     lieu of conversion to an individual policy. The amount of 
     insurance continued under this paragraph shall be reduced by 
     50 percent effective at the beginning of the second calendar 
     month after the date the employee or former employee attains 
     age 70 and shall stop at the beginning of the second calendar 
     month after attainment of age 80, subject to a provision for 
     temporary extension of life insurance coverage and for 
     conversion to an individual policy of life insurance under 
     conditions approved by the Office. Alternatively, insurance 
     continued under this paragraph may be reduced or stopped at 
     any time the employee or former employee elects.
       ``(B) When an employee or former employee elects to 
     continue additional optional insurance under this paragraph 
     following separation from service or 12 months without pay, 
     the insured individual shall submit timely payment of the 
     full cost thereof, plus any amount the Office determines 
     necessary to cover associated administrative expenses, in 
     such manner as the Office shall prescribe by regulation. 
     Amounts required under this subparagraph shall be deposited, 
     used, and invested as provided under section 8714 and shall 
     be reported and accounted for together with amounts withheld 
     under section 8714a(d).
       ``(C)(i) Subject to clause (ii), no election to continue 
     additional optional insurance may be made under this 
     paragraph 3 years after the effective date of this paragraph.
       ``(ii) On and after the date on which an election may not 
     be made under clause (i), all additional optional insurance 
     under this paragraph for former employees shall terminate, 
     subject to a provision for temporary extension of life 
     insurance coverage and for conversion to an individual policy 
     of life insurance under conditions approved by the Office.''; 
     and
       (2) in the second sentence of subsection (d)(1) by 
     inserting ``if insurance is continued as provided under 
     subsection (c)(3)(A),'' after ``except that,''.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Office of Personnel Management 
     shall submit a report to Congress on additional optional 
     insurance provided under section 8714b(c)(5) of title 5, 
     United States Code (as added by subsection (a) of this 
     section). Such report shall include recommendations on 
     whether continuation for such additional optional insurance 
     should terminate as provided under such section, be extended, 
     or be made permanent.
       (c) Technical Amendment.--The last sentence of section 
     8714b(d)(1) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by 
     inserting ``(and any amounts withheld as provided in 
     subsection (c)(3)(B))'' after ``Amounts so withheld''.

     SEC. 8. IMPROVED OPTIONAL LIFE INSURANCE ON FAMILY MEMBERS.

       (a) In General.--Section 8714c(b) of title 5, United States 
     Code, is amended to read as follows:
       ``(b)(1) The optional life insurance on family members 
     provided under this section shall be made available to each 
     eligible employee who has elected coverage under this 
     section, under conditions the Office shall prescribe, in 
     multiples, at the employee's election, of 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 
     times--
       ``(A) $5,000 for a spouse; and
       ``(B) $2,500 for each child described under section 
     8701(d).
       ``(2) An employee may reduce or stop coverage elected 
     pursuant to this section at any time.''.
       (b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--Section 8714c of 
     title 5, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in subsection (c)(2), by striking ``section 8714b(c)(2) 
     of this title'' and inserting ``section 8714b(c) (2) through 
     (4)''; and
       (2) in subsection (d)(1), by inserting before the last 
     sentence the following: ``Notwithstanding the preceding 
     sentence, the full cost shall be continued after the calendar 
     month in which the former employee becomes 65 years of age 
     if, and for so long as, an election under this section 
     corresponding to that described in section 8714b(c)(3)(B) 
     remains in effect with respect to such former employee.''.

     SEC. 9. OPEN SEASON.

       Beginning not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Office of Personnel Management 
     shall conduct an open enrollment opportunity for purposes of 
     chapter 87 of title 5, United States Code, over a period of 
     not less than 8 weeks. During this period, an employee (as 
     defined under section 8701(a) of such title)--
       (1) may, if the employee previously declined or voluntarily 
     terminated any coverage under chapter 87 of such title, elect 
     to begin, resume, or increase group life insurance (and 
     acquire applicable accidental death and dismemberment 
     insurance) under all sections of such chapter without 
     submitting evidence of insurability; and
       (2) may, if currently insured for optional life insurance 
     on family members, elect an amount above the minimum 
     insurance on a spouse.

     SEC. 10. MERIT SYSTEM JUDICIAL REVIEW.

       (a) In General.--Section 7703 of title 5, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (1) in subsection (b)(1) by striking ``within 30 days'' and 
     inserting ``within 60 days''; and
       (2) in subsection (d) in the first sentence, by inserting 
     after ``filing'' the following: ``, within 60 days after the 
     date the Director received notice of the final order or 
     decision of the Board,''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act, and 
     apply to any suit, action, or other administrative or 
     judicial proceeding pending on such date or commenced on or 
     after such date.

     SEC. 11. EFFECTIVE DATES.

       (a) In General.--Except as otherwise provided in this Act, 
     the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the date 
     of enactment of this Act.
       (b) Maximum Limitation on Employee Insurance.--Section 3 
     shall take effect on the first day of the first applicable 
     pay period beginning on or after the date of enactment of 
     this Act.
       (c) Erroneous Coverage.--Section 5 shall be effective in 
     any case in which a finding of erroneous insurance coverage 
     is made on or after the date of enactment of this Act.
       (d) Direct Payment of Insurance Contributions.--Section 6 
     shall take effect on the first day of the first applicable 
     pay period beginning on or after the date of enactment of 
     this Act.
       (e) Additional Optional Life Insurance.--
       (1) In general.--Section 7 shall take effect on the first 
     day of the first pay period that begins on or after the 180th 
     day following the date of enactment of this Act, or on any 
     earlier date that the Office of Personnel Management may 
     prescribe that is at least 60 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act.
       (2) Regulations.--The Office shall prescribe regulations 
     under which an employee may elect to continue additional 
     optional insurance that remains in force on such effective 
     date without subsequent reduction and with the full cost 
     withheld from annuity or compensation on and after such 
     effective date if that employee--
       (A) separated from service before such effective date due 
     to retirement or entitlement to compensation under subchapter 
     I of chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code; and
       (B) continued additional optional insurance pursuant to 
     section 8714b(c)(2) as in effect immediately before such 
     effective date.
       (f) Improved Optional Life Insurance on Family Members.--
     The amendments made by section 8 shall take effect on the 
     first day of the first pay period which begins on or after 
     the 180th day following the date of enactment of this Act or 
     on any earlier date that the Office of Personnel Management 
     may prescribe.
       (g) Open Season.--Any election made by an employee under 
     section 9, and applicable withholdings, shall be effective on 
     the first day of the first applicable pay period that--
       (1) begins on or after the date occurring 365 days after 
     the first day of the election period authorized under section 
     9; and
       (2) follows a pay period in which the employee was in a pay 
     and duty status.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Mica) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica).


                             General Leave

  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the bill, 
H.R. 2675.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  My colleagues, this legislation makes improvements in the Federal 
Employees Group Life Insurance program generally called FEGLI. The 
House passed this bill after the Subcommittee on Post Office Civil 
Service conducted the most comprehensive review of benefits under this 
program in over 40 years.
  As a result of this legislation, there will be major improvements in 
the life insurance benefits for our Federal employees for the first 
time in 16 years. Our Federal employees will be able to obtain better 
life insurance for themselves, their spouses and their children.

[[Page H10192]]

 They will also be able to carry more insurance into retirement.
  The House bill required the Office of Personnel Management to submit 
a legislative proposal for offering group universal life insurance, 
group variable life insurance and voluntary additional accidental death 
and dismemberment to Federal employees. The Senate has substituted a 
requirement that the Office of Personnel Management review and study 
this matter. I believe OPM can and should submit that study within 6 
months and recommend to the Congress legislative language to make these 
life insurance options available to our Federal employees.
  The Office of Personnel Management will not be required to establish 
a new Federal program to make this insurance available. Commercial 
insurance carriers have been offering these products to private sector 
employees for years. The Office of Personnel Management should be able 
to find suitable products virtually off the shelf. There is no need, in 
fact, to reinvent the wheel.
  It is important that Federal employees and also our Federal retirees 
be given these up-to-date choices. It would be the first time since the 
program was started in 1954 that employees would have a life insurance 
choice other than just term insurance.
  The Senate amendment also allows Federal employees to purchase life 
insurance for their foster children and allows them to pay their life 
insurance premiums directly under certain circumstances. The amendments 
also allow individuals who are wrongly covered by life insurance to 
remain covered if the policy has been in force for 2 years. The Senate 
also expanded the open season during which our Federal employees may 
begin or increase their life insurance.
  One final amendment, not related to life insurance, provides the 
Office of Personnel Management employees with an additional 30 days to 
appeal Merit Systems Protection Board decisions to the United States 
Court of Appeals for the Federal circuit.
  This is a good bill. A long overdue review of this program and 
Federal employees will benefit from the improvements we make with this 
legislation. I urge all Members to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2675 is designed to improve the structure and 
administration of the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance program 
provided by the Federal Government for its civilian employees and 
retirees. FEGLI was established in 1952 and is managed by the Office of 
Personnel Management. Since 1954 it has been administered by 
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company through a contract with OPM. FEGLI 
provides low cost life insurance coverage to Federal employees and 
retirees.
  Enrollees have a choice of basic life insurance, six levels of 
additional life insurance, family insurance, three options with respect 
to post-retirement basic insurance and accelerated payments options for 
the terminally ill.

                              {time}  2330

  Nearly 90 percent of the eligible Federal work force participates in 
the program. The gentleman from Florida (Chairman Mica) and I, along 
with all of the members of the Subcommittee on Civil Service, were able 
to work together to develop legislation that would have implemented 
some excellent recommendations we receive from the witnesses at an 
oversight hearing we held on FEGLI last year.
  However, some of the provisions implementing these recommendations 
were dropped when the Senate considered the bill. The House bill 
directed the Office of Personnel Management to submit draft legislative 
proposals for group universal life, group variable life, and accidental 
death and dismemberment insurance coverage within 6 months of passage 
of this legislation.
  The Senate version requires OPM to merely conduct a study on these 
additional forms of insurance, rather than submit legislative 
proposals. While we can accept the Senate language on this issue, we 
strongly urge OPM to include in their study recommendations for 
legislative changes that may provide new life insurance options for 
Federal employees.
  Included in the bill is a provision that will give enrollees the 
opportunity to continue the full extent of their life insurance 
coverage after they reach 65. By doing this, we will be providing a 
measure of comfort and convenience to many who would still have a 
desire to provide for the security of their loved ones. They will no 
longer have to seek out a new insurance company from which to purchase 
life insurance, something often difficult and expensive to do at that 
late stage in life.
  I offered an amendment to H.R. 2675 during our subcommittee's markup 
of the bill, which added a provision that would enable enrollees to 
purchase an increased amount of insurance coverage for their spouse and 
dependent children.
  Clearly the present levels of coverage available, $5,000 for one's 
spouse and $2,500 for each child are inadequate. They neither 
compensate for the loss nor cover average burial expenses. My amendment 
would make it possible for enrollees to obtain coverage for their 
spouse and dependent children up to five times the current levels. I am 
pleased to see that this important provision is still in the bill.
  Additional provisions added to the bill by the Senate were to 
eliminate Basic insurance maximum limitation, make erroneous FEGLI 
coverage incontestible if discovered after 2 years of withholding, 
allow direct payment option for any enrollee whose pay or annuity will 
not cover withholdings, implements a 3-year demonstration program that 
would allow employees who separate before retirement to continue Option 
B coverage for 5 years, by paying usual group rates, covers a foster 
child in the Family Optional insurance, and provides for open 
enrollment period following enactment of the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, once again, I believe that we still have a very good 
bipartisan bill. I strongly urge all Members to give their support, Mr. 
Speaker.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella), a member of our Subcommittee 
on Civil Service and, again, a tireless advocate for our Federal 
employees and retirees.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Federal Employees Life 
Improvement Act, and I want to thank our chairman of the Subcommittee 
on Civil Service, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica), and the 
ranking member, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) for their 
leadership on this issue.
  This issue coming up at this hour of the night may just be the kind 
of the insomnia that people who are watching might well need. However, 
for Federal employees, it is critically, critically important.
  The legislation will provide better life insurance benefits to 
Federal employees under the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance 
Program, the FEGLI Program. It is an important program. It provides 
Basic and Optional Life insurance coverage for almost 2.5 million 
Federal employees and 1.6 million retirees.
  The legislation fulfills the legislative goal that I began to pursue 
in 1993 through legislation I introduced, H.R. 3297. The goal of that 
legislation was to extend the treatment currently afforded to Federal 
judges under FEGLI to other judicial officials.
  Since 1993, I worked to get this important provision enacted into 
law, and now this important goal is realized through the increase in 
the class of eligible Federal employees who may choose this coverage 
during open enrollment that this bill provides.
  The version of the bill we passed in the House of Representatives 
directed the Office of Personnel Management to conduct a study of 
Federal employees' interest in additional insurance proposals and to 
submit a legislative proposal to offer group universal life insurance 
and group variable universal life insurance policies under FEGLI within 
6 months.
  The Senate language differs from the House version in that it does 
not mandate that OPM submit a legislative proposal, but instead 
requires OPM to submit findings to Congress by July 31.
  While I think it is beneficial to compel OPM to submit a legislative 
proposal, this difference does not affect

[[Page H10193]]

my support for this legislation because of its many other benefits. The 
legislation also incorporates a component of legislation I introduced 
in the last Congress to increase the amount of additional optional life 
insurance for dependents from the present level.
  Although it does not mirror my proposal exactly, my proposal would 
have only included dependents with severe disabilities. This approach 
makes sense in that it will include a larger risk pool and reduce the 
costs. I thank the chairman for introducing this measure.
  Finally, the bill provides Federal employees with the opportunity to 
continue the full extent of their life insurance coverage after they 
reach age 65. Under current law, when Federal employees reach age 65, 
they cease making premium payments, and the face value of the employees 
life insurance is reduced by 2 percent each month for 50 months. Giving 
Federal retirees the opportunity to purchase life insurance benefits is 
a great accomplishment. I simply encourage my colleagues to support 
this bill, H.R. 2675.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I want to thank my colleague, the gentlewoman from Maryland, when she 
talked about insomnia. I am sure, hopefully, we will be able to wake 
some people up with all this good news we are imparting here tonight.
  But with that, Mr. Speaker, I just want to again reiterate this is 
another piece of legislation that would not have been possible without 
the bipartisanship efforts on the part of our subcommittee.
  This is a very important piece of legislation because it once again 
sheds light on the fact that we care about our Federal employees who 
make it possible for us to do our jobs the way we do them and certainly 
to support our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I yield 
myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, first I just want to take a moment to thank again the 
ranking member, the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) and other 
members of our subcommittee.
  Tonight we brought before the House two pieces of legislation, the 
Veterans Employment Opportunity Act, which provides veterans 
preference, which is something our veterans have sought for decades 
since really World War II. It is an important piece of legislation. The 
staff and Members, in a bipartisan fashion, showed today what we can do 
working together.
  Today has been a difficult day for the Congress and for the American 
people. It does show, in fact, what we can all do for the benefit of 
those who served us.
  Finally, on this bill, this bill is important because we have over 4 
million Federal employees and retirees.

                              {time}  2340

  This bill saves money for the taxpayer. This program has not been bid 
or really examined in some number of decades, and we can provide better 
benefits at lower cost to those who are actively serving us in Federal 
employment now.
  So I ask my colleagues to support this legislation, and I urge all 
Members to support this bill tonight.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Blunt). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) that the House suspend 
the rules and concur in the Senate amendments to the bill H.R. 2675.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate amendments were 
concurred in.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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