[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 87 (Thursday, June 21, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6611-S6612]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CLELAND:
  S. 1080. A bill to amend chapter 84 of title 5, United States Code, 
to provide that employees who retire as registered nurses under the 
Federal Employees Retirement System shall have unused sick leave used 
in the computation of annuities, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President. Statistics from the National League of 
Nursing and the American Nurses' Association demonstrate the nursing 
workforce is shrinking. The Federal health sector, employing 
approximately 45,000 nurses, may be the hardest hit in the near future 
with an estimated 47 percent of its nursing workforce eligible for 
retirement in the year 2004. Current and anticipated nursing vacancies 
in Federal health care agencies are particularly alarming with the 
increased nursing care needs of an aging America. The Journal of the 
American Medical Association published a study last year which found 
the average age of the nursing workforce rose by 4.5 years between 1983 
and 1998, mostly because fewer younger people are joining the 
profession.
  It is imperative that the Federal Health Care System recruit and 
retain nurses in such crucial areas as the Veterans Affairs Health 
Administration, Department of Defense, Public Health Service, Indian 
Health Service, and Federal Bureau of Prisons. Nursing shortages will 
result in major changes in the quality and type of care these agencies 
can provide to their beneficiaries. There are no quick fixes to 
recruiting and retaining registered nurses, but Congress must act now 
on identified problem areas. One identified measure which would help 
recruit and retain Federal nurses is to address employee benefits. 
Title 38 currently excludes nurses employed by the Federal health care 
system after 1983 from including unused sick leave in computation of 
retirement. Approximately 68 percent of the Federal nurses are enrolled 
in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). My proposal

[[Page S6612]]

would allow registered nurses under FERS to include unused sick leave 
in the same manner as nurses enrolled in the Civilian Retirement 
System, (CRS), for computation of retirement benefits. Under CRS 
regulations, unused sick leave time is added after all of the required 
retirement criteria are met. With my proposal, registered nurses who 
have accrued the needed increments of sick leave will retain their hard 
earned benefit as part of their retirement package.
  Nurses played a crucial role in my recovery from injuries incurred in 
Vietnam. I can not imagine how much more difficult that recovery would 
have been without the skill and compassion of nurses. I urge my Senate 
colleagues to support this measure as we continue to look at strategies 
to prevent the looming Federal nurse shortage.
  Mr. President. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.

                                S. 1080

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

     SECTION 1. UNUSED SICK LEAVE INCLUDED IN ANNUITY COMPUTATION 
                   OF REGISTERED NURSES.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Federal 
     Registered Nurse Retirement Adjustment Act of 2001''.
       (b) Annuity Computation.--Section 8415 of title 5, United 
     States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(i) In computing an annuity under this subchapter, the 
     total service of an employee who retires from the position of 
     a registered nurse on an immediate annuity or dies while 
     employed in that position leaving any survivor entitled to an 
     annuity includes the days of unused sick leave to the credit 
     of that employee under a formal leave system, except that 
     such days shall not be counted in determining average pay or 
     annuity eligibility under this subchapter.''.
       (c) Deposit Not Required.--Section 8422(d) of title 5, 
     United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``Under such regulations''; 
     and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(2) Deposit may not be required for days of unused sick 
     leave credited under section 8415(i).''.
       (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall take effect 60 days after the date of enactment of this 
     Act and apply to individuals who separate from service on or 
     after that effective date.
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