[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 141 (Wednesday, October 8, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2022-E2023]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             FEDERAL EMPLOYEES' BENEFITS EQUITY ACT OF 2003

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 8, 2003

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage my colleagues to 
join me in cosponsoring the ``Federal Employees' Benefits Equity Act of 
2003.'' I reintroduced this very important legislation that works to 
eliminate a number of inequities found in the computation of benefits 
for law enforcement officers, firefighters, nuclear material couriers 
and members of the Supreme Court police under the Federal Employees 
Retirement System (FERS) and the Civil Service Retirement System 
(CSRS).

[[Page E2023]]

  Additionally, this bill would correct inequities resulting from the 
court case Wassenaar v. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), regarding 
benefits for survivors of law enforcement officers and firefighters who 
die as federal employees.
  Under current CSRS and FERS statutes, certain employees immediately 
qualify for an enhanced annuity if separated from service after 
reaching age 50 and completing 20 years of service. This enhanced 
annuity, however, requires that these employees make retirement 
contributions that are 0.5 percent higher than those of the average 
employee.
  Some employees are forced to retire due to disability, or involuntary 
separation (not for cause), before reaching age 50. In these cases, 
employees receive only a regular annuity even if he or she has had 20 
years of service. This legislation remedies this problem by providing 
enhanced annuities to all employees who have given 20 years of service. 
Those forced to retire, at any age, due to involuntary separation or 
disability are covered by this legislation. The bill also allows for 
the refund of the additional 0.5 percent retirement contribution, with 
interest, when employees in these occupations retire or die before 
attaining eligibility for the enhanced annuity.
  During the 106th and 107th Congresses, many federal employees 
contacted my office stating their concerns about the retroactive 
language in the bill. I listened to their concerns and worked with the 
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to address this issue. This bill 
is no longer retroactive. I am extremely pleased this bill will capture 
federal employees from the day of enactment.

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