[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 86 (Thursday, May 19, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H5178-H5179]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    TAX BENEFITS TO HELP PAY FOR HEALTH COVERAGE FOR RETIRED POLICE 
                                OFFICERS

  (Ms. SPANBERGER asked and was given permission to address the House

[[Page H5179]]

for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. SPANBERGER. Madam Speaker, I stand here today to recognize 
retired Virginia police officer, Wally Bunker.
  For nearly 22 years, Wally served as a police lieutenant for the 
Suffolk Police Department where he served in several different roles.
  Now retired from the force and living in Culpeper, he cannot access a 
key tax benefit to help pay for his health coverage, an issue that is 
shared by thousands of retired officers across the country.
  Many officers retire early due to the high-pressure demands of the 
jobs, meaning, many lose their employer-sponsored coverage while they 
are still years away from Medicare eligibility.
  When Congress enacted the HELPS Retirees Act in 2006 to allow retired 
officers to use tax-free payments from their pensions to cover 
insurance costs, many retirees with smaller pension plans were excluded 
from this benefit.
  When Wally approached our office to explain the issue he was facing, 
like so many other retired officers, we responded by introducing the 
bipartisan Wally Bunker HELPS Retirees Improvement Act to take steps to 
fix this issue.
  I thank my Republican colleague, Congressman Chabot, for joining me 
to make sure that all retired officers receive the full benefits they 
have earned by putting on the badge.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join us in this push.

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