[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E671]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REVITALIZATION AND SELF-GOVERNMENT 
       IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1997 TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS ACT OF 2026

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 13, 2026

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the National Capital 
Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997 Technical 
Corrections Act of 2026, which would address several retirement issues 
for current and former District of Columbia employees that resulted 
from the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government 
Improvement Act of 1997 (Revitalization Act). The Revitalization Act, 
among other things, transferred several categories of employees who 
were in the D.C. retirement system to the federal retirement system and 
transferred responsibility from D.C. to the federal government for 
funding pension benefits earned by D.C. teachers, police officers, 
firefighters and judges before 1997.
  First, the Revitalization Act transferred several categories of 
employees, primarily related to D.C.'s criminal justice system, who 
participated in D.C.'s defined contribution plan from 1987 to 1997 to 
the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). However, these 
employees' service from 1987 to 1997 was not counted for purposes of 
creditable service or annuity amount in FERS. In 2009, Congress passed 
legislation counting this service for creditable service, but not 
annuity amount. This bill would allow these employees to buy into the 
FERS annuity amount for 1987 to 1997 by paying 1.3 percent of their 
base pay plus interest, essentially the employee contribution for this 
time, which would give them the full retirement benefit to which they 
should be entitled.
  Second, this bill would address two benefit issues for employees in 
the D.C. teachers, police officers and firefighters pension plans, 
whose pre-1997 benefits are funded by the federal government. In 2018, 
D.C. enacted a law to provide domestic partner benefits for the police 
and firefighters pension plan, which mirrored a law already enacted for 
teachers. However, these domestic partner benefits apply only to 
service accrued after 1997, since the federal government funds pre-1997 
benefits. This bill would make the domestic partner benefits available 
for pre-1997 benefits, too.
  Finally, in 2012, D.C. enacted a law that reduced from 60 to 55 the 
age after which a surviving spouse can remarry without losing survivor 
benefits in the D.C. teachers, police and firefighters pension plans. 
However, these benefits apply only to service accrued after 1997, since 
the federal government funds pre-1997 benefits. This bill would bring 
those pre-1997 benefits in line with both the post-1997 benefits and 
the retirement benefits for federal employees in the Civil Service 
Retirement System and FERS and make an analogous change for D.C. 
judges, whose retirement benefits are funded by the federal government. 
In general, for federal retirees, 55 is the age after which a surviving 
spouse can remarry without losing survivor benefits.
  This bill would give these workers the retirement benefits they 
deserve. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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