PENSIONS

Amendments

Federal employees: provide retirement equity for Federal employees in nonforeign areas outside the 48 contiguous States and the District of Columbia (S. 3013), S10387, S10390, S10392 [1OC]

Articles and editorials

Banks Owe Billions to Executives, S10903 [11DE]

401(K)s Tapped To Save Homes, S2599 [4AP]

Bills and resolutions

Armed Forces: delay any presumption of death in connection with the kidnapping in Iraq or Afghanistan of a retired member to ensure the continued payment of the member's retired pay (see H.R. 6140), H4830 [22MY]

———include service after September 11, 2001, as service qualifying for the determination of a reduced eligibility age for receipt of non-regular service retired pay (see S. 2836), S2817 [9AP]

Corporations: reduce internal auditing reporting and certification burdens for certain financial institutions (see S. 2703), S1596 [5MR]

———require officers to repay bonus amounts received during a year in which their company is subject to a taxpayer bailout, as well as the two previous years (see H.R. 6987), H8577 [22SE]

Courts: enhance retirement benefits of administrative law judges (see H.R. 6706), H7785 [31JY]

District of Columbia: permit nonjudicial employees of the court system and other court-related services to include service prior to conversion to Federal status in determining retirement eligibility (see H.R. 5600), H1618 [12MR]

Economy: improve and expand the Social Security system as the social safety net to meet the needs of the current economy and labor market and improve skills of the U.S. workforce (see H. Con. Res. 420), H8477 [18SE]

———stimulate and provide financial relief to low-income families (see H.R. 6152), H4830 [22MY]

ERISA: exempt employee benefit plans providing disability benefits from preemption for State tort actions to recover damages arising from failure of the plan to timely provide such benefits (see H.R. 6142), H4830 [22MY]

———provide church pension plans the opportunity to offer automatic enrollment into the plans (see H.R. 6833), H7853 [8SE]

Federal employees: provide for a qualified Roth contribution program under the Thrift Savings Plan (see H.R. 5797), H2354 [15AP]

———provide for automatic enrollment of new participants in the Thrift Savings Plan (see H.R. 6500), H6576 [15JY]

———provide retirement equity for Federal employees in nonforeign areas outside the 48 contiguous States and the District of Columbia (see S. 3013), S4106 [13MY] (see H.R. 6516), H6673 [16JY]

Income: increase age at which distributions from qualified retirement plans are required to begin (see H.R. 7283), H10844 [19NO]

———provide necessary reforms for employee pension benefit plans (see H.R. 5754), H2150 [9AP]

———suspend minimum distribution requirements for certain retirement plans (see S. 3719, 3720), S10812 [8DE] (see H.R. 7277, 7279), H10844 [19NO] (see H.R. 7315), H10867 [9DE]

———suspend minimum distribution requirements for certain retirement plans and temporarily waive penalty on withdrawals from such plans (see H.R. 7278), H10844 [19NO]

———suspend required minimum distribution requirements relative to certain defined contribution plans to the extent the interest of an individual in such plans does not exceed a certain amount (see H.R. 7293), H10844 [19NO]

Investments: increase retirement security of women and small business owners (see H.R. 5543), H1416 [6MR]

Medicare: allow early access to benefits for individuals aged 55 to 65 and allow tax credits for payment of premiums for such benefits (see S. 3710), S10742 [20NO]

National Save for Retirement Week: designate (see S. Res. 601), S6158 [25JN]

———support goals and ideals (see H. Res. 1294), H5864 [23JN]

Pension Protection Act: exempt longstanding nonfunctionally-integrated supporting organizations from certain holding and payout requirements (see H.R. 6227), H5214 [10JN]

———technical corrections (see H.R. 6382), H6174 [26JN] (see H.R. 7242), H10699 [2OC] (see H.R. 7327), H10975 [10DE]

———technical corrections relative to ERISA (see H.R. 6143), H4830 [22MY]

Postal Service: allow to pay its share of contributions for annuitants' health benefits out of the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund (see H.R. 7313), H10867 [9DE]

Social Security: allow choice of benefit payment method relative to computation rule application to workers attaining age 65 in or after 1982 (see S. 17), S10742 [20NO]

———prevent unauthorized earnings from being credited toward certain pension benefits, improve provisions governing totalization agreements, and prevent unauthorized employment (see H.R. 5515), H1183 [28FE]

———prevent unauthorized earnings of illegal immigrants from being credited toward certain pension benefits (see S. 3346), S7573 [28JY]

———provide grants to eligible entities to provide services to improve financial literacy among older individuals (see S. 3053), S4792 [22MY]

———strengthen and permanently preserve (see S. 2765), S2132 [13MR]

Taxation: allow hardship distributions from 401(k) plans to prevent the insolvency of a trade or business of the employee (see H.R. 6719), H7785 [31JY]

———clarify tax treatment of church pension plans (see S. 3615), S9657 [26SE]

———encourage retirement savings by modifying requirements of employer-established individual retirement accounts (see H.R. 5160), H555 [29JA]

———exclude from gross income certain distributions from qualified retirement plans used for mortgage payments (see H.R. 5776), H2224 [10AP]

———modify exception from penalty for early withdrawals from government retirement plans for qualified public safety employees (see H.R. 6157), H4830 [22MY]

———permit hardship loans from individual retirement plans (see H.R. 5641), H1770 [14MR]

———prohibit loans from qualified employer plans using revolving credit arrangements and limit number of loans to a participant or beneficiary (see H.R. 6708), H7785 [31JY]

———prohibit use of a credit card or other intermediary to make loans from qualified employer plans and limit the number of loans to participants (see S. 3278), S6936 [17JY]

———provide recovery rebates to certain pension recipients (see H.R. 6609), H7164 [24JY]

———provide tax relief to the unemployed (see H.R. 7314), H10867 [9DE]

———reform laws relative to individuals, estate and gift taxes, corporate rates, capital gains and dividends, retirement savings, lifetime savings, life skills, and certain medical care (see S. 2547), S207 [23JA] (see H.R. 5105), H455 [23JA]

———repeal tax increase on Social Security benefits (see H.R. 6242), H5327 [11JN]

———waive early withdrawal penalty for distributions from qualified retirement plans to certain unemployed individuals who have attained age 50 (see H.R. 5556), H1417 [6MR]

———waive penalty on withdrawals from qualified retirement plans upon receipt of notice of foreclosure on a principal residence (see H.R. 5822), H2442 [16AP]

USEC Privatization Act: entitle affected pension plan participants to payment for benefit increases not received (see H.R. 7195), H10300 [27SE]

Veterans: improve and enhance procedures for the retirement of Armed Forces members for disability and improve and enhance authorities for the rating and compensation of service-connected disabilities in veterans (see S. 2674), S1384 [28FE] (see H.R. 5509), H1183 [28FE]

———increase amount of Medal of Honor special pension (see H.R. 6980), H8577 [22SE]

———increase rates of disability compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors of certain disabled veterans (see H.R. 5826), H2442 [16AP]

———make technical correction in application of special rules relative to payment of combat-related special compensation to eligible retirees with service-connected disability benefits (see H.R. 7011), H9083 [23SE]

Explanations

Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act (S. 3023), E2051-E2062 [27SE]

Letters

Repeal requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan by veterans' dependency and indemnity compensation: Military Coalition, S8240 [10SE]

Stop Excessive Energy Speculation Act: James A. Klein, American Benefits Council, S7229 [24JY]

Remarks in House

CFTC: ensure that position limits in commodity markets will not cause equity loss in pension funds, H8427-H8429 [18SE]

District of Columbia: permit nonjudicial employees of the court system and other court-related services to include service prior to conversion to Federal status in determining retirement eligibility (H.R. 5600), E375 [12MR]

Employee Benefit Research Institute: anniversary, E2237 [3OC]

Federal employees: provide for a qualified Roth contribution program under the Thrift Savings Plan (H.R. 5797), E620 [15AP]

Income: suspend minimum distribution requirements for certain retirement plans and temporarily waive penalty on withdrawals from such plans (H.R. 7278), H10915 [10DE]

Iraq: impact of financial costs of war on U.S. domestic priorities, H2952 [1MY]

National Save for Retirement Week: support goals and ideals (H. Res. 1294), H5932-H5934 [24JN], H6121 [26JN]

Pension Protection Act: allow asset smoothing in pension plans, H1604, H1605 [12MR]

———require States to credit interest on public pension plans at no greater than market value, H1604, H1605 [12MR]

———technical corrections (H.R. 3361), H1598-H1606 [12MR], H1685 [13MR]

———technical corrections (H.R. 6382), H6243-H6252 [9JY]

———technical corrections (H.R. 7327), H10935, H10943 [10DE]

———technical corrections relative to ERISA (H.R. 6143), E1097 [23MY]

Social Security: prevent unauthorized earnings from being credited toward certain pension benefits, improve provisions governing totalization agreements, and prevent unauthorized employment (H.R. 5515), H1344 [6MR], H2168 [10AP], H4979 [5JN], E268 [28FE]

———repeal Government pension offset and windfall elimination provisions (H.R. 82), E800 [1MY]

———repeal the windfall elimination provision and protect the retirement of public servants (H.R. 2772), E800 [1MY]

Taxation: allow unused amounts in a health flexible spending arrangement to be carried over to subsequent plan years or deposited into certain health or retirement plans (H.R. 3306), H8500 [22SE]

———exclude from gross income a portion of lifetime income payments from annuities and similar payments of life insurance proceeds at dates later than death (H.R. 2205), H1808 [31MR]

———reform laws relative to individuals, estate and gift taxes, corporate rates, capital gains and dividends, retirement savings, lifetime savings, life skills, and certain medical care (H.R. 5105), H392 [23JA]

TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC: anniversary, E941, E947 [15MY]

Veterans: increase rates of disability compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors of certain disabled veterans (H.R. 5826), H4198, H4199 [20MY], H7908 [9SE], E1002 [21MY], E1056 [23MY]

———prohibit modification of standards used to determine eligibility for special monthly pensions, H7765 [31JY]

Remarks in Senate

AARP: anniversary, S2972 [14AP]

Armed Forces: allow members to earn 3 months of retirement eligibility for every 90 days of active service and make eligibility retroactive to September 11, 2001, S4772 [22MY]

———include service after September 11, 2001, as service qualifying for the determination of a reduced eligibility age for receipt of non-regular service retired pay, S8820 [16SE]

Aviation: modify funding requirements for new accruals under air carrier pension plans, S3429 [28AP], S3483, S3484 [29AP], S3554-S3564, S3568, S3583 [30AP], S3774-S3777 [6MY]

———provide relief for all air carriers with pension plans that are not frozen pension plans (S. 191), S3556, S3561 [30AP]

Bush, President: State of the Union Message, S414 [29JA]

Commission on the National Guard and Reserves: tribute, S3588 [30AP]

Corporations: improve efficiency of complying with internal auditing control requirements in order to maintain U.S. capital market global competitiveness, S684 [6FE]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: repeal requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan by veterans' dependency and indemnity compensation, S8241, S8244, S8245, S8264 [10SE]

Federal employees: provide retirement equity for Federal employees in nonforeign areas outside the 48 contiguous States and the District of Columbia (S. 3013), S4109, S4111 [13MY], S10390-S10394 [1OC]

Income: suspend minimum distribution requirements for certain retirement plans (S. 3719), S10813 [8DE]

———suspend minimum distribution requirements for certain retirement plans (S. 3720), S10814 [8DE]

Investments: provide for the penalty-free use of retirement funds for mortgage delinquency relief, S2421 [3AP], S2599, S2600 [4AP], S2625 [7AP], S5952 [23JN], S5988 [24JN]

Iraq: impact of financial costs of war on U.S. domestic priorities, S3649 [1MY]

National Save for Retirement Week: designate (S. Res. 601), unanimous-consent agreement, S9164 [18SE]

Pension Protection Act: technical corrections (H.R. 7327), S10914 [11DE]

———technical corrections (S. 1974), unanimous-consent agreement, S2250 [31MR]

Social Security: privatization proposals, S2972 [14AP], S8928 [17SE]

———protect cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) (S. 2501), S598 [4FE]

———provide grants to eligible entities to provide services to improve financial literacy among older individuals (S. 3053), S4796 [22MY]

Taxation: lower income tax rates, provide estate tax relief, permanently extend certain education-related tax deductions and dividend and capital gain tax rate reductions, and protect retirement income, S1855 [11MR], S2041, S2093 [13MR]

———provide tax credit to employers headquartered in U.S., that pay fair wages, provide benefits, offset income for employees serving in Reserves, and respect the right to organize (S. 1945), S9358 [24SE]

———reform laws relative to individuals, estate and gift taxes, corporate rates, capital gains and dividends, retirement savings, lifetime savings, life skills, and certain medical care (S. 2547), S2987 [15AP]

———repeal tax increase on Social Security benefits, S1857 [11MR], S1932, S1939 [12MR], S2045, S2046 [13MR]

Veterans: expansion of benefits to Filipino veterans who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. residents, S3238-S3242 [22AP]

———improve and enhance procedures for the retirement of Armed Forces members for disability and improve and enhance authorities for the rating and compensation of service-connected disabilities in veterans (S. 2674), S2287 [1AP]

Reports filed

Civil Service Retirement System Annuities Computation Clarification Based on Part-Time Service: Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (House) (H.R. 2780) (H. Rept. 110-770), H7163 [24JY]

Federal Firefighters Fairness Act: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (Senate) (S. 1924), S10323 [1OC]

———Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (Senate) (S. 1924) (S. Rept. 110-520), S10578 [17NO]

Non-Foreign Area Retirement Equity Assurance (AREA) Act: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (Senate) (S. 3013) (S. Rept. 110-456), S8375 [11SE]

Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act: Committee on Veterans' Affairs (House) (H.R. 5826) (H. Rept. 110-643), H4059 [15MY]

Texts of

H. Res. 1294, support goals and ideals of National Save for Retirement Week, H5932 [24JN]

H.R. 3361, Pension Protection Technical Corrections Act, H1598-H1604 [12MR], H1685-H1690 [13MR]

H.R. 5826, Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act, H4198 [20MY]

H.R. 6382, Pension Protection Technical Corrections Act, H6243-H6249 [9JY]

H.R. 7327, Pension Protection Act technical corrections, H10935-H10943 [10DE]

S. 3013, Non-Foreign Area Retirement Equity Assurance (AREA) Act, S4109-S4111 [13MY], S10392-S10394 [1OC]

S. 3053, provide grants to eligible entities to provide services to improve financial literacy among older individuals, S4796 [22MY]

S. 3719, Retirement Account Distribution Improvement Act, S10813 [8DE]

S. Res. 601, National Save for Retirement Week, S6169 [25JN], S9165 [18SE]