House Advances Bill to Restore Retirement Benefits for Some CBP Officers
Due to a glitch, some U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers missed out on enhanced retirement benefits. Now legislation to correct that error is advancing on Capitol Hill.
For affected officers, the correction could mean significant changes to lifetime retirement payments, including adjustments for some who have already retired.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee unanimously passed the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Retirement Technical Corrections Act (H.R. 8844) and sent it to the full House for consideration.
“A bureaucratic error should never erase benefits these officers were promised, planned around, and earned,” said one of the sponsors, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA). “This bill corrects the record, restores fairness, and honors their service to our nation.”
Aims to Correct 2008 Error
The bill aims to correct a situation that dates to 2008– when CBP officers became eligible for enhanced law enforcement retirement coverage. During that transition, a limited group of officers received tentative job offers before the effective date but entered service afterward. They were told they would be eligible for the proportional annuity treatment but have yet to receive it.
“What’s fair is fair, and clerical screw-ups shouldn’t be allowed to stand between federal law enforcement officers and the benefits they were promised,” said another sponsor, Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME).
Specifically, the legislation requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to take several steps to ensure officers receive their fair amounts. That includes identifying and notifying eligible officers, directing the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to make annuity corrections including retroactive adjustments for eligible officers who already retired, and allowing necessary waivers to ensure eligible officers receive the corrected retirement treatment.
It also requires a Government Accountability Office (GAO) review to improve oversight and ensure that similar issues don’t happen to future federal employees.
A similar bill passed the Senate last year.
