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H.R. 1256 116th Congress House

First Responder Fair RETIRE Act

Official title: To permit disabled law enforcement officers, customs and border protection officers, firefighters, air traffic controllers, nuclear materials couriers, members… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To permit disabled law enforcement officers, customs and border protection officers, firefighters, air traffic controllers, nuclear materials couriers, members of the Capitol Police, members of the Supreme Court Police, employees of the Central Intelligence Agency performing intelligence activities abroad or having specialized security requirements, and diplomatic security special agents of the Department of State to receive retirement benefits in the same manner as if they had not been disabled.

Introduced: May 14, 2019 See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics Aviation and airportsBorder security and unlawful immigrationCentral Intelligence Agency (CIA)Congressional officers and employees
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Customs enforcementDepartment of Homeland SecurityDepartment of StateDiplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroadDisability and paralysisEmployee hiringFiresFirst responders and emergency personnelGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementIntelligence activities, surveillance, classified informationLaw enforcement officersSupreme Court
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This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 14, 2019
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Intelligence (Permanent Select), and Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Feb 14, 2019
Introduced in House
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 Latest action February 14, 2019

Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Intelligence (Permanent Select), and Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

First Responder Fair Return for Employees on Their Initial Retirement Earned Act of 2019 or the First Responder Fair RETIRE Act

This bill allows disabled federal first responders (e.g., law enforcement officers, customs and border protection officers, and firefighters) to continue receiving federal retirement benefits in the same manner as though they had not been disabled.

Under current law, federal first responders are subject to a mandatory retirement age of 57. To facilitate this earlier retirement, federal first responders are required to pay a greater percentage of their salary towards retirement. Additionally, their annuity amount is calculated at a higher rate than other federal employees.

This bill allows a federal first responder to remain in the accelerated retirement system if they are placed in another civil service position outside of that system after returning to work from a work-related injury or illness. Further, if such an employee is separated from service before they are entitled to receive an annuity, they may receive a refund of their accelerated contributions.

 Related & companion bills 3
  • S 531 First Responder Fair RETIRE Act
  • HR 8406 Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, and for other purposes.
  • S 4800 The Heroes Act
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
 Cosponsors 21
All 21 Democratic 12 Republican 7
D
Foster, Bill
Illinois · Jul 20, 2020
 D
Schrier, Kim
Washington · Jun 4, 2020
 R
Smith, Christopher H.
New Jersey · Jan 16, 2020
 D
Soto, Darren
Florida · Oct 18, 2019
 R
Bacon, Don
Nebraska · Sep 19, 2019
 R
Amodei, Mark E.
Nevada · Jul 10, 2019
Wexton, Jennifer
· Jun 18, 2019
 D
McBath, Lucy
Georgia · May 22, 2019
 R
Mast, Brian J.
Florida · May 16, 2019
Cook, Paul
· May 14, 2019
 D
Gallego, Ruben
Arizona · May 14, 2019
 D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · May 14, 2019
 D
Harder, Josh
California · May 9, 2019
 R
Cole, Tom
Oklahoma · May 1, 2019
 D
Luján, Ben Ray
New Mexico · Apr 18, 2019
 D
Aguilar, Pete
California · Mar 21, 2019
 D
Kim, Andy
New Jersey · Mar 14, 2019
 D
Pappas, Chris
New Hampshire · Mar 13, 2019
 R
Turner, Michael R.
Ohio · Mar 13, 2019
 D
Brownley, Julia
California · Mar 5, 2019
 R
Fitzpatrick, Brian K.
Pennsylvania · Feb 19, 2019
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1256: First Responder Fair RETIRE Act. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-1256/
MLA
"H.R. 1256: First Responder Fair RETIRE Act." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-1256/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1256, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-1256/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1256: First Responder Fair RETIRE Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-1256/)
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