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HR 1256 116th Congress House Government Operations and Politics Aviation and airports Border security and unlawful immigration Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Congressional officers and employees Customs enforcement Department of Homeland Security Department of State Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad Disability and paralysis Employee hiring Fires First responders and emergency personnel Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information Law enforcement officers Supreme Court

First Responder Fair RETIRE Act

Introduced: May 14, 2019 See on congress.gov
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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 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.

What's happening now 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.

 Related & companion bills 3
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
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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