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HR 491 119th Congress House Government Operations and Politics Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management Inflation and prices

Equal COLA Act

Introduced: April 9, 2026 Introduced by: Connolly, Gerald E. Democrat · Virginia See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 16, 2025
ASSUMING FIRST SPONSORSHIP - Mr. Walkinshaw asked unanimous consent that he may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 491, a bill originally introduced by Representative Connolly, for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII. Agreed to without objection.
Jan 16, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Jan 16, 2025
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Equal COLA Act

This bill applies a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for annuities paid under the Federal Employees Retirement System that is equal to the increase in inflation, regardless of the amount of the increase.

Specifically, for any year in which the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased over the previous year, the COLA amount shall be increased by the change in the CPI from the previous year. 

Current law applies an adjustment equal to the change in CPI only if the change is 2% or less. If the change is between 2% and 3%, the adjustment is limited to 2%. If the change is more than 3%, the adjustment is limited to 1% less than the change.

What's happening now September 16, 2025

ASSUMING FIRST SPONSORSHIP - Mr. Walkinshaw asked unanimous consent that he may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 491, a bill originally introduced by Representative Connolly, for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII. Agreed to without objection.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Lobbying activity 46

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

See all 46 filings →
 Cosponsors 85
D
Wilson, Frederica S.
Florida · Jul 9, 2026
D
Dean, Madeleine
Pennsylvania · Jun 23, 2026
D
McBride, Sarah
Delaware · Jun 15, 2026
D
Bynum, Janelle S.
Oregon · May 29, 2026
D
Evans, Dwight
Pennsylvania · May 29, 2026
R
Fitzpatrick, Brian K.
Pennsylvania · May 29, 2026
D
Harder, Josh
California · May 29, 2026
D
Pettersen, Brittany
Colorado · Apr 21, 2026
D
Conaway, Herbert C.
New Jersey · Apr 16, 2026
D
Olszewski, Johnny
Maryland · Apr 9, 2026
D
Underwood, Lauren
Illinois · Apr 9, 2026
D
Magaziner, Seth
Rhode Island · Mar 27, 2026
D
Keating, William R.
Massachusetts · Mar 26, 2026
D
Vindman, Eugene Simon
Virginia · Mar 26, 2026
D
Ross, Deborah K.
North Carolina · Mar 24, 2026
D
Scott, David
Georgia · Mar 24, 2026
D
Moskowitz, Jared
Florida · Mar 18, 2026
R
Van Orden, Derrick
Wisconsin · Mar 9, 2026
D
Omar, Ilhan
Minnesota · Mar 5, 2026
D
Kennedy, Timothy M.
New York · Mar 3, 2026
D
Tonko, Paul
New York · Feb 24, 2026
D
Pingree, Chellie
Maine · Feb 11, 2026
D
Adams, Alma S.
North Carolina · Feb 10, 2026
D
Wasserman Schultz, Debbie
Florida · Feb 9, 2026
D
Balint, Becca
Vermont · Feb 3, 2026
D
Trahan, Lori
Massachusetts · Jan 8, 2026
D
Stevens, Haley M.
Michigan · Dec 17, 2025
D
Chu, Judy
California · Dec 9, 2025
D
Carbajal, Salud O.
California · Oct 31, 2025
D
Craig, Angie
Minnesota · Oct 31, 2025
D
Pallone, Frank
New Jersey · Oct 31, 2025
D
Randall, Emily
Washington · Oct 31, 2025
D
Subramanyam, Suhas
Virginia · May 20, 2025
D
Suozzi, Thomas R.
New York · May 20, 2025
D
Ansari, Yassamin
Arizona · May 14, 2025
D
Foushee, Valerie P.
North Carolina · Apr 29, 2025
R
Lawler, Michael
New York · Apr 29, 2025
D
Stansbury, Melanie A.
New Mexico · Apr 29, 2025
D
Kelly, Robin L.
Illinois · Mar 31, 2025
D
Levin, Mike
California · Mar 31, 2025
D
Casten, Sean
Illinois · Mar 26, 2025
D
McGovern, James P.
Massachusetts · Mar 14, 2025
D
Barragán, Nanette Diaz
California · Mar 3, 2025
D
Landsman, Greg
Ohio · Feb 24, 2025
D
Garcia, Robert
California · Feb 18, 2025
D
McClain Delaney, April
Maryland · Feb 18, 2025
D
Fletcher, Lizzie
Texas · Feb 10, 2025
D
Ivey, Glenn
Maryland · Feb 10, 2025
D
Norcross, Donald
New Jersey · Feb 10, 2025
D
Sykes, Emilia Strong
Ohio · Feb 10, 2025
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 491: Equal COLA Act. 119th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-491/
MLA
"H.R. 491: Equal COLA Act." 119th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-491/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 491, 119th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-491/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 491: Equal COLA Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-491/)
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