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HR3226FEDERALin_committee

Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act

May 7, 2025

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Where This Stands

Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Signed

Currently in_committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Last action
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.May 7, 2025

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

This bill changes retirement eligibility and contribution requirements for specific federal employees, including IRS tax collectors, postal inspectors, VA police, and certain Customs and Border Protection specialists, potentially altering their retirement timelines and pension calculations.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

IRS tax collection employees

These employees are newly classified as law enforcement officers for retirement purposes.

VA police officers

These employees are newly classified as law enforcement officers for retirement purposes.

Federal agencies employing these staff

Agencies must remit additional retirement contributions for their employees' past service over a 10-year period.

What changed

Current stage: in_committee.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Summary

This bill expands the federal definition of 'law enforcement officer' to include several additional job categories, allowing these employees to qualify for specific federal retirement benefits. It also provides a process for current employees in these roles to count their past service toward these retirement benefits.

Key Facts

  • Expands the definition of 'law enforcement officer' under federal retirement law (Title 5) to include specific IRS, Postal Inspection, VA police, and Customs and Border Protection roles.
  • Allows current employees ('incumbents') in these newly defined roles to count past service toward law enforcement retirement status.
  • Requires incumbents to submit a written election to the OPM Director within 5 years or before leaving service to count past time.
  • Allows incumbents to pay a deposit to cover the difference in retirement contributions for past service, plus interest.
  • Provides that if an incumbent does not pay the full deposit, their past service still counts, but their future annuity will be reduced to cover the unpaid amount.
  • Requires federal agencies to pay the government's share of retirement contributions for an incumbent's past service, spread over a 10-year period.
  • Grants a 3-year exemption from mandatory retirement separation for these newly classified officers upon the bill's enactment.
  • Directs the OPM Director to create regulations for implementation, including rules for survivor annuities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this bill apply to me if I am already retired?
The bill specifically defines an '' as an individual serving as a law enforcement officer on the date of enactment, suggesting it applies to current employees.
Do I have to pay money to get credit for my past years of service?
You may choose to pay a deposit to cover the difference in retirement contributions for your past service. If you do not pay, your service still counts, but your future retirement will be reduced to account for the unpaid amount.
What happens if I don't make an election within 5 years?
The bill requires the election to be submitted by the earlier of 5 years after enactment or the date you separate from service.

Why It Matters

This bill changes retirement eligibility and contribution requirements for specific federal employees, including IRS tax collectors, postal inspectors, VA police, and certain Customs and Border Protection specialists, potentially altering their retirement timelines and pension calculations.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Lobbying Activity

AARP

$4,110,000

2026

HEALTH ISSUESMEDICARE/MEDICAIDLAW ENFORCEMENT/CRIME/CRIMINAL JUSTICEPHARMACY

P.L. 119-21, One Big Beautiful Bill Act H.R. 8867, Planning for Long-term Aging Needs (PLAN) Act H.R. 5861, Legacy Act of 2025 H.R. 9393, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. H.R. 9396, the Prior Authorization Accountability Act. S. 4916, the Aging with Artificial Intelligence Act. H.R. 8100, Safe Staffing Saves Lives Act. S. 3886, Nurses Belong in Nursing Homes Act. H.R. 6766/S. 3492, the Essential Caregivers Act of 2025. H.R. 7966/S. 4118, Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act. S. 2120, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 H.R. 5575, the Firefighters Assisting Seniors to Emergency Response (FASTER) Act of 2025. H.R. 3954/S. 4641, Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act. H.R.5554/S.2831, Stand Strong for Medicare Act. S. 3439/H.R. 6735, Connecting Caregivers to Medicare Act and efforts related to the bill S. 1227/H.R. 2491, Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act S. 668/H.R. 3183, Supporting Access to Falls Education and Prevention and Strengthening Training Efforts and Promoting Safety Initiatives (SAFE STEPS) for Veterans Act of 2025 CMS-1851-P, Hospice Proposed rule. CMS-1843-P, Skilled Nursing Facility Proposed rule. CMS-1844-P, Home Health Proposed rule. No bill number. Health care transparency. No bill number. Discussed use of artificial intelligence and health data technology. No bill number. Discussed health-related policies and activities around the fall respiratory virus season. No bill number. Discussed health insurance affordability proposals. No bill number. Discussed Nursing Home staffing standards, safety, and quality. No bill number. Discussed Nursing home transparency and ownership requirements. No bill number. Discussed home health, hospice, and long-term care. No bill number. Discussed falls prevention. No bill number. Discussed social isolation. No bill number. Discussed HUD Assisted Living Requirements No bill number. Discussed family caregiving. No bill number. Discussed AARP paper on Medicare Caregiver Training Services. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid community engagement interim final rule, including the family caregiver exemption. No bill number. Discussed the paid direct care workforce in long-term care. No bill number. Discussed the unaffordability of long-term care. No bill number. Discussed Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program and Medicaid HCBS spousal impoverishment protections. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid fraud and family caregivers, Medicaid self-direction programs. No bill number. Discussed sandwich generation family caregiver hearing and submitted a statement for the record discussing family caregivers and sandwich generation caregivers, programs that support them, AARP caregiving resources, and federal policies to support sandwich generation caregivers and caregivers more broadly. No bill number. Discussed long-term care. No bill number. CMS-2453-NC; Medicaid Program; 2028 Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Quality Measure Set Submitted comments No bill number. Discussed expanding access to home care. No bill number. Discussed the increasing cost of home care No bill number. Discussed HSA use for telehealth chronic care management services/subscriptions. No bill number. Discussed artificial intelligence and technology

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Expansion of Law Enforcement Retirement Status

The bill significantly broadens the federal 'law enforcement officer' definition to include administrative and support-adjacent roles like seized property specialists and tax collectors.

Connected Entities

personGerry ConnollyU.S. Representative who co-sponsored the bill.Map →
personBrian FitzpatrickU.S. Representative who co-sponsored the bill.Map →
personAndrew GarbarinoU.S. Representative who introduced the bill.Map →
organizationInternal Revenue ServiceEmployees involved in tax collection and returns are included in the new definitMap →
organizationU.S. Customs and Border ProtectionSeized property specialists in the GS-1801 series are included in the new definiMap →
organizationOffice of Personnel ManagementThe Director is responsible for managing elections and regulations related to thMap →
organizationUnited States Postal Inspection ServiceEmployees are included in the new definition.Map →
organizationDepartment of Veterans AffairsPolice officers under section 902 are included in the new definition.Map →

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz15
    Current news / social attention level

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