A bill to amend chapters 83 and 84 of title 5, United States Code, to authorize an increase of the retirement age for members of the Capitol Police.
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This law authorizes the Capitol Police Board to waive the mandatory retirement age for Capitol Police officers up to age 62, raising the previous waiver ceiling of age 60.
What this law does
What it does
The law amends two provisions of title 5 of the U.S. Code governing retirement for Capitol Police members under the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees' Retirement System. It replaces language that let the Capitol Police Board waive mandatory retirement only up to age 60 with new language letting the Board set a waiver age anywhere between 57 and 62, when it determines doing so serves the public interest.
The change affects only the outer bound of the waiver the Board may grant; it does not alter the standard mandatory retirement rules of age 57 or 20 years of service (whichever is later for members over 57). It applies narrowly to Capitol Police retirement administration and does not change retirement rules for other federal law enforcement officers.
Key provisions
- 1Amends the Civil Service Retirement System provision to let the Capitol Police Board set a member's retirement age between 57 and 62, rather than a fixed waiver to age 60.
- 2Makes the identical change to the Federal Employees' Retirement System provision governing Capitol Police retirement age waivers.
Who is affected
Members of the United States Capitol Police who reach mandatory retirement age, and the Capitol Police Board, which decides whether to grant an individual officer a waiver extending their service up to age 62 instead of the previous age-60 limit.
Why it matters
Capitol Police officers nearing mandatory retirement could now be permitted to serve up to two additional years if the Board finds it in the public interest, potentially helping retain experienced officers amid staffing needs, while the Board retains discretion over whether and how long to extend any individual's service.
What changed
Changes to existing law
Amends 5 U.S.C. § 8335(c) (Sec. 1(a))
Replaces the age-60 waiver ceiling with Board discretion to set a retirement age between 57 and 62.
Amends 5 U.S.C. § 8425(c) (Sec. 1(b))
Replaces the age-60 waiver ceiling with Board discretion to set a retirement age between 57 and 62.
Agencies directed to act
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
Became Public Law No: 119-95.
Official CRS summary
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This act authorizes the Capitol Police Board to increase the mandatory retirement age for a member of the Capitol Police to up to age 62 when the board determines such waiver is in the public interest.
Under current law, members of the Capitol Police are generally subject to mandatory retirement at (1) age 57; or (2) upon completing 20 years of service if the member is older than 57. Previously, a waiver from the board would authorize a member to continue working until age 60.
The act authorizes the board to issue a waiver specifying a retirement age between 57 and 62.
Legislative subjects
Congressional agencies; Congressional officers and employees; Government Operations and Politics; Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management; Law enforcement officers; U.S. Capitol