H.R. 521 · 117th Congress

First Responder Fair RETIRE Act

Introduced on Jan 28, 2021 by Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA-11). 26 cosponsors, 6 of them from another party. Became Public Law 117-225.

Stage
Became law
Public Law 117-225
Introduced
Jan 28, 2021
Cosponsors
26
6 from the other party
Policy area
Government Operations and Politics
Open in the Congress explorerCongress.govAlert me

Progress

The furthest stage the measure reached. Simple and concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.

  1. Introduced
  2. Reported by committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Sent to the President
  6. Became law

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.

Subjects

  • 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
  • Department of Transportation
  • 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
  • Transportation employees
  • Transportation safety and security

Summary

By the Congressional Research Service (Public Law, Dec 9, 2022). Public domain.

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

This act 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 act 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.

Sponsor and cosponsors

Cosponsors by party as of the day they signed on. Original cosponsors signed on the day of introduction.

Gerald E. ConnollyD-VA-11Sponsor

Democrats · 20

Republicans · 6

Roll calls

Recorded votes on the measure. Most measures move by voice vote or unanimous consent, which record no individual positions.

  1. On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended
    Jul 12, 2022· House· Passage· Passed 417–0

History

Every action as published, oldest first. Roll calls link to how each member voted.

  1. Jan 28, 2021Introduced in House
  2. Jan 28, 2021Introduced in House
  3. Jan 28, 2021 · HouseReferred 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.
  4. Jan 28, 2021 · HouseReferred 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.
  5. Jan 28, 2021 · HouseReferred 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.
  6. May 11, 2022 · HouseCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  7. May 11, 2022 · HouseOrdered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  8. Jul 12, 2022 · HouseMrs. Maloney, Carolyn B. moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  9. Jul 12, 2022 · HouseConsidered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5955-5959)
  10. Jul 12, 2022 · HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 521.
  11. Jul 12, 2022 · HouseAt the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  12. Jul 12, 2022 · HouseConsidered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5968-5969)
  13. Jul 12, 2022Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 417 - 0 (Roll no. 301).House · Roll call 301
  14. Jul 12, 2022 · HouseOn motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 417 - 0 (Roll no. 301). (text: CR H5955-5957)House · Roll call 301
  15. Jul 12, 2022 · HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  16. Jul 13, 2022 · SenateReceived in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  17. Aug 3, 2022 · SenateCommittee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
  18. Sep 28, 2022Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters without amendment. With written report No. 117-173.
  19. Sep 28, 2022 · SenateCommittee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters without amendment. With written report No. 117-173.
  20. Sep 28, 2022 · SenatePlaced on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 515.
  21. Nov 17, 2022Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  22. Nov 17, 2022 · SenatePassed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S6802; text: CR S6802)
  23. Nov 25, 2022 · SenateMessage on Senate action sent to the House.
  24. Dec 2, 2022Presented to President.
  25. Dec 2, 2022 · HousePresented to President.
  26. Dec 9, 2022Signed by President.
  27. Dec 9, 2022Signed by President.
  28. Dec 9, 2022Became Public Law No: 117-225.
  29. Dec 9, 2022Became Public Law No: 117-225.

Committees

Committees and subcommittees the measure was referred to.

Agencies in its committees' jurisdiction

Analisa's mapping of committee jurisdiction to federal agencies; the bill may touch others, or none of these.

Who lobbied on it

Organizations whose lobbying reports (LD-2) name this measure. Spending is what they reported for those quarters on all issues, not on this measure alone.

  1. NATIONAL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ASSOCIATION8 reports
    $3.3M reported (all issues)

Reports filed in 2023, 2024, 2025.

Sources and method

Every figure on this page traces to these records.

  • Bill status: bills and resolutions, sponsors, actions, subjects and CRS summaries (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo), from Congress.gov (Library of Congress))GovInfo Bill Status bulk data (Congress.gov; summaries by the Congressional Research Service) · data current to Oct 6, 2026 · loaded Oct 6, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Members of Congress, their terms, committees and identifiers (The @unitedstates project (from the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate))unitedstates/congress-legislators: legislators, committees and current committee membership · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
  • House roll-call votes (Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, roll-call vote records · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Senate roll-call votes and DW-NOMINATE scores (Voteview (UCLA Department of Political Science))Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2026). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com/ · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Free to use with the required citation
  • Lobbying disclosures (LD-1 registrations, LD-2 quarterly reports, LD-203 contribution reports) (Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives)Clerk of the House, Lobbying Disclosure Act filings (organizations only; lobbyists' names are not loaded) · data current to Oct 6, 2026 · loaded Oct 6, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Positions are shown only where a roll call recorded them; voice votes and unanimous consent record none.
  • Money and votes are shown side by side; neither explains the other.