IB 

Union Calendar No. 118 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 22 

[Report No. 111–216] 

To amend chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, to allow the United 

States Postal Service to pay its share of contributions for annuitants’ 

health benefits out of the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 6, 2009 

Mr. MCHUGH (for himself and Mr. DAVIS of Illinois) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government 

Reform 

JULY 21, 2009 

Additional sponsors: Mr. GORDON of Tennessee, Mr. TERRY, Mr. ELLISON, 

Mr. BISHOP of New York, Mr. WALZ, Mr. EDWARDS of Texas, Mr. PASTOR of Arizona, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. 

SESTAK, Mr. LATHAM, Mr. KAGEN, Mr. BOREN, Mr. MASSA, Mr. 

KUCINICH, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. BARTLETT, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. VISCLOSKY, Mr. REHBERG, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, Mr. KILDEE, 

Mr. SPACE, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. PLATTS, Mr. BACA, Mr. 

CARNEY, Mr. CHANDLER, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of 

Florida, Mr. HARE, Mr. BOSWELL, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Mr. MICHAUD, 

Mr. MOORE of Kansas, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. YOUNG of Florida, Mr. 

OBERSTAR, Mrs. HALVORSON, Mr. MURTHA, Mr. BRALEY of Iowa, Mr. 

FILNER, Ms. PINGREE of Maine, Mr. UPTON, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, 

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut, Mr. BERRY, Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. HONDA, Mr. FOSTER, Mr. SIMPSON, 

Mr. CARNAHAN, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mrs. MILLER of Michigan, Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. 

GRAVES, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Ms. 

CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. SIRES, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. PATRICK J. 

MURPHY of Pennsylvania, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. ALTMIRE, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. MINNICK, Mr. STUPAK, Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey, Mr. 

GRAYSON, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mrs. MALONEY, 


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Mrs. EMERSON, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. COFFMAN

of Colorado, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. PASCRELL, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. HILL, 

Mr. PAYNE, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. TONKO, Mr. HIMES, Mr. ADLER of New 

Jersey, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. HOLT, Mr. 

FRELINGHUYSEN, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. TIERNEY, Mr. 

LOBIONDO, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. LOEBSACK, Mr. THOMPSON of 

Pennsylvania, Mr. SCHAUER, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. FARR, Mr. 

SHIMKUS, Ms. SUTTON, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Ms. GIFFORDS, 

Mr. RUSH, Mr. PAUL, Mr. ARCURI, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. COHEN, Mr. 

MORAN of Kansas, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mrs. DAHLKEMPER, Mr. CONNOLLY

of Virginia, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. ROSS, Mr. 

MORAN of Virginia, Ms. HIRONO, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Mr. BAIRD, Mr. 

BOUSTANY, Mr. DENT, Ms. TITUS, Mr. ALEXANDER, Ms. BERKLEY, Ms. 

HARMAN, Mr. LANCE, Mr. TIM MURPHY of Pennsylvania, Ms. LINDA T. 

SA ́NCHEZ of California, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. MCMAHON, Mr. 

DOGGETT, Mr. HALL of Texas, Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. 

DAVIS of Tennessee, Mr. MATHESON, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. SOUDER, Mr. 

MITCHELL, Ms. RICHARDSON, Mr. SNYDER, Mr. BURGESS, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. CARDOZA, Mrs. KIRKPATRICK of Arizona, Mr. 

PRICE of North Carolina, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. FLEMING, Mr. 

RODRIGUEZ, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of 

Florida, Ms. JENKINS, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. BERMAN, Ms. LEE of California, 

Mr. TURNER, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. BILBRAY, Mrs. CAPPS, 

Mr. HODES, Mr. CAO, Mr. KIND, Mr. KISSELL, Mr. MAFFEI, Mr. BRADY

of Pennsylvania, Mr. ISSA, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. CROWLEY, Ms. MARKEY of Colorado, Mr. DEAL of Georgia, Mr. WILSON of 

Ohio, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. KLEIN of Florida, 

Mr. RAHALL, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. CLAY, Ms. 

GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida, Mr. THORNBERRY, Mr. HIGGINS, Mr. 

GERLACH, Mrs. LUMMIS, Ms. KOSMAS, Mr. SALAZAR, Mr. 

FORTENBERRY, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. BROWN of South Carolina, Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan, Ms. NORTON, Mr. ELLSWORTH, Mr. CHILDERS, 

Mr. BLUNT, Mr. DONNELLY of Indiana, Mr. MELANCON, Mr. CUMMINGS, 

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. SHERMAN, Mr. DICKS, Mr. 

KLINE of Minnesota, Mr. WALDEN, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mrs. 

BONO MACK, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. LUCAS, Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland, Mr. 

WELCH, Mr. HOEKSTRA, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. BOCCIERI, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. 

REICHERT, Mr. JONES, Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey, Mr. MOLLOHAN, 

Mr. CHAFFETZ, Mr. POLIS of Colorado, Mr. MARKEY of Massachusetts, 

Mr. BOUCHER, Ms. GRANGER, Mr. CALVERT, Mrs. TAUSCHER, Mr. 

SMITH of Nebraska, Mr. SARBANES, Mr. SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. WU, Mr. 

PUTNAM, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. DRIEHAUS, Ms. 

FOXX, Mrs. LOWEY, Mr. TIAHRT, Mr. PETERSON, Mr. ROONEY, Ms. 

CLARKE, Mr. MEEK of Florida, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. PETERS, Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois, Mr. OLVER, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. CASTLE, Mr. 

GALLEGLY, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. SHULER, Mr. 

HALL of New York, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Mr. STARK, Mr. TEAGUE, Mr. 

WAXMAN, Mr. SCHRADER, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California, Mr. 

NADLER of New York, Mr. INSLEE, Mr. BARROW, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, 

Mr. SKELTON, Mr. WEINER, Mr. LUETKEMEYER, Mr. BUYER, Mr. LEE

of New York, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Mr. POSEY, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. 


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ETHERIDGE, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. MILLER of North Carolina, Mr. MICA, Mr. 

LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. HEINRICH, Ms. WATSON, Ms. 

FUDGE, Ms. KILROY, Mr. INGLIS, Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. CASSIDY, Ms. 

DEGETTE, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Ms. TSONGAS, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. NYE, 

Mr. POMEROY, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Ms. SCHWARTZ, Mr. GUTHRIE, Mr. 

CAPUANO, Ms. BORDALLO, Ms. WATERS, Mr. BONNER, Mr. NEAL of 

Massachusetts, Mr. COBLE, Mr. PIERLUISI, Mr. LATOURETTE, Mr. TANNER, Mr. PETRI, Mr. LUJA ́N, Mr. CARTER, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. LATTA, 

Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. 

RUPPERSBERGER, Mr. AUSTRIA, Ms. BEAN, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. 

CUELLAR, Mr. KRATOVIL, Mr. CAMP, Mr. BRADY of Texas, Mr. REYES, 

Mr. PAULSEN, Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS, Mr. WOLF, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. 

TIBERI, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. MILLER of 

Florida, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. SCHOCK, 

and Mr. SESSIONS

JULY 21, 2009 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 


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A BILL 

To amend chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, to 

allow the United States Postal Service to pay its share 

of contributions for annuitants’ health benefits out of 

the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund. 


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1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTIONS FOR POSTAL 

4 ANNUITANTS’ HEALTH BENEFITS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 8906(g)(2)(A) of title 5, 

6 United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘shall through 

7 September 30, 2016, be paid by the United States Postal 

8 Service, and thereafter’’. 

9 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

10 subsection (a) shall be effective as of October 1, 2008. 

11 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

12 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States Postal 

13 Service Financial Relief Act of 2009’’. 

14 SEC. 2. GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTIONS FOR POSTAL ANNU15 ITANTS’ HEALTH BENEFITS. 

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (2)(A) of section 

17 8906(g) of title 5, United States Code, is amended to read 

18 as follows: 

19 ‘‘(2)(A)(i) The Government contributions authorized 

20 by this section for health benefits for an individual who first 

21 becomes an annuitant by reason of retirement from 

22 employment with the United States Postal Service on or 

23 after July 1, 1971, or for a survivor of such an individual 

24 or of an individual who died on or after July 1, 1971, while 

25 employed by the Postal Service, shall— 


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1 ‘‘(I) except as provided in clause (ii), be paid by 

2 the Postal Service through September 30, 2016; and 

3 ‘‘(II) after September 30, 2016, be paid first 

4 from the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund 

5 up to the amount contained in the Fund, with any 

6 remaining amount paid by the Postal Service. 

7 ‘‘(ii) The Government contributions payable under this 

8 paragraph for a fiscal year which is within the period 

9 beginning with fiscal year 2009 and ending with fiscal year 

10 2011 shall be paid in the manner set forth in clause (i)(II) 

11 (rather than clause (i)(I)).’’. 

12 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE; RECOVERY OF PRIOR

13 PAYMENTS; DEFINITIONS.— 

14 (1) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section and the 

15 amendment made by this section shall be effective as 

16 of October 1, 2008, and shall apply with respect to 

17 Government contributions payable for pay periods 

18 beginning on or after that date. 

19 (2) RECOVERY OF PRIOR PAYMENTS.—In the case 

20 of any direct contributions made for any pay period 

21 beginning on or after the effective date of this section 

22 and ending before the date of enactment of this Act, 

23 the United States Postal Service may recover the 

24 amount of those direct contributions so made through 

25 offsets against any amounts which (but for this 


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1 paragraph) would otherwise be payable, on or after 

2 such date of enactment, under section 8909a of title 

3 5, United States Code. 

4 (3) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this subsection 

5 the term ‘‘direct contributions’’ refers to contributions 

6 payable in the manner described in subclause (I) of 

7 section 8906(g)(2)(A)(i) of title 5, United States Code 

8 (as amended by subsection (a)). 

9 SEC. 3. TECHNICAL CORRECTION. 

10 The heading for section 8909a of title 5, United States 

11 Code, is amended by striking ‘‘BENEFIT’’ and inserting 

12 ‘‘BENEFITS’’. 


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Union Calendar No. 118 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 22 

[Report No. 111–216] 

A BILL 

To amend chapter 89 of title 5, United States 

Health Benefits Fund. health benefits out of the Postal Service Retiree to pay its share of contributions for annuitants’ Code, to allow the United States Postal Service 

JULY 21, 2009 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


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