I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2004 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to continue supplemental dental and 
vision benefits and long-term care insurance coverage for Federal employ-
ees affected by a Government shutdown, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 1, 2019 
Mr. CUMMINGS (for himself, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. MEADOWS, Ms. CLARK of 
Massachusetts, Mr. YOUNG, and Mr. TAYLOR) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform 
A BILL 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to continue supple-
mental dental and vision benefits and long-term care 
insurance coverage for Federal employees affected by 
a Government shutdown, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ensuring FEDVIP 
and FLTCIP Coverage During Shutdowns Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. CONTINUING SUPPLEMENTAL DENTAL AND VISION 
BENEFITS AND LONG-TERM CARE INSUR-
ANCE COVERAGE DURING A GOVERNMENT 
SHUTDOWN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title 5, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in section 8956, by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(d) Coverage under a dental benefits plan under this 
chapter for any employee enrolled in such a plan and who, 
as a result of a lapse in appropriations, is furloughed or 
excepted from furlough and working without pay shall 
continue during such lapse and may not be cancelled as 
a result of nonpayment of premiums or other periodic 
charges due to such lapse.’’; 
(2) in section 8986, by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(d) Coverage under a vision benefits plan under this 
chapter for any employee enrolled in such a plan and who, 
as a result of a lapse in appropriations, is furloughed or 
excepted from furlough and working without pay shall 
continue during such lapse and may not be cancelled as 
a result of nonpayment of premiums or other periodic 
charges due to such lapse.’’; and 
(3) in section 9003, by adding at the end the 
following: 
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‘‘(e) EFFECT OF GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.—Cov-
erage under a master contract under this chapter for long- 
term care insurance for an employee or member of the 
uniformed services enrolled under such contract and who, 
due to a lapse in appropriations, is furloughed or excepted 
from furlough and working without pay shall continue 
during such lapse and may not be cancelled as a result 
of nonpayment of premiums or other periodic charges due 
to such lapse.’’. 
(b) REGULATIONS.—The Director of the Office of 
Personnel Management shall prescribe regulations under 
which premiums for supplemental dental, supplemental vi-
sion, or long-term care insurance under chapter 89A, 89B, 
or 90 (respectively) of title 5, United States Code, (as 
amended by subsection (a)) that are unpaid by an em-
ployee or member of the uniformed services (as the case 
may be), as a result of that employee or member being 
furloughed or excepted from furlough and working without 
pay as a result of a lapse in appropriations, are paid to 
the applicable carrier from back pay made available to the 
employee or member as soon as practicable upon the end 
of such lapse. 
(c) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by sub-
section (a) shall apply to any contract for supplemental 
dental, supplemental vision, or long-term care insurance 
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under chapter 89A, 89B, or 90 (respectively) of title 5, 
United States Code, entered into before, on, or after the 
date of enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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