I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2733
To amend title 5, United States Code, to allow Federal agencies to reimburse
their employees for certain adoption expenses.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 5, 1999
Mr. BLILEY (for himself and Mr. OBERSTAR) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform
A BILL
To amend title 5, United States Code, to allow Federal
agencies to reimburse their employees for certain adop-
tion expenses.
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 ‘‘Federal Employees
Adoption Assistance Act’’.
SEC. 2. REIMBURSEMENT FOR ADOPTION EXPENSES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 79 of title 5, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing:
‘‘§ 7906. Reimbursement for adoption expenses
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The head of each agency shall
carry out a program under which an employee of such
agency may be reimbursed, as provided in this section, for
qualified adoption expenses incurred by such employee.
‘‘(b) TREATMENT OF OTHER BENEFITS.—A benefit
may not be paid under this section for any expense paid
to or for an employee under any other adoption benefits
program administered by the Federal Government or
under any such program administered by a State or local
government.
‘‘(c) PER CHILD DOLLAR LIMITATION.—In no event
may more than $2,000 be paid under this section for ex-
penses incurred in connection with the adoption of any one
child (including if both adopting parents are employees).
‘‘(d) FUNDING.—Any amount payable under this sec-
tion to an employee shall be paid from the appropriation
or fund used to pay such employee.
‘‘(e) GUIDELINES, REGULATIONS, ETC.—
‘‘(1) GUIDELINES.—The Office of Personnel
Management may issue any general guidelines which
the Office considers necessary to promote the uni-
form administration of this section.
‘‘(2) REGULATIONS.—The head of each agency
shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section.
Any regulations prescribed by an agency within the
executive branch to carry out this section shall be
consistent with any guidelines issued under para-
graph (1).
‘‘(3) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—Upon the re-
quest of any agency, the Office may provide con-
sulting, technical, and other similar assistance to
carry out this section.
‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section—
‘‘(1) the term ‘qualified adoption expenses’, as
used with respect to an employee, means reasonable
and necessary adoption fees, court costs, attorney
fees, and other expenses—
‘‘(A) which are directly related to, and the
principal purpose of which is for, the legal
adoption of an eligible child by the employee;
‘‘(B) which are not incurred in violation of
State or Federal law or in carrying out any sur-
rogate parenting arrangement; and
‘‘(C) which are not expenses in connection
with the adoption by an individual of a child
who is the child of such individual’s spouse;
‘‘(2) the term ‘eligible child’ means any indi-
vidual who—
‘‘(A) has not attained age 18; or
‘‘(B) is physically or mentally incapable of
caring for himself;
‘‘(3) the term ‘agency’ means—
‘‘(A) an Executive agency; and
‘‘(B) the judicial branch; and
‘‘(4) the head of the agency is, in the case of
the judicial branch, the Director of the Administra-
tive Office of the United States Courts.’’.
(b) APPLICABILITY TO THE UNITED STATES POSTAL
SERVICE AND THE POSTAL RATE COMMISSION.—Section
1005(d)(2) of title 39, United States Code, is amended
by inserting ‘‘section 7906,’’ after ‘‘5532,’’.
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections
for chapter 79 of title 5, United States Code, is amended
by adding at the end the following:
‘‘7906. Reimbursement for adoption expenses.’’.
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall apply with
respect to expenses incurred on or after October 1, 1999,
or the date of enactment of this Act, whichever is later.
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