I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4672 
To extend the break-in-service consideration for firefighter retirements, and 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 23, 2025 
Mr. HARDER of California (for himself and Mr. SCOTT FRANKLIN of Florida) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform 
A BILL 
To extend the break-in-service consideration for firefighter 
retirements, and other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. CONTINUING ACCRUAL OF SERVICE FOR FIRE-
FIGHTERS. 
(a) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM.— 
Section 8401(14) of title 5, United States Code, is amend-
ed to read as follows: 
‘‘(14) the term ‘firefighter’ means— 
‘‘(A) an employee, the duties of whose po-
sition— 
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‘‘(i) are primarily to perform work di-
rectly connected with the control and extin-
guishment of nonwildland fires; and 
‘‘(ii) are sufficiently rigorous that em-
ployment opportunities should be limited to 
young and physically vigorous individuals, 
as determined by the Director considering 
the recommendations of the employing 
agency; 
‘‘(B) an employee, the duties of whose po-
sition— 
‘‘(i) are primarily to perform work di-
rectly connected with the control and extin-
guishment of wildland fires; and 
‘‘(ii) are sufficiently rigorous that em-
ployment opportunities should be limited to 
young and physically vigorous individuals, 
as determined by the Director considering 
the recommendations of the employing 
agency; 
‘‘(C) an employee who— 
‘‘(i) is transferred directly to a super-
visory or administrative position after per-
forming duties described in subparagraph 
(A) for at least 3 years; and 
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‘‘(ii) while serving in such supervisory 
or administrative position, has no break in 
service; or 
‘‘(D) an employee who— 
‘‘(i) occupies a supervisory or admin-
istrative position after performing duties 
described in subparagraph (B) for not less 
than 3 years; and 
‘‘(ii) has not more than 24 months in 
total time of breaks in service;’’. 
(b) SERVICE BEFORE DATE OF ENACTMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the requirements 
under paragraph (2), service performed before the 
date of enactment of this Act by an individual who, 
on the date of enactment of this Act, is an employee 
(as defined in section 8401(11) of title 5, United 
States Code) shall, for the purposes of chapter 84 of 
title 5, United States Code, be treated as service 
performed by a firefighter if— 
(A) such service was performed during the 
period beginning on October 1, 2003, and end-
ing on the day before the date of enactment of 
this Act; 
(B) at the time of performing such serv-
ice— 
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(i) the individual did not meet the re-
quirements to be a firefighter under sec-
tion 8401(14) of title 5, United States 
Code, because of a break in service; and 
(ii) would have met the requirements 
to 
be 
a 
firefighter 
under 
section 
8401(14)(D) of title 5, United States 
Code, as amended by this Act; and 
(C) 
appropriate 
deductions 
and 
withholdings under sections 8422 and 8423 of 
title 5, United States Code, were made during 
such service. 
(2) CREDIT FOR SERVICE.—To receive credit 
for eligible service under paragraph (1), the applica-
ble individual shall— 
(A) before the date on which the individual 
separates from service in the agency in which 
the individual holds a position on the date of 
enactment of this Act, submit a written election 
to the agency employing the individual; 
(B) if the individual is not employed by the 
agency that employed the individual when the 
service described in paragraph (1) was per-
formed, submit a written election to such agen-
cy; and 
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(4) NOTIFICATION AND ASSISTANCE REQUIRE-
MENTS.—The Director of the Office of Personnel 
Management shall— 
(A) take such action as may be necessary 
and appropriate to inform individuals entitled 
to have any service credited under this sub-
section, or to have any annuity computed under 
this subsection, of the entitlement to the credit 
or computation; and 
(B) upon request, assist any individual de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) in obtaining such 
information in the possession of the Secretary 
of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior, 
as applicable, as may be necessary to verify the 
entitlement of the individual to have any service 
credited, or to have any annuity computed, pur-
suant to this subsection. 
(5) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
section shall be construed to permit or require the 
making of any contribution to the Thrift Savings 
Fund that would not otherwise have been permitted 
or required but for the enactment of this section. 
Æ 
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