I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1255 
To provide for the more accurate computation of retirement benefits for 
certain firefighters employed by the Federal Government. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 14, 2019 
Mr. CONNOLLY (for himself and Mrs. WALORSKI) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform 
A BILL 
To provide for the more accurate computation of retirement 
benefits for certain firefighters employed by the Federal 
Government. 
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 Firefighter 
Pay Equity Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(1) certain firefighters employed by the Federal 
Government are required by law to work a regular 
tour of duty consisting of 72 hours per week; 
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(2) 19 of those 72 hours per week are consid-
ered to be overtime hours for purposes of computing 
pay; 
(3) the pay computed for those 19 overtime 
hours each week are not accurately accounted for 
when computing such firefighters’ retirement bene-
fits; and 
(4) those inaccurate computations have led to 
reduced retirement benefits for Federal firefighters. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to correct 
the manner in which retirement benefits for Federal fire-
fighters are computed so as to account for pay earned for 
regularly scheduled overtime hours during a normal tour 
of duty. 
SEC. 3. COMPUTATION OF ANNUITY BASED ON CERTAIN 
FIREFIGHTER SERVICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 5545b of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(e) For purposes of any determination of ‘average 
pay’ under section 8331(4) or 8401(3), in the case of a 
firefighter who is subject to subsection (b), the rate of 
basic pay in effect for such firefighter for a year of cred-
itable service (or, in the case of an annuity under sub-
section (d) or (e)(1) of section 8341 or under chapter 84 
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based on less than 3 years of creditable service, for any 
other period of creditable service) shall, in addition to the 
amount determined under subsection (b) for such year (or 
other period), include an amount equal to one-half the 
firefighter’s basic hourly rate (as computed under sub-
section (b)(1)(A)) for such year (or other period) times 
the number of overtime hours included as part of such 
firefighter’s regular tour of duty during such year (or 
other period).’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Sections 8331(4) 
and 8401(3) of title 5, United States Code, are amended 
by striking the semicolon at the end and inserting ‘‘, sub-
ject to section 5545b(e);’’. 
SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
The amendments made by this Act shall apply with 
respect to any annuity, entitlement to which is based on 
a separation from service occurring after the end of the 
60-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of 
this Act. 
Æ 
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