I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1235 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide for pay equality and 
the more accurate computation of retirement benefits for certain fire-
fighters employed by the Federal Government, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 28, 2023 
Mr. CONNOLLY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Oversight and Accountability 
A BILL 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide for pay 
equality and the more accurate computation of retire-
ment benefits for certain firefighters employed by the 
Federal Government, 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; PURPOSES. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Federal Firefighter Pay Equity Act’’. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are— 
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(1) to improve pay equality between Federal 
firefighters, other Federal employees, and municipal 
and other public sector firefighters; 
(2) to enhance recruitment and retention of 
firefighters in order to maintain the highest quality 
of Federal fire service; 
(3) to include the pay of all regularly reoccur-
ring scheduled hours during the firefighter workweek 
when computing such retirement benefits of fire-
fighters; and 
(4) to establish the regular workweek for Fed-
eral firefighters. 
SEC. 2. COMPUTATION OF PAY. 
Section 5545b(c)(1)(B) of title 5, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ‘‘2756’’ and inserting 
‘‘2087’’. 
SEC. 3. COMPUTATION OF ANNUITY BASED ON CERTAIN 
FIREFIGHTER SERVICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 5545b of title 5, United 
States Code, as amended by section 2, is further amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(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-
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itable service (or, in the case of an annuity under sub-
section (d) or (e)(1) of section 8341 or under chapter 84 
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. ESTABLISHMENT OF A MAXIMUM HOURS OF FED-
ERAL FIREFIGHTERS’ REGULAR WORKWEEK. 
Section 5545b of title 5, United States Code, as 
amended by section 3, is further amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘(f) Not later than one year after the date of enact-
ment of the Federal Firefighter Pay Equity Act, the Office 
of Personnel Management shall prescribe regulations es-
tablishing the maximum number of regularly reoccurring 
hours which comprise a workweek for a firefighter covered 
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