Evening star., 1946-05-24
Committee Pushes
Retirement Bills,
Randolph Reports
By Joseph YOUNG

Chances that this session of Con-
gress will pass legislation liberal.
izing some features of the Federal
Retirement Act we're increased with
the announcement today by Chair
man Randolph of the House Civil
Service Committee that his group
will do everything possible to speed
consideration" of all bills pertaining
to retirement rights of Government
workers.
I'VE are working as hard as we can
to expedite all retirement legisla-
tion," Mr.. Randolph declared, add
ing that further hearings on the
legislation will be held by his COM
mittee the early part of next month.
Civil Service Committee was re-
ported ready to act on any legisla-
ton approved by the House group.
Bill Put Over.
Mr.. Randolph's committee at it's
next session will consider legislation
which would permit Federal workers
with 80 years of service to retire
with full annuity benefits regard
less of age. The committee had
planned to consider the bill yester-
day, but the press of other retire
ment bills made it necessary to put
it over until the next meeting.
Hearings also will be continued
at that time on the Forand bill,
which would allow laidoff Federal
employees to retire on full annuities
after Is years of service, regardless
of age.
At present, Federal workers must
reach the age of SIS before they are
entitled to even partial annuity
payments.s To retire on full annuity
benefits under the present law, Gov
ernment employees must attain the
age of so and have 30 or more years
OF Federal service. or reach the age
of 62 and have Is or more years of
service.
Cost Factor an Issue.
The chances of passage of legisla-
ton permitting full retirement
rights on 30 years of Federal service
regardless of age depends to a large
extent on the attitude of the ad-
mlnistration and the Civil Service
Commission. Although opposed to
it in the past, there are reports that
they might reconsider and approve
the legislation with certain modifica =
tlonS. Principal objection to the bill
has been the increased cost.
During yesterday afternoons ses-
sion, the House Civil Service Com
mlttee made good start on retire
ment legislation, reporting three
bills favorably.
The group favorably reported the
Senateapproved Morse bill that
would permit employees who were
retired prior to January, 1912, to
recompute their annuities at the
present rate, which is higher. The
measure now goes to the House.
Another favorably reported mea-
sure would strike out the provision
OF the Federal Retirement Act which
provides that Government workers
bedridden by disabilities must re-
turn to Federal job within a year
after they are pronounced cured, or
face the loss Of their retirement
annuity rights The approved
amendment would consider such a
Government employe who fails to
find unemployment in the Federal
service within the specified time as
having been involuntarily separated
from the Government payroll and
he would be entitled to whatever
annuity rights coming to him at
the time he was disabled.
The third approved bill would ex-
pedite payment Of annuity rights to
retired fiscal officers of the Govern
ment. At present, payments are de-
layed until the amount owed the
Government is settled with the Gen
eral Accounting Office. In case of
fraud, however, the annuity pay
ments would not be made.