Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-06-05
Police Pension Bill
Held Up for Study
Issues Raised
By Williams
Forces Move

Bowling to the force of argyll
ments raised by Senator Will
liamS, Republican of Delaware,
the Senate District Committee
today withdrew from immediate
Senate consideration bill
liberalizing retirement for WASH
ington police and f1remen.
The action was taken at the
request of Senator Bible, DEM
ocrat of Nevada. chairman of the
Fiscal subcommittee of the Sem
ate District Committee in charge
of the bill. 1t was indicated that
additional hearings would be
held next week.
The bill was debated at length
Monday, with the Delaware Sem
ator raising a long list of ques-
tons as to how much difference
there would be between the new
retirement plan for Washington
police and firemen and that now
provided by law for members of
the classified and other groups
OF Federal Government en-
ployeS. 1t had been intended to
make the retirement system for
the District police and firemen
more attractive so as to increase
recruitment but Senator Will
liams raised questions that the
Senate District Committee could
not Immediately answer.
Death of Bill Feared
Pending was a motion by Sem
ator Williams to recommit the
bill. There were warnings Mon
day night that if this were
adopted it might mean the death
of the bill for this session of
Congress.
A way out of this situation
was found this morning at a
conference between spokesman
for the District Committee and
the police and f1remen forces
involved in the measure. Under
this, at the opening of the Sem
ate session today, Senator Will
liams withdrew his motion for
recommlttal. Immediately there
after. Senator Bible, friend in
stead of an adversary, made the
same motion for recommittal,
which was approved.
So the whole issue goes back
to the District Committee for
further hearings to iron out
questions by Senator Williams.
One of the questions is wheth-
er there is any real need or JUS
LITIGATION for the proposals in
the pending measure for an in
centive added one per cent on
retirement pay for police and
flremen who serve longer than
20 years.
Under the pending bill, police
and firemen could retire at full
pension after 20 years of servcie,
with a minimum age require
ment of so years. but the per-
centage factor would be raised
from two to three per cent, re-
lated to the last annual pay and
the number of years of service
the officer continued on duty
after 20 years of service.
d. c. Pays Salary
Another question raised by
Senator Williams which caused
some concern among the mem
bers of the Senate District Com
was that under the pend.
ing legislation there would be
created two different types of
retirement for members of the
United States Park Police. Those
assigned to work within the
boundaries of the District of
Columbia would get greater re-
tlrement benefits than members
OF the Park Police assigned to
duty outside of the Capital.
The District pays the salary
and retirement of Park Police
assigned 10 work within the Cap
ital. Pay and retirement costs
of those assigned elsewhere are
the responsibility of the Federal
Government
Senator Williams has argued
that these subjects should be
considered in more detail and
they are among subjects expected
to be taken up at further Senate
District Committee hearings.