Disabled Military Retiree Relief Act of 2009

Bill: 111-hr-2990
Sponsor: Rep. Skelton, Ike [D-MO-4]
Introduced: 2009-06-23 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Alaska
American Samoa
Caribbean area
Disability assistance
Energy research
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government trust funds
Guam
Hawaii
Health personnel
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Military medicine
Military personnel and dependents
National Guard and reserves
Northern Mariana Islands
Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
Oil and gas
Puerto Rico
Research administration and funding
Temporary and part-time employment
U.S. territories and protectorates
Veterans' pensions and compensation
Virgin Islands

Summary:
action_date: 2009-06-23
text: 
Disabled Military Retiree Relief Act of 2009 - Extends through 2010 specified authorities currently scheduled to expire at the end of 2009 with respect to certain special pay and bonus programs within the regular and reserve Armed Forces.
 
Provides for the: (1) recomputation of retired pay and adjustment of the retired grade of reserve retirees to reflect post-retirement service; (2) election to receive retired pay for non-regular service for service in an active reserve status performed after attaining eligibility for regular retirement; and (3) expansion of eligibility for the concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation to include certain disability retirees regardless of their disability rating percentage or years of service.
 
Provides, with respect to federal employees: (1) credit for certain unused sick leave; (2) a limited expansion of the class of individuals eligible to receive an actuarially reduced annuity under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS); (3) a computation of certain annuities based on part-time service; (4) the authority to deposit refunds under the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS); and (5) retirement credit for certain employees transferred from District of Columbia service to federal service.
 
Non-Foreign Area Retirement Equity Assurance Act of 2009 or Non-Foreign AREA Act of 2009 - Revises federal employee locality-based comparability payments provisions to include U.S. territories and possessions, including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, within a pay locality. Sets forth maximum rates of pay for Senior Executive Service (SES) personnel in such areas.
 
Revises the calculation of allowances based on living costs and conditions of environment for pay of employees stationed outside the continental United States or in Alaska to apply it only to areas designated as of December 31, 2009. Provides a formula for adjustment of such rate using a transition schedule for calendar years 2010 and thereafter.
 
Requires adjustment of special rates of pay determined to be necessary to obtain or retain the services of persons specified by statute in such a cost-of-living area in accordance with regulations to be prescribed by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) under this Act. Allows a temporarily raised limitation on the amount of special rates during the transition period of January 1, 2010, to January 1, 2012.
 
Expresses the sense of the Congress with respect to pay disparities and locality areas for federal positions located in Alaska, Hawaii, or a U.S. territory.
 

 
Allows an employee subject to this Act's transition schedule who retires from service during the period from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2012, to elect to have any COLA paid during that period considered as basic pay for purposes of annuity computation.
 
Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to repeal provisions relating to the Ultra-Deepwater and Unconventional Natural Gas and Other Petroleum Research Fund.

action_date: 2009-06-24
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

 
Disabled Military Retiree Relief Act of 2009 - 
Title I: Compensation and Benefits for Members of the Armed Forces and Military Retirees - Subtitle A: Bonuses and Special and Incentive Pays 
- (Sec. 101) Extends through 2010 specified authorities currently scheduled to expire at the end of 2009 with respect to certain special pay and bonus programs within the regular and reserve Armed Forces.
 

Subtitle B: Retired Pay Benefits 
- (Sec. 111) Provides for the recomputation of retired pay and adjustment of the retired grade of reserve retirees recalled to an active status in the Selected Reserve for at least two years. Authorizes the Secretary of the military department concerned to reduce the two-year service requirement for a member so recalled to serve as an adjutant or assistant adjutant general in the National Guard when the member serves for at least six months but fails to serve for two years as required by the laws of the state, district, or territory in which the member is serving.
 
(Sec. 112) Allows members who serve in an active reserve status in the Selected Reserve for at least two years after becoming eligible for active-duty (regular) retirement to elect a non-regular retirement for which they are qualified in lieu of the active-duty retirement. Authorizes the Secretary concerned to reduce the two-year service requirement for a member so recalled to serve as an adjutant or assistant adjutant general in the National Guard when the member serves for at least six months but fails to serve for two years as required by the laws of the state, district, or territory in which the member is serving.
 

Subtitle C: Concurrent Receipt of Military Retired Pay and Veterans' Disability Compensation 
- (Sec. 121) Extends through 2013 eligibility for the concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation for veterans who were retired or separated due to physical disability, regardless of their disability rating or years of service.
 

Title II: Federal Employee Benefits - Subtitle A: General Provisions 
- (Sec. 201) Provides, with respect to federal employees, credit for unused sick leave for annuity computation purposes.
 
(Sec. 202) Extends to federal employees who separated before March 1, 1991, (under current law, October 1, 1990) eligibility to receive an actuarially-reduced annuity under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS).
 
(Sec. 203) Revises the computation of certain annuities based on part-time service performed before April 7, 1986.
 
(Sec. 204) Allows federal employees under the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) to deposit retirement refunds received, with interest.
 
(Sec. 205) Provides limited federal retirement credit for service in the District of Columbia (D.C.) of certain employees who transferred to federal government service after the D.C. service, but prohibits any D.C. service from being included in the federal annuity computation. Outlines the types of D.C. service that will qualify for the federal retirement credit. Requires certification of performance of the qualifying service.
 

Subtitle B: Non-Foreign Area Retirement Equity Assurance 
- Non-Foreign Area Retirement Equity Assurance Act of 2009 or Non-Foreign AREA Act of 2009 - (Sec. 212) Revises federal employee locality-based comparability payments provisions to include U.S. territories and possessions, including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, within a pay locality. Sets forth maximum rates of pay for Senior Executive Service (SES) personnel in such areas.
 
Revises the calculation of allowances based on living costs and conditions of environment for pay of employees stationed outside the continental United States or in Alaska to apply it only to areas designated as of December 31, 2009. Provides a formula for adjustment of such rate using a transition schedule for calendar years 2010 and thereafter.
 
(Sec. 213) Requires adjustment of special rates of pay determined to be necessary to obtain or retain the services of persons specified by statute in such a cost-of-living area in accordance with regulations to be prescribed by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) under this Act.
 
(Sec. 214) Provides a phased transition schedule for the amount of special rates during the transition period of January 1, 2010, to January 1, 2012, allowing the full amount thereafter.
 
(Sec. 215) Expresses the sense of the Congress with respect to the correction of pay disparities for federal positions located in Alaska, Hawaii, or a U.S. territory and sets forth savings provisions.
 
(Sec. 216) Applies the non-foreign area pay adjustment provisions of this Subtitle to certain other federal employees, including employees of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and postal employees.
 
(Sec. 217) Allows an employee subject to this Act's transition schedule who retires from service during the period from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2012, to elect to have any COLA paid during that period considered as basic pay for purposes of annuity computation. Provides for appropriate contributions into the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Retirement Fund.
 

Title III: Deepwater Oil and Gas Research and Development Funding Source Repeal 
- (Sec. 301) Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to repeal provisions: (1) requiring the deposit of certain funds received from oil and gas leases into the Ultra-Deepwater and Unconventional Natural Gas and Other Petroleum Research Fund; and (2) establishing the Fund.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-08-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
action_date: 2009-06-25
text: Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 572, H.R. 2990 is laid on the table.
action_date: 2009-06-24
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2009-06-24
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 404 - 0 (Roll no. 433). (text: CR H7154-7160)
action_date: 2009-06-24
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 404 - 0 (Roll no. 433).(text: CR H7154-7160)
action_date: 2009-06-24
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H7162-7166, H7177-7178)
action_date: 2009-06-24
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2009-06-24
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2990.
action_date: 2009-06-24
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7154-7161)
action_date: 2009-06-24
text: Mr. Skelton moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
action_date: 2009-06-23
text: Referred to House Veterans' Affairs
action_date: 2009-06-23
text: Referred to House Natural Resources
action_date: 2009-06-23
text: Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform
action_date: 2009-06-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Natural Resources, and Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2009-06-23
text: Referred to House Armed Services
action_date: 2009-06-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-06-23
text: Introduced in House