Authorization to Increase Retirement Age for Member of the Capitol Police

Floor Speech

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Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 4530) to amend chapters 83 and 84 of title 5, United States Code, to authorize an increase of the retirement age for members of the Capitol Police.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: S. 4530

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION TO INCREASE RETIREMENT AGE FOR MEMBER OF THE CAPITOL POLICE.

(a) Civil Service Retirement System.--Section 8335(c) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking ``becomes 60 years of age'' and inserting ``attains an age determined by the Board, which shall be not less than 57 years of age and not more than 62 years of age''.

(b) Federal Employees' Retirement System.--Section 8425(c) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking ``becomes 60 years of age'' and inserting ``attains an age determined by the Board, which shall be not less than 57 years of age and not more than 62 years of age''.

Mr. Speaker, the bill before us today was drafted to address staffing shortages with the United States Capitol Police.

Currently, officers are forced to retire at age 57, unless they receive a waiver from the Capitol Police Board. With a waiver, an officer may continue working until they are age 60. S. 4530 extends the waiver timeline.

Under this bill, the Capitol Police Board will have the authority to grant waivers to sworn officers until they turn 62. Right now, nearly 60 sworn officers are working with a waiver.

Unless we pass this statutory change, each of these officers will be forced to retire within the next few years. These forced retirements will only compound the staffing shortage issue that we are facing within the Capitol Police force.

Notably, there is past precedent for this policy change. On two occasions, Congress has temporarily raised the mandatory Federal law enforcement retirement age to 65 to address staffing issues at the FBI. I will also note that this bill gives the Capitol Police Board discretion when deciding who is still fit for the job.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

I just thank my colleague, Mr. Morelle, for his work in moving this bill through quickly as well as the leadership of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration for also engaging this, as well as Leader Scalise. I think we all recognize the hard work that the men and women of the United States Capitol Police force do day in and day out to make sure that this institution is open and accessible to the people and those who visit here, as well as staff and Members are kept safe.

This bill is a real opportunity to make sure that those individuals who have crossed the age of 60 but still are ready, prepared, and able to serve in the United States Capitol Police are able to do that.

I appreciate the work of all of my colleagues in moving this through. I encourage all of our colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation.

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