Fitzpatrick unveils bipartisan, bicameral bill to ensure injured federal first responder benefits

Full retirement benefits would be available for federal law enforcement officials, firefighters and other first responders if they are injured on the job under a proposed bipartisan, bicameral bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).

“Our federal first responders deserve our full support for their public service, and I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation… to make sure that we have the backs of these everyday heroes,” Rep. Fitzpatrick said.

The First Responder Fair Return for Employees on Their Initial Retirement Earned Act of 2021, H.R. 521, or the First Responder Fair RETIRE Act, would permit disabled law enforcement officers, customs and border protection officers, firefighters, air traffic controllers, nuclear materials couriers, members of the U.S. Capitol Police, members of the U.S. Supreme Court Police, employees of the Central Intelligence Agency, and diplomatic security special agents of the U.S. State Department to receive retirement benefits in the same manner as if they had not been disabled, according to the bill’s text. 

Rep. Fitzpatrick on Jan. 28 introduced H.R. 521 with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-VA), while U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jon Tester (D-MT) on the same day introduced their bill, S. 129, in the U.S. Senate.

According to information provided by Rep. Fitzpatrick’s office, Congress created an accelerated retirement system for federal first responder positions and established a mandatory retirement age of 57 referred to as Section 6c of the law in which this retirement system was established. Sec. 6c entitles federal first responders to an annuity after serving for 20 years and reaching age 50, among other provisions.

If enacted, the First Responder Fair RETIRE Act would address inequities facing injured federal first responders by allowing them to stay in the Sec. 6c retirement system if they are placed in another civil service position outside of that system after returning to work from a duty-related injury, the information says.

“Our federal firefighters and federal law enforcement officers, especially those injured on the job, should not be penalized and deprived of the retirement security they have earned,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. 

The measure is supported by the National Federation of Federal Employees, the International Association of Fire Fighters, and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.