Federal Daily News
Lawmaker calls for removal of pension provisions from transportation bill
A Democratic congressman on Feb. 14 submitted an amendment to remove from a transportation bill measures that require federal employees to pay more into their pensions.
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) announced his submission of the amendment — which would cut the provisions from the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act (H.R. 7) — at a Feb. 14 House Rules Committee hearing.
The federal pension measures in question were inserted into H.R. 7 from a separate bill —t he Securing Annuities for Federal Employees Act (H.R. 3813) — to cover some of the costs of the transportation bill.
“By requiring federal employees to pay three to four times more money out of pocket, while at the same time reducing their benefit by up to 40 percent, House Republican leadership would subject federal retirees to yet another sacrifice while defunding transportation, particularly transit, “Connolly said in the statement.
In the amendment, Connolly substituted as a source of funding other provisions that would provide “closure of tax loopholes for large oil companies.” Several leading Democratic House members are cosponsoring the amendment.