Bills
| 3.23.22

Should Members of Congress Not Get a Taxpayer-Funded Pension? (H.R. 191)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H.R. 191?

(Updated May 31, 2020)

This bill — known as the EPIC Act — would exclude members of Congress (except the vice president) from further coverage the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees’ Retirement System (FERS) through which they’re currently entitled to receive a pension. It would prohibit future contributions or deductions from a member’s pay to be deposited into the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, although benefits accrued up until the date of enactment would still be paid out. Lawmakers

Nothing in this bill could:

  • Be considered as nullifying, modifying, or otherwise affecting any right, entitlement, or benefit under CSRS or FERS for any member covering any period before the bill’s enactment.

  • Affect the eligibility of a member to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan in accordance with applicable law.

This bill’s full title is the End Pensions in Congress Act.

Argument in favor

Pensions are a rarity in modern times for private sector workers, and it makes no sense for taxpayers to foot the bill to pay pensions to members of Congress, especially when lawmakers can increase their own benefits.

Argument opposed

Pension plans for members of Congress may seem like an excessive perk, but they help provide a living for lawmakers and their families after their time as a legislator has ended.

Impact

Taxpayers; members of Congress and their families; and federal pension administrators.

Cost of H.R. 191

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) reintroduced this bill from the 115th Congress to end Congressional pensions for all future members. Last Congress, Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), who declined his pension when he took office, introduced this bill to end congressional pensions for all future members as well as those currently serving who aren’t vested into the congressional retirement plan:

“Taxpayer-funded pensions for members of Congress are a relic of a bygone era and constitute a waste of taxpayer funds. Taxpayer-funded pensions promote careerism in Congress and shield retired members of Congress from living and working under the laws that they pass. Ending pensions for members of Congress will help reform the culture of Washington and will help to drain the swamp.”

There are no cosponsors of this bill in the current Congress. Last Congress, this legislation had the support of four Republican cosponsors in the House.


Of Note: Members of Congress are eligible for CSRS and FERS at age 62 if they've completed five years of service, at age 50 following 20 years of service, or at any age after 25 years of service. The amount of the pension depends on years of service and the average of the highest three years of salary, and the starting amount of their annuity may not exceed 80 percent of his or her final salary.

According to the Social Security Administration, from 1980 through 2008 the proportion of private sector workers participating in defined benefit pension plans fell from 38 percent to 20 percent.

Media:

Summary by Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: Speaker.gov / Public Domain)