Bills
| 3.23.22

Do Secret Service Agents Need Back Pay for the Unpaid Overtime They Worked in 2016? (H.R. 6302)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H.R. 6302?

(Updated July 13, 2017)

This bill was enacted on December 16, 2016

This bill would change the classification of overtime pay for Secret Service agents as their basic pay rather than “additional pay” to allow them to receive back pay for their uncompensated overtime during 2016.

Under current law, annual pay for Secret Service agents — including overtime — is capped at $160,300 but during presidential election years the amount that they work far exceeds that because the candidates need protection details (in addition to the president and vice president if they aren’t running). A report in the Washington Post detailed the situation, noting that several agents exceeded the pay cap by more than $25,000.

Argument in favor

Secret Service agents put their lives on the line daily to protect our nation’s leaders, they deserve to be paid for every minute they’re on the clock and to receive back pay for overtime that wouldn’t be paid under current law.

Argument opposed

Secret Service agents don’t do their job for a paycheck, they do it because they want to keep our nation’s leaders safe and willingly signed up for that despite knowing about the pay cap.

Impact

Secret Service agents; and the federal government.

Cost of H.R. 6302

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) introduced this bill to ensure that Secret Service agents get back pay for overtime that they worked in excess of their pay cap in 2016. As reported by the Washington Post, Chaffetz said:

“Almost every single agent  in the Secret Service has performed overtime for which they have not been compensated. … This is not a volunteer job and when you take yourself and put your life on the line to protect others and protect this nation … you should get compensated for that.”

This legislation pass the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on a voice vote.


Media:

Summary by Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: Chuck Patch / Creative Commons)