{"bills":[{"photos":{"featured":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr322-115/featured_end-pensions-in-congress-act-1503007878.jpg","featured_large":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr322-115/featured_large_end-pensions-in-congress-act-1503007878.jpg","shareable":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/bills/hr322-115.png"},"introduced_on":"2017-01-05","title_override":"Should Members of Congress Not Get a Taxpayer-Funded Pension?","summary_override":"

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.

","official_title":"To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide for the termination of certain retirement benefits for Members of Congress, except the right to continue participating in the Thrift Savings Plan, and for other purposes.","short_title":"End Pensions in Congress Act","popular_title":null,"short_summary":"End Pensions in Congress Act or the EPIC Act\n\n This bill amends the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS) to exclude Members of Congress, except the Vice President, from further CSRS and FERS retirement coverage.\n\nThe bill prohibits further government contributions or deductions from such Member's basic pay for deposit in the Treasury to the credit of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund.\n\nNothing in this bill shall: (1) be considered to nullify, modify, or otherwise affect any right, entitlement, or benefit under CSRS or FERS for any Member covering any period before enactment of this bill; or (2) affect the eligibility of a Member to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan in accordance with otherwise applicable law.\n\nMembers covered by such exclusion, within 90 days after enactment of this bill, may elect to remain subject to CSRS or FERS, as the case may be.","summarized":true,"cost":null,"cost_commentary":"A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.","impact":"Taxpayers; members of Congress and their families; and federal pension administrators.","argument_for":"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_against":"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.","bill_type":"hr","published":true,"type":"FederalBill","id":"hr322-115","bill_id":"hr322-115","formal_id":"H.R. 322","chamber":"house","congress":115,"last_action_at":"2017-01-05T00:00:00.000Z","active":false,"enacted":false,"enacted_at":null,"vetoed":false,"last_vote_at":null,"debated_on":null,"congress_url":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th/house-bill/322","plain_text_url":"https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-115hr322ih/html/BILLS-115hr322ih.htm","shareable_image_url":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/bills/hr322-115.png","congress_full_text_url":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th/house-bill/322/text","is_current_congress":false,"last_version_on":"2017-01-05","related_bill_ids":["hr4981-115","hr1935-115","hr145-115"],"progress":"Introduced","house_passage_result":false,"senate_passage_result":false,"position_count":1084,"committees":[{"name":"Committee on Administration","chamber":"house","committee_id":"HSHA","subcommittee":false},{"name":"Committee on Oversight and Reform","chamber":"house","committee_id":"HSGO","subcommittee":false}],"links":{"rollCalls":"/api/roll_calls?bill_id=hr322-115","details":"/api/bills/hr322-115/details","sharingMessage":"/api/sharing_messages/hr322-115","positionsFor":"/api/bills/hr322-115/positions/for","positionsAgainst":"/api/bills/hr322-115/positions/against"},"upcoming":false,"cosponsors_count":4,"slug":"hr322-115-end-pensions-in-congress-act","latest_chamber_votes_id":null,"official_url":null,"target_video":true,"following":false,"vote_count":5894,"yea_vote_count":4773,"nay_vote_count":1104,"passed_house":false,"passed_senate":false,"vote_id":null,"my_position_id":null,"topic_ids":["government"],"issue_ids":["government"],"sponsor_id":156}],"votes":[],"issues":[{"id":"government","name":"Government","slug":"government","description":"Federal legislation related to the operations of the US Federal Government. 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If they earn Social Security AND get a pension, then absolutely not. No double dipping. They SHOULD be enrolled in Social Security without a cap.","argument_against":null,"show_argument_for":true,"show_argument_against":false,"upvote_count":0,"upvotes_for_count":0,"upvotes_against_count":null,"has_upvoted":false,"endorsement_count":0,"links":{"self":"https://www.causes.com/positions/e31996f8-d475-4e02-a5ed-2798203d2e5f"},"body":"Well, they should serve a period of time for full vesting, and should be encouraged to have 401(k)s. If they earn Social Security AND get a pension, then absolutely not. No double dipping. They SHOULD be enrolled in Social Security without a cap.","stance":"yea","created_at":"2017-08-25T23:40:34.300Z","shareable_image_url":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/positions/e31996f8-d475-4e02-a5ed-2798203d2e5f.png","note_color":null,"note_text":null,"bill_id":"hr322-115","user_id":"1ZxKw82W","endorser_ids":[]}}

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Should Members of Congress Not Get a Taxpayer-Funded Pension?