Dear Representatives Connolly and Fitzpatrick,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our support for your bill H.R. 521, the “Fair Return for Employees on Their Initial Retirement Earned (RETIRE) Act.”
Congress rightfully determined that Federal law enforcement officers should receive enhanced salary and retirement benefits, known as 6(c), due to the dangerous and physically demanding nature of their profession. Federal law enforcement officers must also pay an additional portion of their paychecks toward their retirement benefit. If Federal law enforcement officers are severely injured in the line of duty and cannot continue to be employed as law enforcement officers, they may lose these benefits. Their benefits may also be lost even if they decide to return to work for the Federal government in a non-law enforcement capacity.
These officers, who were severely injured in the defense of their nation and may want to continue to work for the Federal government, should not lose the benefits they earned from their time as a law enforcement officer because they were injured in the line of duty. Your bill would allow these re-employed officers to receive the 6(c) retirement benefits they earned and allow them to retire after 20 years of service, just as if they were still a law enforcement officer. We are proud to support this bill.
On behalf of the more than 356,000 members of the Fraternal Order of Police, we want to thank you for supporting our public safety officers. If I can be of any help, please do not hesitate to contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco in our Washington office.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes
National President