Benefits Bills

There are 535 people in Washington with the collective power to change your pay and benefits.

Here's a look at what Congress is up to in the realm of federal compensation, including some lesser-known legislation that could affect your checkbook:

• S. 1255 "Generating Opportunity by Forgiving Educational Debt for Service"
  Introduced in the Senate by George Voinovich, R-Ohio, and Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and in the House by Tom Davis, R-Va., and John Tierney, D-Mass.

  The GOFEDS Act would deem a portion of student loans repaid by the federal government nontaxable.

• H. R. 2187 "Federal Employees Responsible Investment Act"
  Introduced in the House by Jim Langevin, D-R.I, and Chris Shays, R-Conn.

  This bill would add a corporate responsibility stock index option to the Thrift Savings Plan. Companies included in the index would have to "meet standards including safe environmental practices, sound corporate governance, community involvement and human rights worldwide," Langevin said.

• S. 2146 "A bill to extend relocation expenses test programs for federal employees"
  Introduced in the Senate by Susan Collins, R-Maine, Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., and Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii.

  This bill would extend test programs in the 1998 Travel and Transportation Reform Act that offer relocation expenses to federal employees. It would lengthen the test programs from 24 months to an indefinite period and would extend the authorizing law four more years.

• H.R. 2561 "Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act"
  Introduced in the House by Charlie Norwood, R-Ga., and Rob Andrews, D-N.J.

  The bill would increase access to workers' compensation benefits for injured federal workers by allowing them to submit medical documentation signed by a physician assistant or a nurse practitioner to support a claim for benefits. This option is particularly important in rural and urban communities, where physician assistants or nurses may be the only health care professionals around, according to the bill's sponsors.

• H.R. 818 "Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2005"
  Introduced in the House by Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y.

  Hinchey is a longtime advocate for acupuncture. According to his office, his involvement dates back to 1976 when, as a member of the New York State Assembly, he wrote the legislation that licensed acupuncture professionals. Hinchey's bill, which he first introduced in 1993, would allow the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program to cover the cost of acupuncture.

  Shooting for Better Retirement Benefits

  The National Treasury Employees Union seized upon a dramatic high-speed chase Tuesday to make its case for expanded retirement benefits for Customs and Border Protection officers. Two murder suspects were apprehended after an exchange of gunfire involving CBP officers at the Canadian border near Blaine, Wash.

  CBP officers do not have Law Enforcement Officer status, which would grant them an earlier retirement and a more generous annuity.

  "I had the opportunity to meet with NTEU-represented CBP employees at Blaine the day before this dangerous incident," said Colleen Kelley, the union's president. "They expressed to me their frustration about the continuing denial of LEO status . . . I commend these brave officers for their role in apprehending dangerous murder suspects, and call on Congress to expeditiously approve H.R. 1002 and recognize that CBP officers are indeed federal law enforcement officers." Super Conference

  For the second year running, the Office of Personnel Management is holding a "super conference." From Feb. 27 to March 2, OPM will host federal human resources professionals in Baltimore for sessions on topics such as conflict management, retirement and security clearances.

  The conference combines all of OPM's former smaller conferences and will include a number of chief human capital officers and other human resources specialists sharing best practices, said Michael Beckman, OPM's acting deputy associate director for the Center for Leadership Capacity Services.

  Beckman said looming personnel reforms are the driving force behind the conference.

  "That change requires a consolidated approach to learning," Beckman said. "We need to bring everyone together."