“Like a breath of fresh air blowing across the Washington, D.C. swamp, Congressman Thomas
Massie has introduced two bills to put an end to taxpayer-funded Congressional pensions,” said
Jim Tobin, economist and president of Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
Massie, a Republican, represents Kentucky’s 4th congressional district.
The first of the two bills is the End Pensions in Congress Act (EPIC Act). The second bill is the
Member of Congress Opt-out Clarification Act.
“If congressmen want to save for retirement, they should do so with 401(k)-type plans, rather
than rely on taxpayers to take care of them even after leaving Congress,” said Tobin. “I strongly
support the spirit of the two bills.”
The End Pensions in Congress Act (EPIC Act) excludes future Members of Congress from
participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). In addition, the EPIC Act
requires those Members currently enrolled in FERS or the Civil Service Retirement System to
opt-in to continue their enrollment.
The second bill addresses an oddity in the congressional pension rules that allows Senators, but
not Representatives elected after 2003, to opt-out of enrollment in the congressional pension
program.
The Member of Congress Opt-out Clarification Act would allow Members of the House of
Representatives to opt-out of FERS. The ability to opt-out is currently only available to United
States Senators and to Members of the House who began serving before September 30, 2003.
“While the bills face an uncertain fate, the very fact that he introduced them puts a spotlight on
the fat Congressional pensions funded by U.S. Taxpayers,” said Tobin.
