Pensions for Retired Uniformed Servicemembers Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8732
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-11: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-06T22:06:15Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation, titled the Pensions for Retired Uniformed Servicemembers Act, aims to consolidate payment of retired pay for all members of the uniformed services—including the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Public Health Service (PHS)—through the Department of Defense Military Retirement Fund.
Key Provisions
- Amends Section 1463 of title 10, United States Code, to expand the fund’s scope to cover retired pay for the uniformed services, replacing references limited to the armed forces and adding the Departments of Commerce and Health and Human Services as contributors.
- Updates Section 1461 to define the fund’s purpose as including retirement programs for NOAA and PHS commissioned officers.
- Revises Section 1465 to require the Board of Actuaries, by January 1, 2027, to calculate the original unfunded liability for prior NOAA and PHS service and establish an amortization schedule for its liquidation.
- Modifies Sections 1466, 1444, 1449, and related provisions to align contribution, payment, and survivor benefit rules across all uniformed services.
- Incorporates Chapter 74 (Military Retirement Fund) into the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps Act of 2002 and the Public Health Service Act.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Shifts retired pay administration for NOAA and PHS officers from separate departmental accounts to the centralized DoD Military Retirement Fund, previously limited primarily to the armed forces and Coast Guard.
- Expands the fund’s unfunded liability calculations and contribution responsibilities to include the Secretaries of Commerce and Health and Human Services.
- Standardizes terminology by replacing “armed forces” with “uniformed services” throughout relevant retirement and survivor benefit statutes.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Centralizes retirement funding and actuarial oversight under the DoD fund while requiring coordination among the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce, and Health and Human Services.
- Citizens: Affects retired NOAA and PHS commissioned officers by integrating their retirement pay into the military system, potentially affecting payment processes and long-term funding stability.
- International relations: No direct effects identified in the legislation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Retired and active members of the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps and the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
- The Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce, and Health and Human Services.
- The Board of Actuaries and congressional committees overseeing military retirement policy.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The bill unifies retirement administration across the uniformed services through statutory amendments without altering underlying eligibility or benefit calculations.
- It raises no explicit constitutional issues in the text and operates within Congress’s authority to regulate federal retirement programs.
- Introduced with bipartisan sponsorship, the measure focuses on administrative consolidation rather than benefit changes.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (2)
Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2], Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-11: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
- 2026-05-11: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-11: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Pensions for Retired Uniformed Servicemembers Act — issued 2026-05-11 — PDF (11 pages)