PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jan 3, 2025
Citizen Legislature Anti-Corruption Reform of Public Service Act or the CLEAN Public Service Act
This bill excludes Members of Congress from further retirement coverage under the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees Retirement System following the enactment of the bill. It also prohibits further government contributions or deductions from a Member's basic pay for deposit in the Treasury to the credit of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund.
This exclusion does not affect a Member's eligibility to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan.
People & committees
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1] · R–PA
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Feb 28, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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Analyze H.R.159 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-01-03 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
This proposal would end further congressional pension coverage under two federal retirement systems and stop the associated government contributions and payroll deductions. It would preserve benefits tied to service before enactment and eligibility for the Thrift Savings Plan, a retirement savings plan. The Vice President would be excluded. Special refund rules would apply to some members with less than five years of civilian service.
a Member shall not be subject to this subchapter for any further period of time
no further Government contributions or deductions from basic pay may be made with respect to such Member
such Member shall not be subject to this chapter
Nothing in subsection (a) shall be considered to nullify, modify, or otherwise affect any right, entitlement, or benefit under this chapter with respect to any Member covering any period prior to the date of enactment of this section.
Nothing in subsection (a) shall affect the eligibility of a Member to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan in accordance with otherwise applicable provisions of law.
the term Member does not include the Vice President.
in the case of a Member who has not completed at least 5 years of civilian service as of the date of enactment of this section, provide that the lump-sum credit shall be payable to such Member
Section 1 would name the bill the Citizen Legislature Anti-Corruption Reform of Public Service Act, or CLEAN Public Service Act.
This Act may be cited as the Citizen Legislature Anti-Corruption Reform of Public Service Act or the CLEAN Public Service Act.
For the Civil Service Retirement System, Section 2 would end further coverage, government contributions and deductions from members’ basic pay beginning 90 days after enactment. This rule refers to a subsection (f) that is not present in the supplied text.
Amendments relating to the Civil Service Retirement System
Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter and subject to subsection (f), effective on the date that is 90 days after the date of enactment of this section— (1) a Member shall not be subject to this subchapter for any further period of time; and (2) no further Government contributions or deductions from basic pay may be made with respect to such Member for deposit in the Treasury of the United States to the credit of the Fund.
For the Federal Employees Retirement System, Section 2 would end further coverage and pension contributions for existing members and bar coverage and contributions for people who first become members on or after enactment. The opening clause sets a date 90 days after enactment, but the existing-member clause describes coverage ending after enactment and refers to an absent subsection (f). These provisions leave uncertainty about the transition.
Amendments relating to the Federal Employees Retirement System
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, effective on the date that is 90 days after the date of enactment of this section— (1) subject to subsection (f), in the case of an individual who first becomes a Member before such date of enactment— (A) such Member shall not be subject to this chapter for any further period of time after such date of enactment; and (B) no further Government contributions or deductions from basic pay may be made with respect to such Member for deposit in the Treasury of the United States to the credit of the Fund;
in the case of an individual who first becomes a Member on or after such date of enactment— (A) such Member shall not be subject to this chapter; and (B) no Government contributions or deductions from basic pay may be made with respect to such Member for deposit in the Treasury of the United States to the credit of the Fund.
Both retirement-system amendments would preserve rights and benefits covering periods before enactment. The preservation clauses use the enactment date, rather than the date 90 days later.
Nothing in subsection (a) shall be considered to nullify, modify, or otherwise affect any right, entitlement, or benefit under this subchapter with respect to any Member covering any period prior to the date of enactment of this section.
Nothing in subsection (a) shall be considered to nullify, modify, or otherwise affect any right, entitlement, or benefit under this chapter with respect to any Member covering any period prior to the date of enactment of this section.
The proposed pension restrictions would preserve members’ eligibility to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan under otherwise applicable law.
Nothing in subsection (a) shall affect the eligibility of a Member to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan in accordance with otherwise applicable provisions of law.
For members with less than five years of civilian service at enactment, the Federal Employees Retirement System amendment would require regulations making a lump-sum credit payable as though they satisfied four specified statutory requirements. The supplied text does not reproduce those requirements or explain how the payment would be calculated.
Refunds Notwithstanding subsection (b), the regulations under paragraph (1)(A) shall, in the case of a Member who has not completed at least 5 years of civilian service as of the date of enactment of this section, provide that the lump-sum credit shall be payable to such Member to the same extent and in the same manner as if such Member satisfied paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 8424(a) as of such date of enactment.
Both amendments would exclude the Vice President from their definition of a member, leaving that office outside these proposed restrictions.
(e) Exclusion For purposes of this section, the term Member does not include the Vice President.
(e) Exclusions For purposes of this section, the term Member does not include the Vice President.
The Director of the Office of Personnel Management could issue implementing regulations for matters other than the Thrift Savings Plan. Regulations concerning that plan could be issued by the Executive Director identified in the referenced statute.
Any regulations necessary to carry out this section may— (1) except with respect to matters relating to the Thrift Savings Plan, be prescribed by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management; and (2) with respect to matters relating to the Thrift Savings Plan, be prescribed by the Executive Director (as defined by section 8401(13)).
Any regulations necessary to carry out this section may— (A) except with respect to matters relating to the Thrift Savings Plan, be prescribed by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management; and (B) with respect to matters relating to the Thrift Savings Plan, be prescribed by the Executive Director (as defined by section 8401(13)).
The supplied actions snapshot, updated February 28, 2025, records introduction in the House on January 3, 2025, and referral that day to the House Administration and Oversight and Government Reform committees for provisions within their respective jurisdictions.
Source snapshot updated 2025-02-28T16:10:38Z.
2025-01-03: Introduced in House
2025-01-03: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-01-03. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
Findings to examine
The supplied text contains a narrow exclusion and a special refund rule related to the bill’s pension changes. Their classification does not establish improper purpose.
The Vice President would be specifically excluded from both proposed retirement restrictions. This is an office-specific carve-out from the bill’s main policy.
(e) Exclusion For purposes of this section, the term Member does not include the Vice President.
(e) Exclusions For purposes of this section, the term Member does not include the Vice President.
Members covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System amendment who have less than five years of civilian service at enactment would receive special treatment for a lump-sum refund: regulations must treat them as satisfying four referenced statutory requirements. This is a narrow transition benefit; the missing statutory provisions prevent determining how much it would change eligibility or payments.
Refunds Notwithstanding subsection (b), the regulations under paragraph (1)(A) shall, in the case of a Member who has not completed at least 5 years of civilian service as of the date of enactment of this section, provide that the lump-sum credit shall be payable to such Member to the same extent and in the same manner as if such Member satisfied paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 8424(a) as of such date of enactment.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Feb 28, 2025. How PlainBill uses AI