FLEOA Supports Reintroduction of First Responder Fair RETIRE Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
January 27, 2021 |
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Larry Cosme, National President of the
Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), issued the following
statement supporting the reintroduction of the First Responder Fair Return for
Employees on Their Initial Retirement Earned (First Responder Fair RETIRE) Act:
"For far too long, federal law enforcement officers who
are permanently disabled by a line of duty injury have been penalized by the
very retirement system that ought to recognize their heroic sacrifice and
service. The current federal retirement system
penalizes law enforcement officers for injuries sustained on the job. Rather
than supporting officers for heroically risking their lives for public safety,
our system undermines their sacrifice. That is why this legislation is so
important” said President
Larry Cosme. "At a time when we are
faced with the greatest threats to officer safety and health, the ‘First
Responder Fair RETIRE Act’ is critical to preserving and protecting the
financial security of those who sacrifice so much to keep us safe. We greatly appreciate Rep. Connolly and
Senator Tester’s continued leadership on this important legislation.”
"It is both bad policy and morally wrong to add another
injury to a federal law enforcement officer who has already given so much when
despite a disabling injury. When these officers attempt to return to work in
the federal government in a non-law enforcement position, their law enforcement
pension is often thrown out,” said Cosme. "We
have worked with Senator Tester and Representative Connolly’s offices for a few
years now to introduce legislation that would correct this egregious
injustice.”
"The First Responder FAIR Act would keep federal law
enforcement officers injured in the line of duty in their same pension system
and allow them to continue to accumulate law enforcement credited time no
matter what role they return to in the federal work force. This reform is what
these officers deserve and we appreciate both Senator Tester and Representative
Connolly for addressing this critical disability issue. We look forward to
seeing this bill quickly passed into law,” Cosme concluded.
FLEOA
is the nation’s largest non-partisan, not-for-profit professional association
representing more than 29,000 federal law enforcement officers and agents
across 65 federal agencies.
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