WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Josh Hawley (R-MO) reintroduced legislation to ensure U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers (CBPOs) can receive the retirement benefits they were promised when starting their service. The bill addresses a mistake where Customs and Border Protection (CBP) incorrectly informed newly hired CBPOs that they would be eligible for proportional annuity, meaning they would not have to retire at a certain age or reach 20 years of service to qualify for the benefit enhancement. When CBP discovered their error – more than ten years after these officers had started their service – they rescinded these benefits and now require at least 1,352 officers, including 67 in Michigan, to meet additional requirements to receive the benefits they were initially promised.
“Customs and Border Protection Officers work tirelessly to protect our communities in Michigan and across the country, ensuring the secure and efficient flow of trade and travel at ports of entry,” said Senator Peters. “These dedicated officers made career and retirement decisions based on benefits they were promised when hired. This bipartisan legislation will ensure Customs and Border Protection upholds its commitment to these public servants and provides them with the retirement benefits they earned through their years of service.”
“I am proud to partner with Senator Peters in reintroducing the CBPO Retirement Corrections Act. Customs and Border Protection officers defend our nation’s borders every day, and they deserve a secure financial future,” said Senator Hawley. “This bill guarantees that officers receive the retirement benefits they were promised.”
The CPBO Retirement Corrections Act would direct CBP to identify and notify eligible individuals of the correction, allow impacted officers to receive retirement benefits aligned with their originally promised coverage, provide retroactive annuity adjustments for eligible individuals who retire before the bill’s enactment, and grant the Department of Homeland Security authority to waive maximum entry age requirements for eligible officers.
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