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Chairman Steil's full opening statement:
Today, the Committee on House Administration will?consider?legislation to address staffing shortages with the U.S. Capitol Police.
I would like to thank my friend, Ranking Member Morelle, for your collaboration on this important legislation.
Under current law, officers are forced to retire at?age?57, unless they receive a waiver from the?Capitol Police?Board.?
With a?waiver,?officers?may?continue working until they?are?age?60.?
Our?nonpartisan?legislation?extends the waiver timeline.?
Under the bill,?the?Capitol Police Board?will?have the authority to?grant?waivers to?sworn officers until they reach 65.?
It’s?critical?that?we quickly pass this statutory change.
Right now,?nearly?60?sworn officers?are working with a waiver.??
Without this change, they?will?all?be forced to retire?in the next few years.?
That’s?the equivalent?of?more than?2 recruitment classes.??
There’s?already?staffing?issues with the force, but it?will?get far worse if we?fail to act.?
Let me also?make?clear?–?there?is past precedent?to do exactly what this bill does.??
In 2004 and in 2010, Congress temporarily raised the mandatory?federal law enforcement retirement?age from 60 to 65 to address staffing shortages at the FBI.?
It’s?also important to?emphasize?that this legislation?gives?the?Capitol Police Board discretion?when deciding who’s still fit for the job.?
The men and women of the U.S. Capitol Police?are some of the?best in nation has to offer and we have the opportunity to continue that tradition.?
These officers should not be forced?into retirement?if they can still do their job?–?especially?given the?manpower?shortages in the force coupled with?record?threats against?lawmakers.?
Again, my sincere thanks to Ranking Member Morelle for working in collaboration with us on this bill to address the staffing shortages at the U.S. Capitol Police.?
I encourage all of our colleagues here to support the legislation.?
I thank my colleagues for being here today and I look forward to discussing the legislation further.
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