View all text of Subchapter III [§ 8331 - § 8351]
§ 8348. Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund
(a) There is a Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund. The Fund—
(1) is appropriated for the payment of—
(A) benefits as provided by this subchapter or by the provisions of chapter 84 of this title which relate to benefits payable out of the Fund; and
(B) administrative expenses incurred by the Office of Personnel Management in placing in effect each annuity adjustment granted under section 8340 or 8462 of this title, in administering survivor annuities and elections providing therefor under sections 8339 and 8341 of this title or subchapters II and IV of chapter 84 of this title, in administering alternative forms of annuities under sections 8343a and 8420a (and related provisions of law), in making an allotment or assignment made by an individual under section 8345(h) or 8465(b) of this title, in administering fraud prevention under sections 8345, 8345a, 8466, and 8466a of this title, and in withholding taxes pursuant to section 3405 of title 26 or section 8345(k) or 8469 of this title;
(2) is made available, subject to such annual limitation as the Congress may prescribe, for any expenses incurred by the Office in connection with the administration of this chapter, chapter 84 of this title, and other retirement and annuity statutes; and
(3) is made available, subject to such annual limitation as the Congress may prescribe, for any expenses incurred by the Merit Systems Protection Board in the administration of appeals authorized under sections 8347(d) and 8461(e) of this title.
(b) The Secretary of the Treasury may accept and credit to the Fund money received in the form of a donation, gift, legacy, or bequest, or otherwise contributed for the benefit of civil-service employees generally.
(c) The Secretary shall immediately invest in interest-bearing securities of the United States such currently available portions of the Fund as are not immediately required for payments from the Fund. The income derived from these investments constitutes a part of the Fund.
(d) The purposes for which obligations of the United States may be issued under chapter 31 of title 31 are extended to authorize the issuance at par of public-debt obligations for purchase by the Fund. The obligations issued for purchase by the Fund shall have maturities fixed with due regard for the needs of the Fund and bear interest at a rate equal to the average market yield computed as of the end of the calendar month next preceding the date of the issue, borne by all marketable interest-bearing obligations of the United States then forming a part of the public debt which are not due or callable until after the expiration of 4 years from the end of that calendar month. If the average market yield is not a multiple of ⅛ of 1 percent, the rate of interest on the obligations shall be the multiple of ⅛ of 1 percent nearest the average market yield. the public debt which are not due or callable until after the expiration of 4 years from the end of that calendar month. If the average market yield is not a multiple of ⅛ of 1 percent, the rate of interest on the obligations shall be the multiple of ⅛ of 1 percent nearest the average market yield.
(e) The Secretary may purchase other interest-bearing obligations of the United States, or obligations guaranteed as to both principal and interest by the United States, on original issue or at the market price only if he determines that the purchases are in the public interest.
(f) Any statute which authorizes—
(1) new or liberalized benefits payable from the Fund, including annuity increases other than under section 8340 of this title;
(2) extension of the coverage of this subchapter to new groups of employees; or
(3) increases in pay on which benefits are computed;
is deemed to authorize appropriations to the Fund to finance the unfunded liability created by that statute, in 30 equal annual installments with interest computed at the rate used in the then most recent valuation of the Civil Service Retirement System and with the first payment thereof due as of the end of the fiscal year in which each new or liberalized benefit, extension of coverage, or increase in pay is effective.
(g) At the end of each fiscal year, the Office shall notify the Secretary of the Treasury of the amount equivalent to (1) interest on the unfunded liability computed for that year at the interest rate used in the then most recent valuation of the System, and (2) that portion of disbursement for annuities for that year which the Office estimates is attributable to credit allowed for military service, less an amount determined by the Office to be appropriate to reflect the value of the deposits made to the credit of the Fund under section 8334(j) of this title. Before closing the accounts for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall credit to the Fund, as a Government contribution, out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, the following percentages of such amounts: 10 percent for 1971; 20 percent for 1972; 30 percent for 1973; 40 percent for 1974; 50 percent for 1975; 60 percent for 1976; 70 percent for 1977; 80 percent for 1978; 90 percent for 1979; and 100 percent for 1980 and for each fiscal year thereafter.
(h)
(1) In this subsection, the term “Postal surplus or supplemental liability” means the estimated difference, as determined by the Office, between—
(A) the actuarial present value of all future benefits payable from the Fund under this subchapter to current or former employees of the United States Postal Service and attributable to civilian employment with the United States Postal Service; and
(B) the sum of—
(i) the actuarial present value of deductions to be withheld from the future basic pay of employees of the United States Postal Service currently subject to this subchapter under section 8334;
(ii) that portion of the Fund balance, as of the date the Postal surplus or supplemental liability is determined, attributable to payments to the Fund by the United States Postal Service and its employees, minus benefit payments attributable to civilian employment with the United States Postal Service, plus the earnings on such amounts while in the Fund; and
(iii) any other appropriate amount, as determined by the Office in accordance with generally accepted actuarial practices and principles.
(2)
(A) Not later than June 15, 2007, the Office shall determine the Postal surplus or supplemental liability, as of September 30, 2006. If that result is a surplus, the amount of the surplus shall be transferred to the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund established under section 8909a by June 30, 2007.
(B) The Office shall redetermine the Postal surplus or supplemental liability as of the close of the fiscal year, for each fiscal year beginning after September 30, 2007, through the fiscal year ending September 30, 2038. If the result is a surplus, that amount shall remain in the Fund until distribution is authorized under subparagraph (C). Beginning June 15, 2017, if the result is a supplemental liability, the Office shall establish an amortization schedule, including a series of annual installments commencing on September 30 of the subsequent fiscal year, which provides for the liquidation of such liability by September 30, 2043.
(C) As of the close of the fiscal years ending September 30, 2015, 2025, 2035, and 2039, if the result is a surplus, that amount shall be transferred to the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund, and any prior amortization schedule for payments shall be terminated.
(D) Amortization schedules established under this paragraph shall be set in accordance with generally accepted actuarial practices and principles, with interest computed at the rate used in the most recent valuation of the Civil Service Retirement System.
(E) The United States Postal Service shall pay the amounts so determined to the Office, with payments due not later than the date scheduled by the Office.
(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in computing the amount of any payment under any other subsection of this section that is based upon the amount of the unfunded liability, such payment shall be computed disregarding that portion of the unfunded liability that the Office determines will be liquidated by payments under this subsection.
(i)
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Panama Canal Commission shall be liable for that portion of any estimated increase in the unfunded liability of the fund which is attributable to any benefits payable from the Fund to or on behalf of employees and their survivors to the extent attributable to the amendments made by sections 1241 and 1242, and the provisions of sections 1231(b) and 1243(a)(1), of the Panama Canal Act of 1979, and the amendments made by section 3506 of the Panama Canal Commission Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991.
(2) The estimated increase in the unfunded liability referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be determined by the Office of Personnel Management. The Panama Canal Commission shall pay to the Fund from funds available to it for that purpose the amount so determined in annual installments with interest computed at the rate used in the most recent valuation of the Civil Service Retirement System.
(j)
(1) Notwithstanding subsection (c) of this section, the Secretary of the Treasury may suspend additional investment of amounts in the Fund if such additional investment could not be made without causing the public debt of the United States to exceed the public debt limit.
(2) Any amounts in the Fund which, solely by reason of the public debt limit, are not invested shall be invested by the Secretary of the Treasury as soon as such investments can be made without exceeding the public debt limit.
(3) Upon expiration of the debt issuance suspension period, the Secretary of the Treasury shall immediately issue to the Fund obligations under chapter 31 of title 31 that (notwithstanding subsection (d) of this section) bear such interest rates and maturity dates as are necessary to ensure that, after such obligations are issued, the holdings of the Fund will replicate to the maximum extent practicable the obligations that would then be held by the Fund if the suspension of investment under paragraph (1) of this subsection, and any redemption or disinvestment under subsection (k) of this section for the purpose described in such paragraph, during such period had not occurred.
(4) On the first normal interest payment date after the expiration of any debt issuance suspension period, the Secretary of the Treasury shall pay to the Fund, from amounts in the general fund of the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, an amount determined by the Secretary to be equal to the excess of—
(A) the net amount of interest that would have been earned by the Fund during such debt issuance suspension period if—
(i) amounts in the Fund that were not invested during such debt issuance suspension period solely by reason of the public debt limit had been invested, and
(ii) redemptions and disinvestments with respect to the Fund which occurred during such debt issuance suspension period solely by reason of the public debt limit had not occurred, over
(B) the net amount of interest actually earned by the Fund during such debt issuance suspension period.
(5) For purposes of this subsection and subsections (k) and (l) of this section—
(A) the term “public debt limit” means the limitation imposed by section 3101(b) of title 31; and
(B) the term “debt issuance suspension period” means any period for which the Secretary of the Treasury determines for purposes of this subsection that the issuance of obligations of the United States may not be made without exceeding the public debt limit.
(k)
(1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Secretary of the Treasury may sell or redeem securities, obligations, or other invested assets of the Fund before maturity in order to prevent the public debt of the United States from exceeding the public debt limit.
(2) The Secretary may sell or redeem securities, obligations, or other invested assets of the Fund under paragraph (1) of this subsection only during a debt issuance suspension period, and only to the extent necessary to obtain any amount of funds not exceeding the amount equal to the total amount of the payments authorized to be made from the Fund under the provisions of this subchapter or chapter 84 of this title or related provisions of law during such period. A sale or redemption may be made under this subsection even if, before the sale or redemption, there is a sufficient amount in the Fund to ensure that such payments are made in a timely manner.
(l)
(1) The Secretary of the Treasury shall report to Congress on the operation and status of the Fund during each debt issuance suspension period for which the Secretary is required to take action under paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (j) of this section. The report shall be submitted as soon as possible after the expiration of such period, but not later than the date that is 30 days after the first normal interest payment date occurring after the expiration of such period.
(2) Whenever the Secretary of the Treasury determines that, by reason of the public debt limit, the Secretary will be unable to fully comply with the requirements of subsection (c) of this section, the Secretary shall immediately notify Congress of the determination. The notification shall be made in writing.
(Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 584; Pub. L. 90–83, § 1(85), Sept. 11, 1967, 81 Stat. 218; Pub. L. 91–93, title I, § 103(a), Oct. 20, 1969, 83 Stat. 137; Pub. L. 93–349, § 1, July 12, 1974, 88 Stat. 354; Pub. L. 94–183, § 2(37), Dec. 31, 1975, 89 Stat. 1058; Pub. L. 95–454, title IX, § 906(a)(2), (3), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1224; Pub. L. 96–70, title I, § 1244, Sept. 27, 1979, 93 Stat. 474; Pub. L. 97–253, title III, § 306(f), Sept. 8, 1982, 96 Stat. 797; Pub. L. 97–346, § 3(g), Oct. 15, 1982, 96 Stat. 1648; Pub. L. 98–216, § 3(a)(5), Feb. 14, 1984, 98 Stat. 6; Pub. L. 98–615, § 2(7), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3202; Pub. L. 99–335, title II, § 207(j), June 6, 1986, 100 Stat. 597; Pub. L. 99–509, title VI, § 6002, Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1931; Pub. L. 100–203, title V, § 5428(d), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–274; Pub. L. 101–239, title IV, § 4002(a), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2133; Pub. L. 101–508, title VII, §§ 7001(a)(3), 7101(a), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388–328, 1388–331; Pub. L. 101–510, div. C, title XXXV, § 3506(c), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1847; Pub. L. 103–424, § 10, Oct. 29, 1994, 108 Stat. 4366; Pub. L. 104–52, title IV, § 2, Nov. 19, 1995, 109 Stat. 490; Pub. L. 104–316, title I, § 103(h), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3829; Pub. L. 105–362, title XIII, § 1302(c), Nov. 10, 1998, 112 Stat. 3293; Pub. L. 108–18, § 2(c), (d)(1)(A), Apr. 23, 2003, 117 Stat. 625, 626; Pub. L. 109–435, title VIII, § 802(a)(2), Dec. 20, 2006, 120 Stat. 3249; Pub. L. 116–126, § 3(a), Mar. 18, 2020, 134 Stat. 176.)