The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday in a bipartisan vote passed the Secret Service Recruitment and Retention Act of 2017, legislation to ensure hardworking and dedicated U.S. Secret Service agents are paid overtime they are due in 2017 and 2018.
Rep. John Katko (R-NY), chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Protective Security, introduced the bill. According to Katko’s office, more than 1,000 Secret Service agents, or about a third of all agents, have hit the ceiling on their pay and overtime due to a pay cap established by law for their salary and overtime hours.
Prior to the vote, Katko spoke on the House floor about the importance of his bill.
“I believe in the need to pay the hardworking men and women of the United States Secret Service for the critical work that they perform in dedication to the security of America’s leaders,” Katko said.
The Secret Service has estimated that 1,200 employees will exceed the pay cap in 2017 and collectively lose some $10 million in overtime pay without congressional intervention, Katko said.
The current pay cap prohibits agents from getting paid for overtime after they have reached the maximum annual salary for federal government pay rate GS-15. Katko’s bill would cover overtime for this year and next year up to Level II of the federal Executive Schedule, a higher salary scale. The Secret Service would also be required to report to Congress on their recruitment and retention programs.
Katko added, “While most Americans know the Secret Service for its role in protecting the President and First Family, many are unaware of the additional roles and countless hours worked by special agents, uniformed division officers, technical personnel, and intelligence professionals. These jobs require extensive travel, often on short notice, as well as sometimes working multiple weeks in a row without a day off, because the security of our nation’s leaders depends on their constant vigilance.”
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), the ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, introduced the bipartisan bill with Rep. Katko.