To provide that employees of tribally controlled schools are eligible to receive a pension under the Federal Employees Retirement System and to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan, and for other purposes.

House Bill

H.R. 7781

119th Congress

To provide that employees of tribally controlled schools are eligible to receive a pension under the Federal Employees Retirement System and to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan, and for other purposes.

In Committee

Introduced:Mar 3, 2026

Primary Sponsor

Gabe Vasquez

D - NM

Cosponsors

0

Quick Stats

Summary

This bill would extend federal retirement benefits to teachers and staff working at tribally controlled schools, allowing them to participate in the same pension system (FERS) and retirement savings plan (TSP) that federal employees use. Currently, these educators serving Native American students don't have access to these retirement benefits, even though they perform similar work to federal employees in Bureau of Indian Education schools.

Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Introduced3/3/2026

StatusReferred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

ChamberHouse

Data from Congress.gov

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Vote Prediction

To provide that employees of tribally controlled schools are eligible to receive a pension under the Federal Employees Retirement System and to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan, and for other purposes.

This bill would extend federal retirement benefits to teachers and staff working at tribally controlled schools, allowing them to participate in the same pension system (FERS) and retirement savings plan (TSP) that federal employees use. Currently, these educa

Community Breakdown

Pass

0%

Fail

0%

0 predictions

This bill would extend federal retirement benefits to teachers and staff working at tribally controlled schools, allowing them to participate in the same pension system (FERS) and retirement savings plan (TSP) that federal employees use. Currently, these educators serving Native American students don't have access to these retirement benefits, even though they perform similar work to federal employees in Bureau of Indian Education schools.

Bill Number: 7781
Introduced: 3/3/2026
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: To provide that employees of tribally controlled schools are eligible to receive a pension under the Federal Employees Retirement System and to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan, and for other purposes.
Bill Number: 7781
Sponsor: No sponsor
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Introduced: 3/3/2026
Summary: This bill would extend federal retirement benefits to teachers and staff working at tribally controlled schools, allowing them to participate in the same pension system (FERS) and retirement savings plan (TSP) that federal employees use. Currently, these educators serving Native American students do

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill would extend federal retirement benefits to teachers and staff working at tribally controlled schools, allowing them to participate in the same pension system (FERS) and retirement savings plan (TSP) that federal employees use. Currently, these educators serving Native American students don't have access to these retirement benefits, even though they perform similar work to federal employees in Bureau of Indian Education schools.

Last updated: 3/4/2026

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Grants teachers and staff at tribally controlled schools access to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) pension program
Allows these employees to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), a retirement savings account with low fees and employer contributions similar to a 401(k)
Addresses a long-standing equity gap where tribal school employees receive fewer retirement benefits than their counterparts in federally-run schools serving Native communities
Could help tribal schools recruit and retain quality educators by offering competitive retirement benefits

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This bill would directly benefit thousands of teachers, administrators, and staff members working in tribally controlled schools across Native American communities nationwide. By providing retirement security comparable to federal employees, it could improve teacher retention in these schools and ensure educators serving tribal communities have dignified retirement options. The change recognizes the important public service these employees provide while strengthening educational opportunities in tribal nations.

Policy Areas

No policy areas assigned yet.

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

7781, 119th Congress (2026). "To provide that employees of tribally controlled schools are eligible to receive a pension under the Federal Employees Retirement System and to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan, and for other purposes.". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/119-hr-7781

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