Congratulations!

Beginning July 6, CBP Officers who did not opt out will begin to reap the rewards of the long-awaited enhanced retirement program that could increase your CBP pension by thousands of dollars in compounded benefits annually. This new program is the result of NTEU’s successful fight for the retirement benefits that all CBP Officers deserve.

Despite the administration’s best efforts to repeal the long-overdue benefits program and eliminate its funding, NTEU made sure that the coverage will begin right on schedule—July 6. Thanks to your longstanding support, NTEU was able to secure the enhanced retirement as part of a 2008 spending bill signed into law last December.

In its initial budget submission earlier this year, the White House proposed repealing funding for the program. In the intervening months, NTEU has worked diligently with lawmakers and agency management to ensure that it is implemented properly and on time.

NTEU’s efforts on Capitol Hill even resulted in a strong letter of support for the retirement benefit from a bipartisan group of leaders of the House and Senate Homeland Security Committees to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Jim Nussle. The leaders voiced their support for the program, as well as for adequate funding in the fiscal 2009 budget. That support was realized when appropriators in both the House and the Senate approved full funding for the enhanced retirement benefit.

Needless to say, I am extremely pleased that Congress is committed to funding the enhanced retirement benefit, one that will strengthen the agency’s recruitment and retention efforts.

Thanks to your dedication in helping NTEU successfully realize the implementation of this program, there is no longer any real debate over the importance of enhanced retirement benefits to the accomplishment of CBP’s overall homeland security mission. Your work, on a daily basis, is critical to our nation's security.

NTEU worked a long time on this issue and is committed to seeing that you receive the information you need when you need it. For additional information visit NTEU’s LEO Information Center.