Department of State Special Agents Retirement Act of 1998
Public Law 105-382 · H.R. 633 · 105th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Nov 13, 1998 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA-11)
Cosponsors (26): Rep. Jim Moran, Rep. Lane Evans,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Department of State Special Agents Retirement Act of 1998 - Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to redefine (diplomatic security) "special agent" to mean an employee of the Department of State with a primary skill code of 2501 performing certain investigative or protective duties, or having been transferred directly to a supervisory or administrative position after performing such duties for at least three years.
Replaces the current rate for both employee and agency contributions to the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability (FSRD) Fund applicable to special agents with the same rate applicable to Federal law enforcement officers. Subjects to the percentages required for law enforcement officers any special contribution a special agent may make for prior service as a special agent.
Revises the computation of annuities for special agents to apply the formula for law enforcement officers under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). Allows any special agent who elected to transfer from the FSRD System to the Foreign Service Pension System to have the portion of his or her annuity attributable to service preceding such election (including service as a Federal law enforcement officer or as a member of the Capitol Police) also computed according to the formula for law enforcement officers under CSRS.
Subjects special agents who make an election under this Act to mandatory retirement at age 57 or, if older, after 20 years of service.
Allows current participants, certain retirees, and participants' survivors to make specified elections concerning the applicability of amendments made by this Act.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Foreign Affairs Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: International Operations and Human Rights Subcommittee- Oversight and Accountability Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Civil Service and Agency Organization Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 17 actions.
- Nov 13, 1998Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-382.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 2, 1998PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 20, 1998FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Oct 5, 1998FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Gilman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Sep 28, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
- Aug 6, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Jul 24, 1998CommitteeCommittee · Reported by International Operations and Human Rights Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by International Operations and Human Rights Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Feb 24, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to International Operations and Human Rights Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Feb 14, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Civil Service and Agency Organization Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
- Feb 6, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Foreign Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.