To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide that Members must complete 12 years of creditable service in order to be vested in an annuity under the Federal Employees' Retirement System, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, on the June 13 of this year, I introduced a bill, H.R. 2357, to provide that Members must complete 12 years of credible service to become vested into the retirement system. I have not professed to be an expert on pensions, Mr. Speaker, but 5 years appear to be very generous. So in my bill I had extended that from the 5-year timeframe to 12 years.

Taxpayers subsidize this plan. I believe by increasing the minimum timeframe, I think it would, obviously, result in considerable savings. I have conducted no survey to support that, but commonsense tells me that. In fact, this is a commonsense proposal.

For example, Mr. Speaker, a Member of Congress now must complete only 5 years of credible service to become vested. I know of no plan, other than this one, that would vest at 5 years. Such a Member would be required, if my bill is enacted, to complete at least 12 years of service prior to becoming vested.

I figured after 4 or 5 weeks I would have attracted at least 20 to 25 cosponsors. Today, I have no cosponsors. So, to walk you through how it would work if my plan is adopted, a Member of the Congress must complete not 5 years, but 12 years of service. That can be done through six 2-year House terms or two 6-year Senate terms or a combination thereof.

It is a commonsense proposal. Meanwhile, Mr. Speaker, I will anxiously await the knock on the door for cosponsors willing to sign up. The welcome mat is out. It is a good proposal.

Madam Speaker, I come to the well of the House today to invite support of my bill, H.R. 2357, which addresses the congressional pension program.

The congressional pension program becomes vested after 5 years of service, Madam Speaker. I claim to be no expert on pensions, but I know of no pension that vests after 5 years. This would involve a Member to serve not even three complete House terms and not even one complete Senate term.

My bill would increase the timeframe from 5 years, presently, to 12 years. At least if my bill became law, a Member would be required to serve six full House terms, two full Senate terms, or a combination thereto.

I am disappointed to say, Madam Speaker, that my bill has attracted zero cosponsors, and it has been surfacing for several days now. I am here today to invite every Member of the people's House to warmly embrace and support this bill. You should do so for two reasons:

Number one, it will result in reduced public spending;

Number two, it would send a message back to our constituents that we are willing and able to reduce our own perks and benefits.

I urge every Member of the people's House to come forward, Madam Speaker, and sign his or her name to this bill, and we will go down the path of fiscal sanity and fiscal responsibility before it is too late.