H.R. 304House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

Equal COLA Act

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Updated February 7, 2026 at 9:21 PM UTC

The Equal COLA Act amends Title 5 of the U.S. Code so that cost‑of‑living adjustments (COLA) for Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuities are calculated the same way as for Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) annuities. It sets the COLA to be applied each December 1 based on the percent change in the price index for the base quarter of the current year versus the prior year, rounded to the nearest one‑tenth of a percent. The change applies to all FERS annuities, whether they began before or after the law takes effect, and to any COLA adjustments made after enactment.

Key Provisions

Amends section 8462(b)(1) to require that, effective December 1 each year, a FERS annuity is increased by the percent change in the price index for the base quarter of that year over the base quarter of the previous year, rounded to the nearest 0.1 percent.
Specifies that the amendment applies to any cost‑of‑living adjustment made after the law’s enactment and to any FERS annuity regardless of its commencement date.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Oversight and Government Reform Committee

January 13, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 13, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Oversight and Government Reform Committee

January 13, 2021

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 13, 2021

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 304

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 13, 2021

Mr. Connolly introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform

A BILL

To amend title 5, United States Code, to achieve parity between the cost-of-living adjustment with respect to an annuity under the Federal Employees Retirement System and an annuity under the Civil Service Retirement System, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Equal COLA Act.

Increase in COLA for FERS annuities

(a)

In general

Paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of section 8462 of title 5, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

(1)

Except as provided in subsection (c), effective December 1 of each year, each annuity payable from the Fund having a commencing date not later than such December 1 shall be increased by the percent change in the price index for the base quarter of such year over the price index for the base quarter of the preceding year in which an adjustment under this subsection was made, adjusted to the nearest 1/10 of 1 percent.

(b)

Application

The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to—

(1)

any cost-of-living adjustment under section 8462 of title 5, United States Code, made after the date of the enactment of this Act; and

(2)

any annuity covered by such section commencing before, on, or after such date.