the Foreign Service Voluntary Early Retirement Authority Act of 2025

The Foreign Service Voluntary Early Retirement Authority Act of 2025 would create a new pathway for voluntary early retirement for members of the U.S. Foreign Service (and other agencies using similar personnel systems) during periods of major workforce changes. The bill amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to add a specific eligibility pathway: city employees aged at least 43 with 15 or more years of creditable service who are separated (either involuntarily or voluntarily) during significant restructurings—such as delayering, reorganizations, reductions in force, or a shift in functions—may retire and receive an annuity. The annuity would be calculated the same way as a standard federal annuity under the relevant 5 U.S.C. provisions. The act also covers who can apply, when the authorities apply (retroactive to January 20, 2025 and through enactment, plus voluntary separations after enactment), funding sources if the dedicated retirement fund lacks sufficient money, and a sense of Congress that retirees retain health benefits if they were enrolled at separation.