{ "id": "RL34631", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "RL34631", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 451162, "date": "2016-03-16", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T16:57:47.024698", "title": "Former Presidents: Pensions, Office Allowances, and Other Federal Benefits", "summary": "The Former Presidents Act (FPA; 3 U.S.C. \u00a7102 note) was enacted to \u201cmaintain the dignity\u201d of the Office of the President. The act provides the former President\u2014and his or her spouse\u2014certain benefits to help him respond to post-presidency mail and speaking requests, among other informal public duties often required of a former President. Prior to enactment of the FPA in 1958, former Presidents leaving office received no pension or other federal assistance. The FPA charges the General Services Administration (GSA) with providing former U.S. Presidents a pension, support staff, office support, travel funds, and mailing privileges. \nPursuant to statute, former Presidents currently receive a pension that is equal to pay for Cabinet Secretaries (Executive Level I), which for calendar year 2015 was $203,700. Executive Level I pay was increased to $205,700 for calendar year 2016. In addition to benefits provided pursuant to the FPA, former Presidents are also provided Secret Service protection and financial \u201ctransition\u201d benefits to assist their transition to post-presidential life. Pursuant to the FPA, former Presidents are eligible for benefits unless they hold \u201can appointive or elective office or position in or under the Federal Government or the government of the District of Columbia to which is attached a rate of pay other than a nominal rate.\u201d \nThe President\u2019s FY2017 budget request seeks $3,865,000 in appropriations for expenditures for former Presidents, an increase of $588,000 (17.9%) from the FY2016 appropriation level. The increase in requested appropriations for FY2017 anticipates President Barack Obama\u2019s transition from incumbent to former President. For FY2016, President Obama requested and received appropriations of $3,277,000 for expenditures for former Presidents\u2014an increase of $25,000 from FY2015 appropriated levels. \nSome critics of the Former Presidents Act say the statute subsidizes Presidents who are not struggling financially. Others argue that although a former President is not in a formal public position, he remains a public figure and should be provided a pension and benefits that permit him to perform duties that emerge as a result of his public status.\nIn the 114th Congress (2015-2016), the House and Senate are considering similar legislation that would amend the FPA. Both bills (H.R. 1777 and S. 1411) would set a former President\u2019s pension at $200,000 annually, with increases each year by the same percentage authorized for benefits provided by the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. \u00a7401). Both pieces of legislation would provide a former President an additional $200,000 annual allowance to be used as he determined and would remove other benefits currently provided to former Presidents\u2014including those currently provided for travel, staff, and office expenses. Additionally, the bills propose that for every dollar a former President earned in each fiscal year in excess of $400,000, his federal annuity would be reduced by $1.\nGSA data on payments to former Presidents show that the value of benefits provided to each of the living former Presidents\u2014when adjusted for inflation\u2014has generally declined from FY1998 through FY2015. The nominal appropriation levels for former Presidents\u2019 benefits, however, increased through FY2011 and then declined from FY2011 through FY2015.\nThis report provides a legislative and cultural history of the Former Presidents Act. It details the benefits provided to former Presidents and their costs. Congress has the authority to reduce, increase, or maintain the pension and benefits provided to former Presidents of the United States. This report considers the potential effects of maintaining the FPA or amending the FPA in ways that might reduce or otherwise modify a former President\u2019s benefits.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL34631", "sha1": "722440d7c5f9a0f6ed97b93f777cf1cb9d3d33fc", "filename": "files/20160316_RL34631_722440d7c5f9a0f6ed97b93f777cf1cb9d3d33fc.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL34631", "sha1": "784f168c65ce8eec7fe3a9e0cafd57496443432e", "filename": "files/20160316_RL34631_784f168c65ce8eec7fe3a9e0cafd57496443432e.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc689205/", "id": "RL34631_2015May27", "date": "2015-05-27", "retrieved": "2015-08-03T15:06:47", "title": "Former Presidents: Pensions, Office Allowances, and Other Federal Benefits", "summary": "This report provides a legislative and cultural history of the Former Presidents Act. It details the pension and benefits provided to former U.S. presidents and their costs; Congress has the authority to reduce, increase, or maintain these benefits.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20150527_RL34631_cc70f0b16dfed92192d5e9f2a712f3e8c2b31ec6.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20150527_RL34631_cc70f0b16dfed92192d5e9f2a712f3e8c2b31ec6.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Pensions", "name": "Pensions" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Ex-presidents", "name": "Ex-presidents" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Presidents", "name": "Presidents" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc287935/", "id": "RL34631_2014Apr09", "date": "2014-04-09", "retrieved": "2014-06-05T20:55:02", "title": "Former Presidents: Pensions, Office Allowances, and Other Federal Benefits", "summary": "This report provides a legislative and cultural history of the Former Presidents Act. It details the pension and benefits provided to former U.S. presidents and their costs; Congress has the authority to reduce, increase, or maintain these benefits.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20140409_RL34631_aa8d2ca29e1e82448f5f96c4637ba8a5adf79cfd.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20140409_RL34631_aa8d2ca29e1e82448f5f96c4637ba8a5adf79cfd.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Pensions", "name": "Pensions" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Ex-presidents", "name": "Ex-presidents" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Presidents", "name": "Presidents" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc463511/", "id": "RL34631_2013Mar21", "date": "2013-03-21", "retrieved": "2014-12-05T09:57:41", "title": "Former Presidents: Pensions, Office Allowances, and Other Federal Benefits", "summary": "This report provides a legislative and cultural history of the Former Presidents Act (FPA). It details the benefits provided to former Presidents and their costs. Congress has the authority to reduce, increase, or maintain the pension and benefits provided to former Presidents of the United States. This report considers the potential effects of maintaining the FPA or amending the FPA in ways that might reduce or otherwise modify a former President's benefits.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20130321_RL34631_ebc76e9c65f150264da2b191cc3f69764491f7e8.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20130321_RL34631_ebc76e9c65f150264da2b191cc3f69764491f7e8.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Pensions", "name": "Pensions" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Ex-presidents", "name": "Ex-presidents" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Presidents", "name": "Presidents" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc463229/", "id": "RL34631_2008Aug22", "date": "2008-08-22", "retrieved": "2014-12-05T09:57:41", "title": "Former Presidents: Pensions, Office Allowances, and Other Federal Benefits", "summary": "This report describes the benefits Presidents receive upon leaving office, details the history of the Former Presidents Act (FPA), and analyzes some legislative options for the 110th Congress related to former Presidents.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20080822_RL34631_b1f9ddb1a8af3014a06d6e3217dc294c2f10938c.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20080822_RL34631_b1f9ddb1a8af3014a06d6e3217dc294c2f10938c.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Pensions", "name": "Pensions" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Ex-presidents", "name": "Ex-presidents" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Presidents", "name": "Presidents" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Presidential compensation", "name": "Presidential compensation" } ] } ], "topics": [ "American Law", "Appropriations" ] }