May 12, 2016

Dear Senator Booker:

On behalf of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) and the more than 150,000
federal workers in 31 government agencies that we represent, I am writing to thank you for
introducing the Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act that would grant law enforcement
officer (LEO) retirement benefits to Revenue Officers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and
Seized Property Specialists at Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Revenue Officers at the IRS face dangerous situations as they enforce the United States
Tax Code and help collect unpaid taxes on behalf of the federal government. Oftentimes, these
duties bring them in contact with members of the public who find themselves in difficult and
sometimes desperate points in their lives. Most people view these employees as law enforcement
officers, and many have reacted to their inquiries with threats, assaults, and in some cases,
gunfire.
According to a recent report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
(TIGTA), it processed more than 8,200 threats against IRS employees between FY 2011 and
FY 2013. Physical violence, harassment, and intimidation of IRS employees continue to pose
significant challenges to the implementation of a fair and effective system of tax administration.
This report comes at a time when the threat of violence against Federal workers, and IRS
employees in particular, remains high. Events, including the February 2010 suicide attack on IRS
offices in Texas have further heightened ongoing concerns of many Revenue Officers about their
safety and security. This bill would recognize the dangers Revenue Officers face each and every
day in carrying out their duties and provide them with the same civil service retirement status
and benefits that other federal law enforcement officers already receive.
Armed, uniformed CBP Seized Property Specialists are responsible and accountable for
accepting, securing, storing, maintaining and disposing of dangerous drug evidence. CBP Seized
Property Specialists are responsible for all seized personal and real property, including controlled
substances, currency and firearms, by CBP Officers, CBP Border Patrol Agents and Immigration
and Customs Enforcement Agents. The approximately 120 CBP Seized Property Specialists are
the keepers of millions of dollars worth of sensitive evidence and other contraband until final
disposition. Transportation to destruction facilities and destruction of seized property is an
integral part of their jobs.
On December 26, 2007, the President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of
2008 that included an enhanced retirement benefit for CBP Officers. The enhanced retirement
benefit (section 535 of the Act) is similar to that provided for law enforcement officers. The
provisions of this enhanced retirement package went into effect on July 6, 2008.

CBP Seized Property Specialists comply with the same qualification standards and
requirements as CBP Officers do, including 24 hour carry firearms authority. They qualify in
handgun proficiency, undergo self-defense tactics training and learn defensive and restraint
techniques every trimester. They undergo similar specialized training and are issued the same
equipment as CBP Officers. CBP Seized Property Specialists, however, were not covered by the
new CBP Officer enhanced retirement benefit. This bill would remedy that inequity.
NTEU greatly appreciates your leadership on this important issue and stands ready to
work with you to pass this legislation to provide LEO retirement benefits to IRS Revenue
Officers, CBP Seized Property Specialists and other deserving federal employees performing
dangerous law enforcement related duties.
For more information regarding IRS Revenue Officers contact Matt Socknat
(Matt.Socknat@nteu.org) and for CBP Seized Property Specialists contact Jean Hutter
(jean.hutter@nteu.org) in the NTEU Legislation Department at 202-572-5500.

Sincerely,

Anthony M. Reardon
National President