text: SECTION 1. STANDARDIZATION OF WITHDRAWAL OPTIONS FOR THRIFT SAVINGS 
                PLAN PARTICIPANTS.
  
      (a) Participation in the Thrift Savings Plan.--Section 8351(b) of 
  title 5, United States Code, is amended--
              (1) by amending paragraph (4) to read as follows:
              ``(4) Section 8433(b) of this title applies to any employee 
          or Member who elects to make contributions to the Thrift 
          Savings Fund under subsection (a) of this section and separates 
          from Government employment.'';
              (2) by striking out paragraphs (5), (6), and (8);
              (3) by redesignating paragraphs (7), (9), and (10) as 
          paragraphs (5), (6), and (7), respectively;
              (4) in paragraph (5)(C) (as redesignated under paragraph 
          (3) of this subsection) by striking out ``or former spouse'' in 
          both places it appears;
              (5) by amending paragraph (6) (as redesignated under 
          paragraph (3) of this subsection) to read as follows:
              ``(6) Notwithstanding paragraph (4), if an employee or 
          Member separates from Government employment and such employee's 
          or Member's nonforfeitable account balance is $3,500 or less, 
          the Executive Director shall pay the nonforfeitable account 
          balance to the participant in a single payment unless the 
          employee or Member elects, at such time and otherwise in such 
          manner as the Executive Director prescribes, one of the options 
          available under section 8433(b) of this title.''; and
              (6) in paragraph (7) (as redesignated under paragraph (3) 
          of this subsection) by striking out ``nonforfeiture'' and 
          inserting in lieu thereof ``nonforfeitable''.
      (b) Benefits and Election of Benefits.--Section 8433 of title 5, 
  United States Code, is amended--
              (1) in subsection (b) by striking out the matter before 
          paragraph (1) and inserting in lieu thereof ``Subject to 
          section 8435 of this title, any employee or Member who 
          separates from Government employment entitled to an annuity 
          under subchapter II of this chapter or any employee or Member 
          who separates from Government employment is entitled and may 
          elect--'';
              (2) by striking out subsections (c) and (d) and 
          redesignating subsections (e), (f), (g), (h), and (i) as 
          subsections (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g), respectively;
              (3) in subsection (c)(1) (as redesignated under paragraph 
          (2) of this subsection) by striking out ``or (c)(4) or required 
          under subsection (d) directly to an eligible retirement plan or 
          plans) (as defined in section 402(a)(5)(E) of the Internal 
          Revenue Code of 1954)'' and inserting in lieu thereof 
          ``directly to an eligible retirement plan or plans (as defined 
          in section 402(c)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986)'';
              (4) in subsection (d)(2) (as redesignated under paragraph 
          (2) of this subsection) by striking out ``or (c)(2)''; and
              (5) in subsection (f) (as redesignated under paragraph (2) 
          of this subsection)--
                      (A) by striking out paragraph (1) and redesignating 
                  paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (1) and (2), 
                  respectively; and
                      (B) in paragraph (1) (as redesignated under 
                  subparagraph (A) of this paragraph)--
                              (i) by striking out ``Notwithstanding 
                          subsections (b) and (c), if an employee or 
                          Member separates from Government employment 
                          under circumstances making such an employee or 
                          Member eligible to make an election under 
                          either of those subsections, and such 
                          employee's or Member's'' and inserting in lieu 
                          thereof ``Notwithstanding subsection (b), if an 
                          employee or Member separates from Government 
                          employment, and such employee's or Member's''; 
                          and
                              (ii) by striking out ``or (c), as 
                          applicable''; and
                      (C) in paragraph (2) (as redesignated under 
                  subparagraph (A) of this paragraph) by striking out 
                  ``paragraphs (1) and (2)'' and inserting in lieu 
                  thereof ``paragraph (1)''.
      (c) Annuities: Methods of Payment; Election; Purchase.--Section 
  8434(c) of title 5, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
      ``(c) Notwithstanding an elimination of a method of payment by the 
  Board an employee, Member, former employee, or former Member may elect 
  the eliminated method if the elimination of such method became 
  effective less than 5 years before the date on which the annuity 
  commences.''.
      (d) Protections for Spouses and Former Spouses.--Section 8435 of 
  title 5, United States Code, is amended--
              (1) in subsection (a)(1)(A) by striking out ``subsection 
          (b)(3), (b)(4), (c)(3), or (c)(4) of section 8433 of this title 
          or change an election previously made under subsection (b)(1), 
          (b)(2), (c)(1), or (c)(2)'' and inserting in lieu thereof 
          ``subsection (b)(3) or (b)(4) of section 8433 of this title or 
          change an election previously made under subsection (b)(1) or 
          (b)(2)'';
              (2) by striking out subsection (b);
              (3) by redesignating subsections (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), 
          (h), and (i) as subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), and 
          (h), respectively;
              (4) in subsection (b) (as redesignated under paragraph (3) 
          of this subsection) by amending paragraph (2) to read as 
          follows:
              ``(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply, if--
                      ``(A) a joint waiver of such method is made, in 
                  writing, by the employee or Member and the spouse; or
                      ``(B) the employee or Member waives such method, in 
                  writing, after establishing to the satisfaction of the 
                  Executive Director that circumstances described under 
                  subsection (a)(2) (A) or (B) make the requirement of a 
                  joint waiver inappropriate.''; and
              (5) in subsection (c)(1) (as redesignated under paragraph 
          (3) of this subsection) by striking out ``and a transfer may 
          not be made under section 8433(d) of this title''.
      (e) Justices and Judges.--Section 8440a(b) of title 5, United 
  States Code, is amended--
              (1) in paragraph (5) by striking out ``Section 8433(d)'' 
          and inserting in lieu thereof ``Section 8433(b)''; and
              (2) by striking out paragraphs (7) and (8) and inserting in 
          lieu thereof the following:
              ``(7) Notwithstanding paragraphs (4) and (5), if any 
          justice or judge retires under subsection (a) or (b) of section 
          371 or section 372(a) of title 28, or resigns without having 
          met the age and service requirements set forth under section 
          371(c) of title 28, and such justice's or judge's 
          nonforfeitable account balance is $3,500 or less, the Executive 
          Director shall pay the nonforfeitable account balance to the 
          participant in a single payment unless the justice or judge 
          elects, at such time and otherwise in such manner as the 
          Executive Director prescribes, one of the options available 
          under section 8433(b).''.
      (f) Bankruptcy Judges and Magistrates.--Section 8440b of title 5, 
  United States Code, is amended--
              (1) in subsection (b)(4) by amending subparagraph (B) to 
          read as follows:
                      ``(B) Section 8433(b) of this title applies to any 
                  bankruptcy judge or magistrate who elects to make 
                  contributions to the Thrift Savings Fund under 
                  subsection (a) of this section and who retires before 
                  attaining age 65 but is entitled, upon attaining age 
                  65, to an annuity under section 377 of title 28 or 
                  section 2(c) of the Retirement and Survivors Annuities 
                  for Bankruptcy Judges and Magistrates Act of 1988.'';
              (2) in subsection (b)(4)(C) by striking out ``Section 
          8433(d)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``Section 8433(b)'';
              (3) in subsection (b)(5) by striking out ``retirement under 
          section 377 of title 28 is'' and inserting in lieu thereof 
          ``any of the actions described under paragraph (4) (A), (B), or 
          (C) shall be considered'';
              (4) in subsection (b) by striking out paragraph (8) and 
          redesignating paragraph (9) as paragraph (8); and
              (5) in paragraph (8) of subsection (b) (as redesignated 
          under paragraph (4) of this subsection)--
                      (A) by striking out ``Notwithstanding subparagraphs 
                  (A) and (B) of paragraph (4), if any bankruptcy judge 
                  or magistrate retires under circumstances making such 
                  bankruptcy judge or magistrate eligible to make an 
                  election under subsection (b) or (c)'' and inserting in 
                  lieu thereof ``Notwithstanding paragraph (4), if any 
                  bankruptcy judge or magistrate retires under 
                  circumstances making such bankruptcy judge or 
                  magistrate eligible to make an election under 
                  subsection (b)''; and
                      (B) by striking out ``and (c), as applicable''.
      (g) Claims Court Judges.--Section 8440c of title 5, United States 
  Code, is amended--
              (1) in subsection (b)(4)(B) by striking out ``Section 
          8433(d)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``Section 8433(b)'';
              (2) in subsection (b)(5) by striking out ``retirement under 
          section 178 of title 28, is'' and inserting in lieu thereof 
          ``any of the actions described in paragraph (4) (A) or (B) 
          shall be considered'';
              (3) in subsection (b) by striking out paragraph (8) and 
          redesignating paragraph (9) as paragraph (8); and
              (4) in paragraph (8) (as redesignated under paragraph (3) 
          of this subsection) by striking out ``Notwithstanding paragraph 
          (4)(A)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``Notwithstanding 
          paragraph (4)''.
      (h) Judges of the United States Court of Veterans Appeals.--Section 
  8440d(b)(5) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking out 
  ``A transfer shall be made as provided under section 8433(d) of this 
  title'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``Section 8433(b) of this title 
  applies''.
      (i) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--Chapters 83 and 84 of 
  title 5, United States Code, are amended--
              (1) in section 8351(b)(5)(B) (as redesignated under 
          subsection (a)(3) of this section) by striking out ``section 
          8433(i)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``section 8433(g)'';
              (2) in section 8351(b)(5)(D) (as redesignated under 
          subsection (a)(3) of this section) by striking out ``section 
          8433(i)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``section 8433(g)'';
              (3) in section 8433(b)(4) by striking out ``subsection 
          (e)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``subsection (c)'';
              (4) in section 8433(d)(1) (as redesignated under subsection 
          (b)(2) of this section) by striking out ``(d) of section 8435'' 
          and inserting in lieu thereof ``(c) of section 8435'';
              (5) in section 8433(d)(2) (as redesignated under subsection 
          (b)(2) of this section) by striking out ``section 8435(d)'' and 
          inserting in lieu thereof ``section 8435(c)'';
              (6) in section 8433(e) (as redesignated under subsection 
          (b)(2) of this section) by striking out ``section 8435(d)(2)'' 
          and inserting in lieu thereof ``section 8435(c)(2)'';
              (7) in section 8433(g)(5) (as redesignated under subsection 
          (b)(2) of this section) by striking out ``section 8435(f)'' and 
          inserting in lieu thereof ``section 8435(e)'';
              (8) in section 8434(b) by striking out ``section 8435(c)'' 
          and inserting in lieu thereof ``section 8435(b)'';
              (9) in section 8435(a)(1)(B) by striking out ``subsection 
          (c)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``subsection (b)'';
              (10) in section 8435(d)(1)(B) (as redesignated under 
          subsection (d)(3) of this section) by striking out ``subsection 
          (d)(2)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``subsection (c)(2)'';
              (11) in section 8435(d)(3)(A) (as redesignated under 
          subsection (d)(3) of this section) by striking out ``subsection 
          (c)(1)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``subsection (b)(1)'';
              (12) in section 8435(d)(6) (as redesignated under 
          subsection (d)(3) of this section) by striking out ``or 
          (c)(2)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``or (b)(2)'';
              (13) in section 8435(e)(1)(A) (as redesignated under 
          subsection (d)(3) of this section) by striking out ``section 
          8433(i)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``section 8433(g)'';
              (14) in section 8435(e)(2) (as redesignated under 
          subsection (d)(3) of this section) by striking out ``section 
          8433(i) of this title shall not be approved if approval would 
          have the result described in subsection (d)(1)'' and inserting 
          in lieu thereof ``section 8433(g) of this title shall not be 
          approved if approval would have the result described under 
          subsection (c)(1)'';
              (15) in section 8435(g) (as redesignated under subsection 
          (d)(3) of this section) by striking out ``section 8433(i)'' and 
          inserting in lieu thereof ``section 8433(g)'';
              (16) in section 8437(c)(5) by striking out ``section 
          8433(i)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``section 8433(g)''; 
          and
              (17) in section 8440a(b)(6) by striking out ``section 
          8351(b)(7)'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``section 
          8351(b)(5)''.
      (j) Interim Provision.--Section 8433(d) of title 5, United States 
  Code, is amended by striking out ``shall transfer the amount of the 
  balance'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``may transfer the amount of 
  the balance''.
      (k) Effective Dates.--(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
  provisions of this section shall take effect 1 year after the date of 
  enactment of this Act or upon such other date as the Executive Director 
  of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board shall provide in 
  regulation.
      (2) The provisions of subsection (j) of this section shall take 
  effect upon the date of the enactment of this Act.
  
              Passed the Senate November 24 (legislative day, November 
        23), 1993.
  
              Attest:
  
                                               WALTER J. STEWART,
  
                                                               Secretary.
target: Revises the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), with changes providing separating TSP participants with the same options for withdrawal.
feat_title: A bill to standardize withdrawal options for Thrift Savings Plan participants, and for other purposes.