H.R.7781 — 119th Congress (2025-2026)

H.R.7781 is a bill introduced in the 119th Congress by Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) that aims to expand federal benefits to employees of tribally controlled schools. If passed, these educators and staff members would become eligible for the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) pension and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), which is the 401(k)-style retirement plan used by federal employees. Currently, the bill has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform for review.

Longer version:

In a significant move to bridge a long-standing benefits gap in Indian Country, Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) and co-lead Representative Dusty Johnson (R-SD) re-introduced the Parity for Tribal Educators Act (H.R. 7781) on March 4, 2026. This bipartisan legislation aims to address chronic teacher shortages by allowing employees of tribally controlled schools—who currently perform the same roles as their federal counterparts but lack the same protections—to finally become eligible for the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) pension and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). By providing these educators with the same 401(k)-style retirement security and defined-benefit plans available to Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) staff, the bill seeks to fulfill the federal government’s trust responsibility and ensure that the 18 tribally controlled schools in New Mexico, and dozens more nationwide, can successfully recruit and retain high-quality staff. Currently, the bill is under review by the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, following a successful preliminary directive in a 2024 funding bill that set the stage for this permanent legislative fix.

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