Brittany Pettersen (D-CO)
Helping Young Americans Save for Retirement Act
A Democratic bill with 6 Republican cosponsors · See all 10 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Helping Young Americans Save for Retirement Act" aims to amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The bill focuses on changing minimum participation standards for pension plans and qualified trusts. Specifically, it seeks to allow eligibility at age 18 under certain conditions. The Act includes various conforming amendments to ensure consistency across the updated sections. These changes regarding age and service requirements will apply to plan years starting at least one year after the Act is enacted.
Yes
- Scored +5
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
The bill allows young adults aged 18 to participate in pension plans earlier than previously required.
- Scored +3
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Earlier eligibility for retirement plans can benefit low-income young workers entering the workforce.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Earlier Retirement Participation: The bill amends existing laws to substitute '18' for '21' regarding the determination of a permitted period, which could allow younger employees to participate in pension plans sooner (Section 2(a)(1)).
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Alternative Eligibility Path: The bill provides a provision where an employee can become eligible after a specific period consisting of two consecutive 12-month periods in which they have at least 500 hours of service (Section 2(a)(1)(B) and Section 2(b)(1)(ii)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Delayed Participant Counting: For pension plans where employees participate solely because of the new age provision, an employee will not be counted as a participant until 5 years after the date the first such employee becomes a participant (Section 2(a)(3)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The bill allows young adults aged 18 to participate in pension plans earlier than previously required. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Earlier eligibility for retirement plans can benefit low-income young workers entering the workforce.
- 10/6/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/10/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/2/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/22/2026
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- 5/21/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/13/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 7/23/2025
- Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Jack BergmanRepublican · Michigan
Nikki BudzinskiDemocrat · Illinois
Nicholas BegichRepublican · Alaska
Byron DonaldsRepublican · Florida
Blake MooreRepublican · Utah
John MannionDemocrat · New York
Tim MooreRepublican · North Carolina
Sarah McBrideDemocrat · Delaware
Scott PetersDemocrat · California
Michael RulliRepublican · Ohio