,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #bddf  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #bb1     
#bjba,mrs4 ,murray 7for herself1 ,mr4   
,blumenthal1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,ms4         
,klobuchar1 ,mrs4 ,feinstein1 ,ms4      
,smith1 ,ms4 ,warren1 ,ms4 ,cantwell1   
,mr4 ,wyden1 ,mr4 ,sanders1 ,ms4        
,baldwin1 ,mr4 ,bennet1 ,mr4 ,menendez1 
,ms4 ,cortez ,masto1 ,mr4 ,kaine1 ,mr4  
,padilla1 ,ms4 ,rosen1 ,mr4 ,brown1     
,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,ms4 ,stabenow1 ,mr4 
,durbin1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,ms4 ,duckworth1
 ,mrs4 ,shaheen1 and ,mr4 ,booker7      
introduced the following bill2 which was
 read twice and referred to the         
,committee on ,health1 ,education1      
,labor1 and ,pensions  ,a ,,bill  ,to   
amend the ,employee ,retirement ,income 
,security ,act of #aigd to provide for  
greater spousal protection under defined
 contribution plans1 and for other      
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,women's ,retirement
 ,protection ,act4  #b4 ,findings       

,congress finds the following3 7#a7     
,approximately #be percent of           
non-retired adults have no defined      
benefit plan or retirement savings1     
according to #bjbj data from the ,board 
of ,governors of the ,federal ,reserve  
,system4  7#b7 ,in #bjbj1 one-third of  
the private sector workforce did not    
have access to a retirement plan at the 
workplace1 and only half of the         
workforce actually participated in a    
retirement plan4  7#c7 ,women's         
retirement preparedness often lags      
significantly behind their male         
counterparts1 resulting in the median   
income for women aged #fe and older in  
#bjbj being just #hc percent of the     
median income of men aged #fe and older1
 including income from ,social          
,security1 pension plans1 investments1  
and earnings4  7#d7 ,among people aged  
#ge and older1 #ac4b percent of women   
live in poverty1 while #h4h percent of  
men live in poverty4  7#e7 ,women make  
up two-thirds of low-wage workers1 even 

though they comprise less than half of  
all workers1 and low-wage workers are   
less likely than other workers to       
participate in a retirement plan at     
work4  7#f7 ,because of the pay gap1    
women working full-time1 year-round     
typically lose #djf1bhj over a #dj-year 
career thereby requiring the average    
woman to work almost a decade longer    
than her male counterpart to make up    
that career wage gap4 ,for ,black and   
,latina women1 the career wage gap is   
even larger at #ifd1djj and #a1afc1ibj1 
respectively4  7#g7 ,due to the lower   
lifetime wages stemming from unequal pay
 and caregiving duties1 the average     
,social ,security benefit in #bjai for a
 woman age #fe or older was #ac1eje a   
year1 while for men such average benefit
 was #ag1cgd a year4  7#h7 ,the         
,,covid-#ai pandemic has exacerbated the
 existing gender gap in retirement      
savings as women have been more likely  
to leave the workforce for caregiving4  
,women1 especially women of color1 have 

also been more likely to lose their jobs
 during the pandemic due to             
overrepresentation in industries        
severely hit by the pandemic4  7#i7     
,just #a in #e part-time workers who    
work a full year are eligible for a     
retirement plan1 and women are almost   
twice as likely as men to work          
part-time4  7#aj7 ,while traditional    
defined benefit retirement plans have   
spousal protections1 defined            
contribution retirement plans1 which    
have become increasingly common1        
currently provide no similar spousal    
protections4  7#aa7 ,every year1 more   
than #a1bjj1jjj couples get divorced in 
the ,united ,states4 ,after the family  
home1 retirement savings tends to be the
 largest asset to be divided in a       
divorce4  7#ab7 ,while fees and expenses
 associated with retirement plans have  
been in decline1 participants have seen 
direct charges for processing qualified 
domestic relations orders increase      
significantly4  #c4 ,increasing spousal 

protection under defined contribution   
plans  7a7 ,amendment of ,employee      
,retirement ,income ,security ,act of   
#aigd  7#a7 ,in general ,part #b of     
subtitle ,b of title ,i of the ,employee
 ,retirement ,income ,security ,act of  
#aigd 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #ajea et seq471 is 
amended by inserting after section #bje 
the following new section3  #bje;,a4    
,additional spousal consent requirements
  7a7 ,in general ,each individual      
account plan to which section #bje does 
not apply shall provide that1 except as 
provided in subsections 7c7 and 7d71 no 
distribution may be made under the plan 
unless the spousal consent requirements 
of subsection 7e7 are met4  7b7         
,coordination with section #bje ,nothing
 in this section shall be construed to  
exempt an individual account plan from  
the requirements of paragraph 7#a77;,b71
 7#a77;,c71 or 7#b7 of section #bje7;b7 
with respect to any participant4  7c7   
,exceptions for certain distributions   
,subsection 7a7 shall not apply to--    

7#a7 any distribution that is-- 7,a7 a  
minimum required distribution described 
in section #digd7;b7 of the ,internal   
,revenue ,code of #aihf2 or  7,b7       
permitted under section #bjc7;e77#a7 to 
be made without the consent of the      
participant2  7#b7 any distribution in  
the form of a qualified joint and       
survivor annuity 7as defined in section 
#bje7;d77#a771 a qualified optional     
survivor annuity 7as defined in section 
#bje7;d77#b771 a qualified preretirement
 survivor annuity 7as defined in section
 #bje7;e771 or a series of substantially
 equal periodic payments 7not less      
frequently than annually7 made for the  
joint lives 7or life expectancies7 of   
the participant and the participant's   
spouse2 or  7#c7 in the case of a       
participant who does not elect a form of
 benefit described in paragraph 7#b7    
under the plan or who is participating  
in a plan that does not provide such a  
form of benefit1 any distribution of the
 participant's entire nonforfeitable    

accrued benefit if #ej percent of such  
accrued benefit is transferred to an    
individual retirement plan 7as defined  
in section #ggja7;a77#cg7 of the        
,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf7 of   
the spouse of the participant4  ,a      
transfer described in paragraph 7#c7 to 
an individual retirement plan shall be  
treated in the same manner as a transfer
 under section #djh7;d77#f7 of the      
,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf4  7d7 
,exceptions for certain rollover        
contributions ,subsection 7a7 shall not 
apply to any distribution that is an    
eligible rollover distribution 7as      
defined in section #djb7;f77#b77;,a7 of 
the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf7  
made in the form of a direct            
trustee-to-trustee transfer within the  
meaning of section #dja7;a77#ca7 of the 
,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf-- 7#a7
 to a plan to which this section or     
section #bje applies2 or  7#b7 to an    
individual retirement plan 7as defined  
in section #ggja7;a77#cg7 of the        

,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf7 if-- 
7,a7 the beneficiary of such plan is the
 spouse of the participant1 or the      
spousal consent requirements of         
subsection 7e7 are met with respect to  
any designation of #a or more other     
beneficiaries2 and  7,b7 under the terms
 of the individual retirement plan1 the 
beneficiary of such plan 7whether the   
spouse or other beneficiary designated  
under paragraph 7#a77 may not be changed
 unless-- 7i7 the spousal consent       
requirements of subsection 7e7 are met  
with respect to any such change1 or     
7ii7 the spousal consent under          
subparagraph 7,a7 to the designation of 
a beneficiary other than the spouse     
expressly permits such designation to be
 changed without the further consent of 
the spouse4  7e7 ,spousal consent       
requirements  7#a7 ,in general ,for     
purposes of this section1 except as     
provided in paragraph 7#b71 the spousal 
consent requirements of this subsection 
are met with respect to any distribution

 or any designation or change of        
beneficiary if-- 7,a7 the plan provides 
to each participant1 within a reasonable
 period of time before such distribution
 or designation or change of beneficiary
 is made and consistent with such       
regulations as the ,secretary of the    
,treasury may prescribe1 a written      
explanation of the rights of the        
participant and the participant's spouse
 under this section2  7,b7 the spouse of
 the participant consents in writing to 
the distribution or designation or      
change of beneficiary2  7,c7 in the case
 of a distribution1 the written consent 
under subparagraph 7,b7 is made during  
the consent period2 and  7,d7 the       
written consent under subparagraph      
7,b7-- 7i7 acknowledges the effect of   
such distribution or designation or     
change of beneficiary2 and  7ii7 is     
witnessed by a plan representative or a 
notary public4  7#b7 ,exceptions ,the   
requirements of paragraph 7#a7 7other   
than subparagraph 7,a7 thereof7 shall   

not apply with respect to any           
distribution or designation or change of
 beneficiary if a participant           
establishes to the satisfaction of the  
plan administrator that-- 7,a7 there is 
no spouse2  7,b7 the participant and the
 participant's spouse have not been     
married for at least #a year as of the  
date of the distribution or designation 
or change of beneficiary2 or  7,c7 such 
consent cannot be obtained because-- 7i7
 the spouse cannot be located2  7ii7 due
 to exceptional circumstances1 requiring
 the participant to seek the spouse's   
consent would be inappropriate2 or      
7iii7 of such other circumstances as the
 ,secretary of the ,treasury1 in        
consultation with the ,secretary of     
,labor1 may by regulations prescribe4   
7#c7 ,consent limited to spouse and     
event ,any written consent by a spouse  
under paragraph 7#a71 or the            
establishment by a participant that an  
exception under paragraph 7#b7 applies  
with respect to a spouse1 shall be      

effective only with respect to that     
spouse and to the distribution or       
designation or change of beneficiary to 
which it relates4  7#d7 ,consent period 
,for purposes of this subsection1 the   
term consent period means1 with respect 
to any distribution-- 7,a7 the #ij-;day 
period immediately preceding the date of
 such distribution2 or  7,b7 such other 
period as the ,secretary of the         
,treasury may provide4  7f7 ,discharge  
of plan from liability ,rules similar to
 the rules of section #bje7;c77#f7 shall
 apply for purposes of this section4  4 
7#b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of  
sections of part #b of subtitle ,b of   
title ,i of the ,employee ,retirement   
,income ,security ,act of #aigd is      
amended by inserting after the item     
relating to section #bje the following  
new item3  ,sec4 #bje;,a4 ,additional   
spousal consent requirements4  4  7#c7  
,right of action ,section #ejb7;a7 of   
the ,employee ,retirement ,income       
,security ,act of #aigd 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4  

#aacb71 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking or
 at the end of paragraph 7#aj72  7,b7 by
 striking the period at the end of      
paragraph 7#aa7 and inserting 2 or2 and 
7,c7 by adding at the end the following 
new paragraph3  7#ab7 by an individual  
for appropriate relief in the case of a 
violation of the individual's rights    
under section #bje;,a4  4  7#d7         
,parallel amendment to section #bje     
,section #bje7;c77#b77;,b7 of the       
,employee ,retirement ,income ,security 
,act of #aigd 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4            
#ajee7;c77#b77;,b771 is amended by      
inserting 1 because due to exceptional  
circumstances1 requiring the participant
 to seek the spouse's consent would be  
inappropriate after located4  7b7       
,conforming amendment to ,internal      
,revenue ,code of #aihf ,section        
#dja7;a7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code
 of #aihf is amended by inserting after 
paragraph 7#ag7 the following new       
paragraph3  7#ah7 ,additional spousal   
consent requirements  7,a7 ,in general  

,in the case of a defined contribution  
plan to which paragraph 7#aa7 does not  
apply1 except as provided in subsections
 7c7 and 7d71 a trust forming part of   
such plan shall not constitute a        
qualified trust under this section      
unless no distribution may be made under
 the plan unless the spousal consent    
requirements of subparagraph 7,e7 are   
met4  7,b7 ,coordination with paragraph 
7#aa7 ,nothing in this paragraph shall  
be construed to exempt a defined        
contribution plan from the requirements 
of subparagraph 7,b77ii71 7,b77iii71 or 
7,c7 of paragraph 7#aa7 with respect to 
any participant4  7,c7 ,exceptions for  
certain distributions ,subparagraph 7,a7
 shall not apply to-- 7i7 any           
distribution that is-- 7,i7 a minimum   
required distribution described in      
section #digd7;b71 or  7,,ii7 permitted 
under section #daa7;a77#aa7 to be made  
without the consent of the participant1 
7ii7 any distribution in the form of a  
qualified joint and survivor annuity 7as

 defined in section #dag7;b771 a        
qualified optional survivor annuity 7as 
defined in section #dag7;g771 a         
qualified preretirement survivor annuity
 7as defined in section #dag7;c771 or a 
series of substantially equal periodic  
payments 7not less frequently than      
annually7 made for the joint lives 7or  
life expectancies7 of the participant   
and the participant's spouse1 or  7iii7 
in the case of a participant who does   
not elect a form of benefit described in
 clause 7ii7 under the plan or who is   
participating in a plan that does not   
provide such a form of benefit1 any     
distribution of the participant's entire
 nonforfeitable accrued benefit if #ej  
percent of such accrued benefit is      
transferred to an individual retirement 
plan of the spouse of the participant4  
,a transfer described in clause 7iii7 to
 an individual retirement plan shall be 
treated in the same manner as a transfer
 under section #djh7;d77#f74  7,d7      
,exceptions for certain rollover        

contributions ,subparagraph 7,a7 shall  
not apply to any distribution1 involving
 a participant who has a spouse1 that is
 an eligible rollover distribution 7as  
defined in section #djb7;f77#b77;,a77   
made in the form of a direct            
trustee-to-trustee transfer within the  
meaning of paragraph 7#ca7-- 7i7 to a   
plan to which this paragraph or         
paragraph 7#aa7 applies2 or  7ii7 to an 
individual retirement plan if-- 7,i7 the
 beneficiary of such plan is the spouse 
of the participant1 or the spousal      
consent requirements of subparagraph    
7,e7 are met with respect to any        
designation of #a or more other         
beneficiaries2 and  7,,ii7 under the    
terms of the individual retirement plan1
 the beneficiary of such plan 7whether  
the spouse or other beneficiary         
designated under clause 7i77 may not be 
changed unless-- 7aa7 the spousal       
consent requirements of subparagraph    
7,e7 are met with respect to any such   
change1 or  7bb7 the spousal consent    

under subclause 7,i7 to the designation 
of a beneficiary other than the spouse  
expressly permits such designation to be
 changed without the further consent of 
the spouse4  7,e7 ,spousal consent      
requirements  7i7 ,in general ,for      
purposes of this paragraph1 except as   
provided in clause 7ii71 the spousal    
consent requirements of this            
subparagraph are met with respect to any
 distribution or any designation or     
change of beneficiary if-- 7,i7 the plan
 provides to each participant1 within a 
reasonable period of time before such   
distribution or designation or change of
 beneficiary is made and consistent with
 such regulations as the ,secretary may 
prescribe1 a written explanation of the 
rights of the participant and the       
participant's spouse under this         
paragraph1  7,,ii7 the spouse of the    
participant consents in writing to the  
distribution or designation or change of
 beneficiary1  7,,iii7 in the case of a 
distribution1 the written consent under 

subclause 7,,ii7 is made during the     
consent period1 and  7,,iv7 the written 
consent under subclause 7ii7-- 7aa7     
acknowledges the effect of such         
distribution or designation or change of
 beneficiary1 and  7bb7 is witnessed by 
a plan representative or a notary       
public4  7ii7 ,exceptions under section 
#dag7;a77#b77;,b7 to apply ,the         
requirements of clause 7i7 7other than  
subclause 7,i7 thereof7 shall not apply 
with respect to any distribution or     
designation or change of beneficiary if 
a participant establishes to the        
satisfaction of the plan administrator  
that-- 7,i7 there is no spouse1  7,,ii7 
the participant and the participant's   
spouse have not been married for at     
least #a year as of the date of the     
distribution or designation or change of
 beneficiary1 or  7,,iii7 such consent  
cannot be obtained because-- 7aa7 the   
spouse cannot be located1 or  7bb7 of   
such other circumstances as the         
,secretary1 in consultation with the    

,secretary of ,labor1 may by regulations
 prescribe4  7iii7 ,consent limited to  
spouse and event ,any written consent by
 a spouse under clause 7i71 or the      
establishment by a participant that an  
exception under clause 7ii7 applies with
 respect to a spouse1 shall be effective
 only with respect to that spouse and to
 the distribution or designation or     
change of beneficiary to which it       
relates4  7iv7 ,consent period ,for     
purposes of this subparagraph1 the term 
consent period means1 with respect to   
any distribution-- 7,i7 the #ij-;day    
period immediately preceding the date of
 such distribution1 or  7,,ii7 such     
other period as the ,secretary may      
provide4  4  #d4 ,improving coverage for
 part-time workers  7a7 ,amendment of   
,employee ,retirement ,income ,security 
,act of #aigd  7#a7 ,in general ,section
 #bjb of the ,employee ,retirement      
,income ,security ,act of #aigd 7#bi    
,u4,s4,c4 #ajeb7 is amended by adding at
 the end the following new subsection3  

7c7 ,special rule for certain part-,time
 employees  7#a7 ,in general ,a pension 
plan that includes either a qualified   
cash or deferred arrangement 7as defined
 in section #dja7k7 of the ,internal    
,revenue ,code of #aihf7 or a salary    
reduction agreement 7as described in    
section #djc7;b7 of such ,code7 shall   
not require1 as a condition of          
participation in the arrangement or     
agreement1 that an employee complete a  
period of service with the employer 7or 
employers7 maintaining the plan         
extending beyond the close of the       
earlier of-- 7,a7 the period permitted  
under subsection 7a77#a7 7determined    
without regard to subparagraph 7,b77i7  
thereof72 or  7,b7 the first #bd-month  
period-- 7i7 consisting of #b           
consecutive #ab-month periods during    
each of which the employee has at least 
#ejj hours of service2 and  7ii7 by the 
close of which the employee has attained
 the age of #ba4  7#b7 ,exception       
,paragraph 7#a77;,b7 shall not apply to 

employees who are included in a unit of 
employees covered by an agreement which 
the ,secretary finds to be a collective 
bargaining agreement between employee   
representatives and #a or more          
employers1 if there is evidence that    
retirement benefits were the subject of 
good faith bargaining between such      
employee representatives and such       
employer or employers4  7#c7            
,coordination with other rules  7,a7 ,in
 general ,in the case of employees who  
are eligible to participate in the      
arrangement or agreement solely by      
reason of paragraph 7#a77;,b73 7i7      
,exclusions ,an employer may elect to   
exclude such employees from the         
application of subsections 7a77#d71     
7k77#c71 7k77#ab71 7k77#ac71            
7k77#ae77;,b77iv71 7k77#ae77;,b77i77,i71
 and 7m77#b7 of section #dja of such    
,code and section #daj7;b7 of such      
,code4  7ii7 ,time of participation ,the
 rules of subsection 7a77#d7 shall apply
 to such employees4  7,b7 ,top-heavy    

rules ,an employer may elect to exclude 
all employees who are eligible to       
participate in a plan maintained by the 
employer solely by reason of paragraph  
7#a77;,b7 from the application of the   
vesting and benefit requirements under  
subsections 7b7 and 7c7 of section #daf 
of such ,code4  7#d7 #ab-month period   
,for purposes of this subsection1       
#ab-month periods shall be determined in
 the same manner as under the last      
sentence of subsection 7a77#c77;,a71    
except that #ab-month periods beginning 
before ,january #a1 #bjba1 shall not be 
taken into account4  4  7#b7 ,vesting   
,section #bjc7;b7 of the ,employee      
,retirement ,income ,security ,act of   
#aigd 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #ajec7;a77 is      
amended by redesignating paragraph 7#d7 
as paragraph 7#e7 and by inserting after
 paragraph 7#c7 the following new       
paragraph3  7#d7 ,part-time employees   
,for purposes of determining whether an 
employee who is eligible to participate 
in a qualified cash or deferred         

arrangement or a salary reduction       
agreement under a plan solely by reason 
of section #bjb7;c77#a77;,b7 has a      
nonforfeitable right to employer        
contributions-- 7,a7 except as provided 
in subparagraph 7,b71 each #ab-month    
period for which the employee has at    
least #ejj hours of service shall be    
treated as a year of service2  7,b7     
paragraph 7#c7 shall be applied by      
substituting at least #ejj hours of     
service for more than #ejj hours of     
service in subparagraph 7,a7 thereof2   
and  7,c7 #ab-month periods occurring   
before the #bd-month period described in
 section #bjb7;c77#a77;,b7 shall not be 
treated as years of service4  ,for      
purposes of this paragraph1 #ab-month   
periods shall be determined in the same 
manner as under the last sentence of    
section #bjb7;a77#c77;,a71 except that  
#ab-month periods beginning before      
,january #a1 #bjba1 shall not be taken  
into account4  4  7#c7 ,penalty ,section
 #ejb of the ,employee ,retirement      

,income ,security ,act of #aigd 7#bi    
,u4,s4,c4 #aacb71 is amended by adding  
at the end the following new subsection3
  7n7 ,requirements relating to         
part-,time employees ,in the case of a  
plan that fails to permit participation 
as required by section #bjb7;c71 the    
,secretary may assess a civil penalty   
against the plan sponsor in an amount   
equal to #aj1jjj per year per employee  
to whom such failure relates4 ,the      
,secretary may1 in the ,secretary's sole
 discretion1 waive or reduce the penalty
 under this subsection if the ,secretary
 determines that the plan sponsor acted 
reasonably and in good faith4  4  7b7   
,conforming amendments to ,internal     
,revenue ,code of #aihf  7#a7 ,in       
general ,section #daj7;a7 of the        
,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf is    
amended by adding at the end the        
following new paragraphs3  7#f7 ,special
 rule for certain part-time employees   
7,a7 ,in general ,in the case of a plan 
that includes either a qualified cash or

 deferred arrangement 7as defined in    
section #dja7k77 or a salary reduction  
agreement 7as described in section      
#djc7;b771 a trust of which such plan is
 a part shall not constitute a qualified
 trust under section #dja7;a7 if the    
plan requires1 as a condition of        
participation in the plan or            
arrangement1 that an employee complete a
 period of service with the employer 7or
 employers7 maintaining the plan        
extending beyond the close of the       
earlier of-- 7i7 the period permitted   
under paragraph 7#a7 7determined without
 regard to subparagraph 7,b77i7         
thereof71 or  7ii7 the first #bd-month  
period-- 7,i7 consisting of #b          
consecutive #ab-month periods during    
each of which the employee has at least 
#ejj hours of service1 and  7,,ii7 by   
the close of which the employee has     
attained the age of #ba4  7,b7          
,exception ,subparagraph 7,a77ii7 shall 
not apply to employees who are included 
in a unit of employees covered by an    

agreement which the ,secretary of ,labor
 finds to be a collective bargaining    
agreement between employee              
representatives and #a or more          
employers1 if there is evidence that    
retirement benefits were the subject of 
good faith bargaining between such      
employee representatives and such       
employer or employers4  7,c7            
,coordination with other rules  7i7 ,in 
general ,in the case of employees who   
are eligible to participate in the      
arrangement or agreement solely by      
reason of subparagraph 7,a77ii7-- 7,i7  
,exclusions ,an employer may elect to   
exclude such employees from the         
application of subsection 7b7 and of    
subsections 7a77#d71 7k77#c71 7k77#ab71 
7k77#ac71 7k77#ae77;,b77iv71            
7k77#ae77;,b77i77,i71 and 7m77#b7 of    
section #dja4  7,,ii7 ,time of          
participation ,the rules of paragraph   
7#d7 shall apply to such employees4     
7ii7 ,top-heavy rules ,an employer may  
elect to exclude all employees who are  

eligible to participate in a plan       
maintained by the employer solely by    
reason of subparagraph 7,a77ii7 from the
 application of the vesting and benefit 
requirements under subsections 7b7 and  
7c7 of section #daf4  7,d7 #ab-month    
period ,for purposes of this paragraph1 
#ab-month periods shall be determined in
 the same manner as under the last      
sentence of paragraph 7#c77;,a71 except 
that #ab-month periods beginning before 
,january #a1 #bjba1 shall not be taken  
into account4  7#g7 ,part-time employees
 ,for purposes of determining whether an
 employee who is eligible to participate
 in a qualified cash or deferred        
arrangement or a salary reduction       
agreement under a plan solely by reason 
of paragraph 7#f77;,a77ii7 has a        
nonforfeitable right to employer        
contributions-- 7,a7 except as provided 
in subparagraph 7,b71 each #ab-month    
period for which the employee has at    
least #ejj hours of service shall be    
treated as a year of service1  7,b7     

section #daa7;a77#f7 shall be applied by
 substituting at least #ejj hours of    
service for more than #ejj hours of     
service in subparagraph 7,a7 thereof1   
and  7,c7 #ab-month periods occurring   
before the #bd-month period described in
 paragraph 7#f77;,a77ii7 shall not be   
treated as years of service4  ,for      
purposes of this paragraph1 #ab-month   
periods shall be determined in the same 
manner as under paragraph 7#f77;,d74  4 
#e4 ,effective dates  7a7 ,increasing   
spousal protection under defined        
contribution plans ,except as provided  
in subsections 7c7 and 7d71 the         
amendments made by section #c shall     
apply to distributions and rollover     
contributions made in plan years        
beginning after the date that is #a year
 after the date of the enactment of this
 ,act4  7b7 ,ensuring coverage for      
long-,term part-,time workers ,except as
 provided in subsections 7c7 and 7d71   
the amendments made by section #d shall 
apply to plan years beginning after     

,december #ca1 #bjba4  7c7 ,collective  
bargaining agreements ,in the case of a 
plan maintained pursuant to one or more 
collective bargaining agreements between
 employee representatives and one or    
more employers ratified before the date 
of the enactment of this ,act1 the      
amendments made by sections #c and #d   
shall not apply to distributions or     
rollover contributions on behalf of     
employees covered by any such agreement 
for plan years beginning before the     
earlier of-- 7#a7 the later of-- 7,a7   
the date on which the last of such      
collective bargaining agreements        
terminates 7determined without regard to
 any extension thereof on or after such 
date of the enactment72 or  7,b7 the day
 after the date specified in subsection 
7a7 or 7b71 whichever is applicable2 or 
7#b7 the date that is #c years after the
 applicable day described in paragraph  
7#a77;,b74  7d7 ,provisions relating to 
plan amendments  7#a7 ,in general ,if   
this paragraph applies to any plan or   

contract amendment1 such plan or        
contract shall be treated as being      
operated in accordance with the terms of
 the plan during the period described in
 paragraph 7#b77;,c74  7#b7 ,amendments 
to which paragraph 7#a7 applies  7,a7   
,in general ,paragraph 7#a7 shall apply 
to any amendment to any plan or annuity 
contract which is made-- 7i7 pursuant to
 the amendments made by section #c or #d
 or pursuant to any regulation issued   
under either such section2 and  7ii7 on 
or before the last day of the first plan
 year beginning on or after the date    
that is #c years after the applicable   
day described in subsection             
7c77#a77;,b74  ,in the case of a        
governmental plan 7as defined in section
 #dad7;d7 of the ,internal ,revenue     
,code of #aihf71 this subparagraph shall
 be applied by substituting #e years for
 #c years in clause 7ii74  7,b7         
,conditions ,subparagraph 7,a7 shall not
 apply to any amendment unless-- 7i7 the
 plan or contract is operated as if such

 plan or contract amendment were in     
effect for the period described in      
subparagraph 7,c72 and  7ii7 such plan  
or contract amendment applies           
retroactively for such period4  7,c7    
,period described ,the period described 
in this subparagraph is the period-- 7i7
 beginning on the effective date        
specified by the plan2 and  7ii7 ending 
on the date described in subparagraph   
7,a77ii7 7or1 if earlier1 the date the  
plan or contract amendment is adopted74 
#f4 ,access to independent consumer     
information and understanding  7a7      
,definitions ,in this section-- 7#a7 the
 term consumer means any person who     
purchases or acquires any goods1        
products1 services1 or credit related to
 the retirement or later life economic  
security of the consumer2 and  7#b7 the 
term financial product or service       
provider means any person who engages in
 the business of providing any          
retirement financial product or service 
to any consumer4  7b7 ,required link to 

consumer awareness information ,in any  
offer for the sale1 exchange1 or other  
transfer of a retirement financial      
product or service to a consumer carried
 out by a financial product or service  
provider1 such provider shall provide1  
in a manner consistent with subsection  
7c71 an easily accessible link to the   
website of the ,bureau of ,consumer     
,financial ,protection 7referred to in  
this section as the ,,cfpb7 at which the
 consumer may access information1       
literature1 guides1 programs1 tools1    
strategies1 or any other resource       
produced by the ,,cfpb or other ,federal
 agency relating to retirement planning 
or later life economic security4  7c7   
,determination ,in order to ensure that 
the requirement under subsection 7b7 is 
effectively carried out1 the ,financial 
,literacy and ,education ,commission    
shall determine and publish on its      
website the appropriate link to the     
,,cfpb's website for access to the      
,,cfpb's and other ,federal agencies'   

consumer education materials1 the       
preferred format of such link1 and any  
accompanying description of the ,,cfpb  
and the consumer education materials    
associated with such link4  #g4 ,grants 
to promote financial literacy for women 
7a7 ,authorization of grant awards ,the 
,secretary of ,labor1 acting through the
 ,director of the ,women's ,bureau1     
shall award grants on a competitive     
basis to eligible entities to enable    
such entities to improve the financial  
literacy of women who are working age or
 in retirement1 to increase the         
likelihood of the women realizing a     
secure and stable retirement4  7b7      
,definition of eligible entity ,in this 
section1 the term eligible entity means 
a community-based organization with     
proven experience and expertise in      
serving working-age or retired women4   
7c7 ,application ,an eligible entity    
that desires to receive a grant under   
this section shall submit an application
 to the ,secretary of ,labor at such    

time1 in such manner1 and accompanied by
 such information as such ,secretary may
 require4  7d7 ,minimum grant amount    
,the ,secretary of ,labor shall award   
grants under this section in amounts of 
not less than #bej1jjj4  7e7 ,use of    
funds ,an eligible entity that receives 
a grant under this section shall use the
 grant funds to develop and implement   
financial literacy education1 and       
related activities including outreach1  
awareness building1 and counseling to   
increase women's knowledge of retirement
 planning and consumer1 economic1 and   
personal financial concepts4  7f7       
,authorization of appropriations ,there 
is authorized to be appropriated to     
carry out this section #ajj1jjj1jjj for 
fiscal year #bjbb and each succeeding   
fiscal year4  #h4 ,grants to assist     
low-income women and survivors of       
domestic violence in obtaining qualified
 domestic relations orders  7a7         
,authorization of grant awards ,the     
,secretary of ,labor1 acting through the

 ,director of the ,women's ,bureau and  
in conjunction with the ,assistant      
,secretary of the ,employee ,benefits   
,security ,administration1 shall award  
grants1 on a competitive basis1 to      
eligible entities to enable such        
entities to assist low-income women and 
survivors of domestic violence in       
obtaining qualified domestic relations  
orders 7as defined in section           
#bjf7;d77#c77;,b77i7 of the ,employee   
,retirement ,income ,security ,act of   
#aigd 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4                    
#ajef7;d77#c77;,b77i7771 and ensuring   
that those women actually obtain the    
benefits to which they are entitled     
through those orders4  7b7 ,definition  
of eligible entity ,in this section1 the
 term eligible entity means a           
community-based organization with proven
 experience and expertise in serving    
women and the financial and retirement  
needs of women4  7c7 ,application ,an   
eligible entity that desires to receive 
a grant under this section shall submit 

an application to the ,secretary of     
,labor at such time1 in such manner1 and
 accompanied by such information as the 
,secretary of ,labor may require4  7d7  
,minimum grant amount ,the ,secretary of
 ,labor shall award grants under this   
section in amounts of not less than     
#bej1jjj4  7e7 ,use of funds ,an        
eligible entity that receives a grant   
under this section shall use the grant  
funds to develop programs to offer help 
to low-income women or survivors of     
domestic violence who need assistance in
 preparing1 obtaining1 and effectuating 
a qualified domestic relations order4   
7f7 ,authorization of appropriations    
,there is authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out this section #ajj1jjj1jjj  
for fiscal year #bjbb and each          
succeeding fiscal year4