113 STAT. 670 PUBLIC LAW 106-65—OCT. 5, 1999 date. No benefit may be paid to any person by reason of that section for any period before that date. Subtitle F—Eligibility to Participate in the Thrift Savings Plan SEC. 661. PARTICIPATION IN THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN. (a) PARTICIPATION AUTHORITY.— (1)(A) Chapter 3 of title 37, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: "§211. Participation in Thrift Savings Plan "(a) DEFINITION.— In this section, the term 'member' means— "(1) a member of the uniformed services serving on active duty; and "(2) a member of the Ready Reserve in any pay status. "(b) AUTHORITY.—Any member may participate in the Thrift Savings Plan in accordance with section 8440e of title 5. "(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION REGARDING SEPARATION.—For purposes of subchapters III and VII of chapter 84 of title 5, each of the following actions shall, in the case of a member participating in the Thrift Savings Plan in accordance with section 8440e of such title, be considered a separation from Government employ- ment: "(1) Release of the member from active duty, not followed, before the end of the 31-day period beginning on the day following the effective date of the release, by— "(A) a resumption of active duty; or "(B) an appointment to a position covered by chapter 83 or 84 of title 5 or an equivalent retirement system, as identified by the Executive Director (appointed by the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board) in regulations. "(2) Transfer of the member to inactive status, or to a retired list pursuant to any provision of title 10.". (B) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following: "211. Participation in Thrift Savings Plan.". (2)(A) Subchapter III of chapter 84 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: § 8440e. Members of the uniformed services "(a) For purposes of this section— "(1) the term 'member' has the meaning given such term by section 211 of title 37; and "(2) the term 'basic pay' means basic pay payable under section 204 of title 37. "(b)(1) Any member eligible to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan by virtue of section 211(b) of title 37 may contribute to the Thrift Savings Fund. "(2)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), an election to contribute to the Thrift Savings Fund under this section may be made only during a period provided under section 8432(b), subject to the same conditions as prescribed under paragraph (2)(A)- (D) thereof.
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