PUBLIC LAW 106-518—NOV. 13, 2000 114 STAT. 2419 "(4) The circuit executive and staff shall be deemed to be officers and employees of the United States within the meaning of the statutes specified in subsection (f)(4). "(5) The court may appoint either a circuit executive under this subsection or a clerk under section 711 of this title, but not both, or may appoint a combined circuit executive/clerk who shall be paid the salary of a circuit executive.". SEC. 307. RESIDENCE OF RETIRED JUDGES. Section 175 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: "(c) Retired judges of the Court of Federal Claims are not subject to restrictions as to residence. The place where a retired judge maintains the actual abode in which such judge customarily lives shall be deemed to be the judge's official duty station for the purposes of section 456 of this title.". SEC. 308. RECALL OF JUDGES ON DISABILITY STATUS. Section 797(a) of title 28, United States Code, is amended— (1) by inserting "(1)" after "(a)"; and (2) by adding at the end the following: "(2) Any judge of the Court of Federal Claims receiving an annuity under section 178(c) of this title (pertaining to disability) who, in the estimation of the chief judge, has recovered sufficiently to render judicial service, shall be known and designated as a senior judge and may perform duties as a judge when recalled under subsection (b) of this section.". SEC. 309. PERSONNEL APPLICATION AND INSURANCE PROGRAMS RELATING TO JUDGES OF THE COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS. (a) IN GENERAL. —Chapter 7 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 178 the following: '*§ 179. Personnel application and insurance programs "(a) For purposes of construing and applying title 5, a judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims shall be deemed to be an 'officer' under section 2104(a) of such title. "(b)(1)(A) For purposes of construing and applying chapter 89 of title 5, a judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims who— "(i) is retired under subsection (b) of section 178 of this title, and "(ii) at the time of becoming such a retired judge— "(I) was enrolled in a health benefits plan under chapter 89 of title 5, but "(II) did not satisfy the requirements of section 8905(b)(1) of title 5 (relating to eligibility to continue enrollment as an annuitant), shall be deemed to be an annuitant meeting the requirements of section 8905(b)(1) of title 5, in accordance with the succeeding provisions of this paragraph, if the judge gives timely written notification to the chief judge of the court that the judge is willing to be called upon to perform judicial duties under section 178(d) of this title during the period of continued eligibility for enrollment, as described in subparagraph (B)(ii) or (C)(ii) (whichever applies). "(B) Except as provided in subparagraph (C)—
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