VOYA LETTERHEAD

LAW / PRODUCT FILING UNIT
ONE ORANGE WAY, C2S
WINDSOR, CT 06095-4774

J. NEIL MCMURDIE

SENIOR COUNSEL

PHONE:  (860) 580-2824  |  EMAIL:  NEIL.MCMURDIE@VOYA.COM

April 3, 2018

BY EDGARLINK

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, NE, Room 1580

Washington, DC 20549

Re:     Registrant:  Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company

           Form S-3 Initial Registration

           Prospectus Title:  Voya Multi-Rate Annuity

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company, as Registrant, and Voya Financial Partners, LLC, as Principal Underwriter, hereby request acceleration of the above-referenced Registration Statement to May 1, 2018, in accordance with Rule 461 of the Securities Act of 1933.

If you have any questions, please call the undersigned at (860) 580-2824.

Sincerely,

/s/J. Neil McMurdie

J. Neil McMurdie

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