NARFE News

Electronic copies of our newsletters are available from the links to the left. Our newsletters are published monthly, except for July and August.

NEWS:

NARFE Legislative Hotline – February 3, 2012

MESSAGE FROM NARFE PRESIDENT JOSEPH A. BEAUDOIN

“On February 1, we saw the federal community again singled out for a further year of frozen pay, when the House passed legislation, H.R. 3835, to extend the current two- year pay freeze for another year. The bill also includes pay for members of Congress and their staff. There are several actions NARFE members can take. These are outlined below.” (To see how your representative voted, use http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll019.xml)

1) NARFE PRESIDENT TESTIFIES BEFORE SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE

On February 1, NARFE President Joseph A. Beaudoin testified before the Senate Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia. NARFE’s testimony is available from the NARFE home page or use http://www.narfe.org/pdf/Testimony_Federal_Retirement_Processing_2-1-12.pdf

and the video link is http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/subcommittees/oversight-of-government-management/hearings/federal-retirement-processing-ensuring-proper-and-timely-payments)

2) SENATE FLOOR MAY CONSIDER BILL WITH NARFE-OPPOSED FECA PROVISION

The Senate may take up controversial legislation to overhaul the U.S. Postal Service, S. 1789, as early as the week of February 6. This legislation includes a NARFE-opposed provision to drastically change the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA).

NARFE President Joseph A. Beaudoin’s letter to all senators argues for removing the FECA provision. The letter is available to NARFE members on our website, www.narfe.org. (The URL for NARFE letters to Congress (please bookmark) is: http://www.narfe.org/departments/legislation/articles.cfm?ID=2653 The specific text is posted at: http://www.narfe.org/pdf/Opposing_S_1789.pdf.

3) USE LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER TO PROTECT AMERICA’S HEARTBEAT

NARFE’s members made January 2012 one of the best months ever in the use of our Legislative Action Center. Still, the stakes are higher and the environment more difficult than ever before. NARFE President Joseph A. Beaudoin urges you, if you have not already done so, to use the link below to send NARFE’s new (1/19/12) message to your congressional delegation. CLICK HERE or use http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=60428501. You can edit the message if you like. 6,397 members have already acted. We urge you to join them now by CLICKING HERE!

4) NARFE HOUSE TESTIMONY AVAILABLE ON WEBSITES

David Snell, director of NARFE’s Retirement Benefits Service Department, testified before the House Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, U.S. Postal Service and Labor Policy. To view archived video of the January 25 hearing, use http://oversight.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1566%3A1-25-2012-qretirement-readiness-strengthening-the-federal-pension-systemq&catid=15&Itemid=26 C-SPAN’s Video Library has archived this hearing. To view the hearing, use http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/303897-1

5) NARFE CALL CONGRESS DAY PLANNING REMINDER

Here (again) is the step-by-step process for NARFE’s Call Congress Day on February 15. President Joseph A. Beaudoin asks each NARFE member to save the date of Wednesday, February 15, and share this step by step plan with all NARFE members via chapter newsletters and other communication channels.

Step 1: Call the Capitol using NARFE’s toll-free number, 866-220-0044. Ask the operator to connect you to your representative's and/or senators' office.

Step 2: Tell the staff person who answers the telephone next where you live, so they know you are a constituent, then say:

"I am a retired/active federal employee and member of NARFE." [Tell the staff person a little about your work.]
"[Senator or Representative X] represents thousands of federal workers and retirees and their survivors. Any plan that pays for two-thirds of the payroll tax holiday by taking money out the pockets of fewer than 2 percent of America's middle class is unacceptable, unfair, and certainly isn't shared sacrifice."
"Federal workers, retirees and survivors have already done their part, saving the federal government $50 billion through a two-year pay freeze. Making $65 billion in further cuts to pay, earned health and retirement benefits, or making changes to cost-of-living adjustments, would unfairly single out those who protected our nation, including many now on a fixed income."

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NARFE Legislative Hotline – January 27, 2012

MESSAGE FROM NARFE PRESIDENT JOSEPH A. BEAUDOIN

“NARFE’s January 25 testimony on behalf of the Federal-Postal Coalition and our upcoming February 1 Senate testimony show NARFE’s expertise is appreciated on Capitol Hill. Having shown our ‘inside’ game, professional advocacy, we must ramp up our ‘outside’ game, member advocacy.

I urge each NARFE member to send our Protect America’s Heartbeat message updated January 19th. Unless you are among the 4,912 NARFE members who have already done so, please use the link below to share our views with your representative and two senators.”

1) TELL CONGRESS: DON’T TARGET FEDERAL WORKERS

If you have not already done so, NARFE President Joseph A. Beaudoin urges you to use the link below to send NARFE’s new (1/19/12) message to your congressional delegation. CLICK HERE or use http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=60428501 You can edit the message if you like. 4,912 members have already acted. We urge you to join them now by CLICKING HERE!

2) SENATE FLOOR MAY CONSIDER BILL WITH NARFE-OPPOSED FECA PROVISION

The Senate may take up controversial legislation to overhaul the U.S. Postal Service, S. 1789, as early as the week of January 30. This legislation includes a NARFE-opposed provision to drastically change the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA). NARFE President Joseph A. Beaudoin’s letter to all senators argues for removing the FECA provision. Read the letter posted on the website, www.narfe.org. The gateway address to NARFE letters to Congress (please bookmark) is: http://www.narfe.org/departments/legislation/articles.cfm?ID=2653 The specific text is posted at: http://www.narfe.org/pdf/Opposing_S_1789.pdf

3) PROTECT AMERICA’S HEARTBEAT TOOLKIT UPDATED WITH EXTENDERS FACT SHEET

NARFE’s Protect America’s Heartbeat campaign now includes a fact sheet on the Payroll Tax Cut and Federal Workers. To read and use this tool CLICK HERE for http://www.narfe.org/pdf/NARFE_FactSheet_Extenders_FINAL_1_18_12.pdf

4) NARFE TESTIFIES BEFORE HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE

On January 25, David Snell, director of NARFE’s Retirement Benefits Service Department, testified before the House Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, U.S. Postal Service and Labor Policy. For the full text of Snell’s statement, click here. http://www.narfe.org/pdf/FederalPostalCoalitionTestimonyforFederalRetiremen Hearing_12512.pdf

Archived video is available from the House Oversight Committee website http://oversight.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1566%3A1-25-2012-qretirement-readiness-strengthening-the-federal-pension-systemq&catid=15&Itemid=1

5) NARFE PRESIDENT TO TESTIFY ON FEDERAL RETIREMENT PROCESSING

On February 1, NARFE President Joseph A. Beaudoin will testify before the Senate Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia. The subcommittee, chaired by Sen. Daniel K. Akaka, D-HI, is conducting a hearing titled “Federal Retirement Processing: Ensuring Proper and Timely Payments.” John Berry, director of the Office of Personnel Management, is also scheduled to testify.

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NARFE Legislative Hotline – January 12, 2012 - Script for February 15th Call

MESSAGE FROM NARFE PRESIDENT JOSEPH A. BEAUDOIN

“A House-Senate Conference Committee, facing a February 29 deadline, will soon begin negotiations on extending the payroll tax holiday. The House passed position asks current and future federal employees to bear a third of the cost of the extension through further pay freeze and increased retirement contribution totaling $64.5 billion over ten years. NARFE and the entire federal postal coalition are fighting back. Please use the information below to tell Congress this proposal is unfair.”

1) NARFE TO CONDUCT NATIONAL CALL CONGRESS DAY ON FEBRUARY 15

Last week’s Hotline promised full details including a preferred script. President Joseph Beaudoin asks that Hotline users save the date of Wednesday, February 15 and share this step by step plan with all NARFE members via chapter newsletters and other communication channels.

Step 1: Call the Capitol using NARFE’s toll free number, 1-866-220-0044. Ask the operator to connect you to your representative's and/or senators' office.

Step 2: Tell the staff person who answers the telephone next where you live so they know you are a constituent, then say:

"I am a retired/active federal employee and member of NARFE." [Tell the staff person a little about your work.]

"[Senator or Representative X] represents thousands of federal workers and retirees and their survivors. Any plan that pays for 1/3 of the payroll tax cut by taking money out of the pockets of fewer than 2% of America's middle class is unacceptable, unfair, and certainly isn't shared sacrifice."

"Federal workers, retirees, and survivors have already done their part, saving the federal government $50 billion over two years. Making $65 billion in further cuts to pay, earned health and retirement benefits, or making changes to cost-of-living adjustments, would unfairly single out those who protected our nation, including many now on a fixed income."

2) FEBRUARY’S MAGAZINE ARRIVING IN YOUR MAILBOX The February issue of NARFE is in the mail and contains must read coverage of the perils facing current and future federal retirees. The budget process, FECA, and a NARFE-PAC preview are also covered. Pages 20 and 21 are devoted to Renewing Respect and our Protect America’s Heartbeat campaign.

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