|
Electronic copies of our newsletters are available from the links to
the left. Our newsletters are published monthly, except for July and August.
NEWS:
JULY 2010 CONSUMER PRICE
NEWS
|
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers
(CPI-W) increased 0.03% percent from June to July. Released by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov/cpi
or 202/691-6994) on August 13, the CPI-W for July is 213.898. For
purposes of calculating the next COLA (cost-of-living adjustment), the
index, which will be averaged with the August and September indices, is
still 0.74 percent below the 2008 third quarter average base
index of 215.5. (Due to price deflation, in the past measurement year,
the 2008 third quarter average is still the point of comparison.)
August consumer price indices will be released Friday, September 17,
2010.
Benefits awarded under the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) to
individuals suffering work-related injuries or illnesses are adjusted
according to each calendar year’s percentage change in the CPI-W.
July’s index, 213.898 is 1.04 percent higher than the December
2009 index, 211.703.
|
CPI-W |
Monthly % Change |
% Toward Next COLA |
|
Oct. |
211.5 |
0.1 |
-1.9 |
|
Nov |
212.0 |
0.2 |
-1.62 |
|
Dec |
211.7 |
-0.1 |
-1.8 |
|
Jan |
212.6 |
0.4 |
-1.4 |
|
Feb |
212.5 |
0.0 |
-1.4 |
|
March |
213.525 |
0.5 |
-0.9 |
|
April |
213.96 |
0.2 |
-0.7 |
|
May |
214.124 |
0.1 |
-0.6 |
|
June |
213.839 |
-0.1 |
-0.8 |
|
July |
213.898 |
.03 |
-0.74 |
|
Top of Page
This NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 725 was released
Friday, July 30th. Senate action on federal pay and “Meet Your Candidates Month”
are covered. The next scheduled Hotline is set for Friday, August 6th. (707
words; 3:38)
Pay Raise Passes Senate Subcommittee: So far, lawmakers are following President
Obama's lead on the fiscal 2011 federal pay raise. On July 27, the Senate
Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
included a 1.4 percent pay raise for federal employees in the fiscal 2011
Financial Services and General Government spending bill (S. 3677). The figure
mirrors the request in the President’s budget.
Planning/coordinating for August Is “Meet Your Candidates Month”: The House of
Representatives begins its six week break on July 30. The Senate plans to recess
at the close of business on August 6th. The August-Labor Day recess is NARFE’s
“Meet Your Candidates Month.”
We have planned our work, now we must work our plan. Copies of the planning memo
and support documents including an updated “Candidate Questionnaire” and the new
“Fiscal Commission Talking Points” are posted for NARFE members on our web site
and are available upon request. Chapter officers may want to provide copies to
their members. (On the Legislation home page, use the colorful Meet Your
Candidates Month “CLICK HERE” for all supporting materials.)
Report Meetings with Your Lawmakers: NARFE member feedback from any meetings or
forums with any Member of Congress during “Meet Your Candidates Month” is
precious to the Legislative Department. Another name for it is “intelligence.”
Because this feedback is so vital, www.NARFE.org has added a feature to our
Legislative Action Center which allows you to make online reports on your
meetings with lawmakers. (Phone text: Members unable to report online should
send a written report to chapter, federation and regional NARFE leaders and the
NARFE Legislative Department, 606 N Washington St, Alexandria VA 22314-1914 or
phone the Legislative Department, 703/838-7760 x267)
Using www.NARFE.org To Provide Feedback: Here’s how you do it: (1) log into the
Members Section of the NARFE website www.narfe.org, (2) click the “Department”
button on the top of the page and a menu of all the NARFE Departments will drop
down, (3) click on “Legislation” to visit our department’s page, (4) scroll down
to the bottom of the Legislative page and click on “REPORT MEETINGS WITH
LAWMAKERS,” (5) this will take you to our Legislative Action Center, where you
will find a “Advocacy Activity Form,” (6) complete the form and then click on
the “Proceed” button on the bottom of the page, (7) then you will be asked to
check off which lawmaker you contacted, (8) the final form will list the
lawmaker’s name at the top of the page, another block is for the date of your
meeting and then you can summarize, in 4000 characters of less, your meeting in
“comments” box. (The direct path to our “Advocate Activity Form” is:
http://www.capwiz.com/narfe/lrm/feedback.tt)
Who, What, When, Where and Why: Let us know who you have met with – the member
of Congress and/or their staff - and the subjects discussed at your meeting, any
commitments made by the legislator or staff and anything you or your NARFE
colleagues are doing to follow up on the meeting (e.g. providing information
requested, asking if staff checked with lawmaker on a NARFE request, etc.)
Baptiste: ENLIST to Defend: On June 30th, NARFE President Baptiste testified
before the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform:
http://www.narfe.org/departments/guest/articles.cfm?ID=2129 . Earlier, on
April 30th, NARFE launched an Action Alert, “Federal retirement benefits
vulnerable in fiscal commission process.” 7,481 activists of the 25,592 members
who have viewed the alert, have used the Legislative Action Center to send a
detailed message to their congressional delegation. President Baptiste urges you
to enlist in the defense of your earned benefits by using the Legislative Action
Center to send a MESSAGE to your Representative and two Senators.” (Again, the
specific link is
http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14982226.)
Obtaining the Hotline: Thank you for using the Hotline. This weekly legislative
message is available to telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll free at
1-877-217-8234), posted on NARFE's Internet site, www.narfe.org, made available
to NARFE-Net Coordinators; and sent to over 54,000 GEMS e-mail addresses. Each
delivery channel is a service of NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal
Employees Association.
Top of Page
Telework Passed in House: On July 14, 2010, the House of Representatives passed
H.R. 1722, the “Telework Improvements Act of 2010,” to require executive branch
agencies to establish policies to allow employees to telework to “the maximum
extent possible without diminishing agency operations and performance,”
specifically ensuring that eligible employees are authorized to telework at
least 20 percent of their hours. The federal government defines telework “as
work arrangements in which an employee regularly performs officially assigned
duties at home or other work sites geographically convenient to the residence of
the employee.” The 290-131 vote on H.R. 1722 set the stage for a House-Senate
conference to resolve differences with an earlier Senate passed version
Prior to the vote, NARFE President Margaret L.Baptiste sent a letter to each
Representative urging them to vote in favor of the bill: “H.R. 1722 will foster
a qualified and reliable federal workforce while providing the federal
government’s dedicated public servants with the ability to maintain a healthy
work-life balance.”
June Consumer Price News: June’s CPI-W is 213.839 a decrease of 0.1 percent from
the May index 214.124. Consumer price indices for July 2010, the first month of
the final quarter, are scheduled to be released on Friday, the 13th of August.
Unless the measurement year’s final quarter (July through September) is marked
by rapid inflation there is unlikely to be a cost of living adjustment (COLA) in
federally administered retirement programs including Social security, military
retirement and federal civil service. Full details are available on the NARFE
web site. (The specific URL is
http://www.narfe.org/departments/home/articles.cfm?ID=94242
and for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (taped message 202/691-6994) release on
June indices use
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf
WV Governor Appoints Temporary Senator: Gov. Joe Manchin of West Virginia
announced today he is picking Carte Goodwin, his former chief counsel, as the
interim replacement for the late Democratic Sen. Robert Byrd. The replacement
will serve until the state holds a special election later this year.
Planning/coordinating for August Is ‘Meet Your Candidates Month’ Because it is
the largest block of time when incumbents need not be on Capitol Hill, the
August 7-September 14 summer recess (likely to start even earlier for the House)
is NARFE’s “Meet Your Candidates Month.” We are eager to improve on our
successful 2008 election outreach to congressional candidates. NARFE federation
presidents and national legislative chairs participated in early planning
including regional conference calls in April (June NARFE, p. 16). Copies of the
planning memo and support documents including a “Candidate Questionnaire” and
the new “Fiscal Commission Talking Points” are posted for NARFE members on our
web site and are available upon request. Chapter officers may want to provide
copies to their members. (On the Legislation home page, use the colorful Meet
Your Candidates Month “CLICK HERE” for supporting materials.)
Cantor Suggests “High-5” Proposal: For several weeks, House Minority Leader Eric
Cantor’s, R-VA, “You Cut” website
http://republicanwhip.house.gov/YouCut
encouraged visitors to vote on five specific proposals to cut federal spending.
Earlier this week, a proposal to cut federal civilian retirement annuities by
basing them on the highest five years of salary – instead of the highest three
years – was ranked as the second most popular reduction option on Cantor’s
website. The “high-5” proposal is no longer on the site. A proposal made in May
to deny federal workers a modest 1.4 percent pay raise in 2011 continues to be
promoted as part of the “You Cut” campaign:
http://republicanwhip.house.gov/YouCut/week2.htm
Baptiste: ENLIST to Defend: Now that President Baptiste has testified before the
National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, NARFE members must
enlist in the defense of our earned benefits. President Baptiste urges you to
join the 7,234 members who have already enlisted using the Legislative Action
Center to send a MESSAGE to your Representative and two Senators.” (Again, the
specific link is http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14982226.)
Obtaining the Hotline: Thank you for using the Hotline. This weekly legislative
message is available to telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll free at
1-877-217-8234), posted on NARFE's Internet site, www.narfe.org, made available
to NARFE-Net Coordinators; and sent to over 54,000 GEMS e-mail addresses. Each
delivery channel is a service of NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal
Employees Association.
Top of Pagege
This NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 720 was released Friday, June 18th.
Senate consideration of a federal pay freeze, May consumer price news and the
June 30 meeting of the Fiscal Commission are covered. The next scheduled
Hotline is set for Friday, June 25th. (603 words; 3:38)
Attempts to freeze federal work pay continues: Supporters of proposals to deny
federal workers a modest 1.4 percent pay raise in 2011 are continuing their
attempt to attach their proposal to must-past legislation. The latest example
is Senator Tom Coburn’s, R-OK, pay freeze amendment to H.R. 4213, a tax and
benefits bill. At our deadline, consideration of the Coburn amendment was
pending in the Senate. However, the Senate did consider under unanimous consent
a provision to provide a six month “fix” in the Medicare provider re-imbursement
rate. (Further details are available on the Finance Committee Website at:
http://finance.senate.gov/legislation/details/?id=bed977dc-5056-a032-520f-49d7b04df18f.
Baptiste Urges Senators to Oppose Pay Freeze Amendment:
In a June 15th letter to all 100 Senators, NARFE President Margaret
L. Baptiste urged Senators to oppose the Coburn amendment to H.R. 4213.
Baptiste wrote, “NARFE
supports putting our fiscal house in order, but not if it means undermining the
invaluable contributions made to our country by Americans who devote their
careers to public service. This pay freeze proposal is particularly ill-timed
as we call on federal workers to do more with less, respond to disasters like
the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, fight terrorism here and abroad and serve
alongside their uniformed colleagues in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
May Consumer Price News:
May’s CPI-W is 214.124 an increase of 0.1 percent from the April index 213.958.
Consumer price indices for June 2010 are scheduled to be released on Friday,
July 16th. Full details are available on the NARFE web site. (The
specific URL is
http://www.narfe.org/departments/home/articles.cfm?ID=942 and for the
Bureau of Labor Statistics (taped message 202/691-6994) release on May indices
use
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf
August Is ‘Meet Your Candidates Month’ Because it is the
largest block of time when incumbents need not be on Capitol Hill, the August
7-September 14 summer recess is NARFE’s “Meet Your Candidates Month.” We are
eager to improve on our successful 2008 election outreach to congressional
candidates. NARFE federation presidents and national legislative chairs
participated in early planning including regional conference calls in May (June
NARFE, p. 16). Copies of the planning memo and support documents
including a “Candidate Questionnaire” and the new “Fiscal Commission Talking
Points” are posted for NARFE members on our web site and are available upon
request. Chapter officers may want to provide copies to their members. (On the
Legislation home page, use the colorful Meet Your Candidates Month “CLICK HERE”
for supporting materials.)
Baptiste: ENLIST to Defend:
The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform holds its third
meeting on June 30; NARFE members should watch. The Commission’s mandate is to
scrutinize federal tax policy and all federal spending – including federal
retirement. NARFE President Margaret L. Baptiste wants each NARFE member to
enlist in the defense of our earned benefits. Join the 6,262 members who have
already enlisted using the Legislative Action Center to send a MESSAGE to
your Representative and two Senators.” (Again, the specific link is
http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14982226.) The
Commission’s web site provides a full video of the Commission meetings:
http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/
Obtaining the Hotline:
Thank you for using the Hotline. This weekly legislative message is available
to telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll free at 1-877-217-8234), posted on
NARFE's Internet site,
www.narfe.org, made available to NARFE-Net
Coordinators; and sent to over 54,000 GEMS e-mail addresses. Each delivery
channel is a service of NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees
Association.
Top of Page
This NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 719, was released Friday, June 11th.
This edition leads with information on a Senate setback to our convention
mandate to support legislation to extend dependent coverage until age 26. The
next scheduled Hotline, set for Friday, June 18th, will cover May
consumer price news. (823 words; 5:46)
Senate Sidetracks Expedited Dependent Coverage Extension
On June 9, an amendment offered by Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-MD, that would have
expedited the coverage to dependent children up to age 26 under Federal
Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) was sidetracked because it failed to
receive the 60 votes needed to clear a procedural obstacle. Cardin offered the
amendment to H.R. 4213, must-pass legislation which would extend expiring tax
provisions and prevent a scheduled reduction in Medicare reimbursement to
physicians.
The new health care law enacted in March requires insurers to extend coverage to
dependent children up to age 26 by September 2010, but the law authorizing the
FEHBP does not allow the dependent children of federal workers and annuitants to
receive the same coverage until the program’s new contract year starts in
January 2011. The Cardin amendment sought to eliminate this inequity between
FEHBP enrollees and private sector insurers. The vote needed to clear the
procedural hurdle required a 3/5 super majority. Senators mostly voted along
party lines. The final tally was 57-42 (for full details use the Senate web
site
www.senate.gov (or
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00179
to see details). A vote in favor of the motion supports the NARFE position.
The NARFE Legislative Program for the 111th
August Is ‘Meet Your Candidates Month’’NARFE, p. 16). Copies of the planning memo and support documents
including a “Candidate Questionnaire” and the new “Fiscal Commission Talking
Points” are posted for NARFE members on our web site and are available upon
request. Chapter officers may want to provide copies to their members. (On the
Legislation home page, use the colorful Meet Your Candidates Month “CLICK HERE”
for supporting materials.)
Spending Cut Proposals to Be Solicited at Town Hall Meetings::
Participate to Defend::
Baptiste: ENLIST to Defend:
The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform’s mandate is to
scrutinize federal tax policy and all federal spending – including federal
retirement. NARFE President Margaret L. Baptiste wants each NARFE member to
enlist in the defense of our earned benefits. Join the 6,023 members who have
already enlisted using the Legislative Action Center to send a MESSAGE to
your Representative and two Senators.” (Again, the specific link is
http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14982226.) The
Commission’s web site provides a full video of the Commission meetings:
http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/
Obtaining the Hotline::
Thank you for using the Hotline. This weekly legislative message is available
to telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll free at 1-877-217-8234), posted on
NARFE's Internet site,
www.narfe.org, made available to NARFE-Net
Coordinators; and sent to over 54,000 GEMS e-mail addresses. Each delivery
channel is a service of NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees
Association.
Top of Page
This NARFE
Legislative Hotline, number 718, was released Friday, June 4th. This
unscheduled Hotline is devoted entirely to obtaining NARFE members’ feedback
about meetings with Members of Congress. The next scheduled Hotline is set for
Friday, June 11th. (470 words; 3:11)
Report
Meetings with Your Lawmakers:
This
unscheduled Hotline is issued to request NARFE member feedback from any
meetings, forums or phone call with any Member of Congress during the present
Memorial Day Recess, conventions and/or other event(s). The information you
receive from either of your Senators or Representative is precious to the
Legislative Department. Another name for this feedback is “intelligence.”
Because this feedback is so vital,
www.NARFE.org has added a feature to our
Legislative Action Center which allows you to make online reports on your
meetings with lawmakers.
Using
www.NARFE.org To Provide Feedback:
Here’s how you do it: (1) log into the Members Section of the NARFE website
www.narfe.org, (2) click the “Department”
button on the top of the page and a menu of all the NARFE Departments will drop
down, (3) click on “Legislation” to visit our department’s page, (4) scroll down
to the bottom of the Legislative page and click on “REPORT MEETINGS WITH
LAWMAKERS,” (5) this will take you to our Legislative Action Center, where you
will find a “Advocacy Activity Form,” (6) complete the form and then click on
the “Proceed” button on the bottom of the page, (7) then you will be asked to
check off which lawmaker you contacted, (8) the final form will list the
lawmaker’s name at the top of the page, another block is for the date of your
meeting and then you can summarize, in 4000 characters of less, your meeting in
“comments” box. (The direct path to our “Advocate Activity Form” is:
http://www.capwiz.com/narfe/lrm/feedback.tt
Who, What,
When, Where and Why:
Let us know
who you have met with – the member of Congress and/or their staff - and the
subjects discussed at your meeting, any commitments made by the legislator or
staff and anything you or your NARFE colleagues are doing to follow up on the
meeting (e.g. providing information requested, asking if staff checked with
lawmaker on a NARFE request, etc). This feature is intended for you to report
information about contacts with federal level legislators. Descriptions of
meetings with state and local level elected officials should be
provided to your chapter State Legislation Officer and federation State
Legislative Chair.
Obtaining the
Hotline:
Thank you for using the Hotline. This weekly legislative message is available
to telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll free at 1-877-217-8234), posted on
NARFE's Internet site,
www.narfe.org, made available to NARFE-Net
Coordinators; and sent to over 54,000 GEMS e-mail addresses. Each delivery
channel is a service of NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees
Association.
Top of Page
This NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 717, was released
Friday, May 28th. This Hotline leads with NARFE opposition to a
federal pay freeze, continues to urge NARFE member outreach to our congressional
delegations and our alert on the fiscal commission. Due to the Memorial Day
Recess, the next scheduled Hotline is set for Friday, June 11th.
(866 words; 5:32)
Lawmakers Attempt to Freeze Federal Worker Pay: America’s fiscal dilemma
is on politicians’ minds. Eager to recover fiscal credibility as primaries and
the November election approach, some Members of the House and Senate are
proposing to deny federal employees a modest 1.4 percent pay increase in 2011.
The attempt in the Senate to freeze pay was part of a package of spending
reductions proposed to offset the cost of the supplemental appropriation for
Afghanistan, Iraq and disaster relief, H.R. 4899. On May 27th, the
package, including the pay freeze, was defeated (53-45) by a motion to table the
amendment. A “yes” vote supported the NARFE position to table the amendment
which would have denied the 2011 federal worker salary increase:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00169
.
Today, Friday the 28th of May, House supporters of the pay freeze may
try to attach their proposal to H.R. 5136, a must-pass Defense bill, by
including it in a procedural motion made to the legislation.
Even more curious, an internet contest to identify places to reduce federal
spending was won by a proposal to reduce federal pay, (described in press
release mentioned below:
http://www.narfe.org/departments/home/print.cfm?ID=2093).
NARFE Calls on Congress to Oppose Pay Freeze:
NARFE President Margaret
L. Baptiste issued a press release urging senators to oppose an amendment to a
supplemental spending bill (H.R. 4899) that would deny federal workers a modest
pay raise in 2011. The sponsors of the amendment (#4231), Sen. Tom Coburn,
R-OK, and Sen. John McCain, R-AZ, say the salary freeze, combined with other
spending cuts in the proposal, would help to pay for emergency spending in the
bill for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as disaster
relief. In addition, today, May 28th, Baptiste called on
Representatives to vote against any amendment or procedural motion made to H.R.
5136 which would freeze federal employee pay in 2011.
“We believe it is wrong to single out federal workers for cuts that others
serving our country are not being asked to make,” Baptiste said. “More
specifically, why would the Congress take a punitive action against the
thousands of federal civilian employees who are working alongside their
uniformed colleagues in Iraq and Afghanistan by requiring them to forgo a small
salary increase to partially pay for the wars they are helping to win?” (The
complete press release is on the NARFE web site:
http://www.narfe.org/departments/home/print.cfm?ID=2093.)
Spending Cut Proposals to Be Solicited at Town Hall Meetings:
Face to Face and Telephonic Town Hall Meetings during the Memorial Day Recess
(May 29-June 7) and for the rest of this year will be used by some Members of
Congress to solicit spending reduction proposals from the public. In turn,
legislators could gather these suggestions and seek to offer them as amendments
to pending legislation before their primary or the general election!
Attending to defend:
NARFE’s best defense is vigilant attendance and participation at every
Congressional Town Hall Meeting and the electronic cousin, telephone Town Hall
Conference Calls. In sum, we urge NARFE members to be cautious of proposals by
members of Congress at these meetings which would promote benefit cuts and take
acquiescence by attendees as endorsement. NARFE members should contact their
Representative and both Senators and asked to be informed when any Town Hall
Meetings – in person or telephonic -- are scheduled for the Memorial Day Recess
and thereafter. NARFE continues to make its Toll Free number, 1-866-220-0044,
available for reaching the Capitol switchboard. Ask for your Representative and
Senators by name. The NARFE web site also provides regularly updated
information about many, but not all, Congressional Town Hall Meetings. (To
access the link to Congressional Town Hall Meetings, enter your name and
membership number, open the Legislation Home Page and look under NARFE
LEGISLATIVE ACTIVISTS.)
Fiscal Commission:
The bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform’s web
site provides a full video of the second meeting held May 26th. The
Commission has three working groups: Discretionary, Mandatory and Tax Reform.
Working Groups are listed on the web site,
http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/about/.
Baptiste Urges Action on Possible Fiscal Commission Recommendations:
NARFE President Margaret L. Baptiste wants each NARFE member to enlist in the
defense of our earned benefits. “Given the National Commission on Fiscal
Responsibility and Reform’s mandate to scrutinize all federal spending –
including federal retirement -- I urge each NARFE member to use the Legislative
Action Center on the NARFE web site to join the 5,552 members who have already
enlisted by sending a message to your Representative and two Senators.” (Again,
the specific link is
http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14982226.)
Obtaining the Hotline:
Thank you for using the Hotline. This weekly legislative message is available
to telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll free at 1-877-217-8234), posted on
NARFE's Internet site,
www.narfe.org, made available to NARFE-Net
Coordinators; and sent to over 54,000 GEMS e-mail addresses. Each delivery
channel is a service of NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees
Association.
Top of Page
This NARFE Legislative Hotline, number
714, was released Friday, May 7th. NARFE action responding
to the fiscal responsibility commission is the lead item.
The next scheduled Hotline is set for Friday, May 14th. (564
words; 3:59)
NARFE and the Fiscal Commission: Given the
National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform’s
mandate to scrutinize all federal spending, on April 30
NARFE launched a grass-roots campaign to educate Members of
Congress about federal retirement benefits and to urge them
to defend the integrity of our earned compensation. Since
launching our campaign, 2,584 NARFE activists have generated
8,072 messages to lawmakers. While this is a good start, we
need many more federal workers and annuitants to contact
their legislators, including our federal colleagues who are
not yet NARFE members (Please use the following link to
e-mail your lawmakers: http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14982226).
(The Commission will make its monthly public meetings
available via live web cast through www.whitehouse.gov/live.
All Commission meeting videos will be archived on the new
website, www.fiscalcommission.gov.)
NARFE President Urges
Member Action: Amid her state federation convention travel,
NARFE President Margaret L. Baptiste continues to urge each
NARFE member to participate in the current campaign to
defend our earned benefits. “I urge each NARFE member eager
to save his or her retirement benefits to use the
Legislative Action Center on the NARFE web site to send a
new message to your Representative and two Senators.”
(Again, the specific link is http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14982226.)
Speeding the Extension of FEHBP Coverage for Dependents:
NARFE urges quick enactment of new legislation, H.R. 5200 to
allow dependent children of federal workers and annuitants
to retain/obtain coverage via their parents’ FEHBP carrier.
Enactment of this legislation is explicitly covered in NARFE
Legislative Program and would level the playing field
between private-sector health insurance and the FEHBP by
expediting coverage otherwise not available until the next
contract year, January 2011. NARFE’s press release is posted
under the photograph on the home page
(http://www.narfe.org/departments/home/articles.cfm?ID=2088).
Telework Improvement legislation: Despite bipartisan
support, the House failed to get a 2/3 vote margin for the
Telework Improvement Act, H.R. 1722. The vote was 268-147.
(Roll Call Vote 251 is posted at http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll251.xml.)
The House is expected to reconsider the bill under
procedures requiring only a majority vote. The Telework
Improvement legislation, also moving in the Senate as S.
707, would expand telework opportunities for all federal
employees, allowing them to perform their duties and
responsibilities from home or another work site removed from
their regular place of employment. (More information is
available from the legislation’s sponsor, Rep. John Sarbanes
the URL is
http://www.sarbanes.house.gov/free_details.asp?id=97).
NARFE convention elect new presidents: NARFE members have
elected new presidents in at least 12 states. They are
Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, North
Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina,
Tennessee and Virginia.
Food Drive: In households hit
hardest by the recent recession, hunger is rampant. This
nation’s largest, one day food drive, the National
Association of Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive
is Saturday May 8th. Please place non perishable food items
in a bag for collection by your letter carrier – city or
rural – on Saturday May 8th.
Obtaining the Hotline: Thank
you for using the Hotline. This weekly legislative message
is available to telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll
free at 1-877-217-8234), posted on NARFE's Internet site,
www.narfe.org, made available to NARFE-Net Coordinators; and
sent to over 54,000 GEMS e-mail addresses. Each delivery
channel is a service of NARFE, the National Active and
Retired Federal Employees Association.
Top of Page
This
NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 713, was released Friday,
April 30sup>th.
NARFE action responding to the fiscal responsibility
commission is the lead item.
The next scheduled Hotline is set for Friday, May 7th.
(607 words; 2:59
53,517)
NARFE and the Fiscal Commission: The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
met April 27th.
C-SPAN 3’s live coverage will be repeated on C-SPAN’s
other channels which reach more households.
The 3 hour program is archived on the C-SPAN.org web
site. 4,820
NARFE leaders with a GEMS e-mail address have been sent
instructions to immediately launch a proactive campaign to
educate Members of Congress and congressional candidates in
anticipation of the Commission’s report in early December.
Supporting material has been added to the Meet Your
Candidates Month section on the Legislation home page.
(The specific URL is
http://www.narfe.org/departments/legislation/articles.cfm?ID=2068)
NARFE President Urges Member Action: NARFE President
Margaret L. Baptiste urges each NARFE member to join chapter
and federation leaders in defending our earned benefits.
“I urge each NARFE member eager to save his or her
retirement benefits to use the Legislative Action Center on
the NARFE web site to send a new message to your
Representative and two Senators.”
(The specific URL is
http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14982226.)
Budget Resolution:
On April 26th, Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND),
Senate Budget Committee Chair, formally introduced a budget
resolution for fiscal 2011, S. Con. Res. 60.
This resolution will serve as the Senate vehicle for
the draft budget resolution that the Senate Budget Committee
approved by a vote of 12 to 10.
The House is further behind because the Democratic
Caucus is divided on spending totals.
The annual budget resolution outlines tax and
spending policies for the coming fiscal year and determines
the amount Congress can allocate through the 12 regular
appropriations bills.
There are no proposed reductions to federal civilian
retirement and health benefits in S. Con. Res. 60.
Congressional Pay Freeze:
On April 27th, the House has bested the
Senate by conducting a recorded vote and passing (402-15)
bipartisan legislation, H.R. 5146, to
provide that Members of Congress shall not receive a pay
raise during fiscal year 2011.
On April 28th, the Senate passed the
salary freeze by unanimous consent.
NARFE convention elect new presidents:
Early in the convention season NARFE members have
elected new presidents in six states.
They are Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, South Carolina,
Tennessee and Virginia.
Food Drive:
The NARFE supported Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive,
sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers, is
Saturday May 8th.
Place non perishable food items in a bag for
collection by your letter carrier – city or rural – on
Saturday May 8th.
Web Gems:
NARFE’s own web site
provides useful resources for both the public and members.
Any user can locate chapters by ZIP Code or state by
using the “Find a NARFE Chapter” feature on our web site’s
home page. (The
URL is:
http://www.narfe.org/departments/chapterlocator/search.cfm
Members, after entering their last name and
membership ID, can obtain materials for Meet Your Candidates
Month. That URL
is:
http://www.narfe.org/departments/legislation/articles.cfm?ID=2065
Congressional candidate disclosure information
through March 31st, 2010, is now available from
the Federal Election Commission.
The gateway address is
http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/srssea.shtml
where you must select a specific state.
OpenSecrets.org sponsored by the Center for
Responsive Politics provides user friendly access to
campaign finance information.
The OpenSecrets.org gateway is
http://www.opensecrets.org/races/index.php
Obtaining the Hotline:
Thank you for using the Hotline.
This weekly legislative message is available to
telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll free at
1-877-217-8234), posted on NARFE's Internet site,
www.narfe.org, made available to NARFE-Net
Coordinators; and sent to over 53,000 GEMS e-mail addresses.
Each delivery channel is a service of NARFE, the
National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.
Top of Page
This
NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 712, was released Friday,
April 23rd.
The first meeting of the fiscal responsibility
commission is the lead item.
The next scheduled Hotline is set for Friday, April
30th.
(509 words; 3:25)
Fiscal Commission:
The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
will hold its first meeting on April 27th at
10:00 am E.T. to discuss the nation’s long-term fiscal
challenges and define the scope of the commission’s work.
The Commission’s Executive Director is Bruce Reed.
The Commission is expected to hold public hearings and is
charged to make its report on December 1st.
A special GEMS message will be issued as we learn
more about C-SPAN coverage of the April 27th
meeting. (An
e-mail address is
commission@fc.eop.gov
)
Meet Your Candidates Month:
The same packet of materials sent to chapter
presidents and legislative officers to assist in the
coordination of multi-candidate, multi-chapter
“Congressional Candidate Forums” is available to NARFE
members from two sources.
The Legislation portion of the NARFE web site now
includes a colorful sticker tagged “Meet Your Candidates
Month” the CLICK HERE option brings your browser to a list
of documents.
(To go directly there use
http://www.narfe.org/departments/legislation/articles.cfm?ID=2065)
If you prefer, send a self-addressed, stamped
envelope to NARFE Meet Your Candidates, 606 N Washington St,
Alexandria VA 22314-1914.
An excellent resource for locating congressional
candidate websites where contact information can be found is
www.thegreenpapers.com/G10
Budget Resolution:
On April 22nd, the Senate Budget Committee
approved a draft budget resolution by a vote of 12 to 10.
The annual budget resolution outlines tax and
spending policies for the coming fiscal year and determines
the amount Congress can allocate through the 12 regular
appropriations bills.
While details are scarce, there appear to be no
reductions in mandatory accounts crucial for federal
retirement benefits.
Congressional Pay Freeze:
As happened in 2010, the Congress is moving to block
any pay raise for its Members in 2011.
On April 22nd, the Senate passed a salary
freeze (S. 3244) by voice vote.
Food Drive:
Saturday May 8th is the Stamp Out Hunger
Food Drive, sponsored by the National Association of Letter
Carriers and supported by NARFE.
This nationwide effort is the nation’s largest
single-day food drive.
NARFE members are urged to collect and bag
non-perishable food items and place the bag by your mailbox
for your letter carrier – city or rural - on Saturday, May 8th.
Best of the Web:
Congressional Quarterly and Roll Call have formed the
CQ-Roll Call Group.
Much of the policy and politics content they sell to
deep-pocketed organizations around Washington is available
for free on their web site,
www.CQpolitics.com.
(To get daily updates from CQ-Roll Call by e-mail,
sign up or view a sample at
http://corporate.cq.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=237 )
Obtaining the Hotline:
Thank you for using the Hotline.
This weekly legislative message is available to
telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll free at
1-877-217-8234), posted on NARFE's Internet site,
www.narfe.org, made available to NARFE-Net
Coordinators; and sent to over 53,000 GEMS e-mail addresses.
Each delivery channel is a service of NARFE, the
National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.
Top of Page
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE:
April 8, 2010
FOR INFORMATION:
Dan
Adcock 703-838-7760
NARFE Lauds
OPM for Consultation on New Voluntary Annuitant FEHBP Option
National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE)
President Margaret L. Baptiste praised John Berry, director of the
Office of Personnel Management (OPM), for consulting with NARFE on a
proposed Medicare-related pilot project in the Federal Employees
Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). The proposed project would
test the viability of a voluntary “sub-option” within the FEHBP that
would pay all or part of a Medicare Part B (as appropriate) for
Medicare-eligible federal annuitants. The proposal was released
yesterday in OPM’s “2010 FEHBP Carrier Letter” (also known as the
“Call Letter”).
“If proven feasible, the Medicare sub-option could save some
federal annuitants money and help to contain costs in FEHBP for
workers, retirees and survivors,” said Baptiste. “What’s
more, we appreciate that, through our consultation with Director
Berry, the call letter clarifies that the ‘sub-option’ would not
open the door for separately rated annuitant plans, which we believe
would result in retirees and survivors paying substantially higher
premiums than other FEHBP enrollees. NARFE would oppose the
creation of any FEHBP plan for annuitants with premiums based on
their age and health costs.”
The OPM letter stipulates: “We do not support splitting risk
pools for annuitants and active employees and believe that these
pilots can demonstrate ways of stemming cost growth through
strengthened benefits coordination.”
The new coverage would be offered to Medicare-eligible annuitants
as a sub-option of an existing FEHBP plan. If an annuitant
chose the sub-option of an insurance carrier’s “standard option,”
they would pay the same premium share as a worker or retiree
enrolled in the traditional standard option. However, unlike
the standard plan, the sub-option would pay all or part of a
Medicare Part B premium, as appropriate. As a result, an
annuitant enrolled in the sub-option would save about $1,200 a year
on Part B premiums. However, a sub-option participant would be
required to pay the same deductibles, co-payments and coinsurance as
workers or retirees who are age 64 and younger and not yet eligible
for Medicare. With the exception of premiums and prescription
drug co-payments, most annuitants age 65 and older who are enrolled
in Medicare and a traditional FEHBP fee-for-service or preferred
provider plan pay no out-of-pocket costs. Therefore, the
sub-option could be cost-effective for an annuitant who does not
have high out-of-pocket costs. In addition, annuitants
might appreciate an option for what is basically seamless coverage,
which mirrors what they had while they were on the payroll.
“Given the potential savings to federal annuitants, and the
voluntary nature of the pilot, we believe that the Medicare
sub-option ought to be given a chance. We are pleased that the
Call Letter clarifies that the sub-option will not automatically
become a regular feature of FEHBP until OPM evaluates it and decides
whether it merits continuation after the second year of the
demonstration. NARFE will continue to review the development
of the new option with OPM as the pilot project moves forward,”
Baptiste added.
Top of Page
This NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 710, was
released Thursday, April 1st. The fiscal responsibility commission
is the lead item. The next scheduled Hotline is set for Friday,
April 16th. (658 words; 4:27)
Bipartisan Budget Commission
has all 18 Members: The bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal
Responsibility and Reform created by President Obama’s February 18th
Executive Order now has all 18 members. The Obama appointed
Commission’s co-chairs are former Clinton White House Chief of
Staff, Erskine Bowles, and former Senate Whip, Alan Simpson (R-WY).
The four executive branch members are David Cote, Ann Fudge, Alice
Rivlin, and Andy Stern. Biographical information is posted on the
White House web site (the URL is
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-names-members-bipartisan-national-commission-fiscal-responsibility-).
There are 12 Congressional members of the Commission, six from each
chamber. The six Senate members are: Max Baucus (D-MT), Tom Coburn
(R-OK), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Michael Crapo (R-ID), Dick Durbin
(D-IL), and Judd Gregg (R-NH). The six Representatives named to the
Commission are: Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Dave Camp (R-MI), Jeb
Hensarling (R-TX), Paul Ryan (R-WI), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), and John
Spratt (D-SC). The full text of the Executive Order is available on
the White House web site. Use
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-national-commission-fiscal-responsibility-and-reform
)
Health Care Vote: On March 30th, President Obama signed the
budget reconciliation bill, H.R. 4872, passed both chambers prior to
the recess. As stated in the previous Hotline, nothing changes
immediately for the 9 million Americans covered by FEHBP. Only
Members of Congress and their Washington, D.C. personal staff and
district and state office staff will be required to enroll in the
state exchanges once they become operational in 2014. The
“reconciliation” bill, now law (P.L. 111-152), postpones the excise
tax on high value health care plans from 2013 until 2018 and
provides a $250 rebate this year to Medicare Part D beneficiaries
who are in the ‘doughnut hole.’ NARFE’s updated and detailed
position paper is available on our web site. The May issue of NARFE
magazine will have additional information. (The link to our updated
position paper is
http://www.narfe.org/departments/home/articles.cfm?ID=2040)
NARFE-Supported Deferred Annuity Bill Introduced: On March 25th,
Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA) introduced NARFE-supported legislation (H.R.
4979) to require indexation of deferred annuities for federal
employees who leave government before becoming eligible for an
immediate annuity. The original, bipartisan cosponsors of H.R. 4979,
are Rep. Frank Wolf (R- VA), Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Delegate
Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC). The NARFE press release is the top item
on the NARFE web site
(http://www.narfe.org/departments/home/articles.cfm?ID=2043).
Harnessing the Recess: The House and Senate are in the
Passover/Easter recess. The Senate is to return on April 12th and
the House on April 13th. Most Members returned home and are
conducting at least some public business. For a state-by-state
listing of Town Hall meetings use a feature on the Legislation
section of the NARFE web site
(http://www.narfe.org/pdf/CongressionalTownHallMeetings.pdf ).
NARFE-PAC Letter from President Baptiste: Our biennial NARFE-PAC
solicitation letter is now reaching NARFE members. NARFE President,
Margaret L. Baptiste thanks members whose contributions have arrived
and urges your generous support of NARFE-PAC. President Baptiste is
eager for every chapter meeting and spring convention to feature
NARFE-PAC. Lapel pins, for members making a qualifying contribution
of $20, are mailed on a monthly basis.
Tax Form for CSRS
Annuitants without Social Security Benefit: If you did not get the
$250 economic recovery payment in 2009 through Social Security
because you are a Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) retiree and
are not eligible for Social Security benefits, you should claim the
credit on your 2009 taxes. Instructions and forms for filing are
available on the NARFE web site’s home page. (To link directly use
http://www.narfe.org/departments/home/articles.cfm?ID=1989)
Obtaining the Hotline: Thank you for using the Hotline. This weekly
legislative message is available to telephone callers (703/838-7780
and toll free at 1-877-217-8234), posted on NARFE's Internet site,
www.narfe.org, made available to NARFE-Net Coordinators; and sent to
over 53,000 GEMS e-mail addresses. Each delivery channel is a
service of NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees
Association.
Top of Page
This NARFE Legislative Hotline, number
709, was released Friday, March 26th. Harnessing the two week
congressional recess and an update on health care reform legislation
are covered. Due to the Passover/Easter recess, the next scheduled
Hotline is set for Friday, April 16th. (590 words; 3:51)
Health Care Vote: On March 23rd, President Obama signed the health
care reform legislation into law (P.L. 111-148). Nothing changes
immediately for the 9 million Americans covered by FEHBP. Only
Members of Congress and their personal staff will be required to
enroll in the state exchanges once they become operational. A second
but shorter bill, the “reconciliation” bill, H.R. 4872, passed both
chambers prior to the recess and the President is expected to sign
it shortly. It postpones the excise tax on high value health care
plans from 2013 until 2018 and provides a $250 rebate this year to
Medicare Part D beneficiaries who are in the ‘donut hole.’ NARFE’s
updated and detailed position paper is available on our web site.
The May issue of NARFE magazine will have additional information.
(The link to our position paper is
http://www.narfe.org/departments/home/articles.cfm?ID=2040)
Harnessing the Recess: The House has begun the Passover/Easter
recess and the Senate will shortly. The Senate is to return on April
12th and the House on April 13th. During this time most Members will
return home and conduct at least some public business. A
comprehensive compilation of each Member’s district and state
offices, including Google maps ®, can be found on the CongressMerge
web site. District offices are also listed on the Legislative Action
Center portion of the NARFE web site.
NARFE-PAC Letter from
President Baptiste: Our biennial NARFE-PAC solicitation letter is
now reaching NARFE members. NARFE President, Margaret L. Baptiste
thanks members whose contributions have arrived and urges your
generous support of NARFE-PAC. President Baptiste is eager for every
chapter meeting and spring convention to feature NARFE-PAC. No
convention is complete without members sporting the NARFE-PAC pin.
Tax Form for CSRS Annuitants without Social Security Benefit: If
you did not get the $250 economic recovery payment through Social
Security because you are a Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)
retiree, you should claim the credit on your 2009 taxes.
Instructions and forms for filing are available on the NARFE web
site’s home page. (To link directly use
http://www.narfe.org/departments/home/articles.cfm?ID=1989)
Social Security Newsletter: The Social Security Administration has
posted the latest edition of the Social Security Update online. You
can read the four page newsletter in its entirety or subscribe to
the electronic version by going to
www.socialsecurity.gov/newsletter/.
Harnessing the Web: An
updated and upgraded listing of “Lapsed Cosponsors of Premium
Conversion” is now available on our web site. (The specific URL is
http://www.narfe.org/pdf/LapsedCosponsorsPremiumConversion.pdf )
Congressional Quarterly (CQ) provides rich election information for
free! The CQ election coverage team sets its ratings of contests for
the House, the Senate and governorships with a combination of
grass-roots level reporting, historical research and experience. The
editors and reporters examine past election results, demographics
and party registration figures to determine which races are likely
to be the most competitive. These ratings are both free and allow
drilling down for more information about a specific congressional
district.
(The specific URL is
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=ratings-house)
Obtaining the Hotline: Thank you for using the Hotline. This weekly
legislative message is available to telephone callers (703/838-7780
and toll free at 1-877-217-8234), posted on NARFE's Internet site,
www.narfe.org, made available to NARFE-Net Coordinators; and sent to
over 53,000 GEMS e-mail addresses. Each delivery channel is a
service of NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees
Association.
Top of Page
This NARFE Legislative Hotline, number
706, was released Friday, March 5th. Senate action on a $250 payment
for seniors, the webcast of NARFE hearing testimony on FEHBP
prescription drug pricing and the bipartisan National Commission on
Fiscal Responsibility are covered. The next scheduled Hotline is set
for Friday, March 12th. (676 words; 4:05)
Senate Rejects
Amendment to Offer Seniors $250 Payment: On March 3, the Senate
sidetracked an amendment by Sen. Bernard Sanders, I-VT, that would
have provided a one-time $250 payment to most older Americans who
received Social Security, Veterans’, Railroad Retirement, and
Supplemental Security Income in 2009. Prior to the vote, NARFE
President Margaret L. Baptiste sent a letter to all 100 senators
urging them to vote for the Sanders amendment. Baptiste wrote that
the payment was needed to help older Americans shoulder growing
living expenses in a year without a cost-of-living adjustment
(COLA). She also thanked Sanders for adding language that would have
offered a refundable $250 tax credit in 2010 to over 1 million
federal, state and local government retirees who are not eligible to
receive Social Security benefits.
Sanders tried to attach the
amendment to H.R. 4213, a bill to extend unemployment compensation,
renew several expiring tax breaks, help states with skyrocketing
Medicaid costs and prevent doctors from having to absorb cuts in
Medicare reimbursements. The 47-50 vote that killed the Sanders
amendment was on a procedural motion on whether the Senate would
consider as “emergency spending” the $12.7 billion price of the $250
payment. Following the vote, Baptiste said, “Like Sen. Sanders,
NARFE will continue to fight for this relief on behalf of all older
persons.” For more information on the amendment, use the following
link to read our press release:
http://www.narfe.org/departments/home/articles.cfm?ID=2037
To
see how your two Senators voted on the amendment, click on the
following link:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00036
FEHBP Prescription Drug Pricing Hearing: The archived webcast of
the February 23rd hearing of the Federal Workforce, Postal Service
and the District of Columbia Subcommittee on H.R. 4489, the "Federal
Employee Health Benefit Program (FEHBP) Prescription Drug Integrity,
Transparency and Cost Savings Act" is now available on the
Subcommittee’s web site. NARFE’s Legislative Director, Dan Adcock,
testified on behalf of NARFE, and answered questions from the
Subcommittee Chairman, Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-MA. The gateway to the
webcast, witness list and written testimony is:
http://www.oversight.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4802&Itemid=27
The NARFE web site has both our press release and NARFE
testimony. (The link to the press release is
http://www.narfe.org/departments/guest/print.cfm?ID=2019 and the
link for the testimony is
http://www.narfe.org/departments/home/articles.cfm?ID=2020.)
Bipartisan Budget Commission: President Obama has named the four
Executive Branch members of The National Commission on Fiscal
Responsibility and Reform. The Commission, created by a February
18th Executive Order, will be co-chaired by former Clinton White
House Chief of Staff, Erskine Bowles, and former Senate Whip, Alan
Simpson (R-WY). The four Executive branch members are: David Cote,
Ann Fudge, Alice Rivlin, and Andy Stern. Biographical information is
posted on the White House web site. The remaining members of the
Commission must be named by Congressional Leaders. On February 23rd,
the Senate Majority Leader named three Senators: Kent Conrad (D-ND),
Max Baucus (D-MT) and Dick Durbin (D-IL). The nine remaining slots
on the Commission have not been filled. (The White House web address
to use is
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-names-members-bipartisan-national-commission-fiscal-responsibility-
)
NARFE will continue to monitor the naming of Commissioners and
the work of the Commission, whose report is due December 1st. NARFE
plans to point out to commissioners that federal civil service
retirement benefits are fully funded and actuarially sound and
should not be swept up in the effort to achieve political as well as
deficit reduction goals. (The full text of the Executive Order is
available on the White House web site. Use
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-national-commission-fiscal-responsibility-and-reform
)
Thank you for using the Hotline. This weekly legislative
message is available to telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll
free at 1-877-217-8234), posted on NARFE's Internet site,
www.narfe.org, made available to NARFE-Net Coordinators; and sent to
over 53,000 GEMS e-mail addresses. Each delivery channel is a
service of NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees
Association.
Top of Page
This NARFE Legislative Hotline, number
702, was released Thursday, February 4th.
The FY 2011 budget blueprint, debt limit and Medicare
fairness are covered.
The next scheduled Hotline is set for February 12th.
(492 words; 3:26)
Obama Budget: No Reductions in Federal Retiree Benefits: The Obama Administration’s budget
blueprint for fiscal year (FY) 2011 does not recommend any
reductions in the earned retirement and health security of
federal annuitants and workers.
In a press release, NARFE President Margaret L.
Baptiste lauded the administration's decision to renew
traditional support for pay-increase parity between federal
civilian employees and military personnel.
However, Baptiste stated her concern about a plan to
force onto the retirement rolls federal workers sidelined by
workplace injuries or illnesses and currently receiving
workers’ compensation.
The press release is available on NARFE web site.
(www.narfe.org
at
http://www.narfe.org/departments/home/articles.cfm?ID=2014)
Budget-Cutting Commission and Fast Track Procedure:
On February 4, the House passed legislation, House
Joint Resolution 45 by a vote of 233-187, already approved
by the Senate to 1) raise the federal debt limit and
2) create statutory PAYGO law.
President Obama will issue an Executive Order
creating a bipartisan fiscal commission with a mandate to
propose changes in both spending and tax policy.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi pledged that the fiscal commission’s proposal
would get a vote in each body.
Under the arrangement outlined in a letter, the
Senate would vote on the package without amendment (but it
could be filibustered) in November and, if passed, the House
would take up the measure but also be permitted to consider
other alternatives to the Commission’s recommendation.
NARFE is concerned that this commission could single
out active and retired federal employees for sacrifices not
required of other workers or retirees.
Medicare Part B Premium Fairness:
Federal, state and local government retirees who are
not eligible to receive Social Security have seen their
Medicare Part B premiums jump from $96.40 per month to
$110.50 in 2010.
Current law protects (“holds harmless”) most other
beneficiaries from a Part B rate hike when there is
no Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA).
On September 24, the House passed
H.R. 3631, the
Medicare Premium Fairness Act, which would protect over 1
million federal, state and local government retirees from
the Part B premium increase in 2010.
The Senate needs to approve this needed legislation,
too. If you are
not among the 9,113 NARFE e-activists who have already used
the Legislative Action Center, tell your Senators to pass
H.R. 3631. You
can do that by sending them an e-mail through the
Legislative Action Center (using the following link:
http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14260196)
Thank you for using the Hotline.
This weekly legislative message is available to
telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll free at
1-877-217-8234), posted on NARFE's Internet site,
www.narfe.org, made available to NARFE-Net
Coordinators; and sent to over 52,000 GEMS e-mail addresses.
Each delivery channel is a service of NARFE, the
National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.
Top of Page
This NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 700, was released
Friday, January 22nd. Health Care, a
Fast-Track Commission and Medicare Premiums are covered.
Updated action alerts allow NARFE members to protect their
interests. The next scheduled Hotline is set for January 29th.
(800 words; 5:09)
Feds Exempt from the Excise Tax on “Cadillac” Health Plans
Until 2018:
As reported last week, a tentative agreement was reached on
January 14 between Congressional leaders, labor unions and
President Obama regarding a provision in the Senate-passed
health care reform bill that would assess a nondeductible
40-percent excise tax on insurance carriers offering
so-called “high value” or “Cadillac” health insurance
policies. Under the initial agreement, health plans
covered by collective bargaining agreements and plans that
cover state and local government employees would be exempt
from the excise tax until 2018. All other plans,
including those covering federal workers and annuitants,
would have been subject to the tax in 2013.
In response to letters NARFE President Margaret Baptiste
sent to the congressional leadership, amplified by at least
12,439 e-mail messages sent by NARFE members urging their
lawmakers to resolve this inequity, negotiators agreed that
Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) plans that
cover federal workers and annuitants would not be subject to
the “Cadillac” tax until 2018.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Reps. Gerald
Connolly (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Sen. Barbara
Mikulski (D-MD) were instrumental in persuading the
president and other key lawmakers to include the federal
family in the 2018 tax delay.
A political hurdle to the agreement was removed when
lawmakers and the Administration decided that Members of
Congress and Executive Branch political appointees – who
also participate in FEHBP – would be excluded from the tax
delay. Unlike other federal workers, legislators and
political appointees would be subject to the tax in 2013
instead of 2018.
While the Democratic Party’s recent loss of their 60 seat
filibuster-proof Senate majority further complicates the
consideration of health care reform legislation, the
“Cadillac” tax could be included in the final bill. To
mitigate the affect of the tax on federal workers and
annuitants, NARFE members must continue to insist that their
lawmakers make good on the deal to exempt feds from the
health plan tax until 2018. For that reason, we ask
that you send an updated message to your congressional
delegation using our Legislative Action Center:
http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14590686
Additional information about “Cadillac” health plan tax
and the compromise are available at this link.
Budget-Cutting Commission and Fast Track Procedure:
Despite the short term increase in the debt limit enacted in
late December (P.L. 111-123), another increase in the debt
limit will be needed before the end of the month.
Separate legislation (H.R. 1557 and S. 2853) to create a
commission, which could force changes to entitlement and
other program spending and tax policy through the use of a
Congressional fast-track procedure, could be added to the
debt limit legislation. NARFE is concerned that such a
commission could single out the earned federal civil service
retirement and health benefits for reductions.
This week (January 18-22), Senate Democratic moderates,
congressional leaders and the Administration tried to
negotiate a compromise in which the commission would be
created by executive order and the House and Senate would
agree to consider the commission’s recommendation as
legislation. However, the moderates responded by
calling on the Administration to support guaranteeing the
use of the fast-track procedure by requiring it through
legislation rather than by executive order. They
continue to support attaching S. 2853 to the debt limit
legislation the Senate is currently considering. To urge
your two U.S. Senators to oppose the fast-track commission
proposal, use the NARFE Legislative Action Center (http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14498696).
Medicare Part B Premium Protection:
Federal, state and local government retirees who are not
eligible to receive Social Security have seen their Medicare
Part B premiums jump from $96.40 to $110.50 in 2010.
Current law protects (“holds harmless”) most other
beneficiaries from a Part B rate hike when there is
no Social Security cost of living adjustment. On
September 24, the House passed
H.R. 3631, the
Medicare Premium Fairness Act, which would protect over 1
million federal, state and local government retirees from
the Part B premium increase in 2010. The Senate needs
to approve this needed legislation, too. That’s why
Senators need to hear from you now if they are to resolve
this inequity. You can do that by sending them an
e-mail through the Legislative Action Center (using the
following link:
http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14260196
)
Thank you for using the Hotline. This weekly
legislative message is available to telephone callers
(703/838-7780 and toll free at 1-877-217-8234), posted on
NARFE's Internet site,
www.narfe.org, made available to NARFE-Net
Coordinators; and sent to over 52,000 GEMS e-mail addresses.
Each delivery channel is a service of NARFE, the National
Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.
Top of Page
This NARFE Legislative Hotline, number
699, was released Friday, January 15th.
This Hotline reports December consumer price news.
Major news, requiring member action on the health care
overhaul’s impact on the FEHBP is also covered.
The next scheduled Hotline is set for January 22nd.
(788 words; 5:04)
The Consumer Price Index
for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W)
decreased 0.1 percent in December 2009, according to the
Bureau of Labor and Statistics (www.bls.gov/cpi
or 202/691-6994).
Released on January 15th, the CPI-W for
December is 211.703.
For purposes of calculating the next COLA
(cost-of-living adjustment), the index is currently 1.8
percent below the 2008 third quarter average (due to
price deflation, in the past measurement year, the 2008
third quarter average is still the point of comparison) base
index of 215.5.
January consumer price indices will be released on Friday,
February 19, 2010.
More importantly, December’s data completes the measurement
year for the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for benefits
awarded under the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA)
to individuals who left the workforce due to work-related
injuries or illnesses.
FECA benefits are adjusted according to each calendar
year’s percentage change in the CPI-W and payable in the
following year’s month of April. Because December’s index
(211.703) is 3.4 percent higher than the
December 2008 base of 204.813, there will be a 3.4 percent
cost of living adjustment for FECA beneficiaries who
received NO COLA a year ago.
Health Care Overhaul and the Excise Tax on “High Value”
Insurance Plans:
A tentative agreement was reached on January 14 between
Congressional leaders, labor unions and President Obama
regarding a provision in the Senate-passed health care
reform bill that would assess a nondeductible 40-percent
excise tax on insurance carriers offering so-called “high
value” health insurance policies.
According to reports in the media, health plans
covered by collective bargaining agreements and plans that
cover state and local government employees would be exempt
from the excise tax until 2018. All other plans,
including those covering federal workers and annuitants,
would be subject to the tax starting in 2013.
We must emphasize that the deal is TENTATIVE, which means
there is a short window of opportunity to include feds in
the compromise. That’s why NARFE President Margaret Baptiste
sent the congressional leadership and the president a letter
on January 14 urging them to resolve this inequity.
NARFE members must also take immediate
action. We
ask that you send an updated message to your congressional
delegation using our Legislative Action Center no later
than Tuesday, January 19:
http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14454086
. Additional
information about the compromise is also available at this
link. NARFE’s
toll free telephone number for the capitol switchboard
provides NARFE members an additional channel to implore
their own Representative and two Senators to “include
federal workers and retirees in the proposal to delay the
health plan excise tax.”
The
toll-free number is 1-866-220-0044.
Call now and ask for your Representative and Senators
by name.
Budget-Cutting Commission and Fast Track Procedure:
Despite the short term increase in the debt limit
enacted in late December (P.L. 111-123), another increase in
the debt limit will be needed.
Separate legislation (H.R. 1557 and S. 2834) to
create a commission, which could force changes to
entitlement and other program spending and tax policy
through the use of a Congressional fast-track procedure,
could be added to the debt limit legislation.
NARFE is concerned that such a commission could
single out the earned federal civil service retirement and
health benefits for reductions. To urge your two U.S.
Senators to oppose the fast-track commission proposal, use
the NARFE
Legislative Action Center (http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14498696).
Medicare Part B Premium Protection:
Federal, state and local government retirees who are
not eligible to receive Social Security have seen their
Medicare Part B premiums jump from $96.40 to $110.50 in
2010. Current
law protects (“holds harmless”) most other beneficiaries
from a Part B rate hike when there is
no Social Security cost of living adjustment.
On September 24, the House passed
H.R. 3631, the
Medicare Premium Fairness Act, which would protect over 1
million federal, state and local government retirees from
the Part B premium increase in 2010.
The Senate needs to approve this needed legislation,
too. That’s why
Senators need to hear from you now if they are to resolve
this inequity.
You can do that by sending them an e-mail through the
Legislative Action Center (using the following link:
http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14260196
)
Thank you for using the Hotline.
This weekly legislative message is available to
telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll free at
1-877-217-8234), posted on NARFE's Internet site,
www.narfe.org, made available to NARFE-Net
Coordinators; and sent to over 51,000 GEMS e-mail addresses.
Each delivery channel is a service of NARFE, the
National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.
Top of Page
This NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 698, was released
Thursday, January 7th. Congress is in
recess. The House returns January 12, the Senate a week
later. This Hotline urges each NARFE members to
preserve NARFE’s most recent victory by contacting his or
her congressional delegation. The next scheduled
Hotline, set for January 15th, will report
December consumer price news. (653 words; 3:58)
Health Care Reform: The Senate
leadership’s negotiated compromise to get the 60 votes
needed to pass their health care reform bill in December
contains language drafted and suggested by NARFE that would
move to safeguard the Federal Employees Health Benefits
Program (FEHBP). The protective language was added by
the Senate leadership in response to concerns raised by
NARFE and federal-postal organization allies regarding a
proposal that would have the Office of Personnel Management
(OPM) play a significant role in multi-state health care
reform -- partially administering a health care delivery
system consisting of at least two national, private
insurance plans.
The differences between the House and Senate-passed versions
of health care reform legislation must now be reconciled.
Please urge your Representative and Senators to include the
Senate’s FEHBP protections in the final health care reform
legislation if House and Senate negotiators agree to require
OPM to administer multi-state health plans by sending them
e-mail through the NARFE Legislative Action Center:
http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14454086
Beyond the role of OPM in the multi-state plans, nothing in
the Senate and House-approved bills has a specific impact on
the FEHBP. Still, any comprehensive plan that changes
insurance law, provider financing, taxation policy and
health infrastructure will have some ramifications on how
the FEHBP operates in the larger health system.
While NARFE considers the recent FEHBP protections in the
Senate bill a victory, that does not mean we have endorsed
the overall health care reform legislation. NARFE
continues to take no formal position on the whole bill since
it continues to change and because it could limit the
Association’s ability to effect change in the outcome of any
final measure.
Budget Cutting Commission and Fast Track Procedure:
Despite the short term increase in the debt limit, signed
into law (P.L. 111-123) by President Obama on December 29,
allowing the government to pay its bills until February,
another increase in the debt limit will be needed.
Separate legislation (H.R. 1557 and S. 2834) to create a
commission which could force changes to entitlement and
other program spending and tax policy through the use of a
Congressional fast-track procedure could be added to the
debt limit legislation. NARFE is concerned that such a
commission could single out the earned federal civil service
retirement and health benefits for reductions. To urge
your two U.S. Senators to oppose the fast-track commission
proposal use the Legislative Action Center on the NARFE web
site:
http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14498696
.
Medicare Part B Premium Protection:
Federal, state and local government retirees who are not
eligible to receive Social Security have seen their Medicare
Part B premiums jump from $96.40 to $110.50 in 2010.
Current law protects (“held harmless”) most other
beneficiaries from a Part B rate hike when there is
no Social Security cost of living adjustment. On
September 24, the House passed
H.R. 3631, the
Medicare Premium Fairness Act, which would protect over 1
million federal, state and local government retirees from
the Part B premium increase in 2010. The Senate needs
to approve this needed legislation too. That’s why
Senators need to hear from you now if they are to resolve
this inequity in the New Year. You can do that by
sending them an e-mail through the following link:
http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14260196
Thank you for using the Hotline. This weekly
legislative message is available to telephone callers
(703/838-7780 and toll free at 1-877-217-8234), posted on
NARFE's Internet site,
www.narfe.org, made available to NARFE-Net
Coordinators; and sent to over 51,000 GEMS e-mail addresses.
Each delivery channel is a service of NARFE, the National
Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.
Click here to view past NARFE
Legislative Updates for 2009-2008
FLORIDA FEDERATION OF CHAPTERS
ALZHEIMER'S UPDATES
==================================================
SEPTEMER 21,2009 IS ALZHEIMER’S DAY-------WEAR PURPLE
EXERCISE & MEDITERRANEAN-TYPE DIET COMBINED LOWER
RISK FOR ALZHEIMER’S
(Source: Columbia
University Medical Center – edu)
Both being more physically active and adhering to a
Mediterranean-type diet appears to be associated with reduced
Alzheimer’s risk, according to a new report. Previous
studies have only investigated with association between either
physical activity or diet and Alzheimer’s disease risk
separately. This new research explored their combined
association. “Often times, people who exercise also follow
a healthy diet and vice versa. We wanted to tease out
which of these two behaviors may be associated with lower risk
for Alzheimer’s disease, or if the combination of the two is
associated with decreased risk even further,” said lead author
Dr. Nikos Scarmess, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s
Disease and the Aging Brain at Columbia University Medical
Center. “It seemed that the more that they were doing in
terms of both diet and exercise, the lower was the risk for the
disease. “Mark Warner”
agelessd@aol.com 8/12/09
MEDITERRANEAN DIET
is among the most highly recommended eating plans. But
which components bring the biggest benefits? A study in
the British Medical Journal researchers found that eating lots
of vegetables, fruit, nuts, and legumes (like beans & peas) had
the greatest impact on increasing longevity, also associated
with a longer lifespan, consuming moderate amounts of alcohol
and less meat. Surprising, a high intake of cereals and
seafood had little to no positive effect. A study in the
Archives of Neurology, showed that the diet reduced people’s
risk of experiencing dementia or of its progressing. In a
group, adults with no dementia symptoms at the study’s start and
those who most closely adhered to the diet, had a 28% lower risk
of developing cognitive impairment. In a group that
already had impairment, the people who best followed the plan
had a 48% lower risk of getting full-grown Alzheimer’s disease.
“The Best Diet of Life by Dr.Ranit Mishori. Parade section
of the Palm Beach Post 8/10/09
SURGERY WITHOUT “GOING UNDER ”
(Source: UC SAN DIEGO MEDICAL CENTER) -
ucsd.ed) Every year 20 million patients in the United
States undergo surgery requiring the use of general anesthesia.
For some patients, the side effects of “going under” are more
uncomfortable than the procedure itself. Common complaints
include nausea, vomiting, mental confusion, sore throat,
constipation, and itching. For patients seeking a targeted
approach of pain relief that speeds recovery, regional
anesthesia may be the answer. “Regional anesthesia offers
patients a powerful form of customized pain relief that may be
taken home if needed,” said Dr. Edward Mariano, UC San Diego
Medical Center. “Post operatively, patients reduce or
avoid the use of narcotics such as Vicodin and Percocet and
return home sooner due to reliable and specific pain relief.”
“Mark Warner” agelessd@aol.com
8/13/09
Leonora J. Sicular, Alzheimer’s
Chair Person
Top of Page
ALZHEIMER's UPDATE, May & June 2009
SYDNEY SCIENTISTS
MAKE ALZHEIMER’S BREAKTHROUGH
(Source: Sydney Morning Herald----smh.com.au) Scientists in
Sydney, Australia have discovered a way to stimulate the brains
own stem cells, which has the potential to lead to a new
treatment for neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s and
Alzheimer’s disease.
Bryce Visssel and Andrea Abdipranoto at the Garvan Unstitute of
Medical Research identified a chemical called Activin A, that is
essential for the brain’s own stem cells to form new nerve
cells, and to repair the brain, following neurodegeneration. Using
a mouse model, the researchers showed that following acute nerve
cell damaged nerve cells with new cells. Researchers then showed
that the brain does this by releasing activin A, but when the
chemical was blocked, regeneration stopped. “Mark Warner”agelessd@aol.com 6/03/09
MINORITIES MORE WORRIED ABOUT ALZHEIMER’S
(Source: United Press International---redorbit.com) Results
of a survey indicate that African-American and Hispanics are
more concerned about Alzheimer’s, but are less informed than
Caucasians.
The survey conducted for Eisai and the Congressional Black
Caucus Foundation showed
African-American expressed higher levels of concern about
Alzheimer’s than their Caucasian counterparts. Only about half
of African-Americans knew that people could take action to delay
the onset of the disease. “African-Americans and Hispanics are
more likely to develop Alzheimer’s” Dr. Sharon Richardson of
Eisai said. In addition, they have higher rates of diabetes,
hypertension, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease---all
of which increases the risk of Alzheimer’s. “Mark Warner”
agelessd@aol.com 5/5/09
Leonora J. Sicular (joylar@att.net)
Alzheimer’s Chair Person
ALZHEIMER's UPDATE
ALZHEIMER's UPDATE,
FTD & CJD - Recognized Disabilities by Social Security
Administration (Source: Alzheimer's Assoc.) The
Alzheimer's Assoc. stated: "In its effort to improve the
disability determination process and expedite the disability
claim process, the Social Security Administration has announced
it will include frontal temporal
dementia (FTD) and Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (CJD) in its
Compassionate Allowance Initiative for Social Security benefits
eligibility."
The Compassionate Allowance Initiative is a recognized class of
at least fifty medical conditions and diseases that are severely
debilitating and/or life threatening that prevent individuals
from being able to work for at least
twelve months. The Alzheimer's Assoc. applauds the Social
Security Administration for recognizing individuals with
diminished cognitive impairment who quickly reach a point where
they can no longer maintain gainful employment and deserve a
prompt disability determination. For full story:
www.alz.org
"Mark Warner" agelessd@aol.com
10/28/08
---------------------------------------------------------------
EPILEPSY DRUG COULD HELP CURE ALZHEIMER'S
(Source: Calgary
Herald) Researchers at the Univ. of British Columbia have
discovered that a drug commonly used to treat epilepsy and
bipolar disorder can also reduce brain plaque in mice with
Alzheimer's Disease.
Professor Weihong Song and colleagues took mice genetically
modified to exhibit Alzheimer's like symptoms and then treated
them with valproic acid, a compound usually used as a mood
stabilizer or anti-convulsant. The drug reduced the
formation of plaque on the mice's brain which in turn led to
less brain-cell death and improved performance on memory tests.
The discovery, if replicated in humans, could lead to major new
treatments for the debilitating brain-wasting disease. (www.canada.com
written by Chad Skelton, Canwest Newsservice)
"Mark Warner" agelessd@aol.com
10/27/08
Leonora J. Sicular, Florida & Region III
Alzheimer's Chairperson (joylar@att.net/a>)
Top of Page
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