Member of Tennessee Federation of Chapters

Nashville Chapter - 0227

Protecting the Future for Retired and Current Federal Employees

NARFE, Nashville Chapter 0227, and You

NARFE's mission has remained the same since 1921, to protect and improve the retirement benefits of federal retirees, employees and their families.

Every Month is NARFE-PAC month,
look for articles in the NARFE Magazine
NARFE-PAC

Click here -->> NARFE-PAC: Mission and Urgency

 

On Thursday, April 2nd, before passing their fiscal 2010 budget resolution the House of Representatives defeated a substitute amendment offered by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) which would have cut entitlements – like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid – by $1.3 trillion over ten years and would have included a reduction of $10.263 billion in federal civil service retirement and health benefits. 

In a letter sent to all 435 members of the House prior to the vote, NARFE President Margaret Baptiste urged lawmakers to oppose the amendment because it would have compelled the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to consider proposals such as cutting or canceling federal annuity cost of living adjustments (COLAs), basing future retiree annuities on the highest five years of salary, shifting a growing share of Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) premium costs to workers and retirees and/or requiring workers to double their Thrift Savings Plan contribution to receive the full government share.

The Ryan substitute was defeated 137 to 293.  As we have in the past, the NARFE Legislative Action Center shows how each Representative voted on the Ryan substitute.  (The gateway to the Legislative Action Center is http://capwiz.com/narfe/dbq/officials/  A display of the vote on the Clerk of the House web site is found at: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll191.xml)

The Senate adopted a similar but not identical budget resolution (S. Con. Res. 13) setting the stage for a House-Senate Conference Committee after the Easter/Passover recess (April 5-18).  The House resolution, in contrast to President Obama’s budget proposal, assumes pay parity for federal civilian and military employees.  The Senate resolution is silent on this issue.

On April 1st, the House approved H.R. 1804, legislation which would allow Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) employees to credit their unused sick leave toward their retirement and would make certain improvements to the federal Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). The Legislative Program adopted by delegates to NARFE’s biennial national convention held September 2008 in Louisville, Kentucky includes support for legislation to ensure that all federal civilian retirement programs credit unused sick leave toward retirement.   NARFE played a key role, along with other federal and postal organizations, in the passage of H.R. 1804.

Beyond FERS sick leave, the bill would automatically enroll newly-hired federal employees in the TSP and make them eligible to receive an immediate matching contribution from their employing agency.  Moreover, the measure would widen TSP’s offered plans to include a “Roth” option like many private employers do in 401(k) plans.  Under a “Roth” option, contributions are after taxes have been paid.  Roth plan principal and earnings can be withdrawn tax free.  House passage of this legislation is a victory for federal workers, but it still must be approved by the Senate where the NARFE Legislative Department is already promoting it.

Most Members of Congress especially those planning to seek re-election, leave Washington whenever there is a recess.  The Easter/Passover recess has begun.  The Senate returns Monday, April 20th, the House on Tuesday, April 21st.  These two weeks are an excellent time to meet with Members of your Congressional delegation and their staff.  Face-to-face meetings, either individually or as a group, distinguish NARFE from other organizations.

April chapter meetings and especially April and May federation conventions are the times and places to begin the planning for NARFE Grass-Roots Advocacy Month – formerly known as “Lobby Month.”  The goal of Advocacy Month is to use the summer recess, August through Labor Day, September 7, to conduct visits with every Member of Congress.  In the near future, more information about the August Grass-Roots Advocacy Month will be sent to federation and chapter presidents and legislative officers.

 

NARFE, Nashville Chapter and You

The National Active and Retired Federal employees (NARFE) www.narfe.org supports those who now and in the past have served the nation through their federal employment.  NARFE is the only association dedicated to protecting the earned retirement benefits of federal employees, retirees and their survivors.  NARFE is committed to securing the future that federal employees have worked to achieve for themselves and their families.  NARFE has more than 400,000 federal workers, retirees, spouses and survivors united to preserve the economic security and well being of federal employees on the job and in retirement.  At the field level, NARFE has 1,650 chapters in the 50 state federations, the District of Columbia, Panama, the Philippines and Puerto Rico.  There are 41 active chapters in Tennessee.   NARFE's monthly magazine, NARFE For Retired and Current Federal Employees keeps members up-to-date on issues such as federal, state and local legislative development, judicial actions and regulatory changes.  NARFE's Retirement Benefits Services Department, chapter service officers and 125 community-based service centers provide advice and assistance in resolving federal retirement and health benefit matters for civilian federal annuitants and their survivors.  NARFE cuts through red tape to help members obtain the benefits they have earned and deserve.  In addition to solid legislative representation and professional retirement and health care benefits assistance, NARFE membership includes special savings and discounts on a variety of products and services.

PRESERVING  YOUR  RETIREMENT  BENEFITS

Federal employees earn retirement benefits.  NARFE works to protect them.  The Association's objectives are to:

-Sponsor and support legislation to protect the earned benefits and general welfare of its members;

-Oppose legislation which adversely affects member retirement and health benefit programs;

-Foster public recognition and appreciation of government service;

-Cooperate with other organizations seeking to accomplish similar legislative goals;

-Inform members about legislative issues that impact their lives, primarily retirement income, health care benefits, taxation and COLAs;

-Strengthen the political influence of current and future federal retirees through NARFE-PAC, a political action committee;

-Work in partnership with the Office of Personnel Management to answer questions related to retirement benefits, and

-Contribute to the well being of local communities through volunteer service.
HISTORY

NARFE has been active in improving and defending federal retirement benefits since 1921.  One need only look at the history of the system to appreciate NARFE's impact on the retirement program


1921 - The National Association of Retired Civil Employees, renamed the National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) in 1971,  and renamed the National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) Association in 2005, was organized by 14 federal workers.  The primary goal of the charter members was to seek improved retirement benefits.

1926 - Congress increased annuities to a maximum of $1,000 per year.

1942 - Congress established age and years-of-service requirements allowing 55-year-old employees to retire with 30 years of service.

1943 to 1961 - Retirement eligibility requirements and benefits were liberalized, and Congress approved periodic increases in annuities.

1959 - Congress enacted the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) to provide health insurance for federal workers and their families.  Today the FEHBP insures over nine million individuals and is considered by many to be the nation's model group health insurance program.

1962 - Automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) based on the consumer Price Index went into effect.

More Recently..Persuaded Congress to reject the proposal to delay payment of COLAs by three months.. Won a long battle to enact legislation prohibiting states from "source-taxing" the retirement income of former resident s...Played a strategic role in developing a new "Fair Share" premium formula for the FEHB.. Deleted a proposal from the House budget resolution that would have shifted new FEHBP premiums to employees and annuitants.

Most Recently.. NARFE was recognized at the White House as the lead organization in drafting, promoting and shepherding into law the Long-Term Care Security Act of 2000.  As the first government-wide federal benefit program enacted in 40 years, the new law will offer affordable long-term care to over 13 million active and retired civilian and military personnel.

We will always remember the victims of September 11, 2001. 

Click here for a tribute to those victims

 


NARFE, The largest federal employee/retiree organization, represents the retirement interests of nearly 5 million current and future federal Annuitants, spouses, and survivors.



Last Modified: May 11, 2009

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