Representatives John Mica and Sandy Adams

HR 112

The House of Representatives passed House Concurrent Resolution 112, Fiscal 2013 Budget Resolution: Extend Federal Pay Freeze, Reconciliation Instructions.

Resolution 112 is the spending and tax policy blueprint for fiscal year 2013. The vote was 228-191.

Rep. Paul Ryan's, R-WI, (Budget Committee Chairman) budget blueprint for fiscal year 2013 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2014 through 2022. This resolution would 1) extend the current 2 year federal pay freeze for 3 additional years, 2) require federal employees to make increased contribution to their retirement systems, and 3) reduce the federal workforce by 10 percent by attrition. Furthermore, the resolution includes reconciliation instructions to 6 committees to report legislation to reduce mandatory spending. This includes an instruction to the Oversight Committee to report savings of $76 billion over ten years in federal civilian retirement or health benefits. Passed 228-191.

Our Chapter membership has at least two Representatives. They are Rep. Sandy Adams and John Mica.

Both Representatives John Mica and Sandy Adams voted against NARFE with a “yes” vote.

This information was obtained from NARFE Legislative Hotline – March 30, 2012

FIGHT BACK!

Retirees: Now Is the Time to Fight Back!

On Tuesday, March 8, some 300 NARFE officers and activists are scheduled to descend on Capitol Hill.

Add your voice to theirs. Call your lawmakers on March 8.

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Just follow these steps:

Call 866-220-0044 (toll-free) to reach the U.S. Capitol switchboard and ask for your representative and senators by name or supply your ZIP code.

(See Names and direct phone numbers below. You may contact your representatives both by the switchboard or their direct phone numbers.)

Once connected to your lawmaker’s office, NARFE members should say:

• Federal workers and retirees have already sacrificed pay and benefits.

• Don’t single us out by making more cuts to the retirement and health benefits we earned through years of serving the public.

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Whether you leave a recorded message or speak to a staff person, request that your lawmaker respond in writing to your phone call. For that reason, be sure to leave your mailing address.

Only contact your own representative and two senators. Lawmakers will disregard your message if you are not a voting constituent.

Federal workers and retirees have already sacrificed so much. Don’t let Congress slash the retirement and health benefits you have earned! Pick up your phone on March 8.

Rep. John Mica

202-225-4035

Sen. Marco Rubio

rubio.senate.gov/contact.form.cfm

202-224-3041

Sen. Bill Nelson

billnelson.senate.gov/contact.index.cfm

202-224-5274

ATTACK ON CIVIL SERVICE

Whatever Congress does to Active Federal Employees Congress can easily do to the  Retirees. At present the Active Federal Employees are under attack, but it could  be us as well.  These attacks were mentioned in my last Fed News and now this is an update.    I am asking that you contact John Mica and express your views. A sample  message has been included for your convenience.    Contact Representative John Mica at:  http://mica.house.gov/Contact/ContactForm.htm    This is a sample message you might send to John Mica:    #1.Please, support President Obama’s proposal in his budget for  fiscal year  2011 that would provide federal civilian workers and military personnel a  1.4-percent pay raise next year.    #2.Please, do not take a punitive action against the thousands of federal  employees who are working alongside their uniformed colleagues in Iraq and  Afghanistan by requiring them to forgo a salary increase to partially pay for  the wars they are helping to win?    #3.Please, do not attempt to support or attach an amendment to H.R. 5136 that  would in effect put a pay freeze on Federal Employees. This would be considered  an outright attack on the Civil Service System.    Federal Employees are not the problem; they are part of the solution to the  problem.    (Ctrl + click) http://mica.house.gov/Contact/ContactForm.htm  and follow the instructions. Or you may also call Mica’s Office at202-225-4035  or the Ormond Office at 676-7750.    We must act or more degradation will follow. 

H. R. 3631: FAIRNESS LEGISLATION

H. R. 3631

On September 24, the House passed legislation, H.R. 3631, to protect all Medicare beneficiaries from an increase in their Part B premium in 2010. In 2010, it is almost certain there will be NO cost of living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security beneficiaries and federal civilian and military retirees. NARFE worked tirelessly behind the scenes on this legislation for the past three months.

This bill is about equity for all Medicare beneficiaries, because without it, federal, state and local government retirees who are not Social Security-eligible would have to pay the Part B rate hike in a no-COLA year, while Social Security beneficiaries would not.

Under current federal law, 72 percent of Medicare beneficiaries do not have to pay for the increase in Part B premiums in any year in which they receive no Social Security COLA. However, there are four groups of older Americans who are not protected by the ‘hold harmless’ provision, including over a million federal, state and local government retirees who are not eligible to receive Social Security benefits. Absent a change in law, they would not only have to pay the higher Part B premiums without a COLA, but also absorb the costs of other Medicare beneficiaries currently ‘held harmless.’

Congressman Mica voted for this Bill. We thank our NARFE legislative officers and Congressman Mica for their efforts in passing H.R.3631.

Correspondence from Congressman Mica

Dear Mr. Wehrli:

Thank you for contacting me with regard to H.R. 1203, the Federal and Military Retiree Health Care Equity Act. It is good to hear from you and I appreciate the opportunity to respond.

Like you, I understand the benefits of having one's health insurance premiums paid on a "pre-tax basis". As you may know, H.R. 1203 would, amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow federal, civilian and military retirees to pay health insurance premiums on a pre-tax basis and to allow a deduction for Tricare supplemental premiums. As your Representative in Congress, it is important for me to hear your views. Please know that should H.R. 1203 come before the House, I will carefully consider your comments.

Thank you again for your correspondence and please do not hesitate to contact me again with this or any other issue of interest to you.

Cece Dougherty said...

I'm glad Rep. Mica read your letter and answered it. Too often a form letter is returned covering a similar subject but not quite what you wrote about.

AUGUST 22, 2009 1:07 PM

Senator Martinez

Casework Corner

*Mr. Turner, a federal employee, was recently diagnosed with Myclodysplastic Syndrome. Myclodysplastic Syndrome is a cancer of the red blood cells in bone marrow and requires a high dosage of chemotherapy prior to approval of a bone marrow transplant. Unfortunately, Mr. Turner's insurance carrier denied him coverage for a bone marrow transplant. As a result, Mr. Turner filed an appeal with to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). After the appeal was filed, Mr. Turner learned Medicare does not cover this type of therapy. Mr. Turner then turned to the Office of Senator Martinez for assistance.

A caseworker contacted the Office of Personnel Management to inquire about the status of Mr. Turner's appeal. The Office of Personnel Management immediately reviewed the appeal and based on the information Mr. Turner provided, he was issued a favorable reversal to his appeal. As a result, Mr. Turner was able to receive a bone marrow transplant.

If you have questions about a federal agency, please contact the Orlando Regional Office by calling (407) 254-2573 to speak with a member of the Casework Department. The toll-free number for Florida residents is (866) 630-7106. To find out more about how my office can help you, go to http://martinez.senate.gov or stop by one of our scheduled Community Office Hours in your area.

*Casework Corner is a real account of assistance provided to constituents. The names of those involved are changed to protect the privacy of the constituent.

NARFE MEETS WITH MICA’S STAFF

Ormond NARFE Chapter 2247 met with Mica’s staff on July 15, 2009 in the Ormond office. Bob Wehrli, President of the Ormond Chapter, presided over the meeting and introduced each member to Mr. Richard Harkey who was standing in for the Congressman. Then Bob read a letter to the group that he asked Mr. Harkey to convey to the Congressman. The letter addressed three issues: Government Pension Offset (GPO), Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), and Premium Conversion. Bob thanked the congressman for Cosigning H.S.235 that would eliminate both the Government Pension offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) on or about March 24, 2009. However, the Bill has to get out of Committee if it is to receive a vote. To that end Bob

requested; that the Congressman urge Chairman Rangel of the House Committee on Ways and Means to take Action and allow the Bill to come before the entire House for a vote.

In like manner Bob asked; the Congressman to Cosign H.R. 1203 which would allow Federal and Military Retirees to use pre-tax earnings to pay their share of the health insurance premiums. He further urged the Congressman to use all in his power to get H.R.1203 out of Committee and onto the House Floor for a positive vote.

Next, eleven members of the Ormond Chapter and one from the New Smyma Beach Chapter provided personalized information as to how the three issues involved them and affect their lives. The members who spoke were: Cece Dougherty, Karen Isaacs, Nick Calvano, John Lowe, Lee Sherman, Pat Berger, Marie Donahue, Geri Wehrli, Sue O’Brien, Don Wasson, and Rose Lauer. Several of these people also provided written material addressing the three issues.

Bob closed by thanking Mr. Harkey for his attention and questions that brought out additional information on the three issues. Pictures were taken but unfortunately there was considerable glare form the sun, so some members sitting by the window are not shown above.

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Sorry to make you work in the summer, but it can't be helped.  The Executive Board will meet at 9:45 a.m. on July 8, 2009 in room 4 of the Ormond library to assemble the July mail out. We will also discuss the Speaker for September, the up coming Senior Expo. and the Out Reach program provided we have the time. Mica's office should also have a date for our meeting by then.  

REMINDER:  

1.            JULY 13 IS THE WORKSHOP.  

2.            JULY 20 IS THE FED LUNCH AT THE RIVER GRILLE.

3.            AUGUST 10th. WILL BE OUR NEXT POSSIBLE EXEC. MTG.  

4.            AUGUST 17th. VOTING as part of the FED LUNCH AT THE OLIVE GARDEN. 

Congressman John Mica

Pat Berger has obtained a promise of a personal meeting with Congressman John Mica while he is on recess. Dick Harkey, who has spoken before the Ormond Chapter in the past will set up the meeting. Nick Calvano, Lee Sherman, John Lowe and Pat Berger will be joined by several other volunteers to meet Dick Harkey prior to the meeting with the Congressman.

Further developments on the up coming meets will be posted here.

Bob Wehrli, President