NATIONAL ACTIVE AND RETIRED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION

Support H.R. 82/S.597, the Social Security Fairness Act, which would repeal the windfall elimination provision (WEP) and the government pension offset (GPO). Support a markup by the House Committee on Ways and Means. Support H.R. 716: The Fair COLA for Seniors Act, which would require Social Security and federal retirement programs to use the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E) to calculate cost-of-living adjustments(COLAs) to retirement benefits. Support the Public Servants' Protection and Fairness Act, H.R. 4260, to provide relief to individuals penalized by the windfall elimination provision. Support the Equal Protection of Public Servants Act, H.R. 5342, to provide relief to individuals penalized by the windfall elimination provision. Support the Social Security 2100 Act, H.R. 4583/S.2280, which would include repeal of WEP and GPO, extend the solvency of the Social Security Trust fund, improve COLAs, increase the average and minimum Social Security benefit, and more. Support H.R. 5995, the Federal Retirement Fairness Act, to permit retirement credit for temporary employment.

Support adequate funding for the Office of Personnel Management's Retirement Services division, and modernization of operations. Support a 4.5 percent average, market rate federal pay increase for federal employees, at parity with the military pay raise, for calendar year 2025. Support the Equal COLA Act, H.R. 866/S.3194, to provide Federal Employees Retirement System annuitants a full cost-of-living adjustment, equal to the measured change in consumer prices. Support H.R. 1002/S. 399: Saving the Civil Service Act, which would prevent any position in the federal competitive service, created after September 30, 2020, from being reclassified into the excepted service, outside the protection of merit system rules without the express consent of Congress. The bill also requires the consent of an employee to be reclassified, mandates reporting of conversions to the Office of Personnel Management, and places caps on the number of employees converted to the excepted service via Schedule C. Support amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (FY25) to incorporate this bill language. Support proposed rule (including through formal comment submission) by the Office of Personnel Management titled "Upholding Civil Service Protections and Merit System Principles." Oppose amendment to House Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill to defund implementation of proposed rule. Support H.R.159/S.59: Chance to Compete Act of 2023, which would implement merit-based reforms to the civil service hiring system that replace degree-based hiring with skills- and competency based hiring. Support H.R. 1487: The Strengthening the Office of Personnel Management Act, which would codify several recommendations for OPM by the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), such as clarifying that OPM stands at the center of federal civilian human resource management and ensuring the director of OPM possesses human capital and leadership expertise. Support H.R.7127/S.3688: The Federal Adjustment of Income Rates(FAIR) Act, which would provide federal employees with a 7.4 percent average pay raise in 2025. Support H.R. 856/ S. 274: Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act, which would extend paid leave to federal and postal employees for all conditions covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Urge OPM to reconsider how it implements its Do Not Pay (DNP) initiative by shifting the burden to federal annuitants to prove they are still alive. Oppose H.R. 3115/S.1496, the Public Service Reform Act, which would make all federal employees at-will and enable workers to be removed for good cause, bad cause, or no cause at all. The legislation would also abolish the Merit Systems Protection Board and limit removal appeals claims of whistleblower retaliation and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaints before the US Court of Appeals. Support H.R. 1301/S.640, the Federal Employees Civil Relief Act, which would protect federal workers and contractors from a variety of civil financial penalties during a lapse in appropriations or a breach of the debt ceiling. Support providing premium relied (via a tax credit, tax deduction, or otherwise) to Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program enrollees to cover premium costs above the amount quoted; request hearing to examine the reasons for substantial premium increases. Oppose amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would prohibit Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) investments in countries or securities of concern, as it would threaten to force the TSP to shutter the I Fund due to its limited investments in Hong Kong, which is now considered part of China. Provide comment on interim final rule re: the Postal Service Health Benefits Program, urging limitation on changes to coverage for federal and postal employees and retirees. Provide comment on proposed rule re: the Postal Service Health Benefits Program urging preservation of existing plan prescription drug benefits as an option for Medicare-eligible annuitants, choice of Part B enrollment for certain survivor annuitants, and equal or greater drug coverage under Part D add-on plans. Support H.R. 5883 / S. 3029:Honoring Civil Servants Killed in the Line of Duty Act of 2023, to improve death benefits for federal employees killed in the line of duty. Support provision to extend authority for agencies to rehire annuitants without salary offset (without OPM approval).

Support improved integration between Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits and Postal Employees Health Benefits programs, while maintaining choice regarding Part B enrollment for federal and postal annuitants.

Support improved integration between Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits and Postal Employees Health Benefits programs, while maintaining choice regarding Part B enrollment for federal and postal annuitants. Support implementation of the Postal Service Health Benefits program in such a way as to limit disruptions to coverage for federal and postal employees and annuitants and their family members. Provide comment on proposed rule re: the Postal Service Health Benefits Program urging preservation of existing plan prescription drug benefits as an option for Medicare-eligible annuitants, choice of Part B enrollment for certain survivor annuitants, and equal or greater drug coverage under Part D add-on plans.

Support inclusion of language in administration budget proposal for fiscal year 2024 to protect federal retirement and health benefits, honor commitments to current and retired civil servants. Support adequate funding for the Office of Personnel Management's Retirement Services division, and modernization of operations. Support a 4.5 percent average, market rate federal pay increase for federal employees, at parity with the military pay raise, for calendar year 2025. Support lifting the debt limit to prevent a default on the U.S. government's financial obligations, including to federal employees and annuitants. Oppose policy rider language to House Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill which would prohibit TSP participants from investing in any mutual fund using environmental, social, and governance criteria as a basis for investment decisions. Support extension of government funding to avoid a lapse in appropriations and consequent government shutdown. Oppose amendment to House Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill to defund implementation of proposed rule. Oppose the creation of a fiscal commission, per H.R. 5779/S.3262