[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 657 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 657

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives supporting Federal 
                               employees.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 15, 2012

   Mr. Clarke of Michigan (for himself, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Jackson of 
     Illinois, and Mr. Davis of Illinois) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 
                        the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives supporting Federal 
                               employees.

Whereas for the 18 months between December 2007 and June 2009, the United States 
        economy experienced the longest and deepest recession of the post-World 
        War II era, and despite a robust national recovery, many individuals, 
        families, and communities are still struggling to recover;
Whereas Federal employees inspect the food we eat and the places we work, 
        prevent the flow of illicit drugs into our Nation, maintain the safety 
        of our Nation's borders, care for our Nation's veterans, deliver our 
        mail, and keep the national defense systems prepared to respond to any 
        threat to our safety;
Whereas Federal employees have been targeted for devastating reductions in their 
        compensation and of the resources they need to perform their jobs and 
        carry out the missions of their agencies;
Whereas the pay of Federal employees has been frozen for 2 years, saving the 
        Federal Government at least $60 billion over 10 years but lowering the 
        lifetime earnings and retirement income for Federal employees, 
        representing their piece of the shared sacrifice political leaders 
        insist is necessary to reduce the deficit;
Whereas it has been proposed to further extend the pay freeze for Federal 
        employees to 3 or even 5 years;
Whereas it has been proposed to permanently reduce the pay of Federal employees 
        by 1.2 percent to finance their retirement benefits even though the 
        assets of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund are more than 
        adequate to pay these benefits;
Whereas it has been proposed to decrease the annuity multiplier used to 
        determine Federal retirement benefits from 1.1 percent to 0.7 percent;
Whereas it has been proposed to eliminate the Federal Employees Retirement 
        System annuity supplement that is available to Federal employees who 
        meet full retirement eligibility but have not yet reached the age for 
        Social Security eligibility;
Whereas it has been proposed to index Social Security benefits to the Chained 
        Consumer Price Index, which would reduce the cost of living adjustments 
        that would otherwise apply to Federal annuities;
Whereas it has been proposed to convert the Federal Employee Health Benefits 
        Program into a voucher program that would gradually shift most of the 
        costs of health insurance to Federal and postal employees and retirees; 
        and
Whereas over 50 percent of the extension of the Unemployment Insurance program 
        administered by the Social Security Administration was financed by a 2.3 
        percent increase of contributions to retirement for future Federal and 
        postal employees, resulting in a tax increase of more than $600 on 
        Federal employees making an annual salary of $27,000 or more: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) Congress and the President should end the pay freeze 
        for Federal employees on schedule, in January 2013, and should 
        prevent any further cuts to the pensions or benefits of Federal 
        employees;
            (2) Federal employee contributions to their retirement 
        system should not be increased;
            (3) the annuity multiplier used to determine retirement 
        benefits for Federal employees should not be decreased;
            (4) the Federal Employees Retirement System annuity 
        supplement should not be eliminated, and Federal employees who 
        are eligible to retire should be able to do so, regardless of 
        their age;
            (5) plans for Social Security reform should not include 
        utilizing a Chained Consumer Price Index, which would reduce 
        Federal annuities;
            (6) the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program should not 
        be turned into a voucher program that shifts the costs of 
        health insurance to employees and retirees;
            (7) the tax increase on new Federal employees that funds 
        part of the extension of the Unemployment Insurance program 
        administered by the Social Security Administration should be 
        repealed;
            (8) the work that Federal employees perform on behalf of 
        the American people should be honored and respected; and
            (9) Congress should recognize that efforts to reduce the 
        compensation and support provided to Federal employees 
        undermine our Government's ability to meet its obligations to 
        citizens, and hurt Federal agencies' ability to recruit and 
        retain a high-quality Federal workforce.
                                 <all>