IV 112th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 657 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

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.