[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 41 (Monday, March 6, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E525]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                    COLA FOR CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES

                                 ______


                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, March 6, 1995
  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to an issue 
brought forth by a constituent of mine, Mr. Charles Stewart, of 
Gladstone, MI, and to have his letter inserted into the Congressional 
Record. While it is not my usual practice to insert such letters into 
the Record, as I receive and reply to thousands of letters every year, 
Mr. Stewart has written in very clear terms about an issue of great 
concern to thousands of Americans in Michigan, and across this country.
  Mr. Stewart is one of the many civil service retirees whose Cost of 
Living Adjustment (COLA) has been delayed. Mr. Speaker, every year this 
delay causes a budgetary crisis for thousands of our retirees. Mr. 
Stewart, and others, joined the civil service and signed up for a plan 
that was to carry them through their retirement. Now, at a crucial 
point, the rules of the game have been changed and Mr. Stewart, and 
others, are being forced to wait three months every year for the 
adjustment they have been promised, and have worked hard for. This is 
simply wrong.
  As Mr. Stewart's letter suggests, there is no reason why retirees 
should pay such a great price for the budget crunches of today. There 
are more equitable ways for this Congress to generate revenue without 
picking on a certain class of citizen. I suggest we continue looking 
more toward equitable and fair cuts and less toward balancing the 
budget on the backs of our retires.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask Mr. Stewart's letter appear directly following my 
remarks.

     Representative Bart Stupak,
     House Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Bart: For the second year in a row I have received my 
     new year's present from Congress. No increase in my civil 
     service annuity until April 1, 1995.
       Year after year as a postal employee I was penalized by 
     Congress, and postal service management. We either received 
     no raise, or raises that were much lower than independent 
     studies indicated we should have been granted. As a result I 
     worked a second job (Bay DeNoc Lure), plus some tax and 
     bookkeeping to support my family.
       Now, in retirement we are still ``whipping boys'', and are 
     expected to pay for budgetary mistakes which we did not 
     create, and who should not be held responsible, but are being 
     penalized. It would be easier to accept this discrimination 
     if it was reasonable, and fair which it is not.
       May you and your family enjoy a very happy and prosperous 
     New Year.
           Sincerely,
                                               Charles L. Stewart.
     

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