On Thursday, April 2, 2009, before passing their fiscal 2010 budget resolution, the House of Representatives defeated a substitute amendment offered by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) which would have cut entitlements – like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid – by $1.3 trillion over ten years and would have included a reduction of $10.263 billion in federal civil service retirement and health benefits. 

In a letter sent to all 435 members of the House prior to the vote, NARFE President Margaret Baptiste urged lawmakers to oppose the amendment because it would have compelled the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to consider proposals such as cutting or canceling federal annuity cost of living adjustments (COLAs), basing future retiree annuities on the highest five years of salary, shifting a growing share of Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) premium costs to workers and retirees and/or requiring workers to double their Thrift Savings Plan contribution to receive the full government share.

The Ryan substitute was defeated 137 to 293.  Our Representative,  Connie Mack, IV,  voted NO.  Emails, letter and calls to his office to thank him are warranted.

If you go to the NARFE Legislative Action Center you will see how each Representative voted on the Ryan substitute.  The gateway to the Legislative Action Center is http://capwiz.com/narfe/dbq/officials/. 

We went to that site, and are providing, below, the report on how our Florida Representatives voted.  Please note that all of the Democrats voted NO.  They were joined by all but 8 of the Republicans.

 Be prepared.  Be a NARFE member!