IV 
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 subse-
quently 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 individ-
uals, families, and communities are still struggling to re-
cover; 
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 
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•HRES 657 IH 
national defense systems prepared to respond to any 
threat to our safety; 
Whereas Federal employees have been targeted for dev-
astating reductions in their compensation and of the re-
sources 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 re-
tirement 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 re-
tirement 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 multi-
plier used to determine Federal retirement benefits from 
1.1 percent to 0.7 percent; 
Whereas it has been proposed to eliminate the Federal Em-
ployees Retirement System annuity supplement that is 
available to Federal employees who meet full retirement 
eligibility but have not yet reached the age for Social Se-
curity eligibility; 
Whereas it has been proposed to index Social Security bene-
fits to the Chained Consumer Price Index, which would 
reduce the cost of living adjustments that would other-
wise apply to Federal annuities; 
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Whereas it has been proposed to convert the Federal Em-
ployee Health Benefits Program into a voucher program 
that would gradually shift most of the costs of health in-
surance to Federal and postal employees and retirees; 
and 
Whereas over 50 percent of the extension of the Unemploy-
ment Insurance program administered by the Social Se-
curity Administration was financed by a 2.3 percent in-
crease 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 sal-
ary of $27,000 or more: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives 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 re-
tirement system should not be increased; 
(3) the annuity multiplier used to determine re-
tirement 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; 
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(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 Pro-
gram should not be turned into a voucher program 
that shifts the costs of health insurance to employ-
ees and retirees; 
(7) the tax increase on new Federal employees 
that funds part of the extension of the Unemploy-
ment 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 re-
duce the compensation and support provided to Fed-
eral 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. 
Æ 
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