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NARFE Urges Congress Not to Extend the Federal Pay Freeze

January 17, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                              
NARFE CONTACT:
Jessica Klement
571-483-1264
jklement@narfe.org

Alexandria, VA – In response to the introduction of a House bill (H.R. 273) to freeze the pay of middle-class federal workers for a third consecutive year, Joseph A. Beaudoin, president of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), released the following statement:

“Federal families are no more immune to the challenges that come with tough economic times than any other American family. Yet for more than two years, middle-class federal workers across America have endured a pay freeze while their grocery bills, health care costs and children’s tuition have gone up.  Extending the pay freeze for a third year would unfairly and unnecessarily harm hardworking federal employees and their families who are struggling just like their private-sector counterparts.

“The recent sacrifices of America’s federal employees have saved taxpayers $103 billion. Federal employees are rightfully angry at being scapegoated by members of Congress looking to score political points. In 2011 and 2012, no other American citizen or corporation was asked to sacrifice for budget savings. At a time when more is being asked of our government, the American public deserves an engaged and efficient federal workforce, not one that members of Congress paint as the source of our financial problems.

“How much more does the House leadership expect these middle-class workers to give? It’s time Congress looked elsewhere for savings.”
 

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The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), one of America’s oldest and largest associations, was founded in 1921 with the mission of protecting the earned rights and benefits of America’s active and retired federal workers. The largest federal employee/retiree organization, NARFE represents the retirement interests of nearly five million current and future federal annuitants, spouses and survivors.