March 2017 NARFE magazine

M AR

’17

P.8

BUDGET PROCESS BRINGS RISK

P.28

NARFE-PAC : PROTECTING YOUR BENEFITS

COVER STORY Volume 93 • Number 3

THE PUSH TO PRIVATIZATION A Renewed Call for Private Services Expected

P.22

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Call Beltone at 1-866-376-1445 to schedule your complimentary hearing screening today! *The insured may need to submit for reimbursement. State and/or local taxes may apply. Prices and products subject to *The insured may need to submit for reimbursement. State and/or local taxes may apply. Prices and products subject to change. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan will pay a hearing aid benefit up to $2,500 every 3 calendar years for change. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefi t Plan will pay a hearing aid benefi t up to $2,500 every 3 calendar years adults age 22 and over, and up to a $2,500 total per calendar year for members up to age 22. Do not rely on this communication for adults age 22 and over, and up to a $2,500 total per calendar year for members up to age 22. Do not rely on this piece alone for complete benefit information. All benefits are subject to the definitions, limitations, and exclusions in your communication piece alone for complete benefi t information. All benefits are subject to the definitions, limitations, and Service Benefit Plan brochure. The Blue365® Discount Program offers access to savings on items that you may purchase exclusions in your Service Benefi t Plan brochure. The Blue365® Discount Program offers access to savings on items that you directly from independent vendors, which may be different from items covered under your Service Benefit Plan or any other may purchase directly from independent vendors, which may be different from items covered under your Service Benefi t Plan applicable federal healthcare program. For hearing aids, acupuncture, chiropractic and vision services, you must exhaust your or any other applicable federal healthcare program. For hearing aids, acupuncture, chiropractic and vision services, you must Service Benefit Plan benefits first. To find out what is covered under your policy, contact the Service Benefit Plan. The products exhaust your Service Benefi t Plan benefi ts first. To find out what is covered under your policy, contact the Service Benefi t and services described herein are neither offered not guaranteed under any local Blue company’s contract with the Medicare Plan. The products and services described herein are neither offered not guaranteed under any local Blue company’s contract program. In addition, these items are not subject to the Medicare appeals process. Any disputes regarding these products with the Medicare program. In addition, these items are not subject to the Medicare appeals process. Any disputes regarding and services are not subject to the Service Benefit Plan’s Disputed Claims process. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association these products and services are not subject to the Service Benefi t Plan’s Disputed Claims process. Blue Cross and Blue (BCBSA) may receive payments from Blue365 vendors. Neither the Service Benefit Plan, BCBSA, nor any local Blue company Shield Association (BCBSA) may receive payments from Blue365 vendors. Neither the Service Benefi t Plan, BCBSA, nor any recommends, endorses, warrants or guarantees any specific Blue365 vendor or item. The Service Benefit Plan reserves the local Blue company recommends, endorses, warrants or guarantees any specifi c Blue365 vendor or item. The Service Benefi right to change, modify, or terminate any item and vendors made available through Blue365, at any time. Blue Cross and Blue t Plan reserves the right to change, modify, or terminate any item and vendors made available through Blue365, at any time.

Shield Association is an association of independent, locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield Companies. State and local Blue Cross Shield Available Association is an association of until independent, taxes and/orand feesBlue may apply. at participating locations 12/31/17. locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Companies. State and local taxes and/or fees may apply. Available at participating locations until 12/31/17.

MAR

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COVER STORY THE PUSH FOR PRIVATIZATION. With a new administration, a renewed call for private services is expected, bringing into sharp focus the question of what federal agencies should or should not do.

22

WASHINGTON WATCH

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NARFE Addresses Major Threats Looming in 115th Congress

7

House Reinstates Holman Rule

8

A Year of Living Dangerously: Budget Process Brings Risk

9

Letter Opposes Federal Hiring Freeze

10

Take Action to Protect Your Benefits

10

Bill Takes Aim at Federal Workforce

COLUMNS

4

From the President

36 Managing Money 38 The Informed Citizen 40 Alzheimer’s Update

28

DEPARTMENTS

14 Questions & Answers

NARFE-PAC. As members of the federal community face unprecedented threats, NARFEPAC works to protect your earned benefits.

42 For the Record:

TSP Returns, Retirement Claims Status, Countdown to COLA

44 NARFE News

On the Web

48 The Way We Worked

VISIT US ONLINE AT:

www.narfe.org LIKE US ON FACEBOOK:

NARFE National Headquarters FOLLOW US ON TWITTER:

@narfehq

ON THE COVER

Illustration by Bill Pragluski, Critical Stages, LLC W W W. N A R F E . O R G

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MARCH 2017 | Volume 93 | Number 3

EDITOR Susan Boswell EDITORIAL ADMINISTRATOR Toni Vallario GRAPHIC DESIGN Charlene Gridley EDITORIAL BOARD Richard G. Thissen, Jon Dowie

EDITORIAL OFFICE: narfe magazine 606 North Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314-1914 Phone: 703-838-7760 Fax: 703-838-7781 Email: communications@narfe.org ADVERTISING SALES: Warren Berger Media People Inc. 122 East 42nd St., Suite 1622 New York, NY 10168 Phone: 212-779-7172, ext. 223 Email: wberger@mediapeople.com

NARFE FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED ON THE TELEPHONE: This publication can be heard on the telephone by persons who have trouble seeing or reading the print edition. For more information, contact the National Federation of the Blind NFB-NEWSLINE® service at 866-5047300 or go to www.nfbnewsline.org.

ON DIGITAL AUDIO: Issues of narfe magazine are also available in audio format through the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). For availability, call 202-727-2142 or your local NLS service provider.

The Association, since July 1970, has been classified by the IRS as a tax-exempt labor organization [not a union]; however, dues and gifts or contributions to the Association are not deductible as charitable contributions for income tax purposes.

National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association NATIONAL OFFICERS RICHARD G. THISSEN, President; natpres@narfe.org JON DOWIE, Secretary/Treasurer; natsectreas@narfe.org

REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS

REGION I James P. Crawford (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont) TEL: 603-630-5191 EMAIL: crawfordjim62@gmail.com REGION II Evelyn Kirby (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania) TEL: 410-604-1141 EMAIL: ekirby@atlanticbb.net REGION III Clarence Robinson (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands) CELL: 404-312-8028 EMAIL: crobin8145@att.net

REGION VI Marshall L. Richards (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Republic of Panama and Texas) TEL: 903-660-2784 EMAIL: pappysdad@cobridge.tv REGION VII Rodney L. Adelman (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming) TEL: 623-505-4719 EMAIL: narfe7vp@cox.net REGION VIII Helen L. Zajac (California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada and Republic of Philippines) TEL: 707-644-7565 EMAIL: HLZajac125@gmail.com

REGION IV Edward J. Konys (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin) TEL: 937-470-0566 EMAIL: region4vp@gmail.com

REGION IX Richard Wilson (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington) TEL: 253-210-5609, CELL: 425-736-6899 EMAIL: narfe1404@comcast.net

REGION V Carol R. Ek (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota) TEL: 620-241-1131, CELL: 620-504-2202 EMAIL: ek617@att.net

REGION X William Shackelford (Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia) TEL: 703-830-6590, CELL: 703-201-6304 EMAIL: wshack1951@aol.com

HERE’S HOW TO CONTACT US…

TO JOIN NARFE, RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP OR FIND A LOCAL CHAPTER:

CALL (TOLL-FREE) 800-627-3394 OR GO TO www.narfe.org TO CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER OR EMAIL LISTING:

CALL (TOLL-FREE) 800-456-8410, EMAIL memberrecords@narfe.org OR GO TO www.narfe.org, log in and click on “Update My Record”

TO REACH A FEDERAL BENEFITS SPECIALIST:

EMAIL fedbenefits@narfe.org NARFE HEADQUARTERS

606 N. Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314 703-838-7760

www.narfe.org

narfe (ISSN 1948-4453) is published monthly by the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, VA, and additional mailing offices. Members: Annual dues includes subscription. Nonmember subscription rate $40. Postmaster: Send address change to: NARFE Attn: Member Records, 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314. To ensure prompt delivery, members should also forward changes of address without delay. Because of the volume involved, NARFE cannot acknowledge nor be responsible for unsolicited pictures and manuscripts, although every reasonable precaution is taken. All submissions become the property of NARFE. Copyright © 2017, NARFE. Advertisements in the magazine are not endorsements of products and/or services by NARFE, unless officially stated in the ad. We shall accept advertising on the same basis as other reputable publications: that is, we shall not knowingly permit a dishonest advertisement to appear in narfe, but at the same time we will not undertake to guarantee the reliability of our advertisers.

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From the President

NARFE-PAC: CRITICAL TO SUCCESS

M

arch is NARFE-PAC Month! You can see just by looking at the cover wrap on this issue that we

are facing an unprecedented assault on our earned pay and benefits. I cannot overstate the importance of NARFE-PAC. By its very name, it is a Political Action Committee, and provides a vehicle for NARFE members to pool their resources to contribute to the campaigns of our supporters in Congress, as well as to the Democratic and Republican campaign committees. NARFE-PAC contributions are provided to members of Congress of both parties as well as independents. The story on page 28 lists our criteria, but support of the federal community is the number one requirement for receiving PAC funds.

One of the most important results of NARFE-PAC

NARFE’s Mission Statement To support legislation and regulations beneficial to federal civilian employees and annuitants and potential annuitants under any federal civilian retirement system and to oppose those detrimental to their interests.

To promote the general welfare of federal civilian employees and annuitants and potential annuitants, to advise and assist them with respect to their rights under retirement, health and other employee and retiree benefits laws and regulations, and to represent their interests before appropriate authorities.

To cooperate with other organizations and associations in furtherance of these general objectives.

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contributions is that it provides NARFE officers, staff and members another platform to engage members of Congress and talk about NARFE’s priorities. It sends the message that NARFE is paying attention to their actions (or inactions).

Let me address some common myths I hear about NARFE-PAC. For one, not every member of Congress or candidate for office receives funds; only those who support our objectives receive contributions. To that end, NARFE-PAC didn’t play a role in every election in 2016, but rather only in the ones where we could make a difference. We have a consultative process, as you’ll read in this issue, and PAC decisions reflect the wishes of the constituents, through contact with the federations that coordinate with their chapters. Both of these are explained in further depth in this issue.

NARFE has an ambitious goal of raising $1.5 million in PAC contributions in this election cycle (2017-2018). This is a substantial increase over our goal for the last cycle ($1 million) and reflects the importance of having a strong arsenal at our disposal. I encourage each of you to contribute on a one-time or recurring basis. We encourage contributions through the Sustainer Program, in which an individual can contribute $10 or more each month, which provides continuous funding to NARFE-PAC. Please see the wrap to make a contribution today!

RICHARD G. THISSEN NARFE NATIONAL PRESIDENT natpres@narfe.org

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Washington Watch

NARFE ADDRESSES MAJOR THREATS LOOMING IN 115th CONGRESS

D

ays after taking office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order implementing a governmentwide hiring freeze that would affect all federal employees, except the military. This is just one of many threats facing federal employees and retirees. House Republicans already have reinstated the Holman Rule, an arcane procedure that enables lawmakers to reduce the number of federal employees at an agency or the salaries of employees during the appropriations process (see story, p. 7). On the horizon are other proposals related to the federal workforce and retirees that would:

• Require federal employees and retirees to pay a larger portion of their health benefits premiums through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP).

• Eliminate retiree health benefits for new hires, which would lead to an ever-aging and more costly risk pool.

• Implement a voucher plan for the FEHBP, in which beneficiaries would receive financial support to buy insurance instead of the current formula. This “support” would not keep pace with the rising cost of health care.

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• Lower the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) rate of return for the G Fund to near zero, elimi-

ACTION ALERT!

Donald Trump’s inauguration day.

nating real returns on this retirement investment.

• Raise retirement contributions for current employees by as much as 6 percent without increasing benefits, which is essentially a thinly veiled pay cut.

• Eliminate the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) federal annuity for new hires entirely.

• Cut the federal workforce through attrition by instituting a hiring freeze or setting limits on new hires.

• Freeze pay or limit pay increases for federal employees.

MARCH

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THREAT NARFE faces in the 115th Congress is cuts to your earned pay and benefits during the Fiscal Year 2018 budget process. In March, the House and Senate budgets will be unveiled. Now is the time to tell your member of Congress to oppose any budget that cuts earned pay and benefits of federal employees and retirees.

Call your members of Congress now, using NARFE’s toll-free line:

866-220-0044

• Limit merit service principles/due process protections for federal employees.

• Reduce cost-of-living adjustments to Social Security benefits and federal retirement annuities by using the Chained CPI to measure changes in con-

sumer prices.

• Require Medicare enrollment for postal retirees or risk forfeiting earned retiree benefits through the FEHBP. NARFE urges members to act now to let Congress know that you oppose cuts to your earned

benefits. See the story on p. 10 on what you can do to protect your benefits. For current updates, please visit the NARFE website, www.narfe.org, or provide NARFE your email address to receive weekly legislative updates.

—BY JOHN HATTON, DEPUTY LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR

HOUSE REINSTATES RULE THAT COULD BE USED TO TARGET FEDS

W

hen the House of Representatives adopted its rules for the 115th Congress on January 3, it reinstated the so-called “Holman Rule,” which will allow changes to appropriations bills that fund federal agencies. These amendments could reduce expenditures in any of the following ways: by reducing the amount of money in the bill, by reducing the number of salaries of federal employees, or by reducing the compensation of any person paid by the Treasury of the United States.

The Holman Rule will empower any representative to offer an amendment to an appropriations bill on the House floor to eliminate or reduce spending for a specific program, or to reduce the salaries of specific federal employees to virtually nothing. This could allow for targeting of specific federal employees for political reasons, whether to undermine the directive the employee carries out, or to terminate the individual’s employment based

on their political ideology.

There are, however, limits to the abuse of the new rule. The U.S. Constitution prohibits bills of attainder, which are legislative acts that inflict punishment without a judicial trial. In fact, in the 1946 case United States v. Lovett, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down provisions of an appropriations bill that stripped specific federal employees of their salaries after they had been accused by a representative of subversive activity due to their political ideology. The Court explained that the provisions were unconstitutional bills of attainder.

Although the rule will allow representatives to offer amendments to appropriations bills, both the amendments and the bills must receive majority support in the House of Representatives. Furthermore, they must remain in any compromise negotiated with the Senate, where appropriations bills must gain the support of 60 senators to defeat a filibuster.

While these safeguards remain,

the Holman Rule could still have significant adverse effects. Specific programs could be targeted through the appropriations process, bypassing the authorizing committees. Decisions that affect federal employees and federal programs could go into effect without the proper hearings or substantive debate. Once inserted into an appropriations bill, even members of the Senate may be forced to accept the provisions as part of a larger package.

NARFE worked with the Federal-Postal Coalition to defeat the Holman Rule in advance of a closed-door Republican Caucus meeting prior to the vote. The Coalition supported an amendment offered by Reps. Tom Cole, R-OK, and Rob Bishop, R-UT, to remove the Holman Rule from the rules package. Unfortunately, the amendment failed by voice vote.

NARFE will closely monitor any potential abuses of this rule and its impacts as it comes into play.

—BY JOHN HATTON, DEPUTY LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR W W W. N A R F E . O R G

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Washington Watch

A YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY: THE 2017 CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET PROCESS

I

n 1974, Congress enacted the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act to provide order and discipline to the annual budget-making process.

Over the years, the act’s “reconciliation” process provided the vehicle for cuts to federal employee and retiree compensation and benefits. The reconciliation process also has provided a tool for legislators to push through major legislation with budget implications – most recently, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”).

Unique to reconciliation is that it is filibuster-proof in the Senate, requiring only a simple majority of 51 votes.

With a Republican majority in Congress and the White House, the budget act’s streamlined procedural mechanisms are being used to make good on campaign promises. This may pave the way for enactment of a long list of budget-cutting measures that would reduce or curtail federal employee wages, federal health benefits and retirement investment returns. It may even bring the demise of the defined-benefit retirement plan with roots that date back nearly a century as the Civil Service Retirement System turns 100 in 2020.

TRACKING THE PROCESS Understanding the process will help advocates track progress on what could be a 100-day dash on critical pocketbook issues for NARFE’s active and retired members.

The budget resolution and its

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reconciliation tool is so useful that the process likely will be used twice in 2017. Through a unique twist, the House and Senate adopted a fiscal year 2017 blueprint shortly after being sworn in, as the past Congress never passed a fiscal year (FY) 2017 budget resolution.

The FY17 budget resolution had a unified purpose: to trigger the budget reconciliation process and repeal Obamacare with a simple Senate majority. The Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY17, which does not require the president’s signature, included instructions to only those committees of the House and Senate with jurisdiction over the Affordable Care Act, giving them license to recommend specific legislative changes within their respective jurisdictions to repeal the law. Following committee action, a single measure that combines the work of the multiple committees would be considered under time-limited procedures and majority rule.

As this issue goes to press, this process has just begun.

A SECOND ROUND Republican leaders hoped the process would move so swiftly and efficiently that President Trump might be able to sign the “Obamacare Repeal” bill into law on his first day in office.

This is just the beginning of the 2017 congressional budget process. This year, House Republicans may kick-start a second reconciliation process by taking up a fiscal year 2018 budget

resolution in March or April, providing the procedural blessing necessary to move a second reconciliation bill. This legislation could be a conglomeration of tax reform, entitlement cuts, and wholesale dismantling of civil service compensation and benefits. NARFE will report on all progress in future issues and we stand ready to fight back!

—BY ALAN LOPATIN, NARFE LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL

MYTH vs.

REALITY MYTH: A hiring freeze of the federal workforce saves money and increases government efficiency.

REALITY: Based on a 1982 Government Accountability Office report, the most recently available and widely referenced, previous federal hiring freezes had little effect on federal employment levels and disrupted agency operations, in some cases increasing costs. Hiring freezes create staffing problems, threaten recruitment efforts and hamper the federal government from collecting money owed. Further, hiring freezes inevitably lead to the hiring of more expensive contractors.

A Congressional Budget Office report found that federal agencies spent over $500 billion for contracted services in 2012.

CONGRESSIONAL LETTER OPPOSES FEDERAL HIRING FREEZE

O

n January 9, Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, D-MA, and 105 additional members of Congress sent a letter to Presidentelect Trump requesting he reconsider his proposal to implement a governmentwide hiring freeze.

NARFE endorsed the letter, and worked with Lynch to gain additional support.

“Mr. Trump’s plan will increase the number of private contractors and negatively affect the traditional federal employees who keep our agencies running. We need to reduce costs within our govern-

ment, but a hiring freeze will do the opposite,” said Lynch.

NARFE President Richard G. Thissen added that “a federal hiring freeze may be a good talking point, as it implies the federal workforce is growing when it’s actually shrinking, but it’s bad policy.”

Thissen noted that “not only would it undermine the efficiency of government operations by creating hiring backlogs and inadequate staffing levels, but it is unlikely to save any money, as work now performed by federal employees is likely to be outsourced to federal

contractors for an even higher cost to taxpayers.”

This is consistent with the findings of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) 1982 audit report that evaluated hiring freezes during the Carter and Reagan administrations. The GAO found that those hiring freezes provided only an “illusion of control,” and they were “not an effective means of controlling federal employment.”

Unfortunately, Trump did not learn from prior freezes and froze federal hiring his first day in office.

—BY JOHN HATTON, DEPUTY LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR

Contribute To NARFE-PAC I want to make a monthly sustainer credit card contribution:

q $25/month

OR

I want to make a one-time contribution: q $250 – Gold lapel pin and blanket q $100 – Silver lapel pin

q $10/month q Other: ______/month ($10 minimum) Sustainers receive a Sustainer lapel pin and cozy fleece NARFE blanket.

q $50 – Bronze lapel pin q $25 – Basic lapel pin q Other: _________

q Please do not send any gifts for my contribution (This saves NARFE-PAC money!)

NARFE Member #: _________________________________________ Name: __________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________ City: _________________________________________________ State: ___________

ZIP: _______________

Only members of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association may contribute to NARFE-PAC. NARFE will neither favor nor disadvantage anyone based on the amount of a contribution or the failure to make a voluntary contribution to this political action fund. NARFE-PAC contributions are not deductible for federal income tax purposes.

q Charge my credit card (required for monthly contribution) q MasterCard

q VISA

q Discover

q AMEX

Card #: ________________________________________________ Exp. Date: _____ /_________ mm

yyyy

Name on Card: _________________________________________ Signature: _____________________________________________ Date: _________________________

Or mail check payable to NARFE-PAC to: NARFE Attn. Budget & Finance 606 North Washington St. | Alexandria, VA 22314 W W W. N A R F E . O R G

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Washington Watch

TAKE ACTION TODAY TO PROTECT YOUR FEDERAL BENEFITS

T

he Legislative Training Conference is an important first step in protecting your earned pay and benefits, but advocacy doesn’t end with the conference. If you’re unable to attend, but want to combat these threats (see story, p. 6) and stay up-todate on legislation throughout the year, here’s what you can do.

Utilize Legislative Department Materials: Stay updated on legislation by reviewing legislative materials such as fact sheets and issue briefs, and signing up for the weekly Legislative Hotline, daily news clips and monthly webinars. If you have questions or would like to receive these updates, email leg@narfe.org.

Participate in Targeted Actions: As legislation moves, NARFE Headquarters will be asking NARFE members to participate in call-in days, send letters and attend meetings with legislators and their staff. Chap-

ters should coordinate to schedule in-district meetings with senators and representatives. Congressional District Leaders and Senatorial Leaders should schedule meetings, where possible, in conjunction with chapter and federation leaders. Be on the lookout for more information from NARFE Headquarters about coordinated efforts! If you’re not sure of your local NARFE point of contact but would like to be more involved, please contact the Legislative Department at leg@narfe.org.

Send a Letter: The new online Legislative Action Center (LAC) allows you to easily send letters to your senators and representative.

Customizing the pre-written letter makes the message stand out. Just add a quick sentence or two about how the policy would affect you as a federal employee/retiree to make your letter more memorable, and have a greater impact on the legislative process.

Write a Letter to the Editor: Publishing a letter to the editor through the LAC is a great way to publicly draw attention to a legislative issue and urge Congress to act. Legislators track media mentions, so publishing a letter to the editor in your local paper is an excellent way to get their attention.

Attend Events with Your Legislator: Sign up for the mailing list on your legislator’s website. You will be informed of local events such as town halls and community events. Wear your NARFE gear when you attend events and speak with the member of Congress and his/her staff about NARFE’s legislative priorities.

Help us help you by advocating on behalf of federal employees and retirees. Your dedication is critical to NARFE’s success!

—BY MOLLY CHECKSFIELD, GRASSROOTS PROGRAM MANAGER

PENDING BILL PROMISES TO TAKE AIM AT FEDERAL WORKFORCE

R

ep. Congressman Todd Rokita, R-IN, has vowed to reintroduce legislation to limit the due process rights of federal employees and dismantle federal unions, under the guise of civil service reform.

Specifically, the Promote Accountability and Government Efficiency Act would create at-will employment status for new federal employees, allow for the immediate suspension of employees due to

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misconduct or poor performance, reduce an employee’s ability to appeal an adverse action, limit within-grade increases, and prohibit federal employees from using official time or government property to conduct union business.

According to a summary of the bill distributed by Rokita, under the proposed legislation, federal employees “may be removed/suspended without notice or right to appeal for good cause, bad cause,

or no cause at all.” In short, this means any federal employee could be fired for any reason or no reason at all.

While this may be the first bill out of the gate to weaken the civil service and return it to the days of the 1800’s spoils system, it certainly won’t be the last. NARFE members should take note if their representatives cosponsor such bills.

—BY JESSICA KLEMENT, LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR

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Questions & Answers

The following Questions & Answers were compiled by NARFE’s Federal Benefits Service Department staff.

NARFE does not provide advice or assistance on legal, financial planning or tax matters.

EMPLOYEES FEHBP COVERAGE FOR GRANDDAUGHTER

Q

Can a federal employee who has a Self and Family high option health insurance plan add her 22-year-old granddaughter who is living with her to the plan? If so, how can the appropriate form be obtained?

A

As you may know, grandchildren, as such, are not eligible dependents for coverage under the federal enrollee’s plan. However, if the enrollee claims the granddaughter as a foster child, she can be covered as a dependent by the enrollee’s Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) insurance. To claim the granddaughter as a foster child, the enrollee must certify that the child is living with the enrollee and the enrollee expects to raise the child into adulthood, or in this case until the child reaches age 26.

The form that needs to be completed is not available online so the enrollee must request the form from the Office of Personnel Man-

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agement (OPM) either by calling 888-767-6738 (which is difficult) or by writing OPM at P.O. Box 45, Boyers, PA, 16017 ATT: Health Benefits. The enrollee also can make a request by email to OPM at retire@opm.gov.

FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PENSIONS

Q

Do federal law enforcement pensions receive a cost-of-living increase every year, and if so, what is the amount of the increase?

A

Yes, all federal retirement and survivor annuities are subject to annual cost-

of-living adjustments (COLAs) to help keep pace with inflation. The amount of the COLA varies each year because it is based by law on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-W measures increases in the prices of consumer goods, including food and beverages, housing, clothing, transportation, medical care, recreation, education, communication and more. In recent years, inflation has been very low, resulting in no COLA for retirees in 2016 and .03 percent for this year.

STARTING TO PLAN FOR RETIREMENT

Q

I would like to retire in at least two years. Where do I start in the process of planning for retirement? Do I start by talking to my manager or to human resources?

A

It’s never too early to start preparing for retirement, and having a meeting with your HR office and agency benefits officer is a good first step. There are other steps, too lengthy to put in a magazine article but that are available on the NARFE website. When you go to the main NARFE website and log in as a member, click on the Federal Benefits Institute banner and you will see a page containing a list of webinars and white papers (Facts for Feds) that will provide you with specific guidance on what you need to do prior to retirement.

RETIREES INSURANCE BENEFITS FOR SURVIVORS

Q

My late husband was a Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) retiree. I will continue to be covered by his health insurance from APWU. It could take months for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to arrange for my benefits check to be started and the premiums to be deducted. In the interim, do I send payments to the insurance company each month until the first survivor check gets processed?

A

No, you will not need to pay your federal health insurance premiums directly while waiting for your first survivor annuity payment.

After receiving the report of

your husband’s death, OPM will verify that you are the eligible surviving spouse and send you a death claim application to be completed and returned. After OPM receives the completed application form and completes the calculation of your survivor annuity, it will notify your health plan (APWU) to change your enrollment to Self Only coverage, effective from the date of your husband’s death. Your first survivor annuity payment will include the gross annuity owed you since your husband’s date of death, with deductions for premium payment for Self Only coverage owed since that date.

DETERMINING FEGLI PROCEEDS

Q

I retired on January 2, 1991, as a Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) retiree. After nearly 26 years of retirement, my life insurance amount has been reduced to the minimum. I can’t recall the amount. Would you be able to tell me the amount?

A

Because we don’t have your records, we can’t provide the specific proceeds payable from your Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI). However, we can offer some basic information that may be helpful. At retirement, the basic insurance payable at your death was your final salary, rounded up to the nearest thousand, plus an additional two thousand dollars.

At age 65, that amount begins

to reduce 2 percent per month until it reaches 25 percent of the original value. At that point, the reduction stops, and what remains is the proceeds available to be paid at your death. For an exact amount, contact the Office of Personnel Management at 888-767-6738 and request that a Verification of Life Insurance be mailed to you.

FEHBP COVERAGE FOR AN ADULT CHILD WITH A DISABILITY

Q

We have an adult daughter who has a congenital disability and will never be able to work. Since her health insurance was discontinued at age 26, we thought it best to switch from Self and Family to Self Plus One, as recommended. Following this change, we wonder if she will be considered for survivor benefits after we are deceased. If not, should we switch back to Self and Family during the next Open Season?

A

Your daughter can continue to be covered by your Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) plan if she is a disabled adult child. To do this, you will need to go to your agency Human Resources office if you are still employed with the government or contact the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) if you are retired. Provide either with medical documentation and a letter from her physician that states what your daughter’s disW W W. N A R F E . O R G

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Questions & Answers

ability is, when the condition first occurred, and provides a statement that her condition prevents her from ever being capable of self support. Once approved, you can change your health benefits enrollment to Self and Family coverage. In the event both of you predecease your daughter, you will need to appoint someone to handle her affairs, including completing the application for death benefits sent by OPM. You cannot provide this information in advance to OPM. As an adult child who is permanently disabled and incapable of self support, your daughter is eligible for a monthly surviving child benefit and continued coverage under the FEHBP.

FERS ELIGIBILITY FOR FORMER EMPLOYEES

Q

A former employee recently contacted me stating he had been fired.

The employee had 24 years of federal service but was only 49 at the time of termination. Is the employee still eligible for a Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuity at age 60? If so, where would he go to obtain the necessary paperwork?

A

Yes, former employees are eligible for FERS at age 60 if they had at least 20 years of federal service and did not take a refund of their retirement contributions.

Former employees may contact the Office of Personnel Man-

agement in writing to apply for retirement benefits. The retirement benefit will be reduced 5 percent for each year the individual is under age 62.

OBTAINING DEATH BENEFIT FORM IN ADVANCE

Q

In the January 2017 narfe magazine “Q&A” column (p. 15), a response noted that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) can take up to six weeks to respond regarding death benefits. Would it be prudent to request that application prior to any death in the family to avoid that excessive delay by OPM?

A

OPM will not send individualized applications for death benefits prior

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Widely recognized in the federal community as the expert who is able to handle the tough questions by providing easy-to-understand answers, Tammy Flanagan consults with, and trains, federal employees at every stage of their careers to help set and achieve their retirement goals and make informed decisions about their benefits.

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Questions & Answers

to the retiree’s death. However, the applications for survivor benefits and for Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) are available online.

For a FERS retiree, visit www. opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf3104. pdf, and for a CSRS retiree, visit www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/ sf-2800.pdf. For the life insurance claim form, visit www.opm. gov/forms/pdf_fill/fe6.pdf.

TAXABLE WAGE IN RETIREMENT

Q

As a Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) employee, health, vision and dental premiums are deducted from the gross pay to equal your

taxable wage. Now that I am retired, my health, vision and dental premiums have become part of my taxable wage. Why was this creative taxing not mentioned during retirement training? Are premiums paid on a pre-tax basis?

For employees, premiums are paid on a pre-tax basis through premium conversion if salary is sufficient to make the premium withholding. Pre-tax premiums are not available to annuitants, survivor annuitants or compensationers. Without prior knowledge of a higher taxable wage, I made a terrible decision to retire.

A

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) laws do not allow premium conversion

to retirees or survivors. Federal employees have been eligible for premium conversion since 2000. You are correct in that the change once you are retired is not well publicized either by agencies or the Office of Personnel Management.

BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD AND MEDICARE

Q

In the January 2017 narfe magazine “Q&A” column (p. 16), it states, in part, “we suggest if you are enrolled in Medicare Part B and pay an additional premium each month for what amounts to a Medicare supplement, there is no reason to continue to pay a higher

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Questions & Answers

NARFE at Your Service Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) premium than necessary. Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Basic will provide you with adequate coverage as a supplement to Medicare, but remember, you must use the plan’s preferred providers or BCBS won’t pay benefits.” Is the use of preferred providers required for both the BCBS Standard and Basic plans? If Medicare is primary, would it benefit me to keep my BCBS Standard plan, which in 2017 costs $1,979.40 more than the Basic plan?

A

No. Under BCBS Standard, you have a choice of receiving services from either a preferred provider or a

nonpreferred provider and still be covered. However, using a nonpreferred provider means you will have to pay higher out-of-pocket costs. If you are also covered by Medicare as your primary insurance, the difference in coverage between the two may not matter. But it would matter if you don’t get coverage from a BCBS preferred provider under the Basic plan.

NARFE service officers are available to answer questions and to assist in helping with a variety of benefit matters. Check your chapter newsletter for the name and phone number of your service officer. For the nearest service officer, call NARFE (toll-free) at:

800-456-8410.

NARFE Service Centers also are available in some areas. Use the Service Center listings on the NARFE website,

To obtain an answer to a federal benefits question, NARFE members should call 703-838-7760 and ask for the Federal Benefits Service Department; send the question by postal mail to NARFE Headquarters, ATTN: Federal Benefits; or submit it by email to fedbenefits@narfe.org.

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Cover Story

THE

PUSH

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By David Tobenkin

Illustration by Bill Pragluski, Critical Stages, LLC

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A Renewed Call for Private Services Expected

WARD

RIVATIZATION L ES TIA N ENCI E G A T L IS ER A EX T FED C A I H S W BA TION OF E S TH QUE SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT DO

WILL LIKELY BE BROUGHT INTO SHARP focus in

four years, with an expected Trump administratio

the next

n

and congressional push for privatization of many

federal government functions.

Agencies or agency functions that have been mentioned as targets for privatization by members of, and those close to, the Trump administration are as diverse as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

In addition, many Republican congressional leaders who have advocated for privatization over the past few years are expected to reintroduce such legislation, where it will likely face an increased chance of enactment, given President Donald Trump’s marketoriented preferences.

NOMINATIONS POINT TO PRIVATIZATION

Individuals nominated by President Trump to lead many key agencies have openly advocated privatization.

The nominee for director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-SC, will have a strong influence on federal government program design and budgeting. Mulvaney has

W W W. N A R F E . O R G

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THE PUSH TOWARD expressed support for agency privatization. During a hearing about management issues at the TSA in 2016, for example, he suggested every government agency suffers from poor leadership and argued that TSA’s failures highlight the need to de-federalize airport security, according to a December 17 report in Government Executive magazine.

Some individuals nominated to head agencies, such as former Texas governor Rick Perry, the nominee to be Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE), have called for dissolution of the very agencies they will be asked to head. Perry disavowed his call for the elimination of the DOE during his confirmation hearing in January.

Others, while not necessarily calling for dissolution of the agencies, call for privatization of major functions administered by the agency in a manner that would greatly reduce the scope of federal agency responsibilities and the need for federal employees. A notable example is Rep. Tom Price, R-GA, nominee for Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, who, as chairman of the House Budget Committee, in 2016 called for Medicare reform. Past Republican House initiatives included privatization of Medicare, and it remains a top priority for many Republicans in Congress.

Speaker of the House Paul D. Ryan, R-WI, has long advocated for Medicare privatization, and has already signaled that a major Medicare overhaul is on the table. While President Trump has not yet indicated support for such an approach, he may be less inclined than his predecessor to veto such legislation if it reaches his desk, given the market-oriented preferences he has expressed.

NOT NEW FOR MANY FEDS

A push for privatization will not feel new to many senior federal employees and federal retirees.

Past Republican administrations, in particular the George W. Bush administration, also made privatization a priority. Many observers predict a similar bid by the Trump White House.

“We’re very concerned that there will be 24

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a major privatization effort under the Trump administration,” says Randy Erwin, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), a union. “That was one of the biggest initiatives under the Bush administration. Under the Bush competitive sourcing program, which is what he called the privatization effort, they attempted to privatize over half the federal civilian workforce and were able to privatize a great number of federal civilian jobs.”

The federal contractor community also is convinced that more privatization is contemplated.

“We expect serious examination of alternatives and options [for non-government competitive alternatives to functions currently performed by federal agencies] and expect that those will take place on a rapid timetable once the Trump administration’s team is in place,” says David Berteau, chief executive officer of the Professional Services Council, a national trade association for private contractors providing services to the federal government, who also notes that there have been no major privatizations in the past 10 years.

“Many cabinet level agencies have the discretion to reorganize themselves, and you might also see budget or legislative proposals as well,” Berteau adds. “Most agencies have a statutory basis for their organization and work, so the legislative role in what will happen will be significant in many cases.”

EXACTLY WHAT IS INHERENTLY GOVERNMENTAL?

A federal administrative document, OMB Circular A-76, establishes federal policy for privatization. Some version of this policy has existed since the Eisenhower administration. It articulates the “longstanding policy of the federal government ... to rely on the private sector for needed commercial services,” and it establishes procedures for agencies to use in determining whether their commercial activities should be performed under contracts with the private sector or in-house by agency personnel.

PRIVATIZATION Much of the debate over what activities can be privatized turns on the definition of what activities are “inherently governmental.”

Congress weighed in with a statutory definition, enacted as part of the Federal Activities Inventory Reform (FAIR) Act of 1998, which states that an inherently governmental function is “a function so intimately related to the public interest as to require performance by federal government employees.”

There may be fewer inherently governmental functions than some might suppose, notes Jeffrey Neal, a senior vice president at consulting firm ICF and a former Department of Homeland Security chief human capital officer. “Some HR functions, for example, are inherently governmental, such as signing an appointment document,” says Neal. “Running the recruitment process is not inherently governmental, but making the selection is. Signing a classification document is inherently governmental, but writing the evaluation that supports the classification is not. The bottom line is that much HR work is not inherently governmental and is subject to being outsourced.”

Once a governmental function is determined to be not inherently governmental, consideration of potential privatization is possible.

“If a function is not inherently governmental, it raises a question in a capitalistic society as to whether it should be transferred to the private sector,” says Dan Blair, a former acting director of the Office of Personnel Management and until recently the president of the National Academy of Public Administration. “That could make sense if the private sector could perform that function faster or more efficiently.”

PAST INROADS

Apart from full privatization, agencies may face private-sector competition in providing their services. Blair, a former chairman of the independent Postal Regulatory Commission, notes that the U.S. Postal Service is a prime example. In the late ’70s, under political pressure, the Postal Service suspended its monopoly on express mail

and opened this market to outside competition, thus allowing private-sector providers such as Federal Express to compete with the Postal Service. “Opening that up to competition gave rise to companies that were cheaper, faster, and better, and increased options for consumers,” Blair says.

“It also improved the Postal Service’s abilities, too, by making it more market-oriented and forcing it to introduce efficiencies.”

Another large agency that has been significantly privatized is the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). “Huge parts of the DHS headquarters were privatized,” Neal says.

“When DHS was established, they had the idea that the headquarters would be small. They then

We’re very concerned that there will be a major privatization effort under the Trump administration.

—RANDY ERWIN, National Federation of Federal Employees

realized that didn’t work well: You can’t run an agency of 200,000 with a few hundred individuals, so they outsourced a lot of things. In other security-related agencies, intelligence analysts and other occupations were outsourced, Edward Snowden among them. There are big chunks of the business that are not considered inherently governmental.”

In addition, within agencies many services and functions have already been privatized, notes Neal. “Services that become commoditized, such that you don’t need a specialized group of people to perform it, tend to be outsourced. A good example is information technology,” he says. “Many agencies used to employ a lot of people to run help desks, and they did their own IT work in-house. As much IT work became a commodity, it became easier W W W. N A R F E . O R G

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THE PUSH TOWARD to pay a fee per seat to a vendor for those services. Then there are unskilled jobs like custodians. There is no reason for those to be federal jobs, and agencies do not employ janitors anymore.”

In recent years, efforts to privatize some governmental services have been blocked through congressional amendments and language inserted in appropriations bills. The Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2016, as passed out of committee on May 14, 2015, for example, included language that sought to launch a pilot program to begin the privatization of military commissaries at five locations. Former Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, D-MD, and Sen. James M. Inhofe, R-OK, authored an amendment that sought to protect commissaries from being privatized. The amendment, which garnered the bipartisan support of 23 senators and more than 40 organizations, required a study on the impact of privatization of commissaries on military families before a pilot program could be implemented and also required a Comptroller General assessment of the plan after the report was submitted. The amendment was adopted on the Senate floor and included in the final NDAA signed into law by President Obama.

THE LIKELY TARGETS

The potential privatization effort being widely discussed with the greatest impact is at the VA, one of the largest federal agencies with more than 360,000 employees. The 2016 Republican platform and Concerned Veterans for America, a relatively new veterans group with close ties to the Trump transition team, openly advocated for allowing veterans to see doctors of their own choosing outside of the VA health care system.

Ironically, under the Obama administration, the VA already significantly increased its use of contractors, notes Phillip Carter, an Iraq War veteran and senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. “After the Phoenix scandal [regarding falsification of patient waittime records], the VA was told to generate more 26

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clinical capacity. It chose to do so by purchasing care in the private sector, and now roughly one-third of all patient appointments are done through contractors. So the VA has already started to privatize itself in an incremental way – which is a big change for this agency.” Carter outlined two likely paths for further VA privatization: augmentation of existing VA facilities with staff hired through contractors, or purchasing of specific clinical or support functions from contractors, through the OMB Circular A-76 or other processes.

Carter and others note there has been longstanding congressional deference to the will of a number of veterans’ organizations, such as the American Legion, which have opposed wholesale VA privatization. This is based in part on concerns that privatization will dismantle comprehensive care for veterans and reduce the level of care in areas of special interest to them, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

TSA also has been mentioned as a privatization target. Already, some airports are allowed to use private security screeners. In addition, the agency’s difficult and sometimes unpopular mission may make it more ripe for a privatization effort, Neal says. “TSA does not have a huge constituency, and people don’t like the intrusiveness of security, despite the fact that they want to be protected from terrorism,” he says.

The IRS also is in the crosshairs of privatization advocates. In December, Congress approved a long-term highway funding bill that offset part of the costs of the bill by requiring the Treasury Department to contract with private collection agencies to recover federal tax debt, despite the objections of the administration, the National Taxpayer Advocate, and a coalition of civil and consumer rights groups, notes National Treasury Employees Union National President Tony Reardon.

Pointing to past curtailments of similar debtcollection privatization initiatives due to financial losses and alleged collection practice abuses, Reardon states that, “No one does the work of the federal government better than accountable,

PRIVATIZATION highly trained federal workers. Privatizing the work of the federal government leads to a loss of accountability and efficiency and diminishes the quality of service to taxpayers.”

The FAA has been another target. Hearings were held in February 2016 on privatizing air traffic controllers.

Some federal services have already been consolidated within a fewer number of agencies. For example, the Department of Agriculture’s National Finance Center handles the payroll services for a variety of other agencies. It is only a small step from such shared services to privatization, Neal says.

MEASURING COSTS AND RESULTS

What should and should not be privatized also is a function of cost savings. Comparisons of private- and public-sector equivalent costs are complicated and are often criticized as flawed. A major effort likely will be undertaken to reexamine and improve those analyses.

“It is hard to get good data on fully-burdened costs for work performed by government civilian employees. The only good recent cost study I have seen is for TSA data screeners,” says Berteau of the contractors’ association.

“The GAO found that for large airports, privatesector screeners cost less, and for smaller airports they cost more. To me, that says for purposes of security and taxpayer efficiency, you want to consider using private-sector alternatives where the outcomes are equal to or better than the public sector and you save money. That is the type of consideration that I would like to see more of.”

“Privatizing government services and programs like Medicare, Social Security and veterans’ health care will cause costs to balloon and accountability to disappear,” says American Federation of Government Employees National President J. David Cox Sr. “We will make the case that there are no economies to be realized from privatization and that the most cost-effective solution is for federal employees to directly deliver government services.”

Making such calls may be even more difficult because many easy targets have already been addressed. “Most of the obvious candidates have already been privatized, but there might be some additional opportunities,” says Donald Kettl, a professor of public policy at the University of Maryland. “The basic lesson is this: Privatization works best where the government can rely on competitive private markets. A bad strategy is pushing into the private sector the provision of goods and services for which there is little political support, or for which we might think, for ideological reasons, we can rely on private providers. That almost always simply replicates government’s problems, in private hands.”

THE BOTTOM LINE FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

What are the potential consequences of privatizations for current employees? That could vary. Of course, eliminating a full agency could result in reductions in force. NFFE’s Erwin notes that the Bush competitive sourcing program did lead to considerable loss of federal jobs.

However, often workforce reductions can be achieved through voluntary buyouts, hiring freezes, natural retirements and other steps, Blair notes. “If you just stay still in the workforce and don’t hire more individuals, you will see big reductions in many agencies. There is potential to leverage that if you are seeking to reduce the size of government,” he says. “You have to plan carefully and make sure to cover the most important positions.”

Berteau also notes that, in the past, extreme privatization policy positions advocated by Republican leaders before they gained power have been whittled down. “There have been a number of times in history in which party campaign platforms have proposed elimination of agencies, such as the 1980 platform of Ronald Reagan, which called for the elimination of the Energy, Education and Commerce Departments,” he says. “All three of those are still with us.”

—DAVID TOBENKIN IS A FREELANCE WRITER BASED IN THE GREATER WASHINGTON, DC, AREA.

By Jason Freeman

NARFE-PAC

Protecting Your Earned Benefits

AS MEMBERS OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNITY FACE UNPRECEDENTED

threats to their earned pay and benefits, NARFE-PAC, the Association’s political arm, is more important than ever.

“Everything is on the table in this new Congress. NARFE fully expects to be fighting multiple battles on multiple fronts, including proposals to increase Federal Employees Health Benefits Program premiums for enrollees, limit the return on Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) investments, require larger retirement contributions for current employees, eliminate federal annuities altogether and more,” observes NARFE Legislative Director Jessica Klement.

“NARFE needs a robust NARFE-PAC to fight back against these attacks.”

WHAT IS NARFE-PAC?

NARFE-PAC is the political action committee for NARFE and raises funds to support the political campaigns of legislators. It is financed through NARFE members’ direct, voluntary contributions to a separate fund.

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ITS F E N E B D E PROTECTING YOUR EARN

NARFE-PAC FIGHTS BACK

NARFE-PAC is a critical tool NARFE has to defend federal employees and annuitants from attacks on their earned benefits. Along with NARFE’s lobbying and grass-roots efforts, NARFE-PAC is an important resource used to help achieve the Association’s goals.

“NARFE-PAC helps NARFE fight back,” says NARFE President Richard G. Thissen. “A well-funded NARFE-PAC is essential to making sure NARFE has the power to defeat the historic

assault we anticipate from the new Congress and the White House.”

There are two particularly important ways NARFE-PAC helps NARFE: by fostering strong relationships between NARFE and lawmakers and electing members of Congress who support the federal community.

IT’S ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS

NARFE-PAC creates opportunities for NARFE officers, legislative staff and Association mem-

RECAP: 2015-2016 CYCLE

NARFE-PAC’s influence grew during the 2015-2016 election cycle, thanks to the tens of thousands of NARFE members who contributed generously. After raising less than $1 million in contributions in the previous two cycles, NARFE-PAC raised $1.45 million! This 54 percent increase from the previous cycle allowed NARFE-PAC to play a larger role in the 2016 elections.

NARFE-PAC disbursed $813,000 to political candidates and party committees in 20152016, an 84 percent increase from the previous cycle. These strategic disbursements helped elect 92 percent of the candidates NARFE-PAC supported and helped build and strengthen relationships with lawmakers supportive of the federal community. NARFE officers and staff forged relationships with lawmakers in Washington, DC, while NARFE members did so locally by attending fundraisers in connection with NARFE-PAC disbursements. More than 85 NARFE members attended 65 in-district fundraisers, more than double the number of local fundraisers attended in the previous cycle.

“It was amazing to see NARFE members respond so generously to our call for support last cycle. As a result, NARFE-PAC raised the Association’s political importance and influence,” NARFE President Richard Thissen emphasizes. “I’m hopeful that NARFE members again will respond positively to our efforts to grow NARFE-PAC in this new cycle.”

$1,450,000 NARFE-PAC raised $1.45 million during the 2015-2016 cycle! This is a 54 percent increase from the previous cycle.

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NARFE-PAC disbursed $813,000 to political candidates and party committees.

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bers to connect with lawmakers and develop strong relationships with lawmakers and their senior staff. These relationships are key to NARFE’s successful legislative efforts.

When NARFE-PAC makes a disbursement to a candidate, NARFE officers, staff or members attend a fundraising event with the candidate.

Fundraisers take place in Washington, DC, or in the candidate’s district. These events are opportunities to interact with the candidate in an informal setting and deepen a relationship.

The occasions provide an unrushed opportunity to discuss important NARFE issues and share NARFE positions and concerns.

Sending NARFE members to local fundraisers helps put a face on NARFE in the community and shows the candidate that NARFE concerns are important in their congressional district.

“Sending NARFE members to in-district fundraisers is essential to the success of NARFE-PAC,” says Thissen. “It is an important

way NARFE-PAC can build relationships at the local level and involve the Association’s members. Most importantly, it is NARFE members who are funding this critical political work.”

ELECTING SUPPORTIVE LAWMAKERS

NARFE-PAC also is critical to electing members of Congress who support the federal community.

NARFE needs as many allies as possible on Capitol Hill, and NARFE-PAC makes this possible.

NARFE-PAC disburses hundreds of thousands of dollars to supportive congressional candidates. Elections cost money, and running for Congress is expensive. NARFE-PAC support can make the difference between electing a lawmaker who supports the federal community and one who doesn’t. The greater the number of fed-friendly members of Congress elected, the less likely it is that legislative threats to the federal community make it to the congressional agenda.

NARFE-PAC uses a consultative process to

SUPPORT NARFE-PAC! NARFE-PAC recognizes generous contributors based on the following giving levels (cumulative for 2017-2018 election cycle): One-time contributors: $25: Basic lapel pin $50: Bronze lapel pin $100: Silver lapel pin $250: Gold lapel pin and NARFE fleece blanket Monthly contributors: $10 or more: Sustainer lapel pin and NARFE fleece blanket Help NARFE-PAC save money by choosing the “Please do not send any gifts for my contribution” box on the contribution form.

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decide which candidates receive NARFE-PAC funds. Several factors are considered, including but not limited to, the candidate’s support on NARFE issues as indicated primarily by his or her voting record. The recommendation of NARFE members also is crucial to decisionmaking. Other considerations include the influence a legislator can exert in support of NARFE’s goals by virtue of committee assignments and positions of leadership, the competitiveness of the race and the overall NARFE-PAC budget.

All NARFE-PAC disbursement decisions are made by the NARFE-PAC Board, which is comprised of the two elected National Officers and NARFE’s legislative director. Local input is provided by the federation NARFE-PAC coordinator, who is responsible for providing a consensus recommendation from his or her state.

WHAT IS NARFE-PAC?

NARFE-PAC is the Association’s political action committee (PAC). It is a separate, segregated fund of the Association financed solely through voluntary, direct contributions by NARFE members made explicitly for political purposes. Membership dues and other general funds cannot, by law, be used by NARFE-PAC. NARFE-PAC disburses the money collected to congressional candidates who are supportive of the federal community. All candidates, whether they are Republican, Democratic or Independent, are eligible to receive NARFEPAC funds. The funds are typically disbursed in connection with fundraisers attended by NARFE legislative staff, officers and members. NARFE-PAC helps build strong relationships between NARFE and candidates and helps elect or re-elect candidates. It is an essential way NARFE works to defend the earned pay and benefits of the federal community.

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The federation NARFE-PAC coordinator’s recommendation should include an evaluation of the amount and quality of communication with the candidate and accessibility of the candidate to NARFE members, chapters and federation.

2017-2018 GOALS

NARFE-PAC has established ambitious goals for the next two-year election cycle in an effort to grow NARFE’s political influence and defeat threats to the federal community. In order to build strong relationships and elect supportive lawmakers, NARFE-PAC needs to: • Raise $1.5 million in member contributions; • Disburse $1 million for political purposes; • Send NARFE members to 100 in-district fundraisers; and • Increase monthly contributors (Sustainers) by 50 percent.

These goals build on the success of last cycle.

NARFE-PAC increased member contributions and political disbursements in 2015-2016, a trend NARFE-PAC aims to replicate.

“Please support NARFE-PAC today. We need everyone’s help to defeat the serious and wideranging threats we expect to face in the 115th Congress” says Thissen.

“Your NARFE-PAC contributions are needed now more than ever. The very real prospect of harmful attacks on federal civil service compensation will require us to be on the defensive in a major way. Without a strong NARFE-PAC, we can’t fully fight back,” echoes Klement.

You can help NARFE-PAC reach the $1.5 million goal by contributing today. Complete the contribution form on the cover wrap of this magazine and return it in the attached postagepaid envelope. Your support helps NARFE fight back against the threats to your earned pay and benefits!

To learn more about NARFE-PAC, go to the NARFE-PAC specific page on the NARFE website, www.narfe.org.

—JASON FREEMAN IS NARFE POLITICAL AND LEGISLATIVE SPECIALIST.

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and participation in an employer plan such as the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is great, failing to build savings and liquidity elsewhere may prove problematic later on.

The TSP and other employerbased retirement plans provide substantial incentives and tax benefits, but accessing them before separating from service can prove difficult, especially if you need money quickly. If you’re under 59½ and still employed, you may access your TSP only by taking a loan or, if eligible, a hardship withdrawal.

Needing extra cash to pay off the holiday shopping spree you put on a credit card won’t qualify you for a hardship withdrawal. Rather, to be eligible for a hardship withdrawal, your financial need must meet one of the following four conditions: • A recurring negative cash flow • Unpaid medical expenses that are not covered by insurance • Unpaid personal casualty losses that are not covered by insurance • Unpaid legal expenses resulting from a separation or divorce from your spouse If you take a hardship withdrawal under these conditions, you’ll owe income taxes and possibly a 10 percent penalty if you take the distribution 36

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before age 59½.

Therefore, having an alternate source of savings outside of the TSP is important and may help keep you out of financial trouble, or at least from having to pay taxes and penalties if you need access to cash before you separate from service.

Of course, a cash reserves fund, ranging from three to 12 months of living expenses, is prudent and will certainly help in a pinch. But in addition to the TSP and a cash reserves fund, I also like the idea of contributing to a Roth IRA to create an alternate source of retirement savings and liquidity.

Contributions to a Roth IRA are made with after-tax money, but all future growth and earnings will be tax-free when you take qualified distributions.

In addition to the tax benefits, another great advantage of the Roth IRA is its flexibility – specifically, the ability to withdraw your contributions tax- and penalty-free at any point. You don’t have to wait five years or until you’re 59½, and it doesn’t matter if you’re working or not.

BY MARK A. KEEN

CFP®

The TSP allows you to contribute considerable sums of money each year, and for many, the contribution limits exceed savings ability. In 2017, the TSP contribution limit is $18,000, or $24,000 if you’re age 50 or older. If you have the financial ability to max out your TSP savings and contribute to a Roth IRA, don’t pass up the opportunity.

If you don’t, however, consider splitting your annual retirement contributions between the TSP and a Roth IRA. In doing so, you will be taking advantage of the TSP’s low cost and agency match, but you’ll also be creating a resource you can access quickly should the need arise.

When splitting your contributions between the TSP and a Roth IRA, you’ll want to make sure you’re maximizing the agency match. If you’re a Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) employee, in addition to the automatic 1 percent agency contribution, you also receive agency matching contributions equal to 100 percent of the first 3 percent of salary you defer and 50 percent of the next 2 percent of salary you defer.

For example, if you contribute 3 percent of your pay to your TSP, you will receive an agency matching contribution equal to 3 percent of your pay; if you contribute 4 percent of your pay, you’ll receive a 3.5 percent

BENEFITS RESOURCES NARFE offers members a wide range of information on federal benefits. Visit www. narfe.org/federalbenefits and www.narfe.org/ FederalBenefitsInstitute.

match; and if you contribute 5 percent of your pay, you’ll receive a 4 percent match.

You don’t receive a match on any salary deferrals you make above 5 percent of your pay. This is where splitting your contributions comes into play. If you contribute more than 5 percent of pay to your TSP, consider redirecting the amount you contribute over 5 percent to a Roth IRA instead. For example, if you contribute 10 percent of your pay to the TSP, keep 5

ROC3137NARFEhalfAds.indd 2

percent going to the TSP, but redirect the remaining 5 percent into a Roth IRA. Like the TSP, contribution limits apply to a Roth IRA as well. In 2017, the contribution limits for a Roth IRA are $5,500, or $6,500 if you’re age 50 or older. Unlike the TSP, you’ll only be eligible to contribute to a Roth IRA if your income is below certain limits. In 2017, you’ll be able to make a full Roth IRA contribution if you’re a single tax filer with adjusted gross income (AGI) below $118,000, or below $186,000 if you’re married and file jointly.

Your circumstances are unique. Consider the features and benefits of a Roth IRA and whether or not your financial house will benefit from one.

MARK A. KEEN, CFP®, IS PARTNER, KEEN & POCOCK, 10300 EATON PLACE, FAIRFAX, VA, AND AN INVESTMENT ADVISER REPRESENTATIVE AND REGISTERED PRINCIPAL OF THE STRATEGIC FINANCIAL ALLIANCE, INC. (SFA). SECURITIES AND ADVISORY SERVICES ARE OFFERED THROUGH SFA. EMAIL: MKEEN@KEENPOCOCK.COM.

4/15/14 1:27 PM W W W. N A R F E . O R G

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37

The Informed Citizen

MERITOCRACY AND THE MIDDLE CLASS

M

erit is the core principle of our civil service. With civil service besieged in state capitals and in Congress, defenders of a merit-based civil service must simultaneously recruit all eligible nonmembers and enlist new allies. As at the formation of the federal civil service – merit replacing a spoils system – the new allies need to be committed to equality of opportunity and fairness. Although less celebrated in our history than in developing countries, civil service plays a critical role in developing and maintaining a middle class.

Hanging Together Fortunately, NARFE is the natural umbrella organization to bring and hold together the badly balkanized state and federal employee and retiree community. Importantly, solidarity between retirees and current employees has increased dramatically. For evidence of that solidarity, note the fact that NARFE recently chaired

STATE LEGISLATIVE RESOURCES • Governors’ State of the State Addresses: http://bit.ly/2jxgHkC • Handicapping 2017 and 2018 Gubernatorial Races: http://bit.ly/2iHYdhS • 2017 State Legislative Leaders: http://bit.ly/2ieIlGZ • Searchable Database of Pension & Retirement State Legislation: http://bit.ly/2ieFFJi • Ballotpedia Gateway: http://bit.ly/2j9pGfp • NARFE Coalitions:

http://bit.ly/2j9wfOY 38

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the Federal-Postal Coalition, comprised of groups representing employees, managers and retirees. To hold the middle class together in an aging society, NARFE is a leading participant in the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO), a unified voice resisting any moves to reduce cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), such as basing this on the Chained Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Challenge in the States Organizing state stakeholders is much more difficult. However, the need is urgent as multiple state legislatures are considering bills that would convert state civil servants into at-will employees and further restrict or abolish collective bargaining. NARFE is playing a leading role in the effort. NARFE federations in Indiana, Missouri, New Jersey and Oklahoma have won victories in state legislatures by uniting disparate groups for a shared goal:

BY CHRISTOPHER FARRELL SENIOR ANALYST

fairer tax treatment of retirement income. A potent argument with state legislators is the potential flight of seniors to states with friendlier tax treatment.

High Court Rulings Two Supreme Court decisions, Davis v. Michigan and Barker v. Kansas, bolster arguments for horizontal equity. In Davis, the court ruled 8-1 that states could not tax benefits paid to federal employees while exempting state employees. In Barker, a unanimous court overturned Kansas’ imposition of an income tax on federal military retirement benefits while exempting the benefits received by retired state and local government employees.

Next Steps State revenues still are recovering from the Great Recession.

The pace of growth is both slower than historical averages and variable among the states. Still, legislatures experiencing periods of rising state revenues are apt to be more sympathetic to our fairness and mobility arguments.

That said, a federal civil service based on the merit system will find allies among state civil services to the extent there is adequate state revenue raised from the citizenry based on ability to pay. Abolishing estate taxes and converting income taxes to sales taxes promotes aristocracy of wealth, not talent.

Active and Retired Federal Employees ...

Join NARFE Today!

The only organization dedicated solely to protecting and preserving the benefits of all federal workers and retirees, NARFE informs you of any developments and proposals that affect your compensation, retirement and health benefits, AND provides clear answers to your questions.

Who Should Join the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association?

If your future security is tied to federal retirement benefits – federal retirees, current employees, spouses and individual survivors – you should join NARFE.

NARFE MEMBER BENEFITS

• Get monthly issues of narfe magazine with news and insights for the federal community.

• Access the NARFE Federal Benefits Institute for powerful resources to help you fully understand and manage your benefits.

• Visit the Legislative Action Center to contact your representatives about bills affecting federal benefits.

• Visit the Member Perks page for a full listing of the many time-, money- and hassle-saving benefits available only to NARFE members.

NARFE MEMBERSHIP APPLIC ATION q YES. I want to join NARFE for the low annual dues of $40. q Mr. q Mrs. q Miss q Ms.

____________________________________________________

Full Name

____________________________________________________

Street Address

PAYMENT OPTIONS q Check, Money Order or Bill Pay (Payable to NARFE) q Bill me (NARFE membership will start when payment is received.) q Charge my: q MasterCard

q VISA q Discover

q AMEX

________________________________________________ Card No. Expiration Date _____ /_________

____________________________________________________

Apt./Unit

____________________________________________________

City

State

ZIP

____________________________________________________

Phone

____________________________________________________

Email

I am a (check all that apply) q Active Federal Employee q Active Federal Employee Spouse q Annuitant

1Q6

q Annuitant Spouse q Survivor Annuitant

q Please enroll my spouse _______________________________________________

Spouse’s Full Name

_______________________________________________ Spouse’s Email

THREE EASY WAYS TO JOIN 1. Complete this application and mail with your payment to NARFE / Member Records / 606 N. Washington St. / Alexandria, VA 22314-1914

2. Join online at www.narfe.org.

3. Call 800-627-3394, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.

mm

yyyy

________________________________________________ Name on Card ________________________________________________ Signature ________________________________________________ Date

TOTAL DUES $40 Annual Dues X ___________ = ___________ Per Person # Enrolling Total Dues Dues payments are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.

MAY WE THANK SOMEONE? If applicable, please provide the name, membership and chapter number of the member who introduced you to NARFE: ________________________________________________ Recruiter’s Name ________________________________________________ Recruiter’s Membership ID ________________________________________________ Recruiter’s Chapter Number Looking to meet others in the federal community and participate in NARFE at a local level? Call 800-627-3394 to learn about a NARFE chapter in your area.

Or, if known, add Chapter # _________________________

NARFE respects the privacy of our members. Personal information is used to provide content and relevant communications to our members, and will not be sold or rented to third parties without your express permission.

Alzheimer’s Update

DO YOU HAVE ALZHEIMER’S?

M

any of us have found ourselves trying to remember a person’s name. We meet them for the first time and a week later can’t remember their name. Is that Alzheim-

er’s disease? Maybe, but probably not. If you are over 65 years old, and you forget a name but remember it later, chalk that up to age. If you are truly concerned about your memory loss, don’t ignore it. Schedule an appointment with your doctor.

Like many of you, I am committed to finding a cure or at least a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to funds for research, subjects are needed for drug trials. I recently participated in a nationwide research project at the Center for Neurosciences in Tucson, AZ. This was a phase one clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Aducanumab in subjects with very early Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers were also looking for subjects who may not yet show significant symptoms. In other words, they were looking for people with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s disease.

During the first visit, I was given a list of 15 words and then told to verbally respond with as many as I could remember. I had three chances, and with each chance I did not have to repeat those I had given before. Without going into detail, my score was low enough for me to move on to the next step.

A PET scan was scheduled of my brain. A positron emission

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tomography (PET) scan is an imaging test that allows a doctor to check for diseases in your

I participated in a nationwide research project to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Aducanumab in subjects with very early Alzheimer’s disease. body. This painless scan uses a special dye that has radioactive tracers. These tracers are injected into a vein in your arm.

There are no side effects after the scan.

The Alzheimer’s Association notes that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved three molecular imaging tracers for use in patients

BY MERV STUCKEY NARFE-ALZHEIMER’S CHAIR

being evaluated for possible Alzheimer’s disease. The tracer binds to beta-amyloid in the brain and produces 3-D images. Because the radioactive tracer can be seen during a PET brain scan, it reveals the presence of amyloid plaques in the brains of living patients.

This drug trial was intended to treat patients with varying degrees of amyloid plaque, even if pronounced symptoms are not present.

Even though amyloid plaques in the brain are a characteristic feature of Alzheimer’s disease, their presence cannot be used to diagnose the disease. Some people have amyloid plaques in the brain but show no cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s disease.

Because amyloid plaques cannot be used to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, amyloid imaging is not recommended for routine use in patients suspected of having Alzheimer’s disease.

After two weeks of waiting, I received word that I am not a good subject because the scan found no plaques! Therefore, my services were no longer needed.

As many people my age will attest, old age may not be a friend, but we learn to live with it.

MERV STUCKEY IS CHAIR OF THE NARFEALZHEIMER’S NATIONAL COMMITTEE. EMAIL: NARFEROADRUNNER@COMCAST.NET. THIS COLUMN APPEARS QUARTERLY.

NARFE’s Dues Withholding Program What is dues withholding?

It is a dues-payment method that gives NARFE members (retirees) the option of having their annual NARFE membership dues deducted from their annuities on a monthly basis.

Advantages • Save 15% off your annual NARFE dues!

• Sign up your spouse and double your savings!

• You’ll never get another dues reminder from us!

• Your monthly payment is affordable and convenient!

• You may cancel your dues withholding at any time!

How does it work?

One-twelfth of your total dues is automatically deducted from your monthly annuity. Your monthly deduction is determined by the following formula: (NARFE dues ÷ 12) + (Chapter dues - if applicable ÷ 12) = Total Monthly Deduction How do I sign up?

It takes 60-90 days to process your application. Once the process is complete, you will receive a special membership card distinguishing you as a NARFE dues-withholding member.

To learn more about dues withholding, call 800-627-3394.

Retirees, spouses of retirees and annuitant survivors are eligible for dues withholding.

NARFE Dues Withholding Application for Retirees YES. I want to enroll in NARFE’s Dues Withholding Program (Annual NARFE dues of $34 and, if applicable, Chapter dues of record to be withheld annually.)

Social Security Number (9-digit number)

– Mr.

Mrs.

Civil Service Annuity Number

– Miss

C S

Ms.

–

–

–

(Include prefix, CSA or CSF) (Include any applicable suffix)

Full Name ______________________________________

NARFE MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

Street Address __________________________________

NARFE Membership ID ____________________________________

Apt./Unit _______________________________________

NARFE Chapter # (If applicable) _______________________________

City _________________________ State _____ ZIP _____ Phone (__________) ______________________________ Email __________________________________________ Date of Birth _________ /_________ / ____________________ dd

mm

yyyy

YES. I Also Authorize My (NARFE Member) Spouse’s Dues To Be Withheld From My Annuity. (Additional annual dues of $34 and, if applicable, chapter dues to be withheld annually.)

If YES, enter spouse’s information below.

Spouse’s Name ___________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ Spouse’s Membership ID ___________________________________

AUTHORIZATION (Withholding will begin in 60-90 days). No payment should be forwarded with application.

I authorize the United States Office of Personnel Management to make appropriate deductions from my annuity payments, not to exceed the amount certified by the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association as the amount of dues for which I am annually obligated, in accordance with elections I made above, and to pay the deducted sum to the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE). This authorization shall also apply to any and all dues changes certified by NARFE membership in accordance with elections I made above: Please allow 60-90 days for processing.

I understand that this authorization shall be valid until NARFE receives and processes my written notice of cancellation in accordance with its agreement with the Office of Personnel Management and that any disputes regarding this authorization shall be a matter between NARFE and myself. I hold the Office of Personnel Management harmless for any erroneous allotment deduction made pursuant to this authorization. ___________________________________________________________________________

______________________________

Signature of Annuitant or Survivor-Annuitant

Date

Dues payments and gifts or contributions to NARFE are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.

MAIL THIS FORM TO: NARFE, ATTN: Member Records, 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314-1914 www.narfe.org 800-627-3394 rr@narfe.org Do not send money with this form

DW-2 (11/16)

F FUND

C FUND

S FUND

I FUND

’17

JANUARY

0.20%

0.23%

1.90%

2.16%

2.89%

2016

Equity markets climbed once again for the month of January on economic optimism, while interest rates barely moved and the dollar reversed its recent strength. As a result, the U.S.-oriented C and S Funds generated gains, and the I Fund received an additional boost from the weakened U.S. currency in January. The F Fund managed a very small gain, and the L Funds all were positive.

G FUND DECEMBER

0.20%

0.16%

1.98%

1.81%

3.44%

NOVEMBER

0.16%

-2.35%

3.71%

7.95%

-1.99%

YTD

0.20%

0.23%

1.90%

2.16%

2.89%

1 YEAR

1.83%

1.64%

20.09%

30.22%

11.31%

3 YEAR*

2.05%

3.03%

10.92%

8.24%

1.05%

5 YEAR*

1.92%

2.46%

14.15%

13.66%

6.37%

10 YEAR*

2.61%

4.61%

7.04%

8.03%

1.18%

—BY SEAN MCCAFFREY, ACTING CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER, THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN

L INCOME

L 2020

L 2030

L 2040

L 2050

COUNTDOWN TO COLA

JANUARY

0.61%

1.04%

1.48%

1.70%

1.91%

DECEMBER

0.64%

1.13%

1.59%

1.82%

2.04%

NOVEMBER

0.49%

1.05%

1.57%

1.87%

2.19%

YTD

0.61%

1.04%

1.48%

1.70%

1.91%

1 YEAR

5.17%

9.36%

12.69%

14.57%

16.38%

3 YEAR*

3.42%

4.86%

5.82%

6.34%

6.73%

5 YEAR*

4.06%

7.13%

8.65%

9.64%

10.52%

10 YEAR*

3.73%

4.60%

5.15%

5.39%

N/A

2016

’17

*ANNUALIZED

*ANNUALIZED

RETURNS are net of the effect of accrued administrative expenses and investment expenses/costs. Source: TSP (For additional monthly returns, go to www.tsp.gov.)

G Fund: Government securities (specially issued to the TSP) F Fund: Government, corporate and mortgage-backed bonds C Fund: Stocks of large- and medium-size U.S. companies S Fund: Stocks of small- to medium-size U.S. companies (not included in the C Fund) I Fund: International stocks of 21 developed countries L Fund: (Lifecycle) Invested in the G, F, C, S and I Funds (The proportion of L Fund balance invested in each of the individual TSP funds depends on the L Fund chosen.)

OPM RETIREMENT CLAIMS PROCESSING STATUS ’15

2016

For the Record

OPTIMISM SENDS EQUITY MARKETS HIGHER IN JANUARY

THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN FUND RETURNS

Claims Received

Inventory

Avg # of Days (Steady State % Processed in to Process Case in is 13,000) 60 Days or Less (FYTD) More Than 60 Days

DECEMBER 4,753 11,399 JANUARY 15,423 19,761 FEBRUARY 11,293 22,692 MARCH 5,741 19,211 APRIL 7,241 14,517 MAY 7,210 14,035 JUNE 5,929 13,529 JULY 9,238 15,562 AUGUST 6,818 16,334 SEPTEMBER 6,946 15,146 OCTOBER 7,326 16,677 NOVEMBER 5,065 16,019 DECEMBER 5,483 15,097

78% 79% 80% 82% 80% 80% 79% 79% 78% 77% 58% 60% 56%

104 94 96 118 92 103 115 110 112 100 91 94 95

FOR THE NUMBER of new retirement cases the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) receives each month by agency and the percent with errors that it returns to those agencies, go to www.opm.gov/retirement-services/. Source: OPM 42

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T

he Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 0.07 percent in December 2016.

To calculate the 2018 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), the indices of July, August and September 2017 will be averaged and compared with the 2016 third-quarter average of 235.057. The percentage increase, if any, determines the COLA. December’s index, 235.390, is up 0.14 percent from the base.

Benefits awarded under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) to individuals suffering work-related injuries or illnesses are adjusted according to each calendar year’s percentage change in the CPI-W. December’s index is 2.0 percent higher than the December 2015 base index of 230.791.

FECA recipients will receive a 2.0 percent COLA, effective March 1.

The CPI represents purchases of food and beverages, housing, apparel, transportation, medical care, recreation, education and communication, and other goods and services. Included are various government fees, such as water charges, auto registration fees, and sales and excise taxes.

MONTH

CPI-W

Monthly % Change

% Change from 235.057.

OCTOBER 2016

235.732

+0.10

+0.29

NOVEMBER

235.215

-0.20

+0.06

DECEMBER

235.390

+0.07

+0.14

JANUARY 2017 FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER

Donate to NARFE Programs Support Alzheimer’s Research

YOUR CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION IS TAX-DEDUCTIBLE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW.

WRITE YOUR CHAPTER NUMBER ON CHECK; MAKE IT PAYABLE TO: NARFE-Alzheimer’s Research

Enclosed is my NARFE-Alzheimer’s contribution: $ Every cent that is contributed is used for research.

Please circle: Mr. Mrs. Miss Ms. AND MAIL TO: Name: Alzheimer’s Association Address: 225 N. Michigan Ave., 17th Floor City: State: ZIP: Chicago, IL 60601-7633 Chapter Number: Credit Card Information:

MasterCard VISA NARFE MEMBERS CONTRIBUTED FOR If you have any questions, write to:

Discover AMEX ALZHEIMER’S RESEARCH: $12 Million Fund NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIR Card Number: Merv Stuckey, 2272 E. Buster Mountain Dr. Expiration Date: (mm)/ (yy) Oro Valley, AZ 85755-4709 *Total as of December 31, 2016 3-Digit Security Code: 100% of all contributed funds go to Name: (please print) EMAIL: narferoadrunner@comcast.net

$12,108,528* Alzheimer’s research.

Signature

Join the Silver CIrcle CLIP THIS CONTRIBUTION FORM AND MAIL TO: NARFE Silver Circle, 606 N. Washington St. Alexandria, VA 22314

•For a contribution of $25 or more, you will receive a Silver Circle pin, and your name will be listed in narfe magazine with other contributors.

•For a contribution of $1,000 or more, your name will be placed on the “Wall of Fame” at NARFE Headquarters.

YOUR CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION IS TAX-DEDUCTIBLE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW.

/

Enclosed is my Silver Circle contribution: $ ID # (ID # may be found on your narfe magazine label or your NARFE membership card)

Name: Address: City: State: ZIP: Silver Circle contributions are NOT deductible for federal income tax purposes.

INSTALLMENT PLAN Wall of Fame 12-month installment plan

Give to the Scholarship and Disaster Funds

PLEASE MAIL COUPON AND CHECK TO: FEEA 1641 Prince St. Alexandria, VA 22314

/

All donations go to the NARFE General Fund to support NARFE programs and operations.

My check is enclosed

(Please make check payable to NARFE Silver Circle.)

Please charge my credit card Card type MasterCard VISA

Discover AMEX Card Number: Expiration Date: (mm)/ (yy) Name: (please print)

Signature

MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: NARFE-FEEA Disaster Fund or NARFE-FEEA Scholarship Fund.

Date

YES!

Date

/

/

I would like to help with my contribution.

Please check appropriate box(es). To make credit card contributions, call 800-338-0755. Scholarships are available to children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of federal civilian retirees and current federal employees who are NARFE members.

NARFE-FEEA Disaster Fund

Amount: $

NARFE-FEEA Scholarship Fund

Amount: $

Name: Address: City: State: ZIP:

NARFE News

NEW MEMBER PERKS!

APPLY FOR NARFE SCHOLARSHIPS

T

he 2017 NARFE-FEEA Steve Bauer Scholarship Program, open to children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of NARFE members, will run February 1 through April 28.

Applicants must be high school seniors planning to attend their first year of an accredited college full time (in a two- or four-year degree program) in the fall/winter of the award year.

New this year is the onlineonly application and submission process. Students can access the application from the NARFE website as of February 1 by

New this year is the online-only application and submission process clicking on the Scholarship Program graphic in the rotating display on the home page. For complete details on eligibility requirements and how to apply, visit www.narfe.org/pdf/F-105. pdf to read and/or print the two-page brochure “A Guide to the NARFE-FEEA Steve Bauer

NARFE is excited to announce the addition of two new Member Perks. Sunrise Senior Living is offering NARFE members a one-time 5 percent discount on suite/room rates at any Sunrise community in the United States.

Wyndham Extra Holidays offers members discounts on their one-, two- or three-bedroom suites with separate living areas and partial or fully equipped kitchens. For more information, see pages 46-47 or visit www.narfe. org/memberperks. Check back frequently for more new partners being added throughout the year!

Annual Scholarship Awards Program” (publication F-105).

Sixty $1,000 awards will be given out this year.

The NARFE Scholarship Program relies on the generosity of donors. To make a tax-deductible contribution, checks must be made payable to NARFE-FEEA Scholarship Fund and mailed to NARFE Scholarship Awards, c/o FEEA, 1641 Prince St., Alexandria, VA 22314. You also can use the donation coupon that appears every month in narfe magazine (p. 43).

For additional information, please email scholarship@narfe.org.

FEDERATION CONVENTION DATES

T

hirty-nine states, the District of Columbia, U.S. Territories and the Phillipines will hold conventions this year. Dates and locations are: AL, 4/18-20, Montgomery; AZ, 5/7-9, Mesa; AK, 4/27-28, Heber Springs; CA, 5/1-3, Reno; CO, 6/29-7/1, Aurora; DE, 6/7, Dover; DC, 4/29; FL, 5/10-11, Orlando; GA, 5/2-4, Warner Robins; HI, 4/27-28, Hilo; ID, 5/3-5, Coeur d’Alene; IL, 5/10-12, Effingham;

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IN, 4/24-27, Muncie; IA, 5/17-19, Tama; KS, 4/23-25, Hutchinson; KY, 5/9-11, Lexington; LA, 4/4-5, Gretna; MD, 4/30-5/2, Ocean City; MA, 5/4-5, Devens; MI, 5/31-6/2, East Tawas; MN, 5/23-24, St. Cloud; MS, 3/31-4/2, Pearl; MO, 4/26-28, Hannibal; NE, 4/30-5/2, Grand Island; NV, 5/17-18, Las Vegas; NH, 5/17, Rochester; NJ, 4/26, Hazlet; NC, 5/2-4, Fayetteville; ND, 5/4-5, Grand Forks; OH, 5/5-6, Strongs-

ville; OK, 5/11-12, Tulsa; OR, 5/79, Newport; PR/VI, 10/21, San Juan; SC, 3/27-29, Myrtle Beach; SD, 5/9-11, Pierre; TN, 4/17-18, Nashville; TX, 5/3-6, Austin; UT, TBD; VT, 5/18, Berlin; VA, 4/25, Williamsburg; WV, 5/16-17, Bridgeport; WI, 5/1-3, Wisconsin Dells.

Many federations hold conventions every other year. The 11 federations not listed here will hold their next convention in 2018.

CONGRATULATIONS MEMBER RECRUITERS!

NEW MAGAZINE EDITOR

S

usan Boswell has joined NARFE as editorial director and editor of narfe magazine. Boswell succeeds Margaret M. Carter, who retired after 14 years with the Association.

An award-winning writer and editor, Boswell formerly was director of communications and marketing for the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Washington, DC, where she directed all facets of the association’s communications, marketing, public relations, public affairs, website and social media. She also provided oversight to the association’s publications and bookstore operations.

Prior to that, she was assistant managing editor of ASHA Leader, the publication of the American

NARFE members are our best recruiters! Thank you to all who have enrolled new members.

Did you know that each year NARFE sponsors a membership drive? From September through December, each new member enrolled brings the recruiter a $10 reward. And for each new member, that recruiter is also entered into a drawing to win prizes. 2017 prizes included a $25 gift card each month and an Apple iPad Air 2 grand prize.

Congratulations to this year’s winners: September ­- Frank C. Impinna, Denver-Capital City, CO; October ­- Dominick Licciardi, St. Bernard, LA; November ­- Carla Koty, Eastside Indianapolis, IN; Grand Prize ­- Steven C. Singleton, Las Cruces, NM. Grand prize winner Singleton asked that money spent on the grand prize be donated to the NARFE-FEEA Disaster and Scholarship Funds.

Speech-Language-Hearing Association in Rockville, MD. She also was with the Patuxent Publishing Company community newspaper group and the National Council for Behavioral Healthcare. She has earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the American Society of Association Executives.

She holds a master’s degree in leadership and Susan Boswell management from Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore, MD, and a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is a resident of Jessup, MD.

NARFE NATIONAL LIFE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION National Life Membership offers a hedge against future dues increases and affirms a member’s ongoing support of NARFE’s mission to serve federal employees and retirees. National dues are paid for life; applicable chapter dues are billed annually.

CONTACT INFORMATION o Mr. o Mrs. o Miss o Ms. Full Name _____________________________________________ Street Address _________________________________________ Apt./Unit ______________________________________________ City _______________________ State _____ ZIP _____________ Phone (__________) ____________________________________ Email ________________________________________________ Date of Birth _____ /_____ /_________ dd

mm

yyyy

Recruiter ID # (if applicable) _______________________________ Chapter Number (if applicable) ____________________________ (call 800-456-8410 for chapter information) MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION Member Number: _______________________________________ (New members) Membership is open to civilians in any agency of the federal or D.C. (before Oct. 1, 1987) governments eligible for a federal annuity.

Thank you for becoming a National Member for Life. You will receive a membership card, certificate and special lapel pin.

Please allow six weeks for processing. Dues payments & gift contributions to NARFE are not deductible as charitable contributions for income tax purposes.

I am a (check all that apply)

o Active Federal Employee o Active Federal Employee Spouse

o Annuitant o Annuitant Spouse o Survivor Annuitant

Life Membership Fee Schedule Ages 30-39 40-50 51-55 56-60 61-65 66-70 71-75 76-80 81-90 91-100+

Single or Quarterly Payment Installments $1,796 $450.25 1,408 353.25 1,127 283.00 960 241.25 801 201.50 653 164.50 514 129.75 392 99.25 251 64.00 127 33.00

PAYMENT INFORMATION o Single Payment or o Quarterly Installments (4 payments) Life Membership fee amount: $ _____________________ PAYMENT OPTIONS o Check or Money Order (Payable to NARFE) o Charge my: o MasterCard o VISA o Discover o American Express Card No. _________________________________________ Expiration Date _____ /_______ mm

yyyy

Name on Card _____________________________________ Signature ________________________ Date ___________ MAIL THIS APPLICATION TO NARFE Member Records 606 N. Washington St. / Alexandria, VA 22314-1914 W W W. N A R F E . O R G

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Member Perks

SAVE MONEY WITH NARFE PERKS NARFE appreciates your service, and so do businesses across the country.

Whether you are planning your next vacation or planning for retirement, members can save money on everyday purchases, thanks to our Affinity Partners.

It’s just one more way we’re able to say “thank you” for being a NARFE member.

FINANCE AND LEGAL

enhanced dental insurance and longterm care.

PRODUCTS

MOVING SERVICES

InFirst Federal Credit Union 800-328-1500 www.infirstfcu.org As a member of NARFE, you have the privilege of joining InFirst Federal Credit Union, which has been serving active and retired federal employees since 1935. The credit union offers extensive services at competitive rates to members nationwide at 5,000+ shared branches, 55,000 surcharge-free ATMs and 24/7 phone access. Accounts are insured by NCUA up to $250,000.

INSURANCE

GEICO 800-368-2734 www.geico.com/fed/narfe GEICO offers a special discount opportunity for NARFE members. To find out how much you could save, visit our website or call today and mention that you are a NARFE member. Have your current coverage information available in order to secure a comparable quote. Your completed quote will help benefit NARFE! For complete terms and conditions, visit www.narfe.org/memberperks.

NARFE Insurance Services 800-233-5764 www.narfeinsurance.com Designed and administered by Mercer Consumer, exclusively for NARFE members: senior age whole life, term life, Medicare supplements, hospital income plan, short-term recovery insurance, pet insurance, accidental death and dismemberment, cancer care, 46

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Bekins Van Lines 800-248-4810 narfe@bekins.com All NARFE members will receive contracted pricing for all interstate shipments. This will apply to packing, transportation and full-value coverage against damages. Please mention you are a NARFE member.

Omaha Steaks 800-228-9055 www.omahasteaks.com/ NARFE Since 1917, Omaha Steaks has been delivering customers the finest gourmet steaks, seafood, poultry, pork, sides and desserts. Omaha Steaks make memorable gifts for any holiday, or you can enjoy a gourmet meal right at home.

NARFE members can enjoy FREE SHIPPING on select combos and an additional 10% DISCOUNT at checkout! If calling, use promo code YTZ.

Wheaton World Wide Moving 800-248-7960 narfe@wvlcorp.com At Wheaton, we know interstate relocating is much more than trucks and boxes. Moving is not simply an address change. It’s a life change. With a network of top-quality agents throughout the United States, Wheaton provides peace of mind with every relocation.

We offer you, as a NARFE member, benefits to help you have a positive interstate relocation experience. Call today and mention you are a NARFE member to start the moving process.

NARFE MERCHANDISE

NEW

Purchasing Power 866-670-3479 purchasingpower.com/NARFE

With Purchasing Power, thousands of brand-name products are within reach.

As members of NARFE, you can buy today and pay over time through payroll or annuity allotment. Choose from the latest computers, appliances, vacation packages and more. Never worry about hidden fees, credit checks or interest.

Pay over 6 or 12 months, and you’re done. Save 5% with code NARFEVIP.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

NARFE General Store 855-99NARFE (855-996-2733) www.narfegeneralstore.com As the official provider of NARFE merchandise, the NARFE General Store offers NARFE-approved name badges, business cards, clothing, accessories, cups and mugs, plaques and clocks, and much, much more. Check out our online catalog for our customizable product line.

Verizon FiOS www.narfe.org/memberperks NARFE members can save up to $10 a month on a new qualifying Triple Play bundle with Verizon FiOS Internet, TV and home phone service – savings of up to $120 per year. The FiOS 100% fiberoptic network delivers award-winning broadband and entertainment to your home. Only FiOS Internet customers get upload speeds as fast as their download speeds. With FiOS TV, 625+

channels are available, including 185+ in HD, and over 130,000 On Demand titles, thousands free. This exclusive onlineonly savings is only available to new Verizon customers or those upgrading to the Triple Play Package.

phone number or website above; cannot be redeemed at individual hotels.

Choice Hotels brands are: Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Sleep Inn, Ascend Collection, Cambria, MainStay Suites, Suburban, EconoLodge, Clarion, Quality and Rodeway Inn.

TRAVEL

Alamo 800-462-5266 www.alamo.com Drive Happy® with Alamo® where NARFE members receive year-round discounts. Call or visit our website today and reference Contract ID 262544.

Avis Car Rental 800-633-3469 www.avis.com Avis Car Rental is one of the world’s best-known car rental brands with approximately 5,500 locations in more than 165 countries. Avis has a long history of innovation in the car rental industry and is one of the world’s top brands for customer loyalty. Call or book your reservation now at Avis.com using the NARFE AWD number A701900.

Local Hospitality www.narfe.org/travel NARFE is pleased to offer its members an exclusive travel discount service.

Savings may exceed 50% and average 10-20% below market on all hotels and car rental suppliers around the world.

Any hotel, any car, anywhere, anytime!

National 800-CAR-RENT www.nationalcarrental.com You Drive A Hard Bargain. Receive up to 20% off rentals at National Car Rental. To make a reservation, call National Car Rental at 1-800-CARRENT® and reference Contract ID 5282909. For complete terms and conditions, visit www.narfe.org/ memberperks.

Choice Hotels International 800-258-2847 www.choicehotels.com With 6,200 hotels in the United States and throughout the world, Choice Hotels® offers something for everyone. As a NARFE member, receive 20% off your next stay at participating hotels when you use Special Rate ID 00801967. This offer is subject to availability and cannot be combined with any other offer.

Advance reservations required through

Excellent service and the finest comforts are standards you can always rely on with Wyndham Extra Holidays. With more spacious floor plans than a regular hotel, you can enjoy a One-, Two- or Three-Bedroom suite with separate living areas and partial or fully equipped kitchens. Please use promo code 8000002694 when calling or booking online.

WELLNESS

Life Line Screening 800-324-9906 www.lifelinescreening.com/ NARFE Life Line Screening, America’s leading provider of community-based preventive health screenings, will conduct health screenings using state-ofthe-art ultrasound technology in your neighborhood. To schedule an appointment, please call the number above and give the operator code number BKHN075 or visit the website.

NEW

Budget Car Rental 800-633-3469 www.budget.com Budget Car rental was founded in 1958 for the “budget-minded” renter. Today, with approximately 3,500 locations around the world, Budget is a leading rental car supplier now offering discounts to members of NARFE. Call or book your reservation now at Budget. com using the NARFE BCD number D871500.

Wyndham Extra Holidays NEW 1-800-428-1932 www.extraholidays.com

Wyndham Hotel Group 877-670-7088 NARFE members receivTup to 20% off the “Best Available Rate” at participating locations. Call and give the agent your special discount ID number, 8000002694, at time of booking to receive discount. Call to reserve your room today at one of these fine hotels: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts®, Days Inn®, Ramada Worldwide®, Baymont Inns and Suites®, Hawthorn Suites® By Wyndham, Microtel Inns and Suites®, Howard Johnson®, Travelodge® and Knights Inn®.

Advance reservations required through phone number above; cannot be redeemed at individual hotels.

Sunrise Senior Living www.SunriseSeniorLiving.com Sunrise Senior Living, a leading provider of high-quality, individualized, senior living services, offers NARFE members a special, discounted rate. Mention code: NARFE-discount during your visit and receive a one-time 5% off of suite/room rates at any of Sunrise’s U.S. communities for one year. For a complete list of Sunrise locations, visit www.SunriseSeniorLiving.com. * Void where prohibited by law. Discount not valid for skilled nursing admissions.

Restrictions may apply. Discount not valid for respite/short-term stays of fewer than 90 days. May not be combined with other discounts or offers. Discount valid for a period of twelve (12) consecutive months only.

NARFE Member Perks are designed to provide NARFE members with a quality option in their search for commonly used products and services. NARFE makes no guarantee on any products and services listed and encourages its members to shop and compare before making a decision on any financial matter. Check out Member Perks in the NARFE website for more details!

W W W. N A R F E . O R G

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The Way We Worked

DID YOU KNOW?

STEERING AWAY FROM TR AFFIC In this 1951 photo, a Department of State employee monitors a two-way radio system that allowed drivers in the motor pool to communicate with headquarters and plan around traffic congestion in Washington, DC. Today, radios still allow drivers to communicate with headquarters, although similar traffic goals are also accomplished using tools like Google Maps. The two-way radio system was installed the year the photo was taken.

PHOTO from the records of the Department of State, National Archives; courtesy of Sara Berndt, Department of State, Office of the Historian; in collaboration with the Society for History in the Federal Government (SHFG), bringing together government professionals, academics, consultants, students and citizens interested in understanding federal history work and the historical development of the federal government. To join, visit http://shfg.org.

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The Department of State operates an international and domestic fleet of vehicles to meet diplomatic and security needs in the United States and abroad, according to the agency’s website at www.state.gov. The motor pool provides transportation and security for congressional delegations and VIP visits. The department also coordinates transportation for representatives from U.S. agencies and embassies at multinational conferences.

Your upgrade from couch to first class has been approved.

Whether you want to sleep, read or watch TV the perfect sleep chair is... Just perfect Easy-to-use remote for massage/heat and recline/lift

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Sit up, lie down — and anywhere in between!

Our Perfect Sleep Chair® is just the chair to do it all.

It’s a chair, true – the finest of lift chairs – but this chair is so much more! It’s designed to provide total comfort and relaxation not found in other chairs. It can’t be beat for comfortable, long-term sitting, TV viewing, relaxed reclining and – yes! – peaceful sleep.

Our chair’s recline technology allows you to pause the chair in an infinite number of positions, including the Trendelenburg position and the zero gravity position where your body experiences a minimum of internal and external stresses.

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And there’s more! The overstuffed, oversized biscuit style back and unique seat design will cradle you in comfort. Generously filled, wide armrests provide enhanced arm support when sitting or reclining. The high and low heat settings along with the dozens of massage settings, can provide a soothing relaxation you might get at a spa – just imagine getting all that in a lift chair! It even has a battery backup in case of a power outage. Shipping charge includes white glove delivery.

Professionals will deliver the chair to the exact spot in your home where you want it, unpack it, inspect it, test it, position it, and even carry the packaging away!

Includes one year service warranty and your choice of fabrics and colors – Call now!

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We’ve all had nights when we just can’t lie down in bed and sleep, whether it’s from heartburn, cardiac problems, hip or back aches – it could be a variety of reasons. Those are the nights we’d give anything for a comfortable chair to sleep in, one that reclines to exactly the right degree, raises feet and legs to precisely the desired level, supports the head and shoulders properly, operates easily even in the dead of night, and sends a hopeful sleeper right off to dreamland.

— J. Fitzgerald, VA

Navy

To make room in our warehouse, we are selling all of our jersey pants for $5 LESS than the regular price!

NOW UNDER $10 A PAIR! These are the softest, comfiest leisure pants on earth! Cotton/polyester jersey knit stretches naturally for full, easy movement. All-around elastic waist with drawstring for ideal fit. And a feature the other guys don’t have — a zip fly!

PLUS PLENTY OF POCKETS! There’s 2 in front & 2 in back with button closures.

Machine wash. All Sizes Under $10 a pair. Don’t Miss Out! Order Now! Grey Heather

Black reg.

14.99 each

Burgundy

2 for $19.98 • 3 for $29.47 • 4 for $37.45 • 5 for $45.37 Haband #1 Bargain Place, Jessup, PA 18434-1834 Card # _________________________________________Exp.: _____ /_____ Mr. Mrs. Ms._____________________________________________________ Address___________________________________________Apt. # ________ City & State______________________________________Zip ____________ Phone/Email_____________________________________________________C I enclose $________ purchase price, and only $5.99 shipping & handling for my entire order. Please add applicable state & local sales tax for the following ®

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states: AZ, CO, FL, GA, MA, MN, NE, NJ, PA, WI, & WV. S(30-32) M(34-36) L(38-40) XL(42-44) 2XL(46-48) 3XL(50-52) 4XL(54-56) 5XL(58-60) NAVY Ø3

WHAT WHAT HOW 7MW–Ø72ØM WAIST? INSEAM? MANY?

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When you pay by check, you authorize us to use information from your check to clear it electronically. Funds may be withdrawn from your account as soon as the same day we receive your payment, and you will not receive your check back from your financial institution.

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