The House of Representatives voted 243-193 on Dec. 13 to pass the so-called “Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2011,” which would cut take-home pay for postal and federal workers by increasing their contributions to the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). The bill also would slash unemployment benefits, place unreasonable burdens on unemployed workers, and cut vital healthcare programs.
Voting in favor of H.R. 3630 were 224 Republicans and 10 Democrats. Fourteen Republicans and 179 Democrats voted no. Action on the bill now moves to the Senate.
The bill was introduced by Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI), and co-sponsored by Reps. Spencer Bachus (R-AL), Frank Lucas (R-OK), Dan Lungren (R-CA), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), and Fred Upton (R-MI).
The bill also would change the calculation of pensions for new hires with less than five years of creditable service and eliminate the FERS annuity supplement, which is designed to provide a benefit approximating the pension retirees would receive once they become eligible for earned Social Security benefits.
If enacted into law, employee contributions to CSRS would increase from the current rate of 7 percent to 8.5 percent of salary over a three-year span beginning in calendar year 2013. Contributions for employees covered by FERS would increase from 0.8 percent to 2.3 percent over the same period.
The bill would increase the contribution rate for postal and federal employees hired after Dec. 31, 2012, with less than five years of creditable service, from the current rate of 0.8 percent to 4 percent of salary. The pension formula for these employees would be based on the employees’ “high-five” years of service instead of the current “high-three” formula. Pensions for current employees’ would continue to be based on the “high-three.”
President Obama issued a statement before the House vote threatening to veto the bill if it reaches his desk.
“APWU members are encouraged to immediately contact their senators and urge them to oppose this unfair and misguided attack on postal and federal workers when the bill is considered in the Senate,” said APWU Legislative and Political Department Director Myke Reid.
source: APWU – House Republicans Attack Postal and Federal Retirement Benefits.
My paycheck is already small as it is. If I don’t get another better paying job, I won’t be able to afford an increase to FERS.
These representatives who have free health benefits and pensions that dwarf middle class salaries are voting for real working class livelyhoods. They are not my representatives. They are elitist, and out of touch with my concerns. And I will make my anger known by voting them out of office or protest in the streets.
What are these people (the lawmakers) going to give up?! Why don’t they quit picking on all the other federal employees, especially the postal employees, and make role models of themselves by taking cuts in pay and benefits – just as they are proposing that everybody else does! Again and again, I see the similarities of these people with those in the French monarchy during the time of Marie Antoinette. They are apparently never going to learn, never going to give anything up themselves, and will eventually precipitate a revolution in this country. They have no clue what is really going on in the American household. All they are concerned about it taking care of themselves. Get ’em ALL out of there! Revolt, people! This is BS!!!! The only way this proposal would be fair would be if it started with the President on down, and they all gave up the same things they expect other federal and postal workers to do. Let’s see THAT happen!
maybe these public servants should remember this is a government of the people not the other way around. time to vote them all out and start fresh with a clean government. the post office and federal employees are not responsible for your careless attitude by letting special intrest groups run this country and keep the poor poor.
as hubert humphry would say when youi haven’t got anything better to do, lets kick around the post office,right issa.
Excuse me while Vomit! While these Republican Lobbyist`s for the wealthiest 1% of Millionaire and Billionaire Americans with their PHONY ” Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Plan Act of 2011″, who the hell do they think their kidding? With “Friends” like that, who needs enemies? Even this nonsense of this Social Security or so called “Payroll Tax” extension, if passed, will just continue to erode the Social Security Trust Fund and cause it to fail prematurely just as the Republicans want. Lets just cut to the chase. Get rid of the remaining middle class or working poor and let this nation become the newest third world county. Thanks Tea Party, we could`nt have done it without you!
icanseee…good point. I am a content Independent if you will. Happy with my job and what I have accomplished and ready to retire. I do understand that we all have the same opportunity and do not begrudge the Rich. However, Corporate America should have an obligation to our Veterans who risk their Lives and protect their Interests. Why does the GOP always claim they want Less Government? Are they not the Government? On the other side the Dems want to give my check to people who don’t work. We should ALL pay our fair Share. This is what happened in Germany, then the Labor Party was established. We all know what happened then. I say vote for your Jay Oh Bee!
The democrats have the same arguments. The republicans have the same arguments. Haven’t figured it out geniuses? Divide and conquer. Divide and Conquer. You people do exactly what they want. Gotta laugh. Have you noticed the same people in? Does it matter who controls the house or senate? Of course not. as long as it the same 2 parties. Have you, mr dem ever said your party was wrong? how about you mr GOP? Thought so.
Oh Ronald K….I forgot…You do have a right to vote yourself right out of YOUR (as YOU said) over paid Job. I hate getting personal but I have to say it…..YOU ARE A COMPLETE FOOL!
Ronald K…….I am courious, Have you ever served in the Military? I wonder what most of these Verterns comming home will feel when after risking their lives for their country…, will have to scratch and claw for a Mcdonalds Job because “Conservative” thinking people like YOU think that 50K a year with benefits is an overpayment! When YOU are standing on the Unemployment Line (which according to your belief we shouldnt have) perhaps you can write to Rush and he will help you! Come On Man!
Anyone still voting Rethuglikkkan, is a complete and utter fool.
Im very proud of the Repulicans too
Occupy Hell We’ll see who gets the last laugh.
Congress needs to pass a bill to cut Congressional pay and benefits.
Our full line of ULINE Republican flushable biodegradable party hats head covers are ready for the 2012 elections displayed in our new 250 sheets/pack dispensers.
Then you should be real proud the Democrats adandoned the surtax on the million dollor incomes and instead the House-passed payroll tax cut measure relied on a pay freeze and increased pension contributions for federal workers, as well as higher Medicare premiums for seniors with incomes over $80,000, beginning in 2017.
Lets raise on the cost of education while were at if and lets make it harder for people to vote come 2012 so we can surpress the peoples rights even more.
Yea lets pat ourselfs on the back.
Republican and VERY proud of it. We’ll see who gets the last laugh on election day.
Okay Rodrigo, accepting responsibility means that Congress / Federal government needs to pay up for what was promised when Federal Employess forked over cash for their retirement. This is not an entitlement. This is something that they all worked for their entire lives.
This has nothing to do with being a liberal or a conservative. I voted conservative for years, but the recent course of conservatives to screw over the middle class will have me voting differently from now on.
DEMOCRAT ALL THE WAY!!! FUCK THE SELF-SERVING rePUBElicans!!!
GET REAL Stop the crying and accept life for what it REALLY is. Being a LIBERAL as you apparently are will never allow you to accept responsibility much like the person in the white house.
republicants….. destroy the unions and middle class
destroy senior citizens
BUILD UP the super rich
BUILD UP the war machine- largest military/wars budget in HISTORY…. but cut, cut, c ut workers pensions , benefits, and pay……
republicans are scum, led by fox propoganda….. AGAINST AMERICA, UNLESS YOU ARE RICH.
Wow we cant even get a measy little 900 a month after 24 yrs of service. What a bunch of republican assholes. They sit in their cussy offices making laws that will affect people and how they live in their old age. I say Lets strip them of their retirement and get them out of office. I am voting straight DEMOCRAT in this next election. I dont care whos running as long as they are DEMOCRAT.
“Ronald K…..,,,,,Rush Limbaugh is starting to get to you! Take Back your Mind NOW….., while there is still some left!”
And stop playing with your fricken monkey!
Dear BH
They already SPENT the money. Everything is just a PAPERCHASE!
Now they want us all to JUST DRINK THE KOOL AID!!!
Ronald K…..,,,,,Rush Limbaugh is starting to get to you! Take Back your Mind NOW….., while there is still some left!
Lets see now,many moons ago,when a person used to retire(when it was only CSRS)you had the option of taking a lumpsum payout(the amount you contributed into CSRS)or have them add 1 yr of service to your time.Now what ninny wouldn’t take the lumpsum.Then somewhere around 1989,congress voted to temporarily suspend the lumpsum payout for up to 5 yrs,depending on when the economy picked back up,or whatever excuse they used.In less than a year,they had a tiny article in the back of the federal times saying that they were permanently doing away with the lumpsum payout.Now let me see,if during all those years ,they are not making lumpsum payouts,seems that money would be growing faster & drawing more interest.Hince,we’re overpaid years later.That money we have contributed into CSRS is ours,& I think we need to get some labor attorneys in on this to get it back for us.
Ronald K if it wasnt for the Mail Handlers Union I would be making less than $6 hr like when I started. Ronald Reagan put everyone into Social Security to build up that system and then did away with double dipping except for him and a few others. The country almost went off the cliff when GW Bush was President due to Wall Street and their CD swaps. To bad YOU are a way overpaid unskilled laborer. Many of the mail handlers I worked with, worked hard for their money putting up with the poor management and their waste.
Democrats have screwed up this country financially and caused the housing bubble and brought the country to the brink of financial ruin. Republicans have to come behind and clean up the mess and they get called the bad guy. Obama and the Dems are Communists and they’re driving this country into the ground with out of control spending. Unions are un needed and worthless and are detrimental to our society. Thank God you Libtards are a minority and there will be a complete removal of Dems in 2012.
Lets face it Postal Workers are way overpaid unskilled laborers. A fricken monkey could do the job. I’ve been a Mailhandler for 16 years and know first hand about all the lazy a*s old PO workers sitting around all day doing nothing. And the piss poor management and their waste.
ALL I want for Christmas is for karma to bring an early death for those Republicans. I hope a bus will hit them when they are crossing the street to put someone out of work and then they can rot in hell where they belong. Greedy, selfish, immoral bastards!!! They need to roll all their money up in a ball and choke on it!!!
Regarding my earlier post, here you go boys and girls:
Democrats voting “yes” were Reps. John Barrow (Ga.), Dan Boren (Okla.), Leonard Boswell (Iowa), Bruce Braley (Iowa), Dennis Cardoza (Calif.), Joe Donnelly (Ind.), Dave Loebsack (Iowa), Jim Matheson (Utah), Mike Ross (Ark.), and Tim Walz (Minn.).
Republicans voting against it were Reps. Justin Amash (Mich.), Joe Barton (Texas), Mo Brooks (Ala.), John Campbell (Calif.), Jeff Flake (Ariz.), Jeff Fortenberry (Neb.), Scott Garrett (NJ), Tim Johnson (Ill.), Cynthia Lummis (Wyo.), Tom McClintock (Calif.), David McKinley (W.Va.), Randy Neugebauer (Texas), Frank Wolf (Va.), and Rob Woodall (Ga.).
Presidential candidates Ron Paul (R-Texas) and Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) did not vote.
The name of the article says it all, House Republicans Attack Postal and Federal Retirement Benefits. Now I know where my vote is headed next election. DEM
God forbid that we should slightly increase taxes on people making more than $1 million a year. I don’t know about you, but I would like to know the names of the 10 Democrats who voted for this. To be fair, also the names of the 14 Republicans who voted against.
Rodrigo……..Come On Man! Our Spending Under Control? Its all just a Trick of the Rich to keep us poor Slobs working and paying for EVERYTHING!
cough, cough,
Gentleman:
WTF is shaking? Just because you have a little power to create laws, what’s up with taking away from the so called middle class? Perhaps I should run for a political position better than mine, oops!
I know how to get results, I won’t use my broad select choice of words and act dignified, rather, I would use my hands, and not because i’am Italian, to give all you trouble making and home wrecking people a good back hand along with a swift kick in the ass. You people need woke up, and soon.
Merry Christmas anyway, you basturds can’t take that away from me.
I agree with the house republicans and the few democrats we have to bring our spending under control before we become another greece,spain,italy,portugal, etc. The few more dollars we have to pay now is nothing compared to what awaits us if we default.
We have to work 42 years to get retirement while Congress goes just 6 years and gets $54,000 a year at 65. Go figure.
The same should be true for Congress,they get federal money. Let’s all pitch in to help cut the debt that congress got us in.
To wildncraz8 – what you just said is not true. When FERS began on 1/1/1984, all, I repeat all, federal hires after 12/31/1983 came under FERS. This included the elected congresspersons. Check it out. I agree with old fool, because I am also one. The vast majority of congress are looking out for themselves, and are suggesting they are doing the proper things for the good of the people. I get sick and tired of hearing congresspersons saying “That’s what the people want”. The last time I looked, I am people also, and I never said that to any body in congress. I don’t really know how the 2012 election will turn out, but I would like to hope that congresspersons like Ross, Issa, Bonehead, and Bachman are booted out because they DO NOT belong in congress, bullying the public and their fellow congresspersons.
God damn f#@king sh*thead “family values” a&&holes!
Now don’t forget that ALL….yep that’s right….ALL Senators and Representatives are STILL under CSRS….not their staff…..just them. Now isn’t that just hunky dory? They screw all of us but of course sit there and collect the max benefits for themselves.
Not all need the “E” just the VR cause we have the years in already, What we need is the “C” as in cash, in the V$R Eliminator game.
Eliminate the FERS annuity supplement and eliminate most employees ability to take VER
What is the pension of retired members of Congress? Years ago I heard (or read, I forget which) that they recieved 100% of their pay after 8 years. I heard recently that they are guarranteed full pensions (and COL adjustments, naturally) as soon as they take their oath of office. Are they going to adjust their pensions, too?
any worker, union or not, federal or private who votes for republicans are just plain dumb
WE need to water the tea down !!!
Don’t we already have an overpayment now we have to pay more…help me out guys, am I missing something?
I wonder if these Republicans know America is going to vote them all out of office at election time?
These guys go in as millionaires and come out as multi-multi millionaires.
Some even billionaires.
How does that happen?
They are suppse to serve the American people.
Instead they serve themselves to make themselves rich.
Then they want to cut hard working people’s paycheck.
While they vote themselves HUGE pay raises.
They are all crooks.
All Americans are aware of their crooked ways.
Now isn’t that just special
Do you have a list of names voting in favor of H.R. 3630, 224 Republicans and 10 Democrats?
So when it’s our turn to vote in 2012.