What is NARFE

What is NARFE?
National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association


National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) NARFE was founded in 1921 by 14 federal retirees who met in Washington, DC, to form a group dedicated to improving the status of retired federal employees. Since then, NARFE has worked tirelessly on behalf of federal workers, retirees, their spouses and survivors. An advocate for both active and retired federal employees before Congress and the White House, NARFE has emerged as a significant force on behalf of the entire federal family. NARFE is the only association solely dedicated to preserving and improving the health care and retirement benefits of federal workers and retirees. Today, NARFE’s efforts are more important than ever as Congress and the administration consider unprecedented cuts in federal pay and benefits. Just as in the past, NARFE is leading the fight.

This is a letter to the young members of our United States Federal Government. I am asking for your help as I am a Retired United States Federal Employee who had joined The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association many years ago.
We are under siege and we need young minds to fight for our rights.
I am asking you to join with us in our association to make a stand against political bureaucracy.

Active and Retired Federal Employees

22,000,000 Strong

Strength through numbers

Our monthly meetings of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) will recognize and celebrate those United States citizens who are dedicating their working lives in the service of their country or who have retired from Federal service, and continue to fight for their rights by being members of NARFE.

We believe that working for the betterment of this country is the proper thing to do.
We continue to believe in these principles by being members of NARFE.
Each month meeting brings a renewed view of our life.
This celebration is a measure of our grateful thanks for these individuals’ long-time
Federal service and to recognize and honor them.
I ask all members of Congress to join us in this celebration.

Printable Membership Application
Association is an organization of persons having a common interest.

CLICK HERE for details on NARFE’s legislative accomplishments.

CLICK HERE for NARFE’s current Legislative Program.

CLICK HERE for biographies of NARFE’s leaders.

CLICH HERE to write your Congressman.

JOIN NOW to preserve your earned rights and benefits.

National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association

Association is an organization of persons having a common interest.

NARFE’s mission has remained the same since 1921: To preserve and enhance the retirement
benefits of federal retirees, employees and their families.

Our current legislative agenda focuses on:
1. Protecting existing retirement and health benefits while Congress attempts to deal with high federal budget deficits;
2. Fighting the growth of controversial “Health Savings Accounts,” which could make comprehensive health plans more expensive;
3. Extending the “Premium Conversion” rights of federal employees to federal annuitants, so they, too, can pay their Federal Employees Health Benefits Program premiums with nontaxable
dollars and save hundreds of dollars each year; and,

4. Repealing the Social Security Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)—two provisions that can substantially reduce the expected Social Security income of certain retired federal workers.

A Lot To Be Thankful For

It’s only natural when considering whether to join or renew membership in an organization
to ask: What have you done for me ... lately?
Luckily, NARFE has a lot to report. Here is a roundup of some of the Association’s most recent
legislative accomplishments on your behalf.

EARLY HISTORY

1883 - The U.S. Congress established the Federal Civil Service with the "Pendleton Act."

1920 - The Civil Service Retirement Act was passed by Congress to provide a maximum retirement annuity of
$720 per year!
1921 - The National Association of Retired Civil Employees, renamed the National Association of
Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) in 1971, was organized by 14 federal workers to seek improved
retirement benefits.
1926 - Congress increased annuities to a maximum of $1,000 per year.

1942 - Congress established age and years-of-service requirements allowing employees with 30 years of
service to retire at the age of 55.
1943 to 1961 - Retirement eligibility requirements and benefits were liberalized, and Congress approved
periodic increases in annuities.
1959 - Congress enacted FEHBP to provide health insurance for federal workers and their families.

1962 - Automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) based on the Consumer Price Index went into effect.

NARFE'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Obtained legislation that allowed survivor benefits; Restored full annuity to retirees following the
death of the designated survivor;
Supported a change from "High-5" to "High-3" years of service as the basis for computing annuities;

Achieved passage of the Second Spouse Bill to allow benefits for a second spouse or a spouse in a
post-retirement marriage;
Succeeded in having annuitants included in the annual Open Season to allow changes in their
FEHBP coverage;
Initiated legislation to allow survivor annuitants to remarry after age 55 without loss of their federal
survivor annuity or FEHBP coverage;
Achieved liberalization of the 1983 Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government
Pension Offset (GPO) amendments to the Social Security Act, lessening the adverse economic affect
of these two provisions;
Formulated the policy and coordinated the support for enactment of the Federal Employees Retirement
System (FERS) in 1986;
Spearheaded efforts which led to enactment of an amendment to the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Budget
Enforcement Act of 1985, giving federal and military retiree COLAs the same protection from automatic
sequestration that the original bill gave Social Security COLAs;
Protected COLAs against numerous proposals to withhold, delay or eliminate this annual boost in the
annuities of federal retirees and survivors; with this protection, the annuity of the federal worker, who
retired 20 years ago, increased by about 70%;
Supported legislation in 1989 that substituted a "phantom premium" in the FEHBP premiumsharing
formula so that withdrawal of the large Aetna plan did not result in major premium hikes
for enrollees;
Authored a statutory guarantee requiring the Secretary of the Treasury to reinvest and make
whole any interest lost to the Civil Service Retirement Trust Fund as a result of any debt
suspension;
Supported the 1989 Davis v. Michigan case before the U.S. Supreme Court which ruled that
states could not tax federal annuities unless they applied the same tax laws to their respective state
and local government pensions; that decision set off a round of legal and legislative challenges in
states across the nation. In some 23 states, these NARFE-lead efforts eventually resulted in
thousands of annuitants receiving considerable tax refunds and thousands more benefiting each year
from savings in state taxes;
Led a successful national campaign to repeal the Medicare Catastrophic Act and its accompanying
surtax on millions of older Americans;
Won a long battle to enact federal legislation prohibiting states from source-taxing the
retirement income of former residents;
In 1993, saved survivors from an ill-conceived budget proposal that would have reduced future
survivor annuities by some 10 percent. In 1998 played a strategic role in developing a
new "Fair Share" premium-sharing formula, for FEHBP that has saved enrollees hundreds of
dollars each year;
Deleted a proposal from the FY 1999 House budget resolution that would have shifted new
FEHBP premium ($3.1 billion in additional costs) to employees and annuitants;
Fought efforts to introduce controversial Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs) into the
FEHBP, saving enrollees from even higher health care costs.

Fending Off Budget Reductions

2007 The President’s FY 2008 budget included a reduction in government Federal Employees
Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) contributions for certain future retirees. It also advocated
expanding Health Saving Accounts in the FEHBP. NARFE was instrumental in eliminating these
items from the final congressional Budget Resolution.

2006 The Senate Budget Committee approved a bill that required automatic reductions in federal civilian and military retirement benefits. NARFE saw to it that no further action was
taken.

2006 NARFE persuaded the House Education and the Workforce Committee not to reduce
federal workers’ compensation benefits after the House version of the FY 2007 Budget Resolution instructed the committee to cut entitlement programs
by $1.3 billion.

2005 The National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) has a new name. It is now the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (formerly the National Association of Retired Federal Employees).

2005 Congress proposed to cut federal civilian retirement benefits (including the FEHBP and
cost-of-living adjustments) by $2.3 billion from the FY 2005 budget. NARFE, with the help of
friends in Congress, was successful in having this proposal dropped.

2004 Amendments were proposed to require automatic reductions in federal civilian and military retirement (but not Social Security). The cut in civilian retirement over the next 10 years could have been as much as $99 billion, drastically reducing FEHBP and other federal retirement benefits. Strong opposition from NARFE defeated the proposal.

2003 The House Budget Committee called for cutting federal civilian retirement benefits by $38.3 billion. NARFE, with the help of friends in Congress, succeeded in stopping this proposal.

2002 The House Budget Committee proposed requiring federal agencies to pre-fund post-retirement FEHBP premiums and pay the full normal cost of federal civilian retirement benefits. This would have created an artificial funding crisis that would have undermined the health security of federal employees and annuitants. NARFE persuaded the Committee to withdraw this proposal.

1997 Legislation that would have required automatic spending cuts in programs such as federal
civilian retirement, if total spending exceeded certain limits, was defeated after NARFE, with bipartisan assistance, persuaded Congress to reject this bill. There has been no legislated reduction in civil service retirement benefits in more than a decade. Despite years of budget deficits, major natural disasters, a changing world economy, terrorist attacks at home and wars abroad, our earned benefits have remain untouched because NARFE, backed by activist members and supportive members of Congress, has acted as a deterrent against adverse
proposals.

Enhancing FEHBP

2003 NARFE was instrumental in having legislation passed that protects the prescription drug coverage of the FEHBP for Medicare-covered annuitants.
1997 Through NARFE’s efforts, the “Fair Share”
FEHBP government contribution formula was added to the year’s Balanced Budget Act, saving the average enrollee $164 (self-only) to $326 (self-andfamily)in premiums the first year alone.

Additional NARFE Accomplishments

* Pay Parity was passed on March 31, 2004, and has been maintained.

*Legislation was enacted December 23, 2004, to offer federal workers and annuitants
separate dental and vision insurance.

* Federal Long Term Care Insurance became law in December 2003.

* The NARFE-endorsed Patients’ Bill of Rights was implemented in 1998.

* A proposal to eliminate the annuity portion of the Federal Employees Retirement
System (FERS) was defeated in 1998.

NARFE Is Your Insurance Policy

NARFE acts as your insurance policy against a reduction in your annuities and health-care protection.
Federal health care and retirement benefits are always vulnerable, particularly with a budget deficit. Indeed, in the not too distant future, lawmakers may want to cut federal retirement in response to the tremendous pressure 77 million retiring baby boomers will place on the budget. A strong membership means enhanced clout with Congress.
The next time you wonder what NARFE has done for you ... lately ... take a look at the accomplishments listed here. Then ask yourself if you are still receiving your full annuity, healthcare benefits and cost-of-living adjustments. If you answer yes, then you can

THANK NARFE!

Region X Federation of Chapters
Bill Martin
Regional Vice President, Region X
States: Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia

Region X Federation Websites

Kentucky Federation of Chapters

North Carolina Federation of Chapters

Tennessee Federation of Chapters

Virginia Federation of Chapters

West Virginia State Federation of Chapters

National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association

Go to the
Crittenden County
Local Chapter 1373
Web Site
Marion, Kentucky 42064

Our monthly meetings of Crittenden County Chapter 1373 of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) will recognize and celebrate those United States citizens who are dedicating their working lives in the service of their country or who have retired from
Federal service, and continue to fight for their rights by being members of NARFE.

All current and retired Federal employees and their spouses are invited to join us in this celebration on the third Wednesday of each month at 11:15 a.m. at the Marion Cafe in Marion Kentucky.
Or the
Business Card Page

What Is eNARFE?

eNARFE is a online membership option designed to fit with active and retired employees' busy schedules. There are no meetings or functions to attend, and you can still keep informed about all NARFE business and activities online when you want.

On the echapter web site, you will get frequent updates from Capitol Hill, action alerts, weekly legislative hotlines, plus a virtual gathering place for discussion groups and interaction with your peers. In addition, you will have access to the latest news coverage related to federal workers and retirees, general benefits information and advice, and FERS-related information.

You can still choose the traditional NARFE membership, which includes a local chapter affiliation, for $45 by calling 800-627-3394 or going to www.narfe.org and joining online.

But whichever membership you choose, it is a small price to pay for what you could potentially lose. Join NARFE now to protect your hard-earned pay and benefits.

To Join Chapter 1373 click here and print out Application
Fill in and send this Application

Crittenden County
NARFE Chapter 1373
Web Site

NARFE Chapter 1373 meetings are held the third Wednesday of each month at
Marion Cafe ...&... Thom's Sweet Shoppe
at 11:15 am
Marion, Kentucky 42064
Except April & December
We hold a Christmas Party the first Wednesday in December
In 2008 we will hold our party on the second Wednesday in DecemberLocal chapter meetings are held the third Wednesday of each month at
Marion Cafe ...&... Thom's Sweet Shoppe

Kentucky Federation of Chapters 47th
Annual Federation Convention Will be Held in April

Below is a Calendar of our Meeting Dates at the Marion Cafe

Marion Cafe ..&...Thom's Sweet Shoppe
100 S. Main Street ..&...102 S. Main Street
Marion, KY. 42064

All current and retired Federal employees and their spouses are invited to join us.
Email: local1373 at gmail dot com


Active and Retired Federal Employees 22,000,000 Strong Strength through numbers

How can you get a subscription to NARFE Magazine?

Web	narfe.org
narfeky.org	marionky.biz

Printable Membership Application

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