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Zorro

(17,459 posts)
Sat Apr 26, 2025, 01:48 PM Apr 26

House GOP Drafts Cuts to Federal Employee Pension System

Federal employee pension benefits are set to be pared back in Republicans’ giant tax and spending package working its way through the US House, another slap at a workforce roiled by Elon Musk’s cost-cutting efforts.

The proposal, which House Oversight Committee and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer announced on Friday night, would force many federal civilian employees to pay higher premiums for retirement benefits and to lower their eventual benefits by changing the formula for calculating payments.

The Oversight Committee expects to vote next week on that plan and other workforce changes. If approved, they would be combined into legislation enshrining President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda, which Republicans aim to enact by August without the help of Democrats.

Comer said in a statement that the committee’s proposal would achieve “reduction in the federal deficit of over $50 billion.”

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/house-gop-drafts-cuts-federal-030007100.html

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House GOP Drafts Cuts to Federal Employee Pension System (Original Post) Zorro Apr 26 OP
What? No cuts to Comer's retirement? SARose Apr 26 #1
I don't think it will pass the senate and maybe not the house.............. Lovie777 Apr 26 #2
Eliminate Traildogbob Apr 26 #3
There's a number Republicans that have retired from federal service. Hope they enjoy getting their retirement cut. dem4decades Apr 26 #4
I'm Rolling My TSP Over Deep State Witch Apr 26 #5
Oh My Fucking God!!! Nictuku Apr 26 #6
You know who is NEVER asked to "pay more"? maxrandb Apr 27 #7

SARose

(1,465 posts)
1. What? No cuts to Comer's retirement?
Sat Apr 26, 2025, 01:58 PM
Apr 26
Republicans argue that federal employee benefits are too generous compared to the private sector. At the same time, federal employees traditionally accept lower salaries than in the private sector partly because of the promise of those benefits.


I am a retired State employee and let me tell you it’s not a cakewalk. Way lower pay; no overtime; maybe some comp time occasionally; years with no pay raise, etc. I can only imagine being a Fed worker.

My husband and I worked hard for 20 plus years for this retirement pot of gold. It wasn’t easy but it was very fulfilling.

Eat $hite and die Comer!

Lovie777

(18,650 posts)
2. I don't think it will pass the senate and maybe not the house..............
Sat Apr 26, 2025, 02:02 PM
Apr 26

the cruelty keeps coming from the GQP.

Traildogbob

(11,247 posts)
3. Eliminate
Sat Apr 26, 2025, 02:13 PM
Apr 26

Congress and Senate retirement package, they get paid huge for doing little and get all the perks. Qualify With minimal years to get lifetime pay and health.
Let em get 401 and live off the millions from insider trading, and Billionaires bribes.

dem4decades

(12,807 posts)
4. There's a number Republicans that have retired from federal service. Hope they enjoy getting their retirement cut.
Sat Apr 26, 2025, 02:13 PM
Apr 26

Deep State Witch

(11,830 posts)
5. I'm Rolling My TSP Over
Sat Apr 26, 2025, 02:25 PM
Apr 26

I'm pulling my retirement money out of Thrift Savings (Federal retirement program) and combining it with other IRAs and my husband's multiple 401Ks. We're just going to put it all into one big pot. We're working with a group called Kendall Capital. https://kendallcapital.com/

Nictuku

(4,224 posts)
6. Oh My Fucking God!!!
Sat Apr 26, 2025, 02:32 PM
Apr 26

As if my measly pension after working 21 years is not already small enough? How much of my $1200 do they want? You can't live on that. God help me and my old mom if they take that away from us. We will be on the street.

Do you know how many retired federal workers there are? This needs to be shouted out and inform the masses. We all need to get out on the streets protesting.

This makes me so angry I could spit.

maxrandb

(16,567 posts)
7. You know who is NEVER asked to "pay more"?
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 08:50 AM
Apr 27

The billionaires and millionaires.

They did the same thing with military retirements. All under the guise of "saving money".

For example: I served 30 years in the Navy. I was under the defined benefit program. In that system, you got 50% of your highest base pay at 20 years of honorable service. You earned an additional 2.5 percent for every year over 20. So at 30 years, I received 75% of base pay on retirement. I was 55 when I retired.

Shortly after I enlisted, they changed that calculation to 50% of your "highest 36 months" base pay.

Let's use a simple calculation.

Suppose your highest base pay was $1,000. Under the system I joined, I would get $500 a month if I retired at 20 years.

Under the "high 3" system, suppose your high 3 base pay was $800, $900 and $1,000. They would take $2,700, divided by 3 ($900). At 20 years, you would get $450 a month under that system.

Now, with the "blended retirement system". Those percentages for "high 3" are down to 40% of high 3 base pay, but it also can be reduced if you take a "mid-year" bonus.

I am not arguing that the BRS is a bad deal, it does include a TSP Option, but the government's match to your contribution is capped at about 1%.

My issue is that this "cost savings" is sold by claiming that, if you don't serve 20 years, you get nothing.

That's not really true.

Since 2000, the TSP has been available for the military. We also contribute to Social Security.

Additionally, while some folks decide to get out after 4, 8, 10, 12 years, not all "leave with nothing".

If it's a Reduction in Force, there in a severance package.

Same for if you develop a medical issue that prohibits remaining on active duty. There is a severance package available.

My problem is that they will jump through fucking hoops to "cut" benefits, but ask them to raise taxes on the wealthy, and they scream bloody murder.

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