Moran Statement on Unfair Targeting of Federal Workers in Payroll Tax Conference Agreement

(Good job, thanks to Rep. Moran for defending federal workers! – promoted by lowkell)

Today Congressman Jim Moran, took to the House floor to speak out against H.R. 3430, the temporary extension of the payroll tax cut conference report:

Moran’s full statement regarding the payroll tax conference agreement:

“Extending a tax cut for the middle class by taking from the paychecks of middle class federal workers is not fair, nor does make sense.

“Under this agreement, new federal employees will see a nearly 400 percent increase in their contributions to their retirement – without an increase in their benefits. Let me be clear: without a corresponding increase in benefits, a larger contribution is simply a pay cut.  

“By forgoing two years of pay raises, federal employees have already sacrificed more than $60 billion in lost income – the only constituency to have done so in the name of deficit reduction.

“This bill sends a signal to our federal workforce that we do not appreciate their hard work. In the next five years, nearly half of the federal workforce will be eligible for retirement. Only 6 percent of college graduates polled want to work for the government. The Federal Government should be doing everything it can to boost recruitment and retention efforts. This conference agreement does just the opposite and therefore I can’t support it.”

Congressman Jim Moran is a leading advocate for federal employees. Virginia’s 8th District is home to more than 65,000 federal workers and where more than 110,000 show up to work.