This NARFE Legislative Hotline, number 719, was released Friday, June 11^th.  This edition leads with information on a Senate setback to our convention mandate to support legislation to extend dependent coverage until age 26.  The next scheduled Hotline, set for Friday, June 18^th, will cover May consumer price news.  (823 words; 5:46)

Senate Sidetracks Expedited Dependent Coverage Extension  On June 9, an amendment offered by Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-MD, that would have expedited the coverage to dependent children up to age 26 under Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) was sidetracked because it failed to receive the 60 votes needed to clear a procedural obstacle.  Cardin offered the amendment to H.R. 4213, must-pass legislation which would extend expiring tax provisions and prevent a scheduled reduction in Medicare reimbursement to physicians. 

The new health care law enacted in March requires insurers to extend coverage to dependent children up to age 26 by September 2010, but the law authorizing the FEHBP does not allow the dependent children of federal workers and annuitants to receive the same coverage until the program’s new contract year starts in January 2011.  The Cardin amendment sought to eliminate this inequity between FEHBP enrollees and private sector insurers.  The vote needed to clear the procedural hurdle required a 3/5 super majority. Senators mostly voted along party lines.  The final tally was 57-42 (for full details use the Senate web site www.senate.gov (or http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00179 to see details).  A vote in favor of the motion supports the NARFE position.  The NARFE Legislative Program for the 111^th Congress (2009-2010) supports the expansion of health care coverage to dependent children of federal civilian and military employees and retirees.  Cardin’s decision to offer his amendment came after the coverage in the July magazine, “Bills Seek Early Extension of FEHBP Coverage” (page 8-10). 

August Is ‘Meet Your Candidates Month’  Because it is the largest block of time when incumbents need not be on Capitol Hill, the August 7-September 14 summer recess is NARFE’s “Meet Your Candidates Month.” We are eager to improve on our successful 2008 election outreach to congressional candidates.  NARFE federation presidents and national legislative chairs participated in early planning including regional conference calls in May (June NARFE, p. 16). Copies of the planning memo and support documents including a “Candidate Questionnaire” and the new “Fiscal Commission Talking Points” are posted for NARFE members on our web site and are available upon request.  Chapter officers may want to provide copies to their members. (On the Legislation home page, use the colorful Meet Your Candidates Month “CLICK HERE” for supporting materials.)

Spending Cut Proposals to Be Solicited at Town Hall Meetings:  Face to Face Town Hall meetings on weekends and upcoming recesses (Independence Day July 3-12 and August/Labor Day August 7-September 14) and Telephonic Town Hall Meetings any time the Congress is not meeting, including weekday evenings, will be used by some Members of Congress to solicit spending reduction proposals from the public.  In turn, legislators could gather these suggestions, as the recent federal pay freeze demonstrates, and seek to offer them as amendments to pending legislation, especially appropriation bills, before their primary or the general election! 

Participate to Defend:  NARFE’s best defense is vigilant attendance and participation at every Congressional Town Hall Meeting and the increasingly popular electronic cousin, telephone Town Hall Conference Calls.  In sum, we urge NARFE members to be cautious of proposals by members of Congress at these meetings which would promote benefit cuts and take acquiescence by attendees as endorsement.  NARFE members should contact their Representative and both Senators and asked to be informed when any Town Hall Meetings – in person or telephonic -- are scheduled for the rest of the year.  NARFE continues to make its Toll Free number, 1-866-220-0044, available for reaching the Capitol switchboard.  Ask for your Representative and Senators by name.  The NARFE web site also provides regularly updated information about many, but not all, Congressional Town Hall Meetings.  (To access the link to Congressional Town Hall Meetings, enter your name and membership number, open the Legislation Home Page and look under NARFE LEGISLATIVE ACTIVISTS.)

Baptiste: ENLIST to Defend:  The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform’s mandate is to scrutinize federal tax policy and all federal spending – including federal retirement.  NARFE President Margaret L. Baptiste wants each NARFE member to enlist in the defense of our earned benefits.  Join the 6,023 members who have already enlisted using the Legislative Action Center to send a MESSAGE to your Representative and two Senators.”  (Again, the specific link is http://capwiz.com/narfe/issues/alert/?alertid=14982226.)  The Commission’s web site provides a full video of the Commission meetings: http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/

Obtaining the Hotline:  Thank you for using the Hotline.  This weekly legislative message is available to telephone callers (703/838-7780 and toll free at 1-877-217-8234), posted on NARFE's Internet site, www.narfe.org, made available to NARFE-Net Coordinators; and sent to over 54,000 GEMS e-mail addresses.  Each delivery channel is a service of NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.