Political Quotes

“Last year, Federal employees' families were asked to contribute almost $5 billion in savings so that every other American family could enjoy a tax cut. And in return for that contribution, Congress fixed the structure of the Federal employee's health benefits package to make it more affordable and sustainable. This budget reneges on that contract and does so in a way that will cause immeasurable harm to the Federal employee's health benefits program and to the Federal civil service by changing the formula on which the employer's share of their health premiums are based. This maneuver saves $3,300 billion, but it is an unwise policy change, and it violates last year's budget agreement that stabilized the cost-sharing relationship between the Federal Government and its employees. According to CBO estimates, this change would reduce the employer's share of health insurance premiums from 72 percent to 50 percent over the next 7 years. In other words, the employee's share will rise from 28 percent to 50 percent. This will result in Federal employees and retirees paying hundreds of dollars more in additional health care costs.”