1. United States
2. Colo.
3. Letter

The proposed cuts to federal employee retirement and health benefits represent a betrayal of promises made to the workforce and risk severely undermining the government's ability to recruit and retain top talent. Increasing FERS contribution rates and changing the annuity calculation to use a "high-5" instead of "high-3" years amounts to a substantial pay cut for current employees. Eliminating cost-of-living adjustments, the Special Retirement Supplement, and transitioning FEHB to an underfunded voucher system threaten to leave retirees struggling to afford health care and losing purchasing power over time. Perhaps most concerningly, eliminating FERS pensions and FEHB eligibility for new hires guts the incentive for young people to choose public service over more lucrative private-sector opportunities. The trade-off between job security and depressed benefits also sets up an untenable choice. Not only do these cuts risk crippling the federal workforce, but short-term budgetary savings pale in comparison to long-term costs from higher turnover, reduced effectiveness, and failure to attract the best and brightest. Instead of penalizing a workforce that has served through challenging times, I urge reconsideration of these draconian measures that undermine a core compact between the nation and its public servants. Deep cuts that fray the fabric of the federal workforce to realize relatively modest budget savings are dangerously short-sighted from a policy standpoint. I hope you will strongly advocate against these proposals that threaten to inflict severe damage on effective governance for years to come.