1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to support and co-sponsor the Equal COLA Act (H.R. 491 / S. 624), which would ensure full cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for beneficiaries of the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). My mother dedicated her career to public service as a federal employee. She chose to serve the American people instead of pursuing potentially higher-paying opportunities in the private sector. Because of that sacrifice, it is only fair—and indeed appropriate—that her retirement benefits preserve their real value over time. According to a recent statement from the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) on the 2026 COLA, FERS retirees will receive only a 2.0 % increase, while retirees under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and Social Security beneficiaries will receive 2.8 %. The current law caps FERS COLAs at 2 % when inflation rises between 2 %-3 %, and reduces the increase further when inflation exceeds 3 %. That means FERS retirees face a growing erosion in purchasing power—yet they face the same increases in living costs, including rising healthcare coverage premiums, as other retirees. As NARFE notes: “This COLA also does not adequately compensate for the sharp increase in the enrollee share of health insurance premiums affecting the federal community…” Public‐service retirees like my mother deserve parity with other federal retirees. They played by the rules, accepted a lower salary in exchange for the promise of a fair retirement benefit—and that promise must not be broken by the slow bleed of inflation. Therefore, I respectfully ask you to: 1 Co-sponsor H.R. 491 / S. 624. 2 Support its passage in c ommittee and on the floor. 3 Commit to ensuring federal employees and retirees receive retirement benefits that maintain their value—not lose ground. Thank you for your attention to this important matter and for your service to our district/state.