From the President

To support legislation and regulations beneficial to federal civilian employees and annuitants and potential annuitants under any federal civilian retirement system and to oppose those detrimental to their interests. To promote the general welfare of federal civilian employees and annuitants and potential annuitants, to advise and assist them with respect to their rights under retirement, health and other employee and retiree benefits laws and regulations, and to represent their interests before appropriate authorities. To cooperate with other organizations and associations in furtherance of these general objectives.

Since I assumed the office of national president in November 2018, NARFE has weathered the nation’s longest government shutdown, a contentious presidential election and a global pandemic that has killed nearly 800,000 Americans and counting.

Through it all, our association has continued its efforts to protect and enhance earned pay and benefits for the federal family. Now, as I enter my final year of tenure, I have absolute faith that together we will overcome whatever challenges 2022 brings, and NARFE will grow stronger as a result.

This is a midterm election year, and every House seat and a third of seats in the Senate will be up for grabs. This is an excellent time to engage with candidates and advocate on behalf of NARFE: • Remind current lawmakers of promises made to active and retired federal employees and their families. • Ask them to become cosponsors of NARFEbacked legislation, such as the Social Security

Fairness Act, H.R. 82/S.1302, which would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). • Introduce NARFE’s legislative priorities to those seeking office and learn where they stand.

NARFE’s grassroots advocacy staff can provide materials you can use to educate these potential lawmakers on the issues as we seek allies in the 118th Congress.

It’s also a NARFE election year, with the positions of national president, national secretary/ treasurer and regional vice president on the ballot. To those who are stepping forward to share their leadership skills with us, we thank you. You’ll find candidate statements and information about proposed bylaws and standing rule amendments at www.narfe.org as we receive them. Online balloting will start July 15, and members will have until August 31 to vote. Check future issues of NARFE Magazine and NARFE NewsLine for more details as we get closer to the election.

Speaking of August, mark your calendars for FEDcon22, NARFE’s first in-person national event since 2019. We will gather August 21-23 at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, AZ. Nearly two years after the pandemic forced us to pivot to entirely virtual events, we at NARFE National Headquarters are especially eager to connect in person with our members and leaders again. I also appreciate that I will have a final opportunity to address our membership as national president—it has been the honor of a lifetime. Registration for FEDcon22 will open in February at fedcon.narfe.org, so be sure to keep an eye on your email inbox for your invitation.

Please know that all NARFE leadership and staff join me in thanking you for all that you have done for NARFE, and I look forward to what we will achieve together in 2022.

Here’s to a happy new year—stay safe.

natpres@narfe.org

— J. Fitzgerald, VA

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