Congress is considering a dangerous proposal that would gut the retirement benefits we’ve earned through years of service. These changes break the promises made to federal and postal workers and would devastate the financial security of current employees and future retirees alike. We must speak out now to protect what we’ve worked so hard for—sign the letter to Congress and make your voice heard.

Dear Member of Congress,

We are proud members of the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association (NRLCA), and we write to you not just as federal employees, but as the backbone of an essential public service that keeps rural America connected.

Many of us have devoted our lives to this work because we believe in serving our communities, and the lives we’ve touched in the process have made that service deeply rewarding. We deliver vital prescriptions to the elderly, mail to isolated rural towns, and serve as lifelines to veterans and families across the country. We do this every day, often under tough conditions, because we care.

But now, Congress is threatening to gut the very retirement protections that made federal service a stable and secure career. The newly proposed reconciliation package would:

• Increase FERS retirement contributions to 4.4%, cutting take-home pay by as much as $2,000 per year for a worker earning $60,000.

• Eliminate the FERS Annuity Supplement, forcing those eligible for early retirement to work years longer or retire into hardship.

• Change the annuity calculation from the highest-3 years of pay to the highest-5, reducing retirement income for the rest of our lives.

This is not just a budget adjustment—it’s a betrayal of the promises made to us when we entered public service. These cuts would impact both today’s workforce and future retirees undermining the financial security we’ve spent our careers working toward. We’re being asked to shoulder more, accept less, and retire with uncertainty after years of serving the American people.

Congress cannot continue to balance the budget on the backs of federal workers. We are not the problem. We are the people who make this country function. We urge you to reject these cruel and short-sighted proposals. Stand with federal and postal workers. Keep your promise to those who have kept theirs.

Sincerely,
Member, National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association (NRLCA)