The Honorable Jacob J. Lew
Director
Office of Management and Budget
Eisenhower Executive Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20503
The Honorable Timothy F. Geithner
Secretary
Department of the Treasury
1650 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20220
Dear Director Lew and Secretary Geithner:
On behalf of the 4.6 million federal and postal workers and annuitants represented by the undersigned management associations, labor unions and professional associations, we extend our deepest appreciation for your continuing efforts to raise the nation’s debt ceiling.
The prospect of Congressional inaction by August 2 over raising the debt ceiling is generating significant concern throughout the federal community over its impact on the continuity of government operations. This has been underscored by President Obama’s comment on July 11 that he “cannot guarantee" that the 27 million Social Security checks due out on August 3 will be mailed as scheduled if the debt ceiling is not raised.
As a result, federal government executives, managers and rank-and-file employees represented by our organizations seek answers to the following questions:
•If the debt ceiling is not raised by August 2, will all departments and agencies continue to remain operational, or will a government shutdown result? If so, what plans are in place to assure the continuity of government operations?
•How will the assets of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund and the G-Fund of the Federal Employee Retirement System be impacted, given the continued suspension of additional investments in these funds since May 16?
•Will federal employees become subject to release through furloughs, and how will their wages and benefits be affected?
Our organizations seek a meeting with appropriate Administration officials to secure answers to these and related questions as soon as possible. Thank you for your assistance in arranging this meeting.
Sincerely yours,
American Federation of Government Employees
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
American Foreign Service Association
American Postal Workers Union
Federally Employed Women
Federal Managers Association
International Association of Fire Fighters
National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association
National Association of Federal Veterinarians
National Association of Government Employees
National Association of Letter Carriers
National Association of Postal Supervisors
National Association of Postmasters of the U.S.
National Council of Social Security Management Associations
National Rural Letter Carriers Association
National Treasury Employees Union
Organization of Professional Employees of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
Professional Aviation Safety Specialists
Professional Managers Association
Senior Executives Association
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