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USDA retirees travel to Washington to advance key issuesGerald Elson, Vice President of the National Association of Retired ASCS/FSA Office Employees, traveled to the nation's capital in mid-March and conducted close to a dozen meetings on Capitol Hill to advance key issues of the organization. Elson used the meetings to illustrate RASCOE's support for legislation that would repeal the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision in Title II of the Social Security Act as well as payment of health insurance premiums on a pre-tax basis (H.R. 235/S. 484 and H.R. 1203/S. 491). Elson noted that "A version of both bills has been introduced in every Congress since 2001 and has always enjoyed broad support on both sides of the aisle and both Chambers of Congress. Unfortunately, the initiatives have never been brought to the floor for a vote." "The time has come for Congress to work these bills through the committees and bring them to a floor vote," explained Elson. "These bills are a high priority for the more than two million federal government retirees and would provide a much needed stimulus to Americans struggling to cope with increasing health care costs." Since Elson's meetings thirteen new co-sponsors have signed on in support of the measures, proving RASCOE's efforts were successful. RASCOE represents the retirees from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency as well as retirees from FSA's legacy agency, the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service.
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