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Washington, D.C. —The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) has joined with a coalition of 16 other organizations calling on the U.S. House of Representatives to extend a $250 benefit to all retirees.

The coalition’s letter was sent last week as the House prepares to consider legislation (H.R. 5987) that would provide Social Security recipients with a $250 payment. It urges that the measure be expanded to include those federal, state and local government retirees who are ineligible for Social Security benefits, such as federal annuitants under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). For the second year in a row, Social Security beneficiaries are not receiving a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).

“We support the House leadership’s proposal to offer Social Security beneficiaries a one-time $250 payment in lieu of a COLA,” the letter read. “However, this legislation does not offer equivalent relief to over one million federal, postal, state and local government retirees who are not eligible to receive Social Security benefits. Offering relief to all older Americans—both retirees of the private and public sectors—is a matter of equity.”

The coalition’s effort followed a similar initiative last month by NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley who sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) urging the same thing.

“No matter if they are retired federal, state or local workers, these seniors spent a lifetime in dedicated public service and they deserve a helping hand during a tough economy,” President Kelley said. “Millions of our most vulnerable seniors, retired and disabled veterans, as well as disabled individuals should be provided with meaningful relief.”

NTEU worked closely with members of both the House and Senate to ensure a $250 payment to Social Security recipients under the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. That bill also provided federal retirees under the CSRS with a $250 refundable tax credit.

As the largest independent federal union, NTEU represents 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.