SRES-76-117
Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S905; text: CR S900)
What it does
This is a Senate resolution that formally congratulates the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) on the 100th anniversary of its founding on February 19, 2021. It recognizes the contributions NARFE members have made to the United States over the past century. The resolution carries no legal force, creates no new law, and does not appropriate any funds.
Who benefits
Members of NARFE — active and retired federal employees — receive formal recognition from the U.S. Senate. The organization itself gains a symbolic acknowledgment of its century of advocacy on behalf of federal workers and retirees.
Who is hurt
No group is directly or materially harmed by this resolution. It creates no mandates, spending, or regulatory changes that would negatively affect any individual or organization.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that the Senate has a long tradition of formally recognizing organizations that have served the public for significant milestones. NARFE has represented federal employees and retirees for 100 years, advocating for their pay, benefits, and working conditions. A Senate resolution is a fitting and costless way to acknowledge that century of civic participation and public service by the federal workforce.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that simple resolutions of this type consume limited Senate floor time and legislative resources without producing any tangible policy outcome. Critics of commemorative resolutions generally contend that the Senate's time is better spent on substantive legislation addressing pressing national issues, and that symbolic gestures, however well-intentioned, do not advance the work of governing.