In response to Margie Easter’s letter in the Sunday, Oct. 21, edition of The Pilot, she should be aware of Public Law 98-21 passed in 1983 that required Social Security coverage for federal civilian employees first hired after 1983, and closed the Civil Service Retirement System to new federal employees and members of Congress. All incumbent members of Congress were required to be covered by Social Security, regardless of when they entered Congress.

Right now, members of Congress in the Federal Employees Retirement System plan must pay 1.3 percent of their salary to FERS and 6.2 percent in Social Security taxes. As of 1998, the average annuity for retired members of Congress was $50,616 for those who retired under CSRS and $46,908 for those who retired under FERS.

Jack Queeney

Pinehurst