Budget Measure Still Pending

Meanwhile, a conference on a budget resolution that often makes a non-binding recommendation on the federal raise is continuing. Leaders are hoping to reach an agreement, but disagreements over tax policy might mean that the appropriations process will have to move ahead without that spending outline—as was the case in the last three election years. Appropriators have to get spending bills – one of which specifies the federal raise — moving soon to as part of the work preceding the new fiscal year that begins October 1. However, there’s a widespread expectation that final decisions on spending bills won’t be made until after the elections, when the parties will know how they stand for next year. The House-passed version of the budget resolution provided for pay parity but set no raise figure; the Senate version specified 3.4 percent for the military but was silent on both the federal raise and the pay parity question.