The DoD authorization measure also includes several government-wide provisions including: allowing any agency head to raise the total compensation cap for an employee who performs duty within the area of responsibility of the U.S. Central Command; allowing employees called to active duty to continue their FEGLI life insurance for up to two years rather than one, although they would have to pay both the employee and employer share of premiums for the second year; improving the relocation benefits of family members of federal employees who die while in a combat zone and providing a $100,000 death payment in such situations; and making policy for wage grade employees reflect that for general schedule employees regarding compensation or time off in lieu of compensation for travel hours outside of official duty time. The measure also boosts the 2008 military pay raise to 3.5 percent, retroactive to the start of the year, and reinstates several military bonus authorities that had lapsed.
