The Congressional Budget Office has put a price estimate of $1 million in one year and $6 million over five years on legislation (HR-3737) awaiting a House vote that would raise the pay cap for administrative law judges, senior level and scientific and professional employees and contract appeals board members from the executive schedule level III rate (currently $145,600) to the level II rate (currently $158,100). While the price tag may be viewed as relatively low in the context of the spending on federal salaries the Bush administration has opposed the bill, focusing on the provision affecting ALJs. The government is not having serious trouble recruiting and retaining those employees, the Office of Personnel Management has said. OPM also noted that while the increase would provide parity with senior executives, who had their pay caps raised by legislation enacted last year, higher pay for execs is linked to performance measures that can’t be used for ALJs because of their independent status.