Further Action on Raise Pending

The measure containing the pay raise, the Transportation-Treasury appropriations bill, is pending a full House vote; an effort could be made there to strip out the language although that appears unlikely, given the bipartisan support from the committee, which approved it on a voice vote. The Senate has not drafted its version yet. It appears likely that agencies would have to absorb the boost out of their general overhead accounts—salaries and expenses accounts—which could put pressure on other items funded from those accounts, such a training, travel and possibly even employment levels. The Bush administration has consistently opposed boosting the raise, although it has not threatened to veto the spending bill over that action and has never done so in similar past situations.