No Boost in 2007 Raise

A catchall spending measure for the rest of the current fiscal year that is near final congressional approval would leave unchanged the average 2.2 percent general schedule raise that was paid in January, effectively ending the already slim hopes that Congress would act to boost the raise to the 2.7 percent figure that had been under consideration most of last year. The measure however does appropriate half of the money needed for the raise that was paid, meaning less pressure on agencies to absorb costs out of other funding. The measure further denies the congressional raise that had been scheduled to take effect February 15, although that action would not have any direct effect on federal employee pay.