Pay Raise Bill Needs Attention

By: fedweek

Among the pending measures is the financial services-general government spending bill, which has passed the House and is ready for a floor vote in the Senate. Both versions set an average 3.5 percent raise for general schedule employees in January 2008, up from the 3 percent that President Bush has recommended. The White House opposes the boost but has not threatened to veto the measure over it—in part because Congress would not appropriate any additional money for the increase but instead would require agencies to absorb the cost out of their other operating funds. Congress also is well on its way to approving 3.5 percent for military personnel, and in almost every year for the last two decades both military personnel and civilian federal employees have received the same increase in the name of pay parity.