Fedweek

The House is drafting a special supplemental spending bill for the current fiscal year that is expected to repeal a provision passed last year delaying by several days the last paychecks of this fiscal year for many federal employees. Last year’s action was designed to move the cost from the fiscal 2000 books to the fiscal 2001 books but has been denounced as an offensive budget gimmick. The measure being drafted also could require agencies to increase the subsidies that many of them pay to employees for using mass transit in their commuting and to improve their facilities for employees who walk or bike to work and to further encourage work from home and other telecommuting arrangements.