Contrary to how the events commonly are reported by news outlets not particularly well versed in the procedures of federal pay-setting, a presidential pay raise order is not the final word on the raise. Any law on a raise that is passed by Congress and signed by the President after such an order overrides the order. For example, last year in a similar situation President Obama issued an order setting as a default raise the 0.5 percent increase he had proposed earlier in the year—although it was not to take effect until April of this year, after expiration of a temporary budget measure under consideration at that time. As it turned out, that raise never was paid, under terms of a later measure funding the government through the rest of this fiscal year that kept the salary rate freeze in place through the calendar year. This year chances of leaving the raise in effect could be better because unlike last year the House has not voted in other legislation against a raise.
