Republican Leader Sets Priorities

At the same time, the ranking Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., in a letter from the minority side stated his continued support for pay parity between military personnel and federal employees, saying he was "disappointed" that President Bush proposed differing raises for the two groups for 2009. "Congress has a long-standing commitment to pay parity, and the president can expect that commitment to again be honored, despite the position he put forward in his budget," Davis wrote. He added that he remains committed to "instilling performance incentives into the federal workforce" and allowing retirees to pay FEHB premiums with pre-tax money. Further, he said that any consideration of changes in the TSP should include the consideration of adding investment options, such as a real estate trust investment fund.