Senate Vote Pending on Key Raise Bill

The Senate could vote at any time on its version of the fiscal 2003 Defense Department authorization bill (S-2514) that would help set the marker for the January 2003 federal employee pay raise. Like the House-passed version (HR-4546), the measure would provide a military raise of 4.1 percent, an amount that also would go to civilian federal workers if parity between the two groups is maintained. The House in a separate budget measure has voted to maintain parity, although the Senate has yet to vote on its version of that measure either. Although some military personnel would be eligible for raises of up to 6.5 percent-and a small number eligible for raises of up to 8.5 percent-the “parity” figure would remain 4.1 percent.