While endorsing a 4.1 percent raise, the House bill contains several provisions that could have an important effect down the line. For example, it specifies that the entire amount of the increase would have to be taken from other agency appropriations-meaning that “salaries and expenses” accounts would absorb the costs. Those accounts fund training, travel and employment levels, among other things, and cuts in those accounts could hit hard in some cases. The House version further specifies that employees of the departments of Defense and Homeland Security should get the full raise, an action that could undercut, at least for 2004, any efforts at those two departments to divert money from a basic raise into a pay-for-performance arrangement. Meanwhile, the Senate version is silent regarding the potential raise for wage grade employees; the House version specifies that the average general schedule increase would act as a cap for pay of wage grade employees, who are under a separate locality pay system.