Spending Bills Start to Stir

Congressional leaders hope to move within the next several weeks most or all of the annual appropriations bills that are required for the new fiscal year beginning October 1. The most closely watched bill from the federal employee and retiree perspective is the Transportation-Treasury bill (formerly called the Treasury-Postal bill) that could become the vehicle for a January 2004 federal pay raise figure. While both the House and Senate have endorsed maintaining pay parity between federal employees and uniformed military personnel, those votes were non-binding. A number in an appropriations bill, however, has the force of law. A formal pay parity amendment is expected when the House Appropriations Committee takes up that bill this week. There remains controversy over exactly what the “parity” figure would be, however, since military personnel are due for raises falling within a broad range in 2004. Currently, 3.7 percent appears the most likely number but much depends on how the language would be worded-assuming the amendment is accepted at all.