Spending Measure Addresses Raise, Continued Spending

The DoD appropriations bill, set for final voting this week, sets a precedent for a 3.5 percent average pay raise for federal employees in January by granting that amount to uniformed military personnel; Congress this year has been following its typical policy of linking the two. A separate appropriations bill, the financial services-general government measure, specifying 3.5 percent for federal employees has lain dormant for a number of months. The DoD measure also would extend through December 14 the stopgap funding arrangement that has been in effect across government since the October 1 start of the current fiscal year. The current arrangement otherwise would expire on Friday (November 16).