Work on Key Spending Measures Begins

With the House having passed a budget outline for the upcoming fiscal year (S.Con.Res 95)-a Senate vote has been delayed over budget rules issues-work has begun on the appropriations bills that will contain the actual funding and policy directions for fiscal 2005. The process could move more quickly than usual this year, since appropriators are off to a late start and working time is short in an election year. The Transportation-Treasury appropriations measure likely will be where the debate over the January 2005 federal raise plays out; in the past, employee-friendly legislators have added language to that bill setting the raise higher than the White House recommended. That could occur again this year, as backers of “pay parity” with military personnel seek to boost the recommended 1.5 percent federal raise to the 3.5 percent slated for the military.