Federal Employees

By Melissa Harris

Baltimore Sun

A key House committee reversed President Bush's fifth attempt to give unequal raises to military and civilian employees in a voice vote this week - a decision that the rest of Congress and the president likely will uphold.

Final passage would give civilian federal workers and military personnel a 3.1 percent raise.

WASHINGTON, DC – The full House Appropriations Committee included a Federal Employee Pay Parity amendment in the FY 2006 Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development bill today.  The amendment was offered by Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-MD), and was cosponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Reps. Frank Wolf (R-VA), Jim Moran (D-VA), and Tom Davis (R-VA).  The amendment provides for a 3.1% pay adjustment for federal civilian employees, including blue collar employees, giving them pay parity with military employees.

By Stephen Barr

Washington Post

A bipartisan group of House members plans to send a letter today to the chairman and ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee to urge them to support "pay parity" raises next year for civil service and military personnel.

By Christopher Lee

Washington Post

The Bush administration doled out $ 1.44 million in bonuses to 470 political appointees last year, according to an Office of Personnel Management report.

The White House's decision last year to end an eight-year ban on such cash awards imposed by the Clinton administration touched off a fury of criticism in December from Democrats, unions and some policy experts who said the move slighted ordinary federal employees and encouraged political favoritism.

By Christopher Lee

Washington Post

Military and civilian federal employees alike would get a 4.1 percent pay raise next year under a measure approved yesterday by the House Appropriations Committee.

By Stephen Barr

Washington Post

A bill that would allow former government workers to recoup their pension credits when returning to federal employment has been introduced in the House by Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.).

Under the Federal Employees Retirement System, employees who leave the government can get a refund of their retirement contributions, a decision that erases their pension credits. If they rejoin the government, they are not allowed to pay back the money and restore their pension.

WASHINGTON, DC –  A bipartisan group of 120 U.S. Representatives, led by House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), sent a letter today to the Chairman and Ranking member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee urging them to include funding in the FY 2006 Homeland Security Appropriations bill for fire fighter staffing. 

By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent

President Bush will propose a 3.1 percent pay raise for members of the armed forces and a 2.3 percent increase for civilian federal employees under the fiscal 2006 budget plan the White House will release on Monday.

The proposal marks the third consecutive year that Bush has sought a bigger increase for the military than for civilian workers, ignoring repeated bipartisan calls in Congress for equivalent raises for both groups.

By Stephen Barr and Christopher Lee
Washington Post

President Bush will propose a 3.1 percent pay raise for members of the armed forces and a 2.3 percent increase for civilian federal employees under the fiscal 2006 budget plan the White House will release on Monday.

The proposal marks the third consecutive year that Bush has sought a bigger increase for the military than for civilian workers, ignoring repeated bipartisan calls in Congress for equivalent raises for both groups.

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after speaking to the National Treasury Employees Union at a Capitol Hill rally:

“Civil servants are the engine that moves us forward as a nation.  The dedicated men and women who serve the public work hard to maintain our quality of life.  Our government could not function without them.