Congress Backs 2 Percent Pay Raise

Congressional appropriators announced late Tuesday that the fiscal 2010 omnibus spending package would include a 2 percent total pay adjustment for federal workers next year.

While the 2 percent overall raise is in line with President Obama's proposal, the bill rejects his request to freeze locality pay, meaning federal workers would receive a 1.5 percent base pay increase plus an average 0.5 percent increase in locality pay in 2010. The locality pay increase would help federal pay inch closer to comparability with the private sector, particularly in areas where the pay gap has increased and the cost of living is high.

Unlike previous years, however, the measure does not ensure pay parity between federal civilian workers and members of the military. The 2010 National Defense Authorization Act includes a 3.4 percent military raise, and lawmakers will finalize a figure as part of the Defense appropriations bill.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said on Tuesday that he was disappointed that Obama's proposal did not set the precedent for civilian-military pay parity. But Hoyer also relayed assurances he has received from the Obama administration that pay parity will be included in the fiscal 2011 budget proposal.

"While I believe that this year's adjustment is reasonable in light of an economic downturn where millions of Americans have lost their jobs, I am disappointed that parity was not achieved," Hoyer said. "Like their military counterparts, civilian federal employees have made significant contributions to help our country respond to the challenges we face both domestically and abroad, and I believe their pay adjustments ought to reflect that."