Senate Approves 3.1% Pay Raise for Federal Workers

**SIU** · 10-23-2005, 13:37

Senate Approves 3.1% Pay Raise for Federal Workers

By Christopher Lee
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, October 22, 2005; A05

Federal employees can look forward to an average pay increase of 3.1 percent next year.

The Senate passed a 3.1 percent raise for the government's 1.8 million civilian workers this week when it voted 93 to 1 to approve a $141 billion spending bill for the departments of Transportation, the Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development. The House approved an identical raise in its version of the measure in June. Although the two chambers must reconcile differences in the bills, the pay provision is not expected to change.

In approving the measure, lawmakers set aside President Bush's two-tiered pay proposal -- which called for a 2.3 percent raise for federal civilian employees and a 3.1 percent increase for the military -- and decided to award both groups the higher amount.

"Military personnel and federal civilian employees -- both white collar and blue collar -- work for the same employers, often side by side, in defense of our nation's homeland security," Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) said in a statement.

The raise would take effect in January. Federal employees, on average, have received an annual pay raise of at least 2 percent in every year but two since 1969, according to the Congressional Research Service. In 1983 and 1986, there was no increase.

Federal pay varies widely by profession and location, but the average salary for all occupations is $63,715, according to Office of Personnel Management data.

Federal employee unions cheered the Senate vote. Colleen M. Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, urged "the White House to respect the action taken by Congress." John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, called passage of the 3.1 percent raise "a victory for all federal employees."

Because the annual pay raise varies by geographic location, federal workers in the Washington-Baltimore area can expect to see a slightly higher increase of about 3.44 percent, according to the Federal Salary Council, a government advisory panel.

Senators voted to pass up their 1.9 percent pay raise -- which would have increased their salaries by $3,100, to $165,200 -- saying that doing so was symbolically important at a time of rising budget deficits and big expenditures for Hurricane Katrina rebuilding. The House has not taken that step; both chambers must agree if salaries are to be frozen. Congressional pay raises are automatically implemented every year unless lawmakers vote to block them.
Â© 2005 The Washington Post Company

**usbplvmpdfamice** · 10-23-2005, 13:56

Good, we deserve every penny of it..............

**TCB** · 10-23-2005, 13:59

Originally Posted by SIU

Senate Approves 3.1% Pay Raise for Federal Workers

Thank You Senate!

**SIU** · 10-23-2005, 14:06

The locality pay increase for NY should be close to 1.98%........cool

**River rat** · 10-23-2005, 19:28

It's a pat themselves on the back gesture. The locality pay in many areas is far too insufficient (ie NY,DC,FL, ect.) Although the Military deserves every peny, I think they deserve WAY MORE as these guys are the Real "American Heroes!" Stay safe all.

**Big Sexy** · 10-23-2005, 19:33

Just my humble opinion, but service in the military should be tax free.

**River rat** · 10-23-2005, 19:46

Originally Posted by Big Sexy

Just my humble opinion, but service in the military should be tax free.

Amen! That would be a good starting point. Do I sense a grass roots movement (a worthy cause for once) in the air?

**Time Traveller** · 10-23-2005, 20:47

Originally Posted by Big Sexy

Just my humble opinion, but service in the military should be tax free.

Where would you draw the line? The same argument for the military could be made for most federal service. If you remove federal service from the tax rolls, you remove a substantial revenue source for the Government.

Fine thought, but just impractical. . .

As for 3.1%, better then nothing. . .for I remember Years of 0%.

**rzaruba** · 10-23-2005, 20:48

Originally Posted by SIU

Federal employees can look forward to an average pay increase of 3.1 percent next year.

For the first time in many years, we retirees are going to get more! 4.1%

**SubwayfiveO** · 10-23-2005, 21:56

The Senate voted 93 to 1 for this.....who was the 1?

**BuMan** · 10-23-2005, 22:03

Thomas (thomas.loc.gov) is your friend...

Evan Bayh, D-Ind. Possible Democratic Presidential Contender.

**FightinIrish** · 10-23-2005, 23:25

Pardon my ignorance but is it 3.1% across the board or would it be higher say in, oh I don't know Boston for instance?

**bosco** · 10-23-2005, 23:33

"Because the annual pay raise varies by geographic location, federal workers in the Washington-Baltimore area can expect to see a slightly higher increase of about 3.44 percent, according to the Federal Salary Council, a government advisory panel."

Sounds like it varies by location. I'm assuming the article references Washington-Balt because it's the Washington Post.