Yesterday, the House Budget Committee included language in its Fiscal Year 2010 budget resolution establishing pay parity between civilian and military federal employees.
Introduced by Representatives Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and John Spratt (D-SC), the language does not request a fixed amount for next year’s federal pay adjustment, which will instead be determined through normal budget proceedings. The move drew widespread praise from several members of Congress:
“This budget language makes absolutely clear that this Congress is committed to federal employee pay parity, and that we intend to approve adjustments this year that are equal across all sectors of the government workforce,” said Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-MD).
This development breaks from the proposed pay adjustment released by the White House earlier this year, which offered civilian and military personnel pay increases of 2.0% and 2.9%, respectively. Disregarding a long-held tradition of pay parity, this proposal immediately came under fire from NFFE National President Richard N. Brown, who vowed to take the issue to Congress.
NFFE National President Richard N. Brown’s Statement:
“We are pleased to see that Congress is moving toward establishing an equitable pay adjustment for federal employees. Every day, scores of civilian federal employees work side by side with uniformed military personnel, both home and abroad. Both serve proudly under the same flag in order to make America a safer, cleaner, and more prosperous nation. Though the budget resolution language is by no means a guarantee, it sends a strong signal that Congress intends to reward dedicated service in all facets of the federal workforce. We will continue to work with Congress to make certain that our civilian and military federal employees get the equal pay adjustment they deserve.”