FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Matt Dorsey
(202) 550-6987
March 10, 2023
Washington, D.C. – Today, the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) applauds the Biden Administration’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2024. In addition to a 5.2% pay increase for federal employees across the board, the budget would provide increased resources in several key areas for NFFE-IAM members at agencies such as Veterans Affairs (VA), the Department of Defense (DoD), and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), including the Forest Service.
“The President’s budget proposal makes it clear that he is prioritizing the federal workforce and implementing policies that empower unions and their membership,” said NFFE President Randy Erwin. “Across the board, President Biden has called for increased resources at nearly every agency, which will help federal employees better serve the American people, while providing viable solutions to ensure the federal workforce is prepared for the future.”
The proposed budget would give additional funding to the VA for medical care, infrastructure, information technology, and the Toxic Exposure Fund established by the PACT Act passed last year. The budget also calls for additional funding for the DoD, which enables our military to maintain the strongest defense systems in the world. Lastly, the USDA will receive resources to implement necessary workforce reforms for the Forest Service, including a permanent pay solution for federal wildland firefighters, in addition to new funding for housing and employee wellbeing programs.
“Although the proposed 5.2% pay increase for federal employees is less than what we have been calling for, we appreciate that this increase would be the largest raise since the Carter Administration,” continued Erwin. “With that said, NFFE will be leaning hard on Congress to pass the FAIR Act which would provide federal employees an 8.7% pay adjustment in 2024. Anything less than this number will amount to a pay cut and will further widen the pay gap between federal workers and their counterparts in the private sector, which currently stands at 24%.
“NFFE appreciates the White House addressing many issues that are important to our members in developing this budget proposal. It is clear that President Biden cares deeply about federal workers and their families, and we look forward to working with the White House on our other goals, such as pay parity for wage workers, equal COLA for FERS employees, LEO status for uniformed police, protecting DoD and VA employees, counting seasonal work for retirement, and much more in the 118th Congress.”