Yesterday the House approved a bill (H.R. 3835) that would freeze salaries for federal civilian employees and members of Congress for FY2013. The bill sponsored by Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI) passed the House 309-117, garnering roughly 20 more votes than the two-thirds required for passage. In the final vote, 72 Democrats joined 237 Republicans in voting for the bill.
Supporters of the bill pointed to the recommendation for a three-year civilian pay freeze by the President’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility. Detractors of the bill argued that action on federal civilian pay raises should be delinked from that on members of Congress. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) introduced an alternative bill that would only freeze congressional pay, but the bill was not considered on the floor.
The freeze, if also approved by the Senate and signed by the president, would mark the 3rd consecutive year federal civilian salaries have been frozen. It has been widely reported that the president’s FY2013 budget request will include a 0.5 percent civilian pay raise.
Senate approval of the bill in the Democrat-controlled Senate is uncertain. Including a congressional pay freeze may make it difficult for some Senate Democrat’s to cast a no vote because it may be perceived as supporting a congressional pay raise.
The bill does not address any change in military pay raises for FY2013.
I feel that the house and the senate are using the federal civilians as a scapegoat and causing undue hardship to their families. A closer look needs to be taken at all of government and the private section when it comes to pay cuts. As it is Federal employees can barely keep up with inflation.
Truly,
Sad Employee
[…] the pay freeze for another year, a move that is popular in the House. Earlier this year the House voted to extend the civilian pay raise for another year and the FY2013 House Budget Resolution calls for a continued civilian pay […]
I feel the house and senate have not considered the lower grade GS workers GS/1-7 are barely keeping up with the cost of living with a raise and without one it has been unbearable for the last 2 years. To consider adding a 3rd year w/o a raise would just overburden the lower grade employees far too much. GS 8 & above workers can better handle not receiving a raise than the lower grade workers.
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MDintroduced an alternative bill that would only freeze congressional pay, but the bill was not considered on the floor.
Are we surprised that was not considered. They can vote in their own raises, they (Congress) could use a pay freeze better than civilian employees can.