Bill with 2 percent pay raise awaits Obama’s signature

The Senate on Sunday passed a catchall spending bill that includes a 2 percent pay raise for civilian federal employees in 2010.

That figure is in keeping with President Obama's request, but contrary to his Nov. 30 proposal to freeze locality pay, a portion of the raise would vary depending on costs of labor where employees are based. Lawmakers granted civilians a 1.5 percent increase in base pay and a 0.5 percent boost in locality pay.

The fiscal 2010 omnibus spending bill now heads to Obama's desk.

Congress has yet to complete the Defense appropriations measure, but it appears likely military members will receive a higher raise than civilians for the first time in recent years. The fiscal 2010 Defense authorization bill, signed into law in October, included a 3.4 percent pay hike for service members, a figure even more generous than Obama's 2.9 percent request for the military.

House Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., has said administration officials have assured him pay parity between civilians and members of the military will resume in 2011.