House approves 2.7 percent military raise

The House on Thursday evening approved a bill containing a 2.7 percent pay raise for military personnel in 2007, setting the stage for a civilian-military pay parity battle.

The pay hike was included in the fiscal 2007 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 5122), which passed by a vote of 396-31. President Bush's budget sought a 2.2 percent raise for both civilian employees and military personnel, marking the first time he proposed an equal pay hike for both groups.

But the House Armed Services Committee approved an increase in the military raise. Federal employee advocates immediately began the call for parity for civilians. Among them was House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md.

"As in past years, I will lead the effort this year to ensure pay parity for federal civilian employees," Hoyer said in a statement. "The Appropriations Committee will begin their work next month, and I will use my position on that committee to work with its members to provide a fair pay adjustment for federal employees in recognition of their contributions to our country."

National Treasury Employees Union president Colleen Kelley called for pay parity following Thursday's vote.

"The 2.2 percent raise proposed in the president's budget falls far short of the rate of inflation and minimizes the contributions of those who serve the public, whether as members of the military or as part of the federal civilian workforce," Kelley said in a statement. "The military clearly deserves a larger increase, as [does] government's civilian workforce."

In a policy statement published Thursday, the White House reiterated its case for a 2.2 percent raise and said it strongly opposes the 0.5 percent bump for the military.

"The 2.2 percent across-the-board increase proposed in the president's budget, when combined with the overall military benefit package, provides a significant increase for service members and their families," the statement said. The administration proposed the 2.2 percent increase because that is what is necessary to recruit high-quality people to the armed forces."

Also included in the defense authorization bill was an amendment to address a backlog of security clearances in the department since April, when the Defense Security Service stopped accepting clearance requests due to a lack of funding.

The amendment, offered by Reps. Tom Davis, R-Va., Rob Simmons R, Conn., and Jo Ann Davis, R-Va., extends expiring security clearances until the Pentagon solves its processing problem.

"We cannot put defense contractors in the position of having to choose between firing their employees or granting uncleared personnel access to classified material and facilities," Davis said.