House conflicted on extra pay for feds called to military duty
Bill would stem severe pay hit for federal employees serving in the Guard, reserves.
In the same week, different groups of House Republicans helped kill, and then resurrect, a proposal to pay federal employees called up for National Guard or reserves duty their full civilian salary.
The House Government Reform Committee on Thursday unanimously passed stand-alone legislation to do so. But earlier this week, House and Senate appropriations negotiators rejected an almost identical measure the Senate had approved as an amendment to its version of the fiscal 2006 emergency supplemental spending bill.
This marked at least the fourth time such language died in conference negotiations after strong support on the floor. Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., was the only House Republican to vote to retain the amendment during the conference meeting.
Still, House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis, R-Va., expressed hope Thursday morning that the stand-alone bill passed by his committee would go through. "I'm optimistic we'll be able to see progress," Davis said.
The 2006 Reservist Pay Security Act (H.R. 5525) would entitle federal employees called to the reserves for more than 30 days to receive their normal civilian base pay in addition to their military compensation.
As it is, many federal employees called to military duty take a severe pay cut. Jim Daum, a safety engineer with the Federal Aviation Administration who served in Iraq in the Delaware National Guard, took a 48 percent reduction, according to his wife, Mary. The cut forced the Daums to rent out their home and stay with family.
A spokesman for Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., sponsor of Senate language killed in conference, said the senator may look for another bill to which he could attach the language, or may introduce the bill on its own to match the House's newfound momentum.
Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., one of the House bill's co-sponsors, said at the Government Reform Committee's meeting Thursday that the federal government's treatment of its employees will set an example for the private sector.
"The Federal Reserve Pay Security Act will correct what I perceive is a failure of leadership by our federal government," Lantos said. "I was shocked to learn that the federal government, the largest civilian employer of National Guard and reserves, was not making up the difference" in pay.
About 120,000 federal employees serve in the reserves and the National Guard, and about 17,000 have been mobilized to Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations, according to Durbin's office.
"We need to set the example," said Rep. Chris Shays, R-Conn. "We're asking the private sector to do something we don't even do ourselves."
"These men and women never expected a long deployment away from their home," said Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Ohio. "I believe we're on the right track to do this federally."
Unless there is specific legislation to close the pay gap, agencies cannot supplement pay for employees called to military duty.