Senate panel passes pay and benefits bills

Without little discussion and no objections, the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee Wednesday approved a series of bills that would make changes in pay and benefits for federal employees. They included the following:

• S. 2657, which authorizes the Office of Personnel Management to negotiate improved eye and dental coverage plans for federal employees. The employees would have to foot the entire cost of premiums for the better coverage. But OPM would leverage the purchasing power of the federal government to negotiate the lowest rates.

• S. 593, which would require federal agencies to make up the difference between federal salaries and military pay when National Guard personnel or military reservists go on active duty. The legislation approved by the committee on a voice vote was a substitute by Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., clarifying that reservists would not get pay reductions and authorizing $100 million for the pay differentials.

• S. 2409, which is aimed at ensuring that federal health benefits are continued for military reservists called to active duty. The bill authorizes agencies to pay for an employee and his or her government contributions to health plans for up to 24 months. An amendment by Durbin to add federal employee life insurance to the continued benefits was approved on a voice vote without debate.