Pay Parity Battle Is On Again

The annual battle for civilian-military pay parity is back. First the House Armed Services Committee voted this week to increase President Bush’s proposal for a military raise from 2.2 percent to 2.7 percent. Now, House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md. is calling for the civilian raise to follow suit.

“As in past years, I will lead the effort this year to ensure pay parity for federal civilian employees,” Hoyer said in a press release Friday. “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.”

In a twist, after years of battling Bush’s attempts to reward the military with higher raises than civilians, this time Hoyer cited Bush in making his case. That’s because Bush’s budget itself provided parity, in the form of identical 2.2 percent raises for service members and civilians.