Lawmakers agree on 4.6 percent federal pay raise

House and Senate negotiators on Thursday agreed to a 4.6 percent average pay increase for federal civilian employees in 2002, the same basic pay raise that military personnel will receive. The 4.6 percent raise will now to go to the House and Senate floors for a final vote of approval as part of the 2002 Treasury-Postal appropriations bill. It will then go to President Bush for his signature. While Bush administration officials had pushed for a 3.6 percent average raise for federal workers, Bush is not expected to veto the bill. The Treasury-Postal conference report, which would provide some $17.1 billion in discretionary funds, was approved with little fanfare and discussion. Overall, the legislation is just about $50 million more than the House bill (H.R. 2590) and roughly $50 million less than the Senate version (S. 1398). The bill is also about $969 million above fiscal 2001 and $388 million above what the President requested earlier this year. Lawmakers touted their decision to boost spending in several law enforcement agencies as a "downpayment" on new security measures taken in light of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Under the bill, the U. S. Customs Service would receive increases in several accounts, notably inspection technology ($33.15 million), northern border inspection staff and personnel ($28.152 million), and air and marine interdiction efforts ($63 million). The bill also provides an extra $18 million to build seven new border inspection stations. Conferees also retained language in the bill that would directly fund many White House agencies. The Bush administration had wanted to consolidate 18 separate spending accounts for the Executive Office of the President into one account and disperse the money as it saw fit, but several appropriators wanted to maintain control over how the money was allocated. Despite active lobbying by Vice President Dick Cheney, appropriators maintained control over the separate accounts. The House also dropped language from its bill that would have blocked funding for the enforcement of a ban on travel to Cuba, which the White House had threatened to veto. Among some of conference report's final spending totals:

• Customs Service: $2.079 billion, $200 million more than fiscal 2001 and $117 million more than the White House's request.
• Internal Revenue Service: $9.437 billion, a $548 million increase over fiscal 2001 and just $14 million more than the president requested. More than $300 million of the increase is targeted at information technology investments.
• Secret Service: $920 million, an increase of $95 million over fiscal 2001 and $63 million more than the White House wanted.
• Postal Service: The fiscal 2002 allocation would be $143 million, the same as the administration's request.
• White House agencies: $747.5 million, a $47 million increase over fiscal 2001 and $15 million more than President Bush requested.