Congressmen seek appropriators' support for pay parity

Ten congressmen this week asked lawmakers in charge of appropriations to support pay parity between civilian federal employees and members of the military for the coming year.

Led by Reps. Tom Davis, R-Va., chairman of the Government Reform Committee, and House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the 10 representatives sent a letter calling for a 2.7 percent civilian pay hike in 2007, to match the military raise approved by the House last week.

"The men and women of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard are currently waging the war against terror around the globe," the letter stated. "Federal civilian employees from [the Defense, Homeland Security, Justice and State departments, the FBI, the CIA] and many other agencies are helping to support them and are working domestically to ensure the security of our nation and our people."

The letter recalled Congress' tradition of increasing the civilian pay raise from the president's proposal to match the higher military figure. This year was the first time that President Bush proposed equal pay raises for both groups, at 2.2 percent, but the House last week passed its version of the fiscal 2007 defense authorization bill, which would push the military's raise to 2.7 percent.

Now federal employee advocates want the same.

"We firmly believe it is imperative to continue this tradition in the coming fiscal year, due to the essential service military and civilian employees provide to our nation and the vast wage gap that exists between public and private sector wages," the letter stated.

In addition to Davis and Hoyer, signing the letter were Reps. Frank Wolf, R-Va.; Jon Porter, R-Nev.; Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.; Danny Davis, D-Ill.; Jim Moran, D-Va., Henry Waxman, D-Calif.; Albert Wynn-D-Md.; and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C.

It was sent to Reps. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., chairman of the Appropriations Committee; David Obey, D-Wis., the committee's ranking member; Joe Knollenberg, R-Mich., chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Treasury, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, and the District of Columbia; and John Olver, D-Mass., the subcommittee's ranking member.