GovernmentExecutive.com

A Democratic member of the House Budget Committee introduced a sense-of-the-Congress pay parity amendment Wednesday night and then withdrew it after sensing there was little support.

Rep. Thomas Allen, D-Maine, made the move as the committee began its deliberations on President Bush's proposed budget for fiscal 2006. The amendment would have demonstrated the committee's support for the concept of equal pay increases for civilian and military federal employees.

Maine's 1st Congressional District includes large blocs of civilian federal employees at the Brunswick Naval Air Station and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Mark Sullivan, an Allen spokesman, said the congressman always has supported equal pay raises but now is receiving attention because he recently joined the Budget Committee.

"What makes this a little bit different is that this is the first time he has been in the Budget Committee," Sullivan said. "He withdrew his amendment; he sensed that there wasn't going to be enough support to get it passed, and he withdrew it."

Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., previously was the Democratic champion of pay parity on the Budget Committee. As he left his position there - forced out by term limits - he told Government Executive that he was concerned about the issue losing traction.

President Bush proposed a 3.1 percent pay raise for military service members and a 2.3 percent average increase for civilian federal employees in the fiscal 2006 budget. In previous years, he has put forward disparate pay adjustments but Congress repeatedly rebuffed those attempts - usually bringing the civilian pay raise up to match the military increase.

Allen, however, appears intent on filling Moran's shoes in the committee and pushing the issue within the fiscal 2006 budget discussions.

"It's an issue of fairness and equality, and it's something that is not necessarily a partisan issue," Sullivan said. Numerous powerful Republican leaders, including House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis, R-Va., and Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, have pledged their support for pay parity.

A prominent federal workers' union also praised Allen for his attempt on Wednesday.

"Rep. Allen, whose support for federal employees is long-standing, offered a clear rationale for continuing the tradition of pay parity," said National Treasury Employees Union President Colleen M. Kelley. "Even though the amendment was withdrawn, its introduction points to increasing support for pay parity that is bipartisan, bicameral and growing."

COMMENTS

• When the civil service gets free health care, nontaxable shopping, a housing allowance, and added pay for when we are 'deployed' and doing the jobs we were hired to do, THEN and only then will our pay reach 'parity'. I agree that the military should get combat pay when in the war zone. However, we also play a vital role here at home and should at the very least get equal pay RAISES! GovExec.com reader Posted March 15, 2005 10:05 AM
• Pay parity is one of those "hot-button" issues, isn't it? Everyone has the view that they are getting shorted. When I was active duty military, it irritated the mess out of me that we got so much of our pay in allowances that didn't factor into the retirement equations. In fact, my retainer check is less than a third of what my pay was at "retirement" 10 years down the road after all the COLA's (hah! another topic...) when I was promised a 50% at 20 years service. Now that I'm out, I'm upset that the civil service doesn't get the same percentage raise, even though actual dollars in pocket work out close. But here's a slant that doesn't get talked about - pay parity regardless of duties performed. Ridiculous example, but a nuc rocket scientist that was hired in on a 5 - 7 - 9 progression would start at the same pay as a secretary 5 - 6, etc. Pay parity for work performed is a difficult topic, but if we're going to moan about not getting the same as the military, then we really ought to go for the whole enchilada... Whose duties are more valuable? The DoD school teacher or the custodian? The admin assistant or the environmental technician? I'd like to see AFGE, et al get involved in this and tell me what management and they think we're all worth on a single scale. Skeptical Posted March 14, 2005 12:21 PM
• Sounds like Allen has been bought out. GovExec.com reader Posted March 14, 2005 7:32 AM