FMA APPLAUDS PASSAGE OF 3.1% PAY RAISE AMENDMENT - June 21,2005

HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE APPROVES 3.1% PAY RAISE FOR FEDS

Full Committee Votes in Favor of Higher Pay Raise for Federal Employees

Alexandria , VA (June 21,2005) – The Federal Managers Association applauds the actions of the House Appropriations Committee members who supported the Hoyer-Wolf-Moran Amendment raising the 2006 average annual pay raise for Federal employees from 2.3% to 3.1%.

 In his annual Budget for the United States Government for the fiscal year 2006, President Bush proposed a mere 2.3 percent average pay raise for Federal civilian employees, some 1.2 percent less than what was appropriated last year and 0.8 percent less than the proposed 2006 pay raise for members of the Armed Forces. Despite opposition from senior Members of Congress and the Administration, the House Appropriations Committee approved a full 3.1 percent pay raise for Federal civilian employees at parity with their military counterparts as part of its consideration of the Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, and the District of Columbia Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2006.

“I cannot overemphasize the need for Congress to adhere to the legislative precedent of pay parity, especially this year as nearly 60 percent of managers and 50 percent of all Federal employees will soon become eligible for retirement,” FMA National President Michael B. Styles said. “The pay raise must be seen as a recruitment and retention tool as well as recognition of the dedication and diligent efforts of America ’s workforce.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there currently exists a 32 percent pay deficit for public-sector employees versus their private-sector counterparts. The Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act sought to bridge this gap in 1990, but has been consistently waived by the President leaving the annual pay raise for Federal employees as the key mechanism to do so. The approval of the Amendment paves the way for the 19 th straight year Congress would approve pay parity for all Federal employees.

Styles went on to say, “I would like to thank the tireless efforts of Congressmen Steny Hoyer, Frank Wolf, Jim Moran and Tom Davis in shepherding this issue through an uncertain climate and for their continued leadership in bringing this before the full House. I urge swift action by their colleagues to approve this legislation. I further encourage members of the Senate to echo the actions of the House Appropriations Committee so that we can do what’s right and put this issue to rest.”