The Senate passed a four-bill minibus spending package Wednesday (HR 6147) which included a 1.9 percent pay raise for civilian federal employees for calendar year 2019. The measure was approved by 92 to 6 votes.
The House last week passed its version of the spending package that was silent on a 2019 federal raise. The White House’s 2019 budget proposal in March asked Congress to approve a federal pay freeze for all civilian employees.
The differences between the two legislative chambers won’t be resolved until this fall since the House is in recess through Labor Day. Historically the final federal pay tables are not released by the Office of Personnel Management until late December.
“Approval of a 1.9 percent pay raise for federal employees begins the process of countering the Administration’s proposed federal pay freeze in 2019,” said National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) President Richard G. Thissen. “Without congressional action federal pay will be kept stagnant by the Trump administration, which has clearly stated its intention to freeze federal pay for calendar year 2019. To keep federal pay at a standstill while the economy and private-sector wages continue to grow is a direct show of contempt for our nation’s middle-class, career civil servants. NARFE expresses its sincere appreciation to the Senate for advancing this modest pay increase. We look forward to working with Congress toward the final passage of this necessary provision.”