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Bill would forbid step increases for the remainder of 2012

A House lawmaker last week introduced a bill she claims will “put an end to the budget gimmicks and procedural trickery” in Congress—but which also would put an end to step increases for federal employees for the rest of 2012.

According to a Feb. 2 release issued by the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Martha Roby (R-Ala.), the Honest Budget Act of 2012 (H.R. 3844) would “make it harder for Congress to pass spending bills without first passing a budget, would reveal the real cost and commitment of federal government spending, and would prevent Congress from claiming savings unless those savings are real and genuine.”

Among the other measures contained in the legislation, the bill also specifies that no periodic step increases—which are unaffected by the current federal pay freeze—would take effect for federal employees during the period beginning on the date of enactment until Dec. 31, 2012. The bill has 29 co-sponsors.

The bill is a companion measure to legislation (S. 1651) introduced in October by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee.

“The Honest Budget Act takes Sen. Sessions’ commonsense approach to the problem and extends it to the House of Representatives, where revenue and spending bills are first considered,” Roby said.


 

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Reader comments

Wed, Feb 22, 2012

As a Department of Veterans Affairs employee and a OIF veteran I am furious with this. I am still serving my country by caring for vets and my pay is very similar to the private sector. How about Congress take a deduction based off their performance. There are so many other parts of the budget that could be cut...... Food stamps is one example, "you don't work! you don't eat!"

Thu, Feb 16, 2012 Guest Lexington, ky

I for one am so angry about this. I barely make $32,000. Everything is going up and we are all struggling to make ends meet. I doubt any of our elected officials would work for that little money. I doubt any of them make less than $100,000. I am so sick of them trying to balance the budget on the backs of the federal employees. I am sick of hearing about how overpaid we are. that is only because when they average it out, they have to include those elected officials that make way too much money so when that is taken into consideration, it makes us all look like we make a good deal of money. Why don't we just stop giving money to all the countries we give it to? They hate us anyway. Besides taking care of all the illegals that come over here from Mexico, we send Mexico loads of money! Getting rid of the illegals would help this country as far as money goes. They are a burden on our economy. There are so many other ways to cut the budget besides on the backs of federal workers. We are tired of being a scapegoat for the bad decisions our lawmakers have made.

Mon, Feb 13, 2012 Ron

I will not vote for a republican, ever. They are elitist and cater to the rich. I don't care how bad Obama is, the republicans are worse. Let congress take a pay cut.

Mon, Feb 13, 2012

If the GOP keeps using Federal Employees as their scape goats, there will be a max exit of Republican Federal Workers supporting these stupid ideas they keep coming up. Unfair and wrong. $800 M for aid to Egypt, but no step increases for Fed Employees? The last time I got a raise, the beginning of the year COL raise that every employee receives across the board, when it was all said and done I gained 85 cents extra on my paycheck.

Mon, Feb 13, 2012 Sandie Daytona Beach, Florida

First and the most important item here is that the Federal Work Force is very large and we are all great about getting out and vote. We are large in numbers, watch out incumbents and people who will run for the many seats. We won't be played with and we are not asking for anything but what we don't deserve or haven't earn. If the people of United States look at what the average federal employee makes a year, they would say why are you staying and now with the many cuts and increases, we wonder. I do not feel sorry for the incumbents because if they are up for re-election they will be booted. Federal employees have been yank around long enough. They wonder why the College students are turning their backs on working for the federal government and they wonder why? Simple no trust, no loyalty, no advancements, just a kick in the rear if the wrong people are elected in office. I joke with people about how our top levels management change when the "party" changes in the White House. They need an excuse, for the budget. HELLO Mr. President and Congress quit giving our money away, quit helping others, let someone bail us out. Just think of all the money the last 2, 3, 4, or 8 years that we have given or spent to help other countries. My favorite one is immigration and let them all in; so they can get a job and send their money back home to their country and family and it is not spent here. That makes alot of sense. Look at all of the empty federal buildings and property that are not being use but they will keep buying and building instead of refurbishing. Can you imagine if they sold or reuse the buildings and property. Procurement is another subject that needs to be investigated on, who gives the authrization for buying and contracting out? Is this the buddy system. I know this is old news but it still hasn't change we still have expensive tiolets that are broken. Well, I am tired of venting and it won't solve our woes but I PROMISE NOT ONE PERSON IN THE HOUSE, SENATE, CONGRESS,OR PRESIDENT wil receive my vote. NEWCOMERS don't make promises you as one individual can not keep. GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES

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