Federal Daily - February 5, 2008

Bush Budget Proposes 2.9 Percent Civilian Raise, Funds for New Hires

President Bush’s $3 trillion budget plan for Fiscal Year 2009 proposes a 2.9 percent pay raise for federal civilian employees and a 3.4 percent increase for military servicemembers. The budget also would provide funding to add diplomatic staff at the State Department, and set aside funds to increase the size of the active military, according to budget documents released Feb. 4. In reaction to the proposed raises, National Treasury Employees Union President Colleen Kelley said the 2.9 percent civilian wage hike would “accelerate sharply the loss of skilled, experienced and dedicated employees from a wide range of federal agencies in coming years.” Kelly called for a raise of 3.9 percent next year for both civilian employees and members of the military. Such an increase, she said, would reflect the formula used in recent years—the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Cost Index (3.4 percent), plus one-half of one percent. Also proposed in the budget are funds to grow the State Department’s diplomatic work force by 1,100 positions to address staffing shortages at missions overseas; and $20.5 billion to continue efforts to increase the size of the active Army to 547,400 and the Marine Corps to 202,000. The budget blueprint, which must be approved by Congress, also improves housing for retired veterans, reserving $76 million for major dormitory renovation at the Washington Armed Forces Retirement Home and the rebuilding of the Gulfport Home in Mississippi. To see more, go to: www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2009.

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Senate Panel OKs 29 Percent Pay Raise for Federal Judges

The Senate Judiciary Committee last week adopted a measure that would increase pay for federal judges by 29 percent, the first significant pay raise for the federal judiciary in almost two decades. The Federal Judicial Salary Restoration Act, sponsored by Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy D-Vt., would also limit reimbursements by private entities to $2,000 per trip, or $20,000 per year, for attendance at judicial conferences, educational forums and similar events. Another amendment was adopted that prohibits judges and justices from receiving gifts of private club memberships valued at more than $50 and increases the transparency of gifts that judges and justices receive. Leahy noted that the pay rate for federal judges—when adjusted for inflation—has declined by 25 percent since 1969, while salaries in the private sector have soared. A similar measure late last year passed the House. “Salaries for federal judges have been in steady decline for decades,” said Leahy.  To see more, go to: http://leahy.senate.gov/press/200802/020108.html.

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VA Approves Travel Reimbursement Increase

Bowing to congressional pressure, Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) James Peake approved a 159 percent increase in the amount disabled veterans are reimbursed for traveling to VA hospitals to receive care. The increase—to 28.5 cents per mile, up from 11 cents—went into effect on Feb. 1. By contrast, federal employees are currently reimbursed at 48.5 cents per mile when using their personal vehicles for work. Language to approve the veterans’ increase was adopted by the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and funded—up to $125 million—in the Fiscal Year 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act, HR 2764. However, the increase could not go into effect until Peake announced it, lawmakers noted last month. About 1 million veterans will see their reimbursements increase, Peake said. “This increase helps veterans—especially those living in rural areas—offset some of the gasoline costs as they travel to VA’s world-class health care,” said. Peake. While increasing the payment, the VA, as mandated by law, also equally increased the deductible amounts applied to certain mileage reimbursements.  The new deductibles are $7.77 for a one way trip and $15.54 for a round trip, with a maximum of $46.62 per calendar month, VA said in a statement.

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