WASHINGTON, May 12 (UPI) -- The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a bill containing a 2.7 percent pay raise for military personnel in 2007.
However, the vote on Thursday evening has set the stage for a civilian-military pay parity battle, GovExec.com reported Friday.
The pay hike was included in the fiscal 2007 National Defense Authorization Act, H.R. 5122, that passed the House by a vote of 396-31. President George W. Bush's budget sought a 2.2 percent raise for both civilian employees and military personnel, marking the first time he proposed an equal pay hike for both groups.
But the House Armed Services Committee approved an increase in the military raise. Federal employee advocates immediately began the call for parity for civilians. Among them was House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md.
"As in past years, I will lead the effort this year to ensure pay parity for federal civilian employees," Hoyer said in a statement. "The Appropriations Committee will begin their work next month, and I will use my position on that committee to work with its members to provide a fair pay adjustment for federal employees in recognition of their contributions to our country."
National Treasury Employees Union president Colleen Kelley called for pay parity following Thursday's vote.
"The 2.2 percent raise proposed in the president's budget falls far short of the rate of inflation and minimizes the contributions of those who serve the public, whether as members of the military or as part of the federal civilian workforce," Kelley said in a statement. "The military clearly deserves a larger increase, as [does] government's civilian workforce."
In a policy statement published Thursday, the White House reiterated its case for a 2.2 percent raise and said it strongly opposes the 0.5 percent bump for the military, GovExec.com said.
