WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush signed an executive order Thursday raising pay for government employees by an average of 2.2 percent, the White House said.
The raise applies to a broad array of federal employees in the 1.8 million-strong work force, including the vice president, U.S. Supreme Court justices and federal judges, the executive order said.
The president did not receive a raise.
Congress raised federal pay earlier in the year, but the executive order was necessary to implement the raise.
Members of the U.S. military also will see their pay increase an average 2.2 percent, but the pay raise for federal employees is the lowest annual salary increase in 18 years, The Washington Post reported.
The raise for federal employees in the Washington area was slightly higher than the average.
Members of the House and Senate will get a raise, but that measure has been put on hold until February 16 as the Democrats attempt to first pass a minimum-wage increase.
