For Immediate Release

April 2, 2004

HOUSE PASSES PAY PARITY  RESOLUTION

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rejecting a Bush Administration budget proposal, the House of Representatives has signaled its intent to provide equivalent pay increases to civilian federal employees as well as U.S. military personnel, U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks said. 

            By an overwhelming vote (299-to-126), the House approved a resolution (H.Res.581) calling for “pay parity” in order to maintain the purchasing power of federal civilian employees, even though the Administration’s budget for the next fiscal year recommended lower compensation increases for civilian workers than for the military, he said. 

            “We have tried each year to keep our commitment to the civilian workforce, and even though the budget limitations will be severe this year, I am pleased that there was bipartisan agreement in the House for pay parity this year,” Rep. Dicks said.  He noted that all of Washington State ’s nine Members of Congress supported the measure on Mar. 31.   

            The next step forward, Rep. Dicks said, is House and Senate passage of an appropriations bill containing the equal pay measure, after which it must be signed by the President.   “With large margins in both houses it would be unwise for the President to remain opposed to pay parity and to veto the appropriations act,” Rep. Dicks added.

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