Free Republic

Everyone knows the Bush administration has presided over the largest expansion of federal government in a generation. What's less heralded is its concomitant drive to rationalize government by overhauling personnel management systems, especially when it comes to defense and homeland security. For one, President Bush wants to pay in-demand workers more than others — particularly when it comes to our soldiers. It's hard to imagine a more commonsensical policy than one which pays workers more for harder or more skilled work — or for more dangerous assignments. But lately, Congess has been acting to hinder just this policy and others....

ARLINGTON, Va. — Democrats and Republicans came together over the weekend to iron out their differences over the National Defense Authorization Bill, resulting in a $445.6 billion piece of legislation that will now go to President Bush for signing. The bill includes an across- the-board 3.5 percent pay raise for all men and women in uniform. And worried about servicemembers stretched thin by repeated deployments in Iraq and elsewhere, Congress also boosted the Army’s end strength by 20,000 and the Marine Corps’ by 3,000 by the end of October 2005, the end of the government’s fiscal year. Other key provisions...

Pay Raise Shows America's Commitment to Troops By Kathleen T. RhemAmerican Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2004 -- The 3.5 percent pay raise provided for in the 2005 Defense Appropriations Bill shows the U.S. government and the American people are committed to supporting their military forces, DoD's top personnel official said today. "It's a strong signal of the country's support for the men and women in uniform," David S. C. Chu, undersecretary for personnel and readiness, said during an interview with American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon Channel. This year's appropriations bill also brings to zero the...

The president's proposed fiscal 2005 budget boosts defense spending to continue the war on terror, providing another pay raise for troops and increasing homeland security spending. "We will devote the resources necessary to win the war on terror and protect our homeland," President Bush said Jan. 31 during his weekly radio address to the nation. With U.S. forces deployed worldwide in the fight against terrorism, Bush noted his proposed budget boosts defense spending by 7 percent, with money earmarked for equipment, ammunition and troop housing. "We'll keep our military strong and ready for every challenge that may come," the commander...

Military retirees to see pay increase 1/28/2004 - ARLINGTON, Va. (AFPN) -- An estimated 150,000 military retirees will see an increase in their pay Feb. 2. The National Defense Authorization Act, enacted in November, significantly modified a long-standing law preventing retirees from receiving full retired pay if they also received disability pay from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The new law allows concurrent receipt of military retired pay and VA disability pay for retirees with more than 20 years of service and a disability rating of 50 percent or more. This restored pay will be phased in over a 10-year period that began...

Arlington School Board members last Thursday approved a 62-percent pay increase for themselves, their first pay increase in four years but one which runs more than double the amount teachers have received over the same period. The 4-1 vote makes Arlington School Board members the highest-paid school board in the commonwealth, although the school district is not one of the largest. Arlington board members, who oversee the education of 19,000 students, will now be paid more than their counterparts in Fairfax County, with 150,000 students. “This is reasonable compensation,” said board member Elaine Furlow, who voted in favor of the...

Despite a guaranteed job for life, free parking, and cool uniforms, federal judges are still whining about making less than, say, your average Michael Jackson superlawyer. The Supreme Court's chief justice, William Rehnquist, thought he had a deal late last year when Senate leaders and the White House warmed to a plan to "delink" judicial pay from the minimal annual congressional pay raise and get guaranteed yearly increases on top of their base $142,300-$198,600 salaries. He even thought he'd locked down an immediate hike of an average $25,000. But that was before his pay-plea team met with House Speaker Dennis...

Bush sets 2004 pay raise at 2 percent President Bush on Dec. 30 ordered a 2 percent 2004 pay raise for civil servants, but government workers may eventually receive a significantly higher raise if lawmakers approve the pending fiscal 2004 omnibus budget bill. In an executive order issued on Dec. 30, Bush called for a 1.5 percent across-the-board raise for civilian white-collar federal employees and a 0.5 percent increase in locality-based pay. Lawmakers would like to grant civil servants the same raise as uniformed military service members, but Bush has said that such an increase would be too costly...

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is sending President Bush a $401.3 billion defense bill that provides greater compensation for soldiers past and present. Most Democrats joined Republicans in the 95-3 vote Wednesday for the bill authorizing 2004 defense programs, despite their objections to provisions giving the Pentagon more control over its civilian work force and easing environmental restrictions. The Pentagon sought changes in how the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act applies to the military, arguing that existing rules impede training exercises. Democrats say the changes could endanger the environment. "We are spending such (an inordinate) amount...