Obama Stands Firm on Pay Raise

Alyssa Rosenberg writes at Government Executive that President Obama will use his authority to set a 2 percent pay raise for federal employees in 2010, citing the economic crisis and the ballooning federal budget. Members of the military are slated to receive a 3.4 percent raise if congressional appropriators follow the guidelines in the 2010 Defense authorization act, or a 2.9 percent boost if Congress sticks to President Obama's February recommendation.