Senate approves fed employee pay freeze

The Senate approved a continuing resolution today to fund the government through March 4 that includes a two-year pay freeze for all civilian federal employees. The House is expected to vote on the measure before the current resolution expires at midnight tonight.

The Senate voted 79-16 to approve the legislation (H.R. 3082).  Update: President Obama signed the bill into law on Dec. 22.

Related stories:

DOE freezes contractor employees' pay

After the spending bill: What now?

The Senate resolution would provide funding at a rate of approximately $1.16 billion above the fiscal 2010 level, according to a summary prepared by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The Senate legislation would also freeze federal employee pay for two calendar years starting in 2011, as proposed by the White House.

The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) and other labor groups have opposed the freeze, saying it unfairly targets federal workers, and expressed their disappointment in the Senate vote.

“Clearly, these are tough economic times and federal employees stand ready to do their part, but canceling a modest 1.4 percent pay raise this year and a projected 1.1 percent pay raise next year because of deficit concerns rings particularly hollow in light of the recent tax compromise between the administration and congressional Republicans that will give hundreds of billions of dollars to America’s wealthiest families,” NTEU President Colleen Kelley said in a statement.