6/6/07: Late yesterday the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government of the House Appropriations Committee approved a number of NTEU’s priority legislative issues. While specific language will not be available until the full Appropriations Committee takes up the measure next week, the subcommittee took the following action.

First, a federal employee pay raise of 3.5 percent for 2008 was approved. This amount is one half percent higher than the President recommended and is equal to the 2008 military pay raise approved by the House and reported in the Senate. NTEU has advocated for pay parity between the military and federal civilian workforce for many years. This 3.5 percent raise for federal employees will help begin to close the pay gap with the private sector and enable federal agencies to compete for the talented and dedicated employees they need.

Second, the subcommittee capped the IRS’s ill-conceived private tax collection program at $1 million, which will effectively end the program. NTEU is pleased with this development because, as NTEU President Colleen Kelley has repeatedly testified, tax collection is an inherently governmental responsibility and should remain with the IRS.

Third, the subcommittee approved language to level the playing field in contracting out competitions at other federal agencies. Employees should be given the opportunities to submit bids for work for which they are qualified and can efficiently perform without facing the unfair obstacles that currently exist.

NTEU will continue to fight for these critical provisions when the full House Committee on Appropriations takes up its Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill for FY 2008 next week.