Lois Capps votes to Raise Pay for Government Workers

Lois Capps is a Democrat that represents California District 24, and she is our representative in the House of Representatives. She does not appear to be aware that we are in a recession, and that our government spending is out of control. She voted to raise her pay, and the pay of all federal workers, adding $10B to the deficit. How could she be so clueless to the issues that face our nation.

On December 27, 2013, the President issued Executive Order #13635 that provides an across the board pay adjustment  for federal civilian employees.  The executive order was issued in anticipation of the expiration of the current freeze contained in H.J.Res. 117, the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013, which will expire on March 27, 2013.^[i   Because of the way federal pay adjustments are calculated, the executive order triggered an automatic pay adjustment for Members of Congress in addition to federal employees and officials.^[ii]  In response to its scheduled pay adjustment, Congress continued its freeze at 2009 levels through FY 2013 in H.R. 8, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. ^[iii]

Over the last decade, the average federal civilian salary has increased by 62 percent – from $51,518 to $83,679.^[iv]  At the same time, the average private sector salary reached $51,986 in 2010.^[v]   When benefits are factored in, total compensation packages for federal employees top $126,141 compared to $62,757 in the private sector.^[vi]  The President’s announcement, which will cost taxpayers more than $10 billion over ten years, comes at a time when automatic spending cuts are scheduled to go into effect on March 1, 2013.  It is also worth noting that the President is expected to include a 1.0 percent pay adjustment in his FY 2014 budget and union leaders have called on the President to increase that percentage.^[vii]