House of Representatives Passes Six Government Funding Bills, Allows 4.6% Federal Pay Increase, and Support for VA Health Services
This week, as the House considered legislative package of six appropriations bills for fiscal year 2023, IFPTE requested Representatives vote for the legislation. The bill passed by a vote of 220 to 207 and supports President Biden’s recommendation of a 4.6% federal employee pay increase.
The legislative package, sometimes referred to as a “minibus,” included over $400 billion the following appropriations bills: Transportation, Housing and Urban Development; Agriculture and Rural Development; Energy and Water Development; Financial Services and General Government; Interior and Environment; and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs.
IFPTE told legislators by citing the robust funding level for government services and programs, including:
77.6 billion to fully fund Highway Trust Fund programs included in last year’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation
$2.3 billion to the President’s budget request for the Army Corps of Engineers, increasing investigations, construction, operations and maintenance and the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund accounts over the previous fiscal year.
$48 billion for the Department of Energy, which is $3.3 billion over the previous enacted level, this minibus increases funding for energy efficiency, advanced research and innovation, and programs supporting domestic manufacturing necessary for a clean energy transition.
The Financial Services and General Government title of the minibus defers to President Biden’s proposed 4.6% pay increase for federal employees. IFPTE reminded lawmakers that the union has requested at least a 5.1% increase “in response to federal employee pay not keeping up with private sector pay and in recognition of the sacrifices that federal employees have made over the last decade of paltry pay increases.” However, a “4.6% increase will at least help federal employees from falling behind as high inflation continues.”
The minibus also includes a bipartisan amendments to limit funds for the misguided VA Asset and Infrastructure Review (AIR) Commission , which utilizes flawed data and an unaccountable process to review VA facilities for closure and opening the door for expensive and less effective care under privatized VA services.
The House has six remaining appropriations bill to pass and the Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to release the texts of all funding bills in the upcoming week.