In the News

Today, Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) introduced H.R. 790, the Federal Civilian Workforce Pay Raise Fairness Act of 2019, which would bring the 2019 pay increase for civilian federal employees in line with the raise given to members of the military. Currently, under President Trump’s outrageous pay freeze, civilian employees will see no increase in pay, while members of the military received an increase of 2.6 percent for calendar year 2019.

“Federal employees have dedicated their lives and careers in service to the American people,” said Congressman Connolly. “Yet far too often their sacrifice and dedication go unappreciated, met instead with insult and vitriol from the Oval Office. We must provide the entire federal workforce with a pay increase worthy of their selfless commitment to the betterment of the American public. The Federal Civilian Workforce Pay Raise Fairness Act reaffirms our conviction that public servants – civilian and military alike – deserve better than the shutdowns, furloughs, and pay freezes forced upon them by the Trump administration.”

"For the past 35 days, President Trump and Congressional Republicans have held federal employees and the American people they serve hostage,” said Leader Hoyer. “This government shutdown is the latest in the long list of attacks on our hardworking federal civilian workforce. President Trump must reopen the government now and ensure our civil servants receive the pay they are due. The Federal Civilian Workforce Pay Raise Fairness Act is an important step in treating federal employees with the respect they deserve and compensating them for the financial stress the Trump-McConnell shutdown has inflicted on them."

The legislation is cosponsored by Representatives Elijah Cummings (D-MD), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Don Beyer (D-VA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), Anthony Brown (D-MD), David Trone (D-MD), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).

Full text of the legislation can be found here.