[House Document 114-185]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]





                                     

114th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - House Document 114-185
 
 AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN FOR PAY INCREASES FOR CIVILIAN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES 
                    COVERED BY THE GENERAL SCHEDULE

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                     THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

 AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN FOR PAY INCREASES FOR CIVILIAN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES 
   COVERED BY THE GENERAL SCHEDULE AND CERTAIN OTHER PAY SYSTEMS IN 
JANUARY 2017, PURSUANT TO 5 U.S.C. 5304a(a); PUBLIC LAW 101-509, TITLE 
                  I, SEC. 101(a)(1); (104 STAT. 1436)

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  November 30, 2016.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the 
 Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and ordered to be printed
 
                                  ______

                         U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 

69-011                         WASHINGTON : 2016  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
To the Congress of the United States:
    I am transmitting an alternative plan for pay increases for 
civilian Federal employees covered by the General Schedule and 
certain other pay systems in January 2017. Title 5, United 
States Code, authorizes me to implement alternative pay plans 
for pay increases for civilian Federal employees covered by the 
General Schedule and certain other pay systems if, because of 
``national emergency or serious economic conditions affecting 
the general welfare,'' I view the adjustments that would 
otherwise take effect as inappropriate.
    Civilian Federal employees made significant sacrifices as a 
result of the 3-year pay freeze that ended in January 2014. 
Since the pay freeze ended, annual adjustments for civilian 
Federal employees have also been lower than private sector pay 
increases and statutory formulas for adjustments to the General 
Schedule for 2014 through 2016. However, we must maintain 
efforts to keep our Nation on a sustainable fiscal course. This 
is an effort that continues to require tough choices under 
current economic conditions.
    Under current law, locality pay increases averaging 28.49 
percent and costing $26 billion would go into effect in January 
2017. Federal agency budgets cannot sustain such increases. In 
my August 31, 2016, alternative pay plan submission, I noted 
that the alternative plan for locality payments will be limited 
so that the total combined cost of the 1.0 percent across-the-
board base pay increase and the varying locality pay increases 
will be 1.6 percent of basic payroll, consistent with the 
assumption in my 2017 Budget. Accordingly, I have determined 
that under the authority of section 5304a of title 5, United 
States Code, locality-based comparability payments for the 
locality pay areas established by the President's Pay Agent, in 
the amounts set forth in the attached table, shall become 
effective on the first day of the first applicable pay period 
beginning on or after January 1, 2017.
    The locality-based comparability payments for the locality 
pay rates in the attached table are based on an allocation of 
0.6 percent of payroll as indicated in my August 31, 2016, 
alternative pay plan for adjustments to the base General 
Schedule. These decisions will not materially affect our 
ability to attract and retain a well-qualified Federal 
workforce.

                                                      Barack Obama.
    The White House, November 29, 2016.
    
    
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