[House Document 115-63]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




115th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - House Document 115-63
 
 AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN FOR PAY INCREASES FOR CIVILIAN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES 
                    COVERED BY THE GENERAL SCHEDULE

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  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 2018, PURSUANT TO 5 U.S.C. 5303(b)(1)(A); PUBLIC LAW 89-554, 
 SEC. 5303(b)(1)(A) (AS AMENDED BY PUBLIC LAW 101-509, SEC. 529); (104 
  STAT 1430) AND 5 U.S.C. 5304a(a); PUBLIC LAW 101-509, TITLE I, SEC. 
                      101(a)(1); (104 STAT. 1436)

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


    September 1, 2017.--Referred to the Committee on Oversight and 
              Government Reform and ordered to be printed
                                   ______

                         U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 

69-011                         WASHINGTON : 2017 
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
                                           The White House,
                                       Washington, August 31, 2017.
Hon. Paul D. Ryan,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Speaker: 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 2018.
    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.
    Pay adjustments for civilian Federal employees have been 
lower in recent years than increases that would have taken 
effect under the statutory formula for adjustments to the base 
General Schedule. However, we must maintain efforts to put our 
Nation on a sustainable fiscal course.
    Under current law, in addition to a 1.9 percent across-the-
board increase for the base General Schedule, locality pay 
increases averaging 26.16 percent and costing $26 billion would 
go into effect in January 2018. A pay increase of this 
magnitude is not warranted, and Federal agency budgets could 
not accommodate such an increase while still maintaining 
support for key Federal priorities such as those that advance 
the safety and security of the American people. Accordingly, I 
have determined that it is appropriate to exercise my statutory 
alternative plan authority under 5 U.S.C. 5303(b) and 5304a to 
set alternative January 2018 across-the-board and locality pay 
adjustments. Specifically, I have determined that for 2018, 
across-the-board pay increases will be 1.4 percent and locality 
pay increases will average 0.5 percent, resulting in an overall 
average increase of 1.9 percent for civilian Federal employees. 
I will specify locality pay percentages for each locality pay 
area by Executive Order before the first pay period in January 
2018. These decisions will not materially affect our ability to 
attract and retain a well-qualified Federal workforce.
    The adjustments described above shall take effect on the 
first applicable pay period beginning on or after January 1, 
2018.
            Sincerely,
                                                   Donald J. Trump.

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