[House Document 116-97]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




116th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - House Document 116-97
 
 PAY ADJUSTMENTS FOR CIVILIAN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES COVERED BY THE GENERAL 
                 SCHEDULE AND CERTAIN OTHER PAY SYSTEMS

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                       THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

 PAY ADJUSTMENTS FOR CIVILIAN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES COVERED BY THE GENERAL 
 SCHEDULE AND CERTAIN OTHER PAY SYSTEMS IN JANUARY 2021, PURSUANT TO 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]







  February 10, 2020.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the 
      Committee on Oversight and Reform and ordered to be printed
                                     __________
      
                         U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
                            
99-011                     WASHINGTON : 2020 
















      
To the Congress of the United States:
    I am transmitting an alternative plan for pay adjustments 
for civilian Federal employees covered by the General Schedule 
and certain other pay systems in January 2021.
    Title 5, United States Code, authorizes me to implement 
alternative plans for pay adjustments 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 
increases that would otherwise take effect as inappropriate.
    Under current law, locality pay increases averaging 20.67 
percent, costing $21 billion in the first year alone, would go 
into effect in January 2021, in addition to a 2.5 percent 
across-the-board increase for the base General Schedule.
    We must maintain efforts to put our Nation on a fiscally 
sustainable course; Federal agency budgets cannot sustain such 
increases. Accordingly, I have determined that it is 
appropriate to exercise my authority to set alternative pay 
adjustments for 2021 pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5303(b) and 5 U.S.C. 
5304a.
    Specifically, I have determined that for 2021 the across-
the-board base pay increase will be limited to 1.0 percent and 
locality pay percentages will remain at their 2020 levels. This 
alternative pay plan decision will not materially affect our 
ability to attract and retain a well-qualified Federal 
workforce.
    As noted in my Budget for Fiscal Year 2021, our pay system 
must reform to align with mission-critical recruitment and 
retention goals, and to reward employees whose performance 
provides value for the American people. For this purpose, my 
Budget further directs agencies to increase awards spending in 
FY 2021 by an amount equal to no less than 1 percent of total 
salary spending. My Administration will continue to support 
reforms that advance these aims.
    The adjustment described above shall take effect on the 
first day of the first applicable pay period beginning on or 
after January 1, 2021.
                                                   Donald J. Trump.
    The White House, February 10, 2020.

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