[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 172 (Monday, November 30, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S8191]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE

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 REPORT RELATIVE TO AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN FOR PAY INCREASES FOR CIVILIAN 
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES COVERED BY THE GENERAL SCHEDULE AND CERTAIN OTHER PAY 
                     SYSTEMS IN JANUARY 2016--PM 33

  The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message 
from the President of the United States, together with an accompanying 
report; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs:

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 2016.
  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 have already made significant sacrifices 
as a result of 3-year pay freeze that ended in January 2014. In January 
2014 and again in January 2015, increases for civilian Federal 
employees were limited to a 1.0 percent overall pay increase, an amount 
lower than the private sector pay increases and statutory formula for 
adjustments to the base General Schedule for 2014 and 2015. However, as 
the country's economic recovery continues, 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 law, locality pay increases averaging 28.74 percent and 
costing $26 billion would go into effect in January 2016. Federal 
agency budgets cannot sustain such increases. 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, 2016. 
These rates are based on an allocation of 0.3 percent of payroll as 
indicated in my August 28, 2015, 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.
  The adjustments described above shall take effect on the first 
applicable pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2016.
                                                        Barack Obama.  
The White House, November 30, 2015.

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