The House of Representatives has approved legislation that would increase the military’s pay by 1.8 percent in 2014, Govexec reported Wednesday.
Kellie Lunney writes that Congress voted 315-109 on July 24 in favor of the 2014 Defense Appropriations Act that would base the militaryâs salary hike on the Bureau of Labor Statistics‘ employment cost index and on private sector wages.
Rep. Doug Lamborn told Govexec the measure marks the first step in reforming the defense budget and restoring civilian defense workersâ compensation.
The spending bill seeks to prohibit civilian furloughs in fiscal 2014, according to the report.
One of the amendments to the legislation is meant to prevent the Defense Department from using any funds to implement unpaid leave on civilian defense employees and aims to protect workers who are paid through capital funds, Govexec reports.