Lisa Rein writes the White House default plan seeks to circumvent a legal trigger that would instantly raise federal salaries by 34 percent.
However, it can still be reversed if Congress passes a law before Obamaâs Jan. 1 deadline.
â(Civilian federal employees) have already made significant sacrifices as a result of a three-year pay freeze,â Rein quoted Obamaâs letter to congressional leaders last week.
âAs our country continues to recover from serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare, however, we must maintain efforts to keep our nation on a sustainable fiscal course.â
The Post reported that union leaders welcomed Obamaâs gesture, saying they expect the move to go a long way in restoring the annual raise in government.