U.S. House Passes Bill to Extend Pay Freeze

Congressman Fred Upton is voting to extend the current freeze on federal employee pay through year's end. In late December, President Obama issued an Executive Order that provides for an across the board half-percent pay increase for all federal civilian employees, regardless of merit, beginning when the current freeze expires on March 27. According to the Congressional Budget Office, extending the freeze would save taxpayers approximately $11-billion during the next decade. H.R. 273 passed the House 261-154 and soon heads to the Senate. The bill would further extend the freeze on congressional salaries for three months, through the remainder of the 2013 calendar year.