The House voted late Monday to freeze the salaries of lawmakers and nearly 2 million federal government employees for the rest of fiscal year 2013, the Washington Post reports.
Ed O’Keefe writes the bill, passed 287-to-129 as part of the fiscal cliff compromise, blocks a half-percent cost-of-living pay increase for lawmakers and extends a pay freeze that was scheduled to expire in March under a continuing resolution.
Federal workers have not received a cost-of-living increase in three years, according to O’Keefe.
According to Federal News Radio, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said federal employees have already contributed nearly $90 billion toward reducing the federal deficit through cuts to pay and benefits.
Hoyer also said newly hired employees after Jan. 1 will have their pay decreased by 2.3 percent.
Federal Employees have sacrificed all we can. We have done our part. Please lift this freeze in Jesus name.