Returning members of Congress, Vice President Joe Biden and federal workers receive an early New Year’s gift as President Barack Obama signed an executive order issuing pay raises for all of those mentioned. The order was signed this past Thursday and it ends a years-long pay freeze for all those involved.
Federal employees are going to see a half-percent to one percent pay raise beginning on March 27, 2013. A pay freeze for federal workers had been in place since the end of 2010. Congress has not been issued a pay raise since 2009.
The executive order states that Biden’s pay will climb from $225,521 to $231,900 per year prior to taxes. John Boehner, the Republican House Speaker from Ohio, is going to have his pay increased to $224,500. Harry Reid, the Democratic Senate Majority Leader from Nevada, will see his pay increase to $194,400.
The order did not mention merit for the raise, which is interesting, since this is the most unproductive Congress since the decade of the 1940s. This current Congress, the 112th, had just 219 bills pass into law. The new pay raises will not take effect until the 113th Congress takes office. Outgoing members of Congress will not see any pay raises. These pay raises were issued by Obama as he continues to negotiate possible fiscal cliff deals as the end of the year approaches.