WASHINGTON – The House on Wednesday voted to freeze the wages of federal workers for a third straight year and put members of Congress on record as opposing a boost in their $174,000 annual salaries.
Republican supporters said their measure, which would freeze federal worker wages through 2013, would save taxpayers $26 billion. It would not apply to military personnel.
The 2.3 million federal civilian workers are in the second year of a wage freeze imposed as part of efforts to trim budget deficits.
Republicans also have sought to have federal workers contribute more toward pensions to help pay for legislation, now being negotiated between the House and Senate, to extend a payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits to the end of 2012.
Most Democrats in the House opposed the measure, saying deficit reduction should not be carried out on the backs of federal workers.
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