Bush to Seek 25% Pay Hike for U.S. Judges

President Bush plans to propose a 25% pay raise for federal judges and is considering comparable raises for a small number of highly skilled federal workers, senior Administration officials said Tuesday.

The Bush pay proposal, expected to be announced by next week, is the subject of an Administration debate over which federal employees other than judges should be included and whether the salary recommendations should be part of, or separate from, a package of proposals on ethics that Bush soon will send to Congress.

An official said the Administration wants to limit immediate, nonjudicial pay raises to employees whose skills are so specialized and in demand in the private sector that the government is at “immediate risk” of not being able to perform some functions because of a lack of skilled personnel.