The Nation - News from Aug. 3, 1989

The Senate passed far-reaching legislation that would exempt up to 10% of federal workers from the Civil Service uniform pay scale and allow the Defense and Energy departments to pay 525 scientists and engineers as much as $134,250 a year. That level of compensation exceeds the $89,500 paid to members of Congress and Vice President Dan Quayle’s $115,000 salary. The legislation includes limited exceptions to laws that prevent retired military officers from “double-dipping” and block Energy Department employees from going through the “revolving door” to work for private firms on the contracts they helped manage for the government. Double-dipping is the practice, mainly restricted, of simultaneously receiving a military pension and a full salary from government employment in a civilian post, for total government yearly pay of more than $75,500.