Bush Implements Big Federal Pay Hike

President Bush on Tuesday signed an executive order carrying out legislation raising top government salaries by up to 35% and giving all federal workers a 3.6% cost-of-living pay increase.

The order, signed by Bush at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Md., follows his signature earlier this month on a pay raise and ethics bill.

The measure will raise top government salaries by up to 35% over the next 13 months, with House salaries jumping from the current $89,500 to $96,600 in 1990 and more than $120,000 in 1991, plus a cost-of-living adjustment.

But, by then, the 435 members of the House will be barred from accepting honorariums, which generally consist of fees for making speeches.

Senate salaries would climb in 1990 from $89,500 to $98,400. But senators balked at giving up their honorariums. The new law does not bar speaking fees for senators, but they do not get the big jump in salaries in 1991 that the House gets.

Senators may keep $26,900 in honorariums, compared to $35,800 presently.

Federal judges and top executive branch officials get an immediate 4.1% raise and 3.6%, compounded on that, on Jan. 1, 1990, to make up for two years of going without a cost-of-living adjustment.

House employees and high federal executive and judicial officials also will be barred from accepting speech fees, beginning in 1991.

Under the legislation and the executive order signed by Bush, top-level members of the executive service, who now earn a maximum of $99,500, will earn $107,300.