[House Document 116-59]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




116th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 116-59

 
AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN FOR PAY ADJUSTMENTS FOR CIVILIAN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES 
   COVERED BY THE GENERAL SCHEDULE AND CERTAIN OTHER PAY SYSTEMS IN 
                              JANUARY 2020

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                 FROM

                 THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                             TRANSMITTING


AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN FOR PAY ADJUSTMENTS FOR CIVILIAN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES 
   COVERED BY THE GENERAL SCHEDULE AND CERTAIN OTHER PAY SYSTEMS IN 
JANUARY 2020, PURSUANT TO 5 U.S.C. 5304a(a); PUBLIC LAW 101-509, TITLE 
                  I, SEC. 101(a)(1); (104 STAT. 1436)
                  
                  

            [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


 September 3, 2019.--Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform 
                       and ordered to be printed
                       
                       
                       
                                 ________
                       
                   U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
                
89-011                     WASHINGTON: 2019
                       
                       
                       
                       
                                           The White House,
                                       Washington, August 30, 2019.
                                       
Hon. Nancy Pelosi,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.

    Dear Madam Speaker: I am transmitting an alternative plan 
for pay adjustments for civilian Federal employees covered by 
the General Schedule and certain other pay systems in January 
2020.
    Title 5, United States Code, authorizes me to implement 
alternative plans for pay adjustments for civilian Federal 
employees covered by the General Schedule and certain other pay 
systems if, because of ``national emergency or serious economic 
conditions affecting the general welfare,'' I view the 
increases that would otherwise take effect as inappropriate.
    Under current law, locality pay increases averaging 24.01 
percent, costing $24 billion in the first year alone, would go 
into effect in January 2020, in addition to a 2.6 percent 
across-the-board increase for the base General Schedule.
    We must maintain efforts to put our Nation on a fiscally 
sustainable course; Federal agency budgets cannot sustain such 
massive increases in locality pay. Accordingly, I have 
determined that it is appropriate to exercise my authority to 
set alternative locality pay adjustments for 2020 pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 5304a.
    Specifically, I have determined that for 2020--while 
across-the-board base pay will increase by 2.6 percent, as 
prescribed under 5 U.S.C. 5303a--the locality pay percentages 
shown in Schedule 9 of Executive Order 13866 of March 28, 2019, 
will remain at their 2019 levels. This alternative pay plan 
decision will not materially affect our ability to attract and 
retain a well-qualified Federal workforce.
    As noted in my Budget for Fiscal Year 2020, our pay system 
must reform to align with mission-critical recruitment and 
retention goals, and to reward employees whose performance 
provides value for the American people. My Administration will 
continue to support reforms that advance these aims.
    The adjustment described above shall take effect on the 
first day of the first applicable pay period beginning on or 
after January 1, 2020.

            Sincerely,
                                                   Donald J. Trump.