Salary Linkage: Members of Congress and Certain Federal Executive and Judicial Officials

^Pr^ep^ar^{ed f}^o^r^M^e^m^b^ers^an^d^Com^mⁱ^t^t^ees^of^C^ong^r^e^ss

The salaries of Members of Congress, certain high-level federal officials (those paid at Level II of
the Executive Schedule (EX)), and certain federal justices and judges generally have been in
parity for many years. The Ethics Reform Act of 1989 provides for annual pay adjustments to be
established for the Members, the Vice President, federal officials paid under the EX Schedule,
and federal justices and judges. The act also requires a Citizens’ Commission on Public Service
and Compensation and the President to recommend salaries in parity for these federal government
positions. The commission has never been activated, and, thus, such recommendations have never ^th
been made. Legislation currently pending in the 110 Congress would provide pay increases of

28.7%-28.8% (S. 1638, as reported, amended, and H.R. 3753, as ordered to be reported,

amended), and 16.5% (S. 2353, as introduced) over January 2008 salaries to justices and judges.
S.Con.Res. 70, the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY2009, as agreed to by the House
and Senate, includes a provision at Section 229 on a deficit-neutral reserve fund for judicial pay.
This report will be updated as events dictate.

he salaries of Members of Congress and certain high-level federal officials (those paid at
EX Level II) generally have been in parity since the Executive Schedule was established in ¹

1964. The Member salaries were in parity with those of district judges from 1955 to 1969 T

and have been again since 1987. During the period 1969 to 1987, Member pay was often in parity
with the pay of federal appellate judges. There is no constitutional or statutory requirement (other
than the provision of law establishing the commission procedure discussed below) that the
salaries of federal executive branch officials and federal justices and judges be limited by the
salaries of Members of Congress, or that Member pay be limited by the salaries of these federal ²
executive and judicial officials. The Ethics Reform Act of 1989 includes two provisions under
which pay rates for Members, the Vice President, federal officials paid under the EX, and certain
federal justices and judges can be set. The first of these provisions provides for a quadrennial
review of the salaries of federal officials by a Citizens’ Commission on Public Service and ³
Compensation. The commission is to make recommendations to the President. The law requires
the commission and the President to submit recommendations to Congress providing that the
salaries of the
• Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Vice President of the United States,
and the Chief Justice of the United States shall be equal;
• Majority and Minority Leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate,
the President pro tempore of the Senate, and Level I of the Executive Schedule
(Cabinet officers) shall be equal; and
• Senators, Members of the House of Representatives, the Resident Commissioner
from Puerto Rico, Delegates to the House, Judges of the U.S. District Courts,
Judges of the United States Court of International Trade, and Level II (Deputy
secretaries of departments, secretaries of military departments, and heads of ⁴
major agencies) of the Executive Schedule shall be equal.
Although the law establishes the salary parity stated above upon quadrennial review, it is unclear
what effect, if any, the provision has, since the commission has never been activated. The
commission was initially funded in the 1993 Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government ⁵
Appropriations Act, but that appropriation was rescinded in the 1994 act. A second provision in
the Ethics Reform Act establishes an annual salary adjustment procedure for the Members, the

¹^G^o^v^e^rⁿ^m^e^{nt E}^m^ploy^ee^s^Sa^la^r^y^R^e^f^o^r^m^A^c^{t of}^1964,^P.L^.⁸⁸^-⁴^26,^§3^03,^A^u^g^u^s^t¹⁴^{, 1}⁹⁶⁴^;⁷⁸^Sta^t^.⁴⁰⁰^{, a}^t⁴¹^6.
^Positi^ons^pa^id^un^de^{r the}^Ex^e^c^u^tiv^e^Sc^he^dule^a^r^e^liste^dⁱⁿ^the^Uⁿ^ite^{d St}^ate^s^C^o^de^a^t⁵^U^.^S.C^.^§⁵³¹²^t^h^r^o^ug^{h §}⁵³^{16 f}^o^r
^L^e^vel^s^{I t}^h^ro^u^{gh V,}^resp^ectⁱ^v^el^y^.^S^a^l^a^ri^{es f}^o^{r so}^{me h}ⁱ^gh^-l^evel^fed^e^ral^o^f^fⁱ^ci^al^{s i}ⁿ^t^h^{e l}^e^gi^sl^atⁱ^v^{e an}^d^j^u^dⁱ^ci^al^b^r^an^ch^es
^a^r^e^se^{t to c}^o^rre^spoⁿ^d^{to L}^e^v^e^{l II o}^f^the^EX^Sc^he^du^le^{. Fo}^{r e}^x^a^m^p^l^e,^sal^a^ri^es^f^o^{r t}^h^{e Co}^m^p^trolle^{r G}^e^ne^ra^{l of}^the^Unite^d
^Sta^t^e^s⁽^{31 U}^.^S.C^.^§7⁰³⁽^f⁾⁽¹⁾⁾^,^the^Lⁱ^br^a^r^ia^{n of}^C^ong^r^e^s^s⁽²^U^.^S.C^.^§^136a^-²⁽¹⁾⁾^{, the}^Pu^blic^P^rⁱⁿ^te^r⁽⁴⁴^U^.^S.C^.^§3⁰³⁾^,^the
^Directo^r^o^f^th^{e A}^d^mⁱⁿⁱ^strativ^{e O}^f^fⁱ^{ce o}^f^th^{e Un}^ited^{States Co}^u^r^{ts (salar}^y^o^f^{a d}ⁱ^{strict ju}^d^g^{e (L}^ev^{el II),}⁴¹^U^.^S.C.^§⁶⁰³^),
^a^{nd t}^h^e^Dⁱ^r^e^c^t^or^of^the^Fe^de^r^a^{l J}^u^dicⁱ^a^l^C^e^nte^r⁽²^{8 U}^.^S.C^.^§6²⁶⁾^a^r^e^s^e^{t in th}^is^m^a^nne^r^.
²^Se^e^C^R^S^R^e^por^{t R}^L³³²⁴⁵^,^L^e^gi^sl^a^tⁱ^ve,^E^xecu^tⁱ^ve,^an^{d Ju}^di^ci^a^l^Of^fⁱ^ci^a^l^{s: P}^r^o^{cess f}^o^{r A}^d^j^u^stⁱⁿ^g^P^a^y^aⁿ^d^Cu^rren^t
^Sal^ar^ie^s^{, by}^B^a^r^b^a^r^a^L^.^Sc^hw^em^l^e^{, a}^{nd C}^R^S^R^e^por^t^R^L³⁰⁰¹⁴^,^Sa^l^a^{ries o}^f^Memb^{ers o}^f^C^o^ng^{ress: Cu}^rren^t^Pro^cedu^r^es
^aⁿ^d^R^ecen^t^A^d^j^u^st^men^t^s^{, by}^P^a^ul^D^w^y^e^r⁽^a^v^a^ila^ble^f^r^o^m^C^R^S⁾^.
³^Ethic^s^R^e^f^o^r^m^A^c^{t of}^1989,^P.L^.¹⁰¹^-¹^94,^§7⁰¹⁽^a⁾^,^N^o^v^e^m^b^e^r^30,¹⁹⁸^9;¹⁰^{3 S}^t^a^t^{. 1}⁷¹⁶^{, a}^t¹⁷⁶³^{; 2}^U^.^S.C^.³⁵^1.
⁴^Ib^id^{., §}⁷⁰¹^(I);¹⁰³^{Stat. 1}⁷¹⁶^,^{at 1}⁷⁶⁶^;²^U.^{S.C. 3}⁶²^.
⁵^T^r^e^a^s^ur^y^,^P^o^s^t^a^l^Se^r^v^ic^e^,^aⁿ^d^G^e^ne^r^a^{l G}^o^v^e^rⁿ^m^e^{nt A}^ppr^opr^ia^tio^ns^A^c^{t, 1993}^,^P^.^L^.¹⁰^2-³^93,^O^c^tobe^r^6,¹⁹^92;¹⁰⁶
^Sta^t^{. 1}⁷²⁹^{, a}^t¹⁷⁴³^{, a}ⁿ^{d T}^r^e^a^s^ur^y^,^P^o^s^t^a^l^Se^r^v^ic^e^,^aⁿ^d^G^e^ne^r^a^l^G^ove^rⁿ^m^e^nt^A^ppr^opr^ia^tio^ns^A^c^{t, 199}^4,^P.L^.¹⁰^3-¹^23,
^Oc^tobe^{r 2}⁸^,¹⁹^93;¹⁰⁷^Sta^t^.¹²^26,^a^t¹²³⁹^{. T}^h^e^a^ppr^opria^ti^on^of^$2^50,⁰⁰^{0 w}^a^{s to re}^m^a^{in a}^v^a^ila^ble^uⁿ^til^Se^pte^m^be^{r 30,}
¹⁹⁹^4.

Vice President, federal officials paid under the EX, and federal justices and judges.⁶ The
adjustment is based on the percentage change in the wages and salaries (not seasonally adjusted)
for the private industry workers element of the Employment Cost Index (ECI), minus 0.5% ⁷
(December indicator). It becomes effective at the same time as, and at a rate no greater than, the
annual base pay rate adjustment for federal white-collar civilian employees under the General ⁸⁹
Schedule (GS). The adjustment cannot, however, be less than zero or greater than 5%. While
this provision of the Ethics Reform Act sets the rate of the judicial pay adjustment, a 1981 law
provides that any salary increase for justices and judges must be “specifically authorized by Act ¹⁰
of Congress hereafter enacted.” The Member pay raise becomes effective automatically unless
Congress statutorily denies an increase or revises the adjustment, or the annual base pay
adjustment for GS employees is established at a rate less than the scheduled increase for ¹¹
Members, in which case Members would be paid the lower rate. The pay adjustment for federal
officials paid under the EX also takes effect automatically unless Congress takes similar action.
Such congressional action has generally occurred during consideration of the appropriations bill
that funds the Department of the Treasury and General Government. Most recently, this occurred ^th
in the 105 Congress (1999) when Members voted to deny themselves and federal executive and ¹²¹³
judicial officials a pay adjustment. Similar action occurred in 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997.
There have been instances in which pay parity could have been, but was not, broken. In the 103^rd
Congress for example, the Representatives and Senators passed legislation to forgo their pay

⁶^Ethic^s^R^e^f^o^r^m^A^c^{t of}^1989,^P.L^.¹⁰¹^-¹^94,^§7⁰⁴^{, N}^o^v^e^m^b^e^r^30,¹⁹^89;¹⁰^{3 S}^t^a^t^{. 1}⁷¹⁶^{, a}^t¹⁷⁶⁹^{; 5}^U^.^S^.^C^.^§⁵³¹⁸^no^te^.
^T^h^e^law^am^e^nde^{d 2 U}^.^S.C^.^§³¹⁽²⁾^{, 3 U}^.^S.C^.^§1⁰⁴^{, 5}^U^.^S.C^.^§⁵³^18,^a^nd^{28 U}^.^S.C^.^§⁴⁶¹⁽^a⁾^.
⁷^T^h^{e t}^e^r^m^“b^{ase q}^u^a^rt^{er” mean}^{s t}^h^{e t}^h^ree-m^oⁿ^t^h^p^e^ri^od^en^diⁿ^g^on^Dece^m^b^{er 3}¹^o^f^{a year.}^T^h^{e E}^C^{I fo}^{r t}^h^e^l^a^st^b^a^se
^qua^rte^r^{is re}^d^u^c^e^d^by^the^{ECI f}^o^r^the^se^c^ond^to^la^{st ba}^se^q^u^a^r^te^{r, th}^e^re^sulting^dif^f^e^re^nc^e^{is div}ⁱ^de^{d b}^y^the^{ECI f}^o^{r the}
^s^e^c^{ond t}^o^la^s^t^ba^s^e^q^u^a^r^te^{r, a}ⁿ^{d t}^h^e^quo^tie^nt^is^m^u^ltiplie^d^by¹⁰⁰^.
⁸^Ibid^{. G}^o^v^e^rnm^e^{nt Ma}^na^g^e^m^e^{nt Re}^f^o^r^m^A^c^{t of}^1994,^P.L^.¹^03-³⁵^{6, T}^itle^I,^§1⁰¹⁽^{4), O}^c^to^be^{r 1}³^,¹⁹^94;¹⁰^{8 S}^t^a^t^{. 3}⁴¹⁰^,
^a^t³⁴^11.^Unde^r^{5 U.}^S.C.^§5³¹^8(a⁾^{, sa}^la^rie^s^a^r^e^roun^de^{d t}^o^t^h^e^ne^a^r^e^s^{t m}^u^ltiple^of^$1⁰⁰^{(or if}^mⁱ^dw^a^y^be^tw^e^eⁿ^m^u^ltiple^s
^of^$10^{0, t}^o^t^h^e^ne^x^t^hⁱ^g^h^e^r^m^u^ltip^le^of^$10^0).
⁹^A^r^{ticle III, Sectio}ⁿ¹^o^f^th^e^C^ons^tituti^on^of^the^Un^ite^d^State^s^pr^ovⁱ^d^e^s^tha^t^“^T^he^J^udg^e^s^{, b}^o^th^of^the^s^upr^e^m^e^a^nd
ⁱⁿ^f^e^ri^o^r^Co^u^r^t^s^,^sh^al^l^h^o^l^d^t^h^ei^{r O}^f^fⁱ^ce^{s d}^u^rⁱⁿ^{g goo}^d^Be^h^a^vi^o^u^r^,^aⁿ^d^sh^al^l^,^at^st^at^ed^Tⁱ^m^e^s,^re^cei^ve^fo^{r t}^h^ei^r^S^e^rvi^{ces a}
^C^o^m^p^eⁿ^s^a^{tion w}^h^ic^{h s}^h^a^ll^no^{t be}^dimⁱ^nis^h^e^d^d^u^rⁱ^ng^theⁱ^r^C^onti^nua^nc^e^{in O}^f^fⁱ^c^e^.^”^T^h^e^pay^a^d^jus^t^m^e^{nt s}^e^{t u}^nde^r^t^h^e
^Ethic^s^R^e^f^o^r^m^A^c^{t w}^{ould n}^o^{t a}^p^p^l^y^{to the}^e^x^te^{nt tha}^tⁱ^t^w^ould^r^e^du^c^e^the^s^a^la^r^y^of^aⁿ^y^indivⁱ^dua^{l w}^h^os^e^c^o^m^p^eⁿ^s^a^tion
^ma^yⁿ^o^t^b^e^dⁱ^mⁱⁿⁱ^sh^ed^uⁿ^d^e^{r A}^r^ti^{cle III, Sectio}ⁿ¹^.⁽²⁸^U.S^.^{C. §}⁴⁶¹^(b^).)
¹⁰^F^u^rt^h^e^{r Con}^tⁱⁿ^uⁱⁿ^g^A^p^p^r^o^p^rⁱ^a^tⁱ^on^{s f}^o^{r F}ⁱ^scal^{Year 1}⁹⁸²^,^P^.^L^.⁹⁷^-92^,^§1⁴⁰^,^Decem^b^e^{r 1}⁵^,¹⁹⁸¹^;⁹⁵^S^t^at^.¹¹⁸³^,^at
¹²⁰^0;²⁸^U^.^S.C^.⁴⁶¹^no^te^{. T}^h^e^la^w^pr^ov^ide^s^“^[^t^]^ha^tⁿ^o^thiⁿ^gⁱⁿ^this^lim^ita^{tion s}^h^a^ll^be^c^ons^tr^ue^{d t}^o^r^e^duc^e^aⁿ^y^s^a^la^r^y
^w^hⁱ^c^h^ma^y^b^eⁱⁿ^eff^ect^at^t^h^{e t}ⁱ^m^e^o^f^en^act^m^eⁿ^t^o^f^t^hⁱ^s^jo^{int re}^so^luti^on^nor^sha^{ll t}^h^{is lim}^ita^tion^be^c^oⁿ^s^true^{d i}ⁿ^aⁿ^y
^m^a^nne^r^{to r}^e^d^u^c^e^the^s^a^la^r^y^of^aⁿ^y^Fe^de^r^a^{l judg}^e^or^of^aⁿ^y^J^u^s^tic^e^of^the^Su^pr^e^m^e^C^our^t.”^For^FY²⁰^09,^S.³²⁶⁰^{, the}
^Fina^nc^ia^{l Se}^r^v^ic^e^s^a^{nd G}^e^ne^r^a^{l G}^o^v^e^rⁿ^m^e^nt^A^ppr^opr^ia^tio^ns^A^c^{t, a}^s^r^e^por^te^d⁽^S^.R^e^p^t.¹¹⁰^-⁴¹⁷⁾^by^the^Se^na^te
^C^o^m^m^itte^e^{on A}^ppr^opr^ia^ti^ons^on^J^u^ly^{14, 2}⁰⁰⁸^{, i}ⁿ^c^l^u^d^e^d^t^h^e^a^u^t^hor^iz^a^{tion a}^t^Se^c^tion³^10.^P^.^L^.¹^10-³^29,^the
^C^ons^ol^ida^t^e^d^Se^c^u^r^ity^{, D}ⁱ^s^a^s^t^e^r^A^s^sⁱ^s^t^aⁿ^c^e^,^a^{nd C}^o^nti^nui^ng^A^ppr^op^rⁱ^a^tions^A^c^{t, 20}⁰⁹⁽^H^.R^.²⁶³⁸⁾^{, e}ⁿ^a^c^t^e^d^oⁿ
^Se^pte^m^be^r^{30, 2}⁰⁰⁸^{, w}^h^ic^h^pr^ovⁱ^d^e^s^f^unds^f^o^r^g^o^v^e^rⁿ^m^e^nt^ope^r^a^tions^f^r^om^O^c^tobe^r^1,²⁰^08,^thr^oug^{h Ma}^r^c^h^6,²⁰^09,
^d^o^e^{s no}^tⁱⁿ^cl^ud^{e t}^h^{e aut}^h^o^rⁱ^zatⁱ^on.
¹¹^Se^e^C^R^S^R^e^por^{t 9}⁷^-¹⁰¹^1,^Sal^arⁱ^e^s^{of M}^e^m^b^e^r^s^{of C}^o^ngr^e^s^s^:^{A Lis}^t^{of P}^a^y^a^ble^Ra^te^s^an^{d E}^ffe^c^tiv^e^D^a^te^s^,¹⁷⁸⁹^-
²⁰⁰⁸^,^by^I^d^a^A^.^B^r^udnic^k^.
¹²^O^m^nibus^C^ons^oli^d^a^t^e^d^aⁿ^{d Em}^e^r^g^e^ncy^Supple^m^eⁿ^ta^{l A}^ppr^opr^ia^ti^oⁿ^s^A^c^{t, 199}^9,^P.L^.¹⁰^5-²⁷⁷^,^§⁶²¹^,^O^c^tobe^r²¹^,
¹⁹⁹^8;¹¹^{2 S}^t^a^t^{. 2}⁶⁸¹^{, a}^t²⁶⁸¹^-⁵¹⁸^{; 5 U}^.^S.C^.⁵³⁰³^no^te^.
¹³^In¹⁹⁹⁴^,^Coⁿ^g^{ress p}^a^ssed^l^e^gi^sl^atⁱ^oⁿ^f^r^eeziⁿ^g^sal^a^ri^es^f^o^{r M}^e^m^b^ers^o^f^Coⁿ^g^{ress (P}^.^L^.¹⁰³^-^6,^§7^,^M^a^rch⁴^,¹⁹⁹³^;¹⁰⁷
^S^t^at^.³³^,^at³⁵⁾^,^and^f^e^d^e^ral^execu^tⁱ^v^{e an}^d^j^u^dⁱ^ci^al^o^f^fⁱ^ci^al^{s d}ⁱ^d^no^t^r^ecei^v^e^{a p}^a^y^ad^j^u^st^m^eⁿ^t^b^ecau^{se G}^S^b^a^{se p}^a^y^w^a^s
^{not a}^d^jus^t^e^d⁽^P^.L^{. 1}^03-¹²^3,^§5¹⁷^B^,^§6¹⁵^{, O}^c^to^be^r²⁸^,¹⁹^93;¹⁰⁷^S^t^a^t^{. 1}²²⁶^{, a}^t¹²^53-¹²^54,¹²⁶¹^-¹²⁶³⁾^{. L}^e^gⁱ^s^l^a^tiv^e^,
^execu^tⁱ^v^e,^an^d^j^u^dⁱ^ci^al^o^f^fⁱ^ci^al^{s al}^so^dⁱ^d^no^t^recei^{ve a p}^a^y^ad^j^u^st^meⁿ^tⁱⁿ¹⁹⁹⁵⁽^P^.^L^.¹⁰³^-³²^9,^§6³⁰^(a)⁽²⁾^,^S^e^p^t^em^b^e^{r 3}⁰^,
¹⁹⁹^4;¹⁰^{8 S}^t^a^t^{. 2}³⁸²^{, a}^t²⁴²⁴⁾^,¹⁹^{96 (}^P^.L^{. 10}^4-⁵²^,^§6³³^{, N}^o^v^e^m^b^e^r^19,¹⁹⁹⁵^;¹⁰^{9 Sta}^t^.⁴^68,^a^t⁵⁰⁷⁾^,^a^{nd 1}⁹⁹⁷⁽^P^.L^.
¹⁰⁴^-²^08,^§6³⁷^{, Se}^p^t^e^m^be^r^{30, 1}⁹^96;¹¹^{0 S}^t^a^t^{. 3}⁰⁰⁹^{, a}^t³⁰⁰⁹^-³⁶⁴⁾^.

adjustment for 1994.¹⁴ Because base pay for the GS was not increased in 1994, the Members and
federal executive and judicial officials did not receive a pay raise in January 1994. If GS base pay
had been adjusted and these officials had received a pay adjustment in that year, pay parity would
have been severed because of the action of the Members to deny themselves a pay increase. A
provision to cut FY2000 spending across the board by 0.97% and to include Member pay in that ^th
reduction, if enacted in the 106 Congress, would have resulted in lower salaries for Members, ¹⁵^th
but not for federal executive and judicial officials. During the first session of the 109 Congress,
the Senate agreed to a provision that would have denied Members of Congress a pay adjustment
in January 2006. On October 18, 2005, during consideration of H.R. 3058, Transportation,
Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and
Independent Agencies Appropriations Act for FY2006, the Senate agreed, on a 92 to 6 vote (No.

256), to an amendment (No. 2062) offered by Senator Jon Kyl to forgo the Member pay ¹⁶

adjustment. The House version of the bill did not include this provision and it was not included ¹⁷
in the enacted legislation. The Members received the 1.9% pay adjustment granted to the ¹⁸
executive and judicial officials in January 2006. In January 2007, however, while the Vice ¹⁹
President and individuals paid under the EX received a 1.7% pay increase, Members of
Congress and justices and judges did not receive the pay increase. Section 115 of P.L. 110-5, the
Revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution for FY2007, enacted on February 15, 2007, ²⁰
denied the Members a pay adjustment. Justices and judges did not receive a pay adjustment in
2007 because it was not authorized by Congress. S. 197, to provide the authorization, passed the
Senate by unanimous consent on January 8, 2007, and was referred to the House Committee on ²¹
the Judiciary, but no further action has occurred.
Several reports over the last few years have recommended that salary adjustments for Members
and federal executive and judicial officials be determined separately. For example, the 2000
annual report on the federal judiciary recommended a 9.6% adjustment in judicial salaries,

¹⁴^Em^e^r^g^e^ncy^Uⁿ^em^plo^y^m^e^{nt C}^o^m^p^eⁿ^s^a^tio^{n A}^m^e^ndm^eⁿ^ts^of¹⁹⁹^3,^P.L^.¹⁰^3-^6,^§⁷^,^Ma^r^c^{h 4,}¹⁹⁹³^;¹⁰^{7 Sta}^t^.³³^{, a}^t^35;
^{2 U}^.^S.C^.³¹^note^.
¹⁵^{U.S. C}^ong^re^{ss, Conf}^e^r^eⁿ^c^e^Com^m^itte^e^s^{, 199}^9,^M^a^kⁱ^ng^Ap^pr^oprⁱ^a^tⁱ^ons^f^o^r^t^h^e^G^o^v^e^r^nm^eⁿ^t^{of t}^h^e^Dⁱ^s^t^rⁱ^c^t^of
^Co^lu^mb^ia^aⁿ^d^Ot^h^e^{r Activities C}^h^a^r^g^e^a^b^l^{e i}ⁿ^W^h^o^l^{e o}^rⁱⁿ^P^a^rt^A^g^aⁱⁿ^s^t^Reven^u^e^{s o}^f^S^a^id^{District F}^o^{r th}^{e F}ⁱ^sca^l^Yea^r^th^st
^Endi^ng^Se^pte^m^be^r^30,²⁰⁰⁰^,^an^d^For^O^t^he^r^P^u^r^pos^e^s^,^c^oⁿ^f^eren^{ce rep}^o^r^t^t^o^acco^m^p^an^y^H.^R.³⁰⁶⁴^{, 1}⁰⁶^Cong^.,¹
^s^e^s^s^{., H}^.^R^e^{pt. 1}^06-⁴¹^{9 (}^W^a^s^hing^t^{on: G}^P^O^,¹⁹⁹⁹⁾^,^pp^{. 9}³^-⁹^{4 a}ⁿ^d²⁵^{4. D}ⁱ^vⁱ^sⁱ^oⁿ^C^,^Se^c^.¹⁰⁰¹⁽^e⁾^of^H^.^R^.³⁰⁶⁴^inc^l^ude^d
^th^{e p}^r^o^v^isioⁿ^oⁿ^M^e^m^b^{er p}^a^y^.^T^h^{e b}^{ill w}^a^{s v}^e^to^ed^b^y^P^r^esid^en^{t W}ⁱ^lliam^Clin^toⁿ^oⁿ^No^v^e^m^b^{er 3}^,¹⁹⁹⁹^,^b^ecau^se,
^am^ong^othe^r^r^e^a^s^ons^{, he}^s^a^id^the^0.9⁷^%^a^c^r^os^s^-^the^-^boa^r^d^r^e^d^u^c^tioⁿ^w^a^s^“m^is^g^u^ide^d^.”
¹⁶^Co^ng^ressioⁿ^a^l^Reco^rd^{, da}^ily^e^d^it^ion,^v^o^l.¹⁵^1,^no^{. 1}³²^,^O^c^tobe^r¹⁸^{, 20}⁰⁵^{, p}^p^.^S1¹⁴^58-⁶⁰^.
¹⁷^P^.^L.¹⁰⁹^-¹¹^5,^No^vem^b^er³⁰^,²⁰⁰⁵^;¹¹^{9 S}^t^at^.²³⁹⁶^.
¹⁸^P^.^L.¹⁰⁹^-¹¹^5,^§4⁰⁵^,^N^o^vem^b^er³⁰^,²⁰⁰⁵^;¹¹⁹^St^at^.²³⁹⁶^,^{at 24}⁷⁰^au^t^h^o^rⁱ^zed^th^{e j}^u^dⁱ^ci^al^p^a^y^ad^j^u^st^men^t^.
¹⁹^U^.^S.^P^r^e^sⁱ^d^eⁿ^{t (}^B^us^h)^,^“^A^djus^tm^eⁿ^ts^of^C^e^r^t^aⁱ^{n R}^a^te^s^of^P^a^y^,^”^Exe^c^u^tiv^e^O^r^de^r¹³⁴²^0,^Fe^de^ra^{l Re}^giste^r^{, v}^o^l.⁷¹^,
^D^e^c^e^m^b^e^r^{26, 2}⁰⁰⁶^,^pp.⁷⁷⁵^69-⁷⁷⁵⁸^{0. T}^h^e^J^aⁿ^u^a^r^y²⁰⁰⁷^pa^y^a^d^jus^t^m^e^{nt pr}^ov^ide^d^f^o^r^by^the^Ethⁱ^c^s^R^e^f^o^r^m^A^c^t^w^a^s
²^.⁰^%⁽²^.⁵^{% m}ⁱⁿ^u^s^0.⁵^%^{) acco}^rdⁱⁿ^{g t}^o^U.^S^.^Dep^a^rt^m^eⁿ^t^o^f^L^a^b^o^r^,^Bu^reau^o^f^L^a^b^o^r^S^t^atⁱ^s^tⁱ^c^s,^Em^plo^y^m^e^{nt C}^o^s^t^Iⁿ^de^x^—
^Decemb^e^r²⁰⁰⁵⁽^W^a^s^hing^to^{n, D}^C^{: J}^a^nua^r^y^{31, 2}⁰⁰⁶⁾^,^p.¹⁴^{. T}^h^e^pa^y^a^d^jus^t^m^e^{nt, how}^e^v^e^r^{, c}^aⁿ^be^{no g}^r^e^a^t^e^r^thaⁿ^the
^a^nnua^l^ba^s^e^pa^y^ra^te^a^d^jus^t^m^e^{nt for f}^e^de^ra^{l w}^h^ite^-c^olla^{r c}ⁱ^v^ilia^{n e}^m^plo^y^e^e^s^unde^{r the}^G^e^ne^ra^{l Sc}^he^dule^(G^{S). F}^o^r
^J^a^nua^r^y^2007,^the^G^S^ba^s^e^pa^y^a^d^jus^t^m^e^{nt r}^e^quir^e^d^by^law^w^a^s^1.7%^acco^rdⁱⁿ^{g t}^o^U.^S^.^Dep^a^rt^m^eⁿ^t^o^f^L^a^b^o^r^,^Bu^reau
^of^L^a^{bor Sta}^tistic^s,^Em^pl^oy^m^e^{nt C}^o^s^t^Iⁿ^de^x^—^Se^pte^m^be^r²⁰⁰⁵⁽^W^a^s^hing^to^{n, D}^C^{: O}^c^t^obe^r^28,²⁰⁰⁵⁾^,^pp.^2,¹⁴^.
²⁰^P^.^L^.¹¹^0-⁵^,^§¹¹⁵^,^Fe^br^ua^r^y^15,²⁰⁰⁷^{, 1}²¹^Sta^t^.^8,^a^t¹²^;^{2 U}^.^S.C^.^§³¹^note^.^H^.^J^.^R^e^s^.²⁰^w^a^s^intr^od^uc^e^d^by
^R^e^pr^e^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^D^a^vⁱ^{d O}^b^ey^{on J}^a^nua^r^y^{29, 2}⁰⁰⁷^{, a}^{nd r}^e^f^e^r^r^e^{d to t}^h^e^H^ous^e^C^o^m^m^itte^e^{on A}^ppr^o^p^rⁱ^a^tions^.^T^h^e^H^ous^e
^pa^s^s^e^{d the}^r^e^s^o^l^u^tioⁿ^{on a}²⁸^{6 t}^o¹⁴⁰^v^o^te⁽^R^o^{ll N}^o^.⁷²⁾^{on J}^aⁿ^u^a^r^y^{31, 20}^07.⁽^T^he^r^u^le^{on c}^o^ns^ide^r^a^tion^of^the
^r^e^s^o^luti^{on w}^a^s^pa^s^s^e^{d on a}²²^{5 t}^o¹⁹^{1 v}^o^te⁽^R^{oll N}^o^{. 6}⁷⁾^t^h^e^s^a^m^e^da^y^.⁾^T^h^e^Se^na^te^pa^s^s^e^{d H}^.^J^.^R^e^s²⁰^{on a}ⁿ⁸¹^t^o¹⁵
^v^o^te⁽^N^{o. 4}⁸⁾^on^Fe^br^ua^r^y^14,²⁰^{07. T}^h^e^r^e^s^o^l^u^ti^{on c}^onti^nue^s^a^p^pr^opr^ia^ti^ons^t^h^r^o^ug^{h Se}^pte^m^be^r^30,²⁰⁰^7.
²¹^S.¹⁹^{7 w}^a^s^intr^od^uc^e^d^oⁿ^J^aⁿ^u^a^r^y^{8, 200}^7,^by^Se^na^tor^P^a^tr^ic^k^L^e^ahy^,^f^o^r^him^s^e^l^f^,^a^{nd Se}^na^t^o^r^s^J^o^hⁿ^C^o^rⁿ^yⁿ^{, D}ⁱ^a^nne
^F^eⁱⁿ^st^eiⁿ^,^Harry^Rei^d^,^an^{d A}^r^l^eⁿ^S^p^ect^er.

disengagement from the Member salary adjustment, and automatic pay adjustments under the
Ethics Reform Act. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist stated that “because Judges are appointed
for life and expected to remain on the bench, increases in judicial compensation should not be ²²
tied to increases for non-career public servants.” In a 2003 report, the National Commission on
the Public Service, citing “the compelling need to recruit and retain the best people possible” to
serve as executive branch officials and on the federal judiciary, also recommended separate salary
adjustments. As an interim step toward implementation of its recommendations, the commission
stated that “Congress should grant an immediate and significant increase in judicial, executive,
and legislative salaries to ensure a reasonable relationship with other professional opportunities,”
and “Its first priority in doing so should be an immediate and substantial increase in judicial ²³
salaries.” Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., reiterated the commission’s recommendations in the ²⁴
2005 annual report on the federal judiciary. His 2006 annual report focused solely on the issue
of judicial pay and stated that
^In^adequ^a^{te co}^m^p^en^s^a^tion^directl^y^th^reateⁿ^s^t^h^{e v}ⁱ^ab^ili^t^y^o^f^li^f^e^ten^u^r^e^{, an}^d^if^ten^u^r^eⁱⁿ^o^f^fⁱ^ce
^is^m^a^de^un^certain^{, t}^h^{e s}^t^reng^t^h^an^{d i}ⁿ^depen^d^en^{ce j}^u^dg^e^sⁿ^e^{ed to u}^p^h^o^{ld th}^{e rule of}^la^w^—²⁵
^ev^en^w^h^eⁿⁱ^tⁱ^s^uⁿ^popu^l^a^{r t}^o^{do s}^o^—^wⁱ^l^l^{be s}^e^ri^ou^s^l^y^eroded^.
The Federal Judicial Salary Restoration Act of 2008, S. 1638, as reported, amended, by the Senate
Committee on the Judiciary and H.R. 3753, as ordered to be reported, amended, by the House
Committees on the Judiciary, would authorize a 28.7%-28.8% pay increase over January 2008 ²⁶
salaries to federal justices and judges. S. 2353, the Fair Judicial Compensation Act of 2007,
introduced by Senator Richard Durbin on November 14, 2007, would authorize a 16.5% pay
increase over January 2008 salaries. Both S. 1638 and H.R. 3753 would repeal the provision of
law, codified at 28 U.S.C. §461 note, that requires Congress to specifically authorize any salary
increases for justices and judges and amend 28 U.S.C. §461(a) to provide that justices and judges
would receive the same percentage pay adjustment as is authorized each year for base pay under
the General Schedule. Estimates prepared by the Congressional Budget Office found that both
bills would, among other costs, “increase direct spending” for salary increases and annual cost of
living adjustments for judges appointed under Article III of the Constitution and bankruptcy

²²^U^.^{S. S}^upr^e^m^e^C^our^t,²⁰⁰⁰^Ye^ar^-^E^nd^Re^por^t^oⁿ^the^Fe^de^r^a^{l J}^u^dicⁱ^ar^y^{, J}^a^nua^r^y^{1, 20}⁰¹^{, a}^v^a^ila^ble^a^t
^http:^//w^w^w^.s^upr^e^m^e^c^our^tus^.^g^o^v^/^pub^lic^inf^o^/^y^e^a^r^-^e^nd/200^0y^e^a^r^-^e^ndr^e^por^t^.^htm^l^.
²³^T^h^e^Na^tiona^{l Com}^mⁱ^s^s^{ion o}ⁿ^t^h^e^P^u^blic^Se^rv^ic^e^,^Urg^eⁿ^t^B^u^sin^e^ss^Fo^{r America}^;^Revita^lⁱ^zing^t^h^{e Fed}^e^ra^l
^Go^vern^m^en^t^f^o^{r t}^h^{e 21}^st^C^e^nt^ur^y⁽^T^he^N^a^tiona^{l C}^o^m^m^is^sⁱ^{on, J}^a^nua^r^y²⁰⁰³⁾^,^pp^{. 2}⁵^-²^{6 a}ⁿ^{d 3}²^{, a}^v^a^ila^ble^a^t
^http:^//www^.brook^ing^s^.e^du^/^g^s/^c^p^s/v^o^lc^k^e^r/^re^portf^ina^l^.p^df^.
²⁴^U^.^{S. S}^upr^e^m^e^C^our^t,²⁰⁰⁵^Ye^ar^-^E^nd^Re^por^t^oⁿ^the^Fe^de^r^a^{l J}^u^dicⁱ^ar^y^{, J}^a^nua^r^y^{1, 20}⁰⁶^{, p}^.⁴^,^a^v^a^ila^ble^a^t
^http:^//w^w^w^.s^upr^e^m^e^c^our^tus^.^g^o^v^/^pub^lic^inf^o^/^y^e^a^r^-^e^nd/200^5y^e^a^r^-^e^ndr^e^por^t^.^p^d^f^.
²⁵^U^.^{S. S}^upr^e^m^e^C^our^t,²⁰⁰⁶^Ye^ar^-^E^nd^Re^por^t^oⁿ^the^Fe^de^r^a^{l J}^u^dicⁱ^ar^y^{, J}^a^nua^r^y^{1, 20}⁰⁷^{, s}^e^e^pp^{. 3-}^7,^a^v^a^ila^ble^a^t
^http:^//w^w^w^.s^upr^e^m^e^c^our^tus^.^g^o^v^/^pub^lic^inf^o^/^y^e^a^r^-^e^nd/200^6y^e^a^r^-^e^ndr^e^por^t^.^p^d^f^.
²⁶^Se^na^tor^P^a^tr^ic^k^L^e^a^h^y^intr^oduc^e^d^S.¹⁶³⁸^oⁿ^J^u^ne¹⁵^,²⁰^07.^D^u^rⁱ^ng^a^D^e^c^e^m^b^e^r^{13, 2}⁰⁰⁷^{, m}^a^r^k^{up of}^{S. 1}⁶³⁸^{, t}^h^e
^S^eⁿ^a^t^e^Co^mmⁱ^t^t^{ee o}ⁿ^t^h^{e Jud}ⁱ^ci^ar^y^,^b^y^voⁱ^{ce vo}^t^e^,^agr^eed^t^o^an^am^en^d^m^en^t^o^f^fered^b^y^S^eⁿ^a^t^o^{r Di}^anⁿ^e^F^eⁱⁿ^st^ei^{n t}^o
^a^m^e^{nd the}^b^{ill t}^o^prov^ide^t^h^e^sa^m^e^c^o^m^p^eⁿ^sa^{tion pr}^ov^isions^a^s^H.R^.³⁷⁵³^{. T}^h^e^c^o^m^m^itte^e^re^su^m^e^{d c}^onside^r^a^tⁱ^on^of^S.
¹⁶³⁸^{on J}^aⁿ^u^a^r^y^{31, 2}⁰⁰⁸^.^Se^na^to^r^Rⁱ^c^h^a^r^{d D}^u^r^bⁱⁿ^of^f^e^r^e^{d a}ⁿ^am^e^ndm^eⁿ^{t to pr}^ov^ide^a¹⁶^.⁵^%^pa^y^a^d^jus^t^m^e^{nt, but}^the
^c^o^m^m^itte^e^re^je^c^t^e^d^{it on a}^{4 t}^o¹³^v^o^te^{. T}^h^e^c^o^m^m^itte^e^orde^re^{d S. 1}⁶³⁸^to^be^re^p^o^rte^d^,^a^s^a^m^e^nde^{d, o}ⁿ^a¹⁰^t^o⁷^v^o^te^oⁿ
^Ja^nua^ry^{31, 20}⁰⁸^{. T}^h^e^c^o^m^m^itte^e^re^porte^d^the^b^ill^{on A}^p^ril^1,²⁰⁰⁸^(S.Re^p^t.¹¹^0-2⁷⁷⁾^{. Re}^pre^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^Johⁿ^Co^ny^e^r^s
^intr^o^duc^e^d^H^.^R^.³⁷⁵³^on^O^c^tobe^r^{4, 2}⁰⁰⁷^{. T}^h^e^H^o^us^e^C^o^m^m^itte^e^{on the}^J^udicⁱ^a^r^y^m^a^r^k^e^d^{up t}^h^e^b^ill^a^nd^or^de^r^e^d^{it t}^o
^b^e^rep^o^r^t^e^d^,^{as am}^en^d^e^d^,^on^{a 28}^t^o^{5 vo}^t^e^on^Decem^b^e^{r 1}²^,²⁰⁰⁷^.

judges “by $556 million over the 2009-2013 period and by $1.4 billion over the 2009-2018 ²⁷
period.” The legislation would authorize the following salaries:
• ^C^hⁱ^e^f^Jus^tⁱ^{ce of}^t^h^{e U}ⁿⁱ^t^e^{d S}^t^a^t^es^—^$279,90^{0 (}S. 1638^an^dH.R. 3753^{), an}^{d $}^253,³⁰⁰
⁽S. 2353^);
• ^A^s^s^o^ci^at^{e Ju}^stⁱ^ces^of^t^h^{e Su}^pre^m^{e C}^o^u^r^t^—^$267,90^{0 (}S. 1638^an^dH.R. 3753^{), an}^d
^$242,⁴⁰⁰⁽S. 2353^);
• ^C^o^u^r^t^s^o^f^A^ppeal^s^Ju^dg^es^—^$²^31,10^{0 (}S. 1638^an^dH.R. 3753^{), an}^{d $2}^09,¹⁰⁰⁽S.

2353^);

• ^Dⁱ^s^t^ri^ct^C^o^u^r^t^Ju^dg^es—^$218,0^{00 (}S. 1638^an^dH.R. 3753^{), an}^d^$197,^{200 (}S. 2353^);
^an^d
• ^C^o^u^r^t^of^Int^e^rn^atⁱ^oⁿ^a^l^T^r^ade^J^u^dg^es—^$218,00^{0 (}S. 1638^an^dH.R. 3753^),^an^{d $19}^7,2⁰⁰
⁽S. 2353^).
S.Con.Res. 70, the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY2009, as agreed to by the House
and Senate, includes a provision at Section 229 on a deficit-neutral reserve fund for judicial pay.
The provision provides that:
^T^h^{e Ch}^air^m^aⁿ^o^f^t^h^e^Sen^a^te^Co^m^m^ittee^oⁿ^th^e^B^u^d^g^et^m^a^y^r^e^vⁱ^se^th^e^allo^catioⁿ^s^o^f^a
^co^m^mⁱ^{ttee o}^r^co^m^m^ittee^s^{, ag}^g^r^eg^ate^s^{, an}^d^o^t^h^e^r^lev^e^l^sⁱⁿ^t^h^{is r}^e^so^l^u^tioⁿ^f^o^r^oⁿ^{e o}^r^m^o^r^e
^b^{ills, j}^oⁱⁿ^{t r}^e^so^lu^tioⁿ^s^{, a}^m^eⁿ^d^m^en^ts,^m^o^tioⁿ^s^{, o}^r^coⁿ^f^er^en^ce^r^e^p^o^r^t^{s th}^at^w^o^u^l^d^au^th^o^r^ize
^s^a^lar^y^adj^u^s^t^m^eⁿ^t^s^f^o^{r j}^u^s^tices^an^{d j}^u^dg^es^of^th^{e U}ⁿ^{ited States}^...^by^t^h^{e a}^m^oun^t^s^prov^ide^dⁱⁿ
^s^u^c^h^le^gⁱ^s^l^at^ion^f^o^{r th}^os^{e pu}^r^pos^es^{, prov}^{ided th}^{at s}^u^c^h^le^gⁱ^s^l^ation^w^o^u^l^{d n}^o^{t i}ⁿ^creas^{e t}^h^e
^defⁱ^ci^t^ov^{er e}ⁱ^t^h^{er t}^h^{e peri}^{od of}^t^h^{e t}^o^t^a^l^o^f^fⁱ^s^cal^y^{ears 2008 t}^h^roug^h^{2013 or t}^h^{e peri}^{od of}²⁸
^t^h^{e t}^o^t^a^l^of^fⁱ^s^cal^y^ears^{2008 t}^h^rou^g^h^2018.
^B^a^{rbara L}^.^Schw^e^m^le
^An^al^y^s^{t i}ⁿ^Am^erican^Natⁱ^on^al^Gov^e^rnm^e^nt
^bs^chw^e^m^l^e^@^crs^.^l^o^c.g^o^v^,^7-⁸⁶⁵⁵

²⁷^U^.^{S. C}^ong^r^e^s^sⁱ^ona^{l B}^udg^e^t^O^f^fⁱ^ce^,^C^o^s^t^Es^tim^ate^,^H^.^R.³⁷⁵³^Fe^de^r^a^{l J}^u^dⁱ^cⁱ^al^Sa^lar^y^Re^s^t^or^a^tio^{n A}^c^{t of}²⁰⁰⁷^,
^Fe^br^ua^r^y^{1, 20}⁰⁸^{, p}^.³^.^U^.^S^.^C^o^ng^r^e^s^sⁱ^ona^{l B}^u^dg^e^t^O^f^fⁱ^c^e^,^C^o^s^t^Es^tim^ate^,^S.¹⁶³⁸^Fe^de^r^a^l^J^u^dⁱ^cⁱ^al^Sa^lar^y^Re^s^t^or^ati^oⁿ
^Ac^{t of}²⁰⁰⁷^,^Ma^r^c^{h 28,}²⁰⁰⁸^{, p. 3}^.
²⁸^S.C^o^n.R^e^s^.⁷⁰^,^Enr^o^lle^d,^J^u^ne^5,²⁰⁰^{8, a}^s^a^g^r^e^e^d^to^by^the^H^ous^e^a^nd^Se^na^te^{, p}^.²⁸^.