Comparing 2013 budget proposals

Wednesday - 4/4/2012, 2:05pm EDT

The release of the President's official 2013 budget request in February kicked off the time honored tradition of budget season. The White House's request spelled out a number of new initiatives and detailed ways that agencies would continue to cut costs.

Multiple alternative budgets have since been proposed by various groups, including the House GOP, House Democrats, the Republican Study Committee, the Congressional Black Caucus, and a bipartisan group in Congress.

Issues related to federal employees and their pay and benefits play a starring role in many of these budget proposals.

Below, find highlights from all of the proposed budgets and how each would affect federal employees, as well as how they have fared, so far, in Congress.

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Highlights

Status

White House budget
  • 0.5 percent pay raise for federal employees

  • Increases pension contribution rate by 1.2 percent phased in over three years

  • Aims for "balanced alternative" to sequestration

  • No official vote

  • House Republicans, in a bid to "embarrass Democrats" put the White House's budget up for a vote, where it was unanimously rejected.

 

Highlights

Status

House GOP budget
  • Introduced by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), chairman of the House Budget Committee

  • Reduces federal workforce by 10 percent over three years through attrition

  • Requires feds to pay "more equitable" contribution toward pension — about 6.25 percent of their salary

  • Protects defense spending from sequestration

  • Approved by House in 228-91 vote

  • The nonbinding budget resolution expected to die in Senate

 

Highlights

Status

House Democratic plan
  • Introduced by Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), ranking member of House Budget Committee

  • No provisions affecting federal pay and benefits

  • Replaces sequestration with "targeted spending cuts and revenue increases"

  • Defeated by the House in a 262 to 163 vote

 

Highlights

Status

Republican Study Committee budget
  • Introduced by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio)

  • Increase pension contribution rate by 2.3 percent for all federal employees

  • Caps premium support for FEHB program at the first $5,000 for individual premium or first $11,000 of family premium

  • Defeated by the House in a 285 to 126 vote

 

Highlights

Status

Congressional Black Caucus budget
  • Introduced by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), chairman of the CBC

  • "Rolls back the harmful cuts" to federal employees

  • Cancels sequester and restores reduced funding stemming from 2011 Budget Control Act

  • Defeated in the House in a 314 to 107 vote

 

Highlights

Status

Bipartisan budget plan
  • Introduced by Reps. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) andSteve LaTourette (R-Ohio)

  • Based on Simpson-Bowles 2010 deficit commission

  • Repeals the Budget Control Act's sequester option, replaces with "balanced" deficit-reduction plan

(Chart produced by Jack Moore)

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Tags: budget, 2013 budget, pay and benefits, Barack Obama, Paul Ryan, retirement, Jim Jordan, Emanuel Cleaver, Congressional Black Caucus, Republican Study Committee, Steve LaTourette, Jim Cooper, Chris Van Hollen, sequestration