A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress that there should continue to be parity between the adjustments in the pay of members of the uniformed services and the adjustments in the pay of civilian employees of the United States.

Mr. President, I am pleased to join with Senators Mikulski, Warner, Akaka, Allen, Collins, Kennedy, Durbin, Dayton, Levin, Johnson, and Murray in submitting a resolution expressing the sense of the Congress that parity between Federal civilian pay and military pay should be maintained.

Disparate treatment of civilian and military pay goes against the longstanding policy of parity for all those who have chosen to serve our Nation--whether that service is in the civilian workforce or in the armed services. In fact, a comparison of military and civilian pay increases by the Congressional Research Service finds that in 16 of the last 18 years military and civilian pay increases have been identical.

Indeed, the Fiscal Year 2004 Consolidated Appropriations Act Conference Report passed by Congress included a pay parity provision that would provide a 4.1 percent average pay adjustment to military and all civilian employees.

Federal civilian and military employees work side-by-side doing the important work of the Nation, including protecting U.S. citizens from terrorism. As a prime example, during last week's response to the discovery of ricin in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, civilian employees from agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Coast Guard, the U.S. Capitol Police, the FBI, and the Marine Corps Chemical Biological Incident Response Force from Indian Head, Maryland responded jointly to the crisis and collaborated in the cleanup of the affected Senate Office Buildings. Now more than ever, an efficient and effective Federal Government requires this kind of civilian/military collaboration. We should not undermine the morale of our dedicated public civil servants by failing to bring their pay in line with that of the military personnel they work along side of every day.

Moreover, both the uniformed services and the Federal civilian workforce need to address critical retention and recruitment problems. Our Federal Government is facing a ``human capital'' crisis as a result of attrition that threatens institutional experience and knowledge at every level. By the end of 2005, one out of every three current Federal workers will be eligible for optional retirement and by 2007 an estimated 53 percent of the Federal workforce will be eligible to retire. These vacancies will occur in an era in which those entering the workforce are far less likely to join public service. As evidence of this, a 2002 survey commissioned by the Partnership for Public Service reveals that only one in four college-educated workers expressed significant interest in working for the Federal Government.

Inequitable pay only serves to perpetuate this lack of interest. Congress has continually asked Federal employees to make significant sacrifices for the sake of our Nation's fiscal health, including more than $200 billion in deficit reduction contributed by Federal employees and retirees in lost and delayed compensation. In addition, FEPCA-- legislation passed in 1990 to bring the pay of Federal employees in line with that offered in the private sector--has never been fully implemented. Nonetheless, Federal employees have continued to provide high quality service to the American public, usually with fewer resources and personnel.

One way to ensure the Federal Government is able to attract and retain qualified public servants is to ensure parity between civil service employees and members of the uniformed services. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this important resolution.