House and Senate Democrats are spearheading an effort to fatten federal workers' paychecks. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) and Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) are introducing companion bills in both chambers of Congress today that would give government employees a 3.8 percent raise in 2016. That would mark a significant uptick after government workers have received two consecutive years of 1 percent raises after a three-year pay freeze. The House version of the "Federal Adjustment of Income Rates," or "FAIR Act," is cosponsored by Maryland Democratic Reps. Steny Hoyer, Elijah Cummings and Chris Van Hollen; Reps. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) and Donald Beyer (D-Va.); and others, according to Connolly's office. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) is co-sponsoring the Senate bill.
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