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Washington, D.C.— The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) today welcomed the passage by the House of Representatives of H.R. 3223, the Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act. The bill passed with 407 votes and not a single member opposing.

Once the government is funded, this bill will retroactively compensate federal employees furloughed as a result of any lapse in appropriations beginning on October 1, 2013, for the period of the lapse.

“Federal workers keep the nation safe and secure and provide vital services that support the economic security of American families,” said NTEU National President Colleen M. Kelley. “This bill alone, however, will not address the serious consequences of the funding lapse, nor will a piecemeal approach to appropriations bills.”

The NTEU leader said the House should allow a straight up or down vote on Senate-passed H.J. Res. 59, a clean Continuing Resolution, to fund the government and bring the nation's dedicated civil servants back to work.

Kelley thanked Reps. James Moran (D-Va.) and Frank Wolf (D-Va) for their leadership in introducing the pay bill and for their continued support of the federal workforce.

President Kelley has been a leader in calling for congressional approval of retroactive pay for furloughed employees. “They are out of work through no fault of their own,” she said, “and should not be made to suffer the loss of income and serious consequences that go with it.”

“Federal employees want to work and want to get back to the business of serving the American people,” she said.

NTEU is the nation’s largest independent federal union, representing 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.