The federal government’s civilian employees have worked under a salary freeze for about two years, but their incomes will begin to rise after March 27 unless Congress acts to once again halt their salary increases.
Lawmakers are expected to take up the matter in coming months as they address the debt limit and the automatic spending cuts delayed under a “fiscal cliff” deal that President Barack Obama signed Wednesday.




In the recently convened "lame-duck" session of Congress, senators and representatives will take on a number of issues that could have major consequences for working families and retirees. Congress is considering benefit cuts for Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare and members are looking at cutting taxes for the wealthy even further. Any deal that Congress makes, though, should be based on facts and not the myths that have sprung up around taxes, the deficit and the earned benefit programs. Here are a few of the key myths and the truth behind them.