House votes to freeze federal salaries, including their own

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File: This Oct. 26, 2011 photo shows the U.S. flag flying at the Capitol building in Washington, DC.

If you’re a federal worker, you may not get a pay raise next year.

House members have voted to freeze their own salaries, along with those of other federal employees. Republican Congressman Dan Lungren of Folsom defended the action.

"While I am a limited government conservative, I believe that the government we have ought to be efficient and effective," Lungren said. "Meaning that you have to have good people doing their job. And that means we have to attract good people."

He says you have to have some salary base at which that attraction is possible. "And I do think we have that."

A Congressional Budget Office report says the top earners in the federal government are underpaid by more than 20 percent, compared to the private sector; the lowest paid federal workers — food service and janitorial employees — are overpaid by 20 percent with more generous benefits.

President Barack Obama froze federal salaries two years ago. The new pay freeze still needs Senate approval.