[Applicability of October 1982 Pay Increase]

The Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts requested a decision concerning federal judges' entitlement to a 4-percent comparability adjustment granted to General Schedule employees in October 1982. GAO stated that federal law bars pay increases for federal judges except as specifically authorized by Congress. Since the law cited is permanent legislation, GAO concluded that, in the absence of specific congressional authorization, federal judges are not entitled to a comparability adjustment.