Civilian federal employees won't get as big a pay raise as expected next year says the President in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Monday.

Citing a national emergency, President Obama has decided that instead of a 2.4% across-the -board adjustment for basic pay, civilian Federal employees covered by the General Schedule (GS) and some other pay systems will receive a reduced pay increase of 2.0% come January 1, 2010.

According to Title 5 of the United States Code, civilian federal employees were set to receive the 2.4% across-the board adjustment as well as locality pay adjustments averaging 16.5%. The total pay increase - which the White House estimates at $22.6 Billion in the fiscal year 2010 alone - is not appropriate under the current economic situation says the President.

"With unemployment at 9.5 percent in June to cite just one economic indicator, few would disagree that our country is facing serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare," writes the President, "the growth in Federal requirements is straining the Federal budget."

Title 5 of the United States Code grants the President the authority to submit an alternative pay plan if he "view[s] the adjustments that would otherwise take effect as inappropriate due to 'national emergency or serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare.'"

Mr. Obama says that if he deems necessary, he will also provide an alternative plan for the locality pay rates by November 30th.

The White House fired back at former Vice President Dick Cheney on Monday, saying he got his "facts on a number of things wrong" when he spoke with Fox News Sunday about the plans of the Obama administration on interrogation tactics and CIA operatives.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs did not directly reference any comments by the former Vice President, instead choosing to make a broad statement about the entire interview, stating, "This is the same song and dance we've heard since literally the first day of our administration. I think the Vice President -- if you watch some of his interview clearly had his facts on a number of things wrong," Gibbs said.

Cheney, who spoke exclusively with Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace slammed the current administration on everything from enhanced interrogation techniques to the Attorney General’s decision to name a prosecutor to investigate possible CIA abuses of detainees.

The former Vice President defended his administration, and the work that was done by the CIA after the attacks of September 11. "I think it’s a terrible decision," Cheney said about the appointment of a prosecutor. "Obama made the announcement some weeks ago that this would not happen, that his administration would not go back and look at or try to prosecute CIA personnel….Now we've got a political appointee coming back, and supposedly without the approval of the president, going to do a complete review, or another complete investigation, possible prosecution of CIA personnel….. It's a terrible, terrible precedent."

In addition to the troubles that could be caused at the CIA, Cheney was also asked about enhanced interrogation techniques, like water boarding, that he says allowed intelligence officials to obtain valuable information from Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, the mastermind behind 9/11.

"My sort of overwhelming view is that the enhanced interrogation techniques were absolutely essential in saving thousands of American lives and preventing further attacks against the United States, and giving us the intelligence we needed to go find Al Qaeda," Cheney said "Those interrogations were involved in the arrest of nearly all the Al Qaeda members that we were able to bring to justice. I think they were directly responsible for the fact that for eight years, we had no further mass casualty attacks against the United States."

Even if the current President and his team believe any of what the former Vice President said, they weren’t showing it today.

"I'm not entirely sure that Dick Cheney's predictions on foreign policy have borne a whole lot of fruit over the last eight years in a way that have been either positive or, to the best of my recollection, very correct," Gibbs said.

The White House has some photos up from the summer vacation stops for the President and his family...you can check them out at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/

President Obama is back in Washington, but he's still taking time for himself and his family. He has no public events scheduled today.

We will hear from Press Secretary Robert Gibbs though.

1:00pm - Gibbs Briefing

President Obama and the First Family wrap up their Martha's Vineyard vacation Sunday. But before heading back to Washington this afternoon, Mr Obama took his daughters out for some sweets.

Major Garrett has "Ask Major"....We came up with..."Ask the Crew guys"

We're the guys that put Fox News Channel reporters on the air, shoot the video you see from the White House, travel with the President, but you never see any of us on the air.

Ask us your questions, no policy questions please. And we'll get back with the answers on a weekly basis.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs released the following paper statement on the Japanese parliamentary elections.

"The people of Japan have participated in an historic election in one of the world's leading democracies.  As a close friend and ally, the United States awaits the formation of a new Japanese government.  We are confident that the strong U.S.-Japan Alliance and the close partnership between our two countries will continue to flourish under the leadership of the next government in Tokyo.  President Obama looks forward to working closely with the new Japanese Prime Minister on a broad range of global, regional and bilateral issues."

Remnants of Hurricane Danny drenched Martha's Vineyard, The First Family's summer holiday destination. High winds and heavy down pours may have made driving difficult for residents and visitors to the island but did not detour The President and First Lady from returning for their final days of vacation. President Obama traveled friday evening to Boston to give the eulogy at Senator Kennedy's funeral.

 

President Obama delivers the following eulogy today for Senator Kennedy at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica in Boston:

 

President Obama had a private meeting with Vicki Kennedy, the widow of Senator Ted Kennedy, this morning in Boston.

According to White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton, the two met privately for around 10 minutes.Mr Obama is in Boston to deliver the eulogy at the Senator's funeral mass which will take place at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica today.