The two countries say they hope and expect that their proposal, made early this month, will get backing from the Bush administration.

Some representatives of Federal workers also called the proposal unfair because only those at the top would get the 25 percent increase.

However, such proposals never got beyond the drawing board because of cost concerns.

This proposal got far but it was not to be.

As a result, his proposals are finally getting serious attention.

"Your proposal is getting a lot of attention," he said.

Last month, the proposal got 43 percent of the votes cast.

The proposal did not get far, though; it died without ever reaching a vote.

But the proposal got a cool initial reaction from environmental groups.

A proposal that the government pay for medical care gets a laugh.