5 U.S.C. § 5341: Policy

there will be equal pay for substantially equal work for all prevailing rate employees who are working under similar conditions of employment in all agencies within the same local wage area; there will be relative differences in pay within a local wage area when there are substantial or recognizable differences in duties, responsibilities, and qualification requirements among positions; the level of rates of pay will be maintained in line with prevailing levels for comparable work within a local wage area; and the level of rates of pay will be maintained so as to attract and retain qualified prevailing rate employees. All laws or parts of laws inconsistent with this Act [see Effective Date note above] are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency. Subsection (a) of this section does not repeal or otherwise affect section 5102(d) of title 5 , United States Code, section 305 of title 44 of such Code, or the provisions contained in section 180 of former title 31, United States Code.”