House Votes to Increase Members' Pay to $168,500

AP ^ | Tuesday, June 13, 2006

[Small-L]

WASHINGTON — Despite record low approval ratings, House lawmakers Tuesday allowed a $3,300 pay raise that will increase their salaries to $168,500.

The 2 percent cost-of-living raise would be the seventh straight for members of the House and Senate.

Lawmakers easily squelched a bid by Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, to get a direct vote to block the COLA, which is automatically awarded unless lawmakers vote to block it.

[Small-L]

It must be nice to be able to raise your own pay whenever you want and then hide it in a Transportation and Treasury Department spending bill so that it goes almost unnoticed.

[Red Badger]

I think I'll tell MY boss that I've decided to give myself a raise and he can't do anything about it. Do you think he'll buy it?................

[theDentist]

Sunsa beeches.

[cripplecreek]

The 2 percent cost-of-living raise

We mustn't let the royalty slip below a level of high living that they're accustomed to.

[coloradan]

You have a boss ... they don't. (And before you answer "the voters" please consider one Robert Byrd.)

[cripplecreek]

Actually they have some 280 million bosses who are getting might fed up at this point.

[JamesA]

They take care of their needs before the country's. I'm thinking I will vote against any incombant.

[Dixie Yooper]

"This year, Vice President Dick Cheney, House Speaker Dennis Hastert and the Supreme Court chief justice receive $212,100. Associate justices receive $203,000. House and Senate party leaders get $183,500.
President Bush's salary of $400,000 is unaffected by the legislation."

President Bush should veto this bill, not just because he didn't get a raise, but because it's just the wrong thing to do at the wrong time. Do you think his veto would be overridden?

[VOYAGER]

House Votes to Increase Members' Pay to $168,500!

Thieving slicksters!

[sgtbono2002]

The only thing Bi-Partisan on the Hill is the annual pay raise.

[butternut_squash_bisque]

Worthless as teats on a bull scumbags. $168,000+ for a-holes who can't and won't do the right thing to protect America.

Vote all of them out and start over, dammit!

[Pit1]

They have 280 million bosses and 200 million of them are "brain dead".

[Dixie Yooper]

The article didn't mention the Senate. Do they earmark themselves a raise when this bill gets to them?

[dawn53]

Do you think his veto would be overridden?

Wouldn't that be fun to watch!

[Vaquero]

2%.....a lot for what they do...but not a raise as things go....not even cost of living.

[Kitanis]

Must be nice to be a federal employee and be able to Vote your own pay raise.

I serve in the military and make a fair wage monthly.. working with a fair amount of bull-crap every day. Every year I observe the fight for the "cost of living" pay raise for military pay in congress.

What amazes me the most is.. each member of the house makes more than TWICE the wage I do.. and works about 167 days out of the year in the actual place of work. I know the rest is in their own state or on fact finding tours.. but it makes you wonder.

Remember when congress raises their pay.. it never goes down..

[Dixie Yooper]

Reagan would veto it during a news conference, I pretty sure that Bush won't.

[RoadTest]

Except for Kurt Weldon and Tom Tancredo, and any other active Americans I don't know about, those Congressmen should be removed from office whatever way is effective: vote them out or impeach them but GET RID OF EVERY WORTHLESS ONE OF THEM!

They don't rate a pay raise. They aren't worth the money we're paying them now.

Are they on the take from al Qaeda, the Drive-by Media, the big bankers, the Professors or Hollywood ? ? ? Or from just the "lobbyists" (bribers)?

[Pit1]

Bush has never vetoed a thing. Totally weak.

[NonValueAdded]

Lawmakers easily squelched a bid by Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, to get a direct vote to block the COLA, which is automatically awarded unless lawmakers vote to block it.

A shame that this statement couldn't be made about someone with a R after their name. Kudos, Rep. Matheson, but I doubt you won much admiration from your caucus for that move. Then again, you must be facing a tough challenge in the fall.