Senators Give Raise To Themselves -- Measure To Halt Increase Rejected

KPRC-TV, TX ^ | November 13, 2002 | The Associated Press.

[Willie Green]

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.

CAPITOL HILL -- Senators approve pay raise for themselves Senators have voted to give themselves pay raises for the fourth year in a row.

The $4,700 increase will raise their salaries to $154,700 next year.

That's a 3.1 percent jump.

By a vote of 58-to-36, the Senate rejected a measure by Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold that would have denied the pay increase.

He says it's the wrong time for Congress to give itself a pay hike, given the slumping economy and stock market, layoffs and federal budget deficits.

The House cleared the way for the raise back in July.

Lawmakers' salaries have gone up $18,000 since 1999.

The pay raise, which goes into effect in January, also applies to more than 1,000 top executive branch officials, including the vice president, and members of the congressional leadership.

The president's $400,000 salary isn't affected by the vote.

[Willie Green]

No surprise here.

"The parliament is, by corruption, the mere instrument of the will of the administration. The real power and property in the government is in the great aristocratical families of the nation. The nest of office being too small for all of them to cuddle into at once, the contest is eternal, which shall crowd the other out. For this purpose, they are divided into two parties, the Ins and the Outs, so equal in weight that a small matter turns the balance. To keep themselves in, when they are in, every stratagem must be practised, every artifice used which may flatter the pride, the passions or power of the nation. Justice, honor, faith, must yield to the necessity of keeping themselves in place. The question whether a measure is moral, is never asked; but whether it will nourish the avarice of their merchants, or the piratical spirit of their navy, or produce any other effect which may strengthen them in their places. As to engagements, however positive, entered into by the predecessors of the Ins, why, they were their enemies; they did every thing which was wrong; and to reverse every thing they did, must, therefore, be right. This is the true character of the English government in practice, however different its theory; and it presents the singular phenomenon of a nation, the individuals of which are as faithful to their private engagements and duties, as honorable, as worthy, as those of any nation on earth, and whose government is yet the most unprincipled at this day known."

-- Thomas Jefferson to Governor John Langdon, March 5, 1810

[MonroeDNA]

For once we agree.

[ambrose]

maybes these clowns won't take so many bribes if they're adequately compensated. Ever considered that?

[Willie Green]

Not when every blasted egotistical one of them wants to be King of the World.

[Senator Pardek]

I propose a Constitutional Amendment:

Any pay raise voted on for members of Congress will only pass after an equal tax cut is granted to all U.S. citizens who apply for a tax cut.

Think it would become law?

[dts32041]

Okay who voted for and who voted against.

To think that pay raise goes in effect in less than six days.

Is it time to shoot the bastards yet?, as Claire Wolfe asks.

[Senator Pardek]

The average net worth of a Senate Republican was about $2.9 million, whereas the average Democrat's net worth was nearly $11 million.

They're not starving.

[ambrose]

That's just an average. Some of these guys have to live on their salary. When you factor in that they have to maintain two residences, 150k isn't exactly a King's ransom.

[Larry Lucido]

maybes these clowns won't take so many bribes if they're adequately compensated. Ever considered that?

That's exactly what I've been trying to tell my boss for years!

[AngrySpud]

" ... if they're adequately compensated."

Yeah, there's something to that point. However, as a county government employee whose pay increases are tied to performance, it galls me to see all Senators getting the same increase regardless of how well or poorly they perform.

I propose their pay increases be based on two non-partisan items: (1) meeting Constitutional obligations such as passing budgets on time, and (2) showing up to vote on pending legislation.

[deport]

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 107^th Congress - 2^nd Session

as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate

Vote Summary

Question: On the Motion to Table (Motion to Table Feingold Amdt. No. 4900 )
Vote Number:	242	Vote Date:	November 13, 2002, 04:00 PM
Required For Majority:	1/2	Vote Result:	Motion to Table Agreed to
Amendment Number:	S.Amdt. 4900 to H.R. 5005 (Homeland Security Act of 2002 )
Statement of Purpose:	To provide that Members of Congress shall not receive a cost of living adjustment in pay during fiscal year 2003.

Vote Counts:	YEAs	58
	NAYs	36
	Not Voting	6

Grouped By Vote Position

YEAs ---58
Akaka (D-HI) Allen (R-VA) Barkley (I-MN) Bennett (R-UT) Biden (D-DE) Bingaman (D-NM) Bond (R-MO) Boxer (D-CA) Breaux (D-LA) Burns (R-MT) Byrd (D-WV) Campbell (R-CO) Cantwell (D-WA) Carper (D-DE) Chafee (R-RI) Cochran (R-MS) Conrad (D-ND) Crapo (R-ID) Daschle (D-SD) Dayton (D-MN)	Dodd (D-CT) Domenici (R-NM) Durbin (D-IL) Enzi (R-WY) Feinstein (D-CA) Frist (R-TN) Graham (D-FL) Gramm (R-TX) Gregg (R-NH) Hagel (R-NE) Hatch (R-UT) Hollings (D-SC) Inhofe (R-OK) Inouye (D-HI) Jeffords (I-VT) Kohl (D-WI) Kyl (R-AZ) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (D-CT) Lott (R-MS)	Lugar (R-IN) McConnell (R-KY) Mikulski (D-MD) Murkowski (R-AK) Nelson (D-NE) Nickles (R-OK) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Rockefeller (D-WV) Santorum (R-PA) Sarbanes (D-MD) Shelby (R-AL) Stevens (R-AK) Thomas (R-WY) Thompson (R-TN) Thurmond (R-SC) Voinovich (R-OH) Warner (R-VA)

NAYs ---36
Allard (R-CO) Baucus (D-MT) Bayh (D-IN) Brownback (R-KS) Bunning (R-KY) Cleland (D-GA) Clinton (D-NY) Collins (R-ME) Corzine (D-NJ) DeWine (R-OH) Dorgan (D-ND) Edwards (D-NC)	Ensign (R-NV) Feingold (D-WI) Fitzgerald (R-IL) Grassley (R-IA) Hutchinson (R-AR) Hutchison (R-TX) Johnson (D-SD) Kerry (D-MA) Landrieu (D-LA) Leahy (D-VT) Lincoln (D-AR) McCain (R-AZ)	Miller (D-GA) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Roberts (R-KS) Schumer (D-NY) Sessions (R-AL) Smith (R-NH) Smith (R-OR) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (R-PA) Stabenow (D-MI) Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 6
Carnahan (D-MO) Craig (R-ID)	Harkin (D-IA) Helms (R-NC)	Kennedy (D-MA) Torricelli (D-NJ)

[Senator Pardek]

Maybe 3, not 58.

[henbane]

The average net worth of a Senate Republican was about $2.9 million, whereas the average Democrat's net worth was nearly $11 million.

They're not starving.

[mystery-ak]

Now, isn't this just dandy...they had time to vote themselves a raise, yet we in the military are still awaiting our budget and hopefully a small raise....

[Rome2000]

If this pisses you off, think about all of the Federal employees who actually get paid bonuses of $10,000 or more of our tax dollars.

[America's Resolve]

Yeah. Sucks that 99.99% of us can't vote to raise our own salaries like they can. Any pay raises for congress should be put before a referendum of the voters.

[KQQL]

so true

[ClearCase_guy]

I fully expect future political ads to tell us that a week after the Republicans regained control of the Senate, they gave themselves a pay raise. The Dems will intone "While our brave soldiers readied for war in the Middle East, some senators thought a pay raise was the most important issue. Give the senate back to the real leaders. Vote Democrat."

They are not above this. And if the GOP tries to explain that the new Republican majority had not yet been seated, the media will squelch it.

[KsSunflower]

Horray for the Kansas Delegation!! Both Brownback and Roberts vote No...this is NOT the time for this garbage.

[altair]

NAYs ---36
...
Clinton (D-NY)
...

Say what?