Congressional pay raise is still on the block

December 8, 2006

Way back in June, congressional Democrats gave Republican an ultimatum: raise the minimum wage or forget about this year’s cost of living adjustment to congressional salaries.

“Congress is going to have earn its raise by putting American workers first: A raise for workers before a raise for Congress,” said Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

Reid refused to spell out exactly how he will block a $3,300 pay raise scheduled for January 1 for members of Congress, who currently earn $165,200 annually. He said with 40 Senate Democrats backing the maneuver, “We can stop anything they (Republicans) try to do with a congressional pay raise.”

Considering that salaries for members of Congress have gone up $31,600 since the last minimum-wage increase, it was a challenge that Dems made with some confidence.

Of course, the GOP didn’t take the ultimatum seriously, balked at the minimum wage increase, and assumed they’d all get their $3,300 pay raise anyway.

Today, congressional Republicans are learning that the Dems really meant it.

Officials said Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California and Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, the party’s leaders, had notified Republicans they will try to add the anti-pay-raise provision to a bill that provides funds for most government agencies through Feb. 15.

Congress must pass the funding bill before it adjourns for the year, and the target for that is Friday.

Democrats won control of Congress in last month’s elections after a campaign in which they frequently criticized majority Republicans for taking pay raises while blocking numerous attempts to raise the minimum wage.

“It is unconscionable that members of congress would get yet another pay raise while the minimum wage has been stuck at $5.15 an hour for the last 10 years. Senator Reid intends to do all he can to ensure that Congress won’t get a raise until working families do,” said his spokesman, Jim Manley.

Republicans aren’t left with a lot of choices here. They have to pass the spending bill to keep the government open, and that means passing the measure that would block the pay increase. After Dems raise the federal minimum wage in January, then members of Congress can enjoy their COLA. (Salaries will increase to $168,500.)

There will no doubt be bigger political fights in the coming months, but a) I’m encouraged by the Dems following through on a promise they raised repeatedly as a campaign issue this year; and b) this really seems to annoy congressional Republicans. Sounds to me like a win-win.

By the way, just as an aside, Dick Cheney, as the President of the Senate, is technically considered a Senate employee. When Dems block the congressional pay raise from going through, they’re blocking Cheney’s pay raise, too. Just a little icing on the cake….

Blocking the COLA is just window dressing: actually raising the Federal Minimum Wage will really mean something, so I expect that most Republicans would rather forego the COLA than support an increase in the minimum wage. While $3,300 would be a nice raise for a lowly college professor such as myself, most senators are already millionaires.

  • Am I wrong in my thinking that this will have a tendency to more adversely affect progressive congressional leaders? After all, aren’t most “conservatives” already rich before they take office and only seek office to influence decisions that protect their interests in the private sector?

    For example, would $3,300 even be worth bending over to pick up for someone with tons of Halliburton stock? One might more aptly refer to it as an excellent investment.

  • This is great symbolism. Every rich SOB in Congress that complains about this will piss & moan how it will hurt small business, but I think that the public (which overwhelminly approves of the move) will see it as it is:
    Another rich person trying to suck more of our taxes into his/her own pockets.

  • well of course they deserve a raise (to $168,500 per). after all, the poor dears are going to be working 5 day weeks come january. do you know what kind of stress that puts on a congrressional family?

  • Mike & JTK, but republicans are notorious for taking tiny amounts of money for big favors. Look at Ney, I figured it out, and it came to something like $1500/year. Specter, looks like he wanted to keep his chairmanship, so he caved, what’s that like $2000/year and a nice office. They might be rich, but they don’t share and always, always want more.

    They will fold on this guaranteed, the only republicans not folding are the ones leaving.

  • The Dems are clearly out of control. First, they expect a full work week out of Congress. Now, they won’t even give them a pay raise? And for all the hard work they’ve done in the past two years!! It takes a helluva lot of effort to 1) revoke habeas corpus 2) save Terry Schiavo 3) avoid Congressional oversight 4) consider fetal pain, and uhhhh…….I think that’s it.

  • Five day workweek? No raise? Next thing you know, the Democrats will force the GOP to accurately report their taxes or something absurd like that. What ever will they do?

  • “Annoying” Republicans with things like the 5-day workweek and no COLA, which results in nice clear demonstrations of Republican “intellect” at work, like Kingston’s comment, is a wonderful way to get all the oppo research you need on these bastard futhermuckers for 2008. Pissing off Republicans is fun!

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