Just plain disgusting! Here the Repugs, go and cut funding for student loans, and food stamps for the poor, but they manage to vote themselves a nice fat $3,100 yearly salary increase. I am in the wrong business..... :mad: Both parties should be ashed of themselves!

Was it a unanimous vote? What was the Republican-Democratic breakdown? I ask because I want to know before I condemn the Democrats too, given that in the House the majority really can ram througgh legislation against minority opposition, unlike in the Senate.

Also, keep in mind that we'll have a great opportunity to *clean house* next November--2006!

Were you guys been - congress always give them selves raises every 2 years. It should be given to the constituents to decided if their respective reps get a raise. After all, they work for us, don't they????

actually, congress didn't vote itself a pay raise. it gets an automatic pay raise -- a cola -- whether they vote on it or not. in the past they have voted not to accept the cola, and earlier this year the senate voted to reject this year's raise, as an amendment, but the house didn't pass a similar measure and it was stripped in conference. without this estoppal, the raise is automatic.

so, there is no roll call to look at.

And do you think the Repugs. will even try to stop it???

Actually, the question is who started it (the COLA)? I'd like to know which Congress adopted COLAs - and who was in the majority of that Congress before I go pointing fingers.

funny how the party of personal responsibility is never at fault.....

this cola is longstanding, and every year since 2000, the republican house and the republican senate have happily accepted the pay raise. the last time it was rejected was 1999.

but somehow, i'm sure all this is the dems fault, or better yet, clinton's!!

You read entirely too much into a simple question, Thersis, which remains unanswered. Again, when did the COLA begin, and who held the House when it did?

IIRC, from previous coverage of Congressional pay raises, the entire government pay schedule is based on Congressional pay - if they don't include COLAs for themselves, the civil servants throughout our nation's government would go without pay raises as well. That's why the law ends up as it does - Congress is entitled to the COLA as government employees, and they tend to vote away their own pay raises while maintaining the rest of the government's.

I think gmginsfo's question should be rephrased to "who created that lousy law?"

On the other hand, pay raises are common in the working world, although they are usually not granted to one's self, and Congress members have to normally finance two residences - one each in their home district and in DC. I don't begrudge them a pay raise, although I am firmly in the camp that is appalled at the fiscal irresponsibility of the current Congress.

CPT, I'll accept your rephrase as a "friendly amendment" - and I agree with your sentiment.

This op-ed by John Fund from today's WSJ explains why Blue Dog Demos, many of whom I admire and work with here in SD, won't hunt the next time pork season opens.

CAPT, you are exactly correct. This process was instigated in the late 90's. Under the previous system, Congressional pay raises required specific action, which in good emasure resulted in no Congressional raises between 1993 and 1997.

The 2006 COLA is contained in the appropriations bill covering the Transportation, Treasury and Housing and Urban Development departments, Judiciary, District of Columbia and independent agencies (H.R. 3058). The conference report on H.R. 3058 passed Friday in the House by a vote of 392-31. It passed in the Senate that afternoon by voice vote (a voice vote on conference reports is fairly standard procedure).

Earlier this fall, seven Senators (Senators Tom Coburn, Jim DeMint, John Ensign, John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and John Sununu) calling themselves the "Fiscal Watch Team" asked Congress to offset the costs of paying for damage from hurricanes along the Gulf Coast, suggesting one way to help offset these costs was to freeze the salaries for lawmakers and federal employees for 2006. That effort, which would have saved an estimated $2 billion, failed.

For those who want to know who voted against the conference report containing the COLA for members of Congress and Federal employees...

Click Here

Among the 31 Nay votes were 21 Republicans and 10 Democrats.

I wouldn't conclude that any member voted against the conference report because of the COLA, but some on the board expressed an interest in who and how many from which party.