BushSucksCocksInHell wrote:WASHINGTON (AP) -- With little debate, House lawmakers on Tuesday included themselves as part of a pay raise that all federal employees will receive next year.
The cost-of-living raise would be the sixth straight for members of the House and Senate, boosting the salaries of lawmakers, now $158,100, by about $4,000 in the new calendar year.
The civil servant COLA is part of an $89.9 billion Transportation and Treasury Department spending bill that the House is expected to pass Wednesday. The Senate has yet to take up the legislation.
The measure stipulates that civil servants get raises of 3.5 percent, the same as military personnel will receive next year. Under a complicated formula, that translates to 2.5 percent for members of Congress.
Like last year, the only House member to speak out against the automatic raise was Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah. "Now is not the time for members of Congress to be voting themselves a pay raise," he said. "Let us send a signal to the American people that we recognize their struggle in America's economy."
But by a 235-170 vote, the House rejected Matheson's procedural attempt to get a direct vote on the pay raise. In 1989, Congress decided to make annual cost-of-living pay increases automatic unless the lawmakers voted otherwise.
The pay raise would also apply to the vice president -- who is president of the Senate -- congressional leaders and Supreme Court justices.
This year, Vice President Cheney, House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Chief Justice William Rehnquist receive $203,000. Associate justices get $194,300 and House and Senate party leaders get $175,700.
President Bush's salary of $400,000 is unaffected by the legislation.
The President gets $200,000 per year... forever plus a host of other benefits. I can possibly see raising it to 500K but $200K is a lot of money if you live like a normal person. Note this dose not take into account books, speaking engagements etc...
$200,00/yr for life is more than enough. You are supposed to be getting into this field to help the people of your land, not become rich. It's nice to see they can be bi-partisan about something at least. Bastards.
Could someone please verify this for me.. I vaguely remember hearing that people in the government from a certain level on up, never pay income tax again for the rest of their lives.
Anyone know if it's (still) true and if so at what level of government does this start?
How much of their salary do you think they actually need to spend? Considering they can expense a lot of things. They don't have the same cares that we normal people do. They don't have to pay for their healthcare like we do and they most likely have free meals whereever they go. Considering the length of time in office for most of these guys this is a pretty rich deal.
