Republicans Block Congressional Pay Hike

[Gan]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- When Democrats (http://search.breitbart.com/q?s=democrats&sid=breitbart.com) blasted Republicans (http://search.breitbart.com/q?s=republicans&sid=breitbart.com) last fall for taking annual congressional pay raises while blocking numerous attempts to raise the minimum wage (http://search.breitbart.com/q?s=%22minimum+wage%22&sid=breitbart.com), it was an effective campaign tactic.

Democrats vowed not to accept the annual cost-of-living hike until Congress increases the minimum wage.

But Republicans angered over the political attacks are unwilling to allow Democrats to reinstate the so-called members' COLA, forcing Democratic leaders to scuttle the 1.7 percent pay hike for the entire year.

"There will be no COLA adjustment," said a disappointed Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the House's No. 2 Democrat, on Tuesday.

Hoyer has for years played a central role in finessing the ticklish issue of lawmakers' pay, working cozily with GOP leaders to make sure an annual pay-related vote went smoothly.

Lawmakers' pay will be frozen at $165,200 for this year in the dispute, in which Democrats violated a yearslong understanding that the competing parties would not use the pay raise issue in campaign ads.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2007/01/30/D8MVP12G1.html

[Sean of the Thread]

PWNT

[Back]

From your article...


A huge spending bill for the current budget year is moving through the House on Wednesday, and Democrats tried in recent days to reach agreement with Republicans on language to delay the pay raise a few more weeks or months to provide more time for the minimum wage bill to advance into law.

Republicans said no.

"The DCCC ran their own ads attacking (GOP) members on this," Blunt said. "Because of that their members are going to suffer in terms of not being able to have a COLA."

Members were originally due to begin receiving a 1.7 percent, or $2,800, annual increase Jan. 1. They had already lost about $320 with the delay to Feb. 16.

Senate GOP Whip Trent Lott, R-Miss., pressed for congressional pay hikes since his days as a member of the House Republican leadership. Lott expressed disappointment at the news, noting there's no shortage of wealthy lawmakers _ such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Sen. Edward Kennedy _ using the pay raise issue as a political sword.

"It's very easy for the multimillionaires ... to demagogue this issue," Lott said.

The dems are still trying to stop Congressional COLA’s until the minimum wage raise is in effect as they have promised. I guess the republicans are stopping them all together.

[TheEschaton]

Correction, Backlash...they want the Bill to come up so they can A) reject it to spite Dems, and B) use it as spin of the Dems trying to raise salaries when they said they wouldn't unless minimum wage was raised.

-TheE-

[Back]

Correction, Backlash...they want the Bill to come up so they can A) reject it to spite Dems, and B) use it as spin of the Dems trying to raise salaries when they said they wouldn't unless minimum wage was raised.

-TheE-

Yep, I misread it.