Congress Votes Themselves a Raise/Non for SSA Cost of Living Increase

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/congress_votes_self_3100_pay_raise/

COLA was denied to Social Security recipients, especially for the elderly.

But naturally, the politicians wouldn't think of denying themselves an increase, would they? Especially when most are millionaires.

Read on and click the link up there for the whole story.


Congress Votes Self $3,100 Pay Raise
James Joyner | Saturday, November 19, 2005

Congress gave themselves a pay raise–or, technically, voted not to block an automatic pay raise–before going home for a long Thanksgiving holiday.

Congress Helps Self to $3,100 Pay Raise (AP)

Goes on to explain:


Wikipedia provides the answer:

Since its 1992 adoption, however, this amendment has not hindered Congress from receiving nearly annual pay raises, characterized as “cost of living adjustments” (COLAs) rather than as pay raises in the traditional sense of the term. The Federal courts have ruled in cases brought under the amendment that a COLA is not the same thing as a pay raise. Hence, members of Congress have been able to enjoy increases in compensation without triggering the restrictions which this amendment seeks to impose. It should be pointed out that it is Congress which determines whether Federal judges will receive an increase in their salaries, the only restriction being that Congress is forbidden to ever reduce judicial compensation. Additionally, retirement benefits of Federal judges are linked with those of members of Congress.

THis is from 2005 and it's a Republican-controlled Congress that did it.

Oh! Sorry...should have read into it more.

Artie60438 wrote:

THis is from 2005 and it's a Republican-controlled Congress that did it.

While yes this was voted on in 2005, they had the ability to block the raise, but of course none of those in congress would. They need to understand, if the American public has to have a hair cut, then they too should. Once again the politicians on both sides of the aisle are completely out of touch with the common citizen in this country!

Face wrote:

Artie60438 wrote:

THis is from 2005 and it's a Republican-controlled Congress that did it.

While yes this was voted on in 2005, they had the ability to block the raise, but of course none of those in congress would. They need to understand, if the American public has to have a hair cut, then they too should. Once again the politicians on both sides of the aisle are completely out of touch with the common citizen in this country!

Yeah, well as was stated in another thread, the cost of living adjustment was blocked in March of this year...

From Factcheck.org
A Zero Pay Raise for Congress, Too

Quote :

The fact is that Congress voted in March to give itself a zero pay raise in 2010. The language is in Public Law 111-8, the Omnibus Appropriation Act for the current fiscal year, which was signed March 11. Tucked away at the very end of the 466-page spending bill is the following language:

Quote :

But the fact is, as the laws stand now, both those in Congress and those on Social Security will be getting exactly the same increase in January: zero.

It appears that the current Congress "gets it." So your comment about the Congress being "completely out of touch with the common citizen of this country" seems to be more than a little off-base, at least in this instance.

So, there was no increase in Congress' wages, right?

Not meaning pay raises, "COST OF LIVING" wages. Did Congress block that for 2010, as they did for elderly people on SSA?

I don't care about others, I'm talking about our elderly parents who fought the wars, worked, never knew what a credit card was. and etc.

Did Congress get an increase in cost of living, effective, January of 2010. That's all I am asking. Not if they voted a wage increase, so my topic was a bit way off. I apologize for the way I worded the topic.

I swear I read it more than once in more than one place, they get a cost of living increase next year, but the elderly don't and I don't care about the younger, disabled.

UrRight wrote:

Did Congress get an increase in cost of living, effective, January of 2010. That's all I am asking. Not if they voted a wage increase, so my topic was a bit way off. I apologize for the way I worded the topic.

I swear I read it more than once in more than one place, they get a cost of living increase next year, but the elderly don't and I don't care about the younger, disabled.

No, Congress gets nothing, zero, nada. No salary increase, no cost of living increase, nothing. I don't know where you read otherwise, but the record is clear. Congress specifically blocked their own cost of living increase for 2010.