Kagen: 'No More Pay Raises For Congress Until Middle Class Gets One'
Dr. Steve Kagen today called on Congress to roll back the latest pay raise it has given itself, saying that Washington's values are upside down when politicians can increase their own salaries while middle-class families struggle to pay for health care or save for their children's college.
"Congress doesn't deserve a raise until middle-class families get one," Kagen said.
The Republican-controlled Congress has voted itself seven straight pay raises since the current administration took office, including another $3,300 increase last week.
Kagen said the latest congressional self-pay raise was quietly enacted last week, raising U.S. House members' annual salaries to $168,500. Even Vice President Dick Cheney accepted the pay hike, increasing his salary as president of the U.S. Senate to $212,100.
Kagen said annual congressional pay in the dozen years since Republicans took control of Congress has gone up $34,900 -- almost exactly what the average Wisconsin worker earns ($35,660).
"They campaigned on promises to cut costs and reduce the size of government," Kagen said. "But once in office, they gave us the largest budget deficit in history while raising their own salaries by more than Wisconsin fire fighters, farmers, and other middle-class workers make."
http://www.kagen4congress.com/NEWS/pressreleases/060620.html