In today's Osgood File, Charles Osgood reported that “all federal workers and military personnel get an automatic increase in their cost of living allowance next year, and unless they vote to exempt themselves from it members of Congress get that increase too. Yesterday, for the fifth year in a row, Senators voted not to exempt themselves from it thereby in effect raising their annual pay by $3,400.
Last month the House did the same thing. The beauty of this set up is that members don't have to go on record as voting themselves a pay increase."
All they have to do is vote not on turning one down. So they can tell their constituents in next year's election campaigning I voted no on the pay increase issue. It's not right says Senator Russ Feingold.The senate vote declining to decline an automatic pay increase was 60 to 34.
I agree with Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin:
This automatic stealth pay raise system is just wrong.
The prevailing view was expressed by Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska.
This is not a pay raise. This is an increase that is required by law.
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