They're rocked by scandal almost daily, their job approval rating hovers around 30% and their salary is more four times that of the average American. No wonder folks in Congress gave themselves a raise.
Not only did Congress bump its own pay $3,300 to $168,500, they wouldn't even let the matter be put up for discussion. Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, tried in vain to put the cost of living adjustment before the House.
"I do not think that it is appropriate to let this bill go through without an up or down vote on whether or not Congress should have an increase in its own pay," Matheson said.
This is the sixth year in a row that Matheson has tried valiantly to stop the Congress from doing this. Last year he tried to pass a bill that would've put an end to the annual raise happening automatically.
"We continue to swim in a pool of red ink," he sighed.
The Senate had tried to block the raise, with a 92 - 6 vote, but buckled under pressure from the House of Representatives, who voted 249-167 against Matheson effort to get a vote on the raise itself.
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