Members of Congress have approved seven pay raises for themselves since 1997. The cumulative $28,500 congressional pay increase gives them a total of $162,100 in annual wages.During the same eight years, Congress has not approved any increases in the minimum wage. It is still frozen at $5.15 per hour. No member of Congress should get another pay increase unless they also increase the minimum wage by the same percentage.
-Mark L. Smith,president, Iowa AFL-CIO, Des Moines.
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050305/OPINION04/503050312/1035/OPINION