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When thousands of people donate no more than $100 per person per election, we can build a campaign without money from special interests. _______________________ But it's about more than money. We need your energy and your enthusiasm, too. Sign up to volunteer on Jim Hansen's campaign for Congress.
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| Congress raises its salary yet denies minimum wage hike |
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| posted on Thursday, July 27, 2006 |
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“Ordinary Idahoans have not seen a pay raise in a long time,” Hansen said.
The federal minimum wage has remained unchanged at $5.15 an hour since 1997. It is the lowest it has been in 50 years, relative to the cost of living, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
Meanwhile, since 1997 lawmakers have raised their own salary seven times, for a total increase of $31,600. In June the salary of Hansen’s opponent, Rep. Mike Simpson, and other lawmakers rose to $168,500.
Though he voted once to raise the minimum wage, Simpson has since voted against it – at least twice.
“It seems like if I can defend and be sincere about tax cuts, some to the wealthiest, if I can do that,” then a minimum wage increase is also in order, Simpson told Reuters news agency on June 27.
He voted for a raise when it was attached to an appropriations bill on June 20, but voted against when it was attached to another bill a week later. He again voted “no” on July 12, even though a majority in the House expressed their support for raising the wage in a non-binding vote.
“The height of hypocrisy is that at virtually the same time they again refuse to raise the minimum wage, members of Congress boosted their own salary,” Hansen said. “A raise in the minimum wage is long overdue.”
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