House Lets Pay Hike Take Effect; Vote on Repeal Set

Members of Congress assured themselves today of a $12,100 pay increase, at least temporarily, when the House failed to act on legislation to kill the raise.

However, House Speaker Jim Wright (D-Tex.) said the House will vote Wednesday on whether to repeal the pay hike, scheduled to go into effect at midnight.

In addition to members of Congress, federal judges and 3,000 top-level federal officials are in line for large increases. Wright said the repeal legislation would wipe out the increase for the officials and congressmen but said it appeared that Congress cannot retroactively kill raises for judges.

Resentment simmered to the surface as the House agonized over whether to follow the Senate’s lead last Thursday in turning down the $12,100 raise for Congress.

Rep. William D. Ford (D-Mich.) said the senators were trying to “look like heroes and then run for home. That’s how I feel about their ungentlemanly conduct.”

Rep. Vic Fazio (D-Sacramento) said about 60 members of the Senate are millionaires and don’t need the raise, as do many House members. Fazio also criticized fellow House members who have indicated their opposition to the raise, saying, “The old canard ‘vote no and take the dough’ is really hypocritical.”

Wright has indicated that the House probably will follow the Senate lead and reject the raise, which the Senate also tied to emergency legislation for the homeless.

President Reagan last month recommended the raises for Congress and other federal officials and judges, based on even higher suggestions from a salary commission.