House May Rescind Raise

House Speaker Jim Wright announced today that opponents of a congressional pay raise would be allowed to kill it when a spending bill comes up later this month.

“It would be my guess that the Congress would vote to deny any such pay raise in these circumstances,” said Wright, referring to the government’s budget troubles, “if for no other purpose than to demonstrate an example.” The 3% pay increase was included last week in a House bill primarily designed to reduce the federal deficit. The measure, which included $12 billion in new taxes, passed by 206-205 last Thursday night. The raise for members of Congress, who now make $89,500 after two raises early this year, was authorized in the bill because their pay is tied to that of other federal workers.