The House

Pay Raise

The House adopted, 230 to 170, an amendment preventing members of Congress and other top U.S. officials from receiving a 4% cost-of-living raise next January. The amendment blocks the raise for officials earning at least $72,500, while allowing an increase for all other civilian and military workers. It was attached to a fiscal 1989 Treasury-Postal appropriations bill (HR 4775) that was later sent to the Senate.

The most recent pay raises in Congress included a 3% cost-of-living increase in January, 1987--boosting pay to $77,400--and a $12,100 increase in February, 1987, that brought salaries to $89,500.

Amendment sponsor Phillip M. Crane (R-Ill.) called it “inappropriate” for members to raise their pay for the third time since January, 1987.

Opponent Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) said “members of Congress ought to be kept current with inflation.”

Members voting yes wanted to deny a proposed 4% pay raise for lawmakers and other high-ranking federal officials.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Anderson (D) x Rep. Dornan (R) x Rep. Dreier (R) x Rep. Dymally (D) x Rep. Hawkins (D) x Rep. Martinez (D) x Rep. Torres (D) x

Random Drug Testing

By a vote of 377 to 27, the House endorsed random federal testing of airline pilots, train operators, truckers and other key transportation employees for drug and alcohol abuse. The vote instructed House conferees on an airline service bill (HR 3051) to accept Senate-approved language requiring the Department of Transportation to begin the random testing.

The House has resisted random testing of transportation workers, amid objections from civil libertarians and transportation unions.

Members voting yes endorsed random drug and alcohol testing of key transportation employees.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Anderson (D) x Rep. Dornan (R) x Rep. Dreier (R) x Rep. Dymally (D) x Rep. Hawkins (D) x Rep. Martinez (D) x Rep. Torres (D) x

United Nations Financing

By a vote of 180 to 222, the House refused to lower the U.S. contribution to the United Nations budget from about $486 million to $434.5 million. The amendment was proposed to a fiscal 1989 appropriations bill (HR 4782) later sent to the Senate. The cut was aimed at U.N. agencies that denigrate the United States and spread Soviet propaganda.

Sponsor Pat Swindall (R-Ga.) condemned U.N. agencies that “bash the United States of America. . . . “

Opponent Bill Frenzel (R-Minn.) said Swindall’s approach would “destroy a number of international organizations, which . . . U.S. commercial and economic interests find to be terribly in our advantage.”

Members voting yes favored cutting U.S. support of the United Nations.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Anderson (D) x Rep. Dornan (R) x Rep. Dreier (R) x Rep. Dymally (D) x Rep. Hawkins (D) x Rep. Martinez (D) x Rep. Torres (D) x