Senators Propose Rollback if 50% Pay Increase Passes

A bipartisan group of 12 senators unveiled legislation today that would reject a proposed 50% congressional pay increase and roll back the increase if the House lets it become law.

The rollback proposal is designed to give Senate pay-raise opponents a better weapon than a simple resolution to turn down the increase. It could keep the issue alive even if the raise goes into effect.

Senators are expected to overwhelmingly reject the raise, at the same time knowing that a House vote appears unlikely. Unless both chambers reject the pay plan recommended by former President Reagan, the raise would become law automatically on Feb. 8.

Reagan, following the advice of a commission, recommended that congressional salaries be raised from $89,500 to $135,000 for rank-and-file lawmakers.

The recommendation would allow the House Speaker to receive $175,000 instead of $115,000, and would pay $155,000 to the president pro tem of the Senate and the majority and minority leaders of each house--all of whom now earn $99,500.

Sen. Larry Pressler (R-S.D.), a main sponsor of the new legislation, said the rollback is the key provision. If the Senate approves the legislation and sends it to the House, opponents of the raise can keep trying to tack it on to other House bills after Feb. 8.

The legislation also would require a vote on future pay raises.