NATION : Mitchell Agrees With Foley About Judges’ Raise, Differs on Congress

Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell today joined House Speaker Thomas S. Foley (D-Wash.) in saying he hopes Congress this year will endorse pay raises for federal judges and senior executive branch employees.

But Mitchell, speaking a day after Foley reiterated his support for the raises, said that unlike the Speaker he favors an approach that does not tie raises for the judges and executives to a pay hike for members of Congress.

Speaking to reporters, Mitchell (D-Me.) conceded that his personal belief that the raises for judges and executives should not be tied to congressional pay is not shared by a majority in Congress. He said many members oppose taking up raises for judges and executives separately because they fear it would make it even harder to win approval of a raise for Congress.