Chump change

The House voted on Tuesday to give themselves a $3,300 pay raise.

The 2 percent cost-of-living raise would be the seventh straight for members of the House and Senate:

The pay raise would also apply to the vice president — who is president of the Senate — congressional leaders and Supreme Court justices.

This year, Vice President Cheney, House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Chief Justice John Roberts receive $212,100. Associate justices receive $203,000. House and Senate party leaders get $183,500.

Also on Tuesday, a House panel “voted to raise the U.S. minimum wage in increments to $7.25 an hour by Jan. 1, 2009.” It is likely to get killed by Republicans on the House floor. The current minimum wage is $5.15 per hour or $10,712 per year. It has been that since 1997.

via A Newer World.