The Nation: Pay Freeze

U.S. Senators faced a dilemma last week: not a landmark decision on war or peace, but a last-minute decision on whether or not to vote themselves a salary increase. Simply by not acting by week's end, members of Congress would have automatically assured themselves a raise approved by President Nixon, from $42,500 to $45,700 immediately and to $52,800 by 1976. The pay package would also have given increases to Cabinet members, federal judges and about 5,000 federal officials. Considering that inflation has eaten up nearly 30% of the last increase that Congressmen allowed themselves five years ago, the raises seemed modest...

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