Congressional Salary and the Minimum Wage

WHEREAS in 1968, the Congressional annual salary of $30,000 was nine times the federal minimum wage of $1.60 per hour; and

WHEREAS in 2006, the Congressional annual salary of $165,200 is over fifteen times the current federal minimum wage of $5.15 per hour; and

WHEREAS over the past twenty years, the increase in Congressional pay has exceeded the increase in median household income; and

WHEREAS members of Congress have demonstrated no reluctance to provide themselves with annual pay increases but have not raised the federal minimum wage since 1997;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT: Congressional pay shall be limited to no more than ten times the federal minimum wage, and since the current Congressional salary exceeds that amount, Congressional pay shall be frozen until such time that the federal minimum wage is increased to attain the required ratio.