FOXNews.com: TIME FOR PAY RAISES? Senator Asks Obama to Nix Order Hiking Congress Pay

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TIME FOR PAY RAISES? Senator Asks Obama to Nix Order Hiking Congress Pay Dec 31st 2012, 21:51 Washington –  Republican Sen. Rob Portman is urging President Obama to rescind a recent executive order granting pay increases to Congress and other federal officials, saying the move doesn't exactly jibe with the country's debt crisis.  Obama signed an executive order last week that will lift a ban on pay freezes for federal employees.  Rank-and-file members of Congress would all see a $900 bump next year -- up from $174,000. Congressional leaders will receive a slightly higher raise, with the House speaker receiving a $1,100 salary increase to $224,600. The top two Senate leaders will see pay rise $1,000, to $194,400.  Vice President Biden, meanwhile, will see his pay increase from $225,521 last year to $231,900 after his raise goes into effect March 27, 2013.  But the pat on the back came as a surprise to some, given the lack of progress all year toward a deal to head off the looming fiscal crisis -- which includes $600 billion in tax hikes and spending cuts. Even if that is resolved, Washington has still done relatively little to address the more than $16 trillion debt.  Portman said now is not the time for bigger salaries in Washington -- at least not until the country can deal aggressively with its debt and deficit problems. "At a time when our country is facing record debt and trillion-dollar deficits, the last thing Washington should do is reward itself with a pay increase," the Ohio senator said. "I am calling on President Obama to withdraw his recent executive order raising federal salaries -- including for members of Congress. Until a long-term deficit reduction agreement is reached, we should not consider increasing the pay for Congress."  Obama also OK'd raises for circuit and district court judges.

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