- House Republicans want to give themselves pay rises of at least $8,000, Roll Call reported.
- The push came after they negotiated cuts to three federal programs for low-income people.
- People have blasted the proposal, with one critic saying Democrats must "raise hell over this."
Spending plans approved by the Republican-controlled House Appropriations Committee last month include lawmakers getting a 4.6% pay increase in 2024, Roll Call reported, citing the Congressional Research Service.
The draft legislation would need to pass the regular legislative process before coming into force.
If enacted, it would be the first time in nearly 15 years that members of Congress — whose average salaries are capped at around $174,000 — would receive a cost-of-living pay increase.
House Legislative Branch Appropriations Chairman Mark Amodei of Nevada acknowledged to Roll Call that there are "a lot of strong feelings on both sides."
"The policy supports, hey, once every twelve years, you can have a cost-of-living increase," Amodei told Roll Call. "That's not exactly greedy. But the politics is — you know how that will go."
Amodei also said he expects negotiations with the Senate about the legislation to go on until the end of the year. Some members are also worried about the salary increase impacting their reelection campaigns, he added.
The report comes after GOP leaders negotiated a debt-ceiling agreement with President Joe Biden that curtails federal programs for people on low incomes, imposing new work requirements to get help.
These include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and Medicaid assistance for adults without dependents. Spokespeople for the programs did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
Republicans have also said they want even steeper cuts to federal spending, threatening a government shutdown.
The planned pay hike prompted an outcry among Democrats, with Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota telling Roll Call that House Republicans are "trying to give themselves a raise while working families struggle to make ends meet."
"That's not what our constituents want — and certainly not what members of Congress need," she said.
Colin Seeberger, a senior communications adviser at the Center for American Progress Action, tweeted that congressional Democrats must "raise hell over this."
"This is outrageous," Seeberger wrote. "House Republicans are moving to give themselves a raise while taking an ax to education, health, and other essential programs that help grow the economy by growing the middle class."
House Republicans want to give themselves $8,000+ pay rises, while furiously opposing other government spending
House Republicans are proposing a pay raise for themselves and other members of Congress for the coming fiscal year.
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