Democrats Hand GOP A Campaign Issue For 2008

Thanks to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), a bipartisan majority of members allowed a $4,400 pay raise to move forward. The pay raise, really a cost-of-living increase, will boost rank-and-file lawmakers' annual salary to nearly $170,000.

There was a heated debate within the Democratic leadership between Hoyer and Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) on the wisdom of allowing the pay boost to happen, with Hoyer spearheading the push for it and Emanuel arguing against it. In the end, Emanuel voted to allow the pay increase to go forward, but Democratic sources describe yelling matches between the two men over the last several weeks.

In the end, Hoyer and Blunt, with approval (although unwilling on her part) from Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), rounded up 244 members to oppose a direct vote on the pay increase, which Reps. Jim Matheson (D-Utah) and Lee Terry (R-Neb.) were pushing for. 144 lawmakers voted with Matheson and Terry.