Congress Members Get Pay Raise, to $169K

WASHINGTON — Fortunately for members of Congress, their pay isn't tied to their approval ratings. Lawmakers in 2008 will receive salaries of $169,300, a boost of $4,100 over the pay they have lived with since January 2006.

That 2.5% increase is mirrored by similar raises for associate justices of the Supreme Court, who will see their pay go to $208,100 from $203,000, and Chief Justice Roberts, whose pay will rise to $217,400 from $212,100.

The House speaker, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat of California, will get a pay boost to $217,400 from $212,100 last year, the same as Chief Justice Roberts. The majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate, and the Senate president pro tempore — Robert Byrd, a Democrat of West Virginia — will get increases to $188,100 from $183,500.