For the Record
Here's how some major bills fared recently in Congress and how local congressional members voted, as provided by Thomas's Roll Call Report Syndicate. NV means Not Voting.</br></br>The House approved a motion that had the effect of giving members of Congress a 2.7 percent pay increase, raising their salary to about $145,100 in January 2001.</br></br>Had opponents of the pay raise won this vote, they would have offered a motion to kill the automatic cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). They mounted this procedural attack after House leaders denied them debate and a direct, up- or-down vote on the merits of raising congressional pay. The vote occurred during debate on a Treasury Department funding bill for fiscal 2001 (HR 4871).</br></br>The House approved tax breaks to help individuals invest more of their earnings in Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), 401(k) plans and other retirement vehicles. The bill (HR 1102) is projected to cost the Treasury $52.2 billion over 10 years.</br></br>It would raise the IRA contribution limit for individuals from $2,000 today to $3,000 in 2001, $4,000 in 2002 and $5,000 in 2003, and begin adjusting IRA contribution limits for inflation. For individuals older than 50, the new $5,000 limit would take effect as soon as the bill became law.