WASHINGTON — It is unconscionable, says Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, that members of Congress would accept an automatic $4,000 annual pay increase at a time when American families are struggling to make ends meet.

But Tuesday afternoon, Matheson again lost his bid to have his colleagues reject the 2.5-percent pay increase.

"Now is not the time for members of Congress to be voting themselves a pay raise," Matheson said. "Let us send a signal to the American people that Congress gets it. We face numerous spending priorities. None of them include raising the salaries for members of Congress."

Matheson attempted a procedural move in connection with the Transportation, Treasury and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act that would have allowed him to amend the bill to take out the pay increase.

Congress voted in favor of the pay raise by a vote of 235-170. Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, voted in favor of the Matheson motion. Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, was not present for the vote.

Members of Congress currently earn $158,100 a year. That is up from $133,600 in 1997 and $136,700 in 1999. Congressional pay has risen steadily every year since that time.

Matheson has tried the same procedural maneuver three times before but has never succeeded. But each time, he inches a little bit closer. Last year, it failed by a 240-173 vote.

The bill now goes to the Senate.

Matheson was the only member of Congress to speak against the pay increase, buried in the larger appropriations act.

"We struggle to meet our needs here at home," Matheson said. "Our economy needs a boost, unemployment is high (and) future budget deficits are predicted to be the highest in the history of this great nation."

Matheson said the American people want to see that Congress is willing to make sacrifices and is willing to live within its means. Budget decisions, he added, should be made based on the highest priorities, and a personal pay raise is not one of them.

Matheson's effort was blocked by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, with 91 Republicans and one independent voting with Matheson and 121 Republicans voting against him. Seventy-eight Democrats voted with Matheson and 114 against.

A vote for a pay raise, he said, "should be cast in the light of day and on the record."

Without Matheson's effort, the pay increase would have slipped through quietly. Matheson said he will once again donate his pay raise to local Utah charities.

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