[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 10, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S3823]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               ELIMINATION OF COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENTS

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, we have just witnessed this week another 
example of indifference by Congress to the needs of lower-wage and 
hard-working American workers. While our minimum wage bill still 
languishes in the Congress in spite of all our efforts, the House 
Appropriations Committee just passed a bill that will eliminate the 
cost-of-living adjustments for the low-wage workers in the legislative 
branch. They cut the COLAs of the Library of Congress, the Government 
Printing Office, and other vital congressional agencies. This is after 
the Members of Congress got a cost-of-living increase of $4,600 last 
year.
  The Republican leadership has cut out a COLA increase for these 
workers who happen to be the lowest-paid Congressional workers. If you 
are a truck driver for the Government Printing Office, you are out of 
luck. Again, when it comes to the staffs of the Members, they made sure 
their interests were protected. Drawing that kind of a line with 
workers who work for this institution is absolutely scandalous.
  What is it about our Republican friends that they believe they have 
to be so harsh with the lowest-income working families in this country, 
refusing to permit us to vote on a pay increase, an increase in the 
minimum wage, of 50 cents this year and 50 cents next year? They have 
taken convoluted parliamentary tricks to block us from considering 
that, and then we find their own priorities are that this institution 
takes $4,600 for its COLA increase and cuts out the COLA increase for 
the lowest-paid workers who are serving the Congress. That is wrong. I 
hope the House of Representatives will change it. I hope it will not be 
tolerated.
  There will be an effort on the Senate floor to make amends because 
that is wrong and unjust. We are not going to permit it to stand.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Voinovich). The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The 
Senator from Wisconsin is recognized.

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