Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today supported passage of a bill that eliminates the automatic cost of living adjustment (COLA) Members of Congress were scheduled to receive for fiscal year 2011. This is the second year in a row that Members have not received a pay raise, after previously voting to eliminate the COLA for fiscal year 2010.

“With job numbers at historic lows and the national debt at record highs, it would simply be unacceptable for Members of Congress to allow themselves any kind of personal pay raise.” said Simpson. “Most of my constituents won’t get a pay raise this year and I shouldn’t either.”

The COLA is an annual adjustment in wages to offset a change, usually a loss, in purchasing power. Since 1989 the standard has been to adjust congressional pay on a regular basis by scheduling an annual adjustment, in part to promote consistency and in part to reflect comparable movement in private-sector pay. That adjustment has now been canceled for fiscal years 2010 and 2011.

H.R. 5146 passed in the House of Representatives 402-15, with all Republicans voting in favor.