Congress Gives Itself $4,700 Pay Raise in 2009

While 9 out of 10 Americans disapprove of the job Congress is doing, that won't stop members of Congress from collecting another pay raise starting Jan. 1.

Congress automatically gets a pay raise every year unless its members vote to reject it. That hasn't happened yet.

As of Jan. 1, the starting salary of a member of Congress reaches $174,000, which is higher than 94 percent of American households.

Members of Congress Due to Award Themselves $4,700 Raise in 2009