CONGRESSMAN WALZ KEEPS CAMPAIGN PROMISE TO RETURN PAY RAISE

01/16/2008

CONGRESSMAN WALZ KEEPS CAMPAIGN PROMISE TO RETURN PAY RAISE
Walz will refuse all pay raises until federal budget is in balance

(Mankato, MN) – Freshman Representative Tim Walz announced today that
as part of his pledge to return fiscal responsibility to the
Congress, he will return an anticipated 2008 pay raise to the U.S.
Treasury. Members of Congress are scheduled to receive a 2008 Cost of
Living Adjustment this month, which will raise their pay 2.5
percent. Unless the Congress votes to block the COLA increase as
they did in 2007, Members' annual salaries will increase by $4,130,
from $165,200 to $169,300

"I am committed to fiscal responsibility and to changing the way
Washington works," said Rep. Walz. "The reinstatement of pay-as-you-
go budgeting has finally put this country back on the right track
towards a balanced budget, but until we reach that milestone I will
refuse any pay increase."

"I came here to change our priorities in Washington. I don't think
it's fair for Congress to give itself a pay raise when it can't stick
to a budget," said Walz. "I made a promise to the people of southern
Minnesota, and I intend to keep it."

During December, Walz expressed his displeasure when the Democratic
Congress passed a bill that violated the pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) rule
in order to provide a one-year fix to the Alternative Minimum Tax.
Walz, who had twice previously voted for AMT fixes which met PAYGO
rules, refused to support legislation that increased the federal
deficit.

The Congressional Budget office projects that the federal deficit for
FY2007 at $172 billion. The federal debt is nearly $9 trillion.

Walz pledged in March of 2006 to refuse increases to his
congressional salary until the federal budget was balanced. During
his 2006 campaign, Walz also pledged to reject pay increases until
the minimum wage was increased, which the Democratic Congress
succeeded in doing during 2007.