From today's CQ Daily Midday Update:

Times may be tough outside the Beltway, but members of Congress will get their pay raise in 2004. The Senate today killed, 60-34, an amendment to the fiscal 2004 Transportation-Treasury spending bill (HR 2989) that would
have blocked the cost of living increase of nearly $3,400. Russell D. Feingold, D-Wis., who offered the amendment, declared, "This is the wrong time for Congress to give itself a pay hike." Appropriations Chairman Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, tersely replied, "We have provided COLAs to . . . a whole list of federal categories of civil servants and federal servants. This is not a pay raise." House leaders used a procedural move to block a similar challenge to the pay increase Sept. 4 on a 240-173 vote. The 2.2 percent COLA will raise the typical lawmakers' salary to $158,000, from $154,700 currently. Top leaders get more.