I created this chart to offer a quick visual comparison of how the Federal Minimum Wage stacks up against Congressional Salaries since the creation of the Minimum Wage. I have converted the hourly wage to per annum, and I have adjusted all dollars to 2007 USD.
Here’s a chart that shows the history of Congressional salaries:
| Speaker of the House, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, |
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| Years | Salary | Majority/Minority Leaders(1) |
| 1789-1815 | 6.00 per diem(2) | |
| 1815-1817 | 1,500 per annum | |
| 1817-1855 | 8.00 per diem | |
| 1855-1865 | $3,000 per annum | |
| 1865-1871 | $5,000 per annum | |
| 1871-1873 | $7,500 per annum | |
| 1873-1907 | $5,000 per annum | |
| 1907-1925 | $7,500 per annum | |
| 1925-1932 | $10,000 per annum | |
| 1932-1933 | $9,000 per annum | |
| 1933-1935 | $8,500 per annum | |
| 1935-1947 | $10,000 per annum | |
| 1947-1955 | $12,500 per annum | |
| 1955-1965 | $22,500 per annum | |
| 1965-1969 | $30,000 per annum | $35,000 per annum |
| 1969-1975 | $42,500 per annum | $49,500 per annum |
| 1975-1977 | $44,600 per annum | $52,000 per annum |
| 1977-1978 | $57,500 per annum | $65,000 per annum |
| 1979-1983 | $60,662.50 per annum(3) | $68,575 per annum |
| 1983 | $69,800 per annum | |
| 1984 | $72,600 per annum | |
| 1985-1986 | $75,100 per annum | $85,000 per annum |
| 1987 (1/1-2/3) | $77,400 per annum | $87,600 per annum |
| 1987 (2/4) | $89,500 per annum | $99,500 per annum |
| 1990 (2/1) | $98,400 per annum(4) | $109,500 per annum |
| 1991 | $101,900 per annum | $113,400 per annum |
| 1991 (8/15) | $125,100 per annum(5) | $138,900 per annum |
| 1992 | $129,500 per annum(6) | $143,800 per annum |
| 1993 | $133,600 per annum | $148,400 per annum |
| 1994 | $133,600 per annum(7) | $148,400 per annum |
| 1995 | $133,600 per annum(8) | $148,400 per annum |
| 1996 | $133,600 per annum(9) | $148,400 per annum |
| 1997 | $133,600 per annum | $148,400 per annum |
| 1998 | $136,673 per annum (10) | $151,813 per annum |
| 2000 | $141,300 per annum (11) | $156,900 per annum for Leaders; $181,400 per annum for Speaker |
| 2002 | $150,000 per annum | $161,200 per annum for Leaders; $186,300 per annum for Speaker |
| 2003 | $154,700 per annum | $166,700 per annum for Leaders; $192,600 per annum for Speaker |
| 2004 | $158,100 per annum | $175,700 per annum for Leaders; $203,000 per annum for Speaker |
| 2005 | $162,100 per annum | $180,100 per annum for Leaders; $208,100 per annum for Speaker |
| 2006 | $165,200 per annum | $183,500 per annum for Leaders; $212,100 per annum for Speaker |
| January 2008 proposed | $169,330 per annum pending | ??? |
And here’s a history of Federal Hourly Minimum Wage:
| Month / Year | Minimum Hourly Wage |
| October 1938 | $0.25 |
| October 1939 | $0.30 |
| October 1945 | $0.40 |
| January 1950 | $0.75 |
| March 1956 | $1.00 |
| September 1961 | $1.15 |
| September 1963 | $1.25 |
| February 1967 | $1.40 |
| February 1968 | $1.60 |
| May 1974 | $2.00 |
| January 1975 | $2.10 |
| January 1976 | $2.30 |
| January 1978 | $2.65 |
| January 1979 | $2.90 |
| January 1980 | $3.10 |
| January 1981 | $3.35 |
| April 1990 | $3.80 |
| April 1991 | $4.25 |
| October 1996 | $4.75 |
| September 1997 | $5.15 |
| July 24, 2007 | $5.85 |
Here is the inflation calculator used to derive the numbers found in my chart: http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl
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