As is not uncommon in Congress, a piece of legislation designed to do one thing can include other provisions that may have little or nothing to do with the original intent.

A procedural motion that would allow a $3,300 pay raise for House members was included in the FY 2007 Transportation, Treasury, and HUD Appropriations bill.

The bill included a two percent cost of living pay increase and Congresswoman Sue Kelly was the only member who represents the Hudson Valley to vote against it.

“Every year Congress votes itself a pay raise, a COLA, and I vote against it,” she said. “I’ve been voting against it every year that I’ve been in Congress.”

Kelly said any time those cost of living pay raises were passed, she turned back that amount of money. She was one of 167 law makers to oppose the current measure; 249 voted for it including Maurice Hinchey, John Sweeney, Eliot Engel and Nita Lowey.