Congressional District Candidates Lois Murphy (PA-6) and Patrick Murphy (PA-8).

Candidates Launch National Initiative Calling on Challengers across the Country to Pledge ?No Pay Raise? when Elected .

Two weeks after Pennsylvania voters kicked fourteen incumbent members of the state legislature out of office because of their decision to give themselves pay raises, Democratic Congressional candidates Lois Murphy and Patrick Murphy emphasized their commitment to bringing change to Washington by pledging to not accept a congressional pay raise until the minimum wage is increased.

"I find it shameful that this Republican-led Congress has refused to raise the minimum wage for our working families. Meanwhile, the costs of gas, home heating oil, health care and college tuition have gone through the roof, and families are feeling the squeeze," Murphy said. "Since the last minimum wage increase ten years ago, members of Congress have received 7 pay raises, totaling nearly $28,000. If elected, I will not accept any increase in pay until the minimum wage is increased." 

"I pledge never to accept a pay raise until the minimum wage is raised, and also not to take a pay raise in my first term," said Patrick Murphy. "I'm pledging not to raise my pay, but to work to raise the wages of hard working families, because it's time to change the way we do business in Washington. I support raising the minimum wage to $7.25 over the next two years, a sound plan with real bipartisan support. My opponent, Mike Fitzpatrick, has already received a pay raise in his first two years, never once voting to raise the minimum wage for the hardworking families back in the 8th District. It's time Congress remembered the voters back at home, not just themselves. It's time for a change, and that change starts here in Pennsylvania."

The minimum wage has not been raised since 1997 and Jim Gerlach and Mike Fitzpatrick have done nothing to raise the minimum wage; yet they haven't hesitated to accept raises themselves. Both have voted to block efforts to raise the minimum wage. In fact, Jim Gerlach has twice blocked votes on legislation to raise the minimum wage.

The congressional raise has averaged about $4,000 per year over the last several years —which when multiplied by 435 members of the House of Representatives is over $1.7 million that Congress allocated to themselves. 

Lois Murphy and Patrick Murphy pledged not to accept a pay raise while in Congress, to donate any pay raise to a local charity, and to always put the needs of middle class families in Pennsylvania ahead of giving money to members of Congress.