Rep. Larry Kissell has only been in Congress for a few days, but he is already getting some kudos back home for his pledge to give back the pay raise Congress gave itself at the end of last year.

Kissell, who was sworn in on Tuesday to represent the 8th District, said he is opposed to the $4,700 pay hike for members of Congress.

In his first legislative act, Scotland County's representative signed on as a co-sponsor of a bill introduced by Texas Republican Rep. Ron Paul that would revoke the automatic cost of living increase. U.S. representatives get about $169,300 year and the raise would push that to about $174,000.

"During these difficult economic times, it just isn't right for Congress to give itself a pay increase while so many people are struggling to make ends meet, and so many others are out of work altogether," Kissell said.

The freshman Democrat has vowed not to keep the pay raise should the bill fail.

"Most people work for years at a time without a pay raise, and most people in our district right now are just trying to hang on," he said. "It is a time of belt tightening for all of us, Congress included."

In 1989, Congress tagged its pay to the Labor Department's Employment Cost Index. That move removed members from having to vote for a pay increase. To stop a pay increase from happening automatically, it has to be voted on. Efforts to force a vote always fail via a procedural vote.

Catherine Lennon of Laurinburg said she was pleased with Kissell's decision.

"I think they're getting enough as it is," Lennon said. "I think they all need to give that raise back."

Another area resident, Paul McNeill, was more skeptical about the decision.

"$4,700?" McNeill said. "He might as well keep it, compared to all of the millions that have been lost in government.

"I'm assuming he's doing the right thing, though -- everybody else around here has it hard."

Kissell said the decision to reject the pay raise is in keeping with his pledge to bring a different perspective to Washington.

"I am going to work to bring jobs to the district and help lessen the tax burden placed on working families," Kissell said shortly after being sworn in, " ... and I am going to work hard to turn the tide away from the special interests and toward the interests of people who work hard and play by the rules."

About 300 people attended a reception in Kissell's Washington office during the swearing-in ceremony.

Kissell, a high school civics teacher from Biscoe, defeated long-time Congressman Robin Hayes in November.