As Americans brace for across-the-board tax hikes, President Obama is giving members of Congress -- and his No. 2 -- a pay raise.Obama signed an executive order last week that will lift a ban on pay freezes for federal employees.So who benefits? Vice President Biden, for starters. According to disclosure forms, Biden made $225,521 last year. After his raise which goes into effect March 27, 2013, he’ll be taking home $231,900. Rank-and-file members of Congress, meanwhile, will see a $900 bump -- up from $174,000. Congressional leaders will receive a slightly higher raise, with the House speaker receiving a $1,100 salary increase to $224,600. The top two Senate leaders will see pay rise $1,000, to $194,400.They aren’t the only ones who will see a bump in their paycheck. Obama also OK’d raises for circuit and district court judges.Some have questioned why the president would give Congress a pat on the back at a time when neither Republicans nor Democrats have been able to come to a compromise on how to head off $600 billion in automatic tax hikes and spending cuts that will kick in Jan. 1, which could possibly drag the U.S. economy into another recession.Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/12/31/obama-gives-congress-pay-raise/#ixzz2Gf563fHR