Congress and the Minimum Wage

In doing som reading while Im supposed to be working I always come across some intersting news items. While this one doestn effect me as I am salaried but making well below minimum wage hourly, it still piqued my interest. The men of congress, who are supposed to be working for the people have recently decided to reject a bill that will raise minimum wage from 5.15 to 6.25. This is interesting especially when you consider since the last minimum wage raise, congress has voted to raise their own slary by 28,000.00 over that period. How can the liveable wage go up for one group of people to one extreme and the minimum wage of another be stepped upon with the boots of Bueracracy. The republicans who laregly voted this bill down argue that the majority of minimum wage workers are teenagers breaking into the job market and since they are not primary breadwinners than they do not need the raise. Lets say however that 75% of the minimum wage employees in this country are teenagers, a favorable percentage for republicans to say the least. Even if this is the case, what happens to teh 25% of the minimum wage workforce who are over the age of 20. I am not urging for some sort of communist system where we can all be paid the same, we know that doesnt work. But the main question here is why the raise for the rich and the status quo for the entry level worker? I might have sympathy for the congress if their image wasnt one of fat cats accepting kick backs and bribes, it would interest me greatly to see what their actual income is after their wage and any "extra" income the may receive.