Federal lawmakers have introduced nearly 20 pieces of legislation this Congress to try to slash or freeze their own paychecks for 2013, The Hill reported. With heated discussions under way on whether to raise the debt ceiling by Aug. 2, several lawmakers have introduced bills that would nix any increase in congressional pay for every year that the government runs a deficit. The House and Senate have already frozen their salaries for 2011 and 2012 at $174,000 — with majority and minority leaders each making $193,400 per year, and House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) earning $223,500. The last pay increase members received was in 2009, when they got a 2.8 percent raise, according to the Congressional Research Service.