Hoyer Acknowledges Strong Economy as House Democrats Push for Congressional Pay Raise
Congressional members aren’t exactly starving…
House Democrats believe that those in Congress deserve a raise of $4,500 to make the base pay $174,000.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer acknowledged the pay raise will face opposition by the Republican-controlled Senate, which led him to admit that America has a strong economy under President Donald Trump.
Shocking, right? From Bloomberg:
He said that while he supported congressional belt-tightening during the recession, the strong economy helps make the case for an increase now.
“I don’t think there’s ever a time when people think it’s very good politically to do,” he said. “In this present climate, where the president says we have one of the best economies in the entire history of the world, I don’t know.”
I guess when the Democrats want something they will admit that the economy has grown stronger under Trump.
Hoyer wants a pay raise in Congress due to the cost of living in Washington, DC. I have an idea! How about limiting time in DC and not making politics a career so you don’t have to stay very long.
Anyway, Congress has not received a pay raise since 2010 because the Democrat-majority House “decided it was politically prudent for lawmakers to agree to live through the 2010 election year without any change in their $174,000 annual salaries.”
Roll Call reported:
House appropriators released their Financial Services fiscal 2020 spending bill earlier this week, striking a provision that blocked members or Congress from receiving an increase in pay that Republicans included in previous Legislative Branch spending bills. The salary for rank-and-file House and Senate lawmakers is $174,000, but those with official leadership titles and responsibilities make more.
House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, whose leadership title brings his income up to $193,400, said he supports the move.
“That was taken to court; the court ruled it was not a pay raise, it was an adjustment on an annual basis for inflation,” the Maryland Democrat said Tuesday during a pen-and-pad briefing with reporters.
Hoyer said that if it was, in fact, a pay raise, it would not be able to take effect until the next Congress. He cited the cost of housing in the District of Columbia as well as provisions that prevent staff from earning more than a member as two reasons to allow the pay increase to move forward.
Hoyer admitted that Congress receives “a decent salary.” He also said the pay raise would help Congressional members raise salaries within their offices.
Senate Republicans have already voiced opposition to the pay raise. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby said he believes the American people “would think that Congress ought to earn it first.”
Republican Sen. John Kennedy (LA) chairs the Appropriations Financial Services subcommittee admitted the legislation would not likely pass if the Senate brings it to a vote.
I agree with Shelby. If they polled me, I would say no. But you all know how I feel about the government!
Plus, aren’t quite a few of these Congressional members independently wealthy without their Congressional salary? The latest stats for this comes from 2018. I noticed a few that do not have a lot of money, but man. Of those that still serve in Congress, I found a lot that are worth enough that they do not need a raise.
Dig into your own pockets to pay your staff.
DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
How about this – take the average national income for a family and double it (cuz DC is expensive – I will grant that). Tie it to the economy. Oh, and if anyone in that congress critters immediate family (parents or spouses, siblings or spouses, children or spouses, grandchildren or spouses OR the family of the spouse of the congress critter) suddenly increases in wealth, the entire salary is to be paid back.
various websites count that between $56k-$62 – so a congress critter could have $124K per year
more than fair to my way of thinking. Might encourage them to think about the people they claim to serve.
They shouldn’t be paid anything at all. After all, they’re “servants” right?
Making them pay their own way would accomplish a couple of things:
1) encourage people to not make a “career” out of “public service”… a type of self-imposed term limits
2) help ensure that the only people running for Congress have already succeeded in life and therefore are more likely to have something useful to contribute. We’d probably have fewer young blowhard commies whose sole contribution to society has been pouring draft beers behind a bar.
I rather like this idea better than mine. Except – then we might get a congress full of trust fund babies who have done nothing but play “rich kids of —-” on twitter
Beta and John Kerry come to mind
The states should pay for their own politicians. They are supposed to represent the states not the Fed.
“Making them pay their own way would accomplish a couple of things:”
Let’s add one – insure only the wealthy will serve.
IMO, we need a reasonable salary. They get living allowances so most of the DC price is already accounted for.
Most important, they need to be subject to the same laws the rest of us are, and, their finances should be independently scrutinized.
Scum
Please note that it is the obstructionist communist democrats that are accomplishing nothing for the nation that want more money for doing nothing!
i’ve got a better idea: $15/hour, but only when in the House Chamber or in their office, time cards and everything, with a limit of 40 hours a week.
housing in DC will be quarters identical to those given to junior enlisted service members, with a DFAC for meals. any other food/beverages/etc desired is an out of pocket expense.
two weeks paid vacation only. health insurance on the local economy, paid for by payroll deductions.
all transportation to be at own expense, flying commercial, riding Amtrak, buses, or in personal vehicle.
IOW, they have to live like everyone else.
A better alternative would be to cut their pay in half and cut the number of days that Congress is in session to 90 in any fiscal year.
That’s the same thing as doubling their pay while saving Americans from their worthless elected government.
That’s a great idea. One of the things I love about being a Texan is that our legislature is only in session every other year. Get your legislating done and then get back home to your real business.
Utah USED to have that law… then it changed to yearly. Wish it would go back.
In other news, the new wealthy line by progressives will be set at a salary of $174,001
I’ll make him a deal. He and his Congress-critters can pass a budget that leaves a surplus. Half of the surplus goes to buying down the national debt, the other half is split among them. If they pass a budget the is in deficit, their salaries are forfeited.
The key is not getting good people in Congress, but incentivizing the wrong people to make the right decisions.
Corrupt parasites looking to loot the nation want a pay raise.
Congressional and congressional staff pay raises are just about the only thing that should be approved by direct vote of the people.
No! No! And HELL no!