Roll Call:
Moran: Members Can’t Afford to Live Decently in D.C.
Despite what constituents outside of Washington might think, members of Congress are underpaid, a House Legislative Branch appropriator suggested Thursday.
Virginia Democrat James P. Moran said he plans to highlight the injustice by introducing an amendment to the Legislative Branch bill during its full committee markup, and at floor consideration of the bill. Moran made the comments while the bill that funds members’ $174,000 salaries was being marked up in the Legislative Branch subcommittee.
“I think the American people should know that the members of Congress are underpaid,” Moran told CQ Roll Call. “I understand that it’s widely felt that they underperform, but the fact is that this is the board of directors for the largest economic entity in the world.”
The senior appropriator pointed out that some members have taken to living out of their offices to save money, while others have “small little apartment units” that make it impossible to spend the time they should with their families.
Most state legislatures provide their members with a per diem allowance, Moran argues, so the federal government should do the same.
The Legislative Branch appropriations bill introduced by Republicans on Wednesday aims to show the chamber’s commitment to austerity by holding spending at current levels. It would continue a freeze on lawmaker salaries that has been in place since 2010.
As for a dollar amount, Moran hasn’t yet thought that through. He said it would probably be consistent with what the federal government provides to other employees.
According to the Congressional Research Service, members began receiving a $6 per diem in 1789. The rate was eventually raised to $8 and remained there until 1856, when members began to receive annual salaries.
Moran assumes the amendment will not pass, admitting “this is wholly quixotic,” but he may bring it up on the House floor to garner attention.
“Our pay has been frozen for three years and we’re planning on freezing it a fourth year. … A lot of members can’t even afford to live decently in Washington,” he said.
Moran recently announced he would retire from Congress. Roughly a dozen Democrats are making a bid for the seat in Virginia’s 8th District, which includes the inner suburbs of D.C. The seat is considered Safe Democratic by the Rothenberg Political Report/Roll Call.
7 comments:
1. This genius is my Congressman
3. He has already served 22.5 yrs
4. Nobody should serve this long
5. Thank God, he will retire 12/31
6. As for his idiotic comparison between Congress and the Board of a company, I can only say that with such performance, the company would have folded long ago, or the board fired at the second meeting.
I recommend assisted suicide Mr. Moran. May I be the first to volunteer my assistance.
Make it a part time job with term limits, then, douche bag. Live in your huge office. Make SURE you have a real job at HOME where you belong most of the time, where you can talk to your constituents and THEY, more importantly, can reach you, and if that's no good, or sounds extreme .. LEAVE THE JOB and get another.
Moron Moran is my Congressional Representative. Unless I'm mistaken, he lives in Alexandria -- right across the river from D.C. and is rolling in wealth.
That he's been re-elected to Congress for so long -- sometimes running unopposed -- speaks to the political IQ of his district.
Check out the comments at WTOP, a site that rarely gets many comments at all. Over 400 comments there on this topic!
One comment over there:
Melissa Parent • 18 hours ago
$174K Not enough? EVERYONE who holds a political seat should make minimum wage. You're nothing more than a rich fat cat whose biggest decision of the day is which tie to wear. You are a sad, pathetic model of everything that is wrong with our political system. You should remember, sir, that you were ELECTED, and you work for US, the people - not the other way around. I would like to see you try, for just a week, to live as most of us do…working multiple minimum wage jobs in the hopes that we can pay our rent this month.
And one more:
texanbynature Weer Fuced • 19 hours ago
That's without counting perks, expense accounts, free travel, government-paid vacations, government-paid healthcare, and Platinum retirement accounts just for serving.
It's a disgrace.
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