Stop the Automatic Pay Raise for Members of Congress in Fiscal Year 2011 Act

Madam Speaker, my colleague, Dr. Ron Paul, and I have once again introduced legislation to stop Members of Congress from receiving the next scheduled automatic pay raise. Earlier this year, we introduced legislation to block the fiscal year 2010 pay raise, and we were joined by a bipartisan coalition of more than 100 of our colleagues in the process. Thanks to their help, as well as that of our leadership, the fiscal year 2010 pay raise was blocked.

With unemployment so high and so many families struggling to make ends meet, we believe that it would be wrong for Congress to now raise its own pay in fiscal year 2011. Right now, we need our focus to be on getting people back to work, shoring up the economy, and keeping our families and communities safe, not on giving ourselves a pay raise. The American people are not getting a raise. Neither should Congress.

I encourage my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to do the same and join Dr. Ron Paul and me in stopping the next automatic pay raise from taking effect by supporting H.R. 4255, the Stop the Automatic Pay Raise for Members of Congress in Fiscal Year 2011 Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to once again urge my colleagues to cosponsor H.R. 4255, Stop the Automatic Pay Raise for Members of Congress in Fiscal Year 2011 Act. Representative Ron Paul and I introduced a bipartisan bill which has 117 cosponsors, because we think that at a time like this, it is simply unconscionable for Members to be seeking a pay raise.

Unless Congress acts, that is precisely what will happen. Americans are struggling. They're not getting a pay raise and neither should Congress. President Obama has frozen pay for senior White House officials. Chief Justice Roberts recently announced that he is not seeking a salary increase for Federal judges this year. Congress should follow suit. We hear an awful lot about fiscal discipline in this Chamber. We talk the talk. Mr. Speaker, it is past time for us to walk the walk. I urge my colleagues to do the right thing by cosponsoring H.R. 4255 and stop Congress from getting a pay raise.