Paul, Mitchell Continue Efforts To Block Congressional Pay Raise
January 8th, 2009 | by John Pape

U.S. Reps. Harry Mitchell (D-AZ) and Ron Paul (R-TX) announced yesterday they will continue their bipartisan efforts to block an automatic pay raise for Congress, and have introduced legislation to block the nearly $4,700 raise scheduled to take effect next year.

Paul, whose congressional district includes parts of Fort Bend County and much of Cinco Ranch, said turning down the raise would demonstrate a commitment to fiscal responsibility.

“Turning down our automatic pay increase this year is the least Congress could do to demonstrate fiscal responsibility and solidarity with our constituents in these tough economic times," Paul said. “Much more needs to be done to reduce the size and expense of government, but passing this legislation would be a start.”

Mitchell, whose district includes the eastern and northeastern suburbs of Phoenix, called the idea of Congress accepting the raise “unconscionable.”

“We’re in the midst of a recession, and our elected leaders need to do the right thing,” Mitchell said. “For Congress to give itself a pay raise at a time when so many hardworking Americans are suffering is unconscionable.”

If the Mitchell-Paul legislation becomes law, members of Congress would forgo their anticipated 2010 pay raise. That, proponents say, would save taxpayers an estimated $2.5 million.

Mitchell and Paul introduced similar legislation last year to block the 2009 pay raise. H.R. 5087 earned 34 bipartisan co-sponsors.

The new legislation, H.R. 156, introduced yesterday has already garnered 57 co-sponsors, including another Katy-area congressman, Republican Michael McCaul.

In 1989, Congress passed a law that provides lawmakers with an automatic pay raise every January unless they vote specifically to reject the raise.

Mitchell said. “For Congress to give itself a pay raise at a time when so many hardworking Americans are suffering is unconscionable.”

Props to Mitchell on this one.

The amount I care about congressmen giving themselves raises is about 1/1,000,000 the amount I care about politicians receiving money from lobbyists and special interest groups.

In short, I could care less if they make 157,550 or 159,700 salary as long as they are otherwise financially clean.

Resolved, That the House of Representatives-

(1) Expresses vigorous support and unwavering commitment to the welfare, security, and survival of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state with secure borders, and recognizes its right to act in self-defense to protect its citizens against Hamas’s unceasing aggression, as enshrined in the UN Charter;

(2) Reiterates that Hamas must end the rocket and mortar attacks against Israel, recognize Israel’s right to exist, renounce violence, agree to accept previous agreements between Israel and the Palestinians, and verifiably dismantle its terrorist infrastructure;

(3) Encourages the Administration to work actively to support a durable and sustainable cease-fire in Gaza , as soon as possible, that prevents Hamas from retaining or rebuilding its terrorist infrastructure, including the capability to launch rockets and mortars against Israel, and thereby allowing for the long-term improvement of daily living conditions for the ordinary people of Gaza;

(4) Believes strongly that the lives of innocent civilians must be protected to the maximum extent possible, expresses condolences to innocent Palestinian and Israeli victims and their families, and reiterates that humanitarian needs in Gaza should be addressed promptly and responsibly;

(5) Calls on all nations

---(a) to condemn Hamas for deliberately embedding its fighters, leaders, and weapons in private homes, schools, mosques, hospitals, and otherwise using Palestinian civilians as human shields, while simultaneously targeting Israeli civilians; and

---(b) to lay blame both for the breaking of the “calm” and for subsequent civilian casualties in Gaza precisely where blame belongs, that is, on Hamas;

(6) Supports and encourages efforts to diminish the appeal and influence of extremists in the Palestinian territories, and strengthen moderate Palestinians who are committed to a secure and lasting peace with Israel;

(7) Calls on Egypt to intensify its efforts to halt smuggling between Gaza and Egypt and affirms the willingness of the United States to continue to assist Egypt in these efforts;

(8) Calls for the immediate release of the kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been illegally held in Gaza since June 2006

(9) Reiterates its strong support for a just and sustainable resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict achieved through negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in order to ensure the welfare, security, and survival of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state with secure borders, and a viable, independent and democratic Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the State of Israel.

I like it. I wonder what reasons Kucinich would give for voting against it.

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/01/12/copy/voinovich12.ART_ART_01-12-09_A1_NPCGTA4.html?sid=101

The 111th Congress will be Senator Voinovich's last as he's not seeking re-election in 2010.

As for Kucinich and his vote, I wonder if he'd be bold enough to vote that way if he represented the east side of Cleveland...

Holy fucking shit, can there be any more pork in this "emergency" stimulus package? What a joke. Let's hope the Senate, where there's a little less partisanship, is a little more sensitive about where this money goes.

Holy fucking shit, can there be any more pork in this "emergency" stimulus package? What a joke. Let's hope the Senate, where there's a little less partisanship, is a little more sensitive about where this money goes.