Our U.S. Congressman haven't voted on a pay raise for next year, and if they don't vote, they will automatically get a bump in their paycheck. I did a little research...and here's why. Under provisions laid out in a 1989 law, members of congress guaranteed themselves pay increases without having to vote on them or having any full public debate.
In other words, if they do nothing.....they get the raise. So how much are we talking about? Unless they vote to reject it, member of congress will get a $4,700 pay increase, 2.8% annual pay raise , bringing the average lawmaker's salary to around $174,000 amounting to an additional $2.5 million that taxpayers will spend on congressional salaries.
So do they ever vote against it? I checked the congressional record. Since 1989 they have six times, that last one in 2007 in the midst of the minimum wage debate.
But even if the entire Congress doesn't vote against the raise, individual lawmakers can reject it.
So what about this year?
When I first reported this story last week, I told you about my repeated attempts to contact our congressmen,Pete Hoekstra, Bart Stupak and Dave Camp to see if this year if anyone had proposed voting against it. It's been over a week of phone calls and emails and not one of the congressman have responded to provide me with any answers as to why nothing had been done on their pay raises.
But you have responded to my story..
Here is what viewers like you had to say.
Dick from Indian River wrote..."No wonder they are rated so low in public esteem."
Bill from Alpena County says "for Congress to vote for an automatic raise no matter what is egregious."
Mike from Traverse City..."With our nation in unprecedented financial debt, it is only proper for the legislatures to refuse salary increases.
Michael from Hoxeyville says he is appalled but not surprised... He wonders how can they in turn expect the rest of us to take pay cuts AND raise taxes (they will have to with the spending that's going on)?
And Linda wrote families are struggling I don't feel as a tax payer I should give them a raise!!!! I didn't get one and in all fairness they shouldn't."
