Economic Crisis, Congressional Reward

With the economy in recession, a national debt of $10.6 trillion, and a record estimated deficit of $1.2 trillion for the fiscal year, it seems a strange time for Congress to be receiving a raise, yet that is exactly what is scheduled to happen as the new session begins.

Established in 1989 by the Ethics Reform Act, members of Congress receive an automatic cost-of-living increase each year.  For 2009, Congress is scheduled to receive a raise of 2.8 percent, or $4,700.  This would elevate the base pay for Members to $174,000.

Congress has rejected a pay raise only four times over the twenty years since it became automatic, from 1994 to 1997.

Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-Ariz.) introduced a bill last year to prevent the 2009 pay raise, but it had just 34 co-sponsors.  Rep. Mitchell plans to introduce a similar bill to halt the 2010 salary increase.  There is likely to be more support than usual to block the pay raise for next year, perhaps because members have been shamed into action by the current economic climate.

Regarding 2009, Article XXVII of the Constitution states, “No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.”  Consequently, since the pay raise for the current year has already gone into effect, it cannot be rescinded, short of a new Constitutional Amendment.

Nothing exemplifies the disconnect that exists on Capitol Hill more perfectly than accepting a raise during a recession.  Although insignificant compared to the national debt or projected deficit for the 2009 fiscal year, the $2.5 million the pay raise will cost taxpayers is highly symbolic.

While Americans are scraping to get by during the current economic downturn, members of Congress continue to live high on the hog.  Congress should repeal the automatic annual pay raise for 2010 and collectively agree to donate their increase in pay for 2009 to charity.