Increase Pay For Members of Congress Is ‘Misguided’

Griffin Cosponsors Bill to Reject Obama's Executive Order Pay Raise for Congress

Calls President Obama’s plan to increase pay for Members of Congress ‘misguided’

U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin

WASHINGTON – Congressman Tim Griffin (AR-02) issued the following statement after cosponsoring legislation to block President Obama’s Executive Order that gives a pay raise to Members of Congress:
“Just as I’ve refused my Congressional pension, I’ve never accepted a pay raise since becoming a Member of Congress, and I won’t accept one now.  This is simply another one of President Obama’s misguided Executive Orders, and I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation that will continue Congress’s self-imposed salary freeze.”On December 27, 2012, President Obama signed an Executive Order rescinding the federal pay freeze effective March 27, 2013.  Griffin is an original cosponsor of legislation introduced by Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-08) that would prevent Congress from receiving the pay raise ordered by President Obama.  The House is likely to hold a vote on the bill this week.

Griffin has voted repeatedly to keep Congressional salaries frozen.  Griffin supported H.R. 3835, which passed the House in February 2012, and would freeze congressional and federal civilian salaries through 2013.  It awaits a vote in the Senate.

H.Con.Res. 112, which passed the House in March 2012 with Griffin’s support, extended the freeze through 2015.  It also awaits action in the Senate.

In August, The Washington Post reported: “In a letter to House and Senate leaders, the president reiterated his support for ending the pay freeze [for federal employees] with a 0.5 percent raise, to take effect Jan. 1, 2013, that he proposed early this year….  Under a law passed in 2010, salary rates are frozen for 2011 and 2012, although employees still can get raises upon promotion, as a performance reward or as they advance up the steps of their pay grades.”

According to National Journal, “The 1990 Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act allows the president through an executive order to set a pay raise for government employees if Congress doesn’t specify one and doesn’t pass legislation prohibiting it.”

---

Tags: Barack Obama, pay raises, members of Congress, Congress, Tim Griffin, H.R. 3835, stopping the pay raise To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!