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Razing raisesCoffman co-sponsors bill forgoing lawmaker pay hikesGene Davis, DDN Staff WriterThursday, January 8, 2009 | |
Colorado Representative Mike Coffman sent the message yesterday that he didn’t become a lawmaker for the money — the Republican’s first act as a United States Congressman was to co-sponsor a piece of legislation that would prevent Congress members from getting a raise in 2010.
The “Stop the Congressional Pay Raise Act” seeks to forgo the automatic $4,700 raise that Congressional members are scheduled to get next year. Since 1989, Congress has automatically received a pay raise every January unless they voted specifically to reject the increase. The lawmakers have rejected pay raises five times and accepted 11 times since being allowed to vote on the issue.
“I think anything short of stopping this pay raise is just hypocrisy on the part of Congress to say they are concerned about what’s happening to the average American,” said Coffman. “I think it’s just immoral for the Congress of the United States to take a pay raise right now.”
‘Out of touch’
In 2008, Congress members will receive salaries of $169,300, which is up from the $165,200 they received previous year. The 2.5-percent salary increase from 2007 is meant to combat the rising cost of living. However, Coffman blasted the idea and said it makes Congress look bad.
“Who in the private sector right now is getting a cost-of-living raise right now? Nobody, that’s who,” said Coffman. “It just shows how out of touch the United States Congress is right now with the plight of the average American.”
Rejecting the Congressional pay raise would save U.S. taxpayers around $2.5 million. Coffman acknowledged that the amount taxpayers would save would be small, but added that the proposed legislation could have a greater impact.
“What really is significant is showing leadership in an economic crisis, and you don’t do it by taking a pay raise when other folks are lucky to have their jobs,” he said.
Arizona Republican Rep. Harry E. Mitchell introduced the “Stop the Congressional Pay Raise Act” in 2007 and 2008. Neither bill reached the House floor.
The bill’s newest incarnation — which is sponsored by Mitchell and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas — had several lawmakers sign on as co-sponsors yesterday, including Coffman. Most lawmakers interviewed yesterday said they couldn’t comment on the proposal because they had just heard about it.
High hopes
Coffman said he hopes more Congress members will sign on as co-sponsors so more lawmakers will be “embarrassed” into signing onto the piece of legislation.
“There are a lot of things in leadership that are symbolic,” said Coffman. “I think this is a great way to start the legislative session out.”
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