Jason Chaffetz: Members of Congress should get $30,000 a year to help them pay rent

CNBC ^ | June 27, 2017 | Ester Bloom

[trebb]

I’d vote for your proposal.

[octex]

I think that was Jason C. who slept in his office.

Remember that Harry Reid lived at the Ritz Carleton in DC? That plus meals, etc., was probably only about $80-100k/year.

How did he afford that on only $174k income? Hmmm....

[free_life]

Build some army type barracks out back of Capital Building. 3 hots and a cot.

[JustTheTruth]

If in exchange we could outlaw all insider trading by Congress, and all financial dealings they now have with lobbying firms and the companies they represent, and if all of their financial transactions were subject to ongoing audit, I would support it. The public is getting robbed blind and this graft has corrupted the system.

[Flick Lives]

I've got your housing allowance right here, Congressman.

[samantha]

We used to hang out at the Brickskiller and Cahills which are long gone. My old stomping grounds was DuPont circle,and most of my friends worshipped at St Mathews cathedral. This was a lifetime ago,but it is all fond memories.

[samantha]

The elitist congresscritters did not improve DC,they made it the high rent district because they don't know enough to go home,they stay forever on our dime.

[samantha]

The elitist congresscritters did not improve DC,they made it the high rent district because they don't know enough to go home,they stay forever on our dime.

[Oratam]

Serving in Congress should be a part-time gig like it was originally. There should be House and Senate boarding houses divided along party lines. They should come for three months in the late fall/winter, go home for Christmas, then return for three months in the late winter/spring. Summers should be spent in their districts getting the sense or mood of their constituents. Oh, and they should have a business back home that supports them.

[oldasrocks]

If they don’t like the pay for working part time they are more than welcome to go get a different job.

[Xenodamus]

I like your idea and would vote for it. The only thing I would add is to have a duty list for them to take care of the building and patrol it at night. That seems like and economical use of taxpayer funds. If its good enough for the military it’s good enough for our employees.

[elteemike]

Oh surely there are some public housing projects in DC where the Congress-critters in need could find shelter...

Course they’d have to rub elbows with the hoi polloi...

[zerosix]

That and so much more - he gets a lifetime FREE Pension plus FREE other gimmies, like postage, etc. so he can develop (excuse me, I misspoke, someone else can develop) a newsletter, blog, website, thanks to the voters he screwed!

[windsorknot]

And Members of Congress should be forced to participate in any healthcare system they devise. Presumably they must know what’s best for the rest of us.

[The_Media_never_lie]

Why can’t they stay in their states/districts and vote remotely? They need to get away from the greedy lobbyists.

[Spktyr]

Members of Congress should get a $30K pay *cut* until they start actually doing their jobs instead of posturing.

And after that, they should not be paid any more than officers in the military. Captain’s or Lieutenant’s pay for Representatives, Colonel or Lt. Colonel for Senators. Tops.

[Spktyr]

Nope - house them in military barracks or newly constructed exact duplicates while they’re in Washington.

[Spktyr]

Nope - house them in military barracks or newly constructed exact duplicates while they’re in Washington.

[Lurker]

No.

L

[grey_whiskers]

Jason, I have two words for you.

They sound very much like "duck" and "female sheep".