Posted on 12/02/2004 2:14:18 PM PST by KeyLargo
Daschle staffers to get severance
By Denise Ross, Journal Staff Writer
The U.S. Senate unanimously approved two months' worth of severance pay for the employees of Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., in the wake of his Nov. 2 defeat by Republican John Thune.
As one of their last acts before they adjourned in the early morning hours of Nov. 21, senators voted to change the rules governing the chamber to provide the severance pay and benefits package, which is expected to cost taxpayers at least $656,480.
Such severance packages have not been extended to staff members of defeated senators in the past.
Daschle has about 80 employees at his South Dakota field offices, his Senate office on Capitol Hill and his Senate minority leader office in the Capitol itself.
The $656,480 estimate comes from multiplying the estimated number of employees eligible for severance by two months' worth of the average annual salary — $49,236 — of a Senate employee. The cost of benefits has not been figured in.
That average salary comes from a 2001 report released by the Congressional Management Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization in Washington, D.C.
The severance pay will begin after Thune is sworn in Tuesday, Jan. 4.
The severance package is the result of Senate Resolution No. 478, a rule change that amends earlier resolutions granting similar severance packages to employees of senators who die while in office or resign.
The resolution grants severance pay to employees of all senators defeated in an election, but this year, only Daschle fits that category.
Under the resolution, such severance pay will be granted in the future to the staff members of defeated senators.
Aides must have worked for a senator for a minimum of 183 days to get the severance package. According to The Hill newspaper, severance payments would stop after eligible staffers get new jobs.
In addition, The Hill reported that the rule change "applies the benefit to the Senate's president pro tempore emeritus, a title created for Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), who gave up the office of president pro tempore to Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) when Republicans regained control of the Senate. Byrd was able to maintain his chauffeur-driven Cadillac and a small staff when he assumed the emeritus post."
Contact Denise Ross at 394-8438 or denise.ross@rapidcityjournal.com
TRANSITION SALARIES (Senate - January 07, 1993)
[Page: S48]
Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I send a resolution to the desk and ask for its immediate consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 9) to amend S. Res. 458 of the 98th Congress.
Mr. FORD. Mr. President, for many years the Senate has by standing order provided Senate employees with appropriate transition salary continuation in the event of the death or resignation of a Senator or Senate leader, or in the case of termination of service of appointed Senators. The resolution merely provides similar treatment for Senate committee staff, which until now, as an oversight, has not been included in this permanent standing order.
The Senate has provided for such treatment of committee staff by separate resolutions which periodically expire. This resolution amends the standing order to provide committee staff with an efficient permanent remedy consistent with the existing standing order.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the resolution .
The resolution (S. Res. 9) was agreed to as follows:
S. Res. 9
Resolved, That Senate Resolution 458 of the Ninety-eighth Congress (agreed to October 4, 1984) is amended by adding the following new section:
`Sec. 6. (a) For purposes of this section:
`(1) The term committee means a standing, select or special committee, or commission of the Senate, or a joint committee of the Congress whose funds are disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate.
`(2) The terms Chairman and Ranking Minority Member means the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Co-Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of a committee.
`(3) The term eligible staff member means an individual who was an employee of a committee, or subcommittee thereof, for at least one hundred and eighty-three days (whether or not service was continuous) prior to the termination of employment as described in paragraph (4), and whose pay is disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate.
`(4) The term displaced staff member means an eligible staff member whose service as an employee of the Senate is terminated solely and directly as a result of a change of the individual occupying the position of Chairman or Ranking minority member of a committee and who is certified as a displaced staff member by the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee to the Secretary of the Senate. Such certification shall be made no later than 60 days from the date of such change.
`(b) The Secretary of the Senate shall notify the Committee on Rules and Administration of the name of each displaced staff member.
`(c)(1) Under regulations prescribed by the Committee on Rules and Administration each displaced staff member shall, upon application to the Secretary of the Senate and approval by the Committee on Rules and Administration, continue to be paid at their respective salaries for a period not to exceed 60 days following the staff member's date of termination or until the staff member becomes otherwise gainfully employed, whichever is earlier.
`(2) A statement in writing by any such employee that he was not gainfully employed during such period or the portion thereof for which payment is claimed shall be accepted as prima facie evidence that he was not so employed.
`(d) Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this section shall be available as set forth in section 1(d).'
Rush and everyone else should make a big deal of this.
It's a perfect illustration of the Senate's contempt for the taxpayers.
I hate the Senate more and more with each passing week.
I'm so confused. Please explain why all Republican Senators voted for this.
He didn't get this done by himself. He had a majority help on this one. The politician weasels always take care of one another.
Any severance pay should come out of Daschle's pension.
Well the Republicans do have a majority............
Did anyone see the idiot Hatch refuse to condemn Kofi Annan on TV this morning, same went for Danforth, who is an ordained minister by the way.
If Orin is on a short list for the Supreme Court, then repubs can kiss Christian support goodbye.
If it is his decision to give them severence - then he should foot the bill. Period.
They get cranky when the lose, don't they?
Dachel should pay severance out of his own pocket. After all, his staff worked for him not for the tax-payers. They certainly did not work for me, I'm a Republican.
We both resent it.
I am sure glad the party of fiscal responsibility and smaller govt is in charge now.
I think it's fine to compensate defeated Democratic Senator staffers whose boss has lost. Hopefully, this will be used much more frequently in 2006.
And the base price for clearing deadwood has just been established. Considering the BILLIONS that the US Government has wasted on keeping deadwood on the payroll, this is a small investment in a good thing.
"How do you get a former Daschle staffer's attention?"
"Hey, waiter!"
Two months severence is not unreasonable and I have no problem with it.
What I have a problem with is that apparently Daschle spent 328,000 a month on his staff payroll every month previous.
Thats where the problem is.
How did Spectre vote?
The U.S. Senate unanimously approved two months' worth of severance pay for the employees of Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., in the wake of his Nov. 2 defeat by Republican John Thune.
Given that it was UNANIMOUS I guess he voted with the majority, unless he voted "not proven"
Haggis.
What's that an anti-Scottish slur.
"If it's not Scottish it's crap" LOL
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