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New Rule Could Give House Lawmakers a Tax-Free $34,000 Pay Bump
NYTimes ^ | Jan 13 2023 | Stephanie Lai and Reid J. Epstein

Posted on 01/17/2023 1:26:54 PM PST by 6thavenue

WASHINGTON — A little-noticed rule change made quietly by Democrats in the final days of their majority last year could give House members a long-delayed increase in compensation, allowing them to be reimbursed for the cost of lodging, food and travel while they are on official business in Washington.

For the past dozen years, House members have declined to take a cost-of-living increase in the annual spending bills, fearful of a political backlash if they were seen to give themselves a raise. But the provision, tucked into internal rules that typically receive little attention from the public and without any open debate on Capitol Hill, could amount to a subsidy of about $34,000 per member this year, according to an estimate based on current government reimbursement rates. That would be a substantial increase for lawmakers who spend weeks on end in the nation’s capital, where living costs are among the highest in the United States.

(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Government
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 01/17/2023 1:26:54 PM PST by 6thavenue
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To: 6thavenue

I have no problem paying Congressman more. They are, after all, they only people over whom we have some control

The REAL issue is the unelected, permanent deep-state bureaucracy. Just look at people like Comey, Welensky, Fauci.

They typically are in DC for decades, have never faced election, are worth $$ millions, and have the power to overthrow Presidents and shut down the country.


2 posted on 01/17/2023 1:35:00 PM PST by PGR88
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To: 6thavenue

I heard they were going to tear down the Hoover building. How about instead, turn it into 1 bedroom apartments for Congresspeople? Should make their late night trysts more discreet. Maybe put a bar in the lobby too.


3 posted on 01/17/2023 1:35:25 PM PST by monkeyshine (live and let live is dead)
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To: 6thavenue
That is pocket lint in terms of income streams available to Congressmen. It is of no real importance.

Liz Cheney made tens of millions of dollars during her terms in Congress through perfectly legal insider trading. Perfectly legal for Congressmen, not for ordinary citizens.

No, I am not being sarcastic. They actually passed laws making such deals legal for themselves. Most Congressmen probably take advantage of such opportunities.

I don't see any problem with paying for their legitimate travel expenses. It is the other things they do that need close scrutiny.

4 posted on 01/17/2023 1:41:46 PM PST by flamberge (Caveat Emptor)
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To: 6thavenue
A little-noticed rule change made quietly by Democrats in the final days of their majority last year could give House members a long-delayed increase in compensation, allowing them to be reimbursed for the cost of lodging, food and travel while they are on official business in Washington.

Long-delayed? Those SOBs don't deserve squat.

5 posted on 01/17/2023 1:50:35 PM PST by Dahoser (I finally figured out what to call him: Fakephonyfraudident Biden.)
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To: 6thavenue

That better be undone


6 posted on 01/17/2023 1:55:18 PM PST by Nifster (OI see puppy dogs in the clouds )
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To: 6thavenue

So they can stay and dine at the Hilton while they’re in Washington?


7 posted on 01/17/2023 2:09:47 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: 6thavenue

In the progressive tone of equity and equality I think everyone in Congress should be limited to the same pay of not greater than $2500 a year and be required to work ONLY 2 weeks a year. The remaining time they get a F’n real job to survive.


8 posted on 01/17/2023 2:12:55 PM PST by maddog55 (The only thing systemic in America is the left's hatred of it!)
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To: 6thavenue

A little-noticed rule change made quietly by Democrats
*********

Tax-Free not to us we pay for it.


9 posted on 01/17/2023 2:54:53 PM PST by Vaduz (LAWYERS )
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To: PGR88
"I have no problem paying Congressman more.
They are, after all, the only people over whom we have some control."

Absolutely, I have no agreement with that observation...

I have a huge problem paying Congressmen more.
They are, after all, people over whom we have virtually no control...

They lie through their teeth to get elected, then lead a life collecting far too large a wage for the minuscule amount of time they actually work...

They need to be forced to work 40 hours a week at minimum wage so that they would feel the full impact of the nonsensical way they steal & waste taxpayers' hard-earned money!

10 posted on 01/17/2023 2:55:06 PM PST by SuperLuminal (Where is the next Sam Adams when we so desperatly need him)
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To: 6thavenue

What do you expect from Congre$$.


11 posted on 01/17/2023 3:00:47 PM PST by antidemoncrat
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To: 6thavenue

What do you expect from Congre$$.


12 posted on 01/17/2023 3:01:53 PM PST by antidemoncrat
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To: 6thavenue

If they want the job so bad they should work for FREE


13 posted on 01/17/2023 4:52:49 PM PST by butlerweave
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To: butlerweave

That’s pretty much the case already.
The job where people spend “millions” to get a job that pays “thousands”


14 posted on 01/17/2023 4:54:40 PM PST by nascarnation (Let's go Brandon!)
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To: 6thavenue

Public service has now come to mean that the public exists to serve its servants.


15 posted on 01/17/2023 4:56:26 PM PST by mewzilla (We will never restore the republic if we don't first secure the ballot box.)
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To: 6thavenue
The US Congress should be paid in proportion to how much money the United States as a business concern made.

If America takes in more money than it spends, they should be rewarded. But if America spends more than it takes in, all their work was Pro Bono. No salary, no pension, no housing expense, no franking privilege, no nuttin.

16 posted on 01/17/2023 7:27:54 PM PST by Paal Gulli
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To: Paal Gulli

Good idea


17 posted on 01/17/2023 7:32:10 PM PST by 6thavenue
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To: 6thavenue
ORIGINAL 2nd Amendment/ Bill of Rights Question: Does this increase count as "compensation" for their services?
"27th" Amendment:
No law varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives shall take effect until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.
What was finally ratified 27th was originally the second amendment proposed of twelve in the Original Bill of Rights, one of the official, large, original copies of which toured on its bicentennial. Original 1st was never ratified (though still could be) and this one took couple hundred years to ratify. Primacy popularly granted to the "current"j 1st and 2nd because of their "current" ordinal rank is false, as that's a historical fluke. However the "27th," born 2nd, may apply here.

This was signed into law AFTER the midterms so arguably shouldn't go into effect until AFTER the '24 election. Unless its terminology can be legally excluded from a pre-existing legal definition of "compensation." And a pre-ratification vs. a when written legal definition may make for an interesting issue should courts try to decide the point based on "original" meaning and intent of the language. I hope somebody takes it to court. IF the original intent was that this should have been covered they shouldn't be able to get around it by mere clever language.

18 posted on 01/17/2023 10:03:01 PM PST by JohnBovenmyer (Biden/Harris a events are called dodo ops)
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To: 6thavenue

A critical thinker might propose a pay DECREASE for Congress, as motivation to get a budget done and fix economy so they can afford ... what am I saying? The last Congress was 40+% absent and voting by ‘proxy’ among the Democrats. They should have their pay reduced accordingly.


19 posted on 01/18/2023 10:42:00 AM PST by RideForever (Damn, another dangling par .....)
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