After taking the global economy hostage to secure painful cuts to aid programs and other federal spending, House Republicans are proposing a pay raise for themselves and other members of Congress for the coming fiscal year.

Roll Callreported Thursday that under spending legislation approved by the Republican-controlled House Appropriations Committee last month, members of Congress “would stand to receive a 4.6%, or $8,000, pay increase” in 2024. Most members of Congress currently make an annual salary of $174,000, putting them in the top 10% of U.S. earners.

“Lawmakers last received a cost-of-living increase in 2009,” the outlet noted, “but House Republicans left out the traditional language blocking a cost-of-living increase for members from this year’s Legislative Branch bill.”

Pulling themselves up by our bootstraps.

  • Altima NEO@lemmy.zip
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    1 year ago

    how about a cost of living increase for the rest of us? I haven’t gotten a significant raise in 10+ years.

    • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      Hard disagree. We should tie congressional salaries to median salaries though. That would constantly remind them that they represent us and only stay in power as long as they are working for our benefit.

  • VexCatalyst@lemmy.fmhy.ml
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    1 year ago

    I willing to give them the same cost of living increase I got this year. It was about $800. I think that’s fair.

  • crdz@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    With how many times they go on vacation a year, I’m lucky if I get to take a week off let alone months our of the year.

    • PaulDevonUK@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      The money they get comes from taxes.

      So… You are paying for their holidays. Isn’t that fun to know?

      • crdz@lemmy.one
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        1 year ago

        Yeah and they have to take them every other month VS making any decisions so they don’t lose them cuz how terrible would it be to make a decision that could possibly support any of the people who voted them into office.

    • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      Vacations are meant to talk to their constituents. So I think they should be required to spend all of that time in their home district otherwise their “vacation” gets cancelled.

  • faede@mander.xyz
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    1 year ago

    If they think they deserve cost of living raises every year, then they should mandate every american gets the same COL raise every year.

  • Bonskreeskreeskree@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Legislators compensation should be directly tied to their districts average single earner income. They want to make more, they should be enriching their constituents.

  • Encode1307@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    We need to pay people in Congress enough to live comfortably in their district and to have a place in DC. If we don’t, the only people that can afford to be in Congress are rich already…which is generally what we have now.

    • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      But we do provide them enough to be comfortable. They get six figs and I think a bunch of comps, so they’re doing pretty well.

      I do agree that they need to be comfortable, but their income shouldn’t rely on whatever the previous Congress decided to pass, it should rely on how well the average person is doing. So I think we should tie Congressional salaries to the median household income. If the median household income goes up, their income should go up, which would hopefully encourage them to pass laws that benefit the poor and middle class instead of the wealthy.

    • PickTheStick@lemmy.fmhy.ml
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      1 year ago

      Comfortably? Nah. They should live in barracks just like the military. Public Service requires public servants.

  • SokathHisEyesOpen@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    The list of things the Democrats should raise hell over is endless. Unfortunately raising hell is never enough. They need to legislate and govern. Plus, let’s be honest, I’m pretty sure the democrats will appreciate the pay raises for themselves too.