Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 - Continued
Floor Speech
Issues: Government Budget and Spending
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Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I support annual votes on congressional pay raises to avoid automatic cost of living increases. I was a cosponsor of an alternative by Senator Reid that would have accomplished this goal without derailing the Omnibus appropriations bill. The underlying Omnibus appropriations bill cancels the pay raise that would have gone into effect in January 2010. Additionally, I have previously stated that I will give the 2009 cost of living increase to charity.
Unfortunately, this amendment was nothing more than political grandstanding and a poison pill designed to block necessary appropriations bills from passing and I was forced to vote against the amendment.
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