Congressional Pay Freeze and Fiscal Responsibility Act

Floor Speech

Ms. MCCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, with regard to H.R. 6726, this is a bill to deny all federal civilian employees a 0.5% pay increase after they have endured two consecutive years of a mandatory pay freeze. This bill unfairly punishes federal employees who have already sacrificed significantly during difficult economic times. By denying federal employees even a modest salary adjustment this Republican bill strangles the federal workforce, making federal service an ever less attractive career option for America's best and brightest.

This bill also denies a modest cost of living increase to Members of Congress. If House Republicans want to deny a pay increase for Members of Congress then they should have put forward a clean bill that does not punish the federal civilian workforce.

Last night the U.S. Senate passed the bipartisan amendment to H.R. 8 that prevents a tax increase for 98% of American taxpayers. In Section 902 of that legislation is language denying a cost of living increase to Members of Congress in 2013. If my Republican colleagues really want to deny Congress a pay increase that has a chance of becoming law then I urge them to vote for the Senate's bipartisan agreement that raises taxes on millionaires and billionaires and cuts taxes for middle class families.

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