Return the 27th Amendment of the Constitution to Its Original Intent

Floor Speech

Mr. BARROW of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to join me in support of H.J. Res. 33, which would reshape the way Washington operates.

Because Congress has failed to do its job to find the spending cuts we need to replace the sequester, folks all across this country, including folks in my district in Georgia, will pay the price.

Unfortunately, in Washington there are rules that prevent Members of Congress from being penalized for not doing their jobs. The Constitution doesn't protect the pay of folks back home, so why should it protect the pay of Members of Congress?

The 27th Amendment of the Constitution was written to prevent Members of Congress from giving themselves pay increases, but lately it has been used as a shield to prevent a congressional pay cut. My proposal, H.J. Res. 33, would return the 27th Amendment to its original intent and hold Members of Congress to the same standard as folks back home.

I urge my colleagues to support this proposal.

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