Friday, February 22, 2013

Billy Long: Raise my pay

If the sequestration takes place March 1, federal workers will see their pay cut, but not members of Congress, something that doesn't seem to bother Seventh District Congressman Billy Long at all in the accompanying CNN video.

Asked if he should have to take a pay cut in his $174,000 salary, Long tells a CNN reporter, "I don't think so. Raise our pay."

He then says it would just be "a miniscule amount."

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

How's that diet going Billy?

Busplunge said...

Wasn't it Billy who just last week sent out a press release saying he voted or would vote to freeze congressional salaries?

http://long.house.gov/press-releases/long-votes-to-freeze-federal-salaries-including-for-members-of-congress/

Ah yes, I remember it well. Too bad Billy forgot.

Here's a transcript of his press release:
Long Votes to Freeze Federal Salaries, Including for Members of Congress
02/15/13

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Billy Long voted in favor of H.R. 273, which freezes federal workers’ pay, including Members of Congress, Members of the President’s Cabinet and the Vice President.

“America is currently facing an unprecedented fiscal crisis brought on by years of excessive spending,” Long said. “During these tough economic times, when a large number of hard working Americans are struggling to find work, I don’t believe federal employees should be immune from shared sacrifices. Our nation’s debt problem cannot be solved unless all Americans demand reductions in the size and scope of our national government.”

In December 2012 the president issued an executive order for an across the board pay increase of 0.5 percent. The legislation continues the freeze on federal employee pay through the end of 2013. According to the CBO this legislation will save approximately $11 billion over ten years.