A hunger crisis on Capitol Hill gave congressional leaders no choice but to trample the Constitution.
Thanks to a backroom deal, House members can now claim automatic reimbursement of $258 a night for lodging expenses and $79 a day for meals in DC — even if they don’t spend a dime.
But though House members can pocket up to $34,000 a year in additional tax dollars, it’s not a pay raise because politicians are entitled to use false labels for everything they do.
There is a pity party in Washington: You weren’t invited, but you’ll pay the bill.
Members of Congress are whining that they receive only $174,000 a year — more than triple the average US salary and higher pay than 93% of Americans pocket.
And it is a part-time job: The House of Representatives will be in session just 117 days this year.
That didn’t stop Rep. Alexandria
Boom BoomOcasio-Cortez
Dem Congressgirl from da Bronx in Noo Yawk and leader of the Mean Girl Caucus in Congress. One of the Great Minds of the 21st Century, she is known as much for her innaleck as for her dance moves. She is all in favor of socialism, even though she's fuzzy on the details. She was the inventor of the Green New Deal, though she doesn't talk about it much anymore...
from moaning that "Congress structures itself to exclude and push out the few working class people who *do* get elected."
Congressional salaries are far higher than average Americans’ pay in part to cover the extra cost of spending time in Washington. But House members wanted more.
After Republicans captured the House majority in November, the Democrat-controlled House Administration Committee rushed through a provision in December to boost members’ pay.