[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 30 (Thursday, March 4, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E309]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


              CONGRESSIONAL PAY CUT FOR DEBT REDUCTION ACT

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                            HON. DAN BURTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 4, 2010

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the 
``Congressional Pay Cut for Debt Reduction Act'' and to encourage all 
of my colleagues to support this bill.
  Madam Speaker, the American people are angry. They are struggling to 
hold onto their jobs, to hold onto their houses and to pay their bills. 
Yet they see Washington spending their hard earned tax dollars 
indiscriminately.
  Over the last five years, Federal spending has increased from nearly 
20 percent as a share of the economy to 24.7 percent as the 
government's expenditures jumped from $2.47 trillion to $3.52 
trillion--a 42-percent increase. These are the highest levels of 
spending as a share of the economy since World War II.
  To make matters worse, much of this spending, particularly the 
spending spree of the last three years, has been financed with borrowed 
money. Currently, the national debt exceeds $12.1 trillion (about 
$40,000 per U.S. citizen). And the spending shows no signs of stopping. 
Less than a month ago my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, 
jammed through on a party line vote a bill to increase the government's 
debt ceiling by a staggering $1.9 trillion; to over $14 trillion. And 
the President's recently released budget plan for Fiscal Year 2011 and 
beyond projects the national debt to reach the unprecedented and 
astronomical sum of $24.5 trillion by 2019.
  The American people are angry at this reckless spending. At Town Hall 
meetings across my District, Hoosiers are asking me when Washington is 
going to stop the madness. They want leadership on this issue; they 
want accountability; they want to know where the buck stops.
  Today the buck stops here. The American people are sacrificing to 
make ends meet for the good of their families. Every department, 
agency, program and office across the Federal government should follow 
that example by finding common-sense solutions that will help them save 
money--by doing more with less, just like the American people are 
doing. That same principle should apply to, and start with, the House 
and Senate as well. It is time--in fact it is past time--that the 
Congress steps up to the plate and shows we are willing to make 
sacrifices too for the good of our country.
  That is why I am introducing the ``Congressional Pay Cut for Debt 
Reduction Act.'' This bill will reduce pay for members in the House and 
Senate by 10 percent--starting in January 2011 to meet the requirements 
of the 27th Amendment to the Constitution--block any future automatic 
increase to member pay, and use the money saved to help pay down our 
national debt. This would be the first pay cut for Members of Congress 
since April 1, 1933--during the Great Depression. This bill is unlikely 
to solve all of our Nation's economic problems but it will show the 
American people that Members of Congress are willing to sacrifice along 
with them in these hard economic times. I urge my colleagues to support 
the bill.

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