Moran: $174K a year is not enough for members of Congress

Jim Moran (Kris Connor/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images) Not a joke. He actually believes that they desreve more money.

WTOP

WASHINGTON — Members of Congress make $174,000 a year, but retiring Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., says that’s not enough.

Moran tells CQ Roll Call that members need bigger paychecks because they have to maintain two residences — one in their home district, and one in Washington.  

“I think the American people should know that the members of Congress are underpaid,” Moran told Roll Call.

“I understand that it’s widely felt that they underperform, but the fact is that this is the board of directors for the largest economic entity in the world.”

Moran says some members live out of their offices to save money and others have little apartment units.

He said he thinks with members of Congress making the number of sacrifices they are for their families that fewer will want to run for office and the result will be wealthier people running for Congress.

“More and more we’re going to see people who are already millionaires coming into Congress,” Moran said on WTOP.

“Our pay has been frozen for three years and we’re planning on freezing it a fourth year,” he told Roll Call.

Congressional salaries have not seen a bump since 2009.

Moran says he’ll bring up the issue in an amendment to a bill to garner attention to the issue, but he assumes it will not pass.

Moran wants to see Congress bring back a per diem for lawmakers from outside the Washington metropolitan area. He says Congress had the per diem for its first 100 years.

“I don’t think I’m going to get much support,” Moran told WTOP.

“As long as the Congress continues to freeze its own pay, it’s going to be very difficult to unfreeze federal employees’ pay. It seems to me that the federal workforce deserves a raise,” Moran said on WTOP.

CBS Chief Washington Correspondent and host of “Face The Nation” Bob Schieffer says congressional pay needs a “complete overhaul.”

“I propose that they be paid by the hour, just like most government workers,” he said Friday on WTOP. “But they would only be paid while they’re legislating.”

Schieffer joked that lawmakers should also get a good healthcare plan – though he noted they already have that.

“They could get it by going to the healthcare.gov website,” he said, referring to the website that’s been plagued by problems for Americans trying to sign up for healthcare insurance.

“When Congress does so little, as it’s done in this Congress … you’re not going to get a lot of sympathy,” says David Gregory, moderator of “Meet the Press.”

Moran admits Congress has not been productive.

“We’re not getting anything done. You are absolutely right,” Moran said on WTOP.

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http://www.wtop.com/120/3596224/Moran-174K-a-year-is-not-enough

12 thoughts on “Moran: $174K a year is not enough for members of Congress

  1. All of these bastards leave congress as multi millionaires. They have stolen more than most banks from us. This SOB actually has the nerve to ask for more?

    1. Agreed Bulldog, if anything they need a pay reduction. These SOB’s get half the year off and they don’t do anything in the six month’s they are there. Put them all in a dorm room building and make them pay rent out of their pay like everyone else.

    2. Pretty slick how CONgress repealed the law preventing them from conducting in insider trading. Must be nice to legally obtain & use insider info at will to make a fortune via the market.

      Indeed most of them do become very wealthy because they are CONgressmen.

  2. Oh sure, congress critters should be paid more to do nothing.

    Change the spelling of this guys name to MORON, makes sense.

    They deserve at the most, minimum wage. As for the best healthcare, enroll them in Obammy care.

  3. “As long as the Congress continues to freeze its own pay, it’s going to be very difficult to unfreeze federal employees’ pay. It seems to me that the federal workforce deserves a raise,” Moran said.

    Typical low IQ liberal logical fallacy (Straw Man).

    The Fed workers wont receive a pay raise until we (Congress) receive one. Largely most people think federal workers are over paid as well.

  4. I’ll bet we can hang every one of the bastards for a lot less than that, and we’ll solve a whole bunch of billion-dollar problems at the same time.

  5. dont make me laugh
    personally they should be paid min. wage , and not be allowed to work more then 1 day a week

    go out and produce, were tired of carrying your weight

  6. My anus weeps for the poor and tired congress. Perhaps we should talk about euthanasia them. You know… to put them out of the misery that are suffering from under pay.

  7. Too damn bad, suck it up buddy.

    I want your salary CUT IN HALF, and you would still
    be over paid.
    Try living like the rest of the world does for a while.

  8. they are not even worth the hemp rope necktie party for early retirement they should get at no time ever did anyone ask for give permission for or allow them to set up this agreement with the crowns or crown corporation its not ours it needs to go PERIOD

    Whenever a judge acts where he/she does not have jurisdiction to act, the judge is engaged in an act or acts of treason. U.S. v. Will, 449 U.S. 200, 216, 101 S.Ct. 471, 66 L.Ed.2d 392, 406 (1980); Cohens v. Virginia, 19 U.S. (6 Wheat) 264, 404, 5 L.Ed 257 (1821)
    punishment for which is death by hanging

    “As long as the most resistance you are capable of putting up is holding a sign, filing paperwork in their court, or self-righteously waving your finger at people, aggression will be a rewarding career choice for anyone who is so inclined.” – Chris Cantwell at CopBlock.org

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