WASHIGNTON, DC – Yesterday evening, Congresswoman Niki Tsongas joined with 59 of her colleagues in introducing the Stop the Congressional Pay Raise Act of 2009, bipartisan legislation to stop Congress' scheduled pay raise from taking effect in the coming year.  Tsongas released the following statement regarding her cosponsorship of the legislation.

"Families across Massachusetts and our nation are facing historically difficult economic circumstances.  Not a day goes by that I do not hear from my constituents about the impact that the economy has had on their lifestyles and household budgets, and how it has forced them to make extremely difficult choices.  Many others have lost their jobs, homes, and retirement savings during this crisis.  The economy has also forced the cities and towns I represent to layoff workers and reduce essential services.  This is not the year for Congress to be giving itself a pay raise.

"Existing law provides Members of Congress with an automatic cost of living adjustment along with other federal employees, unless Congress passes legislation which would exclude them from the pay raise.  The bipartisan legislation that my colleagues and I have introduced would prevent the scheduled pay raise from going into effect next year.  By blocking the 2010 pay raise, the legislation would save taxpayers an estimated $2.5 million.

“When I was elected last year, I made a personal decision not to accept the congressional pay raise when it went into effect at the beginning of the calendar year in 2008 and I chose to donate the amount of the pay raise to charity. While I did not have the opportunity to vote to suspend this year's scheduled increase, I will not take it, and will instead donate the pay raise amount to the Greater Lowell Community Foundation. 

"At a time when our nation is in the midst of the worst economic crisis in decades, is engaged in two wars, and faces historic challenges in getting our economy moving again, this legislation to stop the congressional pay raise from taking effect is entirely appropriate."

The National Taxpayers Union, Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, Taxpayers for Common Sense and The Senior Citizens League have all endorsed the legislation.

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