Politics and Government
By law, Members of Congress may receive cost of living adjustments at no greater rate than other federal employees operating under the General Schedule pay structure.
By law, Members of Congress may receive cost of living adjustments at no greater rate than other federal employees operating under the General Schedule pay structure. I have always voted against giving Congress a pay raise, especially in light of these tough economic times. Furthermore, I also recently voted in favor of H.Res.22, a resolution that will cut the budget of Congress and save an estimated $35 million in fiscal year 2011.
Congress must also have responsibility to ensure that the money we spend goes where it is intended. As a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog coalition, I am committed to ensuring that government is free of waste, fraud, and abuse that unnecessarily costs taxpayers money.
I am strongly committed to effective campaign finance laws, which I consider to be a vital safeguard of our democratic process. The Supreme Court recently overturned two longstanding legal precedents that restricted the ability of corporations to spend funds on campaigns that support or oppose particular political candidates. The Court cited restrictions on spending as a violation of the First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech. This decision opens the door to a flood of spending by giant corporations—some of them foreign—in an effort to influence American elections, with no requirement to disclose who is sponsoring an advertisement or similar communication. This is very concerning to me, and I have taken steps to ensure that our elections remain transparent and free from the influence of foreign corporations by co-sponsoring legislation such as the DISCLOSE Act.
Additionally, the need for bipartisanship in our nation’s capital has never been stronger.
I have long stressed that in order to find solutions to the challenges that face our nation, both parties must focus on what joins us instead of what separates us. As a moderate voice in the House of Representatives, however, I have seen firsthand how the loud voices of a few can so often drown out those of the rest of the country. Rather than let both parties drift further toward the extremes, we must all work together to create jobs and get our economy back on track. I am hopeful that we can all set aside our differences and reach common-sense solutions, and I believe that Congress should set a strong example of cooperation and respect.