S 3158 PCSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To require Congress to lead by example and freeze its own pay and fully offset the cost of the extension of unemployment benefits and other Federal aid.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

March 23, 2010CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. COBURN introduced the following bill; which was read the first timeCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

March 24, 2010CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Read the second time and placed on the calendarCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To require Congress to lead by example and freeze its own pay and fully offset the cost of the extension of unemployment benefits and other Federal aid.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. NO INCREASE IN PAY OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.

(a) Short Title- This section may be cited as the ‘The No Pay Raise for Congress Until the Budget is Balanced Act’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Findings- Congress makes the following findings:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) Article I, section 9, of the United States Constitution makes Congress responsible for all money drawn from the United States Treasury.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) The United States national debt now exceeds $12,600,000,000,000.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) The Federal budget deficit is projected to amount to $1,300,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2010 and the annual deficits will average nearly $1,000,000,000,000 for the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) Each American’s share of the United States national debt amounts to more than $41,000.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) The United States national debt increases more than $4,000,000,000 each day.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) Foreign investors held 48 percent of the United States’ outstanding public debt at the end of 2009, including $776,400,000,000 the United States owes to Communist China.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) For the first time ever, the Federal budget deficit has been singled out as the most important issue facing the future of the country, according to a Gallup poll conducted between March 4 and March 7, 2010.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) In the last six months, Congress has passed 4 major extension bills, costing taxpayers nearly $30,000,000,000.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(9) Eighty-three percent of Americans say the size of the Federal budget deficit is due to the unwillingness of politicians to cut Government spending and just 11 percent think the Government spends taxpayers’ money wisely, according to a national survey conducted between February 2 and February 3, 2010, by Rasmussen Reports.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(10) More than twice as many United States adults (58 percent) say that debt owed to China is a more serious threat to the long-term security and well-being of the United States than is terrorism from radical Islamic terrorists (27 percent), according to a Zogby Interactive survey conducted between February 17 and February 19, 2010.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(11) For the reasons specified in paragraphs (1) through (10)--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) Congress should make balancing the Federal budget an urgent priority to protect the national security, financial stability, and standard of living of the United States;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) because Congress has long refused to make the tough decisions necessary to cut wasteful spending, reducing the national debt limit is the only sure way to force Congress to live within its means;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) the pay for members of Congress, who are constitutionally responsible for the money drawn from the United States Treasury and the debt that results from excessive spending, should not be increased until Congress has balanced the Federal budget; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) Congress should no longer approve irresponsible legislation that adds to the deficit and burdens future generations with more debt.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Restrictions on Pay of Members of Congress-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) RESTRICTION ON COLA ADJUSTMENTS- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no adjustment shall be made under section 601(a) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 31) (relating to cost of living adjustments for Members of Congress) during fiscal year 2011 or any succeeding fiscal year, until the fiscal year following the first fiscal year that the annual Federal budget deficit is $0 as determined in the report submitted under paragraph (2).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) DETERMINATIONS AND REPORTS-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) IN GENERAL- Not later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary of the Treasury shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) make a determination of whether or not the annual Federal budget deficit was $0 for that fiscal year; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) if the determination is that the annual Federal budget deficit was $0 for that fiscal year, submit a report to Congress of that determination.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) RESTRICTION OF COLA ADJUSTMENTS- Not later than the end of each calendar year, the Secretary of the Treasury shall submit a report to the Secretary of the Senate and the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives on--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) any determination made under subparagraph (A); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) whether or not the restriction under paragraph (1) shall apply to the succeeding fiscal year.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. REPEAL OF INCREASE OF THE OFFICE BUDGETS OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.

Of the funds made available under Public Law 111-68 for the legislative branch (except for any account under the heading ‘CAPITOL POLICE’), $100,000,000 in unobligated balances are rescinded: Provided, That none of the funding available for the legislative branch be available for any pilot program for mailings of postal patron postcards by Senators for the purpose of providing notice of a town meeting by a Senator in a county (or equivalent unit of local government) at which the Senator will personally attend.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. RESCISSION OF UNSPENT AND UNCOMMITTED FEDERAL FUNDS.

(a) In General- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of all available unobligated Federal funds, $9,200,000,000 in discretionary, unexpired funds are rescinded.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Implementation- Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) identify the accounts and amounts rescinded to implement subsection (a); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) submit a report to the Secretary of the Treasury and Congress of the accounts and amounts identified under paragraph (1) for rescission.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Calendar No. 334CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To require Congress to lead by example and freeze its own pay and fully offset the cost of the extension of unemployment benefits and other Federal aid.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

March 24, 2010CommentsClose CommentsPermalink