Congressman Introduces 'No Pay Raise' Bill For Members Until Budget Is Balanced

The debt is on an “unsustainable” path, heading toward $20 trillion, according to the Government Accountability Office. If we continue on this course, it could amount to a "fiscal crisis." With such an uncertain future, one congressman has put forward a common sense proposal: No pay raises for Congress until we get this whole debt thing under control.

Rep. Vern Buchanan’s (R-FL) No Pay Raise for Congress Act prohibits salary increases for Congress in any fiscal year they fail to balance the budget.

“Successful businesses do not reward an employee who fails to do their job,” Buchanan said in a statement. “This same common sense must be used in Washington. Members of Congress should not be eligible for pay raises if they cannot fulfill one of their most basic responsibilities.”

In his confirmation hearing on Tuesday, President Trump’s nominee to run the Office of Management and Budget hinted that he will help enact “fundamental changes” to address the spiraling debt. In addition to overseeing tax cuts, Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-SC) said he will consider entitlement reforms and raise the retirement age to save Medicare and Social Security.