June 27th, 2011
01:45 PM ET
12 years ago
Congress pays $6.1 million in bonuses as it debates spending cuts
Washington (CNN) - Members of the House of Representatives reported up to $6.1 million in staff bonuses between January and March, giving out bonuses as they debated spending cuts and came within minutes of shutting down government over fiscal problems, a CNN investigation has found.
At least one congressman gave thousands of dollars to his own staff as he criticized other federal workers as being overpaid.
it does not come out of there business or there own pocket....thats why we are in the shape we are now...pathedic...
The last thing any congressional staffer should be getting is a bonus. When did Congress become Wall Street?
This absurd story is made possible because Congressmen are elected locally, and we all (mostly) approve of OUR Congressmen. I do, generally, while I am disgusted with most of the others from my state. We should check to see if OUR Representative paid bonuses, and hold THEM acountable.
In the recent debt ceiling debate, one issue was the deductions/loopholes for private corporate jets. One plane, the Boeing 737 I believe, is sold as a commercial jet and a corporate jet. Would you buy one used from an airline, or from a large business? THE AIRLINES WEAR THEM OUT FASTER. They are constantly taking off, flying, and landing. Corporate jets spend most of their time in hangers. The dems should pick their battles more carefully.
Ironic isn't it... I bet there are people on both sides of Congress that doing this. I would like members of Congress to go 1 month without pay. That would be good, but it would be little more than a symbol.
Pay to Paul Ryan????John Boener????Mitch McConnol???Eric cantor..????shame..shame...stop it...now you know about congress....do not vote any GOP thugs........................
Typical. The most Brilliant bunch of power hungry, out of touch, hot air bags the world has ever seen.
Stop all goverment bonuses now! Reduce congresses pay too!
Oh maybe this is Obama fault also, we can cut medicare, woman health services and states and gov workers but keep the bonuses coming.. Outragous...
That's that old Tepublican "don't do as I do, do as I say" thing.
ANYONE who believes Republicans really want to cut the deficit needs to look at history: they built it, and they're gonna keep building it!
I might owe an apology to Dems about the corporate tax break for jets; Maybe they are depreciating corporate jets QUICKER than commercial jets, which IS ridiculous.
Biggge
Oh maybe this is Obama fault also, we can cut medicare, woman health services and states and gov workers but keep the bonuses coming.. Outragous...
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Uh – do some homework - the House is currently REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED and have not kept their promise in 2010 of jobs jobs jobs. Instead, they've given their own bonuses, and gone after women's rights, allotted more gun rights, obstructed everything that would help this nation, etc.
If the REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED House wants this rule changed, they can and SHOULD write the law/bill recommending it. The HOUSE is where money matters for this country originate. IT'S THE LAW. So quit bad-mouthing President Obama – he can veto or approve - THE PRESIDENT DOES NOT MAKE LAWS, (YOU IDIOT). Go back and take Civics in Jr. High School.
This proves once and for all that they are NOT serious in cutting anything, only in how to get more of our money to spend .
"THE AIRLINES WEAR THEM OUT FASTER. "
Which is why the DEms were rightly pushing to get rid of the preferential treatment private corporate jets receive with respect to depreciation and tax deductions. Do you even understand the issue?
"THE AIRLINES WEAR THEM OUT FASTER. "
Which is why the DEms were rightly pushing to get rid of the preferential treatment private corporate jets receive with respect to depreciation and tax deductions. Do you even understand the issue?
Edit: retracted...just saw your correction of yourself. Dems actually picked the issue VERY carefully. GOPers fighting against them on it only highlight that they are corporate wh-res.
The bigger issue is that Congress is given an allowance averages $1.5 million per year per office. Was this cut during the last budget, when Congress decided that we were bankrupt, and couldn't afford... (insert your favorite social program here).
Can Congress reduce its own expenses, as the rest of the country is expected to do?
Members of both political parties reported bonuses, though Democrats outspent Republicans, with up to $3.1 million in staff bonuses compared with $908,000 for GOP members.
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Democrats spending like drunken sailors once again. This was reported when Jane Harmon resigned her seat as well. Buried by the Lame Stream Media because she was a Democrat. Don't worry though, they will increase your taxes to pay for this very important entitlement program.
Now they are on another "break", which by all appearances is scheduled as "Constitution Work Week" on Eric
Cantor's House of Representatives calendar, aka 1-1/2 week Fourth of July vacation. They have had a 2- week Spring break, which many used to fly to other parts of the world, wives/husbands in tow, on our "dime", they said it was
"work", but we never heard much about it did we? Three day "retreats", "Your Tax Dollars at Work for You" doesn't
mean much anymore. Cut that spending, unless it applies to them.
diridi
Pay to Paul Ryan????John Boener????Mitch McConnol???Eric cantor..????shame..shame...stop it...now you know about congress....do not vote any GOP thugs........................
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You need to read more than just the Headline. You obviously missed the details:
Members of both political parties reported bonuses, though Democrats outspent Republicans, with up to $3.1 million in staff bonuses compared with $908,000 for GOP members. So even in the minority, the Democrats figured out how to spend over 3 times more on their staffs than Republicans.
I'd like to see the President issue an Executive Order that fobids the Treasury from paying members of Congress if the debt ceiling is not raised. There should be no addition to the liabilities of the US Government if we can't pay our debts or our soldiers.
Congress couldn't possibly fight this in the court of public opinion and I suspect as Chief Executive, he'd be within his power to do so. Furthermore, according to the 14th Ammendment to the Constitution [as reported by Time mag] "The valitdy of the public debt shall not be questioned".
President Obama would be constitutionally correct, win politically and force the kiddies in the GOP controlled House to act like adults.
Based on the 14th, it would seem that anyone that allows, promotes or advances the default of the National Debt can and should be taken into custody by the Secret Service as an arm of the Treasury Department and held by U.S. Marshalls.
Republicans think they are so tough, so schrewd – I love for them to play a game of chicken with me.