Should Congressional Pay Raises be Blocked if the Federal Government Runs a Budget Deficit? (H.R. 646)

What is H.R. 646?

(Updated June 7, 2020)

This bill would prohibit pay raises for members of Congress in a calendar year if the federal government ran a deficit in the previous fiscal year (i.e. the gov’t spent more than it collected in tax receipts). Congress hasn’t received a pay increase since 2009, and members currently make $174,000 annually with additional pay available for members in leadership positions.

Argument in favor

Members of Congress get paid to keep the nation’s fiscal house in order, and if the government is running a deficit then lawmakers shouldn’t get a pay raise.

Argument opposed

If members of Congress are due a pay raise under the laws they had enacted they should receive it rather than having it blocked because the government ran a deficit.

Impact

Taxpayers; and members of Congress.

Cost of H.R. 646

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) introduced this bill to prohibit members of Congress from getting a pay raise when the federal government runs a budget deficit:

“Successful businesses do not reward an employee who fails to do their job. 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. Forty-nine states, including Florida, are required by law to balance the budget. In Florida, passing a balanced budget is priority number one for the state legislature. Washington should not be held to a different standard.”

This legislation currently has the support of one cosponsor in the House, Rep. Todd Rokita (R-IN).

Media:

• Sponsoring Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) Press Release
  
• The Blaze
  
• Sunshine State News