Letter to the Editor

Ellsworth: No pay raises here

Friday, January 15, 2010

To the Editor:

Recently, a friend forwarded me a chain e-mail regarding Congressional pay raises. You may have seen it too. The e-mail declares that Congress has voted to provide members with a $10,000 pay raise over the last two years. This claim is simply untrue. So I wanted to take a few minutes to set the record straight and provide you an update on this important issue.

In 2009, I co-sponsored legislation (H.R. 156) to block the pay raise for members of Congress scheduled for fiscal year 2010. I was pleased to see the bill included in a larger funding measure and signed into law last March. Not only did it prevent the pay raise from happening, but it saved the taxpayers an estimated $2.5 million.

It's simple. When so many Hoosiers are struggling to make ends meet and worried about pink slips and foreclosure notices, I think that money can be put to better use.

That's why I am supporting a similar effort this year, co-sponsoring legislation (H.R. 4255) to block a Congressional pay raise for fiscal year 2011. The bill is gaining support on Capitol Hill, and I hope it will be considered by the House soon.

However, if these efforts are unsuccessful, I want you to know that I will continue to donate my raise to 8th District charities that are doing great work to improve our communities.

I hope this e-mail clears up any confusion. Please feel free to share it with interested friends, and don't hesitate to contact me if I can answer any questions. Rest assured, I will continue working tirelessly to reduce unnecessary spending and bring fiscal accountability to Washington.

Sincerely,

Brad Ellsworth