U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., who sits on the U.S. House Budget and the Ways and Means Committee, announced on Wednesday he is going to introduce a bill to ban congressional pay raises until there’s a balanced budget.
Buchanan pointed to the national debt, which stands close to $20 trillion, as the chief motivation for his proposal. Earlier this week, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated the national debt could reach near $30 trillion over the next decade.
“We can’t allow our children and grandchildren to carry this burden,” Buchanan insisted as he brought out his new proposal.
Over the last six years, Buchanan has been one of the leaders in Congress in pushing for adding a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Earlier this month, Buchanan introduced his latest proposed amendment requiring the federal government to have a balanced budget.
On Wednesday, Buchanan explained why he was bringing out his legislation stopping congressional pay raises until the budget is balanced.
“Successful businesses do not reward an employee who fails to do their job,” Buchanan said. “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.”
Buchanan also cited how the states budget to support his “No Pay Raise for Congress Act.”
“Forty-nine states, including Florida, are required by law to balance the budget,” Buchanan said. “In Florida, passing a balanced budget is priority number one for the state legislature. Washington should not be held to a different standard.”
First elected to Congress in 2006, Buchanan was in business and chaired the Florida Chamber of Commerce. He also sat on the board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce before entering politics.
