Posey, Paul Seek End to Congressional Death Benefits

U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, and six other House Republicans, including presidential candidate Ron Paul, R-Texas, and Virginia Foxx, R-North Carolina, say membersbenefits shouldnt carry on to their heirs if they die while in office.

Currently, the United States pays a full year's salary to the family of a representative who dies while in office.

The original intent was for the payment to serve as some form of life insurance. Posey, in a release, says members of Congress should pay for their own life insurance.

And with so many Americans struggling to make ends meet mostly because of bad policy coming out of Washington this taxpayer-funded gratuity just adds more insult to injury, Posey stated. Its no wonder Americans have such a low opinion of Congress.

Forcing taxpayers to pay for a congressional 'death gratuity' doesn't make sense, especially during these tough economic times when the federal government is racking up record amounts of debt, Foxx said. If representatives want to ensure their families are provided for in the event of their death, they need to look somewhere other than this taxpayer-funded perk.

House and Senate members are paid $174,000 a year, with higher totals for those in leadership positions.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, is paid $223,500 a year, while Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, gets $193,400 a year.