Gillibrand Sponsors a Bill to Stop Congressional Pay Raises

Press Release

Gillibrand Sponsors a Bill to Stop Congressional Pay Raises

Today, local Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand announced that she has become a co-sponsor of the Stop the Congressional Pay Raise Act of 2008 [H.R. 5087], a bipartisan bill that will prevent next year's automatic pay raise.

Last year, Congresswoman Gillibrand sponsored a similar measure, which unfortunately failed. In lieu of accepting the increase in salary, Rep. Gillibrand donated the raise to local charities ($1,430 to the Double H Ranch and $1,430 to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation- North Eastern NY Chapter). In addition, Rep. Gillibrand voted against a congressional pay raise last year which ultimately passed.

"While Upstate New Yorkers struggle to fill their gas tanks, pay for healthcare and pay their taxes, the last thing a Member of Congress should be focused on is raising their own pay," said Gillibrand, a member of the House Agriculture Committee. "The federal government spends too much money. We need to restore fiscal discipline in Congress, and what better way to start belt tightening than with ourselves."

This is not the first time Rep. Gillibrand has lead reform efforts in Washington. She was the first member of Congress to publish her schedule everyday on her website's Sunlight Report and the second to list all earmark projects she requests on-line. Additionally, Gillibrand posts her financial disclosure statement on her website. She is the only Member of Congress to post all three.

Congresswoman Gillibrand is also a leader in curbing government spending in Washington and has sponsored an amendment to require the federal government to balance the budget every year. As a member of the fiscally moderate House group known as the Blue Dog Coalition, Gillibrand has also fought to restore Pay-As-You-Go rules to eliminate deficit spending.

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