To Extend the Pay Limitation for Members of Congress and Federal Employees

Floor Speech

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Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Duffy for introducing this bill.

As a consistent opponent of automatic pay increases for Members of Congress, I am pleased to support the bill before us today which would extend the pay freeze for Federal employees and Members of Congress for another year through December 31, 2013.

With the record-shattering budget deficits racked up under the Obama administration, immediate action is needed to restrain runaway government increases and do no more harm to hardworking American taxpayers.

President Obama's liberal Democrat enablers in Congress attempt to ignore the true solution by suggesting endless tax increases, which never have and never will represent the long-term solution to our budget problem.

Excessive pay is part and parcel of a Federal Government that's too large and over budget. While the Federal Government will never be subject to market forces the way the private sector is, fundamental reform of the Federal compensation system is needed.

The simple truth also is that Federal employees are more highly unionized than their counterparts in the private sector. According to a CBO report issued last month: ``The Federal Government and the private sector also differ in the extent to which their workers are represented by unions, which can influence employees' compensation. About 21 percent of Federal workers are members of unions, compared to only 8 percent of private sector workers.''

As a result, the Federal Government pays comparatively higher compensation and provides more generous benefits and job security than private employers.

It's offensive to those unemployed Americans struggling to find a job to see unionized Federal employees continue to enjoy comparatively high compensation which is used to pay dues to government unions which spend heavily to elect politicians who promise them concessions.

According to the Heritage Foundation: ``Government unions were the top political spenders outside the two major parties in the 2010 election cycle.''

That's why I'm pleased Mr. Duffy is offering H.R. 3835, which is a modest bill estimated to save taxpayers $26.2 billion. This bill also freezes the pay of Members of Congress, which so many taxpayers believe is important in demonstrating our shared commitment to reining in the spiraling Federal ledger. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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