While former and retired members of both parties admit they don’t want to hear from the American people they represent, one of the biggest problems with the job is that despite six-figure salaries, they don’t have enough money. I agree that it’s a lack of income. about it.
“If I went back to my district, where the average salary is $32,000 in some places, and said, ‘I don’t have enough money,’ when I make $174,000, they would be furious,” he said. Congressman Ken Buck (Republican) told the New York Times he said in a video interview released Tuesday. “I’ll probably be leaving soon.”
“Still,” Mr. Buck added. “I’m trying to keep living in two places, having clothes in two places, having cars in two places, and it’s very difficult.”
California Democratic Reps. Tony Cárdenas and Anna Eshoo, who are scheduled to leave Congress in January 2025, say it is not financially viable for them to write off or receive reimbursement for expenses incurred while traveling to and from Washington, D.C. The consensus was that it was a burden.
“Whenever I rented an apartment, I always had a roommate,” Cardenas said. “More than 100 members actually sleep in their offices because it’s expensive.”
“Do you want to remain in the People’s House?” Mr. Eshoo asked. “Or would you like it to be a house where only the wealthy attend?”
Other retiring senators, Larry Buchshon (R-Ind.), Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) and Dan Kildee (D-Mich.), said in interviews that their compensation is at least commensurate with the rising cost of living. He said it should be something. Adjusted based on inflation.
“Congress works better when a wide range of Americans can run and win,” Buchshon asserted. “I truly believe that.”
The website Unusual Whales says more than 20 members of Congress beat the stock market with their own portfolios in 2022, despite Wall Street’s worst year since the 2008 financial crisis. Reported.
The following year, stock-trading sites found that lawmakers’ trading fell by 75%, with some members leaving Washington or cutting back on investments, as both chambers considered legislation to improve transparency.
Several prominent members of Congress, including the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and former Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), sold large amounts of cash before the coronavirus outbreak caused global markets to plummet. He faced calls for his resignation in 2020 after selling his stake in . 19 pandemic.
When asked by the Times whether Congress is corrupt, Republicans and Democrats gave contradictory answers.
“Congress is absolutely not corrupt,” Buchhon said, according to his latest financial disclosure report. owns millions of dollars in assets Through stock trading and investment fund holdings.
Retiring Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Maryland), financial report as well Representing a multi-million dollar investment“There are parts of our system that are corrupting the overall atmosphere,” he argued, citing the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision that allowed corporations to spend unlimited amounts on elections.
“Over and over again over 11 years, I heard one of my colleagues say, “I agree with that, but I couldn’t vote like that because I was scared of the primary.” That’s alarming.” said Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.).
“I think there is too much money in our political system,” added Kilmer, who co-chairs the Congressional Committee on Revision. “I’ve been a big supporter of campaign finance reform.”
Buck and others said the threat to good governance is not just special interest lobbying, but the funding standards required to secure high commission positions.
“Most Americans don’t know that buying committee seats is something that members of Congress have to do,” Buck noted.
Retired Democratic Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware noted that one way for lawmakers in the past to avoid expensive travel to and from their districts was to move their families to Washington.
“People weren’t jumping on a plane and going home on a Thursday afternoon or whatever,” Carper said, which led to an atmosphere of calming divisions between members of different political parties, Carper and Buck said. agreed.
“Their families got to know each other and they got to know each other on a social basis as well,” Buck added. “So there was less discord and less hatred.”
“When I became a member of Congress, I was conscious of the fact that I was joining an organization that, according to recent polls, is less popular than head lice, colonoscopies, or the rock band Nickelback.” Mr. Kilmer joked.
But things started to change last year, he said, when a committee recommended that new members of Congress, regardless of party affiliation, do orientation activities together.
“We passed 202 recommendations,” he said. “And actually, over time, I think we’re going to see some positive changes within the facility as a result of that effort.”
