When the going gets tough, Congress ups its budget
ByWouldn’t it be nice if your family could sit down together and vote for a higher household budget? I guess a lot of Americans believed they were doing just that last November. Hey, how’s that working out for you?
Sorry, I got sidetracked. During tough times people tighten their belts. Millions of Americans are out of work, millions more lost a good portion of their retirement savings. The federal government is printing money like there’s no tomorrow. Now Congress is giving themselves a nice bump in their own budget.
Congress is on the verge of giving itself a bump in its annual budget — even as local governments, families and businesses across the country are tightening their belts in the worst recession in decades.
Under a House-Senate conference measure, approved by the House last week and poised for passage in the Senate on Wednesday, spending for the legislative branch will increase 5.8 percent this year, boosting Capitol Hill’s annual budget to $4.7 billion.
The measure includes a hodgepodge of new funding for lawmakers: a $500,000 pilot program for senators to send out postcards about their town hall meetings, $30,000 for receptions for foreign dignitaries and $4 million for consultants — with Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) getting up to nine each and Senate President Pro Tempore Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) getting up to three more.
There’s $15.8 million for salaries for the Senate Appropriations Committee — plus an extra $950,000 for the committee’s administrative expenses.
Isn’t that special?
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