Legislators have introduced 18 pieces of legislation during this Congress to try to cut or freeze their pay for 2013.
According to The Hill, both houses of Congress have frozen their pay for 2011 and 2012, but they are scheduled to get an automatic pay raise in 2013. The proposed bills come as the economy continues to struggle and the Aug. 2 deadline for raising the debt ceiling approaches.
The news source reports that such legislation has been popular with citizens who have been dissatisfied over the recent attempts to right the economy and employment situation in the United States.
"With a budget deficit of nearly $1.5 trillion this year, it is clear that Congress is not doing its job to reduce spending and should not get a pay increase," said Representative Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), who introduced one of the bills.
According to the news source, both chambers have frozen member pay at $174,000 annually for both 2011 and 2012.
Some of the proposed legislation would do away with automatic pay increases for Congress and force members to vote for raises.
According to the Congressional Research Service, annual pay increases for Congress have been about 2.7 percent annually in recent years.
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