Connection=Union
January 2, 2012 at 7:44 pm in Accountability, Bill Flores, GAN, House, News by Rosemary Owen 2 Comments
According to Webster a synonym for connection is union. Some Americans have questions about the current state of our Union. Could a proposal address both issues? Reconnecting Congress with America is the purpose of HR 3565, introduced by Congressman Bill Flores of Texas. This legislation proposes four reforms designed to bring Congressional pay and benefits, commodities and security trading and living by laws enacted more in line with Main Street guidelines. It also addresses term limits.
As Congressman Flores says, “This legislation aims to reconnect Members of Congress with Main Street America by conforming Congressional pay to private sector responses to our country’s current economic situation.” It would tie Member salary to the Federal budget deficit and repeal the automatic pay adjustment. If the Federal deficit is equal to or greater than 3 percent of GDP, Members’ base salary would be cut by 20%. If it is less than 3 percent, base salary would be cut by 10%.
RCWA (Reconnecting Congress with America) would increase the Member contribution to the Federal Employees’ Retirement System. This would also apply to Members of Congress enrolled under the Civil Service Retirement System.
Provisions to prohibit commodities and security trading by Members and employees of Congress, as well as employees of Executive branch agencies, based on nonpublic information related to their official duties are included in the proposed legislation. It expresses the sense of Congress that Members of Congress and Senators live by the laws they enact.
Proposed term limits would set 2 consecutive terms for Senators and 6 consecutive terms for Representatives.
Writing in the Waco Tribune-Herald, senior editor Bill Whitaker stated, “None of the numerous reform bills now floating around Congress would ordinarily stand a snowball’s chance of passage except polls suggest Congress has more than usual to make up for this year.” “A poll from The Hill, an online site that reports on Congress, indicates a majority of Americans want congressional pay cut and lawmakers’ pensions eliminated.” For more information: wacotrib.com.
Contact information for Congressman Flores: http://flores.house.gov
Washington DC office: 202-225-6105
Waco office: 254-732-1755
Rosemary Owen
Rosemary.owen@tppjournalism.org
I am against term limits. As the Constitution intended, it is up to the citizens of each state to determine how long their representatives serve. The only way to affect the actions of Congress is to limit their power. Return to separation of government and the economy. Repeal the income tax amendment. As long as Congress has the power to confiscate our money, they will continue to spend as much as they please.
I always supported the Tea Party movement when you guys first had the nation wide protests on the universal health care. However, why I haven’t heard a big outcry when John McCain drew up the NDAA provisions? That provision goes against everything that the U.S. Constitution stands for! John McCain and all who took part in passing this NDAA into effect, including Obama, need to be put on trial for treason! If found guilty, the death penalty needs to be an option for punishment! This is not an opinion, it is fact! As a veteran, I made an oath to defend the United States and the U.S. Constitution. Yes, I also made an oath to obey orders from those appointed over me, but “only” if the orders are “lawful”! An unconstitutional order is an unlawful order! If any service man obeys an unlawful order, they are just as guilty as the one giving the unconstitutional order! If fact, it is their DUTY to keep others in the military from breaking their oath! I demand that you set up another national rally to end this NDAA foolishness, or I fear that there will end up being a war that will take more American lives than the Civil War, itself! If I hear nothing from you guys, I will assume that you also belong in the same traitorous category as John McCain and all those who signed the NDAA into effect. The American people should not fear it’s own government, the government should fear it’s own people! I no longer have faith in the Republican party. In fact, I see them as the enemy, as I do liberals. I can not do anything, because I am only one, but as soon as there is a nation wide movement to stand against this foolishness, I will join the movement. Will you guys be the movement that I join, or will you just stand idly by and watch our country turn into a fascist state?