Some of our representatives do not see it that way. U.S. Congressional Representative Bill Posey is one. Returning every annual pay raise was not enough, there are other politicians who give all unspent revenue to their staff in bonuses. Posey returned all his left over funds along with his pay raise.

In 2008, the year before he came to Congress, Congress allowed a $4,700 pay raise to take effect on January 1, 2009. Rep. Posey thought that was in poor taste and has returned that $4,700 to the Treasury each year. He has also helped lead efforts to block Congressional pay raises for 2010, 2011 and 2012. Because the House cannot withhold the raise from his pay check, Posey has to write a check for the full amount of $4,700 back to the U.S. Treasury for deficit reduction.

Along with returning his pay raise, Posey has returned over $500,000 to the U.S. Treasury over the last 3 years. This Congress, House Republicans cut all Congressional budgets by $100,000 (5%) in 2011 and another $100,000 (6%) in 2012.
The Congressman said “When I came to Congress, it was only natural for us to find ways to do more with less and keep a close eye on the bottom line of our office budget so we could return unused taxpayer dollars back to the general fund every year.”

The Congressman, staying true to his words, unlike other Representatives (like Pelosi) use their position to go on every junket on the taxpayers dime paid his own way on his last fact finding mission to Israel. His reasoning is, as he said, “Other policies that I continued from my days in the legislature are that I never accepted any gifts, I returned pay raises and paid my own way to special events. Back in 2009 I was part of a Congressional delegation to Israel and paid for the trip myself, which took many by surprise.”
“I was under budget every month that I was a member of the state legislature,” said Congressman Posey who served eight years in the Florida House and eight in the Senate.

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It seems Florida is one of the states that will be leading the way in the fight on liberal spending.
2011 has been a banner year for Floridians at least conservative ones.
In 2011 Florida started the ball rolling by passing a Law affectionately known to some Floridians as; The Urine or Your Out Test,
On June 1st, Governor Rick Scott signed the Drug Testing law.
A law that mandated people in Florida who apply for welfare to be tested for drug use, they will have to pass this drug test before they can receive benefits,
Scott called it "The right thing for taxpayers."
The law had taken effect on July 1, 2011.

Now we have what many Floridians consider another proud moment for Florida.
Without much fan fair on October 6th, 2011 Congressman Bill Posey of FLORIDA sponsored a bill to eliminate congressional death benefits, a life insurance policy for the congress that is paid for by we the tax payers.
H.R.3127 - To prohibit the payment of death gratuities to the surviving heirs of deceased Members of Congress.
Congressman Posey said “I believe Members of Congress should do what other Americans do, purchase their own life insurance.”
Congressman Posey who previously returned a Congressional pay raise to the Treasury was joined by 6 other House congressional members, Ms. FOXX, Mr. OLSON, Mr. PAUL, Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. FLORES, and Mr. MULVANEY. Dubeb them The Magnificent Seven for introducing this bill that would be a great first step in lowering the cost of government.

But hopes go even higher, in addition many Americans support another bill titled H.J.71. This bill will limit the terms of service for Members of the House of Representatives to three terms and Members of the Senate to two terms. At this time Congress has not added the wording that would do away with a retirement plan that pays a salary to all Congress persons for the rest of their life even if they had been elected to only one term.
As for the Bill H.R.3127, it has not been voted on as of yet, but as I said in the opening, it is a step.

Mark Hall

The Text for H.R.3127 is short so I posted it for all to read here:

H. R. 3127
To prohibit the payment of death gratuities to the surviving heirs of deceased Members of Congress.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 6, 2011
Mr. POSEY (for himself, Ms. FOXX, Mr. OLSON, Mr. PAUL, Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. FLORES, and Mr. MULVANEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration
A BILL:
To prohibit the payment of death gratuities to the surviving heirs of deceased Members of Congress.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PROHIBITING PAYMENT OF GRATUITIES TO SURVIVORS OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
(a) Prohibition- No payment may be made from the applicable accounts of the House of Representatives, the contingent fund of the Senate, or any other appropriated funds for a death gratuity payment to the widow, widower, or heirs-at-law of any Member of Congress who dies after the commencement of the Congress to which the Member has been elected.

(b) No Effect on Other Payments to Survivors- Nothing in subsection (a) shall be construed to prohibit or affect the payment to any individual of any unpaid balance or salary or other sums due to a Member of Congress who dies after the commencement of the Congress to which the Member has been elected.

SEC. 2. DEFINITION.
For purposes of this Act, a ‘Member of Congress’ means a Senator or a Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.
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