Representative Rod Blum Introduces the "Fiscal Responsibility Act"
This Downsize DC Agenda bill ties Congressional pay to financial performance
AKRON, Ohio, Feb. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "Incentives matter! That's why Representative Rod Blum, of Iowa, has introduced 'The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2016' (HR 4476). It requires Congress to balance the budget or take a pay cut," notes Jim Babka, President of DownsizeDC.org, Inc.
Babka explains, "The first pay cut is modest. Each consecutive deficit year provokes a more significant reduction. But Congressional pay and any scheduled raises are restored when they balance the budget."
"We need new thinking about how to budget. The way Congress creates budgets now, they always put off the hard cuts for half-a-dozen years or more – sometimes even decades!" declares Babka.
As Representative Blum observes, "Year after year we've seen the same thing: grand promises of future savings while our national debt continues to skyrocket. For the sake of our children and grandchildren who will be stuck paying off our $19 trillion debt, it's time we make our politicians face the reality of our fiscal crisis by hitting them where it counts: their own pocketbook."
"With the present incentives it's rational for politicians to delay cuts. But FRA will refocus Congress to do something about deficits this year," says Babka.
Babka commends Representative Blum for introducing the FRA. "Downsize DC will be working to find more co-sponsors, as well as a Senate sponsor. This bill will appeal to constituents."
DownsizeDC.org offers a free tool for constituents to deliver letters directly to their Representative and two Senators. Here's the link: https://downsizedc.org/etp/fight-deficit-spending/
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SOURCE DownsizeDC.org
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