Republican Sen. Rob Portman on Monday called on President Barack Obama to rescind government pay raises — including his own — saying they are out of line at a time the country is struggling to get its debt under control.
The annual cost of the pay hike, which covers nearly every federal position including members of Congress and vice-president Joe Biden, is set at roughly $1 billion per year.
“Our country is facing record debt and trillion-dollar deficits, the last thing Washington should do is reward itself with a pay increase," the Ohio senator, whose own salary would go up by $900 a year, said.
"I am calling on President Obama to withdraw his recent executive order raising federal salaries — including for members of Congress,” Portman added.
“Until a long-term deficit reduction agreement is reached, we should not consider increasing the pay for Congress."
Under the executive order issued on Thursday, most members of Congress would receive a $900 annual raise, pushing their salary to $174,900. House Speaker John Boehner and the leaders of each party in each house would gain $1,100 a year
Vice President, Biden would get the biggest bump, with an increase of more than $6,000 to $231,900.
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