As RollCall says, “the $5.9 billion 2022 Legislative funding would substantially increase the office budgets of Congress-members” and “would give $774.4 million for their allowance, which funds the House office budgets for congress-members, including staffing salaries.”
The boosted taxpayer funding for offices is around $134.4 million over what was allocated in the last fiscal year — a 21 percent boost — as reported by the House Appropriations Committee summary. Also, congressional offices in the House get around $18.2 million for funding internships.
This boost in taxpayer funding of course comes as the Americans continue to struggle thanks to congressional Democrats’ economic actions. The resulting 40-year high for prices combined with the most expensive gas we have ever seen. From grocery stores and utility bills, Americans are being forced to pay more than ever, and Congress just awarded itself a double-digit increase in Americans’ money.
Compare this 21 percent “raise” with the 5.1 percent y/y wage growth for households that is reported in February’s report and you see why American citizens are not happy. Then take into account consumer inflation that is around 7.5 percent y/y, and hardworking Americans’ real wages are lower by two percent. For the U.S. Congress, even with inflation at 40-year highs, their offices are still getting a 13.5 percent raise.
Not to belabor this angering point, but again, the 21 percent boost in congressional budgets is money that was forcibly taken from the wages of Americans. We work and give federal taxes — on top of this we are seeing a new inflation “tax” — and Congress uses this to give themselves a raise.
It is shocking and enraging that Democrats and Republicans would even think to make this move as Americans suffer financially. They seem to be too interested in starting WW3 with Russia than solving America’s real economy problems which they themselves created through incompetence and stupidity.