Mike Collins: “I appreciate the chairman in bringing this forward and the comments that have been had. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support…”

“I appreciate the chairman in bringing this forward and the comments that have been had. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support this legislation because I believe the American people have had enough hypocrisy. This is not about Federal workers. This is about financial reality. This is what we've got to look at right now. What I have told my staff, and I have told many in our district too many times that we cannot let the emotion of the moment miss the honesty of the moment. Last month, many Americans saw their own paychecks decrease as a result of a payroll tax increase. While average Americans were feeling the effects of this tax increase at home, the President was pushing through a pay raise for Federal employees and, yes, including Members of Congress. There are hardworking men and women in my district who are struggling to make ends meet. They would love a raise, but, unlike the administration, they don't have the power to unilaterally take taxpayer dollars and increase their own paycheck. Instead, they have sacrificed, made cuts, and they've gotten rid of the extras in their daily lives and found ways to live within their means. They have done these things using a process that the President could learn from. Families across the State of Georgia and across the Nation sit down and decide their priorities, and they make tough decisions on how to spend their money.…”