Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, there are not many of us, a narrow band of Members, but there are some on both sides of the aisle who feel that we mistreat in terms of cost-of-living allowances our Federal judiciary. Now, that is a poisonous subject in some quarters, because judge bashing is a universal sport. But it is a fact, of all the government employees in the galaxy, the only group that does not get an automatic cost-of-living increase is the Federal judiciary. There is a law, it is called Section 140, that requires a specific vote before any Federal judge gets a cost-of-living allowance. Not a pay raise, a cost-of-living allowance. Even ourselves get an automatic cost-of-living allowance. Under the law, it can be reversed by vote. And, of course, sometimes we succumb to the penurious complaints of Members and deny ourselves a pay raise. But we must take affirmative action to do that. Not so with the Federal judges. The only way they can get a cost-of-living allowance is by us voting them one. I think isolating Federal judges from all of the other employees in the Federal Government is wrong, it is mean-spirited, it is unfair.”