On the recordJuly 18, 2002
I rise today advocating a vote against the previous question, and doing so in opposition to a Member pay raise. Today we are considering a bill that is vital for the continued operation of our government, the safety of our citizens, and the security of our economy. But hidden deep within it is another congressional pay raise. Mr. Speaker, since this session of Congress began, the Dow has lost 15 percent of its value. The Nasdaq has lost almost a third of its value. Unemployment is up. Profits are down. Retirement accounts are down. People are hurting, and we in this Congress should not be raising our pay. We cannot afford it. Last year's government surpluses are long gone. We are swimming in red ink. We are fighting a war. We should not be asking the taxpayers to pay us more. I urge Members to vote against the previous question.
Source
govinfo.gov
