Murphy's Role in Stopping Congressional Payraise

Patrick Murphy (D-08) started his first term in Congress in January 2007. About six months later he signed on to co-sponsor a bill that would stop an automatic congressional payraise.

H.R.2934
Title: To prevent Members of Congress from receiving the automatic pay adjustment scheduled to take effect in 2008.
Sponsor: Rep Mitchell, Harry E. [AZ-5] (introduced 6/28/2007) Cosponsors (29)
Related Bills: H.R.2916
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2007 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Murphy signed on as a co-sponsor on July 10th. The other bill on that topic, HR 2916, had only four co-sponsors. Neither bill went very far.

The following January, he was one of 34 co-sponsors to a similar bill; it was introduced on January 22nd and he signed on the next day.

H.R.5087
Title: To prevent Members of Congress from receiving the automatic pay adjustment scheduled to take effect in 2009.
Sponsor: Rep Mitchell, Harry E. [AZ-5] (introduced 1/22/2008) Cosponsors (34)
Related Bills: H.R.5091, H.R.6417
Latest Major Action: 1/22/2008 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

There were no co-sponsors on either of the related bills. All three remained in committee.

The third time being the charm, the bill was introduced again in January 2009. This time 50 representatives, including Murphy signed on as co-sponsors the day it was introduced.

H.R.156
Title: To prevent Members of Congress from receiving any automatic pay adjustment in 2010.
Sponsor: Rep Mitchell, Harry E. [AZ-5] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (112)
Related Bills: H.R.215, H.R.282, H.R.395
Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Oddly enough, HR 282, similar in content, was introduced on January 7th by Rep. Sestak (D-07) with no co-sponsors. The other two related bills had one or two co-sponsors.

According to a press release from Murphy’s office:

For the third year in a row, Rep. Murphy worked against party leaders to stop an automatic pay increase for members of Congress. In 2007 he voted against the pay raise, and when it went through anyway, he donated his increase to charity. In 2008, he tried to stop the increase. As 2009 began, he was again an original cosponsor of legislation to stop the congressional pay raise.

“This is the worst economy since the Great Depression and hard working families across our community are struggling to make ends meet. I believe it is wrong for Congress to be voting themselves a pay increase – especially in these dire economic conditions – and I applaud the House leadership for coming to the same conclusion,” said Congressman Patrick Murphy. “We should be working on putting people back to work – and as members of Congress we can set an example everyone must do their part to tighten our fiscal belts.”

During his first campaign for Congress, Rep. Murphy pledged not to vote for a congressional pay raise until the minimum wage was increased. Even though Murphy helped pass the first increase in the minimum wage in 10 years, Murphy still votes against the congressional pay raise stating that with our economy in trouble, our nation at war and our budget deficit at record levels, it is wrong to raise congressional pay.

Rep. Patrick Murphy is a member of the fiscally responsible Democratic Blue Dog Coalition. The Blue Dogs are dedicated to a core set of beliefs that transcend partisan politics, including a deep commitment to the financial stability and national security of the United States .

He was not alone this time – nearly a fourth of his fellow congressional representatives signed on also. It was enough to tip the balance. Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that there would be no cost of living increases in 2010

According to the Washington Post (“No Pay Raise for Lawmakers Next Year,” by Ben Pershing 2/10) :

If Democratic leaders hadn't made this decision today it likely would have been made for them. Every year there is an effort on the House floor, usually by fiscal conservatives, to block lawmakers' annual raise. In most years that effort gets voted down, but given the current economic climate members would likely have been chomping at the bit to vote for a pay freeze. Dozens lawmakers had already signed on to measures to block the COLA for 2010.

Persistence is important in legislative work; Murphy clearly felt this was an issue worthy of perseverance.

Note: Use www.thomas.gov to verify the information on these bills and to research others.