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Vitter introduces bills setting term-limits, ending automatic pay increases
Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) said Wednesday that he introduced bills that would place term limits on members of Congress and end their automatic pay raises.
“Not allowing individuals to remain in office for an eternity is an important step we need to take to restore confidence in Congress,” Vitter said on the floor Wednesday. “It won’t be the be-all and end-all for good government reform, but it would help us reconnect with the people.”
One of Vitter’s proposals would limit House members to three and Senate members to just two consecutive terms. He said the legislation is being co-sponsored by Sens. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).
He said he’s also introduced a bill that would end automatic pay increases for Congress. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) is a co-sponsor of that measure.
“There is real bipartisan disappointment in Congress and its dysfunction, and it should certainly not get rewarded with automatic pay raises without public debate.” Vitter said in a statement Wednesday. “We can start working together in a bipartisan fashion by flatly requiring any member of Congress who wants an automatic raise each year to publicly ask for, defend it, and explain it to their constituents by putting it to a vote.”
Another Vitter bill would prohibit political campaigns and leadership political action committees from hiring the spouses or immediate family of lawmakers, saying lawmakers sometimes use that as a way to “pad their family income.”
“These would be important nonpartisan, non-ideological reform efforts to do something positive and productive to reconnect with the American people,” Vitter said, urging his colleagues to join as co-sponsors to his bills.
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