Posted on 05/02/2018 9:04:00 AM PDT by ChicagoConservative27
WASHINGTON These Congress members are sleeping on the job and defending their right to do it.
Crying poverty amid decade-long stagnant salaries and Washingtons steep cost of living, an increasing number of House lawmakers have turned into professional squatters at night, hitting the sack in their Capitol Hill offices on everything from cots in closets to futons stashed behind constituent couches to save a few bucks during the work week.
Washington is too expensive, said Rep. Dan Donovan (R-SI), who credits the cot that he sleeps on in a tiny alcove in his office as the reason he is able to serve in Congress while still paying his New York City housing costs.
If we go to the point where you have to rent or have to buy [in DC], then only millionaires would be members of Congress, he said. I dont think that was the intent of our Founding Fathers.
But some of the penny-pinching pols colleagues are disgusted by what they call an unsanitary, undignified practice and want it banned.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Build them a concrete bunker type dorm.
Then tell those expletive-deleted so-called public servants they have a choice: live in it, or pay for their own damn digs.
The United States would be better served if members of Congress were required to remain in their districts and “telecommute” to Washington DC.
Sleep in your office, shower at the capital gym and eat in the senate cafeteria. What’s the big deal?
That would be good.
Most of them probably don’t want to stay home long enough for angry constituents to assemble outside their offices.
I’m less concerned about a Congressmen sleeping in their office than someone like Harry Reid, Mitch McConnell or Barack Obama, who began their political lives with modest means, and become multi-millionaires while “working for the government.”
If the old DC city jail in Lorton, VA, is still there, just due a minimal renovation and let the Congress critters live in the cells and take the train to Capitol Hill.
Retired Air Force here; the last place we want Congressional critters bunking is a VOQ. First, it will have to undergo “remodeling” to meet their standards. And you’ll have to add amenities (gym, commissary, clinic, etc) because we can’t expect our elected leaders to use base facilities alongside military members. Next, they will want on-base housing for their staff members and God-knows-what-else.
Ask any base commander in the D.C. area if they’d like to have members of Congress in their VOQ, or see a Congressional housing compound on their installation. Their answer will be not only “no,” but “hell, no.”
Try Gary Condit’s old place.
BTW, if you want DC to be a cheaper place to live, STOP GIVING OUT SO MUCH OF MY MONEY. Look what you clowns have done to the price of every market you enter: homes, cars, medical care, education...
Having a full time dwelling in Washington DC is not only unnecessary but is against the principles of the country. You are suppose to spend as little time in DC as possible. That is why we built it on a fever infested swamp in the first place.
That....and make it a part time job like it was supposed to be in the first place. Personally, I don’t care if they have to sleep on the street.
Another idea is that each state is responsible for the accommodations of it members, and is funded by the state, not the Fed.
That way, the Congress can’t vote themselves better benefits...
Personally, I think this should be the case for all of the benefits of Congressional members. Make them individual state responsibilities, not Federal.
Do you also maintain a residence in another state?
Apparently, the Post has made Staten Island a state.
He should ask the Congress critters who are multi-millionaires how to make more money...but on the other hand, he probably wouldn’t like their methods -— HE sounds like an honest one. But they’re not I interested in the founders idea of “citizen legislators” for 2 years, then back home again, are they?
Why not rent a house and put a congess critter in each bedroom and share the rental payments? If they cant afford that on a $174/k yr salary then dont be a taxpayer paid critter.
I would definitely support providing barracks for Congressman. They should be similar to the rat and cockroach infested one’s I lived in, in my Army days, back in the mid-seventies.
The current UN occupied building would be ideal.
Terry,
The visiting officer’s (and enlisted) quarters are for active duty military who are either visiting on official orders, the DC area for less than 30 days or are in transit. In transit is just arriving and waiting for either permanent quarters to be assigned/house hunting or are have cleared quarters and are preparing to depart the DC area.
All of the barracks from WWII, the 1950s and 60’s have been torn down on all of the military posts below, but there would be room to build a nice multi-story barracks on Andrews AFB or Ft. Belvoir.
The military facilities in the DC area are: Ft. Myer, VA; Henderson Hall Marine Barracks, VA; Anacostia Naval Station, MD; Bolling AFB, MD; the Navy Yard, DC; Ft. McNair, DC; Bethesda/Walter Reed Army/Navy Hospital, MD; Andrews AFB, MD; Ft. Belvoir, VA; and further out are: Ft. Meade and Ft. Detrich, MD; Indianhead Naval Test Center, MD; and Dahlgren Naval Test Center, VA.
V/r,
GreyFriar....Sent to DC on a 3 year Army tour and still here 30 years later-—but am finally moving out to original ‘fort home.’
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