Congress Adds Pay Raise and Obamacare Exemption in Spending Bill

Congress has discreetly tucked two controversial provisions into the latest continuing resolution (CR), sparking criticism from across the political spectrum. Lawmakers have approved a pay hike for themselves and reinstated their ability to opt out of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as Obamacare. Both measures, buried deep within the voluminous spending bill, highlight the ongoing debate over congressional privileges and accountability.

Since 2009, Congress has blocked its own cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), embedding prohibitive language in federal spending bills. While other government employees have benefited from annual COLA increases, members of Congress voluntarily froze their pay, ostensibly in recognition of public frustration with government inefficiency and gridlock. ---More...

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