Opinion: Our Congress is paid for not doing their jobs

The Congress, representatives and senators, are paid for not doing their jobs. They are required to have the budgets passed for all federal departments by Sept. 30 of each year. There is a whole year to accomplish this task. Here we go again with another Continuing Resolution on Nov. 20 to fund the federal government, at last year's level, through Dec. 20. No new budgets.

This CR was done because the federal departments have no money to meet payroll and contract obligations. It is almost certain that there will be another CR on Dec. 20. Some years ago the date was extended from June 30 to Sept. 30 to get the job done a lot of good that did. Senators and representatives receive a salary of $174,000 per year with five or six paid staffers in Washington, D.C., and about a million dollars for expenses.

There is a solution to this continued problem of not having an approved budget. Do not vote in 2020 for anyone running for Congress unless they "pledge" to not receive any salary for themselves or their staffers for the time from Sept. 30 until the budget is passed and no back pay. It is only fair to not receive a paycheck for not doing your job. No work results - no pay.

DON DAMM

Sumter