House members will get an average $1.5 million in the budget year starting in October to run their Washington and district offices and cover travel and other official expenses. Overall, the budget for what the House calls members’ representational allowances, or MRAs, will jump $51 million to $660 million. [Associated Press]
There was little discussion of MRAs during debate on the bill, although Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., complained that he had been barred from offering an amendment that would have frozen the money at this year’s level.
“I’ll be the first to tell you that my office could use an MRA increase,” Heller said. “Traveling my largely rural district and staying in touch with thousands of Nevadans takes a significant amount of MRA funds.” But with other Americans cutting back, “this body must be a part of this sacrifice, and that starts here, in our offices.”
The MRA budget has risen from $555 million in fiscal 2007 to $580 million in 2008 and $609 million this year.
I have to agree with Heller on this one.
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