1. United States
2. Ky.
3. Letter

Members of Congress should not be receiving pay raises while failing to rein in excessive government spending and address financial challenges facing American families. The proposed cost-of-living adjustment that could increase lawmaker salaries by $6,600 is highly inappropriate given Congress' inability to cut wasteful expenditures or balance the budget responsibly. Prioritizing salary hikes for an already well-compensated body amid economic struggles average citizens face would be tone-deaf and misaligned with the public's needs. Instead of further enriching themselves, legislators must demonstrate fiscal discipline by blocking automatic pay raises and focusing efforts on prudent budgeting that controls costs and provides relief to overburdened taxpayers. Only after restoring fiscal sanity and regaining public trust should any potential salary adjustments even be considered. They need to pass a spending bill now without raises or pork-barrel spending, which is the reasonable path forward that aligns with citizen interests.