To: The United States House of Representatives and The United States Senate
Congressional Reform Act of 2012
Congressional Reform Act of 2012
Congress, in this document, refers to the elected members of the U. S. House of Representatives and the U. S. Senate.
1. Congress shall have no tenure or pension
A Congressperson collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when their term(s) end. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
2. Former Congressional office holders shall not lobby Congress
Former Congresspersons and Senators shall not lobby the U.S. Government nor shall they work as a consultant to any firm or individual that lobbies the U.S. Government for a period of 10 years following the end of their last day in office.
3. Congress shall participate in Social Security
Congress will pay into Social Security like the average American citizen. All funds currently in the Congressional retirement fund will be transferred to the Social Security system immediately. Congress, from this day forward, pays into and, at age 62, may collect from Social Security. Social Security funds may not be used for any other purpose. If Congress wishes more security in their retirement, they may pay into any commercially available retirement plan at their own expense, just like the average American citizen.
4. Congress shall not raise their salary or improve their benefits.
Congressional pay shall rise by the lower of CPI or 3%. Congressional benefits shall be equal to those of the average American citizen.
5. Congress shall provide individual health care for themselves.
They will participate in the same health care system as the average American citizen. If Congress wishes to have health care they may purchase, out of their own income, a health care plan that works for them just like the average American citizen. Congressional health care, as we now know it, no longer exists.
6. Congress shall not pass any law affecting the American people that does not apply to Congress.
Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people. All contracts, past and present, that Congress has passed for the benefit of Congress are null and void effective 12/12/12. The American people did not make these contracts with Congress. Congress made all these contracts for themselves.
Congress, in this document, refers to the elected members of the U. S. House of Representatives and the U. S. Senate.
1. Congress shall have no tenure or pension
A Congressperson collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when their term(s) end. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
2. Former Congressional office holders shall not lobby Congress
Former Congresspersons and Senators shall not lobby the U.S. Government nor shall they work as a consultant to any firm or individual that lobbies the U.S. Government for a period of 10 years following the end of their last day in office.
3. Congress shall participate in Social Security
Congress will pay into Social Security like the average American citizen. All funds currently in the Congressional retirement fund will be transferred to the Social Security system immediately. Congress, from this day forward, pays into and, at age 62, may collect from Social Security. Social Security funds may not be used for any other purpose. If Congress wishes more security in their retirement, they may pay into any commercially available retirement plan at their own expense, just like the average American citizen.
4. Congress shall not raise their salary or improve their benefits.
Congressional pay shall rise by the lower of CPI or 3%. Congressional benefits shall be equal to those of the average American citizen.
5. Congress shall provide individual health care for themselves.
They will participate in the same health care system as the average American citizen. If Congress wishes to have health care they may purchase, out of their own income, a health care plan that works for them just like the average American citizen. Congressional health care, as we now know it, no longer exists.
6. Congress shall not pass any law affecting the American people that does not apply to Congress.
Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people. All contracts, past and present, that Congress has passed for the benefit of Congress are null and void effective 12/12/12. The American people did not make these contracts with Congress. Congress made all these contracts for themselves.
Why is this important?
The popularity of the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Senate are at their lowest point in history and with good reason. Congressional gridlock keeps any thing from getting done.
I feel as though I am not being represented, that Congress has lost touch with the people of America. This has happened, in part, because of the perks and benefits that Congress has bestowed on itself. Once elected, they live the life of the rich and famous. It is time for them to return their focus on the common person.
In the past year some form of this Congressional Reform has turned up in my inbox more than once. The first time it came from a liberal friend, the second time from a conservative relative who was "passing this email along from the desk of Warren Buffet."
This reform petition is not partisan.
Please sign this petition and forward it to everyone you know. Please sign it once no matter how many times it arrives in your inbox.
When the signatures reach a critical mass, I plan to send it to every elected member of the U.S. Congress.
I feel as though I am not being represented, that Congress has lost touch with the people of America. This has happened, in part, because of the perks and benefits that Congress has bestowed on itself. Once elected, they live the life of the rich and famous. It is time for them to return their focus on the common person.
In the past year some form of this Congressional Reform has turned up in my inbox more than once. The first time it came from a liberal friend, the second time from a conservative relative who was "passing this email along from the desk of Warren Buffet."
This reform petition is not partisan.
Please sign this petition and forward it to everyone you know. Please sign it once no matter how many times it arrives in your inbox.
When the signatures reach a critical mass, I plan to send it to every elected member of the U.S. Congress.