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WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Michael A. Arcuri (D-Utica) voted this afternoon to successfully block a Congressional pay raise after working with leadership in the House of Representatives to ensure that a provision to prevent the annual Congressional pay raise was included in legislation passed by the House today.

“When unemployment is on the rise across the country and families are struggling with cut hours and wages, we can’t sit back and let our paychecks increase,” Arcuri said. “The first step to fiscal responsibility in Congress is making sure we’re in tune with the economic realities of our time – and I don’t know anyone in Upstate New York who is getting a free pass on a pay raise this year. I am proud of my colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats alike, for working together on this important provision."

Since taking office, Arcuri has worked to end the automatic pay increase for members of Congress. Arcuri cosponsored the Stop the Congressional Pay Raise Act (H.R.156), introduced by Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-AZ), and voted twice in the 110th Congress to block a Congressional pay raise.

The provision to block the pay raise was included in the rule for the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009, which passed the House of Representatives with Arcuri’s strong support. 

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