Sen. Dick durbin (D-Ill.) snapped at a CNN reporter after he was asked about pay raises in the massive spending bill.
A stop-gap spending bill to fund the government through March 14 was unveiled by lawmakers on Tuesday evening.
If it passes, it would give members of Congress their first pay raise since 2009. Lawmakers currently make $174,000 a year, with those in leadership making more.
Durbin was confronted by CNN reporter Manu Raju, who asked him, âDo you guys deserve a pay raise?â The Democrat senator seemed surprised.
He responded, âWell, thatâs news to me, thatâs good news. Whatâs it been, 10 years, 14 years, no COLA raise, no change at all, I think itâs about time somethingâs done.â
âBut people look at the performance of Congress and say why should we give them more money?â Raju then said.
Durbin reacted, âWhat about the Media ⌠think about that for a second,â to which Raju pushed back, âWeâre not paid by public money.â
âI know youâre not but half your listeners arenât there anymore and youâre still getting the same paycheck, whatâs going on,â Durbin said.
Watch the video below:
Per CNN, âMultiple GOP lawmakers and senior aides privately predict Johnson wonât get a majority of his conference to back the bill in the end.â
