BY KAREN WEBB

Congressmen are paid more than most of us because of the necessity of maintaining two households. As far as I can recall every time they have given themselves a raise the subject of how the cost of living in the DC area has gone up has come up in negotiations. The number of U.S. House members living in their offices has gone from about 10 to 33 this year.

Yes, they have 24/7 use of OUR gym and showers. I have never had that particular perk at any job I have had. They have stipulations in their rules about paying taxes on money used for the fair market value of their rent.

It sounds like we have squatters on OUR property who can afford to pay US some rent or give US back part of their pay.

I am not saying we need to charge a couple of thousand for the 24-hour use of OUR property, but we deserve something. They don’t even have to pay for a bus ride from their abode to the workplace.

They claim to be saving US money by living in OUR offices, but they still get the same pay and as far as I know Reps. Dan Boren and John Sullivan have never given any of the money they are supposed to be saving US back.

Rep. James Lankford has only been there a couple of months, but I don’t think he will be giving US back the money he is supposed to be saving US and he has had a huge jump in income.

If you keep all the same pay as all the other congressmen then you are not saving US one thin dime and WE are paying for all of your utilities.

If Lankford slips in the shower or Sullivan and Boren collide while playing handball at midnight, can they file for workman’s comp because it happened in the workplace?

Half of the Arizona House delegation lives in OUR House and three-fifths of the Oklahoma delegation lives in OUR House. It’s like we are paying our adult children to move back home rent free.

We need to start charging rent. At least what the guys in The Family pay for their digs.

– Karen Webb lives in Moore, OK and is a regular contributor to The Oklahoma Observer