Thursday, October 13, 2016

Fact Check "Congressional Reform Act of 2012"


If you see this just know that whoever wrote this is baing their information on myth, not on fact. It shows a profound lack of research or even a basic understanding of how Congress functions.

1. Congress participates in FERS(Federal Employee Retirement System). This is the same retirement system postal workers, janitors, researchers etc. participate in. They also have no tenure of any kind, as we know members of Congress have terms of either 2 or 6 years. As a side note, their pension was changed, and now on average pays 30,000 less per year than it used to.
2. This is how it currently is, unless they are eligible for federal retirement(minimum of 5 years, and small% of original pay, must be passed a certain age and meet eligibility requirements) or have reached the age where they receive social security.
3. Members of Congress already pay into social security. (since 1984)
4. Considering it's in the FERS, it's a little different, but pretty much similar, but they're already paying into the FERS.
5. Many already do, the real adjustment should be to eliminate their ability to do insider trading (they know X bill is coming to a vote to affect Y industry, they can vote and make money on it) Some members of Congress tried to pass something in 2012, but it was blocked.
6. Currently they haven't voted themselves a pay raise in quite awhile.
7. Most of them participate in the same healthcare plans that any federal employees receive. Some have purchased private insurance plans.
8. This claim is false.The only exception to this is in the constitution, where they cannot be arrested while heading to the capitol. (so that party bosses couldn't sway a vote by locking up the enemy, yes this has happened)
9. Whoever wrote this one has no clue what they are talking about. What contracts do they think members of Congress have?