Why did congress pass a bill giving $174,000 to deceased senator's widow?
Can't members of congress get their own life insurance if they want it? In addition, with Lautenberg already being worth over $57 million and being 89 years of age, it is doubtful that he would have thought that purchasing such insurance would be worthwhile. But why should taxpayers come up with this payment? From The Hill newspaper:
The short-term spending bill passed by the House today includes a $174,000 payment to the widow of former Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), who died in June at the age of 89.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this joint resolution, there is appropriated for payment to Bonnie Englebardt Lautenberg, widow of Frank R. Lautenberg, late a Senator from New Jersey, $174,000," the resolution states in Section 134.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) highlighted the inclusion of the language in a Friday post on its website, which asked why Congress would be "throwing money at a multimillionaire."
CREW said Lautenberg's assets were estimated to exceed $57 million in 2011. "How is this a top funding priority?" the group asked. . . .
Labels: governmentwaste
posted by John Lott at 9:56 AM
2 Comments:
And the fleecing of America continues... I feel strongly that it is problematic to have a body award ANYTHING to its own members. Pay increases, health care decisions, retirement benefits, ALL of that should be part of the General Election process every four years in my opinion. Who do you want for President and VP, and how much should a Congress Person make next term... Why is this such a strange concept. They work for US, not the Government. Somewhere, that has gotten lost in translation over the years...
I guess they want to set more precedents for payouts to government officials and their families -- with the eye to personally benefiting from that later.
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