News
TERRY AD SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON PAY RAISE, BUDGET CUTS
September 20, 2010
The Terry for Congress campaign is airing a new 30-second television ad that sets the record straight on legislative pay and government spending.
The ad points out that Terry has voted repeatedly to freeze congressional pay and has voted 83 times to cut spending.
“Congressman Terry has voted to freeze congressional pay and he’s voted to cut trillions in spending. It is Mr. White who has voted to raise legislative pay and support trillions in new spending and debt,” said David Boomer, Terry’s campaign manager.
Here is the text of the 30-second ad:
Narrator: When it comes to Tom White, look at what he does, not what he says.
In Lincoln, White voted to give Senators an 83 percent pay raise, saying a ‘pay raise is needed.’ White supported the failed stimulus and government run health care—two trillion in new spending.
Lee Terry voted to freeze congressional pay and 83 times to cut spending. Lee Terry’s on our side.
Terry: I’m Lee Terry and I approved this message.
Tom White’s Hypocrisy
In his current television ad, Tom White says congressional pay should be cut until the budget is balanced. He has taken the exact opposite approach to the issue as a state Senator.
White voted in favor of a bill to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot that increases legislator pay from $12,000 to $22,000—an 83 percent increase (LR 1CA, May 30, 2007) and justified the hike in an interview with the state’s largest daily newspaper. (“Legislators reimbursed $490,202,” Omaha World–Herald, July 1, 2007)
Meanwhile, White voted against LB 5 in last fall’s Special Session—a bill that cut spending by $32 million. (Legislative Journal, Nov. 20, 2009, page 141) The Omaha World-Herald specifically noted that LB 5 was a “key part of efforts to close a $334 million gap in the state budget… .” (Omaha World-Herald, November 14, 2009)
Tom White supports raising legislative pay 83 percent but then refuses to cut spending to balance the state budget—the opposite of what White says in his ad that he would do in Washington.
Sources:
Terry voted in favor of H.R. 5146, a bill to freeze congressional pay, April 27, 2010, vote #226. Terry has voted 83 times on the House floor in 2009 and 2010 for amendments and proposals that reduce spending by trillions of dollars. Clerk of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, www.thomas.gov.
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