(McClatchy Washington Bureau)
Kate Irby and William Douglas January 17, 2019 09:52 AM
WASHINGTON - Members of the House of Representatives who live in their Capitol Hill offices shouldn’t get too comfortable.
The practice is going under the knife from the new Democratic leadership. Top Democrats are considering making the live-in lawmakers pay for bunking in prime government real estate — or ending the practice altogether.
“How would you feel about attending a meeting in someone’s bedroom?” asked Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Mississippi, a veteran member of the Congressional Black Caucus, which has spoken against the practice for years.
Office-dwellers counter that the practice is frugal and efficient.
“My constituents want me to do the job they elected me to do,” said Rep. Andy Barr, R-Kentucky. “They appreciate frugality too and appreciate the fact I’m focused on doing my job and not moving into Washington.”
The black caucus has long been appalled by the arrangements.
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