Even though House Republicans are going to be in session for only 126 days in 2013, they are still demanding their full $174,000 salary.

Despite this being an off off year election, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has announced that the House will only be in session for 126 days in 2013. The schedule is continuation of the two weeks off one week on schedule that the Republicans implemented when they gained the majority after the 2010 election. The Senate works the opposite schedule. The Senate schedule traditionally has been three weeks on and one week off per month. When the two schedules are examined side by side, it is easy to see why it takes so long to get anything done in Washington. The House has turned their schedule into an obstruction tactic. It is hard to make legislative progress when one body is MIA for two thirds of the year.

During the fight over the fiscal cliff House Republicans will talk how it is imperative that the nation slashes spending without raising tax, but the one thing they won’t mention is how they are adding to deficit by insisting on being paid when they aren’t working.

Members of the House are set to be paid $1,380.95 for each day when they are in session in 2013. If they were serious about reducing the deficit, one of the first things that they should do is prorate their pay so that their yearly compensation is based on only the days that they spent in session.