I’ve read how much Rep. Peter DeFazio should be appreciated for the benefits he brought to all Americans. Well, he sure enjoyed plenty of benefits himself, including a salary far above a living wage, generous time off from work, universal medical benefits for himself and his congressional cohort and an excellent pension.

All those benefits he voted to give himself. Too bad over his long career he couldn’t get around to voting to give us the benefits he enjoys: a living wage, relaxed working conditions, free universal health care and an adequate pension. I say, good riddance to DeFazio and all his compatriots who refuse to give us the benefits they enjoy, at our expense, as taxpayers.

Trisha Driscoll

Eugene

Editor’s note: According to Peter DeFazio’s office, Congressman DeFazio has voted against and turned back every congressional salary increase since being elected to Congress. Instead, for more than a decade he has linked his salary to cost-of-living adjustments for Social Security recipients and returned the excess pay to fund scholarships for displaced workers and low-income students at community colleges in southwestern Oregon. By the end of 2021, he will have turned back more than $445,000 to fund well over 270 scholarships and deficit reduction. Further, there is no special health care plan for Members of Congress. With the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), all Members must receive — and pay for — a health care plan through the ACA.

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