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This is the people's money, and we need to use it on their priorities. Increasing the pay of members of Congress is not their priority.

You want to balance the budget in this country? We change the salary structure for Congress and the President. Every year they don't balance the budget, we don't pay them.

If taxpayers want better results from Congress, they must stop paying their elected officials for failure. After all, you get what you pay for.

For Members of Congress, we are saying here on the Democratic side of the aisle we are not going to vote for another pay increase for Members of Congress until the American people get an increase.

I'm not a professional politician. I'm a professional problem solver, and I believe we should cut the salaries of senators and congressmen 10 percent until they balance the budget. I call that conservative common sense.

If we're going to spend more money, it should go to the soldiers, Marines, and airmen to increase their salaries.

I think that for the next short period of time, our No. 1 priority is Congress needs to do its work and extend the payroll tax cut.

My question becomes, 'If we want to empower people with higher pay, there are probably better ways to do it that are more enduring than simply a federal mandate on wage level.'

This government has always said increasing pay is something for something.

Harry Reid and the Senate haven't passed a budget. Their pay should be reduced until they do.