By Blake Haas

BLOOMINGTON – A Central Illinois Congressman joined several lawmakers recently to block Congress from getting a pay raise.

Democratic Congressman Eric Sorensen, who represents parts of Bloomington-Normal, joined Congresswoman Angie Craig and Congressman Chris Pappas in the effort.

The goal is to urge leaders to block an effort to increase Congress members’ pay.

“The people I work with in Congress, they have enough, I have enough,” Congressman Sorensen told WJBC’s Scott Miller. “I want to make sure that we don’t take a pay raise because people are still hurting back home.”

Sorensen, Craig, and Pappas cite the rising cost of everyday household items as a reason for not voting for a pay raise.

“This has happened before. The late Congressman Lane Evans (D-IL), when he was in office serving Western Illinois at the time. What he did when those went through (pay raises) is he gave the increase in pay directly back to the people. If that happens, that is what I will do. Every month, I will take the check, and I will give it to a charity around our district,” Sorensen added.

Members of Congress receive $174,000 in annual salary.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].