“For months, along with a number of our colleagues, we have been advocating for Congress to raise Member Representational Allowance (MRA) funding in the Fiscal Year 2022 Legislative Branch appropriations bill so that overworked and underpaid Congressional staff can receive a long-overdue pay raise.  We were very glad to see that the Omnibus appropriations package unveiled this morning includes the 21% MRA increase that we have been pushing to secure.  With Congressional staffers moving on to more competitive opportunities after an average of just three years, creating the space for raising staff pay across the board is critical to recruiting and retaining the best and brightest to help us serve our constituents, particularly in district offices that engage most directly with them on casework and services.  This will also help us recruit a more diverse workforce that reflects the American people we serve while keeping those on staff who have built up institutional knowledge essential to successful policymaking.  We join in thanking Chairwoman DeLauro and Ranking Member Granger as well as the Members on the Appropriation Committee for producing a bipartisan omnibus package that includes this increase in office budgets so that Congressional staff pay can be a priority and enhance this institution’s ability to deliver For the People.”