(Springfield, IL) — March 31, 2011. Illinois House Deputy Majority Leader Lou Lang (D-Skokie) is backing a bi-partisan effort by freshmen and veteran House lawmakers to permanently cut legislative salaries by 10% and abolish future cost-of-living raises.

Lang is sponsoring legislation, House Bill 2891, which was approved, 14-2, by the House State Government Administration Committee on March 2, 2011.

"In the current economic crisis, tens of thousands of Illinois workers have had their salaries frozen, cut or hours reduced and have been forced to cut their household expenses while continuing to pay their taxes,” said Lang. “Lawmakers should lessen taxpayers’ burden by also cutting government expenses and share the same burden as regular workers by cutting our own salaries.”

“We should all be in this together.”

The bill’s chief sponsor is freshman lawmaker State Rep. Michelle Mussman (D-Schaumburg),

In addition to Lang and Mussman and House sponsors include State Reps.: Keith Farnham (D), Karen May (D), Richard Morthland (R), Dwight Kay (R), Adam Brown (R), Wayne Rosenthal (R), Fred Crespo (D), Jack Franks (D), Daniel Biss (D), Emily McAsey (D), Kenneth Dunkin (D), Michael Unes (R), Norine Hammond (R), Darlene Senger (R), Jason Barickman (R), Pam Roth (R), Thomas Morrison (R), Jil Tracy (R), Sandra Pihos (R) and Sara Feigenholtz (D)

The bill faces the full House for consideration.