It was an unprecedented deal that is more outrageous when you realize that they will end up voting against the bill."

Reid: Congressional Budget Increased To Pay GOP Staffers

Nation Sees Record Layoffs… GOP Refuses To Cut Congressional Staff Despite Election Losses, Says Reid...

A ten percent increase in the budget for Congressional operations was needed because Senate Republicans wanted to retain previous staff levels despite having lost roughly 20 percent of their ranks in the 2008 elections, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said Wednesday.
Congressional Republicans have been pouncing on any instance of wasteful spending they can find, but the congressional-operations line item will likely remain safe from their ire.
The one-tenth hike brings the budget for Congress itself to $4.4 billion.
Reid, asked about the increase at a press conference, initially dodged the question, speaking instead about spending in general.
The unsatisfied reporter repeated the question about a ten percent raise for the congressional budget. "How is that going to help get out of the depression?" she pressed.
Don't blame us, said Reid.
"We had a situation -- you should direct that question to Senator McConnell," he said, referring to the Senate Minority Leader, "because we had trouble organizing this year. He wanted to maintain a lot of their staffing even though they had lost huge numbers. And the only way we could get it done is to do what we did. So you should direct that question to Senator McConnell."
A McConnell spokesman didn't immediately return a phone call.