EMERSON TAKES ISSUE WITH ARTICLE ON PENSIONS, BENEFITS

Eighth District U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson took issue Friday with a Southeast Missourian article on pensions and benefits for members of Congress and said it was "misleading."

"It is not a highly factual article," said Emerson.

The article was written by Jack Stapleton of Kennett, a statewide political columnist. It lists the potential pension benefits for the state's congressional delegation and also states that members are already entitled to "perks such as free parking, subsidized meals and free haircuts."

"I don't know anything about free haircuts. I pay $14 for a haircut in the Rayburn House Office Building," said Emerson. "And, I don't know anything about subsidized meals. I pay $4.50 for a hamburger in the House dining room."

Emerson said members of Congress and staff have parking garages to use, but he questioned whether this is different from other jobs.

"Subsidized meals and free haircuts are just baloney," Emerson said. "Jack Stapleton and the Missourian are perpetuating a myth when they print such lies."

In listing pension benefits the article showed that his monthly pension would be $66,837, and that based on normal life expectancy, he would collect just over $3 million in benefits. But Emerson said the article was wrong in leaving the impression that those benefits were based on 14 years service in Congress.

Emerson said his retirement benefits are based on 27 years of service, dating back to working two and a half years as a House page and 10 years as a staff member.

"I am unaware of having done anything to enhance my pension benefits. I have never seriously looked into what my pension benefits are," he said.

When he first ran for Congress, Emerson promised not to take any pay raises, except for cost of living increases, in the middle of a term.

"I said I would take the pay, whatever it was, for the term to which I was elected, and would not vote for pay raises, and I have not," said Emerson.

In 1987 after a mid-term pay raise of $12,000 was pushed through without a vote, Emerson established a scholarship fund at Southeast Missouri State University. He has contributed other raises given in the middle of terms and a portion of any honoraria he receives to the fund.