Lots of Senators and Congressmen pull down FAR more than their base salaries due to other obligations and opportunities. Many of these opportunities would not be possible if these representatives had not been elected to public office. This proposal is designed to prorate the pay a congressman receives from the taxpayers.

With this 'proration' of salary, if a congressman makes more than his government salary on the side he'd forefeit his taxpayer-provided salary. If he makes less, he'd be compensated up to the limit.

The current salary (2011) for rank-and-file members of the House and Senate is $174,000 per year. If a Senator were to earn $70,000 over the course of the year in Speaking arrangements, his salary compensation would total $104,000 to make up that difference. If said Senator were to land a million-dollar book deal, he would forfeit the entirety of that salary, save a symbolic $1 to keep them on the rolls and to provide non-monetary benefits.

Under this plan, if the entire Senate and Congress were to make enough 'on the side' to forgo their government salaries, this would save the taxpayer nearly $100m per year.

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