PALATKA, Fla. -- In effort to lead by example, newly seated Congressman Ron DeSantis of the 6th congressional district has recently decided to turn down his congressional pension and health care benefits.
Making good on his campaign promise.
"I just don't think it's appropriate generally. I also think it creates bad incentive because it causes you to want to be a careerist in Congress, knowing that you'll have a nice pension if you're there for 30 years," said DeSantis.
Action News did some digging and found of our local representatives, Republican Jack Kingston from the first district of Georgia is also refusing federal health benefits.
While Representatives Corrine Brown, John Mica and Ander Crenshaw do receive federal benefits.
The current salary for a member of the House and Senate is $174,000 per year.
That's just one of the reasons why DeSantis opposes receiving federal benefits.
"A lot of these people make an awful lot of money having been in Congress so knowing that why would we want taxpayers to be contributing beyond that," said DeSantis.
DeSantis hopes a bill he co-sponsored to reform the current benefits program will gain more momentum.
"We're being reasonable about it, We're not taking away anyone's benefits who've earned it, but we're saying starting with young guys like me we need to go in a different direction," said DeSantis.
DeSantis was sworn in on Jan. 3 and he held his first town hall meeting in Palatka today where he discussed this issue along with other fiscal matters.
