Freshman House class brings less wealth and different economic perspective to Congress
WASHINGTON - When wages temporarily stopped for thousands of federal workers during the government shutdown in January, nearly 100 lawmakers signed over or donated their paycheck to show solidarity.
But Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., elected just weeks earlier, literally couldn't afford the gesture.
"If you're a member of Congress who can say: 'I can forgo an entire paycheck,' more power to you," she said in an interview in her Capitol Hill office. But "this incoming class had probably quite a few people who were not in a position to say I will forgo a paycheck after having not worked for" months because of the demands of the campaign.
More often than not, members of Congress come from a moneyed pedigree, whether they made a fortune in business before starting a political career, married a wealthy spouse or inherited family fortunes. Last year, 40% of the House and Senate were millionaires and
