Leave it to a freshman representative to show more brains than most of the rest of our congress. If they are asking for so many cuts, they need to show they are willing to tighten the belt too. Their argument that the per diem and travel expenses are such small amounts doesn't cut any ice. They are still spending our invisible dollars like it's high oil money times. Balancing the budget is a multi-faceted issue. It will take restructuring the failed SB21 oil tax bill to our reality, not the big 3 oil companies desires. Maybe an income tax; maybe a sales tax; maybe permanent fund usage, but not until the legislators quit spending like drunken sailors. How much wasted on the LOI fiasco with a lawsuit still possible. No oversight on congressional travel and gourmet meals in the cafeteria. And Bert Stedman implying that the per diem needs to be high to keep out the temptation of corruption to underpaid legislators. 
This is bribery in its basest form.