The Congress of the USA has two chambers; one is The Senate while the other is The House of Representatives. Ever wondered how much the members of Congress get paid? Or do you want to join Congress one day? This article will provide the most recent information about the salaries, allowances, and benefits of the Congressman of the US. let us know about that the Salaries For Congressman.
Salaries Of The Congress Members
The average salary of a congressman in The Senate and The House of Representatives is about $193,400; this applies to both the majority party and the minority party leaders. Whereas, the salary of the speaker of The House of Representatives is about $223,500.
Overview
The salary of Congressmen depends on the job they do. A congressman is responsible for making huge decisions for their state, including, the annual budget of the country, creating laws, impeaching federal government officials if need be, declaring war when the situation does not allow peace, and many more great decisions.
A raise in salary automatically happens on January 1st every year. However, congress members declined to receive a raise since 2009, which implies that the pay increase depends upon the Congressmen’s approval.
All the rank and file members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, such as Senators, Representatives, Delegates, and Commissioners receive about $174,000 each year along with other benefits. Since 2009, the salary increase was refused by the members of the congress so the pay will be the same in the upcoming years as well.
The congress members receive their pay only during the terms in which they are elected. After the completion of their terms of office, congress members are no longer eligible to receive salary or other benefits.
Benefits For A Congressman
Along with a good pay scale, Congressmen are provided with several benefits as well. Following is the list of benefits with descriptions for the reader to get a complete picture.
Outside Income
Congress members are allowed to have an outside income. However, there are certain restrictions by Congress. Only 15% of their annual essential pay rate is allowed for outside earnings. There is also a list of restricted outside revenue by the Congress of the USA.
Deductions On Taxes
In the previous years, members of Congress were allowed to deduct living expenses for income tax reasons. But, after the 2017 enactment, the tax deductions were eliminated by the government.
Insurance On Health And Life
Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the members of Congress were allowed to take benefits from the Federal Employee Health Benefits program. Also, members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, visitors, and staff of Congress are eligible to take advantage of the emergency health care service provided by the Attending Physician.
Federal employees, including members of Congress, are eligible to participate in the Life Insurance program provided by the government. Personal insurance depends on several conditions, which rely on the elected period of the Congressmen.
Retirement Provisions
The retirement plan provided to the congress members depends on their age, retirement plan, and the duration of service as an elected member. Any member with less than five years of service is excluded from receiving retirement provisions. All members of Congress must participate in the Social Security program while providing services to get the best benefits.
Requirements To Be A Congressman
The job of a congressman is to be a good decision-maker for the benefit of their country. Keeping this in mind, a Congressman can have the seat without fulfilling the demand of any educational requirements. Also, there is no increase in pay no matter how many years of service a congressman has given to the country.
However, the US constitution has age and citizenship requirements for congress members. The members of the Senate must be at least 30 years old and should have US citizenship nine years before the election. For house members, the citizenship time must be seven years before the elections, and the minimum age must be at least 25 years.
Members of Congress had careers in politics and other public service activities. Also, people who own a business can have a chance at securing a seat in Congress, but they are given less priority than the people who have politics on their resumes. The most significant talent that a congress member must possess is the ability to convince ordinary people to vote.
Some Myths To Bust
Some people believe that members of Congress can retire after serving only one year and get benefits from the government. However, this is a myth, and the truth is that they cannot get benefits after serving only one term.
Also, their retirement is funded by people’s taxes and contributions. If a Congressman retires after serving more than five years, they will get funds from the government.
Another myth is that congress members do not pay their social security taxes. This is not true as they are not exempted from any taxes since 2017.
Conclusion
Congressmen are an integral part of the US government. They make decisions for the country and get paid for it. Since 2009, they refused to increase their pay for the benefit of their country. Anyone willing to join congress must have good decision-making abilities and confidence to serve the country.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are taxpayers happy to pay the congress members?
The good news for taxpayers in the US is the salary of the congressmen will not increase no matter how long they provide services in Congress. Salary and benefits will remain the same throughout their tenure.
2. Are Congress members wealthy?
If we talk about the salary of a congress member, it is lower than the country’s mid-level executives and managers in private and public jobs. Congressmen get paid just like common citizens with benefits and compensations.
3. Why does the congressman get paid?
The congressman gets paid because of the responsibility they put on their shoulders to work for the politics of the US. They have a say in the government, laws, and treaties of the country and oversee everything that happens in US politics.
