Congressional Salaries and Allowances

Publication Date: August 2007

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Government

Type:

Abstract:

This report provides basic information on congressional salaries and allowances. First, the report briefly summarizes the current salary of Members of Congress, limits on their outside earned income and honoraria, and applicable health insurance and retirement benefits.

Second, the report provides information on allowances available to Representatives and Senators to support them in their official and representational duties as Members. Their allowances include those for official office expenses, staff, mail, and other allowances and services.

Third, the report provides the salaries and allowances available to the Speaker of the House and the Vice President, as President of the Senate, and lists the salaries of congressional officers and officials and committee staff.

Sources are hearings, reports, debates, and language of regular annual and supplemental legislative branch appropriations acts; current Order of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, implementing a pay increase for House employees, effective January 1, 2004, issued January 3, 2004 (to be contained in 2 U.S.C. 60a-2a, [http://uscode.house.gov/usc.htm] and U.S. Code Annotated 2004 supplement to 2 U.S.C. 60a-2a to be printed in spring 2005); latest available Order of the President pro tempore, implementing a pay increase for Senate employees, effective January 1, 2003, issued December 19, 2002, and amended March 27, 2003 (see 2 U.S.C. 60a1, [http://uscode.house.gov/usc.htm] and to be printed in the U.S. Code Annotated 2003 supplement to 2 U.S.C. 60a-1 in spring 2004); House Members' Congressional Handbook (2003 edition), prepared by the Committee on House Administration, [http://www.house.gov/cha/nhandbookbody1.htm#1]; the U.S. Code; the U.S. Code Annotated; and quarterly Statement of Disbursements of the House, compiled by the House Chief Administrative Officer, April 1, 2003, to June 30, 2003 (108th Congress, first session, H.Doc. 108-106, part 2 of 2, pp. 3229-3243); and the Office of Personnel Management for executive level pay rates to which some legislative employees are statutorily linked.

This report will be updated as information is made available.