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Retiring House Republican says $174,000 isn't enough money for members of Congress: 'Most of us don't have wealth' (www.businessinsider.com)

submitted 7 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world

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Rank-and-file members of both the House and Senate are paid $174,000 a year.

That probably seems like a decent amount of money, and it is: The median household income in 2022 was $74,580, according to the US Census.

But consider that members of Congress generally have to maintain two residences — one in Washington, DC, and one in their home state — and that they haven't gotten a raise since 2009.

Inflation, meanwhile, has eaten away at the value of that salary over time: If lawmakers' salaries had kept pace with inflation, they would be paid over $250,000 today.

Rep. Patrick McHenry, a North Carolina Republican who served as the interim speaker of the House following Kevin McCarthy's ouster, told The Dispatch that congressional pay needed to be raised in order to attract "credible people to run for office."

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[-] brennansv@sfba.social 83 points 7 months ago

@MicroWave @steinbring We should not increase their pay. Instead we should simply provide housing connected with public transit so members of Congress can cut some of their costs and actually experience what it is like to live this way. They already get great healthcare and access to a fitness center and cafeteria.

[-] just_change_it@lemmy.world 21 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

I understand what you're saying but I think you can't get elected to a national house or senate seat without being wealthy or very connected to wealth.

The income is mostly just a joke. There should be an equitable way for people without an income or wealthy connections to be elected on merit and opinions rather than by virtue of giant funding.

Personally I vote for election advertising bans by 3rd parties and to make all election advertising done through a collective pool of funds shared by all candidates. These fucking PACs are a big problem today and they are everywhere

[-] TheRealKuni@lemmy.world 11 points 7 months ago

But the Supreme Court said spending my money to support political causes is freedom of expression protected by the first amendment! How dare you try to limit my expression!

/s just in case.

[-] jonne@infosec.pub 10 points 7 months ago

Schumer lives in a share house when in DC. There's no reason Congress couldn't provide that or dorms or something similar.

[-] nbafantest@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

You have any links about this? I'd like to read more

[-] jonne@infosec.pub 4 points 7 months ago

https://edition.cnn.com/2013/12/04/politics/real-alpha-house/index.html

This is from some years back, not sure if that's still his living situation as majority leader.

[-] nelly_man@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago

It looks like they moved out when George Miller retired from Congress in 2014, but they were there for about 30 years.

[-] nbafantest@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago

Very interesting read, i did not know this. Thanks for sharing.

[-] nbafantest@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

Yep, excellent idea.

Housing for them is the real issue here.

this post was submitted on 05 Jan 2024

517 points (96.4% liked)

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