Evening star., 1954-01-10
Government Pay Raises
Congress Bushes
At SeIf-Help Plan
By Richard FrykIund

sssS'SS
Congress always looks a bit
awkward when it sets out to raise
the pay Of its own members. The
august lawmakers are afraid the
folks back home won't understand
and, sure enough, the constituents
don't. Result Is that Congress does
much embarrassed backing and
filling before each Of the infrequent
pay raises: and pay usually remains
relatively low.
But last year Congress ordered
itself to go through the whole pain
full process this year--and the zero
hour for compliance is near.
The Reasons
Congressman claim to have sound
reasons for wanting to raise their
own incomes. which now amount to
$4,000 a year. The principal rea-
sons are:
. The Congressman are worth 1t.
Few SIS. .000-a-year men in private
life have the responsibilities of q
Congressman. and few Congressman
fail to meet their responsibility in
one way or another.
Q The cost of living has OUT
stripped congressional pay. Real"
income was almost $4,000 less in
1853 than in 1889, Senate group
claims, even though pay has been
increased.
. Better men would be attracted
to Congress if the pay matched the
congressional cost of living. The
premium now placed on personal
wealth would diminish; a poor but
brilliant man would be more willing
to run.
Present congressional income looks
good-if it is not compared with
necessary outgo. Here is what q
Congressman makes today:
Base pay. Both Senators and Rep
resentatives make $12,5OO a year in
regular salary.
Expense allowance. Both get a
$4,000 allowance for official expenses.
AS it is not accounted for by the
congressman and as most feel they
spend far more than that on official
expenses, the allowance usually Is
regarded as part of the salary.
Free Offices. A Representative
usually gets two-room suite in the
House Office Building and an Office
in a Federal building in his home
district or 5000 with which to rent
one. Senators have a four or five
room suite in the Senate Office
Building and have arrangements
similar to those of Representatives
in the home States.
Office stats. A Representative is
given S12,500 a year with which to
pay basic salary to an Office staff.
This can be increased by special al.
lowances to almost double that sum,
however. Maximum salary for any
one stafter can be as much as
$8,38530. A Senator has a staff
fund which varies with the popula-
ton of his State-from $39, $40 basic
for a Senator from. say. Nevada. to
$40, $50 for a Senator from New
York. Again. special allowances can
raise these sums considerably. In
dividual salaries can go as high as
$11,646. There is no limit to the
size of an office staff. but extra large
STATS must be paid out of the Con-
greSSmanS own pocket. And ade-
quate clerical help and an outstand-
ing administrative assistant and Sec
retary can run an office payroll far
above the maximum allotment. This.
of course, is where the wealthy Con-
l@
Supplies. A Representative may
draw $125 worth of airmail and
special delivery stamps year. His
urgent, official mail usually eats up
more than this, however. Regular
office mail is free. Stationery worth
$500 year may be drawn, but that
is rarely enough. Each person may
make $50 minutes of long distance
telephone calls a month free and
may send 1000 words by telegram a
month. Senators may send regular
mail free and are allowed up to
S132.07 a year for airmail and Spe-
clal delivery stamps. They also get
$500 worth of stationery each year.
Senators may make up to 60 free
long distance telephone calls
monthly totaling not more than 300
minutes. An additional $3.50 is pro-
vided for calls that originate out
side Washington. And $4,000 is al
located for kilograms. though this
may be exceeded by Senators from
distant or more populous States.
Transportation. A trip to the
Capitol and return home is paid for
by the Government for each regular
session of Congress. Payment is at
the rate of 20 cents a mile. Other
trips home and back must be
financed by the Congressman. Most
Congressmen make several such trips
year.
Medical expenses. A doctor is
available for Congressmen in the
Capitol, His services are free: medi-
cation is free or at cost. Congress-
men may be hospitalized at the Be-
thesda Naval Medical Center or the
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
for fiat STATS day fee no matter
what the treatment.
Retirement Congressmen may
contribute per cent of their pay
to retirement fund and draw pen
sions, if their length of service is
sufficient, after they reach g..
Others Get More
Present pay does not look so large
compared with other Government
salaries. Cabinet members make
$22,500 and Federal judges make
from $4,000 to $25,500. The Vice
President and Speaker of the House
each get $4,000. including an ex-