Q: From 1789 to 1815, members of Congress received only a daily payment of $6 while in session. Members received an annual salary of $1,500 per year from 1815 to 1817, then a per diem salary of $8 from 1818 to 1855; since then they have received an annual salary, first pegged in 1855 at $3,000. In 1907, salaries were raised to $7,500 per year, the equivalent of $173,000 in 2010. In 2006, members of Congress received a yearly salary of $165,200. Congressional leaders were paid $183,500 per year. The Speaker of the House of Representatives earns $212,100 annually. The salary of the President pro tempore of the United States Senate for 2006 was $183,500, equal to that of the Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives and Party leaders of the United States Senate. Privileges include having an office and paid staff. In 2008, non-officer members of Congress earned $169,300 annually. Some critics complain congressional pay is high compared with a median American Household income in the United States of $45,113 for men and $35,102 for women. Others have countered that congressional pay is consistent with other branches of government. Another criticism is that members of Congress have access to free or low-cost medical care in the Washington D.C. area. The petition, "Remove health-care subsidies for Members of Congress and their families", has already gathered over 1,076,000 signatures on the website Change.org. In January 2014, it was reported that for the first time over half of the members of Congress were millionaires. Congress has been criticized for trying to conceal pay raises by slipping them into a large bill at the last minute. Others have criticized the wealth of members of Congress. Representative Jim Cooper of Tennessee told Harvard professor Lawrence Lessig that a chief problem with Congress was that members focused on lucrative careers as lobbyists after servingthat Congress was a "Farm team for K Street (Washington, D.C.)"instead of on public service.
Did members of Congress make more from 1789 to 1815 or from 1818 to 1855?
A: 1818 to 1855

Q: Coming off their bye week, the Giants went home, donned their alternate uniforms, and played the Dallas Cowboys. In the first quarter, New York trailed early as Cowboys QB Tony Romo completed a 15-yard TD pass to TE Tony Curtis. The Giants responded as QB Eli Manning completed an 8-yard TD pass to TE Jeremy Shockey. In the second quarter, Dallas regained the lead as kicker Nick Folk made a 44-yard field goal. The G-Men took the lead with RB Reuben Droughns getting a 1-yard TD run. Afterwards, the Cowboys retook the lead with Romo completing a 20-yard TD pass to WR Patrick Crayton. Originally, the Giants were willing to be down by 3 at halftime. However, because of a taunting penalty on Dallas LB Kevin Burnett placed them near midfield, New York went for some points. The Giants would tie the game with kicker Lawrence Tynes getting a 40-yard field goal. In the third quarter, Romo completed a 25-yard TD pass to WR Terrell Owens and the Cowboys regained the lead. In the fourth quarter, the Giants made a 26-yard field goal from Tynes. Afterwards, Dallas' Romo and Owens hooked up with each other again on a 50-yard TD pass. During the season series against the Cowboys, the Giants pass defense allowed 8 passing touchdowns, despite only allowing 8 passing touchdowns from their previous opponents this year.
How many yards longer was Lawrence Tynes longest field goal than his shortest?
A: 14

Q: Hoping to rebound from their road loss to the Vikings, the Texans went home for a Week 10 duel with the Baltimore Ravens. Both teams were supposed to play each other in Week 2, but Hurricane Ike forced them to reschedule their game to this week. With QB Matt Schaub out with an injury, back-up QB Sage Rosenfels was given the start. In the first quarter, Houston trailed early as Ravens QB Joe Flacco completed a 43-yard TD pass to WR Yamon Figurs. In the second quarter, the Texans responded with kicker Kris Brown getting a 23-yard field goal. Baltimore would answer on a Houston blunder, as rookie OT Duane Brown committed a holding penalty in his own endzone, giving the Ravens a safety. Baltimore added onto their lead as kicker Steven Hauschka got a 54-yard field goal. The Texans closed out the half with Brown nailing a 48-yard field goal. In the third quarter, the Ravens increased their lead as RB Willis McGahee got a 1-yard TD run. Houston responded as Rosenfels completed a 60-yard TD pass to WR Kevin Walter. However, in the fourth quarter, Baltimore greatly pulled away as Flacco completed a 1-yard TD pass to TE Todd Heap (with a 2-point conversion pass to WR Derrick Mason), QB Troy Smith completed a 14-yard TD pass to Heap, and McGahee getting a 4-yard TD run.
Which player scored the last field goal of the game?
A: Willis McGahee

Q: Fresh off their divisional home win over the Bears on Sunday night, the Vikings flew to Ford Field for a Week 14 NFC North rematch with the winless Detroit Lions. Late in the first quarter, Minnesota would trail as Lions kicker Jason Hanson got a 25-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Detroit increased its lead as Hanson got a 23-yard field goal. The Vikings closed out the half with a 35-yard field goal from kicker Ryan Longwell. In the third quarter, Minnesota would take the lead as RB Chester Taylor got a 17-yard TD run. The Lions would reply with QB Daunte Culpepper (a former Viking) completing a 70-yard TD pass to wide receiver Calvin Johnson. In the fourth quarter, the Vikings regained the lead as QB Tarvaris Jackson completed an 11-yard TD pass to TE Visanthe Shiancoe. Detroit tried to rally as Hanson nailed a 39-yard field goal, yet Longwell helped Minnesota pull away with a 50-yard field goal, his fifth 50+ yarder of the season.
How many yards was the shortest touchdown?
A:
11