LegiStorm completes 2008 salary data from House

Posted by LegiStorm on Thursday, March 26, 2009
The salaries are in. The pay figures for staff members from the House of Representatives' fourth quarter of 2008 are now available on LegiStorm, having been entered from the thick disbursement records released by the House of Representatives.

This data period is critical because it is the time when Santa Claus brings goodies to dedicated staff in the way of annual bonuses. Bonuses are not a universal perquisite on the Hill but they are a common way for members to reward staff who have merited them. This assumes that members have budgeted well and have sufficient funds available in their annual allotment, known as the Member's Representational Allowance.

The latest collection of salary data is a window into one of the fiercest fought elections in modern times. Elections can affect how congressional staffers are paid, both in legal and not-so-legal ways. For example, staff members often take leave to work on campaigns, whether their bosses' or those of others. The pay records can reflect those absences.

And sometimes, staffers receive compensation from the campaigns but volunteers on a campaign usually vastly outnumber the paid staff. Therefore, campaign work is often a volunteer or grossly underpaid activity. Occasionally, members of Congress reward aides with bonuses, even if unconsciously, for their special dedication to the campaign. Since federal law prohibits the use of tax dollars to subsidize campaigns, such a use of bonuses would be improper.

Also controversial is the payment of large bonuses by members of Congress who are departing. With no more concern about getting re-elected, members can be quite generous with taxpayer money toward their staff.

Expect to hear more about fourth-quarter pay in our blog in the coming days.

The House releases books containing all of its expenses, including salaries, each quarter. The Senate releases them every six months. Therefore, we will not have the Senate data for another three months.
posted in congressional staff salaries, disbursements, election campaigns
Flag comment as inappropriate

6 comments so far

Posted by Free Thinker on 04/09/2009 04:20 PM EDT
Congress takes care of their own. It extends beyond the halls of congress and goes to the banks and financial industries. Look at the BAILOUT MONEY. It went to help THE PEOPLE. Take a look and see how much that money was returned in the form of campaign contributions. Was the bailout just a ploy to divert funds to bonuses and campaigns? The intent was good but the FED messed it up. Maybe we should regulate the FED and the banks would follow (right?). Check it out for yourself.
Posted by grundoon on 04/05/2009 09:45 PM EDT
anonymous writes "I think and congressman or member of the house who goes against Obama will be voted out of office". It must be every sensible American's goal for 2012 to see that just the opposite is true. I predict: In three years, of all those who voted for Obama, only the ignorant and the arrogant will NOT be sorry or ashamed they did.
Posted by Tedde on 04/05/2009 11:39 AM EDT
It is time that We the People change the way taxes are collected. There is too much social engineering. Go to a fair or flat tax and reduce the number of people it takes to run OUR government.
Posted by anonymous on 04/04/2009 05:35 PM EDT
This is typical of congress they see to it they take care of thier own.never do they pass up a chance to increase thier pay.
Posted by anonymous on 04/02/2009 02:51 PM EDT
Until we get the greed out of government, wall street and the banking sector this country is just treading water.
Posted by anonymous on 04/02/2009 01:26 PM EDT
I think any congressman or member of the house who goes against Obama will be voted out of office

Leave a reply

Registered users can receive email notification of comments placed on this page. Sign in to an existing account or register for a new account.

» LegiStorm Blog