LegiStorm

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) accepted $63,000 in privately funded travel in 2023 ― the seventh highest of any member of Congress that year. Since announcing in early January that he will not seek reelection, Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) has already beaten that.

Less than two weeks after announcing that he will retire at the end of this term, Bucshon embarked on a week-long trip to Japan, sponsored by Former Members of Congress. The interest group spent $227,000 total on eight members and several of their spouses, including $35,300 on Bucshon and his wife. This was Bucshon's fifth year attending FMC's Japanese "study tour," which focuses on U.S.-Japanese policy and cultural issues.

A month later, Bucshon and his wife traveled to South Africa, courtesy of the Aspen Institute. The week-long program focused on U.S.-African relations and cost the institute $416,000 total for 18 members and several of their spouses. The Bucshons' travel was worth $28,200, according to ethics disclosures.

Bucshon's two trips clock in at a value of $63,500, all within the first three months of the year. The highest total travel expenses in 2023 belonged to Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.) at $91,000. Bucshon accepted travel worth $47,700 that year.

Privately sponsored travel is typically much lower in election years.

The median House staffer's annual salary rose by $13,700 from 2021—2023 ― but some of the biggest raises in dollar terms went to those already making the highest salaries, according to a LegiStorm analysis.

On average, senior staffers received higher raises than those at junior and mid-levels. Chiefs and deputy chiefs of staff made a median $17,800 more in 2023 than 2021; legislative directors made $17,100 more.

Already some of the House's best-compensated job titles, those positions now pay a median annual salary of $178,000, $129,000 and $111,000, respectively.

In 2022, Congress authorized an unprecedented increase to the House's office budgets and set a $45,000 minimum salary rate for all full-time House staffers. Both increases were intended to bolster staffer pay in hopes of attracting and retaining talent.

Staff assistants, press assistant and legislative correspondents ― some of the Hill's worst-paid positions ― drew a median 2023 salary of $54,700, $58,900 and $59,500, respectively. That's a respective annual increase of $13,800, $12,900 and $13,700 over 2021. While the dollar increases are lower than for more senior staff, the percentage increase was greater for more junior staff.

Many mid-tier positions saw similar increases. Legislative assistant positions now pay $14,500 more for a median $72,700 salary; schedulers make $13,800 more at $72,000.

Big Pharma has snagged a top Democratic staffer. 

Fabian Lucero is now a director of federal advocacy at the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. He was most recently legislative director and health counsel for Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.). He previously worked on the House Ways and Means Committee and has a background in health law.

PhRMA has a powerhouse lobbying presence on Capitol Hill, spending more than $27 million in its federal efforts last year.

House staffer turnover is slowly improving, though it remains near decade-high levels.

2023 saw staff retention improve by 4% over the previous year, according to a LegiStorm analysis. But that's still tied for the third-worst turnover rate since at least 2001, the first full year of LegiStorm's salary data.

The House's staff retention began its slow decline in about 2009, but the pandemic and Capitol insurrection ignited an exodus that saw 55% higher staff turnover in 2021 than 2020. The House increased its personal-office budgets in 2022 and implemented a $45,000 salary floor in an effort to stop the exodus and help attract and retain staffer talent.

House turnover improved by 8% from 2021-2022.

Despite being at the forefront of the staffer unionization movement, House Democrats lost staff at the same average rate as Republicans last year.

Excluding members who left their seats early in the term, Reps. Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.) and Nancy Macy (R-S.C.) had the worst staff retention and lose aides at 3.5 times the House average.

Reps. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), Burgess Owens (R-Utah) and Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) rounded out the worst retention rates among representatives who are still in office.

LegiStorm's staff turnover index is salary-weighted, meaning that the departure of a higher-paid staffer, such as a chief of staff, will count proportionately more than staff assistant or other lower-paid staffer. LegiStorm considers only full-time, non-temporary staff and excludes all interns and fellows.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who cited the federal government's "reckless spending" as a justification for bringing a motion to vacate against then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), led the House in 2023 office spending - thanks, in part, to new reimbursement rules that allowed the congressman to receive more than $40,000 for housing and meals.

Gaetz received $31,000 in reimbursement for lodging and $10,800 for meals in 2023. Per new House rules, members may seek reimbursement for certain housing, meals and other expenses incurred in D.C. while Congress is in session. Reimbursement is paid out of an office's Members' Representational Allowance, the annual budgets that go to paying for staff compensation and other costs of running congressional offices.

Gaetz received another $1,900 in reimbursement for car rentals, parking and taxis/ride shares, bringing his total 2023 reimbursement to nearly $43,800.

Gaetz's office disclosed using 99% of its 2023 MRA. The average personal office disclosed spending 86% during that time. In 2022, Gaetz's office used 90% of its annual budget.

Staff compensation made up the largest proportion of the office's 2023 expenses and cost the office 83% of its total annual budget. The average personal office spent 79% of its budget on paying staff last year.