Office Salaries, Benefits, and Expenditures
As a United States Representative, I receive an annual salary of $174,000. This salary is determined by Congress and is not subject to change until the next session of Congress. Amendment XXVII to the Constitution states: "No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.”
My benefits include health insurance, vision and dental coverage, life insurance, and retirement plans. Monthly contributions are deducted from my pay to provide for part of the cost of these benefits. Links to these benefits are included below and provide additional information.
I receive health benefits under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program. My health insurance covers medical expenses and a prescription drug plan. I am enrolled in the Self and Family Standard Option Blue Cross Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan. My monthly contribution is $431.60 per month.
My vision and dental coverage is through the Federal Employees Dental and the Vision Insurance Program. I am enrolled in the Self and Family High Option under the Vision Service Plan (VSP), to which I contribute $39.41 per month. For dental coverage, I am enrolled in the Self and Family High Option for MetLife PPO, to which I contribute $111.37 per month.
I am covered under group term life insurance through the Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program. I am enrolled in the Basic Option. I also have selected Option B-Additional and Option C-Family to provide added coverage. The Basic Option provides a life insurance benefit of $176,000. My monthly premium for this coverage is $57.20. Option B-Additional provides $522,000 of coverage, and Option C-Family allows for coverage with five multiples, totaling $62,500 in coverage for my family. My monthly premiums for these additional options are $33.93 and $2.95, respectively. More information about FEGLI can be found here.
I am automatically enrolled in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). As part of the FERS program, 1.3% of my pay, or $188.50, is automatically deducted every month. The amount paid into the program is available upon retirement in annuitized payments. More information about this program can be found here.
I also contribute 5% of my pay to TSP, which is a tax-deferred savings plan similar to private sector 401(k) plans. The government contributes 1% of my pay to TSP and will match up to 5%. Of the additional 5%, the first 3% is matched dollar for dollar and the next 2% is matched 50 cents per dollar. A full description of the plan is available here.
Members of Congress fill out a Financial Disclosure Report each year. This report contains information about my income. The report is filed with the Clerk of the House, who publishes the reports for all Representatives online.
Statement of Disbursements reports are published quarterly and include my office expenditures. My most recent report can be found here.
Travel reports for detailed travel-related expenses reimbursed by non-governmental entities can be found here.
Seven staff members in my office participate in the Student Loan Repayment Program. My office has a monthly benefit of $3950 that is distributed among these participants. Members of Congress are not permitted to participate in this program. The House program is similar to the program offered to other federal government employees.
Here is a list of my office staff and their salaries.