Congress FAQ
Every poll shows Congress is not working for the American public.
We have individuals joining Congress that by their very wealth are detached from how most Americans live. The latest data (2018) shows that over 50 percent are millionaires in the House and a staggering 61 percent of the Senate are millionaires.
They have guaranteed pay raises in the form of Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), although since 2009 Congress has vetoed this automatic pay raise. Current salary is $174,000. Pensions are awarded after five years in office. An elected official may contribute little while earning $174,000 a year and, once eligible, collect retirement benefits.
We need a change and term limits will be the first step.
Average Length of Service
Statistically, our elected representatives, unless voted out of office, chose to serve from five to 11 years for both houses, which further supports that a twelve-year term limit would keep the “knowledge base” people believe is needed for congress to function. A knowledge base for Congress is being there long enough to understand the law-making process.
As of 2024, in the House 154 out of 435 members have served for at least ten years. The Senate, out of 100, 44 members have exceeded ten years. 16 have served over 20 years. Most would agree that Congress' work schedule is different from our normal workday. With that difference it can be easy to forget the challenges that their constituents face every day. And, for some congressional members, it appears they choose to no longer listen to the people who elected them to office until it is time to get reelected. Term limits would help curb the "disinterested attitude" we sometimes see in our elected officials.
50 percent of the Senate and 32 percent for the House are 65 years old or older. People of all ages are valuable, but when voting districts are drawn to keep a party, which leads to one person continuously being reelected, it can harm the country.
Retirement Benefits
There are four different choices for our elected officials to receive “retirement benefits” but all pay Social Security payroll tax. They also pay a small percentage of their salary into the Federal Employee’s Retirement System (FERS) that oversees their retirement benefits.
Retirement benefits do not start until they enter their fifties or sixties based on a tiered system of service.
From the Congressional
Research Service: CRSreports.congress.gov
2018 Data:
“There were 617 retired members of Congress receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service as of October 1, 2018. Of this number, 318 had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $75,528. A total of 299 Members had retired with service under FERS and were receiving an average annual pension of $41,208 in 2018.”
2022 Data:
"There were 619 retired Members of Congress receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service as of October 1, 2022. Of this number, 261 had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $84,504. A total of 358 Members had retired with service under FERS and were receiving an average annual pension of $45,276 in 2023.”
Thoughts:
Most people would be happy to receive $84,504 every year for “serving the public”. Even most of us would jump at $45,276. From 2018 to 2022 the payout increased by over four thousand dollars for 299 members and a whopping $8,976 for 318 people. Given that retirement benefits have significantly shrunk for all American jobs should this generous program still exist for Congress, especially after just five years of service.
The benefit program needs to be removed or adjusted. The best way is to make it part of the Constitution.