SALARIES OF US CONGRESS PERSONS IS $174,000+, ANNUAL COLA, HEALTH INSURANCE, RETIREMENT PENSION AFTER 5 YEARS IN OFFICE

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Salaries of US Representatives

As of January 2010, the annual salary of each Representative is $174,000.[17] The Speaker of the House and the Majority and Minority Leaders earn more: $223,500 for the Speaker and $193,400 for their party leaders (the same as Senate leaders). A cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) increase takes effect annually unless Congress votes to not accept it. Congress sets members' salaries; however, the Twenty-seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits a change in salary (but not COLA[18]) from taking effect until after the next general election. Representatives are eligible for lifetime benefits after serving for five years, including a pension, health benefits, and social security benefits.

Those politicians who like to support the rich ("no tax increase" comment today means for the top 1% of USA) and take away our rights to unionize (Wisconsin, is one example), also can vote on their own salary amount, retirement benefits, health care benefits. Can you say the same about your career, job?

US Senators Salaries since 1789 until 2011

1789-1815 -- $6.00 per diem

1815-1817 -- $1,500 per annum

1817-1855 -- $8.00 per diem

1855-1865 -- $3,000 per annum

1865-1871 -- $5,000 per annum

1871-1873 -- $7,500 per annum

1873-1907 -- $5,000 per annum

1907-1925 -- $7,500 per annum

1925-1932 -- $10,000 per annum

1932-1933 -- $9,000 per annum

1933-1935 -- $8,500 per annum

1935-1947 -- $10,000 per annum

1947-1955 -- $12,500 per annum

1955-1965 -- $22,500 per annum

1965-1969 -- $30,000 per annum

1969-1975 -- $42,500 per annum

1975-1977 -- $44,600 per annum

1977-1978 -- $57,500 per annum

1979-1983 -- $60,662.50 per annum

1983 -- $69,800 per annum

1984 -- $72,600 per annum

1985-1986 -- $75,100 per annum

1987 (1/1-2/3) -- $77,400 per annum

1987 (2/4) -- $89,500 per annum

1990 (2/1) -- $98,400 per annum

1991 -- $101,900 per annum

1991 (8/15) -- $125,100 per annum

1992 -- $129,500 per annum

1993 -- $133,600 per annum

1994 -- $133,600 per annum

1995 -- $133,600 per annum

1996 -- $133,600 per annum

1997 -- $133,600 per annum

1998 -- $136,700 per annum

1999 -- $136,700 per annum

2000 -- $141,300 per annum

2001 -- $145,100 per annum

2002 -- $150,000 per annum

2003 -- $154,700 per annum

2004 -- $158,100 per annum

2005 -- $162,100 per annum

2006 -- $165,200 per annum

2007 -- $165,200 per annum

2008 -- $169,300 per annum

2009 -- $174,000 per annum

2010 -- $174,000 per annum

2011 -- $174,000 per annum

Below information is from US government for Congress persons pay and more

U.S. Congress salaries and benefits have been the source of taxpayer unhappiness and myths over the years. Here are some facts for your consideration.

Also See: The 10 Wealthiest Members of Congress

Rank-and-File Members:
The current salary (2011) for rank-and-file members of the House and Senate is $174,000 per year.

• Members are free to turn down pay increase and some choose to do so.
  
• In a complex system of calculations, administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, congressional pay rates also affect the salaries for federal judges and other senior government executives.
  
• During the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin considered proposing that elected government officials not be paid for their service. Other Founding Fathers, however, decided otherwise.
  
• From 1789 to 1855, members of Congress received only a per diem (daily payment) of $6.00 while in session, except for a period from December 1815 to March 1817, when they received $1,500 a year. Members began receiving an annual salary in 1855, when they were paid $3,000 per year.

Congress: Leadership Members' Salary (2011)
Leaders of the House and Senate are paid a higher salary than rank-and-file members.

Senate Leadership
Majority Party Leader - $193,400
Minority Party Leader - $193,400

House Leadership
Speaker of the House - $223,500
Majority Leader - $193,400
Minority Leader - $193,400

A cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) increase takes effect annually unless Congress votes to not accept it.

Benefits Paid to Members of Congress

You may have read that Members of Congress do not pay into Social Security. Well, that's a myth.

Prior to 1984, neither Members of Congress nor any other federal civil service employee paid Social Security taxes. Of course, they were also not eligible to receive Social Security benefits. Members of Congress and other federal employees were instead covered by a separate pension plan called the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). The 1983 amendments to the Social Security Act required federal employees first hired after 1983 to participate in Social Security. These amendments also required all Members of Congress to participate in Social Security as of January 1, 1984, regardless of when they first entered Congress. Because the CSRS was not designed to coordinate with Social Security, Congress directed the development of a new retirement plan for federal workers. The result was the Federal Employees' Retirement System Act of 1986.

Members of Congress receive retirement and health benefits under the same plans available to other federal employees. They become vested after five years of full participation.

Members elected since 1984 are covered by the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS). Those elected prior to 1984 were covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). In 1984 all members were given the option of remaining with CSRS or switching to FERS.

As it is for all other federal employees, congressional retirement is funded through taxes and the participants' contributions. Members of Congress under FERS contribute 1.3 percent of their salary into the FERS retirement plan and pay 6.2 percent of their salary in Social Security taxes.

Members of Congress are not eligible for a pension until they reach the age of 50, but only if they've completed 20 years of service. Members are eligible at any age after completing 25 years of service or after they reach the age of 62. Please also note that Members of Congress have to serve at least 5 years to even receive a pension.

The amount of a congressperson's pension depends on the years of service and the average of the highest 3 years of his or her salary. By law, the starting amount of a Member's retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of his or her final salary.

According to the Congressional Research Service, 413 retired Members of Congress were receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service as of Oct. 1, 2006. Of this number, 290 had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $60,972. A total of 123 Members had retired with service under both CSRS and FERS or with service under FERS only. Their average annual pension was $35,952 in 2006.