Congressional pay raise in coronavirus relief package?
Matthew Brown
Even before the House passed a $2 trillion coronavirus relief package, rumors that representatives were using the legislation to give themselves a pay raise were circulating on social media.
On March 20, Facebook user Barbara Hendrixson posted a graphic claiming that “The house voted no for senior citizens getting an extra $335.00 a year. They voted to give themselves an extra $8,000.00 a month”
The post received roughly 54,000 shares on Facebook and nearly 1,000 reactions.
A similar post by user Michael R. Marriott read “Stimulus pkg. = $1200. Congress wants $25 million for raises. That’s $46,700 each. Now who’s thinking of You.” The post has more than 64,000 shares, more than 600 reactions and more than 400 comments.
The posts appear to be referencing language in the law which supports House “salaries and expenses” as well as other operations. USA TODAY reached out to both users for comment but did not receive a response from either.
There is no indication in the statutory language that the spending will support the salaries of members of the House, and staff has confirmed the funds will be used for other purposes.
Aid package, congressional operations
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act is a historically large legislative package, in both the scope and amount of rescue aid it allots as well as the sheer length of the text. Within the $2-trillion package there is a provision that provides $25 million for operations in the House of Representatives.
Among other things, the CARES Act provides $25 million in funding “for necessary expenses of the House of Representatives to prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus, to be allocated in accordance with a spend plan submitted to the Committee of Appropriations of the House of Representatives.”
“The $25 million funding is to support the House’s capability to telework, including for the purchase of equipment and improvements to the network,” Evan Hollander, a communications director for the House Appropriations Committee, told USA TODAY. The funds will also reimburse the staff of the House Child Care Center and pay the contracts for House food services.
“None of the funds will go to member salaries, which are paid directly from the Treasury pursuant to the Constitution,” Hollander confirmed.
Article I, Section 6 of the Constitution
gives Congress the power to determine its own pay. Since the Ethics Reform Act of 1989 was passed, salaries are adjusted automatically according to the Employment Cost Index, which tracks changes in private-sector wages and is published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Most members of Congress are paid a salary of $174,000. Exceptions include the speaker of the House, who is paid $223,500, as well as the president pro tempore of the Senate and the majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate, each of whom is paid $193,400.
Congress prohibited expected automatic salary raises of 2.6%, or $4,600, for members in its appropriations for the 2020 fiscal year.
A “Dear Colleagues” email from House Committee on Administration Ranking Member Rodney Davis, R-ill., explained how the $25 million provided for House operations would be spent, emphasizing that money allotted for “salaries and expenses” was not meant for members’ salaries. Instead, the funds will go to helping congressional operations adapt to the necessities and demands of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Specifically, it will be used to help purchase IT equipment and services, including expanded customer service and video town hall capabilities, and emergency transportation and logistical support as needed,” Rep. Davis’ message read.
Davis also explained: Of the $25 million, Congress expects $10 million to fund the Sergeant at Arms; $8.8 million for video town hall equipment and logistics; $2 million for laptops for House committees; $2 million for “Office Supply Store computer purchases”; $1 million for 24-hour IT Customer Support and $500,000 for additional equipment for computer imaging.
“All disbursements of these funds must be approved in a written plan and submitted to the Appropriations Committee, and any unspent funds not used for these purposes will be rescinded,” Ranking Member Davis also stated in his message.
Our ruling: False
We rate the claim that the House of Representatives gave itself a salary boost in the coronavirus relief package to be FALSE because it is not supported by our research. There is no reason to expect that the funds allotted in the CARES Act will go toward salaries for members of Congress. If funds provided by the CARE Act were directed to pay for congressional staff, it would require approval from the House Appropriations Committee, something the committee is unlikely to grant.