Committees of Congress - Staffing

HAVE WE GOT OUR MONEY’S WORTH?

In today’s environment with Congress’s favorability at 83% negative you could say no way. What would
you say if you found out the total cost of what we the taxpayer pay for in Washington? Would you
believe the salaries for Congress and Staff cost us $629,473,700. That’s over 1/2 a billion with a capital
B.

You would probably say those Congress people only make $174,000 a year which when multiplied by
535 members is only $92+ million. You would be wrong because five of them make more. The speaker
makes $223,000 and each of the leaders of houses; minority and majority, along with the Senate’s
President Pro Tempe each make $193,400. Also we have 6 members of the House that are not readily
acknowledged representing the Territories of American Samoa, The District of Columbia, Northern
Marianas, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands at $174,000 a year, for another $1,044,000. Total salaries
for Congress, which they vote on increases whenever they want, is $94,280,500 and they only worked
132 days this past year. I’ll let you do the hourly rate. Before someone points it out, Bless their hearts,
they did not vote for a cost of living increase for 2010 and 2011. The least they could do as senior
citizens have to make do on the 2009 rate for Social Security.

When the Staffs of all these Congress men and women are added; get ready, it’s another $541,000,000,
which gets us to the total above. How did I arrive at that figure? It is an average of the salaries paid by
us, the taxpayer, by each Congressional Member as shown on www.legistorm.com. I got to an average
by reviewing several States to see if the economy, population, or other factor was a contributor. I found
the lowest and highest paid was in the State of California. The low one may have been a result of time
in office but I tried to take that into consideration by using a figure that was paid for a full term. The
highest were both found in California and far exceed the average. I do not mind identifying them here,
Senator Barbara Boxer and Senator Diane Feinstein. No wonder we are going broke as they feel the
need to spend over $4,000,000 each for their Staff.

But wait this ain’t all folks, we have all the Committees to account for. All of the Committees we see on
C-Span and in the news holding all those hearings are staffed to the tune of $277,972,116. For the
House it is $155,082,250, the Senate $110,920,229, and Joint Committees account for $11,969,637. And
guess what? There are more Committees I never heard of, maybe you are more informed or aware than
I but they are for 1 – Leadership and 2 – Administrative. It is in these Committees I think you will have
many questions of WHY? Needless to say Congress appears to feel they need to spend even more of our
money of $39,534,333 for Leadership Committee and $213,122,966 for Administration Committee Staff.

Well if you have done the math the total we are spending each year on Salaries each year for a Congress
that only works 132 days is $1,160,103,115. I guess you now know why we get thousand page bills that
are not read and can answer the question Have We Got Our Money’s Worth?

By: Lloyd Carter – Citizen/Voter/Taxpayer

(818) 206-8232
Committees of Congress - Staffing

Congressional Committees Staff Salaries

House 2009

Agriculture Committee $4,930,003

Appropriations Committee $27,084,073

Armed Services Committee $7,206,987

Budget Committee $4,717,730

Education and Workforce Committee $7,323,774

Energy and Commerce Committee $10,564,219

Financial Services Committee $8,447,174

Foreign Affairs Committee $8,157,937

Homeland Security Committee $6,979,644

House Administration Committee $4,538,372

Judiciary Committee $8,551,506

Natural Resources Committee $6,763,784

Oversight and Government Reform Committee $9,586,476

Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence $4,124,625

Rules Committee $2,779,117

Science Committee $6,201,190

Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming $1,861,721

Small Business Committee $2,934,241

Standards of Official Conduct (Ethics) Committee $2,070,377

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee $8,623,779

Veterans' Affairs Committee $3,381,354

Voting Irregularity Committee Nothing spent since 2008 $0

Ways and Means Committee $8,254,167

Total Cost of House Congressional Committees $155,082,250

* Used latest fiscal year as House had not reported final quarterly results
Committees of Congress - Staffing
Senate Total Fiscal Year 2009 2010
**
Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry $4,096,851 $1,970,879 $2,125,972
Appropriations Committee $12,625,952 $6,239,678 $6,386,274
Armed Services Committee $6,219,108 $3,037,017 $3,182,091
Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs $5,273,515 $2,503,768 $2,769,747
Budget Committee $5,560,467 $2,605,544 $2,954,923
Commerce, Science and Transportation $5,917,553 $3,047,711 $2,869,842
Energy and Natural Resources Committee $5,290,221 $2,656,413 $2,633,808
Environment and Public Works Committee $4,984,035 $2,652,927 $2,331,108
Ethics Committee $1,653,825 $847,938 $805,887
Finance Committee $8,465,488 $4,371,594 $4,093,894
Foreign Relations Committee $6,225,746 $3,196,162 $3,029,584
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions $8,984,216 $4,304,161 $4,680,055
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs $9,696,787 $4,710,856 $4,985,931
Indian Affairs Committee $1,673,075 $853,108 $819,967
Intelligence Committee $5,464,296 $2,716,227 $2,748,069
Judiciary Committee $9,706,360 $5,191,271 $4,515,089
Rules and Administration Committee $2,347,439 $1,130,096 $1,217,343
Small Business and Entrepreneurship $2,528,477 $1,257,331 $1,271,146
Special Committee on Aging $2,244,094 $1,280,186 $963,908
Veterans' Affairs Committee $1,962,724 $982,475 $980,249
$110,920,229 $55,555,342 $55,364,887
Total Cost of Senate Congressional Committees

Joint Committees 2008 2009

Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies $46,008 $44,175 $1,833

Joint Committee on Taxation $8,017,470 $8,017,470

Joint Economic Committee $3,688,480 $1,915,693 $1,772,787

Total Cost of Joint Congressional Committees $11,751,958 $9,977,338 $1,774,620

House Congressional Committees $155,082,250

Senate Congressional Committees $110,920,229
Total cost of Congressional Committees $266,002,479

** Senate reporting is recorded twice per year which is different from the House that
reports quarterly and is totaled.
Committees of Congress - Staffing

Congressional Leadership Office Staff Salaries

House 2009
*
Chief Deputy Democratic Whip Nothing spent since 2007 $0
Chief Deputy Majority Whip Nothing spent since 2006 $0
Chief Deputy Minority Whip Nothing spent since 2008 $0
Cloakroom Personnel - Majority $479,301
Cloakroom Personnel - Minority $378,078
Democratic Caucus $1,698,436
Democratic Steering and Policy Committee $1,160,375
Dem Steering & Policy Committee, Training and Program Dev $474,025
Legislative Floor Activities $516,458
Minority Employees $1,025,923
Office of the Democratic Whip Nothing spent since 2007 $0
Office of the Majority Leader $2,416,842
Office of the Majority Whip $1,563,083
Office of the Minority Leader $3,019,423
Office of the Minority Whip $1,443,220
Office of the Speaker $4,430,658
Republican Conference $1,393,718
Republican Conf, Training and Program Development $209,626
Republican Policy Committee $217,276
Republican Steering Committee $685,831

Total Cost of House Leadership Office Staffs $21,112,273

* Used latest fiscal year as House had not reported final quarterly results
Committees of Congress - Staffing

Total Fiscal Year 2009 2010

Senate
**

Majority Conference Committee $1,665,255 $859,081 $806,174

Majority Leader $2,604,586 $1,319,391 $1,285,195
Maj/Min Conf Committee (Republican) $156,333 $156,333
Majority/Minority Leader (Republican) Nothing spent since 2003 $0
Maj/Min Policy Committee (Republican) Nothing spent since 2003 $0
Majority/Minority Whip (Republican) Nothing spent since 2003 $0
Majority Policy Committee $1,743,634 $880,254 $863,380
Majority Whip $1,263,986 $696,359 $567,627
Minority Conference Committee $1,322,504 $652,516 $669,988
Minority Leader $1,903,772 $974,524 $929,248
Min/Maj Conf Committee (Democratic) $0
Minority/Majority Leader (Democratic) Nothing spent since 2003 $0
Min/Maj Policy Committee (Democratic) Nothing spent since 2003 $0
Minority/Majority Whip (Democratic) Nothing spent since 2003 $0
Minority Policy Committee $1,602,065 $870,749 $731,316
Minority Whip $1,198,065 $603,355 $594,710
Office of the Vice President $2,243,094 $1,057,382 $1,185,712
President Pro Tempore $564,489 $281,045 $283,444
President Pro Tempore Emeritus Nothing spent since 2008 $0
Secretary for the Majority $777,830 $396,174 $381,656
Secretary for the Minority $809,114 $405,544 $403,570
Secretary for the Min/Maj (Democratic) $202,744 $0 $202,744
Secretary Majority Conference Committee $364,589 $172,500 $192,089
Secretary Maj/Min Conf Comm (Republican) Nothing spent since 2003 $0
Secretary Minority Conference Committee Nothing spent since 2009 $0

Secretary Min/Maj Conf Comm (Democratic Nothing spent since 2003 $0

Total Senate Leadership Offices $18,422,060 $9,168,874 $9,253,186

Total Cost of Congress Leadership Offices $39,534,333

**Senate reporting is recorded twice per year which is different from the House that reports
quarterly and is totaled.
Committees of Congress - Staffing

Congressional Administrative Office Staff Salaries

House 2009
**
Attending Physician (Technical Assistants) $344,240
CAO Advanced Business Solutions Nothing spent since 2009 $0
CAO Operations Management Nothing spent since 2009 $0
Capitol Police Board Nothing spent since 2003 $0
Chaplain $172,500
Chief Administrative Officer Nothing spent since 2009 $0
Child Care Center $711,509
Clerk of the House $20,364,019
Communications Nothing spent since 2009 $0
Compilation of Precedents $310,000
Corrections Calendar Office Nothing spent since 2003 $0
Finance $60,780,717
General Counsel $1,055,356
Government Contributions Nothing spent since 2001 $0
Historian $403,450
House Postal Operations Nothing spent since 2002 $0
House Support Services Nothing spent since 2002 $0
House Technical Support Nothing spent since 2002 $0
Information Resources $1,203,000
Inspector General $2,648,148
Interparliamentary Affairs $427,618
Law Revision Counsel $2,306,035
Legislative Counsel $7,250,370

Media and Support Services Nothing spent since 2002 $0

Office of Congressional Ethics $1,005,889

Off of Emergency Plng, Prep and Ops $1,377,566
Office of Human Resources Nothing spent since 2002 $0
Office of Procurement Nothing spent since 2005 $0
Other Administration Nothing spent since 2008 $0
Parliamentarian $1,201,750
Sergeant at Arms $7,494,197
Total Cost of House Administrative Staff $109,056,364

** Used latest fiscal year as House had not reported final quarterly results
Committees of Congress - Staffing
Total Fiscal Year 2009 2010
Senate
**

Caucus on International Narcotics Control $295,721 $167,694 $128,027

Chaplain $409,386 $214,355 $195,031
Consultants $3,106,148 $1,534,641 $1,571,507
Hair Care $459,307 $227,694 $231,613
Jacob Javits Fellowship Program Nothing spent since 2004 $0
John Heinz Fellowship Program $28,448 $28,291 $157
Legal Counsel $878,808 $440,083 $438,725
Legislative Counsel $5,187,200 $2,550,400 $2,636,800
Resolution and Reorganization Reserve $1,120,249 $646,645 $473,604
Secretary of the Senate - Administrative Services $13,468,209 $6,729,027 $6,739,182
Secretary of the Senate - Executive
Office $3,299,859 $1,674,896 $1,624,963
Secretary of the Senate - Legislative Services $5,254,051 $2,590,065 $2,663,986
Sergeant at Arms - Capitol Division $18,480,893 $9,210,312 $9,270,581
Sergeant at Arms - Central Operations $18,985,316 $9,216,749 $9,768,567
Sergeant at Arms - IT Support Services $8,141,116 $4,007,861 $4,133,255
Sergeant at Arms - Office Support
Services $0
Sergeant at Arms - Staff Offices $9,735,826 $4,825,710 $4,910,116
Sergeant at Arms - Technology Development Svcs $14,686,499 $7,123,182 $7,563,317
SMI Project Nothing spent since 2004 $0
Total Senate Administrative Staff $103,537,036 $51,187,605 $52,349,431

Joint Committees Total Fiscal Year 2009 2010

Capitol Guide Service and Special Services $0

Office of Congressional Accessibility Services $529,566 $271,331 $258,235
Total Joint Congress Administrative Staff $529,566 $271,331 $258,235

Senate reporting is recorded twice per year which is different from the House that reports
quarterly and is totaled.
Committees of Congress - Staffing

SUMMARY - ALL Congressional Salaries

House 432 Members @ $174,000/year $75,168,000

1 Member @$223,500/year Speaker of the House $223,500
2 Members @
$193,400/year Majority & Minority Leaders $386,800
Representative's Staffs (435) (averaged to $1 million each) $435,000,000

Salary - 6 Territory Representatives (Am Samoa,Guam,Puerto Rico, etc.) $1,044,000

Staff for 6 Territory Representatives $6,000,000

Total House Member Salaries including their Staff Salary $511,822,300

Senate 97 Members @$174,000 $16,878,000

2 Members @ $193,400 (Majority & Minority Leaders) $386,800
1 Member @$193,400 (President Pro Tempore) $193,400
Senator's Staffs (averaged to $1 million each) $100,000,000

Total Senate Member Salaries including their Staff Salary $117,651,400

Total Congressional Salaries including Staff $629,473,700

Committees
Staff Salaries for Committees in
Congress
Total Cost of House Congressional Committees (23 Standing Committees) $155,082,250
Total Cost of Senate Congressional Committees (20 Standing Committees) $110,920,229
Total Cost of Joint Congressional Committees (2 Active) $11,969,637
Total - Congressional Committees
Salaries $277,972,116
Total House Cost by Leadership Office $21,112,273
Total Senate Leadership Offices $18,422,060

Total - Congress Leadership Offices Salaries $39,534,333

Total House Administrative Staff $109,056,364
Total Senate Administrative Staff $103,537,036
Total Joint Congress Administrative Staff $529,566

Total Cost of Congressional Administrative Staff Salaries $213,122,966

Total Cost of Congressional Salaries w/o Expenses & Travel $1,160,103,115