During U.S. federal government shutdowns, congressional staff generally do not receive paychecks for pay periods that fall during the shutdown but receive backpay after funding is restored; members of Congress can elect administrative withholding of their salary during a shutdown but must receive the withheld amounts as backpay once the government is funded again.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Operational practices for congressional pay and staff pay during federal funding lapses
Most members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate have an annual base salary of $174,000, a figure that was last changed in 2009.
January 01, 2009
high
temporal
Baseline congressional compensation for rank-and-file members
The Twenty-seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution prevents changes to the compensation of members of Congress from taking effect until after the next election; the amendment was ratified in 1992.
May 07, 1992
high
temporal
Constraint on timing of congressional pay changes