Staffers in the House of Representatives will now have a maximum pay rate of $212,000 per year, thanks to soon-to-be ex-Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.
That’s over $30,000 more than members of Congress make annually.
FOX News reports:
Nancy Pelosi boosts maximum pay for House staff to $212,000 as she ends speakershipSpeaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday issued a new directive raising the maximum rate that lawmakers can pay House staff to $212,100 annually — $38,000 more than what members of Congress make.The move comes after Pelosi already issued a directive earlier this year raising the maximum pay staffers can make from $199,300 to $203,700. At the time, Pelosi also instituted a minimum salary level of $45,000 for House staff.The move was seen as precedent-breaking since for decades there were no official House rules governing staffer pay. Instead, House offices were free to negotiate staff pay individually.Pelosi, who is set to relinquish the speaker’s gavel when the new Republican Congress takes office on Tuesday, said the move would help Congress retain quality staff who might otherwise be lured by private-sector employment…The new salary cap means that senior staffers can make more annually than the lawmakers who serve as their employees. Both House and Senate lawmakers are paid $174,000 annually.
Pelosi explained the change in a letter to Congress:
Dear Colleague to All Members on the Speaker’s New Pay OrderDear Colleague,As you know, our hard-working, patriotic Congressional staffers are integral to the functioning of the House of Representatives: ensuring this institution can effectively carry out our legislative and constituent responsibilities. To that end, we must do all we can to retain and recruit the best talent in our nation — and to build a Congressional workforce that reflects the communities we are honored to serve.It is my privilege as Speaker to announce that the House will raise the maximum annual rate of pay for staff to $212,100. This increase in the Speaker’s Pay Order is consistent with the recent raise in the Executive Branch Level II and Senior Executive Branch maximum annual salary rate.As Speaker, it has been a key priority for me to bring the brightest minds and a diversity of backgrounds here to Capitol Hill — at every level of public service. That is why we have:
- raised the maximum annual pay twice: ensuring parity among employees of the House, employees of the Senate and employees of the Executive Branch;
- set a first-ever minimum annual pay for staff at $45,000: a fairer, more competitive salary that has helped open the doors of public service to those who may not have been able to afford to do so before;
- delivered a 21 percent increase in the MRA in the FY22 omnibus: ensuring every office has the resources to fairly compensate staff;
- and established the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion: helping make the House more inclusive, open and representative of the full range of voices and values of our communities.
This work must continue into the 118th Congress and beyond, as we carry on our dutiful stewardship of this historic institution.
Oh, the House has an office of Diversity and Inclusion now? How nice for them.
Just for comparison:
Government work is not supposed to be a path to wealth.
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