The compensation for most Senators and Representatives is $174,000 per year. This excludes the Speaker of the House salary of $223,500 and the Senate Majority and Minority leaders who bring home $193,400 annually.
Benefits for the Members are very robust.
1. Members of Congress get the entire month of August and two weeks around Easter off.
2. Perhaps one of the more expensive congressional perks is travel. Most flights between their home states and Washington, D.C., are funded with taxpayer money.
3. Should a member of Congress be killed while serving their term, the surviving family members are entitled to death benefits equivalent to one year’s salary, a minimum of $174,000.
4. One of the most coveted congressional perks is free airport parking separate from public garages. They pay zero dollars to park at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Dulles International Airport.
5. For many Americans, the 401(k) acts as a substitute for a pension. But Congress members have access to both. Five years of service is all that’s needed for members of Congress to become eligible for a pension.Those who serve just five years are guaranteed annual pensions of at least $14,000.
6. Members of Congress procure a bonus tax deduction of $3,000each year for living expenses while away from their home states and congressional districts.