It pays pretty well to legislate in Washington. Members of Congress, both senators and representatives, now make $174,000 a year. Compare that to the median pay of an American worker, which stands at $39,416.
But members have not had a raise since 2009. Their pay, along with that of all federal workers, was frozen in an effort to trim the deficit. The topic comes up again in January, when a raise of up to 1.1 percent is scheduled to take effect, unless salaries are kept frozen.
We have a video with more on congressional compensation. Take a look. See “What Do Others Say?” for more opinions. Then, add to the discussion below. Do lawmakers earn their pay? Do they deserve a raise?
