Senators & Congressmen/Women...Taken Care of by Who ? Themselves !
Contact Your Tennessee Elected Officials here:
http://www.tennesseeanytime.org/topics/Elected+Officials
Find Your U.S. Senator here:
http://www.senate.gov/
Find Your Congressperson here:
http://www.contactingthecongress.org/
Contact the White House Here :
Lest we forget the tax-payer ? Hey that`s US !
According to the Federal Register, currently seated Members of >> Congress (both Senators and Representatives ) each earn a salary of $174,000.
The Majority Leader of each party and the Senate President pro- tem each receive $193,400.The Speaker of the House gets $223,500, almost as much as the Vice President, who receives $230,700.
The President gets $400,000
In addition to salary, Members can choose from a large variety of health plans from Fee For Service to HMOs, for which they pay a low percentage of the premium, with the government picking up the balance. (Government, That`s You and I )
Members (Congressman) also receive Personal Staff Allowance$ which are used to set up their Washington and home district offices.
Senators' allowances vary according to the size of their home state; Representatives all receive the same allowance. There are guidelines for the number of aides per office.
The Member's Expense$ Allowance is used for domestic travel to and from the home district, stationery, newsletters, overseas postage, telephone and telegraph service, and other expenses in Washington or the Member's home district.
The Franking Privilege allows Members to mail official letters and packages without charges for the postage.
There are two retirement programs effective for Members of Congress: the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) for members elected before 1984, and the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS). FERS was enacted in 1986, and went into effect in 1987, for those hired after December 31, 1983.
All federal employees hired from 1984 onward have been required to participate in Social Security.
Members of Congress who were elected before 1984 may be covered by one of four different retirement plans: Dual Coverage—coverage by both CSRS and Social Security CSRS Offset—coverage by CSRS reduced by the amount of Social Security contributions and benefits FERS—comprising a FERS basic annuity determined by length of service and the average of the three highest consecutive years of basic pay, Social Security, and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), into which a Member contributes a set amount which is matched at 5% by the employing agency. (Members were given the option to switch from CSRS when FERS went into operation. (Some chose to remain with the original program.) Social Security only—if the Member declines other coverage. Members become "vested," which means they are entitled to retirement benefits, after five years of service. Age and length of service requirements are determined by the program the Member belongs to at the time of retirement. Under CSRS, for example, there are four options. Retirement with an immediate full pension—availab le to Members age 60 with 10 years of service in Congress, or to Members age 62 with five years of civilian federal service, including in Congress. Retirement with an immediate reduced pension—available to Members age 55 to 59 with at least 30 years of service; or after 20 years and leaves for reasons other than resignation or expulsion (this includes not being re-elected, or choosing not to run for re-election); or after reaching age 50 with 20 years of service; or after serving in nine Congresses.
The pension is reduced by a tiny percentage for each month that the retiring Member is under 60 years of age. Retirement with a deferred full pension—availab le to Members who leave Congress before the minimum retirement age and defers retirement benefits until reaching the age at which full benefits are paid. Full pension can be taken at age 62 if the Member had five through nine years of federal service, of at age 60 if the Member had at least 10 years of service.
All contributions must remain with the plan to be eligible for a deferred pension. Retirement with a deferred reduced pension—available to a Member at age 50 if he or she retired before that age and had at least 20 years of federal service with at least 10 years as a Member of Congress.The FERS basic annuity was designed to supplement Social Security benefits. Under FERS there are also four basic plans comparable to those available through CSRS, although there is a FERS supplement payable to those Members who retire at the minimum age (55 to 57, depending on year of birth). This supplement ends when the Member reaches age 62, regardless of whether the Member applies for Social Security benefits at that time, The Thrift Savings Plan is similar to a 401(k) plan available through many private employers.
Editorial : What is Congress going to give up ? Looks like we take pretty good care of our Elected Servants...They just want to serve ! "Gimme a Break" ! I`ll settle for their take. "GIMME A BREAK"! One thing for sure, our elected Representatives do not need UNION representation. They set their wages and benefits themselves ! "Gimme a Break"!
1 comment:
All of these salaries are gross, with the exception of maybe the president. You are absolutely right on this issue!!! Whatever happened to "serving?" How about the "honor" of "serving?" Both houses of Congress should only be allowed to "serve" 2 terms, period. Their salary should be no more than what it takes to live in Washington. There should be no retirement, they should have to contribute towards their own health care, and there should be no pay raises. Seems to me that $65k is generous enough.
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