Senator Salaries and Benefits

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As of 2019, the annual salary of each senator is $174,000, with senate leadership earning up to $223,500 per year. Approximately 40% of senators are millionaires.

Along with earning salaries, senators receive retirement and health benefits that are identical to other federal employees and are fully vested after five years of service. In 2006, the average annual pension for retired senators and representatives was between $35,952 and $60,972.

From 1789 to 1855, members of Congress only received a daily payment of $6.00 while in session. In 1855, members began receiving an annual salary of $3,000.


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Editor
Sabrina is a former campaign manager who has decided to focus her effort to help people contact senators and get help. She leads our Editorial Team with Ronald and Lawrence to curate content and resources that help us navigate the system.

11 thoughts on “Senator Salaries and Benefits”

  1. I have 2 questions for you. The first one, I read where everyone was getting a raise in Social Security Check this year. My husband did not get one and we would like to know why? The Democrats are giving the illegals money from our Social Security that we worked hard to have when we retire. I don’t know if I am asking the right person, I saw this site and figured I would start here. My second one, can you tell me how to email Republican Senators in regard to why they have not done anything to stop the House Democrats, plus the Biden’s Administration for all the terrible things they are getting away with in destroying our country? I found a couple of pages, but it was confusing to me. Thank you, Patricia Bartley

    • My mother has been getting o/a $300-$330 /month in social security and for many years she never received an increase because her insurance was more than her increase would be. She refuses to accept any other assistance, thank God she has family to support her. In response to your second question, I have been a Republican all my life, I am 69, and this year I changed parties. I am so disgusted with the Republicans and Mitch McConnell, who receives more money from CCP than his government pay is the reason I finally quit the party. Research he is just one of many wearing sheep’s clothing and in bed with the enemy.

    • Oh Patricia!
      Your husband is not getting an increase in his social security because (primarily republican) representatives decided that it was far more to THEIR advantage to give trillions in tax breaks to the richest people in the world.

    • “You’re not serious people”: Congress called out for ignoring Republican Jared Kushner’s “huge scandal”
      Even GOP Rep. James Comer acknowledged Kushner “crossed the line” — but they’re focused on Hunter Biden

      By TATYANA TANDANPOLIE

      PUBLISHED AUGUST 11, 2023 1:02PM (EDT)
      Businessman and senior advisor to former President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner is interviewed at Fox News Channel Studios on August 23, 2022 in New York City. (John Lamparski/Getty Images)
      Businessman and senior advisor to former President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner is interviewed at Fox News Channel Studios on August 23, 2022 in New York City. (John Lamparski/Getty Images)
      save
      House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., on Thursday said that he believes former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, “crossed the line of ethics” by accepting a $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia.

      The Republican Kentucky representative, who is leading a congressional probe into President Joe Biden’s eldest son Hunter’s overseas financial dealings, acknowledged the transaction in response to former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s comments accusing Kushner of “grifting,” according to The New York Post.

      “I have been vocal that I think that what Kushner did crossed the line of ethics,” Comer told CNN’s Jake Tapper, pointing out the differences between the business dealings of Hunter Biden and Kushner, who served as an adviser to Trump in the White House.

      “But what Christie said, it happened after he left office. Still no excuse, Jake, but it happened after he left office. And Jared Kushner actually has a legitimate business,” Comer continued.

  2. THE DAMOCRATICS ARE GIVING MY MONEY TO ILLEGALS AND PROBIBLY CROOKED MOB BOSSES AND TAKING AWAY FROM UNITED STATES CITIZENS WHY IN GOD’S NAME ARE DEMOCRATS TAKING EVEN ONE CENT!

    OH, I AM SORRY! I DID MENTION CROOKED MOB BOSSES IN THE FIRST SENTENCE!

  3. Why is it, when you write to a Senator out of your state, you quickly get a response that you are not one of their constituents so they are not, will not respond to you or your concern.
    At the time I had a burning issue that I wanted addressed and thought I could go to someone with integrity which was not in my corrupt state since the two senators there were both of a different party than me.
    Months later I received a solicitation from the Senator that I tried contacting asking for a campaign donation, I have lost faith in the whole political system, the government, both parties are just looking for power and and have lost their way on what their oath meant or the principles of the constitution stand for. We are not going to last as an independent sovereign nation with the ability to support others to do the same because we no longer have a moral compass.

  4. I propose income and net-worth limitations on the candidates. Anyone worth more than 10x the average American family income is barred from running. Rep or Dem, if they’re rich they will share the priorities and prejudices of the rich. The power of Money and the need for it to run is THE core of our problems.

  5. It is so wrong to pay a well paid senator to drive to and from their job and pay them a daily amount for food etc. Let’s give that money to the needy and seniors. The snap benefit was cut to a lousy $23 a month. What can one buy these days with that little amount?

    Take away the $155 given to senators while in session and distribute to those who need it and deserve it.

    Geeze…what’s this world coming to?

    • “You’re not serious people”: Congress called out for ignoring Jared Kushner’s “huge scandal”
      Even GOP Rep. James Comer acknowledged Kushner “crossed the line” — but they’re focused on Hunter Biden
      By TATYANA TANDANPOLIE
      News Fellow
      PUBLISHED AUGUST 11, 2023 1:02PM (EDT)
      Businessman and senior advisor to former President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner is interviewed at Fox News Channel Studios on August 23, 2022 in New York City. (John Lamparski/Getty Images)
      Businessman and senior advisor to former President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner is interviewed at Fox News Channel Studios on August 23, 2022 in New York City. (John Lamparski/Getty Images)
      save
      House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., on Thursday said that he believes former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, “crossed the line of ethics” by accepting a $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia.

      The Republican Kentucky representative, who is leading a congressional probe into President Joe Biden’s eldest son Hunter’s overseas financial dealings, acknowledged the transaction in response to former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s comments accusing Kushner of “grifting,” according to The New York Post.

      “I have been vocal that I think that what Kushner did crossed the line of ethics,” Comer told CNN’s Jake Tapper, pointing out the differences between the business dealings of Hunter Biden and Kushner, who served as an adviser to Trump in the White House.

      “But what Christie said, it happened after he left office. Still no excuse, Jake, but it happened after he left office. And Jared Kushner actually has a legitimate business,” Comer continued.

  6. I only receive a third of my Social Security benefits because I’m a “Double Dipper .” Congress passed a law back in 1981, I believe , that if you are a RETIRED Federal Employee under Civil Service and you also earned enough quarters to receive Social Security, the individual would receive only a THIRD of Social Security benefits. REGAN Administration passed this law. I worked hard for my benefits and should be entitled to full benefits. However, an immigrant can come to the US, apply for SS, NEVER worked a day in this country and receive SS. This is wrong.

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