Congressmen are elected by the voters of their district to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives for two-year terms. Technically, the term "Congress" refers to both the House and the Senate, but traditionally only U.S. representatives are called "congressmen" or "-women." As of 2012, federal rules allow for 435 members of the House, proportionately representing the 50 states, as well as five districts and territories. A congressman must be 25 years old, a citizen of the United States for at least seven years, and a resident of the district he represents.
As of 2012, the annual salary for any congressman, from first-term representatives to the most senior members -- except those holding leadership positions -- was set at $174,000. This was the compensation level set as of January 1, 2009, and frozen by law in the intervening years. Congressional leaders such as the Speaker of the House or majority and minority leaders receive larger salaries, but no first-term congressman would serve in one of these positions, which are driven by seniority. The Speaker of the House makes $223,500 a year, while the party leaders make $193,40 each.
Most Recent Raise
Congress determines its own pay, in accordance with the U.S. Constitution. As of 2012, Congress had three ways it could give its members a raise: specific salary legislation, automatic annual adjustment, and through a compensation commission. Although members of the House, including first-term representatives, were scheduled to receive raises in 2010, 2011 and 2012, legislation denied them those increases.The last raise for members of the House thus came with the January 2009 salary, when pay was increased 2.8 percent, from $169,300.
Members of Congress have been paid ever since the establishment of the legislative body in 1789. Until 1817, they were paid "per diem," or a day rate, with the exception of the years 1815 and 1816, when they received the first yearly salary: $1,500. Members of the House first received a six-figure annual salary in 1991, at $125,100, and since that year, representatives and senators have received the same yearly pay.
Benefits and Allowances
First-term congressman, as well as their longer-serving peers, are allowed to earn outside income. However, there are limitations. As of 2012, outside income is capped at $26,955 a year -- 15 percent of Level II of the Executive Schedule for federal employees. Since 1991, congressmen are also forbidden to earn honoraria, or speaking fees. However, they are entitled to deduct Washington, D.C., living expenses up to $3,000 from their federal taxes, and receive health, insurance and retirement benefits in accordance with federal regulations. Finally, congressmen receive allowances for personnel and office expenses, so they do not have to pay staffers and business costs out of their own pockets.
- Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images