Stimulus Bill Doesn't Give 25 Million to House Reps
The Claim
Line 17 of the $1.9 trillion stimulus bill awards a $25 million bonus to House Representatives.
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Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s investigation found this claim to be fake.
The $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, also known as the American Rescue Plan, does not give bonuses or raises to any members of U.S. Congress. The bill is 628 pages long, and many of these pages have a line 17. However, none of these line 17’s mention anything about giving money to members of Congress. The number “$25,000,000” is mentioned in the bill 5 times, but none of these mentions have anything to do with Congress members.
Evan Hollander, communications director for the House Appropriations Committee, confirmed to the Associated Press in an email that the “claim is false. In fact, there is no funding for the House of Representatives or Senate in the bill at all."
According to the Congressional Research Service and Indeed, most members of U.S. Congress make $174,000 per year. The Speaker of the House makes $223,500 per year, while the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, majority leaders, and minority leaders in the House and Senate make $193,400 per year. The last time Congress members had an increase in their salary was in 2009.
The pay raises of Congress are calculated based on the Employment Cost Index (ECI). Congress can vote to accept or reject a yearly pay increase based on that calculation. Every year since 2009, Congress has voted to deny a pay increase.
