Do Senators and Congress people get to vote for their own pay raises??

Question

What is their retirement program?
Do they have Social Security taken out of their paychecks?

Answer 1

Hey, I normally disregard 95% of what Rush Limbaugh sez but your question made me dig this up...

Folks, this is part and parcel of over 50 years of entitlement politics in this country. It's just really sad. Every time a pay raise comes up for the military, they usually receive next to nothing of a raise. Now the green machine is in combat in the Middle East while their families have to survive on food stamps and live in low-rent housing. Make sense?

However, our own U.S. Congress voted themselves a raise. Many of you don't know that they only have to be in Congress one time to receive a pension that is more than $15,000 per month. And most are now equal to being millionaires plus. They do not receive Social Security on retirement because they didn't have to pay into the system. If some of the military people stay in for 20 years and get out as an E-7, they may receive a pension no of $1,000 per month, and the very people who placed them in harm's way receives a pension of $15,000 per month. I would like to see our elected officials pick up a weapon and join ranks before they start cutting out benefits and lowering pay for our sons and daughters who are now fighting.
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me again,
plus, I might add, Congress exempted themselves from any drug testing.

Answer 2

The General Assembly votes on if they receive a raise or not every year (cost of living increase vote). They pay taxes, and Social Security...Members of Congress receive retirement and health benefits under the same plans available to other federal employees. They become vested after five years of full participation. The average retirement payment is $4,000/month.
Since 1984, Congress members pay into Social Security...it gets capped at a certain level, ~$60,000 = 6% of earnings goes to SS...anything the Congressman makes above that level does not go to SS.

Answer 3

I am assuming you mean Congress in Washington, and not individual state legislators.

Our Congressmen's salaries are set by law. And they pass those laws.

As far as retirement, there are about 400 retired Congressmen on the books right now, and their average pension benefits are $45,000.00 per year. That is significantly more than my mom gets from Social Security, let me tell you. Keep in mind that the longer you serve, the greater your pension will be. Edward Kennedy alone will receive millions in pension benefits when (and if) he ever decides to retire.

Congressmen do not have Social Security taken from their checks, but they do not participate in the Social Security program either. With a pension that large, why would you need to.

Answer 4

Yes, they get to vote for their own pay raises, but their votes only take effect during the *next* term, so there is an election process inbetween.

They get retirement pensions and pay social security.

Answer 5

Yes they do get to vote themselves pay raises and thier per diem rates. You can look the rest of that up online or ask a history teacher. I don't believe that they get ss taken out of thier paychecks and they have a very good retirement policy (depending on the amount of years they serve).

Answer 6

Not sure about the social security and the retirement plan although Im sure its a standard or somewhat better than standard package but

Yes they do vote for their pay raises.

Answer 7

Yes, and it is not right. We, as the voters, and their employers, should decide if they get pay raises or not. We need to have a revolution in this country, and take it away from the so called "elected" leaders. Make them live on low income like the majorioty of the nation. Of course, they still need travel expenses, but, even that should have limits.

Even their current travele xpenses is more than the average American earns.

Answer 8

yes they do, and they also have a much better retirement plan than Social Security. And great health care.

Answer 9

Yes, but the raise doesn't take effect until the next session of Congress.

Answer 10

There should be a law that say .. any raises or hiring in the house should be voted by the people. any kind of spending of the taxes payer money should by the peoples' vote. We need to stop all this wasteful spending in government.