When did congress first get paid?

Question

I am trying to figure out if our congress people have always been paid, of if they made a law at some point that gave themselves a paycheck? Anybody know?

Answer 1

Congressmen have fixed salaries but often ignore these pays because they have more payments for the laws that they make for businesses favorable to their friends, relatives and partymates. They also get a huge chunk of the pork barrel funds given to them by making false or over budgetted projects.

Answer 2

This is a direct quote from Wikipedia:
"From 1789 to 1815, members of Congress received only a per diem (daily payment) of $6.00 while in session. Members began receiving an annual salary in 1815, when they were paid $1,500 per year."
Im not quite sure about the whereabouts of the pay, but I believe (and I might be challenged on this one) that the first congressmen (there were not women yet) were paid by individaul states, untill a national treasury was established, and than they were reciveing pay from the treasury.

Answer 3

Probably about the time of the 17th Amendment, Civil War.
Before that they would have been paid by the states.

Good question, I hope somebody has a real answer.

Answer 4

Think a situation like this. You get a job, owner gives you full freedom., he hand over a signed blank cheque book, where you have freedom to write any amount as your salary. How much amount you mention ?

Answer 5

Since Man invented the green paper.