Congress 101: Salaries, Wealth, and What You Need to Know as a Gen Z or Millennial

The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Membership:
* House of Representatives: 435 members, each representing a congressional district within their state. Representatives serve two-year terms.
* Senate: 100 members, two from each state. Senators serve six-year terms, with staggered elections ensuring that one-third of the Senate is up for election every two years.

Qualifications:
* Representatives: Must be at least 25 years old, a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and an inhabitant of the state they represent.
* Senators: Must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for at least nine years, and an inhabitant of the state they represent.

Member Characteristics:
While the Constitution sets basic qualifications, the members of Congress vary widely in their backgrounds and demographics. Here’s a look at some key characteristics:
* Age: The average age of House members is currently 57.9 years, and 64.0 years for Senators.
* Professions:  Historically, Congress has been dominated by lawyers. However, today’s Congress includes members with diverse professional backgrounds, including business, education, medicine, and public service.
* Education: The overwhelming majority (96%) of members hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Many have advanced degrees, including law degrees, MBAs, and PhDs.
* Marriage Status:  Most members of Congress are married, though there are single, divorced, and widowed members as well.
* Home State: Each member represents a specific state or, in the case of delegates, a U.S. territory.
* Criminal Record: While not a formal disqualification, serious criminal convictions can impact a candidate’s electability. Background checks are common during the election process.
* Military Service:  The number of veterans in Congress has been declining in recent decades. In the current Congress, about 18% of Representatives and 17% of Senators have served in the military.
* Party Affiliation: Members typically belong to one of the two major political parties, the Democratic Party or the Republican Party.  A small number are Independents.
* Time Serving:  Some members serve for decades, while others are relatively new to Congress.
* Religion: The majority of members identify as Christian, with a variety of denominations represented.  Other faiths, including Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, are also represented in Congress.
Important Note: Data on member characteristics (age, profession, education, etc.) is collected at the start of each Congress and may change over time due to elections, resignations, or other factors.
Where to find more detailed information:
* Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports:  The CRS provides in-depth reports on the membership of each Congress, including detailed demographic breakdowns.
* Pew Research Center:  Pew Research Center conducts studies on the changing face of Congress, offering insights into trends in representation.

Understanding the composition of Congress is crucial for comprehending the legislative process and the dynamics of American politics.

It’s true that a significant number of members of Congress are millionaires. According to the Center for Responsive Politics’s analysis of financial disclosure data:

* More than half of the members of Congress are millionaires. This means that their net worth, including assets like stocks, real estate, and other investments, exceeds $1 million.
It’s important to remember that this doesn’t mean they have that much money in cash. It simply means the total value of what they own minus any debts is over $1 million.

Government Salary:
Now, here’s what members of Congress earn as their government salary:

* Senators and Representatives: $174,000 per year
It’s worth noting that certain leadership positions within Congress receive a higher salary:

* Speaker of the House of Representatives: $223,500 per year

* Majority and Minority Leaders of the House and Senate: $193,400 per year.While their government salary is substantial, it’s clear that for many members of Congress, their wealth comes primarily from sources outside of their congressional income. This can include investments, inheritance, or income from spouses.

The fact that a majority of Congress members are millionaires and some are extremely wealthy raises important questions about representation and potential conflicts of interest. It’s a topic that continues to be debated and studied.

 

Because of many financial disclosure loop holes it’s very difficult to identify members that became millionaires AFTER entering congress. But, be sure we are working on it.

                                                                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                                                                  

 

Your Life–Your News

tik4tat.com research team, 2024