Calendars of the House of Representatives

Christopher M. Davis
Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process

In the House of Representatives, the term “calendar” has two related meanings. This report, one of series of reports on legislative process, explains calendars and their use in the House of Representatives.


Date of Report: March 25, 2013
Number of Pages: 4
Order Number: 98-437
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House Committee Hearings: Scheduling and Notification

Christopher M. Davis
Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process

Each House committee has the authority to hold hearings whether the House is in session, has recessed, or has adjourned (Rule XI, clause 2(m)(1)(A)). Regardless of the type of hearing, or whether a hearing is held in or outside of Washington, hearings share common aspects of planning and preparation.


Date of Report: March 26, 2013
Number of Pages: 5
Order Number: 98-339
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House Committee Hearings: Witness Testimony

Christopher M. Davis
Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process

Witnesses before House committees generally must file an advance copy of their written testimony with the committee, and then limit their oral testimony to a brief summary (Rule XI, clause 2(g)(5)). A question and answer period usually follows a witness’s opening statement. Following hearings, committees usually publish the transcripts of witness testimony and questioning.


Date of Report: March 26, 2013
Number of Pages: 4
Order Number: 98-338
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Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables

Ida A. Brudnick
Specialist on the Congress

Congress is required by Article I, Section 6, of the Constitution to determine its own pay. Prior to 1969, Congress did so by enacting specific legislation. From 1789 through 1968, Congress raised its pay 22 times using this procedure. Members were initially paid per diem. The first annual salaries, in 1815, were $1,500. Per diem pay was reinstituted in 1817. Congress returned to annual salaries, at a rate of $3,000, in 1855. Specific legislation may still be used to raise Member pay, as it was most recently in 1982, 1983, 1989, and 1991; but two other methods—including an automatic annual adjustment procedure and a commission process—are now also available.

The Ethics Reform Act of 1989 established the current automatic annual adjustment formula, which is based on changes in private sector wages as measured by the Employment Cost Index (ECI). The adjustment is automatic unless denied statutorily, although the percentage may not exceed the percentage base pay increase for General Schedule (GS) employees.

Members of Congress last received a pay adjustment in January 2009. At that time, their salary was increased 2.8%, to $174,000 from $169,300. A provision in the FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act prohibited any pay adjustment for 2010. Under the pay adjustment formula, Members were originally scheduled to receive an adjustment in January 2010 of 2.1%, although this would have been revised downward automatically to 1.5% to match the GS base pay adjustment. Members next were scheduled to receive a 0.9% pay adjustment in 2011. The pay adjustment was prohibited by P.L. 111-165, which was enacted on May 14, 2010. Additionally, P.L. 111-322, which was enacted on December 22, 2010, prevented any adjustment in GS base pay before December 31, 2012. Since the percentage adjustment in Member pay may not exceed the percentage adjustment in the base pay of GS employees, Member pay was also frozen during this period. If not limited by GS pay, Member pay could have been adjusted by 1.3% in 2012.

The ECI formula established a maximum potential pay adjustment in January 2013 of 1.1%. Section 114 of the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 (H.J.Res. 117, P.L. 112-175, enacted September 28, 2012), extended the freeze on GS pay rates for the duration of this continuing resolution, which also extended the Member pay freeze since the percentage adjustment in Member pay may not exceed the percentage adjustment in the base pay of GS employees. Subsequently, Member pay for 2013 was further frozen in H.R. 8, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, which was enacted on January 2, 2013 (P.L. 112-240).

This report contains information on the pay procedure and recent adjustments. It also contains historical information on the rate of pay for Members of Congress since 1789; the adjustments projected by the Ethics Reform Act as compared to actual adjustments in Member pay; details on past legislation enacted with language prohibiting the annual pay adjustment; and Member pay in constant and current dollars since 1992. For information on actions taken each year since the establishment of the Ethics Reform Act adjustment procedure, see CRS Report 97-615, Salaries of Members of Congress: Congressional Votes, 1990-2013, by Ida A. Brudnick.

Members of Congress only receive salaries during the terms for which they are elected. Former Members of Congress may be eligible for retirement benefits. For additional information on benefit requirements, contributions, and formulas, see CRS Report RL30631, Retirement Benefits for Members of Congress, by Katelin P. Isaacs.


Date of Report: March 22, 2013
Number of Pages: 17
Order Number: 97-1011
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Salaries of Members of Congress: Congressional Votes, 1990-2013

Ida A. Brudnick
Specialist on the Congress

The U.S. Constitution, in Article I, Section 6, authorizes compensation for Members of Congress “ascertained by law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.” Throughout American history, Congress has relied on three different methods in adjusting salaries for Members. Specific legislation was last used to provide increases in 1990 and 1991. It was the only method used by Congress for many years.

The second method, under which annual adjustments took effect automatically unless disapproved by Congress, was established in 1975. From 1975 to 1989, these annual adjustments were based on the rate of annual comparability increases given to the General Schedule federal employees. This method was changed by the 1989 Ethics Act to require that the annual adjustment be determined by a formula based on certain elements of the Employment Cost Index (ECI). Under this revised process, annual adjustments were accepted 13 times (scheduled for January 1991, 1992, 1993, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2009) and denied nine times (scheduled for January 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2007, 2010, 2011, and 2012). In the 112th Congress, numerous bills have been introduced to alter this procedure, reduce the pay of Members of Congress, prevent or delay pay in the event of a government shutdown, or extend the current pay freeze.

Since 2009, the salary for Members of Congress has been $174,000. Section 114 of the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 (H.J.Res. 117, P.L. 112-175, enacted September 28, 2012), extended the current freeze on General Schedule (GS) pay rates through the duration of this continuing resolution. Since the percentage adjustment in Member pay may not exceed the percentage adjustment in the base pay of GS employees, any delay in the implementation of pay adjustments for GS employees would delay any scheduled Member pay adjustment. Member pay was further frozen for the remainder of 2013 in H.R. 8, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, which was enacted on January 2, 2013 (P.L. 112-240).

A third method for adjusting Member pay is congressional action pursuant to recommendations from the President, based on the recommendations of the Citizens’ Commission on Public Service and Compensation established in the 1989 Ethics Reform Act. Although the Citizens’ Commission should have convened in 1993, it did not and has not met since then.

For historical tables on the rate of pay for Members of Congress since 1789; the adjustments projected by the Ethics Reform Act as compared with actual adjustments in Member pay; details on enacted legislation with language prohibiting the annual pay adjustment; and Member pay in constant and current dollars since 1992, see CRS Report 97-1011, Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables, by Ida A. Brudnick.

Members of Congress only receive salaries during the terms for which they are elected. Former Members of Congress may be eligible for retirement benefits. For additional information on retirement benefit requirements, contributions, and formulas, see CRS Report RL30631, Retirement Benefits for Members of Congress, by Katelin P. Isaacs.


Date of Report: March 22, 2013
Number of Pages: 32
Order Number: 97-615
Price: $29.95

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