In one of their final acts in power, House Democrats secretly passed through a rule change that will see lawmakers in the lower chamber get a $34,000 pay raise.
The new rule, proposed by Democrats on the House Administration Committee, allows House members to be reimbursed for the cost of lodging, food and travel while on official business in Washington DC.
It was tucked into the House's internal rules, rather than in annual spending bills, and therefore was not debated on the House floor, according to the New York Times.
In fact many rank-and-file House members did not even find out about the change until Tuesday, just two weeks after former Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced a similar pay raise for House staffers.
Advocates say the new raise is necessary to increase the pool of people who could afford to serve in Congress, but Republicans say the 'clandestine' rule should have been up for public debate.
The House Administration Committee — under the leadership of California Democrat Zoe Lofgren (pictured) approved a measure allowing House members to reimburse the cost of lodging, food and travel while on official business in Washington DC
The House Administration Committee — then headed by California Democrat Zoe Lofgren — approved the reimbursement on December 30, 2022, with no lawmaker on the panel opposing the change.
Under the new rule, House members could be subsidized about $34,000 for their expenses in DC, where they live for weeks on end. That means that if all 440 current members and delegates requested the maximum amount, the reimbursements would total around $15.1 million.
In Congress, expenses are capped at a per diem rate by the General Services Administration. The GSA's daily lodging per diem varies between $190 and $260 depending on the season.
The per diem for food currently stands at $79 per day, meaning a lawmaker in DC for congressional business could expense up to about $340 each day.
The money for these expenses would come from the Member's Representational Allowance, the account that covers official expenses, according to Bloomberg.
But in an email obtained by DailyMail.com, congressional offices were asked to hold off on submitting their reimbursement expenses until the committee could offer further guidance.
Members of the House already earn an annual salary of $174,000 and receive a slew of benefits for their service
Members of the House already earn an annual salary of $174,000, an amount set in 2009, which has not changed since even as the cost of living increased.
Additionally, House members get annual allowances averaging $1.27 million to staff and manage their offices as they see fit, and while members of Congress are required to purchase insurance under the Affordable Care Act, they receive a subsidy amounting to 72 percent of their premiums, according to Axios.
The federal lawmakers are also eligible for lifetime health insurance under the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program.
And depending on the member's age and length of service, he or she could also receive a lifetime pension of 80 percent of his or her salary — amounting to $139,200 a year.
But, in advocating for the rule change, the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress suggested a pay raise would entice more people to serve in Congress.
'Unlike their counterparts in the executive branch and private sector, members do not receive a per diem or reimbursement for their out-of-pocket living expenses when they are at work in Washington,' the committee noted in its final report.
Former Congressman Mo Brooks, a Republican from Alabama, slammed the decision to pass the measure without a discussion on the House floor
Some lawmakers, especially the younger ones, have complained of the cost of affording a place in the nation's capital
Some lawmakers have complained that they struggle with maintaining two residences on a congressional salary. Others have noted they still make far more than the average American.
'Ppl rag on Congress’ salary &it’s easy to score political points on it, but many don’t know it requires paying 2 rents, can’t deduct work costs, etc Result is grand gestures to tout that they/staff aren’t getting COLA adjustments, but then trading stock to make up for it -worse!' Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York wrote on Twitter in December 2021.
And just last month newly-elected Representative Maxwell Alejandro Frost, a Democrat from Florida, tweeted: 'Just applied to an apartment in DC where I told the guy that my credit was very bad. He said I'd be fine.
'Got denied, lost the application fee,' he wrote. 'This ain't meant for people who don't already have money.'
He later said, 'I also recognize that I'm speaking from a point of privilege cause in two years time my credit will be OK because of my new salary.
The committee suggested raising lawmakers' salaries would decrease 'polarization' because 'more candidates are willing to run for office if they see public service as an economically viable career.'
But former Rep. Mo Brooks, a Republican from Alabama, said he was upset that the raise was not discussed on the House floor.
'You can have a good public policy debate on whether congressmen should be paid more in order to attract a better bunch, and you could have a reasonable debate on inflation adjustments, but it really out to be done in public,' he said.
'That's my biggest beef, that it was a clandestine secret.'