# Plain Language Summary: Congressional Pay Adjustment Bill

This bill would eliminate the automatic pay raises that members of Congress currently receive each year. Right now, members of the House and Senate get automatic salary increases tied to inflation, which means their pay goes up without them having to vote on it or take any action. This bill would stop that system and freeze congressional salaries at their current level.

Here's what this means in practical terms: Congress members would keep their current salary, but it wouldn't increase year after year like it does now. If inflation goes up 3% next year, a senator or representative wouldn't see their paycheck grow to match that increase. Their salary would stay exactly the same until Congress votes to give them a raise, which is something they rarely do because it's politically unpopular. The last time Congress voted to increase their own pay was back in 2009.

The people this affects most directly are the 535 members of Congress—435 House representatives and 100 senators. Supporters of this bill argue it's a matter of principle and fiscal responsibility, suggesting that members of Congress shouldn't get automatic raises when many Americans struggle with stagnant wages. Critics counter that freezing pay indefinitely could make it harder to attract qualified candidates to public service and might increase reliance on outside income or donations. Either way, this is fundamentally about whether Congress members get automatic yearly raises or whether any pay increase requires a specific vote.

A bill to repeal the provision of law that provides automatic pay adjustments for Members of Congress.

Scott, Rick

 <p>This bill eliminates automatic pay adjustments for Members of Congress, beginning with the 119th Congress.</p>