From Newsweek · · 1m
Congressional Pay During Early Recess
House members get $91,051 each for 191 days not in session before November elections
In brief
House members get $91,051 each for 191 days not in session before November elections House members receive $91,051 per member for 191 days not in session before November elections Originally reported by Newsweek.
House Pay Calculation
House members receive $91,051 each for 191 days not in session between January and November 8, 2026
Early Recess Decision
Speaker Mike Johnson canceled the final voting day to let lawmakers campaign ahead of November elections
Lawmaker Reaction
Ralph Norman called the pay decision unfair as lawmakers campaign instead of doing their jobs
“Let's call it what it is. This close to an election, many Members are campaigning. If campaigning takes up the majority of their time, their campaigns should pay them, not taxpayers.”
Impeachment Avoidance
Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie claimed the early recess avoids impeachment votes on Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
“Why are we canceling session when there’s so much important work to be done? It’s because they want to avoid voting on my Epstein legislation and the impeachment of Hegseth.”
Campaign Impact
Lawmakers will be out of session for 54 days, adding to 138 days not in session this year
Pay Source
Congressional salaries come from federal tax revenue paid by the U.S. Treasury
The key point
House members receive $91,051 per member for 191 days not in session before November elections
