Feet off the ground…
>While Pelosi, Harris, Waters, Schiff, Feinstein & Swalwell want to tell President Trump how ro run the country, this is how they run their own state
Add: Newsom, Porter, Becerra, Khanna, Lieu - all Californians too
>Lifetime retirement pay after only a few years
Members of Congress receive a robust suite of benefits alongside their base salaries, primarily including subsidized health insurance, a federal pension program, and generous allowances to run their legislative offices. These benefits are designed to support federal service, though they often draw public scrutiny.
Core Benefits
Healthcare: Lawmakers and their staff can purchase health insurance through the D.C. Health Link. The federal government subsidizes approximately 72% of the total health insurance premium.
Retirement (FERS): Members of Congress are enrolled in the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS). This system features:
A defined benefit plan (pension).
Mandatory participation in Social Security.
The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), which is a government-matched, defined-contribution plan similar to a 401(k).
Pension Details: The pension amount is calculated based on the member's years of service and their highest average salary. Members vest into the pension after 5 years of service, and they can collect full benefits at age 62, or at age 50 with 20 years of service.
Office & Staff Allowances: Members receive allowances to operate their offices and pay staff. Representatives receive the Members' Representational Allowance (MRA), and Senators receive the Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Allowance (SOPOEA). These funds can only be used for official duties and strictly cannot cover personal or campaign-related expenses.
Legislative Resources
Franking Privilege: Members are permitted to send official mail to their constituents at taxpayer expense, which is subject to specific volume and content restrictions.
Travel Allowances: Funds are allocated to cover the cost of travel between Washington, D.C., and the member's home district or state.
You can find complete, official breakdowns of congressional pay, staff allowances, and pension structures published by the Congressional Research Service at
https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/RL30064
>Feet off the ground:
Younger Trump,
POTUS walking with Musk's son X Æ A-12,
Musk on stage with then-candidate Trump,
Comey in front of the famous Museumplein (Museum Square) in Amsterdam, with the historic Rijksmuseum building visible in the distance (per AI)