Congress Set to Receive $69,300 Pay Raise to $243,300 and Opt Out of Obamacare

Dec 18, 2024, 03:39 PM

Members of Congress are set to receive their first pay raise since 2009 under a stopgap funding bill aimed at preventing a government shutdown. The bill, which lawmakers need to pass by December 20, includes a provision allowing an automatic cost-of-living adjustment to go into effect, increasing their annual salary from $174,000 to $243,300, a $69,300 increase. Additionally, the legislation, spanning 1,547 pages, contains a clause permitting members of Congress to opt out of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and revert to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) for health care. This move reverses a long-standing policy where Congress had blocked such adjustments due to political concerns, and it has sparked controversy, particularly among conservatives who criticize the bill for being bloated and set to expire on March 14.