Congress Seeks Raise After 15 Years: What to Know in Washington

Lawmakers Attempt Pay Bump After 15 Years of Frozen Salaries

Lawmakers haven’t had a pay raise in 15 years, and representatives from Republican firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene to progressive Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez want to do something about it.

It’s a politically risky move for lawmakers to vote months before the November election to boost their own salaries. Many vulnerable incumbents say it’s not worth the reward. But others, who will vote on moving ahead with a pay raise later this week, argue a salary bump after years of inflation is crucial to retaining and attracting economically diverse candidates.

Though congressional leaders are paid extra, a rank-and-file House lawmaker makes $174,000 annually, nearly triple the $65,470 average pay for US workers. But it’s slipping below salaries for elite professions like lawyers and corporate CEOs, and is less than half an average Wall Street salary.

“We have lost some really great members over this,” House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said. “To me, we ought to do what we did with the courts and others and hold the talent that we have.” Read More

Congressional pay has fallen below professional peers.

BIDEN’S SCHEDULE

• President Joe Biden has no public events scheduled.

CONGRESS’ AGENDA

• The House meets at 9 a.m. to vote on a contempt resolution against Attorney General Merrick Garland and amendments to the annual defense policy bill.
• Senators convene at 10 a.m. to vote on Federal Energy Regulatory Commission nominees.
• For the full detailed agenda, read BGOV’s Congress Tracker.

Bridge Disaster Stirs Sole Maryland Republican to Bipartisanship

Rep. Andy Harris is stuck between his storied fiscal hawk bona fides and a giant collapsed bridge that’s been clogging up the Baltimore harbor, BGOV’s Maeve Sheehey and Lillianna Byington report.

The Maryland lawmaker may be best known as a miserly appropriator who’s derailed hearings with bombasts on Republican culture war issues. But Harris’ unique position as his state’s only GOP congressman and a hard-right Freedom Caucus member makes his buy-in critical to win bipartisan support for billions of dollars to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed in late March, wreaking economic and transit havoc for constituents.

His role highlights several congressional dynamics: the inherent locality of politics, the popularity of disaster relief, and—some say—the reality of hard-line fiscal positions that work better in theory than in practice. Read More

• Also Read: Inside the White House Push to Reopen Baltimore’s Ship Channel

Also Happening on the Hill

Small Businesses Gain AI Training Under Bipartisan Senate Bill

Senate Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and committee member Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) on Tuesday introduced the legislation, which would require the Commerce Department to create AI training resources and toolkits for small businesses.

Bipartisan Senate Bill Seeks to Set US Government AI Use Rules

Sens. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) introduced legislation to establish guardrails to ensure the federal government can safely purchase and use artificial intelligence, according to a statement.

Tuesday’s Election Results

House Republicans will add a seat to their tenuous majority after Ohio Republican Michael Rulli won a special election Tuesday. Republicans will lead the House by 219-213 upon Rulli’s swearing-in. He’s also the Republican nominee in the Nov. 5 election for a full term. The next special election, in Colorado’s 4th District on June 25, also favors Republicans.

South Carolina’s congressional delegation may need some time to recover from yesterday’s primary. Republican Reps. Nancy Mace and William Timmons won renomination despite colleagues working against them.

• One contest has gone into overtime: after a seven-way Republican primary, pastor Mark Burns and nurse practitioner Sheri Biggs advanced to a June 25 runoff in the 3rd District of retiring Rep. Jeff Duncan (R).

Julie Fedorchak, a state public service commissioner, won the Republican nomination for North Dakota’s at-large House seat. It’s such a GOP-tilting state that her election in November is all but assured.

More Politics & Probes

What to Know About Wall Street Donors Backing Trump’s Campaign

Bloomberg’s politics team is hosting a live Q&A on Thursday, June 13 at 10 a.m. ET on the billionaire donors backing Trump’s 2024 presidential run. Submit your questions in our form or email us at bloombergqa@bloomberg.net.

Bob Menendez Broke Up With Girlfriend Over ‘Too Much Drama’

The rift between Senator Bob Menendez and his wife at his bribery trial deepened when his lawyer suggested she schemed behind his back to secure a Mercedes-Benz and that the New Jersey Democrat broke up with her at one point over “too much drama.”

Texas Governor Taps GOP Judges to New Business, Appeals Courts

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) on Tuesday announced his first two appointments to the state’s new business courts, as well as three justices to lead a new appeals court handling matters brought by the state or against it.

Trump Meets Bitcoin Miners in His Latest Pro-Crypto Overture

Several Bitcoin miners met with former president Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday night, according to Matthew Schultz, executive chairman at crypto mining company CleanSpark Inc.

What Else We’re Watching

Homeland Screening at Airports, Border Draws Watchdog Concerns

The Department of Homeland Security is at risk of letting dangerous individuals enter or stay in the US if the agency doesn’t address gaps in technology and procedures, a federal watchdog says.

Hamas Sends Response to Cease-Fire Proposal Backed by Biden

Hamas has delivered its response on a US-backed cease-fire proposal to Egypt and Qatar, and one person familiar with the matter said the group wanted changes before committing to a deal.

G-7 Leaders to Urge All Sides to Accept Biden’s Cease-Fire Deal

Group of Seven leaders will call on Hamas to accept the cease-fire deal outlined by US President Joe Biden, according to a draft statement seen by Bloomberg.

Grid Upgrades Gain Favor to Meet Power Demands of AI, Clean Tech

Power grid technologies have gained momentum in Washington and state capitals in recent weeks as a way to connect more renewable energy and meet rising demand without building as many new transmission lines.

Republican AGs Sue to Block Farmworker Organizing Protections

Kansas and 16 other states with Republican attorneys general have sued to halt a Biden administration rule adding protections for foreign farmworkers organizing for better working conditions.

Labor Agency’s Rule Defense Pivots Ahead of High Court Action

The US Labor Department is abandoning a legal doctrine under which courts defer to agency interpretations of laws as a shield against challenges to some of its most high-profile rulemakings, a sign it’s attempting to head-off the US Supreme Court’s expected gutting of the Chevron standard.

Terrorists Crossing the US Border? Rising Encounters Explained

Skyrocketing terrorist watch list hits at US borders are fueling fear and condemnation of Biden immigration policies, though border buffs dispute whether the numbers indicate a serious threat.

To contact the reporters on this story: Brandon Lee in Washington at blee@bgov.com; Jeannie Baumann in Washington at jbaumann@bloombergindustry.com

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Kayla Sharpe at ksharpe@bloombergindustry.com; Giuseppe Macri at gmacri@bgov.com