ATLANTA — With the House Select Committee investigation for the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol set to resume its televised hearings later in July, an 11Alive viewer wants to know if members of Congress get extra pay to serve on special committees.
Let’s verify.
Members of congress serve on a variety of long standing committees that take up a great deal of their time. The nine representatives serving on the temporary, select committee investigating the events of Jan. 6 are doing that work along with their regular committee duties.
The Question
Do members of Congress receive extra pay for serving on special committees?
Our Sources
The Answer
No, members of Congress do not get extra pay for work on special committees like the one investigating Jan. 6.
Here's what we found
A report issued last November from the Congressional Research Service makes it clear; “members of Congress do not receive additional compensation for service on committees.”
Gillespie explained while work on a temporary, investigative committee may be in additional to a legislator’s other committee work, it’s still part of the work they’re expected to do.
“Congress is supposed to investigate the executive branch,” she explained. “That's their job. Members of Congress don't get bonuses.”
The select committee investigating Jan. 6 isn’t the only committee of its kind. Currently, House members are also part of a Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, and a Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.
So, we can Verify that members of Congress do not get extra pay for work on special Committees like the one investigating Jan. 6.