Congress quietly votes itself a new housing subsidy while workers pay their own commute.
H.R. 2519 — To provide a per diem allowance for Members of Congress for the costs of lodging, meals, and incidental expenses incurred because of travel to and from the Washington Metropolitan Area in order to cast votes in Congress, and for other purposes. · Filed by Mike Rogers (R-AL) · Introduced Mar 31, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill creates a new per diem (daily allowance) for Members of Congress to cover lodging, meals, and incidental expenses when they travel to Washington to vote. Members would receive GSA-standard rates (typically $150–$200/night) for each day the House or Senate votes and they cast votes in person, plus meals for travel days. The allowance is tax-exempt and applies retroactively to the current (119th) Congress, meaning Members can claim reimbursement for travel already completed.
Why we flagged it
This bill creates a new per diem allowance specifically for Members of Congress to cover lodging, meals, and travel expenses when commuting to Washington to vote. It is fundamentally a compensation/benefit expansion for sitting legislators, not a public-facing policy or regulatory measure.
What the text implies
- The bill effectively subsidizes Members' housing costs in Washington, reducing their personal financial burden for maintaining dual residences—a benefit unavailable to federal employees or ordinary citizens with similar commuting patterns.
- By tying per diem to GSA rates (typically $150–$200/night for lodging in the DC area), the bill could cost taxpayers $10–20 million annually depending on participation rates and voting frequency.
The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
Members of Congress (direct personal benefit); Hotel and hospitality industry in Washington DC metro area (increased occupancy and revenue)